ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Silk and Steel

Normally I do not comment on individual games. However, I saw something from an Everton team that I have not seen in a very long time. I saw 'ruthlessness', the trait that I feel has been missing in our teams of the past.

The team looked sharp ? a well oiled machine with high fitness levels, beautiful understanding of team members, tenacity and mental toughness. A good pre-season, a settled squad line-up and gradual progression through the last few seasons has helped Everton achieve this level. They made this normally difficult fixture look very easy indeed.

Granted Spurs are a bit disjointed at the moment, but hey that?s not our problem. We didn?t ask them to spend £16 million on yet another striker (who by the way was made to look rather ordinary by an organized defense). We just went there and did our job without any fuss.

However, let us not get too carried away. There will be more testing times ahead. Reading no doubt will prove a tougher nut to crack. They just had a creditable draw against Manchester United and looked very well drilled, much like our own team.

What we do on Saturday will tell us a lot about the season ahead. Things to watch out for: Will Moyes be adventurous on the road against a ?lesser? team? Will the team?s fitness last, backing up from the midweek fixture? What can we expect from our new signings Pienaar and Jagileka (surely they will see more game time on Saturday)? Exciting times ahead?
Nigel Gregson, Sydney, Australia Posted 15/08/2007 at 12:00:19

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harj
1 Posted 15/08/2007 at 15:31:11

great start - but we must get atleast 1 point against Reading. My only concern is that Yobo had a Groin strain - so is Stubbs gonna play 3 games in a week? I hope not - as good as he is we need some pace at the back and maybe Jags can make full debut? -if Yobo misses out. Also looking forward to seeing Baines play I hope on Sat -leaving Lescott to play in the Middle. Bring in Fernandes and and Yakubu and I feel we can finish easily in top 4, also Pienaar looks a quality buy. we would have a great first 11 as below:
Howard
Yobo
Lescott
Baines
Neville
Jagielka
Arteta
Fernandes
Cahill
Johnson
Yakubu
with Osman, Pienaar, VDM, Vaughan, Hibbert as back up we can give anyone a game....only concern is a back up keeper I dont think Turner or Ruddy are ready yet?

Robin Byrne
2 Posted 15/08/2007 at 15:42:48

I think that some of the questions you ask are very easily answered Nigel. For starters I suspect that Moyes will go for the same starting 11 as the past two games (unless Yobo’s groin is a worry), if for no other reason than its his best 11 at the moment - granted Jags and Pienaar could be quality, but right now this 11 know each other inside and out. As for the fitness issue, after the training programmes in Italy and the US I would expect the lads to be able to put in a good shift on Saturday even after playing on Tuesday night, especially at this stage of the season. Possibly Anichebe and Stubbs may tire as the match goes on.

Toffee
3 Posted 15/08/2007 at 15:58:32

Harj,

I must stop you there!

On last nights evidence.... OSMAN will be a sub for no one! and rightly so.

He has step up a gear and he has the bit between his teeth!

There may be others that make way for Fernandes but it wont be osman.

I guess it will be either Neville or Carsley.

But , they are both excellent at the minute also!

Moyes is going to have a major headache is Manyy and Yakubu arrive!

DONT YA JUST LOVE IT!!!!!!

Awesome last night, Awesome!

Kieran Doyle
4 Posted 15/08/2007 at 16:04:31

Toffee,

I must stop you right there!!

Moyes will not drop Neville or Cars. If Fernandes comes in I reckon Neville will have to go right back and Arteta in the middle with Cars and Fernandes on right wing, with Osman on left.

Arteta & Manny could swap positions but Nev & Cars will not be dropped, it will be Hibbo.

Moyes will not drop Neville his Captain!

Samuel
5 Posted 15/08/2007 at 16:16:25

Remeber reading play chelesea tonight so they will be more f*cked than us....

Brunt has gone to WBA so thats off

Still - hope fern and Yak are sealed by the weekend....

F*ck me we’ll be cooking on some serious propane then...

Toffee
6 Posted 15/08/2007 at 16:35:49

Kieran,

That may well be true, But.... my point is, Leon Osman will not be dropped! SIMPLE AS! and he shouldnt be either!

Hibbert, for me is the best tackling right back in the prem.... it is just his passing and use of the ball that lets him down! That said, is nevilles any better??

Its still competition though and with Yakubu and Manny. there is a very very strong 11st 11 from any of the below how ever you look at it!

Howard
Hibbert
Yobo
Stubbs
Lescott
Baines
Valente
Jagielka

Osman
Arteta
pienaar
Fernandes
Carsley
Neville
Cahill

McFadden
Anichebe
Vaughan
AJ
Yakubu...

FUCK ME..... IM DROOLING!!!! and thats not even giving the likes of Shandy, Boyle, Vidarsson, Lucasz, Da Silva a mebtion.

We are creating a very good squad slowly but surely with Massive team spirit!

PLEASE GET MANNY AND YAKUBU!

Kieran Doyle
7 Posted 15/08/2007 at 17:12:01

Yeah agree with you Toffee about Osman and also Hibbo. Hibbo for me though, with his lack of good a attacking nous, distribution etc warrants a place in the squad/bench, not the first 11. I think as a right back Nevile offers a litte more attacking know how and he aint bad tackler either, but saying that I wouldnt have him my first 11 sometimes either!! But he just happens to be Moyes’s Captain so what can we do?!

Yeah but fuck me, like the look of that squad you listed, and as you say we must get Manny & the Yak...NOW!

Mike Allison
8 Posted 15/08/2007 at 17:27:29

On the subject of Phil Neville (who I agree should be our right-back, especially in home fixtures), does Sam Allardyce really think he’s going to sign the captain of a much better team than his, at a bigger club, with over 50 England caps, for £4M? How many agents would he have to bribe for that to happen?!