Manager Paul Lambert has confirmed that ahead of our game against Arsenal this weekend, centre half Ron Vlaar remains a doubt following the calf injury he picked up against Hull.
Speaking to the Official Site the manager confirmed that the Dutchman was still very much touch and go in terms of whether he would make the game having missed the last match against Liverpool.
‘Ron is a doubt. We will have to wait on that calf to see how it heals, but Ron will be a doubt.’
In slightly better news, we all know now that Christian Benteke has resumed full training and it’s expected that he will be in a condition to be considered for a first team return come the end of the month, and Lambert confirmed that he had had a great week in training and he was stepping up the workrate and intensity well already but it’s still a softly softly approach following an injury like that because there is no sense in rushing him and causing complications.
‘You have to watch him, you have to make sure he has no ill effects. He’s doing great and it’s been a good week for him.’
It has also been a productive week for summer signing Joe Cole and he has now recovered from his calf injury, so is stepping up his fitness work.
‘Joe is doing alright. He’s trained this week. It’s his first week since his injury and hopefully he will keep progressing. He is a little bit behind on fitness levels.’
Libor Kozak is also progressing well following his broken leg and he’s set for a hospital appointment on Friday to ‘assess’ his recuperation and you would imagine it would be a specialist booking with a mind to what sort of work he may now begin doing, although that isn’t confirmed.
With it always being said that Benteke was slightly ahead of Kozak by a couple of weeks, it may be likely that this hospital visit is to judge a framework for leg related fitness but you’d still think a New Year return is more likely.
The more medically minded might have a better timeframe here!
Vital Villa on:
Vital Villa on:
Join Vital Villa
It’s easy to REGISTER, simply click the link and enjoy getting involved!
