Injured Baines returning to Everton

, 14 November, 73comments  |  Jump to most recent
Roberto Martinez's injury woes increased today with the news that Leighton Baines has been withdrawn from the England squad to face Slovenia and Scotland after suffering an injury in training.

The 29 year-old will return to Finch Farm for treatment with what is believed to be a hamstring strain, joining James McCarthy room who is out of Ireland's Euro2016 qualifier with a similar problem.

England manager Roy Hodgson, who will only have Kieran Gibbs as a deputy for Baines for the two international games blamed Everton's fixture load for the injury.

"I think Leighton Baines's injury might be the accumulation of Everton playing a lot of games recently," he said.

"He obviously felt something wasn't right [and] we'll have to wait until the experts do their analysis to see how bad it is."  



Reader Comments (73)

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Tony Sullivan
1 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:28:31
Cue Oviedo
Mike Oates
2 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:27:04
How many hamstrings have we had go this year, Coleman, Baines, Mirallas, McCarthy, just unlucky or something not quite right with our conditioning.
Linda Morrison
3 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:34:25
Mike I don't think you can lay the blame for Baines being injured at Everton's door. He was fine until he went on International duty.

We are going to be up the creek without a paddle for the West Ham game the way this is going.

We are rapidly running out of bodies. If we lose all 3 of the recent people, Barry, Baines and McCarthy for any length of time it will be really hard going with all the festive fixtures coming up.

Hamstrings usually never take less than 3-4 weeks to recover.

Nev Renshaw
4 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:36:34
Oh bollocks. Not another one. We were certainly at the back of the queue when luck was given out.
Barry McNally
5 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:40:42
FFS
Linda Morrison
6 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:41:17
Nev the way this season is going I don't think we were even in the queue!
Michael Polley
7 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:42:48
Unbelievable!!!!! Who will be next ???
James Morgan
8 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:44:32
Do England train on on an ice rink or something? Injuries on duty with them are commonplace it seems.
Baines is fit as a fiddle for us!
Phil Rodgers
9 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:39:41
I really hate the international break more than anything in football at the moment. 11 games in and this is the third! Is this normal or does this happen every season because I honestly don't remember them being so regular. Its so tedius, I love the world cup and the euros but the qualifiers are rubbish and I'm sure its having a detremental effect on the league. Sorry for the rant, but this is the straw that broke the camels back..
Patrick Murphy
10 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:49:24
It is another body blow to the team and as someone said earlier the chances are LB won't be back until early December. But in adversity an opportunity arises for some other players possibly Garbutt.
Brian Harrison
11 Posted 14/11/2014 at 16:57:21
Seems like most clubs are suffering from the dreaded hamstring injury. I would love to know how many players are injured due to hamstring trouble and not just Everton.
Tony J Williams
12 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:03:55
Fecking seriously?

Balls!

Steavey Buckley
13 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:05:27
There appears to be something wrong with the training methods of the England manager, Roy Hodgson, with so many players getting injured. One gets the feeling, that because players are with their national teams for such a short period of time, proper care and attention is not given, which players would receive with their respective clubs. This is not the first time this has been mentioned.
Linda Morrison
14 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:12:23
I don't know if I'm getting paranoid but I am really thinking someone has put a curse on the club this season.

I've never known a time like it for long term injuries. I think so far there are only a couple of players from the first team who have escaped, although no doubt there time will come.

No wonder the team is stop start it's a different team every bloody week!

Brian Cleveland
15 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:20:19
Shall I say it again? ANOTHER feckin hamstring injury? I'm too lazy to do it, but does anyone have any idea how many of those we've had in the last couple of seasons?
Tony J Williams
16 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:25:11
A lot Brian
Jamie Barlow
17 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:29:09
This season is really starting to get on my tits!!
Phil Smith
18 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:30:58
I'm not so worried about this. I know Baines has been more like the player of two years ago but we do have options at left back. Good opportunity for other boys to come in and do a job. My glass is totally half full.
Steavey Buckley
19 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:43:00
Tony Sullivan: Costa Rica have a game next Thursday all the way across in central America; when Everton will be playing WHA on Saturday.
Ajay Gopal
20 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:35:29
Oh no! Not Baines...Just keeping my fingers crossed that there are no further injuries for our boys this week and next.
But, an opportunity for Luke Garbutt maybe. Our present injury list reads:

Kone
Oviedo
Stones
Mirallas
Baines
Barry
McCarthy
Alcaraz

I guess Pienaar, Lukaku and Gibson are alright ?

