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UNDERSTANDING IBRAHIMA KONATE'S INJURY RECORD
Since the Ornstein story broke that Liverpool are close to signing RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate, fans are debating whether this is a good move given the 21-year-old's injury record, so let's take a closer look... (1/n)
Since the Ornstein story broke that Liverpool are close to signing RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate, fans are debating whether this is a good move given the 21-year-old's injury record, so let's take a closer look... (1/n)
People are sharing this Transkermarkt image as proof that Konate is injury prone.
On face value, it looks pretty bad with the centre-back having eight separate entries since 2017-18 season.
However, only five of those have resulted in missing any games for Leipzig. (2/n)
On face value, it looks pretty bad with the centre-back having eight separate entries since 2017-18 season.
However, only five of those have resulted in missing any games for Leipzig. (2/n)
When looking at those five further, it becomes clear that the three relating to Torn Muscle Fibre actually concern one injury that kept Konate sidelined for year.
This means the centre-back has only been sidelined with three injuries since moving to Leipzig in 2017 (3/n).
This means the centre-back has only been sidelined with three injuries since moving to Leipzig in 2017 (3/n).
One is an inconsequential knock.
One is a very serious injury - keeping him out for a year.
One is a 7-week ankle injury - fairly serious but also pretty common.
Nothing that actually screams that Konate is injury prone... (4/n)
One is a very serious injury - keeping him out for a year.
One is a 7-week ankle injury - fairly serious but also pretty common.
Nothing that actually screams that Konate is injury prone... (4/n)
When plotting Konate's injury score for the four seasons he has been at Leipzig (2017-2021), we can see that 2019-20 was a particularly bad season because of this serious year-long injury.
His score is comparable to Van Dijk and Gomez for Liverpool this season. (5/n)
His score is comparable to Van Dijk and Gomez for Liverpool this season. (5/n)
Meanwhile, his 2020-21 season has been affected by coming back from the serious injury suffered last season and the unrelated 7-week ankle injury picked up two months later.
It's comparable to the injury scores of Thiago and Oxlade-Chamberlain for Liverpool this season. (6/n)
It's comparable to the injury scores of Thiago and Oxlade-Chamberlain for Liverpool this season. (6/n)
So what does this mean?
I'm not sure saying Konate is injury prone is really accurate tbh. Yes, he's suffered a few injuries (every player does) and one was particularly serious, but there's nothing in his record to suggest that injuries will be a guaranteed problem. (7/n)
I'm not sure saying Konate is injury prone is really accurate tbh. Yes, he's suffered a few injuries (every player does) and one was particularly serious, but there's nothing in his record to suggest that injuries will be a guaranteed problem. (7/n)
Liverpool's problem this season was not that their centre-backs are injury prone, it was the fact that ALL of their centre-backs got serious injuries in the same year.
It's pretty stinking bad luck, but it shouldn't make the club overly cautious with their recruitment. (8/n)
It's pretty stinking bad luck, but it shouldn't make the club overly cautious with their recruitment. (8/n)
Players get injuries and some are unfortunate to get really serious ones. If clubs only bought players with injury-free records then the pool of players to choose from would be miniscule.
Konate's ceiling and ability certainly appears to outweigh his injury risk. (END)
Konate's ceiling and ability certainly appears to outweigh his injury risk. (END)
Adding this article to the end of the thread 
It explains how I work out injury scores and it also contains the injury scores for Liverpool players for both 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons for anyone curious. https://strategisingpolicy.com/2021/02/28/are-injuries-really-to-blame-for-liverpools-drop-off-in-form-this-season/
It explains how I work out injury scores and it also contains the injury scores for Liverpool players for both 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons for anyone curious. https://strategisingpolicy.com/2021/02/28/are-injuries-really-to-blame-for-liverpools-drop-off-in-form-this-season/
