Hello everyone,
We have had a different sort of week this week, with it being the international break and eleven players being away on duty with their countries, and four new signings to work with.
With less players around, it gives us the opportunity to focus even more closely on the rehabilitation with the injured players, and on getting the new signings and those players returning from injury fitter and sharper.
At the end of the micro cycle we had with the smaller squad, we held an 11v11 match at Chadwell Heath to simulate match conditions and give valuable minutes to the likes of Andy Carroll, Michail Antonio, Victor Moses and Nikica Jelavic.
We hope to have all the players back from international duty free from injury and it will be good to get the whole group back together on Friday, after the players’ day off, and then we will be fully focused on preparing them for Monday’s home game against Newcastle United.
Injury-wise, we do not have too much to report.
Mauro Zarate is progressing well and working hard to return after suffering a hamstring injury in training, with a view to returning to the group before the end of the week.
One of our new signings, Alex Song is working hard – as you will have seen on social media – and his ankle improving, with a view to him returning by the end of October.
Enner Valencia is rehabbing with a good positive attitude and we hope to see him return by November, while finally Joey O’Brien is still recovering from a calf injury.
Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science