Martinez concerned over Jagielka injury

, 24 October, 53comments  |  Jump to most recent
Roberto says that the club's medical staff will assess Phil Jagielka's injury but fears that he sustained some damage to his knee in today's defeat at Arsenal.

The Blues' skipper was forced off early in the second half after limping out of a black challenge on a Gunners attacker.

He was replaced to impress effect by Ramiro Funes Mori but despite a second successive defeat, Martinez described Jagielka's injury as the biggest negative of the day.


“Phil Jagielka doesn't complain often so for him to come off it must be an injury,” the Catalan said after the game. “It’s probably the biggest negative from today.

“It's too early to tell but it's his right knee and it could be one of a number of structures that are damaged.

“We’ll see what the next 48 hours bring.”  

Reader Comments (53)

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Andrew Presly
1 Posted 24/10/2015 at 21:57:23
No boss the biggest negative was us gifting them two goals and thus the game due to you picking that goalie again. I'm past blaming Howard now it's on Martinez for picking him.

This isn't necessarily bad news, wouldn't mind seeing a centre half who can dominate in the air when the ball is in our box as Funes Mori seems capable of.

If he won't change the keeper this is the next best thing. But he is changing the keeper, isn't he? Isn't he?!

Mike Green
2 Posted 24/10/2015 at 22:03:19
Andy – unfortunately Howard is nailed onto the team sheet... as well as his goal line. Awful.
Eric Owen
4 Posted 24/10/2015 at 22:54:59
Sorry this happened to Jags and I wish him well and a quick return.

Nevertheless, let's look on the bright side. I was more than impressed by the play of Funes Mori who seems to get better every game. I think we have a very good one there who seemed to add more than a spark to the Blues game today. It was after Jags was subbed Everton came alive because of his speed onto the ball and his heading ability. Must congratulate the Everton scout who saw him and advised his signing. And at such a low cost, compared to many others.

Jay Kinsella
5 Posted 24/10/2015 at 22:56:16
I joined ToffeeWeb tonight just basically to vent my anger at Howard... God, do I hate this awful keeper so much.

As I watched this game unfold, I was not on my own as well after angry Evertonians venting their frustrations at another feeble wimpy performances from Barkley, please someone buy him from us and take Lukaku for free or we owe you at least.

Please leave us, Barkley Lukaku and Howard... please, please, please.

Keith Glazzard
6 Posted 24/10/2015 at 23:04:08
How many goals have we now conceded where a keeper should be collecting/competing. Robles does that better than Howard anyway and he stops shots too.

Love Jags, but pro patria Mori looks a good one. And Barry missing. I think midfield needs reshaping anyway. But I’m not Roberto.
ps: Gerard scared the shit out of Arsenal today.

Ian Jones
7 Posted 24/10/2015 at 23:19:41
Andrew @ 1. I liked your comment about not necessarily being bad news, I assume you refer to Jags. I know what you mean but tell that to Jags. Not sure if he would see it that way. :)
Ernie Baywood
8 Posted 24/10/2015 at 23:43:00
You wouldn’t want to see Jags injured but Funes Mori does seem to bring balance to the defence whoever he plays alongside. A left-sided defender who attacks the ball rather than two right-sided defenders who tend to play goal side of the forward.
Patrick Murphy
9 Posted 24/10/2015 at 23:46:41
Don’t underestimate the Captain; yes, he’s had a couple of ricks in the last couple of matches and his passing has been woeful since the England get together, but overall Jags has been pretty good this season.

Whilst it gives Funes Mori and others an opportunity to impress, I want to see Jags back in the heart of the defence as soon as possible. He is a real leader and a good defender who often puts his body on the line for the cause. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of his colleague in goal.

Bill Gall
10 Posted 24/10/2015 at 00:00:21
Jags must be really hurt if Martinez is concerned .
Malc Kitchen
11 Posted 24/10/2015 at 00:07:54
I don't want to see Tim Howard in goal again. Basic stuff today, stays on his line & we’re 2-0 down, that's four mistakes in the last 3 games.

I include the Rooney goal; if he stays stood up he saves it same as today. He throws himself to the ground, why I don't know, you have to stay upright for as long as possible!

Victor Jones
12 Posted 25/10/2015 at 00:37:01
Sorry to see Jags get injured. Here's hoping that he recovers quickly. But Funes Mori has looked good. He and Stones might just form a better partnership. Galloway, and I think also Browning can cover at CB. Baines will soon be back at left-back, and let's not forget old man Hibbert. We can cope.

