Peter Odemwingie is back for Albion

Monday 20th December 2010, 11:30AM GMT.

Peter Odemwingie is back for Albion

Peter Odemwingie will return for Albion’s Boxing Day trip to Bolton – but boss Roberto Di Matteo has warned the striker must be protected from burnout.

The Nigeria international is expected to lead the Baggies’ attack at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday after returning to training last Friday.

But Di Matteo has warned the 29-year-old’s lack of rest in the last 12 months means he must be handled with care for the rest of the season.

Odemwingie trained with his team mates on Friday and Saturday to put himself in contention for a place in the derby with Wolves before yesterday’s match was postponed.

But the loss of the game to the weather means he will have an extra week to recover properly from his knee, groin and calf niggles – injuries Di Matteo believes were due in part to his trip with Nigeria to the summer’s World Cup.

He said: “Peter hasn’t had a break and you can see a lot of players that were involved in the World Cup are having problems at this stage of the season, which was expected.

“We know it’s something we have to deal with. He has played in the World Cup and the Russian season is different, because they play through the summer as well.

“We just have to do our best to keep him fit for as long as possible. I think he only got nine days off, so it is difficult.

“The risk of injuries is higher for those players that haven’t had a break because of the World Cup.”


  1. 1
    JACK the HAT.

    To go steady with Osaze, we will need another new striker in our squad in January.

    BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.

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  2. 2
    astleistheking

    Thats good news that he can have a little bit longer to put his feet up. Hopefully Miller can also keep himself busy in the gym and get match fit!

    Felt Wolves have got out of jail with this being called off but hey ho!

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  3. 3
    Robin Brittain

    Although yesterday’s postponement was disappointing I cannot see the point in asking players or supporters to play or watch in such conditions. It’s only because of so many international breaks that there is no room in the football calendar to compensate for bad weather. The Premier League should press for the cancellation of all or some international friendly games so their fixtures can be completed without panic. Peter Odemwingie is a prime example of an international player who is being asked to play for nearly twelve months of the year without time to re charge his batteries.

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  4. 4
    Baggiebob

    I see we’ve been linked to another Celtic misfit; what have we ever done to upset them? LOL

    Seriously, I think apart from Peter and Simon, our strikers are too similar – we need someone who can hold the ball up, take on defences and score – not a player who can do only one of these things!

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  5. 5
    AMS

    The answer is Watford’s Danny Graham. Versatile player with a deft touch and an eye for goal. Stands out whenever I have seen Watford on TV this season. Surely within our price range and worth a shot.
    The point here is that neither Fortune nor Miller good as they are seem to be capable to consistently perform at this level – and score the goals required.

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  6. 6
    Snowy Baggie

    2. With Wolves having a reported 12 players injured it could of been a cricket score yesterday but then again they beat Blues and got their first clean sheet, typical of football!

    Bolton will be a difficult game and I would be very pleased with a draw. I am a little concerned regarding ST Peter he has had a gruelling schedule but he can’t seem to play 3 games on the bounce and we certainly have not got another striker of his quality on our books.

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  7. 7
    JACK the HAT.

    Just read the “Roberto relishes pressure” blog.
    Rings of clubs with very little money, expecting their managers to be in the top four in the league. Unlike wolves,who are happy with Mr. McCarthy, although they are languishing in the bottom three.
    Well done Wolves.

    BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.

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  8. 8
    JACK the HAT.

    Georgi Samaras, age 25yrs, 6′-4″, Winger/Striker.
    Greek world cup international.

    BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.

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  9. 9
    SIR TERRY BAGGIE

    i did put this post on over the w/e but the powers that be seemed to think it wasent fit for publication,so try agen,dont be suprised if wolfs hero robbie keane aint startin for us when we rearrange the fixture,aye boing boing

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  10. 10
    jordao1-0

    love it jack. i see our tatty neighbours have now resorted to insulting our manager, with cheap italian jibes. one even commenting about the war. also the corrugated hawthorns with no undersoil heating was another. they’re priceless. i mean who on earth would rather mad mick as a manager to RDM, added to that why would anybody choose YELLOW as a colour for a stadium. throughout the country we’re renowned for our support, humour, knowledge and respect. not written by us, but mentioned on sky and radio 5 live. 5 live did mention wolverhampton once as the place anybody would least like to go in england. forza albion

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  11. 11
    mike

    we shud go for nicky maynard if his back from injury or N bendtner on loan or even santa cruz on loan as well.

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  12. 12
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    Just seen on a previous thread old Lonely taunting us that by the replay they will have £20 mill worth of new talent while Brunt will be playing for someone else.

    It really brought home to me how far we’ve come and what a predicament we’re in.

    While they are desperate to attract some decent players for this alleged £20 mill and I won’t go into who will want to go there due to their position.

    We, on the other hand have a major problem. We have all these players other clubs want to take off us. The problem is compounded by the fact that they are all on long term contracts meaning that we will be tempted by huge amounts of money to let them go. We also have money in the bank to strengthen but where do we fit any more quality players into this squad?

    If only we could swap places with our rivals.

