So let me be the first. Cahill out! Boo, hiss blah blah.

Getting slightly more grown up, surely he’s neither saint nor sinner. Lovely goal yesterday, fuck all for most of the season.

Perhaps the truth, boring though it is, is that he’s a first rate ambassador for the club who would be a squad player if we had the dosh to buy better and were without bigger priorities.

I had to watch that a few times in slo-mo and freeze-frame...

Just amazing how he knew exactly where to run, exactly how high to jump (as far as he possibly could, and then some!!!) to time it perfectly, hanging momentarily in the air like a certain Alex Young, so that he was fractionally ahead of the ball and already dropping when he powered into it with head and neck muscles bursting... Bang! Lasered down to bounce right on the line, splitting the gap ’twixt keeper and post. Absolutely superb execution.

Where, oh where have you been, Timmy???

And really, that’s the point of any prior critique, Dick. There is no question that Cahill has been poor this season — how many corners have we had? How many such chances have been missed? He has been poor. But that goal was absolutely top-notch. That’s what people have been missing.

And it’s a great reminder of what he can do... I just hope it hasn’t come as too timely a reminder for Rafa of exactly what havoc Tiger Tim can wreak when he’s on his game.

Or maybe that will be good and he will draw a penalty or three next week as those gobshite bastards foul him t’fuck. But then we’d need a ref with the balls and absence of corrupt bias to actually call them.

Ah... I can just see the script of next week’s game already unfolding...

[Talk about superbly executed goals, Rooney’s pass, incredible run ¾ the length of the field, and brilliant first-time shot... Nice to think he’s a lifelong Evertonian!]

Great in the air, totally committed and when on form, a constant annoyance to the opposition who will score you important goals. On the other hand, his first touch is probably worse than mine.

How people rate him probably depends on what they consider to be important in a player. Maybe that’s why he divides opinion so much.

The boy can head a ball, no question. And he bleeds blue blood. Unlike another fella who had similiar attributes, he’s never been to jail (though his brother has)...

That's enough for me.

Rob, Tim Cahill has not totally committed - thats been a problem for him this season I think. More games than not he has been totally anonymous for large chunks of the game.

Tim Cahill is SLIGHTLY over-rated on the whole though, particularly by the media and casual ’soccer’ fans. Don’t get me wrong though, on form and working at his hardest he is a good player. But then so is Osman and Neville.

The brutal truth is that this season he has blown hot and cold; a potent threat some games but anonymous in most.

I’m not denying Cahill has been marvellous for us by the way, but this season he has been shit. Two goals in two games wont change the reality of a poor season.

I have criticised Cahill quite alot this season, and justly so.

He has done what we want him to do in the last 2/3 games, but 2/3 games do not make a season.

Yes, for some of his bad form he was played on the right hand side. However for much of the season he had also been totally useless in ’his position’. No player should ever be considered undroppable, and people have being saying he should be dropped for a reason this season.

When the team was decimated with injuries, he was made our captain. Maybe this responsibilty weighed him down. But fact is, he was our most expereinced player at a point when we needed him to hit top form, and he didn’t, he hid and some games you wondered if he actually turned up at all and we suffered because of that. Maybe if he played like he did in the last few games from the start we would have an extra 7-10 points and challenging for 4th, but were not.

Just like Moyes cant be called a legend becasue of a good run of form, neither can Tim. He needs to continue this for the rest of the season, then start next season in fine form.

I do like Tim Cahill, how cant you when he quite obviously loves the club, and he has a knack of getting goals like that. But I do still beleive if we are to progress to the top-4 and higher we need better than him.

I believe his role should be as substiute, coming on with 20/25 minutes to go, when the opposition defense is tired and less able to stop his runs, I think he would still notch 10-12 goals a season, and his career may last longer...he has suffered from injuries, he is getting older.

The next 6 games is where we need Tim Cahill to prove he is as good as some say he is, these games are what make players great.

I agree with Dick. I can understand people's critique of Tim, but you have to look at it in context. Fran, you say he has done what WE want him to do the last 2 or 3 games but I think youll find he has done what his Manager has wanted him to do all season. It is only in the last 6 weeks or so he has been deployed in his best position. And he has been the source of just about all of our recent goals.

Great goal against Spurs, brilliantly set up Peanuts for his runaway goal at the Arse, scored against Sunderland and set up Landon for his and scored again yesterday. I would go far as to say all of our goal scoring threat comes via Tim at the moment.

Even though he has been down a little on overall form up until the last 5 or 6 weeks, I think you will agree the whole team was a bit down on form and it is very difficult to constantly be at your top when those around you are not performing.

Rob, when Tim receives the ball it is usually travelling at great pace so it is a bit harsh to say his first touch is awful. His touch has been great as has his passing.

I think sometimes people can have short memories, and before some people say it, i don’t think some players are beyond criticism. I’m just talking facts as I see them.

For most of this season, I have thought he shouldn’t be in the team. Then, of course, he makes a fool of you. What a goal.

He’s been playing well in the last 2 or 3 weeks. Loved his goal against Wigan, and in agreement with everyone, a trademark goal, top class.

