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Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 28
By Dale Higginbottom
Bit of a disjointed review this week as a result of the Carling Cup Final. I don’t want to go too much into that game (this being a round-up of league games) but I do want to say that I really think the players will pick themselves up and realise that a push for the next two and a bit months will see a first trophy for the Emirates.
Anyway, down to business. We have today the round-up of gameweek 28 however there are a few matches added and a few missing. In gameweek 28 we would’ve seen Tottenham Vs Arsenal and Chelsea Vs Birmingham so these have been re-scheduled. In addition, I’ve included a couple of re-scheduled game from December that were played in the last week; Arsenal Vs Stoke, Blackpool Vs Tottenham and Chelsea Vs Man Utd. Here’s how the teams faired this week.
Arsenal Vs Stoke
Arsenal (5 injuries)
Goalkeeper – Fabianski (6)
Defence – Vermaelen (24), Koscielny (2)
Midfield – Frimpong (26)
Attack – van Persie (8)
Additional issues: Djourou was a doubt before the game but was fit enough to play. Fabregas and Walcott both picked up injuries mid-game that forced them off the field.
Blackpool Vs Tottenham
Tottenham (7 injuries)
Goalkeeper, attack – No injuries reported.
Defence – King (21), Kaboul (9), Woodgate (1), Corluka (2)
Midfield –Huddlestone (16) Bale (4), Van der Vaart (5)
Additional issues: No additional issues reported.
Wigan Vs Man Utd
Man Utd (8 injuries)
Goalkeeper – No injuries reported.
Defence – Ferdinand (9), Evans (5)
Midfield – Valencia (23), Hargreaves (26), Park (4), Anderson (9), Giggs (7)
Attack – Owen (9)
Additional issues: No additional issues reported.
Man City Vs Fulham
Man City (7 injuries)
Goalkeeper – Given (1)
Defence – Kompany (1), Richards (7)
Midfield – M. Johnson (28), A. Johnson (4), De Jong (3), Silva (2)
Attack – No injuries reported.
Additional issues: Milner was a doubt and only started on the bench, coming on for the final 13 minutes.
West Ham Vs Liverpool
Liverpool (4 injuries)
Goalkeeper, midfield – No injuries reported
Defence – Agger (13), Aurelio (8)
Attack – Carroll (4), Shelvey (2)
Additional issues: Gerrard, Johnson and Kelly were all doubts before the game but all three started the game. Cole has just returned from injury and started on the bench. He replaced Kelly after 43 minutes when Kelly picked up a hamstring injury. Meireles also picked up an injury mid-game which forced him off the field.
Chelsea Vs Man Utd
Chelsea (3 injuries)
Goalkeeper, attack – No injuries reported
Defence – Alex (16)
Midfield – Benayoun (22), Mikel (4)
Additional issues: No additional issues reported.
Man Utd (6 injuries)
Goalkeeper, attack – No injuries reported.
Defence – Ferdinand (10), Evans (6)
Midfield – Valencia (24), Hargreaves (27), Park (5), Anderson (10)
Additional issues: Giggs returned to the squad, he was not fit enough to start but made a second half appearance. Owen was reported as fit but did not make the squad. Evra went off in the second half after picking up a knock.
First things first, that was a fantastic win against Stoke. It was a real gutsy performance towards the end of the game that deserved all three points. The injury losses in that game were hard for us to take, particularly with a cup final afterwards but hopefully Walcott and Fabregas will make quick recoveries to help us in the final 11 league games of the season.
Tottenham will struggle to maintain their Champions League status unless they can get some of their injured players back. All season they seem to have had issues with injuries in defence but that’s to be expected with King, Gallas and Woodgate on the books. Losing to Blackpool is pretty bad for a club whose manager at the start of the season said they could win the league.
Liverpool lost 3-1 against West Ham, West Ham!! That must be a bit of a low point for them. Going into the game they looked pretty good on the injury front with just four players missing. However, as we have seen all season, the lack of quality depth in their squad is key factor to their performances this season.
City’s injuries are quite high for once. So far this season they have managed to avoid major injury concerns but have this week been without 7 players and that, coupled with a little bit of fixture congestion, certainly didn’t help their slim title hopes.
United’s injuries have really rocketed in the last couple of weeks. 8 injuries against Wigan and 6 in the big league game of the week, away to Chelsea. Its no wonder it caught up with them a bit and they lost at Stamford Bridge, particularly when you consider Chelsea could field a pretty much full strength squad.
