The Mail Bag
Don't build your hopes up on Manny.
Comments (12)
I've seen Manny play while on loan, and to cut to the chase, the lad has skill and vision but no engine. If Moyes can improve that side of his game, it will be a massive plus. If not, we will see a bit-part player that is only good when we are on top, ie Gravesen.
Before you have a go, I've been watching the Blues for forty-odd years and I've seen the Rodney Marshes, Stan Bowles, Duncan Mackenzies and they were idols with great skill but won nothing. I could go on, but let's look at Everton in the Eighties, I will never forget that side, every player worked their socks off. So yes we need Manny with his skill and vision and we also need him for 90 minutes.
Colin Malone, Posted 18/08/2007 at 22:44:28
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
Roy coyne
1 Posted 19/08/2007 at 02:38:33
1 Posted 19/08/2007 at 02:38:33
Colin think back to the days of Alex Young,How often did one piece of magic win the game or lift the crowd,rememberDuncan Mckenzie giving the Man city roasting on his own,Tommy Ring, Chico Scott,Trevor Stevens,all the best Everton teams have had that bit of magic that makes it worth the admission price and the memories they provide are priceless yes perhaps some of them lacked work rate that is required even more in todays game but Manny had me off my seat with his skills against Arsenal and the thought of him and Arteta together has me looking forward to like a kid at Xmas hes young and if Moyes can instill a work ethic in his game then he has the potential to be world class and I am looking forward to being entertained once again by good football skills rather than just hard work we are at last going back to being crowd pleasers,Some of our younger fans have never seen that and they deserve the experience
Connor Rohrer
2 Posted 19/08/2007 at 02:55:57
2 Posted 19/08/2007 at 02:55:57
I have also seen Fernandes play on loan and I thought he was good. You talk like he is a player in his prime when his is only 21. He wasnt anywhere near fully fit last season as Moyes stated last week. He didnt have a pre-season with either Portsmouth or Benfica and he only started getting back some fitness when he joined us.
You talk about title winning teams look at Man utd. Who was there best player? Cristiano Ronaldo a player known for not tracking back and working for the team yet they still won the league.
Fernandes has got massive potential even bigger than Artetas and hopefully Moyes will improve him even more. He will learn the british game the more he plays and trains with the team.
We have enough hardworking players in Johnson, Cahill, Carsley, Neville, Osman and Hibbert and it is good to see flair players such as Arteta, Pienaar and Fernandes improving the quality.
You talk about title winning teams look at Man utd. Who was there best player? Cristiano Ronaldo a player known for not tracking back and working for the team yet they still won the league.
Fernandes has got massive potential even bigger than Artetas and hopefully Moyes will improve him even more. He will learn the british game the more he plays and trains with the team.
We have enough hardworking players in Johnson, Cahill, Carsley, Neville, Osman and Hibbert and it is good to see flair players such as Arteta, Pienaar and Fernandes improving the quality.
Jarty Jones
3 Posted 19/08/2007 at 04:52:59
3 Posted 19/08/2007 at 04:52:59
Talking of the team of the 80?s , Kevin Sheedy wasn?t exactly a human dynamo but we wouldn?t have had half the success without him , Manny?s a class player with that little something extra that class players have , he?d have won the game against Reading for us.
Lue Glover
4 Posted 19/08/2007 at 08:13:53
4 Posted 19/08/2007 at 08:13:53
I think I?d prefer to watch an 80% fit Manny type player than a 100% donkey hoofing the ball around. It?s a lot more pleasing to the eye but I expect that there is always the concern that while Manny, or similar type player, is having one of his 20% moments (ie not tracking back or whatever), the opposition will score.
Sad muppet that I am, since the talk of Manny coming back (oh joy of joys), I?ve been watching some of the games in which he played. Yes, he was caught out a couple of times and had to redeem himself by chasing back but overall his commitment was consistent. We all see what we want to see and I must confess that when it comes to Fernandes I am a bit blinkered. The guy walks on water as far as I?m concerned and I hope that he and Mikkey will form one of the most skilful and formidable midfield duos in the EPL. Manny has the ability to split a defence with forward passes to feet,something that has been lacking in our overall game and hopefully something that AJ can work from. Yes, I?m disappointed at the result and indeed the performance yesterday but we are going to get days like that so brace yourselves, we?re Evertonians so must be used to it by now? Roll on Saturday and let?s give Rovers a lesson in football skills. Cue Manny and Mikkey!
