Season › 2015-16 › News
Gibson returns for Under-21s
The Republic of Ireland international suffered a metatarsal fracture in early April and has been out of action since but was named in David Unsworth's team this evening alongside new signings Leandro Rodriguez and Mason Holgate and veteran midfielder Leon Osman.
Rodriguez opened his account for the Blues' second string in his first appearance with a goal after 10 minutes and he was at it again this evening with a strike after just four minutes to open the scoring against the Black Cats' U21s.
Gibson played 74 minutes before being substituted in favour of Gethin Jones and Sunderland would equalise a few minutes later when Duncan Watmore scored to earn the visitors a point.
Everton U21s: Robles, Holgate, Connolly, Gibson (Jones 74'), Browning, Pennington, Grant, Williams {c} (Dyson 81'), Rodriguez, Osman, Henen (Walsh 83')
Subs not used: Hewelt, Ledson
Reader Comments (40)
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2 Posted 14/09/2015 at 18:15:45
3 Posted 14/09/2015 at 18:25:40
:)
Or he could be worth £40 million to Jose next year.
4 Posted 14/09/2015 at 18:51:09
We need a fit player of his calibre to play attacking centre mid, but his appearance record is appalling and says only one thing.
I feel he should quit Ireland and focus on club football to give himself the best chance.
5 Posted 14/09/2015 at 18:58:00
7 Posted 14/09/2015 at 19:14:16
8 Posted 14/09/2015 at 19:31:08
I have been a big supporter but that driving incident where he could have killed somebody is wearing my patience. Admittedly he has had some unfortunate injuries but didn't help himself.
As another poster said, I think he is on borrowed time; if he doesn't shape up then he will be shipped out, I hope for the former of course.
9 Posted 14/09/2015 at 19:31:35
10 Posted 14/09/2015 at 19:38:36
11 Posted 14/09/2015 at 19:43:31
13 Posted 14/09/2015 at 19:59:29
I'm hoping Rodriguez plays himself into the matchday squad sooner than Martinez anticipates. He's such an unknown quantity that I'm excited to see what he can do.
14 Posted 14/09/2015 at 20:01:29
15 Posted 14/09/2015 at 20:07:18
17 Posted 14/09/2015 at 21:21:48
Too injury prone, can't play more than five games and frankly we have too many options for central midfield that are more reliable than him now.
Good when we had few options in the early part of 2012 but now not needed, especially at 50 grand a week!
18 Posted 14/09/2015 at 21:51:19
20 Posted 14/09/2015 at 23:26:00
21 Posted 15/09/2015 at 01:08:44
22 Posted 15/09/2015 at 01:12:14
23 Posted 15/09/2015 at 02:29:09
At the same time we ship Jonjo Kenny off to Wigan where he's dropped after one game cause he's not ready for this level. Meanwhile older, more experienced players are hanging around for occasional U21 games.
24 Posted 15/09/2015 at 07:36:55
25 Posted 15/09/2015 at 08:59:42
26 Posted 15/09/2015 at 09:03:32
Many of us have been urging Roberto to use his Spanish/Latin connections to scout out some of the bargains that exist by searching the South American nations for gifted and talented young players. If Leandro had been playing for a European team, you can bet your bottom dollar we'd have had to pay a few millions for him. (Look at David Henen for example.)
River Plate are one of the best teams in Uruguay and Leandro had already made a name for himself in their top division. Any player can only aspire to play for the best team he can in his own country, and Leandro made it at a young age.
So, bearing in mind two goals in two starts for the U21s, let's not write him off just yet. I have a feeling Roberto is giving him time to adjust to life in England after which I can see him being promoted to the first team squad, possible by Christmas.
We've already seen a short example of what Funes Mori can do on Saturday, and I was impressed. After all, he won the South American equivalent of the European Champions League with his club.
Let's get behind our new Latin Americans and encourage them to feel at home and part of our club, quickly. We might just have a couple of diamonds in the rough if things work out for them.
27 Posted 15/09/2015 at 09:11:19
28 Posted 15/09/2015 at 09:42:58
Galloway has shown so far that the step up to first team from U21s is a makeable one and the likes of him, Stones and Barkley will hopefully remind the lads that if they play consistently well at that level they will quite possibly get a shot.
