Injury ‘little problems’ make one big issue for Everton

One of the issues to emerge from the recent run of defeats Everton have suffered, are the constant spate of minor injuries that seem to be impacting their players.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has a habit of talking in terms of ‘little problems’ when it comes to various Everton players and their injuries.

However, while none of these injuries seems to be very significant in themselves, they add up to a situation in which a number of his first-choice players are carrying knocks and still playing, therefore risking further aggravating the problems.

The most significant is James Rodriguez. The Toffees’ Colombian attacker was initially hurt in the opening few minutes of the Merseyside derby back on October 17th when he was deliberately targeted for some rough early treatment by Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk, who’s not quite the angelic figure that the media like to portray.

Rodriguez played on throughout that game and didn’t seem overly troubled by it, but then it emerged after the game that he was in fact hurt and was a doubt for the Blues’ upcoming trip to play at Southampton.

It was touch and go whether he would be able to play at St Marys. However, he was passed fit in time and played although his contribution was fitful and he didn’t look 100% at all.

Next up came another away trip to Newcastle United and this time the Colombian didn’t play as his injury problem flared up. Once more Everton were beaten.

Last weekend the Toffees’ hosted Manchester United and went down to a third consecutive loss with Rodriguez now playing again but a largely peripheral figure.

Now we learn that he apparently asked his manager to take him off during that match as he wasn’t feeling able to carry on. Ancelotti has said that his star forward isn’t physically hurt but rather was suffering from fatigue.

I’m sure I speak for all Blues fans when I say I sincerely hope that’s all it is. The problem is that he is now off to South America for another round of international games and the flights and more football certainly won’t help his fatigue.

Another player who has been suffering repeated absences is Andre Gomes. The Portugal midfielder has been in and out of the team for a while and is also currently carrying a knock. This kept him out of contention for the side at Newcastle and also on Saturday.

Gomes hasn’t been anywhere near his best ever since that horrendous injury he suffered back in November against Spurs.

More from Prince Rupert's Tower

• Everton 0 Arsenal 1: Blues fall to third home defeat
• Further chaos in Everton takeover as other lenders not keen on 777 Partners
• Everton need repeat of Arsenal win to kick-start their season on Sunday
• More madness at Everton as Moshiri now agrees to sell club to 777 Partners
• Everton takeover talk cools after UK govt doubts and further questions

I think he came back too quickly and seemed to be playing in an inhibited way almost as if he was worried about getting hurt again. That’s understandable given how serious his injury was, but it has meant his game is nowhere near as effective as it might be.

The Everton boss also has several other players coming back after spells out of the team including Mason Holgate who played at the weekend but also looked off the pace after several months out.

These individually small problems are building into a major one for Ancelotti as he struggles to try and re-start the Blues’ season.

It’s especially difficult because it’s obvious that the Blues’ manager simply doesn’t trust the squad players he has available to him.

At the moment, too many key players seem to be struggling with injury and fatigue, maybe a combination of both and this is one of a number of issues for the Toffees manager to overcome.