ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Replace or Improve? What not have both?

I've read many mail submissions questioning our midfield abilities and quite rightly so in my opinion. However too many of them advocate getting rid of particular players. Almost no-one has escaped criticism - mostly unfairly. At various times Arteta, Fernandes, Osman, Cahill and, occassionally, Pienaar have come in for fearful stick. I see that even today, it has been suggested that Arteta should be thanked, then shown the door.

Quite frankly, I think all this talk of selling is a nonsense. We should be considering adding to the squad, not reducing it. That is where we have been found out of late.

With this in mind, did anyone see the Zenit game tonight? Arshavin absolutely destroyed Leverkusen almost single-handedly ? away from home! If ever there was a player that we should do everything to sign, then its this lad. At Goodison, he was the best player on the pitch. I know we may struggle to get him, but we must try. He is a star.

Just think of the options we would then have. Next on the agenda would be a right back and competition with / long term replacement for Carsley. This would give us the strength in depth almost all over the park.

The catch? Do we have the money? Over to you Bill. We need to speculate to accumulate or prevaricate and decline.
Steve Williams, Wirral Posted 03/04/2008 at 22:10:21

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Rob Jones
1 Posted 04/04/2008 at 00:19:53

Over the past few months I've been watching this wonderkid closely and after the latest match against Bayer Leverkusen, I have come to a conclusion, get him no matter what the price (well within reason). He ticks all our boxes, midfield general, brilliant passer, not too short, strong on the ball, brilliant crosser and he scores! Obviously if we are showing any interest in him then there will be major competition but I'd take him over two of Fernandes anyday and he'll probably be around the same price give or take a couple of million. Obviously finances would limit us and there'd be competition from the world superpowers but he could be the final jigsaw. So hopefully come the summer he'll be in, hey you never know.

ps: Sorry if I sound like an excited little schoolboy lol.

Anj Stamos
2 Posted 04/04/2008 at 04:53:50

As much as we all like Everton to get Arshavin, and he is definitely top class, it wont be long when the ?rich4? bid for him ie if he wants too play in UK. Until we become a finacial power like some clubs then our chances of luring him is all but a dream. Sorry, I?m just a realist.

Gavin Ramejkis
3 Posted 04/04/2008 at 06:52:40

It’s always a tough one to call, the best team managers are ruthless enough to get shut of the chaff to improve their squads but again they have the cash to do that, I’d love to see the likes of Arshavin or Kallstrom play for Everton and our lesser capable players move to the bench or squad. Europe has lots of players that would improve the quality of or team but it’s one thing going all FM and another having the money to buy them and the players wanting to come to us.

Ciaran Duff
4 Posted 04/04/2008 at 07:19:09

Whatever about Arshavin or any other players, I agree fully with the overall sentiment of your post. In fact had stated same in some other far flung thread. We should be trying to add to the squad not get rid of guys (even Phill or Tony). IMHO, none of the guys we have are that bad. In fact at various points in the season they have had really good spells (Osman sticks out for me). So, we need a few more players for a few reasons - adding quality, covering for injuries and giving us different options.
One difficult one for me is Manny. We know he can be really good from last season and I thought he did well when he came on against the RS. Should we buy him or put the money for someone else? If only someone could find his enthusiasm switch!

Erik Dols
5 Posted 04/04/2008 at 07:32:21

About Arshavin:

Accoring to his wikipedia, the guy is 1.72 meters. That is 5"8, if I’m not making a mistake. That really does not add in the length department. I like the guy, he’s a great footballer, but with statements like "not too short" you’re getting carried away. ;-)

Another catch: I can’t remember a Russian player being succesful outside Russia, except Kanchelskis. You’re really looking at the likes of Smertin, Alenichev and Shalimov that are considered to be the best Russian footballers in recent times. I don’t get excited by these names. Maybe Russians have a very hard time to adapt. On the other hand: if he does half as good as Kanchelskis did in his first season, sign the lad!

I’d like to have the guy here as he’s obviously a great player. But I wouldn’t throw anything over £10 or £12 mil at him.

Otto Heinonen
6 Posted 04/04/2008 at 08:06:14

Adapting may be a problem no matter where you come from. I think Manny is having one now, but I would keep him IF the price isn´t 12mil. Scandinavians usually adapt everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_K%C3%A4llstr%C3%B6m

I think he is tall enough...

