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This post bag could give the impression that our win against Wigan was only created soley by Osman and Jo. Let us not forget the others. Our backline held firm with Lescott and Hibbert outstanding. In the defensive midfield Neville and Cahill hustled and harried their opponents off the park. Our attacking midfield of Osman and Fellaini and to a lesser extent Pienaar never stopped running and creating.
Up front, Jo continually presented for the ball and his first goal was a real gem. Having been one of Osman's regular critics I am more than happy to offer congratulations on his very good game. Until he reproduces that kind of stuff against the likes of Villa, United and Arsenal I will continue to hold reservations about him. If he proves me wrong I will be the first to admit the error of my ways... and the same goes for Pienaar.
Dick Fearon, Posted 05/04/2009 at 22:17:46
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Cahill’s performance is understandable - he does not seem to have fully recovered from his injury plus the long flight from Australia. Pienaar has been having an off-season so far. Baines hardly got any decent crosses in.
Hibbert was a revelation and the defense looks much more settled with him at right back. (Although, I must admit that he did allow a few corners and free kicks in the 2nd half from his side of the pitch).
All in all, a decent performance, and promise of more to come.
Pienaar has definitley scored this year, I think it was against Spurs from a quick Arteta free kick, so I don't know where you get ?No goals in 50 games?.
Admittedly he hasn't been at his best this season but I think he contributes so much more with his energy and tireless running for the team. I believe he is our Kuyt, every team needs a player like Pienaar who puts in the running, covering for others and tracking back and contributes with his general all round play.
Last season he was top of our assists chart with between 12 and 14 so he has definite quality, and he is certainly not overrated, that's for sure; you are clearly underating him.
Yes mate, I agree with you. I have seen Peanuts a few times this season and on each occasion he has underwhelmed me. Saw the whole of yesterday's game on the web and he was rubbish. Did a lot of running, but how many of his passes actually reached a team mate? I think he is in the "impressed during loan spell, but found out to be poor when signed permanently" category. (Terry Curran, anybody?)
Great game by Ossie, Roger and Jags. Even Hibbo looked up for it!
Ossie and Jo did have great contributions tho. However it?s 1 thing against a poor side at home, it?s another against Villa away. This is not a critism but if Jo wants to prove he is good enough for Everton and Ossie wants to prove he can fill the Arteta void, they will produce under next week's pressure against a decent side.
I am specifically pointing out these 2 because I believe in big games we know what we?ll get from the back 4, Neville, Cahill and Screech because they have produced when it matters. If Jo, Ossie and to be fair Pienaar match their consistency, Villa won?t live with us.
I've said before we our a momentum side, if we beat Villa, the belief could take us past Man Utd and then anything is possible. A big if though, the players anonymous from Newcastle, Blackburn and Portsmouth will have to step up.
Felliani, Osman and Jo can’t play their free flow game without the stewards behind them.
No Arteta, no Yak - I feel this is Cahill’s year.
I?m not looking for scapegoats, I think we?ve done brilliantly this year given our small squad and injuries, but I do think a player in Pienaar?s situation needs/must/has to weigh in with half a dozen goals a season...
I thought this post was about drawing attention to the rest of the team’s good efforts after the media had focussed on Osman, Jo and Fellaini, but no, it’s just another opportunity to find fault with somebody. What a surprise!
I’d like to see him keep it simple. Maybe then he won’t concede as much possession as he does.
I continually sit next to guys at the game who slag off Ossie, Hibbert and the like from kick off. Peanuts is obviously the next in line to receive the attention of the neg bunch who glory in their criticise, de-motivate, seek and destroy approach to improving performance.
God help us!!
Maybe we should just keep quiet, say nothing, keep schtum - when it comes to criticism.
Whether it’s deserved or not.
That would make for a very entertaning forum.
Just see how few responses there are to Ken and Paul?s Match Reports compared to the sunami of rants after the Pompey debacle. It seems that negativity brings out the author in the average Toffeeweb fan. In my opinion. I don?t want the sickly sweet world of Blue Kipper either and I am proud of the fact that we aren?t totally blinded like the RS fans, but if ever there were a time to focus on the positives, it?s after you?ve won 4-0.
Personally I don't think he has been poor this season. I love his attitude and commitment and wouldnt swap him for another winger outside the big 3 + the shite.
As for not scoring.....Who do you reckon will pop up at Wembley? .....
Pienaar missed most of the start of the season (you know, when we were stinking grounds out up and down the country). There is no-one in the current side who looks anywhere near as comfortable with the ball. He?s the only man in our entire squad ? even when arteta is fit ? who will ask for the ball even when he has an opponent up his arse, Baines will tell you how good it is to have such protection too.
And all you guys can do is moan his distribution is poor, that wouldn't have anything to do with the 3-4 non footballing midfield players he generally has to work with...
In Arteta's absence, Everton - Pienaar = total hoofball
I?ve been an Osman critic but give the lad his due, he had a good game on Sunday. Indeed, last time I saw him play that well was that time a few seasons back when we spanked Villa at Villa Park, playing a brand of total football we hadn't seen before nor seen since.
Here?s hoping for Sunday....
His energy, creativity and ball control are often let down by his decision making and passing.
He could be a hell of a player if he only kept it simple... he doesn?t. That?s the frustrating bit.
I read the Rory Smith piece on the Telegraph site and I thought he made a decent case for Leon Osman being at least as good as other midfielders in the running for that role in the England team. Then we read on the OS that Moyes tells us this the first time in a very long time that he has been injury-free enough to train properly. I can't recall that having been said before now.
The OS also carries an interview with Jo very definitely using the royal blue "we" talking about the upcoming Villa game. We know he's happy to be with us, but would the OS put this up if the management wasn't just as happy to have him here? Again, Moyes, not known to waste too many words, has praised his progress since joining us. I suspect he might want to keep the Brazilian lad, and I might agree with him.
I read Mr Smith?s piece as well... and couldn?t find any reasoning at all for his suggestion that Osman should be an England contender ? other than his perfomance against Wigan.
However, I am willing to accept Moyes's suggestion that up until now Osman has been hindered by an injury ? if only to extinguish the ability to default to this reasoning whenever he duly returns to his usual wasteful self. Let's see eh.
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1 Posted 06/04/2009 at 06:41:53
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Hibbert: the new Beckham?!