Just one other thing. Have I been asleep for three months? Looking out the window while writing this, it?s blowing a gale, piddling down with rain and looks more like November than bloody August. Hey ho.
COYB
Sad muppet that I am, since the talk of Manny coming back (oh joy of joys), I?ve been watching some of the games in which he played. Yes, he was caught out a couple of times and had to redeem himself by chasing back but overall his commitment was consistent. We all see what we want to see and I must confess that when it comes to Fernandes I am a bit blinkered. The guy walks on water as far as I?m concerned and I hope that he and Mikkey will form one of the most skilful and formidable midfield duos in the EPL. Manny has the ability to split a defence with forward passes to feet,something that has been lacking in our overall game and hopefully something that AJ can work from. Yes, I?m disappointed at the result and indeed the performance yesterday but we are going to get days like that so brace yourselves, we?re Evertonians so must be used to it by now? Roll on Saturday and let?s give Rovers a lesson in football skills. Cue Manny and Mikkey!
Just one other thing. Have I been asleep for three months? Looking out the window while writing this, it?s blowing a gale, piddling down with rain and looks more like November than bloody August. Hey ho.
COYB
Barry Lightfoot
5 Posted 19/08/2007 at 08:55:18
5 Posted 19/08/2007 at 08:55:18
I don’t recall Kevin Sheedy doing a great deal of tracking back and defending.
Mark Pendleton
6 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:01:32
6 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:01:32
Amazing what one defeat (and an unlucky one it would seem) does to optimism. The Club can’t win - get slagged off for missing out on Nugent and Koumas and then when it looks like we’re signing two infinitely better players in Manny and the Yak they get slagged off again. If with 60 mins on the clock we’re failing to break a team down then i’d love us to bring Manny on. At the moment i’d love us to have a Premiership proven goalscorer to be the physical presence so we don’t have to rely on Vic every week, take the pressure of the kid. Oh, hang on, that’s exactly what Moyes and the board are trying to do!
Matt Charles
7 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:09:50
7 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:09:50
You?d hope with Fernandes in the team, playing regularly, we?d have less chasing to do! Our ball retention should be a lot better which hopefully means AJ?s making runs on the shoulder of the last defender as oppose chasing him down after the ball!
Brian Waring
8 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:15:36
8 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:15:36
Mark,I don’t know if you were at the game?But, an un-lucky defeat?I think not.Apart from the last 10-15 mins were we decided to have a go,we were shite for the rest.If I’m thinking right,their keeper never had a save to make all game.If we can be seen to be progressing,we need to be beating teams like Reading.Not making exscuses like,Reading drew with Man utd,they were un-lucky against Chelsea.
Tony Hawkins
9 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:56:09
9 Posted 19/08/2007 at 10:56:09
Seems there are a couple of issues here.
Expectations: Evertonians have been served up rubbish dressed as the best thing since sliced bread for about the last 15 years so any glips of glory is met with excitement and high expectations and any glips of poorness matched with the gloom of "here we go again!". Can you blame us?
Team dynamics: At the Moment Everton has so many players with a high work rate that the inclusion of one or two players with may be more focus on skill isn’t going to kill the team and can only help. Why would you want 11 players behind the ball all the time? There needs to be an outlet and may be a couple of players staying higher up the pitch is exactly what we need. Andy Johnson is an quality striker but his scoring opportunities are missing because he DOES track back, because he DOES go looking for the ball and because he DOES encourage others to put crosses in - unfortunately it has often ended up being him who has had to do it. The good part is it’s been an example to the rest of the team who can hopefully start doing these things more themselves so AJ can focus more on doing the very thing he was brought in to do.
That aside, from what (little) I have seen of Fernandes, he work rate IS up there and he’s willing to put the hard work in, tackle and put the ball either in the box or in the back of the net!!
Expectations: Evertonians have been served up rubbish dressed as the best thing since sliced bread for about the last 15 years so any glips of glory is met with excitement and high expectations and any glips of poorness matched with the gloom of "here we go again!". Can you blame us?
Team dynamics: At the Moment Everton has so many players with a high work rate that the inclusion of one or two players with may be more focus on skill isn’t going to kill the team and can only help. Why would you want 11 players behind the ball all the time? There needs to be an outlet and may be a couple of players staying higher up the pitch is exactly what we need. Andy Johnson is an quality striker but his scoring opportunities are missing because he DOES track back, because he DOES go looking for the ball and because he DOES encourage others to put crosses in - unfortunately it has often ended up being him who has had to do it. The good part is it’s been an example to the rest of the team who can hopefully start doing these things more themselves so AJ can focus more on doing the very thing he was brought in to do.
