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Varney Expected to Return for Huddersfield Clash Thursday, 29th Sep 2016 14:03
Striker Luke Varney is the only player on the Blues' lengthy injury list likely to be fit enough to return to the squad for Saturday’s home game against Huddersfield Town. The 33-year-old suffered a hamstring injury while playing for the U23s against Leeds a week ago last Monday.
However, manager Mick McCarthy says his already depleted squad suffered no new injuries during the 0-0 draw with Brighton on Tuesday.
“We’re all right from the game in the week,” he said. “There are a few who haven’t trained today but that’s only because of recovery from bumps and bruises but nothing that will keep anybody out of the game on Saturday.
“Reg, as he is affectionately known, has trained pretty well today and I think he’s hoping that he’ll be able to join in fully tomorrow with a view to being in the squad on Saturday. That’s the plus.”
McCarthy says Jonny Williams, who has been out with an ankle injury since rejoining on loan from Crystal Palace, should be be involved in the first team after the international break and will feature for the U23s in their Premier League Cup tie against Liverpool on Sunday (KO 1pm).
“He will play on Sunday against Liverpool at Portman Road and then we’re trying to get a game on the Wednesday, so if we do and he’s OK and he can compete in both of them, play in both then he’ll be all right for the Blackburn game.
“Sunday’s game will be a nice competitive fixture for him and, of course, there’ll be the others who haven’t been playing as well that we can get into the team.
“Didzy was out training today, he’s doing well but he’ll be a bit further down the road than that.”
Didzy (David McGoldrick), has been out with an ankle injury, while Tommy Smith (back), Brett Pitman (ankle), Luke Hyam (knee), Adam Webster (hamstring), Giles Coke (knee) and Adam McDonnell are also still sidelined.
Photo: Action Images
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If it wasn't so painful being a Town fan atm then this headline would be funny! He has actually scored against Huddersfield in a Town shirt so that is a positive... and like last season I hope we manage to nail down another hard fought 0-0 draw against Huddersfield to keep this good little run of ours going :)
If this story was about one of the young strikers like Ben Morris being given a chance and starting then I would be excited. But it's not. It's about an aging mediocre lower championship player returning from injury.
Well at least he will be a nuisance for the opposition defenders — aka winning flick-ons from long hoofs down as well as barging into other players.
Good news. ALWAYS good news to see one of ours coming back into contention.
Why ? Apart from anything else he was injured playing for US for OUR team and deserves our support. IF he'd stayed on the pitch in the play-off first leg against the Budgies I think we'd have won it. Their midfield got on top after he went off. SO I hope he scores - I HOPE HE SCORES THREE against Huddersfield. ESPECIALLY since It will annoy our sad little troll friends on here.
When was the last time Luke Varney scored a hat trick I asked myself. Youth football I wondered! I typed in Luke Varney hat trick on Google and I was amazed to find this:
It was pre-season mind you but even so, I didn't think he had it in him!
It's a matter of opinion but I'd rather take a punt on one of the youngsters as Luke Varney is a journeyman striker at best. His goals to games ratio is woeful. A striker is judged primarily on goals and on this key criteria, Varney's career has come up well short. He may shock us all and do a Murphy and start to bang them in (it might possibly happen) but past-form strongly suggests otherwise.
He did look lively at the end of the match against Villa, I will certainly concede that. If we are going to go with him I'd rather he plays alongside Best rather than running around like a headless chicken on his own with little support or service expected from our 1D midfield in the shape of the ubiquitous "Rasputin" Douglas and ExSkuse. The only way you can get any service from either of those is if you stand 5 yards to their left or right on the halfway line as that is the way 90% of their passes seem to play out!
Don't forget that the goalkeeper also gets service from the dynamic trio in midfield. Maybe we'll get a shock and a creative midfielder will get a chance even put Digby there to try to get some service forwards. I lost count of the times on Saturday and Tuesday I was screaming forward when they got the ball. Alas they couldn't hear me or the other 15000 fans doing the same. MM would have probably told me to jog on though. 🙄🙄🙄
Whosround,don't take it to heart,if you read my post properly you will see where I'm coming from,it's all about the service they get and how good they are.
I accept Reg Varney is getting towards the end of his career as I'm sure he does but I like his hustle and bustle when he does come on and the fact he chases everything down and generally makes a nuisance of himself with opposition defenders. Would I rather there was a budding Paul Mariner or Alan Brazil waiting in the wings? Of course I would but it would seem there isn't or McCarthy won't play them - not sure which. The problem with our strikers IMO is more with the static pair in midfield Scuse and Douglas who would know a forward pass if it bit them on the backside. One holding midfielder should be enough but we play with two hence no - one the take control. On Tuesday night I watched as both of them turned around and ran away from Bart when ever he had the ball, even when he was looking to play it short. Neither of them offer themselves when the CBs have the ball because they just aren't good enough to do so. McCarthy sets up to not concede and while he does that there will be no proper service to the striker/s
we are gripped by mediocrity and under mm it won't change. He goes down as the first manager in football history who will do the exact opposite of what is called for so as to spite Town fans who pay hard earned cash to watch totally rubbish and antiquated football. Youngsters will not be given a chance as his history shows and better to have past their best types who fit in with hoofball ..same old.
I would have thought being negative is bang on topic that is our selection policy , tactics, style of play and dealings in the transfer windows . If you think an old injury prone non scoring forward who works hard returning is big news or good for the club I find it very sad , would rather see Grant , Bishop ,Ward get game time rather than Reg cause he is a great lad
Well at least there's one thing we can all be confident of when it comes to ITFC and transfers: nobody's ever going to catch our management taking a bung... they'd have to actually buy a player of value for that to happen!