Fantasy Premier League

Robert Set For Rams Trial

Thu Jan 03 03:52PM by Jeremy

Newcastle United Laurent Robert

Happy New Year to me!  You have to love coming home to news like this:

"Derby have invited former Newcastle ace Laurent Robert for a trial.

Robert is looking for a new club after leaving Spanish side Levante.

Ipswich had shown an interest in the Frenchman, but now Derby are set to offer him the chance to win a move to Pride Park.

Rams boss Paul Jewell confirmed Robert will link up with Derby for a short trial later this week."

As I wrote last month, "Ask Neal and they guys - my favorite player ever is probably Laurent Robert.  Fantasy stud because he was sure to have at least two cheap shots on target, be it from a dead ball or open play - though more likely the former, after the 80th minute of every game."  Granted, his job at the time was to get the ball to Shearer which he did well.  Who is the target on the Derby team?  Someone else new, perhaps.  Which is intriguing too.

If he returns, and let's not get ahead of ourselves that he's signed, sealed, delivered... let's hope his rotten time at Portsmouth has depressed his price.  If I can even remotely afford to get him on my team, I think I'll have to.  If only for the karmic implications. 

(14 user comments)

Comment on this article

Please sign in to add your comments.

User comments

  • (1)

    Oh, let it be true! Brings back good memories of the 01-02 season when I had RvN, Henry and Owen up front with Robert in midfield after Yahoo screwed up the whole system and let me buy anyone I wanted half-way through the season... Robert will be a great pick as he shoots from every angle and won't let anyone else take set pieces...... Danny Murphy's time in my team might not even last a week.

    Posted by: peterransom on Thu Jan 03 04:23PM | Report abuse
  • (2)

    the fact that he is a total sledgehammer (giant tool) notwithstanding, if Robert is in the EPL, jeremy might even win it all again. Where is the week in review? How about an African Cup Impact report?

    Posted by: jon_wolfsthal on Thu Jan 03 04:25PM | Report abuse
  • (3)

    imagine robert + ashton in the same team, with miller lurking behind ashton! if the transfer goes through, derby might have a chance to stay up. a good crosser, a good (or used to, ok ok close to) finisher (in ashton). the one setback, robert's tendency to shoot even from the centre of the field!

    Posted by: yoda_san2000 on Thu Jan 03 04:48PM | Report abuse
  • (4)

    I second the call for an African Cup report... what the dates are and the EPL players involved would be great. Keep up the good work guys, didn't mean to pile it up though!

    Posted by: mattb8uk on Thu Jan 03 04:53PM | Report abuse
  • (5)

    Lemme clear my new year's hangover first. But rest assured, a preview is forthcoming.

    Posted by: jspitzberg on Thu Jan 03 06:01PM | Report abuse
  • (6)

    I'm sure Jeremy will have all the details on the actual players involved, but the dates for all the initial matches in each group are 20-23 of January. Since FIFA rules dictate players must be released a minimum of 2 weeks before a continental championship, any players involved have seen their last action in the Premiership until after the tournament.

    Posted by: jamesdowney on Thu Jan 03 08:42PM | Report abuse
  • (7)

    lol a little off topic here ... if sagna goes .. is djorou a straight replacement for him? or just a cover and likely a bench warmer?

    Posted by: magia_capoeira on Thu Jan 03 11:05PM | Report abuse
  • (8)

    RE: 7: Sagna is not going to ANC as he is a French national. Toure is the defender who is going for ARS. Eboue and Song are also going. To fill in for that centerback position that Toure occupies, it could be Djourou, but I would expect it to be Senderos.

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Fri Jan 04 12:43AM | Report abuse
  • (9)

    Regarding the African Nations Cup, the BBC reports the following: "Premier League players likely to be playing in the 2008 African Nations Cup: --ARSENAL: Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast), Alexandre Song (Cameroon) --BIRMINGHAM: Richard Kingson (Ghana), Mehdi Nafti and Radhi Jaidi (Tunisia) --BLACKBURN: Aaron Mokoena (South Africa) --BOLTON: El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Abdoulaye Meite (Ivory Coast) --CHELSEA: John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Didier Drogba and Saloman Kalou (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana) --EVERTON: Joseph Yobo and Ayegbeni Yakubu (Nigeria), Steven Pienaar (South Africa) --LIVERPOOL: Nabil El-Zhar (Morocco), Muhammed Sissoko (Mali) --MANCHESTER UNITED: Manucho (Angola)* --MIDDLESBROUGH: Mohamed Shawky and Mido (Egypt) --NEWCASTLE: Obafemi Martins (Nigeria), Geremi (Cameroon), Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye (Senegal) --PORTSMOUTH: Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal), Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka (Nigeria), Sulley Muntari (Ghana), Lauren (Cameroon) --READING: Andre Bikey (Cameroon), Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast), Ibrahima Sonko (Senegal) --SUNDERLAND: Dickson Etuhu (Nigeria) --TOTTENHAM: Hossam Ghaly (Egypt), Didier Zokora (Ivory Coast) --WEST HAM UNITED: John Pantsil (Ghana), Henri Camara (Senegal) --WIGAN: Salomon Olembe (Cameroon), Julius Aghahowa (Nigeria) --Aston Villa, Derby County, Fulham, Manchester City currently have no involvement in the African Nations Cup."

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Fri Jan 04 12:49AM | Report abuse
  • (10)

    Here is a link showing all participants in the ANC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_African_Cup_of_Nations_squads

    Posted by: jdhepworth on Fri Jan 04 12:51AM | Report abuse