West Bromwich Albion suffers Jonas Olsson blow
West Bromwich Albion has suffered a blow with the news that defender Jonas Olsson is out of action for up to six weeks.
The versatile defender picked up an Achilles heel injury during the 2-1 win over Fulham in mid-October. The club expects Olsson to be in the treatment room until at least mid-December.
"With Jonas we're looking at a longer injury rather than a few weeks.
I'd like to hope it will be weeks rather than months for him. It's going to be around the five or six-week mark," said West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo.
West Brom is going to miss Olsson because he's a very good defender for a number of reasons. However, the club does have cover and players can be drafted in to cope with
his absence.
A quality player
Olsson is a very busy defender who stays active all the time during a game. He's sometimes been criticised for looking too on edge but this helps him to maintain focus
and concentration during key games.
Versatility is a big part of the way Olsson plays football. He can plays as a left or right centre half and can play down either flank as a full back. This means he gives
the manager more options if he wants to set his team up in different ways.
The club has many players that can come in and fill in for Olsson while he's injured. Pablo Ibanez, Gianni Zuiverloon and Abdoulaye Meite are all regulars that can play
in the middle of the defence. Any of these players have experience that will keep the defence of the team solid.
"It's an injury where he can improve dramatically. But he's not going to be
back within two weeks, that's for sure," added Di Matteo.
Betting advice
West Brom is going to have a better chance of winning games with Olsson in the side. However, there is enough quality in the potential replacements who will play instead of the
Swede. This means there is no reason to change any basic betting patterns with the club.
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