With Jarrad Branthwaite, better to be safe than sorry? | OneFootball

Should we be worried about Jarrad Branthwaite?

Earlier this week, it happened again. Rumours began circulating on social media that Branthwaite, Everton’s best defender, was injured once more.

Normally, injury rumours at Everton are never just rumours. They are almost always confirmed to be the worst-case scenario.

However, within a couple of hours of the speculation mounting, the ever reliable Bobble (@elbobble), had posted on X.

“Jarrad Branthwaite did not travel to Everton’s warm weather training camp over the weekend. The defender stayed behind to focus on individual workload and rehabilitation. Everton will be looking to manage the defenders' minutes from now to the end of the season.”

This is not the first team trip Branthwaite has missed.

Last summer, Branthwaite was not taken to the United States for Everton’s pre-season tour. Instead, he stayed home to do individual work and was introduced back into the squad for the final friendly, against Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Branthwaite subsequently suffered a hamstring injury in training before the first game of the Premier League season, and it ultimately kept him out until January.

Now, just as the 23-year-old was looking close to being back to full speed, it seems as though there is a risk of him breaking down again.

Warm weather camps are always extremely useful. Do not be fooled into thinking they are jolly-ups for the lads. Sure, there’ll be some time for R&R — as should be expected — but getting to warmer climates is vital for fatigue management and rehabilitation.

These are finely tuned athletes, and any marginal gain must be achieved if possible.

Ideally, Everton would have been heading to the Middle East (Abu Dhabi was the planned destination for this break), but the conflict in that area of the world scuppered that. A quick trip to Portugal was organised instead.

But for Branthwaite not to be able to attend it is a blow, and it does seem Everton are going to have to closely assess just how much workload he is able to take on.

Given the difficulty of Everton’s remaining fixtures, that really is a concern.

If Everton are to get the results they need to qualify for Europe, Branthwaite being fit and firing will surely be vital. They are already shorn of Jack Grealish, likely for the rest of the season. They need their best outfielder at the other end of the pitch to be playing.

That being said, Everton’s fixture list is at least spread out.

They play just two more games between now and April 11, when they have a possible six-pointer against Brentford — away against Arsenal and at home to Chelsea.

If Everton really do need to be cautious with Branthwaite, then perhaps resting him for Saturday’s trip to the Emirates would be a sensible solution.

It would be disheartening, sure, but David Moyes is almost certainly going to set up with a deep line, and in that case, Michael Keane and James Tarkowski could be well suited.

Get through that match, and it’s then another week until Chelsea visit Hill Dickinson Stadium. Hopefully, that would then be the game in which Branthwaite could return, with a three-week break to rest up until the next fixture.

Nursing Branthwaite through the rest of the season is probably going to be the priority, but moving forward, Everton need to ensure this isn’t the case.

Branthwaite is a brilliant player. An elegant ball player, naturally left-footed but equally as comfortable using his right, quick across the ground, great in the air and a towering presence at the back. He should be an England regular.

But while it may have been harsh to see him miss out on Thomas Tuchel’s first couple of squads last year, there is no chance he will be making the cut regularly if he cannot stay fit.

The fact is, Branthwaite has only really had one full, injury-free season while playing in Everton’s first team, and that came in 2023-24, on the back of his highly successful loan stint at PSV.

Since then, Branthwaite has suffered three medium-to-long term injuries.

It would be amazing if Branthwaite were able to work his way into England’s World Cup squad — he is certainly good enough — but it does seem unlikely at this stage. And while that will be a blow to him, what he really needs is a solid break and an injury-free pre-season.

Everton’s medical staff, meanwhile, must do better by the player too. Ensure everything is on point.

Branthwaite has signed a long-term deal and is Everton’s star young player, of that there is no doubt. The Friedkin Group were convinced to make a statement when it came to tying him down on a big new contract last summer.

So, ensure that this prized asset is well taken care of, and that if there are lingering issues, decisions are made quickly on how best to solve them, and not deferred in the hope they do not worsen.

Jarrad Branthwaite is too valuable to this team to not be an ever-present.