Injuries and league position is there a link? – Part 2

Posted on by WalterBroeckx

By Walter Broeckx

This article is part of the series about looking at the injuries teams get and the impact it has on the league table.  Here’s the first part in case you missed it.

When we look at the season 2011/2012 we see this table below.  It is ordered in the injury league position. We then have the number on injured weeks lost and then the average number of players out each week. And finally in the last column you see the final position in the league table.

2011/12

2011/12

 Average/week PL table

1

 Man United

305

8

2

2

 Arsenal

272

7

3

3

 Bolton

256

7

18

4

 Tottenham

249

7

4

5

 Newcastle

218

6

5

6

 Sunderland

198

5

13

7

 QPR

176

5

17

8

 Fulham

170

4

9

9

 Norwich

157

4

12

10

 Aston Villa

155

4

16

11

 Blackburn

143

4

19

12

 Wolves

139

4

20

13

 West Brom

136

4

10

14

 Everton

126

3

7

15

 Swansea

117

3

11

16

 Chelsea

106

3

6

17

 Stoke

97

3

14

18

 Liverpool

95

3

8

19

 Wigan

73

2

15

20

 Man City

50

1

1

162

4

 

The story about this season is that Manchester City won it in the final minute on goal difference. This table show that I think Manchester United lost it on the treatment table.

Manchester United got 6 times more injuries that the later champions. Was that the forgotten but deciding factor in that season? When two teams finish with the same number of points and one having a ridiculously low injury record and the other a ridiculously high injury record it should have played a part.  I must say that even I missed out on that fact at the time.

If we look at Arsenal we see that once again we finished second in the injury league table. And that we finished third in the league one point in front of Tottenham. We had more injuries too, but when you look at the average players missing each week it comes to 7 players for each team. So not a big difference there between these teams.

Both North London teams were high up in the injury league table for the second season running. Is there something wrong in the air in North London? This is rather strange. Or has it anything to do with the fact that both teams in general do try to play football in the right way? The fact that they get kicked more because of their style of play?

It was the season that Chelsea only finished 6th in the PL. Despite having a very low injury record that season. But maybe their lower league position was more down to them putting all their efforts in the CL that season?

When we look at the bottom of the injury league table we see that Wigan once again managed to save themselves. And again a low injury record might have been helpful. Remember this for the next article.

Also rather low was Liverpool who despite a low injury record finished rather low in the league. The exception to the rule we might say.

A confirmation of the rule can be found in Stoke. As I have shown a kicking team gets few injuries themselves. And that rule is revealed when looking at this season.

Now when we look at the teams going down we see that Bolton took the same route that West Ham took the season before. Lots of injuries certainly compared to the season before and it ended up in tears and relegation.  Once again this is an example on how having a lot of injuries can have a big negative impact on your league position.

The other two teams going down are more middle of the road teams in the injury list. Just as happened the season before in fact. Looking at those two seasons we might reach to the conclusion that one of the teams going down is hit by a terrible injury record in the season going down. The other two teams suffered less, but one can assume that they were just not good enough.

The fact that Bolton, despite their terrible injury record, finished 18th and only one point behind the team in 17th place might suggest that if they hadn’t had so many injuries they should have stayed up.

Of course there is no mathematical evidence to this but the fact that Bolton had on average more than 2 players out more than QPR might have had a big influence on the final league table.

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10 Replies to “Injuries and league position is there a link? – Part 2”

  1. I don’t think that there is a doubt that injuries to key players (and higher injury rates suggest that there is a higher probability that some of the key players will be injured), has a substantial detrimental effect on success.

    Losing Theo and Ramsey, anyone ? …

  2. Our cruel history of long-term injury to key players has continued this season.
    To have Ramsey AND Walcott out of action together for so long is a blow we can ill afford.
    The drive and striking ability of Ramsey in particular has been sorely missed.
    Along with many supporters I was disappointed at the absence of new blood in the January sales, although my Gran (who cleans at the Emirates, was voted Miss Harpic in 1932 and is a chum of Arsene’s) says that he is not a fan of January signings as there is insufficient time for them to bond with the established team.
    Arsene told her our usual strong finish should see us win the FA Cup, qualify for next season’s CL and pave the way for a spending spree in the Summer Window….
    or words to that effect.
    “I only hope it turns out that way” I said, watching her puff away on a pipe of St Bruno Ready Rubbed. “Have faith in Le Patron” she replied, sipping on a glass of Calvados.
    “He will not fail us”.

  3. Hi Untolders,

    Hope you are all in good health and keeping up the spirit.

    It’s not over till it’s over.

    Apologies for going off topic but it’s been a few days since I last had my Untold Arsenal fix.

  5. Don’t know much about your Gran Nicky, but she may just have a point. Like herself, I predict a third place finish, a nice day in May, and renewed vigour in the transfer market this summer, BUT with unfortunately a popular player or two that will need replacing, we may have replacements but backup needed.
    If she has wengers ear, maybe can she persuade him to sign by whatever means at her disposal, things getting a bit late…
    St Bruno and Calvedos….sounds like she is in a happy place!

  6. One of the Stoke players admitted to kicking Arsenal players and said they would keep on doing that as Arsenal don’t cope with it. I ask why should they have too? They have to because refs don’t call it even. If the Arsenal players had done the same amount of kicking on Saturday that Stoke players did the ref would have shown yellows and sent them off.
    It is always going to lead to more injuries if one side can use brute force and the other can’t. The ref has to be consistent and even for both sides. Or better yet enforce the rules of the game correctly, kicking is not allowed!

  7. Lets see if the Stoke players can cope when another team decides to ‘get in their faces ‘ and get their payback soon.
    I heard it being said the the championship is a tough place to get out !

  8. Am posting this sex joke (I think its a joke !)which I just received via e-mail as it sounds a lot like watching and enjoying football .

    WHAT SEX CAN DO…!

    1. It makes some people religious:
    Oh God! Oh My God! Yes! God!

    2. It gives some people their first musical lesson:
    mmmm…aaaahh…ooooh…aaahhh

    3. Makes some people natural competitors:
    Ffaaast! Fasterrr! Yeah fasterrrrrr!

    4. It makes some people announce their own obituary:
    Ahhhh ..grrrrrrrrrr.. you are killing me! I’m dead! I’m finished! You’ll kill me!

    5. It makes some ladies become terrorists:
    Destroy it! Don’t show any damn mercy! Just tear it apart! Don’t do it with mercy! I am not your sister. Do it harderrrrrr … HARDERRRRR !!!

    6. Others become respectful:
    Give it to me please.. please … mmm… pleaseeee I’m begging you

    7. Some show sudden loyalty:
    I love you! You are my life! I’m yours forever! You are the best! Say whatever you want. Jack me any how and it’s yours!

    8. Makes some people become beggars:
    Yeah please don’t stop! Please I beg in God’s name give it to me!

    Funny thing sex is … ain’t it ???

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