ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

McFadden's Time is Now

Wasteful at times, probably; frustrating, definately; but surely it's time for McFadden to get a least a five-game run in the starting side. The lad in form at the moment, he's scoring and creating goals at club and international level at the moment, so he deserves his chance and if not now then what's the point in keeping him? For several bit-part roles as striker or on the left hand side of midfield what the point? I'd rather sell to Celtic or Rangers (in which we would get a decent price for him) and use the money to get another striker who actually has a shot at making the starting eleven or buy another creative midfielder which we desperatly need.

In my opinion the man he must come in for is Johnson. Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan Andy's, but at the moment with Arteta's injury, our slide down the ladder and or all important European game around the corner we need three things: form, creativity and goals, and McFadden on form is the person to do that at the moment. At present I'd rather pull my hair out swearing at the TV in frustration at McFadden's antic's on the field for 85 minutes and for him to create or score a goal, than to admire Johnson's workrate and running for 90 minutes and watch him produce nothing.

I firmly believe Andy will be back to his best sooner rather than later, but Everton I believe are at important stage and our season could go either way, and we don't have the luxury of staying with a player not delivering at the moment, so let's give Faddy a chance.
Kevin Morris, Sydney, Australia Posted 28/09/2007 at 01:00:51

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Comments

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Michael Kenrick

Oh dear... what if David Moyes is just doing the squad rotation thing? He does, after all, have a number of options now, and can ring the changes if he wants to. However, he now has a winning team. And you know how reluctant he is to change a winning team... So you might be in luck. But I doubt it somehow.

What I can't understand is why people talk about players coming or going ? less than a month after the transfer window has CLOSED! Yes, folks, there will be NO TRANSFERS, in or out, for a least another THREE MONTHS!!!

Andy Shaw
1 Posted 28/09/2007 at 06:16:48

Kevin,

well said, you have emphasized our current situation perfectly. If we don’t win the game over in the Ukranie.... then I don’t care what anyone says... our season is fucked !! Therefore anyone who can come into the team at the minute and provide goals is welcome. Also to respond to Michaels point about no transfers for three months, what a wonderful saftey net that is for players who are perfoming like shit !!

MARTIN BERRY
2 Posted 28/09/2007 at 06:43:28

By all means keep the forward line that scored the goals at Sheff W, but if Arteta is not fit then play AJ down the flanks as he did on one occasion for England, he chases the ball down there so many times and can cut inside, alternately to accommodate him we could play 4-4-3, to leave AJ on the bench is crazy, and this would be an attacking formation to excite the crowd and let the team have a real go,but i doubt David Moyes is ambitious enough to try it. Carsley and Jags should give adequate cover for the defence. We need to give the opposition something to think about and should adopt this approach against Metalist, a game where we have to score

Graham Nolan
3 Posted 28/09/2007 at 07:46:45

Sadly Martin I fear it may be too attacking for FIFA/UEFA’s liking as your suggested formation of 4-4-3 would require 12 players!

Steve Hopkins
4 Posted 28/09/2007 at 09:09:15

4-4-3 we may just get away with it and we may even win, or then again maybe we wouldn’t because our players still wouldn’t be able to pass to another blue shirt!

Ian Fairclough
5 Posted 28/09/2007 at 10:02:57

Don’t tell Liverpool, they most proberbly get away with it, or we could play without a keeper as we have done in the past when Wright was with us.

Brian Donnelly
6 Posted 28/09/2007 at 10:36:27

Kevin,
I agree McFadden probably deserves to start against Boro, but why should he get a 5 game run? So if he plays 4 poor games, contributes nothing and doesn?t score he should be given a fifth? It is just nonsense.

He did well against the bottom team in the championship and he has scored a few good goals for Scotland. However, his previous contributions in the P/L, outside of the odd wonder goal (all at Goodison?), have been mediocre at best.

I hope he does come good, but he can only really be judged on a game by game basis against P/L opposition. Having said that, it might benefit AJ to be on the subs bench for a while, because when he comes on he would lift the crowd & frighten the opposition.

John Lloyd
7 Posted 28/09/2007 at 10:55:15

I agree with the main points in the post, facts are Johnson is not firing, and Mcfadden is on form so that in itself is simple. Play Mcfadden, if he doesn’t do a job for us then we know either way then & with his stock up we could unload to another club (probably old firm as Kevin states) for a decent fee in January. Just in time for Vaughny to return (who probably would of been 1st choice this year) Johnson will score goals for us, I’m not even worried about that, as long as we get through in Uefa & beat Boro our season will be back on track.

Neil Millichip
8 Posted 28/09/2007 at 10:55:48

I don’t care who DM picks to play up front. I have a problem when he plays Neville in midfield. Everton are a better side when he plays at Rightback.

iain thomson
9 Posted 28/09/2007 at 10:57:28

I think you give him a run of a few games to give him confidence that he can have a game where he doesnt score without knowing its back onto the bench, or out of position on the wing. I rate AJ but hes had a long run of games without scoring, which is the contribution from a stiker that counts most. I would also add that the vast majority of the "mediocre " contributions have been wide left. MacFadden is a forward. Play him up front and he will score(as long as its not long ball dross service)

John Holmes
10 Posted 28/09/2007 at 11:40:13

I think McFadden has probably earned himself a chance against Boro but the problem is that all reports from Wednesday suggest he was his usual frustrating self giving the ball away and over-complicating things. The goals were simply tap-ins created by other players. How much patience can Moyes be expected to have if he constantly sabotages our attacks on Sunday?

As for Johnson on the wing it’s a ridiculous suggestion. He brings the ball outwide well but he’s not a natural winger. He’s not much of a dribbler or a crosser. Drifting wide is just a feature of his hold-up play not his natural game. If you remember him playing for England on the wing then you’ve a better memory than me. I remember it happening but I can’t remember a single significant contribution by Johnson as a result.

joe
11 Posted 28/09/2007 at 11:43:07

i would make faddy our new manager and chairman

Mark Welsh
12 Posted 28/09/2007 at 11:48:25

AJ is class, we need to be patient with him, and he come out of this bad patch - most likely when Cahil returns, as Timmy will feed the ball through to his feet instead of launching it over the top.

In the meantime, see how Yakubu and McFadden develop as a partnership, although I think that we all know Faddy’s limitations.

Bring AJ on later in the game to attack tired defenders and try to snatch that goal that we know will sort him out.

But Martin Berry - your formation is what Moyes tried against Metalist in the first leg! Bad idea, it didn’t work mate.

Neville and Baines flying down the right from the full back position, linked to Pienaar and Osman on either side of midfield. Play the ball out wide and stretch the Ukrainians. Arteta in the middle controlling the game. Yakubu (strength) and AJ (pace) up front.

Get the goals, then switch Ossie for Jags/Carsley and shut the game off.

Tell me I’m wrong.....

Lee Spargo
13 Posted 28/09/2007 at 13:05:07

I think 4-3-3 is worth another go - especially at home.

Granted, it didn’t work the other night in Europe, but I dont think that perfomance and result can be attributed to the formation alone.

Bottom line is that we need Arteta and Cahill back asap. When they’re both on form, the whole team performs and we look like we can beat anybody.

James Elworthy
14 Posted 28/09/2007 at 13:32:40

Commeth the hour commeth the man. Mark my words James McFadden will now come good and we are about to see a big star now, he has served his apprenticeship the boy has talent lets get behind him and give him our support.