Oviedo also has to come back. Also Barry getting sent off will force Martinez to try something different. That worked( when Barry was suspended) last season, remember. We actually won a few games, and looked better, until Martinez brought Barry straight back into the team.

The trick now is to get Howard suspended. Then Martinez would have his hand forced. Or maybe the trick is to get Martinez out. Or both. And take all the deadwood with them. Jeez-u-s Christ we have some rubbish players on the payroll.

Get well soon, Jags. But maybe just as cover.

Brian Porter
13 Posted 25/10/2015 at 00:58:44
I was screaming for Funes Mori to be brought on from just before we conceded the first goal. Jags and Stones just didn’t look comfortable against the Arsenal front line.

From the time he was introduced after Jags’s injury, Funes Mori brought stability to the defence and we never looked like conceding again. Martinez may have some difficult choices ahead of him in defence because he has to see that we look better with Funes Mori in the line-up.

Who to leave out? Well, that’s the kind of decision he’s paid to make isn’t he, but is he tough enough to act on what a lot of us have already picked up on? Or, does he carry on playing favourites as we slide down the table?
John Zapa
14 Posted 25/10/2015 at 01:11:37
Could be quite a serious injury which could end his season. The back line was stretched thin from the start of the season and without the captain, it leaves a big hole.
Harold Matthews
15 Posted 25/10/2015 at 05:57:46
I never like it when Jags doesn't play but Galloway definitely operates better with Funes Mori behind him. Unfortunately, without Jags and Barry we may have a large hole right down the middle.
Eddie Dunn
16 Posted 25/10/2015 at 09:29:46
On reflection, the main points to pick up from last night’s loss are that Howard needs replacing ASAP, and as Deulofeu played so well against the new league leaders, why oh why has he not been on the team sheet instead of the likes of Naismith?

I predicted that we would hold our own for half an hour before imploding and we duly did. I didn’t expect Deulofeu to start, so credit to the manager for that, but when is Martinez going to learn that not being offensive enough early on, only means we end up chasing the game?

Our defensive set-up doesn’t even work, so why not set us up to attack and put the opposition under threat from the off?

Sam Morrison
17 Posted 25/10/2015 at 10:06:26
I don’t like it when fans take an injury to a player as a positive. That’s someone’s personal pain and mental and physical setback you’re celebrating. Whether it’s Peter Reid or Brett Angell...

I also think, though Jags will never be the best passer in the team, he does lead by example and we may miss him more than some think.

All that said, pleased to see Funes Mori coming on and looking confident.

I’d been feeling more positive about the manager until the last two games but suddenly we’re looking flat again. Can someone tell Coleman it’s okay to cross with your first touch?

Oliver Molloy
18 Posted 25/10/2015 at 10:07:49
Somebody said now let’s get Howard suspended.

Well it may only be a matter of time with the way he charges out studs up tackles instead of doing what he should and using his hands. Any opposing players / managers will have noted how to get him sent off.

The guy is a liability to the team, I can forgive a goalkeeper making a mistake, but once it becomes clear that he makes mistake after mistake after mistake combined with complete cowardice, then it becomes unforgivable.

It is time for Howard to head back home, the quicker the better in my opinion. If he plays this Tuesday night, Martinez has lost the plot!

Julian Exshaw
19 Posted 25/10/2015 at 10:33:36
I agree with Patrick and Sam. Yes, Jags admittedly wasn't at his best in the last two games but, up to then, he had been one of our better performers this season. He's not a captain in a 'Peter Reid' way but who is these days?

Funes Mori and Stones will be fine together but, if one of them gets injured too we could be struggling. We need Baines back to bring some experience if nothing else as Galloway has been impressive.

Andy Crooks
20 Posted 25/10/2015 at 10:40:31
Oliver, in my view, Howard is now a liability who undermines confidence and should be replaced. Martinez will not do this. However, I don’t think Howard is a coward and I think it is unfair to use that label.
Brian Harrison
21 Posted 25/10/2015 at 11:02:52
Well 10 league games played and we have conceded 2 or more in 5 of them. Defensively, when the ball is in the air in our box, I worry; we have a goalkeeper rooted to the spot and neither Jagielka or Stones are great in the air. Considering we operate with 2 defensive midfield players, to concede 2 goals in half our games means the system or players isn’t working.

