ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Alan Irvine

Could it really be coincidence that the game after Irvine leaves, we play stylish football, go for goal and smash them in! Don't get me wrong ? I think Alan's a great coach and wish him luck in management, but maybe he was the man that was influencing the defensive maybe even (though I hate the term) hoofball play that many blues have been complaining about. I was just wondering if anyone else thinks Alan going could turn out to be a good thing after all, Also any news about who's replacing him.

ps: Hope Dave Hickson gets better in time to cheer us on in our next match; great player though I never got to see him, and he seemed a great person when I went on a Goodison tour.
Rob Jones, wrexham Posted 25/11/2007 at 22:32:39

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Michael Kenrick

So I have to admit I'm puzzled. I've followed Everton quite closely these these last few years... but I have no idea about Irvine. Good coach? Bad Coach? How do you figure that one out?

At least saying Dave Hickson was a great player whiie admitting you never saw him play, you know you're on safe ground based on the collective wisdom of the ages. But where is that with Alan Irvine in his coacing role? For all I know, he may have been the one promoting attacking football only to be over-ruled by Moyes, with Saturday just being a complete coincidence!

Ron Wilmington
1 Posted 26/11/2007 at 04:10:09

I think it’s more to do with every one being healthy and the resulting competition for places.

Peter Pridgeon
2 Posted 26/11/2007 at 04:24:37

I don’t think Irvine leaving had any baring on Saturdays win, as Ron has said with all players now available competition is high especially in the striking department.
Its also worth noting that the form of all the midfield players is outstanding.
No one knows where this run will take us but its worth enjoying the ride.

Zeya Aung
3 Posted 26/11/2007 at 04:33:09

Hmm.. 3 goals were ’hoofballed’ --;

Teddy Draper
4 Posted 26/11/2007 at 07:16:27

Rob, I had the privaledge, honour, and pleasure to watch Dave Hickson play, he was my boyhood hero. If somebody passed a ball toward the corner flag, almost impossible to get, Dave never gave up, most times he would tear down the channel, stop it from going out AND do something constructive with it. A truly never give up player, a legend in his own lifetime, a true center forward in the real sense of the word. God bless you dave and thank you.

Erik Dols
5 Posted 26/11/2007 at 07:21:57

And, although it was a great performance from our side, Sunderland were simply horrible. Especially in defending.

This is not an attempt to play our achievement down, we were quite brilliant. But playing attacking footy against a clueless Sunderland at Goodison with the whole squad available is not really a surprise and has little to do with the absence of the assistant.

Clinton Jurgens
6 Posted 26/11/2007 at 07:14:21

you’re a moron for thinking that the very next game after his departure, we change our style of football.

(and just so you know, 2 goals came from hoofballs)

Kevin Sparke
7 Posted 26/11/2007 at 07:36:54

If Irvine’s coaching was influencing Everton’s defensive/hoofball/route one style (and that is a big ’if’) Saturday’s game would be too early to judge

My theory is that our style is influenced by the players we’ve available, the situation on the pitch, and the opposition.

We’ve now got the players to play attacking, free flowing football, we’ve got them all fit at the same time - we’ve got 9 hard games in December... more goal fests would be nice

I’d be happy if we can be unbeaten in those 9 games - I’ll be ecstatic if we win 6 of the 9... I’ll be totally blown away if we win in style!

Lets not forget that we are still lacking in the class department in midfield - we’ve not been exposed yet because ’Harry Hill’ has remained fit - he gets an injury and the house of cards tumbles.

WE STILL NEED A CREATIVE MIDFIELDER IN JANUARY!

Sid Jones
8 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:12:20

It also had something to do with Sunderland being total crap!

Michael Newton
9 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:14:18

Goal 1 was a long hoof to the Yak.
Goal 5 was a long hoof to Cahill
Goal 6 was a long hoof to Johnson.
Its too early to make judgement about Irvine and his influence on the style of play.
Sunderland particularly McShane were awful, and if that goalie is worth 11m then Richard Wright is worth 12m.

