Sissoko is hit again as things in football take their Poll

Mohamed Sissoko was hit yet again with another serious injury that could see him out of action until sometime after Christmas, potentially February, which could ironically mark an anniversary from when he received his first serious injury. In late February this year Sissoko caught a player's boot on his eye during the champions league match at Benfica and received serious yet temporary damage to the eye that kept him out for something like six weeks, returning in early April to training. Last night during the League Cup tie he went down heavily while challenging for the ball with Birmingham's Mehdi Nafti, on his right sholder and an early diagnosis is it is dislocated. Arsenal's Phillipp Senderos suffered a dislocated shoulder in the World Cup '06 and was out for some three months, so the impact of such an injury is worrying to Liverpool. I fear it will be as suspected and we will miss the Mali midfielder for the upcoming campaign into and past Xmas. all the best to Momo.

While I am on the League Cup, I should mention congratulations to a Southend United side that eliminated a Man Utd side which contained nine international players, through a Freddy Eastwood freekick that seemed more likely from the textbook of another certain player on the pitch that night, Christiano Ronaldo. Eastwood has had his name pop up several times in various match reports due to his scoring ability and in front of the Sky Sports coverage he delivered a peach of a freekick past Tomasz Kuszczak. Newcastle had taken the lead then were made to fight back against Watford at Vicarage Road through penalties, and their progression into the quarter-finals was a well needed boost for the fans and the club, much less Glenn Roeder.

Biggest battle on Tuesday night was Chesterfield at home with Charlton, where the League One side, lying 18th, had Charlton pegged back twice before coming from behind at the death of extra time. Charlton held onto the character that has began their mini revival thus far to beat Chesterfield on penalties and avoided being another Premiership scalp. Chelsea were stressed to have produced a strong side for Villa to get by but both sides were almost at Premiership fullness. Chelsea were ruthless with four goals but a downside for Villa is skipper Gareth Barry was injured and could be out for a month. Liverpool couldn't repeat their previous cup result at St Andrews but produced enough to gain a vital goal to process through with a somewhat second-string side, Daniel Agger scoring well again with his left foot. Craig Bellamy came back from injury and missed a penalty and from close range, while Birmingham also went close through DJ Campbell and Julian Gray. Spurs fielded a second string side and had not defeated Port Vale since 1955, almost extending that fact where they allowed Vale to score first on the hour through Leon Constantine, waiting twenty minutes to equalise through Tom Huddlestone. Extra time brought another goal from Huddlestone, Jermaine Defoe finished off business.

The main talking point from last night's action involved Graeme Poll once again within the week as he officiated Everton v Arsenal. Andy Johnson went down in the box and Poll waived away any appeal, and as play went on, Poll reached for a straight red in James McFadden's direction. Everton manager David Moyes informed the media he was told by the fourth official the decision was for McFadden calling Poll 'a cheat' as McFadden queried the denial of the penalty appeals. Something else suggested it was for foul and abusive language.


RedsMan.