Selection problems v Newcastle
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With our suspension and injury problems, it seems that Mr Moyes has some real conundrums to contend with for the St James Park encounter on Sunday.
Will Yobo return to back four and,if so, can Jag or Lescott play right back? Or if Neville takes Hibbett's place what will midfield look like? If we don't have Fellaini, Cahill, or Pienaar(?), can we play Gosling and Rodwell alongside Arteta? Then who is the fourth in midfield? Finally, can Moyes play Anichebe in tandem with Jo?
After our triumphs against Liverpool & Villa, the Newcastle game could cement our 6th place and even put pressure on those ahead of us in league. Many questions in selection... how is Mr Moyes going to react?
Ian Jones,
Poole, Dorset Posted 17/02/2009 at 08:25:57
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With all our injury concerns heading into the game against the barcodes and the loss of Tiny and Hibbo, we are looking deserately thin on the ground. This weekend's game is looming as a real danger game that could potentially halt the momemtum we have built. Take into account our poor win ratio when we play without Tiny and I'm getting very nervous.
Assuming Fellaini is still unavailable due to injury, my line up would be much the same with Lars replacing Hibbo and Jo replacing Timmy. I don't fancy putting Pip back into defence as I think he and Mikky need to maintain the stability in midfield.
What are our other options????
Now with the way Everton's current form how much disruption will Moyes make to the side against Newcastle on Sunday with Hibbert suspended?
The obvious choice is to move Pip to right back but that will disrupt our midfield that is currently playing well & probably mean bringing Castillo in so 2 changes. Does he bring in untried Jacobsen and risk another potential Krøldrup?
Or does he bring in Yobo at right back which he is not too comfortable at playing or move in-form Jags out there who is also not comfortable out there?
Ok, so we got to Newcastle on Sunday full of condinence without Hibbert and Cahill, Both of whom have been our best players in the past month or two. Im just wondering how Moyes will line out the team. Will he play Big Jo or Anichebe? Jo will be on a high after his brace but Anichebe played very well againt Villa. They say "never change a winning team", but how can you drop Jo when his confidence is greater than ever? If I was DM, this would be my starting eleven:
Howard;
Neville Jagielka Lescott Baines;
Arteta Rodwell;
Anichebe Fellaini Gosling;
Jo
I think this team wouldn't struggle to take 3 points of Newcastle, However ye might disagree!
There's no Ossie, Cahill, or Hibbert; this is what im predicting.
Jo;
Fellaini;
Pianaar Arteta Rodwell Anichebe;
Baines Jags Lescott Neville;
Howard
Looks like a well balanced, dangerous looking side to me!
Jacobsen (remember him) was on the bench against Villa. Worth a punt at right back maybe?
At least that way the midfield can remain undisrupted.
Assuming Fellaini, Pienaar and Osman are still injured:
Howard
Jacobsen
Lescott
Jagielka
Baines
Neville
Arteta
Rodwell
Gosling
Anichebe
Jo
Fellaini only just missed out against Villa so he should be back, and Pienaar was suspended, not injured, so he should play. Id say shift Neville to right back, Fellaini is straight swap for Cahill and Pienaar to fill the void. Plus I think Vic might be benched for Jo. This would mean Howard, Neville, Jags, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Pienaar, Rodwell, Gosling, Fellaini and Jo. That side would be more balanced than sundays team against Villa.
I hope Jacobsen gets his chance here, if Pienaar is injured ? I completely agree with Matt Jacob?s team. It sounds good to me! But I can see Anichebe right wing and Arteta supporting Jo up front, which was similar to Villa except Arteta was supporting Cahill that time.
As a self-confessed critic of David Moyes, the last few matches have been an eye-opener for me. For too long under Moyes the sequence of peaks & troughs has blighted any chance of progress. Usually a good run of form is followed by a shocking dip.
There always seems to be a catalyst, whether it be injuries or a bad result (like Fiorentina), we hit a bump in the road & the wheels come off & we revert to type, resulting in dour negative hoofball & looking like scared rabbits.
