The Mail Bag
Old Guard
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Solid performance from the boys yesterday, we did the simple things well and importantly we scored at the right time which is something we're often guilty of not doing.
Clearly we have some key absentees at the minute, but what was very noticeable yesterday was the age of our team; Howard (32), Hibbert (30), Distin (34), Neville (33), Cahill (32), Saha (32), Osman (30 in May) all 30+, that's 7 of the starting XI that are all in the twilight of their respective careers. Plus Mikel Arteta isn't too far behind, he is 29 this week.
So then you look at Felli and Rodders as the young blood and future of the team, fantastic talent, but how confident are we that they're here for the long hall?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying at 31, 32 your career is suddenly over, but I look at the likes of Cahill who, for me, has his best years behind him, and it starts to worry me. DM is often heard saying he's trying to build a team for the future ? on this evidence it needs doing sooner rather than later.
Another potential reason, along with the state of GP, why investment isn't forthcoming?
Ben Hunt, Posted 20/03/2011 at 09:35:43
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I'm actually glad when Hibbert, Osman and Neville are not on the team sheet as I think they are not at the same level as Arteta, Baines, Felli, Distin, Saha. Their lack of all-round ability I think is why the squad lacks confidence.
My gut feeling is that, if Moyes stays, he is going to have to do what he did 7 or 8 years ago, clear out the ageing players and replace them with hungry youngsters with potential... for not a lot. Let's hope he can find us new Cahills, Artetas et al. It's obviously still possible, as Seamus Coleman proves.
Coincidence?
He does his best and he is a model pro, but he is just not of the quality we need to push on, even in his natural position as a right back. His main faults in my opinion are his poor distribution and overly-defensive mentality.
And to slate the lack of ability of Osman is laughable... his touch is better than Arteta's, and in the few games he's played, has created more than Mikel has all season. These lads are what we've lacked.... what some of them lack in ability, they more than make up for in drive and determination. That needs to start rubbing off on the Rodwells, Bilys and Heitingas in the squad.
People on here have an un-nerving skill of putting a negative spin on everything! And as for putting Cahill out to stud, you joke, he's one of our main threats and the way he targets oppositions main players and knocks them off their game, ie, Vidic and Duff this season. I wouldn't want to play against him!
As for me being 'a joke', I think you should watch Cahill's movement and overall contribution to a game, then dig out a video from 2/3 years ago and compare. He used to be box-to-box, start a move and finish a move type of player ? he can't do that anymore, certainly not for 90 minutes anyway. I love Tim as much as the next blue, but you have to be realistic.
I'm not a doom and gloom type of fan, quite the opposite in fact, I'm merely making the point that the squad is getting old and we need to look at bringing in some decent young talent who are ready to come in to the first team squad now and learn from the seniors ? hopefully this will happen with the likes of Gueye and Vellios.
Neville is getting long in the tooth and still tackles poorly, as does Heitinga. The midfield has been a problem all season and just as Arteta and Fellaini were getting their act together they get injured. However, we have won 4 of the last 6 Prem games which basically puts us in a safe position but we are still struggling and yesterday's second half was abysmal.
Hard to see where things will change for next season. Hopefully Rodwell will really become a force and maybe Moyes will give one or 2 benchwarmers a chance before this season is over.
My concern would be the same as everyone else's, ie, the lack of investment ? not the squad's average age.
Defence ? we need a younger centre-back and left-back cover. I was annoyed that Wheater wasn't snapped up as he's Jags but 4 years younger.
Midfield ? there is youth there in Rodwell and Fellaini but we need to start getting Bily more involved or get a replacement as Arteta hasn't got long left. Coleman should just play right wing as he's awesome there. Therefore we need a left-sided player and a centre-mid box-to-box player.
Up-front ? crying out for a decent young striker! Saha and Beckford are relatively old. We desperately need a 21-25-year-old who can score 10-15 goals a season.
