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Damning analysis of Bily
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I watched today's game on Sky Sports and was amazed at the analysis of Bily's performance today. I have never heard such negative analysis of a player on Sky, but the pundits were right in what they said. The commentator stated that the game was passing him by, and later that he didn't appear to be enjoying playing, and Chris Coleman added that he had contributed nothing in attack or defense. At half-time, Jamie Redknapp was asked how Moyes could change things, and he called it right by saying Moyes should get Bily off at half time ? which Moyes did.
A common defense of Bily is that he isn't a winger, but that doesn't wash with me. He was playing at Old Trafford in front of 70,000, with millions around the world watching. If he can't motivate himself for that, playing in his right position or not, he shouldn't be a footballer. I can accept any player having a bad game, but the least I expect is 100% commitment.
This lad's a waste of space, and it's not the 1st time he's stunk the house out. The occasional 30 yarder should not conceal his lack of effort/commitment etc. I hope someone in Russia is daft enough to buy him from us, because no-one in Europe will give him a go that's for sure.
Danny Broderick, Posted 23/04/2011 at 22:17:14
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I will say, however, that a player capable of creating the spectacular in a split second should be persisted with and maybe Moyes may yet find a way to get the best out of him (lethal shots and killer through-balls seem to be his best assets).
If I am critical of anyone it has to be Rodwell. He is a sideways player; very rarely does he carry it forward or go past anyone. He plays safe by playing to feet but never into space. We go forward, we go sideways, we go back and then we give the ball away from a long hoof to nobody.
I thought we were lucky to only lose 1-0. Our top speed is 1st gear and Utd were always in 3rd gear sometimes 4th and then overdrive. Their speed of movement compared to us made us look second rate.
Utd are in a different class to us. Surely if they are they benchmark then why are we not aspiring to that level? We have a good team and a good manager but will never be able to compete at the required level when we play like this.
It's weird because I have no idea what position he was bought for. He stated when he arrived that he was not a LW and we had a lot CMs at the time. I think he has played CM once or twice. He has a great shot but no heart or workrate and in a Moyes team that's the ultimate sin. A shame... but, if we got £6M for him, I'd say we where lucky.
That boy is fresh enough for a night out after most games.
I am not using that as an excuse for him... he just didn't look up for it yesterday. And that is down to nobody but himself. So much talent as well. Damn shame we only see it once in a while.
Everton cannot afford to have 10 players against 11 ? against any team. I have been on Bily's case since his first game. He never looked right for this league. I started off slagging him but gave up when so many started with the excuses. It's Moyes's fault playing him out of position etc etc... Sorry, Moyes's fault was buying him in the first place!
Ship the lad back to Russia, he wouldn't be the 1st player to have a nightmare transfer and go back and resurrect his career...
Moyes didn't scout him, he signed him on a tip off from Hiddink. I don't think Moyes expected Lescott to go and suddenly found himself with £24M to spend and very little time to spend it. We're not in a position to waste that amount of money.
Moyes has a history of wasting the little money we have... fortunately he's pulled out some cheap buys over the years.
THE MAJOR PROBLEM: we do not have a ball-winning midfielder since Carsley left and it's no coincidence the amount of pressure on our defence and midfield. Oh for a Joe Parkinson or a Barry Horne who where already at the club, when big Joe arrived??
Fellaini is three times the ball winner that any of those guys were. Don't get confused because he doesn't charge round sticking big tackles in, you just can't do that anymore. Fellaini constantly converts loose and contestable balls into our possession, he's exactly the midfielder you need in today's game. Horne, Carsley and Parkinson may not be long ago, but they're a throwback and a massive step backwards from what we've got at the club.
The only current comparable players I can think of to them are Scott Parker, who chose the Newcastle graveyard dollar when he could have come to us, and has more talent than any of them anyway, and Lee Cattermole, who gets booked and sent off on a regular basis because he tries to win the ball by using old-fashioned, off-his-feet tackling.
What we need are a variety of creative attacking midfielders, including wingers, to give us options in changing games. We currently have the Russian misfit, Ossie and Cahill, who both have their significant limitations, for the central position, and a still-developing full-back in Seamus Coleman, with Gueye as last ditch back-up.