Ross Edwards
21 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:51:15
Just one blow after another. Is Oviedo still injured? If so, it's over to Luke Garbutt.
Adam Luszniak
22 Posted 14/11/2014 at 18:10:27
So, there's no indication of what the injury actually is? Or how long the recovery period will be?
Brian Garside
23 Posted 14/11/2014 at 18:16:18
Oviedo or Garbutt. No problem.
Sue Brown
24 Posted 14/11/2014 at 17:58:07
We never get any luck do we!

But seriously the number of hamstrings is worrying considering the advances in sports science/ training methods we keep hearing about, and the excellent facilities available,and I include all clubs in that not just Everton.

Shit happens, but at least we do have cover at left back. Just get well soon Bainesy.

Jamie Barlow
25 Posted 14/11/2014 at 18:21:34
Players are too fit. Everything's snapping and pulling because they are wound up too tight. I can't remember seeing a season like this for injuries and not just at Everton.

Either that or the players are getting softer.

Sam Hoare
26 Posted 14/11/2014 at 18:26:41
Well at least we might have some corners clear the first man! Hopefully its not too bad and in Oviedo and Garbutt we have some very decent cover.

Could be a very different looking team for the visit of in form West Ham.

Colin Glassar
27 Posted 14/11/2014 at 19:04:43
Garbutt and/or Oviedo are good enough cover. Bainsey took his chance when naysmith/Valente(?) we're injured. This is one position were we've got decent cover.
Jim Knightley
28 Posted 14/11/2014 at 19:03:40
Fuck.

It's fair to expect some injuries, but this season is ridiculous. We got relatively lucky in terms of the first 11 last season, but a fair few bad ones to squad players (Oviedo, GIbson, Kone etc), but we are losing the essential players this season.

I expect that McCarthy is the only one of the three we have lost this week who could feature against West Ham.

Paul Hewitt
29 Posted 14/11/2014 at 19:16:47
Are we cursed? this is getting beyond a joke now.
Patrick Murphy
30 Posted 14/11/2014 at 19:29:14
I think Leighton Baines's injury might be the accumulation of Everton playing a lot of games recently not my opinion but that of England boss Roy Hodgson. If that's what he really believes then why did he not leave him out of his squad - Idiot!
Jim Bennings
31 Posted 14/11/2014 at 19:43:06
All we need now is a injury to Coleman or Jagielka and we are going to see Besic marking Carroll next weekend, fucking joke this now.

I don't know where Oviedo is fitness wise but he's going to have to be ready, there's no way you can just throw Garbutt in at left back in the Premier League.

Left back or right back for that matter is a hard job of balancing both defence and attack and trying to perfect the art otherwise teams exploit your weakness.

Shit

Patrick Murphy
32 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:02:08
Jim - Is your theme song "Always look on the bright side of life"?
Mark Frere
33 Posted 14/11/2014 at 19:57:23
Dissappointing of course, but as already stated on this thread we have plenty of cover. Oviedo was suberb last season when he came in for Baines, and was arguably better than Baines. The big question is, is Oviedo the same player he was last season? That was an horrific leg break he suffered.

There's also Garbutt who can come in and he looked very impressive in the League Cup tie against Swansea. The lad has a wicked left foot.

Positives can always come out of injuries to players. It can give opportunities to others. We also have plenty of cover in central midfield and it will give Besic and perhaps Gibson much needed game time.

