Mina debut delayed until after international break

Zouma needs to come in at Bournemouth for me, he's been signed to help keep clean sheets and we needs to start keeping some sooner rather than later.

On a positive note, he won't be missing any games against the top sides where he'll be needed. Gomes and Bernard also for that matter.

I'd like to see Holgate paired with Zouma for the Bournemouth game; Keane still looks shaky.

Same with Davies: with Schneiderlin out and Gomes still not ready, it is chance for him to state his claim and prove he is good enough.

Team for Bournemouth:

Pickford, Coleman, Baines, Zouma, Holgate, Gueye, Davies, Sigurdsson, Richarilson, Tosun, Walcott.
Subs: Stekelenburg, Keane, Digne, Baningime, Bernard, Lookman or Niasse, Calvert-Lewin.

Our desperate need for a centre-back made us take a gamble. Let's hope it pays off! You have to wonder if the medicals just involve counting limbs.

I was looking forward to seeing if he was going to be the answer to our Zonal marking concerns. It probably wouldn't have been a good idea to make too many changes to a team that has played pretty well. Zouma and Bernard will be fine for now.

"In the past he had an injury in his metatarsal and he had surgery, but this (same metatarsal) is nothing to do with his previous injury in the past."

That clears that up.

Could it be a different one of the 5 bones in the metatarsus?

Who knows?

He returned late October following a 10-week lay-off, playing both for Colombia and Palmeiras until the end of the Brazilian season in December before transferring to Barcelona in January of this year.

Whilst he didn't feature much for Barca, he did feature in all but one of Colombia's games in Russia.

As Dermont notes, it could be a different metatarsal to the one he originally injured.

A bit premature to conclude we've signed a crock.

As I said on another thread, the most interesting thing for me was when Silva was questioned about Lookman. He reiterated what he said last week and the week before: he is our player for the present and the future. I bet Leipzig were sick when we sacked Allardyce as he would have sold Lookman.

He also said of Bolasie that he was happy either way, but he went on to say but the competition for places will make it difficult.

At least we won't have to buy anyone in January, cos we'll still be waiting to see some of our signings from the summer window.

Gomes just tweaked his hamstring. He'll be fine and word is he's already resumed light training.

As for Mina, if he's still sidelined after the international break, we can start to express concern. Otherwise, let's just be thankful that our squad balance is strong enough that we don't have to rush him into anything.

Well, I guess it didn't really work that well as he was one of the worst defenders I have seen at the club.

I just hope Mina is the real deal and not just a tournament show pony – as was Williams after the Euros!

What would also be stupidity is missing out on the chance to loan a player that could have a huge effect on our team and ultimately our season, because at the time the transfer window is closing he has a short-term straight-forward injury.

Short-sightedness is stupidity.

Hopefully they'll be ready by the time the harder games start rolling around (not than any game is a breeze in the Premier League).

George #20, Following so soon on your assertion on Saturday that Sigurdsson has been a passenger in his two games so far, with your post here that signing two players with minor injuries is stupidity, all I can say is that it certainly is a game of contrasting opinion.

The team that had a pre-season is mostly fit & playing well and the new signings can come into the team gradually, hopefully avoiding the disjointed performances of last year. If they were all fit from Day One, there would be a clamour to see them all involved immediately. None of them are long-term issues.

It may feel like an eternity, but a few weeks will pass by quickly & the team will grow in strength & depth as we go along. The fixtures have also been kind to us and the new guys should be coming into things for the Arsenal & Man Utd games.

Also Gomes did not just “tweak” his hamstring, he yanked it badly and had to be helped off the field. I saw it happen. And I have never thought that September was a realistic return date for him.

Hope I am wrong on both counts, but I think we'll have to wait a while on both of the Barcelona boys.

And Silva sounds like he is trying to hide something from us.

Medicals are designed to catch long-term problems – for example, when Sean Davis, then of Fulham, failed his medical, stopping Moyes from buying him (and Spurs then stepped in); good decision as injuries blighted his career.

What I don't understand is how Barcelona would stand off selling an injured player who, it was reported, was surplus to their allowed non-EU players and raising the possibility of other clubs interest and therefore a bigger transfer fee, and then pulling something similar with a second player.

Bill hasn't moved to Barca has he, or is he still ringing Mr Brands ten times a day.

It's about a 10 month season, 38 league games of which we're about to play only our third. Mina wasn't signed for the start of this season. He was signed to begin the rebuild this season and many in the future. The first 5 weeks when taken against the next 5 years is simply nothing.

Holgate is healthy. Keane is healthy. Zouma is healthy. Mina will be healthy. And Gomes, we'll see what he's capable of in the next few months. Might he turn into the next Arteta? Who knows. Patience.

No facts to support such a sentiment but I don't think facts have ever particularly worried you, Victor.

It would, however, be good for our 㿈M signing to be fit as soon as possible as, if the Zonal Marking experts are to be believed, we need Mina and Zouma in our back line sooner rather than later.

I would say the thought of Keane continuing in the side for an extended period leaves me a touch worried. I am hopeful he will not be asked to defend far up the pitch and go tight to his man. I also hope we sort out our defending at set plays. I am not a fan of Zonal Marking but if that is the way Silva wishes to operate then, as pointed out in the Twilight Zone thread, we really have to improve. We coughed up far too many chances in the opening two games and need to tighten up.

For those of you who like to talk up his potential partnership with Zouma, I'd like you all to look at the ability of Holgate.

It's typical of us Blues fans to overlook our kids, but imo Holgate is quality and, even at the age of 21, he's ready to become a permanent fixture in our defence.

If he was at Man Utd or somewhere similar, he would be raved over. Quick, strong, aggressive, good in the air and composed – he's the future of our back line.

Let's not write him off as a crock before he's even started. As stated, it's a chance for others (Keane!) to up his game and stake a claim for his place. Competition for places is what we're after. I hope that when he's fit, he has to wait for his chance due to the form of others.

Nicer problems than we've had for a while though.

Two brilliant basketballers over here had their careers ruined by injuries to the metatarsal, Andrew Toney and Bill Walton. Those names mean nothing in here. But they were among the creme-de-la creme of the NBA, unstoppable forces at their position.

Always think of their careers being ruined when I see an athlete is out due to a metatarsal injury.

The manager has stated it's a minor foot injury and he will be back in 3 weeks, so just put the paranoia to bed till we see what happens in 3 weeks.

Would you say Beckham and Rooney had their careers ruined by metatarsal injuries?

I knew loads of people who died from cancer. Me and Mike Gaynes didn't though! ;-)

Just try to picture, once Andre Gomes is fit, him and Tom Davies playing together in midfield.

They'll definitely be "worth it".

The lad had just played a full World Cup without any issue; we bought Beattie and McGeady when they were carrying injuries... and fuck, my examples are shite today.

Ermmmm... up the Blues!!

How long you been working on that one Duncan?

I like that one; funny, mate.

Jageilka had to be replaced because of his red card, though his proness to errors would have ruled him out anyway. Keane had errors in both games and should also be replaced. Holgate has played better and Zouma should be bedded in to the centre-back position.

Mina it now appears has a recurring injury. Since Zouma is on loan, we need another centre-back. It's is disappointing that such a glaring weakness in the team has not been sorted out. The top half of the table will be able to exploit these weaknesses and are fully aware of them at this stage. Silva needs to get alternatives sorted out and they need game time.

We are already after 3 games 4 points off Liverpool. It's not a crisis but we need to sort our back four.