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Gianni Zuiverloon hits out at tackle
Wednesday 5th January 2011, 11:00AM GMT.
Albion defender Gianni Zuiverloon has hit out at John Pantsil after Marek Cech became the latest name on the Baggies’ growing casualty list.
Cech was left in agony after Pantsil’s tackle floored him in the first half of the Baggies’ 3-0 defeat at Fulham last night.
The left-back limped off and Albion confirmed they are assessing his fitness ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup third round trip to Reading.
But the challenge left the Baggies fuming and Zuiverloon claimed Pantsil could have broken his team-mate’s leg.
He said: “I haven’t seen a replay but it was a very nasty tackle right on his shin and it could have broken his leg.
“It was something we were very mad about. It was right by the linesman and I think he should have seen it.
“But we can’t blame the referee for everything, because defeat was down to us and we should have been sharper with the defensive stuff and the set-pieces.”
Nicky Shorey replaced Cech but his injury adds to Albion’s defensive crisis with head coach Roberto Di Matteo already missing several key men.
Jonas Olsson is back in training but unlikely to be fit for the trip to the Madejski Stadium after an Achilles problem, while Gabriel Tamas is still suspended and Steven Reid is out for six weeks with a knee injury.
But Paul Scharner could return after illness forced him to miss the Craven Cottage defeat, which saw Zuiverloon paired with Gonzalo Jara in a makeshift defence.
And the Dutchman, who was recalled from a loan spell at Ipswich to ease Albion’s defensive problems, impressed and wants to grasp his Hawthorns career lifeline.
He said: “I definitely want to be back in the team again. I know that I can do it and it’s just up to the gaffer to pick the team and we’ll see how it goes.
“Football is a very strange game and things can change very quickly.
“I am happy they called me back and I am back in the team, so I can play a couple of Premier League games again.”
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