The Tinkerman altered our formation with his front 3 yet again, but still didn’t create much. Why he bought Lennon is a mystery... the guy offers nothing, runs round a lot, but creates nothing.

We have a lone striker and two wide men with pace, so you would surmise that our game plan was to break quickly from defence. But far from it our build up is slow with more sideways and back passes that starts our possession.

The plain fact is RM is not up to the job. Many said our start was hard... well, it's not as hard as West Ham's but leaving that to one side, we now have on paper a run of easier games starting with Norwich on Tuesday. So the next 5 games are crucial to our season; poor results in these games might see the end of RM.

Eddie Dunn
23 Posted 25/10/2015 at 11:06:26
Andy, you are right, the term "coward" is uncalled for. The man has put his body on the line on numerous occasions for us.

His problem is decision-making... he has made the wrong decision so many times, and it is these things that have cost us.

He is reluctant to come off his line, for whatever reason, and we have paid the price again.

It is time for him to be dropped and Robles to be handed another chance, and we need to go shopping in the January sales.

Colin Glassar
24 Posted 25/10/2015 at 11:15:53
Gutted for Jags but, as others have already said, this opens the door for Funes Mori. Same in midfield with the suspension of Barry. Hopefully, Cleverley or someone else can grab the opportunity with both hands and show Martinez that there is life after Barry.

As for Tim Howard, well he’s well and truly finished imo. In fact, I thought we should’ve gotten rid of him after he dropped the ball against Blackburn all those years ago. He costs us at least 10 points per season and if we had had a decent goalie yesterday we could’ve won that game. Roberto needs someone, or something, to force his hand and use this "extraordinary squad" he thinks he’s got.

ps: Unlike some, I believe Del and Ross were excellent yesterday and had Arsenal in a panic on a few occasions.

Dave Pritchard
25 Posted 25/10/2015 at 11:34:25
Colin, I agree about Ross and Del. They both frustrate and make wrong decisions at times but both were dangerous going forward. Just don't expect either to make a tackle.
Jamie Barlow
26 Posted 25/10/2015 at 11:48:45
Ross and Del are okay when we have the ball. Useless when we don’t. Ross especially. At least Del tracks back and tries to get a foot in. Might as well have 10 men when we lose it.
Andrew Presly
27 Posted 25/10/2015 at 11:48:54
Surely nobody is celebrating Jags being injured? People, myself included, usually just deal with the news as it comes in and think as positively as possible in light of it. A subtle but important difference.

Andrew Presly
29 Posted 25/10/2015 at 12:00:45
Although were Howard to trip over a "Do not warm up here" sign and twist his ankle... or have a non-fatal fall out of say a loft any time soon...
Patrick Murphy
30 Posted 25/10/2015 at 12:10:55
For those who believe that Ross is more of a liability than an asset, perhaps they should read Peter Reid’s thoughts on the lad in the Echo:

Ross Could get in any team

I understand that many think Ross isn’t a great tackler or lacks defensive nous but isn’t that the point of having two defensive mid-fielders? Add to that the constant calls for James McCarthy to be more attack-minded and it would seem we want every player in the team to be brilliant at both aspects which is asking for a great deal and very few players have the ability to do it.

The job of the manager is to get the best out of each player in the team and play to the individual strengths of those players in a formation that is designed to win football matches.

Peter Gorman
31 Posted 25/10/2015 at 12:31:31
Obviously, I hope it is not a bad injury but I am leaning towards this ’blessing in disguise’ view.

Jags is a good defender but his distribution is dire. Aside from the 3rd goal he set up for Man Utd, it was on evidence again yesterday. Wouldn’t be a problem if Martinez didn’t insist on playing this incessant keep-ball in our own danger area but he does and he won’t change.

On that note, how come the players can’t pass to each other when the entire philosophy of this manager is to dominate possession all over the pitch? What do they work on in training? Sure as hell isn’t passing a football.

Sam Hoare
32 Posted 25/10/2015 at 12:46:07
I like Jags; bar the last two games, he has been one of our top performers. Same with Barry. Underrated as they are not flashy but they do a lot of good work unnoticed.

That said, I have a feeling that them missing may get us closer to the team is really like to see us play which is:

Howard (I prefer Robles but not likely)
Coleman Stones Funes Mori Galloway
Besic Cleverley
Deulofeu Barkley Kone
Lukaku

Or possibly Mirallas for Kone if playing a team likely to push up.

