Football: Ankle injury will be with Kev forever.Byline: By Bill Howell How´ell n. 1. The upper stage of a porcelian furnace. KEVIN Phillips There are several people called Kevin Phillips
The 32-year-old turned his ankle in training before the trip to Bolton six weeks ago and missed his 10th consecutive first-team match at Tottenham after undergoing an operation. The striker, who joined Villa for pounds 1million in June, scored four goals in 11 starts before his enforced lay-off. He looks certain to be back in the squad for Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie with Port Vale but says his injury will have to be 'managed' until he finally hangs up his boots. He said: "There were stages when the ankle wasn't getting better and it's one of those where you wonder 'when is it going to get better'? Is it going to take longer and longer'? "It's still not 100 per cent and it's one of those I'm going to have to manage from now until the time I retire. "But if I can keep working on it and keep making it stronger, then hopefully I'll have no problems." Manager David O'Leary has earmarked the former England striker for a place on the bench against Vale. And after notching notching Radiology Small grooves on the anterior aspect of ribs seen on a plain CXR of children with post-ductal–ductus arteriosus coarctation of the aorta, due to 'tracks' from the pressure of collateral vessels on the ribs three goals for the reserves in two matches, including a brace brace: see drill. (character) brace - left brace or right brace. in the 5-2 win against Manchester City at Bescot on Tuesday night, he insisted he is ready. "I can't do any more. I've worked hard in training and I've played two games now. "The only way to get more match fit now is to get back involved in the first team. "Hopefully that will be the case this weekend." Port Vale will need to be taken seriously, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the former Southampton and Sunderland striker who last played for Villa when he came off the bench in the Carling car·ling n. One of the short timbers running fore and aft that connect the transverse beams supporting the deck of a ship. [Middle English, from Old French calingue and from Old Norse Cup defeat at Doncaster eight weeks ago. Villa have hammered 19 goals with just two in reply in their five home matches over 81 years against Vale, including a 6-0 rout in the FA Cup in 1990. Yet Phillips remains cautious in his approach, particularly after what has happened to them in recent seasons. He said: "The FA Cup offers a fantastic chance for us this year. "We all felt we were going to go very close in the Carling Cup and that wasn't to be. "But we've got a great opportunity this weekend - no disrespect to Port Vale. "But we're the home team and we're coming off the back of an excellent result down at Tottenham and you'd expect us to win the game." "That's not always the case as we saw against Doncaster." Phillips says getting into the fifth round is all that matters. He added: "The Cup is just about getting through. "Obviously we'd love a fantastic result and performance, but we'd take a poor performance and a win. "If we can put in a good performance and win, that's even better." |
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