Steven Fletcher winning fitness fight
Thursday 28th April 2011, 11:25AM BST.
Wolves striker Steven Fletcher was today winning his battle to be fit for the crunch derby against Birmingham this weekend.
The £7million club-record signing’s left knee has already improved and club officials are hoping the extra day before the game will help him get fit for Sunday’s noon showdown at St Andrew’s.
Fletcher limped off after 69 minutes of Tuesday’s 3-0 collapse at Stoke, after jarring his left knee when he chased a ball and fell awkwardly behind the byline.
But the striker checked in at Compton yesterday reporting some early improvement in his condition.
Manager Mick McCarthy said: “The injury to ‘Fletch’ hopefully doesn’t seem to be as bad as it could have been.
“He’ll continue to be monitored but has a good chance of being available for Sunday.”
Wolves’ head of medical department Steve Kemp added: “Steven jarred the knee and was re-assessed yesterday.
“Fortunately there is no significant damage but the knee does need time to settle and, if necessary, he could have a fitness test on either Saturday or Sunday.”
Wolves currently have none of their three senior strikers fit with Fletcher, Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake all struggling with injuries.
Fletcher’s failure to recover would represent a major blow to Wolves, with the Scot earning the man of the match award in two of the previous three matches before the Stoke defeat, as well as scoring his eighth goal of the season against Fulham.
Doyle will be out until the last two games of the season with torn medial knee ligaments while Ebanks-Blake is still troubled by the sore hamstring that kept him out of action on Tuesday.
Medical staff are trying to ‘manage’ Ebanks-Blake’s niggle so it doesn’t worsen and the hope is he could be fit for Sunday.
McCarthy gave 21-year-old Sam Vokes an outing from the bench when Fletcher went off.
UK Sport
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We need a hero, and it could prove to be Fletcher.
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fletcher was back to his anonymous self on tuesday, doesnt give me much hope
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We need to start creating chances for strikers to finish first
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Thats why top PL clubs, have 4 main strikers? incase of injury,or lack of form, thats why MM should have signed a more proven striker in January, instead of buying a ‘very young lad’ who may have a bright future in the next few years. But thats no good hear and now is it. We should have looked to sign a good solid pro, or even a loan signing? I did say at the start of the season ,we should have got young Sturridge in ,but no MM was happy with his squad, so Bolton snapped him up and the rest is history in it.UTW:
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I know lets play ward up front?
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Exactly, we need to play midfielders that can hold and pass the ball..not play defensive ones who cannot get creative passes in..we need Guedioura in the middle with his bursting runs to create space for Fletch!
get Foley in at RB and play guedioura, milijas and o´hara in the middle..
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also hamill for kites please
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Yeah agreed Kites looks way too rusty. And if we leave out Carl Henry im fine with that too. He talks a good talk
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Let’s have Hammill back, please. I haven’t seen Kites make a significant contribution in any premier game, apart from winning the pen last season.
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If Fletcher aint fit for the Brum game we are screwed! Ebanks-blake is 50/50 and to be honest he isnt going to scare brums defence and neither is Fletcher! SAM VOKES up front on his own?????
Thats the only fit 1st team forward we have, unless Leigh Griffiths is the new Carlos Tevez and MM decides to play him!!!!!!!! BUT I DONT THINK SO!
We need alot of luck and a miracle – but for someone bizzare reason i still believe we can stay up.
WOLVES AY WE
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