David Marsden
10 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:37:36

Fuck off saying hoof balls!!! if a team has a weakness then exploit it. For fucks sake!!

Michael Newton
11 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:42:19

Goal 1 was a long kick to the Yak.
Goal 5 was a long kick to Cahill
Goal 6 was a long kick to Johnson.

Carl Rutherford
12 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:44:28

The notion that Alan Irvine stopped us from playing stylish football is a little niave. Its just a shame after a result like this 7 of the top 8 won also won (apart Man U).
It must also be a good few years since we could say we are the second highest scorers in the league with over a third of the games played!

Anthony Doyle
13 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:50:38

How about Sammy Lee to replace Irvine. I know he has history with LFC but I think moving up to management was a step to far and therefore may consider a coaching position again. Also Bolton play a similar game to ours and stationed in the North West.

David Marsden
14 Posted 26/11/2007 at 10:04:18

Surely you are having a laugh!! Everton play like Bolton!! Is this a wind up?

Michael Newton
15 Posted 26/11/2007 at 10:06:12

As far as Sammy Lee is concerned, good coach, nice man but a former RS.
I think Sammy might be back at Liverpool as a coach when they sack the Fat Spanish Waiter.
Lee is an out and out Red and no way he would come here.

Stig Meacham
16 Posted 26/11/2007 at 09:54:45

I’m sorry, lads, but is this yet another ’bag on EFC post’, through the passive/aggressive? We won big, but let’s get negative, still?

Alan Irvine was holding us back, now? I certainly hope there’s a touch of irony I’m missing up there.

Are people like you just holding your urine until we lose one (maybe next week; who knows - it happens), and then the TonyMarshBrigade comes scuttling with ragged claws, screaming, out from under their mossy bridges about the abomination Moyes, and how medieval torture is way too good for the likes of him, and how EFC is reamed forever because the affiliates of David Moyes once dared glance upon a stat sheet associated with the club, blahblahblah? "Hoofball, hoofball, who goes over my bridge? Raahr!"

So, yeah, Alan Irvine was the leather straps that held our soaring phoenix down. Let"s get into it. It’s Alan Irvine"s dilemma. A gentleman to a fault, had time for each and every one of us who approached him, played tirelessly for the club, came back to us when we asked, and now he’s responsible for our once-broken club not performing to the pastel ideals of a certain weird few. Nice.

Why don"t you just enjoy Saturday for what it was: something Alan Irvine had a part in shaping? Fucking hell.

Phil Bellis
17 Posted 26/11/2007 at 10:25:59

David Marsden..spot on. The players soon sussed out the lack of pace and skill in the miiddle of Sunderland’s defence and viciously exploited it. About time they took responsibility on the pitch.
The ability to see and execute a pass (with head or feet) to an onrunning team-mate is a SKILL (this ’hoofball’ noun is so hackneyed - ’lazy jounalism? -.bad as ’End Of’). I remenber a long ball to Robben beating us at Chelsea when all else had failed.

clinton jurgens
18 Posted 26/11/2007 at 10:40:07

theres nothing wrong with what david marsden said... i totally agree, but i dont agree with the basis of this thread that alan irvine was the one possibly responsible for our defensive/workhorse style along with the hoof ball. yes if you can expose the defense 3 times with long passes then thats fine and we did. but how the hell can a team just change their style in a week now that the asst is gone. it’ll take a little while before we see if there is any change with irvine leaving and new boy entering.

we won big this week and i’m celebrating that fact (and we did play some lovely footy too)... but leave the exit of irvine out of it. thats like us getting someone new in to replace irvine, we lose the next match and then blaming him for him the type of football we played. senseless

