ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

The Importance of Timmy Cahill...

Perhaps someone has already done this analysis, but a number of people on ToffeeWeb have talked about the importance of Cahill to our side.

Well, taking out the West Ham game in which Cahill went off shortly after the start, he has started 17 (i.e. half) of our Premiership games this year. In those games we have amassed 39 of our 61 points - that is, 2.3 points a game. In the games without Cahill, we have only achieved 1.3 points a game.

You can prove anything with statistics, but this is a BIG difference. Tony Adams on MOTD recently singled out Cahill for the trouble he had caused against Pompey. Despite his average passing, and somewhat random tackling, Cahill clearly does make a big difference. My assessment is that, apart from his extraordinary goalscoring record, this is both through the general extra energy and drive he gives to the team, and the space he frees up for other strikers (e.g. the Yak) when the opposition have to try to cope with his deadly late runs.

Timmy's absence is of course not the only explanation for our recent dreadful form (Neville's presence might be just as important). But we have certainly missed him.
Neil Pearse, London Posted 13/04/2008 at 21:35:25

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Comments

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Joe McMahon
1 Posted 14/04/2008 at 00:39:36

Couldn’t agree more Neil, I also think he should be captain. I do worry though, he seems to be suffering long term injuries every season now.

I used to think it was just the lack of investment that was the cause of all problems we had, but I’m also wondering if david Moyes has the ability to take us further even if he had a bigger sqaud. His bizarre tactics, and reliance on certain players raises many questions.

Steve Pendleton
2 Posted 14/04/2008 at 01:21:13

Nail on the head Neil. His enthusiasm and positive runs are sorely missed. We definitely missed him in the return leg against Fiorentina. AJ does have a crack and puts in the effort, but we are missing Tim’s purposeful runs.

Nigel Gregson
3 Posted 14/04/2008 at 03:21:50

Tim Cahill brings intangible qualities to the team - such as influence and determination. Whilst the team has ample leadership at the back (with Yobo and Lescott), it lacks the leadership up front. This lack is exposed every time Tim does not play.

What we need to buy this summer is another leader at the front of the park.

Ron Wilmington
4 Posted 14/04/2008 at 03:45:30

Cahill reminds me a little bit of Martin Peters in that you don’t realise he was playing until he scores. Anecdotally he does seem to score in the big games:

This season:
Man Utd away
Chelsea away

Arsenal home

Last Season:
Liverpool home
Arsenal away

Australia in the World Cup

Dave Whitwell
5 Posted 14/04/2008 at 08:00:14

Definately True, Cahill is a massive part of the team, I did think last season that we were able to cope as long as we had either Cahill or Arteta, but I think we Cahill missing so much this year and Arteta’s lack of form we really need another influential player that can turn a game like those two.

Paul O'Hanlon
6 Posted 14/04/2008 at 08:33:16

With Cahill fit we can play 4-5-1 effectively, simple as. This has been our most effective formation for the past 4 seasons because our midfield simply isn?t good enough to only play 4 in there. Cahill?s the one who makes the 5 man system work.

Jason Lam
7 Posted 14/04/2008 at 08:30:40

I find myself agreeing with reservations. Football is about scoring goals so Cahill appears more important that his fellow midfielders. An excellent goalie can at most ensure us a draw, but not a win.

Unfortunately it’s not that clear and measurable the influence of Carsley, say, if his presence defended 5 opposition goals. Or the presence of Ossie, that he made 3 goals, and saved us 2. The scoreboard doesn’t show saves or genuine assists.

However the problem is the 5-man midfield. The 5 players are so incomplete and so 1-dimensional that they need 5 of them to do a 4 man job. When Cahill’s not playing, AJ is the 5th midfielder creating space in the corners.

As another poster summed up correctly, the whole midfield needs reconstructed.

This 5 won’t go into 4, and we’re not content with 5th place.

Mike Oates
8 Posted 14/04/2008 at 09:26:28

Just to fully agree and add to Neil?s letter. I live in the south and close friends to a bloke who is in the management hireachy at Fulham and to quote him, "Everton are only half a team when the Little Aussie is missing. He?s a bundle of dynamite"

Jonathan Tasker
9 Posted 14/04/2008 at 10:16:10

Very good post; without Cahill, we may just about stumble into 5th place. We are much much better playing 4-5-1, including Cahill.

Steven May
10 Posted 14/04/2008 at 11:29:31

Or looking at it another way, with Cahill, and Vaughan back; Arteta, Pienaar, Osman, and Carsley rested; and a couple of good signings, we could have something to really look forward to next season, and it’s not as if this season has been a disaster, has it?

Jonathan Fletcher
11 Posted 14/04/2008 at 11:48:30

Tim isn’t my favourite player and I’ve always seen him as quite limited.

However, you can’t argue with the stats and you can’t argue that since he hasn’t played we haven’t looked the same.

James Wong
12 Posted 14/04/2008 at 11:35:10

I wanted to write in but thought it already had been said. I couldn?t agree more with the OP. Many people who do write him off as being limited are only seeing one side of him, but he does play a good final ball, he takes his chances most of the time, and is the reason we had more wins than Liverpool up until yesterday.

We can moan all about Cahill taking up an additional striker?s spot, but at the same he makes everyone in the team better, he lets Carsley play his limited role, he allows focus off the Yak, while at the same time arriving late in the box himself. He also makes room for Leon Osman behind him.

However, by the time Cahill does come back ? I do hope we drop Carsley and find a new way to play, because if we do purchase Fernandes, having Pienaar, Cahill, Fernandes, Osman and Arteta may make us light on in the middle. I would like to see us get a Xabi Alonso type player ? I don?t know who ? but someone who can make short and long passes in the middle.

Also the other problem is that I don?t think we are fully settled at the back. The defence have had to cope with so many of the midfielders being injured that a lot of the link up play has just disappeared. Not only that but Yobo, Lescott, Jagielka all want to play in central defence and there?s only two spots. Especially if Baines is going to be the preferred left back. It's time to tell one of the three over the summer they are only a squad player for now.

Steven May
13 Posted 14/04/2008 at 12:21:14

James,

I agree with what you say but, rather than tell them they’re a squad player I would suggest, from a man management point of view, you tell all three that they’ve got to fight for their place, and will only get it on merit.

Joanne Tooher
14 Posted 14/04/2008 at 14:40:13

I’d like to know how our results compare with and without Alan Stubbs at the club. He may not have been a First Team figure, but we certainly seem to have dropped off the pace without his presence. Perhaps...

Jimmy Last
15 Posted 14/04/2008 at 19:44:29

I have to admit that whenever people would bang on about how essential Timmy is to our team, I never really understood why that was, as he does seem to be lacking in many a department.... However, I do not believe that our form without him this season, both before he came back and since he has gone, can be no coincidence, he clearly does bring something to the team... still not 100% sure though (above esoteric explanatons not withsatnding).

Paul Maghee
16 Posted 14/04/2008 at 20:13:21

I heard from an insider that we're not purchasing Fernandes and a left mid is a priority in the summer! Whether this is true or not, we'll have to wait and see...

James Wong
17 Posted 15/04/2008 at 04:22:43

Steven,

Agree with you - that’s probably a much better way of putting it!!

Peter Bourke
18 Posted 15/04/2008 at 12:40:49

Jimmy, can?t say I agree as I?m not sure what departments Timmy is lacking. If you watch him closely you will realise just how much influence he has on a game both in defence and attack. Besides the skill he has on tap his passion for EFC and enthusiasm rubs off on the team and we have a different look and feel about our play when he is there.