Patterson may not have clarity on his injury for days

Are we cursed or simply useless at avoiding, and recovering from, injuries to our players?

The lack of information coming from Scotland was alarming. The sort of report you'd get from a Sunday league outfit!

Patterson's injury for Scotland just looks like bad luck rather than the result of anything Everton could have done to avoid it. In that sense, yes, we may well be cursed!

Football can be a terrible profession. The lad is young, has hardly played any first-team football, yet has cemented a place not just in his National team but also for a Premier League team. Imagine how it feels if he's told – for a second time in a matter of months – that he has a fairly major injury?

Obviously, we have Coleman, but if this turns out to be on the worst side of estimates, Patterson could be out a long time and Lampard will be looking for alternatives. Especially if there's a chance that this is a recurring ankle problem.

The compensation of wages being paid where a player is injured on international duty is as worthless to us as it was with the loss of Coleman.

At least Southgate is doing his level best to ensure the early return of Pickford and Coady from the Fifa bribefest in Qatar. Only a true genius would have the best pool of midfield and attacking talent in Europe and yet go for a sterile 3-4-3 built around Harry 'Do you know who I am' Maguire.

“When Nathan signed, the club was in a relegation battle and that's why he was always going to find it difficult to walk straight into a Premier League side.

“Okay, it was a Premier League side who were under-achieving, who were struggling but Nathan was a young lad trying to adapt to a new club. Maybe Frank felt it would be too risky to throw him straight in there.

“I think he was protecting him because the bottom line is Nathan has been signed to play a part in the future of Everton Football Club. Throwing him straight in at that time could have been damaging to his career so Frank felt it was better to wait.

“It would have been tough for Nathan. He was signed by another manager who was relieved of his duties pretty quickly. The club was all over the shop at that time. Fans were split on the board, on the previous manager.

“There was a toxic environment at Goodison Park and the fans felt a disconnect with the team. And that's what Nathan walked into.

“Fortunately Frank realised that and has managed to get the fans behind the boys now by saving the club from relegation. There's a unity to the club now.”

It's probably as good a rationale as any. I do recall it seeming strange at the time that Lampard put the lad on the bench but would not play him for the best part of 3 months before he sustained that ankle injury at the end of training when he was all set to make his Premier League debut against West Ham in early April.

We have Tarkowski, Coady, Mykolenko, Keane!!, Coleman who are experienced enough to adjust to a back 3. Mina and Holgate should be ready in the near future. Let's be positive. 🤞🤞🤞

When have we ever had a diagnosis come back for an important player where it's ever been anything other than about as bad as it can be?

One thing he has on his side is youth. An older player may find it harder to recover from bad injuries. He came back so strongly from the surgery at the end of last season, let's hope he can do it again. They are made of strong stuff, them Glaswegians.

Meanwhile we do have a transfer window coming so if it turns out to be long -term maybe there is scope to bring another young lad in to back-up Coleman.

Maybe a couple of exits too? I mean Mina? Allan? Maybe Davies? These are going to find game time hard to come by.
Mina may be a better defender than Keane but just not available enough.

We all know Seamus will come in but, if he struggles again, I'd much prefer us to stick with the 4-3-3 and play Mills at right-back than revert to the 3-5-2/5-2-3 formation.

Best of luck to Nathan, hopefully it's not as bad as feared. He looks a very good player already.

Injuries are bad luck mixed with occasional errors. I put this in the Godfrey category.

The best defenders rarely make mistakes or go to ground. It's a little harsh but this could have been avoided and yet it's the type of play / tackle that 90% of the time wouldn't be remembered.

Certainly his young age can help in a quick and full recovery but he needs rest, time, the correct diagnosis and treatment.

I think too many players over-do recovery sessions in the gym which may help give muscle bulk and strength but covers over the actual ligament damage that needs flexibility and rest rather than muscle work.

I'm excepting weeks to become months. Thank God for the World Cup break!

Would Iwobi now be the cover due to other injuries, Doucoure in the centre? We need pace and energy on the flanks so please not Davies as emergency right back.

He's a future star if he can avoid injuries. Just have to hope it's not too bad.

He has played there before - and looked pretty good. CMs often can convert to RB quite easily - Harper, Neville, Snodin - even this!

