ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Give Youth a Chance

The obvious pain in most Evertonians arses recently is the constantly dire tactics we are passing off as football. Although we are meant to be in the best position we have been in many years on paper, we are constantly flattering to decieve.

With our more gifted players out, I am somewhat suprised that the manager hasn't had any confidence in any of our youth prospects. He would rather play right backs in midfield than give talents such as Vidarsson and the like a chance.

Surely we would have had a lot more respect for the manager if he had a bit of bottle and tested a few of our younger players even via the substitute bench if neccessary. Surely it would be better for us to see Moyes taking a risk and failing rather than persisting with the same players week-in week-out and failing to deliver anyway?

It hasn't been one or two games we have failed to deliver ? it's been ongoing for over a month. We haven't even got the option to give some of these players a chance once we are ahead to get some experience, against Middlesborough for example... The only chance our youngsters will be ready for the premiership is if they get 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there.

I wonder if Moyes hasn't seen anything from them to have them in contention, but when you read the match reports from the reserves they seem to be playing against players with Premier League experience, and you rarely see in said reports '50 yard hoof ball by the defender'.. Such phrases coined in the most recent report include 'jinking run' and 'lovely play'. Something we are not blessed with seeing on match days.

I wonder if anyone has had chance to see any reserve games to see if any players are close to reaching the first team in terms of quality?
Mike Cowhig, Liverpool Posted 10/10/2007 at 14:15:33

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

steve
1 Posted 10/10/2007 at 15:59:25

stephen morrison keiron aguard jack rodwell should all be given a chance

Mark Stone
2 Posted 10/10/2007 at 16:35:16

Yeah defo put Rodwell, a 16 yr old centre half, in the mix. I suggest we play him in the derby against Torres. Drop Lescott I for him I say.

I think over the next few years we’ll see more of Jose Baxter and JP Kissock. These really are 2 for the future.

L Platt
3 Posted 10/10/2007 at 16:40:51

It’s worth pointing out that Vidarsson, Kissock, Irving and Rodwell were all named in the European squad on the UEFA cup site although admittedly AJ is nowhere to be seen.

http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/club=52281/competition=14/index.html

Gavin Harris
4 Posted 10/10/2007 at 17:00:58

"Surely it would be better for us to see Moyes taking a risk and failing rather than persisting with the same players week-in week-out and failing to deliver anyway?"

Thats the problem mate, Moyes cant take a risk in the premier league its too important. One result could be the difference between 10th and 5th these days, its not a risk worth taking.

However, if we are winning 2 nil or 3 nil with 10 mins to go then ok go for it. But to take a "risk" is silly.

Richard Dodd
5 Posted 10/10/2007 at 20:30:57

What tosh!davey has an unblemished reord with ’bringing on’young players.Hibbert,Osman,Rooney, Yobo,Vaughan and Anchebe have all become Premiereship stars under his tutuiledge.No youngster could be in better hands.The facts tell all!

Ben Jones
6 Posted 10/10/2007 at 21:34:33

I agree completely.. what Gavin said earlier.. the point is it wouldnt be that much of a risk because playing two senior defenders in midfield is failing to deliver and I say maybe giving Vidarsson a chance in centre midfield wouldnt do worse at all... so where’s the risk? If it all goes wrong.. we’ll be in the same situations as before.

Bob Turner
7 Posted 10/10/2007 at 22:24:25

Mike, I’m not sure how you can be so in favour of "giving youth a chance" when, by your own admission, you haven’t actually seen them play.

Surely David Moyes is in a far better position to gauge whether these youngsters are ready?

Mike COwhig
8 Posted 11/10/2007 at 00:33:56

Bob - Moyes thinks a. phil neville is a central midfielder and b. tony hibbert is a footballer, u think his gauging talents are that good?

Evertonfan
9 Posted 11/10/2007 at 02:08:18

I think Vidarsson should be getting some games.. he has been one of the best in the reserver team last 3 years, he is a middfilder who is really hard working and can score goals to, something that our middfilders can´t do.. Phil Neville and Carsley can´t score goals and neither is playmaker or forward minded, so why in the hell play them together so many times? Why not give Vidarsson chance? Specially when Cahill and Gravesen are injured and we need someone who is forward minded. He was very good in the preseason and Alan Irvin was saying how good he was and has been.. but why doesen´t Moyes use him at all?????

Evertonfan
10 Posted 11/10/2007 at 02:26:27

and Vidarsson has been in the Icelandic U-21 team last 2 years and he is still only 19 years old.. that says alot. Iceland got many talented young players so you just don´t walk in the starting line up in the U-21 but he has done that so why not give him a chance.. im going to watch Everton-Liverpool next weekend and maybe i have to talk to Moyes about this hihi

Alisdair Denny
11 Posted 11/10/2007 at 08:33:21

Ben, the risk is that if we played untried youngsters against say, Middlesborough, and lost, we would be 3 points worse off than we are now.
Or if we played them against say, Metalist and lost we would be out of Europe.

Fair enough, you don’t see that as being any worse off, but I do

patty
12 Posted 11/10/2007 at 09:16:13

Who was it gave James Vaughan and Anichebe their chance and they figure quite regularly in the first team...enough said!!

Mick Stanley
13 Posted 11/10/2007 at 10:17:09

Patty you are right about Vaughan and Anichebe. You can add Rooney to the mix. But hold on, what links all three - they are (or were) all regarded as strikers. DM seems quite prepared to let young strikers off the leash, but when did we last see EFC playing a teenage midfielder or defender? I can’t remember one in the last 5-6 years. Fundamentally, Moyes is defensively minded. In his eyes the whole team should be able to defend and this is particularly true of how he wants his midfielders to be, which is possibly why he is so reluctant to use young players in this area who are still developing both as players and physically. We should not be surprised therefore that he is prepared to use two right-backs completely out of position rather than give players like Vidarsson and Kissock a chance. Do I agree with this policy. No I don’t. I, like many others, am sick to death of seeing EFC play hideous hoofball. Lets face facts, we may have beaten Metalist in the EUFA but we were played off the park in both legs - how embarrassing is that?
Vidarsson has, I feel, been in the reserves for too long. He may only be 19 but there is a real danger of stagnation in his progress if he does not believe that he has a chance. Kissock is an outstanding prospect and several ’big’ clubs have already shown an interest in him. How big a risk would it be? Not massive I believe. It can hardly be any worse than playing a right-back with zero attacking vision in central midfield can it. And if it does look as though its not working, you always have a substitutes bench.

Martin Wallace
14 Posted 11/10/2007 at 12:44:26

I agree, DM’s defensive tendencies just don’t allow him to offer chances to younger players in midfield.

Personally I don’t see how Vidarsson could do any worse than what’s on offer. At least he’s over 6ft

Meanwhile de Silva is holding his place with Barnsley week, in week out and they’ve only lost 2 games out of 10.

Mark Stone
15 Posted 11/10/2007 at 13:27:19

Mick Stanley:

Peter Clarke, Mark Hughes, Leon Osman. Vidarsson will get a chance but I think Moyes doesn’t see him as beig quite ready for the prem.

Kristian Boyce
16 Posted 11/10/2007 at 15:55:35

With all the talk about how we need to try out some youngsters in midfield, maybe Moyes should play one of our midfielders who playing really well at the moment. Anderson De Silva (remember him) is playing some superb football at the moment for Barnsley. Why did we let him go for a second month loan to the championship club? What I’ve heard, he’s been amazing for them in the center. If we’re not going to play him, they why did we buy him?