Jagielka to miss Crystal Palace trip following hamstring scare

, 9 April, 27comments  |  Jump to most recent

Phil Jagielka is almost certainly out of the midweek visit to Selhurst Park and is a doubt for the FA Cup semi-final in a fortnight's time.

The captain came off in the closing stages of today's 1-1 draw at Watford clutching his leg after suffering a hamstring strain which will be assessed by the club's medical staff tomorrow before any determination is made over his chances of playing at Wembley on the 23rd.

Ross Barkley is also an early doubt for Wednesday's clash with Crystal Palace after taking a knock to his knee, one that forced him off earlier in the second half.

“Jagielka is probably a bigger worry," Roberto Martinez said afterwards. “He felt his...left hamstring and we'll assess it overnight. It's too early to tell (about Wembley).

"It's two weeks away. But clearly he is a serious doubt for Wednesday.

“[Ross] couldn't really stretch his legs in the second half. That was a disappointment.

“It's a knee knock on top of the patella tendon which didn't allow him to stretch his legs. I don't think it's a serious problem, we'll see about Wednesday."

 

Reader Comments (27)

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Alex Moore
1 Posted 10/04/2016 at 04:01:45
I'm kind of interested in seeing a Stones - Funes Mori combo anyways (minus the obligatory, ridiculously ill-conceived Stones pass).
Paul Kossoff
2 Posted 10/04/2016 at 04:43:19
Ohh... what a surprise, one of our main players will most likely miss the derby game with the RedShite.

Anyone else?!
Dick Fearon
3 Posted 10/04/2016 at 06:50:02
It was half way through his first season that I stated these doubts about Martinez. I said it took too many passes and far too long for us to shift the ball from defence into attack. I also highlighted the danger of needless passes in our defensive third.

As time went on it became obvious that our organisation at attacking and defensive corners and free kicks were woeful. Regardless of the flow of the game or whether it was at home or away he used of two defensive midfielders.

Nearing the end of his third season he has not fixed any of the faults outlined above. My main worry is that he does not believe they are faults that urgently require attention. As for those who would allow him more time words fail me. Perhaps it will come home to them when after the next round of fixtures we drop below Palace and Watford.

Ian Jones
4 Posted 10/04/2016 at 06:56:33
Dick. Sorry. This thread seems to be more about Jagielka. Plenty other threads to vent your annoyance about Martinez. For the record, I agree with your comments!
Amit Vithlani
5 Posted 10/04/2016 at 07:26:37
Well, if Jags is injured then I really am worried about the Semi. The coaching staff have demonstrated no ability to organise our defence against corners and crossed balls. If Andy Carroll is in anything like the form he was yesterday, Wembley promises to be a long afternoon.

Thank you Martinez. I have never approached such a big game with so much pessimism. I hope the banners find their way to Wembley too. Well done to those souls who expressed their opposition to our incompetent hierarchy.

Ian McDowell
6 Posted 10/04/2016 at 07:34:54
Really bad news to lose Jags for what looks like the derby and semi-final. Like Amit says, the coaching staff seem so inept at organising a cohesive defence despite us having the same back 4 for 5 seasons.
Anthony Hawkins
7 Posted 10/04/2016 at 08:08:14
Funes Mori and Stones should be a solid partnership.
Anthony Millington
8 Posted 10/04/2016 at 08:08:22
That's bad news. Does this mean we now have 3 games before the semi final with only 2 fit centre backs? Can we really risk playing them both in the derby?
Jim Bennings
9 Posted 10/04/2016 at 08:50:49
Our defence is nothing without the leadership of Jagielka.

We now have two men there who don't communicate at all and are basically an accident waiting to happen.

People want to see Stones and Funes Mori together??

Stoke and Leicester at home in December, guys??????

Disaster zone.

Brian Porter
10 Posted 10/04/2016 at 09:28:32
Jags seems to be becoming prone to a recurring hamstring problem, maybe age is taking a toll on his legs? Either way, I do feel that Funes Mori and Stones, (if he stays), represent a better, younger CB partnership than one including Jags, sorry Phil.

They have a few games before the semi in which to try and gel together but I doubt they'll get much coaching from Martinez and his team, and here lies the crux of our defensive frailties I think. Without proper defensive coaching, the players are effectively being left to try and sort things out between them. No matter how good they might be, they are not paid to be master tacticians, that being the manager's job of course, though he doesn't appear to know it.

Anyone who saw the Argentina/Chile game in full the other week will have seen Funes Mori have a superb game, playing in a well coached and drilled defensive set up. He looked head and shoulders a better player than Stones and bearing in mind Argentina's coaches only had their squad together for a few days prior to the game, it showed what real professional coaching can achieve. In fact, the whole Argentina and Chile teams were superb and served up a great, exciting World Cup qualifier.

To see Funes Mori play with such calm maturity in what was effectively must win game for Argentina after some poor results in their early qualifiers was an indictment on the negative effect Martinez has had on our entire defence.

Phil Jagielka was a fairly regular England member, now reduced to a bit part, and John Stones form has suffered so much he I not even guaranteed a place on the plane, and if he does go, a starting role appears unlikely.

