The Mail Bag
Happy New Mikky
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I had to call for a translator: "Yull nae sea the best outa yer man, until ya play him in centra midfeeld!?"
This was a Rangers supporting Scotsman. He was trying to tell me that we wouldn?t see the best out of Mikel Arteta until we played him in centre midfield. Apparently when Mik was a Rangers player. He was either a defensive or offensive central midfield player, and to quote my friend, he just didn?t run matches, he ran whole seasons for the ?Gers.
Indeed, he went on to bemoan the fact that St Walter didn?t have him on board for last years Uefa Cup run.
So... have we found a replacement for Lee Carsley? Not really, because I think that Phil Neville is beginning to do that job. And my my, is there an Evertonian, who Nev hasn?t grown on? Note the almost ?cult? shouts of ?SHOOT? whenever he gets any where in range of the opposition's goal.
But back to Mikel Arteta, I don?t known about the rest of you. But this season in particular I thought to some extent, he was marginalized by his role as winger. Indeed, I think he was under-used in that position. He lacks the speed to get to the bye-line and too often he found himself meandering in field. Too often producing crosses from the inside right channel, when by the bye-line gives a better angle.
Was his perceived staleness because he was browned off? Last season, his poorish form was blamed on a recurrent injury. Whatever the cause, the answer was staring Moyes in the face. For, throughout his time at the club, whenever he found himself in a central position, things began to happen. Witness his goals against Bolton and Fiorentina.
Now in this new role at Everton. He is able to take games by the scruff of the neck and dictate what happens. As Manchester City and Sunderland found to their cause.
Mike Berry, Posted 01/01/2009 at 11:15:32
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It has also been obvious to any serious Everton-watcher that Arteta is at his best when in central midfield. Why Moyes persisted in playing arguably our best performer out on the right is bizarre. Having seen what he did to Villarreal in the CL game, in Villarreal (esp 2nd half), it was criminal to move him anywhere else.
It?s just a bastard shame that Castillo hasn?t figured, for whatever reason, because in my opinion it would improve the team further in terms of passing & keeping the ball, and shooting.
I have never been a Pip basher. To me, he has been unfairly vilified. Yes, on occasions his distribution is left wanting (have you seen Jagielka?s), but he has also put heart & soul into Everton since he came here and more often than not has led by example. I think he?s a good captain, on and off the pitch.
And one final point: it?s interesting to note that Arteta has just said he thinks we're playing our best football since he joined us & the players are enjoying it. Quite clearly linked to the absence of strikers and therefore hoofball. One can only hope that Moyes is taking note of such things. At times this season (Aug - Nov) our football has been an abomination.
Happy New Year
It certainly improves our football as we’ve seen over the last six games. He’s a class act in there, a very consistent player.
Arteta has already proved himself against top opposition. He ran the game away to Villarreal, who got to the SF of the tournament. The issue is having enough quality around him.
And as for Pip, I think he?s done his talking and is a great player for us. His enthusiasm, maturity, pace, link play & aggression are just superb. I for one would love one of those 25 yarders to end up in the Kop goal as a 93rd minute winner. Time to get the baby oil & champagne out.
Big focus now is on the games against Villa & Arsenal, and praying that Villa?s good fortune runs out soon.
Don?t get me wrong, I?m a huge fan of Arteta, but today?s management is all about getting the best out of the stars and keeping them happy. Perhaps Moyes just has to work a bit harder in Arteta?s case...
Arteta's performances haven?t just been as a playmaker, they?ve been all round performances. He?s also got stuck in, worked his socks off and protected the back four more than any so called "defensive midfield" that?s played alongside him.
His form dipped because mainly due to injury and the fact that he was being wasted due to our long ball tactics and Moyes sticking him outwide.
Even Mick Rathbone said Arteta played through the pain barrier for 6 months and then had his operation in the summer. Nothing to do with attitude, he?s not the type of player who sulks and stops working hard because things aren?t going for him.
If we play football then I have no doubts Arteta could turn it on against anyone, top four or not. If we pass the ball like we did in the second half against Chelsea then Arteta will be the man starting those attacks and pushing us forward just like he did. If we hit it long and bypass him then he?ll struggle like any other player.
Our players have struggled in big games (Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea) etc in the past due to the way we are set up.
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/xvB9DAp-B1I/
You just have to watch this video from the Chelsea game in the 06-07 season, we passed the ball and Arteta gave a good account of himself.
With Arteta playing out wide, he can run at players, but at DMF, running at players would have us pulling our hair out. To his credit, he can play wide or in the middle.
The surrounding players need to run into space so Arteta can play the simple pass to get the team out of trouble. That?s where I see Neville coming in, who may do a better job than Cars where Cars was practically immobile rooted in the DMF position. Neville is more mobile and needs to follow Arteta around the pitch as an outlet. But if Arteta goes on one of his runs (usually out wide towards Pienaar these days), Neville needs to cover the vacant DMF space. They need to work in unison to give us a fighting chance against a better opponent. Out wide, Arteta can play a more free spirit role, to his credit of course, but DMF is more disciplined.
With Arteta playing as a proper playmaker the ?loss? of Moutinho and Fernandes is more bearable. Just got an ?Arteta 10? with full Premier League tags jersey on New Year?s Day. Hope it doesn?t expire within the month! COYB
In Moyes we trust? Of course he knows what he wants, and if we bring in a bit of class in January and get everyone fit, then a few of us will be saying "we have got a great squad of players here now"... I hope everyone can see what is slowly happening.
