The Mail Bag
Captain's Awareness
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Phil Neville isn't the gung-ho and obvious kind of captain, but I'm increasingly impressed by the way he leads the team.
One particular incident yesterday highlighted how aware he is of the team as a whole, and how small decisions can make a big difference. When the second penalty was awarded, Gosling clearly wanted to take it. Neville was quite clear with him that Jo should take it instead. Gosling had had his glory this week, it almost couldn't get better. Jo had had a great debut, was quickly rebuilding confidence after a hard time at City, and a second goal and a bunch of press attention could do wonders. To be aware of that in the dying seconds of a game already won, and to make the captain's decision, showed a great deal of maturity and a focus on the long term.
Neville's made an excellent contribution as a player so far this season, but because he's a "quiet man" I think his leadership qualities both on and off the pitch can be overlooked.
Robin Cannon, Posted 08/02/2009 at 11:18:13
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I just want to say that Everton at present (specifically under Moyes) are showing the kind of team spirit that you just can’t buy, and this is now getting us results.
Villa at present also seem to have a good group of players who are playing well for each other. I think this could be the difference for clubs like us between being top-6 and relegation fodder.
One cannot argue his limitations as a player, but he is without doubt the best candidate we have for captain, absolute professional, leads by example and more importantly, is committed to the cause and the club.
Arteta and Neville get the best out of each other, Neville looks far more confident on the ball and Arteta has added a lot of tenacity and grit to his game. There?s a great combination there.
I respect what Lee Carsley did for the club but I?d rather have Phil Neville, he?s a more complete defensive midfielder. He has defensive qualities but he also looks for the ball and his distribution is neat and tidy. Carsley never revelled in this area despite his defensive awareness and tackling ability.
Keep it up Neville, you?ve been excellent.
Tony is right. THAT tackle is the 2009 equivalent of the Kevin Brocke backpass at Oxford. Phil Neville seems to know what to do & when to do it. He has taken unbelievable shit on this forum & I am delighted for him. He’s excellent & he’s one of us.
Pip has one major contender for our player of the season (Jags). IMO we should show Pip just how much we appreciate what he gives us by making him our player of the season.
We gave more natural captains in our squad than anyone except perhaps ManU. Pip is top man.
I’d also like to throw into the mix, what a thoroughly decent guy he is too. Never involved in anything unsavoury, a consumate professional and committed family man.
Seems to me to fit the bill as Everton captain perfectly.
However, this season I have to admit, he is looking like a better version of Lee Carsley (which I didn?t think was possible!). It's his drive, determination, and zip that he?s added to midfield. His quick passing really gets the team moving forward with guile... I just loved every minute of the Bolton game ? they were all outstanding!
Notice how the "hoofball" critics have all gone quiet!!!
Instead of having the dreaded Carsley-Neville central midfield partnership (who couldn?t pass water never mind a football), we now have what all the top teams have: a ball-winning defensive midfielder and a playmaker in the centre.
I just remember all the comments at the beginning of the season worrying about the lack of a defensive midfielder. Thank fuck that Hibbert came back from injury....
Never a Hibbert fan, I always thought he was a decent defender but to push on as a team we needed full backs like Evra or Clichy or Baines. Since coming back into the side, fuck me, he?s got better, so that leaves Osman as the weak link... maybe competition from Fellaini, Gosling, Jo will kick him up the arse?
Jo?s goal ? if one of the league's BIG players (you know RVP, Ronnie the diver, Ladyboy etc etc) had scored that, people (MOTD etc) would have drooled... That was a fucking great goal!
Didn?t know Pip could speak French ? he certainly had no trouble getting his point across to Fellaini!
Either Fellaini?s English is improving or some of our lads are multilingual.
I also noticed Arteta talking away to him recently.
I don't know how Moyesy gets through to him though!!
Jo?s penalty is how it should be done. With speed, accuracy and conviction, a penalty that cannot be saved. Even if the goalie guesses correctly, he can?t get there in time.
He is an integral member of the team now and this is the best footballing team we have had for years if we continue to play as we did against Bolton and Villa. I am sure that the defence against Villa will be much more difficult to penetrate so I am truly optimistic of beating them.
Just hope Utd are out before we meet them :0)
I just wonder if they get the same satisfaction as the rest of us when there’s nothing to moan about.
"Dave, good point there.
Either Fellaini?s English is improving or some of our lads are multilingual. I also noticed Arteta talking away to him recently.I don?t know how Moyesy gets through to him though!! "
Arteta is pretty much the team's interpreter. He speaks about 7 languages including French :-)
Yes, I have been impressed by Neville recently and he is also the only player we have who is experienced enough, with the right leadership skills, to be the captain.
However, people saying he is better than Carsley, or world class are sorely mistaken. He doesn?t have the pace, energy, or toughness to be as good as Carsley and his passing is very, very limited (he is just clever at realising this and playing the simple ball). Technically he is fairly woeful ? his touch is not what it should be for a Premier League footballer and if you watch him closely he plays with his head down a lot, as opposed to Arteta, Fellaini, Pienaar etc who play looking up, not at the ball.
I don?t want to come across too harshly ? he?s doing a fantastic job for us and he is a good captain. But just on quality alone, is he good enough to get in our first XI? Maybe. IMO our first choice central midfield is Fellaini, Cahill and Arteta, meaning he has to fight it out at right back, where Hibbert has been a revelation over the past couple of months ? he?s actually got back to where he was before all his injury and illness problems, where people were talking about him being an England player (clearly he?ll never be quite that good)!
Good player, quality captain, but not good enough if we want to break the top 4.
Oh and one final point, although admittedly I've never been a fan of Hibbert's and was very critical of him, I have to concede the bloke is having a tremendous spell at the moment and fully deserves his place in the side. Long may this continue.
COYB FTRS
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1 Posted 08/02/2009 at 15:36:03
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