Thanks for that insight Tennisman. Makes sense. I don't know what the physical make up is of the Emirates pitch but there is something in what you say I think. These modern day pitches especially in the top flight are like snooker tables and there is no give at all unlike the old style pitches.
A physio just confirmed this issue on Talksport (which is where I heard it explained before).
It suggests to me that not only are the foundations shallower and harder than before but also the way the grass is grown (the 80/20 mixes are a kind of weave), it doesn't cut up either and this adds to the inflexibility against the stop / start process of playing.
If I remember it right, Theo went down after his leg stopped dead as he lunged, not as result of a contact with the opposing player (Walker???).
It's almost as if they are playing on a non grass surface but they still commit to actions suitable for a grass pitch.
For example, if you told them they were playing on a school playground, they would make subtle adjustments on what they do. However, because in their minds, they are playing on a normal grass pitch, they will still do the things players do on such surfaces, like the lunge he made at the point his ACL went.
This list of current squad players who have been out for extended periods is insane. Flappy, Sagna, Diaby, Rosicky, Theo, Ox, Ramsey, Jack, Vermalean, Podolski, (not to mention Eduardo and RVP no longer with us). Several of them more than once! Heck we even had three ‘keepers out injured at the same time. I don’t think any other team comes remotely close in this respect.
Then there is the never ending list of lesser injuries we pick up and you do wonder if there is more to it than it seems at face value.
The Emirates definitely is a composite pitch. Don’t know what the ratio is but there is definitely a synthetic content to it. You have to wonder if the pitch plays a part or even our training methods. You can’t do much about broken legs but the sheer amount of soft tissue injuries we get is a real concern. That so many spend months being “two weeks away” from fitness even more so.
There is another theory that it’s our playing style. The theory being that as we play the ball to feet our players are much more likely to receive a harder impact from a challenge. Teams that play the ball ahead for others to run on to are more likely to be skipping away from a challenge and not receiving the same impact. Our players are more of a standing target. Don’t know whether that theory holds up but it’s worth pondering.
I thought Gnabry was great at the weekend and now am worried he’s next to get crocked!
When Theo starts playing again, the psychological hurdle is going to be significant. Ramsey said it was a whole season before his fear of injury disappeared. If Theo's was caused by the pitch, it's going to be tough for him.
Something that both he and the medical team will have to work on.
Edit : Podolski said that his recent months' long hamstring was his first ever muscle injury. So physically he's not injury prone. Let's see if he copes as well at Arsenal when playing regularly as he did before. Are younger players more prone to muscle injuries than those around 28 or so, as it seems that way. Not sure if it's the way we play, as other sides who play the same way throughout Europe don't have the same problems? I'm looking at Cesc at Barcelona as an example. His muscle injuries are greatly reduced there from when he was with us.
Would be interesting to see the stats regarding our injuries since playing at the Emirates. Are we picking up these at home more than away for example? How many are happening in training and so on.
That's three serious knees injuries all picked up at home in the last 18 months or so. Diaby, Ox and now Walcott. Can't be a coincidence. It's a valid point regarding our playing style. It definitely invites far more robust challenges from opposing teams.
I would hope the fitness, medical and groundsmen teams will have had this as an ongoing topic of discussion way back to the Highbury days. The playing surface is a must for inclusion in fitness discussions.
Wenger is also reputedly a lover of all sorts of statistics so I have no doubt he too would have been all over this going back years.
The Coventry game is on Friday night live on BT Sports, its not a game I would have had down to be shown at all.
It's a pretty awful draw, so I guess the normal rules didn't apply. Even Chelsea-Stoke's on live, which I don't think would even be televised as a league game.
When was the last time Arsenal playesd a first team match (not a friendly) on a Friday?! There's one for the stat fans, I can't remember it happening in the last 15 years at least!
When was the last time Arsenal playesd a first team match (not a friendly) on a Friday?! There's one for the stat fans, I can't remember it happening in the last 15 years at least!
I remember we were one of the first teams (or maybe even the very first - along with our opponent of course) to play a live match on a Friday evening. It ws back in the early to mid 80's IIRC.
EDIT: Just looked and found one - 2nd Nov 1984 away to United. It was live on ITV I think.
