Seasons » 2015-16 » Everton News
Lukaku joins list of doubts for Saints game


According to his manager, the Belgian striker picked up "a little bit of a problem", a groin strain stretching for the ball, in the draw at Crystal Palace which makes him a doubt for the visit of Southampton. He was unable to train yesterday but Martinez was hopeful he would join the group today.
Ross Barkley, Aaron Lennon and Leighton Baines are also going to undergo fitness tests to determine their ability to play but in his pre-match press conference, Martinez intimated that he will be leveraging the depth of his squad this weekend given the likely absentees.
"We're going to assess [Romelu] today to see if he can make the squad with the knock," Martinez said. The Catalan admitted that if he is fit, Lukaku will play in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday even though there's a risk of him being injured just three days before the semi-final.
"We've got a few knocks, a few bruises, a few players that are going to be missing tomorrow," Martinez continued. "James McCarthy will be starting his suspension, so clearly it's a good opportunity for the rest of the squad and the young players to see how we cope with this.
"I don't think any of those is a long-term injury. I think they are mostly [as a result] of the big number of games we've played in this period and probably it's a question of hours rather than weeks."
Reader Comments (50)
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4 Posted 15/04/2016 at 15:54:42
The only thing that would cheer me up would be to hear that Martinez and his failed coaching staff have gone.
Until then there's just no tingle of excitement or anticipation about an upcoming game at all.
6 Posted 15/04/2016 at 15:57:54
7 Posted 15/04/2016 at 15:59:12
8 Posted 15/04/2016 at 15:59:59
Double game week, so Barkley, Lennon and Lukaku are typically all injured....
9 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:09:36
10 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:11:36
12 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:12:23
Even today, the manager has said Niasse is just getting over his wrist injury and needs time to be fit for pre season training; then we have Kone. However, he's itching to give Howard a run out. You just never know with Roberto.
13 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:24:49
Haha I feel your pain!
15 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:29:17
Just do us all a favour and take you and your third-rate back up crew as far away from Goodison as is possible.
By the way, where are Kenwright and Moshiri in all this?
Bloody joke and an insult to the fans.
16 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:29:23
18 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:36:20
19 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:41:23
20 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:43:55
21 Posted 15/04/2016 at 16:52:22
One things for certain: it wont be the bench warmer, the lesser Niasse... it'll be Kone or Mirallas up top.
But, as Brian (#4) says, it doesn't matter who plays it'll be the usual Martinez fayre... Llow boring pedestrian possession-based shite. Don't be expecting goals and thrills and spills because it's not going to happen.
As Carly Simon once said, "Why does your love hurt so much?"
22 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:00:05
23 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:03:52
24 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:12:48
Firstly I doubt we will get a point against saints.
Secondly I doubt it will make a difference to Roberto's employment status.
Thirdly, I doubt Lukaku has been carrying Anything other than Martinez. Also I frankly doubt him being fit or not will matter.
I doubt we will get a result in the derby or in the semi final, so I doubt it really matters who plays.
I doubt that Niasse's injury is actually not just from making 'wanker' gestures every time Martinez turns his back on him, whilst Baines chuckles quietly in the corner.
I doubt I can muster up much enthusiasm to post much sense.
25 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:24:02
26 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:34:08
27 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:39:34
28 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:39:35
We have only played three league games since March 18th you flamin' imbecile, Martinez!!
Add to the fact we have hardly bust a gut in any of them plus they had a warm weather break in March in Dubai..
29 Posted 15/04/2016 at 17:51:25
30 Posted 15/04/2016 at 18:04:29
31 Posted 15/04/2016 at 18:05:13
32 Posted 15/04/2016 at 18:18:11
33 Posted 15/04/2016 at 18:24:36
You'll see a different Rom at Wembley though when he is in the shop window, unless he doesn't want to upset the club he publicly said he'd like to play for (Man Utd).
It's another reason not using Niasse looks a poor decision as Rom knows he has no competition for his place. He will go down as another forward who scored goals but was never really taken too by the fans, like Yakubu, Lineker and Cottee.
34 Posted 15/04/2016 at 18:28:33
Then they can ALL be dropped for the big games next week!
Kone for a hat-trick, anybody?
35 Posted 15/04/2016 at 18:30:33
Niasse, Galloway and Mirallas will get one each, then we get Stones on and concede 4.
37 Posted 15/04/2016 at 19:17:35
38 Posted 15/04/2016 at 19:22:17
The players are not playing for each other, as Bainsey correctly highlighted. Martinez knows this but his total obstinance over tactics is sickening.
