Tag Archives: Striker

Houllier confirms striker absence

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Aston Villa have confirmed that striker Gabriel Agbonlahor will miss the weekend’s game with Spurs (20/21 to win the clash) as he goes under the knife for a groin operation.

The 23-year-old Birmingham-born forward is set to have a minor operation on Monday after boss Gerard Houllier stated he had to leave training on Friday as the problem was “too painful” for him to continue or be considered for the game at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Villa (13/5 to win the game, draw 12/5) have had an up-and-down start to their season and the recent appointment of Houllier seems to have given them more consistency than they had under caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald.

Similarly, England striker Agbonlahor has had a frustrating opening to his campaign.A calf problem ruled him out of the opening three weeks of the Premier League season and he has yet to score this campaign.

The latest injury setback will be a huge blow to the pacey star, but the Villa backroom staff are hoping he can return to the first team for their clash with Chelsea on October 16. If this fails to happen they remain confident he will be back to face Sunderland a week later.

Agbonlahor, who has three caps for his country, will also miss England’s Euro 2012 qualifier (England 9/1 to win tournament) against Montenegro on October 12. Despite his poor form this season he may have been considered by Fabio Capello due to injuries to Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Bobby Zamora.

Villa manager Houllier confirmed: “Gabby will have a minor operation on Monday evening on his groin.

“I think the England squad is given on Monday and that has definitely ruled him out. He wouldn’t be able to play.

“It is not just a niggle, it is real pain and hopefully the operation will heal that.”

He added: “He could be available for the Chelsea game but, if not, definitely for the Sunderland game.”

The loss of Agbonlahor will be a blow to Houllier but he is able to welcome back Norwegian striker John Carew into the squad after the giant forward recovered from a back injury.

Irish defender Richard Dunne is also back in contention after a knee problem as Villa (11/1 to finish in the Premier League top four) look to get their first successive victories in the league since April of this year.

The experienced centre-back said earlier this week he would have “no complaints” if he were named on the bench at Spurs, as he was impressed by the “brilliant” partnership of James Collins and Carlos Cuellar in Villa’s win over Midlands rivals Wolves last weekend.

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City poised for striker deal

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Roberto Mancini says Mario Balotelli should be a Manchester City (13/8 to be 2010-11 Top North West Club) player this weekend and believes James Milner will move to Eastlands next week.

Balotelli has been a summer-long target for the City boss, who worked with the 20-year-old during his time in charge at the San Siro.

The two clubs have finally agreed a fee for the striker, believed to be in the region of £24million, with Balotelli flying to Manchester for a medical on Friday.

The Italian frontman, who has Ghanaian heritage, scored 28 goals in 86 appearances for Inter since his first-team debut in December 2007.

Balotelli could well be joined by England midfielder Milner (33/1 to be 2010-11 PFA Player of the Year) in the next ‘two or three days’, according to the City manager.

Milner’s future has been the long-running transfer saga of the summer and now looks like it could be finally drawing to a close.

The former Leeds and Newcastle man has been named in Aston Villa’s squad to face West Ham in their Premier League opener on Saturday, but could be wearing a City shirt next weekend.

The Eastlands outfit (1/2 to claim a top-four finish) have offered Villa £18million for the 24-year-old, with Stephen Ireland moving in the opposite direction as part of the deal.

The deal has been reportedly delayed to Ireland seeking a payment to leave City, but it looks like the issues have been ironed out.

Mancini insisted: “We need another two or three days for this situation. We need everyone to be happy.”

As two players head into Eastlands, another could be leaving as Craig Bellamy has been left out of the 25-man squad Mancini has named for the Premier League campaign.

The Wales international admitted last week that he was unsure over his future with the Blues and he now seems certain to leave before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Former City boss Mark Hughes has confirmed that Fulham (18/1 in Premiership Without Top 6 market) are keen to sign Bellamy, whilst Celtic have begun negotiations with the striker’s representatives over a potential switch.

When asked about Bellamy, Hughes admitted: “Yes, I’d be interested in signing Craig. He’s one of the top players in the Premier League.”

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Striker O’Connor in Blues deal

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Manchester City v Birmingham CityGarry O’Connor has signed a new six-month deal with Birmingham City (200/1 to win the Premier League).

The 27-year-old striker missed most of last season with hip problems, undergoing two operations.

Now the former Hibernian and Locomotiv Moscow player has been offered a short term deal and the chance to impress boss Alex McLeish.

Edinburgh- born O’Connor has been hampered by injuries throughout his time at St Andrew’s, having signed in July 2007. He has played 58 times, but 31 of them have been appearances from off the bench.

O’Connor’s best spell was towards the end of his second season at the club when he scored six goals in 11 games to help City clinch promotion back to the Premier League.

Birmingham (5/1 to be relegated) boss McLeish said: “Garry has had a chronic groin and hip injury and it probably goes back to his Hibs days and the days he spent in Russia when he played on a synthetic surface. Having two hip injuries simultaneously wasn’t easy for him.

“If you imagine him fully fit without those problems then that’s what we’ve got to see – what Garry can produce without these hiccups.

“Successful operation and barring major breakdown there’s no reason why he can’t go on to have a successful career.”

Blues’ acting chairman Peter Pannu added: “The club is looking forward to reintegrating him into the squad. We have no doubt he has a bright future with the club and we wish him the best in his fresh endeavours.”

The Scotland international began his career with Hibs, where his performances in 2002 earned him a call-up to the international squad for the first time at the tender age of 18.

McLeish has been associated with the player since the start, giving him his first start at Hibs in April 2001.

But ironically it was once McLeish had departed to Rangers that O’Connor really came into his own, under successive bosses Franck Sauzee, Bobby Williamson and Tony Mowbray.

He linked up with Derek Riordan at Easter Road, and the pair scored 42 goals between them to earn the Edinburgh side a UEFA Cup berth in the 2005-06 season.

O’Connor signed a £16,000-a-week contract with Locomotiv Moscow in March 2006, and was a hit with his new team. He came off the bench to score the winner in Locomotiv?s 2007 Russian Cup final against FC Moscow.
The striker was signed for £2.7 million by Blues in June 2007, having failed to settle in Russia.

He had two years in the international wilderness from 2007, but was recalled for back-to-back games against Macedonia and the Netherlands in September 2009.

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Striker eyes golden prize

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Diego Forlan has revealed that he was not 100 percent fit for Uruguay’s semi-final defeat to Holland but he is still aiming to leave South Africa with the World Cup’s golden boot (Spain’s David Villa is 10/11 favourite for the prize).

The South Americans went down 3-2 to an impressive Dutch outfit at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday evening. 

The Atletico Madrid hitman netted from 30 yards out to put his side back on level terms after Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave the Europeans the lead with one of the goals of the tournament.

However, strikes from Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben put the result beyond doubt before Maximiliano Pereira netted a late consolation goal for Uruguay.

Forlan was substituted with five minutes to play after struggling with a tendon strain but the striker is now undergoing treatment in the hope of being fit enough for the third place play-off on Saturday.

“I have had a problem with my tendon, this has been going on for a couple of days already and I wasn’t really in the game,” he said.

“I thought warming up before the game I was going to be at my best, but it wasn’t like that for me.

 ”We will wait and see if I can make it in time for Saturday.”

Forlan has four goals in the tournament and will have the chance to add to that tally against Spain or Germany in Port Elizabeth  if he’s passed fit.

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