“Gamers cannot deal any extra with this overload.”
These are the quite foreboding phrases of Erik ten Hag because the Manchester United boss grapples with an ever-increasing harm listing.
The Dutchman was talking on the day his defender Lisandro Martinez was dominated out till the finish of the 12 months, bringing the whole variety of Purple Devils’ harm absentees to eight.
However Ten Hag is just not the one Premier League supervisor having to cope with a prolonged casualty listing simply six weeks into the brand new season.
In accordance with PremierInjuries.com, England’s 20 top-flight sides at the moment have a mixed 112 gamers out injured.
Manchester Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola thinks gamers ought to come collectively to attempt to drive a change to the schedule.
Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino have additionally had their say on the problem, whereas Burnley’s Vincent Kompany feels he could have give you an answer.
Chelsea high the harm league
Chelsea at the moment high the harm desk, with the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana out with critical knee accidents, Romeo Lavia sidelined with an ankle downside, and full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell affected by hamstring and thigh issues respectively. Their trigger is additional hampered by suspensions to Malo Gusto and Nicolas Jackson.
Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Newcastle all have 9 gamers unavailable, together with the likes of Harvey Barnes, Michael Olise and George Baldock.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is sweating on the health of as many as eight first-team gamers with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice choosing up accidents within the north London derby, William Saliba and Fabio Vieira struggling setbacks, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard lacking the 2-2 draw with Spurs and Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey out with long-term accidents.
Champions Manchester Metropolis misplaced playmaker Kevin de Bruyne of their Premier League opener and 10 days in the past Pep Guardiola stated the membership had been “in bother” as a consequence of their harm listing, which is now easing.
On the different finish of the desk West Ham are solely with out Aaron Cresswell by way of harm, whereas Wolves‘ sole absentee, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, is suspended.
| Chelsea | 10 |
| Sheffield United | 9 |
| Crystal Palace | 9 |
| Newcastle United | 9 |
| Manchester United | 8 |
| Arsenal | 8 |
| Tottenham | 8 |
| Brentford | 6 |
| Burnley | 6 |
| Bournemouth | 6 |
| Luton | 6 |
| Aston Villa | 5 |
| Brighton | 4 |
| Everton | 4 |
| Fulham | 4 |
| Liverpool | 4 |
| Manchester Metropolis | 3 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2 |
| West Ham | 1 |
| Wolves | 0 |
| Supply: Premierinjuries.com – not together with suspensions or disciplinary points |
‘The load on gamers is an excessive amount of’
Ten Hag says he intentionally expanded his squad over the summer time, bringing in seven gamers, to attempt to mitigate towards accidents, however nonetheless finds his workforce stretched, with the current non-injury absences of Jadon Sancho and Antony compounding issues.
“We had a World Cup in the course of the season, we had an extended season, we needed to play an extended season as nicely, with FA Cup, then Nations League video games. A shorter break,” stated the Dutchman.
“Each time the schedule is increasing, the load on the gamers is an excessive amount of, it is such an amazing overload. Many colleagues of mine have pointed to that and I’ve pointed to that as nicely. But it surely retains going. We preserve increasing the schedule.
“Gamers cannot deal any extra with this overload and I believe that is what you see on this squad in the meanwhile.”
Manchester United returned for pre-season coaching on 6 July earlier than, like many groups, jetting off to play friendlies in Norway, Scotland, the US and Dublin earlier than their Premier League opener towards Wolves on 14 August.
The 2022-23 Premier League season was longer than regular to accommodate a six-week break for the World Cup in Qatar in November and December, with the season beginning on 5 August and ending on 28 Could.
That meant the FA Cup ultimate and European finals happened in early June, with Nations League fixtures not concluding till 18 June. Lower than a month later Premier League golf equipment had been again in pre-season to organize for the beginning of the 2023-24 marketing campaign.
For Manchester Metropolis, who reached the Champions League ultimate and took part within the Group Defend, that meant there have been simply 58 days between the top of 1 season and the beginning of one other.
Schedule at ‘harmful’ stage
New steering round stoppage time introduced in initially of the season has additionally been criticised by some gamers for including to their workload.
Referees have been requested to extra precisely mirror stoppages in play when deciding how a lot stoppage time so as to add on on the finish of every half, which has usually resulted in matches lasting greater than 100 minutes.
Manchester United defender Raphael Varane was scathing of the brand new ruling, saying the schedule is already at a “harmful stage for gamers’ bodily and psychological wellbeing”, whereas De Bruyne stated the modifications “didn’t make any sense”.
Is an look cap the reply?
Burnley boss Kompany has give you a possible resolution to assist shield participant welfare, suggesting {that a} 60-65 look cap may forestall burnout.
Requested about Kompany’s suggestion at a information convention on Friday, Chelsea boss Pochettino was unsure it might work.
“I believe it is tough to analyse, to speak about every part as a result of you must assess each single scenario,” he stated.
“Possibly gamers can not address 70 video games throughout the season, however one other participant can cope, one other participant can solely address a restricted proportion. It is tough to speak normally as a result of to place a restrict as a result of even the gamers need to play each recreation
“It is easy when the identify is just not a high participant however once they say they need to play, how do you say no?”
Guardiola thinks it’s as much as the gamers to come back collectively and put strain on world governing physique Fifa and its European equal Uefa to ease the bodily burden.
“There is just one resolution to alter one thing – the gamers resolve for themselves [to say] ‘cease, now we have to alter one thing’. And after, Fifa and Uefa will possibly react slightly bit,” stated Guardiola.
“This enterprise, the present should go on. With out Pep? Preserve going. However with out the gamers, the present won’t go on, that is for positive. So it is dependent upon them, they resolve in the event that they settle for.
“I do not need to affect, as a result of I am not going to affect anybody. I believe it must be the gamers. If the gamers need to change one thing, they’re the one ones who can do it.”
Howe, whose Newcastle aspect are in competing in Europe for the primary time since 2013, stated: “The load on these gamers that play each competitors and worldwide soccer goes up, and that is the place we have got to be good generally by making an attempt to provide them a relaxation on the acceptable time.
“However that is very tough then once they’re your finest gamers and there is big expectation on you to get outcomes persistently. That is one thing I might have to consider.”
Gunners boss Arteta added: “A few of them occur in coaching and a few of them are knocks. Some very small niggles however as nicely, coming for earlier than the nationwide workforce, after the nationwide workforce, the load went by way of the roof and the calls for proceed to be excessive.”
