18: Phil Neville - Captain Fantastic

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2009/07/30/everton-fc-latest-phil-neville-hails-joleon-lescott-s-form-100252-24276140/

Everton will wait until Monday morning to assess the full extent of Phil Neville's injury. The Blues' captain had to be stretchered off the field in the 77th minute following a challenge from Fulham's Dickson Etuhu. Everton's medical team revealed following the 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage that Neville had sustained a bad cut to his left knee. Neville left London on crutches with the rest of his Everton team mates and will undergo a scan in the next 24 hours. Manager David Moyes said: "Phil has a gash in his knee." “He will travel home on the team bus and not have to go to hospital. We think it’s okay. I’ve not had chance to speak to medical team yet." Ironically, Dickson Etuhu was a Preston North End player during Moyes' time at Deepdale. “I know Dickson quite well and I don’t think he is that kind of player," added the boss. "I think he was a bit late in getting there. It used to be the way of the world." “If that’s the way the ref is going to let the game go nowadays I’d be delighted. But that’s not how it works in football these days. I thought it merited at least a free-kick and maybe a booking." “I think we now have a rule if you tackle with your trailing leg coming through then it’s a foul. That at least happened. It was missed. It was a bad miss by the referee."


Now would be a bad thing if Pip was to miss a couple of games, let Moyes have a bit of a re-shuffle in the middle of the park???

Super wrote:Everton will wait until Monday morning to assess the full extent of Phil Neville's injury. The Blues' captain had to be stretchered off the field in the 77th minute following a challenge from Fulham's Dickson Etuhu. Everton's medical team revealed following the 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage that Neville had sustained a bad cut to his left knee. Neville left London on crutches with the rest of his Everton team mates and will undergo a scan in the next 24 hours. Manager David Moyes said: "Phil has a gash in his knee." “He will travel home on the team bus and not have to go to hospital. We think it’s okay. I’ve not had chance to speak to medical team yet." Ironically, Dickson Etuhu was a Preston North End player during Moyes' time at Deepdale. “I know Dickson quite well and I don’t think he is that kind of player," added the boss. "I think he was a bit late in getting there. It used to be the way of the world." “If that’s the way the ref is going to let the game go nowadays I’d be delighted. But that’s not how it works in football these days. I thought it merited at least a free-kick and maybe a booking." “I think we now have a rule if you tackle with your trailing leg coming through then it’s a foul. That at least happened. It was missed. It was a bad miss by the referee."


Now would be a bad thing if Pip was to miss a couple of games, let Moyes have a bit of a re-shuffle in the middle of the park???

The problem is - Moyes doesnt have an awful lot of options.

Options 1 -He can either move Osman inside - and give Bilyaledinoc RM

Option 2- stick Cahill and Fellaini in the middle again.

I think Heitenga in midfield would be waste and he badly needed in defense right now.

When I saw the tackle on Neville first time it looked bad. But in slow motion it is x-certificate!! Etuhu went in studs first and caught Neville just below the knee (ouch). It should have been a free kick at the very least but the ref just played on.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/football-news/2009/09/13/everton-fc-boss-moyes-fumes-over-challenge-on-phil-neville-55578-24679563/

On replacing Neville at DM, Rodwell and Hetinga will be good candidates. We should pull Osman into the middle, where he plays better and play Gosling wide.

Dunno why Neville went in to the challenge tbh, could see it was gonna end in tears.

Top Balcony Blue wrote:Dunno why Neville went in to the challenge tbh, could see it was gonna end in tears.

Cos he's a professional footballer and never shirks his responsibility. If he'd pulled out, he's have had the people on his back, shouting "Fucking hell, Phil. Get stuck into them!!"

Bigger problem will be AEK this thursday as Hibbo is banned for red card in last game and Heittenga is not available due to being cup tied until January.

Maybe put Gosling at RB, Ossie in the middle with Rodwell and Billy on the wing.

Tonteau wrote:

Top Balcony Blue wrote:Dunno why Neville went in to the challenge tbh, could see it was gonna end in tears.

Cos he's a professional footballer and never shirks his responsibility. If he'd pulled out, he's have had the people on his back, shouting "Fucking hell, Phil. Get stuck into them!!"

he didn't need to make that tackle in the middle of the park just like he didn't need to barge into the players back on the edge of the box. i'm not questioning his desire or commitment, i just don't think he needed to go into the tackle... fuck what anyone thinks in the stands

Top Balcony Blue wrote:

Tonteau wrote:

Top Balcony Blue wrote:Dunno why Neville went in to the challenge tbh, could see it was gonna end in tears.

Cos he's a professional footballer and never shirks his responsibility. If he'd pulled out, he's have had the people on his back, shouting "Fucking hell, Phil. Get stuck into them!!"

he didn't need to make that tackle in the middle of the park just like he didn't need to barge into the players back on the edge of the box. i'm not questioning his desire or commitment, i just don't think he needed to go into the tackle... fuck what anyone thinks in the stands

The barging into players on the edge of the area thing I agree with, but this was a 50/50 ball in the centre of the park, it's the kind of challenge our players need to contest. Both players got a piece of it, but one went in sliding on the floor and one went in studs first with both feet off the ground. You can't legislate for the shithouse raking his studs down neville's leg. I've seen neville challenge for that kind of ball plenty of times before and he's never got seriously hurt. It's just the player he is, he was never going to back out of that challenge.

Top Balcony Blue wrote:

Tonteau wrote:

Top Balcony Blue wrote:Dunno why Neville went in to the challenge tbh, could see it was gonna end in tears.

Cos he's a professional footballer and never shirks his responsibility. If he'd pulled out, he's have had the people on his back, shouting "Fucking hell, Phil. Get stuck into them!!"

he didn't need to make that tackle in the middle of the park just like he didn't need to barge into the players back on the edge of the box. i'm not questioning his desire or commitment, i just don't think he needed to go into the tackle... fuck what anyone thinks in the stands

or watching on the telly

Tonteau wrote:

Top Balcony Blue wrote:

Tonteau wrote:

Top Balcony Blue wrote:Dunno why Neville went in to the challenge tbh, could see it was gonna end in tears.

Cos he's a professional footballer and never shirks his responsibility. If he'd pulled out, he's have had the people on his back, shouting "Fucking hell, Phil. Get stuck into them!!"

he didn't need to make that tackle in the middle of the park just like he didn't need to barge into the players back on the edge of the box. i'm not questioning his desire or commitment, i just don't think he needed to go into the tackle... fuck what anyone thinks in the stands

The barging into players on the edge of the area thing I agree with, but this was a 50/50 ball in the centre of the park, it's the kind of challenge our players need to contest. Both players got a piece of it, but one went in sliding on the floor and one went in studs first with both feet off the ground. You can't legislate for the shithouse raking his studs down neville's leg. I've seen neville challenge for that kind of ball plenty of times before and he's never got seriously hurt. It's just the player he is, he was never going to back out of that challenge.

i think that ball was always 70/30 in etuhu's favour - he just got there first.

neville timed it all wrong and got hurt.

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/neville-has-ligament-damage.html


lengthy lay off ;(

Diamond wrote:http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/neville-has-ligament-damage.html


Lenghty lay off ;(

Terrible news! I reckon 3 months minimum.

That is just awful news.

Cahill the Great wrote:

Diamond wrote:http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/neville-has-ligament-damage.html


Lenghty lay off ;(

Terrible news! I reckon 3 months minimum.

Try 6 to 8 months and at 32 he may never play again