ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Get Back To Basics

What a horrific first game of the new season. Clearly we are all fuming about what was served up yesterday. I think the Lescott saga has been done to death so I'll try to avoid focusing on that. Sadly, there are plenty of other areas which can be explored with equal incredulity and exasperation!

Yet again we have been outplayed by a better footballing team in Arsenal. Perhaps no shame considering their pedigree. Yet there have been plenty of examples of "lesser" teams doing similar to us over the past few years. Why are we in general, such a poor passing team?

This, on reflection, is one of the main reasons i feel we are standing still when playing the better sides in the league. Too often we give the ball away through loose passing. You may get away with it against the likes of Stoke or Hull, but the quality teams will punish you.

I'm tired of the relentless hoofball we play. Sure, we don't have too many players of Arteta's class, but surely the basics of pass and move apply to ANY top flight professional? Take Arsenal yesterday. They never kept still, always looking to pass and move and create space by dragging defenders out of position with clever runs. Compare that to us and how we "play". Just what are we doing on the training ground? Seven season in and we are still one of the worst teams to watch in the league.

If we can't compete with the better teams in terms of on-the-ball control, let's at least be aggressive and close down space. If WE can't play, let's at least stop them. Yesterday, we did neither. I don't think the result was a true reflection on either club, but the fact it happened needs addressing.

If we do end up not signing anyone of quality (God forbid, anyone at all...) then for fuck's sake let's do the basics right. Be aggressive, track runners, win headers. Nobody expects miracles, but everyone should expect the bare minimum.

The next few days will be interesting. I hope we do make some signings. I hope everyday at Finch Farm is spent reflecting upon that shameful display on Saturday.

I even hope one day we will be a team that does pass and move and is easy on the eye. Until then, let's get back to basics, eh lads?
Lionel Luthor, Liverpool Posted 16/08/2009 at 15:15:24

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Michael Kenrick

Top post, Lionel.

Michael Evans
1 Posted 16/08/2009 at 20:56:20

Am I a dinosaur who no longer understands the complexities of the modern game?

Keep it on the floor... find space... pass and move.

Is that old hat now?

Nick Entwistle
2 Posted 16/08/2009 at 20:56:37

We’ve seen down the seasons that Arsenal are able to split apart the Everton defence so well, that team work and determination stand for nothing. There’s no contest between our stoicism and Arsenal’s fludity.

Ian McDowell
3 Posted 16/08/2009 at 21:17:59

I watched the Villa v Wigan game on the foreign tv in the pub yesterday and thought Wigan were class. They kept the ball so well and passed it around superbly and never came under pressure like we did when we where 3-1 up there last season. Hoofball can take you so far only.

Duncan McDine
4 Posted 16/08/2009 at 21:33:25

I’ve just got home (Wiltshire) after a much anticipated weekend in Liverpool, and still feel gutted. Its the same feeling I had when Pompey thumped us 3-0 at Goodison this time last year. In all honesty the perfomance wasn’t as awful as last years, but Lionel is spot on when pointing to the basics. This is what Everton are meant to do well:- the chasing, the hassling, defensive shape and organisation etc etc... none of it was there. Pienaar was the only player doing anything at all, while Cahill and Nevile at least attempted to chase the shadows.

Not only must the entire squad and management take responsibility for the poor show... I can’t help but feel the referee played a huge part in opening the flood gates. The amount of soft free-kicks that went against us in the first 20 mins set the tone for a completely ’contact-free’ match, thus rendering Everton hopeless. The physical and aerial battle were the only battles we could have won... the ref made sure that there was no physical battle.

Can it be any worse on Thursday?

Mike Oates
5 Posted 16/08/2009 at 22:29:45

We all know that we can pass the ball as ably demonstrated in many many games last season. We can only do it when we have 11 lads on the pitch playing with full 100% confidence in themselves and in their colleagues.

We play hoofball when we’re shot to pieces mentally or often in the case when we play one of the Top 4, when we go into some sort of defensive mindset.

What we have at the moment is Hibbert, Osman, Yobo and Baines totally at odds with their own games and Lescott in well I’ll turn out and do my best mode.

WE also have a major problem in sorting out how to play Fellaini,Neville and Cahill together, and it effectively relying on Pienaar to provide the goods.

Hibbert is totally shot in the head, the FA Cup Final did him and he’s not recovered, and the rest know it completely. Yobo is in one of the phases were he is like jack-in-the-box and Baines is distraught that he is best mate Lescott wants to leave.

