Which Premier League side has the biggest injury crisis - Arsenal, Everton, West Ham or Man United?
With so many managers complaining about injuries it might be a good moment to recap how Premier League injuries are panning out - and which teams are suffering the most. Of course the biggest impact is not only caused by the number of injuries - its caused by injuries concentrated in a particular position, injuries relative to squad size, injuries to key players and the length of time the team has had to cope short handed. The four teams that are currently weakened the most are clearly Arsenal, West Ham, Everton and Manchester United - all of who are missing at least 8 first team squad players.
Arsenal, 11 injured players.
Arsenal boast (if that's the right word) the most first team injuries with 11 players out and with such a fluid squad it is difficult to say how many of them would be first team players if everyone was fit, I would guess that four, possibly five of the first XI are missing - which is almost half a team. Added to this there is a concentration of players missing from attack including leading scorer Robin van Persie - which is why Arsenal are being hit hard.
Injury crisis rating: 7/10
West Ham, 10 injured players.
West Ham have almost as many injured players as Arsenal and from a smaller squad that should mean a bigger problem; and from the list of injured players it is no wonder why West Ham are in such a parlous position. The spine of the side is now injured with Green, Upson, Noble and Cole missing - added to Behrami, the mercurial Hines and the long term absence of Dean Ashton. West Ham are probably missing five, possibly six of their first choice eleven.
Injury crisis rating: 8/10
Everton, 9 injured players
Another side with a thinner squad than the big four - but a bit fatter than West Ham's at least - including the free acquisition of Lucas Neill from the Hammers. Against Everton is the length of their problems with a month or two of having half a team out starting to wear down the remaining players. Now that Yobo and Distin have been added to Neville and Jagielka the defensive players out have hit critical mass. Everton missing five of the first XI should start to see some improvement of the situation in the new year when the majority of the first teamers should return.
Injury crisis rating: 7/10
Manchester United, 8 injured players
With Manchester United's squad there should never be an injury crisis; but an astonishingly targeted run of injuries mean that United finished the last game against West Ham with Fletcher and Giggs at full-back with Evra and Carrick as centre-halves. United are currently missing van der Sar and Hargreaves, plus all but Evra of the first seven or eight first choice defenders. All this means is thatUnited are missing four or five of the first XI and most of their back-ups too.
Injury crisis rating: 7/10
I reckon that West Ham have most to complain about in terms of an injury crisis - have I got that right?
PhysioRoom.com, suppliers for wrist support, tennis elbow & tennis elbow brace.
