The Mail Bag
The Yak v Osman
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I'm very frustrated watching the Yak at the moment. For someone who "needs games" to return to full fitness ,you would expect some discernable effort. I've heard people say he needs the ball at his feet but when he's got it it he seems to just give it away at the moment! Compare this with Osman against BATE who ran himself into the ground.
Am I expecting too much from the Yak? While I accept that it was a horrific injury to comeback from but I can't help but feel he's shortchanging us with the amount of effort he's putting in.
Enzo Montagnino, Posted 19/12/2009 at 07:00:32
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The Yak is a lazy twat... but he scores goals. If you watch his goal against Chelski, most players would have lashed at that; The Yak passed it in — sign of a goalscorer.
There was a suggestion when the extent of hisinjury was first known that it would take him a year to get back to playing, and another year to be back to his level of fitness prior to the injury, as the nature of the injury means it is a long way to get back to 100% fitness again.
Add this to the fact that he missed all of pre-season and has had only a few full games then its not surprising.
Osman has only been out for about 6 weeks and was fully fit prior to that, so its not exactly comparing like with like.
There is also a problem at present with lack of reserve games (and lack of squad numbers), meaning players can’t build up fitness away from first team action so the whole recovery is in the public eye.
Personally I would give him til this time next year and see what shape he’s in then before I start slating him for lack of effort.
Add this to the fact that he missed all of pre-season and has had only a few full games then its not surprising.
Osman has only been out for about 6 weeks and was fully fit prior to that, so its not exactly comparing like with like.
There is also a problem at present with lack of reserve games (and lack of squad numbers), meaning players can’t build up fitness away from first team action so the whole recovery is in the public eye.
Personally I would give him til this time next year and see what shape he’s in then before I start slating him for lack of effort.
I must admit being one of those who occasionally get frustrated with the Yak when he has been ambling around lately. But I concede the points made above. It is heartening to hear that there is faith in him coming back and being the lethal Yak of old - my fiath had been wavering, rightly or wrongly.
One thing I do not understand is the argument that the Yak is a ’one touch, two touch striker’ - an argument put forward most forcably by Mr McGlone. I am not so convinced by this assertion, I recall some of our best football under Moyes being when the Yak was holding up play and bringing in our midfield a couple of seasons ago. The Man City 2-0 away result being a particularly good example.
One thing I do not understand is the argument that the Yak is a ’one touch, two touch striker’ - an argument put forward most forcably by Mr McGlone. I am not so convinced by this assertion, I recall some of our best football under Moyes being when the Yak was holding up play and bringing in our midfield a couple of seasons ago. The Man City 2-0 away result being a particularly good example.
Yak has never been a player who will chase down lost causes or track back to help out, but that's not what he’s in the team for. He’s a proven goalscorer and will need sometime to get back to where he once was. He needs encouragement not criticsm.
Jags and Arteta can probably expect the same abuse when they don't come back at the same level.
Jags and Arteta can probably expect the same abuse when they don't come back at the same level.
One slight difference — the Yak has always been branded lazy, the other two haven’t.
But you know, Liam, I really think you touch upon something fundamental there — a good number of toffees (and the evidence is easily found if you have the patience to sift through the ToffeeWeb mailbag archives) think we will have a sudden upsurge in fortunes as soon as we have the players who have been out injured back. Quite rightly it doesn’t work like that. I have to admit I can be guilty of that line of thinking too. Or at least of having no patience. And that can be the key.
On a positive, Alan Shearer and Robert Pires both suffered injuries similar to what Jags and Arteta have suffered and came back just as strong or stronger than before. I’m crossing my fingers for that!
But you know, Liam, I really think you touch upon something fundamental there — a good number of toffees (and the evidence is easily found if you have the patience to sift through the ToffeeWeb mailbag archives) think we will have a sudden upsurge in fortunes as soon as we have the players who have been out injured back. Quite rightly it doesn’t work like that. I have to admit I can be guilty of that line of thinking too. Or at least of having no patience. And that can be the key.
On a positive, Alan Shearer and Robert Pires both suffered injuries similar to what Jags and Arteta have suffered and came back just as strong or stronger than before. I’m crossing my fingers for that!
Just to quickly dismiss everything said above; Moyes plays one up front. The need to play the strongest line-up possible what with our injuries and poor form, Saha will obviously be the preferential striker, leaving the excellent but crocked Yak warming his arse on the bench... which is just lazy. Some one should tell the manager!
