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Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Wednesday March 5 2008
Time: 8:18AM
UK time is: 18:50:35
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Pedro Mendes is back!
Pedro Mendes made his return from injury yesterday in a behind closed door friendly with Bournemouth.
The friendly was specially arranged to give players that have been injured, or lacking games recently the chance to play, as well as the fact that our next reserve fixture is a day before we play Birmingham, so many of the 1st team players would not have been able to feature in that game as reserve coach Paul Groves explained on the Pompey Site: 'the idea was to get a game into players who have not been starting for the first-team too much in the last few weeks.
'Lauren last played at Bolton and Sean Davis hasn't started for a while, for instance, while Pedro is coming back from surgery.
'John Utaka has been on the bench since the Africa Cup of Nations and Milan Baros didn't play at Everton.
'A lot of the players will not be available for our next reserve match against Fulham because it is the day before the first-team play Birmingham.
'So this game was important for fitness and was a useful exercise against a strong Bournemouth side'.
The game was won 1-0 thanks to a goal from John Utaka, and after playing the full 90 minutes the night before Martin Cranie also came on for 15 minutes at the end of this game as he steps up his return to fitness - so this might be a sign that he could feature again this season afterall?
As for Mendes, after coming through the full 90 minutes with no ill effects to his ankle after surgery I say get him back into the starting line up ASAP - why not start this week at Old Trafford, alongside Lassana Diarra he was looking absolutely superb, they both were.
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Your Comments
Nice one Rug - yep I'd like to see Pedro back in alongside Lassie, perhaps Davies in for Diop too? Muntari, where does he fit?
ChrisW
on current form muntari doesnt deserve to be in the team does he? granted he has to build up and understanding with lassie but it doesnt seem to be working does it - but in all fairness muntari wasnt really delivering before he went off to the african nations was he... maybe putting muntari on the left, kranjcar on the right and mendes alongside lassie is worth a go, putting davis in for the weekend game too and baros up top alone?
pompeyrug
No put Mendes on the bench at best. 90 minutes against MAN U is a far cry fron 90 minutes in a friendly against Bounemouth. I like Mendes but to put him in against Man U and expecting him to play a full match after an injury is courting disaster for both the player and the team.
frattonaussie
its a fair shout FA, but he will be naturally fit anyway wont he? either way, would he do any worse than those currently playing...
pompeyrug
the full match fitness is the key issues tho isnt it...
pompeyrug
Pedro is still one of the best passers we have and should be playing if he is fit, on the bench is no good to him, he is the heartbeat of the team when he starts, needs Diarra and Muntari with him, put Diop and Sean on the bench for later.
Owenspompey
there is no doubt in mind pedro is better than muntari's current form, he needs to be dropped to help him improve rather than constantly keep giving him starts every game. Pedro was one of my favourite a while ago and i think weve been missing his class in midfield, its a little known fact he can play down the right pretty well, i seem to remember he played there for the spuds.
pompeysno.9
great news that he is back...but a little question...what has happened to saun davis???
pompeycarpet
injury and suspension saw him out the team, i think his little 'late night' drinking with several others when in spain didnt help him either... that said his influence was so good that he needs to start playing some part again, so if mendes doesnt come back in davis should, one of both need to take part on saturday...
pompeyrug
A tough week with 3 tough games. We need to play using the squad to its best. Mendes will be ready soon but not yet.
storagematt
Top player a good passer because when on form he always has time to make passes. Worth a risk at OT for me.
eastneydave
he almost always has some sort of impact at old trafford doesnt he...
pompeyrug
As rug says this is about being match fit and I just can't see Mendes being fully match fit enough to go against one of the quickest teams around after an ankle operation that would have halted his stamina training. It's too much of a gamble.
frattonaussie
" why not start this week at Old Trafford, alongside Lassana Diarra he was looking absolutely superb "
- Why not indeed !
Toronto4Pompey
Don't expect many changes fellas ... I think we might see Hughes feature along with Diop, Niko, Munners & Lassie and that's it.. It'll be Kanu up front on his own with Milan on the bench same old same old ... what we need is the players e've got to play out of their skins..
Chix
I agree Chix. Wholesale changes for this match would be a risk.
frattonaussie
agree, wholesale changes is too risky against united and will not happen - maybe it would have against whatever side it was? but i also think that making little or no changes would be equally as risky as making none at all wouldnt it... ideally we need to make 1 or 2, the question is will we tho?
pompeyrug
With Chix on the side, I think we need to do our best & if we get beat, we are out & concentrate on the league.
storagematt
nope he's not ready yet just wait do not rush it or he could be gone for longer
ozanne park rangers
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