Youngsters eye their first-team chance with squad shortages
Michael Appleton
Michael Appleton has placed the youngsters on standby after seeing illness and injury rip through the first-team squad.
Dave Kitson and Ricardo Rocha have been feeling under the weather this week, while Joel Ward (toe), Jason Pearce (buttock), Tal Ben Haim (hip), Aaron Mokoena (hamstring) and Luke Varney (knee) have all missed training with injury.
That has left Appleton’s resources at breaking point and he admits the substitutes’ bench could be packed with youngsters tomorrow.
Appleton said: ‘The kids are on standby. They always are.
‘We will fill the bench because we’ve got the kids available. So people like Sam Magri may get an opportunity to be on the bench.
‘I will draft some of the kids in if needed.
‘I’m not going to be one of those to make a statement and not have a full bench as people have done in the past.
‘It’s an opportunity for one of the young boys if and when we need them.
‘Kits and Ricardo have been ill. Joel has picked up a toe injury which has been a little bit sore, so he’s had an injection.
‘Jason has a bit of a problem with glutes, so we’ve kept him off it and hope he will be okay.
‘Tal had a problem with a hip flexor injury going into Peterborough, so he’s been off this week, and we hope he’ll be okay.
‘Aaron’s another one who’s coming on okay with his hamstring but, due to the weather, hasn’t been able to get on the pitch.
‘Hopefully we can patch them up, get them full of paracetamol and whatever they need to get on the field.’
Meanwhile, Varney’s lengthy absence has been extended even further after his visit to a knee specialist last week saw him ordered to take a complete rest for a week.
Appleton added: ‘Luke has been to see the specialist, who advised him to take the week off and give himself a rest and do nothing with it.
‘They expect him, hopefully fingers crossed, to be ready to train in 10 days’ time or so.
‘But there’s at least seven bodies who have been struggling with sickness and injuries this week.
‘When you have a squad of 17 that doesn’t help much.’
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Comments
There are 32 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Hilzee
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:36 PMlots of us Johnny.
Johnny4545
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 05:38 PMWho really cares won't be a football team in a few weeks anyway ..., at least I will be able to get a parking space
russian chris
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 01:42 PMGames off at Bournemouth and Gillingham due to frozen pitches......
SurreyMush
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 01:09 PMHoping FP's frost blankets are able to do better than Sandown Park's, who have just called off tomorrow's meeting after having blankets on WHOLE course! Not a good sign though. http:iota.ecommzone.comlzJCRSAN0064EJ06b177d13ba2f10587a2b8d9aaba496d43story1.htm
russian chris
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 01:02 PMNo problem with the pitches over here..they are all ice scating rinks at the moment! getting warmer here today,only minus 29c at lunchtime! So Apps is going to PACK THE BENCH tomorrow.. i do hope Pompey fans will follow suit also.
julian123
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:28 PM-9 hear in Germany now !
Laidlaw is a Legend
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:16 PMIt's ok to play the kids, but they still need to be of some promise. Although SC got a lot of flack for releasing many of last years batch, it's only Pack and Ritchie that are still in the headlines. Though would've been good to see what Appy could have done with them, in the system we play now you could see MR fitting in. The next lot coming through there does seem to be some talent. Magri stands out as one.
The Imposter
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:06 PMchimonkey.....watch what their wearing tomorrow.
Warburton
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:25 AMI hear it might soon be -20 in Portsmouth.. Brrr..
Warburton
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:23 AMIf PFC had 'played the kids' sooner, rather than splashing obscene wages on the likes of Kitson, Lawrence, et al, then perhaps the club wouldn't find itself in this precarious position. And as for bemoaning the small squad, that's what you get when you adopt a policy of 'quality over quantity'..
Swiss Chimes
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:19 AMI hate to cast a downer on things meteorologically speaking, but air frost is worse than ground force. If the temperature is below zero at ground level but above zero at a height of 4 feet - very common in late autumn and early spring - it is referred to as 'ground frost'. In fact, weather forecasters often refer to 'a touch of ground frost'. However, when the temperature is below zero at 4 feet (and therefore considerably lower at ground level) it's called air frost. When you think about it, the ground temperature must be lower than the air temperature otherwise there would be no such thing as freezing rain or black ice. Air frost is bad...just hope the warm air from the west works its way over in time and doesn't bring too much snow with it. By the way, it's going to be -11 during the day over here tomorrow!
chimonkey
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 10:05 AMis it too late to register Ashdown as an outfield player??
gingerprince
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 09:42 AMI don't see anything negative in having to use the younger players, its the only way they will progress and , as has been said, one way or another they are our future. I am starting to get concerned about Varney though, this years Lawrence?
chimonkey
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 09:41 AMPost 2...Appy pompeii....your comment about price tags makes me remember when we had Martin Gregory as owner and the likes of Hillier, Hall, Svensson, Aloisi et all wore tshirts under there match shirts with their prices written on them. Think they got fined for doing it!! PUP. KEEP THE FAITH.
Appy pompeii
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 09:38 AMAll eyes on the directors box tomorrow then :)
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