Injuries 23/24

We need him back now more then ever.


Defense has gone right off the boil without his Beast Mode presence down there.

Heard he's ahead of schedule. Hope it's true and he's right and raring to go.

Yea. If people are questioning the quality then maybe that makes sense but we've 6 forwards for three positions, a host of midfielders and back up in all the defensive areas.

Definitely a senior 6 midfielder would be am area and a central forward but other than that I think the squad is grand.

Need desperate cover at R Back. With Trent being currently dire, and Bradley injured. Joe being used as cover for Konate, and Jarrell suffering from the eegie beegies.  We are currently playing with a huge hole on our right side back line.

Need desperate cover at R Back. With Trent being currently dire, and Bradley injured. Joe being used as cover for Konate, and Jarrell suffering from the eegie beegies.  We are currently playing with a huge hole on our right side back line.

Bradley will be back soon and prob be back before the Jan window

Looks like another issue for Jota

https://x.com/jamespearcelfc/status/1868947044125315452?s=46&t=_4uI6CiVRqge8WqM7F37Iw

He’s turned into the Portuguese Sturridge.

He’s turned into the Portuguese Sturridge.

Porridge.

Frustrating. Same as it was with Thiago, we have an exceptional player who just can’t contribute enough because he spends half the season on the treatment table (or all but 5 minutes in Thiago’s last season).

Think a tough decision needs to be made at the end of the season if he’s out for another extended period.

Very frustrating. Hopefully fit for weekend and we scrape through tomorrow without him. I wouldnt have risked him anyway.

https://x.com/xxx/status/1868970558282719507?s=46&t=_4uI6CiVRqge8WqM7F37Iw

Kostas back training

Looks like another issue for Jota

https://x.com/jamespearcelfc/status/1868947044125315452?s=46&t=_4uI6CiVRqge8WqM7F37Iw

For the love of god, please stay fit for a while

For the love of god, please stay fit for a while

Said he will get minutes. But not from the start. Much a do about nothing.

Said he will get minutes. But not from the start. Much a do about nothing.

If it was Naby or Thiago or Ox your reaction would be hugely different

If it was Naby or Thiago or Ox your reaction would be hugely different

None of them contributed anything near what Jota does though.

None of them contributed anything near what Jota does though.

That’s clearly not true especially when it comes to Ox who was key for us reaching CL finals

Jota is out as much as any of those, the same level of injuries over their careers at the club but Jota doesn’t get the same level of vitriol hatred pointed at him that others do

Jota is a much more significant player than any of these were in my opinion. Our 2nd most effective goalscorer. His goals/mins ratio is exceptional. Just a shame he is so injury prone.

Bound to be a bit of a reaction. Stiff. aches and pains. Long as it's just that. But regardless need to look at strengthening. Squad is not big enough for 4 competitions plus Internationals.

Bound to be a bit of a reaction. Stiff. aches and pains.

Said Victor Meldrew

Bound to be a bit of a reaction. Stiff. aches and pains. Long as it's just that. But regardless need to look at strengthening. Squad is not big enough for 4 competitions plus Internationals.

Jota will be fine. Bound to feel abit after along absence.

The squad lacks in certain areas ... but not up top. We have good numbers of forward players, 6 of them for 4 comps. Its quality in 2 of them which is lacking, plus maybe consistency in Diaz case. Numbers wise we are fine.

In midfield, we do need a 6. I love Endo who is a 6 but not Arne's cup of tea which is fine. So i'd like to see him moved on and one brought in who does suit Arne. But numbers are good. Grav Mac Dom Jones Elliott Endo Morton ... good numbers ... maybe another ??

In defence we have 4 centre backs. Quansah is learning his trade and good as 4th choice. Do we want to bring in another so Quansah is 5th choice or maybe upgrade Gomez to a stronger option?

In Bradley and Robbo ... I wouldnt swap them for anyone else in the league. We do need better/stronger backup/competition options.

Goalkeepers we are blessed with 2 phenomenal lads.

Overall I'd say the squad is strong. Numbers are good. We just need a few tweaks and i want Arne backed so he can make those tweaks ... after they have signed Virg and Mo to new deals.

