Only one man for the job
Comments (37)
Looking for a tough tackling player to sit in front of the back four? Tony Hibbert is your man!
As a young man, he played in midfield with Leon Osman, and has played middle of the back four in Europe for Everton.
He might just be the answer.
Brian Swift,
St Helens Posted 07/03/2011 at 17:38:13
Return to the Mail Bag
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
Then again, so might Johnny Heitinga.
Errrr, no I suppose not.
No chance, can you imagine the hoofball we would have to endure.
Sorry to say, after how well he played on Saturday, but get Coleman back in and put Arteta back in the middle.
Paul (#2) Arteta back in the middle? No thanks, mate! He's been worse than useless there this season. Being moved back out wide has worked wonders for him and as that's where he had his best 18 months here playing out wide... so I for one am happy for him to stay in that position.
As for Hibbo in the middle, well yes, actually as, unlike Johnny H Rotten, he deffo won't bottle it in the tackle and I think when fit Timmy C would complement him perfectly in the middle. Still leaving us free to play two up top.
I'm sure I'll be slaughtered for saying that but as Ol' Blue eyes once said, That's Life!
Am I missing something? I thought the holding role meant the ability to pass to an opponent 6 feet away was a pre-requisite!
I'm sure that his goal/match ratio will improve no end!
Problem is guys who else is there to bring in at the moment given the fact that injuries are begining to stack up.
Perhaps the last person in the entire squad I'd want in that position, I would want everyone else there first, including the tea lady and the mascot.
Rodwell is ideal but too injury-prone at the minute. Hibbo isn't the greatest passer but as a DM he just needs to be able to break things up (which he will), able to get stuck in (which he does), and play it simple (which he does).
Hopefully Captain Phil won't be out for too long though.
With the injuries we have this is a problem now because we hardly have a midfielder. Maybe Rodwell will play there with Osman alongside and Arteta and Coleman on the flanks. I see that the most likely.
I think Moyes would play Jagielka in the holding role rather than Hibbert, as he has played there before ? ableit unsuccessfully.
"When Hibbo plays defensive midfield, breaking up play and laying off the simple ten-yard ball without the likelihood of ever conceding any free-kicks on the edge of the area, we riot."
Blahblahblah, everyone thinks but in the end Moyes will put Heitinga out there.
Gerry, are you trying to incite a riot?
Tell yer what, the idea is certainly thought provoking. Who says he can't pass. If players in front of him made themselves available, I think he could do the job. Let's face it, I don't think there's a better, actual, tackler in the club.
The way thinks look with regards injuries, it could work out that Hibbo plays holding, Coleman at right back, with Arteta out wide right.
This could be the stage of the season that Moyes thinks "Fuck it," and goes for broke. I hope he does cos at least the last seven or eight remaining games will be fun to watch...
COYB
Have you been sniffin glue?
It's not as crazy as it sounds! I remember watching him in the youth team, just as Franny Jeffers was about to break into the first team. They were both leagues above the rest. Hibbo had the look of a young Peter Reid ? and captained a very strong youth team. Shame he never turned out to be like PR as a senior pro, but I'd give him a crack at it on Wednesday... why not, the season is over!
I like it when fans say things just to bring a smile to peoples face ? next you'll be suggesting loaning Yakubu out to a Championship club when we're in a striker crisis and playing Jose Baxter at right back when we have a ready-made one already on the bench...
Just looking at our run in, apart from maybe United and Chelsea, do we really need a player to sit in front of the back four?
Are you serious, Brian?! The guy is rubbish, spends half the time when he's playing right back in the centre, leaving us totally exposed; he can't pass and his reading of the game is poor. Heitinga isn't great but he did the job well there before, like the derby game this season at Goodison and Spurs away.
Hibbert? This is the lad who can't do his job at right back properly!
Is it 1st April already? Time flies by when you're in a relegation scrap, doesn't it?
It seems like this site sometimes is Mr Minford. Surely must be an early April Fools!
Ben Hunt - Now that's just craziness.
If you actually watch Hibbo's passing, it is nowhere near as bad as people make out. If it is a simple 10-yard pass, I would put money on him making it. The only time he hoofs it is if someone hasn't shown for him or passed it to him when he is already under pressure.
Most of the time when he was playing he would just look for Arteta, pass then move, something the other "creative" players can't seem to do. Can't cross for shit but there is nothing wrong at all with his short passing game.
What a joke! I would rather have Mucha play there. Only reason he is anywhere near the squad at the moment is because of injuries.
Tony Hibbert is the best DEFENDER we have but it's flavour of the month to slag him off at every opportunity. He's not the best coming forward, granted, but he's also not as bad as some on here make out.
As for those still screaming for Coleman to play right back, have you not watched his attempts at tackling?? There's a good reason Moyes doesn't play him there. He can't defend!!! Get off Hibbo's back and appreciate a good, honest and dependable professional.
Hibbert is always the answer.
Hibbert in central midfield????? Don't be so fuckin' stupid!!!!!!!
Not for me, possibility our least skilled footballer in the squad playing in the maelstrom of a Premier League midfield battle.
Hibbert's passing is average when he's got time out at rightback, in the middle he wouldn't have any time at all. Crazy suggestion.
Who do we blame for this mailbag post? Hibbert's fault..
Had you been smoking something before you wrote this....?!?!?!?!?!?
Jesus Christ ? Hibbert's puts a lot of effort in which cannot be faulted, but playing him in midfield would be utter fuckin' madness mate.
You might as well bring Carsley back.
Please shut up! Its bad enough that he is even in our squad! And why does everyone seem determined to talk about Hibbert and Osman together?
Moyes last week and now that bloke who sits next to him this week! It's like they're both crap so let's talk about how important they are together because they are both part of the fabric of our great club. And they are... but that's why we are finishing mid-table because, if we were where most of us would like us to be, then those types of players wouldn't be anywhere near our squad, let alone the first team.
I have nothing against either of them, I'm just making a point; if they didn't play for Everton, who would they play for? Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Spurs or Blackpool, Wigan, Derby, Sheffield United etc?
Ha Ha Ha... Hibbert in midfield!!!
Anthony Millington
Posted 08/03/2011 at 10:30:31
Report abuse
The thing that would worry me about that is Hibbert's distribution once he won the ball. Who would Moyes put right back if he did this? Coleman is too attacking for Moyes to play at the back, and Heitinga is no good at right back.
Tony Hibbert has one great attribute: his dogged determination to stop crosses coming in ? that won't do him much good in the center of midfield; he does however have more courage in his little finger than "Hard Man" Johnny H has in his entire body. So the Dutchman isn't the answer either.
The season is petering out, let's make use of the games we have left and tell JR he is THE MAN for what's left of it. Jack's too nice at the moment, only by throwing him in against 'orrible old pros like Barry Ferguson and Bowyer will we toughen him up.
Martin, yes Arteta in the middle, before he moved slightly wide last Saturday, he was looking much better before that, he actually started well against Reading too, only he was faced with no movement up front due to playing one up front.
What do you want Hetinga in the middle?
We don't often agree on anything, Dave (#33), but wouldn't it be great to see Rodwell put in a really strong performance or ten, strolling imperiously around the middle of park, spraying passess, shooting with power an accuracy from the edge of the area, commanding the defence...
Just puzzling that he seems to play so much within himself. I wonder who could possibly be to blame...
Ha Ha
For a moment there Michael... for a very brief moment, I thought you`d forgotten yourself.
Do you by any chance own a dartboard with the Ginger Fella's face on it?
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Log in now
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 07/03/2011 at 18:15:54
Report abuse
Errrr, no I suppose not.