But he hasn’t performed all season, yes, he’s playing been right wing, but still has not played well in his favoured position in the long term.

What was frustrating at times is he looses the ball quite easily, he is technically poor. Our midfield at the moment is very good technically, and Cahill seems out of place to me at times. Like Fran said, an impact player, he would be top notch, but he’s been overused now. Maybe Moyes sees different things, but he’s not as good as he was last season, FACT.

I’d like to see something different if Cahill goes off form, and give Donovan a go there. It’s his natural position, and shift Bily to the right or left. Donovan is technical and has a knack for goals. But here’s hoping Cahill continues the good form!!!

It makes me laugh reading the whingers banging on about Tim being ’annonymous’ in some games. He’s not a playmaker, play destroyer or a speed merchant — he’s a GOALSCORER, and goalscorers tend to be that, until they pop up with the winning goal that sends everyone home happy.

It wasn’t suprising his early season form wasn’t the best with being shunted out to the right/left wing; now he’s back in his best position, the goals are returning.

Ste, if a midfielder isn’t playmaking, being a play ’destroyer’, using his speed OR scoring goals I’d say that was a little anonymous. Thus I have gone home unhappy with him most times this season.

Alex.

Cahill has been anonymous in some games because he’s been played out of position, he’s never been a wide player.

Now that felli has been moved from just behind the striker to a holding role allowing Tim to return to his best position the goals are returning.

I don’t believe he’s deserved some of the stick he’s had off his usual critics on here.

I’m with you Ste. Sometimes it’s too easy to criticise someone without taking into account all of the facts. Tim’s form hasn’t been that bad, it’s just that when some people label certain players after a while it sticks.

Peanuts hasn’t been at the top of his game the last couple so it won’t be long before some people start bagging him and suggesting we cash in on him whilst we can.

Whats not to get?

You play well, you get praised, play badly and you’ll get panned. Ossie scored an equally good goal at the Emirates and was on the bench against Birmingham.

Cahill's form in January has been terrific — long may it continue — especially next week.

The fact that Moyes played him on the wing says more about Moyes than about Cahill. However, as I said, lovely goal on Saturday. But it makes him neither a god nor does it rationalise his poorness over the whole season. As to "Dixie would have been proud"... Who knows?

All these people nagging on about how he has been shit all season, well that was because he is not a right winger or holding midfield player just as Fellaini is not a centre forward. Put them where they are meant to be and hey presto!

Also, I would love to see how many games he has played in ’his’ position as this run now to me is the first run his has been allowed in his position. Don't get me wrong, I have had a go at him myself... but It has been unfair on him and you don't realise what you have till it's missing.

You can try your Donovans in that position but you will be lucky to find someone in our squad who can do what he does in that position. Ttime after time he does it in the games that matter and he is the only one who does it every time against the top four year-in, year-out.

The way some of you lot are tipping the bucket on Cahill is starting to get my goat. He may have an occasional off day, he may not be scoring as freely as previously, but there is one thing that cannot be denied. In every game he gives his all for the cause. He never hides, he gets in their face.

I can think of some team mates who disapear once they enter the pitch. We have one or two whose bad games far outnumber their good ones.

Tim's goal against Wigan has been described by some on here as, typical or trademark. Truth is, it was the work of a goal poaching genius. For Christ's sake get off the lad's back and pray that he is fit for next Saturday. I pray that, if anyone has to miss that game, it will not be Tim.

Dont Forget - you guys who criticise, that our best goal this season was possibly Pienaar’s goal vs Arsenal. This goal was perfectly made with great skill. Timmy drew two defenders to him before he swapped the ball to his other foot and then released the ball whilst Steven was still in our half. Great skill from the guy many of you don't rate as very skillful?

Is anyone on his back Dick?

You make a post saying how great he is, and everyone so far has been in agreement that his goal on Saturday was great. However ,some people, in response to your post, have stated an opposite opinion that we need to improve on him.

Yes, he gives his all, so does Tony Hibbert, and Tony Hibbert has the occasional fantastic game. But that doesn't mean we don't need to improve on him.

He played below par for a very long spell, half a season infact. For some of that he was played out wide, for some of it he played deep, and for some he played in ’his position’.
It wasn't "move him to his position and hey presto!" Games against Carlisle, draw vs Sunderland, draw vs Birmingham, defeat at Hull — he played in his position and didn't score.

You say that his goal was a work of genius vs Wigan, then why is it his first goal like that this season? if it was genius it would be 4/5/6 times. When a players scores one goal from 35 yards, it's generally a fluke, genius is someone who does it over and over.

You said ’He’s not a playmaker, play destroyer or a speed merchant — he’s a GOALSCORER’ and how many goals has he scored? If Yakubu had been fully fit all season and had 3/4 goals from 25-odd games, I believe criticism would be made.

I hope his form does continue, and if it does then at the end of the season we can say how important he is etc, but at the moment he has had far more poor performances than good ones.

Osman has been as much of a threat for goals this season but has played far less games, has had injuries and yes, guess what, has been played out of position, yet Ossie will receive more flack.