I expect the likes of Holgate, Henen and Rodriguez to get first team time this year and am excited to hear of Liam Walsh’s progress as he sounds like a genuine playmaker.
On a more negative note I gather Browning made a few mistakes last night and perhaps is still hurting from his very nervy appearance vs Man City. Perhaps the lad needs some top sports psychologist help as he certainly possesses the physical attributes...
29 Posted 15/09/2015 at 10:25:21
I would have been at this match on any other night of the week but not Monday's, go for a good bevvie.
There is one game in October on a Tuesday night, I'll be at that. No consideration for us fans, it's Kenwright's fault!!!.
30 Posted 15/09/2015 at 12:19:44
This is a big thing with Martinez as well you know. Stones, Rodriguez and Holgate were all former 1st team regulars. Don't know about Henen.
You could be right with Browning. It wasn't so long ago that he thought he didn't deserve to be with his idols in the main squad and found it hard to tackle them in training. Hibbo and Distin put him right but maybe his confidence is still low. Man City would scare most young players and facing Sunderland's Duncan Watmore again wouldn't have helped either. Our defence was murdered by him a while back.
31 Posted 15/09/2015 at 12:40:51
If he stays, we're going to be overloaded with left backs now Galloway has shown he can cut it in the first team. He looks like he's as accomplished playing LB as Lescott used to playing in a secondary position.
We've also got Baines, Garbutt, and Funes Mori, who like Galloway can play at LB. Along with Holgate being a CB/RB we're suddenly looking very strong defensively.
32 Posted 15/09/2015 at 14:04:59
However, as Sam at 23 spotted, I was being ironic.
33 Posted 15/09/2015 at 14:08:37
34 Posted 15/09/2015 at 14:30:33
Sadly, I'd agree that Oviedo's place in the squad is at risk (sob!) but let's not jump the gun on how strong we look defensively. Galloway is still a baby, we've seen Funes Mori for all of 15 minutes and we've yet to lay eyes on Holgate in a blue shirt.
35 Posted 15/09/2015 at 14:40:01
I think there were a few London clubs interested in him before he chose Everton.
36 Posted 15/09/2015 at 14:46:55
37 Posted 15/09/2015 at 16:36:56
I was hoping that the latest injury was more of a ploy so Oviedo could miss international duty and we'd at least see him on the bench last weekend, but it looks like he is crocked again.
It's sad, but we're really lucky we're in the position that it won't be such a loss if he is released now we've got Garbutt, Galloway and Funes Mori behind Baines. At the end of last season it looked like we just had Baines and Oviedo, with Garbutt out of the door. So things can certainly change quickly in football.
38 Posted 15/09/2015 at 18:20:56
This is the first time in the time in Premier League history that we can look at the bench that's not full of kids and journeymen, and don't forget Pienaar, Osman & Gibson.
I'll go against the grain and congratulate the manager and board of the club, probably a first in TW history that has put the club in this position; and when you think we were all moaning (me included) about the window, maybe we should always look at the long game.
39 Posted 15/09/2015 at 23:20:56
He should have gone to jail for drunk driving which could have killed someone. He has got off very lightly with a two year ban and community service. He obviously could afford the best lawyer/s as most working class people would get far worse punishment.I have absolutely no time for pampered footballers driving cars that they cannot control ploughing into innocent pedestrians or cyclists then actually trying to escape instead of making sure that their victim/s are not badly injured. Makes me so angry and disgusted.
40 Posted 16/09/2015 at 02:44:12
I know you like your oldies in the side. I remember you were resolute in your belief that Distin was a better option than John Stones last season, which I found baffling when we conceded fewer goals when Stones was in the side.
Now if you were talking about Ossie, I'd totally agree. I think Osman can still have a big part to play for us this season.
42 Posted 17/09/2015 at 22:15:09
Personally I would prefer to see him sacked and taken off the records of our club as he obviously has no respect for it !
43 Posted 18/09/2015 at 03:24:23
44 Posted 18/09/2015 at 03:28:04
45 Posted 18/09/2015 at 09:55:18
Before you start getting euphoric after one good home performance, you need to monitor the next 6 fixtures to ensure we are improving. Consistency is what is needed, then you can congratulate the manager and the board as you wish.
Regarding Gibson, he is just another Slaven Bilic who has taken Everton to the cleaners by being paid for doing FA.
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1 Posted 14/09/2015 at 18:10:29