The Mail Bag
Jo on the OS - no story?
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"Hughes: No Jo Talks" on the OS today looked like a real non-story. Sparky, I suppose, in reply to something he was asked said "Whether they want to pursue something ... wait and see." The OS mentioned "speculation over longer term future" in the piece. So, not much ado about even less.
So what was it doing on the OS? A slow news Thursday perhaps. They might have phoned Big Dunc for an update on his racing pigeon season or possibly a comment about European refereeing, but they ran this non-story instead.
My reading of the OS this season is that they seem to release little snippets, ideas almost, which come from higher up. And they certainly never say anything which BK or DM would take issue with. So why Mark Hughes on Jo today?
We've had a good long 'should he stay or should he go?' thread this week and I don't want to reopen it, but I believe that, with care, it is possible to get an idea of what goes on behind the scenes. To me, this non-story puts keeping Jo quite firmly on the Moyes agenda.
Keith Glazzard, Posted 07/05/2009 at 14:46:28
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In fact, in the case of Emmanel Adebayor, for example, in his first season he looked like a total donkey. Thierry Henry constantly sneered at his incompetence but he eventually developed into a lethal striker after a run of games, especially after Henry left. I think Jo has the ability to develop into a fine target man and finisher.
I hope Moysey can get him on loan for a further season and that no possibility of Arteta or Lescott leaving to go to City arises as part of the Jo situation. In any case, he?s really happy at Goodison and is on record for having spoken highly of Moyes and Pip Neville.
Is Jo that striker? He certainly seems to be at home but his away form is questionable.
Regardless of the past, I still rate Michael Owen however his injuries concern me. Sure he can score lots of goals when fit and given the opportunity but we do not need another Saha - someone who will spend large amounts of time injured.
I’m wondering if Moyes sees Jo Alves as the obvious easy choice as he’s already here and also has his eye on another Striker elsewhere?
Personally, I don?t think he?s worth anymore than £5mill.
As for the article, I think clubs are wising up too the media techniques used by the Sky 4. I celebrated like we had won the cup when Moyes questioned the ref and laughed so hard when Fergie had the balls to complain about it. For years they have attracted the attention of players through the media and I think this is a way of bringing down the price, no manager wants a player that believes he?s better off somewhere else and I guess Moyes will hang on till the bitter end to make it a problem that needs sorting for Hughes.
If you watch the Youtube montage that was doing the rounds when we signed Jo on loan, you will note that many of his goals (like his brace on Everton debut) are scuffed finishes with his favoured left foot. As I alluded to above, both his finishes on his debut were effective but not spectacular (though the way he brought the ball down and turned the defender was class). The penalty was right in the corner but was still a bit of a scuffed effort.
The jury?s still out for me, and if it?s more than £8m then I?d scratch that idea straight away and send him back to Citeh. We could always try and get him on loan again?
Owen? No way! Do we not remember the days of Gazza, Ginola etc. No more crocked has-beens please. Moyes has been trying to get in young promising players who will be around long enough to create a great team with unity and a superb spirit. Owen and (as mentioned on the Ledley thread) Bentley are not players who can take us forward IMO.
But what if the MC owners replace Hughes in a few weeks time? Jo could be recalled with a clean slate as a (sort of proven) PL goalscorer. But most incoming managers, particularly with the budget this one would have, clear out and bring ’their’ players in. It could be bargains galore at Eastlands, and I don’t mean Richard Dunne.
Moyes - as noted above - has become as canny a Scot as you would not wish to do business with. And nothing at Goodison depends on keeping Jo. In snooker I believe this called a shot to nothing. I like Jo, I think Davey does, and I suspect he’ll get him.
His movement especially, it’s fantastic at times, really intelligent. Even the Chelsea chance, granted it was a poor miss but the way he set himself up, read the situation and made the run. It really impresses me to be honest, probably because I’ve seen so many static strikers at Everton.
And this is without Arteta in midfield, it’s not like we are flowing with creativity in midfield yet Jo is still getting chances. He hasn?t got his away goal yet but his performances in terms of movement and link up play against Villa, Sunderland and Chelsea have been good and he?s getting into those positions. I?m sure it?ll come.
It all comes down to money though, we can?t afford to blow most of our budget on a promising striker. We have other areas that need strengthening (centre midfield, wings) so that?ll work against Jo which is a shame. I?d love another loan but I can?t see that happening.
Good luck to him though, he might not be everyone?s cup of team but he?s scored five and created two in ten starts for Everton. There?s no doubting he?s had a impact and he?s been a very good loan signing for us. That and his attitude has been spot on. Good luck Jo!
’’We want to stay. I want to play in England because it is the best League in the world and it suits my style.
’’Any club I join, whether it be Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool or Everton, will be a rival of Manchester United."
Financial considerations aside, I would love to see Tevez at Goodison. Only 25 and absolute class.
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1 Posted 08/05/2009 at 08:20:58
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