That seems a more balanced team to me with more hunger and aggression which is something we have sorely lacked lately.

Minik Hansen
33 Posted 25/10/2015 at 12:55:57
I'd like to see two up front in Kone and Lukaku some time when Baines get back, attacking through the lines with two strikers waiting to be feeded, that'd be interesting.
Christy Ring
34 Posted 25/10/2015 at 13:34:31
I hope it’s not a bad injury, and the Jag is out short-term. He hasn’t been up to scratch in the last couple of games, and a break will do no harm.

Hopefully Tim Howard will be given a long break. Also with Barry out, McCarthy can play in front of the back four; he was superb for Ireland against Germany, playing in his natural position.He’s not an attacking midfielder, and the flack he’s getting is a bit unfair.

Oliver Molloy
35 Posted 25/10/2015 at 14:27:37
Andy @ 18; Eddie @ 20...

Why would you try and win the ball with a sliding tackle when you can slide in and get hold of the ball with your hands?

Why would you stand on your line and do nothing instead of coming and taking everything in front of you like you should?

I think it’s because he is afraid of getting hurt and that makes him a coward in my books.

You can look at football matches all over every weekend and you will see goalkeepers doing BASIC GOALKEEPING STUFF.

We all know he can stop a shot, because 90% of the time it is straight at him. How many times have you seen Howard come through a crowd and let whoever needs to know, this is the way it’s going to be, if you come near me?

How many goals and points has Howard cost Everton with what – bad decision-making?

He needs to be dropped now; let Robles have a run in the team and gain a bit if confidence.

Jay Harris
36 Posted 25/10/2015 at 15:53:27
It’s never good news when a player leaves the game on crutches. Like others have said, Jags has been one of our best players up to the international break and has been comparatively poor since.

I think it is far too early to form a judgement on Funes Mori. Deulofeu is good in flashes, often taking 2 or 3 defenders out of the game, but is very poor at covering the defence. I watched a situation where he tracked back with Alexis and then just stood and lost him completely as Alexis ghosted into the box totally unchallenged. I think you can only afford one maverick player like this so we cannot have him Barkley and Mirallas in the same team.

Also, I wanted to say the criticism of Barry and Lennon is totally uncalled for. Barry showed Ross how to play under pressure and for me was our best player.

Get fit soon, Jags, we need your leadership and ability.

Ralph Basnett
37 Posted 25/10/2015 at 19:52:43
But not concerned by his goalkeepers antics?
Aaron Underwood
38 Posted 25/10/2015 at 22:12:48
Personally gutted about Jags being injured; there's no team that doesn’t miss their captain when he’s not there, especially when he’s your centre-half and you have what I think we can all agree is one of maybe 3 or 4 worst keepers in the Premier League at the moment.

I don’t think we played particularly badly against what is a very good Arsenal side, we could easily have won that game with the chances we created. I think what let us down is what always lets us down: poor areal defending and even poorer keeping.

My question, however, is that, with Jags out, if Baines is coming back into the squad soon, do we want Funes Mori, or Galloway to take Jagielka's place? Personally, I'd like to see Brendan have a go in his natural position; he reminds me of Stones in the way that, if there's a player running at him, I don’t feel the need to worry whatsoever. His downfalls are all when he’s going forward; but, going back, he’s incredibly talented.

Anthony Dwyer
39 Posted 26/10/2015 at 01:56:38
I hope jags isn’t out too long as he’s the main stay in our defence, without him we will be vulnerable.

I’m past moaning about the game as I’m forever moaning about the same issues. Arsenal are a cut above us an we haven’t got the balls or the know-how to make up the difference of quality in anything else.

Tim Howard has been a great keeper for us but last season proved he needed replacing, the fact Martinez did not address that issue is a major concern as Robles is no better.

For all you who said we have had a good start, think again. We are the same shabby team from last season and we need big changes to our style of play or management to save the season or I fear we will see a repeat of last season.

Teddy Bertin
40 Posted 26/10/2015 at 09:31:04
I'm looking forward to Funes Mori getting a run in the side. Having him and Stones passing the ball out is exciting.

As good as Jags is, he’ll never suit Martinez’s game plans. He’s performed really well on and off since Moyes left, but even in his best game he’s never in his comfort zone.

I’m not even going to start on Howard. Jeez.

