Coppello Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/bristolcity/bristolcitynews/Loan-star-Caulker-fit-Boro-clash/article-3096637-detail/article.html STEVEN Caulker may be fit and available for Bristol City's home Championship game against Middlesbrough on Saturday after all. The England Under-21 defender was rated very doubtful after limping out of the FA Cup third-round tie with SheffieldWednesday after nine minutes. Caulker, pictured, was clattered by David James while making an aerial challenge and damaged his hip so badly he had to go off. He returned to his parent club, Tottenham, on Sunday and was sent to hospital for a scan. Millen seemed resigned to having to make do without his talented loan signing for the visit of struggling Boro. But Caulker's condition has improved and reports from White Hart Lane suggest the 18-year-old could be back with City by the end of this week..Millen revealed: "It didn't look too good to begin with. I didn't think he would be available for this Saturday, but now it looks as though he might be. I spoke to someone at Tottenham on Tuesday and he told me the scan was just a precautionary measure. "I'm certainly not ruling Steven out of the Middlesbrough game." Sidelined through injury for two months, City skipper Louis Carey came through a reserve-team game on Tuesday and is available for selection. Millen confirmed: "I'm pleased with Louis and the progress he is making. We spoke after that game and he told me he feels ready to play if called upon. "He still needs games but, given the injuries we have at the moment, he will definitely come into contention for a place in the squad." Christian Ribeiro will miss the game after damaging a hamstring in the 3-0 defeat to Wednesday. But the injury may not be as bad as City's medical staff first feared. Millen said: "It looked really bad when he left the ground on crutches. But the injury has settled down quickly and we're hopeful it is not as bad as we first thought." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcliffe 78 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I would not risk Caulker i know its a massive game but from what i have read about the injury another knock on it could mean weeks so i would edge on caution and make sure he is totally right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 There is a God! Get him on the pitch - we need the 3 points. Even playing with an injury, he'd be far better than any of our other "fully-fit" players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I would not risk Caulker i know its a massive game but from what i have read about the injury another knock on it could mean weeks so i would edge on caution and make sure he is totally right. I'm not sure we can afford to rest him. Hopefully, his youth will make recovery a lot quicker than for the older guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InCider Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I'm not sure we can afford to rest him. Hopefully, his youth will make recovery a lot quicker than for the older guys. ... but do we want to risk playing him against Boro and then finding out he suffers a set back and will miss many more games for us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I guess it's a percentage gamble, but I don't think we'd have conceded 3 goals against Wednesday with Caulker. His presence is absolutely critical to our defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InCider Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I guess it's a percentage gamble, but I don't think we'd have conceded 3 goals against Wednesday with Caulker. His presence is absolutely critical to our defence. Totally agree. Personally though, I'd rather not take the chance as I can see us struggling at the back without him, but for 1 game, as opposed to the rest of the season. However, I suppose it comes down to how much of a recovery he has made. I was also wondering if Spurs have a say in the matter, not necessarily directly, but playing him when they don't think he's ready could sour our recent good ties. That said, if they are sending him back, they must be fairly happy that he has overcome the worst of the injury. Either way, let's just hope he is over the worst and back in the team ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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