ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

The Fernandes Hole

After the failure to get Fernandes we now have 2/3 days to get in another attcking midfielder and the only option I've seen is Kevin Nolan. For me Nolan is a less effective Cahill whose goals mask major deficiencies in his game. It looks like being a big ask for the club to find somebody suitable, agree a price, personnal terms, medicals etc in the time remaining. So where does it leave us and what solutions do we have?

I personally think the answers lie in our Ajax boys. Moyes has to get Pienaar in the team and playing. It is imperative that he is given the chance rather than beocming a perenial bench warner whilst we watch Ossie toil up & down with very little result. He has the ability to become a top player for us and a real influence on the team in a similar way to Arteta. I also think we need to bring the much maligned AvdM back into to the fold.

I know many people feel the guys is a waste of space and has had too many chances & I was very keen to get shot when it looked like Manny was coming but now why not get him playing. He has undoubted natural ability and is one of the few players in our squad who can beat a man. I think he now has to get on the pitch, get his fitness back to what it should be and he could still turn out to be a good player for us. Let's not forget he has played for Ajax, Inter & Holland so his quality isn't in question.

As much as we will miss Manny, I really believe that in Pienaar & AvdM we have enough quality to compensate. I just hope Moyes gives them his trust and lets them get meaningful runs in the side so they can get up & running. We all know what Ossie can do and we also know exactly what he can't do so give these guys the chance to take us onto the next level & fill the Fernandes hole.
Andy Tomczak, London Posted 29/08/2007 at 10:54:54

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Seamus Murphy
1 Posted 29/08/2007 at 14:54:41

I expect both will start a lot of games when the games start coming thick and fast with Europe, Carling cup etc.

I would expect Pienaar to feature in league games though, AvDM will probably only be used in Uefa and Carling cups - if at all.

james elworthy
2 Posted 29/08/2007 at 14:53:05

VDM has not played a good game since he has been here. The only gap he will fill is the one next to a bar. Pienaar is a total unknown who has struggled in the last few seasons and was totally anonymous for South Africa last week. Hopefully he may become a key player but he is not an immediate answer. We need someone proven at a higher level now. Diop Nolan Appiah and even Gravesen are 4 names mentioned now. I think Gravesen is a backward step. He thrives in a 5 man midfield but doesnt put in enough effort when the midfield has 4 in it. Granted he is an effervescent character whom the crowd love when he pumps his fist to get them going, but I cant help feeling he played for us in his prime years when he was a decent player but I wouldnt say even then. he was a great player. When Real Madrid watched the video of him before they signed him I am sure they thought he was Carsley too as they saw this baldy guy all over the pitch. I dont know much about Appiah but when I think of Ghanese players I think of Nyarko rather than Essien. Nolan hasnt been at his best at Bolton lately and the change of club to his home city may give him the spurt he needs. I am not interested in the fact he supports Liverpool, what about Rush McManaman McMahon Owen and Carragher. It works both ways Peter Reid was a red and he gave everything he had for the blue shirt. Diop may be a good signing but I think he is a more defensive midfielder than an attacking one good in the air and strong in the tackle but lacks the flair and imagination we need.

james elworthy
3 Posted 29/08/2007 at 15:17:11

Its official Yakubu has signed according to evertonfc.com

Andy
4 Posted 29/08/2007 at 16:23:09

James - you say ’we need someone proven at a higher level’then you cite Diop & Nolan - two players who play for mid-ranking premiership sides, who have never played in CL and,in Nolan’s case, never played internationally.
Both Pienaar & AvdM have played for some of the biggest clubs in world football and both have represented their countries so I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say that Nolan & Diop are proven at a higher level than those two.
Also you say that Pienaar was anonymous againsnt Scotland but everybody has quiet games (see Arteta againsnt Reading). He is short of match practice and this was part of the point of my post that we need to get these guys playing regularly so that they can reach their optimum levels of performance than I think we would have two really useful players on our hands.

Jay Sankey
5 Posted 30/08/2007 at 12:24:53

good point and well made i think people underestimate steven peinaar i watched him play for ajax and he?s a goal scoring and creative midfielder which is what we need the goals. i admit vdm has caused his problems at the club but if he was a bad player he would not of represented his country and played for teams like ajax and inter. manny is a great player and is a loss for the club but we can certainly compensate if we give peinaar an vdm a chance.