We can definitely see a change since the last injury round up. The long season appears to be taking its toll on everyone. New injuries reported for van Persie, Fabregas and Walcott are a concern for us but we’re not the only ones facing squad selection problems. The Tinies still have a high level of injuries, even without playing at the weekend, and add to that another injury to Defoe. City lost Given for what looks like the rest of the season and Europa League games are hitting them hard with additional injuries, Liverpool picked up another couple of injuries against West Ham and Utd may have an injury to Evra in top of their 6 and missing Bodice for a game certainly won’t help the cause.
The funny thing is that at the moment, the team that is not really affected is Chelsea. The very team that we’ve said all along cannot afford to lose players to injury because of their wafer-thin squad. Pity for them that they are already out of the running. Still, thanks for taking the points off Utd, please do it again at their place.
Mate it doesnt matter who we have injured – our season doesnt fall apart when 2 or even 3 of our players get injured – now compare this to your team – last season you lost key players when you had to play barca in the 2nd leg and something similar has happened again – Will wenger ever learn to dvelve into the tranfer market correctly or will he keep buying players on the cheap and groom them for the bigger clubs?
I do not see how your team can sustain the challenge for the title to be honest. And the game in spain is already forgone conclusion to me – Barca will smack you for six then you will see who is the real team to be reckoned with.
Don’t forget the monkey is still on Wengers back and I hear the screams getting louder and louder as the years dvelve on – 6Years without a trophy boys – 6years. The vanity project has well and truly failed.
It would have been a challenge if the Chavs could have maintained their challenge but ahh well we’ll roll to the title with eyes closed.
One wonders whether one day any Mr Bigs with gambling dens far away will realise that one of the most subtle ways to influence football, leagues etc etc is through the control of the relative level of injuries in the key teams.
One hopes not.
Because that would say that the gamblers had won and the managers and players were in cahoots with them.
You’ll note I’m not saying it’s happening right now.
Just suggesting that people keep a watchful eye for signals that it might start…..
Terry mate. Most of us buy the things we can afford.
1 washing machine, 1 or 2 TVs and so on.
Sure, if you have 4 TVS 4 washing machines, etc you are pretty sure to get to watch TV and have clean clothes.
But the cruncher comes when you get evicted from your house for not paying the bills….
I guess like an old tart you can keep finding a new sugar Daddy…but eventually that one wears thin too….
good luck down the line, you will need it
That’s some nice bravado Terry, but we all know you’re getting very worried. A trip to Anfield next – good luck with that one!
I wonder why “I’m not worried about Arsenal-Terry” comes over again and againg to say that he is not worried about the rest and about Arsenal. The way you keep repeating it just shows that you are worried I think.
Thanks Dale for another write up of the state of affairs in the land of the injured.
And lo, the Stumblefarts (Terry-and-Rhyss) have again slimed forth, in tandem, as ever, after their morning cereal and cross-word puzzle have been set to rest. The Laddies, however, doth protest too much, covering up for the fact that The Divemaster is all-elbows and (at Chelsea) back on his back on the pitch (or is it on his gut, rump up)for all to see. Covering up for the fact that SAF is in full-snarl at the refs (Atkinson now) who don’t/won’t see with his double-standard. And (excepting these slobbering orcs), methinks that Kastle Fergus is a wounded animal in increasingly dire straits and has begun its thrashing. These are not the actions of an assured, legitimate champion, but of Usurpers of the table, who know they’re illegitimate and do everything to insist that the odor they emit (and that more and more are seeing now, in the blogs, the media, and a few refs on the pitch) is perfume, rather than what all know it is. The Emperor has not clothes. The Lives of Riley are being exposed. SAF is the next dick-tator to be going down. His Four game suspension now! Red cards for Vi-dick and the Divemaster! Out with Sauron’s Eye! The Shire is on the march! Up the Arsenal!
Thats alot of Manc supporters for you – just born bitter whatever is going on!
@Terry – What I witnessed in the first half against Birmingham was not a team whose desire and commitment was lacking, but one that was apprehensive and nervous; an Arsenal team, not for the first time, looking like the proverbial rabbit caught in the headlights. If anything, the players wanted success too much and this anxiety was reflected in the performance; Arsenal need to learn how to play with mental freedom again and Arsene is clearly instrumental in bringing this about. I thought perhaps the home win against Chelsea may have represented a turning point in this regard, only for this to be gazumped in the next game at Wigan.
