Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has provided an injury update on four of the Reds key first-team players.
In his pre-Swansea press conference today, Rodgers said:
"Glen Johnson back training, and according to him he feels as good as he has for long time. He'll come back into the squad this weekend"
On Lucas:
"Lucas is still recovering, but he's not ready yet"
On Jose Enrique
"Enrique has been out in America. We're looking to try to put an end to the injuries he's had this season, so we've sent him to America to get specialist advice. He's no nearer playing"
On Sakho
"Sakho is a week away from playing again, but he's back on the field undergoing his rehabilitation"
Enrique's injuries seem to be much worse than first-feared, and if LFC's £6m-signing is being sent to the States for treatment, it seems unlikely that he'll play again this season.
In November, Enrique underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and ten weeks later, Rodgers admitted that he'd 'hoped' that Enrique would be 'a little further along in his recovery'. Clearly, that hasn't happened, hence the decision to send him to specialists abroad.
There may even be a possibility that Enrique's career could be in jeopardy. Knee injuries are notoriously difficult to fix, and lots of players have been forced to retire as a result. Ex-LFC striker Neil Mellor, for example, retired at the age of 29 due to a persistent knee issue.
Jimmy Bullard and Ledley King are other Premier League players forced to retire as a result of knee injuries. Clearly, such injuries can be an issue, but let's hope Enrique's issue is not career-threatening. Finger's crossed.
Glen Johnson is set to return, though, which could potentially be good news for Liverpool, but only if his form improves. Prior to his current treatment, Johnson struggled for a number of games, and if he can come back and perform well, that will be a massive boost for the three months of the season.
Author: Jaimie K
In his pre-Swansea press conference today, Rodgers said:
"Glen Johnson back training, and according to him he feels as good as he has for long time. He'll come back into the squad this weekend"
On Lucas:
"Lucas is still recovering, but he's not ready yet"
On Jose Enrique
"Enrique has been out in America. We're looking to try to put an end to the injuries he's had this season, so we've sent him to America to get specialist advice. He's no nearer playing"
On Sakho
"Sakho is a week away from playing again, but he's back on the field undergoing his rehabilitation"
Enrique's injuries seem to be much worse than first-feared, and if LFC's £6m-signing is being sent to the States for treatment, it seems unlikely that he'll play again this season.
In November, Enrique underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and ten weeks later, Rodgers admitted that he'd 'hoped' that Enrique would be 'a little further along in his recovery'. Clearly, that hasn't happened, hence the decision to send him to specialists abroad.
There may even be a possibility that Enrique's career could be in jeopardy. Knee injuries are notoriously difficult to fix, and lots of players have been forced to retire as a result. Ex-LFC striker Neil Mellor, for example, retired at the age of 29 due to a persistent knee issue.
Jimmy Bullard and Ledley King are other Premier League players forced to retire as a result of knee injuries. Clearly, such injuries can be an issue, but let's hope Enrique's issue is not career-threatening. Finger's crossed.
Glen Johnson is set to return, though, which could potentially be good news for Liverpool, but only if his form improves. Prior to his current treatment, Johnson struggled for a number of games, and if he can come back and perform well, that will be a massive boost for the three months of the season.
Author: Jaimie K
Really bad news on enrique, that means we will have to see cissokho more and more, and its bad for our head, heart the entire body. Johnson back? No thanks, keep using flano as long as he stays on this level. Not in the article but whats the point off loading ibe? Wasnt BR unhappy with squad depth? Now its even smaller squad. I know sterlings doing great but what if he gets injured? Really dont understand this mentality! Instead of brining someone in, we off load players, amazing isnt it?!
ReplyDeleteI would play Johnson left back when he returns, I remember when he filled in there he was solid maybe he has to concentrate more on his weaker side.
ReplyDeleteBring Johnson back in and put him on the Left, keep Flanagan on the right.
ReplyDeleteLets hope that Johnson's poor form was down to carrying that injury. We should hopefull have a near full defensive contingent before the Spurs game. Flanno and Sissokho can fight over the LB position, the better form getting it.
ReplyDeleteWe now only have one game a week. No game for two weeks after this weekend. Squad depth is less needed especially as players are coming back from injury. Whereas getting regular football for Ibe could be invaluable.
ReplyDeleteMaybe because Ibe will get regular football at Birmingham?
