ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Jags or Yobo?

Next week's game will be vitally important in our fight to finish fourth. I'd hate to be the one picking next week's team... at the back Jags has been bloody super: good one-on-one, solid tracking back, but then Joey Yobo is just as solid... who would you pick?? In my opinion, the spot is Jags' right now, unless he's moved to right back, but with that being Pips possy I can't see that... If he is dropped to the bench, fair enough, but he'd be dreadfully unlucky...
Nathan Round, Port Lincoln, Australia Posted 03/02/2008 at 21:02:53

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Caron Jôs
1 Posted 04/02/2008 at 02:01:26

How about a back 4 of...

Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott?

An we could play Baines left midfield, with Arteta on the right and Fernandes and Carsley in the middle. We could also play Osman behind Yakubu, and play him like Cahill playes in that position?

Joe Coswell
2 Posted 04/02/2008 at 02:01:02

As 2 clean sheets have been kept in succession I wouldnt be surprised if Moyes sticks with the same back 4. If there is to be a change though I definitely think it would be the case that Lescott will be shifted to left back to accommodate Yobo.

To be honest Jags deserves his place, its pretty much fact weve been keeping a load more clean sheets with him at centre back as opposed to the Yobo/Lescott partnership.

Id either bench Yobo or Baines

Joey Brown
3 Posted 04/02/2008 at 04:08:07

Ozzys been playing pretty poorly. I liked Baines on the left too. I think I’d go:

Howard
Nev, Yobo, Jags, Lescott
Arteta, Manny, Carsley, Baines,
Vaughan, AJ(Anichebe)

All things aside, we should beat reading for sure.

Peter Bourke
4 Posted 04/02/2008 at 05:02:02

I like the sounds of
Nev-Yobo-Jags-Joleon.
Thats seems pretty good and we have Baines and Hibbo as back up.
Joey Brown- wouldn?t you put Yak back up front??

Taka Nyahunzvi
5 Posted 04/02/2008 at 05:50:45

After the last Nations Cup, Yobo returned and could not dislodge Wier and Stubbs from the team. I reckon he’ll get back in this time though, as Mr. Moyes seems to favour the Neville-Jagielka-Yobo-Lescott back four.

John Andrews
6 Posted 04/02/2008 at 06:52:43

I have to be honest and say that I am not so smitten with Jagielka. Everybody seems to have forgotten his performance against Arsenal which was fairly dismal to say the least.
Granted he has performed well since but at every free kick we manage to get he whacks the ball upfield to our midget strike force. And the ball comes straight back again. With interest !
Yobo returned last time and could not dislodge Weir ? This was due to Moyes love affair with an aging Scottish centre back who should not have been playing at all last season.

Peter Corcoran
7 Posted 04/02/2008 at 07:12:47

Yobo must earn his place when he comes back. The central defence has been playing well and should not be disrupted. Don?t fool yurself into thinking that Yobo distributes the ball better than Jags because thay are both as bad as each other. But Jags deserves to stay in the team based on recent performances.

If Yobo doesn?t like being left out then maybe he will think twice about leaving us to play for Nigeria in future. I also do not think that Yobo played well in Africa.

Yakubu must be re-instated though as we are not looking dangerous enough up front - maybe a good opportunity to try something different if Cahill goes off with Australia.

How about

Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Osman (if fit otherwise Baines), Carsley, Fernandes, Arteta, Vaughan and Yakubu?

Mark Pendleton
8 Posted 04/02/2008 at 07:40:06

I’m with the general opinion on this one. Moyesie is often (quite rightly) true to the belief that if you play well enough you stay in the team and Jagz doesn/t deserve to be dropped. The guy deserves immense praise for the way he’s settled in after playing in midfield and right back a couple of times and looking shaky (out of position at a time when he’s trying to fit into a winning settled team and bed in). Fair play to him i say.

Nick Xenos
9 Posted 04/02/2008 at 07:50:41

Yobo will definitely be reinstated and Lescott will move to left back. I think Moyes will persist with Osman as the little man tries to find his feet again after missing over a month of footy.
I must agree that the most frustrating thing about our play at the moment is the long pump forward to a couple of midgets in Cahill and Johnson. I would like to see Fernandes given more of the ball if possible instead of the long hoof forward. Main culprits...Lescott and Jagielka.
For what its worth, Moyes’ team against Reading:
Howard - Neville - Yobo - Jagielka - Lescott - Arteta - Carsley - Fernandes - Osman - Yakubu - Johnson

Dean Johnson
10 Posted 04/02/2008 at 08:09:29

Sorry guys, but I will never be satisfied with a back four that includes Phil Neville, just because "it?s his best position"

In fact, I will never, ever be satisfied with our back four until we get a new right back. Lets hope this Gosling fella is a bit useful.

Andrew Paolacci
11 Posted 04/02/2008 at 08:44:14

Jagielka definitely doesnt deserve to be dropped. Ive noticed many on this site that have suggested that we need cover in the right-back position, & with Yobo having experience at RB, id like to see:

Howard
Yobo - Jagielka - Lescott - Baines (or Valente if Baines is pushed up into midfield).

However, i reckon it’ll be unchanged.. 2 clean sheets speaks for itself.

Ben Jackson
12 Posted 04/02/2008 at 12:21:34

I think it’s ridicilous talking about moving Lescott to left back, he’s a top class centre half and has made it his own, plus Baines looked very good on saturday and is undoubtably a future England left back. In regards to Jags, as many people have said, the position is his at the moment and rightly so. I think a long term conclusion is for him to play right back with Yobo and Lescott inside (if Yobo does enough to get back in the side!).

