Everton thrashed Dundee 4-0 in their preseason opener last Saturday, but they do have a couple of injury concerns to contend with right now. Up next is a trip to Bolton Wanderers, this coming Saturday, and one wonders if Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner will be involved in this match.
And if they do actually feature, it is likely not be for major minutes.
Jarrad Branthwaite
“Jarrad has trained with the Blues all week and continues to make positive progress from the hamstring injury he sustained towards the end of last season,” a club release said of their stalwart in central defense.
Branthwaite has not played competitively since the 2-1 Merseyside Debry defeat on April 19. And given how much he means to the Toffees, on numerous levels, he won’t be put in any kind of risky position, at all, this preseason.
James Garner
Like Branthwaite, he also missed out on the opener, but his case is more about actually being injured, and less about precaution.
“James has experienced discomfort in his groin following his return to training, which will be reviewed next week,” the club statement said on Sunday.
Garner was one of the Toffees star men, if not the star man, last season.
Therefore Moyes and company will be careful in how they manage him during this preseason.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.