Lookman omitted because of groin injury

Wednesday, 29 August, 2018 44comments  |  Jump to most recent

Ademola Lookman was one of a number of players left out of this evening's League Cup tie against Rotherham because of injury.

The winger's absence from the team this season has fuelled speculation linking him with a move to Red Bull Leipzig, but the club's official line is that he has a groin problem.

Lookman was joined on the injury list this week by Bernard, who picked up a muscle strain in training that will be fully assessed tomorrow, Idrissa Gueye, who has a knee injury, and Phil Jagielka who was suspended tonight anyway but sustained a knee cartilage problem and is out for three weeks.

There was more bad news for Andre Gomes as well. The Portuguese midfielder faces a further three weeks on the sidelines after suffering a set-back in his recovery from the hamstring strain he picked up in pre-season.  



Reader Comments (44)

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Lewis Barclay
1 Posted 29/08/2018 at 19:58:10
If Lookman goes given half the team are injured, that would seem a little foolish!
Pat Kelly
2 Posted 29/08/2018 at 20:02:17
Bollocks. Lookman is off so not being played.
Harry Hockley
3 Posted 29/08/2018 at 20:37:37
You couldn't make it up.
Eugene Kearney
4 Posted 29/08/2018 at 20:44:35
The fact that he's included Sandro, who is supposedly very close to a loan move back to Spain, might mean that Silva is giving him another chance to prove what he's worth and possibly stay and come good for us or be sold in the next window?

He's playing quite well tonight and he got the assist in.

Minik Hansen
5 Posted 29/08/2018 at 20:54:58
Eugene, I bet Sandro is on a resurgence, as he is surrounded by latinos, see the videoclips of the squad training sessions, he is with Bernard and Co, talking and all, must put him further down to the ground.
David Reid
6 Posted 29/08/2018 at 21:22:45
I will be pleasantly surprised if Lookman is not in Germany this weekend.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been given enough game time to prove if he was good enough for the Premier League and, if reports concerning his media account are true, perhaps its best for both parties he moves on.

So the arguement will revolve around those who think pounds in the pocket is better than the player on the pitch.

Gordon White
7 Posted 29/08/2018 at 21:52:06
It will be good for us to make decent money from a want-away player. Particularly after the RB Leipzig fiasco.

Jay Harris
8 Posted 29/08/2018 at 23:56:33
David,

I don't think it's a case of pounds in the pockets — it's more a case of getting the negativity out of the dressing room.

Simon Smith
9 Posted 30/08/2018 at 01:08:51
let's be honest Lookman is gone.
Lee Brownlie
10 Posted 30/08/2018 at 01:16:47
Seems to me Lookman wanted to be begged to stay, wasn't, and went (on loan) with the hump.

When it didn't ultimately work out as he'd wished, he came back (to an updated squad), still with the hump.

He hasn't shown any personal wish to really be here and get stuck in to winning a place so, for me, he can fuck off again. Gladly. Simples.

Karl Meighan
11 Posted 30/08/2018 at 01:26:32
£25M for Lookman is good business; if he does think he deserves a starting place without having earned it, let him go and get the price we want.
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

12 Posted 30/08/2018 at 01:43:56
Harry @ 3:

"You couldn't make it up."

Read this thread and the matchday thread.

Plenty do and are.

Andy Mead
13 Posted 30/08/2018 at 05:21:27
Who really knows what's happening? Remember everybody questioning Lennon when he wasn't playing and he turned out to be battling a mental health issue. None of us know the truth yet so let's just take it as is. He is injured, no more to it than that.

Anyway, if he does end up leaving, it's no great loss, is it? He is hardly a first-team regular is he?

John McGimpsey
15 Posted 30/08/2018 at 08:04:09
Taxi, I say.
Derek Knox
16 Posted 30/08/2018 at 14:30:41
My take on this situation, for what it's worth, is that both M&M have said they want him to stay, he has only featured very sparingly pre-season, he was on the bench against Saints but unused.

It seems that he still wants to go despite assurances from the new set-up; if this is the case, cash in on him and get the maximum amount possible.

