Manchester City News 24/7Writer: Johnny Baguette 
Date:Tuesday March 3 2009
Time: 12:47PM
UK time is: 19:00:49
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Bellamy and Robinho Sidelined = Striker Crisis!
Not good news at all from SportCity as our season enters a crucial phase. Both Craig Bellamy and Robinho are out injured until further notice...
The confirmation of the injuries couldn't come at a worse time for Mark Hughes as he prepares his squad to face a season defining month.
The City boss confirmed that Bellamy will be out for at least two to three weeks, pending a further scan on his injured knee.
Hughes advised: 'It's not an old injury. It needed to be allowed to settle down for 48 hours before we can look at the extent of it. It's the patella, he's torn fibres in his knee. Best case scenario is two to three weeks.'
As for Robinho, he has damaged ankle ligaments and will be out of contention certainy for the massively important visit of Villa initially.
Micah Richards hamstring problem that saw him last 15 minutes against West Ham is understood to still be under assessment.
The upshot of all this is that City's attacking options have taken a savaging. Neither Bellamy nor Robinho have a record of battling back rapidly from injury and we can be sure it will take them a while to overcome their respective problems.
So, if we rule them out until further notice alongside Sturridge, Petrov and Benjani we are in trouble up front. The hapless Jo is of course already out on loan.
All Blue eyes are naturally turning to Valeri Bojinov but we cannot expect miracles. The lad needs to be brought back carefully and just will not have the legs to be expected to carry the attack to the likes of Villa and Chelsea this fortnight.
We must not forget either that Hughes did not name Bojinov in his UEFA squad so he's not in contention for Aalborg either.
So, Darius Vassell, Ched Evans, Felipe Caicedo and at a stretch Kelvin Etuhu are our currently fully fit and available recognised strikers.
Good grief. Give us your tactical master plans to get around this situation both here and in the forums and we'll forward them to Carrington.
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THE CARL RAMSBOTTOM APPEAL:
On 27 November 2008, Carl travelled over to Germany to watch his beloved side play Schalke in the UEFA Cup, however due to a tragic incident at a German train station, Carl suffered life threatening injuries.
Due to this horrendous incident, Carl ended up in a coma for three weeks. He is currently in a rehabilitation unit in Germany while his family remain by his bedside.
The family are hopeful that Carl might be in a position to be repatriated to a rehab unit within the United Kingdom, hopefully sometime in March.
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Your Comments
we are *****ed in other words!!
mcfcirish
we are *****ed in other words!!
mcfcirish
I'm concerned for Bojinov. Not neccessarily his achilles, but the rest of his legs which will need time to get up to full match fitness after two long lay offs. But I sense Hughes will name him in the starting XI.
He rushed Robinho back to face the rags with cortisone injected in his ankle, put SWP back out there playing in a knee support when he wasn't quite right and Kompany has been playing for two weeks with injections in a crocked toe.
Johnny Baguette
I'm concerned for Bojinov. Not neccessarily his achilles, but the rest of his legs which will need time to get up to full match fitness after two long lay offs. But I sense Hughes will name him in the starting XI.
He rushed Robinho back to face the rags with cortisone injected in his ankle, put SWP back out there playing in a knee support when he wasn't quite right and Kompany has been playing for two weeks with injections in a crocked toe.
Johnny Baguette
one thing im concerned about boj is the fact that ANY player who comes back from a long injury normally pulls there hamstring or other injury straight after.
this is common so we have to be careful of this
bluemooner_mcfc
one thing im concerned about boj is the fact that ANY player who comes back from a long injury normally pulls there hamstring or other injury straight after.
this is common so we have to be careful of this
bluemooner_mcfc
I would be gutted,,
Blitz
I would be gutted,,
Blitz
In comparison to us having every single striker injured back in December/January you have a wealth of attacking options! Hardly a crisis.
EvertonMike
In comparison to us having every single striker injured back in December/January you have a wealth of attacking options! Hardly a crisis.
EvertonMike
You seen our form and fixture list Mike?
Johnny Baguette
You seen our form and fixture list Mike?
Johnny Baguette
Nope, but your not going to get relegated or finish top 6 so it hardly makes much difference anyway.
EvertonMike
Nope, but your not going to get relegated or finish top 6 so it hardly makes much difference anyway.
EvertonMike
Touch wood time! We're only 6 points clear of relegation and have to play the rags, yourselves, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal away in our last 11 fixtures. Plus there's the last 16 of the UEFA Cup. We're bracing ourselves for a tough month or two!
Johnny Baguette
Touch wood time! We're only 6 points clear of relegation and have to play the rags, yourselves, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal away in our last 11 fixtures. Plus there's the last 16 of the UEFA Cup. We're bracing ourselves for a tough month or two!