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  13. 13
    astleistheking

    I really hope the rumours surrounding Samaras is not true as he really is a truly awful player and have never understood how he has managed to become an International let alone a pro footballer.

    Cast your minds back to the start of the season when the dogheads were laughing at us due to all their signings and money spent. Look where they are still!

    Our manager knows what he wants and won’t panic buy. We realisticly only need a striker as our midfield is briming with confidence and quality, defence IMO is looking OK.

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  14. 14
    SIR TERRY BAGGIE

    tell you now Tuncay from stoke is already a done deal,aye boing boing

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  15. 15
    Warren

    astleistheking

    I’ve shared your view on Samaras for some time, but in the summer I sat and watched him closely in the World Cup. Greece park the bus in almost every game they play, and Samaras is left to plough a pretty lonely furrow upfront by himself. I don’t think his scoring record’s ever been that great (perhaps why he was so maligned at Man City) but in terms of bringing people into play and holding the ball he was excellent.

    I don’t think he’s the ultimate answer, but he seems to have succeeded at Celtic to a small extent where Fortune failed (a slightly better version of Fortune perhaps). If he’s brought in as back-up to Odemingie for a small-ish fee and we get some money for Barnett, Moore (loan fee) and Bednar, then I wouldn’t be too unhappy. I just can’t see too many strikers available domestically who fit the bill. Maybe Dan Ashworth’s got another Osaze up his sleeve…..

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  16. 16
    Warren

    This is completely off-topic but does anybody remember Luke Nightingale?

    He was the 17-year-old who came off the bench for his Portsmouth debut against us about 13 years ago and scored twice in a game they went on to win 2-1 after trailing 1-0 to a Lee Hughes goal. At the time he was lauded as a hot prospect for the future.

    I’m not sure what made me think of him, but I Wikipedia’d him. Having scored 2 goals on his debut against us (typical at the time), he went on to score another 2 goals in his entire professional career, before ending up at Bognor Regis. It just shows the sort of quality we had back then, Murphy and Carbon were the two centre-nacks I think.

    I also had a look for Michael Rodosthenous, he doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page.

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  17. 17
    JACK the HAT.

    (10)
    JorDao 1-0,
    They’ve even changed the colour of the new Netto-Ghetto to Navy Blue and a girly Pink on the proposed plans.
    (12)
    Bully,
    According to Ceefax, Jarvis is on his way out of wolves with a number of clubs after him. That will be a couple of million towards their Netto Ghetto.
    (16)
    Warren,
    I’ll tell Dan not to bother with Nightingale.

    BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.

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  18. 18
    SIR TERRY BAGGIE

    16 Warren, you found the right name for murphy n carbon,aye boing boing

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  19. 19
    SIR TERRY BAGGIE

    16 Warren, i think you,l find theres a few on here who remember Florence Nightingale,aye boing boing

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  20. 20
    Warren

    Sir Terry

    Wolves could probably do with Florence Nightingale at the moment if Laughing Wolf’s 22-man injury list is to be believed.

    Stuart Nicholson’s another one, he’s currently at Northcote City after short spells with West Allotment Celtic and Sunshine George Cross.

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  21. 21
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    17 Jack.
    Re the last bit of your post.
    That’s only because you can’t pronounce Rodo… Rodoth… Rodos… The other one

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  22. 22
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    19 Sir Terry.
    I think Cyril was saying what a splendid young girl she was.

    And I really hope you’re right about Tuncay. The phrase ‘fits like a glove’ comes to mind.

    Cyril.
    Haven’t seen you on here for a while but if you are, have you heard the Talksport trailer for our friend Neil Warnock’s show. I thought of you straight away when it mentioned why he’s known as Colin. To be fair, much as we all hate him, he’s very good on the radio.

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  23. 23
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    20 Warren.
    If you’re compiling a list of nonentities that starred against us in the bad old days, that should keep you busy through your Christmas holiday… And Easter and summer and next Christmas…

    Loved the Laughing Wolf bit but even Florence would have felt out of her depth with their injury list. Better send the teams from ER, Casualty, Dr Who, Dr No, Doctor at Large, hang on they’re all fictional aren’t they? Just right then.

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  24. 24
    CantelloRocket 78

    20 Warren- ‘Nightingale,Rodosthenous,Nicholson…’- I’m just putting the names together,because wolves have money to spend in January,and the chief scout is looking for players who would be desperate enough,sorry happy enough,to sign for wunderers.If you have any more similar names,I will add them to the list and send them to him in an e-mail.He may even consider approaching both Nightingales,Luke and Florence,if they are available and fit.

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  25. 25
    CantelloRocket 78

    Talking about signing players,some of the wulfs are getting excited at the prospect of Lescott and Keane going back to the molineux.I’ve heard from a reliable source that this is really gonna happen.The two players are calling in to say ‘hello’,just before Lescott travels down to sign for Arsenal,and Keane rubber stamps his move to Villa.

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  26. 26
    JACK the HAT.

    (21)
    Bully,
    Think I remember another Luke, Moore I believe it was.

    BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.

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