OPINION
Steven Sidwell suggested that Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana is his own worst enemy as he suggested the 31-year-old seems the sort to rush himself back too quickly from injury.
The pundit when on Liquid Football was asked by Kelly Cates about Lallana’s difficulties over reguarly featuring for Jurgen Klopp’s side and seem to think that due to rushing himself back from injuries, he was the cause of his own downfall at Anfield.
“That might be his downfall,” said Sidwell on Liquid Football (6:43).
“I don’t know what has happened over the years, one injury or consecutive ones, he seems like a player who wants to get back quick so that…it might be a negative in his rehab as he needs to push it through to get back on the pitch quicker, to get in the squad and the team, because he wants to play, and that leads to another knock which prolongs his return or another one comes.
“So he has come through it but…”
While Sidwell is surmising the reason why Lallana is rarely-used at Anfield rather than a regular member of Liverpool’s first-team like he was in the 2016/17 season, he may have a point.
After all the 31-year-old midfielder’s injury record speaks for itself.
Lallana suffered a hamstring injury on March 27, 2017 which kept him out to April 27th, he then returned, only to suffer another hamstring injury in July which ended up keeping him out until November. (Source: Transfermarkt)
Seeing as he wasn’t back for long until he suffered the same injury again, it’s logical to suggest that he pushed himself too hard and returned to action too soon when the problem hadn’t completely gone away.
You may be able to suggest that Liverpool and Klopp were the ones rushing him back at this time, but normally if the player makes it clear their not 100%, the club will take that into account.
The Liverpool boss has opted to use Lallana carefully this season as while he has been fit enough to feature, he’s only played 130 minutes of action, you do feel that is the manager calling the shots and if the midfielder had his way he’d be playing every minute. (Source: Transfermarkt)
After all the midfielder’s interview after the 1-1 draw with Manchester United revealed he was aiming to play a big part this season, which is likely his way of saying Klopp should use him and can count on him. (Source: Daily Mirror)
So if Sidwell is right with his suggestion, you do hope Klopp opts to continue to be careful with Lallana as you feel he is eager to play when he should be resting and he needs to know his body limits.
