Everton FC manager David Moyes is in a great place, in terms of squad health and fitness, at this international break. Moyes only has two injured players, Merlin Rohl and Christian Norgaard, at this time. And it’s not a reach to say that the Toffees might be at full fitness once play resumes after the FIFA window. Everton have a had a pretty nice start to the season, as they sit seventh in the table but level on points with the fourth placed team, Brentford. They’re only one point behind the third place side, Brighton & Hove Albion.
And yes, it does sound strange to say “third place Brighton” and “fourth place Brentford,” but hey, here we are.
Merlin Rohl
The exact nature of Rohl’s injury is undisclosed, and there doesn’t seem to be much information about out there. Moyes did say this, however, on Friday: “Merlin is not available yet. Hopefully, he’ll be ready by the end of the international break.”
So it is hard to really speculate on when he might be back, but one should expect that he’ll be in contention for the next match, at Hull City on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Christian Norgaard
The injury that Norgaard is dealing with, is reportedly in the groin area. He remains unavailable and according to the last time that Moyes spoke on the situation, a week ago this past Friday, he hasn’t even gotten back out on the grass yet in training.
So he may have a ways to go yet.
“We’re hoping we get [him] back somewhere after the international break,” Moyes said on Sept. 11. “He’s hugely important for us. He’s someone who we’re looking forward to gaining his experience but, at the moment, we haven’t had him on the grass yet.
“Hopefully, it won’t be too long.”
Squad Injury Updates: September/October International Break
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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.