However, in recent games, something has changed. Normally losing Fellaini, Pienaar & Osman (not to mention Yakubu, Saha, Vaughan & Jô) would have resulted in the inevitable retreat into the shell ? especiallly against a team above us in the table. Yet nothing changed; Rodwell, Gosling & Anichebe came in & we just carried on as we have been playing & swept aside a very good Villa side with relative ease.
Could we now be seeing a new Everton? Is our manager evolving at last? When everyone is fit, we will have a very useful squad & Moyes is going to have some very difficult selection problems. A big test awaits us on Sunday with no Cahill & Hibbert but the difference is that now we have options, now we seem to have a Plan B. I just hope I haven't spoken too soon.
Moyes may be predictable, but actually getting him right in circumstances like this is very difficult, a bit like getting eight score draws.
My guess would be that he would want to keep the same shape as against Villa. Tim and Hibbo are out and I came to the same conclusion as Matt ? Jo and Lars Jacobsen are straight replacements, given that Steven and the Big Fella aren?t available. Saha (see the OS) will be on the bench. So:
Howard
Jacobsen Jagielka Lescott Baines
Neville Rodwell Arteta Gosling
Anichebe Jo.
I like the look of Keith’s team, and think we are better off without Piennar, injured or not.
I think Keith?s team is right: Jacobsen seems nailed on for RB slot coz I don?t think he is playing for the ressies tonight in the mini-derby. I expect Big Vic to play as right wing cum striker again from the start and Baxter to maybe get a run out from the bench.
Considering Fellaini, Osman, Cahill, Pienaar, Yakubu and Vaughan are all likely unavailable this weekend for midfield/forward berths the squad aint too shabby these days now the youngsters are stepping up! :-)
Not sure if Saha may be out still? If not I expect he’ll get a run out from the bench to ease the hamstring back in.
Unfortunately, I will also have to side with Dom: I don?t particularly care for Piennar ? I think he gives the ball away too cheaply and in bad spots on the field that expose us to fast counter-attack...
Keith has it right. Peanut and Big Fella are injured as are our stikers. I would keep the integrity of the midfield in place and let Lars slot in at right back. With Newcastle?s injuries as well, I think we will be alright. Team: Howard, Jacobsen, Jags, Lescott, Baines, Nev, Rodwell, Arteta, The Goose, Anichebe, Jo.
Or... throw Nev at right back and let Van start in midfield...
It said on Radio Merseyside at the weekend that Fellaini would be out for "up to three weeks due to a back problem". Has he got over that or are people on here just wishfull thinking?
According to Physioroom.com
Everton
L Osman Leg Injury no return date
M Fellaini Back Injury 22nd Feb 09
A Yakubu Calf/Shin Injury Jun 09
L Saha Hamstring Injury 22nd Feb 09
J Vaughan Knee Injury 14th Mar 09
So Big fella and Saha may be in contention. Good to see that Vaughan isn’t too far away either.
Moyes will stick with the devil he knows, there?s no way he?ll gamble with Jacobsen, and we?re too thin on the ground for midfielders, so Pip will stay where he is, Joseph Yobo will play right back:
Howard
Yobo
Jags
Lescot
Baines
Anichebe
Rodwell
Pip
Arteta
Pienaar
Jo
Pip and Rodwell will sit, Arteta will be given a more advanced role, Vic and Pienaar will be encouraged to get forward and support Jo. Gosling will be on the bench.
Would have to say Jo is a must up front!
I don’t see Yobo at right back, Lars played for Denmark last week and there’s Neville there in case things go really bad. I would think he’ll play Jacobsen in place of Hibbert, Jo for Cahill. Then he has the option of Castillo for Neville if he has to move Neville in place of Lars.
I think Dave Wilson may be right on Yobo ? he is one of Moyes stalwarts, I would imagine he?ll put him in ahead of Jacobsen.
Matt Jacobs (who has no interest at all in furthering the career of Jacobsen) and myself independently thought that Lars would come in for Hibbo. If Michael Hunt is correct about him being held back tonight, it could be on DM?s mind too.
Moyes would much rather have had him running out before he threw him in, but there really hasn?t been a chance. Who knows, he might be believing that good players can play well in a good team.
Jo, of course, must be a certainty to start.