Oh and I forgot to mention Rodwell & Gosling, a few top clubs will be looking at these boys and licking their lips soon; good midfielders at their age are hard to find. All bodes well for the future...
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
As good as Cahill?s goal scoring is against the top four, he doesn?t boss games against them, none of our players do. That has been down to the manager more than anything, we are never set out positively enough and usually take the long direct route.
He?s been excellent for the last six games in all honesty, one of our best performers in every game since he moved centrally. He was good against Spurs, Aston Villa, Man City, Chelsea, Boro and Sunderland. Yes he only started playing well after Chelsea got a man sent off but then so did the rest of the team, we started passing the ball in the second half.
Is it ridiculous Steve, can injury not affect players? It?s quite clear Arteta played through the pain barrier for Everton, David Moyes and Mick Rathbone (the Physio) will also back that up. According to Rathbone, Arteta was carrying an injury for 6 whole months which can take it?s toll. That and the fact that Arteta wasn?t training regularly. He was going to Spain for treatment.
I?d hardly call it two years, he had a season of inconsistent football. Sometimes he was excellent and sometimes he was terrible. The season before that he won Player of the Season. His loss of form was a mixture of poor play, injury problems and being played out of position. It?s just like Moyes getting Cahill and playing him outwide, would that effect his form? Of course it would.
We won?t mention the sly way he pissed off and signed for Valencia after the first loan period. Personally, I would never have brought him back after that. If he was such a good player why was he being hawked around by Benfica first and then Valencia? I personally view Fernandes as a lucky escape and shudder at the thought of us almost paying £12M for him.
Anyway, I have no doubts the kid could play at the highest level, he?s doing very well in Spain at the moment.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rRnck-5mbj0&feature=channel
A class act to be honest, no doubt about it. A massive mistake by Moyes not signing him.
Apart from that, if someone poked you in the eye with a sharp stick and ran away, would you invite them back convinced that they were acting out of character? I don?t think so, so why dose logic go out of the window when it comes to football... the guy's an arsehole.
Actually do some research before you come out with a post like that. Fernandes was bought by Quique Sanchez Flores who was manager of Valencia at the time. Flores was sacked soon after Fernandes signed and Koeman came in and took over.
Koeman is well known for falling out with players. He dropped the likes of Canizarez, Baraja and David Albelda, Miguel and Fernandes from the squad. He wanted to stamp his authority on the club and Fernandes was one of his the players he wanted to get rid of. Fernandes left on loan and Koeman was sacked a few months later because of the negative impact he was having. Dropping new players aswell as club legends isn?t the way to go.
Fernandes came here and he was struggling, that was quite obvious. He was unfit (he hadn?t played all season), he hadn?t had a pre-season and he picked up two injuries during the loan spell. One when he first arrived and one in the middle which kept him out for a few weeks. Any unfit player would struggle in the best League in Europe, that?s just the way it is. Especially a inexperienced 21 year old in a different country.
If he?s such an arsehole why did Moyes bring him back twice? Why is that, if he was really that bad Moyes wouldn?t have brought him back. If he fucked us off like you say then why did Alan Irvine deny that and the say the deal could not be done? Was he lying? In reality we really don?t know, no one knows the details of why Manuel Fernandes didn?t join us. I?d be lying if I told you I did know. I?ve heard different stories but there?s no facts there.
Any anyway, this means nothing. Fernandes went back to Valencia and under the new manager he?s playing very well, he?s been one of there best players and there 4th in La Liga. He is a very talented player and he?s proving it and a big club in Spain, it?s as simple as that really.
Everton decided that they wanted to sign him after his first loan period. It was going to be difficult due to his ownership situation. Everton were gradually getting it all ironed out and had to be careful due to what had happened to West Ham over Teves.
The club were on the brink of getting the all clear to sign him. He in the meantime had been put up at Everton's expense in a local hotel and been a guest at a home game on the Sunday. Monday comes and he can?t be contacted by the club... without a word he had gone missing, his mobile has been switched off.
Everton didn?t know where he was until he turned up at a signing ceremony in Valencia. That's what you call 'fucked off' in case you still don?t understand ? and once again I?ll state that I don?t care if he gets European Player of the Year ? I wouldn?t want the little toerag playing for my club ever again.
I see two strories. The club saying he basically fucked us off and Alan Irvine (assistant manager) and Manuel Fernandes himself saying the deal could not be done. Moyes never actually commented, he just brought him back.
From what I remember there where 2 days left in the transfer window and Fernandes had been training with us for two weeks. How do you know the deal was going to be done? It was a very complicated deal, it was well known that it could?ve gone either way. Maybe that was the case, I really don?t know.
You're just looking at it like a typical Evertonian, it?s all the player?s fault. Naughty Fernandes fucked us off, he?s a bad Bloo lid. Without any facts whatsoever, anything could?ve happened.
The club could?ve messed up the deal, Fernandes could?ve fucked us off etc. I really don?t know and to be honest neither do you.
Anyway, he?s a quality player. He would?ve been a great signing for this club.
I haven?t once said Fernandes didn?t fuck us off, he may well have but there are no facts to prove anything and you haven?t provided any.
There are a few strories flying around, no one knows the proper details of the matter bar a few.
You were the one who mainly brought Fernandes up in this thread, I simply offered a different viewpoint. Obviously you don?t like that.
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1 Posted 01/01/2009 at 18:00:33
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