ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Phil Neville today

When is the penny going to drop (in DM's head) with respect to Phil Neville? Red cards, own goals, reckless challenges and generally routinely shit performances. Nice guy he may apparently be but why should this matter in terms of getting your place in the team?

I am sick of getting the heebee geebees every time the teamsheet comes out and his name is on it. He brings very little to the team in an attacking context just increases the fear factor at the back and greatly increases the risk of our imploding at any given moment. An avoidable liability in my opinion.

Newcastle apparently offered £4M for him at the beginning of the season ? why when we had just signed Baines and Jagielka did we not grab that offer??? With Neville in the team we are playing each match with one hand tied behind our backs.

Only for the last few minutes today, it would have been a terribly wasted opportunity today against very poor opposition that our opponents for a top six position (Blackburn, Villa, Pompey) will probably hit for 3/4-0 at home.

Great to see Vaughan hitting the back of the net though... goals now coming from various corners of the pitch.
Alan Doyle, Dublin Posted 03/11/2007 at 17:41:47

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Michael Kenrick

Some people are never happy... He's Moyes's choice as Captain of the team... a currently winning team. Guess what: He's not an attacking player... he's a fucking RIGHT BACK! I don't like him very much as a player to be honest, but he's in there for the duration. Moyes loves him. End of.

Tony Miller
1 Posted 03/11/2007 at 18:54:19

Just back from the match and must say that is a little harsh on Phil. He had a solid game today ? not spectacular but did well, One excellent piece of work tracking back in the second half spolit by a slip a few mins later; overall, he did his job well.

David Barks
2 Posted 03/11/2007 at 19:02:45

We should have put them away early, but to say that our competition will put 3 or 4 past them is just not true. In the league this season City beat them 1-0, Blackburn beat them 2-1, United beat them 1-0, Liverpool drew 0-0, Chelsea beat them 3-2. They have not been push overs by any means this season. But that doesn’t excuse us from not taking at least a couple of the early chances we created when we were dominating them. That said, 3-1 win, 8th in the table, 4 wins in a row and Europe this week. COYB

Paul Avery
3 Posted 03/11/2007 at 19:12:34

Neville is wank, end of story! Ggame in game out he puts in his consistent performance, consistently shit! He never finds a blue shirt, his right foot automatically chips the ball into the air, gives reckless free kicks away, backs off to his own box when people are running at him? I don't understand how Moyes doesn't see this? 40,000 fans see it every week. As a captain he doesn't inspire anybody, we have won 3-1 today and we should be enjoying that, but it still doesn't make me or any other blue rate our captain! Fuck him off!

Dave Randles
4 Posted 03/11/2007 at 19:15:37

Michael,

Leighton Baines is also a full-back, but can attack, every full-back Arsenal have had for the past 10 years could attack. Your assertion that full-backs are only on the pitch to defend is, well, to be frank, bollocks.

Good three points today, though let’s be honest it was a must win game if we want to finish top six and one we all expected to win. If we want to improve, areas of weakness must be identified and actioned and I think most on this board would agree that Neville doesn’t bring that much to the team.

Do I not recall Davey Weir being captain a few years ago and not getting a regular game?

Michael Newton
5 Posted 03/11/2007 at 19:52:16

Very harsh comments
Neville played well today as did Jags at centre back.
Glad Moyes didnt sacrifice Carsley like he normally does when we need a goal, as he was superb all game.
Yaks best game yet. Glad to see Vaughan back. Pienaar getting better.

Tommy Smith
6 Posted 03/11/2007 at 19:54:04

Fuck me it is hard work this supporting EVERTON we loose were shit, we win were shit, draw were shit, and guess what our captain is shit. shit shit shit. No pleasing some

Tom Morris
7 Posted 03/11/2007 at 20:00:59

Alan,

Maybe you should think about going into professional football management.

Seeing as how you’re obviously a better judge of a player than, for example, Alex
Ferguson, David Moyes, several England managers.....

Chris Jones (Wakefield)
8 Posted 03/11/2007 at 20:44:48

We may be shite but I’m pissing myself laughing at the Red Shite bleating on 606. They’re really unhappy.

4 wins on the spin, No5 on Thursday next. COYB!