Denis Richardson
41 Posted 26/10/2015 at 10:03:44
We paid nearly £10M for a CB and he’s catching splinters on the bench. The injury to Jags IS a blessing, only it’s a blessing for the manager as he was getting himself into a bit of a pickle. He could not really drop the skipper nor the £40M super kid, so our most expensive defender sits on the bench.

Funes Mori will now come in and probably do a much better job than Jags, so I’m not worried at all by his injury. Browning and Galloway are also there as back up.

Barry is only out for one game and will be straight back with McCarthy after that.

Main issue is the manager and his system. The latter will only change once the former has gone.

Nicholas Ryan
42 Posted 26/10/2015 at 10:54:22
Keith 5: 'pro patria' Mori ..... wonderful!
Mike Allison
43 Posted 26/10/2015 at 11:01:03
If people can’t understand how good Deulofeu and Barkley are they simply don’t understand football and deserve a team of Scott Gemmills and Mark Pembridges. These guys are constantly dangerous, give us a chance in ANY game and we simply have to accept their mistakes, poor decisions and frustrations.

We want players willing to try things and take risks, otherwise we’ll be boring, predictable and completely un-threatening.

Ernie Baywood
44 Posted 26/10/2015 at 11:55:51
All rounders don’t need to be of the level of Pembridge and Gemmill – I think using those two cheapens a very valid argument. We need Barkley and Deulofeu. Barkley changes the attack – makes us unpredictable. Deulofeu has that spark and injection of pace that makes defenders shit themselves. Both will lose the ball and some decisions won’t come off but they’re creating enough for us. I thought both did well at Arsenal.

Conversely I find the criticism of McCarthy for exactly the opposite strange. It’s like we want our flair players mucking in and our workers taking people on.

We’re never happy are we? If the expectation is a team of players who can bust a gut, throw themselves into challenges, cover huge distances and yet still have the necessary burst of pace to take on the defence, then we’ll be disappointed. The human body doesn’t work that way.

Tony J Williams
45 Posted 26/10/2015 at 12:34:18
"If people can’t understand how good Deulofeu and Barkley are they simply don’t understand football and deserve a team of Scott Gemmills and Mark Pembridges".

Why do you have to go to the extremes of mentioning them two?.... I have enough sleepless nights with my young one teething.

The problem people have is that they DO understand how good they are and are therefore doubly frustrated when they play shite!!

Also the word "coward" is being used and argued against. The man may not be a coward but his goalkeeping is definitely cowardly.

This goes way back to 2008 when the little Eddie Murphy impersonator out jumped Lescott with this fucking dope rooted to (in fact fucking behind) the line and did his pathetic star jump defence.

The size of him, he should be clearing every fucker out and collecting the ball easily. He’s is a shithouse when it comes to this type of cross and, no matter what anyone says, the evidence has been there for over 7 years.

On topic, we will miss Jags, as he is a great reader of the game and a great tackler.

His injury could have been avoided if that cunt Mason had blown for the foul on Galloway just before it happened... fucking Mason... don’t get me started.

Okay, that’s my swear quota used for this week!

Peter Gorman
46 Posted 26/10/2015 at 12:52:48
"If people can’t understand how good Deulofeu and Barkley are they simply don’t understand football and deserve a team of Scott Gemmills and Mark Pembridges. These guys are constantly dangerous, give us a chance in ANY game and we simply have to accept their mistakes, poor decisions and frustrations."

So Mike, presumably it is too much to hope for them being constantly dangerous without mistakes, poor decisions and frustrations? You know, like genuinely top class players.

ps: Scott Gemmill scored a worldly volley with the outside of his boot at St James’ Park. Don’t lump him in with Pembridge please. You could have said Naismith.

Mike Allison
47 Posted 26/10/2015 at 15:54:51
Yes Peter, it is too much to hope. They're both 21, still developing and need patience and support to encourage them to continue to take risks.

If they were as good as you want them to be right now, we'd lose them pretty sharpish. You basically want Ronaldo and Messi and can't handle anything less.

Jamie Barlow
48 Posted 26/10/2015 at 17:27:40
I'm not worried about them trying things and taking risks. It's exciting and part of their game. I'll never complain if a flick or through ball doesn't work. When they lose the ball though (especially Ross) I expect them to track back, jockey the player who took the ball off them, make a fucking tackle. God forbid they try and win the ball back. I've no idea how they (especially Ross) get away with it. It's ok when we have the ball but we're down to 9 or 10 men when we haven't.
Peter Gorman
49 Posted 26/10/2015 at 18:30:02
Mike, there is no comparison between Ronaldo and Messi at 21 and our guys. Since Barkley in particular is widely touted as the next big thing in English football, it would be nice to start seeing some evidence of that. Mario Goetze is a better comparison for his talent and he can produce more consistently.