There is absolutely no point in having a player on the books who doesn't want to be there. Whether he has an attitude problem, many have speculated, but there is obviously something not right.

If we can almost treble our outlay, and Charlton benefit too (almost £3M) we get someone in the January window who does want to play for us.

Victor Yu
17 Posted 30/08/2018 at 16:57:57
I believe he is leaving. That's why Silva wants to keep Sandro.
Barry Jones
18 Posted 31/08/2018 at 03:48:03
This boy really doesn't want to be here. That is problematic if he is as talented as we are expected to believe.
Gavin Johnson
19 Posted 31/08/2018 at 04:38:43
Sandro's gone back to Spain. I now think Lookman will be staying. He needs to knuckle down, impress, and then he'll get his move next summer. And it will be a bigger club than Leipzig.
Gary Russell
20 Posted 31/08/2018 at 05:15:25
If he leaves today, it will give a youngster a chance hopefully. Bit too early for Josh Bowler? Maybe another...?
Victor Yu
21 Posted 31/08/2018 at 05:58:32
Bowler isn't even a regular for the U23s. I don't think we can expect him to contribute much if anything yet.
Eddie Dunn
23 Posted 31/08/2018 at 09:52:49
We are all in the dark regarding any negativity on behalf of Lookman. Without any contacts in the canteen or the janitorial area, one can only guess.

As Sandro has been allowed to go on loan, it seems that the lad is staying, so perhaps he is happy with the new set-up.

Chris Gould
24 Posted 31/08/2018 at 10:07:47
Eddie, he posted a picture on Instagram of himself watching Leipzig on the TV. Why do that? It's provocative and unnecessary considering his current situation. He is contracted to a big club and is very lucky to be here.

No problem with him enjoying his time in Leipzig or with him wanting to go back there, but he needs to be more professional.

Oliver Molloy
25 Posted 31/08/2018 at 11:12:49
Lookman really enjoyed his time on loan with RB Leipzig and the football in Germany. Another £20k per week would soften the blow of him leaving his beloved EFC!

Word is he will be moving nowhere this window.

Eddie Dunn
26 Posted 31/08/2018 at 12:51:02
Chris, I've just been on his Instagram pages and there is no such pic, though there is one of him watching cricket... cricket! He should surely have been watching football – so provocative!
Chris Gould
27 Posted 31/08/2018 at 14:11:53
Eddie, he deleted it soon after, but not before many people screenshot it and circulated it.

SSN report that he's staying.

Steve Ferns
28 Posted 31/08/2018 at 14:16:05
Silva made it clear Lookman is going nowhere in his press conference that just finished. He also made it clear Lookman needs to force his way into the side. I doubt he will play tomorrow, even though we are now missing:

- Richarlison
- Bernard (back after the international break)
- Sandro
- Bolasie

So I wonder who will play tomorrow on the left then? Maybe Lookman will get a game and surprise us all? Or perhaps it will be Calvert-Lewin down the right, and Walcott down the left? If so Lookman will surely make the bench?

Brian Harrison
29 Posted 31/08/2018 at 14:37:50
I don't think you can fault what Brands and Silva have done in such a short space of time. They quickly identified the players that they knew wouldnt be part of their set up, and then getting them all away and off the wage bill for this sesason. I wont miss any of those sold or sent out on loan, and possibly the best bit of business might be keeping Lookman at the club. I think if Koeman or heaven forbid Allardyce was here he would have been sold weeks ago.

Marco Silva and Marcel Brands both said how highly they both rated Lookman, and indeed Silva went as far to say that this boy is the present and the future of Everton. That was a big statement and I think they are both right, this boy against Allardyces wishes got himself a loan deal at a Champions league club rather than Derby where Allardyce wanted him to go.
Not only that but he got game time for Leipzig and more importantly scored goals. Just to emphasize how well he did Leipzig were according to reports offer us £22 million for a boy who had only been with them for a couple of months.

Chris Gould
30 Posted 31/08/2018 at 14:40:36
Interesting, Steve, I hope we don't see Sigurdsson shifted out left again.

Maybe a Digne and Baines left combo? Probably not.

