ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

International break just in time

Usually when you are on a good run of results you don't want anything to interrupt it. You just want every game to keep coming and ride your good form and yes, luck. But this time I don't think the internationals break could have come at a better time. We've been playing two games a week for a while now and it must be taking a toll on some of the players. Actually we know it has, as Arteta missed yesterday's match and Baines has been out for a couple of weeks now. But now it is time for some much deserved rest.

It has been a very good run of results for us since the derby fiasco, and credit must be given to the team and Moyes for the way they responded after that defeat. In years past we very well could have seen a big down turn in our season following that match, but the players came out firing and won 5 on the trot. Now it's too bad that only 2 of those wins were in the league, but 2 important European matches were thrown in there. And then to battle hard and ride our luck at times yesterday to keep us unbeaten was fantastic. We had no Arteta, no Baines, no Vaughan, no AJ, but we got the late goal and took a point from Stamford Bridge. That's nothing to scoff at these days.

So we go into the usually dreaded international break riding a 6-match unbeaten streak that included a trip to an in-form Chelsea. Now we have 2 weeks to get Arteta, Vaughan, Baines and AJ fit again, and we get to give Cahill some rest. I know he will be going to Australia but I don't think he'll be playing much over there. He'll need his rest badly. Gravesen will be able to get some more fitness and hopefully get more involved in the first team. And we come out of this break with winnable game against Sunderland.

I know that we have quite a few players on international duty, but the work they are doing there will seem easy compared to the amount they have been playing for us over the past 3-4 weeks. Lets just hope for an easy, injury free break and a healthy squad to return in two weeks time.
David Barks, Santa Monica, CA, USA Posted 12/11/2007 at 16:24:26

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Richard Ewart
1 Posted 12/11/2007 at 21:25:01

Tim Cahill’s not coming to Australia during the current international break to the best of my knowledge. The Socceroos are playing Nigeria in London on Saturday. I suspect Tim may play part of the game but no more. So no long journeys this time around, just part of a friendly international for him to get through before setting about extending Everton’s undefeated run. The problems may start when the World Cup qualifying draw is made. Australia are the top seeded Asian team, so they should get a reasonably easy draw but that could mean going to places like Kazakhstan and other far flung countries, never mind the home games in Oz. However I suspect the Australian strategy will be to use home based players for the easier games, so with luck Tim may not be needed too much until the second stage of qualification. On a separate note, is there any doubt that Tim is the bargain buy of the decade? How much is he worth now I wonder !!

Nick Veitch
2 Posted 12/11/2007 at 21:49:56

You’re right Richard about the Nigeria game. I believe it’s being played at Craven Cottage, and there’s an agreement between club and country that he won’t play more than a half of football.
Good news to say the least.
David, I agree with you completely. Perfect timing. It allows all those players with injuries, plus everyone that picked up little niggles in the past few weeks has time to rest. (I read that Yobo has been playing with a foot injury)