COLUMNIST KEVIN SPARKE
It Hurts Like Mad — But It's Not Fatal
Comments (24) : Watching the Newcastle game on Sunday when Arteta crumpled to the floor clutching his knee; a collective groan was distinctly audible from the Everton away support. The best little Spaniard we know has been almost a messiah like presence in the central of midfield. He has controlled the direction and pace of games; he has teased, prodded, taunted opposition and he very rarely makes an unintelligent pass, never mind a wayward one. We will miss him and I?m quite certain that the exciting passing football that has characterised our team over the last few months and to some extent the season before will neither be as crisp nor as easy on the eye for the remainder of the season.
However, in football as in life it is no use planning the future on what you haven?t got. You need to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and do an audit of your strengths and carry on with even more determination. So, what strengths to Everton still have?
Well, firstly we have a fantastic defence. Hibbert, Jag, Lescott and Baines have been resolute for the last couple of months and I expect them to remain so. No place for Joseph Yobo but he?s an able slot in for one of the central midfielders should they get injured or lose form. Our goalkeeper still makes errors I?d rather not see, but he?s the best since Nigel Martin and not far behind ?Big Nev? as a shot stopper. We have an emerging World class defensive midfielder in young Jack Rodwell (FEC — future England Captain) — he?s not the finished article yet but still very worthy of his place.
We have Neville as captain courageous who has been at the centre of much that has been good about our recent performances. Neville is a limited midfield player in terms of skill, distribution and surging runs; but he has the heart of a lion, never lets you down for effort and is a rallying point who the youngsters look to, for example when other teams take games to us.
Looking at our attacking options we have Cahill marauding around the box who has not completed his goal tally for the season? make no mistake about that; and we have Gosling who drifts in and out of games but at times looks very assured on the ball and very, very exciting. We have ?Screech? who is my bet to take over the Arteta role in the centre of midfield. I?m undecided about him. At times he is the most clever passer of the ball and he does seem turn up in dangerous positions and stands his ground? at other times he looks awkward and out of place. He reminds me of Bambi on speed; all legs and elbows and no direction or control. Peanuts and Osman need to up their game; one strategy would be to try to retain possession by not running into as many blind alleys as they both do so many times a game.
Up front Jo, Saha and Anichebe do provide different options. Jo looked stratospheric against Bolton and very ?Manchester City? against Newcastle. Saha is sheer class and given a decent run to match fitness he?ll provide a few assists and hopefully knock even more in. Anichebe? I can only ever see a wide role for him but he too is a very tough player to handle when running at you full pelt.
So, make no mistake about it — I?m gutted we?ve lost Arteta. I miss the little Iberian already and look forward to seeing more of his rich skills next season. But we have to put his loss behind us. As the last couple of months have proven Everton are not a ?one man team? — we have much more about us than that. The football for the rest of the season might not be as pure and as mouth-watering. We?ve lost some of our ?silk? but we?ve still got our ?cold steel? and if we can?t ?play? our way to Wembley and Europe — we can battle our way there.
Reader Comments
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Still, the players must steel themselves for the fight ahead. I don’t care how ugly the football is at this point; time to grind out the results.
Quick aside: though the ref generally had a good game, how on Earth did Fellaini get a yellow, and the thuggish behavior of Ryan Taylor warranted only repeated verbal warnings? Unbelievable...
"No place for Joseph Yobo but he?s an able slot in for one of the central midfielders should they get injured or lose form"
I of course meant ’central defenders’
Must admit I have never known anything like this in over 40 years following the Blues. You couldn’t make it up. If we get anything from this season then it will be a miracle.
Time for he fans to REALLY start getting behind the boys.
He’d want us to play harder and be even more vocal going forwards. No sense in moaning.
boy I wish we had Manny though right about now
I am still undecided on whether 442 would be best now, or just slotting someone else into the 5 man midfield. Both have equal pro’s and con’s.
Pick players around a formation, or formation around players? Hm..
Looking at our fixture list, even without Arteta, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that we should still have enough to overcome WBA, Stoke, Wigan, Man City, Spurs and West Ham at home. We’re good enough to get a result at Blackburn, Portsmouth and Sunderland away. Villa & Chelsea away look tough & I can’t remember ever getting anything at Fulham.
Forget the pretty stuff, keep it tight at the back, nick the odd goal and we may just turn out to be the 2009 "Dogs of War" - even beating the Mancs at Wembley with a Louis Saha header!
