ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Missing piece to the jigsaw

Looking at the Everton squad of players, there is one thing missing, a box to box midfield player, a player in the Roy Keane mould. Our midfield looks to light weight for the battles a head. I have heard that Moyes is looking at several midfield players including the overrated Kevin Nolan and always being linked with us, Stephen Appiah, who incidentally has been strongly linked with a move back to Italy with Juventus. I have heard De Silva had a good loan spell, but does Moyes think he can cut it in the Premier League?
Peter Dwyer, Liverpool Posted 13/11/2007 at 09:11:45

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Comments

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Gez Frinton
1 Posted 13/11/2007 at 15:08:16

I agree that Nolan is overrated, please don?t buy him Moyes.

No one in the Premiership springs to mind. Need to go abroad.

Seamus Murphy
2 Posted 13/11/2007 at 15:27:29

Gilberto Silva would be an excellent addition and has fallen out of favour completely at Arsenal so might look for a move in January

Michael Hunt
3 Posted 13/11/2007 at 15:40:05

Anderson DaSilva for Gilberto Silva? Would be good to see Anderson given a chance soon to see if we have to spend mega bucks on the likes of Gilberto. That said, two quality players who are more physical and creative than current centre mids would be ideal if we are to move to ’the next level’.

Mick Mac
4 Posted 13/11/2007 at 15:52:05

Dont want a spotty overated rs fan anyway. Appiah looks a solid midfielder but I think Moyes might supprise us and go for someone not to far away Sissoko, for some reason I think he could do a job for us in that area of midfield, I know he hasn’t been the same since his eye injury but I am sure he would prosper in our midfield. Just a thought cant think of anyone else

Seamus Murphy
5 Posted 13/11/2007 at 16:07:04

I dont think Sissoko would be the answer Mick. He is a very poor passer from anything i have seen of him. In the Derby he was the worst player on the pitch by a long way.
Not to mention the fact that he turned his back on us to join Liverpool. Big thumbs down on that one from me!!

Steve Lyth
6 Posted 13/11/2007 at 16:12:50

Mick, I would love Appiah but think you might have something with Sissoko.

Mark Perry
7 Posted 13/11/2007 at 16:31:23

I think Steve Sidwell the ex Reading and now Chelski reserve player might be the man for us. We tried to get him at the end of last season on a free but he joind Chelski instead and is now in their reserves. Great tackler, good passer and was key in Readings good season.

Sissaco is shite, my brother is a RS (I come from a broken home!) and he said he would drive him to Goodison for us hes that bad!

Appiah would be great but dont think we would get him. Nolan isnt as good as he thinks he is and is wrong for us.

Ben Howard
8 Posted 13/11/2007 at 16:36:04

Sissoko is a good player - not great, but certainly handy. I think he’d fit in with the way we play too. But there is no way he is worth the £10m that is being reported. If we nabbed him for £5-6m I’d be happy.
Not interested in Nolan in the slightest - totally overrated in my opinion. I don’t think Sidwell has the quality either.
I’d love Appiah but have heard that he’s probably off to Italy - shame.
Riquelme and Manny on a half-season loan with a view to buy in the summer - sorry I nodded off there...

Joseph Fong
9 Posted 13/11/2007 at 18:13:32

No way!! I would disagree on Sissoko. Not a great passer of ball. I’d rather play Gravesen or Carsley than Sissoko. Appiah used to be good but not so of late. If I could pick, I would gamble for Christian Poulsen (has not been featuring regularly at Sevilla). Not too sure if he can fit in well but his vast experiences playing in German, Italy and Spain would definitely help. Another player we could take a look at is Kim Kallstrom, but I am not sure if he fits the box-to-box player.

Mark Pendleton
10 Posted 13/11/2007 at 18:40:21

Not much of a critisicm offering to drive Sissoko to Goodison though from Liverpool is it, it’s hardly very far.

Davey Droskin
11 Posted 13/11/2007 at 20:22:17

Kim Kallstrom is quality - I?ve been saying that for a while. He would be a superb pick-up. Sidwell would also be good - he?s confident on the ball, a good distributor and chips in a few goals.....and he?s languishing in Chelsea?s reserves. Other candidates are Edison Mendez from PSV (more attacking) and Aldo Duscher from Racing Santander (more defiensive). I also think we should look to Tranquillo Barnetta to solve our left midfield problems.

