Fraser Hornby out for two months

Saturday, 13 October, 2018 23comments  |  Jump to most recent

Fraser Hornby will be out of Everton's U23s side for at least two-month after undergoing surgery on an ankle ligament injury.

The Scottish centre-forward sustained the injury during Everton's Premier League Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers and confirmed on his Twitter account last night that the operation had been successful.

Now 19, Fraser Hornby made his first-team debut last season against Apollon Limassol as the Blues sent a makeshift side to Cyprus for their final Europa League group game.

The striker made a big impression last month while playing for Scotland's U21 team. He grabbed five goals in the wins over Andorra and Holland which fired the Under-21s back into contention in the U21 Euros.

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But he's found it a lot harder in the Under-23s, with only one goal in 10 appearances so far for David Unsworth's high-flying PL2 side.

 

Reader Comments (23)

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Mike Gaynes
1 Posted 13/10/2018 at 15:05:04
Ah, that's got to be a crushing disappointment for the lad – he was playing so well by all accounts.

Heal up fast, son.

Anthony Burke
2 Posted 13/10/2018 at 20:23:06
This lad has a promising future. I'd like to see him in the team squad, at least get the odd few minutes here and there... We have talent on our hands!!!
Ajay Gopal
3 Posted 14/10/2018 at 02:41:43
In better news. apparently Mina, Gomes, McCarthy, Jags and Beni all played in a closed-door 60 min game and came through well. I won't be surprised to see some of them on the bench for next weekend's game. It is exciting to see competition hotting up for all the positions (except maybe the goalkeeper), that can only be good for the team.
Paul Thompson
4 Posted 14/10/2018 at 11:51:19
That's a real shame for the lad. He'd scored some cracking goals for Scotland U21s and was really coming into form.
Tony Everan
5 Posted 15/10/2018 at 09:28:07
Wishing Fraser all the best for a speedy recovery and then to continue his progressive form.
Dave Abrahams
6 Posted 16/10/2018 at 19:47:47
He would have played tonight for Scotland's U23s against England, which England won 2-0, one of the goals was a terrific shot from Keiran Dowell, who played the full match with Calvert-Lewin coming on for the last few minutes.
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

7 Posted 16/10/2018 at 20:17:39
Cracking goal by Dowell, as you say, Dave. Did you notice it was his run at the heart of the Scotland defence that brought the foul for the free-kick from which England scored their opening goal?

Talking of free-kicks, I'm watching a very dull Brazil v Argentina game and, as Neymar fires yet another free-kick into the Argie wall, the commentator says it is more than FOUR YEARS since Brazil scored from a free kick.

Not really what you associate with the Samba boys, is it?

Hoping to see Richarlison come on in the 2nd half.

Kieran Kinsella
8 Posted 16/10/2018 at 20:38:13
What happened to Davies & Kenny with the U21? I know they played the last game while Calvert-Lewin and Lookman also started. They are not injured, are they?
Andrew Keatley
9 Posted 16/10/2018 at 23:08:26
Kieran (8) - England had already qualified for the finals following the Andorra game on Thursday, so this game was a chance for a few of the squad players to get a start. As far as I know, there are no injury concerns to Kenny or Davies – but I don't "know" that... I'm just assuming.
Kieran Kinsella
10 Posted 17/10/2018 at 02:39:52
Thanks, Andrew; that makes sense.
Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 17/10/2018 at 09:20:44
Jay (7), yes, a great goal and he forced the free kick, but I hate to go on about the lad, he just doesn't do enough. He flitters in and out of the game. He was played deeper last night which surprised me as that requires some tackling and that isn't in Kieran's game.

The young kid from Man City came on (Foden?) and immediately wanted the ball and went looking for it. I know he is going to be a very good player. It's still open for Dowell, when is he going to wake up and prove it?

As I say, I must get on some people's nerves going on and on about Kieran's faults – he has all the talent going but it's not enough without the will and the fight to win at all costs.

Brian Williams
12 Posted 17/10/2018 at 09:38:47
Dowell reminds me "a little bit" of one Kevin Sheedy who used to seemingly breeze through games and often not get involved, didn't tackle much, but came up often with absolutely astounding goals and could strike a ball as good as anyone I can remember.

I can also remember those around me (and myself the odd time) slagging Sheedy off for being a lazy so-and-so and shouts of frustration when he wouldn't tackle.

Dowell has the same languid style that Sheedy had but has a long, long way to go before the comparisons become more telling.

