ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

The Big Fella

Since Fellaini joined Everton almost a year ago, I have noticed increased critisism over the course of last season and this season. I think it is rather strange to a boy who is still only 21 and who doesn't speak English. I know many people will question the €15 million price tag, and I can see why people would say it's too much. However, I do feel we will see the best out of him within a month or so.

My reasons for this is simple, Mikel Areta. Fellaini needs a playmaker alongside him in the middle to get the best out of him, when he was with Standard he had Defour to play off. Fellaini was playing his best football last season before Mikel got injured and I think we will see an increse in his performances once Mikel is fit. So please lay off him, we have only played one game. COYB!!
Tom Campbell, Ireland Posted 20/08/2009 at 10:37:27

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Seamus McCrudden
1 Posted 20/08/2009 at 13:58:35

Tom, I completely agree. Give the boy a chance, in some matches last year I thought he was unplayable, get rid of Lescott and the team will come good.

Andrew Ellams
2 Posted 20/08/2009 at 14:08:10

Desperate as I am to see Arteta back, I actually think Fellaini’s biggest problem is that he has no idea what his role in the team is. He is not the man to play behind the striker, he is best in the middle disrupting play and providing forward momentum.

I have wondered whether he has been pushed further forward in order to keep him out of the thick of it and reduce the yellow card count.

Anthony Millington
3 Posted 20/08/2009 at 14:06:12

What annoys me is that he was brought in as a holding midfielder but he doesn’t seem capable of playing that role because he doesn’t track opponents runs and gets taken on too easily. As a result Moyes is playing him further forward in Cahill’s role and therefore destroying Cahill’s whole game. Fellaini now seems to be a bit of a one trick pony and is only useful and dangerous when we put crosses into the box for him to attack, a tactic we failed to successfully apply against Arsenal.

Graeme Bradman
4 Posted 20/08/2009 at 14:14:27

Andrew, I totally agree. Fella has been pushed too far forward and being asked to play as a second striker when he was bought as a midfielder. This has cut the card count but stopped him developing as a midfielder. He has better touch, is more comfortable on the ball and is a better passer than Cahill but Cahill is the one in the midfield. Cahill is better as the second striker.

Take a look at the Cup Final and see how our best spell after half-time coincides with Fella droping deeper and getting on the ball. He was the only person able to do it and we began to get a foothold in the game. He should swap with Cahill and be allowed to develop. He will at times be cought in possesion but the team will play more football.

I just hope the ’toffeemoaners’ don’t immediatly get on his back and try to destroy him when he makes a mistake, as they seem to be doing to Leon.

Steve Collins
5 Posted 20/08/2009 at 14:32:57

Anthony,

I don’t ever remember reading that he was bought as a holding midfielder. In fact he was well known for his attacking flair in Belgium.

I think Everton fans nowadays are quick to jump down the throats of players calling them everything under the sun even when sometimes it is unjustified.

Also a lot of people have forgottent he big man was very ill throughout the summer.

Mac Lloyd
6 Posted 20/08/2009 at 14:31:30

Andrew probably nailed it, he was a yellow card waiting to happen at the start of the season so I reckon Moyesy pushed him further forward until he’s ready to play the defensive midfield role.

The problem is it’s not the glamour role and you don’t generally splash £15m on someone who’s going to sit. You only have to look at Carsley to see how a player can be instrumental to a team’s success without geting the spotlight and hence the cash thrown at them.

Give the lad a chance and he’ll settle down, I’ve certainly seen enough from him to have continued high hopes.

Ciarán McGlone
7 Posted 20/08/2009 at 15:18:29

He’s definitely a player who needs good players around him... however, there is also the issue of his position.

I’ll hold fire on this one for a couple of months but he’s not showing anything beyond potential.

Can we please drop the ’he can’t speak English argument’ — most of his mistakes are unforced errors which have litle or nothing to do with communication. Nevermind the fact that he’s had a year to learn basic English.

Anthony Doran
8 Posted 20/08/2009 at 15:24:27

He seems like a headless chicken to me half the time, clumsy, awkward with no skill, poor tackling, and quite possibilty out of his depth playing in the Premier League. I get quite annoyed watching for some reason. There were much better options than buying him last season TBH. Don't get me started on his hair, lol... Of course I'll willingly swallow humble pie if he starts playing some decent footy but I won't be expecting it though.

