Training Injury May End Danny Ward's Season

In the latest variation on a musical theme that Liverpool must be sick of hearing by now, goalkeeper Danny Ward will likely miss the remainder of the season after picking up a minor knee injury in training, according to reports in the Liverpool Echo.  On the bright side, Ward's injury is apparently not serious enough to prevent his participation in Wales' Euro 2016 campaign this summer.

Ward's injury will also mean that raw untested talent Simon Mignolet forgotten man Ádám Bogdán might be allowed to see the light of day before the end of the 2015-2016 season.  It's a disappointing development for Ward, who, since being recalled from Aberdeen, had shown flashes of real promise and confidence in relief of Simon Mignolet.

Part of every professional goalkeeper's lot in life is to have one's gaffes highlighted ad nauseam while good performances are quickly forgotten.  While Mignolet has had a few solid and quietly impressive spells this season, consistency still seems to be elusive, and it was, sadly, not entirely a surprise to see him prominently featured in the Guardian's recent "ineptitude index" for 2015-16.

While all eyes are no doubt on the Europa League final, manager Jürgen Klopp will have depth-related questions to answer over the summer, and getting a good assessment of Ward's development was no doubt part of the plan during the remaining matches. Instead, Bogdán, whose long-term prospects with the club are cloudy at best, may have an opportunity to repair earlier impressions. The Hungarian keeper has not featured for the Liverpool senior side since his appearance in a Kop Kids XI that drew 2-2 with Exeter City in the FA Cup.

Plus ça change, as they say in Paris, Texas.