FULHAM NOT TO RISK AJ
Roy Hodgson will not risk his £10.5m summer signing Andy Johnson against Arsenal on Saturday as he wants him to be 100 per cent fit.
The former Everton forward, 27, has been struggling to shake off a thigh strain and is now likely to make his debut against Bolton next month.
"I'm not very hopeful that he will play against Arsenal," said Hodgson of the England international. "He is quite close to full fitness and he is improving.
"But due to the transfer taking a long time, and due to Everton not using him for fear that he might be transferred, he has not had much chance to get match fit.
"The chances are we will use the three-week period we have between Arsenal and Bolton to make certain that we get him into tip-top condition, not just medically but also physically.
"There are 46 matches after the Arsenal game and it is very important for me to have Andy Johnson up and running and fully fit for those matches.
"We need to get him up to something like the level of physical fitness that is required to play at this level.
"I don't want to throw him in early because it is a very tempting thing to do."
Roy Hodgson will not risk his £10.5m summer signing Andy Johnson against Arsenal on Saturday as he wants him to be 100 per cent fit.
The former Everton forward, 27, has been struggling to shake off a thigh strain and is now likely to make his debut against Bolton next month.
"I'm not very hopeful that he will play against Arsenal," said Hodgson of the England international. "He is quite close to full fitness and he is improving.
"But due to the transfer taking a long time, and due to Everton not using him for fear that he might be transferred, he has not had much chance to get match fit.
"The chances are we will use the three-week period we have between Arsenal and Bolton to make certain that we get him into tip-top condition, not just medically but also physically.
"There are 46 matches after the Arsenal game and it is very important for me to have Andy Johnson up and running and fully fit for those matches.
"We need to get him up to something like the level of physical fitness that is required to play at this level.
"I don't want to throw him in early because it is a very tempting thing to do."
Labels: Andy Johnson, Arsenal, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson
