[lfc-news] Academy: Injuries add to frustrating start - Post

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Liverpool Daily Post, 12 Nov 2004
Injuries add to frustrating start
Academy football with Chris Wright, Daily Post

INJURIES continue to affect Liverpool under-18s as they return to action
after last weekend's break aiming to build on their encouraging derby draw
against Everton.

John Owens's side face back-to-back home fixtures against Crewe Alexandra
tomorrow (kick-off 11am) and then Manchester United as they aim to
kick-start a so-far frustrating campaign in terms of results. But they will
have to do without two more influential players in Lee Peltier and Francis
Smith.

Defender Peltier has been one of the more consistent performers this
season, both at Academy and reserve level, but is now out for up to three
months with a back injury, while Francis Smith, who has been plagued with
injury problems, needs an operation.

Coach Owens said: "Lee Peltier had a sore back and we had it scanned. He is
likely to be out for three months unfortunately, so he is out of Youth Cup
as well. He would have been one of the mainstays in that.

"Francis Smith, who was out for six weeks with a hairline fracture in his
metatarsal (the same as Steven Gerrard), came back and had a practice
match, and in training he cracked it. It is a proper break and he will need
an operation.

"We are depleted, but we will have 11 players for Crewe, although it is not
as strong as we would have hoped."

Long-term casualty Adam Hitchen is at least back in light training, but
fellow defender Jordan Holmes is still out.

But despite the problems, Owens hopes his side can secure only their fourth
victory tomorrow.

He said: "We have let in too many goals, so we have had to work on our
defensive play. But also we need to put our chances away.

"In the middle of the field we are playing well and producing a good level
of football, but we find it difficult to translate that into taking chances
and that has let us down in a lot of games."


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