WHEN a player gets dropped it can go one of two ways – either it affects their confidence, or drives them on to improve.

I think Zat Knight struggled a little bit against Arsenal in the Carling Cup, and has not done enough to push ahead of David Wheater to play from the start against Swansea.

Fabrice Muamba, however, is a different kettle of fish altogether.

There was a time when he would be an automatic starter but when he ended up out of the team, he responded in exactly the right way.

He played well at the Emirates, got about the pitch like he can, and scored a goal – something I think we all wish he would do more of. Owen is still tinkering about in the midfield and I don’t even know if he knows what the right mix is yet. But you pick players on form, and Fabrice has taken the bull by the horns.

It’s not the end of the road for Zat, by the way.

He’s got to knuckle down because his form has fallen sharply since last season, when he was excellent.

And I think that goes for a few of the lads.