''When Howard Kendall first brought him into the side Stevens was a left-sided midfielder but he was quickly converted into a marauding right-back.''

So, not so weird me thinks.

Justin Doone - 16. We posted at the same time. I think Davies would do a decent job.

It would mean the current formation and an extra player in a problem position.

It's a No for me as he lacks pace, strength and aerial ability which all defenders, especially full-backs, are required to have so they don't get skinned alive.

Likewise, I'd never consider playing Allan there either.

I'm not convinced by Iwobi, especially since he's actually playing well in midfield, but he is stronger and has the pace and stamina to do the 'shuttle runs' the full-back or wing-back positions require. Especially with 2 slow centre-backs!

Hopefully another reserve can step up, possibly a free agent could be found.

It has to be Coleman filling that slot for me. Whoever it is... do not move Iwobi from where he has been playing so well.

I remember Davies playing at right-back once. It was a few years back.

If, as they are saying, they are waiting for a specialist to determine what the treatment will be, then that sounds serious and he will be missing till after the World Cup.

And is Calvert-Lewin injured or not? I see his return is listed in October. Does he have a serious problem or was it just an injury that was picked up in training at Finch Farm that seems to occur fairly regularly.

It would be nice to let the supporters know as we would rather be aware of how long he will be out, rather than speculating if he is, or if he isn't fit. We keep getting told that they understand the supporters but lack of information shows they don't.

I can't remember us actually starting a game with him at right-back.

I have been researching. So far, I've found he played right-wingback v Leeds in November 2020.

I've looked at the line up for that game and it looks as though we played Davies at right-wingback and Iwobi at left-wingback!!

Dear me.

Promising news.

He appeared positive.

So far so good. Keeping fingers cross for some positive news next week.

If he/we get away with this one then it will be part of that slowly growing sense that the Gods are turning Blue.

Let us pray.

I don't know how we compare to other clubs but we can't go a month without some drama or another. We've changed medical teams, so that's not it… or are we just cursed until we get away from Goodison Park.

Let's see what Tuesday brings. Rosary beads in hands. Hopefully this isn't too bad as he was really starting to impress.

I personally don't think we'll see him until after the World Cup, but I think we can cope until then.

I'd rather we didn't rush him back only to break down again.

You do get the converse working: Maldini etc.

You might be right… but, he is right-footed, has played in right-midfield too and would have 2 experienced centre-backs next to him, so it could work, just my opinion.

As suggested, there is Vinagre, after all we did have Cuco Martina playing left back not so long ago!

Mike Gaynes @20, it happened – if briefly. Alternative universe – these days I think that is called reality!!!!

Mick Mills, Phil Neville, Neil McDonald, they're my starters.

You've just made me feel ancient.

Van den Hauwe. An iconic figure adored by many, myself included. A hero of my childhood. Amongst many things, I still vividly remember him flooring David Speedy and scoring that rare goal to clinch the title.

A long but memorable trip back from Norwich to Speke. Champions. Hand it over, Liverpool!

Was he the best full-back or footballer though? In my lifetime, the most complete left-back I've seen play for Everton was Leighton Baines.

But we love our Psycho Pat!!

Baines is the best modern era left back I've seen, Ray Wilson was the best I saw in olden times, and acknowledged as best in the world too.

Mykolenko has the 2 best English left-backs of their generation to talk to on a daily basis.

Ramon was my all-time favourite Blue. Given he was the only Blue in the 1966 World Cup Final, it would be lovely to have him remembered in some way at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Scottish Express Sport can reveal that the injury is not serious. There will be some major checks done on Tuesday at hospital, but it is our understanding that the exciting full back will only be missing for a short period of time which will be music to Frank Lampard's ears as Patterson has been a top performer since the start of the Premier League season.

A source close to Patterson told us: “The injury is not as bad as first feared but he will see a specialist on Tuesday for confirmation.”

Patterson has returned to Merseyside and is back at Finch Farm to assess the injury. No official word has been released by Everton but that should be happening in the next couple of days.

Mykolenko helped set up Ukraine's first goal Saturday so we're better off than thought.

I read earlier he's our for 6 weeks which will take us up to the Beckham Games.

Trying to be positive it'll mean he'll have plenty of recuperation time before the Boxing Day game. Hopefully.

I thought that was just Paul Joyce's opinion.

I suppose it's better than the first fears, eh?