Dave Reiner
12 Posted 13/11/2007 at 20:42:23

How about Freddy Adu from Benfica, he is developing by leaps & bounds, especially over the last year or so. Benfica bought him before the season for about a million pounds. His stock has gone up since then but to what, 2, 3 mill at most? Very impressive at the U20s over in Canada, best days in front of him, let’s make a bid!.
Another one is Dwayne De Rosario from Houston in MLS, excellent all-round attacking player. He truly has the skills to make the jump (the best in MLS that I’ve seen by a mile, just as good as Clint Dempsey was) but would probably underperform for the first half-season or so while he adjusted. Price would be bargain basement, as his contract is owned by MLS, as are all players in that (terrible) league. Only problem is, as a late bloomer (30 years old, I think), would we be able to extract enough quality from him to justify the patience? For such a low price, I say let’s try.
But the crown jewel, the diamond in the rough that could bring it all together for us (at a price we can/should be able to afford!!) is Jonathan de Guzman at Feyenoord. His pace is BLISTERING, along the lines of SWP. However his attacking instincts are much better, & he is a constant threat to dart in & shoot from the channels, or pull the opposition defender from a teammate & supply a sneaky precision pass. He has the right attitude & would be an asset to Everton, bring him in!!!! Also count me among those who would welcome Manny back with as little as an apology. We waited around before buying him, he jumped ship, both sides lost out, now let’s recify the situation for everybody, if he wants to come back, bring him in by all means, don’t turn on a good young player because he made a mistake, as long as he’s contrite.

John Murphy
13 Posted 13/11/2007 at 21:47:21

Dave Reiner... Do you play Football Manager by any chance??

Lee Heath
14 Posted 13/11/2007 at 22:40:31

Last season was watching Red Shite vs PSV in the CL and over the 2 legs there was one player that caught my eye through out. Mika Vayrenen his name was. This guy was wasnt outstanding and he didnt take the piss but over the 2 games he didnt give the ball away once. His first touch was astounding and his passing was spot on. The way this guy played the game stood out like a sore thumb and just showed me what Everton are missing. Two or three players of the same skill and composure. I heard that he is not always in the team at PSV but i’m not sure but I also heard he was gonnna go to Rangers in the summer. Snap him up Moysey and then sign me as scout!!!!

Dave Reiner
15 Posted 13/11/2007 at 23:33:12

John - Never have played it, seen it a couple times though.
I’ve seen Adu on TV sometimes & in person once for about 5 minutes in an MLS game when he was a teenager.
Seen De Rosario & de Guzman multiple times, including Canada vs. USA in Gold cup, he & De Guzman thoroughly dominated & outclassed the US midfield, de Guzman is more explosive & young but de Rosario is bigger & more composed.

Peter Pridgeon
16 Posted 14/11/2007 at 02:10:17

What about Gareth Barry, at 26 he has several good years ahead of him and Moyes would probably get him for the price he was going to pay for MF

Barry is outstanding player in the centre of midfield for Villa, if we can steal there manager a few years ago maybe we can steal their captain now.

Would he come though?

John Lloyd
17 Posted 14/11/2007 at 16:35:22

Good shout Barry, I dont know if his head would be turned at the minute. He’s a villa lad & they look to be improving but its his calibre we should be looking to not fucking MLS rejects, PSV subs or Freddy Adu!!
I know its hard for Evertoninans with the shite we have seen paraded in front of us but we have to look at players who will massively improve the squad, and quality established players at that. theres only so many Lescotts & Cahills out there.

Dave Reiner
18 Posted 14/11/2007 at 17:25:36

Villa will sell us Gareth Barry when Hell freezes over. They have the same ambition as we do, why sell their second-best player to a rival, think in realistic terms please. Remember how everyone here reacted at the AJ to West Ham rumours, other clubs like to keep their good players too you know!

John Lloyd
19 Posted 14/11/2007 at 18:18:11

Which is what I said Dave, but he is the calibre of player we should be looking at. To be fair, stranger things have happened. He’s been there a long time, fresh start & all that.