I think the player we've missed the most is Mirallas because we don't have good cover in that position; a real shame Deulofeu still isn't here, could've been a real gem for us this season.

Patrick Murphy
34 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:03:24
BTW - Jim do you remember that Kevin Ratcliffe made his debut at Old Trafford as an untested youngster and he was man of the match as I said earlier sometimes not very often admittedly, injuries give opportunities to fringe players or up and coming youngsters, it's up to them to take them.
Phil Walling
36 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:15:55
The biggest of all blows would be the loss of Howard. Thank goodness he's having a season off from Internationals.
Paul Ellam
37 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:21:36
Oviedo - simples!
Gavin McGarvey
38 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:36:07
Baines will be a miss, and hopefully he won't be out for long. Like most on here, I take some comfort from the fact that unlike RB (fingers crossed for Coleman) we have two other Left Backs one of whom is decent, and the other a bit of an unknown quantity.

This does however make me think back to Martinez's we need 7 more comment that he rolled back from. Though at least in this position there is decent cover. Our squad is beginning to look dangerously threadbare.

Still in adversity and all that, who knows maybe we'll come out of it stronger. The last manager seemed to do better when the chips were down; I think Roberto might be cut from similar cloth. COYB

Andy Meighan
39 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:25:54
Why do we think weÂ’re the only side that gets injuries? Even at near full strength this season, weÂ’ve been shit to watch, so we canÂ’t blame injuries on that, can we? It happens to every side, so weÂ’ll have to deal with it.
Colin Glassar
40 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:49:12
Totally agree with your last point Gavin, OFM always seemed to improve when the team was down to its bare bones. Hopefully Roberto be the same.
Jim Bennings
41 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:54:52
Patrick

Ratcliffe was a totally different era in football, the game has changed massively.

I'd be all for seeing Garbutt but it would be a big ask for the lad ,yes he played in the League Cup but it seemed nobody gave a shit about that match, it was played like a training session.

I would like to see Oviedo fit and playing, he's a great player with a fantastic hunger for the game.

Patrick Murphy
42 Posted 14/11/2014 at 21:00:21
If we never use the youngsters in meaningful games, we will never find out if they can cut it or not. Yes, the eras are different... but the principles are the same. Also, I don't see Oviedo as a left-back.
Jim Bennings
43 Posted 14/11/2014 at 20:59:23
I actually thought our best spell of football last season was when Oviedo had that run in the team due to Baines being out with a injury.

I do recall that was Moyes's major strength, working in the face of adversity, injuries etc. That was Moyes's stock and trade yet, when he had the tools to work with, he couldn't always live up to it.

Let's see if Martinez has a strong plan; we''ll find out over the next few weeks.

Mark Frere
44 Posted 14/11/2014 at 21:17:23
Patrick (42) - you don't see Oviedo as a LB? I thought he was excellent defensively and very good going forward when played at LB. I thought he looked every bit a LB last season.

He has shown in the past he can do a decent job in different positions, but I definitely thought Bryan played his best football filling in for Baines.

Patrick Murphy
45 Posted 14/11/2014 at 21:27:37
Fair enough, Mark and Jim, but I like him further forward.
Colin Glassar
46 Posted 14/11/2014 at 21:52:55
I've always thought Oviedo was the natural successor to Pienaar but he can deffo do a job at LB.
Mike Oates
47 Posted 14/11/2014 at 21:56:56
The one thing which niggles me is that Roberto has played a number of players in every game he can – Jags, Baines, Barry, McCarthy, now 3 out of the 4 are injured. If he's going to rotate, then for goodness sake, rotate! We have had Garbutt, Browning, Besic, all available to come in and relieve the above mentioned players, 2 of which have injuries which can be associated with fatigue.

He'll quite happily rotate Pienaar, McGeady, Naismith, Osman, Lukaku, Eto'o, Barkley... then why not Barry, McCarthy and Baines? I know they are quality players but in today's game they can't play every game!

Phil Walling
48 Posted 14/11/2014 at 22:21:10
Can we try to leave aside what Moyes would have done and how he made all these massive discoveries about the skills of players he had never given a chance to before he was forced to?

