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Injury Update: Wigan Short of Midfielders Ahead of New Season?

As we all know Chris McCann and Ben Watson are out for a while following a fractured knee cap and broken leg respectively, well we are also currently having problems with James McArthur and Shaun Maloney as both of them work hard to be fit for the start of the season.

Chris Brunskill

One of the main worries that I have had, not sure about the rest of you, for next season is whether or not we will have Ben Watson and Chris McCann fit for next season. The two of them formed a rock solid partnership at the start of the Uwe Rosler era and following there respective injuries our midfield did lose something. That is not to say it was poor as both James McArthur and Jordi Gomez stood up to the plate, but we defiantly missed them.

Well a report from the offical website yesterday gave us the clearest indication as where our players are in terms of recovering from injury, it also gave light on why Shaun Maloney and James McArthur have both gone for scans in the past week.

The new head of our medical Richard Collinge gave the news, for the most part the signs are promising. Firstly the long absentees are back in light training and McCann is now progressing nicely and doing some ball work, while Watson is only slightly behind his team mate. To me that would suggest they will be ready in the next 6 to 8 weeks depending on their continual speed of recovery.

The news on our two Scottish lads is a little bit more worrying. Both of them are struggling with calf injuries. James picking his up following the QPR games, the midfielder did clock up to 60 games last season and with his dynamic style of play that puts a lot of strain on the body. Maloney has a slightly different problem after feeling a twinge in his calf in our first pre-season game, the scan was precautionary and it looks like a few weeks of lighter training and he maybe back on track.

Fingers crossed boys and girls, otherwise we could be short on midfielders come the start of the season. That means we either look to bring someone in, rumours of loan or a free transfer signing have been around as to who we are looking at there have been no solid linked to any players. Or we look to promote some of our younger lads, has the time finally come for Tim Chow and Frazer Fyvie to make their mark on this team.

With just under a month now to go to the start of the season, Rolser may have to start making some tough decisions about just who fits into his squad next season.