Abdi should be fit for Burnley clash (From Watford Observer)
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Watford midfielder Almen Abdi should be fit for Friday's match against Burnley, says Gianfranco Zola
8:00am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in Sport By Tom Allnutt
Almen Abdi expected back. Picture: Holly Cant
Watford midfielder Almen Abdi is expected to be available for Friday's match at home to Burnley but Hornets boss Gianfranco Zola says goalkeeper Manuel Almunia will need to be assessed.
Abdi suffered a groin injury before kick-off against Blackpool while Almunia has missed the last four league games with a hamstring injury.
"Abdi is on the way back," Zola said. "He should be fit for next Friday."
"We don’t know about Almunia, we will assess him next week but he is getting better."
Connor Smith should also return to training before Friday but Tommie Hoban, John Eustace and Neuton are all still injured.
Players often want to bounce back as soon as possible after a defeat but the Hornets head coach believes not having a match this weekend has allowed his squad a much-needed rest.
"I think in this case the break is good because we’ve been playing all the time since around October time, we never stopped, so I think it was about time to have a break and it is important," Zola said.
"I know we are getting towards the end of the season and sometimes it can happen that after a long and positive run like we had you can go through difficult or unfortunate games.
"It’s certainly not our best period at the moment but we’ll have important players back for the next game and that will definitely help us to get back to our best form."
Comments(24)
BigRussMalta
says...
9:12am Sat 23 Mar 13
BigRussMalta
says...
9:12am Sat 23 Mar 13
BarryEndean
says...
9:12am Sat 23 Mar 13
server.com/sport/Jam
aica-hold--Panama-on
e-all-at-home
Mickey Quinn, not so thin
says...
9:14am Sat 23 Mar 13
But wait. As Jase has told us;
"MQ - Zola will talk about long term absence as that will be well known about not someone he might/might not make it.”
So this interview has clearly been fabricated ! ;-)
Mickey Quinn, not so thin
says...
9:16am Sat 23 Mar 13
BarryEndean wrote:Really bad news, esp if Hall shows no signs of getting back on the pitch.
Just as one problem looks like being resolved, another big one has emerged. Nyron Nosworthy was carried off during Jamaica's game with Panama last night with a reported Achilles injury that will require surgery. Looks like the end of his season. Any any news of Fitz Hall? http://www.jamaicaob
server.com/sport/Jam
aica-hold--Panama-on
e-all-at-home
Eastsussexhornet
says...
9:32am Sat 23 Mar 13
BigRussMalta wrote:Apart from him being young and therefore clearly with less experience than someone older, what else is there about him that suggests that he couldn't deal with the run-in?
Bonds not experienced enough for what we got to do right now,with both these guys fit itll lift the squad and put us back up to 2nd by end of the season
endean2
says...
9:38am Sat 23 Mar 13
internationals!
that is a big loss for the rest of the season
AngelHornet
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9:50am Sat 23 Mar 13
stonehornet
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9:50am Sat 23 Mar 13
stonehornet
says...
9:57am Sat 23 Mar 13
endean2 wrote:I don't think a world cup qualifier is a meaningless international really.
dont you just love these meaningless
internationals!
that is a big loss for the rest of the season
Jamaica started with Nosworthy, Mariappa and McAnuff and had Doyley and Theo Robinson on the bench (LD didn't come on though)
JohnnyBarnes
says...
9:59am Sat 23 Mar 13
Zola: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE play our strongest side every game! Abdi, Chalobah and Battocchio are the best middle three in the league, nevermind the best we've got. Only eight games left, and our best XI stands a great chance of beating every team in this league. Lets go up and then get the loanees signed.
PS. feel free to extend your contract as well!!
Holly68
says...
10:36am Sat 23 Mar 13
Hall is injury prone and Ekstrand has been carrying a knock !!
Need Almunia fit, whilst Bond done well Almunia is a leader and has more presence
Briggs and Cassetti can play at the back, plus Adam Thoompson
Pray to keep the rest fit for next 8 or 11 games please god
Oracledave
says...
11:11am Sat 23 Mar 13
Better to focus on the medical staff and possibly the loan market (guess the window must close soon ?!)
BigRussMalta
says...
12:21pm Sat 23 Mar 13
BigRussMalta
says...
12:22pm Sat 23 Mar 13
lutondown
says...
1:26pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Holly68 wrote:Agree, Infact I'd move Cassetti into CB role anyway, his true position.
With Neuton and now Nosworthy out for season and Hoban still few weeks away, lets hope Hall, Doyley and Ekstrand stay fit !
Hall is injury prone and Ekstrand has been carrying a knock !!
Need Almunia fit, whilst Bond done well Almunia is a leader and has more presence
Briggs and Cassetti can play at the back, plus Adam Thoompson
Pray to keep the rest fit for next 8 or 11 games please god
As well as Bond has done, and with a big future agreed I would like to see Almunia back as he has that nous that experience and age brings.
Paul Ince admitted they targeted Bond
At set pieces knowing he was relatively inexperienced, and as we come to face the old war horses from Cardiff and Hull, every bit of savvy and mental strength will be needed.
I do agree these pointless internationals are maddening.
Paul Gadd
says...
1:51pm Sat 23 Mar 13
mellow yellow
says...
2:13pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Paul Gadd wrote:The charge under GT was far more Forest-like. We easily finished third under Boothroyd.
Abs, Vids, Anya, Chabs and Deeny all have to be firing or its the playoffs......and Forest are reminding me of our charge under AB in 2006 so ones to avoid
jasonwatford
says...
8:04pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Stoney77
says...
9:46pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Paul Gadd wrote:If we don't get 2nd I hope Forest do as they are in a proper roll. Maybe to keep it up for another 11 games is too much to ask and they will suffer a dip in form too
Abs, Vids, Anya, Chabs and Deeny all have to be firing or its the playoffs......and Forest are reminding me of our charge under AB in 2006 so ones to avoid
Harry's Bar
says...
5:53pm Sun 24 Mar 13
Eastsussexhornet wrote:When a player is out his stock rises. Like you though I am indifferent to
BigRussMalta wrote: Bonds not experienced enough for what we got to do right now,with both these guys fit itll lift the squad and put us back up to 2nd by end of the seasonApart from him being young and therefore clearly with less experience than someone older, what else is there about him that suggests that he couldn't deal with the run-in?
concerns over Almunia's absence.
After his effort for Palace's first goal my doubts were confirmed.
Bringe
says...
6:18pm Sun 24 Mar 13
BarryEndean wrote:I watched the game and Nos was definitely not carried off but rather hobbled off in what looked considerable pain. Bad as his injury may be, all this talk about a snapped Achilles is almost certainly an overeaction otherwise I'm sure it would have been a stretcher job.
Just as one problem looks like being resolved, another big one has emerged. Nyron Nosworthy was carried off during Jamaica's game with Panama last night with a reported Achilles injury that will require surgery. Looks like the end of his season. Any any news of Fitz Hall? http://www.jamaicaob
server.com/sport/Jam
aica-hold--Panama-on
e-all-at-home
JonBoy
says...
2:23pm Mon 25 Mar 13
watford1881 says...
8:58am Sat 23 Mar 13