Connor Rohrer
7 Posted 04/04/2008 at 08:29:37

He’s not as good as people are making out and bar a few fancy flicks and back heels he was marked out the game by Lescott. I advise anyone to watch the game again and they’ll see that Lescott every time they get one on one dominates him.

Where would he actually play for us? He’s a second striker but in England would most probably be moved to the wing which wouldn’t help him fulfill his potential. He has pace and skill YES but his main attributes like awareness and vision would be taken away out wide and he wouldn’t be able to use them to full effect.

I’d definatly take him but I wouldn’t make him my priority or spend silly money on him. Lets be honest there are other areas of the pitch that need strengthening.

Agree with the post though. Evertonians are being completely unrealistic. Saying the likes of Osman, Arteta, Fernandes and Pienaar aren’t good enough is ridiculous and some really do need a reality check. Where good but where not that good and there’s alot of room for improvement. Fact of the matter is there is only a certain type of player Everton can attract at this moment in time.

Paul Williams
8 Posted 04/04/2008 at 09:46:58

Speaking of transfers, I have been told on good authority that Kevin Nolan is Goodison bound in the Summer.

My Dad has a contact within Goodison and has informed us in the past of future transers, months before anyone hears anything about them.

I knew we were going to sign Beattie, Johnson, Cahill, Lescott and Yak around 6 months before they signed so anything this fella tells us I take seriously.

Connor Rohrer
9 Posted 04/04/2008 at 09:54:20

I hope you wrong Paul Williams. Kevin Nolan wouldn’t signal intent and he would offer nothing to this current team.

He’s a poor mans Cahill and that is all. No pace, no skill, struggles in a four man midfield and brings very little to the plate. I’d rather have Joey Barton and thats saying something. The only thing he’s good at is feeding off Kevin Davies’s knockdowns and we don’t even have that type of player.

To be honest though where linked with him every season and nothing ever comes off so hopefully it won’t this season. I nothing player who overrates himself in my opinion. Evertonians seem to want him at the club because he is a scouser but that means nothing to men. He’s not good enough whether he’s scouse or not.

Tony part
10 Posted 04/04/2008 at 10:03:54

I think we need to look for big players this summer..Its not worth scouting around the Scottish league or League one thinking we can do it on a cheap earner, Robert Earl is on board now and hopefully he will play as good a game as he speaks..He spoke alot about wanting to be part of an Everton that moves forwards and I assume we only came to life in the transfer market last summer when he came on the scene, we immediatley launched a double bid for Yakubu and Fernandes... Lets hope he can use more fiancial muscle this year so we can attract players of international class..Arshavin has the technical talent that the likes of Downing and Nolan dont but if we could get Arshavin and perhaps one of the other two who knows..My only concern is perhaps Nolan is not the player he was 4 years ago..Seems a little bit leaden-footed in games nowadays.. Better bet than Carsley and Neville though..I would never pay 9 million for Downing, good crosser of the ball yes but he is limited with everything else he does and I think thats the one thing that put Moyes off bidding for him,if your signing a player for that price you want a little more..

Steve Pugh
11 Posted 04/04/2008 at 10:15:11

Paul Smith

What a sad little man you are. Nothing better to do than go to the fansite of a rival club and throw insults around.

Interesting that you include Liverpool in the elite, not really in the same league as the big 3 in the uk, or any of the top clubs in Europe. Still I suppose any club that gets the amount of help of officials that the RS do must be important somewhere.

Erik Dols
12 Posted 04/04/2008 at 10:16:42

Nolan as a squad player - ok. He is 6 ft which is pretty tall in comparison to our other midfielders and although he’s still only 25 years old, he’s got plenty of premiership experience.

Does his contract run out end of the season? Because I wouldn’t pay much for him, say £3 or £4 mil max. If we’re going to pay more we’d better spend it on a younger talent from the championship.

Gavin Grayson
13 Posted 04/04/2008 at 10:31:12

We should try to sign Kalstorm and Arshavin. We could also try to sign Bullard from Fulham as well. He will be a useful squad player.

Gavin Ramejkis
14 Posted 05/04/2008 at 20:01:08

Erik I’m not sure if it’s since Sam left Bolton or just because we have improved on the pitch but Nolan would only ever be good enough as a squad player for me, he doesn’t seem half the player he used to be if that was caused by lack of interest at Bolton or injury or loss of form but he is the sort of player we would have gone for a few years ago, we should be looking for better now.