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Roy: Injury scenario is sod's law

Posted on: Sat 28 Jan 2012

JEROME Thomas and Gonzalo Jara Reyes emerged from today's FA Cup defeat by Norwich with injury concerns ahead of Wednesday's trip to Fulham (ko 8pm).

Jara Reyes had to be replaced at half-time of the 2-1 fourth-round reverse with an adductor muscle problem while Thomas came off in the 71st minute with an ankle knock.

Roy Hodgson stuck to his promise of only selecting players against Norwich who were fully fit to avoid risking further injuries as he prepares for two big Barclays Premier League games this week at his former club and at home to Swansea.

And the irony of coming out of the tie with two fresh fitness concerns was not lost on the head coach.

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"Jerome has turned his ankle over and is a doubt for Wednesday, which is another blow for us," said Hodgson.

"Gonzalo has also got an adductor muscle issue, so that's another one we'll need looking into.

"Yet again, it was one of those days where nothing went right.

"We lost the game and got a couple of injuries.

"You're trying to protect people and keep them fit for the coming matches and you end up losing a couple of players.

"I suppose that would be down to sod's law."

Hodgson is disappointed to have exited a competition that he was eager to do well in but insists his main priority has always been Premier League survival.

"We've failed today in a subsidiary target - to have an FA Cup run," he added.

"But we now have to make sure we don't fail in our major target of ensuring West Bromwich Albion are a Premier League team next season.

"That has always been, and always will be, our major goal."

Hodgson believes the importance of staying in the top flight was reflected in both of today's team selections.

"We all take the cup seriously here and we try to do our very best in it," he added.

"But we know where our priorities lie and there's no doubt that if this had been a league game today, seven of the players who didn't play would've played.

"But I prefer to keep them up my sleeve because we've got two very important league games coming up during the week.

"I'm hoping that by sparing them a game today, they will be fit to play the two matches we've got to come.

"We've got several players either recovering from injuries or who aren't 100 per cent fit, so it was important for us to put a team on the field that was full of players who are fully fit and ready to go - and I think that team answered my expectations of them.

"But I'm rather hoping that when Long and Odemwingie return to the team, plus people like Reid, Jones, Shorey, Olsson and McAuley, we will be a bit stronger and I'm hoping the hoodoo that seems to be upon us at home will disappear.

"Certainly, Norwich have had the Indian sign on us, because they've gone away from here with 2-1 victories when, over the 90 minutes, we've been slightly the better team."

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