ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

McFadden?

From what people have heard, is he likely to with us in a month? Not being in the recent squads would imply not; however, the things that the club have come out with imply they would like him to stay.

Surely with our current midfeild 'crisis' he sould get an oppurtunity playing wide left, as we currently only have three other fit available midfielders to my reckoning. However, it would be more likely that we will have Neville in midfield again, which points to a dire game on News Year Day.
Steve Durrant, York Posted 31/12/2007 at 12:20:43

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Jeremy Beaddle
1 Posted 31/12/2007 at 13:24:18

He doesnt like playing wide left. And as a striker, he is 5th choice in my opinion. He has had plenty of chances, but the odd wonder goal aside, he is not as prolific in front of the sticks as our other forwards. He doesnt really offer the team anything else either; he doesnt run his legs off like johnson, doesnt hold the ball up as well as the yak, nor be as pacey as ani or vaughan.

Dribbling a few yards yet ultimately losing out to the quality of defenders that exist in the premiership, is not ever going to work for a top 6 side.

You have to be real quality (e.g ronaldo) to get away with it.

Jeremy Beaddle
2 Posted 31/12/2007 at 13:27:39

p.s. the point being, he would do better in a league where you get more time and space and the ability to run at those defenders who are backing off, is a more worthy string to the bow.

Like scotland, or some of the european leagues.

Steve Roberts
3 Posted 31/12/2007 at 13:45:18

I agree with all that, but still feel i would rather see him playing in midfield in an attacking role as opposed to Neville in a defensive role tomorrow.

James Elworthy
4 Posted 31/12/2007 at 14:15:56

With the present midfield crisis perhaps a game wide on the left of midfield will be given to him.
I think he will be sold though once a few signings are made.

Harj Badial
5 Posted 31/12/2007 at 14:23:43

McFadden should be played on the right wing- to replace Arteta while he is banned. bring Cahill into Midfield and AJ to Partner Yak up front - simple! Howard, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Neville, Cahill, Pienaar, McFadden, Carsley, Johnson, Yakubu - and 3 points - Happy New Year!!!

Gavin Ramejkis
6 Posted 31/12/2007 at 14:58:56

Didn’t AJ start out as a winger? Why not use him as a temporary winger and retain our formation as is?

Must agree that McFadden is far down the pecking order as a striker for Everton and his left footed abilities are well known by premiership defenders who just force him onto his right, he still fails to choose an easy pass when it is on and instead too often tries to beat another defender instead when he just doesn’t have the ability.

Neil Scott
7 Posted 31/12/2007 at 15:15:41

bring back AVDM

Harj Badial
8 Posted 31/12/2007 at 15:43:56

I'd love to see AVDM given another chance - but i think he is injured - we could have then used Pienaar on Right. but Gavin using AJ on right is a good shout but we will be very short in midfield, maybe push Cahill back and play Vaughan / Anichebe alongside Yak? We can also use Baines if fit on the left - he likes going forward and Peanut on Right? what you think?

Steve Roberts
9 Posted 31/12/2007 at 15:48:49

I agree with all of the above suggestions, but i feel it will be Peinaar, Cars, Neville and Cahill, which not only lacks creativity but makes cahill our biggest goal threat ineffective!

Dave Wilson
10 Posted 31/12/2007 at 15:47:19

Said it 1/2 dozen times, use him as bait for Scot Brown, he’s the closest there is to a 2008 Peter Reid. if we dont get him now, be assured Man U will

Harj Badial
11 Posted 31/12/2007 at 15:51:47

We still should have enough in our locker to beat boro. Yak will be up 4 this one, with Cahill and possibly AJ we should edge it. COYB

Harj Badial
12 Posted 31/12/2007 at 15:53:20

How good is this Scott Brown? to be honest i have not seen much of him, can he hack it in prem? he may look good in Scotts league but then so did McFadden !

Dave Wilson
13 Posted 31/12/2007 at 16:18:01

Harj
When Scotland were taking the best two teams in the world to the wire Faddy took all the headlines, get hold of the Dvds of their games if you can and you’ll see the real reason they played so well. dont worry about the deciding game when they played Italy, Brown was suspended . . . . Scotland lost
There are more skilfull players out there, but they’ll cost us 20 million and I’m not sure any of them are as competative, the facts are, he’s hard as nails, he doesnt give the ball away and Sellic want Faddy

James Elworthy
14 Posted 31/12/2007 at 16:26:45

according to this website we have signed Gary Speed for 250k

http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=7512

Iain Thomson
15 Posted 31/12/2007 at 16:30:00

Scott Brown rejected advances from english clubs when he sighned for Celtis.he cited champions league and winning the league as a reason to go to glasgow..if thats the situation why would he now 6 months later come to us, besides apparently Newcastle offered around 9 million for him last day of the last window..we wont get him..end of

