Monday, December 15, 2008

Benjani sidelined

Manchester City striker Benjani looks set to miss the Christmas schedule with a hamstring injury picked up during Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Everton.

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes told the club's website: "He'll probably be out for a number of weeks.

"A number of the guys are carrying injuries, so that will have an impact when you've got games coming up thick and fast.

"You need a fit squad and in that respect we are struggling right now."
>>bbc sport.

Benjani, almost by default has become the lead striker this season, primarily because of the injuries to Bojinov and Vassell early on, the lack of experience of Evans and Sturridge and latterly the wretched form of Jo. For me, Benjani could be a useful player but (like Bianchi before him last season) not as a lone striker in this formation, but as more of a support to a main goal scorer.

There is a school of thought that now suggests Vassell is most likely to step into the breach until such a time we can add a face or two in January, but whilst Hughes appears to be enamoured with Vassell's workrate and ability to put in a shift, I'm convinced he views him as somebody to lead the line.

My guess is that Hughes would prefer more of a target type player, which rules Sturridge out so I would say Jo is likely to edge out Evans in getting the nod, and if Benjani is ruled out until the beginning of next year it is a real opportunity for Jo to get his City career off the ground.

If Hughes opts against Jo though, we can safely say that it does not appear as if he has much of a future at the club.

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