or 
Jermain Defoe | 
Jermain Defoe has given Portsmouth a huge boost ahead of their clash with Paul Ince’s struggling Blackburn side. The England international was injured in his last Premier League outing, but scans today revealed the injury isn’t as bad as first feared. Defoe has confirmed that he will square off against the Rovers this weekend.
Defoe said: “I saw a specialist for some scans and it was only a little problem with my back. It’s all connected and it was running through the back of my legs and that’s why it was feeling really tight in my hamstrings and my calves.“My feet were getting numb, but I’m seeing a guy in London twice a week and he’s really strengthening my back.
“But I can still play. I’ll be fit for the weekend.”
Furthermore, Defoe revealed that he was fit enough to play against AC Milan last night at Fratton Park. Pompey manager Tony Adams decided not to risk the diminutive striker, though, as it was too soon.
Will Portsmouth beat Blackburn this weekend? Leave your predictions in the Premiership Talk Predictions Game.
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Once again, Matt Derbyshire with another late goal. I know he started the game, but its another late goal for him, so I really believe that he is great for late game situations.
See, this is one more example of what I find fascinating about the Premier League. It’s not just that the level of play is higher, or that the style is more kick-and-rush. It’s that the entire cultural context of the sport is different.
My first sport is baseball, which values the streak. Go with the hot bat.
In the Premiership, values like “class” and “consistency” take precedence.
In America’s stat-obsessed sports culture, it would be possible to find out exactly how many minutes a player like Derbyshire has played, come up with some kind of quick goals-per-minute computation, and go with the hot striker. Play moneyball.
Not in the Prem. It’s more about traditional roles. What’s proven.
That’s why I love this game — and why I think it will never fully understand it until I quit my day job, pack up for England, and move into a Pub.
Greg,
Finally somebody I can relate to! I just started watching the Prem at the beginning of last season, and there is a lot to get used to. I live in the Bostson area, and after watching the MLS, the Prem is a huge step up. It’s not easy to be successful, and the playing style is drastically different.
First, it all comes down to who is proven? Current Blackburn strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy have showed that they have what it takes to preform on that level on a consistent basis.
Roque may only have 2 goals through 11 games thus far, but if you look at last year’s stats you will see that he netted 19 goals in 37 total Prem appearances.
Benni has netted 2 goals also this year in 9 appearances, but over the previous 2 seasons, he netted 26 goals in 67 total Prem appearances. That is consistency.
Now I’m not saying that Derbyshire doesn’t have what it takes, but I look at him as more of a “super sub.” As you said, you see him scoring 70th minute goals. It is always important to have somebody on the bench who can sit for that long and still come into the came fully prepared and ready to take on the task at hand. That is Matt Derbyshire’s role currently for the Rovers.
Over time you will catch on more to what is different and how things work. Last year I knew nothing about the Prem, but now I am much more educated on how things work. It’s all about continuing to watch more games, and soon enough you will be comfortable.
I’m a relatively new fan from Cincinnati. And since I’m new to following the Premier League, I admit that I might not understand all the intricacies of the game.
So can someone explain to me why Matt Derbyshire doesn’t start?
Every time I watch a Blackburn game (every time they’re on Fox Soccer Channel, which isn’t often), it seems like Derbyshire comes in at the 70th minute and promptly scores a dramatic goal.
Sometimes, they even count.
Sure, he’s only scored two Premier League goals this season. But he’s only started three games. That’s as many as Roque Santa Cruz has scored in 11 starts.
Clearly, Paul Ince knows something I don’t.
No faith in Paul Ince?
Man that’s ruined my weekend, any hope of even a draw has gone out the window now!