Compare this to Tottenham who have Lennon, Bale and Van der Vaart, backed up by Krancjar, Modric and Pienaar, and Bentley out on loan. We were finishing above them every year until recently, and they've spent money on these positions, whereas we've completely failed to pick up even free and bargain players such Pennant and Etherington, among many others, who would at least give us a different dimension.
God told you to go for the dollar and the splinters, eh Ste?
As a club we cannot carry passengers in this team and certainly not those that have one good game in about 20. Get half the money back on him, cut our losses and, along with the Yak & Heitinga, get a few quid in the coffers to strengthen in other areas.
I'm astonished. Fellaini a ball winner better than Parkinson or Horne? Why have all teams been walking through our midfield all season?
It's improved since Neville has been in the holding role. The first thing I look for in a holding midfield is breaking the opposition's attack before it get to our defence, which Parkinson did brilliantly.
Felliani ain't a ball winner and lacks pace. He would fit in well in a team that keeps possession, eg, Arsenal, or Barcelona.
Guus Hiddinks is the man that advised Moyes about Bily. Fact.
With Cahill, Fellaini and Arteta all injured, then Moyes had little option other than play Bily. Personally, I would say that with all the twitter chat that Bily seems to be generating concerning transfer talks, plus the extremely poor performances in his past 3 EPL games (if you want to lord him for his goal, then great, but he has done absolutely fuck all else), we will hopefully see the end of him very soon.
I can?t help but note also that Hibbert seems to stay under the radar of most fans, his performance against United was appalling: he failed to stop crosses, was caught ball-watching countless times, had no idea where United players were. Was so scared he came in-field so another defender had to do his job. Just kept hanging a leg out as the ball whizzed past him, failed to defend the far post, once when they nearly scored and Howard had to make a brilliant save and again when they did score he was caught under the ball and out jumped by a player who is not much taller than him.
All-in-all, a total waste of space, the same as Bily, and should be emptied out in the summer. If he was, he will never again play in the Premier League but as Moyes loves him: as he only has to pay him a 1st Division player's wage, he won?t let him go.
I only asked why he was played on the left when he obviously isn't up to it! He never will be either. Play him on the right where he can cut in and shoot or play him centrally just to see if he can handle it.
But never on the left. Just play anyone out there instead... Gueye or some other raw kid.
We do not have a team that can have the luxury of "trying" someone. Playing left, right or centre when he has the ball he's lost. If you can't pass to a player when you're wide right then, in my book, you can't pass to a player if you're wide left or centre!!
The guy is out of his depth in this league. How many more chances does he want ?
Deja vu... damned to repeat the same mistakes for eternity.
Please, Moyes, get what money you can for this very very overated "prospect". According to stats he has played 87 games for us and I could count on one hand his good games...
1) Bily is played out of position? Now I have to believe, before he signs a player, the manager knows what position he plays and also that he would ask the player what position is his best.
2) Hiddink advised Moyes on the signing? I have to believe Moyes didn't buy the player based on a YouTube video or just on Hiddink's say-so.
It's obvious imo that he has no future at the club and has been for some time. The up-and-coming youngsters, players who have a chance, should have been given his shirt in order for Moyes and the fans to have a better look once it was certain relegation was avoided. If a decent fee is available he should be one of the first out the door to fund incoming transfers.
Producing something good once in fifteen games is simply not good enough and a luxury we can certainly not afford We cannot afford to spend the best part of £10M and wait two years for a player to produce the goods, which in the case of Bily is unlikely to happen anyway.
I don't think I have ever seen a player with such a poor footballing brain, he exposes the fullback time and time again and has little if any positional sense at all. He may struggle with the language and pace of the game even but he lacks in effort which is the least most Evertonians expect.
"Yeh, Moyes is the next Man U manager, LMA awards coming out of his arse ? Champions League qualifer, FA Cup Finalist ? d'ya know what punching above yer weight means?"
"No," says Bily,
"Read this shit supporters write on something called Toffeeweb ? that'll tell yer" the agent replies.
"Wow, they like stats don't they. BTW what is hoofball?" enquires Bily.
