Vidic loss proves lessons are not being learned

You know when something just doesn’t surprise you any more, but when you pause for a moment and take into account the facts, you realise you really should be surprised?

Well, the news that Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic will be out for a suspected 8 weeks (with an injury to the same knee that kept him out from December last year until recently) came as no surprise to me. But surely it’s time to begin worrying about the constant conveyor belt of injured players passing through the physio room, in particular, defensive players or more specifically, centre backs.

Did Owen Hargreaves have a point when he critisised the treatment he received during his rehabilitation?

How can one club (especially one the size of United) find themselves in the position of utilising central midfielders as centre backs for three consecutive years? Carrick’s started there, so too has Fletcher. Even Dimitar Berbatov found his way back there at Elland Road last season.

Phil Jones and Chris Smalling haven’t seen first team football for months and suffered back-to-back injuries. Rio Ferdinand has age as an excuse I guess but has suffered more than his fair share of comebacks down the years with only Jonny Evans remaining relatively fit.

Wes Brown was constantly making a comeback and as for the afore mentioned Owen Hargreaves, the less said the better!

What could possibly be the cause? One season I accept is bad luck, two seasons is a bloody unlucky coincidence but THREE? That’s no coincidence, it’s time for United to start learning lessons and investigate; the standard of treatment the players are receiving, the fitness work they’re being ask to do, or the decisions being made on when a player is ready to return to action.

Manchester United has issued the following statement regarding club captain Nemanja Vidic:

“Nemanja Vidic has had a meniscus operation on his right knee and will be out for around eight weeks.

“Sir Alex, as a precautionary measure, rested Vidic at the weekend, after he complained of tightness in his knee, however, further medical investigation revealed the underlying problem.

“The central defender was operated on this week and will be sidelined for about eight weeks.”