None of it has any relevance. We are about to find out what Martinez is made of in adversity. Much more interesting. Let's wish him well.

Trevor Lynes
49 Posted 14/11/2014 at 22:19:32
Garbutt will come good but he is a quiet lad. A lot like Baines when he came into the first team. Stones has stepped up to the plate and so has Barkley so I have no qualms about Garbutt playing if Baines and Oviedo are not 100%.

I really do not like the idea of playing Distin at left back as I reckon players being out of position is a kick in the teeth for the likes of Garbutt. We need to have Coleman, Jagielka and Distin in their normal positions.

We will still have the headache of playing Besic in place of Barry and who knows if McCarthy will be fit for our next game. Perhaps Browning could be played in an emergency ????

I do not see Barkley in defensive midfield, he needs to be further forward running at defenders and scoring a goal or two. Our attacking players are unaffected at present and the same starters could be used for the West Ham game. It is the defence that needs tinkering with to cover the spate of injuries.

Bill Gall
50 Posted 14/11/2014 at 22:30:35
Did Oviedo not play at left back when he scored against Man Utd last season at Old Trafford?

Jim (#41),

Yes, football has changed massively but mostly on the tactical side of play and surely in Racliffe's time players still had to sprint and stretch in to tackles that the majority of hamstring injuries occur from.
.

Steve Jenkins
51 Posted 14/11/2014 at 22:52:37
Agreed, we have good cover. I’m a big fan of Ovideo and I’ve been waiting for Garbutt to get a bit of game time.
John Malone
52 Posted 14/11/2014 at 23:16:55
I don't recall getting all these hamstring injuries when Moyes was in charge of the pre-season training.
Ian Black
53 Posted 14/11/2014 at 23:22:49
Really looking forward to next week when we have a short break from the internationals and have a rare Premier League game.
James Stewart
54 Posted 14/11/2014 at 23:42:44
Bloody hamstrings this season! If Oveido is fit, it might be a blessing. I thought our best spell under RM came with him in the side at left back.
Gavin Johnson
55 Posted 15/11/2014 at 03:36:35
I can't recall Oviedo even being on the bench since he came on at Old Trafford. While normally he'd be the one to replace Baines, he can't be match-fit judging by his absence from the bench over the last few games, so I wouldn't risk him as a starter. Otherwise he'll probably do his hamstring in (it seems the customary injury to be nursing at Finch Farm since Bobby took over).

I think Garbutt should get a chance – he did look the most impressive out of the youngsters in pre-season. If not, him, along with Conor McAleny need some urgent first team action in the championship come January, else they've got no chance of ever breaking into our team.

Matt Traynor
56 Posted 15/11/2014 at 05:14:46
Bill #50 "Did Oviedo not play at left back when he scored against Man Utd last season at Old Trafford."

He did. And for me the most telling photograph was the one that showed that the other player furthest forward in the Man Utd area (last 5 mins when it was 0-0) was Coleman.

Steve Brown
58 Posted 15/11/2014 at 07:55:12
Unbelievable now. Only bright spot is that Kevin will be back very soon.
David Greenwood
59 Posted 15/11/2014 at 08:46:30
All clubs suffer injuries, we just need to get on with it. We are not the only team with injuries, Man Utd have suffered more than us this season, and I've just read that De Gea has suffered a hand injury on international duty.

An injury to one player means an opportunity for someone else. Time for Luke Garbutt to step up and take his chance.

Chris James
60 Posted 15/11/2014 at 09:01:46
Can I be the first to say ’Fuck off, England’.

I can’t see anything good that we’ve got out of our players being on international duty. Jags and Bainesy both looked off the pace at the start of the season and for a few games the former seemed to have forgotten how to defend. Surely I can’t be the only one to think that summer sojourn in Brazil and the inspired tactics of Woy’s Woeful Wovers have something to do with it.

