Joe Willock

[AJ9]

That’s grim. We’re going to have to modify expectations for this season. We’re dead on our feet.

[Dokko]

Questions have to be asked within the club, like. 

[SUPERTOON]

8 minutes ago, AJ9 said:

That’s grim. We’re going to have to modify expectations for this season. We’re dead on our feet.

Top 10 will be a struggle at this rate 

[midds]

5 minutes ago, Dokko said:

Questions have to be asked within the club, like. 

They do, yeah but it's just the domino effect of getting them all at the same time too. Injuries happen to all teams but we've been hit with lots all at the same time. This is compounded because we're playing twice a week and can't rotate because of the lack of fit bodies. So the players who do get selected are tired and more likely to get injured which leads to the initial problem just getting bigger and bigger. 

 

It's really frustrating but we just need to get through the next 3 months and look to build the squad over the next few years. In 2026 an injury crisis like this won't be as bad as it is now - doesn't help us right now obviously like. Just batten down the hatches and make the best of it.

[Upthemags]

You'd have to think PIF will be asking some questions with Willock's re-aggravation.

[80]

No wonder Tonali is looking good in training, he's only up against children.

[mush]

Well my excitement about Isak being back lasted about 30 seconds

[Dokko]

1 minute ago, midds said:

They do, yeah but it's just the domino effect of getting them all at the same time too. Injuries happen to all teams but we've been hit with lots all at the same time. This is compounded because we're playing twice a week and can't rotate because of the lack of fit bodies. So the players who do get selected are tired and more likely to get injured which leads to the initial problem just getting bigger and bigger. 

 

It's really frustrating but we just need to get through the next 3 months and look to build the squad over the next few years. In 2026 an injury crisis like this won't be as bad as it is now - doesn't help us right now obviously like. Just batten down the hatches and make the best of it.

 

Agreed, but do think Howe stepping off training has to be reviewed. He's been worried about this, and it's almost a self fulfilling prophecy. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the 'hardly trained due to amount of games' comments from Howe, shows he's not positively tried to fix this, but went over cautious and now the squad just isn't fit enough to deal with it.

 

Lessons learned like, and at least the board will react in a months time, probably some creative loaning. We need to exploit the fuck out of the KSA league, and let that get us through to the summer and not bother with it again.

[OverThere]

Jesus wept. Our bench is really grim with Longstaff and Willock out

[Theregulars]

7 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

You'd have to think PIF will be asking some questions with Willock's re-aggravation.

You’d have to. 

[80]

2 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

Agreed, but do think Howe stepping off training has to be reviewed. He's been worried about this, and it's almost a self fulfilling prophecy. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the 'hardly trained due to amount of games' comments from Howe, shows he's not positively tried to fix this, but went over cautious and now the squad just isn't fit enough to deal with it.

 

Lessons learned like, and at least the board will react in a months time, probably some creative loaning. We need to exploit the fuck out of the KSA league, and let that get us through to the summer and not bother with it again.

Questions definitely need to be asked, but I don't think when he says hardly trained he means they've done no strength and conditioning work. I believe he's referring more to on pitch games which are played at almost match day intensity.

[midds]

1 minute ago, Dokko said:

 

Agreed, but do think Howe stepping off training has to be reviewed. He's been worried about this, and it's almost a self fulfilling prophecy. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the 'hardly trained due to amount of games' comments from Howe, shows he's not positively tried to fix this, but went over cautious and now the squad just isn't fit enough to deal with it.

 

Lessons learned like, and at least the board will react in a months time, probably some creative loaning. We need to exploit the fuck out of the KSA league, and let that get us through to the summer and not bother with it again.

Yeah, that's fair enough too

 

There were always going to be bumps in the road and times when Howe would need to tweak things and adapt depending on what was happening at the time. Got no idea how many injuries could have been prevented or mitigated though, maybe it's the nature of the training? Is it poor medical advice/treatment? Is it pushing players out who aren't even 70% because there's no other options? Could be any or all of the above but I'm sure this situation is being looked at and lessons need to be learned for the future as you say

[The Prophet]

Peak N-O reaction.

[Shearergol]

4 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Peak N-O reaction.

I’d sack all the fit players who obviously either:

 

a) don’t work hard enough in training to get injured

b) work too hard, causing others to get injured

 

if we sack the fit ones we won’t have to worry 

[Joe1984]

9 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

I’d sack all the fit players who obviously either:

 

a) don’t work hard enough in training to get injured

b) work too hard, causing others to get injured

 

if we sack the fit ones we won’t have to worry 

Can we use the saved wages to hire more physios?

[Elric]

2 hours ago, Pilko said:

Who the fuck is running our medical department? What an absolute shambles.

 

Harold Shipman, by the looks of it

[Holloway]

[The Prophet]

Playing him three times in a week, returning from a long term injury was always a risk. Needs must though.

[Ronson333]

 

[TheBrownBottle]

On 26/11/2023 at 03:44, Holloway said:

Dekka and the Magic Sponge

[magvicar]

I don't think it's over training. A lot of our injuries are so different when you actually look at them.

Willock's always been fairly regular and hasn't missed too many games for us barring the one season when his hamstring gave out and he was out for 83 days.

All the rest have been very short periods, so all is not bad.

[andycap]

I think there's times this season we could of changed out players to keep the bench players more upto fitness but we didn't. And low and behold Barnes gets a freak injury, Targett hamstring tonali suspension then they pile on it seems game after game. But now we have no cover in various positions we basically have no backup attacking players. Fingers crossed miggy flash and Isak can get us to January unscathed. 

[Ronaldo]

1 minute ago, andycap said:

I think there's times this season we could of changed out players to keep the bench players more upto fitness but we didn't. And low and behold Barnes gets a freak injury, Targett hamstring tonali suspension then they pile on it seems game after game. But now we have no cover in various positions we basically have no backup attacking players. Fingers crossed miggy flash and Isak can get us to January unscathed. 

The issue is, our benches throughout this season (with the odd exception) have been shit in terms of attacking options and Eddie likes a settled defence. Only thing I’d argue with is the lack of game time Tino, particularly, has had until recently. 
 

Suppose it’s just evolution; towards a less labour intensive playing style and better squad options. I still don’t think there’s any excuse for Matt Ritchie getting minutes, mind. 

[54]

Howe on Willock's injury: "We hope he is not too bad. We thought there could be a total reoccurrence, which would have been six to eight weeks. We hope it is not that long but the problem that we have is two to three weeks at this stage feels like a lifetime for us with the amount of games we have. So although it is possibly good news, it is still really frustrating."

[gbandit]

No more word on whether it’s a short lay off for him?