Allan might miss Brentford trip as Everton curse continues
You couldn’t make it up it’s like some sort of farcical Monty Python scetch as yet another Everton player is injured and is now a doubt for the Brentford game this weekend.
That player is Allan and Everton boss Rafa Benitez has confirmed that the Brazilian picked up a muscle strain in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.
The extent of the problem is still uncertain but it’s very possible – and knowing this club’s luck almost certain – that he won’t be fit for Sunday’s game in West London.
There are no longer words that seem adequate to describe this ridiculous situation with injuries. Honestly, I do feel like this club is cursed and if this continues we may reach a point where the Blues’ struggle to field a recognisable first-team for Premier League matches.
As it is the Toffees effectively don’t have a midfield. Allan joins Andre Gomes, Tom Davies and Abdoulaye Doucoure all of whom are also injured. Even Mason Holgate who could fill in although hardly an option to fill you with confidence, is unavailable through suspension.
And, while there is some hope Doucoure might be passed fit for the weekend that’s also not certain yet.
It only leaves Fabian Delph himself really injury-prone and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who has redefined the concept of the ‘sick note’ player over the last eighteen months or so. And who as Benitez himself admits, is far from ready to carry Everton’s midfield even if he is healthy at last.
If Allan doesn’t make it and Doucoure isn’t yet ready what does Benitez do? In reality I suspect that basically as long as Doucoure can walk he will play, after all with Allan out there is no alternative unless the manager plays Tyler Onyango and that would seem very unlikely, at least from the start anyway.
A hugely controversial choice, to be fair to him Benitez must be wondering why on earth he took this job on. And, to be honest who else would want it if the Spaniard decided he’d had enough and walked away?
Anyway, not only does all this endless bad luck create huge problems for this weekend’s match, the manager then somehow has to plaster together a team to face Liverpool the following week in the derby at Goodison Park.
Even a fully fit Everton side would struggle to cope with them at their best never mind this injury-ravaged squad missing so many key players.
And, the problem is there is then a relentless run of matches coming up in December and the fear is players like Doucoure might get hurt again if they are inevitably rushed back too quickly. That prospect doesn’t bear thinking about.
Whatever team Benitez is able to pick, the Toffees’ really have to beat Brentford as barring a miracle, I fully expect them to get hammered in that derby game.
And if the Blues’ don’t get a result this Sunday and they are heavily beaten by our rivals at the Grand Old Lady, it would as I’ve mentioned before leave Benitez and the club in a very difficult position.