The Mail Bag
Arteta-less!
Comments (22)
Ok Arteta has ligament damage gone for the season.
1. grr
2. What does this mean for other squad members?
Castillo more game time? or when Pienaar and Osman come back Gosling just fills the void?
Personally I'm worried about the mental effects his injury could have on the squad Let's hope our boys rally and just play fantastic football. Like recent weeks. when Cahill got injured a couple of years back we played great and still made Europe, let's hope we do the same! FA Cup is a real possibility.
Jack Daou, Posted 23/02/2009 at 07:28:02
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
If Fellaini can get back to full fitness, then we could see him in a more natural postion as an out-an-out centre midfielder with Neville a bit deeper and Cahill further forward. We wont replace Artetas creativity this way, but I dont know how we would replace that anyway.
Sorry to be a dismal Jimmy but I think that’s the FA Cup out of reach. The best we can do now without our playmaker and best player is hang on to sixth and hope Utd win the Laegue Cup final.
Not many positives to cling on to given that more injuries and suspensions are inevitable.
One definite positive is the growing maturity of Rodwell who appears to be about three years ahead of schedule in his development. Plus Gosling looks super confident even if he is still a greenhorn.
Fellani showed some good touches when he came on. Given that he will be booked in every game he plays and is still injured,not sure if he’ll be on the field enough to make an impact though ?
I suppose if you were a glass half full person you could point to the class of 05 who tipped for relegation and without any stars finished 4th.
Not many positives to cling on to given that more injuries and suspensions are inevitable.
One definite positive is the growing maturity of Rodwell who appears to be about three years ahead of schedule in his development. Plus Gosling looks super confident even if he is still a greenhorn.
Fellani showed some good touches when he came on. Given that he will be booked in every game he plays and is still injured,not sure if he’ll be on the field enough to make an impact though ?
I suppose if you were a glass half full person you could point to the class of 05 who tipped for relegation and without any stars finished 4th.
It amazes me how we have let ourselves have only one playmaker over the years. Appreciate we are fairly skinto but we have seemed only to buy quailty up front and in defence. Ok I like this Fellaini chap but he aint no Arteta...but for £15M quid he should be! Just feel as though we should have brought in another middle of the park creative player over the years as we are not the same team without Arteta in it.
Or like the time we lost Graveson! We can do it
COYB
COYB
Let's not panic please! Arteta has only been playing in the centre for about 3 months and now we are slashing our wrists because he is out for a few months?
Let's remember that last year Arteta wasn?t even the most creative player for us-that was Pienaar by a mile-and was stuck out on the right wing yet we still managed a decent position so all is not yet lost.
In light of lacking a playmaker, maybe we should assign the current Arteta role as deep lying playmaker to 2 players with Castillo or Rodwell doing the short passing to keep possession ticking over and moving Pienaar to play a creative role much further forward. So a midfield of: Neville (who has played really well over the last couple of months) holding, Castillo or Rodwell roving and being available for the short pass Pienaar playing the forward creative role from forward right side and Cahill attacking the box. I would also have Baines at left Mid breaking and crossing. Defense of JL at Left back, Jags and Yobo in centre and Hibbert at RB.
RE the comments in other posts on site about giving AVDM the creative role-are you having a joke? We need the lads we KNOW we can rely on , not this waster who may have a use in the last 10 mins of a game.
I believe we do have the players to continue the good run ,we just need to be tactically astute and that is what worries me. The Manager needs to raise his game now and show he has what it takes to stop the players heads dropping and re shuffle his pack-he is getting paid enough to do just that so let him earn his money.
Let's remember that last year Arteta wasn?t even the most creative player for us-that was Pienaar by a mile-and was stuck out on the right wing yet we still managed a decent position so all is not yet lost.
In light of lacking a playmaker, maybe we should assign the current Arteta role as deep lying playmaker to 2 players with Castillo or Rodwell doing the short passing to keep possession ticking over and moving Pienaar to play a creative role much further forward. So a midfield of: Neville (who has played really well over the last couple of months) holding, Castillo or Rodwell roving and being available for the short pass Pienaar playing the forward creative role from forward right side and Cahill attacking the box. I would also have Baines at left Mid breaking and crossing. Defense of JL at Left back, Jags and Yobo in centre and Hibbert at RB.
RE the comments in other posts on site about giving AVDM the creative role-are you having a joke? We need the lads we KNOW we can rely on , not this waster who may have a use in the last 10 mins of a game.
I believe we do have the players to continue the good run ,we just need to be tactically astute and that is what worries me. The Manager needs to raise his game now and show he has what it takes to stop the players heads dropping and re shuffle his pack-he is getting paid enough to do just that so let him earn his money.
Spot on Keiran! Does anyone else think Fernandes would have been a better signing than Fellaini as he would have given us more creativity and composure on the ball? I think he would be good enough to get in our starting eleven and would have helped to fill to fill the void when we are without Mikel Arteta.
Peter when you say
’ ’suppose if you were a glass half full person you could point to the class of 05 who tipped for relegation and without any stars finished 4th.’
We did have stars, we had Arteta and Cahill. But i know where you are coming from perhaps a couple of other unknown players, can step up and prove they are future stars just like Cahill and Arteta have.
’ ’suppose if you were a glass half full person you could point to the class of 05 who tipped for relegation and without any stars finished 4th.’
We did have stars, we had Arteta and Cahill. But i know where you are coming from perhaps a couple of other unknown players, can step up and prove they are future stars just like Cahill and Arteta have.
