ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Why I'm not worried about the African Nations' Cup

A lot of people I've talked to are worried about us losing Pienaar, Yobo, Anichebe, and Yakubu to the African Nations Cup in January. I'm not. Here's why.

We have a squad that is finally capable of handling this. Yobo's place can be filled easily by Stubbs, a natural leader who can pair up easily with Lescott. Pienaar, who I don't rate that highly, can be replaced by Osman, who's already scored two this season. Van der Meyde (if he sticks around) can also do a good job in the midfield.

As for Anichebe and Yakubu, they will both be missed as they provide a lot of power (though I haven't seen enough of Yakubu to give my full opinion). However, Vaughan is due to return soon, McFadden has been tearing it up for club and country, and Johnson isn't going anywhere. That is not to mention Lukas Jutkiewicz, who can be brought up from the reserves if a real crisis presents itself. Moyes must rate him pretty highly to bring him in, and I for one have complete faith in the manager.
Jimmy Crack, Phoenix, AZ, USA Posted 13/09/2007 at 00:52:49

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Comments

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Scott Milne
1 Posted 13/09/2007 at 07:40:41

Honestly believe we’ll be fine without the African Cup boys, plenty of options up front and in midfield, Stubbs, Jagielka & Neville (if need be) to cover for Yobo.

We’re not going to be the only ones suffering, the list of players that’ll be there’s a veritable who’s who of some of the Prem’s top quality...

Toure, Eboue, Adebayor, Diouf, Essien, Drogba, Obi-Mikel, Kalou, Kamara, Sissoko, Mido, Geremi, Martins, Faye, Bouba Diop, Utaka, Benjani, Muntari, Lauren, Zokora, Camara, McCarthy, Mokoena plus our 4 and over a dozen other squad players - insanity...

But for the lack of any keepers, you could assemble at least 2 teams capable of challenging for the title!...

FIFA, pull the finger out and move this tournament to the off-season..
Why do they need one every 2 years as well?! - every 4’s good enough for all the other continents...

Brian Baker
2 Posted 13/09/2007 at 08:14:10

My only worry about your plan ’B’ is the pace of Stubbs. We will miss Yobo’s pace against the more rapid forwards. The ANC will be held between 20th Jan and 10th Feb, during which time Everton will have fixtures against:

Spurs(H)
Blackburn(A)
Reading(H)
FA Cup 3rd Round?

All of those clubs have pacey forwards that could cause us problems. The FA cup tie is an unknown.

Gavin Harris
3 Posted 13/09/2007 at 08:58:17

"McFadden has been tearing it up for club"

Has he? I think he has had another poor start to the season, certainly not tearing it up.

Michel Rijkels
4 Posted 13/09/2007 at 09:09:18

"Van der Meyde can also do a good job in the midfield."

When did that ever happen???

Nick Veitch
5 Posted 13/09/2007 at 09:45:26

Given the list above of players that will be competing in the ANC this coming January, and the investment clubs have made in these players, I would say that they will be forced to move the tournament to the off-season soon enough.

The Asian Cup was all over before the season started, and provided some of our players with some good match practice before the start of the season. I don’t see why the African Nations can’t move there’s to the off-season.

Nick Veitch
6 Posted 13/09/2007 at 09:52:32

When I was referring to ’our players’, it was regarding the match fitness of Mr Cahill. Unfortunately as we all know what happened after he returned...

Did anyone see the great goal from Lukas Jutkiewicz against Sunderland reserves? Beautiful left-footer from about 30 yards!!!

patty blue
7 Posted 13/09/2007 at 10:08:03

Let’s cross this bridge when we come to it - we may have some more new players in the January transfer period by then.

ryan crest
8 Posted 13/09/2007 at 10:37:17

But if we’re unlucky with injuries to our non-African players during the ANC then we’re buggered.

eg. Anichebe and Yakubu are away when Johnson and Vaughn get injured.

Brian Donnelly
9 Posted 13/09/2007 at 10:44:42

The biggest problem is that we are losing our 2 biggest centre forwards. Our style of play works best when we have a big centre forward ? we all saw how ineffective AJ & McFadden were, when they played together up front against Blackburn.