"Don't worry about that ? sign here; press hard, three copies" says the agent calculating his percentage on this and the likely next transfer once Bily twigs.
The lad's got technique... but he's alone in a team of Moyes's donkeys, he'd do ok at clubs that have other forward players.
Bily is playing in a team of "Moyes's donkeys" yet stands out as the biggest donkey of the lot.
Thanks for that ? pity my record of the "biggest shite" only lasted 5 mins ? well done.
Please enlighten me, where did you see the good stuff that you believe Bily is keeping up his sleeve? I've seen this lad playing with Arteta, the big Fella and Pienaar, so you can forget about your hoof ball with these players, and he was still shite. Hiddink maybe able to spot a footballer from 10 miles but he's not fully up on the requirements for the EPL.
And secondly, why degrade EFC about hoofball when we are at least 5 senior players short and we are playing at Old Trafford ? where you never get a penalty, you concede freekicks for fucking breathing and can guarantee about 4,000 minutes injury time?
Bye bye, Bily!!!
If you've made your mind up he's shite because of what happens at our club, I don't think the fact he's a Russian international, was a a star player at Lokomotive, scores goals that no other player at Everton can, or the Hiddink approval will change your mind.
There's lots of footage on YouTube demonstrating he's a player and it's my opinion that the dearth of gifted players around him, the lack of options from a plodding defensive unit leaves him exposed.
Where he's played with decent teams he's been good, but he's not a Stephen Gerard conductor of the orchestra he's an accomplished component. I maintain if he was at Arsenal or ManU he'd look the player Hiddink rates but at teams like us, Wolves, Stoke etc he clearly doesn't fit.
Which raises the question about Moyes knowing what his team needs.
The star points you give for the lad mean little when he is continually fucking up on the pitch. Over the past 3 season's I've seen him score maybe three goals from distance but contribute little else to the team ? in other cases, he just disappears, give the ball away (a lot) or play hospital balls that must piss off his team mates.
But Trevor, once again you get shitty about EFC, talking about plodders in our defensive unit and labling Everton with the likes of Wolves & Stoke? Why?
No team has won at Old Trafford this season, but Moyes gave it his best shot with the players he had available. He came up short, why slag it off? We do not have the players that SAF has, we have the likes of Bily, so let's be hopeful that Moyes don't go player shoping at Lokomotive or ask Hiddink for some help in finding players.
You say, 'Ossie on the wing, Jags in midfield, Fellaini playing behind the front man, ALL as bad as Bily.' ? The difference is, they at least do their best and have all been effective to a degree ? they have had good & bad games being played out of position. I've never seen Billy have a good game. It's not talent that's lacking, it's application.
A few people have also had a go at Rodwell, and I also think he is not fulfilling his potential. He was also anonymous against United's reserve centre-mids yesterday. I really hoped yesterday would be the day he steps up to the plate, on the big stage, but it just hasn't happened. Don't worry about him going to United in the summer at this rate ? they wouldn't be interested unless his form improves dramatically.
We're crap. This is as good as it gets ? 7th, blown out of the cups shamefully and as dull as dish water.
Now people can choose to accept it, even say it's not crap; I don't. I think the Moyes influence on creative players is akin to the Bermuda Triangle on passing transport, hence my sympathy to Bily.
This recent revival is a microcosm of the Moyes achievement ie plod along when there's nothing really to play for. We grind down similar dullard outfits around us then invite our superiors to use us as a door mat.
My opinion is that it's shite and no matter how anyone dresses it up, with stats, excuses, LMA awards and all the warm words from SKY, it will stay so with Moyes in charge.
This is how he described himself, and his preferred role in the team, shortly after signing for Everton:
"I am an attacking midfielder and play on both wings, but I'm more inclined to play on the left side. I like to play down the inside channel, rather than right on the wing."
All this talk about playing him behind the forward or in central midfield is ridiculous. He simply does not possess the physical or mental strength to succeed in English football. He appears shell-shocked half the time and looks like he can't wait to get off the pitch.
He's got technique? So has almost every player who plays in the Dutch League ? does that make them good players who would improve the quality of the Everton team?
I shall tell you Bily's biggest asset: his fuckin bank balance! ? and he has never earned it in any shape or form.
