10. Mikel Arteta - 2009/10   

Clean Sheet Please

Mikky believes a clean sheet will do us the world of good tomorrow night against Sporting

Mikky says:“It’s a great chance for us and we need to go through. We’re playing at home first, so we know that we can’t concede any goals. We have the experience so let’s focus on that.”(15/02/10)

Bring Them All On

Every Evertonian is delighted to see Mikky back strutting his stuff in the middle of the park, and even though his return may have come a little bit early for Moyesy, Mikky himself just wants as much action as possible. With the suspension of Nuts on Wednesday night, Mikky was thrust into the starting line up, and he loved every minute of it, and he wants more, that's funny so do we !!

Mikky says: "It's all coming thick and fast but that is the only way to get back. They are both tough games, but that's what you want to get fit - to play the full 90 minutes and get into the condition I want.

It's been a long year for me, but my knee feels great and my voice is good...but I don't know about how I will feel on Thursday!

The manager said he wanted me to build up slowly, and then eventually try and play a full game. And then suddenly he said, 'You are playing tonight' - so I had to get ready! It's been a really tough time. So I have missed playing all games not just the big ones. And to have the chance to play - even though I know there is still a lot to come - it was a great pleasure and I really appreciate the confidence from the manager." (12/02/10)

Mikky's Back

There were tears in the eyes of grown men when Mikel Arteta entered the FA Cup game at Goodison yesterday. As the game continued the roar went up, as the best little spaniard we know took off his tracksuit top. The noise from the crowd rose to a cacophony as the announcer was drowned out. After what seems an eternity Mikky was back where he belongs on the pitch at Goodison. Even in those 15 minutes he was on the pitch, you could see what we have been missing.

Moyesy says: "I'm really pleased to have him back. He's had a week's training with us but not an awful lot of contact. I need everybody to realise that it might be a month or so before we have Mikel back properly. Really I didn't want to bring him on in a game like this, but I thought it might give the lads around him a spark. I'd have been happier to bring him on if we'd have been winning by a couple of goals, but we weren't." (24/01/10)

Ready When You Want Me

Having heard rumours that the best little Spaniard we know was ready for the scrapyard after his bad injury, fans will be made up to hear Mikel saying he is not far away from being fit again.

Mikky says: "I have been doing nearly everything in training with the lads over the last week and I am hoping to start doing contact work this coming week. After that, whenever the manager says Mikky you are ready - I am there! Driving into Finch Farm on my first day back in training was really exciting. It has been a long time out and there have been some tough times but hopefully all that is now gone. I am back into my fitness and I am back with the lads. I am really enjoying it at the moment." (19/01/10)

My Hell Is Nearly Over

We have really missed you Mikky. Your class, your skill, your free kicks and your looks. Hopefully you will be back in an Everton shirt early in the New Year doing what you do best. I LOVE YOU

Mikel says: "For the past few days I have been able to run at a good rhythm and I am starting to train with the rest of the squad. I don't have pain in my knee. I expect to be back on the pitch in less than two months.

It has been hell. I would spend eight to 10 hours a day just dedicated to recuperating. These type of injuries last 24/7, because you think about them all the time. My wife would find me constantly looking at my leg in the mirror and say: "Mikel, what are you doing?" I was obsessed. But now, fortunately, I can say that everything is going well and all I want is to be with my team-mates and help the team. I have a lot left to achieve, a lot of football left inside me. Everton have from the start done everything for me. They have given me all the facilities I need and I intend to repay their faith.” (30/12/09)

A Good Time To Play Them

He may be out injured and not able to play in the derby, but Mikel thinks Everton will have enough to win on Sunday.

Mikel says: "We have had some really good derby days since I have been here and some not so good ones. But the last one was the nicest one. The last one is the one that is the most important! We can compete with them at the moment. They have had so many questions asked of them at the moment. Hopefully it is a good time to play them." (27/11/09)

Stay Forever

Being off work long term certainly gives you some time to think, and Blues midfielder and Spanish Magician Mikel Arteta is no different in that respect. Mikky's knee is still not right and a date for his return is still very uncertain, so that's the bad news. The good news however is that when Mikky does return (and he will) he wants to rejoin the Everton revolution, win a trophy and most importantly finish his career off with the Blues. Get well soon Mikky, the Royal Blue Family love you.

Mikky says: "I think when you are away and you look at things – not just as a professional, as a footballer, but as a person – you realise you have got good people around you. It is not easy to find that in football. I have been in other football clubs and I'm telling you this is a special one. People say we are a family – we really are. We really are different and we really do things differently from other clubs. You never know how long you are going to spend with a club, but what I can say is that I can see myself finishing my career at Everton. That wouldn't surprise me at all.

The papers say, 'Mikel wants to go back to Spain soon'. That is not true, I never said that. They say would you like to come one day, probably I would like that but maybe I am going to stay for another seven years. I would like to win a trophy with the club. We have got the potential to do it.

