LONDON – There’s been a lot of talk lately about player overload at the higher levels of women’s sport, especially in Europe. After all, the players in the teams go deep UEFA Women’s Football Championship it is likely that players who will have longer summers represent their countries in the major leagues. And as they spend more minutes in Europe as well as in domestic competitions, they will have less recovery time, with more matches also meaning more movement and rotation between matches. closer.
Playing too much football may seem like a desirable problem, but the increased risk of injury from overwork and lack of adequate time to recover between games is a very serious problem. Even if you accept that injury is part of the game, especially with a contact sport like soccer, you can still take steps to prevent injury if possible. However, with an expanding schedule and for five consecutive summers with a major tournament – the 2021 Olympics, Euro 2022, the 2023 World Cup, the 2024 Olympics and Euro 2025 – it’s hard to know the players at the top where the game will go. Rest before they break.
– Report: Arsenal lost to Lyon, Miedema injured | Upcoming UWCL fixtures
Just last month, weapon striker Vivianne Miedema was exempted from national and international commitments, after taking time off as she struggled to cope with the flood of games, especially as she continued to recover from the COVID case she contracted during the holidays. Euro. The Netherlands international spoke candidly on the BBC’s Behind the Goals podcast about her match injuries and her right to request time off so she can get back to her best form. As one of the most notable players in Europe, the striker is aware of the fortunate position she is in to be able to take a break from playing for a while, while many others fear for their place in the team or playing tenaciously after minor injuries and injuries. complain.
As Miedema said, “A lot of players probably don’t feel comfortable saying ‘OK, I need a break.’ I was in a lucky position to ask for that, feeling confident enough to ask for it. which, in retrospect, I should have done sooner.” The timing of the recent interview seemed bitterly ironic as the 26-year-old was forced out with a serious knee injury against Lyon in Arsenal’s defeat to the European champions on Thursday night.
The injury – Arsenal have yet to confirm its severity – could be the second consecutive injury to end the season quickly for the Gunners, after Beth Mead damaged her ACL last month. But they are not the only problem facing the team this season, with defenders Leah Williamson and Raphael only recently returned to the team after an injury earlier in the season. Thursday also see Little Kim named on the bench: the Scottish generator is yet to feature for the Gunners after suffering a knee injury at the end of October.
With the possibility of casualties at Arsenal almost becoming the norm for the North London club, they have always been the team to tax their squad depth throughout the season. Indeed, when [short-term] Injuries began to mount in October and November, which began to resemble the 2018-19 campaign, which of course was the last time the Gunners won the Women’s Super League. That year, Arsenal took the lead from the start, taking control of the top spot before simple bumps started to pile up. What started off as a title-winning stroll then turned into a wobbly swing across the finish line.
Speaking to ESPN after the loss to Lyon, centre-back Lia Walti nodded to that championship-winning season, talking about how injuries have only made the team more determined. “I think it can even make a team stronger, more cohesive and that’s what we want to do now, no matter how many injuries we’ve got together.” The midfielder also praised the depth of the current squad as well as the overall strength of his teammates.
“We know we have such a strong squad and no matter who gets injured, we know we can provide support and I said moments like that can be really important for the team. our own, we grow together more, we understand each other even better. It’s better emotionally and it brings us closer together.”
The good news for Arsenal is that in the interim there has been a rethink of off-field training and indeed, Jonas Eidevall hasn’t lost as many players in the team to muscle injuries and stress as his predecessor Joe. Montemurro. However, in the game against Manchester United last month, it became clear that the absence of a player like Little would affect the entire flow of the team. While there are players who can offset the goals Miedema will provide or Mead’s crosses, there are few who have had the same impact as Little. That then raises the question of who will replace the 32-year-old midfielder, temporarily while she is recovering, or more permanently when the time comes.
This season we’ve seen how injuries can add up and quickly damage teams – indeed, Arsenal’s 5-1 thrashing of Lyon at Parc OL earlier in the Women’s Champions League group stage will always bring. follow the warning that the French champion does not have nine potential starters. For Arsenal, things don’t look so bleak right now, but in their quest for silverware it’s paramount that the Gunners’ on-field players find their best form in matches. , regardless of who is present or absent. In the end, they won’t get many second chances in the domestic league or the Champions League.
