Injuries- that big an issue?

[nick harper]

We should also bear in mind that Dunne is carrying a knee injury and and Collins has been struggling with a calf problem. I accept they are both out of sorts at the moment but I think they are being nursed from game to game and are not 100% fit.

That's a good point, nick, but I can't help thinking Dunne's knee would be under less duress if it wasn't forced to carry quite so much weight.

*wink*

Can't argue with that - he looked very laboured.

I think if we'd had their centre halves last night, we'd have won the game comfortably.

[garyshawsknee]

We should also bear in mind that Dunne is carrying a knee injury and and Collins has been struggling with a calf problem. I accept they are both out of sorts at the moment but I think they are being nursed from game to game and are not 100% fit.

 Thats right mate,the only times they looked dangerous was when one of our two centre backs made a cock up. Think its time Cuellar is put in to freshen things up.

That's a good point, nick, but I can't help thinking Dunne's knee would be under less duress if it wasn't forced to carry quite so much weight.

*wink*

Can't argue with that - he looked very laboured.

I think if we'd had their centre halves last night, we'd have won the game comfortably.

[garyshawsknee]

Thats right mate,the only times they looked dangerous was when one of our two centre backs made a cock up. Think its time Cuellar is put in to freshen things up.

That's a good point, nick, but I can't help thinking Dunne's knee would be under less duress if it wasn't forced to carry quite so much weight.

[garyshawsknee]

Sorry pauliewalnuts, i somehow put my post amongst your quote,im the Dunne and Collins of posting today!

[darren woolley]

I would have liked Albrighton, NRC, heskey, Cuellar, and Delph back if we had them last night we would have won the match without a doubt.

[TimTheVillain]

Bannan has now joined the injury list.

[Merv]

They are a big issue because:

We have our four most senior central midfield players (in fact all our senior midfield players) currently unavailable.

We have two centre-backs in poor form and are unable to replace either because one option is injured, and has been for weeks, and the other is needed to prop up the midfield.

Our best striker has been unfit for most of the season and has been intermittently fit since returning.

Our most productive striker this season is currently injured.

Albrighton, arguably our player of the season so far, is currently unavailable.

Our only signing of the summer, Stephen Ireland, has also been troubled with injuries and illness - he had been officially ruled out last night and I was amazed he was on the bench.

You can make cases for NRC, Petrov, Albrighton, Heskey and Cuellar all coming in to the first X1 if they were fit.

[TimTheVillain]

It's a massive issue to address the OP - we are almost down to playing Gary McAllister in the middle !

[itbrvilla]

They are a big issue because:

We have our four most senior central midfield players (in fact all our senior midfield players) currently unavailable.

We have two centre-backs in poor form and are unable to replace either because one option is injured, and has been for weeks, and the other is needed to prop up the midfield.

Our best striker has been unfit for most of the season and has been intermittently fit since returning.

Our most productive striker this season is currently injured.

Albrighton, arguably our player of the season so far, is currently unavailable.

Our only signing of the summer, Stephen Ireland, has also been troubled with injuries and illness - he had been officially ruled out last night and I was amazed he was on the bench.

You can make cases for NRC, Petrov, Albrighton, Heskey and Cuellar all coming in to the first X1 if they were fit.

Goo point.  But don't most people think the midfield was our strongest position last night and previous games?

[Merv]

If most do, I'm not included in that group. I'll never slate the kids in there at the mo because I really rate Clark, albeit I think centre-back is his best position, Bannan I like and Hogg.... Hogg seems to be doing a reasonable job and expectations of him are so much lower that if he does 'ok' we're happy with that. But we'd be a great deal stronger with even just two of Reo-Coker, Petrov, Sidwell, Delph available.

Take those players I mentioned in my earlier post: if fit, we could have lined up like this v Arsenal, our last league game:

                              Friedel

L Young        Cuellar       Collins      Warnock

Albrighton     Reo-Coker   Petrov     Downing

                    A Young
                                      Heskey

With the only contentious selection being Cuellar over Dunne; I think Houllier might have stuck with Dunne, despite everything.

So yep, injuries are hurting us, no two ways about it.

[Shrek]

No it isn't.

We have lost so many games, because of constant mistakes by our defence, mostly Dunne.

We are rarely getting cut wide open by teams, just making mistake after mistake. Not one of these mistakes is from the young lads who have come in. They have been by our useless experienced defence.

[Ger Regan]

No it isn't.

We have lost so many games, because of constant mistakes by our defence, mostly Dunne.

We are rarely getting cut wide open by teams, just making mistake after mistake. Not one of these mistakes is from the young lads who have come in. They have been by our useless experienced defence.

I'd disagree with that to be honest.

I think that CM is the most vital area in a team, both from an attacking and defending perspective. The fact we have so many central midfielders out injured is hurting us a lot more than some people realise I think.

Granted, our defense is useless, but they wouldn't be getting exposed half as much if they had the cover that our first-choice central midfielders would give them.

[Merv]

No it isn't.... what? No, injuries have not hurt us this season?

Defenders have been making mistakes, but we've hardly been bossing games from midfield and imposing ourselves on matches.

[themossman]

You raise an interesting point. It's a bit of a novelty after years of talking about proper full backs and a creative cmf being the missing piece of the jigsaw, but these are the least of our problems at the moment. Middle of defence, which we all assumed was an area of strength, needs wholesale changes. We can't buy goals and JC is no good even off the bench anymore. And yet, mainly thanks to the kids and Downing's form, we are getting hold of the ball and passing it through the middle better than we have for a long long time.

[Karl Bridges]

Just one player would have made all the difference last night Marc Albrighton. It would have meant  Downing on the left, Ash in the hole and Bannan in the middle. I think we would have cleaned up with that team.