ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

A mainstream with a slant

Following on from the report in The Telegraph, the following is the report from The Guardian:http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2196382,00.html.

However apart from the obvious slating of the ref, Benitez and Gerrard it also comments on the lack of quality from both sides. In particular the reference to "With Phil Jagielka and Neville continuing their wooden double-act in central midfield" it gives an interesting slant on the tactics employed by DM. This is not the first time this reporter has questioned Moyes and his midfield tactics - mainstream exposure is good, but it begins to raise questions beyond our own parochial debates, and that will make life a little more interesting for all BK's luvvies who don't live 'up north' but may have things to say to him!!!
Jim Hourigan, Preston Posted 22/10/2007 at 09:41:56

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Steve Templeton
1 Posted 22/10/2007 at 20:11:41

Ok Jim, who else would you have had playing in midfield?

Carsley - would that have made any difference?

By all means criticise Moyes when he is geniunely at fault but for gods sake what else was he supposed to do?

If you hadn’t noticed Cahill and Gravesen were not fit for selection and it’s not Moyes fault that the board were unable to secure the services of Fernandes.

Take off your anti-Moyes glasses and get real!

David OBrien
2 Posted 22/10/2007 at 20:22:16

Neville, left back, Carsley would have been far superior to Jags (as a holding m’fielder) who has looked lost etc since coming to Everton. Piennar instead of Osman. Drop Lescott for a couple of games, keep Baines at right back. O and McFadden should start every game. Steve - perhaps take off your double sided mirror glasses.

David OBrien
3 Posted 22/10/2007 at 20:25:47

I mean t Neville left and Baines right back before you start

David OBrien
4 Posted 22/10/2007 at 20:26:41

I meant Neville right back etc

TimK
5 Posted 22/10/2007 at 20:56:32

No-one can seriously suggest dropping Lescott? Wasnt he fantastic on Saturday? He was from my seat. The lucky one to stay in the defence - given the last three or four games - was surely Yobo, who has shrugged off his hard-won reliabilty tag and gone back to his error-prone brainstorm ways (Man Utd, Metatarsalist etc). Give him his due - Yobo played well on saturday, but he was lucky to be in the side on recent performance.

Jim Hourigan
6 Posted 22/10/2007 at 21:18:22

Steve you are missing the point completely. Saturday was not a one off, the criticisms from the paper were not one offs, the selection for midfield was not a one off. Moyes’ selection relates to his tactics i.e. hit the ball long, by pass the midfield and have lots of runners and chasers all over the field. This is what the paper was saying not me - I just happen to agree.

Quality on the ball, pass and retain possession is something he does not value. Without Arteta we have absolutely no quality on the ball and for God’s sake don’t say anything about Tim being missing - he’s fantastic at getting in the box and gives us a lot of energy, but skill on the ball, dribbling, passing through and around defenders?? As for Tommy - well he’s played 20mins for us and couldn’t get into Celtic’s side last year, so the jury is most definitely out on him. Baines should have been playing to give us some width, Lescott should have been at centre half and Hibbert should be in the ressies. As for the rest, well I agree - what else could he do? - which is the papers point and mine - he has little or no quality in midfield because he doesn’t value them, he values runners and chasers. The papers point is that the team will never progress with ’wooden’ central midfield players - there view not mine.

Roy coyne
7 Posted 22/10/2007 at 22:34:22

I thought it was a good article we are be rift of talent in mid field yet again we had a midfield that could not pass to save their life any team that stops Arteta halts 95% of our attacking options at fullback Yes Garrard dived but if Hibbet had attacked the ball in the air instead of startled rabbit impression there would not have been a chance for that B to dive,these faults in the team are evident every week why buy Yakubu when we dont create for him hes not the sort to make his own chances and how I wish we had a defensive midfielder who can hold the ball and pass to a blue shirt as even a basic pass is beyond both Neville and Hibbert.