Gavin Ramejkis
16 Posted 31/12/2007 at 16:44:24

The only thing that worries me about Baines and something he will resolve after some more time is tracking back, he is great going forward but terrible at tracking back and does leave gaps because of this, he isn’t a winger though more of a wing back if anything. Playing Cahill behind Yak has proved the trick up front but that leaves who to play in midfield given injuries and bans I’d say Pienaar, Carsley, AJ and Vidarrson or Da Silva, leave Neville or Hibbert at RB where they belong. The bench with James Blunt ( Wessels), Baines or Valente for LB, Neville or Hibbert (RB), Vaughan, Anichebe or McFadden

Mark Pendleton
17 Posted 31/12/2007 at 17:11:48

I think we’ll see Baines on the left wing and Pienaar switch to the right for tomorrow’s game. I think Faddy will leave next month and that our stance is purely to prevent anyone thinking they can steal him on the cheap. As for signing Speed for £250k he’s been talking about his switch to Sheffield United on Sky today!

Lee Armer
18 Posted 31/12/2007 at 17:16:19

I'm sorry to say it but he's got to go, and if we can puch for 5 million and add this to our transfer kitty cus we need two midfielders for me then we will be a lot stronger.

Dave Wilson
19 Posted 31/12/2007 at 17:09:10

Iain
Brown did reject English teams but thats were Moysee comes in, he has to convince him if he signs for us he would be playing CL footy, he’s that powerful driving Midfielder we ’re desperate for and do you really think a player of his confidence wont believe he could change us from 5/6th placed team to a 4th placed one ?
Faddy and four million would get him and while we are at it, we should find out just how much the Irons want AJ, Scot Parker would be would be another welcome addition, it would mean thrusting Vaughany and vic in earlier than maybe DM would like, but getting the two Scots would put us right up there and we’ve got the bait
DM should act now

Brian Waring
20 Posted 31/12/2007 at 17:30:39

Gavin,I still think AJ is a winger.I havn’t seen him play anywhere down the middle for us.He seems to be consistantly running down the flanks.

Iain Thomson
21 Posted 31/12/2007 at 17:43:58

Dave

He’d be ideal, I agree with you. Just think its a long shot. Strachan clearly rates him highly, Celtic are a guarentee of CL football..we a re a long shot right now.

We can hope though.

Gavin Ramejkis
22 Posted 31/12/2007 at 20:36:20

Harj don’t be so cruel - it probably took the gobshite ages to find an online Norwegian to English translation tool to work out that masterpiece

Stuart Mitchell
23 Posted 31/12/2007 at 20:49:43

Looks like it will be Gary Speed coming in to midfield!

http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=7512

Robert Carney
24 Posted 31/12/2007 at 22:51:19

As far as I am concerned Speed can fuck off. We do not need old past their best traitors who joined the whinger of all time (Daglish).

I would not be surprised if he has had is tattoo of the blues lasered off.

You do not go forward with old men. I have never seen Brown play and will take the opinions of fellow blues on this one.
Oh what a joy to see a Reid type player in our present set up. Can history repeat itself?

re. Mc Fadden, he is a totally decent person and I will wish him all the best if he goes north or south. He has so much ability, pity it cannot be applied to good force in our setup. Best wishes to him and his family, the money raised could well be used in the transfer window.

Brian Waring
25 Posted 01/01/2008 at 00:16:46

I can?t understand why you call Speed a traitor Robert? Do you know what went on before he left? There has been plenty of theories as to what went on, but can we really say what happened?

It?s the same with Manny; he goes, and then he is called scum or fucking traitor. Again, we don?t know the details about what happened. The thing is though, in all these years, Speed has never bad-mouthed the club or anyone who was around during his time with us. If this sounds a bit gibberish, forgive me, I?ve had a fair few Jack Daniels.

Anyway, Happy New Year to all the lads at ToffeeWeb (keep up the great work) and to all my fellow blues.

Lue Glover
26 Posted 01/01/2008 at 09:33:57

Gavin I agree about Baines being great at going forward but not so hot getting back that’s why I would prefer to put him on the left side midfield and let Valente do the mopping up at LB.
Nuno goes forward pretty well too but often gets caught out for pace tracking back. With Baines on that left side, Nuno can stay back and allow Lescott a little more freedom too.
When Yobo and Pienaar go, Baines in that position may be an option. That’s if we havent made some wonderful and exciting signings of course!

With regard to Gary Speed, same as Manny - we don’t know what happened behind the scenes. All I know, through members of his extended family, is that he is a Blue, has been since he could walk, was gutted when he left Everton and has never said anything derogatory about the club.
He’s at Sheff U anyway so no need to panic.

Nick Xenos
27 Posted 01/01/2008 at 10:25:12

I think DM will try not to tinker with the starting 11 too much. Cahill will drop back into midfield and Johnson will slot up front with the Yak. Pienaar will take over Arteta’s set piece duties. Thought Neville and Carsley did OK together against the Arse so I’m sure they’ll be able to do the job against Boro. I remember Hibbert doing a fine job against Downing last time out so he will deffo keep his place. Jag deserves a chance to redeem himself, especially as he had shown good form in previous games. Tuncay and Arca are the danger men for them. Here’s to a 3-1 win to start off ’08 on a winning note.