FAN ARTICLES
A Winning Formula?

Alan Irvine was a winger in his playing days. We could do with a decent winger next season in my opinion. One who could feed the Yak. Now last season, with Moyes and Irvine in charge, we were strong at the back with Jag's, Yobo and Joey Lescott and we had Cahill, Arteta, and Osman, who had a great season last campaign. Who can forget that goal in the Uefa Cup? Then upfront we were feeding the Yak and scoring. For three months of the season we were playing the best football I've seen in my whole life at Goodison. I don't want to compare it to the 80s because I wasn't alive then but my Dad says it was just as good as the times when Peter Reid and Trevor Steven were feeding Sharpy.
However, as I mentioned before, some of the football last season was awful. Hoofball was an understatement. Our defence was sound but our attack seemed non-existent with AJ running wide and Yak not seeming to be able to hit a cows arse with a banjo. Moyes is a fantastic manager and he has shown his coaching attributes defensively by the amount of goals conceded this year. It's no coincidence that since he's been in charge, clean sheets have been increased ten-fold.
I've done some research into Steve Round and found out that he was a full back at Derby County until an injury ended his playing career and he went on to become Newcastle's assistant manager. I don't want to be pessimistic but, like Moyes, he was a defender in his playing days and usually defensive players tend to be defensive managers ? Brian Robson, Steve Bruce to name but a couple.
Spurs have got the right idea I think. A strict disciplinarian Juande Ramos in charge with a touch of flair alongside him in Gus Poyet. Spurs may've conceded a few goals last season but they scored just as many with some fantastic football all around the park. Yes, they have more money than we do, but I think the style of football a team plays is more to do with the type of management the players are given than the players them selves. Anyone can hoof the ball 70 yards to the striker... equally just as anyone can look for the nearest blue shirt and play neat one-twos to feet. Arsenal do this fantastically, the pass-and-move style they play is excellent on the eyes. I think that this just proves that it's more down to tactics than the calibre of player involved.
Now Steve Round seems to have some great qualities as a coach which I don't doubt for one minute. My only question would be are they any different to the qualities Moyes already possesses? He has built up a great spirit throughout the squad and management,which make us a team extremely difficult to break down. But to break into that top four, you also need to posses flair and quality which we showed in spells last season. Arteta provides this; so does Osman, but all too often, when we are struggling or have a few injuries, the ball gets launched in the air towards a striker who isn't that tall.
Now I know the old saying ?If you don't concede, you can't loose.? which is very true. But ?If you don't score, you won't win.? But I think it's time to decided what we want. Should we take a risk and play it on the floor? Or should we cut out the middleman and send it forward in the air, knowing that we won't concede many because Lescott and Yobo are at the back?
All I know is that I wish Steve all the best and hopefully next year we'll be playing like the class of the eighties week-in, week-out.
Reader Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
Arsene Wenger was a defender in his playing career so I don’t really think it matters.
I think we’ll have to wait and see what Steve Round offers. I was a big fan of Alan Irvine so he’s got big boots to fill in my opinion.
Firstly, for me last season showed that when we have our best players available & on form, we can play good attractive football & achieve a run of results. When injuries bite, however, we don?t have sufficient quality replacements & the football/results suffer.
Irvine was here at the beginning of the season - we started badly. His leaving also coincided with a purple patch for us. I recall a number of posters to this site, at the time, suggesting that perhaps it was Irvine who was responsible for all the hoofball as our play improved significantly at the time of his leaving. I have kept an eye on Preston since Irvine went there & he has done a tremendous job there. I wish him all the best for the future.
I also think people are overstating the role of a number 2. For me they are young aspiring managers hoping to enhance their future prospects or older solid professionals who perhaps realise that they don?t perhaps have enough in their own particular locker to make it into management. Obviously I think Round falls into the former category.
Finally, I think your post hankers back to the ?negative Moyes? debates. I trust that if Moyes is allowed to bring in sufficient quality in midfield for next season this, like most of the other criticisms that have been levied at him over the years, will finally be put to bed.
Have to agree though, all the very best to Round for next season.
There seems to be a lot of central defenders who have made it into management because of their leadership roles on and off the pitch. Most of the teams 20+ years ago had a centre half as captain, and a lot of these leaders have become good football managers.
DM knows we play our best football on the ground, but when injuries & suspensions meant defenders were playing in midfield it understandably went pear-shaped. We will definately bring in 3 midfielders this summer (possibly including Fernandes) and should have better quality cover for those midfield places this season. Fingers crossed.
Arshavin was missed when we completely overlooked his obvious potential in the games against us. We could and should have stolen a march on the top 4 teams by snapping him up BEFORE the Euro Championships and not waiting until after when all the top players have been identified and their price tags raised beyond our reach.
Suddenly it seems we are watching our backs to attempt to keep our better players when it is painfully obvious that our management seem to need us to sell before we buy anyone.... Arteta and AJ are supposed transfer targets whilst our activity is slow and non existent.
