The Mail Bag

Leon Osman

Comments (25)

Have any of you geniuses noticed how many games we've won / lost since he was out injured?

Probably not linked. Move along.


John Kline, Warrington     Posted 02/12/2009 at 09:06:27

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Jay Woods
1   Posted 02/12/2009 at 13:55:13

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Well, that’s the matter settled then. We’re top notch with Osman and relegation material without. Somebody should point that out to Moyes.
Howard Don
2   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:02:47

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You would never say we wouldn’t be struggling if Leon hadn’t got injured, but I’m sure he would have made some difference. He gives 100%, has experience which we’ve been lacking and he certainly wouldn’t have lain down at Hull like several others, and is a much better player than some give him credit for.

Yes I agree he would have made a difference, but you could say the same about Pip et al.

I wait to be slaughtered by the Osman knockers.
John Holmes
3   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:08:14

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I think it’s more the weight of numbers on the injury bench that’s causing trouble. The only individuals that are particularly missed are Arteta, Jags and Neville because they give us something no one else does (guile, defensive commitment mixed with quality and organisation respectively).

I certainly don’t think you can seriously claim that Osman’s absence has had the same impact that Carsley’s or Cahill’s absences used to.
Lee Kidd
4   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:14:07

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Having Osman back would be essentially switching out one turd in midfield and putting a smaller one in.

If we’re relying on Osman, we deserve to be in a relegation battle - simple as that.
Ciarán McGlone
5   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:27:04

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Logic eh!

You weren’t blessed with much.
Dick Anderson
6   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:23:00

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To be fair many players have gained credit by their absence.

Phil Neville for example has been called useless by a number of fans but since his injury he’s slowly become the most important player we have. By not playing during this bad form spell Neville’s reputation has risen and his return is now almost as anticipated as Arteta’s.

Osman, Jagielka and even Hibbert have also enjoyed a rise in reputation while missing this awful spell.

Even Victor Anichebe is benefitting from being missing. Before his injury many of us were realising that Anichebe was crap. But now slowly some people are starting to claim that we miss his presence on the bench.

On the other hand players who have played through this awful form have seen their reputations suffer. Tim Cahill is fast become a target for most Evertonian’s abuse, Jo is now widely regarded as pants and Yobo is taking alot stick.

They say you don’t appreciate what you have till its gone. In the case of Jagielka, Arteta, Anichebe, Osman and Neville that appears to be true.
Mike Elbey
7   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:27:49

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The problem with Osman is that he is pretty hopeless as a wide midfiled player. However i believe he offers something when played in the middle. He is one of the few players we have who can beat players with a bit of skill but when stuck out wide he does not have the pace to make use of his ability. However when played in the middle he has that little bit more room to operate in.

Dont get me wrong, I dont believe he is some sort of world beater and would certainly not get into our srtongest team but he is much better than some of the players that have been playing over the past few weeks and to that extent we have missed him.
James Marshall
8   Posted 02/12/2009 at 14:40:59

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Oh come off it, its plain for everyone to see, we’re struggling because we have loads of key players out - its not rocket science.

In their absence, the team has struggled for form, which in turn has meant a loss of confidence, which has in turn lead to shit results.

There’s really nothing to debate here.
Sean McKenna
9   Posted 02/12/2009 at 15:48:47

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My god, are we talking about the Leon Osman who runs trips over his feet then gets up a complains to the ref? Yea if we had him in the team we surely would be top 4 material. FFS, get a grip!
Brett Bradshaw
10   Posted 02/12/2009 at 16:01:11

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OR is it that Pienaar and Baines have been split up?

Pienaar likes to cut inside and it’s more difficult for a right footed player on the right. STICK HIM ON THE LEFT.

As for Bily, from what I have seen of him, he also likes to cut inside. SICK HIM ON RIGHT!
Dave Whitwell
11   Posted 02/12/2009 at 16:13:35

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Osman has always made a difference against sides in the bottom half of the PL, typically against Hull he would have made no difference in conceeding 3 but may have helped us in getting the equaliser, possibly he could have also helped against sides like Stoke/Wolves, the main problem is he is ineffectual against the better teams and probably therefore would have made no difference against Man U & Liverpool
Dave Wilson
12   Posted 02/12/2009 at 18:47:44

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Job done John.

