ToffeeWeb - Season 2006-07

The Mail Bag

Are our strikers good enough?

Prompted by the Beattie debate (I'm in the "decent bloke but not good enough, let's get rid" camp, by the way), I find myself constantly asking the question whether our strike force is actually good enough?

I know we scored quite a few last season and we saw the emergence of Anichebe and Vaughan but I still wonder whether we pose that much of a threat in open play?

We had quite a few penalties last year (admittedly, should have been many more!) and many of our strikes came from set pieces. I never ever got the impression that the team was naturally full of goals and sometimes goals arrived out of the blue rather than as result of concerted pressure.

The bottom line is that although midfield is probably a priority both in terms of numbers and flair, I think we ignore the limitations of our strikeforce at our peril. Johnson has pace and effort but doesn't look a really top-notch finisher, Vaughan looks full of promise - but that's all it is at the moment, Anichebe looks raw and powerful but lacks a composure and a first touch and Beattie, is well, largely immobile and generally useless.

So we start next season with Johnson and Vaughan as first choice, particularly for away matches, but have we really got the necessary cover in depth?

I don't subscribe to the view that Vaughan and Anichebe are our salvation just yet although I do hope I'm wrong! I've seen too many Cadamteris, Jevons's, Wakenshaws, Chadwicks and Branch's to be easily convinced.

I'd go for another pacey striker and perhaps even try to get McBride back from Fulham as cover. Better to have too many strikers than too few.

Anyone else share my concerns or does everyone else think we're sorted in the forward line?
Ray Robinson, Warrington Posted 12/06/2007 at 20:24:10

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Lyndon

I think there is merit to the belief that getting rid of Beattie and getting in another proven goalscorer would "complete" our forward line. I think our biggest issue last season was actually creating chances from open play. Johnson may have missed his share but I saw some statistics (on the Telegraph site, I think, but I can't find them now) that suggest his conversion rate was actually pretty good. There were many matches where AJ only had one or two genuine scoring chances in the whole 90 minutes — all strikers need service to score goals but Johnson, not being all that adept at creating his own, perhaps relies on service more than most.

Peter Laing
1 Posted 13/06/2007 at 09:11:55

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On the evidence to date there appears to be only one player who can create his own chances and linked with Everton and that would be David Nugent. Beattie is surplus to requirements, how many chances does the man need to prove himself and I feel the reality is that he just isnt good enough and we shouldnt continually expect him to turn over a new leaf and come up trumps. Whether Moyes is willing to shell out the best part of £6m and if we actually have that kind of money remains to be seen, one thing for sure that if Kenwright isnt able to raise the finances to allow the team to be strengthened then I feel Moyes will see this as the beginning of the end of their somewhat cosy relationship.

Tony.
2 Posted 13/06/2007 at 13:42:59

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Generally speaking it’s not the strikers who have been the problem, it’s the service they have received. I’m not a fan of Beattie at all and I think he should be sold (remember the open goal he missed???) and replaced. However, the service to the strikers needs a lot of work also. Without service, the strikers can not even have a decent shot on target let alone score and this is where we have been falling short for at least half the season.

Everton need a midfield player can can provide a proper service to the striker force then we will see more goals coming from the forwards.

Connor Rohrer
3 Posted 13/06/2007 at 21:06:20

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To be honest I think we will need another striker. Johnson, Vaughan, Anichebe and Mcfadden will not be enough for next season. Beattie is a man I have given up on. Atleast Mcfadden shows flashes of ability whereas Beattie has shown none.

As I have said on numerous occasions I would have liked to have seen Viduka at Goodison. He may have no pace but he is one of the best with his back to goal and he scores goals.

A striker is not the main area that needs boosting. I would like to see Fernandes signed permanantly or on loan. If not then another european midfielder with class. I have noticed that Moyes refuses to buy foreign players unless they have played in england. For example, Arteta at Rangers and Fernandes at Portsmouth. Players like Jagielka and Sharner are never going to make us more creative so Moyes has to look to the Foreign leagues to find the man we are looking for.