When our psychiatrists (Stubbs and Holden) sort it out we’ll get better.

Kurt Knight
6 Posted 16/08/2009 at 22:41:39

I have been on a hunger strike as well as staying away from the missus for the past 48+ hours and counting. Billy, sign us a player so that we can get on with hope.

Mike Oates captured the Lescott issue on the head — thank of it this way: Bainsey knows that Lescott wants out of their partnership; they step into a dark alley for a row with some red shites; Bainsey can no longer turn his back without having to peak at Lescott looking toward the city of Manchester... This stinks — send him on his way and give us someone that wants to be part of the team.

Ean Palese
7 Posted 17/08/2009 at 04:09:15

This just in ... Liverpool police are looking for 11 (or so) men dressed in pillar box red in connection with the brutal beatings of 11 + men at Goodison Park on Saturday - which some witnesses say lasted for over 90 full minutes. Thousands of stunned onlookers had to be revived at local pubs that were set up as make shift Triage centers and there is fear that many may still be suffering from shock. Anyone providing information leading to the arrest or whereabouts of these men wanted for this heinous assault may be eligible for a cash reward. You may also remain anonymous.

Franny Porter
8 Posted 17/08/2009 at 09:15:20

You know what the worst part of that shambles was for me? When Fabregas strolled, unchallenged from one end of the pitch to the other and scored from twenty yards.

We all know we seriously lack creativity without Arteta but David Moyes teams can usually be relied on to try and make up for this with a bit of heart. When I watched that goal go in, I knew the players had given up, which was sickening.

IMO, the main problem right now is the Cahill/Fellaini conundrum. They simply cannot play in the same team. If Moyes insists in playing Fellaini behind the striker (or stood right fucking next to him doing fuck all) then he completely nullifies any threat from Tim Cahill. I would prefer to see TIm in this role, he plays it better, understands it better and at present, playing the deeper midfield role, he offers fuck all. I would rather see the Afro on the bench as Plan B, until we can figure out what the fuck his position is.

Finally, I know it wont happen, but I'd like to see Rodwell in for Hibbert (Nev at RB) and Gosling in for Osman. I'm not jumping on the Hibbert/Osman bashing bandwagon but something needs to be done to freshen up this very stale team.

Oh, and can anyone tell what the fuck Jo is all about? If we take him full time I will be devastated.

Chris Matheson
9 Posted 17/08/2009 at 10:09:03

Hi Lionel, good post, this will do for me.

I commented on Ken’s piece that our only form of attack on Saturday was to play the ball out wide then lump it in high into the box. It isn’t even making the best of all our available players: Jo may not be a world beater but he’s better playing it on the ground than in the air.

But how right you are about the basics. Arsenal had so much time on the ball (especially for Fabregas’s solo goal when nobody went near him). When we were on the ball they closed us down immediately. How hard is it to offer 2 options to the man on the ball, and then to play one of them with a pass on the ground and not at waist height or higher, so that the player doesn’t have to waste time controlling the ball?

Alan Clarke
10 Posted 17/08/2009 at 10:14:25

Simple, we weren’t fit enough. If you’re not fit enough you can’t pass the ball as well and you can’t concentrate as well and it’s why we reverted to hoofball. Arsenal looked fit and ready. Moyes has not prepared the team well enough. Shameful for a man on his sort of wages. Look at Hull, not in Chelsea’s class but at least they competed.

The two games against Sigma and the game away at Burnley are our pre-season games now.

Anthony Doran
11 Posted 17/08/2009 at 10:38:45

Let's get back to the Dogs of War mentality and sign Joey Barton asap!!

Ryan Sloan
12 Posted 17/08/2009 at 10:50:36

Moyes has always had a negative approach to top 4 sides... basically we go out not trying to lose the game. Fair enough away from home but at home at least have a go. We badly miss Arteta and Jags, they will make a big difference.

Iain Love
13 Posted 17/08/2009 at 11:03:24

Good post Lionel, it amazed me that our so called proffessional players couldn’t pass the ball (Pienaar excepted). We all know the right hand side is weak, Joey is a hoofball merchant, and Lescott's mind was elsewhere... add that to missing Arteta and playing a team who DO pass the ball better than anyone in our land, we where on a hiding to nothing.

