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And it goes on, and on, and we will continue. Physical therapists and conditioning experts have long warned that this season would open the doors to continued damage for players with more demanding demands than ever before, while the chance of recovery is shorter than ever.
Lost time due to injuries during the first eight weeks of this season is greater than during the same period in recent history. It is also the highest for total injuries and is slightly ahead of major injuries with an absence of nine days or more.
However, the evidence supports their concerns, especially the sharp increase in muscle-related problems.
A shorter preseason and more intense and congested schedule, further complicated by players testing positive for coronavirus or needing to isolate themselves due to being around someone who did, all after a forced hiatus that was followed by Project Restart. it was always going to be a harmful cocktail.
Even more so for teams, such as Manchester United and Manchester City, which delved deep into European competition in the 2019-20 season.
“All of these factors combine to impact the pace the players are at, and pace is vital from a performance and injury risk perspective,” explains one of the country’s most experienced physios.
“While I think the five-substitute rule would help to some extent, it’s actually a bit sticky when players are asked to play three internationals in 10 days around the world, the nature of the congested season and the switch between games. “
Since props and demands are not going to change, allowing more substitutes is the only option left to try to ease the tension on the players.
Much of the opposition to this, which is the norm in all other major divisions, as well as in the Champions League, is that it would ruin the competition, giving the elite a more unfair advantage. A look at the La Liga and Serie A table at this point may suggest otherwise.
While the biggest clubs have the best players and deepest options, the idea that allowing additional changes only benefits them is baffling given the pain the entire top flight will feel in December and January.
Giving footballers the chance to bounce back from a grueling schedule isn’t reserved for the league’s elite, it’s paramount for all regular starters.
The teams best prepared to navigate the flooded Christmas stretch are those who know how to do it thanks to the experience of juggling between national and European commitments.
It is the others that generally disappear as the injuries increase and the recovery time to which they are used depreciates. They could also use more flexibility.
Liverpool no longer have Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Thiago, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and have turned to teenagers (Curtis Jones and Rhys Williams) to start. Neco Williams, 19, will have to play more as will Nat Phillips, who is relatively inexperienced.
Yes, they have more depth than most teams, but coloring the conversation by insisting that they want to bring in five galactics each week is divorced from reality.
And England’s unique view that the well-being of footballers should not be on the agenda because there are clubs that are richer than others should be discarded.
As David Moyes, who was initially against the push of the five substitutes, said: “Now I totally agree that a player’s well-being is more important.
Another myth that needs to be debunked is the idea that the best teams, who invest heavily in sports science, should be able to conjure up methods to protect teams from a relentless schedule.
“Some clubs have had to deal with a change of course of just two days instead of three more days this season,” explains a leading conditioning expert.
“Those extra 24 hours for recovery are vital so that fatigue does not accumulate and small problems have a chance to resolve. You cannot fully recover in just two days, no matter what you do.
Teams that are not in Europe at the moment are playing a different sport with the amount of time they have to train and recover, but they will be struggling when it is eliminated in December. It will hurt everyone.
“I know people say sports science is much better now, but you can’t wave a magic wand and create extra days. For recovery to happen, you need a good diet and a good rest. “
In the absence of that, keep track of injuries, although it can be very difficult to keep up.
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