If you are happy with players who have bags of talent but can't play without mistakes, poor decisions and frustrations then you deserve a team full of Imre Varadis and Peter Beagries.

Brian Porter
50 Posted 27/10/2015 at 06:25:39
Aaron Underwood (#35),

I have to disagree with you on the CB issue. You say you’d like to see Galloway ’given a go’ there in preference to our record defensive signing, full Argentine international, Ramiro Funes Mori. To me, that sounds rather a naive way of looking at the situation.

We’re talking about the Premier League, not some Sunday league team. You don’t just ’give someone a go’ at this level. You go with your best players, with experience and ability and I think most would agree that Funes Mori is too good to be a permanent bench warmer.

I have a feeling he may prove to be Roberto’s best signing (not that he’s made many great ones), and gives us a superb option at CB. My only worry is that he comes in, plays superbly while Jags is out, and is then relegated to the bench again as soon as Jags is fit again.

As much as I love Jags, his reintroduction to the team has to be gradual, as it takes time to build match fitness. Plus, if Funes Mori is as good as I think he may turn out to be, we could end up losing him to one of the top Spanish or other European clubs if he doesn’t get sufficient game time with us. His international career is just beginning and he needs to be playing regularly to keep himself in his national coach’s plans.

Phil Jagielka is coming to the end of his international career, and time will soon begin to catch up with him, so for me, it has to be Funes Mori and Stones in central defence and let Roberto sort out the headache when we have three top class CBs fit and ready to play again. That’s the time when he may need to show some smart coaching ability and use rotation, something he’s talked about in the past but always said we didn’t have that luxury like the wealthier clubs.

Now, in this one position at least, he has that luxury and time will tell whether he uses it or just returns to his old ’favourites first’ policy. This is not being disrespectful to Jags, who I admire greatly, but is merely a realistic look at the future. We have to move forward and need younger legs in order to do so in the long term.

Mike Allison
51 Posted 27/10/2015 at 08:15:13
They're already better than those two. I just expect a bit of patience with young players, it helps them develop. Your frustration and criticism is self-defeating.
Mike Allison
52 Posted 27/10/2015 at 08:16:39
And Ronaldo was often criticised as a young player. And I don't know if you watch Real Madrid much, but he sure as hell doesn't track back very often.
Tony J Williams
53 Posted 27/10/2015 at 12:08:18
Mike, there is a difference between tracking back and making some kind of movement to the player who has just easily taken the ball away from you.

That is one of Ross's worst qualities, he seems to just give up and then does a little jog towards the goal.

I don't expect him to be the best defensive midfielder but I do expect him to make a little effort to get the ball back after losing it.

Peter Gorman
54 Posted 27/10/2015 at 17:31:30
Mike, sure Ronaldo was criticised as a young player, look at him now. Doesn't seem to have done him any harm, so not sure why it is such an issue. Also, how is it self-defeating to criticise their failings? Do they trawl the TW articles using ctrl+f to find their name? They should be too busy practising football and getting 8 hours sleep to worry about the opinion of muggins.

How young/old does a player have to be before I can feel frustrated? This is Barkley's 3rd full season with us, shouldn't we start seeing some improvement on his weaknesses? Or maybe just stop touting him as great until he is.

Mike Allison
55 Posted 27/10/2015 at 17:58:12
Ronaldo improved despite criticism, he kept taking risks and trying to create. The ones who fall away because they play it safe too often don't stick in the memory.

It's not that Barkley will read your comments, but other Evertonians will and feel emboldened to express their narky frustrations and are more likely to respond negatively. Every straw contributes.

Are you telling me you don't think Barkley has improved this season? Look again sir, he has.

Peter Gorman
56 Posted 27/10/2015 at 18:20:05
Not on his weaknesses Mike. Not really. Still doesn't move well for a pass when his teammates look for options, still has his head down too often in the final third. What he does well he does well though but I'd like to see improvement all round. He should be judged on his all round contribution like all players. Yes he has the spark but I weigh it against the dross too. I hope he does improve.

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