Anthony, all i can remember of Fernandes is being sloppy being caught on the ball all the time and giving the ball away in dangerous positions, he flattered to decieve with moments of fantastic skill then giving the ball away cheaply.
I think Manny and Marouane, have had similar impacts, both have shown moments of quality and both have been embarrasing at times too, but think i would still rather have the big Fella overall
I think Manny and Marouane, have had similar impacts, both have shown moments of quality and both have been embarrasing at times too, but think i would still rather have the big Fella overall
Lets just hope that Kenright can see that we do need to blow our transfer fee again and sign Moutinho!!! as soon as the window re-opens and not 3 mins before it shuts.This should hopefuly come next season give us 1 extra player that can create and add something to the squad.I still think our squad now and the games that we have left is good enough to get us just in a UEFA spot and should get us to Wembley even if it will probably be the semi?s
Peter Eastoe i largely agree with you. Ray Said, yes, Arteta has only been playing in the centre for about 3 months but it coincides with his and our best form. As for how we can allow ourselves to be with only one such creative player, well it’s easy - they’re not easy to find and they cost ALOT. Arteta is worth his weight in gold and to find such a skillful player who is such a grounded character and so committed to the club is nigh on impossible.
OK, we’ve got Ossie, Cahill and Pienaar to come back in so it’s not ALL doom and gloom but there aren’t many sides that could do without a player the likes of Arteta. Listen to the bleating from the fat waitor about losing Gerrard and Torres for a few games - and with what he’s spent and largely wasted on his squad. Well compare that with our squad size and what we’ve spent and with losing Yak and Arteta for the time we have.
OK, we’ve got Ossie, Cahill and Pienaar to come back in so it’s not ALL doom and gloom but there aren’t many sides that could do without a player the likes of Arteta. Listen to the bleating from the fat waitor about losing Gerrard and Torres for a few games - and with what he’s spent and largely wasted on his squad. Well compare that with our squad size and what we’ve spent and with losing Yak and Arteta for the time we have.
Fernandes took a while to get going during his second loan spell at us, but the guy is a class act with top ability and vision and makes us exciting to watch and play good football. The one thing that I think Fernandes may lack in is his workrate, but he works harder than what Fellaini does!
arteta will be a massive loss for us, but with pienaar and osman to come back we do still have creative options, my biggest worry would be fellaini as other than his height i really dont see what he brings. he is only young but unfortunately the lad cant tackle, is too slow and looks awful in possesion, oh and add to that he cant shoot and cant take a man on, apart from tha he’s money well spent, its not like £15 mil will be missed with a bank balance as big as ours. oh yeh but at least he’s got funny hair tho, that should keep everyone entertained long enough so they dont realise he’s the biggest waste of space ever to grace goodison park
I can see it already on the O/S
Arteta and Yakubu like new signings says Pip.
This will come on transfer deadline day with us having signed no one cos we still have’nt a pot to piss in.
Arteta and Yakubu like new signings says Pip.
This will come on transfer deadline day with us having signed no one cos we still have’nt a pot to piss in.
Peter i bet you were one of those that slagged Yakubu and Jaggs after their slow starts for Everton, give him a break! At least give him a chance get free from injury and play in his prefered position.
Shore up the back and hoofball to Cahill and Fellaini. No pissing about with Osman in defensive-mid, he can’t sheild the ball like Arteta.
Have we sent Arteta on the next plane to Colorado yet? To that Dr Stallman(sp?) knee magician?
For those who are interested in how we'll fair without Arteta's services for the remainder of the season then this is how we adapted without him last season
Boro (A) W 2-0 Man city (A) W 2-0 Pompey (H) W 3-1 Newcastle (H) W 3-1 Chelsea (A) D 1-1 Birmingham (A) D 1-1 Aston.V (H) D 2-2 Aston.V (A) L 2-0 Man.U (A) L 2-1 Chelsea (H) L 1-0 Arsenal (A) L 1-0Without Arteta it would seem that we've only really struggled against the teams who are currently above us. With the run in we have only Chelsea and Aston villa away will prove the hardest. Otherwise going by last season's result without Arteta we should finish comfortable 6th.
The biggest game of the season is next Sunday: Manure v Spurs. It’s really that simple. Even with Arteta we’d be hard pressed with 12 games left to reach 4th or dare I say 5th.
We need the 6th spot to = Europe. Very simple.
We need the 6th spot to = Europe. Very simple.
I think the Fellani criticisms are ridiculous given that the lad has hardly had the chance to play in his preferred position which I understand is in the Carsley role just in front of the back four. He’s obviously not a striker even if Pat Nevin says he is ’the best header of the ball in the premiership’.
Like Duncan Ferguson, he has also been unfairly targeted by referees who feel obliged to book him based on reputation.
Give me Fellani over Fernandes any day. Fellani is one for the future. Fernandes is a roving journeyman who will have a new club every other season.
Like Duncan Ferguson, he has also been unfairly targeted by referees who feel obliged to book him based on reputation.
Give me Fellani over Fernandes any day. Fellani is one for the future. Fernandes is a roving journeyman who will have a new club every other season.
Peter Eastoe, Fellaini doesn’t do himself any favours with his petty offences like the one he got caught by the ref against the skunks; pulling a player over off the ball. It is a contact sport but at times his fouls are childish and surely these need to be weeded out. He needs to work on the minor stupid things which are infuriating.
Thing is Brett, when we lost Gravesen we had a player come in and fill the void... I think Arteta was his name.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 23/02/2009 at 16:48:23
Report abuse
Jo
Cahill
Pienaar Fellaini Rodwell Osman/Gos