Moving forward, we need to clear out the management, clear out the players whose heads are up their own arses (charging top whack) and with the proceeds and new leadership, start again.
39 Posted 15/04/2016 at 19:24:29
Southall, Jackson, Watson, Unsworth, Ablett, Limpar, Horne, Parkinson, Hinchcliffe, Stuart, Rideout (sub. Amokachi )
2009:
Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Osman, Neville, Fellaini (Vaughan), Pienaar, Cahill, Saha (Rodwell).
Who do you keep – from either team – that would replace anyone in today's team? (Perhaps a new thread needed for this...?)
40 Posted 15/04/2016 at 19:31:28
Do you remember when Moyes used to rest players? That never seemed to work.
Did you hear Martinez on Merseyside? Sounds as if he is preparing Niasse, for next season. On about his wrist again. Bloody unbelievable.
Looks like Kone may be playing again as lone striker.
41 Posted 15/04/2016 at 19:40:55
43 Posted 15/04/2016 at 21:05:39
But wait he's got a sore wrist!
What a complete joke!
See ya Roberto! And take your useless coaching staff and scouts with you!
44 Posted 15/04/2016 at 21:06:00
The manager has never being critical of Rom's work rate. He goes in the summer with my blessing. I wouldn't play him again this season. Martinez must try and find a way of scoring goals without him.
45 Posted 15/04/2016 at 21:28:32
What's the point of reprimanding a player who is already on his way out!?
What is he going to do if he doesn't apologise? Sit on the bench until the end of the season! The writing is on the wall, both for Lukaku and Martinez!
46 Posted 15/04/2016 at 21:30:41
I genuinely don't know how any of us can confidently say that he's shite when we just haven't seen enough of him.
What poison do they all inhale at Finch Farm? It really does beggar belief but we have form for this sort of thing of course with the likes of Traore. Once again we are fobbed off with mealy-mouthed half-truths and waffle.
If there's something wrong with Niasse at a cost of 㾹.5m then the fans have a right to know what it is.
47 Posted 15/04/2016 at 22:20:59
48 Posted 15/04/2016 at 22:48:28
49 Posted 15/04/2016 at 23:12:15
50 Posted 16/04/2016 at 03:12:14
Big Rom is off for pastures new then, is that a fact or more whispers? Southampton won't have to break sweat today to get a result.
51 Posted 16/04/2016 at 09:24:31
A new direction is needed and a new team needs to be built around hungry young talent with a British core. I'd like to see Callum Wilson alongside the Dutch lad Jansen next season and a return to 4-4-2.
Saw Koeman's press conference yesterday non-commital about staying at Southampton get him in, please, and he can bring Forster and Ward-Prowse with him...
52 Posted 16/04/2016 at 10:13:26
Today is a perfect opportunity to start Niasse and let's see what he can do. Martinez might feel he's still not fit enough, but he was fit enough to play for Senegal in the last international break and score for his country. How will we ever know if he's got what it takes if he never gets played??
Anyone who is a doubt should be rested, we need to ensure players are fit for the derby and the FA Cup tie.
53 Posted 16/04/2016 at 10:30:41
I'm not saying Baines deserved to be dropped, but the point being, Martinez is the boss and he has to stamp his authority. If Lukaku or his agent are publicly stating his desires to leave EFC, then he's not committed and not focused – surely everyone at EFC only wants committed players on the pitch.
Look at how Pulis dealt with Berahino – he kicked off because a move to Spurs fell through, so Pulis said he wasn't in the right mind and he was dropped. Lukaku could turn up to training in a Man Utd shirt and still get played. Yes, he has scored a lot of goals, but look at how he's performed ever since he made that comment.
54 Posted 16/04/2016 at 11:35:19
55 Posted 16/04/2016 at 11:39:58
56 Posted 16/04/2016 at 11:45:53
I would go for this lot 11
Southall, Coleman, Lescott, Jags, Baines - Parkinson, Fellaini, Cahill - Pienaar, Deulofeu - Rom
Subs: Hinchcliffe, Osman, Saha, Stones, Barkley, Barry, Howard
57 Posted 16/04/2016 at 11:51:10
58 Posted 17/04/2016 at 21:41:45
Completely over rated, overindulged, technically poor, athletically gifted yet lazy player. Was funny seeing him on the same pitch as adebuyor, all we needed was Kenwyn Jones and Berbatov and we would have had a collection of the laziest bastards to earn money from football.
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3 Posted 15/04/2016 at 15:48:18
He's got a big problem. It's called attitude.