David Moyes has said no more than he hopes Kurt Zouma is ok but there has been a deafening silence from the club since the central defender he was injured towards the end of the game against Kidderminster.
We are trying to penetrate that and bring some news of what’s what but it would be something of a surprise were he not to be heading for a scan given the manner in which he finished the game.
And with Watford on their way on Tuesday evening that may raise the prospect of another appearance from Issa Diop who was hooked at half time against Kidderminster following a quite dreadful first 45 minutes in what has become a horrible season for him.
That is deeply worrying for it will presumably mean that he and Dawson will again be teamed together at the heart of defence unless David Moyes springs a surprise by bringing in under 23 Aji Alese or even using Ben Johnson in the role as he did earlier in the season.
Should such a reshuffle be required it will only reinforce the position of those who were critical of a zero winter window when a central defender was seen as a big requirement at one point.
Sadly we know he won’t play Alese or Ashby and maybe not Johnson because it’s too big a gamble because he has failed to give them any game time to find out. His restricted options are of his own making.
I can’t believe how far this guy has fallen. Zero confidence shows in his inability to pass, tackle, head or read the game. That he lasted 45 minutes on Saturday amazed me such was his abject performance.
Though the biggest puzzle for me is how, after being given time off, everyone looked like total strangers so lethargic and off the pace.
I hope Zouma is ok and it will be terrible news for the club if we lose him again. I cannot see Moyes playing Diop again and for me he should now consider brining in one of the u23’s. Ben Johnson is not a CB and would be a liability in that position. Could he play a back 3 with Baptiste, Dawson and Cresswell, could he move Rice into the back 3 and allow him to step into midfield so a back 3 of Dawson, Rice and Alese could work well with Coufal and Cresswell wide, Soucek and Lanzini with Fornals just ahead and Bowen and Antonio up top. Moyes has choices but will he make the brave ones I am not sure. He has made a lot of mistakes recently that have cost us points.
Agree Johnham and can see nothing wrong with playing Alese surrounded by experience, surely now a better option than Diop low on confidence having played abysmally 3 days earlier. Also here’s a revelation – If Okoflex or Perkins or Ashby are on the bench – sub THEM on not the deadlegs.
I’ve got a much better idea …give my cat a game he will play better than Diop did on Saturday..