John Martin
9 Posted 03/11/2007 at 22:04:47

Neville played ok today, tried to get forward and did his job defensively.
Sometimes i think our fans moan for the sake of it even after winning in an exciting finish people still complain and its always at the same players.
Lescott is one of our best players but i felt he was at times poor today and has made mistakes lately but nothing gets said. Neville got moaned at today for slipping.
Lets just enjoy the win

Stefan Tosev
10 Posted 03/11/2007 at 19:24:37

Phil Neville is the best right back we have, he is great at overlaping and putting good crosses in the box; he is solid defensive and is versatile, granted as a midfielder he is not at his best but as a captain and leader I like him and all some people seems to do is comming here and slating every Everton player- Connor Rohrer doesnt like Arteta, Marsh dislikes half of the team, Cahill was not good enough to play 4-4-2, AJ is liabilityetc.

Its a bit boring, next time we lose or draw you will the possibility to have a go at the bunch of losers wearing Royal Blue but for now shut the fuck up

Michael Kenrick
11 Posted 03/11/2007 at 23:15:28

Now now, Strefan. Don’t be telling people to shut the fuck up. That’’s what I do... mostly to folks who would stiffle comment on this website. I don’t mind people making their observations even if (like this one) they are a bit daft. Let’s please allow the comments to flow, though, if you don’t mind. Thanks!

Rob Aspinall
12 Posted 03/11/2007 at 23:58:04

I think it's a joke how you can say that about Neville. In my eyes, and everyone else?s I speak to, he is or should be our first choice right back. At the end of the day, if you don't want Neville there, we can always put the fantastic Hibbert at right back, that same Hibbert who also got sent off in the derby ? all because of a poor decision to not head the ball at the half-way line. He only had to look up and see Vidic incoming and he could have stopped Man Utd taking an undeserved 3 points. So yea by all means drop Neville but just think about who would replace him first. COYB, bring on Nurnberg!

Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
13 Posted 04/11/2007 at 00:35:35

Dave Randles: "Leighton Baines is also a full-back, but can attack, every full-back Arsenal have had for the past 10 years could attack. If we want to improve, areas of weakness must be identified and actioned."

Absolutely spot on, IMHO. Couldn?t have said it better myself.

Celebrate the win by all means but let's also recognise the areas of the team that need attention if we're to get even better. Right back is one position that needs to be resolved as effectively as left back was with the acquisition of Baines. Neville will do in that position for now but is not a long-term solution.

James Byrne
14 Posted 04/11/2007 at 01:05:08

Granted Phil Neville can be quite frustrating at times but he is not our worse player; as an ex Manc and our Captain he is over scrutinized and every mistake he makes is jumped upon far too quick. His attitude and professionalism (go back to the Kuyt two footed challenge when he just walked away) toward EFC is exceptional and I regard him as a solid right back if he can stay in that position.

I was at the game today and I thought Arteta & Cahill where crap; in fact I think Arteta has been well below his best all season, shall we start an anti-Arteta campaign as well as an anti-Neville?

To finish off I thought Peinaar was excellent in the first half, Yobo and Lescott played very well and Phil Jags done well to slot into centre half really early in the game when Stubbs went off.

Roll on Thursday!!!

COYB!

Richard Parker
15 Posted 04/11/2007 at 06:35:26

Arteta wasn’t at his best, but some of the football that cam from him linking up with Pienaar was excellent.

Even on an off day Arteta still had a big hand in our opener, which I thought was a brilliantly crafted goal.

For the record, I thought we played some really nice football in patches. It seems that Moyes may be finding his formula at long last. Thought we defended well, untli Neville let in Kabo for the goal, must admit I’m not convinced that Neville is up to it any more. I think the 1st XI has moved on since we signed him and from a good solid pro, he is now one of the weaker links in the first choice XI.

A good, footballing performance against Nurnberg would be great, to continue what we’ve started against slightly lesser opposition recently.

I also think Pienaar could become a massive player for us, if we can get his permanent signature.

Richard Parker
16 Posted 04/11/2007 at 06:46:28

Oh yeah, great to see Yak & Vaughan in amongst the goals.

Carsley was immense, Yak is getting better and Jagielka must have made Moyes think a bit with his performance at CB.

Dave wilson
17 Posted 04/11/2007 at 09:13:12

Richard Parker
As Meatloaf would put it, you took the words right out of my mouth

Tommy Smith
You owe me a new key board, I splattered me coffee all over it when I read your post, very funny

Stefan Tosev
18 Posted 04/11/2007 at 10:38:01

Sorry Alan I was a bit affected last night, its maybe the first time I offend someone here,Appologise.

Michael I will take note