Rodwell ready to step up this season

Michael Kenrick , 9 July, 20comments | Jump to most recent

Jack says he's 100% fully fit

Jack Rodwell is with David Moyes's squad at their summer training camp in Austria currently, and revealed that he was desperate to put the persistent hamstring problems of last season firmly behind him as he heads into the new campaign.

Having visited renowned specialist Hans-Muller Wolfhart back in April, the midfielder believes his injury nightmare is now firmly behind him, and says he is looking to head into the new season at full fitness.

“I went to a specialist and I feel like I've sorted all my problems out now,” he said. “I've done everything so far in training and I'm feeling really fit.

“It was just a few mechanical problems that were going wrong in my body but I feel like it's all sorted now. “I'm fully there (fitness-wise), 100%, doing everything, so I'm feeling good.

He added: “It's the most frustrating thing in football, but that is football — everyone gets injured. You've just got to put it behind you and look to the future.

“This pre-season is now massive for me because I need some fitness. Obviously I've not played in a long time and I need to get back into the swing of things and hopefully get a few games under my belt so I'm ready from the off.”

Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo

Reader Comments (20)

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Keith Glazzard
1 Posted 09/07/2012 at 15:49:02

Not quite a new signing, but a fully fit Jack Rodwell has to be welcomed back to the squad, which is strengthened at no extra expense.

Watching the game from the stands, particularly for a younger player, can be no bad thing. Time to think, reflect and learn. If Jack the athlete is fully mended, let's hope that Jack the player gets up to the same high level.

Steve King
2 Posted 09/07/2012 at 16:34:45

I agree Keith, it'll be good to see him back.

I reckon Rodwell and Fellaini could build a very solid midfield partnership with a bit of skill thrown in there too. With Naismith behind the striker we're looking pretty strong in the middle......just need to secure some F'ing wingers!!!

Andy Meighan
3 Posted 09/07/2012 at 16:36:25

I'm sick to death of hearing this... it's not going to happen for him: not good enough, negative and injury prone — end of!

Joe McMahon
4 Posted 09/07/2012 at 17:22:25

The saying goes "Actions speak louder than words", so lets just wait and see.

Denis Richardson
5 Posted 09/07/2012 at 17:29:31

Hope it works out this time but smells like de ja vu.....

Keith Glazzard
6 Posted 09/07/2012 at 17:42:48

Denis - I could have sworn I've heard you say that before.

John Daley
7 Posted 09/07/2012 at 19:03:27

I just hope he can get through a full season without picking up another injury or recurring 'knocks'. If he's ever to achieve his potential then he needs an uninterrupted run of games, rather than the stop-start-sub scenario of recent years.

Paul Gladwell
8 Posted 09/07/2012 at 19:06:34

Steve where do you fit Gibson into your midfield? Because Rodwell cannot lace Gibsons boots if it comes to quality games for us, its about time he stepped it up and stopped waffling on about England and think of doing it for us first.

Danny Broderick
9 Posted 09/07/2012 at 22:28:26

Is Jack going to step up to the plate? He's got to be gutted to miss out on the Olympics having been chosen to model the kit. Maybe he's just not as good as his early career hype. Hopefully this will spur him on,because as yet he has not fulfilled his talent. Will this be the kick up the backside he needs?
Come on Jack, big season ahead. Sink or swim...

John Ford
10 Posted 09/07/2012 at 22:33:59

Lacks vision and therefore by definition passing ability. Thoroughly delighted to be proved wrong but as stated above, if its him or Gibson there really is no contest.

Good luck to the boy.

Shaun Sparke
11 Posted 09/07/2012 at 23:48:11

The Rodwell that played for England is what I want to see in an Everton shirt. He looked energetic and looked like he had a hunger to burst forward and shoot on sight. However, I have seen far too many indifferent performances in a blue shirt. I know that it wasn't all down to him but we started winning a few games last season when he was injured.

I think the lad has got a bit of class but I don't honestly know what his best position is and furthermore I don't think Moyes or Rodwell himself knows this. I want him to do well and hope that this season he can show everybody the talent that has been talked about for such a long time.

