ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

What a refreshing change - Part 1!

As I've been one of the first to criticise David Moyes in recent games, today I would like to be one of the first to congratulate him on going for it today. As soon as I saw the line-up it was a dream come to true ? real intent about it, going there to win rather than engage in a defensive war of attrition, playing your best line-up from the off. Add to that a real desire in the second half to change things in an attempt to get all three points and I'm nothing but impressed. A recognition of when things aren't working and changing them quickly is dynamism in my book and long may it continue.

Despite some nervy moments and periods when Bolton were in the ascendancy, Everton were there to win today, no doubt about that. I shall put the nervyness and fault for the equaliser down to a lack of cohesion and it will take some time for new players to gel together. They won't gel though unless you play them! There were times when Everton were over-running Bolton in midfield and they simply had no answers.

Everton did not go to the Reebok today to play Bolton at their own game, as they did for most of the time against Reading & Blackburn. Today, Everton & Moyes gave the opposition something to think about or asked the questions, as the cliche goes...

The line-up today had quality written all over it and I've nothing but thanks to David Moyes for putting together a first eleven which is light-years ahead of anything we've seen in the last fifteen. I'm even more grateful that today he used the tools at his disposal.

I am absolutely cock-a-hoop this evening, not just because of the result but also because I think we may have reached a turning point with David Moyes. I had some Red at work tell me yesterday that we would lose today and I said, "No, we should be going there to win tomorrow," and that's what we fucking did! I'm ecstatic. Put the Gravedigger in from the start against Man Utd as I've strong belief we can win that game at home with our new-found philosophy!!!
Anthony Newell, Nantwich Posted 01/09/2007 at 20:32:34

back Return to the Mail Bag

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

rob burke
1 Posted 01/09/2007 at 21:05:57

Good post Anothony!
I was over the moon with davie’s tactics today i really think progress has really been made and i am even more happy because the scouse bastards actually think they are going to win the league and i cant wait to see it go up in flames.
MU next and i have got tickets (Y)
COYB

Nick
2 Posted 01/09/2007 at 21:45:24

I personally think that the starting eleven that Moyes put out today was only a slight improvement.

He still displays an inexplicable stubborness with regards to playing Neville in central midfield. He was dropped to right-back for the latter stages of todays game with Jagielka switched to midfield and we looked much better for it. The same thing happened in the second half against Blackburn, and again we played much better. Yet Moyes still insists on playing Neville as centre-mid from the start.

The fact that he has Carsley next to him is even worse. Not that I have anything against Carsley, he is a holding midfielder and does his job well. However i feel that Jagielka is a superior defensive midfielder and barring injury problems leading to him needing to cover at the back he should be preferred to Carsley.

Neville should play right-back. full stop. The midfield space vacated by Neville can then be filled by a more attack minded player. Gravesen, Osman, Arteta, etc.

The side for the Man U game should look something like this:-

Howard
Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Baines
Arteta, Jagielka, Gravesen, Osman
Johnson, Yakubu

Bench:- Wessels, Carsley, McFadden, Pienaar, Anichebe

To me, this is a much more rounded team with a balance of solidity and attacking thrust in midfield. That to me would show real intent rather than a holding midfielder and a right-back with poor distribution in the centre of the park.

Anthony Newell
3 Posted 01/09/2007 at 22:11:33

I’d say that the starting eleven today was a vast improvement. I think I’d have Pienaar in again against Man U rather than Osman, otherwise I agree entirely with your selection. I omitted your valid point about Neville at RB and the combination with Carsley to cut Moyes a bit of slack as it appears he is changing at last, just don’t expect it all at once!!!

Declan Burke
4 Posted 01/09/2007 at 23:50:44

Well put Anthony. Thanks boys for a great performance. More of the same.

Phil Bellis
5 Posted 02/09/2007 at 01:29:01

Rob Burke...’scouse bastards??’ Ban this regionalist! How many scousers in the Spanish national side? Fat Spanish waiter.....

Ste Barton
6 Posted 02/09/2007 at 06:30:07

"scouse bastards"? Burke by name, Burke by nature.

Neil Todd
7 Posted 02/09/2007 at 12:37:15

Rob .... "Scouse bastards", you do realise you’ve just insulted 95% of Everton’s fan base there dont you? WTF are you on mate?

Gavin Wadeson
8 Posted 02/09/2007 at 13:56:48

Where will Cahill fit in when he?s back from injury?

Do we drop Gravesen, who made a hell of a difference to the team, as a unit, yesterday?

Play without a holding midfielder?

...or drop one of the strikers and resort to a 5-man midfield?

Brendan McLaughlin
9 Posted 02/09/2007 at 22:12:52

Interesting question there Gavin.

But you have missed out the more obvious option - Cahill won’t play, at least in a 4-4-2. I can only see him making the first eleven when we revert to a 4-5-1.