By Bulldog Drummond
Compared with the week before the international nonsense the number of players who are now injured is utterly outrageous. Why the top clubs allow this to continue is completely beyond me.
However they do, so here is the top of the injury league as supplied by Physioroom.com
- Liverpool: 10
- Brighton and Hove Albion: 9
- Manchester United: 9
- Crystal Palace: 8
- Newcastle United: 8
- Sheffield United: 8
- Arsenal 7
- Burnley: 7
- Leeds United: 7
- Aston Villa 6
- Southampton: 6
- Tottenham Hots: 6
All others, five or fewer.
If the clubs did get together and demanded changes so that their players did not get crippled playing for their countries or adopted countries this could be stopped and the games we pay to see would more likely contain the best players in the squad, not half the reserves.
So here is our list of injured parties, again thanks to Physioroom
| Player | Reason | Further Detail | Potential Return | Status |
| Pablo Mari Villar | Ankle/Foot Injury | Oct 28: “Aiming to integrate into full training after the November international period.” | 03/12/2020 | Ruled Out |
| Thomas Partey | Thigh Injury | Nov 20: “Sustained a strain to his left thigh. Continues to be assessed, will not be available for this weekend’s match and will continue his rehabilitation.” | 29/11/2020 | 50% |
| Reiss Nelson | Knee Injury | Nov 06: “Sustained knock and bruising to right knee in training ahead of match against Molde. Aiming to return to full training next week.” | 22/11/2020 | 100% |
| Gabriel Martinelli | Knee Injury | Aim of a return to full training by the end of the calendar year.” | No Return Date | Ruled Out |
| Calum Chambers | Unfit | Lacking Match Fitness; Being Assessed | No Return Date | 25% |
| Mohamed Elneny | Virus | Coronavirus; Being Assessed | No Return Date | Ruled Out |
| Sead Kolasinac | Virus | Coronavirus; Being Assessed | No Return Date | Ruled Out |
Leeds United were huge spenders last summer knocking up bills of over £100m, including
- Hélder Costa: Winger — from Wolverhampton Wanderers: £16m
- Illan Meslier: Goalkeeper — from Lorient: £5m
- Jack Harrison: Winger — from Manchester City: loan extended
- Joe Gelhardt: Forward — from Wigan Athletic: £1.5m
- Charlie Allen: Forward — from Linfield: undisclosed
- Cody Drameh: Defender — from Fulham: undisclosed
- Sam Greenwood: Forward — from Arsenal: undisclosed
- Rodrigo: Forward — from Valencia: £30m
- Robin Koch: Defender — from Freiburg: £12.9m
- Crysencio Summerville: Winger — from Feyenoord: £900k
- Diego Llorente: Defender — from Real Sociedad: £23m
- Raphinha: Winger — from Rennes: £17m
They didn’t sell anyone last summer to try and balance the books – but did loan out eight players from the squad that won the championship last season by ten points. Part of that promotion push came from the last 14 games of which they won 13 and drew the other.
This season the results have been nothing like that and since October we’ve seen them play five games of which one was a 3-0 away win at Villa, one was a home draw against Manchester City and the other three were defeats. In these last five league games they have scored six and conceded 10.
Arsenal’s have also played five league matches since the start of October and we have had two wins, one at home, one away, both by a single goal. Two of our defeats were by a single goal, plus of course the 0-3 horror against Villa.
In those five games Arsenal have scored three (ie half the number of Leeds) and conceded six.
But there’s surely got to be a reaction from Arsenal after such a poor performance in their defeat by Aston Villa; it not we will know we are in serious trouble.
So both teams have had a nasty defeat of late, but the fact is that Leeds are scoring and Arsenal are not. If Mr Arteta has worked out how to get the goal machine rolling again, then all will be fine, but without that, things could be difficult. We won’t have been helped by having Aubameyang flying to Africa in order to sleep on an airport floor. Are Fifa taking any action about that does anyone know?
More anon…
