Re: The Liverpool injury Thread

[McAgger]

We had another closed friendly? Who was it against?

[RedOranje]

Well I expect to have at least 18/20 first teamers, and then the youth adding up to that to make it 25 or whatever. We don't even have 18 first team players. Paper thin.

1. Reina
2. Jones
3. Toure
4. Agger
5. Skrtel
6. Coates
7. Johnson
8. Kelly
9. Enrique
10. Cissokho
11. Lucas
12. Gerrard
13. Henderson
14. Allen
15. Alberto
16. Coutinho
17. Aspas
18. Borini
19. Sturridge
20. Suarez

Then consider Wisdom, Sterling, Ibe and other younger players who have played regularly in the first team or made their debuts.

We've been hit with a rather freak spurt of CB injuries that leave the squad looking thin in that area, and to be fair we are pursuing another CB that will cost £8-12m. We've also bid on several major attacking players and are still pursuing another attacking signing... Had the summer gone to plan (or even to back-up plan) we'd have another CB in the squad numbers and another attacking player, all to the tune of £40m+ net spend. And that's not even speculation, that's based on offers/bids that have been made. The only people claiming that Rodgers hasn't been backed by FSG are those with little to no knowledge of the situation or those with an agenda.

[Helmer]

We had another closed friendly? Who was it against?

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/premier-league-suarez-plays-scores-liverpool-friendly-150116407.html

[McAgger]

Well I expect to have at least 18/20 first teamers, and then the youth adding up to that to make it 25 or whatever. We don't even have 18 first team players. Paper thin.

1. Reina
2. Jones
3. Toure
4. Agger
5. Skrtel
6. Coates
7. Johnson
8. Kelly
9. Enrique
10. Cissokho
11. Lucas
12. Gerrard
13. Henderson
14. Allen
15. Alberto
16. Coutinho
17. Aspas
18. Borini
19. Sturridge
20. Suarez

Then consider Wisdom, Sterling, Ibe and other younger players who have played regularly in the first team or made their debuts.

We've been hit with a rather freak spurt of CB injuries that leave the squad looking thin in that area, and to be fair we are pursuing another CB that will cost £8-12m.  We've also bid on several major attacking players and are still pursuing another attacking signing...  Had the summer gone to plan (or even to back-up plan) we'd have another CB in the squad numbers and another attacking player, all to the tune of £40m+ net spend.  And that's not even speculation, that's based on offers/bids that have been made.  The only people claiming that Rodgers hasn't been backed by FSG are those with little to no knowledge of the situation or those with an agenda.

I didn't count Coates since he's out for the season and I put Alberto in the Wisdom, Sterling, Ibe category since he's only 20. That leave us with 18 first team players (which is still very a thin squad) and now 3 of those are injured, 1 is suspended, and 2 are barely returning from injury. We've got 12 first team players who are up to par with match fitness + the additional young stars. Paper thin that is.

[stevieg8]

First off, Red, you meant Mignolet not Reina.

But McAgger, I think Red's point was that the size of the squad needs to be judged BEFORE injuries and suspensions, not after. Of course with the window still open, it complicates things somewhat, but with a balanced wage structure, you can't just bring in a new player every time someone goes down.

Furthermore, injuries and suspensions are not under BR's control. I have criticized him already for playing Toure in the cup game, but as you rightly pointed out in the GS, that injury could've come just as easily in training. The things that are not under BR's control cannot be directly planned for, they can only be prepared for by having a sizable enough squad before they occur - which as Red pointed out, we do. The fact that so many issues hit us at once does not mean the squad is paper thin, it means it can't afford to be hit by 6-7 injuries/suspensions at once. Which I don't think is unreasonable.

Thankfully, the window is still open, so we should be able to get through this section of difficulty ok, assuming the right moves are made. But if a similar crop of injuries came up in November? I wouldn't feel our squad was paper thin - I would just feel we were hard done by, which happens sometimes. Such is life.

[stevieg8]

Oh also, if age - rather than experience - decides who falls into the Sterling category, we should put Coutinho there too. And maybe Henderson.

Just saying, injury crises like these is WHY you have the youth category. To fill in for a few weeks while the worst of the storm passes. If the Toure and Cissokho injuries are as minor as reported (I'm hearing Toure will only be out up to a month), we'll have forgotten about this stretch soon enough. It's just too bad that it happened right before a derby.

[Art Morte]

In all seriousness, though, the squad is paper thin. I really feel for BR. Everything else bring ceteris paribus, if you look at the club from the outside you would think Rodgers is not getting the backing he deserves from the owners atm.

