Taylor Injury Boosts Rami Chances

Taylor Injury Boosts Rami Chances

Date: 3-4-2004
Wrote: EP's reporter Karem Ahmed

Rami Shaaban may find his chances of action this season slightly higher after the unfortunate injury of fellow reserve keeper Stuart Taylor for the rest of the season. This leaves Rami to battle it out with Graham Stack for second spot, which may improve the possibility of getting a substitute place or even getting action.

Egyptian keeper, Rami Shaaban has had to compete for second spot behind Jens Lehman, with Graham Stack and Stuart Taylor also in the running. Stack has been preferred on most occasions for the substitutes bench, as well as making five starts in the Carling Cup, but Shaaban and Taylor have also been picked for the bench a number of times this season.

Taylor had been injured for the first half of the season, and only recently recovered. He has however now been ruled for the remainder of the season, after a recurrence of his shoulder problem. Boss Arsene Wenger revealed the news to the club's official site saying, "The season is over for Stuart Taylor. He'll be out for three months... The season has been a complete nightmare. He has already been out for six months. It is terrible and the injury is a very difficult one for a keeper because it is the shoulder."

Wenger had previously preferred Shaaban to Taylor when he was left to pick between them last year, after Seaman's injury. He commented on Shaaban's importance now saying "We're lucky to have Rami Shaaban, who has now come back, otherwise we would be very short."

EP hopes that Shaaban will get a chance to prove his worth this season. More on Rami soon...

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