That aside, from what (little) I have seen of Fernandes, he work rate IS up there and he’s willing to put the hard work in, tackle and put the ball either in the box or in the back of the net!!
Dutch Schaffaer
10 Posted 19/08/2007 at 13:11:51
10 Posted 19/08/2007 at 13:11:51
Earlier in the summer when fans were demanding Moyes sign Fernandes despite the reported £12 million price tag I raised a bit of doubt that he would be worth it.
Don?t get me wrong I really like Fernandes. He showed on loan that he?s an exciting prospect. We certainly got glimpses of what he could be.
But the Man Utd game last season speaks volumes for Fernandes. He scored a cracker but as Moyes rightly pointed out he didn?t do enough overrall.
Fernandes is really going to have to develop his game if he is going to become the outstanding world talent we all want.
I felt £12 million was too much for Fernandes. It seems Moyes is getting the deal done for a lesses price which is fantastic but Fernandes still has a lot to do.
Don?t get me wrong I really like Fernandes. He showed on loan that he?s an exciting prospect. We certainly got glimpses of what he could be.
But the Man Utd game last season speaks volumes for Fernandes. He scored a cracker but as Moyes rightly pointed out he didn?t do enough overrall.
Fernandes is really going to have to develop his game if he is going to become the outstanding world talent we all want.
I felt £12 million was too much for Fernandes. It seems Moyes is getting the deal done for a lesses price which is fantastic but Fernandes still has a lot to do.
Jason Broome
11 Posted 20/08/2007 at 00:37:23
11 Posted 20/08/2007 at 00:37:23
Are we talking about the same player who for 90 minutes taught Arsenal a football lesson and in a moment of world-class genius made a school boy out of Van Der Sar.
I remember Arteta being a highly skillful light weight... now he is one of the best players in the premiership.
Manny is in the right league, with the right manager, of the right team, with the right captain to make him work his arse off.
Last season he gave us options and improved our play. He is also the only player who has the ability of stealing Arteta’s player of the year crown. Lets hope he does, because we can do better with him, than without him.
In Manny We Trust!!!
I remember Arteta being a highly skillful light weight... now he is one of the best players in the premiership.
Manny is in the right league, with the right manager, of the right team, with the right captain to make him work his arse off.
Last season he gave us options and improved our play. He is also the only player who has the ability of stealing Arteta’s player of the year crown. Lets hope he does, because we can do better with him, than without him.
In Manny We Trust!!!
Mark O'Brien
12 Posted 20/08/2007 at 00:59:02
12 Posted 20/08/2007 at 00:59:02
I also watched everton in the 80s and can recall many everton fans giving sheeds a hard time for his work rate and sometimes backing out of a tackle. Although with the rosy glow of my new specs i prefer to remember just the gifted left foot, the free kicks, the crossing ability for sharp, gray or mountfield. Who remembers how frustrating adrian heath could be? I also remember sharpy, who although a legend was often far too gobby in my opinion and used to earn stupid bookings because of its mouth. The 85 team was the greatest team of my lifetime but still wasnt perfect !
Fernandes has shown at 21 to have the skill to add a new dimension to this everton team. He has certainly made a bigger impression than arteta did while he was on loan, and he?s now our best player. Imagine what fernandes can be after a couple of seasons with us?
Fernandes has shown at 21 to have the skill to add a new dimension to this everton team. He has certainly made a bigger impression than arteta did while he was on loan, and he?s now our best player. Imagine what fernandes can be after a couple of seasons with us?
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
Everyone assumes of course the answer is Yes listing all the names we now have and comparing them to five or ten years ago, as if that was sufficent proof that we are now far better. But, as with everything in football, all the talk is basically meaningless: it's on the field of play where it really counts. Last season was good but people crwing about progress and imploring us to ignore these "blips" overlook the fact that we slipped from near the top down to 10th and needed a right good kick in the pants to get back up to 6th... all of which makes me wonder just what might be possible if only we could start firing on all cylinders and really perform as we should. Which is why today's defeat, and the failings that were manifest on the field, generated a real feeling of disappointment. Nothing new for Evertonians, of course, but something that we seem never to be rid of.