It has been remarked upon more than once on this site how the repeated calls to show ‘mental strength’ has become something of a cliché, or more strongly, a joke, as Arsenal appear to unequivocally lack ‘mental strength’ if you measure such a thing by the conceding of late goals, appearing to freeze in the big games, killing off opponents when in the ascendency, and fateful defensive blunders. The issue of ‘mental strength’, also, by proxy, becomes a paradox on Arsene’s terms; Arsene applauds the team for showing ‘mental strength’ when it bounces back from a setback but when the team loses or draws, like it did at Newcastle for example, then they presumably have not shown the required ‘mental strength’ to see the game out. It seems to me we have to call upon on our ‘mental strength’ way, way too often. I understand why he says what he says but it is exasperating for the fans. I never hear Alex Ferguson wittering on about ‘mental strength’. Indeed, having patched up their differences Ferguson, it would seem, is not about to re-engage in any mind games with Arsene in an attempt to gain a psychological edge as the critical stage of the season begins in earnest. He has no call to, Arsene is doing a fine job all by himself.
Im sorry to say some of you lot in here are really a brain cell short. Arsenal beat Oreint and suddenly Bendtner and Chamkah are back. On top of that you lose the cup final to that thug team and in the process end u losing Van Persie and then Walcott. Without these players u have no chnace vs Barcelona.
Depending how long they are out u will miss chances.
Vs good defence these guys will come short based on the fact they always do.
Its easy to see Chelsea away Chelsea at home
Barca away and Barca at home last season there are plenty of games were the injuries to key players rather than the numbers make a huge difference.
Its probably one of the reasons I think we can beat ManUtd at home in the league we should have a full first 11 back for that one unlike the game in old trafford.
@Mehoot,
“Having patched up their differences”? Ha! Not for long as decisive matches approach, Don Fergus and his ring-kissers (please reconsider Mahoot) will be out in full regalia. How can you hold up the Don as a role-model: this, just as he’s facing a possible four game suspension (two left over from last season), the latest for his diatribe against Atkinson for not playing along with Der Skript, even as Divemaster Rooney (he of the flagrante elbow and followed by yet another Dive, uncommented, at Chelsea). The media, blogs and some refs are defecting from the Fergie Rules and you come in to shore up the Rednose Ruin? Your timing is exquisite Mehoot. Arsene can protect his men as he wishes and must against the likes of many attacks, openly or covertly hostile. Your Don has had many minions do his dirty work, in the press and on the pitch. Arsenal needs unity now, wounded with injuries and yet, on the edge of something that inspires. And you seize this moment – yes this “critical stage of the season” as you rightly put it, and come up with this regurgitated sliming of Arsene, that only rivals Terry and Rhyss for its shallow irrelevance. (I could be less polite, of course.)
@mehott what team do you support mate? The other day I saw you bigging up us Gunners – actually having read your post again you sound like a bitter gunner
Mehoot, good lord boy.
Where to start? Well the easy one first. A split infinitive is bad form. (“to unequivocally lack”) Sure, in today’s lax grammatical days is a bit optional though still bad form, especially from one waxing (in his own mind) eloquent about all things wrong with AW and the squad. And I’m impressed, by the way, that you are on such close terms with what goes thru the mind of AW as well as his players.
Vulcan mind lock indeed! That is something. Its a rather slow Friday on this end so keep the comedy coming!
@Terry.
Wow amazing how an Arsenal site attracts so many “other” supporters? Why are you not on your own teams website supporting or even critising them? I know, there not nearly as imformative or incitful as Tony’s site. Never mind. You keep on rolling along to your next title with your eyes closed and we’ll keep on chasing you down and getting better and better each year. I wonder what will happen when your ageing team starts retiring? Will you bring forth all those home grown players? Or will you just do what SAF always does and buy the most expensive replacements he can find? Keep that debt going boys. Every time you do it just make Arsene Wenger and Arsenal look better and better. Like everyone else I long to watch us win something again but put our club on the brink of being bankrupt? I don’t think so.
If this season has already shown us nothing is a forgone conclusion.
In Arsene we trust.
Is it normal that a Man U supporter spends so much time on an Arsenal blog? Jeez Terry it’s the day before an important game with Liverpool. One would think you’d have a few thoughts to share with your fellow Man U supporters! I mean don’t get me wrong – its nice to have you around but I just wonder why you so crave our company..
methinks, mates, it’s best to all ignore terry going forward so he’ll just go away, back to where he won’t be noticed amongst Fergie’s other ring-kissers and/or won’t be welcome by the morehonestfansthere (oxymorons?) who won’t have the time of day for him.
Please do not let this site become what so many others are. UA is different because the contributors have so much more than petty nonsense and tribal point scoring. It is the responsibility of all to keep it that way.
Ignore those who seek that route, they have a place on the web and they are more than familiar with the location. It is not here.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nani! Nani! Nani!