Jay Simpson- Portsmouth 2 West Brom 2
Arsenal striker Jay Simpson insists that he will return to the club in the summer when his loan spell with relegation-threatened West Brom comes to a conclusion.
Last month Baggies manager Tony Mowbray revealed that he was in talks with Jay about the possibility of extending his loan to next season, but Simpson is adamant that he will return to Arsenal.
Simpson, who was an un-used substitute as West Brom drew 2-2 with Portsmouth yesterday, said:
“If I was thinking about (coming) back on loan, then what’s the point in going back to Arsenal? It wouldn’t make sense.
“My plan is to go back to Arsenal and get into their first team. Everyone wants to play in the Premier League but I want to go back and make a difference.
“I don’t want to keep going out on loan. That’s not why I signed a deal with Arsenal.”
Rui Fonte- Crystal Palace 0 Cardiff 2
Portuguese striker Rui Fonte played almost all of this controversial match before being withdrawn in second-half stoppage time.
A Ross McCormack brace, the first of which was a penalty, sealed the win for Cardiff, but the energetic Fonte, playing on the right-wing, had a penalty claim turned down.
Fonte was booked after a challenge on former Gunner Jay Bothroyd for persistent fouling and was replaced by Nathaniel Pinney in the dying seconds to avoid being sent-off.
Cardiff centre-back Roger Johnson was sent to hospital after suffering a throat injury following an elbow by Claude Davis.
Henri Lansbury- Scunthorpe 1 Huddersfield 2
The Iron were looking for the perfect response after their Wembley heartbreak last weekend, but even an inspired Henri Lansbury couldn’t prevent defeat at home to Huddersfield which saw them slip out of the play-off places, albeit with two games in hand over their closest rivals.
Martyn Woolford put the hosts ahead with a stunning strike from outside the area, but the visitors soon levelled through Tom Clarke.
Lansbury tried his best to restore the deficit with a couple of drilled efforts, but his attempts were in vain as Huddersfield took the lead through Gary Roberts ten minutes into the second half with what ultimately proved to be the winner.
Lansbury’s frustration was summed up in stoppage time at the end of the second-half when he was booked for dissent.
Pedro Botelho- Alicante v Salamanca (Sun, 5pm)
Pedro will start for Salamanca this evening at left-back after recovering from the throat problem which has kept him out since the Celta Vigo game.
Havard Nordtveit- Lillestrom v Valerenga (Mon)
Havard is expected to start for Lillestrom tomorrow evening.
I am a West Brom season ticket holder [yeah, one of those]. To be blunt Jay Simpson had some good patches in his first few games but hasn’t really done a job for us. I would also suggest that he isn’t good anough for the Arsenal either but perhaps he would look better in a better team [that is to say Arsenal rather than us]. His first touch isn’t great and he doesn’t seem to have much of a footballing brain, his work rate is low and his prounouncements to the press don’t say much about his temperament: to sum it up he seems to be saying when the going gets tough I’m off. Even Arsenal go through rough patches. Meanwhile, being the manager’s pet, he has kept other forwards out of the side who wont improve by not playing first team football
Do you have any idea where the loanees who are set to be released will end up?
any idea if lansbury will make it at arsenal? perhaps as a rb? from what i’ve seen of him (not that much) i like him and it would be nice if he can become a good squad player for next season
[...] Loanees-Simpson won’t be extending Baggies stay+Botelho,Nordtveit,Lansbury and Fonte Jay Simpson- Portsmouth 2 West Brom 2 [...]
what do you think about Fonte? is he good enough to make it?
I prefer Lansbury in central-midfield. As for Fonte, it will be difficult with Simpson and Barazite having signed new contracts. I think Rodgers and Ogogo will be allowed to leave and maybe Gilbert and van den Berg.