Bilic ready to bring this player back

It was well known insider knowledge when Slaven Bilic took over as our boss that his first priority in the transfer market would be a world class central defender.

And so it proved with Angelo Ogbonna arriving from Juventus for £8 million as the natural partner to Winston Reid with James Tomkins being left to fight for a position.

Nothing disturbed that view when the opening game arrived at Arsenal and Ogbonna was in at central defence with JT  slotting in at right back where he performed admirably defensively.

Since then – because of injuries – Ogbonna has become the forgotten man but Slav didn’t spend £8 million because he likes the colour of the Davids’ money. He rates Ogbonna highly.

And given the Tomkins clanger at Spurs which led to the third goal, not  the first time a mistake of his has led to a goal, I’m sure it will be all change this time around.

I hope so because the little we’ve seen of the Italian s highly encouraging – in a word the bloke’s a monster who gives strikers a seriously hard time.

And with Saido Berahino coming to visit we are going to need that brand of no holds-barred defending he brings to the table. I’m sure he will be recalled.

Whether Tomkins is shifted into the right back position remains to be seen. The doubt would be that he brings little offensively to  the team which may upset the balance of the team. My bet is Slav will continue with Jenkinson.

I hope I’m wrong but I fear Andy Carroll may get one more game as the manager ensures there can be no complaints when the time – probably not far away –  for him to be told: “It hasn’t worked – we are going in a different direction.”

We need Diafra Sakho back leading the attack this weekend.  I hope Slav  is brave and does precisely that but whatever else he doesn’t do I believe Ogbonna will return perhaps with Obiang returning to toughen up midfield along with Alex Song.