Johnny Baguette
Lets me realistic mate, there's a lot of *****e in this league and there's no chance you'll end up bottom 3. I'd be surpised if West Brom even made it to the 32 points you have now, and there's no way Stoke will get beyond 34/35, leaving one spot to be filled by whichever of Blackburn, Pompey, Boro, Hull, Sunderland or Newcastle manage to ***** up the worst. Your probably need to win 2 of your last 11 games if that to stay up. I'd be looking up towards *****e like Fulham and Bolton being above you, two teams who could define average perfectly. The UEFA Cup fair enough but you need a bit of luck to win any cup anyway.
EvertonMike
Lets me realistic mate, there's a lot of *****e in this league and there's no chance you'll end up bottom 3. I'd be surpised if West Brom even made it to the 32 points you have now, and there's no way Stoke will get beyond 34/35, leaving one spot to be filled by whichever of Blackburn, Pompey, Boro, Hull, Sunderland or Newcastle manage to ***** up the worst. Your probably need to win 2 of your last 11 games if that to stay up. I'd be looking up towards *****e like Fulham and Bolton being above you, two teams who could define average perfectly. The UEFA Cup fair enough but you need a bit of luck to win any cup anyway.
EvertonMike
This next month is a minefield. If Ched Evans and Felipe Caicedo are going to make the grade this is a perfect time to do it. I'd play those two up front. Elano, Kompany, Ireland and Vassell in mid, with Zabaleta back in Right Back to replace Micah.
It's obvious, but we have to score or we cannot win!
Sindbad
This next month is a minefield. If Ched Evans and Felipe Caicedo are going to make the grade this is a perfect time to do it. I'd play those two up front. Elano, Kompany, Ireland and Vassell in mid, with Zabaleta back in Right Back to replace Micah.
It's obvious, but we have to score or we cannot win!
Sindbad
This is where Caicedo has to come of age, we cannot risk "pushing" Boj too much until he gets back to match fitness.
Doody
This is where Caicedo has to come of age, we cannot risk "pushing" Boj too much until he gets back to match fitness.
Doody
Caicedo should start with boj coming from the bench as he isnt match fit yet. Otherwise play em both. Id like to see hughes play 4-4-2 like he did at rovers, but ireland doesnt operate well in that formation. Interested to see if elano starts and the return of swp doesnt breed much confidence 4 me - plenty of effort but no end product. Its going to be a tough game. We could snatch something if luck is on our side.
enzo city
Caicedo should start with boj coming from the bench as he isnt match fit yet. Otherwise play em both. Id like to see hughes play 4-4-2 like he did at rovers, but ireland doesnt operate well in that formation. Interested to see if elano starts and the return of swp doesnt breed much confidence 4 me - plenty of effort but no end product. Its going to be a tough game. We could snatch something if luck is on our side.
enzo city
Cometh the whatsit cometh the thingy. If CE and FC really want to make their mark then this is the time for them to do it. Don't think we should play Boj though. After a year and a half out you need more than half a reserve game and a cameo at Upton park under your belt before you start pulling up trees.
kennyclementstache
Cometh the whatsit cometh the thingy. If CE and FC really want to make their mark then this is the time for them to do it. Don't think we should play Boj though. After a year and a half out you need more than half a reserve game and a cameo at Upton park under your belt before you start pulling up trees.
kennyclementstache
dON'T SEE THE PROBLEM, HE ONLY PLAYS ONE UP FRONT ANYWAY SO WE HAVE STRIKERS TO SPARE. i TOO WOULD LIKE TO SEE 4-4-2, i'D EVEN PLAY ELANO UP FRONT WITH CAICEDO TO CONFUSE VILLA IF NOTHING ELSE!
romancity
dON'T SEE THE PROBLEM, HE ONLY PLAYS ONE UP FRONT ANYWAY SO WE HAVE STRIKERS TO SPARE. i TOO WOULD LIKE TO SEE 4-4-2, i'D EVEN PLAY ELANO UP FRONT WITH CAICEDO TO CONFUSE VILLA IF NOTHING ELSE!
romancity
The Boj should deffo be used as an imapct player tfn. It would be madness for Hughes to start with him.
Johnny Baguette
The Boj should deffo be used as an imapct player tfn. It would be madness for Hughes to start with him.
Johnny Baguette
JB, has to be brought on in stages to match fitness, we could lose him again if risked in a full 90 minute match.
Buzz Lightyear
JB, has to be brought on in stages to match fitness, we could lose him again if risked in a full 90 minute match.
Buzz Lightyear
To lose him once was unfortunate, to lose him twice was carelessness.
kennyclementstache
To lose him once was unfortunate, to lose him twice was carelessness.
kennyclementstache
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