Shite just paid £35m for a player like that. Ahem... Bill, any chance of putting your signature on this cheque...
But he just turned 20. It's 2-3 years from now some of these negative comments can make sense fairly. Not now. He's a pup in a Big Dog's league. THE Big Dog's league.
This kid's going to be fine.
It is of ultimate importance that we keep recycling our squad to keep it at its best, and the need is for a new left and right midfielder and a new goalscoring top notch striker! Without selling either of these two, we will be in big trouble.
The most likely to happen is that Moyes will sell all his loan players, like Yobo, Yakubu, and Vaughan. I for one will want to keep these three, especially Yobo and Vaughan as I have seen signs of Vaughan coming to life again at Crystal Palace: without all the injuries, he has scored many goals and I think he should stay instead of Anichebe who has scored and shown nothing so far this season.
Yobo is a quality Nigerian international and we need his ability in the air and his strength and pace, he is the closest we have to Distin who is tall and great in the air.
Yakubu I have more of a doubt over; will he want to come back? Plus would his worth go down the longer he stays and can't hit 20 goals a season? I think he still has it in him but, if he doesn't hit more than 15 goals at Leicester, then he must be past his prime for sure. Just hope then that we can get at least £5 million for him.
And lay off Osman and Hibbert. The past couple of games they've been outstanding.
Why players like Neville, Osman and Hibbert are getting slated is beyond me, when they're in the team we win and do things like qualify for Europe and reach FA Cup Finals, the first season they're not in the team we're in a relegation fight until they're reintroduced, yet all anyone notices is the odd bad pass or Osman being shoved off the ball by some talentless iron-pumping oaf playing for a team who finish a lot lower than Everton every year.
Neville is showing Fellaini and Rodwell how to play defensive midfield properly and the results prove it.
It's refreshing to see them back, and fighting for their place in a blue shirt. Far too much complacency has crept in to the team this year.
I'd argue that despite many eye catching performances, we often get better results without Fellaini in the side. For me, the central midfielders are the ones that can set the tempo of the game, and having some urgency with Neville (even with the odd dodgy pass) is more productive than an eye catching, skillful, but very relaxed Felli. Unfortunately Rodwell is looking equally as 'relaxed' as Felli when looking for a team mate, and that often results in sideways 'nothing' balls to the full backs.
Both Felli and Rodders would be lethal if they could add some drive and directness to their game (a la 'shithouse' Gerrard).
What does age have to do with it?
Get shut of Coco The Clown and Rodwell in the summer and buy some new / better players, I say ? coz they're both shite.
With the addition of a proven goalscorer, I am confident to conclude that we may have converted many of the drawn games this season into wins. The issue regarding Cahill losing his edge is quite frankly cynical, to my reckoning he remains a top scorer and has missed almost two months of football.
On a positive note, we have a couple of lads coming through the ranks in the shape of Ross Barkley and Luke Garbutt, who hopefully will provide competition next season in midfield and left back respectively. In terms of Jack Rodwell, I can honestly see the lad moving back to centre-half in the coming years should he not be sold on. Once he has filled out a bit more and continues to learn the game, centre half will become his rightful position be it at Everton, Manchester United or anywhere else.
The Academy set up at Everton is second to none and, given the financial straight jacket that we appear to be perpetually paralysed with, seems to be the only source of making players available to the 1st team squad.
Coco the Clown - hahahaha!
I agree by the way, he's overated at best and I'm not even sure who by!
Rodders will be a class act though, IMO.
Age doesn't mean shit - look at Milan over the years as a prime example of an old team doing well. OK they're quite a bit younger this season and top of Serie A but historically they (and many Italian teams/Chelsea?) use older players.
The modern day player can go on a lot longer these days anyway - diet, training, injury aftercare has all changed massively since the days when players were put out to grass at 32.
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1 Posted 20/03/2011 at 14:00:00
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Just look at Sherringham and Les Ferdinand, they were still Premier League players when almost 40.