ReplyDeleteYeah, Johnson has been pants of late so lets hope it is down to his injuries and not being told he needs to take a pay cut if he wants to extend his contract...
ReplyDeleteYeah, Johnson has been very poor of late, one of our worst players so lets hope it is down to his injuries and not being told he needs to take a pay cut if he wants to extend his contract...
ReplyDeleteI've been hoping it wasn't that. I think full backs will be a priority come the summer.
ReplyDeleteTexeira went to brentford and had just 2 appearances from bench, some minutes! They dont really use much players on loan I noticed that over the years, just a time wasting really and more disappointment for the player. Ibe was a good back up for sterling cant see why hes gone tbh. Would be better to off load aspas or alberto because seems that their career is over at lfc.
ReplyDeleteThat does not sound good for Enrique. Really like the guy but his career may be over.
ReplyDeleteJaimie, you forgot to mention Rob Jones who possibly could have ended up as LFC and England's best ever RB's. Knee problems also ended his career.
Most definitely! FB's are one of BR's most important ingredients
ReplyDeleteSuso has gotten quite a lot of time on the pitch, so too has Wisdom and Granada are already hoping to extend Ilori's loan. Yes it is not a guarentee but to say they don't use loans that much is just wrong as our own players on loan have shown. Brentford were having problems and we can't say for sure what Texeira was like when there but Ibe is good enough and hard working enough to get time on the pitch and I would bet more time than he would have gotten here.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Aspas doesn't look like he will be around that long but I am not writing Alberto off. Perhaps he has been taken out of the first team squad to spur him in to the kind of life the coaches are after. Perhaps he might get closer training sessions with the youth set up and some minutes there to implement what they are saying. Who knows? You and I certainly don't.
a friend told me about 5weeks ago that Enrique career was over as his mate works at melwood but I did not believe him maybe his friends right
ReplyDeleteThis comment went for moderation :-o
ReplyDeleteHence the duplication...
Flanagan has done great so I don't see why he should move for Johnson. As for Enrique, I of course hope he will recover and continue his career but we need to replace him in the summer either way.
ReplyDeleteHe has to do something, all this time off and surgery didn't work. Sucks for him, these are his best years, but maybe there is something that can be done so better off to try it now rather than wait or play through the pain. Sounds like random tendinitis which is indeed a potential career killer. Good luck to him, I hope it does get better, but we clearly need a new left back this summer.
ReplyDeleteIbe going on loan is only putting him close to the first team. It means BR feels he will benefit more from playing at a higher level than reserve team football.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is that Lucas is now getting injuries very frequently ever since he suffered a cruciate injury to his left knee in 2011. One tough as nails midfielder required in the summer of 2014!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. One DM a right and left FB and perhaps a winger and forward. Not sure all that will get done in the summer window but with CL we will hopefully have a better chance of attracting players and the money to get them.
ReplyDeleteChampions League will definitely be a major plus when trying to compete with your Chelsea, City and Arsenal etc.
ReplyDeleteTerrible news for Enrique, we could of really done with him back for the run in. Cissokho is improving all the time so we'll have to stick with him. I don't really agree with putting Johnson or Flanaghan at left back because it's not a proper balance, right footed players will constantly come inside which makes a bit predictable IMO. The one I'm more pleased about is Sakho, Toure is struggling a little bit and as much as I love Agger as a footballer he's just not physical enough for a Centre back. Having Sakho back will give us more physicality and an aerial dominance. Before his injury I thought Skrtel and Sakho was playing very well together. On a side note, I liked the look of the Ukrainian guy last night, hope we go back in for him in the summer.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder LFC never announced his bday, I hope he is not done.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely not Cissokho's biggest fan but he is improving with every game. The team is playing so well at the moment why change anything? IMO playing a right footer at lb doesn't give us a proper balance and to be honest Johnson's form before his lay off was so poor I'm not sure he warrants coming straight back into the team.
ReplyDeleteEnrique is a killer been looking for his return for awhile. Hopefully johnson fairs better than the rest of his season if he can recapture his form i think between flanny and cissokho the left side will do decent.
ReplyDeleteEnrique may be clumsy at times but his attacking threat down the left is a great asset to have.
ReplyDeleteWould be a bummer if he cannot fully recover from his injury.
You would think Johnson's England spot looks in jeopardy. I expect he's gonna put in an awesome shift to secure his spot in the world cup.
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