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Panic button is primed
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I can?t help but be alarmed that a loss to Sunderland drops us into the danger zone. If that comes about, dreams of European nights need to go on hold while we fight for our very existence.
What concerns me is, when the chips are down, we might not have the resources for that kind of battle. A check list of those resources must begin with the manager and he does not inspire confidence.
He stubbornly persists with a lone striker when it is patently obvious that none of our strikers are suited for that role. Either that or the supply lines are inadequate. His team selections, positioning of players, use, deployment and most importantly his timing of substitutes often seem without sense or reason.
Moyes, nor any of his assistants, have any kind of attacking experience and that is reflected in the teams' total lack of ideas and inability to create clear cut openings. Our so-called creative midfield players do not create very much and their goal scoring shots are usually pathetic.
If Moyes had any sense, he would not let Arteta anywhere near free kicks or corners. If Arteta had any sense, he would not need Moyes to tell him. Pienaar cannot kick the skin of a rice pudding and he wants away in any case, Bily is too bloody slow, Neville nor Hibbert can not cross a decent ball, Jags is a hoofer noted for desperate last-gasp tackles, Howard has moments of madness, Johnnie has red cards and penalties just below the surface... and I guess the big fella is also in that category.
That does not leave much in the way of resources; thank god for Baines, Distin and Cahill. Or have I been to harsh on our underachievers?
Dick Fearon, Posted 21/11/2010 at 01:19:47
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Take Yakubu and Cahill out of the team and where do we see goals coming from?
The back 4 (excepting 1 Leighton free kick) severely lack any scoring ability or ambition.
Arteta, Pienaar and Heitinga haven't got it.
There is only Fellaini and to an extent Rodwell that have goals in them.
Unless we have a major shakeup in January I can see a very difficult season looming.
We have 90% of the team available. It's time to play a variety of formation based on the available players. I would really love for the optimist (it's only 6 games!) to come out with a solution. This team has what it takes to win and finish in the top 5. It's up to the manager to play his cards. COYB!
A third of the way through the season ? this is relegation form in anybody's book.
The jokes about the Reds going down seem like an awfully long time ago now.
Still. Up and at ´em and 3 big points tomorrow.
"13 games played. Wins - 3. Goals from our strikers - 2."
That's the nail on head quite frankly. We need a striker desperately.
I firmly believe Bilyaletdinov is on his way out in January, and so is Heitinga (who will be more of a loss).
We could get as much as £12M for those two, and the cash has to be injected into a striker or two.
I'd love to see us take a gamble on Dale Jennings at Tranmere, who would cost us buttons. On top of that, a "good" striker ? Yannick Djalo isn't ideal but he'd be decent enough. Landon Donovan back on loan would be invaluable too.
As mentioned above, James Vaughan has to be brought back into the fold ASAP just to give us some life off the bench.
"Jags is a hoofer noted for desperate last-gasp tackles."
That's the only point I disagree with in your post Dick. He's nowhere near the "hoofer" Yobo was, and he's our best all-out defender by a country mile. He doesn't really ever "dive in" either. He's a class act and I'd class him as one of, if not the first name on the teamsheet.
Oh, last thing. I'd rather see Everton stick with the 4-5-1, but with greater impact from Pienaar and Coleman in forward areas contributing to the goals. In theory, we don't use one striker, we have three. However, the system falls down if the striker is isolated during he attacking phase. 4-4-2 would be a backwards step for us ? if you watch our play carefully, we're actually on the verge of being a very, very good footballing side, so we need to stick with it and develop rather than renovate.
We're only 7 behind Man U on shots on target, 68 to 61; passing in opposition half top, Arse 81% we're 5th behind Chelsea & the two Mancs.
So I'm not pressing the panic button just yet, if we win 1-0 tomorrow we'll go 10th. Strange season...
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out we're actually a very attacking team, if you're actually watching the game that is - I'm glad those stats bear that out.
In fact, I refer to us as the "poor man's Arsenal" at the moment!
We're knocking on the door; we just need someone big enough to kick the door in when needed. Hopefully, that man will be a good striker in January or, perhaps, Saha/Yakubu finding form.
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1 Posted 21/11/2010 at 15:02:18
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Strikers can't score?
James Vaughan, 5 goals in 11 games for Crystal Palace.... loan ends in 2 weeks. Do not sell him.
'Nuff said.