FORMER Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson believes he may have the answer to Liverpool’s current injury crisis - surface tension!
The Reds have suffered an unprecedented spate of injuries this season with Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Henderson and Jon Flanagan all on the long-term sicklist.
While Reds skipper James Milner pulled out of the most recent England squad with a thigh strain.
Hodgson, who was without 15 regulars for England’s friendly in Spain on Friday due to injury, believes modern pitches could be to blame.
“I honestly believe the pitches, strangely enough, in getting so much better in some cases have provoked more injuries because this surface now which is mixed a little bit with the artificial to keep the roots tighter,” the England manager said.
“I think people slide a little bit more and maybe it does provoke (more injuries).
Mamadou Sakho of Liverpool limps off the pitch with Chris Morgan head of Physiotherapy during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on November 8, 2015 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I have heard that (idea) put forward and it happened to me at Blackburn.
“We had the Desso pitches put down and we had all these Gilmore’s Groin injuries and we couldn’t understand it. We looked at everything we were doing technically, tactically, warm ups etc and we couldn’t come to terms with it.
“Maybe it’s the fact that the pitches in being so good they are forcing people to slide and stretch a bit more, that’s a possibility. “I really don’t know (for sure). It’s a difficult one.
“Let’s hope they can find the solution because it is a bit frustrating.
“It would have been nice in this month to have had a harder selection problem than I eventually ended up having and really bringing in some people who might not have got a look in otherwise.”
Brendan Rodgers regularly complained about the pitch at Anfield slowing down the Reds’ passing game.
The Reds have suffered an unprecedented spate of injuries this season with Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Henderson and Jon Flanagan all on the long-term sicklist.
While Reds skipper James Milner pulled out of the most recent England squad with a thigh strain.
Hodgson, who was without 15 regulars for England’s friendly in Spain on Friday due to injury, believes modern pitches could be to blame.
“I honestly believe the pitches, strangely enough, in getting so much better in some cases have provoked more injuries because this surface now which is mixed a little bit with the artificial to keep the roots tighter,” the England manager said.
“I think people slide a little bit more and maybe it does provoke (more injuries).
Mamadou Sakho of Liverpool limps off the pitch with Chris Morgan head of Physiotherapy during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on November 8, 2015 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I have heard that (idea) put forward and it happened to me at Blackburn.
“We had the Desso pitches put down and we had all these Gilmore’s Groin injuries and we couldn’t understand it. We looked at everything we were doing technically, tactically, warm ups etc and we couldn’t come to terms with it.
“Maybe it’s the fact that the pitches in being so good they are forcing people to slide and stretch a bit more, that’s a possibility. “I really don’t know (for sure). It’s a difficult one.
“Let’s hope they can find the solution because it is a bit frustrating.
“It would have been nice in this month to have had a harder selection problem than I eventually ended up having and really bringing in some people who might not have got a look in otherwise.”
Brendan Rodgers regularly complained about the pitch at Anfield slowing down the Reds’ passing game.