How on earth any manager is expected to put a team out to challenge the best in the Premier League without adequate support and investment is beyond me. I'm really frustrated myself so DM must have the patience of a saint. The bringing back of Gravesen and the pathetic loan of Anthony Gardner must make us the Premier League paupers... no wonder Carsley left. Our wage bill has been reduced and we have cleared out another crop of youngsters to be developed elsewhere.... It's like Old Mother Hubbards cupboard, I'm afraid !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last year was a write-off for the forwards: McFadden was hot and cold, Anichebe is still very raw, the Yak had a decent start, and when he was forced to play Johnson... well, to me, he?s Championship at best. But Vaughan looks class and he will be a big plus if he can get fit and playing regular football, Moyes will have the confidence to play 4-4-2 more often.
ps: Swienstieger of Germany is the bollocks (can we afford him?)
"Moyes, he was a defender in his playing days and usually defensive players tend to be defensive managers ? Brian Robson, Steve Bruce to name but a couple"
I?m assuming you mean Bryan Robson, who was one of the finest attacking midfielders of the last 40 years....?!?
FFS he scored well over a 100 goals during his time at Man Utd and West Brom!
Shit manager... yes... but get yer facts right fella
Finally if you had done a bit more googling ahem I mean ’research’ you would have notived that Mr Round has some excellent credentials in being part fo the Middlesbrough coaching team which saw them lift the old League Cup in 2004 as well as experiencing the England set-up. Oh and the fact that Chelsea and Newcastle wanted him also tells me that he must have something to offer. Personally I think its a sound appointment which has the potential to turn into a fantastic one should he fulfill his clear potential with that which sits with our players.
Although I do agree with you on one thing and that is wishing him all the best and extended a very generous welcome to him. COYB
Peter, I’m not disputing what you say about say but Chelsea IMO have the best number 2 in the Prem in Steve Clarke and Newcastle are no where near as good as us so we should of been the obvious choice
.
And exactly what difference this will make to Moyes's shaky tactical nous, or transfer policy - isn?t clear.
Now if you think we can sign 5 players plus a Goalie in less than 4 weeks you must be an optimist ? and that's just to keep the squad numbers the same, never mind increase them.
New players should be at the club as early as possible to blend with our squad and form playing relationships etc. If the news is even half-correct there is more likelihood of departures than there is of incomings.... We just talk of quality and are never in the race if reality is really faced. It seems that we must sell in order to buy so how DM can ever really have the luxury of any real improvement and the ambition to win anything seems just pie in the sky.
We have hardly developed any youngster since Rooney left and season after season we release virtually all our kids en bloc. I truly hope that my pessimism is baseless and that our messiah contrives another succesful season... BUT the loaves and fish miracle man may soon get fed up with the lack of kitchen help.... :(
On the signings front though!?!?!?!?
The club would be mad if they said how much they had to spend but their resounding silence on all fronts unnerves me no end.
Does anyone remember the days when you could genuinely look forward to the new season not knowing whether you might go on and win the league or not?
Both like to lose games 5-4!
And how you can say Everton were defensive when we demolished some teams last season I don?t know.
The teams foundation is a strong disciplined defence upon which attacks come from, via the playmakers in midfield.
That's the Moyes Doctrine.
Does that mean you don’t mind an ex-defender as coach so long as we win 2 titles and a couple of cups ;-)
I don?t claim to be an expert and if you think I have banal and shallow views on soccer tactics thats your opinion. And I have shown mine in my article.
I wouldn?t advise my doctor, dentist or civic official, just like I?m not advising Moyes or anyone within ToffeeWeb or Everton Football Club. I would give them my opinion though on anything they do that involves me as most people would.
Having said that I?m convinced I could run my high school better than the head teacher we currently have. But don?t all teenagers think they know best?
Adam, it?s the nature of teenagers to think that they are right all the time, so don?t be deterred by the old whingers on here!! I must remember that next time I moan about kids today......
And to answer your question Steve Green... No.
Mark Hughes more flair than most as a player. Manager... ohh a bit of a defensive one I think.
Mourinho - Father a goalkeeper, not a footballer at all, most defensive manager in the business.
Suffice to say it don?t to my mind make any odds where they played as a player. What matters is what's up top. George Best and Gazza spring to mind.
’Teenagers: Please run this house, keep it clean, get jobs so you can pay the bills, make doctor/dentist/teacher appointments for the kids, drive them there, and bring them home. Fix the roof and feed the pets. While you are at it, put an end to Wold hunger and Poverty.
But do it soon, while you still know everything’.
Plus, mate, your Dad has lost his mind or his memory, or both. Allowing for modern fitness levels, the mid 80’s team would dismember the current crew
Attack? Anyone know how to coach that? He must be worth more than the vastly overpaid goalscorers who ply their trade in the game today.
1 Posted 05/07/2008 at 19:36:49
Report abuse