The whole approach and setup of the national team has been uninspiring for years, if not downright toxic. Quite apart from the ever present injury problems, players can have their heads filled with stupid confusing tactics, turned to bigger clubs, or given an unmerited ego boost.

And for what? I know it used to be a huge privilege to play for your country, but nowadays I can’t help feeling international football is as much nuisance as honour.

The standard of football is frankly poor. It’s well below that of the top leagues (inevitable when you have to cobble together a group of players in short-time against unfamiliar opposition) and if you set a top-flight Premier League or La Liga team against virtually any international side, I know who my money would be on. Part of the excitement of World Cups used to come from clashing styles (I remember the relentless wide-open attacking of the African sides and Brazil’s showboating happily) but these days there’s much less of this with managers more pragmatic and players themselves all spread across Europe anyway.

England are especially poor to watch these days, lacking the old fire-and-fight approach to ally with the apparent lack of basic technical skills whose roots lie at school level and our fundamental approach to ’playing’. Watch Spanish kids in a school-yard and it’s all about who can score the most stylish goal or keep the ball for longest, Dutch football at youth level is actively non-competitive, but in England I feel it’s still very much ’show commitment and win at all costs’ with goals a premium and crunching tackles celebrated.

The prospects of the national team are also fundamentally hamstrung (pardon the pun) by the fundamental state of the league structure which does NOT care one jot about nurturing young and gifted British footballers but needs to buy winners right now from wherever they can get them at the best price. Those people who rail against immigration in favour of nationalism (nb: I’m not one of them) should perhaps turn their attention against Eastern Europeans desperate for a minimum-wage job to support their families and look a little higher up the tree at the multi-millionaire footballers (many of whom are deeply average at their profession) flooding the game and crowding out home grown players (meanwhile likely employing an army of tax consultants as most of the super-rich do to ensure they pay as little as possible).

Ultimately there’s a lot of issues there and some conflicting, but my main fundamental question is ’What is international football good for anymore?’

It disrupts the ’real’ game that most people care about and which actually funds the players wages (the impending farce in Qatar that will have to see European football season restructured is admittedly a new height of ludicrosity), it’s long-since been surpassed by the leagues in quality, skill, tactics and excitement and I’d wager that most fans have ten times more allegiance to their league team than to their national one.

The dwindling following of our national side (and the fact that more are expected to turn up to support the women’s game) suggests that there’s many like me who can’t even be bothered to tune in anymore.

(As for the practicalities I’d start stepping up Oviedo’s match-training.)

Philip Roberts
61 Posted 15/11/2014 at 10:10:32
My lad watched the England U21s the other night and he said afterwards, "I can't wait for Bainesy to retire, cos Garbutt was fucking awesome", his words not mine! (I don't think he really meant it.)

A bit over the top I know, but he's usually a good judge of a player. I think he was a bit worried we might lose him if he's not getting a game.

Me personally, I would have no worries with either Garbutt or Oviedo starting if Baines is out for any length of time.

Les Fitzpatrick
62 Posted 15/11/2014 at 10:30:27
Hope you gave your lad a cuff round the ear, swearing like that within your earshot... so disrectful in my opinion.
Just sayin like I see it.
Alan McGuffog
63 Posted 15/11/2014 at 10:46:22
When / if we ever move to a new stadium, can we make sure it is not on the site of another Native American burial site. Please!
Jim Knightley
64 Posted 15/11/2014 at 10:47:37
I definitely think the World Cup affected us, Chris, and especially Jags. He started poorly because of the World Cup imo, and in particular, because his confidence was hit. Hodgson is such an average manager, and we will achieve nothing with him charge.

Personally I love summer international tournaments, although I can't get really get up for friendlies or the many meaningless qualifying matches.

Garbutt is 21 now, and looks very promising. He will not adequately replace Baines, who is the attacking left back in the Prem, but he deserves a shot.

Phil Walling
65 Posted 15/11/2014 at 10:34:29
Decent rant that, Chris!

