Benitez brings in new Fitness and Rehab coach from Newcastle

Big Sam's support staff could be numbered in double figures, I bet none of them have survived till now!

The list of injured players has built up as has the lead time of their return. In a team that is going well you would think that players would want to playe. No doubt a few laggers exist, but I do think that Richarlison and Calvert Lewin would want to play. Therefore the pressure is on the competence of existing Medical staff and the need for additions with competence.

I do think Everton are currently paying for a competence deficit in Medical Services of accessing injuries
( includes new player assessments. ), treating them, and rehab.

Liverpool on the other hand seem to keep their core together through 60-65 games a season. They don't have that big a squad, yet the front 3 and back 4 are a constant.

This season their defence has had injuries to Robertson, but they had Tsimikas to cover him.

Firmino had been out injured until recently and missed the start of the season.

Alexander-Arnold also has had injuries.

Matip and Gomez are both still recovering from long term injury and being eased into first team football.

Thiago has been injured, and not to mention Harvey Elliot.

Jota has also suffered injuries.

But, despite not having a massive squad like City, they do have competent players coming in when they are injured.

Even the likes of Curtis Jones, Neco Williams and a couple of other youngsters...manage to come in and maintain standards.

We are desperately weak when any of our key players are replaced by the 'back-up' options.

The problem is a combination of poor recruitment and poor injury assessment of incoming players. This deficit of competence extends to dealing with existing players.

Another factor is that Everton was seen as a soft touch to offload journeyman players who abused the Medical Service system, giving them over the top transfer fees and wage contracts to sit on their ass' s. This has the knock on effect of blocking up the system at Everton of moving on the 5% of poor players that all Clubs have. Clubs are already sniffing round Newcastle to off load their leeches, the new potential mugs of the Premiership.

Another problem is when the going gets tuf these type of players will be looking to sit on their ass's more. Work and Effort evaporates.

Got a job and half on here, trying to get some of these back up and running again.

If you saw the Top Gear special where they drove over the Andes at 20,000 ft or thereabout, then they adapted the cars to draw in more oxygen to the cylinders, but they also had Viagra to help with their own oxygen levels.