ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Best Everton Team since the 80s

Although it may be a bold statement to make, I think that we are on the verge of having the best Everton squad since the glory days of the 1980's.

From back to front we are blessed with talent, and soon we will have the strength in depthe we have dreamt of for so many years.

Tim Howard, one of Moyes greatest signings, we missed Nev so much til we got Nigel Martyn — who was just past his best but still great — and now we have Tim between the stick I rarely panic.

Phil Neville, a born leader who has so much experience, he drives us on and off the pitch with his enthusiasm and commitment, a top drawer pro.

Joleon Lescott, a real gem. One of the best defenders in the league last season, great pace, heading ability, athletism and desire to win, he will become the greatest defender in England real soon.

Joseph Yobo, a true athlete. His pace and power can make the top strikers look ordinary at times and he shows a real determination in every game.

Leighton Baines, without doubt will be England's first choice left back in the next few years. Operates up and down the flank effectively and can pick out a pass. The left back we have waited a long time for.

Mikel Arteta, what can I say? Awesome. One of the most talented players ever to wear the shirt. How he is not playing for Spain I will never know. Just needs to shine when the going gets tough.

Tim Cahill, hard as nails. Solid in every challenge be it on the floor or in the air, great pace and determination, great goalscorer from midfield, total passion for the cause.

Lee Carsley, unsung hero. Does a great job without courting any headlines or fishing for glory. Tough as old boots who gives you the impression he would die for the cause.

Leon Osman, silky touches. Great feet in tight spaces, if he had pace he would be one of the most dangerous players in the league. Honest pro who works hard 100% of the time, and reaps the rewards.

Andrew Johnson, tireless front man. Having a bit of a drought at the moment, but still causing problems to all defences. Great work ethic for a front man, makes goals for others with his constant niggling at defenders, will start to hit the net soon with his new front man partner.

Yakubu, powerful predator. All the signs show that this signing will be the one to spearhead our drive to glory. Quick, powerful, direct, he has a great Premiership goals to games ratio and I see no reason why this cannot continue. We are the biggest club he has playerd for and should, with AJ, score a hat-ful. Add to this Gravesen, Stubbs, Jag and maybe Pienaar?, etc.

We have a great first 11 with, for once, a talented and experienced bench to call on.

The future is bright..........The future is Everton.
Anthony Jaras, Widnes Posted 31/08/2007 at 21:04:05

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Comments

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Brian Waring
1 Posted 31/08/2007 at 23:56:09

On paper Anthony, it does look like the best team since the 80s.Only problem is,we play some of the most dire football I have seen from an Everton side.I just hope with fielding our strongest team,we can get away from all the shite hoofball.

Chris Dawson
2 Posted 31/08/2007 at 23:56:57

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that we are blessed with talent in every department, but what we do have is a very good team that will mount a challenge to the supposed big 4 in the very near future.

I think that a swap of Carsley for the Jag will be the norm for much of the season, not knocking cars, but Jagielka looked the biz when he came on against blackburn.

Peter Henney
3 Posted 31/08/2007 at 23:55:35

Think you might be getting a bit carried away there me old son.There’s one hell of a difference between having what appears to be a decent team on paper and actually winning something.Everton have come nowhere near a trophy since 1995 and have little real prospect of one in the near future.It will take more than signing Yakubu and a string of ’nearly men’to bring success back to Goodison,I can assure you.Some tactical awareness from the manager might help,for a start!

Vijay Badhan
4 Posted 31/08/2007 at 19:59:37

With one more midfielder in the mould of Fernandes to replace Gravesen, I think we can do very well in all competitions and have a very good chance of breakinginto the so-called top four. I believe that Moyes and Kenwright do have the club's interest at heart and slowly with a bit of patience we will make this club a force once again like the team that I grew up supporting when we had the likes of Southall, Sharp etc. Then, hopefully my son, who is only 20 mths old and is already shouting Everton at any football match he sees on the telly, will grow up to support us as I did.

Tony Miller
5 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:00:41

As the previous comment stated yes on paper. If you add Vaughan, Victor, Faddy,Hibbert, Valente etc it is a first time in for quite some years were we will be leaving players out of the playing squad, whoo could actually do the job.

In addition to that it will also put pessure on those in the team as they should not now be guaranteed a starting place.

They need to gell together and actually start playing footbal now!!

Nick Wall
6 Posted 31/08/2007 at 23:52:31

Though some will still point to areas where we can improve (maybe another top drawer attacking midfielder), the thrust of what Anthony says is absolutely right. The future looks as exciting as it has done at any time since the 1980s. The average age of the squad is young, although we’ve also got seasoned campaigners with CL experience (Neville, Gravesen). There is a real spirit and togetherness in the squad which has enabled Moyes to keep hold of all his key players in recent transfer windows. And as Anthony says, we’ve now at last got strong cover in every position. Our last couple of performances show that we’ve still got work to do. But I’m confident : I think we’re ready to win something.

Alan Merrell
7 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:14:13

Leaving aside all the excuses,in my book moyes has failed us yet again.An idiot would have known that if we needed anything it was a really creative midfielder and this should have been the manager’s priority from early May.Instead he signs a load of ’iffy’ squadmen, a big striker and a Celtic reject years past his best.He seems only to have done anything about the really pressing need as the final countdown approached-and then obviously failed to convince his target to come here.
More grief in store,I’m afraid!

Tony Miller
8 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:27:53

Well got to say well done Moyes over the last 5 years he has gradually built up the squad to where we are within touching distance of being nearly there.Just that extra bit in midfield would have completed the picture. Hopefully this will be addressed in January as we missed out this time, for one reason or another.

Comments over our improvement sent me back to see what we had this time 5 years ago.

