Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 7

Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 7

By Dale Higginbottom

The weekend before an international break has been a time where we are usually able to field quite a strong team, well at least stronger than the game after an international break. This time around it could be different with so many players out on the brink of a return we could have quite a strong team for the Birmingham game. Obviously that doesn’t help matters when comparing the weekend’s games but at least it’s something to be hopeful for.

Gameweek 7 brought us the following games and injury lists.

Chelsea Vs Arsenal

Chelsea (4 injuries)

• Goalkeeper – No injuries reported
• Defence – Bosingwa (7)
• Midfield – Lampard (4), Benayoun (2)
• Attack – Kalou (2)

Additional issues: Mikel and Alex picked up late injuries but played the vast majority of the game.

Arsenal (9 injuries)

• Goalkeeper – Almunia (1)
• Defence – Vermaelen (5), Gibbs (2)
• Midfield – Frimpong (6), Ramsey (7), Fabregas (3)
• Attack – Bendtner (7), van Persie (4), Walcott (4)

Additional issues: Diaby passed a late fitness test and started.

Sunderland Vs Man Utd

Man Utd (4 injuries)

• Goalkeeper, defence – No injuries reported
• Midfield – Hargreaves (7), Valencia (3), Giggs (1)
• Attack – Rooney (2)

Additional issues: Scholes was a doubt before the game but started and played the whole game.

Tottenham Vs Aston Villa

Tottenham (6 injuries)

• Goalkeeper – No injuries reported
• Defence – Dawson (4), Kaboul (2), King (2), Gallas (2)
• Midfield – O’Hara (7)
• Attack – Defoe (5)

Additional issues: The injured Woodgate, not in the 25-man squad, is not included in this list.

Liverpool Vs Blackpool

Liverpool (3 injuries)

• Goalkeeper, midfield, attack – No injuries reported
• Defence – Aurelio (4), Agger (1), Konchesky (1)

Additional issues: Torres picked up an injury after 10 minutes and was unable to continue.

Man City Vs Newcastle

Man City (7 injuries)

• Goalkeeper – No injuries reported
• Defence – Richards (2), Bridge (6), Kolarov (6), Zabaleta (1)
• Midfield – Wright-Phillips (2)
• Attack – Balotelli (6), Tchuimeni-Nimely (4)

Additional issues: Lescott was a doubt before the game but started and played the whole game.

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It is always difficult to take a defeat, particularly against our championship rivals, but considering the number and quality of players missing through injury you have to think that it was a great effort by our players to be within a good chance of points up until Alex’s free-kick in the 85^th minute.

When we get such a difference in injury fortunes it makes you wonder just how things might have been had the situation been reversed?  I’m sure that an Arsenal team missing just Fabregas and three players who would usually be on the bench would have been a tough challenge for a Chelsea team without Cech, Terry, Lampard, Ramires, Anelka, Drogba and Sturridge (equivalent to Almunia, Vermaelen, Fabregas, Ramsey, Walcott, van Persie and Bendtner). A lot of hope must be taken from the performance and if we can beat Man City on 24^th October it will feel a bit like points shared, considering Chelsea’s defeat to City last weekend.

Tottenham’s injury worries seem to have eased slightly compared to previous weeks and that was reflected in the result. They have a worry in central defence but Gomes returning probably helped organisation a lot.

Man Utd showed that they are at least consistent. They have played four away games in the league this season and have four points from four draws. Rooney has not played in any of those games (well against Bolton his body was on the pitch, his head wasn’t) and they have struggled.

I keep saying that they are reliant on his performances and could continue to drop points and slip away if his personal troubles or fitness issues continue. The break comes at a good time for them, maybe Rooney can build some form with England and they will be more competitive come October 16^th.

Liverpool’s performances continue to surprise me. I honestly thought that they would improve on last season and be challenging more for a top-four position. Their worries are not injuries but financial concerns and that must have an effect on the players. Just three injuries this week plus the early withdrawal of Torres is not enough to blame a home defeat to Blackpool on.

Man City follow us closely on injuries now and despite having 7 players out they could still get a win at home to Newcastle. There appears a bit more balance now that Boateng is back which helps a lot. Managing high numbers of injuries can be made a lot easier if they are spread evenly around the team and players are not forced to play out of position so much.

The International break is now upon us and considering our current injury list it is at a great time. All of our current list should be back within the next 2-3 weeks and a lot of their recovery will be during the time when no Arsenal games are played. It may for once be beneficial to us to have this break and providing no other players come back crocked we’ll be stronger next game.

Also on this site: How many more broken legs before the FA Acts

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