ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Leon Osman

After watching Leon for a number of years, I always thought of him as a lightweight player with a great first touch and good skills who was either a fairly slow winger or an attacking midfield player in the 4-5-1 formation when Cahill is injured/suspended. What I would never have guessed is that he is a fantastic box-to-box midfielder.

I think Moyes needs to be seriously congratulated on taking such a big gamble on a player who realistically could have been a massive flop at centre-mid due to his small frame. Well done, Moyes ? you've pulled one out the bag again. If Osman can add a bit of muscle up top then he could go on to have a very successful career in centre-midfield.
Dave Trudgeon, Runcorn Posted 09/12/2007 at 18:03:18

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Keith Glazzard
1 Posted 09/12/2007 at 20:05:11

People who knew better than me were shouting for Leon to be given a good run, what, five or six years back.

I was working with a good bloke when we bought Mikel. An Irish MU person with Glasgow connections, I mentioned Arteta - "A bit lightweight, they say" was his considered reply. Fair enough, and it may have been the case then. And Leon may not have been fully ready when people were shouting for him to do more. But this is now, and they are better than ready.

Gavin Ramejkis
2 Posted 09/12/2007 at 20:32:41

It’s not just height and size its also ability sometimes a smaller player can do wonders if they haave ability, not saying Osman is on a par but Lionel Messi is only 5’ 6.5", if you can avoid the tackles and play around your marker; classic skill, then you can still be a worthy player.

Harrold Dean
3 Posted 09/12/2007 at 20:41:45

Oh boy how fickle we are.
For years Osman has been knocked as a lightweight waste of space.
Now he?s the greates thing.
Footballers all mature at different times and Osman has been allowed to grow under moyes as other have and will.
Is Yak still a lazy waste of space. I forget what the popular thinking is on this.
He?ll never work in this team, blah blah.
It shows how little fan?s really know by how few posts are on this thread.
I can hear hundreds of mighty blues munching on their own words.
I always used to think we were a little different as fans, but we can moan with the best of them.
Fingers crossed Hibbert will be shipped out in Jan.
Can?t cross, never gets forward, waste of space.
Moyes is one of the most underated managers in the prem and his reputation is growing across europe.
You never know what you actually have till its gone
COYB

James Elworthy
4 Posted 09/12/2007 at 21:24:37

Osman is an excellent player but doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.
He gets on with the job doesn’t moan or complain and doesn’t have a big ego, he has similar traits and characteristics as Carsley in that respect.

Ean Palese
5 Posted 09/12/2007 at 21:29:51

Osman is a wee bit better than average but only just. He could probably play in half of the prem clubs first 11 (mostly bottom half clubs) but I agree in part with what H Dean says. Everton have a unit of players that seem to work hard in the theory of what the moyes regime subscribes to and because of the cohesion we have, currently, team chemistry has shown that it can carry the load during curious times.
If we added another creative midfield player (not currently in our camp) with more adventure and invention he would not be in the 11 or even perhaps the bench. He is a player who ?less busy? players love to play with because they can often hide knowing that others will do the extra work. This is found in many teams, yes, but in our team those with less desire to work hard often pluck the fruit of leon?s labour, namely, AJ, Yak, Arteta and at times Cahill.
Not saying that the others don?t work hard or that osman is the heart beat of EFC, only saying that osman is in the team because he picks up others? slack and is happy doing it and doesn?t give the ball away much and scores the odd goal.
We have good balance in the team and our team quality is slowly but steadily increasing. It is not a result of Osman and I don?t think Moyes should be congratulated on this one Dave. I just think Osman is about all we have on offer at the moment.

Wayne Smyth
6 Posted 09/12/2007 at 23:02:41

Sad to say it, but I think that osman is our current weak link, and will be replaced in January or the summer with a more robust midfielder.

He works really hard and has some skill and awareness, but he is still too easily brushed off the ball, making it suicide to play 4-4-2 with him in the centre. There are much better options out there...and I think Moyes will be going for one of them soon.

Brendan McLaughlin
7 Posted 09/12/2007 at 23:38:51

I tuned into Radio 5 a while back & they were talking about how well Everton were doing. I don?t know who but one of their ex-player commentators waxed lyrical about Osman. "I?ve never seen him have a bad game for Everton" was the comment that stuck in my mind. If physical presence is his main weakness, surely we can do something about that?

Keith Glazzard
8 Posted 09/12/2007 at 23:42:20

Have I just read that Yak, AJ, Arteta and Cahill are lazy players? This being the case, Osman is in the side because he can run around a bit?

I can’t wait for the next coaching report which recommends that Yak and AJ take all the throw ins. Arteta wears long sleeves on a cold Merseyside night - where does he think he is? San Sebastian?
And of course, Tim Howard needs to get forward more to earn his wages.

I will leave the person who posted the comment about Tim Cahill to take it up with him personally. Good luck chum.

James Elworthy
9 Posted 10/12/2007 at 10:07:51

Football is about having a squad of players, so Osman irrespective of whether he starts or not is an integral part of the squad, true he may lose his place if some 12m playmaker joins but he is being offered a 4 year contract to stay.
To have someone like Osman in your squad is important as he is the sort of player you need, he gets on with the job he doesnt moan and in recent games has looked a very good player.