Present the fact and watch em squirm
Pat Finegan
13   Posted 02/12/2009 at 19:27:14

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If Osman was on the pitch, it would be his fault that we’re losing though, right?

The fact is, we have a lot of injuries, Osman is one of them and you’re absolutely right, he makes a big difference in the squad. This isn’t solely because of Osman and I don’t think that’s what you’re trying to say. But Osman, like Neville, is a leader, maybe not the best player on the field but his presence makes the team function better as a whole.
Shane Corcoran
14   Posted 02/12/2009 at 20:24:53

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I reckon it’s been downhill since we lost Ratcliffe.
Michael Upton
15   Posted 02/12/2009 at 20:26:39

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I miss Mikael Nadar - now there was a player.
I think Osman is overrated by many. See his goal against Stoke. A decent squad player, no mistake, although I would always have him behind Billy and Peanuts on the wings.
Gerry Western
16   Posted 02/12/2009 at 20:36:25

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Makes you wonder how on earth we managed to secure such a good result tonight, what with Osman still missing. However Osman’s absence has coincided with the loss of Piennar. I think there in lies your answer.

As for the loss of Neville weren’t we struggling with Neville in the side. Indeed we had something of a mini revival following his departure.
James Boden
17   Posted 02/12/2009 at 21:28:12

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Lee Kidd you hit the nail on the head. Also an interesting point from Dick Anderson. We aren’t missing Osman. It is the other players that we are missing. OSman makes little to no improvement on the team at all.
Tom Bowers
18   Posted 02/12/2009 at 23:06:28

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Let’s not get carried away. Osman playing today would have probably had a decent game but much like Crouch playing for England he only impresses against weak opposition.Today was a chance for some youngsters to get their feet wet and did they ever.Hopefully they can help get the Blues out of the slump in the Prem.
Mark Pendleton
19   Posted 03/12/2009 at 08:00:53

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Has anyone noticed how many we’ve lost since Dixie retired too?
Liam Reilly
20   Posted 03/12/2009 at 08:08:05

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Osman performs better in the middle because we generally play with a holding midfielder who offers him protection. On the right side of midfield, he himself, must provide protection to the right back and this is where his game suffers as he drifts inside all too often and he is not a natural defender.

I think Osman has something to offer against the lesser sides in the premier league, but the top sides are a step too far for the lad.
Ciarán McGlone
21   Posted 03/12/2009 at 09:37:22

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Osman played in the middle several times this season...and was still shit...

In fact he plays in the middle every time he’s on the pitch...he drifts in there every time..A tired excuse for an average player.
Dick Anderson
22   Posted 03/12/2009 at 10:25:43

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Osman is a very useful squad player. If he played for Hull, Wigan or even Blackburn he would be a star but at Everton he’s just a decent squad player.

In an Everton team with no injuries, there is no place in the starting 11 for Osman.

But he would be a very useful player to have on the bench. When I saw Baxter coming on last night it reminded me how much we miss strength and depth.

Baxter did ok for himself but I would have been much happier to have watched Osman coming on.
Suzy Whitehead
23   Posted 03/12/2009 at 12:48:30

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John,

No i have not. What is it?

One of my favourite posts in a long time. People are clearly, despite your encouragement, somewhat reluctant to ’move along’.

We shall not, we shall not be moved John.


Christian Yandell
24   Posted 03/12/2009 at 17:17:44

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Suzy have you been at the gin again?

Look Neon Leon has scored some vital goals for us over the years, so lets give him credit for that at the very least.

Personally I like the lad and think he is a tidy player that as I say chips in with the odd vital goal. (I can hear you all tapping away in fury already)

I have seen him have plenty of poor games as well but then hold on which member of the squad is any different.

I remember when if they wore a everton shirt then we supported them through thick and thin.

I blame Tony Marsh! LOL
Brian Lawlor
25   Posted 03/12/2009 at 19:46:25

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Would this be missing the same time as Arteta,Jagielka, Neville et al and also doing a period where we haven’t managed to name the same 11 players in consecutive game, had players out of position and kids playing?

Probably not linked. Move along.

Yours sincerely

A Genius

ps: Osman for England

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