I wish Jags a speedy recovery, because with only two fit CBs, we are on the verge of being very exposed at the back and who do we blame for that?

Why didn't we strengthen the defence in the transfer window instead of wasting £13.5m on a striker who still hasn't played a full or even half a game for us?

Dennis Ng
11 Posted 10/04/2016 at 09:37:57
Brian, I'm more willing to bet that it's the conditioning (fitness levels and hence prone to injuries) of the team that has deteriorated. It's out of our control till we get a new man.
Joe Clitherow
12 Posted 10/04/2016 at 09:57:27
To those speculating on what a Stones/Funes Mori partnership would/should look like....

Do you actually watch Everton? It is a genuine question.

They played together consistently from the end of October up until the start of January and were awful together.

Both are talented, both have so much to learn and will not learn from the third rate management and coaching staff we currently have.

Mark Andersson
13 Posted 10/04/2016 at 11:02:45
More bad news; get fit soon Jags...

Are we capable of wining any games at the moment? I really can't see the players showing up for the semi-final. Football is a mental as well as a physical game, and we are unfit in both departments.

Joe Foster
14 Posted 10/04/2016 at 11:29:06
I think we all know that it does not matter who is fit or injured anymore. We are probably not going to win another game this season.
David Milner
15 Posted 10/04/2016 at 12:04:42
Could anyone tell me, do we actually have a defensive coach at present or just someone with a white stick?

Jags has not become a bad defender overnight but he never seems to be marking his player tight enough nowadays. How often does the player he should be marking scores a goal or assists, nearly every match.

He never had this problem under Moyes. Or is it that he is passed his best, too old. He always seems vulnerable defending a corner or set piece.

Jos Rowland
16 Posted 10/04/2016 at 13:24:24
When can Ross ever stretch his legs? He's a lazy lazy player and I'm looking forward to see more effort from another player that will take his place.
Damian Wilde
17 Posted 10/04/2016 at 13:27:28
Hope he is back for the semi. He was one of the only players arsed against Man U.
Andrew James
18 Posted 10/04/2016 at 15:04:42
Joe - I think Barkley has been carrying an injury for a while now. He's possibly been in what Wenger calls the red zone for a few weeks.

It hasn't helped that he's been asked to cover more ground with Barry out but why Mirallas hasn't been played more to give him a rest is beyond me.

Charlie Lloyd
19 Posted 10/04/2016 at 16:31:00
Joe @12, you're right the Stones / Mori looked anything than watertight. If Jags is missing for a while I am praying for divine intervention to get us through this.

James Stewart
20 Posted 10/04/2016 at 16:53:52
Amateur hour our defence without Jagielka.
Robert Duncombe
21 Posted 10/04/2016 at 20:30:51
No Roberto. You are the biggest worry.
Andy Meighan
22 Posted 10/04/2016 at 20:36:38
Be honest, will he really be missed? We've had defensive trouble all season so, no matter what combo plays, we'll struggle regardless.

As for Barkley, he should've been dropped anyway; he's been shite for weeks. But no, Martinez still gives him license to stroll round like he's some sort of superstar.

It doesn't matter who plays between now and the end of the season, I can't see us winning another game.

Mike Allen
23 Posted 10/04/2016 at 20:50:35
We have still not sorted the goalkeeping problem. Another six-yard box header conceded. The keepers look like the are coached by a hockey coach more concerned about making themselves big than attacking the ball. But alas just one more defensive problem that hasn't been addressed over the past two seasons
Patrick Carty
24 Posted 10/04/2016 at 20:53:26
Hope Jags is fit for the semi-final, he is our best defender, simple as that.
Trevor Lynes
25 Posted 11/04/2016 at 11:15:48
Totally agree Patrick....Jags is a fine defender and definitely the best centre back we have. What has happened to Galloway or Holgate? One should be on the bench with Jags missing.

I do not know why Barkley is playing as he never scores and is certainly not a box to box player. He has always lacked stamina IMO and is only good for one hour.

Xavier Spencer
26 Posted 11/04/2016 at 11:22:43
I have been banging on about this for ages to fellow Blues (but not necessarily on here) but the levels of fitness and conditioning at the club are appalling.

Barkley is patently not fit. He's blowing for tugs any time he makes a run and in one post-match interview (I can't remember which game) he was so out of puff he could hardly speak. Part of the reason we have conceded so many goals late on is due to poor fitness and failing concentration levels which can also be partly explained by poor physical conditioning.

As for Jags – a big miss. One of the few players who consistently gives a hundred percent. Feeling so negative about the next fortnight and I can't see anything other than a drubbing in the Derby.

Armando Canaj
27 Posted 12/04/2016 at 08:45:36
Joe (#12), you beat me to it..! Truley awful together. Less positional sense then normal with Stones throwing so many games for us invest time. Mind you, with Robles in goal, I remember for the cup games they looked more assured.

Question, can any qualify why Funes Mori has been dropped in place for Stones for the past few games!? He's done nothing wrong nor is he injured.


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