Good players produce regardless of there position they adapt and turn negatives into positives thats one of the reasons there good quality players.
So I have to ask, Trevor, how come Man Utd or Arsenal didn't buy him or even show any interest at all?
There was only one left footed Russian who was interesting the top clubs and that was Jerkoff and he hasn't blossomed into the player Chelsea thought and he is streets ahead of Bily.
I can understand your frustration as the Premier League in general has a lot of players who don't do the basics like a good first touch (which should come as standard) and cannot pass a ball ten yards but it just shows how tough it is in the Premier League.
It takes a player with a good footballing brain, technique, engine and hunger to just compete in the Prem and imo to find players with more than that who can reach the top is a very difficult job.
He comes across as very personable but I can't help but think that if he had an ounce of talent he'd be screaming for a move given the humiliation that Moyes has heaped on him. 100% the fault of Moyes and none on Bily himself.
I question why he's become shite now he's at Everton when he wasn't before ? has he changed or is it his circumstances?
If you don't think circumstance has an impact, compare Man Utd's Diego Forlan to the Diego Forlan voted player of the tournament at the World Cup. Or Darren Bent at Spurs compared to Sunderland, now Villa. It plays a huge part in whether a player is successful and football is littered with examples, perhaps Torres being the most recent.
BTW, McFadden could play.
As for your Dutch footballer question, I would answer they probably would transform the club ? if we had a coach willing to play to their strengths. My main concern would be how an Evertonian can be posing such a question, are you so enamoured by how Moyes sent his team out yesterday?
I'll tell you what has changed ? he is playing in the Premier League instead of some 2-bob league in Russia.
Glad you concur.
It'll be interesting how he fares if he joins any of the other 2-bob leagues like Spain, Italy, Germany where technique is put before "getting stuck in". Or any of the other Neanderthal shithouse euphemisms that plague our game.
By the way, the Italians and the Germans are not averse to tackling either. He'd probably have the same level of success over there (assuming anyone would be silly enough to buy him) as he has had over here...
Beckford looked like he knew he was out of his depth. He failed to even try to win one ball into him. His first touch was just as woeful. I doubt Ferdinand has ever had an easier 45 mins in the Prem. He should be off-loaded in the summer too because, quite simply, he's nowhere near good enough for Everton or the Premier League.
Bily is so poor, it's untrue. A few weeks ago on here, someone was claiming he could walk into the Barcelona midfield!!! Not while he's got a hole in his arse would he get anywhere near Barcelona or any other half-decent side. He's shit. Period.
If either of these are seen as any part of the future of EFC, then we really are fooked as I doubt there's a worse centre forward in the division than Beckford (other than maybe Anichebe) or a more out-of-his-depth midfielder than Bily.
Time he went.
In those positions he has the chance to do what he is obviously very good at ? SHOOT!
He can't do this on the left. You might think he is awful regardless of position but that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. Just like I am mine.
This is not a defence of his performance on Saturday. There is no excuse for lacking commitment. Or the ability to pass a ball ten yards.
Against Man Utd, Moyes could have played either Osman or Gueye on the left. And both would have almost certainly done better than Bily did.
This doesn't make him shite but try naming a game were Bily showed Europe that he was a great quality player?
The fact is Bily has never done anything for either Lokomotiv or Russia to justify the fee paid.
How many goals has he scored for us? Yet some here think he has the shot of Bobby Charlton, I guess the poor attempts like the one against Wolves after his goal are forgotten.
Trevor we would be better off and improve with players from the Dutch League? I don't remember Atteveld being anything other than absolute shite so Willem II and Go-Ahead Eagles type players are certainly not going to improve Everton.
Your other point, Trevor: Forlan was a young man when at Man Utd and never had a big run of games that strikers need with the likes of Van Nistelrooy ahead of him his chances were limited.
Darren Bent carried the big price tag at Spurs and would be considered a failure there although his goal scoring record at Spurs was far from poor.
McFadden could play? I guess that shows how different are opinions really are as imo he was as bad as Bily.
Even if the nonesense that Bily is played out of position is true, good players show their quality no matter were they are playing.
