ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Cahill a new signing?

It looks as though Tim Cahill will be amongst the ranks again by end of October. To me this will seem like a new signing, it seems such a long time ago that he played for us. Can't wait to see that energy on the field again and, of course, his goals. We have definitly missed that part of his game. I, for one, will be giving him a very vocal welcome back when he returns.
Chris Keightley, Colchester Posted 14/09/2007 at 16:12:59

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Lyndon

Declaring players returning from long-term injury as being akin to new signings should be designated a capital offense! :) ... but I see what you're saying.

David Barks
1 Posted 14/09/2007 at 20:17:45

It really should be Lyndon. But it will be great to see him back. I’m very interested to see how Moyes fits him into the team this year. Will he, unbelievable as it sounds, go with a sort of 4-3-3 formation with Cahill playing just behind the strikers in a Diamond shaped midfield?? I could definitely see him doing this against the Birminghams and Derby’s, but not sure about against the stronger sides. Okay, that’s enough of that then.

Gavin Ramejkis
2 Posted 14/09/2007 at 21:34:33

It’s an interesting conundrum on how to play Cahill; our salmon in the box, he can’t tackle to save his life but is a cracking "third striker"

Danny Mullally
3 Posted 14/09/2007 at 22:18:41

It’s going to be a conundrum when he and Graveson are both fit. Graveson is useless sitting back in the anchor role and cahill aint effective enough in a strict 4-4-2.
I truly hope Jagielka gets a chance to play in the middle with either of them, I think he will be the perfect foil foreither of them. Not a bad problem to have though.....

David Jones
4 Posted 14/09/2007 at 23:40:42

Lyndon - spot on. This ’new signing’ phrase is just another in a long line of nonsensical cliches i’m frankly sick and tired of hearing from ’new age’ football fans. An injured player returning from injury is just that...as a player signing a new contract is just that. I wish we could turn the clock back 15 years when football was still football and men were still men. Ahh, the days!!

Steve Williams
5 Posted 14/09/2007 at 23:41:55

I’m really not sure that I’m looking forward to Cahill returning. We perform pretty well in a 4-5-1 with Cahill being advanced in midfield but without doubt he vacates the midfield too often and leaves it hugely vulnerable in a 4-4-2.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the lad and its refreshing to hear that he likes us, but personally and for strictly football reasons, I’d have taken the speculated £12m in the summer and invested in a proper centre mid player - particularly as we now have a genuine partner for AJ.

Brendan McLaughlin
6 Posted 14/09/2007 at 23:45:52

Much as I would like him to be I don’t think so. Excellent in a 4-5-1 Tim was a liability in a 4-4-2. I think he will be another popular player discarded in our quest for a midfield that threatens the top 4. I hope I’m 100% wrong though!

David Jones
7 Posted 15/09/2007 at 00:21:48

Steve and Brendan, come on lads, you have to be serious for a minute. I can certainly see where Steve is coming from because it is something I have considered myself in the past, the question is this though...replace him with WHO?? Fernandes slipped through the net and I am struggling to think of ONE player, even with the money sitting there, that we could realistically sign of a similar standard. There is just a dearth of the kind of talent we need in that area i’m afraid so to sell Tim would be madness. In reply to Brendan I can only think you have heard this mentioned and took it as gospel, it’s nomark pundit nonsense. Currently we have Carsley and Neville as a pairing who are, with all due respect, nothing but a pair of carthorses. Whilst Tim may wander a bit he offers FAR more than either of those and, irrelevant of formation, he walks straight back in, end of.

Steve Williams
8 Posted 15/09/2007 at 00:32:56

David

I’m not going to play footie manager - for a start no-one’s paying me enough! But I think you understand the point I was making.

I saw Cahill on his debut at ManU away and for a fleeting moment was reminded as a latter day Alan Ball - full of energy and commitment with an eye for goal, but unfortunately that’s where the comparison ended. The lad has a great attitute - certainly one that I wish they all had, but as a footballer, he has no defensive positional sense (essential for any centre-mid), can’t tackle and can’t pass.