Steve Ferns
31 Posted 31/08/2018 at 15:03:09
No chance Chris. You're mistaking Silva for playing a left winger, as in a midfielder. You need to think of the left winger as a left sided striker. Therefore, you'd never play a left back up front.

He has shown that he likes to play Calvert-Lewin and Sandro on the right, when Koeman played them on the left and so did Allardyce for Calvert-Lewin. Silva plays them on the right and moves Walcott to the left.

It would upset the whole balance of the side to play Sigurdsson there, it looked a mess on Wednesday with the front four of Calvert-Lewin, Niasse, Sandro, and Sigurdsson. Sandro stayed wide, mostly on the right, and Niasse and Calvert-Lewin played up top. Mainly Calvert-Lewin at the tip of the spear and Niasse dropping deeper into midfield where all the flaws of his game were horrifyingly magnified. Sigurdsson didn't like being on the left and kept coming inside. This made it a mess to me.

Tosun will lead the line. Silva was very much behind the Turk in his press conference. So, Walcott will be wide, Sigurdsson at the base of the attacking diamond, and therefore, you slot Calvert-Lewin into it (rewarding him for his two-goal display). I'd expect Walcott left and Calvert-Lewin right, as this is what Silva played Walcott Left in the Bournemouth game after Richarlison went off and Calvert-Lewin came on, and then when Walcott came on against Rotherham.

Gavin Johnson
32 Posted 31/08/2018 at 15:29:00
So Lookman will be staying after all. That is fantastic news. Even £28m and add-ons would have been a poor deal for us IMO. The lad had goal and assist stats that matched anyone for mins in the whole Bundesliga. He had a much better record than Timo Werner and Leipzig have put a £100M price tag on his head.

The adage of just like a new signing springs to mind. The lad will get game time this season. Richarlison's suspension has already shown that to be the case. He will be a useful player who can play either wing or even centrally as an alternative to Sigurdsson or Tosun.

Lookman just needs to get his head right now. He's not got his own way so let's hope he looks at the bigger picture and realises he's got to take his chances in the 1st team. Footballs a fickle business. if he doesn't give his best he will be damaging his own career ultimately.

Ray Smith
33 Posted 31/08/2018 at 15:57:35
Gavin 32

Quite right.

He gave the appearance / impression that he would sulk if he didn't get his own way, and was allowed (not sure how) to go behind Allardyce and Walsh's back and arrange his own loan deal with RB Leipzig.

New regime, and you will do as your told, knuckle down and you will earn your reward.

He has a bright future ahead of him, he had his head turned and will hopefully learn from the experience.

Well done Marco, the window is a total distraction and English teams were at a total disadvantage for the last month.

Parity should be in place from now on. Shouldn't it???? We will see!!!

Stan Schofield
36 Posted 31/08/2018 at 16:08:45
There's a lot of assumptions on TW about Lookman's 'attitude', including his attitude under Allardyce. Unless you know something I don't, we know nothing about his attitude.

Silva has made it clear that Lookman is part of the future. He's also said that he's injured. They appear to be the facts. Anything else is speculation.

Chris Gould
37 Posted 31/08/2018 at 16:25:07
Stan, how many 20-year-olds would ignore the advice of their manager and arrange their own loan? It doesn't matter if you like the manager or not. It's about being a professional and respectful.

The reason the kids go to the championship is because it closely resembles the pace and physicality of the premier league. Also, the kid is unlikely to have his head turned and want to stay.

He forced his own loan move and clearly wanted it to become permanent. Silva has admitted that he wanted to go. He also posted Instagram pics that were cryptic at best, provocative at worse.

I think he has an awful lot to prove and hasn't been prepared to knuckle down and put the effort in. We pay him good wages and he should be willing to give everything to succeed with us. He had a season without a lot of playing time because he is very raw and the Premier League is fast and physical. The Bundesliga is a softer option.

He's now staying, so hopefully he'll get his head down and take the opportunities that will come his way. He has a lot to prove.

Tony Everan
38 Posted 31/08/2018 at 16:25:48
I am happy he is staying. I want him to fight for his place and make himself undroppable, helping us to win matches, week-in & week-out.

