21 Mar 2025 09:16:04
I see that since 2021, we have top the premer league in one stat, the club with the highest amount of injuries.
21 Mar 2025 09:23:42
I wonder if will be top for this season. Injuries at clubs can I suppose have different consequences. I assume all clubs suffer more when a “key” player gets injured. I also guess it can show the true value of a player when he misses games.
21 Mar 2025 12:19:34
Only if a coach does not have a plan B that's been worked on through the season Tom.
21 Mar 2025 13:43:32
Bill. I know you think the manager is to blame for everything but he couldn’t have anticipated injuries at virtually the same time to our two CF’s. I also assume that he would have been advised about players such as James, Lavia, BB and Fofana.
21 Mar 2025 13:58:44
I should have added that I think EM has tried his best to be cautious with the regular infirmed.
My plan B of playing Noni as a CF went out of the window about a week after Jackson and Guiu got injured.
21 Mar 2025 15:50:16
Tom
It's the coaches problem to solve issues such as injuries and to work with the players he has left.
The problem is the players he needs to assist him, know that they are only the 'B' squad.
21 Mar 2025 16:35:14
Bill, all players are in “the” squad. All squads that have injuries can look a little thread bare on occasions in certain positions.
Of course it’s up to a manager of any club to find solutions when his squad has injuries. As I’ve said I would have liked to have given Noni a try at CF but his injury stopped any chance of that happening. Nkunku (much to my surprise) was given a chance at CF as was anonymous. We then moved onto Neto as a so called false nine, that choice has worked a few times.
What would your “plan B” have been?
21 Mar 2025 17:06:21
Bill on looking at EM’s tenure as manager I found a site that says we have the sixth “best” record for injuries so far this season.
Of course that doesn’t mean that any manager has to find solutions when players are injured but it could also suggest, as I mentioned earlier, what players get injured can be of importance.
21 Mar 2025 21:40:15
I would not disagree with you Tom as you only have to look at Arsenal without Saka and City without Rodri.
It would have been interesting if Guiu had not got injured.
21 Mar 2025 22:40:05
Bill, yes it would have been interesting and who knows it could have been a career defining opportunity for the young lad.
22 Mar 2025 09:06:05
Bill, what would your plan B have been?
22 Mar 2025 09:14:37
It could have Tom and maybe changed the way we now play.
22 Mar 2025 09:31:00
Can't blame the coach for injuries to be fair. It is what it is fortunately.
I do think we are building a top squad. I would of said nkunku would be top class and if you asked me if I would sign him before we did. I would of said yes all day long. But look at him now I would not have him in my team and no wonder EM put him in his "b" team "bomb" squad what ever you want to call it.
He has offered nothing in the premier league. Only in a poor conference league.
My point is injuries aren't EM fault and he does need to find solutions which I believe he found a good one with neto.
So has provided a plan B.
I enjoyed his type of football at the start when we was 2nd.
So hopefully when we get a full strength squad we can revert to that as at the minute it's a bore fest.
{Ed001's Note - coaching is normally the main problem when there are a lot of injuries. It usually boils down to a lack of fitness. Particularly repeated soft tissue injuries.}
22 Mar 2025 14:07:17
Our injury performance seems to have improved this season but there is always more room for improvement. I assume that our fitness teams will be looking at other clubs and sports for new ideas.
22 Mar 2025 18:27:39
That’s worrying our fitness coaches need to look elsewhere for ideas. It’s a shame they haven’t got an ideas of their own.
22 Mar 2025 20:35:02
I will assume that was tongue in cheek!
22 Mar 2025 20:59:38
Tom, I rarely put my tongue in my cheek.
22 Mar 2025 22:34:43
?ooky.
23 Mar 2025 10:20:12
Ed001 it's the fact that EM takes the flack for it. We have fitness coaches that should be dealing with this stuff.
EM tactics ATM! Are boring the pants off me but I have to admit I was enjoying the first half of the season. But my world isn't going to end because chelsea aren't playing well. So I will give me opinions but there is worse things in the world to worry about. Friends will give me banter and I will give them it back that's how the world should work. Not getting offended then whining about it.
Things go in cycles but we will be back at some point. That's what people can't take from you. Your belief and dreams.
{Ed001's Note - he is head coach, he can change training.}
23 Mar 2025 12:45:48
I was talking to a young lady who specialises in muscle injuries. I asked her about muscle injuries in football and she said she surprised that muscle training for different sports aren’t looked at as specialist areas of expertise in a lot of sports.
She said that some contact sports cubs have or are looking at “muscle training. ” It all sounded to me like just a series of extra stretches being held for extended periods of time.
I was listening with interest but for obvious reasons I was more interested in hearing about exercises for old people.
{Ed001's Note - Slot deals with it by getting the players to do yoga before training.}
23 Mar 2025 13:29:48
Ed001, that’s very interesting.
The muscle strengthening exercises I’m having to do for my right hip are bloody agony but needs must.
{Ed001's Note - maybe you should consider some gentle yoga as well? If you are up to it mate. It is excellent for strengthening and increasing the flexibility of muscles. Both of those factors help to avoid injury.}
23 Mar 2025 13:52:51
Good advice. Thanks Ed.
{Ed001's Note - I hope so mate, would hate to give you bad advice!}