The Mail Bag
Mikel in the middle
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Anybody noticed how much better Arteta played today? That's because Moyes realised, from the ideas of many people from ToffeeWeb, to play Arteta in the centre of midfield. He was more involved, and certainally played much better than he has done. Not an amazing Mikel performance, but encouraging due to him playing in the middle. Please Moyes keep playing him there!
And also, well done Blues, Jagielka immense again, a much needed Pienaar back and a bonus for scoring, just shame on the Yak and Saha. COYB!
Ben Jones, Posted 30/11/2008 at 18:43:04
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A much improved performance today all around. I think today saw us back closer to our best and finally something to build on. Still there is room for a holding midfielder in there... but then again would that mean Arteta being played out wide again? Hmm what is Moyes to do?
He doesn’t have the long passing range of alot of deep lying play makers but he’s still got the technique, creativity, skill and positioning to play that role. He’s certainly the best centre midfielder we’ve got on our books.
None of our other midfielders give the defenders an outball or an option to pass to, Arteta does and you could see that improved our distribution today. He kept the play moving and gave the defenders options when alot of the time Yobo and Jags have none at all.
It was a promising performance and hopefully he can build on it. I’d like to see him play higher up the pitch at times but he does a good job playing the position he played today.
But the fact of the matter is... we ROCK when we play 4-5-1
We have played 4-5-1 most of the season and, with all due respect, we have been more "cock" than "rock". We have hardly turned up for any game this season. Our recent rise has owed a great deal to good fortune, so let’s not get t oo carried away shall we.
The reality is, Moyes has messed up big time. All been documented previously on here. He wasn’t at the races from May until..., well some will say he still isn’t. Players & team all over the place, out of two cups and still only a few points away from the bottom due to the mediocrity that reigns in the EPL this season.
Pains me to say it old boy, but last time we rocked was Fiorentina at home. Had we not been so cock in Florence, Moyes may even have a European trophy to his name by now. But we were and he hasn’t. I am still firmly of the view that he has done too much damage since last May and he’s out of ideas, inspiration & self-motivation.
Not impossible. More fouled against than fouling, but a long way away from the ?lightweight? tag he had when he came to us. A cultured playmaker ? who can put the foot in when needed, playing in front of a very good back four. I?d like to see it tried.
Well, Alan, I just checked, and it's actually 11 points off bottom. More than just ?a few? I guess? That sums up a lot of people on here, who can only see shit, regardless of the evidence. 4 wins, 1 draw and a loss from the last six games. More significantly, done so while playing pretty poorly. Good sign, or bad sign? In that context, what happens when the team clicks, or finds confidence?
People still think we are playing as per early in the season. Can people not see how much of an improvement has been made at the back? The progress has been slow, but progress it is.
One thing that struck me was hearing our fans singing ?Davey Moyes? at the Spurs game. I guess that shows that the majority of fans are like me, and still behind this manager. Yes, our faith has been tarnished due to the pre-season and performances, but the candle is by no means extinguished yet. He still deserves the opportunity to right the wrongs.
The balance of the team still remains a problem, due to the holding midfielder role. And Moyes does have to take the blame for not filling that position. I can see that he was looking to Fellaini to give us a bit more strength going forward, which essentially would take the pressure off an anchor man. But Fellaini has not exactly hit the ground running.
And now the striking problem is a huge risk for the rest of the season. I won't write the season off, but it's certainly going to be a lot harder, so my expectation has to be reduced. Top 6 finish would be realistic, but challenging the top 4 again might be a step too far.
Regardless, the acquisition of a couple more players in summer to fill the holes and give some subs bench options will be welcome.
No movement off the ball can be made smoothly if the ball is stopped in the middle of the park.
Arteta was very good on Sunday, he played in the role Scholes plays for Man U these days - when fit.
People get carried away with the idea that you have to have a tough tackling defensive midfielder... you don't; its a choice, a style of play. Many teams ? Man U ? choose to play their most creative player in this deep-lying position. Arteta was good for 90 minutes at Spurs, his flick over Huddlestone's head bordered on brilliant and had every Evertonian on his feet. Fellaini responded, Pienaar was always available, Osman too. I think our defenders thought Christmas had come early
Alan Kirwin
Give it a rest. I haven't heard an original point from you yet. Tony Marsh has been saying the things you're now saying for TWO years ? only he was brave enough to say it when Moyes?s stock was high ? and besides, Tony's posts are funny.
Wallow in your misery if you must, but while you try to sound like you know what you're talking about by regurgitating the blindingly obvious, the rest of us are choosing to enjoy an excellent performance.
We need another good wide player though, in my opinion because I?m not convinced Leon Osman is a natural wide player either and we could do with someone with more pace and natural ability to run at our opponents.
I would also give Baines a try on the left flank with Peanuts on the right when fit but besides that we have nobody else (except Shandy Andy??) who is comfortable playing wide.
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1 Posted 01/12/2008 at 01:44:38
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