Steve Ferns
13 Posted 17/10/2018 at 09:43:46
I agree Dave. Kieran Dowell really could be a player but he seems far too casual. His style doesn't fit in with the all-action, hard-running style that Silva has brought to the first team. If I was dowell I'd be requesting extra training sessions (in the gym) to work on my endurance and trying to adapt my game to the manager.

Dowell is too old to wait for another Everton manager. He either convinces Silva, who does see his quality and rates him enough to tell Brands he didn't want him going out on loan, or he looks for the exit door.

On the subject of Hornby. I like what I've seen from the young lad. But please can we temper expectations. If you look at his goal scoring for the young blues, it's not impressive. He's learning a new position still and that shows when you watch him. He's clearly not a natural finisher in the Tony Cottee / Robbie Fowler mould. He's big and strong, and has a good shot and he can develop further. Give him time but quell expectations.

Did anyone listen to the John Paul Kissock interview on the Echo podcast / website? Very interesting. He said he loved Everton too much and that he stayed too long because of it. He thinks he was as good as Dan Gosling, and that had he been the one who got the chances, not Gosling, then he thinks he could have made it. It's interesting to think that he's had a mainly non-league career and Gosling has had a mainly Premier League career, and yet Kissock thinks the difference was games. Is that really the case?

I read this week at how Tom Davies stood head and shoulders above the rest of the U21s and as the one who had the most Premier League experience, this was a major factor. Could it be that by continuing to persevere with him (in some people's opinion) that he can develop into the player I believe he will, whilst leaving him in reserves will see his growth stunted and dropping down the leagues?

As I've said before, I want to see Everton give every opportunity to the scouse kids, I'd rather see Jonjoe Kenny playing than someone like Cuco Martina. I do believe they get better with exposure and we need to bring these lads along to get them to the levels desired. Give me a scouser over some journeyman bang average European Pro just in it for the money.

Tommy Carter
14 Posted 17/10/2018 at 09:47:29
Dowell can strike a ball amazingly well, we know that. But that will only take you so far; in the modern top-flight game, that won't be very far at all.

People are comparing him to Sheedy. That's just nonsense. A better comparison may be a young Ian Woan. Therefore, you have to think, if he reaches his potential, he'll be as good as Ian Woan.

Would Ian Woan be the kind of player and have the quality to improve our current team? No.

Kevin Gillen
15 Posted 17/10/2018 at 10:09:23
A lot of negativity about Dowell above. Please give the lad time, he is an exceptional talent and he has never let the team or the club down. So few make it so it's easy to be smug and say he'll never make it. The lad has a U20 World Cup Winner's medal and last night was responsible for two exceptional moments in the game.

Steve Ferns @ 13, yes, I think it is all about game time at the highest level and there are very few opportunities to school players in public. Look at Barkley on Monday, that was an outstanding performance at the highest level and he has so much to thank Everton for. Would he have gotten so much time at a top six club? I doubt it. Therein lies the dilemma: if we want to be a top six club, we need all our players to be complete professionals.

I hear so much criticism around me of Tom Davies almost as if some Evertonians want him to fail. I think Dowell, Kenny, Lookman, Davies and Calvert-Lewin (think about Harry Kane) are top players in the making and will all have Premier League careers.

Davies might turn out to be an England captain. I know he can give the ball away at times in dangerous areas and he can be inconsistent but I have never seen him shirk a tackle or let the team down. I feel at times it must be desperate to be an Everton defender or midfielder as there is so little movement off the ball from the front players and it's hardly surprising these kids get caught with the ball. Patience please.

Dave Abrahams
16 Posted 17/10/2018 at 12:42:30
Kevin (15),

I understand what you are saying, particularly about Dowell. I've been pointing out his faults for the last three years; he hasn't altered his way of playing since he first started as a 16-year-old. I've also praised the many qualities Keiran has got, they get you off your seat, like last night's goal.

I'd get absolutely no satisfaction if Keiran never made it with The Blues but would be delighted if he added some bite, fight and energy to his game and finished up as a regular for England, never mind Everton. If he doesn't add these qualities to his game, he will still make a good living out of the game... he could be so much more.