OK, he had a mare of a game in the first 45 mins; nothing he tried seemed to come off, he looked completely baffled as to what his role was and even his Pienaar-esque fling to the ground made him look daft. But, at the minute, he's one of the only few players I'm excited to watch ? yes, you never know when he receives the ball whether he'll lose possesion in the manner of a Sunday League player or smash it into the back of the net with the skill of a regular international ? but at least he's unpredictable!
By all accounts he played in the hole / Cahill role for Lokomotiv and Russia.
Personally, I think he hasn't been given a fair crack.
How many people would've shipped out Jags after some shocking performances in the Carsley role?
You appear to have put words in my mouth with the "Bily was a great player in Russia" ? naughty boy.
My essential point is the lad is in and out of a team and for a manager that doesn't suit ? that's not conclusive evidence he's shite.
Hence the circumstance comments, which in your own excitable way (and you're clearly not aware of) you've backed up.
Are Go Ahead Eagles an American basketball team? I have no idea where you're going with this.
At a guess ? are you suggesting I've claimed anyone Dutch, who can kick a ball, regardless of level will benefit Everton?
The answer of course is, yes.
Under the proviso they wear clogs and give away free tulips at every game.
(I realise you knew the last bit but given the misunderstandings, thought I'd better put it in)
"...table football, like rigidity where we move the ball in slow motion to feet and try and shuffle it up the pitch, doesn't suit his game"
It should read table "football like rigidity". You know, like those table football games where the players are stuck on a long pole and you manically turn and push them but they are stuck in a four man midfield. No idea who thought the alternative made sense.
I recall Michael's match report from the Blackburn game where Bily was apparently anonymous and on a couple of occasions the adjectives brilliant and excellent were tagged to him regarding passing. Thats quickly forgotten.
And yes I had heard of him before he signed for Everton ? we aren't all Alan Shearer type followers of the game. I do feel for the lad and hope it all works out for him in the end whatever happens.
Doesn't really seem fair on the lad.
Max, I would love to sit next to you in Goodison if you go the game thinking Bily is one of the only players who excites you! In the two years I have been paying to watch him, alls I have seen is someone who just cannot be arsed. Out of position or not, it is no excuse for not actually putting any running, fight or effort in.
Also, for those commenting on Hiddink, when we bought Bily, Moyes stated he had been watching him for two years.
Fellaini clearly wasn't his target and was an impulsive last-minute buy.
Bily, the same deal.
Heitinga, the same deal
Yet this same manager will not let Saha go, when it's clear his time has been up now for at least the last couple of seasons when he should have retired.
Before people embark on my calling Fella shite, I am not. When a player has demonstrated he can only play an average of 20 games a season, of which only a small handful of those games he plays well in... then ?15M is a hell of a lot of waste for a lad we didn't want in the first place.
Good quality players can usually adapt fairly quickly to the fast tempo of the Premier League ? look at all the top names that come and ply their trade... If Bily that was good, he really shouldn't have had any problem.
He has, as you suggest significant weaknesses, and I wouldn't trust him in the reserve team. Like a lot of players, he talks and talks and simply never delivers because he is incapable of doing it.
Put him in a Spanish side, maybe a lower league side, and I think he'd probably thrive... but, at the same time, he would never fit into the likes of Barca or Real Madrid because, let's be honest here, he is no world beater: can't tackle, loves falling over and is generally piss-poor all over the place.
To describe his passing as excellent is a bit short-sighted; most players of this league should be able to do the fundamentals right first time, like passing. However, because most of our players struggle to pass at times, he is made to look better than he is, when in reality this is not true. What's the point of passing and having a shot once in a blue moon, when he can't do anything else? Like run and take players on...
He has to go this summer ? what a complete waste of the £11M paid for him.
I am a massive fan of Fellaini though, but I have to agree too his injuries at such an early stage of his career is worrying... although I disagree with your shout of him only playing well in a few of those games; give me him over our over-hyped England starlet every time.
Each time there has been a dangerous foul committed against him.
Owen is injury-prone, Saha is injury-prone, Vaughan is injury-prone, Felliani has been fecked up twice in two seasons because of dirty challenges ? not because his body can't take the strains of Premier League footy.
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1 Posted 24/04/2011 at 03:07:56
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