ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Further Defence of Phil Neville

I'm aware that lately many of us have posted an opinion or three about our Phil. However, what concerns me slightly is the tone..."Phil may not be the best player in the world but..." or "Phil is an honest, hard-working professional who..." - always a caveat. There can only be one best player in the world after all, and if he was in that class his value would be 20 million plus.

Well I'm interested in actually talking about Phil Neville as a player. He is the best right back we have had for a decade or more, has been playing really well this year (and yes I have a season ticket and get to see every game). Those who praise Carsley for vital interceptions and tackles should watch Neville for the whole game. In addition, he makes first-time passes to either overlapping full backs or wide midfielders more often than anyone else in our team. He looks forward, to win, not sideways or backwards.

Most importantly, as the players in the team get better, so does he. He has been brought up playing with really good players and never looks short of pace or fitness ? something which can be levelled at several of the team at the moment. Physically he's as tough as they come.

Show me a player who has never made mistakes and I'll show you may arse. It seems that Evertonians have fallen into the trap of looking first for Neville's mistakes rather than what he does well.

Let's see how he does on Saturday; it's about time we beat United with Phil Neville as captain and boy does he know it! COYB!
Mark Manns, Widnes Posted 11/09/2007 at 20:13:38

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Eric Myles
1 Posted 12/09/2007 at 08:01:40

He is the best right back we have had for a decade or more

I don’t think anyone would disagree with you there. It’s just that he’s never played in that position, Moyes always puts him in central midfield.

Peter Singer
2 Posted 12/09/2007 at 09:20:42

Are you Barton in disguise? :)

Anyway, it’s part of being a defender. People’s memories are episodic and what kind of episodes are there to remember if you’re a defender? Last-ditch tackles and schoolboy errors. Mainly the latter. I can still remember that he was the one who let Lampard shoot from the edge of the box two seasons ago at home. I also remember he had to play centerhalf but no matter how hard I try, I can’t remember of anything else he did in that match.

Mark Hill
3 Posted 12/09/2007 at 09:24:05

PN’s detractors may also be coming from the point of view that he used to play for Manchester. Some people can’t seem to escape from that point of view. I accept their stance, and can understand it. But in the cold light of day, my opinion of phil neville, is that he is a team man, a solid PROFESSIONAL who try’s his best whenever he puts the royal blue shirt on. For that he should be commended and praised, in my book he deserves all the praise he gets. Yes he is a good right back, but unfortunately he is deployed in midfield by Mr Moyes and thus we have use the workmanlike Tony Hibbert. Who again is often is often criticised for his football. But it isn’t his fault he is picked every week is it?? Again I think the crowd should get behind him, as i think he is of similar character to PN. Just not a leader of men thats all!

Jimmy Hoffa
4 Posted 12/09/2007 at 10:33:06

I think the only request from Evertonians is that Neville should remain a right-back considering we already have Carsley in the middle.

And he plays excellently when he’s there

Kevin Kendall
5 Posted 12/09/2007 at 10:48:04

Mark, I have watched Neville for an entire game, and I can’t recall a player who loses posession, or causes the team to lose posession with Hospital passes, more so than Neville. For a "Defensive Midfield" Player, he cannot tackle, often giving away ridiculous freee kicks, and I am positive that his 2 Red Cards to date would be at least double that if he was not a member of the Stonecutters. He doesn’t close down players anywhere near as effectively as Cars does, he often stands by and points, shouts orders, you can often see him blaming other players for things, which is hardly the most professional thing a captain can do. The one thing he HAS given Everton, something we’ve not had since Mark Hughes, is a better deal with Referees, which again, is a benefit of his past and occasional present associates (Don’t you ever think after yet another mistimed challenge, "how the F*ck did he get away with that? AND he’s wearing an Everton shirt.)

Neville is a good CLUB Captain. He represents us well, he’s a decent fella, he no doubt trains hard and he is dedicated to his profession. Nobody could ever question this. But he is not an "Excellent" Footballer. He is an average footballer who played in a team of world beaters, and him having medals galore does not make him a great player. United, at the time had so many Excellent players that they could have carried just about anyone, as long as they where not in key positions, i,e, Goalkeeper. And its not like he was ever an ever present in 1 position.

Also, I DO NOT dislike Neville, nevermind disliking him because he played for United. Truth be known, without the whole Rooney episode clouding my judgement, I would probably want United to win the lot until we are in a position to challenge. They have given me so much reflected glory in the past 14 years or so that it has made being an Evertonian that much easier, especially during the last 4 minutes of the 96 cup final.

That was Sweet!!!

Gai Roberts
6 Posted 12/09/2007 at 11:11:01

I agree totally.For me Phil Neville is better aquitted when playing at right back,i’m sure he can link up well with Micky down the right,the best back 4 is- Neville,Yobo,Lescott,Baines-Moyes has to recognise this by now.The midfield should be Arteta,Jags,Gravesen and Osman (haven’t seen Pienaar play yet,Anyone??)And the £20million duo up-front doing the damage. With Cahill coming back,Moyes will probably have to switch his midfield around,cannot see him leaving Tim out ! Bottom line is Neville at right back-no doubt plz Mr Moyes!!

Dave Reade
7 Posted 12/09/2007 at 14:51:49

I find PN a useful right back better than Hibbert, he can get a cross in and has a long throw. He is not as likely to get outheaded at the far post from right wing crosses which inevitably Hibbert does.

Marc Roberts
8 Posted 12/09/2007 at 14:40:21

Wait and see where he starts on Saturday, midfield NO DOUBT! Its in his contract.

To be honest I dont even like seeing him at right back as he is a liability there also, would much rather see Jagielka there or even Hibbert who at least can do his job tackling back properly.

Personally, I have seen enough of Neville - he is a phony - shouts at everyone else while watching people go past him, boots every ball long to get the pressure off himself and couldnt pass Go in a game of monopoly, he wastes our throw-ins and when it comes to the fight, he bottles it.
I don?t know what more positive stuff I can say about him - oh yeah my bird thinks he?s really good looking (says a lot for me eh).
If he scores another OG or gives a peno away on saturday he best leave the city FOR GOOD!

Paul Okell
9 Posted 12/09/2007 at 14:54:03

If i was the manager had a fully fit squad to pick from my 16 would be
Howard
Neville Lescott Yobo Baines
Arteta Cahill Jagielka Osman
Yakubu Johnson
subs Wessels, Stubbs, Gravesen, and 2 from 4, Pienaar McFadden Vaughan and Anichebe.
I also think Vaughan will be a superstar if he eventually stays injury free

James Elworthy
10 Posted 12/09/2007 at 14:59:47

I think most people would agree with your starting 11 Paul, except on 2 points, some will prefer Pienaar to Osman and do you start Gravesen. No room for Carsley i noted even on the bench.

Dave Reade
11 Posted 12/09/2007 at 15:24:37

As much as Carsley has been a good servant to the club I think as we move onto the next level we must move on without him. There will be key games where Carsley will be able to do a job having said that.

Marc Roberts
12 Posted 12/09/2007 at 15:26:14

For Saturday I think the team that will start:

Howard
Jags Krusty Yobo Baines
Arteta Cars Neville Faddy
Yak AJ

Bench: Wessel Stubbs Ossie Pienarr Vic

Personally I would like to see Stubbs back in as he always seems to give us more solidity for the big games, maybe pushing Baines up the left wing at the expense of Neville, haha bet you knew that was coming!