It’s truthful to say that Liverpool’s luck with accidents has been atrocious over the past two seasons, and that could be a place to begin for Arne Slot in his first marketing campaign on the helm.
In his first interview as head coach of Liverpool, Slot mentioned: “I’ve all the arrogance on this (constructing on final season) due to the gamers.
“That we will add just a few issues the place we hopefully can get a bit extra factors than 82, which is critical with the likes of Arsenal and Metropolis, to finish up hopefully a bit greater than we did this season.”
One of many massive elements behind the Reds ending on 82 factors final season was the harm checklist, which noticed too many gamers overplayed to compensate and thus run out of gasoline on the demise.
It was not a brand new phenomenon as it’s a battle Liverpool have confronted all too typically, leaving Slot with a key space for enchancment.
670 video games missed throughout 2 seasons!
To place the harm woes into perspective, Liverpool had 22 senior gamers miss a recreation resulting from harm in 2023/24, combining for a complete 362 video games missed.
Within the season earlier than that, 23 Reds have been sidelined with a minimum of one health concern – they as a gaggle missed 308 video games.
It’s an absurd quantity, to say the least, and it’s not sustainable within the slightest.
Jurgen Klopp used 35 and 33 gamers respectively over the earlier two campaigns, which implies 62.8 p.c and a subsequent 69.9 p.c of the squad missed a minimum of one match resulting from harm.
If we wish to take a look at the positives, it presents alternatives to younger gamers, and with out the disaster within the season simply gone we might not have seen the likes of Jayden Danns, Lewis Koumas and James McConnell.
Conversely, it does little for consistency or a critical try at silverware.
Liverpool dropped off in 2023/24 to go away Man Metropolis and Arsenal to take the title to the ultimate day, and it’s no marvel as they each recorded solely 14 particular person participant accidents throughout the marketing campaign.
The discrepancy was telling and it should be a place to begin for Slot.
How can it change?
There are injury-prone gamers within the squad, however because the ethos underneath Klopp was ‘depth’ in coaching and matches, the medical division has all the time needed to be at an elite degree.
The latter level won’t change regardless of the upheaval of personnel within the wake of the German’s departure, however there is a chance now to tackle a distinct strategy.
Ruben Peeters has been appointed as first-team lead bodily efficiency coach and can be key in overseeing harm prevention, and Slot will work intently beside him.
Recognized to have a eager eye for element, Liverpool’s current historical past with accidents won’t have gone unnoticed by the Dutchman.
As per the Mail, Peeters has labored with the boss beforehand on ‘microbiome manipulation’, which appears to be like at how intestine well being can enhance sporting efficiency.
At Feyenoord, additionally they intently monitored gamers’ sleeping patterns to optimise efficiency on matchday – routines that assisted with a low harm charge for the Dutch aspect.
Liverpool must see enhancements on the subject of accidents in 2024/25, let’s hope Slot and his crew can ship them.
