Reo-coker injury- ligament damage!

[Dante Lavelli]

Isn't possession football supposed to demand less fitness?  If so why the need to increase fitness levels from MON kick and rush football (442), which people previously claimed put unreasonable demands on certain players (petrov for example)?

[brontebilly]

Whoever was responsible for pre season has a lot to answer for.

Reo Coker wasnt missed today. He was fine when on but I thought Clark was excellent when he replaced him.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Yesterdays injury has nothing to do with fitness or training regimes though?

I'm pleased we've got Clark but I can't remember an injury run like this for a long time!

We now have 6 injuries to key players

Heskey, Carew, Agbonlahor, Re-coker, Delph, Petrov, You could even include Weimann, I only didn't as I don't class him as a first team regular atm

[UK Redsox]

Ligaments can go at any time. Its the pulls and strains that suggest an underlying problem from pre-season training

[Phil from the upper holte]

Yes I agree but in this case I think its nothing to do with pre- season

[richard moore]

Not sure we can complain too much, we have been incredibly lucky with short to medium term injuries over the last few seasons. Though obviously one might temper that with the Laursen and Freddies scenarios which hit us badly, particularly the former...

[pablopicasso_10]

bloody injuries...

oh well, on the bright side, some of the youngsters will get  ore game time, and while we will drop more points, its good for their long term development to get game time...

i do hope that people wont write them off after a bad performance though...

[olaftab]

To be honest we have been lucky with injuries over the last couple of seasons. All teams get a bad run like this and it provides the opportunities to other players and some actually  turn out be  good and that will make us a stronger squad  in a few weeks  time when  we are through this spell.

[sfx412]

Certainly proves those who said the squad was still too small 100% right

Not that the turncoat bothers, he wasted the money and is off enjoying himself having again quit before being found out

[Dave]

Certainly proves those who said the squad was still too small 100% right found out

And pray tell us oh wise one which squad would be coping fine with it's first three choices at central midfield and first three choices at striker out injured?

Real Madrid would probably be able to muddle through okay. That's about it though.

[kippaxvilla2]

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

Expected return dates of our players - most are after December 1st unfortunately.

[Matt Collins]

The only positives about our injury list are that a) youngsters get a chance and b) we're unlikely to burn out in the way we normally do. In fact, I would expect us to do a John Gregory style finish to the season (hang around in mid table most season, then put a run of games together at the end of the season when it doesn't really matter and end up finishing top . Edit: that's supposed to read top 8, not some orange dude with sunglasses!

Everton did it last season, and we did it in MON's first season. A fit and raring to go Petrov, Delph, NRC, plus Gabby and Heskey, all coming back after xmas, should give us a strong impetus. Just need to make sure we keep things ticking over in the meantime.

[Monty]

Isn't possession football supposed to demand less fitness?  If so why the need to increase fitness levels from MON kick and rush football (442), which people previously claimed put unreasonable demands on certain players (petrov for example)?

Actually it demands more - a lot more. When you play possession football, you're always trying to find team-mates in space, and to get space you have to be constantly moving off the ball. This was a huge part of the Total Football innovation and of its success - Ajax were by far the fittest team in Europe when they were dominant in the early '70s (some said a little too fit, in fact, and allegations about doping were never far away), and the main influence the Dutch had on the Brazilians they dominated in the 2-0 win in '74 was the fitness levels. To keep the ball and be penetrative you have to be constantly on the move, and our players aren't used to those levels of fitness.

[Matt Collins]

Yes, I think under MON our players ran a lot, but they weren't always bright and fresh. Houllier's style will demand this.

[N'ZMAV]

It'll be Salifou & Osbourne in the middle on Wednesday night then.