Agree the info should be better.

Over the last couple of years, this has been the most accurate injury info source I have found:

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

Hope that helps.

Tom.

Nice one Tom!

And here, for the lazy arses, is a summary of what it says on there (Player / Injury / Expected Return Date):

D Bilyaletdinov Thigh Muscle Strain no return date
L Baines Calf Muscle Strain 31st Oct 09
J Vaughan Knee Injury no return date
L Osman Ankle/Foot Injury 31st Oct 09
J Yobo Concussion 31st Oct 09
S Pienaar Knee Injury 31st Oct 09
P Neville PCL Tear 21st Nov 09
V Anichebe Knee Injury 8th Nov 09
P Jagielka ACL Knee Injury 8th Nov 09
M Arteta ACL Knee Injury 8th Nov 09

The dates on that are clearly rubbish though as no way will Arteta & Jags be back in the next couple of weeks. Neville will be available before both of them.

The thing is though — what’s the point in putting an expected return date, cos all that happens is people complain & say our physios are rubbish if they don’t appear before then anyway. Short-term injuries nobody really knows anyway so it's just a case of when it feels ok again!

I agree, Chris. Putting specific dates on there is simply ridiculous. They should be far less specific — "Two to four weeks" is the best anyone can realistically do. Of course, that format would mean it would need to be continually updated — which is the bane of all websites!

I don’t understand why Everton, or any other club doesn’t just tell the truth, whatever it might be, about all things, ALL the time.

I have thought for a few years now, that football clubs have become very teenage girl-ish regarding information.

Whispers, rumours, denials, half-truths — it’s like 4th Form at St Bunty’s (erm... I’m guessing)

I’ve heard some say this is a result of the ’change in media coverage’ (saturation?) of the game, which might be the case, but for fuck's sake, we are supposed to be dealing with adult males.

’A man’s game’

I really don’t see what any club has to lose by saying..

"Reggie Twonk has torn ligaments, you will DEFINITELY not see him back in a Barnchester shirt anytime before March 15th".

So, if he’s back before then — great!

If he’s back 15th March — great.

And if he’s still fucked, the boss says...

"Reggie did his ligament again while coming out of ’The Touch Of Class’ in Barnchester town centre last night — he won’t be back before April".

Done!

And that’s it — end of questions, wishful thinking, etc.

It certainly beats "Well his back is doing fine, he starts some light running next Wednesday", then the next thing you hear is three months later - "He’s off to the States to have his knee removed and replaced with Kraft Cheese Slices.... by a specialist"

I think some of this lack of information is part of clubs/players (consciously or unconsciously) cutting themselves off from the support. Something which HAS happened in the past 15 years or so.

"Have you got anything to say to your non-millionaire scruff-bag fans?"

Very flat car containing surly twat zooms off.

Maybe this is why you get..

"Could you tell us about the incident in training? How come Joe Blow has a black eye?"

"There was... no... I don’t know where these stories... er... what happens behind closed doors stays... where d’ you ’ear that?" etc (a la Harry ’runny fried egg eyes’ Redknapp).

Tarts!

Just fucking say what happened — it’s not as if the Russians (showing my age!) will find out and press a button over there... and... um... y’ know.

What’s the problem with..

"Two players with short fuses had a bit of a nark, they both got in a couple of digs. They were pulled apart, calmed down, shook hands and they’re fine. That’s the FULL story. Please feel free to report it... if you report anything that did NOT happen, we’ll take out ads pointing out that you are the newspaper that makes shit up (pointing out the bits you made up)".

People talk about Sir Alex Red-Grid being a hard case, but each time someone asks a question he doesn’t like, he storms out like a big soft arse (with a head on him like a Turkey Cock).

About 10 years back, I made a discovery. Being truthful 100% of the time with my girlfriend (on her insistence!) turned out to be the most liberating thing I’d ever done.

Didn’t have to remember anything (ie: lies) and every time she didn’t like the truth, I’d say "Well it’s up to you — just say the word and I’ll make some shit up"

She still prefers the truth... And why wouldn’t she — the truth WILL set you free.

I think Mark, you have a point, maybe not the exact info but at least the injury they got and at least a timeframe of when they are back fit.

Just to ellaborate on this, is it a co-incidence that we get so many injuries, when we were in the same exact situation as last season? And we have had so many injury problems in the past? Maybe, just maybe, this is Moyesy training the players too hard. Just a thought.

I included this paragraph in my recent article:

Our intense style of high tempo playing, might be okay with for 38-44 games a season, but for a club wanting to be at the top of the league, in Europe and performing well in the Cups, then the accompanying 60 odd games is unsustainable and ultimately gives rise to fatigue and injuries as we are seeing now. Players know this. Moyes’s reluctance to rotate when he can and substitute early in games is having a huge detrimental impact on the players.

The other thing which is annoying me is why is Arteta in Spain and has been virtually since his op back in Feb. Surely he should be at Finch Farm under the club’s guidance. I dont expect we’ll see him until year end — and maybe never! Recently married, had baby, wife in Spain, 9 months of sun vs 9 months in wet Liverpool and probably training as we speak with Athletico — how about that for a rumour.