Why oh why didn’t Pienars play in the middle? Put Saha, Jo or even young James left-hand side and Timmy on the right, Jack in the middle holding role (young legs) and Pip to right back, this would take Ossie and Hibbo off and leave better players on.

Norman Merrill
14 Posted 17/08/2009 at 12:25:13

Good shout, Lionel, you hit most of the bad points about our team, without naming names.

David Moyes and his backroom staff, have a mountain to climb, in getting team moral up for our game on Thursday night. So let's hope, we can put that shambles of a display last Saturday behind us.

Alan Clarke
15 Posted 17/08/2009 at 12:36:58

Does anyone know how long 48 hours lasts for?

I see we’ve not signed Senderos which people predicted we would following the Arsenal game and I also see Taylor is not having a medical today. I also see that Argentine fella has not been anywhere near Goodison.

Perhaps after Saturday, Moyes has decided his squad’s good enough!

Rupert Sullivan
16 Posted 17/08/2009 at 12:50:00

Fully agree with your points Lionel — I have no idea why Everton are utterly incapable of passing the ball on the floor and moving into space. This shows up even on throw-ins where they more often than not just give the ball away. The team’s first touch is often poor, and passing is varied.

I fail to understand why any player (except under pressure in defence) has to hoof the ball, this is simply giving posession away.

I noticed during the match that balls sent into the box more often than not landed kindly for the Arsenal players — better positioning? Better movement?

Basics is right — one wonders why these guys are worth £40k a week if they cannot control the football.

Tom Bowers
17 Posted 17/08/2009 at 13:29:30

Everything that needs to be said has been said-well almost. Just 2 players didn’t cause that debacle-most of the team did.Whilst most of the team will improve their dsiplays in the coming weeks I doubt however Ossie and Hibbo can. Having said that ,the rumour mill will still be rife until the end of the month and we can pray that somthing positive happens to ensure that the first game is a one-off.
Most of the true blue fans know the weaknesses and we cannot understand why Moyes can’t and if he can why has he been so inactive during the summer?.If new players are not brought in soon then we will continue to struggle and by the time the injured players come back and get some matches under there belts we could be in a dire situation.

David Bodian
18 Posted 17/08/2009 at 13:33:22

Lionel, just a note to say thanks for your article which I think hits the nail on the head. The only thing I would have added is to remind all of the meaning of Nils Satis Nisi Optimum. If this means "any old hoofball will do" then we should all apologize and sit quietly! We MUST restore the passing game. Anyone remember Kendall, Ball and Harvey? Cheers..

Andy Crooks
19 Posted 17/08/2009 at 15:00:29

Good points, Lionel. The style of play is dictated by the coach according to the players available. It seems to me that David Moyes has little confidence in the players at his disposal as he tends to favour safety first hoofball. Swansea played good football, as will Wigan. West Brom tried and it cost them. I would argue that we have better quality players than West Brom and the attitude of the coach is the problem.

Lionel Luthor
20 Posted 17/08/2009 at 17:02:45

Cheers for the feedback lads. We all want the Blues to be a joy to watch but at the moment we’d settle for a few scruffy 1-0 wins I suspect.

A couple of pacy wingers allowing us to move Pienaar into a similar role in which he plays for South Africa, would reap dividends if Arteta was back and playing centre midfield. Oh to dream.....

Until then (ever the optimist... or is that deluded?), let’s get in the mix and stop the more fluid passing teams from getting into their stride.

Paul Lynch
21 Posted 17/08/2009 at 13:38:54

I have just broken off from my holiday to say how disgusted I was at seeing Everton's lackluster display against the Gooners. No spark in the team and a lack of motivation from a team who supposedly are trying to make a step up in their game. Arsenal were certainly not at their best and didn't need to be. I just hope we can put this crushing blow to one side and try and kick on and have a good season but somehow I can't see this happening with no financial muscle to beat any team in the league to the signings we desire. NIL SATUS NISI OPTMUM COYB Pull your fingers out!!!

Tom Campbell
22 Posted 16/08/2009 at 19:33:55

We were horrible against Arsenal, But there is no use dwelling on it. We lost 3-2 to Blackburn last season on the opening day, yet we never looked back. This is the team I want to play next Wednesday as it offers us more of an attacking mindset

Howard Neville Yobo Lescott Baines Rodwell Vaughan Peinaar Gosling Cahill Saha

I think this team will offers us something new, pace on both wings and also craft in the centre. We bady need a result against City to show the EFC spirit hasn't been ruined by our wantaway defender. COYB

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