ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Quality needed!

I thought Hibbert had quite a good game today but it shows our lack of depth when Hibbert has to play. I think Moyes has admitted his best right back is Neville and it's a bit poor that when we are lack of midfielders he always picks him to play there.

Moyes has got to sign at least two midfielders, either a right winger so Arteta can play inside or two central midfielders. I for one wouldn't mind Fernandes coming back because the lad will surely have a point to prove and he was quality. We also have to find a decent rightback, i like Hibbert as a player who gives 100% comitment to defending but the quality of all his other play is questionable.
Jamie Barlow, Manchester Posted 29/12/2007 at 23:59:02

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Dave Wilson
1 Posted 30/12/2007 at 07:29:55

I was waiting for this, Yobo,Lescott, Jags, and Howard have deservedly taken all the plaudits recently, love them all, but Lescott fell asleep for one goal, Jag missed the flight of the ball for another and what Yobo + Howard were up to for the third one is anyones guess. Hibbert defends reallty well and he still gets the fucken blame
God Knows Tony has his limitations but playing him at RB wasnt the mistake, playing Neville in the middle was, We can also say DM made a mistake too with selection. Mickys flailing arm wasnt the wisest thing to do either
I’m prepared to say, if we are going to have a few shockers, lets all have them together

Mike Coates
2 Posted 30/12/2007 at 09:30:38

Quality is indeed needed. And with Arteta out of the side for 1-3 matches, we need someone who can take those set shots, and corners.

After watching McFadden in every Scotland game for Euro qualification, I think he really needs to be given a chance to drop off the striker role and offer this support. His set kicks and corner kicks are very classy, and I believe good enough to warrant a shot.

Anthony Newell
3 Posted 30/12/2007 at 10:59:55

Three strikers on the bench yesterday and no midfielder in the form of the only available one - McFadden. In fact, McFadden has not been on the bench since the Manure game

Unless the guy is ill he must be on his way and in talks with another club. Lets hope the deal is done quickly so we can bolster the midfield with quality and fast. Despite my initial anger at him pissing off I would have Fernandes back at the right price

Gareth Hughes
4 Posted 30/12/2007 at 11:12:15

Yes we need 2 midfielders; a winger and a playmaker but we won’t sign them in January. Moyes has said as much. I have belatedly realised how lucky we are to have him as coach but he still exasperates me sometimes. Another midfielder should have been signed in the summer and we are going to pay the price for it now when a Carling Cup Final place is up for grabs. We have great options up front and in defence but the lack of quality midfield options has been ignored for at least 2 years and Moyes must take the blame for this, and any subsequent bad results in the next month when we lose palyers to ACN(Piennar), suspension(Arteta) and injury(Osman, Gravesen) Does anyone fancy our chances against Chelsea with a midfield of Neville, Carsley, Cahill and McFadden/Johnson? No, did’nt think so!

Mick Simo
5 Posted 30/12/2007 at 12:10:53

I agrree with most of the above posts, but I am worried about, injuries, ANC, and now Arteta out. Buying in January is difficult, would you sell your best players half way through a season, unless Moyes has been tracking someone I dont see any class signings I realy dont and I am worried our form might start to dip and a slide down the table. I am trying to be optimistic and I know we were beat by the two top sides in the country, but we just dont have quality in depth in midfield or defence. The next month will determine our season, just put them hands together and hope that we dont get anymore injuries or suspensions.

Tommy Jones
6 Posted 30/12/2007 at 12:47:26

Da Silva didn?t his loan deal finish last week with the Tykes? According to the their manager he was a revelation and would make him a permenent addition if Everton wanted to sell. The thing is big gap between Premiere league football and coca cola football

Terry Lloyd
7 Posted 30/12/2007 at 13:17:11

What about Giles Barnes from Derby looks a class act to me 5 million should do it

Mark Wilson
8 Posted 30/12/2007 at 13:48:36

What’s with "but it shows our lack of depth when Hibbert has to play". Hibbert is a good right back, an old fashioned no nonsense type. A comment on one of the posts (I think yesterday) mentioned ’Hibbert hoofball’. Next time take a look at why - invariably some one has passed the ball to him with an opposition player breathing down his neck hence the get rid of it mentality. Yesterday he had some very nice touches under pressure playing one twos out of trouble. Give the bloke a break, focus on the other back 4 that stuffed up.

Anthony Newell
9 Posted 30/12/2007 at 14:23:06

Giles Barnes would be just the ticket!

David London
10 Posted 30/12/2007 at 14:19:18

Hibbert,the only back NOT to make a big mistake,but lets blame him anyway!We lost lets look forward.COYB

Oliver McAdam
11 Posted 30/12/2007 at 14:23:45

Hibbert had one of his best games of the season yesterday, apart from crossing he linked with Arteta very well, and having Hibbo as a sub right back shows good depth in squad, unfortunately we play both Cars and Nev in the middle, this is not good enough in that final third.

However, the result was a freak one. If Nev scored, which he should have done when he blasted over we would have won. Unfortunately it was Nev who got the ball.

Yakubu should also have made it 2-0 but blasted wide and he should have scored to make it 2-1.
However, like with the Man U game, we deserved something. So look on the positives, we nearly matched the best 2 teams in the league while beating everyone else.

If anything yesterday, we tried to play too good a football, I think the players were trying to prove a point agianst the best footballing team in England, and in the process we forgot the basics.

Hopefully the next match will be one where it all goes right.

Also, Arteta was never a sending off, Clichy sould have gone for a second yellow early in second half and their player deserved a sraght red and only got one becasue he was already booked. Arteta was fouled all game, as was cahill and the referee in short, once again was terrible, however tis still no excuse.

Dave Trudgeon
12 Posted 30/12/2007 at 14:05:17

We should go for Giles Barnes, he looks well worth £5mil, he's pacey, has a good touch and is young. Moyes could make him a star!