James Flynn
12 Posted 10/07/2012 at 01:59:08

Just stay healthy Jack and you'll come good.

Jason Lam
13 Posted 10/07/2012 at 02:22:11

Interesting to read it was due to mechanical problems. Could this habit be cured in a fast paced constantly in motion football match. I understand in baseball the pitcher's delivery can be tweaked from a mechanical perspective because it's very much in a controlled environment. In football, you haven't started turning one way and the ball's gone the other. Sudden instinctive movement will play havoc to conscience mechanical sequences. I'm sure Round will sort him out.

Andrew Dempsey
14 Posted 10/07/2012 at 03:53:05

This will never happen under Moyes (Martinez maybe, but that's another thread) but we need to play a back three with wing backs, Coleman and Baines.

The back three should be Heitinga, Rodwell and Distin, with Rodders in the centre as a kind of sweeper. People keep saying he doesn't know his best position, lacks vision, not a midfielder etc... For me this is the solution, he reads the game well, can defend, and can carry the ball out of defence, playing short passes into Gibson.

This formation solves a lot of our problems – you can get Coleman and Baines forward more from deep lying full-back positions – you can play Fellaini alongside Gibson in a very solid looking middle, with Rodwell behind them – and this would allow us to play Barkley at the tip of the midfield three, with Jelavic up front, with Naismith or Pienaar floating off him into wherever the space is.

God, I hope Moyesy is reading this, I've just sorted us out.

Eric Myles
15 Posted 10/07/2012 at 04:50:31

The problem is Andrew, Coleman keeps running into blind alleys and needs someone behind him to help him out, which up 'til now has been Hibbert.

Andrew Dempsey
16 Posted 10/07/2012 at 05:07:23

Well, Eric.

This is why I propose a back five with three centre backs; the flexibility of such a set-up means that Heitinga would cover for Coleman and Distin for Baines.
I agree, Coleman runs into blind alleys, when played as a right winger.

His natural game, I believe (and so does he), is to break forward from a deeper starting position (in this case wing-back), so that he can receive the support he needs to get in behind the opposition defence (usually with a snappy one-two) rather than have to try to penetrate on his own.

I can't believe we've all seem to have given up on a kid who looked so good 18 months ago. He's clearly a decent player, but not a midfielder or a winger. He's a full-back (and you're right, that would be too risky) or a wing-back with a back three behind him.

Nick West
17 Posted 10/07/2012 at 10:41:18

Rodwell's a centre half. And he looks like he'll be a top centre half. The best ones are usually converted midfield players because they're not afraid of the ball and can pass.

Eric Myles
18 Posted 10/07/2012 at 11:21:52

Andrew, I didn't mean someone to help him out defensively at the back, I meant someone to help him out upfield in the final third.

Jimmy Hacking
19 Posted 11/07/2012 at 20:32:53

Do your talking on the pitch, son

Jimmy Sørheim
20 Posted 11/07/2012 at 21:21:32

What seems strange with regards to Rodwell is that he is not played in his natural position.
He is after all a natural defender, I point to the tackle of Suarez as a perfect example of h is ability for tackleing.
His ability in the air is decent, but he needs to build more muscle strength to have a chance as a defender.
I think Moyes has failed Rodwell, he is not a midfielder, he lacks vision, he is not creative so Fellaini and Gibson are the first on the teamsheet for me.
Moyes needs to start using Rodwell in defence, I bet he would make a good right back for us, God knows we need it.

As I said Rodwell neeeds to build his strength, and he needs to play more games.
Midfield is filled so Rodwell will have to be used in defence.
The only spot he can play while building his form is right back, Hibbert and Neville should be no match to Rodwell, going forward Rodwell has more pace then both Hibbert and Neville, and he has more years ahead of him then Hibbert and Neville does.

Coleman is a right back, but he has shown a decline in skill and form,
Perhaps it would be smart of Moyes to start Rodwell at right back this season.
I certainly think he fits the role better then Coleman, but the two has to fight for that place and in doing that we have real competition for the right back slot.

Rodwell talks the talk, and now he MUST walk it!

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