What’s up with Ledley? By Dr Claire Minshull

So, Ledley King is the first of the England squad to suffer an ‘on-the-pitch’ injury.  I suggested in my previous post to look-out for injuries occurring towards the end of the match, yet, it appears as though Ledley was reporting discomfort soon after Gerrard scored in the first  five minutes of the game.  The uncharacteristic timing of this injury may not be surprising given King’s recent injury problems and training history.

Reports are that he’s suffered an ‘abductor tear’.  Translated, this means that he’s suffered a strain to the muscle, or muscles, situated on the outside of the upper thigh, towards the back (in the bum area).  When contracted, the upper leg is abducted, or ‘taken away’ from the middle of the body.  A more common injury in football, however, is a strain to the adductor muscle(s).  This is typically referred to as a groin strain, represents an injury to the muscles on the inside of the upper leg and can occur during an excessive sideward stretch.  When these muscles contract, the upper leg is pulled towards the middle of the body.

In either case, if the muscle is the source of the problem, recovery depends on the extent of the damage.  Given Capello’s assurances that King will be fit for the match on 23^rd June, it appears as though the injury may be fairly minor, classified as 1-7 days lost from sport.  The rehabilitation team will be trying to reduce any pain and swelling – often through ice application – ensure adequate rest and then a gradual and safe loading of the injured tissue to encourage the repair and remodelling.  Hopefully their efforts and the severity of the injury will enable the return of a fit Ledley in time for Slovenia on 23^rd of this month.

Dr Claire Minshull, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology and Health, Nottingham Trent University.

To speak to Claire, call the University Press Office directly on 0115 848 8785 or email worldcup@ntu.ac.uk

[To view Nottingham Trent University’s team of World Cup experts go to www.ntu.ac.uk/worldcup]

To view a video of Claire describing some of the common footballing injuries click here.

The Morning After: England vs USA, by Athalie Redwood Brown

With hours to go before the start of England’s World Cup bid it was clear that the USA were pumped and ready.  Fans from both sides were showing their passion and confidence in their respective sides and as expected, there was huge hype around the starting line up.  As the 11 man team was announced, only the man between the sticks in goal could have raised an eyebrow.

England started brightly and the slow, unconvincing start of the warm-up games seemed long gone, replaced by a team with conviction, aggression and an evident will to win! This was amply rewarded with a goal from captain Steven Gerrard early on, which lifted both the team and captain and gave England a reason to dominate.

One could be forgiven for taking an anxious view to an early goal from the English side, but as the clock ticked on to the second 15 minutes of the half, the pace and aggression were clearly visible from both sides – somewhat frustrating for England as USA kept possession leaving England chasing them down. England formulated wave upon wave of attack on the USA, which they duly weathered. As the first half closed in there were shaky moments from the England midfield as the communication and fluency seemed lacking.

The pre-game fitness of Milner was cemented when he was substituted for Wright-Phillips in an attempt to inject a little more pace into the attack. This early substitution did nothing to remedy the lack of imagination going forward, although the pressure put on the American defence never let up.

The work rate and gutsy play from the USA team was rewarded, as the first half came to a close; a timid 20 yard strike from the USA managed to find its way – with a little help from controversial keeper Rob Green – into the back of the net. This did nothing for the England atmosphere; heads dropped and half time couldn’t come soon enough.

The second half saw some changes, but the injection of aggression and confidence that we had previously seen from Capello’s men in the warm up games after half time did not materialise. England’s big man up front warranted his place in the starting line up alongside Rooney, but even though chances came and went, nothing ended up in the back of the net. England seemed to be in control, but still struggled to formulate working patterns and fluency in midfield.

The USA never showed any signs of giving up and their resolve was admirable. They gained confidence as the second half progressed, and although England keeper Robert Green will undoubtedly be seen as the scapegoat for his first half blunder, he kept England in the game with a number of second half saves. The England defence seemed to lack pace as the second half unfolded, and although Green showed strong character to brush himself down and get his head back in the game, the heads of the defence seemed somewhat more troubled.

A draw was a fair result, but with expectations high, the English squad will no doubt be in deep reflection as to where things can improve. Both sides had their chances, and with many goalkeepers tentative over the ball movement and flight, there may be more than just altitude issues to deal with. Although it wasn’t the result the England camp wanted, they showed that they can control a game and showed presence going forward. England showed more cohesion and dimension than the warm-up games, but a number of players don’t seem to have really found their feet in South Africa just yet. Some positive signs, but much more for Capello’s men to work on if they are to stamp down their authority in the group against Algeria on Friday.

Athalie Redwood-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Performance Analysis of Sport, Nottingham Trent University

To speak to Athalie, call the University Press Office directly on 0115 848 8785 or email worldcup@ntu.ac.uk

[To view Nottingham Trent University’s team of World Cup experts go to www.ntu.ac.uk/worldcup]