ToffeeWeb - Season 2010-11

The Mail Bag

Reserve games at Goodison

After watching another game where we had defenders in midfield, I ask the question, have we got players in reserve, who can do a job in the first team?

REMEMBER, it was the crowd chanting his name, and radio phone-ins that got Seamus Coleman his chance, as with Baines and others. So what have we in reserve?

I would love to go and watch fringe players, but it's too far to go.

Anyway, Let's have a trial period and play reserve games at Goodison.

I cannot see any negatives. With added free entry for schools and clubs, families of season ticket holders and the growing visitors to our city via their hotel. Maybe then, Moyes, your nine-year wait, with little help from the fans, might be over.
Colin Malone, meols Posted 19/03/2011 at 21:12:29

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Andrew James
1 Posted 19/03/2011 at 22:58:57

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Referring to Coleman and Baines is totally inaccurate. Neither had anything to do with the fans. Baines was bought by Moyes who had been interested for 3 years and got a decent run once Lescott was pushed inside.

Coleman was humiliated at Benfica before Moyes played him in an advanced position against Spurs, a game in which he was pivotal. Moyes had plans for the player but clearly wanted him to get game time hence him being loaned out. He returned a better player and has been a regular since last September. I don't think the fans had anything to do with it.

Alex Kociuba
2 Posted 19/03/2011 at 23:26:09

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Agree with Andrew. The reserves situation has come up a lot recently, I think the general consensus is that reserves football is as bad as it ever was (for all teams) and the future is loaning the youngsters out to clubs in real leagues. We barely have a first team though, in recent weeks we've barely been scraping an adequate first team bench together.

If loaning players out to other clubs isn't the answer, then maybe we could establish a second team in the lower leagues, or if that isn't allowed the Welsh league or something?

Alex Kociuba
3 Posted 19/03/2011 at 23:32:25

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I find it frustrating that certain players get a game every week regardless of their previous performance. What incentive is there for the regular bench players/youngsters/reserves to go that extra mile if they know they aren't going to be given a chance? Conversely, if players are being guaranteed games each week, what threat is there of them losing the place? Without this healthy competition for places, I would imagine things go stale, players become demotivated etc.

Colin Malone
4 Posted 20/03/2011 at 00:00:58

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Andrew james, do you go to games?

Andrew James
5 Posted 20/03/2011 at 00:11:50

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Because of higher wages and bigger squads, I suppose reserve football is seen as lacking the competitive edge. The other problem with it is the inability to develop players. A player is far more likely to develop playing in a settled team on loan as opposed to one that constantly changes according to who is trying to get back on the fitness trail for the first team. One week you have to drop someone to bring in Fellaini or whoever! It doesn't make for consistency.

Andrew James
6 Posted 20/03/2011 at 00:40:43

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Colin

Not reserve ones no but first team away matches yes when I can. But I'm not sure how that makes any difference to what I said about Coleman and Baines??

When Baines was bought, we had a left back who scored 10 goals in the shape of Lescott. So whatever the fans were saying, why would Moyes move Lescott? With Coleman, you seem to taking some high ground that fans opinion means something. I'm sorry but did you even know who he was when he came?

Davey Moyes bought him based on good scouting, loaned him out to develop him and then started playing when he saw fit. It had nothing to do with the fans calling for him. Using your logic, Vaughan would not be playing in London right now?!?

I have a problem with your point that the fans got those players picked. They really didn't.

Michael Kenrick
7 Posted 20/03/2011 at 04:25:09

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The romantic notions that some folk still hold Reserves football in is really quite touching.

Reserves playing at Goodison indeed... when was the last time that happened? Good pub question surely.

This season, a further dumbing down of the Reserves to Status = Meaningless came when the FA Premier Reserve League allowed games to be played at training grounds!!!

And this idea of the senior players recovering from injury... well, perhaps there's still some credence for that... So far tihs season just one game each for Hibbert, Vaughan, Neville, Yakubu, Rodwell, Coleman, Anichebe... more than I thought, actually. This function for the reserves is really quite rare in the scheme of things though.

And I think it's safe to say Fellaini has never played for Everton Reserves. Face it, they are just the upper end of the Everton Academy now. A player progressing through the Reserves to the First Team is a rarity.

To me, this statistic says it all: Wayne Rooney only ever played in just five Reserves games... spread over three seasons. Whereas he played in 44 U-17, U-18 & U-19 matches and 10 Youth Cup games over just two seasons.