Ask most ardent club supporters and they don't give a stuff for International football. Even in the World Cup summer most of us were more concerned about the health and well-being of 'our' players than the fortunes of the participating teams.

I think that since the globalisation of the club game via the Premier League, we can all see world-wide stars every week and this must be even more the case for regular Champions League participant clubs. And hey, it's difficult to get too excited about England v San Marino when we might have a derby game the following week!

The money grabbing Fifa's and Uefa's inclusion of 'no-hopers' in the build-up to finals stage has devalued their product no end. Okay, maybe if they competed on a knock-out basis, but these interminable qualifying leagues bore the arse off everyone – including the players, It's like if Everton had to face conference teams every other week!

Recent gates at Wembley have shown that 'the international product' is fooked but it MIGHT just have provided a break for a young player here that few of us saw coming anytime soon!

Anthony Hughes
66 Posted 15/11/2014 at 10:57:24
Hopefully if Garbutt is required to come in and cover for Baines then he will do okay. I watched him the other night in England U-21s and whilst good going forward he looked a little ropey defensively. It was his error which lead to Portugal's goal but he needs some first team action to give him experience and to learn the position and his decision making.

So if Baines is out then, purely on the fact that Garbutt's match fitness is better than Oviedo's at the minute, it needs to be him to cover.

Paul Dark
67 Posted 15/11/2014 at 11:17:45
I've never liked Everton players participating in internationals, and especially for England whose medical and training set-ups leave a lot to be desired.

Our player of the season so far, too, in my view.

Three points against the Hammers a must!

COYB!

Max Wilson
68 Posted 15/11/2014 at 11:43:53
I don't think Leighton will be out for very long. As soon as he felt something was wrong he stopped playing and came off. It sounds like a strain rather than a pulled hamstring, similar to McCarthy. Both will need to rest up, have things like heat treatment. As for a replacement, Oviedo without a moment's doubt. It's a no-brainer! (and for McCarthy? Besic has the legs, the fire and the technical).
Derek Knox
69 Posted 15/11/2014 at 11:34:19
Jamie# 17

'This season is really starting to get on my tits!!'

I know, it's totally infuriating mate, and it seems to be hitting us more than other sides, this injury curse. However, as many other TW'ers have mentioned, left back is one position that we have adequate replacements for, in Oviedo (if he's ready) and Garbutt.

So, while disappointed that LB will be out for a bit, just like others when hitting top form, I am reasonably confident that either of the two mentioned, will do the job.

Now midfield (Barry and McCarthy) is a different kettle of fish, and leaves us in a much more worrying position.

By the way, I'd have a word with your doctor about those Manboobs. :-)

Mike Powell
70 Posted 15/11/2014 at 12:02:47
I donÂ’t give a fuck about England. IÂ’m only interested in Everton. These friendlies are a waste of space. I hope Baines is back for the West Ham game and I hope nothing happens to Jags.
Dave Pritchard
71 Posted 15/11/2014 at 12:03:47
Don't think we can really blame internationals for our current injuries as Oviedo, Mirallas, McCarthy, Barry, Alcaraz and Kone were all injured playing for us. Similarly with Coleman before that.
We will miss Baines though, as much for his assists as anything else.
Dave Pritchard
72 Posted 15/11/2014 at 12:17:47
Add Stones to the list above. God I'm depressed now
Harold Matthews
73 Posted 15/11/2014 at 12:20:14
Yes, going forward, Garbutt was Baines Mk 2 but his defending was not up to scratch and the Portugese sussed it out. His heading, in particular, was very weak and amateurish. Needs a few lessons off Gibbo who seems to be a very powerful header of the ball.

Don't know the big lad who took his place but he threw the ball miles without effort.

John Crook
74 Posted 15/11/2014 at 12:41:02
Baines is out for 2 weeks only apparently. If Oviedo is still not fit then surely it's a chance for Garbutt next week.
Mike Childs
75 Posted 15/11/2014 at 13:37:53
Phil very sad and true post number 36. Absolute number 1 priority is a replacement.

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