Well we can only dream.
Get well soon Mickel.
COYB!
Unfortunately the injuries we have this season have been unbelievable and they are already effecting next season!
The difference between us and the top 4 is the quality in depth of real creative players. In our squad, only Arteta would probably make it into a top 4 side. Pienaar and Osman are good but that’s about it. Apart from Arteta, all we have is a good workmanlike side.
Step forward Mr Andy Van de Meyde! This is your moment.
Go on Moyes - give it a go! What is there to lose?
(No, I am not mad.)
great pace not essential.
May be true but vdM in his last two unveilings looks about like my fat arse would trying to mark Theo Walcott. Let’s see him put in a 30, then a 60, then a 60+ maybe. He delivers a sweet cross, to be sure, but I just can’t see Moyes going in that direction.
Mind you, if Andy can do it, I’ll cheerfully wolf down a bucket full of crow with a smile on my face. If we could see the vdM we bought, rather than the one we have, he’d be just the trick.
If Moyes thought he could, he would, wouldn’t he?
Whatever their technical limitations, this is obviously a squad that has bonded, and will fight for, not with each other. Let’s consider the only glimmer of discord that’s come out of Finch Farm this season; l’affaire Anichebe: twenty-four hours of speculation, then Moyes turns round and says "it’s over". The next thing we see, after his spell in purdah, is Anichebe running Villa ragged and being applauded off the pitch. Contrast this with four of the five teams above us:
Arsenal - questions being asked of Wenger’s judgment, Eboue being booed by his own fans.
Chelsea - caretaker manager, more factions than the PLO, disenchanted owner.
Aston Villa - well, healthy enough, though entering what can best be described as a ’wobble’.
Liverpool - do I need to start?
Yes, the Everton treatment room is starting to look like the third reel of The Alamo, but unlike Jim Bowie and co, there are some reserves, and apart from Arteta, Yakubu and probably Vaughn, some of our walking wounded will get back in the fight at some stage.
And the defence is still is good shape:
"No pasaran!"
Thanks for the article and comments. I suppose sod’s law it had to happen we were on such a roll! Then the serpent in the grass striketh I am very concerned about Arteta Everton are probably as dependant on him as Liver are on Ger be on your guard. (you might get a smack in theh mouth for not playing his records!). I am gladdened though by the return of Pienaar who can be a very creative player and I think Gosling is showing much promise with some good runs from the flank Fellaini I hope can step up his game as he will be crucial and we could give Jose Baxter and Shandy man some chances. All looks a bit ragged though and we miss the genius turns who can surprise with something extra special. Still, praying for a miracle got to have hopes against hope.
I will as they say show my arse in Lewis’s window if it happens, but I can’t see Shandy knocking on Davie’s door with a Yosser like Giz a job, I can do that job.
Pinnear or Fellaini end of story.
The only player we’ve got to come close to Arteta’s composer in the centre is young Jack. It’s probably a bit too soon for him but other wise its the Neville and Castilio who couldn’t find a blue shirt in the clubshop.
We do have a great ability of thriving in adversity, so he’s hoping.
One positive though, we won’t have a summer of Arteta being linked to every big club in England and Spain.
I would prefer to see Fellaini on the bench until he is fully fit, he was a more of a burden in the last game. As for VdM, he gets nowhere near my first eleven.
Hibbo Jags Lescott Baines
Gosling Osman Neville Pienaar
Cahill
And any of the three fit strikers who to me are all equal in terms of performance at the moment. Vic might just shave it for his work ethic and strength. This still leaves a bench of:
Fellaini
VdM
Rodwell
Castillo
Yobo
Baxter
Which is certainly not bad to call upon.
I think Gosling would be more suited to the right side. A pity Rodwell is misses out, but I feel our captain offers much more all round. So there is life after death, but admittedly it wont be as pretty to watch, or as effective. But nevertheless, the defence is our main strength, and remains intact.
Its desperately unlucky to lose both Yakubu and Mikel to long term injury. But the show must go on, at least now in 6-9 months we will get ’a new signing’!!!
COYB
If Mikey is still around the club this weekend, it would be a great lift to have him take a bow before the match begins. I don?t think the surgery is scheduled until next week some time in Spain. It would be fantastic for Goodison to thank him for all he ahs done for us this season.
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1 Posted 23/02/2009 at 18:15:46
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We either moan about our luck or support our team even louder.
Confidence without Arteta is needed and we need to contribute to this.