Paul Wheelock - 'It's a gamble Everton keeping him but so is letting their best defender go'
On an afternoon that Everton gave their survival hopes a huge shot in the arm, and that underlined just how important their supporters are, there was only one negative to take from the vital 2-1 victory at Leicester City... the sight of Yerry Mina coming off AGAIN.
It was only Mina's 11th - and perhaps final - start of another season badly hit by injury and, regardless of whether the Blues beat the drop, they have a decision to make on the Colombian's future. Certainly, if they went down, Mina and his alleged six-figure weekly wages would be too big a financial burden to bear. But, thankfully, Frank Lampard's side have given themselves every chance of staying up now. However, given Mina has just one year left on his contract, and taking into consideration his fitness record, is it worth cashing in on him this summer either way?
I'd say no. Frank Lampard's comments in the embargoed section of his press conference last night were telling - it is clear big Yerry plays a huge role off the pitch as well as on it. But, clearly, it is on the pitch where he is needed need, and the Everton manager's admission that he is working with the club's medical team to find a way of keeping Mina off the treatment table more often was encouraging. Do that and the Blues will have one of the best centre-backs outside of the top two or three in the Premier League. And it's that prospect - plus the fact that his injury record may put off potential suitors - that makes me feel that, like what's happening with Fabian Delph, Everton would be best keeping hold of Mina for at least another season, and putting off a decision over whether to hand him a new deal. It's a gamble - but so is letting their best defender go.
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Chris Beesley - 'He’s still possibly the best centre-back at the club but I won’t shed any tears if he goes'
Yerry Mina might have already played his last game for Everton and while he’s still possibly the best centre-back at the club, I won’t shed any tears if he goes. Sunday’s trip to Leicester City was a potentially gargantuan fixture in the Blues’ survival bid as they secured a precious 2-1 victory to move them out of the relegation zone and above both Burnley and Leeds United.
The result served as a double whammy as it not only ended Everton’s away day hoodoo that stretched back to the opening month of the season, when they triumphed 2-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion, but it got the monkey of the team’s back ahead of tonight’s trip to Watford. On a glorious afternoon for Evertonians at the King Power Stadium, though, Mina’s enforced withdrawal just 18 minutes into the contest proved a fly in the ointment.
Frank Lampard’s revived side have another massive game at Vicarage Road but Mina won’t be taking part. The Blues boss describes the calf problem as “a small injury” but reckons that they’re probably looking towards the last game of the season at Arsenal before he could be back in contention.
Let’s hope that Everton might have secured their Premier League status by then and he won’t have to be risked, but if they are in such a position then they’ll have had to do it without Mina. Regardless of what division they’re in next season, the Blues need to press the reset button this summer and with just one year left on his current contract, it could be high time to cash in on the Colombian while they still can.
Yes he’s a dominant aerial figure, yes he’s a big character in the dressing room who brings the best out of his team-mates alongside him, and yes he’s a first class nark who winds up opposition strikers, but the stark reality over the situation is that Mina just can’t keep himself on the pitch enough of the time. He’s featured in just 91 of the 171 matches that Everton have played since he signed (53%) and even if he recovers to play at the Emirates, that will be a mere 15 games out of 44 this term, little more than a third of their fixtures.
Let us know in the comments below your thoughts and who you agree with...