So I’m sorry but, for me, he is not guaranteed a starting place. I think a pairing, the likes of Jagielka and Gravesen, is ahead of him in the big games.

However,, I’m hoping that we will have enough games this season that everyone will be needed and get a fair share of playing time. But just don’t be too surprised if Moyes cashes in at some point if and when the right alternative, proper, centre mid comes along.

Dick Fearon
9 Posted 15/09/2007 at 00:11:29

I agree that Tim Cahill is not a magician with the ball. He does not have the silky skills of Arteta nor the power of Carsley in a tackle.
On the other hand he does have an uncanny ability to find the back of the net. Other than Tim, who else in our squad has proved himself as a goal scorer at the highest level, namely the World Cup?
Too many lose sight of the fact that success hinges not on fancy football but who scores most goals.
If beating United in tonights game is by clarss or arse who the hell cares?

Nick Veitch
10 Posted 15/09/2007 at 00:45:28

I also think that it’s beneficial to be able to change your formation around with ease. It might be the case that we start with 4-5-1 against the ’Big 4’, trying to play it tight in the middle. Cahill would be utilised here. Then when we play other teams, we might go for 4-4-2 with a Gravesen/Jagielka (or Carsley) in the middle of the park. Cahill has also been a valuable ’super-sub’ for Australia, with a knack for scoring goals late in the game. There’s no way I’d sell the bloke...

David Barks
11 Posted 15/09/2007 at 02:12:08

This nonsense that Cahill can’t play in a 4-4-2 is just that, nonsense. When has he been able to play in a 4-4-2 with the quality of players we have now. He scores goals, thats his job as an attacking midfielder. The guy would flourish with Arteta, AJ, Yakubu all attracting the attention of the defense. And he doesn’t just score goals by arriving late in the box, as he showed in the World Cup he can hit them from outside the box. He is highly regarded by every other fanbase, who comment honestly and don’t just blindly say other teams players are shite, and will be a great assett to us when he comes back. More of the same though, AJ’s crap, Neville’s crap, now Cahill’s crap. Unbelievable.

Bill Goodall
12 Posted 15/09/2007 at 03:54:05

Our most consistent scorer in the last 3 years is crap, cant fit in to the team, needs to be sold. Sell carsley osman neville or a host of others before even mentioning Cahill. We are only five games into the season, letsnot get silly people. Lets just beat the twats today and celebrate that we can have the comfort of having Tiny Tim to still come back and make us a consitent performer.

Robert McWilliam
13 Posted 15/09/2007 at 01:55:22

Steve, theres no way cahill is worth 12 million and for now i think we would be best to hold on to him as he provides passion, flexibility and goal scoring finese. Aussie Aussie Asussie!

tom morris
14 Posted 15/09/2007 at 10:32:41

David Barks, Bill Goodall..

Totally agree lads.

Some of the rubbish on here really makes me despair. Why do people constantly fell the need to highlight a players shortcomings rather than accentuate the positives ? Paul Scholes can’t tackle either, can he ? These loons would probably slag him off too, if he wore a Blue shirt.

The are probably 15 teams in the premiership who would love to have Tim Cahill in their ranks. Without a shadow of doubt.

Please get a grip, boys.

Brian Hill
15 Posted 15/09/2007 at 14:38:00

If Tim Cahill were to never play for us again he would be one of those players who would be forever associated with Everton, no matter what happened after he left. He is, in my opinion, already in the category of legends such as Duncan McKenzie who, despite playing relatively few games for us, is universally considered a Blue because of the relationship with the fans. There are certain players who find themselves at home with Everton and Cahill clearly is among that group. I find it astonishing that anyone would consider releasing him to be a beneficial move for us - this man is a future Everton legend before your very eyes!