Injuries hit squad for first away game

Last updated : 16 August 2002 By Tony Scholes
Tony Grant - out with a foot injury
We started the season with Brad Maylett and Gordon Armstrong both out injured and both will still be out. In Armstrong's case things are now worse, last week he was feeling his hamstring but during the week he suffered a tear in the friendly at Everton.

To make matters worse both Glen Little and Paul Weller are carrying injuries, although Stan is hoping that both of them will make it, and Tony Grant is ruled out. Glen has a thigh strain, Weller a sore knee and Grant's injury is with a foot bone.

The good news though is that Alan Moore has now served his three match ban and is available to return, ironically against the team he was sent off against last Easter. Arthur is also available despite the fact that the club will not be appealing against his red card last week. His suspension starts next Saturday.

The big questions will centre around whether Graham Branch and Robbie Blake start. Branch once again failed miserably at left-back and one wonders just how much longer Stan will persevere with him in this position. Robbie Blake received a public flogging from the manager last week and it will be interesting to see whether that will lose him his place or whether it will be used to try and get more from him. I suspect that both will miss out if Weller and Little both make it.

I think the starting line up will look something like: Nik Michopoulos, Dean West, Steve Davis, Ian Cox, Arthur Gnohere, Glen Little, Paul Weller, Lee Briscoe, Alan Moore, Ian Moore, Gareth Taylor.

That will leave the five subs as: Paul Cook, Andy Payton, Graham Branch, Robbie Blake and Dimitri Papadopoulos.

It would seem with Stan saying he has 16 to choose from that he has forgotten his threat of last week to throw in the youngsters. What a pity that we don't see one or two of them on the bench.

Wolves have no such problems although they are without long term injury victims Keith Andrews and Mark Kennedy. They are able to add Paul Ince to the squad for tomorrow with manager Dave Jones saying he will play a part and Dean Sturridge came through on Wednesday after a substitute appearance against Walsall.

It is expected that Jones will select from the sixteen in the squad on Wednesday along with Ince namely: Michael Oakes, Lee Naylor, Paul Butler, Denis Irwin, Jolean Lescott, Shaun Newton, Alex Rae, Ivar Ingimarsson, Colin Cameron, Nathan Blake, Kenny Miller, Dean Sturridge, Matt Murray, Ludovic Pollett, Kevin Cooper, Adam Proudlock and Paul Ince.

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