Nick, you get my vote as Moyes’s replacement when he eventually goes. You see what no-one else sees....
The performances of the three senior players against BATE was interesting.
Hibbert wore the armband with pride (as we would expect) and led with ability, showing good judgment and skill to go with his undoubted athletic strengths. Duffy’s game will have have benefited from playing alongside him.
Osman had a very good game in centre midfield. He outskilled some very muscular players with his control and anticipation time and again. Adam Forshaw seemed to draw inspiration from him and was looking like a young Colin Harvey in the second half.
But Yakubu? I’m afraid that there would be little that Agard or anyone could learn from the game he played. And I don’t think it's mainly an injury recovery thing.
Given the set-up of our team (and Rodwell’s early injury) these three were required to take loads of extra responsibility. BATE are no great shakes, but they are the current champions of Belarus (pop. 10 million) and were at full strength.
Hibbert wore the armband with pride (as we would expect) and led with ability, showing good judgment and skill to go with his undoubted athletic strengths. Duffy’s game will have have benefited from playing alongside him.
Osman had a very good game in centre midfield. He outskilled some very muscular players with his control and anticipation time and again. Adam Forshaw seemed to draw inspiration from him and was looking like a young Colin Harvey in the second half.
But Yakubu? I’m afraid that there would be little that Agard or anyone could learn from the game he played. And I don’t think it's mainly an injury recovery thing.
Given the set-up of our team (and Rodwell’s early injury) these three were required to take loads of extra responsibility. BATE are no great shakes, but they are the current champions of Belarus (pop. 10 million) and were at full strength.
Hibbo and Ossie could step up. But Yak’s best game relies on other people. He has, as they say, to be fed. He is fit enough to bang them in now with a good midfield (rather than wingers, I think) supplying him. And on Thursday night, even at the height of his powers, I don’t think he could have made the difference.
Yakubu needs to stay in and around the fucking box and not try to be some kind of inside left Henry style winger/striker. He doesn’t not have the skill for it. It was pretty puzzling seeing him hugging the touchline versus BATE.
Agree with James. This should be a coaching issue: Yakubu needs to be told where to be. And that is in and around the square box in front of the opposition’s goal. He is too slow to track back and then be expected to be involved in a counterattack or to run the ball in from out on the wing.
Keith, Agard did learn one thing from the Yak. that is, when someone is crossing the ball in front of goal the best place to be as a striker is on the end of it, not at the bloody center circle!
Agree with Keith about Duffy playing really well with Hibbert and was always looking to him as if for affirmation of what he had done, didn’t look the same after Hibbert went off. Surprised no one has noticed when Yak dropped back to the halfway line against Bate may have been to collect the ball for himself rather than wait for another lump and hope, he has never been any good at winning a header against a defender. Maybe he got fed up having to try and win a header or shield a ball with his back to goal. He plays a lot better with balls to his feet which may account for why he looked like he wasn’t arsed. Footballers know themselves what their strengths and weaknesses are.
I am not an Osman basher - I know he tries his hardest and can never be accused of being lazy. However, the man did bugger all against BATE. In fact from my perspective he seemed to be at his wasteful worst, constantly hitting 5 yard passes to the opposition.
As for Yak, an horrific injury means that obviously he will not be tearing around the field as he will not fully recover for quite some time. That said he never did tear round the field in the past and so other than a sharper first touch it might be hard to see when he is "fully" fit again
As for Yak, an horrific injury means that obviously he will not be tearing around the field as he will not fully recover for quite some time. That said he never did tear round the field in the past and so other than a sharper first touch it might be hard to see when he is "fully" fit again
Gavin - if you’re still there (back very late myself) - Mustafi looked a good one tome for the 15 or so he played. A bit Kevin Ratty about him. Here’s hoping.
A positive for our Evertonian family from the game is that we think it would be a good idea to meet up for Reserve games now and then. A very sound idea the club could build on.
A positive for our Evertonian family from the game is that we think it would be a good idea to meet up for Reserve games now and then. A very sound idea the club could build on.
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And then there is the question of his recovery from what is considered to be a career-ending injury.
In my book, I'd give him the rest of the season at the very least to get back into tip-top goalscoring form. He could well be "protecting" that heel, and still favouring it...
To slam him for lack of effort in what was effectively a reserves/training/friendly on a freezing night in an effectively meaningless rubber is facile in the extreme.