Colin Malone
8 Posted 20/03/2011 at 11:48:18

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There must be Everton players, who have left and they have never played at Goodison. I would go and watch and see the likes of Duffy and Co, and give my opinion on their progress.
Who knows? the likes of Mustafi, he might be the answer to our defensive midfield problem.

I remember going to watch Big Dunc, when he got released from prison, it was a good night.

Michael, Maybe that's why we don't see the likes of Felliani playing reserve team football, because it's not at Goodison. Why don't Everton try it and say have local bands on at half-time and other ideas.

Andrew: Regarding Coleman, in my opinion, it was the crowd who helped make David Moyes's in decision and play Coleman, as with big Victor not playing (fucking hope so). I should have said that when I asked that, sorry Andrew.

Andrew James
9 Posted 20/03/2011 at 15:30:01

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Colin ? players we definitely have NOT sang for to come on:

Stuart Barlow
Victor Anichebe
Andy van der Meyde

and...

Mike Milligan.

Sean McCarthy
10 Posted 20/03/2011 at 16:25:21

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If you think Coleman was picked after DM suddenly thought... "Hmm maybe those enlightened fans on ToffeeWeb have a point" you're deluded!! Coleman isn't good enough to play full back (he can't tackle) and sometimes just puts his head down and runs (sometimes even forgetting to take the ball with him).

Iain Love
11 Posted 20/03/2011 at 22:52:37

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Read something about Chelski ? they have 60+ reserve players, the pick of the worlds youth, yet not one player has come through. I can't understand why promising talent goes to clubs like that.

James Hollister
12 Posted 20/03/2011 at 23:44:59

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Coleman was used in the Europa because of a serious lack of first team players (all injured, or not match fit)... he was badly humiliated.

He was loaned out to Blackpool in the Championship, then came back at the end of the season. That loaning out did him the world of good, gave him a huge amount of confidence, and he came back a better player.

The reserves are nothing more than academy players and occasionally some first team players getting match fitness, or testing out their fitness prior to coming back to the Prem.

I believe Everton stopped hosting reserve matches at Goodison in 1987, might be wrong but I am sure they had been moved elsewhere during the 87-88 season?

Dick Fearon
13 Posted 21/03/2011 at 00:21:30

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At a time when our first team could not score in a brothel, I kept hearing tales about a kid in the reserves who was banging them in for fun. The old Central League reserve games were played on the home ground of all clubs. Usually I would be at our first team away games so I rarely saw them. I decided to take in a reserves game at Goodison just to have a gander at this much lauded goal scoring prodigy.

I saw him perform what is nowadays called a Helicopter on the edge of the box with the ball under full control as he burst the net with an unstoppable low drive. The lad's name was Mike Trebilcock.
Apart from that one move, he did nothing to suggest he could be a first teamer. In fact, he appeared to be not quick enough in his movement. His two goals in the 66 Cup final win over the Owls secured his place in Everton lore.

It did not take long before his lack of pace saw him drift into obscurity. Nonetheless, I will always have a soft spot for the nuggety little fellow.

Mike Hargreaves
14 Posted 21/03/2011 at 01:29:59

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Leon used to be regular in the reserves and I remember seeing Big Dunc at Morecambe against Blackburn. Somewhere in his autobiog says it was the worst night of his life.

KPR Williams
15 Posted 21/03/2011 at 09:05:28

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I used to go to a few reserve games at Goodison. There was a few young lads I thought might make the grade but were never seen again. Remember a cracking little left sided attacker called Grugel. he must be playing somewhere now. I was there for Duncan's gettting out party too... Over 10,000 at that if I remember right.

Andy Callan
16 Posted 21/03/2011 at 12:18:48

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They should play them before the 'main' game on a Saturday; at least then people would have the choice of whether to go or not.

Put it this way, I wouldn't travel 220 miles to Widnes to watch players who are worse than what I see on a Saturday in the 1st team.

You'd have to be fuckin' mad to do that......

Ben Jones
17 Posted 21/03/2011 at 13:32:25

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I always think we do not. But then when we have Akpan being loaned to Hull (the Championship is not the worst standard in the world) and I never regarded Akpan as our best propsect, then I'm thinking maybe.

Players like Baxter, Gueye, Duffy and possibly Barkley when fit are back-up players to the team, which is not the way to bring up youngsters... but then again what do I know?!

I'm hoping they can get some chance either at the end of this season or during the next. I'd love to see what they're made of at the highest level.

Barkley is perhaps our best prospect (remember he was on our bench loads at the beginning of the season and he was only 17!). A standard, tall box-to-box midfielder who's good with the ball.

Could maybe replace Rodwell if he leaves? Far too early to say at the moment.

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