West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce was hopeful to have American forward Daryl Dike ready for action after the international break, but now it looks like Dike will remain sidelined for the time being.
Dike is facing a new issue with the same leg injury he suffered back in January, which kept him out of Under-23 matches against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. Bruce confirmed over the March international break that Dike is dealing with a tendon pain, which could force another delay in his return to action.
“Big Dike was uncomfortable in training,” Bruce said in a conference call, transcribed by the Birmingham Mail. “The idea was can we get him through and be a bit part today and then play him in the under-23s game on Monday at The Hawthorns.
“[But] unfortunately, he was uncomfortable,” Bruce added. “It’s not quite the same injury. It’s a tendon further down I’m led to believe. It’s the same leg as what he injured so we’re not going to gamble on that. We’re going to have to see how he is. It’s a real shame because he’s worked so hard to get back. But something is niggling at him and we have to take every precaution we can.”
The U.S. men’s national team forward earned a permanent transfer to West Brom from Orlando City, but only has made two appearances due to a leg injury suffered in his first start. Dike’s return would be a welcomed sight for Bruce and his players, with the club fighting for a chance in the EFL Championship Playoffs.
Dike, 21, has not featured for the USMNT during World Cup Qualifying, despite scoring two goals at last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Dike scored 19 goals in 41 appearances with Orlando City during his MLS career and also added nine goals in 22 appearances for English club Barnsley on loan during the 2020-21 campaign.
The Baggies are seven points out of the final playoff spot and visit Birmingham City in their first match back from the international break.
GGG has brought him in and given him numerous chances yet he doesn’t value hin?
OK,
How about this. The kid has been a pro player for a year anf half and been injured for half of it. He is raw and learning.
Might be the reason, Ya think?
Is Dike another injury prone player we can’t count on? Given his youth and history to date, it’s not looking pronising.
You can never count on any player to stay injury free.
That’s not possible. For a national team, injuries have to be expected because your players are second hand and you have no control over their usage when they aren’t with you.
Odds are they come to you in less than vintage condition.
Pulisic (23) has missed 62 games in his pro career due to injury.
Tyler Adams (23) has missed 34.
They are both injury prone but seem to be doing okay at the moment.
Dike (21), a newbie compared to those two, has missed 16 which is a lot.
Regardless, it is way too early to cast Dike aside because he’s injury prone.
Jon Obrien’s injuries literally meant he couldn’t play at the necessary level anymore, period. That’s when you get rid of them.
Granted his name isn’t Aaron Long but if Dike is healthy and in good form whenever the decision on who goes to Qatar is made, I would think he’d have a good a shot as anyone.
A lot of these young guys get injured because they never get proper rest. Dike went from an MLS season straight to the Championship, got hurt, then back to MLS the the gold cup more MLS then back to the Championship. Rehabbing an injury is not the same thing as rest. I think too much is asked of these guys sometime. Pulisic and Adam’s were in a similar situation breaking into the Bundesliga and the USMNT at the same time so early in there careers. At some point these bodies need a break or they will pick up injuries.
We’ve qualified for the WC. There’s enough time for Dike to get healthy. Right now, no rush. Health is your wealth.
agree, but I really don’t think GGG values him at all
He values Pepi (who hasn’t scored in who knows how long and will likely be riding pine for a B.2 team next season).
N-Whit,
Pepi is a media darling, a feel good story.
He’s a Mexican American recruitment success, an FU to El Tri, and politically untouchable in that sense.
It’s true that he has looked more promising for the USMNT than Daryl ever did but that only goes so far given the severely miniscule sample size of comparative data.
Pepi is already a favorite in a way that Daryl never has been.
If you don’t think matters, just look at Aaron Long. Just three games off of an Achilles tear recovery and he’s already better than John Brooks.
No way Pepi isn’t in Qatar. I don’t have a problem with that,
Pepi will eventually come good. He might even come good in Qatar.
The same is true for Dike.
However, Daryl will have to be twice as good as Pepi to be considered equal.