It has been a hard period for me but sometimes you can avoid problems and sometimes you have to take it the way it comes. There was no explanation for the infection. They have had three cases like that in 35 years and the surgeon does thousands of operations a year.

The surgeon and the medical staff at the club don't want to talk about time, because there is no point. The only worry is to get my knee fixed properly and to get it fixed for the next seven or eight years of my career. That is my only aim. I want to be playing as soon as possible; but only as soon as my knee says I am ready to do it, because there is no point risking it. I have had three operations and I need to take it carefully." (18/11/09)

Another Setback

The long awaited return of Mikky Arteta to the Everton fold has been put on hold because his knee has caught an infection. Whilst the world is suffering from pig flu, Mikky has caught infection after infection on his troublesome knee, and Moyesy or the medical people can't put a date on our Magician's return.

Moyesy says: "Mikel has needed to have a 'wash out' on his knee after doctors found an infection. It is a setback for him. However we can't say how long it has put him back.” (04/11/09)

Still On Course

Basil has been over to Spain to see how Mikky's getting on and the goods news is it will be sooner rather than later that we see him in a blue shirt.

The rumour has it that Mikky has been working so hard to get back because he is not happy that Sylvain is now the good looking one on the Goodison pitch. Let me tell you Mikky nobody can beat you on the "looks" front.

Basil says:"Mikel looks good now and everything is going well so let's just call what happened a minor blip. He is still on a decent schedule, he is now seven months along and it is only a minor set back.”(08/10/09)

Let The Countdown Begin

The news at last every Blues fan has been waiting on, Mikky Arteta is only weeks not months away from pulling on the Royal Blue again. Basil Rathbone our Super Sleuth Physio goes into the medical jargon if anyone is interested, but the top and bottom of it all is, Mikky is weeks away.

You can tell from my wittering I am excited, just think Mikky, Billy and Nuts in the middle, remind you of any other great midfield trio, watch out Europe were coming to get you.

Basil says: "Mikel has had the sutures removed and a bit of the meniscus came free but he seems fine. He is only seven-and-a-bit months post-op so you've got to be careful because these injuries take a long time to come back from. We have to take it on the chin and support Mikel but we are talking about a return to action for him in weeks not months." (30/09/09)

Oh Shit - Mikky Setback

Mikky's return from injury has been hit by a few weeks delay due to some irritating stitching inside his damaged knee. Our Spanish Magician was supposed to rejoin his team mates in the first team at training next week, but Head Physio and part time Super Sleuth Basil Rathbone has held Mikky back for a few more weeks till he is happy with his knee. He rates the setback as only a blip, so world domination by the Blues has been put on hold till nearer the beginning of October.

Basil says: ""Mikel was doing really well and was bang on schedule but he's had a slight problem with some of the stitching inside the knee and that's been irritating him for a while now. So the specialist has decided to take them out and ease the aggravation. It's a setback but it's only a blip. It's a case of weeks rather than months. This won't affect the overall return of Mikel Arteta, it's just put a new timescale on it. It's just unfortunate but the stitches are out and it will be fine now. (11/09/09)

Two Weeks To Go

Moyesy gave us today the news we have all been waiting for. Forget the new signings, forget the Roger episode, forget Den and Angie's problems in Eastenders, yep Mikky is on his way back. Our Spanish Magician is two weeks away from training with the first team. Moyesy has urged a bit of caution in that Mikky will have to play a few games with the Rezzies before he can be unleashed on the Premiership and on Europe, that's Europe Roger, you get on a plane and play foreign opposition. Get in there, COYB. s

Moyesy says: "Mikel's doing well and there's a chance that he can join in (training) with the other boys in maybe a week or two. But he, too, will need reserve games before we can call on him." (03/03/09)

Mikky's On The Mend

Mikky is happy with the way his recuperation has been going from his cruciate injury and hopefully by September we will see our Spanish Matador strutting round in the middle of Goodison Park again. A lot has happened to Mikky since his injury, no bigger change than becoming a father, and he loves it. Bet though he can't wait to change the shitty nappies to a day training with his mates at Finch Farm, hurry back Mikky we miss you.

Mikky says: "It's going well. It's a long injury, a six or seven-month injury, so there are always ups and downs during that period. But it looks good and it's reacting well to the treatment we are doing. Slowly, day-by-day I know it's getting better and that makes me happy.

You learn with this injury that the knee reacts differently every day. I'm doing everything, I'm working six, seven, eight hours a day on my knee to get back as soon as possible. Obviously I want to hurry but I know that is a big risk. I don't want to set any dates, I just want to go day-by-day. If it's the first game, it's the first game. If it's the fifth game, it's the fifth game. It will be whichever it is.

I've been home in Spain and I've seen the birth of my baby during that time so it's been busy for me. Fatherhood is the best thing that could happen to anyone, it's a really nice experience. We're delighted and it's helped me mentally - it's been a really important part of my rehab." (17/07/09)