ASN Injury Report
Eric Lichaj Might Sit Out; Stuart Holden Weeks Away
An assortment of Americans playing abroad appear to be on the mend, reports Nick Kariuki, American Soccer Now's designated injury tracker. Here is his latest weekly report.
BY
Nick Kariuki
Posted
January 17, 2014
4:32 PM
Eric Lichaj’s minor knock kept him out of the Nottingham Forest squad that drew 1-1 with Bolton on Saturday. Forest manager Billy Davies subbed Lichaj off during the 5-0 drubbing of Premier League side West Ham United when he picked up the minor knock as a precaution and later told the Nottingham Post that the club will be careful with the defender’s injury. At the time of writing, he remains on the club’s injury list and is in doubt to play tomorrow against Blackburn Rovers.
The Belgian Jupiler Pro league ends it winter break this weekend, with Sacha Kjlestan and Anderlecht traveling to Mechelen on Sunday. Kjlestan returned to training last week after a thigh injury that has kept him out for side’s last two league games.
The German Bundesliga returns in two weeks, and Hertha Berlin’s John Brooks should be back from his knee ligament strain. The defender picked up the injury in training and missed the start of the club’s training camp in Belek, Turkey, in order to recover.
Joshua Gatt returned to Norway on Sunday for the start of Molde’s preseason—minus departed coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who is now with Cardiff City. Gatt’s plan has been to recover from his injury in time for this training period. We’ll keep you updated on how it’s going.
In the English Championship, Birmingham City’s Jonathan Spector and Bolton Wanderers’ Stuart Holden have both had a fairly quiet week in terms of recovery news. Spector expected return was previously projected for late January, while Holden should be three-to-five weeks away from his return to training based on the club’s December projections.
Jose Torres was on the Tigres bench after recovering from his muscle problem but did not come on for the team’s 0-0 home draw with Pachuca. Tigres next face Monarcas Morelia away tonight.
Aston Villa’s website reported last Friday that Brad Guzan recovered from the niggling injury that kept him out of side’s FA Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on January 4. The goalkeeper has since returned to action but could not keep Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud from scoring within a minute of each other last weekend as Villa were defeated, 2-1. Aston Villa next travel to Anfield to face an in-form Liverpool side this Saturday.
Nick Kariuki writes his ASN Injury Report every week. Follow him on Twitter.
Paul Greenwood/isiphotos.com
