Everton midfielder Sigurdsson may be out for season
There are stories in the media today that Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson has picked up a potentially serious injury in last weekend’s win over Brighton and will be out possibly for the rest of the season.
In a campaign of seemingly never-ending problems and injuries for Everton, this would be the latest blow to the Blues and manager Sam Allardyce.
It’s true that Sigurdsson has not reached the heights that were expected of him when he joined for a club record fee in the summer. But there have been signs in recent matches that he is getting close to his best.
Particularly in the Burnley game Sigurdsson looked sharp, full of energy and was the fulcrum of Everton’s best football in the first half especially.
He won the ball and started the move that eventually led to Cenk Tosun’s goal as Everton took a lead they ultimately weren’t able to hold onto.
So if he’s out for a prolonged period of time how do Everton deal with it?
Going forward immediately is the game away at Stoke City. Everton must stick with essentially the same team that beat Brighton (obviously minus Sigurdsson if he’s out injured!).
It’s been so rare this season that the Blues have been able to field the same eleven for two games in a row and it will create a feeling of confidence and continuity.
Stoke are a similar side to Brighton. Under Paul Lambert they have returned to being a team based on solid, organised defence and looking to make themselves tough to break down.
Pace and width are the keys to unlocking a side playing this way as the win over Brighton underlined. Of course one thing that might help Everton is the fact that Stoke will surely be looking to try to win the match and so play a bit more adventurously.
They are at home, are desperate for points and will have seen in Everton a side they might beat, given the Blues indifferent form this season, especially away from home.
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This just might play into Everton’s hands. Both Blues’ full-backs, Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman, are fit and firing again.
And with the attacking threat out wide of Theo Walcott and Yannick Bolasie hopefully Everton can exploit the space that a more attacking Stoke team could leave.
Longer term if Sigurdsson is out for the rest of this season, then Wayne Rooney needs to really step up and take on the mantel of playmaker.
Rooney’s form has been patchy this season like so many others, but Everton need a strong last quarter of the season from him.
Lastly let’s hope it’s not too serious and injury and he can recover as quickly as possible and be ready to make a really telling contribution to a much better season in 2018-19.