Can we please just wait & see which team the actual Manager puts out please, that's all that matters. For what it?s worth I?d like to see Shandy have a go, giving you some natural width.
If Pienaar and Fellaini are injured then Moyes will field the same team as against Villa, minus the suspended Cahill and Hibbert. The obvious replacement for Cahill is Jo. The right back slot is more difficult to predict. Will Moyes give Jacobsen a debut or will he let Neville revert to right back? If Neville moves back I think Moyes will either play Castillo or Van der Meyde. This means either Arteta, Rodwell and Castillo in the middle with Gosling and Anichebe on the flanks, or Arteta and Rodwell in the middle and VDM and Gosling on the flanks with Anichebe and Jo up front.
Joe - absolutely right. Moyes’s thinking is all that matters. For me, I’ve admired him in a variety of different ways over the years now, and I like to play the ’guess what he would do’ game.
But you get caught up a bit yourself by saying you’d like Van der Meyde on. Me too, but Moyes is never going to give him a start right now is he? I don’t gamble, but what odds would someone give you for that happening?
Osman tore a stomach muscle in training apparently. I reckon Moyes may move Pip to right back to avoid any major disruption to the back line. In midfield I think it will be Gosling, Rodwell, Arteta, Castillo, Anichebe and then Jo up front (with Vic supporting off the right flank). If Ossie makes it then I think he?ll be in at the expense of Castillo. As I understand it Pienaar unlikely to be fit, but if he is then I?d expect him to maybe take Goslings place on the left. I think Rodwell more likely to get a place in the centre than Gosling.
It?s amazing how many people were on here last season saying Neville could only ever be a RB and now we?re TERRIFIED of moving him out of MF.
Assuming Fellaini, Pienaar and Saha are fit, I would go with putting Neville at RB with Fellaini in for Neville, Pienaar in for Gosling and Jo in for Cahill with Saha on the bench with Gosling, Jacobsen, Yobo, Castillo and VDM on the bench to offer some alternatives at some stage.
The biggest risk against the barcodes is weakening the midfield... and DM won?t take risks. Jacobsen will do fine and it would be good to see us play with Jo and Vic causing problems up front against a poor Newcastle defence.
There is always the option, if we are chasing the game, of going three at the back by bringing on Yobo and throwing people forward. Why has Baxter not been given a 5-minute run in the Bolton and Villa games?
Jacobsen is the best option at right back as he would maintain the balance of the team. Yobo and Jags have proven to be liabilities in that position. He cannot drop Bains but could move him to left midfield as Gosling looks uncomfortable on the left and is an option at right back.
Moyes will not change the midfield if he can avoid it he will stick with 'em. Newcastle's defence is poor at best. They have sold their 'keeper. We are on a mission to destroy. Win 3pts. ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK.
When I posted yesterday, it was because the permutations for the line-up v Newcastle seemed endless. Checking the 20 odd responses proves how diverse people?s perceptions are! This is what makes soccer fascinating but after all, whoever plays for Everton on Sunday the 3pts is all that really matters.
Osman is also doubtful; Jacobsen is still not fit enough to start so I would imagine Yobo to fill at right back, not interrupting the recent sucess of the Neville/Arteta midfield partnership.
I also think this would be a good game to give Tim Howard a rest after he only just passed for the Villa game... Even thinking ahead to the West Brom game, it would be in the best interests of Lescott and Arteta to "cleverly" collect a yellow card each as they are both on 4 and that would mean them missing the West Brom game rather than the FA Cup Quarter Final should they have got booked against West Brom.
Team for Sunday: Nash; Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines; Rodwell, Neville, Arteta Gosling; Jo, Anichebe.
If Yobo is such a natural at RB, why didn?t Moyes play him there when Hibbert was injured? Surely it?s more likely that Neville moves there with Jacobsen being another Gardner.
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1 Posted 17/02/2009 at 06:50:17
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Assuming Fellaini is still unavailable due to injury, my line up would be much the same with Lars replacing Hibbo and Jo replacing Timmy. I don't fancy putting Pip back into defence as I think he and Mikky need to maintain the stability in midfield. What are our other options????