ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

Never Again

Against Blackburn and Portsmouth we were manhandled brutalized and bullied. For better or for worse, this is mid- and low-table Premier League. You need size and you need strength or you will be pushed around. With little guys and kids in the midfield, the earlier games unfolded like a schoolyard "pants pull down" incident. That's what annoyed me. And, from the look on his face, maybe that's what annoyed Moyes as well.

But look at yesterday's line-up. Now we have our own set of bullies. Castillo and Fellani were our own enforcers. Make no mistakes about it, Britannia stadium was all-out war. Now, I can happily say that, barring a severe injury crisis, we'll never again be completely overwhelmed by the physicality of other bigger teams.

Maybe this is Moyes's idea of how to get into the top 4. Lots of steel all around with tapestries of delicate silk (Arteta, Pienaar, Osman) here and there...

COYB.
Nigel Gregson, Sydney, Australia Posted 15/09/2008 at 01:54:27

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Mark Pierpoint
1 Posted 15/09/2008 at 08:58:50

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I hope that you are right. Whilst we need more than simply big physical players it is true we are going to ave to dig in at places like Stoke and I feel against Standard (without Fellaini of course). In Jan, I would hope that we could get another creative midfielder in, in the mould of Moutinho cash permitting, maybe then letting Fellaini play in the role Castillo is playing now; until then though we are looking better.

John Milligan
2 Posted 15/09/2008 at 09:16:43

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Definetly an improvement physique-wise. I am just relieved that we reverted to what is arguably our best available defensive formation, Neville, Yobo, Jags and Lescott at left back. We must have patience with the debut players, not only have they probably not even trained with the squad, for sure they won?t even know the rest of the players names, never mind the language and new country problems. Given time these lads will bed in very nicely. The signs were there against Stoke.
Bit disappointed Arteta did not appear to get too involved during the match.
Patience from all please.

James Marshall
3 Posted 15/09/2008 at 09:38:32

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Also, I hope someone tells Fellaini about personal grooming; the kid has the most terrifying eyebrows I think I?ve ever seen and his hairdo makes hmim look like Screech from ?saved by the bell?

I hope he smashes that RS cunt Gerrard to bits in the derby.

Tony Waring
4 Posted 15/09/2008 at 09:44:54

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I?m not so sure about our "physical strength". We seem to have been pushed around quite a bit by Stoke. We also seemed lethargic and seldom in with a chance of any 50/50 balls. On the plus side we scored 3 good goals and actually passed the ball on the deck for the most part. Things however need to improve all round.

Tom Freestone
5 Posted 15/09/2008 at 10:05:51

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I don?t want to get too carried away, but I was pretty happy with the game yesterday ? I wasn?t looking forward to it one bit, as away games at newly promoted sides at this stage of the season are rarely easy. And when we got pegged bak to 2-2 and the crowd got going my natural pessimism clicked in and I assumed we would be steamrollered but fair play, we stood up to them and got the result.

I was most worried about the physical side of the game but Fellaini impressed me, as did Castillo which was a pleasant surprise. Talk about the cliche of a foreign player ?adjusting to the Premier League?, how about a debut away to Stoke two days after you come back from International duty!

They both tired after 70 minutes, but some good signs, although still work to be done to get the formation sorted (as people have already mentioned) to improve ball retention in those pressure situations away from home.

Cahill back was an amazing bonus ? just hearing that news before kick off cheered me up, and I reckon it had the same effect of the team - both Arteta and Yak looked much happier (who wouldn?t?). I see there is a new thread devoted to our diamond No 17 so I won?t repeat what we all know...

Basically, we looked a much bigger side than we have done for many years. Yes, we got knocked about by Stoke but so will a lot of other teams this season, and we gave as good as we got.

Simon Birdsey
6 Posted 15/09/2008 at 11:40:23

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We do certainly need physical presence within the side alá the ’Dogs of War’. Who would now relish facing Fellaini and Castillo (as opposed to Osman and Rodwell)?!!

With the two big men holding and Cahill sitting behind the Yak, it gives Arteta the freedom to roam and create. Personally, I think that that lineup would be perfectly complimented by a flying left winger in the Ashley Young/Theo Walcott mould. Maybe we could persuade Spurs to part with Aaron Lennon, now that his career is so far in the doldrums that he can’t even get on the pitch for the England U21’s! I know he’s more right sided, but he’d be a great addition to the squad.

Damian Wilde
7 Posted 15/09/2008 at 13:23:22

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James Marshall,

I laughed at your comment about Fellani. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a couple of Belgium journalists on the way to the game yesterday. They said that he was a great player and was very physical and known for putting himself about. They said to me, ?maybe he?ll rough SG up in the derby?, I said ?ye, and hopefully Torres too!?

PS Anyone know of any tickets going for the Hull game? I didn?t enquire in time.

Sean Condon
8 Posted 16/09/2008 at 01:10:22

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Thank you, James Marshall. For I kept looking at Fellaini yesterday wondering who he reminded me of... now I know. And for calling a cunt a cunt.
I thought Fellaini and Castillo looked clearly out of sorts when around the ball, but that?s a timing/familiarity/practice issue. As the above posts have noted, their mere presence created loads of room for Arteta to roam, which is, of course, essential to any success this team will have.
COYB!!!