Man, really? We are short on CMs yet he sold Shelvey. He brought in Aspas and Alberto for good cash, so he should have faith in them, i.e. they should be considered as fine depth. Aspas probably more than that. CB is the only area, imo, where Rodgers may feel unlucky as of now, but even that's okay if Skrtel actually is fit to play straight away.

Rodgers has been doing wheeling and dealing in this window, which is fine as long as you don't sell your depth before having replacements ready.

Bring in two quality players and we should be good for the season, but I can't feel sorry for our manager if he's sold too many players before actually getting those new faces in.

[RedOranje]

We're no more short on CMs now than we were with Shelvey. You can repeat that little white lie all you want, Morte, but Alberto was recognised as a CM/CAM during his time at Sevilla. He just so happens to be versatile enough to cover the attacking positions as well.

[Fahim89]

The Echo are reporting that Kolo has responded to treatment well & might return for the ManU fixture on Sunday!!

KOLO THE MAN OF STEEL!

[McAgger]

OH MY GOD YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS

[Helmer]

The Echo are reporting that Kolo has responded to treatment well & might return for the ManU fixture on Sunday!!

KOLO THE MAN OF STEEL!

yaaay yaaay only the news is enough

[ExtremistEnigma]

*bleep* YEAH BIATCH

Let's not rush him for the Man Utd game though (and he won't be). He can come on in the last 15 mins to help hold onto our 1-0 lead.

[mr-r34]

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/143875-rodgers-on-toure-injury-latest

"His injury is nowhere near as bad as what we thought," said the manager. "We'll just assess that over the next 24/48 hours.

"I think we were all thinking that he might be out for longer after the game, but he's made an excellent recovery. The diagnosis isn't anywhere near as bad as we thought, so we'll see how he is for this weekend.

"If it's not this weekend, then we would think that after the international break he will not be too far away."


Please lets not rush him, but if his fit, bring him on.

[Nishankly]

So the list is:

Sturridge - Not fit.
Cissokho - Return September end.
Allen - Return next match
Toure - Return next match
Gleninho - ?

Any news on Glen?

[Nishankly]

Latest gleninho news is that he has withdrawn from the England squad and also he left the stadium on crutches.  

[Helmer]

Now I am confused if Glen will be injured and wisdom may go out on loan and Kelly is still not match fit, so who can we play on left????? He looked so poor in U21 match against ManU

[McAgger]

Ilori to start next game at RB?

We have the international break to get all of our guys some rest and fitness back. I'm just hoping Sturridge pulls out of Englands squad.

[Nishankly]

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/144230-glen-johnson-injury-update

He's out minimum a month.

[Helmer]

I believe Wisdom will be ok at RB...why to take risk of starting Ilori directly, he doesnt know the team yet properly

[McAgger]

Hopefully Kelly will be ready by Swansea, if not I really wouldn't mind seeing Ilori or 3 at the back.

[Nishankly]

Wisdom would do well at RB i guess

[Art Morte]

I'd be fine with Wisdom at right-back, he looked calm there when he was subbed on against United. Won't be offensively as flairing as Gleninho - but then again Glen's attacking moves haven't come together yet this season.

[Helmer]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpools-glen-johnson-set-miss-2259934#ixzz2eIz8yidL

Glen Johnson faces the agony of being out of the rest of England’s World Cup qualifiers – including any play-off, writes Alan Nixon of the Sunday People.

Liverpool fear their raiding right-back will be sidelined for around 10 weeks with the knee ligament injury he suffered against Manchester United last week.

Johnson’s bravery in a crunching tackle with Patrice Evra meant he missed the Moldova and Ukraine double header for England.

He was seen leaving Anfield on crutches after the United game and was wearing a medical boot.

The timescale means Johnson will miss the last two Group H games and could struggle to be fit if the Three Lions are forced into a play-off.

Johnson’s loss is also a blow for Brendan Rodgers who has had to stop England Under-21 skipper Andre Wisdom going out on loan. Wigan, Bolton and Blackburn were all keen to take the youngster, but now he has to stay at Anfield.

Kop chief Rodgers will be reshaping his defence shortly as new French defender Mamadou Sakho is tipped for a quick start, possibly at left-back.

Wisdom to bench Gleno when he comes back from injury

[Art Morte]

Nasty news on Glen, but I think we'll cope. Wisdom or Kelly for RB or then play with three at the back and Hendo as RWB.

[Fahim89]

According to BR . . . Glenno would be out for a further 5 weeks missing out on 4 EPL games!

[McAgger]

Poor Glenno, this injury came at a very bad time for him. It looked like he was hitting the stride into that brilliant run of form that he has every reason for a short period.

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