James Elworthy
19 Posted 26/11/2007 at 10:54:14

I am made up with a 7-1 victory and who cares if a few goals came from long balls.
Goal 2 was superb skill by Arteta, fine run by Neville and tremendous execution of deadly finishing by the best in the business in the position he plays Cahill.
Goal 3 was superb interchange by Valente and Pienaar for an equisite finish.
Goal 5 was a fox in the box goal by Yakubu.
Goal 7 was a tremendous solo run by Osman from the halfway line
Four superb goals in their own right, the other 3 exploited a weakness in Sunderland which Moyes was aware of he said on the TV he had been to see them 3 times, he must of saw their defensive frailities down the middle and exploited them with a mixture of long balls to fast and skillful forwards and wide play.
Yakubu, Cahill and Johnson all had an awful lot to do with the goals they scored, Yak showed tremendous body strength is brushing aside the defender, Cahill showed a tremendous touch to go round the defender and put the ball past the goalie, and Johnson had a lot to do but fresh legs got him away and though he got lucky as his final touch was poor the goalie should of smothered it but he didnt Johnson scored and did his confidence the power of good.
Sunderland were destroyed by the Blues, the managers research into their style of play and weaknesses were fully exploited and we should be given credit for crushing them.
From an excitement point of view the Yak and Cahill long ball goals were the 2 goals the crowd probably cheered the most, as Yak broke the deadlock and Cahill killed off the game as Sunderland at that point had had a decent start to the second half building on their goal just before half time.
Full marks to Moyes and the boys

John Martin
20 Posted 26/11/2007 at 11:20:57

The 3 goals were alleged hoofball takes places were actually long passes, well at least when teams like Liverpool score those types of goals thats what they claim so i am claiming long passes for Everton.

David Shankland
21 Posted 26/11/2007 at 11:37:58

Heard today that Davie Weir is being lined up as Moyes No. 2

Steven May
22 Posted 26/11/2007 at 11:36:13

I’m more of the opinion that it is the feeling of being aggrieved after the derby match that has been the spur to this recent run of good form and that the confidence that it has engendered that caused the score on Saturday.

Oh and a word of advice to all correspondents - don’t use irony (or even sarcasm). Toffeeweb doesn’t respond well to it.

Eddy Elton
23 Posted 26/11/2007 at 12:03:18

Billy Davies just be sacked by Derby.
He is a good mate of Moysey. In think he would be a great number 2.

James Elworthy
24 Posted 26/11/2007 at 12:12:58

Number 2’s dont make good number 1’s and number 1’s dont make good number 2’s.

Michael Newton
25 Posted 26/11/2007 at 12:17:56

I feel sorry for Irvine in the relegation zone good bet to go down, the best players get sold, its like when he was at Everton when he joined with Moyes.

Lee Spargo
26 Posted 26/11/2007 at 12:32:27

I dont beleive that DM would allow his No.2, Irvine or not, to dictate the team’s style of play.

We’ve been playing good football, in patches, for a while now. It just seems like everything is just clicking at the moment. Who knows where we can go from here...........

Michael Newton
27 Posted 26/11/2007 at 12:41:29

The good form is down to competion for places. Players know they need to play well as the bench was full of good players and Faddy and Vaughan werent even on it.
You look in the past when we had, Watson Unsworth & Naysmith with Pistone playing. Even Beattie knew he could play like shit and stay on with a bench like that.

Matt Bone
28 Posted 26/11/2007 at 13:13:21

When does a long pass become a hoof ball or vice versa???? Surely a hoofball is a long, aimless punt ususally used to clear your lines when under pressure. They wont usually result in a goal. A long pass is one that, although is a long distance actually is aimed at and finds a team mate resulting in retained possession.

Dave Roberts
29 Posted 26/11/2007 at 14:04:19

I agree with Matt. Hoofballs are those hopeful, aimless punts that we see so often from Stubbs and Hibbert, usually made worse by no real movement from the forward(s). They usually end up gathered by the opposition and the ball’s back in our end after 10 seconds!

Long, accurate passes to forwards that split defences and end up with chances because forwards are exploiting space and weak defenders is intelligent football.

Perhaps hoofball is the wrong word. Lob and hope because you can’t think of anything else to do or because forwards are not offering options is better....but a bit long! What about Hopeball...or even No-hopeball?

Brian Garside
30 Posted 27/11/2007 at 00:45:08

I dont recall Linekers goals.eg Luton Tn,being credited to hoofball, rather than his pace and fine through balls!!!
Please appreciate skill when on show.