ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

'Expert' analysis on Tommy G

Anyone get the impression Charlie Nicholas doesn't like Gravesen too much? On Sky he said TG was a failure at Celtic as he did not stick to a holding midfield position. He also described him as a similar player to Carsley. I'm sorry but he is not an expert with analysis like that.

Firstly: since when was Gravesen known for his defensive capabilities? He can't time a tackle and often finds himself making decisive crosses/passes for others to score from in the opposition's half.

Secondly: how is he anything like Carsley except for the lack of hair!? Carsley cannot beat a man, has no first touch and is not creative at all. When Gravesen came on today, he changed the game around simply by being able to keep hold of the ball and switch the play from time to time. Not to mention slipping AJ in for a chance, which he should have scored.

Welcome back Gravesen; hope you and Jags start in the centre against Man Utd. Come on The Blues!!!
Tony Brant, Anfield Posted 01/09/2007 at 18:48:14

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Connor Rohrer
1 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:15:11

Thats why he was a failure at Celtic. Because of his agression and headless chicken running people seem to assume Tommy is a defensive midfielder. He cant tackle and isnt disiplined enough for the holding role.

I think it was refreshing when he got on the pitch today and that through ball to AJ is something I havent seen for a long time.

Ray Robinson
2 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:17:25

Gravesen played well up the pitch today which signalled our (Moyes’s)intention to try and win the game. Carsley, playing in front of the back four, would ever have had the same impact.

Tommy G looked glad to be back. He looks like a fan who’s playing - genuinely enthusiastic, infectious personality and elated with the win

james elworthy
3 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:30:40

I thought TG was past it I eat my words lets start with the team that finished except Yakubu starting ahead of big Vic. Jag at centre mid and chuckle at right back is better than other way round

brian reade
4 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:32:56

how about giving McFadden a run wide left as pienaar struggling

Barry Cass
5 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:37:38

Just a quick one to Brian. I thought Pienaar played quite well before tiring after an hour. He looks a clever player and will get even better with more playing time.

Great win and a good start for the Yak and Grav.

Lee Gorre
6 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:41:21

Its been a common misconception with Graveson for a long time, even Real signed him to be there holding player. But the imortant thing is who cares about hat Nicholas has to say anyway. Like many of the "experts" on Sky the guy never comes across as saying anything remotely intelligent.

TG has been signed to provide creativity, Moyes knows that and we know it so that’s all that matters.

james elworthy
7 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:41:33

Pienaar will need time he didnt sound effective according to the radio commentary, but he is taking a big step up to play in the Prem. I think in 5 or 6 games time he will be more influential similar to Arteta’s arrival he took a few games also. We have 4 months to line up an influential big money midfielder to arrive January lets hope Moyes has him ready to sign on the dotted line Jan 1. I also would sign a good young centre back to replace Stubbs in Jan also. Stubbsy will probably retire at the end of the season and Yobo is out for a month. I prefer to see Jagielka in midfield so i feel the depth in the squad which we are now achieving will be further fulfilled with such an acquisition. Valente VDM and probably McFadden will go if not in Jan at the end of the season. Hibbert has his detractors but their is no reason to get rid, Carsley will leave too but Jagielka can fulfill his roll quite well and be more influential further up the field too which Carsley isnt

brian reade
8 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:50:40

maybe pienarr will improve lets hope so yeah i agree a centre back would be good in jan the lad from Blackburn Samba wud be a great signing

Ray Robinson
9 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:56:25

Samba!!!

Solid, I realise but only if you like watching your centre back repeatedly hoofing the ball into the upper tiers of the stand. A footballer, he is not!

Brian Reade
10 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:59:02

Samba is 6ft 7 solid and nothing gets past him, stubbsy cant pass either but is solid, he would be great backup to joey yobo and lescott.

James Elworthy
11 Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:02:19

I was impressed by Samba but he was up against mcfadden & johnson but when anichebe came on he was a bit ruffled. He may of been tired by then but he may be a Zat Knight type great in the air because he is as tall as an NBA basketball player but lacking finesse on the ground.

Steve Taylor
12 Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:11:18

Nicholas is a Tim - so he’s bound to say TG is gash.

What Gravesen brings aswell as his under rated ability - is leadership, drive & infectious enthusiasm.

Oh & Samba had a good game last week & looked great against 2x 5ft 7" strikers - but make no mistake - he’s no world beater...

Gary Highes
13 Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:13:40

I wasn’t overly excited by Graveson’s return but I have to say his performance was outstanding. To see an Everton central midfielder take a game by the scruff of the neck and dictate play from the centre of the park was a joy to watch. Everton player’s passing to each other on the floor.....whatever next?

Simar Landisfarian
14 Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:15:27

Over the moon with the win, stuck in work today and can't wait for the Man U game. Just going back to a couple of previous posts. Samba?s a good player but isn't it easy to play AJ if every ball is lumped in the air to him against a man who is a foot taller?! That's exactly what Hibbo and Yobo do isn't it. When we keep the ball on the ground and keep possession we are far better and the squad we have now will hopefully do this. I think we have the best squad we've had for a long long time! COYB

Connor Rohrer
15 Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:36:00

Pienaar is bright in the first half but as he game went on he was alot quiter. I thought he did well considering it was his first start and it was away from home which is hard for foreign players.

It was like a breath of fresh air to see a midfielder with pace. His is a more skillful, quicker version of Leoon in my opinion. He is small and lightweight but after a few games he will toughen up.