Bound to be a bit of a reaction. Stiff. aches and pains. Long as it's just that. But regardless need to look at strengthening. Squad is not big enough for 4 competitions plus Internationals.

It's big enough but there's a lack of quality beyond the first 12-14 players and a few that are too injury prone.

Said he will get minutes. But not from the start. Much a do about nothing.

On for half an hour I'd have thought. Tends to happen that they get 15, then 30, then start and come off after 60.

Jota will be fine. Bound to feel abit after along absence.

The squad lacks in certain areas ... but not up top. We have good numbers of forward players, 6 of them for 4 comps. Its quality in 2 of them which is lacking, plus maybe consistency in Diaz case. Numbers wise we are fine.

In midfield, we do need a 6. I love Endo who is a 6 but not Arne's cup of tea which is fine. So i'd like to see him moved on and one brought in who does suit Arne. But numbers are good. Grav Mac Dom Jones Elliott Endo Morton ... good numbers ... maybe another ??

In defence we have 4 centre backs. Quansah is learning his trade and good as 4th choice. Do we want to bring in another so Quansah is 5th choice or maybe upgrade Gomez to a stronger option?

In Bradley and Robbo ... I wouldnt swap them for anyone else in the league. We do need better/stronger backup/competition options.

Goalkeepers we are blessed with 2 phenomenal lads.

Overall I'd say the squad is strong. Numbers are good. We just need a few tweaks and i want Arne backed so he can make those tweaks ... after they have signed Virg and Mo to new deals.

Wouldn't mind Robinson from Fulham. Every time I've seen them play he's been quality. Gives us enough problems too.

Jota will be fine. Bound to feel abit after along absence.

The squad lacks in certain areas ... but not up top. We have good numbers of forward players, 6 of them for 4 comps. Its quality in 2 of them which is lacking, plus maybe consistency in Diaz case. Numbers wise we are fine.

In midfield, we do need a 6. I love Endo who is a 6 but not Arne's cup of tea which is fine. So i'd like to see him moved on and one brought in who does suit Arne. But numbers are good. Grav Mac Dom Jones Elliott Endo Morton ... good numbers ... maybe another ??

In defence we have 4 centre backs. Quansah is learning his trade and good as 4th choice. Do we want to bring in another so Quansah is 5th choice or maybe upgrade Gomez to a stronger option?

In Bradley and Robbo ... I wouldnt swap them for anyone else in the league. We do need better/stronger backup/competition options.

Goalkeepers we are blessed with 2 phenomenal lads.

Overall I'd say the squad is strong. Numbers are good. We just need a few tweaks and i want Arne backed so he can make those tweaks ... after they have signed Virg and Mo to new deals.

Light in midfield with 4 central midfielders to pick from, especially so given we play with 3. The Newcastle game we were really hurt by this lack of depth when we were overrun having had to leave out Dom from the start who had run himself into the ground vs City 3 days earlier. Endo is not starting any big game unless we want to get overrun as was the case last season, twice vs Palace, against Atalanta at home, against Newcatle (his debut, with our intensity ramping up when he went off), and at Old Trafford twice. Morton is unproven, and Elliott is not a central midfielder.

Endo we really should have shipped out in the summer and replaced him (we did of course try to bring a midfielder in but did not, and that issue remains). Hes a great character, but he wouldnt look out of place at Everton. We have to address the lack of signing a midfielder in January.

5 for 3 positions is what is needed (just as 4 CB for 2 positions). Less than 5 leaves us too dependent on 4 staying fit and fresh, and over a long season that is not going to happen. The intensity will dip with the same players getting overused.

That’s clearly not true especially when it comes to Ox who was key for us reaching CL finals

Jota is out as much as any of those, the same level of injuries over their careers at the club but Jota doesn’t get the same level of vitriol hatred pointed at him that others do

Haven't seen anybody directing "vitriol hatred" at Ox etc. Not on these boards, as far as I know. At any rate, certainly nobody was doing it in this discussion, so seems like an unnecessarily emotive strawman.

Anyway, if you think Ox was as important to us as Jota is now I don't know what to say. Ox was a sometimes handy squad player. Jota is our first choice centre forward.