Everton: Simonsen, Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Naysmith, Alexandersson, Li Tie, Gravesen, Unsworth, Radzinski, Campbell.

Subs : Gerrard, Linderoth (Li Tie 27), Feng, Rodrigo (Unsworth 63), Rooney (Alexandersson 63)

I think most will agree that there is little comparison between what we didn?t have then and what we have now,

Its now time for the team to attractive football, they have shown they can do it at times and with the strengthening I am hoping this becomes a more regular event.

Come on Moyes its time to take the next step.

Tony Miller
9 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:32:16

Alan a bit unfair calling Baines an iffy squad man. If he is not a good first team regular I would be suprised.

Think the others are also better than you suggest. But I do agree that we should have got the midfielder we need.

Regarding why we didn’t has been discussed a length on here and now I hope this is addressed in January.

Brian Waring
10 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:37:16

The only problem with the january window is,with it being short, other clubs take the piss and start asking for ridiclious fees for players.Also,I thought Moyes didn’t like the January transfer window?

Tony Miller
11 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:42:00

When January arrives hopefully we are not desperate for signings. To be honest I do not think we will be. This should allow us to cocentrate on purchasing a player to fill oour one obvious gap. i think January is more of a problem if you are looking for a number of players.

Tom Brown
12 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:50:37

Don?t quite agree but love the sentiment.

I love Everton and this bunch of players gives me a good reason to love them.

But then, I loved the dogs of war too, and Kanchelskis, and big dunc and Rhino and....
I guess my point is that we all spend so much time on Toffeeweb talking about worries and it doesn?t always come through how much I, and fans like me, enjoy what we have and enjoyed what we?d had. Clear as mud?

Being a blue is a long way from perfect but I love it, and I?m sure you lot do too, but it doesn?t always come through..

Nick Crowney
13 Posted 01/09/2007 at 00:38:30

I admit that i was hoping that we’d sign Appiah or Riquelme to give us some more creativity this season. However, i think that what a lot of people are missing is the fact that we have definitely improved the squad with better players than the ones that we had, and more importantly we’ve kept what we have. Unlike many other clubs, we haven’t sold any players that we wanted to keep and so anyone we’ve bought has been extra to what we already had. By way of example, Middlesbrough have just lost their top forward along with Viduka, Henry left Arsenal, Ben Haim, Sidwell, etc even United lost Heinze. We don’t have any troubled or disruptive players (other than fringe player van der Meyde) and we have a good team spirit so whilst i think a skepticism and a desire for more is great and healthy, we should console in the fact that are definitely making solid progress!

Blue Shaun
14 Posted 01/09/2007 at 09:36:49

True says Tom ! We do all love Everton hence our passion on the sites. I d have loved us to get the midfielder we crave but it hasn t happened so we must support whoever is wearing the shirt. When I look at the squad it makes me smile because it is full generally of younger, hungrier more talented players than I ve seen in decades. We really are a creative midfielder and a classy winger short of a top 4 finish

Matt Willey
15 Posted 01/09/2007 at 10:42:45

Hi Blue Shaun, I don’t think we are even that far away... I think we will be right in the top 4 mix if we can keep Arteta, Yobo, Lescott and Howard fit... Yobo in particular has come on strides and looks as good as any centre half in the league ... no sod it .. the world... he is that good.

Blue Shaun
16 Posted 01/09/2007 at 11:20:41

I d agree he is now immense. He was prone to loss of concentration but has cut that out. He has pace, power and is very strong in the tackle. He also comes up with the odd goal which is an added bonus. When you think about it are the likes of Toure, Carragher and Terry any better ? Probably not just maybe get more coverage.

William Osborne
17 Posted 01/09/2007 at 12:54:04

Not a good a side as the mid 1980s. but the best one we have had since towards the end of the royal regime. (post christmas 95 to end of season). To better the side containing the likes of Gray, Sheedy, Reid etc you have to go a long way. And with regards to the yakubu signing, I would much rather have him than fernandes any day of the week. I was listening on five live last night and riquelme was possibly on his way caught my attention. needless to say he never arrived and stayed at atletico madrid or whoever. I think we made giant strides since the dire days of walter. Gone are the likes of Madar, Oster and Cadamarteri and we know have competent and efficient (when it suits them) players who really have the potential to achieve something. One last thing. With the close of the transfer window now how much would william dean in his prime cost today? 1928 attributes for 2007 prices? . The same could go for the golden vision, bally or even dave hickson. I dont suppose I will ever see an everton championship winning side again in my lifetime but am old enough to remember the successes of the 85 and 87 campaign. Lets hope we can do something starting today with Bolton down at t’reebok. Watch this space!

Anthony Jaras
18 Posted 01/09/2007 at 13:34:20

Very interesting comments John, you obviously don’t rate Everton at all.

As for your Tim Cahill comments, bollox lad, check this out;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMkLbsc69Lc

Also, look at this for AJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2yBZgWUktg

Carsley has served us very well as the holdind midfielder last few seasons, he is not in the team to score or be a playmaker.

Neville also is there as an anchor man, his best position is right back, or would you rather have Hibbert????

Brian Waring
19 Posted 01/09/2007 at 13:58:40

I think the editor should stop allowing posts with references to ’youtube’.As I have said before,you could take the shittest player on the planet,make a 3 minute video,and you could maker him look fucking brilliant.Imagine if Moyes bought a player by what he had seen of him on you tube.Hey,maybe thats where he first seen Kroldrup!

Anthony Jaras
20 Posted 01/09/2007 at 14:13:26

Yes, but it also shows evidence of a players ability.
In this instance I am attampting to prove that Cahill can pass and shoot and that AJ can actually finish despite what John Carter thinks.