Robbie Kirkham
16 Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:40:25

They're all dickheads on Sky anyway; take no notice.

james elworthy
17 Posted 01/09/2007 at 21:11:30

No pundit is as bad as Phil Thomson apart from John Aldridge and Ian St John

Roy coyne
18 Posted 01/09/2007 at 21:36:26

What about Alan Smith,I have never heard him praise Everton even once didn’t rate him as a player even less as a pundit.

Adam Carey
19 Posted 01/09/2007 at 21:36:19

I agree that Tommy was given a hard time by the ’expert panel’, but they hardly built up Yakubu either. Funniest thing was when the blond fella was saying he wasn’t sure about the Yak and Jeff Stelling in the next sentence reminds him that only Henry was scored more Prem goals in the last 4 years! Comedy moment of the day.

Connor Rohrer
20 Posted 01/09/2007 at 21:47:51

To be honest I think Charlie Nicholas is a good anyalyser. Yes he was wrong on Tommy today but that because he seen a completely different version to the one we have seen.

I like Phil Thompson aswell. Yes he is a red but he is never bitter towards Everton. He said Johnson and Yakubu would be a good partnership.

middleastblue
21 Posted 02/09/2007 at 00:01:47

I was at the Reebok today and witnessed a solid performance by the blues; I thought Grav came on and linked up really well with Arteta.

But by far his best moment was a couple of seconds after the final whistle when the payers where coming across to the everton away fans to applaud us; Tommy was getting all excited and worked up and ended up throwing his bottle of juice towards the everton crowd; he had that look on his face where his eyes where almost popping out of his head. At that point some of the everton players had to drag him back toward the tunnel; priceless, the guy is spaced out!

middleastblue
22 Posted 02/09/2007 at 00:13:27

Oh yeh, who is arsed what Champagne Charlie Nicholas says about any of our players; he is a boring bastard anyway!

Nick Xenos
23 Posted 02/09/2007 at 02:33:13

Very solid performance by our boys. It might sound a bit harsh but I was glad to see a starting lineup without Hibbert in it. It was pleasing to see the boys trying to play it out from the back without the hoofball nonsense that Stubbs and Hibbo relish. Yak’s hold up play and distribution was top class. For the goal, his movement to draw the defender towards the front post and then back out at the last moment for the tap-in showed his experience. Arteta’s performances have been below par recently, don’t know what’s up with him. He seems to be a little laboured, and definitely not as sharp as he was against Wigan and Spurs. Moyes got his tactics spot on when he introduced Gravesen on the hour mark. By this stage, we had lost our foothold in the midfield and Bolton were running riot. The Mad Dog was a calming influence and we seemed to create lots of opportunities after he came on. I feel like we’re making big strides towards becoming a quality side. COYB!

D
24 Posted 02/09/2007 at 09:22:11

pienaar is an intelligent player, once the players around him understand what he is about, he will look an exellent signing. He brings something we havn’t had for a long time, the little one two, pulling the ball back into space instead of just another inaccurate cross into the box, give him a chance, come jan if he gets a few games he will be good.

jimmy hoffa
25 Posted 02/09/2007 at 10:32:24

i think mad dog will do us well when UEFA time come.

I think we cannot discount Osman too, I noticed that Osman did brightly when playing with Mad Dog.
I think we should rotate Leon and Pinnear. That way we can avoid injury.

Also, I also noticed that Johnson is beggining to be able to take shot at goal when this was never the case the last 2 game.

I expect johnson to score in near future.

Yakubu is providing Johnson the space he needs by taking away the normal pressure defenders use to give him.

Also, noticed that Tim Howard is slowly stepping into the shoes of Southall. The game would’ve been lost if it wouldn’t for his acrobatics. Too bad, we couldn’t keep a clean sheet.

Also, we should allow Baines to be a permenant face in the defence. Let Stubbs become the utility. Also, Carsley should also be relegated to the bench as well. Let Mad Dog take his place.

Neville should be a permenant right back. He’s excellent there.

Lescott and Yobo, it’s the dream center back partnership other clubs can only drool about.

Jageilka should also feature on a permenant basis.

I also feel we should give some more opportunity to Van der Meyde, sometimes we need a winger especially in games like Blackburn where we had 2 neanderthals as centerbacks.

Lastly, welcome back mad dog. You never should’ve left.

Gavin Wadeson
26 Posted 02/09/2007 at 12:20:48

The media haven?t got a clue what type of player Tommy is. For me, Thomas Gravesen is proof that reporters and TV pundits voice an opinion without actually watching the footballers/matches in question.

Since Tommy came back, I?ve heard the media describe him as a ?Carsley? type player (ballwinner), and also as a ?Cahill? type player (attacking/goalscorer).

It?s a joke!!!

Tommy plays killer through balls to the forwards. He definitely isn?t a ?Carsley? or a ?Cahill?.

Mick Murphy
27 Posted 02/09/2007 at 13:07:13

Charlie Nicholas sky pundit he always looks pissed and sounds it. It does makes you wonder how many games these pundits actually watch away from the studio. Comparing Mad dog with Carsley doesn?t even warrant a reply. I am glad the Yak got of the mark early doors, just hope Johnson hits the back of the net soon. The team looks quite balanced at times but we do tend to loose our way at times during matches, especially in the middle of the park, maybe Mad dog is what we need. Good three points and can enjoy the next couple of weeks now.