Peterborough United’s injury troubles continue to mount, as boss Luke Williams has been dealt further blows to his already depleted squad.
Posh lost at Barnsley last night, which was their second defeat in a row after winning their first two matches in February.
But the issues went further than the result, with the League One outfit struggling for fit players before they visited South Yorkshire last night.
Posh supporters will have been fearing the worst when last night’s goalscorer, Kyrell Lisbie, limped off early in the second period. But Williams, speaking after the match at Oakwell, provided an update.
“Kyrell’s hips were very painful and seized up a little bit at half time and he then tried to play the second half. Brandon Khela wasn’t moving very well either. He is hanging onto something a little bit.
“Unfortunately, some of them are going to have to play in some discomfort. That is part of their journey to becoming top players. They are going to have to withstand and endure.”
But those two players are just the tip of the iceberg for the Posh gaffer. On Saturday afternoon against Bradford City, Tom Lees missed out after picking up an injury in the warm-up. Matt Garbett will be out of action longer than anticipated, with his recovery from a foot issue extending into March. Summer signing Ben Woods is still out of action, though it is believed to be closing in on a return to fitness.
Jacob Mendy, who turned his loan deal permanent earlier this month, has been absent since before Christmas. While his recovery from a muscle injury should be close to completion, his former Wrexham teammate, Tom O’Connor, returned to North Wales with a hamstring issue. Club captain Sam Hughes has yet to make his Posh debut, following a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Academy graduate Harley Mills, who scored against Birmingham City in the EFL Trophy Final last season, has been out since December. Rio Adebisi has had rotten luck with injuries in recent times, but was seen at Sincil Bank last month in his road to recovery. But there has been no further update regarding the former Crewe Alexandra man.
All these issues seem a massive surprise for a side that had a 94% player availability just two years ago, the best in the EFL. Abraham Odoh, while not injured, continues his exile away from the first team. He started for the U21’s side in their Professional Development League stalemate against Coventry City earlier today.
Play-Off Hopes Gone For Peterborough?
After their romping victory over Wigan Athletic at the start of February, Posh looked like the team to beat in the race for a play-off place. Those thoughts only increased when they ended Mansfield Town’s unbeaten run the following midweek, giving them an excellent chance of upsetting the top six party ahead of their trip to Bradford.
Unfortunately for Peterborough, that proved a false dawn. They were firmly second-best in West Yorkshire, as the Bantams revitalised their automatic promotion hopes. And with another loss in Yorkshire yesterday evening, Posh find themselves five points adrift of sixth-place Huddersfield Town. But consecutive losses for the Terriers have left the door open for a side outside the top six to gain their spot.
On their current trajectory, and with their injury problems, it’s hard to imagine that being Posh. They have also played the joint-most games in the third tier, meaning they may fall a couple of places when those teams play their games in hand. But it would be premature to count out a side so used to being in and around the play-off mix before February is out.