I know Vaughn should be back by then, but you don?t really want him having to take a battering for every ball hoofed aimlessly in the air - putting him out for another 6 months.

I suppose we?ll resort to having 5 in midfield which can work well away from home, but can be very negative against the poorer sides at home.

Mark Pendleton
10 Posted 13/09/2007 at 13:01:34

I see Bendtner may well be available on loan from January....

Oh, and AvdM may as well not be on the playing staff.

And Faddy missed much of pre-season with injury and is still getting up to full match fitness so to say he’s had a poor start to the season weould be unfair. He seems to have done pretty well considering, in my opinion. I still think 4-3-3 is the way to go, with the 3 up top AJ, Kay and Faddy. If that becomes a combination of AJ, Faddy, Vaughany, Tiny and maybe Ossie then that’s fine.

Amit Vithlani
11 Posted 13/09/2007 at 13:13:58

This may test the manager’s tactical nous. Without two forwards, I would not be surprised to see a return to 4-5-1 in January. Cahill should be fully fit by then. Unfortunately, I don’t see AJ and Faddy as a viable pairing. I would be astounded if we spent more money in the January window (unless we made a sale).

patty blue
12 Posted 13/09/2007 at 14:55:10

Presumably we still have the money we were going to spend on Manny Fernandes tucked away somewhere for January transfers or was that what paid for Yakubu?Can someone explain to me what actually happed with Manny because I have been away in Corfu and before I left I understood it was all done and dusted only to come home to find he has gone to Valencia and its all gone pear zhaped. Was it a case of greed on his part or dithering on the part of EFC

Mark Pendleton
13 Posted 13/09/2007 at 15:50:01

You’ll probably get a tainted view Patty from the conspiracy brigade. Basically it seems after working hard to get a deal for Manny that the FA would ratify it involved about £6m to Benfica and the same sum to his other owners. But, while Manny was shaking hands on the deal and our special guest over the bank holiday weekend his owners were still hawking him around to other clubs and Valencia agreed to pay £10m to Benfica as they could still allow him to be part owned over in Spain. So, they pushed through that deal.

Allan Hobbs
14 Posted 13/09/2007 at 16:48:28

The main problem was 3rd party ownership Patty, the Premier League have tight rules on it, La Liga dont, so while we were waiting for clearance, Valencia piked up with £10m up front and gazumped us. That was it basically so if anyone tries to tell you different, tell them me & Mark said it like it is, ok. : )

Ron Martin
15 Posted 13/09/2007 at 17:00:59

Van der Meyde (if he sticks around) can also do a good job in the midfield.

you´re aving a laugh

JohnA
16 Posted 13/09/2007 at 19:54:16

"McFadden has been tearing it up for club".

Give me a break ! At the risk of repetiton he would be a superstar in Scotland, who wouldn’t ?, so he would be better off up there. And as soon as possible please.

Ray
17 Posted 13/09/2007 at 20:12:58

McFadden is so unpredictable at club level..He is either shite or scores a wonder goal..More shite than not though.Ever since he arrived at Everton we have seen only glimpes of class but more often than not we have been left infuriated with his blind ally runs lack of nous and know how when to release a ball and weak shooting then he pulls something out that Maradona and Pele would be proud of such as the Charlton goal in April or that one he got againt Fulham the season before last,I think thats all it will ever be with Faddy though so its up to us take it or leave it,replace him with something more consistent or keep a useful squad member and good cameo player..I personally think Moyes has plans on bidding for Matty Taylor of Portsmouth in January..He has that Fernades cash stacked away and Im sure he has made plans already on where to use it.

robert carney
18 Posted 13/09/2007 at 21:25:57

Can anyone tell me what the interest rate on 11-12 mil is(4.5 months). If we have banked the cash there is the possibility of two more players in the transfer window.

Michael Tracey
19 Posted 14/09/2007 at 00:37:27

Give me a break ! At the risk of repetiton he would be a superstar in Scotland, who wouldn?t ?
Well Tommy G for one!