When was the last time Arsenal playesd a first team match (not a friendly) on a Friday?! There's one for the stat fans, I can't remember it happening in the last 15 years at least!
I'd have thought there would be quite a few boxing days or 1st of Jan Fridays, alhough these wouldn't be what's considered 'normal Friday' fixtures.
When was the last time Arsenal playesd a first team match (not a friendly) on a Friday?! There's one for the stat fans, I can't remember it happening in the last 15 years at least!
We played Newcastle at home on a Friday night in around 2003? I think we played Southampton on a Friday night away the season before as well off the top of my head.
Comments
A physio just confirmed this issue on Talksport (which is where I heard it explained before).
It suggests to me that not only are the foundations shallower and harder than before but also the way the grass is grown (the 80/20 mixes are a kind of weave), it doesn't cut up either and this adds to the inflexibility against the stop / start process of playing.
If I remember it right, Theo went down after his leg stopped dead as he lunged, not as result of a contact with the opposing player (Walker???).
It's almost as if they are playing on a non grass surface but they still commit to actions suitable for a grass pitch.
For example, if you told them they were playing on a school playground, they would make subtle adjustments on what they do. However, because in their minds, they are playing on a normal grass pitch, they will still do the things players do on such surfaces, like the lunge he made at the point his ACL went.
Then there is the never ending list of lesser injuries we pick up and you do wonder if there is more to it than it seems at face value.
The Emirates definitely is a composite pitch. Don’t know what the ratio is but there is definitely a synthetic content to it. You have to wonder if the pitch plays a part or even our training methods. You can’t do much about broken legs but the sheer amount of soft tissue injuries we get is a real concern. That so many spend months being “two weeks away” from fitness even more so.
There is another theory that it’s our playing style. The theory being that as we play the ball to feet our players are much more likely to receive a harder impact from a challenge. Teams that play the ball ahead for others to run on to are more likely to be skipping away from a challenge and not receiving the same impact. Our players are more of a standing target. Don’t know whether that theory holds up but it’s worth pondering.
I thought Gnabry was great at the weekend and now am worried he’s next to get crocked!
Something that both he and the medical team will have to work on.
Edit : Podolski said that his recent months' long hamstring was his first ever muscle injury. So physically he's not injury prone. Let's see if he copes as well at Arsenal when playing regularly as he did before. Are younger players more prone to muscle injuries than those around 28 or so, as it seems that way. Not sure if it's the way we play, as other sides who play the same way throughout Europe don't have the same problems? I'm looking at Cesc at Barcelona as an example. His muscle injuries are greatly reduced there from when he was with us.
That's three serious knees injuries all picked up at home in the last 18 months or so. Diaby, Ox and now Walcott. Can't be a coincidence. It's a valid point regarding our playing style. It definitely invites far more robust challenges from opposing teams.
Wenger is also reputedly a lover of all sorts of statistics so I have no doubt he too would have been all over this going back years.
I guess they're hoping for a huge upset and a Coventry win, or for Arsenal to trounce them heavily.
It's a pretty awful draw, so I guess the normal rules didn't apply. Even Chelsea-Stoke's on live, which I don't think would even be televised as a league game.
There are plenty of other ties that could have been shown. I guess the BT Sport execs fancy a nice evening out at the Emirates.
I'll have to see if there are any pubs in town with BT Sports
Arsene Wenger - Business mind.
Jose Mourinho - Intelligent mind.
Brendan Rodgers - Tactical mind.
David Moyes - Never mind.
I remember we were one of the first teams (or maybe even the very first - along with our opponent of course) to play a live match on a Friday evening. It ws back in the early to mid 80's IIRC.
EDIT: Just looked and found one - 2nd Nov 1984 away to United. It was live on ITV I think.
http://www.arsenal-world.co.uk/results_fixtures/1984_1985/arsenal/index.shtml
I'd have thought there would be quite a few boxing days or 1st of Jan Fridays, alhough these wouldn't be what's considered 'normal Friday' fixtures.
Yeah, I'm talking about a 'regular' Friday that isn't a Boxing Day, New Years Day or something like that.
We played Newcastle at home on a Friday night in around 2003? I think we played Southampton on a Friday night away the season before as well off the top of my head.