Ben Brown
13 Posted 04/02/2008 at 12:28:21

How about a Yobo - Jags - Lescott back three with Nev and Bainsey wing backs? Just throwin’ it out there.

Peter Keating
14 Posted 04/02/2008 at 12:34:50

Does anyone not think Moyes will shock us all and play Jagileka at Right Back so he can push Neville into midfield which he has done on so many occasions this season. Not my ideal move but who knows with Moyes sometimes. May even rest Yobo for a couple of games after the ANC

Honestly I think he will play Lescott at left back and bring Yobo into the middle

Damian Wilde
15 Posted 04/02/2008 at 12:49:02

Neville is terrible in right midfield, but he is only played there when he is forced into it (because of players missing). Even with no Piernarr, we still have enough midfielders to not have to play Neville at right mid

However, as everyone knows, Moyes loves Neville, so will play him. This will probably be at right back and not playing TH there. Jags will be CB or bench I think. Fair play if he plays JL at left back, as he is a great left back. Maybe harsh on NV and LB, as both have played well lately.

Great to have Yak back. Defence looks good of late, but we haven?t scored many. We looked as though we have just lacked a bit of punch up front, so hopefully Yak will bang a few in. MF looks close to scoring though and AJ has been unlucky. If Moyes goes with his favourite team, AJ might be benched. I think the team will be:

Howard
Neville Jag Yobo Lescott

Carsley
Osman Fernandez Arteta

Cahill
Yakubu

I think Ossie should play. He is not as good on the left/right and plays much better in the middle, but a great player, and better than Baines in midfield. When Pienarr gets back, he?ll be left mid, so who do you think will then start out of Fernandes and Ossie in the middle? I think Ossie. When we had that midfield, we went about 13 games unbeaten and played some lovely stuff. Nice to have options though.

James Elworthy
16 Posted 04/02/2008 at 13:26:18

If I remember last time Yobo didnt immediately get back in the team as Stubbs and Weir held those places for a while. With Baines injury prone it will proably end up with Lescott moving to left back.
If you have to make a choice I would go for Yobo despite Jagielkas form

Tony Williams
17 Posted 04/02/2008 at 13:39:42

I would imagine that Yobo will be on the bench against Reading, he has played 4 games in quick succession in a fair heat and probably needs a rest also as already stated Jagielka has been solid enough.

However if Baines is not fully fit he may revert back to Lescott at left back ahead of Nuno.

Christ I am glad I am not a manager

Paul OHanlon
18 Posted 04/02/2008 at 14:26:52

It’s never been Moyes’s way to bring players straight back into the team just because of who they are. If a player in posession of the starting place is fit and playing well, they stay until otherwise or injured. That’s the only way to encourage competition for places.

Up the other end of the pitch I don’t feel AJ’s done enough in the past couple of home games to keep his place, if we stick with 4-5-1 that is. The Yak’s back for sure.

jayharris
19 Posted 04/02/2008 at 17:04:18

Agree with most that the back four for Sat needs to be Neville Yobo Jags Lescott
with Arteta Carsley Fernandes Baines
Yakubu and Johnson.I think Osman and Cahill are nursing injuries and Timmy needs to learn that if he wants to piss off to Australia for 1 game then his place is not assured.
I feel the same way about Yobo to a lesser degree but we will probably need him and his situation was more or less out of his hands.

Joe McParland
20 Posted 04/02/2008 at 17:16:24

As Baines is still struggling with his ankle njury and Cahill is not available i think Moyes will bring back Yobo and Yak.
We will therefore line up;
Howard
Neville, Yobo, Jags, Lescott
Arteta, Carsley, Manny, Osman
Yak, AJ

Ed Fitzgerald
21 Posted 04/02/2008 at 19:59:40

Im sorry boys just cant see it Jagielka Vs Yobo, its Joe by a street, better in the air, quicker, a better defender, equally shite at passing the ball ( I will grant you that).

To play Lescott at left back is nonsense, (even though he is really good there too) he is absolute class and if he was at Man U, RS, Arsenal or Chelsea he would at centre half for England every game.

Dave Cooper
22 Posted 04/02/2008 at 22:24:48

I really like the idea of a back four of Neville, Yobo, Jagielka and Lescott. I am not convinced about Joey or Jags ability to start attacks from the back unless it involves hoofball. Howard does not seeem keen to give them the ball either. However with Joleon at left back we have a great route to attack from deep and to play football form back to front. Having three 6ft plus defenders is also a bonus at either end of the field to mnake up for our considerable lack of height elsewhere. Despit Lescott being outstanding at centreback which is undoubtedly his best position he offers the team so much more from being wide on the left. If Baines is played infront of him the two can switch positions and give Joleon more freedom to go forward and carve out popportunities from the wide left.

Brian Garside
23 Posted 06/02/2008 at 01:13:57

I have just read that Yak has gone AWOL.
If true carnt see DM being too happy so its the stands for him.
Jags keeps his place on performancs with Joe given a rest.
Cahill injured or in Oz.(Couldn´t care).
So its 442:
Howard,Pip.Jags Jolli,Bains
The Art,Cars,Manny,Ossie
Aj,Vaughn.
Subs: Wessy,Hibbo Nuno,Vic,VdM