I think the staff and fans have seen enough to know he has something special. I only want players here who can compete, torment, and win against the top six sides. I think Lookman will come into that category.

Like Chris says above, he has a lot to prove and needs to knuckle down and focus on EFC .

Stan Schofield
39 Posted 31/08/2018 at 16:42:11
Chris, I agree that he has a lot to prove on the pitch. But we know nothing about his attitude.
Chris Gould
40 Posted 31/08/2018 at 16:55:40
Stan, Silva said today that Lookman has to work to take a position in the squad. That in itself suggests he hasn't worked as hard as others.

If his attitude was good then surely he would have got some game time considering the lack of wide options on the bench.

Anyway, hopefully lessons have been learned and we can all move on together.

Steve Ferns
41 Posted 31/08/2018 at 16:57:08
It could be an olive branch scenario to put him on the bench and then bring him on for the last 20.
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

42 Posted 31/08/2018 at 17:01:46
As I've not seen, read or head a single word from Lookman in months, I'm with Stan. There are some highly speculative observations and attributes made about Lookman's character and desires, based on...I'm really not sure what.

I don't quite know how any player can 'arrange their own loan' as claimed without the club who holds his contract and the club loaning him agreeing to it.

I would also like a link to Silva's comments in the public domain that 'admitted Lookman wanted to go'. Or that Silva commented in public that Lookman wasn't in some matchday squad because he was 'sulking', which is another claim repeated more than once on TW.

Not saying that any of the above is categorically not true, but I personally have not seen, read or heard anything from the club or the player suggesting it is the case.

Rather, it has been repeatedly said many times by Silva that he is our player, our present, our future, and is staying. As per his presser today, Silva expressed how wearisome it is to hear the same question about Lookman when he had answered it at each and every presser: he's staying.

Brian Wilkinson
43 Posted 31/08/2018 at 18:14:50
Well done Silva, he knows what he wants and he is rebuilding our team; the style we play is right up Lookmans street, what more could our manager do but tell a Lookman over and over, he is our present and future.

About time we had a manager who is trying to get us winning again and not bowing down to player or agent pressure.

I said before a Koeman came, I would have Silva as my top manager target, a couple of seasons down the line and I am like a dog with two hows your fathers now that we have the guy in.

Make no mistake we will get the best out of Lookman, he has to perform to be selected or if he still has an eye for the future away from Everton, he then has to put himself in the shop window.

I personally think the style of play we have now will change Lookmans mind about a move in the future.

Final note and only an assumption, I think Lookman was not selected Wednesday, with the transfer window still in his mind, fully expect this to change at the weekend, with him getting some game time.

Jon Withey
44 Posted 31/08/2018 at 18:32:33
Are Leipzig stuffed now that energy drinks are being regulated?
Tony Abrahams
45 Posted 31/08/2018 at 18:33:17
Lyon only bid £18 million for Dembelle, I see. I wonder how much Celtic want for them to part with him?
Brian Wilkinson
46 Posted 31/08/2018 at 19:29:18
I think Fulham have snagged a bargain in Mitrovic, not much in today's transfer fee around £22 Million, not to sure how much Celtic wanted foe Dembele but I would have a guess at around the £25 Million mark, Tony.
Steve Ferns
47 Posted 31/08/2018 at 20:53:13
Brian, you wanted Silva in before Koeman came? You mean when Silva was touting himself for a big job after winning the Greek league? Fair play. I wanted Frank de Boer!

After Silva showed promise at Hull, and then got a great start at Watford, then I thought he'd be a good one for us, and that's after having been a casual Sporting fan and watched him manage the club.

Eddie Dunn
48 Posted 31/08/2018 at 21:08:22
Lookman now has to show everyone that he is up for the challenge. I haven't got a clue what has gone on behind the scenes but many on here were lauding his desire to go to Leipzig over Big Sam's Derby preference.

The majority of the players are mercenaries, as are the coaches. We are happy on here to consign A, B and C to the football dustbin, so we can't whinge too much about the player's own hopes and dreams.


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