Steve Ferns
17 Posted 17/10/2018 at 14:30:02
Kieran reminds me of another former Everton player, Tony Grant. I know Grant played deeper than Dowell prefers to. The thing with Grant was that he played in the wrong era. He lacked physicality and possessed some good passing and technical abilities that could have been more suited to the present era. Now, of course, the instant thing that goes against that was the fact that Judas Barmby was such a player and he flourished in the same era. I think Barmby was a lot faster and so could thrive despite being shunted to the wing. Grant lacked pace and could only play in the middle and so suffered in that era.

Dowell does not have those issues. He was only 18 when Martinez was sacked and could have forced his way in with a playing style that could afford him no excuses. Koeman was fond of a Number 10 as we all know, but Dowell hardly got a look-in. He did very well at Forest, but that's forgetting that come the end of the season the gloss had come off and he'd fallen out of favour (with the new more defensive minded manager) and the fans were slightly less in their praise for him.

Like Grant, Dowell offers abilities that his peers do not possess. He has something a bit different. Dowell is capable of the spectacular. For me, he seems to be an old-fashioned Number 10, the type who drifts in and out of games, is carried by the rest of the team, and then suddenly pulls off something special to justify his inclusion. Be that a defence splitting pass or a spectacular goal. I just cannot see an English club accommodating this. I believe he should look at a move to the continent and seeing if he can forge a career in Spain or Italy. He could enjoy a brilliant career there and climb to the top as they will appreciate his ability.

Rob Dolby
18 Posted 17/10/2018 at 14:56:08
Most if not all players have faults. It's easy to point out faults with younger players and sit back and say "I told you so". In our current first-team squad, I could go on all day about players' faults.

Would Mahrez get in our team 4 years ago? Probably not because he can't tackle, head, or kick with his right foot.

Dowell would flourish in some teams and not in others. Look at the difference a manager made at Nottm Forest. He went from best player under Warburton to subs bench under Karanker. The lad obviously has ability; let's hope it comes to fruition in a blue shirt.

Kieran Kinsella
19 Posted 17/10/2018 at 15:00:42
Steve Ferns 17 & 13,

I think the problem for Dowell is that we have other people (Sigurdsson, Richarlison) who can do what he does well, eg, long shots, fancy passes, but they also have other aspects to their game whereas he does not – so far, anyway.

On Kissock. I agree with the general point about game time but Kissock is a joker. Okay, maybe Gosling's few appearances sped up his development but how do you go from supposedly being at his level to playing in the 11th or 12th tier? Kissock also said last year that some pub team manager he was playing for was the "best coach I have ever worked with". I find that hard to believe. Seems to me he was a kid with a big ego and never made it.

Now the Echo regularly wheel him, Jose Baxter and George Green out for "what might have been?" articles. I remember years ago they did the same with Billy Kenny but at least he told his story then moved on. I am sick of hearing about this trio. They get more positive press than players who actually stay sober, show up to work, stay off drugs, fulfill their potential etc.

Brian Williams
20 Posted 17/10/2018 at 15:31:33
Tommy #14.

I think I'm the only one to have mentioned Sheedy in this thread and – if you took the trouble to read my post "properly" – you'd see that what I've written isn't nonsense at all.

Kieran Kinsella
21 Posted 17/10/2018 at 16:04:57
So Dowell could be the next Sheedy (not putting that on you, Brian, as I have heard several people say it in other threads without your qualifying statements), Ian Woan, or Tony Grant? So I guess Jonjoe Kenny then could be the next Gary Stevens, the next Steve Chettle, or the next Tony Hibbert???
Tony Abrahams
22 Posted 17/10/2018 at 17:22:37
The different developments of a footballer. A young Ian Woan was probably just about playing non-league football whilst a young Kieran Dowell was winning an Under-20s World Cup Final.

Good comparison though, Tommy, because Woan developed into a decent First Division player at Nottm Forest. If Dowell doesn't find a bit of devil, I can't see him doing much better than that in the long term.

Dowell does have great ability, though, and – out of all the young players at the club – he's the only one I'd advise to read ToffeeWeb because he might just realise how good he can be if he can just find that bit more devil to go with his undoubted ability.

Fran Mitchell
23 Posted 17/10/2018 at 17:46:43
Dowell will probably go out on loan in January, maybe he could flourish in a German team, but I feel a club like Newcastle could really help push him on.

He fits their style, the fans would like him, and he'd get Premier League experience. Then we either sell or keep.

Also feel that maybe Newcastle could be a decent destination for a short-term loan for the likes of Calvert-Lewin, they need a striker badly, and maybe there Dominic could get his 15 games as a centre-forward and get to show what he can (or can't) do.


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