Liverpool face West Ham on Sunday in another crucial Premier League game, and the Reds will be hoping for back-to-back league victories for the first time this season. Ahead of the game, Brendan Rodgers provided an injury update on a number of the club's key players.
In an interview with LFC TV last night, Rodgers confirmed the Reds had a 'strong squad' going to London for the West Ham game, but admitted that there were question marks over several players. On Sahin:
"Nuri [Sahin] will remain a question mark.
"We’ll see how he is as he broke his nose last night [against Udinese], so that’ll spoil his good looks for a while. We'll see how he is and let the Doctor assess the risk on that."
On Gerrard:
"Steven will be fine. He was ill for a couple of days but he’s back in training now, so there’s no problem there".
On Lucas:
"We've had to manage him carefully. He's just back from injury so to play three games in a week would be too much. Lucas will be in the squad [for West Ham]".
On Agger:
"Daniel's been brilliant for us, and we’re managing him to maximize the number of games he can play".
Agger recently revealed that he has a pulled groin muscle, and admitted that he'd been playing through the pain barrier:
"I should not have played on Sunday [against Chelsea] but Skrtel became ill and there was not much I could do. I was thrown into it. I have a pulled groin. It was something that should have kept me out on Sunday but it did not"
The injury should be healed by now, but based on Rodgers' comments, it seems it might not be 100%, hence the 'managing' comment.
Long-term injury victim Fabio Borini is also on the comeback trail, and he's confident that it won't be much longer until he returns to the team. He said:
"I'm quite good now - working hard every day. The foot is very good and on Monday I see the surgeon to sort out the screws and see if they are taken out or not. On 26 December, I'll be back in Liverpool.
"I feel strong, I'm working a lot on the other muscles. I'll start working on my ankle and foot, which is better, and my calf is a lot better. The foot always responds very well so that's confident."
Jaimie Kanwar
In an interview with LFC TV last night, Rodgers confirmed the Reds had a 'strong squad' going to London for the West Ham game, but admitted that there were question marks over several players. On Sahin:
"Nuri [Sahin] will remain a question mark.
"We’ll see how he is as he broke his nose last night [against Udinese], so that’ll spoil his good looks for a while. We'll see how he is and let the Doctor assess the risk on that."
On Gerrard:
"Steven will be fine. He was ill for a couple of days but he’s back in training now, so there’s no problem there".
On Lucas:
"We've had to manage him carefully. He's just back from injury so to play three games in a week would be too much. Lucas will be in the squad [for West Ham]".
On Agger:
"Daniel's been brilliant for us, and we’re managing him to maximize the number of games he can play".
Agger recently revealed that he has a pulled groin muscle, and admitted that he'd been playing through the pain barrier:
"I should not have played on Sunday [against Chelsea] but Skrtel became ill and there was not much I could do. I was thrown into it. I have a pulled groin. It was something that should have kept me out on Sunday but it did not"
The injury should be healed by now, but based on Rodgers' comments, it seems it might not be 100%, hence the 'managing' comment.
Long-term injury victim Fabio Borini is also on the comeback trail, and he's confident that it won't be much longer until he returns to the team. He said:
"I'm quite good now - working hard every day. The foot is very good and on Monday I see the surgeon to sort out the screws and see if they are taken out or not. On 26 December, I'll be back in Liverpool.
"I feel strong, I'm working a lot on the other muscles. I'll start working on my ankle and foot, which is better, and my calf is a lot better. The foot always responds very well so that's confident."
Jaimie Kanwar
If Shelvey is replacement for Suarez as reported, Morgan and Yesil will nor feature as expected by us fans. Can Shelvey bang in the goals?
ReplyDeleteRodgers said last night that Suarez's absence could be a a great chance for one of the younger players, but whether he follows through with that remains to be seen. If Shelvey starts up front it will be irritating - just replace Suarez with a striker (Morgan/Ngoo/Yesil etc), and if it doesn't work, replace him.
ReplyDeleteDon't really understand Agger part- he is ok, he will play?
ReplyDeleteI've updated that part. Sounds like he's still feeling the effects of a recent groin injury.
ReplyDeleteAll right, thanks. Not all right actually...
ReplyDeleteJust read in Liverpool echo an interview with BR- looks like Jonjo has 99% chances of starting as false nine..
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see that Liverpool have had 15 different goal-scorers this season already and our best ever is 18, who would have guessed that???. It suggests Liverpool can easily find a goal if need be, I'm not worried at all after dominating Udinese, we had 75% possession in Italy.......WOW!!!
ReplyDeleteBut still, that OG fella scored more than most of those 15 individually... Really think that we should try one of the youngsters tomorrow even though Jonjo plays false 9 pretty well.
ReplyDeleteShould be striker to striker replacement.
ReplyDeleteJonjo gave an interview explaining how hard will it be to fill Luis' boots Sunday... We can only hope that one of the youngsters will be on the bench...
ReplyDeleteI would take a clean sheet now, we are defending pretty well.
ReplyDeleteIf Agger plays we will have clean sheet,but with Everton playing Totenham, Arsenal playing West Brom and even Sunderland playing Chelsea us scoring tomorrow is crucial.
ReplyDeleteI'm still gunning for Enrique as striker ;)
ReplyDeleteInteresting stats but here is a stat for you, apart from Suarez, none of our players have scored more than 1 goal in PL this season. So much for finding goals 'easily'. You might not be worried but I am, and have good reason to be. We are not even in double figures yet for goals scored at Anfield this season, only 5 other teams in the league have this sort of goalscoring form at home and most of them are unsurprisingly in the bottom half of the table...along with us of course.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. good point. We will finish somewhere in upper mid table by the look of things. why not bring in the young ones. Now is a good time . if any.
ReplyDeleteScoring three points that is. Nothing less is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteWanted to say that we shouldn't be so strict, but you are probably right, and I think we will win.
ReplyDeleteBut than again, I am crazy enough to think that we will finish fourth if not higher...
Screws, nuts & bolts for Borini. We were screwed when he signed on I think. But to be fair to he kid he should be given another chance as he got crocked.
ReplyDeleteBetween. SG should step up and start scoring goals. It would do wonders for his confidence and the team as a whole.
I think there is a god(not Fowler). This news has been circulated. I hope it is true. http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20121208/real-madrid/el-liverpool-suena-con-xabi-alonso-que-no-renueva_54357122370.html
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand why B.Rodgers dislike to involve Oussama Assaidi in LFC game?He is very fit but never been used every game or any substitudes player.Please using everything you have and do not WASTE without any good reason.Get rid underrated or uncertain players performance like Downing,Joe Cole and Henderson.2 season but cannot perform very well.
ReplyDeleteI've been having wet dreams about it ever since I heard how Pepe Reina explained who is next player on stage in celebration of their world title-... champions league's winner with Liverpool... This kind of "news" appear every month or so, hope there is something to it...
ReplyDeleteAssaidi is BR's signing. If he is not up to the plate, he is not going to play him just because he brought him.
ReplyDeleteI hope Cole isnt the replacement for Suarez for tomorrw..
ReplyDeleteIf Cole starts than the best thing to do is switch off the tele and pour yourself a stiff one.
ReplyDelete