The good news is that with the exception of Di Santo and Essien, all should be back within the next week – two weeks. 

John Terry is the most recent casualty.  He could be seen on the bench at West Brom with his foot packed in ice but should be recovered by the end of the week. He is said to be very doubtful for the England game against Germany. 

'I am not the person that can give a good answer,” said Scolari.   

“The doctor is but I listened to him and he told John go to the hospital tomorrow and have a scan and see what happens.” 

“It is an injury but I don't know. If he has the condition [I hope he plays] because it is the national team and we need to respect that.” 

Didier Drogba is recovering and seems to be at about 75-80%.  He looked reasonable at the weekend during his 20 mins at the Hawthorns but in all probability will receive a three-match ban on Tuesday for the coin-throwing incident against Burnley, therefore missing the games against Newcastle, Arsenal and Bolton before returning for league action at home to West Ham on the 14^th December.  He will however be eligible to play against Bordeaux in the Champions League next week and again against Cluj just before his league ban period ends. 

The Ivorian striker’s absence is a pain in the **** (Especially for the Arsenal fixture against whom he usually plays well) although at least his revised comeback  schedule fits in with Scolari´s plan of bringing him back gradually. 

In Anelka we have had an excellent deputy (although the current Premier League top scorer could justifiably claim to be the Sheriff).

The good news for those of us who would love to see a Plan B consist of both Anelka and Drogba up front is that Scolari has this very much in mind – he just hasn’t had the two fit together enough to work on this. 

'Yes, when I have time in training and when they are both in good condition.”  

“It's fantastic and easy for me when I have all of the players and I have more choice, many times I have 14,15, 16 players. When I have Drogba, Anelka, Di Santo and maybe one more player in the future it is very good for me. When I have only one it is difficult.'

Di Santo of course is another casualty, suffering a hamstring injury against Burnley producing a forced withdrawal that left us with 10 men against the Lancashire men.  Di Santo is due back for around the West Ham game on the 14^th December and this also brings up another worrying point – What cover do we up front de we have if Anelka also gets injured over the next few weeks? 

Belletti, Joe Cole and Ashley Cole apparently ALL have the same injury as John Terry. 

Belletti picked up his knock against Burnley; Ashley Cole has been out for the last couple of weeks and Joey for nearly 2 months now and like Terry, this is a mysterious foot injury. 

“[The injury] is underneath his foot, a new injury in football,’ joked Scolari.  

“Belletti is the same, Ashley Cole is the same, it's a new injury. In my time this injury, never!” 

The good news is that they could all be fit for selection for this weekend’s game against Newcastle or the Champions League game away to Bordeaux but Both Coles will be out for the international against Germany. '

"Ashley Cole and Joe Cole will not go because they are injured. I don't have 18 players; Ashley came today because if I have some problems he can play 20, 30 minutes. If not, I keep Ashley for the future," said Scolari.

"Joe it is one more week, and Terry I don't know until tomorrow,'  

Ballack has just come back and looked bright-eyed and bushy tailed when he came on against West Brom so I expect he will start this weekend in place of Deco who I suspect has been playing through an injury.

Carvalho and Cech have been suffering from thigh muscle strain – Cech only recently picked up this injury whilst Carvalho has been missing from action for the last month.  However, both could be ready for the Newcastle match along with other defensive absentee, Alex.

Anybody else?  Indeed there is.  Our midfield powerhouse Michael Essien who won’t be back until next year – possibly January at the earliest or March at the latest.

"I think with these injuries you can't really give it a time, it can be shorter or longer, the time is not that important” said Essien.

"The most important is for me to get back stronger. If I come back early fine but if it takes a bit of time, fine."

"At the moment everything is going well, I am recovering very well and it won't be long before I can go outside and start running a bit."

"When you see your colleagues training everyday and playing games it makes you miss the games. I don't like to stop and it's hard at the moment but I have to be patient and look after the knee, come back stronger because I have more years ahead of me."

"Hopefully I will come back and join the party at the end."  

Player                     Return

Terry                This weekend – Newcastle

Drogba            CL Matches/December 14^th - West Ham

Di Santo          December 14^th – West Ham

Belletti             This weekend – Newcastle

Ashley Cole   This weekend – Newcastle

Joe Cole         Next week – Bordeaux

Carvalho         This weekend/Next week

Alex                 This weekend/Next week

Cech               This weekend/Next week

Essien            January/March 2009

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