The Mail Bag
Half-time blues... and Bily?
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I wonder if there are any readers on this site who have access to statistical evidence that points to the impression I have that Everton must be the easiest of soft touches for teams today in that they just have to wait for half-time and then they seem guaranteed to be presented with a goal in the first five minutes of the second half?
Of course I may be imagining it but Everton do seem to be remarkably prone to conceding early in the second half. I just wonder if there is any statistical evidence to bear out my "impression"?
Also just by way of debate, it is interesting to read the criticisms of the likes of Osman and Hibbert (some of it justified but not all) and see our new 9 million pound Russian escape relatively unscathed. I even read now that he is in need of a rest!
Unless I am seriously mistaken I think we have a real problem with this guy. To be so limited in pace and physical application he has to be as good as Tommy Ring was (giving my age away here!).
It could be that he is a contributor to the decline in Baines's performances this season. After the first few crosses in his first game, which seemed to indicate being an asset, the guy seems incapable of a constant quality delivery. He is neat and tidy as they say, but so is my wife, but at present he seems totally "detached" from the physical, committed side of the game.
Let's also cut out this nonsense of the "demands of English football". The guy is an international footballer of the Russian Federation, he is not a novice. At present I simply cannot see what he is bringing to Everton's present, never mind the future.
The team is crying out for greater pace especially in the midfield area, as we are so often unable to attack teams out of defence. At present Billy appears to be another one-paced, occasional player with the added problem of apparently seeming to be unconcerned one way or the other. Not impressed so far.
But this young lad Coleman — now that is hopefully another story!
Anthony Lamb, Posted 07/12/2009 at 10:07:46
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His ’rabbit in the headlights’ routine was only to be expected...with a game of that madness..
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It was only a matter of time, wasn’t it...
As for Baines performance being affected by Bily, i saw the Hull game and Baines and Piennar both played on the left to begin with and that was one of the worst games i have seen baines have so i dont think you can blame Bily.
As said by others Bily is new to the league and will take time to adapt. It took 4-6 months for the likes of Arteta Piennar, Baines and Jags to settle into the everton side and as Norman said, i think Guss knows a lot more than the rest of us.
A statistic that i would like to see is how many goals and assists compared to appearances he has because i would imagine it to be pretty good and far better than Omens ratio or any season.
I have watched Bily for most of the season and he looks to be very average - I have never seen him yet run to the bi-line yet there is a kid who comes on yesterday (Coleman) and done it successfully on at least three occasions, creating one goal and involved in the second.
Is it just me or are other people getting sick of hearing sob stories about these over paid wanker’s needing time to "settle in" etc; yesterday he was awful and looked lost.
He’s a player of style, who’s team can’t play at all.
He’s been stop start in the line up due to suspension and injury, not that I need to make excuses for him.
I’m not saying he’s a luxury player but he will be a perfect winger to compliment the return of Arteta et al.
And for £9m he looks bang on the money.
If its not Lonny Osbert being slated, its someone else, which is fine, but why this guy? One quiet game and he sucks????
Now, as for a waste of cash, how much is Heitinga being paid? How does he get to be our biggest earner?
Early days on Coleman but for that match he was superb, didn’t pull out of anything and the setup for Saha’s goal was worth the ticket price on it’s own. Looks like we might have a decent wing back there.
No shit, Sherlock.
What’s the timescale before it’s considered ok to rip the arse out of an Everton player? Seems it’s now a matter of a couple of weeks before the slagging off starts.
Tell you what, why don’t some of the footballing geniuses on here just gatecrash the new signings’ press conferences & boo them before they’ve posed with the scarf above their heads?
Superb.
Billy has had ten starts in a new league, scored three goals, and what happens — we slag him off! I am so glad I did not come on this site when Pembridge, Thomsen, Ward, Cleland and Alexandersson all played for us.
As I would have done Duncan McKenzie. Gordan Lee took him off asap. Moyes is trying to play Bily into the PL - not an easy job for any pro. But he’s a good one, and will succeed. Weather this storm and Our Billy wil be ringing around GP. A few goals, a few assists, and passing the ball around to footballers who know what they’re doing.
Bily is quality and although isn’t blessed with a lot of pace is certainly good enough for our team. I remember reading on this site that Pienaar wasn’t good enough, had no pace , wasn’t strong enough etc ... The usual rubbish that some of our supporters come out with. Lets get behind our players for a change, and before people start bringing Osman and Hibbert into this lets give Bily as long as those before we judge him !!!
Nil Satis...
I am more than ever convinced that some posters would rather drink poison than say anything good about anything associated with the club, its players or staff.
At a time before saturation media coverage we knew next to nothing about footbal lnorth of the border. Most merseysiders were staggered that the great Billy Liddell had to share Scotand’s left wing berth with an unheared of bloke named Ring. After Tommy signed for us we soon realised what a truly great player he was.
At Stamford Bridge the Chelsea 'keeper, I think it was Bonneti, dived over the ball and shattered Tommy’s leg. An accident from which there was no coming back.
As for pace, Most not all but most pacy players have shit delivery, people go on about the modern game saying you must have pace and yes it certainly helps but the final ball is the one that counts and looking at Bilys assists and 3 goals he does have a decent final ball.
If we did have a speed merchant i tend to think we would just knock long balls into the corners / channels for them to chase down , ala Andy Johnson.
You don’t need pace if you have a quick brain, skill and a good delivery, all of which Bily has.
He should improve as he adapts to the pace of the Premiership.
I also believe that he’s the sort of player who will play better when the team does. It can’t be easy playing in such a bad team and losing all the time.
Hopefully as Everton’s form improves so will Billy.
’come on lads, make sure you eat all those roasties and that beef’...
Because they come out and look like they’ve just had their xmas dinner in the space of 15 mins.
We’re not stupid enough to write him off just yet but too be honest I am far from convinced, a lot of our players look to lack in stamina and strength but Bily looks exceptionally weak and lacking in stamina, it’s more than the rigours of a Russian season.
You can play with minutes at http://www.sportcloud.com/Stats/LeagueTables.aspx?gid=5d727d9c-c3ce-4576-9c05-bbac7f02956e&t=5
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1 Posted 07/12/2009 at 13:46:34
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Check the goal time distribution
cut out the 45-50 and 75-80 minutes and we are good