Matthew Tait
9 Posted 20/08/2009 at 15:31:54

Steve, I’ve read statements from Moyes more than once that he believes that Fellaini will ultimately play as a defensive midfielder, or a box-to-box player. I for one hope so — the last thing we need is another immobile beanpole up fron to force us into the Big Dunc hoofball game...

He definitely needs to improve his movement, positioning and tackling a hell of a lot to ever hope to be that sort of player... but he’s got a lot of time on his side, and does occasionally do some good stuff with the ball at his feet, so hopefully.

By the way, about this figure of €15m that gets quoted all the time — are we sure that that was all up front? I read somewhere a while ago that it was more like €7m up front with a whole swathe of conditions to get it up to €15m eventually. Seems more likely to me, it’s hard to believe we would pay that up front...

Simon Birkett
10 Posted 20/08/2009 at 15:49:42

Well I agree more with the earlier posts that he is better in the middle rather than upfront and I do regard him a good player who will mature into an even better player. Not all of our signings can be £2.5m bargains who develop into a £10m player with his first season.

When he plays in the middle I feel his ’slow’ approach to the game is actually a positive as he slows the game down and plays the ball along the ground, which is something that we are all crying out for. And this will as mentioned also earlier free up Cahill (or heaven forbid a 2nd striker) to be further up the pitch in his place. I would like to see him moved back into midfield against Sigma just ahead of Rodwell, who would replace Neville in midfields, as Neville would replace the outcasted Lescott.

Keith Glazzard
11 Posted 20/08/2009 at 15:44:48

I agree with Ciarán - he has to play in a better midfield set-up than we have at the moment. When this happens, as I believe it will, this young man will, I think, become a very valuable player.

(Where will Neville be playing tonight - CB? Another thread perhaps.)

Speaking of Big Dunc, I got a reality check courtesy of EvertonTV (which I am finding interesting and good value, and I’m not on commission before you ask) who have put up highlights from the Leeds game, March 98. Nigel Martyn played for them and recorded his memories of the match.

We had some decent players, but the team looked nothing like what we have become accustomed to in the last few seasons. Best of the rest isn’t NSNI of course, but the progress has been massive. Have a look if you get the chance. Dunc looked very good, by the way.

Shaun Brennan
12 Posted 20/08/2009 at 16:13:14

For someone so tall, why does he get outjumped by midgets!

Peter Griffin
13 Posted 20/08/2009 at 16:10:27

I think he’s been hit and miss since he arrived, but 9 goals in 30 apps(first season) is not a bad return. This season I expect more from him though, in terms of his overall contribution. In spells some of his one and two touch stuff is quality, but then he’ll chase someone and just kick them from behind?

Him and Cahill were in each others positions against Arsenal IMO but what do I know? His work rate is good, he’s always chasing when we aren’t in posession, but when we do have the ball he needs to impose himself more. It’s not his fault people play high balls up to him. Hopefully he’ll get a goal tonight and we’ll win.
COYB

Anthony Doran
14 Posted 20/08/2009 at 16:46:55

Shaun Brennan........PMSL.....he aint that tall without the hair he is only about 4 foot 8 :)

James Stewart
15 Posted 20/08/2009 at 17:44:04

Poor player in my opinion & I wouldn’t part with €5m for him let alone €15m!

Partly he is being played out of position yes but that doesn’t excuse not being able to make a 5-yard pass to a team mate! Or tackle or in fact do anything productive.

I will give him 'til the end of the season though before making up my mind but I’m not sure what exactly he offers us.

I think a lot of people just don’t want to admit he is rubbish because a lot of money was spent on him!

Nathan O'Hagan
16 Posted 20/08/2009 at 18:27:24

Fella’s long term future certainly doesn’t lie as the man behind the striker. The best we can hope is that over the next season or two he can be groomed as our defensive mid. As yet, he’s nowhere near disciplined enough, and not yet up to speed with the Premier League. This is an important season for him, but we certainly need to be patient with him. He’s shown glimpses of excellence and has potential. Only time will tell whether he was worth €15m.

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