Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 24

Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 24

 

By Dale Higginbottom

 

 

Here we are, back again for the second time in just a couple of days and unlike the feeling that was surrounding the game at Bolton, we’re on a bit of a high after this one. Yes, it’s only Blackburn but you can only beat what’s put in front of you and well, in this game not a lot was there.

Anyway, let’s look and see if that was down to injuries.

 

A = Ankle	K = Knee
B = Back	L = Achilles
C = Calf	M = Muscle
D = Dead Leg	N = Hip
E = Hamstring	R = Rib
F = Fatigue/Lack of Fitness	S = Shoulder
G = Groin	T = Thigh
H = Head Injury/Concussion	U = Unknown
I = Illness	Y = Hand
J = Foot	Z = Broken Leg

 

 

Arsenal Vs Blackburn (7-1)

Injuries	Arsenal (5 + 0S)	Blackburn (2 + 1S)
Goalkeeper	N/A	N/A
Defence	Gibbs (M,18), Jenkinson (B,14), Santos (A,10)	Salgado (R)
Midfield	Wilshere (A,24), Diaby (M,22)	Grella (N)
Attack	N/A	N/A
Additional issues	Oxlade-Chamberlain was a slight doubt but started and played 68 minutes.	Goodwillie was a doubt but started on the bench and was an unused sub. Lowe was replaced after 36 minutes.
Suspended	N/A	Yakubu

 

 

Chelsea Vs Man Utd (3-3)

Injuries	Chelsea (4 + 1S)	Man Utd (10 + 0S)
Goalkeeper	N/A	Lindegaard (A,2)
Defence	Terry (K,2)	Vidic (K,17), Jones (A,4), De Laet (C,2), Smalling (U,9)
Midfield	Mikel (E,7), Lampard (C,2) Ramires (K,4)	Cleverley (A,18), Fletcher (I,12), Anderson (U,12), Nani (A,2)
Attack	N/A	Owen (T,18)
Additional issues	N/A	De Gea returned from his mid-week illness and played the whole game. Young returned to the squad and played the first 53 mins, Rooney also returned and played the whole game.
Suspended	Cole	N/A

 

Liverpool Vs Tottenham (0-0)

Injuries	Liverpool (3 + 0S)	Tottenham (5 + 0S)
Goalkeeper	N/A	N/A
Defence	Robinson (A,16), Enrique (E,1)	Gallas (C,13)
Midfield	Lucas (K,11)	Huddlestone (A,21), Lennon (E,11), Van der Vaart (C,3)
ttack	N/A	Defoe (E,5)
Additional issues	N/A	Adebayor was a doubt but started and played the first 71 minutes. Nelsen was a doubt but was on the bench and an unused substitute. Walker was a doubt but played the whole game.
Suspended	N/A	N/A

 

Man City Vs Fulham (3-0)

Injuries	Man City (1 + 1S)	Fulham (4 + 0S)
Goalkeeper	N/A	N/A
Defence	Kompany (K,1)	Grygera (K)
Midfield	N/A	Sidwell (G)
Attack	N/A	Johnson (G), Sa (E)
Additional issues	Nasri was forced off with a muscle injury after 55 minutes.	N/A
Suspended	Balotelli	N/A

Since the last report there has been little change on the injury front. Man United are still top of the the injury league table with double the injury level of any other team. Arsenal still have a few injuries with Santos and Wilshere the long-termers, Diaby Jenkinson and Gibbs should all return within the next 2-3 weeks. Tottenham are level with Arsenal on five injuries, their long-termers are Huddlestone and Gallas (well we knew that would happen when we offloaded him). Chelsea, Liverpool and City again bring up the rear with their feeble attempts at an injury list.

 

So, our injuries have definitely improved over the last couple of weeks and we’re now getting to see the benefits of that. It would be great to have everyone fit but from previous seasons we all know that’s unrealistic (unless you’re called Man City). Our opponents had a good game for injuries and so shouldn’t have done so badly. However, with a player sent off, one of your best defenders being sold to the Totts and probably your best defender unsettled and not playing, there’s probably a good reason Arsenal found it so easy.

 

Chelsea and United excited us all on Sunday with a 6-goal thriller. With over double the injuries of their opponents, United did exceptionally well to come back but then, with their favourite ref in charge and with Chelsea not in the best of form, it’s maybe to all too remarkable.

 

Liverpool and the Totts got to the same conclusion but didn’t bother with all that hassle of picking the ball out of the net and re-starting the game. Nothing really to note here except Liverpool unavailing their new signing, stalking Brad Friedel’s goal-mouth. Quick, agile and will pounce on anything, hey more than Andy Carroll can do.

 

City had a pretty routine win and after midweek’s draw at Everton it’s what they needed. They’ll have Toure 1 and Toure 2 back soon and just Europa League as a distraction so it’s really all theirs to lose.

 

Is this the start of something? Yes we’re still too far away to be considered for the title but certainly 3^rd and 4^th are within our reach. More importantly however are the cups and we have a very good chance of doing well in both the FA Cup and the Champions League. If we can have a bit of injury luck to the end of the season then it’s certainly not beyond this exciting team.

 

All in all, quite a good weekend for Arsenal. The comfortable win puts some confidence back into the team, players are gradually returning from injury and building match fitness and form and draws for all but City means we’re closer to where we want to be. A victory at in-form Sunderland will certainly be that extra boost that the team needs to further reinforce the confidence ahead of two very important cup ties the following Wednesday and Saturday. Next!