, ▁forming ▁an ▁effective ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Andrew ▁Cole . ▁Additionally , ▁he ▁helped ▁the ▁Blues ▁to ▁an ▁FA ▁Cup ▁Qu arter ▁Final , ▁scoring ▁two ▁goals ▁in ▁his ▁five ▁cup ▁games . ▁He ▁played ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁h ern ia ▁problem , ▁which ▁required ▁surg ery ▁in ▁the ▁close ▁season . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 – 0 8 ▁season , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁the ▁number ▁ 1 2 , ▁as ▁team mate ▁El ano ▁took ▁the ▁number ▁ 1 1 ▁sh irt . ▁He ▁generally ▁strugg led ▁to ▁find ▁his ▁best ▁form . ▁In ▁the ▁latter ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁appearances ▁were ▁as ▁a ▁wide ▁mid f iel der , ▁as ▁manager ▁S ven - G ö ran ▁Erik sson ▁adopted ▁a ▁def ensive ▁ 4 – 5 – 1 ▁formation . ▁V ass ell ▁was ▁linked ▁with ▁a ▁move ▁away ▁from ▁East lands , ▁with ▁Turkish ▁run ners - up ▁Bes ikt as ▁having ▁a ▁£ 1 m ▁bid ▁rejected ▁and ▁linked ▁to ▁other ▁clubs , ▁including ▁Premier ▁League ▁riv als ▁Bol ton ▁W ander ers ▁and ▁newly ▁promoted ▁Derby ▁County . ▁V ass ell ▁scored ▁his ▁ 5 0 th ▁Premier ▁League ▁goal ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁in ▁the ▁victory ▁against ▁local ▁riv als ▁Manchester ▁United . ▁V ass ell ▁only ▁played ▁ 1 5 ▁games ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 0 9 ▁and ▁was ▁released ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of