Mikel

[blue to the bone]

mikel will be a massive loss but we can regroup. we played for a month without a striker n coped. piennar, ossie, gosling can be creative timmy can chip in with goals and jo and saha hit form we will be ok..
come on the toffees.. a good season lets not falter now

 

[steevie]

If its true then thats our season over and we can forget the cup. He is the 1 player we cant lose

We have to remain positive. One thing we are not is a one man team like the RS and can perform without our most creative player. VDM should have replaced him today, at least he is attack minded unlike the defensive Castillo. We have been written off numerous times this season after we lost the Yak amongst many injury set-backs we have endured. Losing Arteta is a big blow but we are Everton Football Club, we plod along, make no excuses and pull ranks. If any manager can overcome such an unfortunate season and turn into a positive one, that man is David Moyes. Lets keep the faith everyone.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

It doesn't matter if we can or cannot cope without him, we're going to have to learn and learn quickly. All you roll over and die merchants out there aren't what we need in times of adversity, and thankfully I don't think we have a bunch of quitters in our squad. Lets roll up our sleeves and get on with it. Villa may have all the luck in the ******* world but they're not Everton football club and they never will be. On to the next game and lets show the world that they can throw whatever crap they want at us and we're not going down without a bloody good fight. COYB!

 

[evilwebby]

I fear the worst, but let's wait for the results of the scan first.

As influential as Mikel has been, our form since early season has been built on our outstanding back four. As long as we keep that together then we'll still give any team a hard time.

 

[Namdrater]

I think everyone's just disappointed that once again, just when we are moving on as a team, separating ourselves from the rest of the [Poor language removed] in the league, something has come along to [Poor language removed] it up. Mikel playing centrally has been massive for the attitude of the team, how we approach and play the game. Without him in there we back to outbattling the opposition to win, we certainly won't keep possession anywhere near as well. Hopefully we can find some way of balancing out our midfield so that it's not quite as terrible as it was today. Also have to hope that it wasn't just Arteta that made a difference to our play, but also Leighton coming in and Yobo going out. Seeing Joseph launch it for no reason every five minutes brought back some bad memories.

Also noticed that... I hope Jags and Lescott can teach him that we've passed that stage

 

[Dom1878]

 

[Neiler]

Its a massive blow looseing Arteta his success at moving into the centre has argueably been the catalyst for much of our success this season.

Thats said i dont beleive its game over from this point onwards, it just menas we will have to device a new system, we have Fellaini, Osman, Cas, Rodders, Gos, Cahill who can do a job there, no doubht hes a big loss, but i have confidence in Moyes in deviceing a successfull system. Its not all doom and gloom and this isnt the first time hes been out injured either, im not overaly concerned.

By the way i thought our performence today was pretty decent, that performance would have beaten the majority of Priemer Leauge team, credit to Newcastle i though they played well today and were very organised they deserved a draw.

 

[TX Bill]

Made me sick when I saw him go down.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

I just go into games expecting one of our players to get injured these days.

I'm sick of it, even more so when both Artetas and Yakubus came from nothing.

So frustrating.

 

[Rook]

Everytime we start playing well it seems like we are hit by the injury bug. It looks like his knee didn't twist so hopefully its just a sprain and he's only out for a month.

 

[Micky]

Everytime we start playing well it seems like we are hit by the injury bug. It looks like his knee didn't twist so hopefully its just a sprain and he's only out for a month.

Looking at the replay in slow motion, Mikel's knee kind of jolts and it looks like something went in his knee. I'm fearing the worst....

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Mikel looks done for the season. But heres the rub. We could galvanized and stay in the top six. Jo looked humble again Saha looked impressive when he came on so if he can have a long run I still feel fine. I doubt very seriously with 13 to go we could have cracked the top four anyway. We lost ground early in the season. But I'm still thrilled with fifth or sixth.

 

[Rook]

Mikel looks done for the season. But heres the rub. We could galvanized and stay in the top six. Jo looked humble again Saha looked impressive when he came on so if he can have a long run I still feel fine. I doubt very seriously with 13 to go we could have cracked the top four anyway. We lost ground early in the season. But I'm still thrilled with fifth or sixth.

It wasn't the place I was worried about. The only realistic hope we have (had?) was finishing 5th and the way Arsenal has been playing I think 5th is still doable. Wigan will never catch us. The team is pretty much gutted with transfers of their best players. It hurts because I thought we had a good of chance as anyone to win the FA cup, now I'm not feeling it at all especially having to go through United and/or Chelsea and Arse (Cesc will be back by them I believe) w/o mikey to get there. The way he's been playing he's been one of the 5 best players in the prem.

 

[Makis]

Fact is, the team played like ****e before Mikel was moved to the centre of the pitch. The team couldn't create anything from open play. I'm not exactly looking forward to the "big punt up and hope we get a corner kick" tactic. For the last two months Everton seemed to be playing something resembling a passing game. Osman is nothing like Arteta and Pienaar is really someone who is best at playing behind the front two, not in the position Arteta has been playing.

So yeah, we might cope but it will be in the expense of style. It's "let's play for 0-0 and score the odd goal from a corner kick" which is boring as hell. I watched Fulham vs. WBA and have to say Fulham's passing game was miles ahead of ours just a few months ago.

As for Cahill, I bet he would have scored yesterday had he been on the pitch. He can't pass, he's not quick but he scores important goals unlike anyone else at the club.

 

[Clarky66]

I couldn't give a ****e how attractive our football is as long as we win.
Setback's and dissapointment is part and parcel of being an Everton fan.
We're not like the glory hunting knobheads of chelsea, united and liverpool, we scrap and battle for everything we achieve at this club and that's what sets us apart.
We're gonna fcuk west brom and get to the semi's with or without Arteta, because we are Everton and we will overcome all that anyone throws at us.
COYB