Propah Chels

Why doesn't anybody ever just recover anymore? It wasn't so long ago that players would pick up a 2 month injury and come back good as new. Now they break down multiple times before returning again.

3 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Had an injury set back and is reportedly out until the new year.

🙃

A hamstring at his age (as you well know!) can be career-defining. Hopefully the setback is just a decision to proceed more cautiously.

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Why doesn't anybody ever just recover anymore? It wasn't so long ago that players would pick up a 2 month injury and come back good as new. Now they break down multiple times before returning again.

Workload increase means the injuries these days are far more serious, rehabilitation is more effective meaning players go back full-tilt and re-injure themselves, and the general fitness and gym work that clubs used to do is now considered 'dinosaur' practice in favour of way more specialised and tactical work.

One theory in Australian football circles is that young players are specialising in football way too early, and so don't develop their general fitness and movement ability. Most elite pro footballers are expected to be in a pro academy before 10, whereas even just a generation ago 'serious' academy football didn’t start until mid-teens.

It does seem ever since Jose forced Eva out the club that we have had some of the worst injuries/setbacks/timetables in the world.

Anyone got the data to back this up or is it just paranoia?

I swear there is something in the water or ground at Cobham. The type, frequency and injury setbacks we get are a different level.

Close to returning to training

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Close to returning to training

This is good news, really want to see him out the blocks! He hasn’t had a good run in the team really since signing!

3 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Close to returning to training

Awaiting a statement containing the word setback.

16 hours ago, Valerie said:

Awaiting a statement containing the word setback.

In a forum renowned for its positivity, good humour and tolerance, your cynicism is seriously out of place. Away with you.

5 hours ago, dermott said:

In a forum renowned for its positivity, good humour and tolerance, your cynicism is seriously out of place. Away with you.

I know, I'm an outlier. Rest assured, with age my natural mildness will shine through.

Now f**k off.

When Delap is fit to play again, he will only be filling in until the " perfect number 9" Jackson returns surely ?

1 hour ago, The Rising Sun said:

When Delap is fit to play again, he will only be filling in until the " perfect number 9" Jackson returns surely ?

im missing those 12-14 goals per season already🙂

Great news. Think they’ll ease him back and probably won’t be much until after the next international break.

What a strange feeling having players return vs go out! Badiahsile and Cole will be lonely in the treatment room soon!

2 hours ago, PhilH930 said:

Great news. Think they’ll ease him back and probably won’t be much until after the next international break.

What a strange feeling having players return vs go out! Badiahsile and Cole will be lonely in the treatment room soon!

Have no fear, Fofana will be checking in to Club Med...ical pretty soon

Maresca suggesting he could feature on Wednesday v Wolves 🙂

I would not be surprised if he is on the bench for Sunderland.

He didn't make the squad today, hopefully fingers crossed he'll be available for the Wolverhampton match.

On 24/10/2025 at 14:24, Sconnie Blue said:

Glad he is back.

Pepilini will probably start him as an inverting full-back.

I know I’m not one of the great sages of modern football, but I really don’t see how the difference between this afternoons championship level sh*t and a top four premier league team is Liam Delap.

2 minutes ago, Snedger said:

I know I’m not one of the great sages of modern football, but I really don’t see how the difference between this afternoons championship level sh*t and a top four premier league team is Liam Delap.

He's not. Not even close. Delap would have struggled as much as Guiu today because the entire performance was off. Not even Palmer would have saved this game. Everything was off today, and I feel like the biggest contributing factor was Maresca. He f**ked up, as he usually does, and we put on a performance that has become all too common.

Edited October 25, 2025Oct 25 by Scott Harris

Agreed. There’s no way on Earth Delap ever develops to be Drogba level or anything close, not even Kerry Dixon level, but with Maresca at the helm, prime Maradonna would struggle to make a difference.

1 hour ago, Snedger said:

Agreed. There’s no way on Earth Delap ever develops to be Drogba level or anything close, not even Kerry Dixon level, but with Maresca at the helm, prime Maradonna would struggle to make a difference.

What? Are you sure? "Not even Kerry Dixon level" !!! You need to retract that mate.

If we had a centre-forward anywhere near the quality of King Kerry in his prime we would have a much better chance of winning something worthwhile.

9 minutes ago, just said:

What? Are you sure? "Not even Kerry Dixon level" !!! You need to retract that mate.

If we had a centre-forward anywhere near the quality of King Kerry in his prime we would have a much better chance of winning something worthwhile.

Sorry, I do retract that. Kerry and Speedo and Nevin were my absolute hero’s. I guess there is a little bit of me thinking that he was of a different era when football was less pointlessly complicated.

Having said that, at this time, some sort of magic combining prime Osgood, Dixon, Haselbaink and Drogba into one player would still struggle to lift this team to a home victory over Sunderland.

Edited October 25, 2025Oct 25 by Snedger