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True Positions?

Looking back on the game on Thursday, I was wondering about the future positions of Danny Gosling & Jack Rodwell. Danny had a decent game at emergency fullback, just got me thinking this could be his best position to gain a regular starting place in the side.

Comfortable on the ball and he appears to have great energy up & down the right-hand side. I know he needs to work on his defensive skills and probably needs to toughen up a bit, but I feel he could be a very good & solid attacking defender, as opposed to decent right midfielder.

As for Jack Rodwell I feel he's playing in his true and future position now; I know there has been a lot of talk about him being a future centre-half, most notably from Moyes and other people on this site... I just feel Jack's all-round game would be wasted in defence. People have also compared him to Rio Ferdinand, but the impression I get at the moment is he's more in the mould of a Michael Carrick type player.

Can you think of any other Everton players from the past who started their career for us in one position but excelled in a completely different role in the side? Mick Lyons from centre-forward to centre-half springs to mind.
David Lawless, Liverpool Posted 29/08/2009 at 13:48:10

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Gerry Quinn
1 Posted 29/08/2009 at 19:46:36

David,
Howard Kendall - brilliant midfielder to even more brilliant Manager (Episode 1) - does that count?

Gerry Quinn
2 Posted 29/08/2009 at 19:47:48

Joe Parkinson - started out as one of our defenders, but developed into a great midfielder

Joe McMahon
3 Posted 29/08/2009 at 19:57:39

Pip has played in every position!
Hibbert has still to succeed in one!

Andy Crooks
4 Posted 29/08/2009 at 20:05:53

An interesting post David.I actually thought that Dan Gosling was signed as a right back.I think Jack Rodwell will be an England centre back.I think there will be a few more to be added to the list as David Moyes seems to have a blind spot regarding the best place for some players.
I think we will look back in amazement at Pienaar being played out of position on the wing.Same applies to Osman,playing him wide on the right is just ridiculous.Trying to fit Lescott Yobo and Jagielka into the same team was again silly.Don’t start me on Steve Watson.

Wayne Smyth
5 Posted 29/08/2009 at 20:19:58

Agree completely David.

Rodwell looks the complete player in central-midfield. I know he’s only young and will probably bulk up, but I do think he is slightly too lightweight to play central defender and as you point out, his talent will be largely wasted there. I wouldn’t be surprised if he will do for us what Gerrard *spit* has done for the RS.

It was interesting to hear Moyes say that he didn’t realise that Rodwell could shoot so well... makes me think what other talents Rodwell has that Moyes isn’t aware of.

As for Gosling, I’m convinced he doesn’t have the quality to make it as a right midfielder at a top 4 team. He doesn’t have the pace or skill. However he could be a decent right back. He’s certainly a good utility player to have around.

Keith Glazzard
6 Posted 29/08/2009 at 20:26:24

Rodwell should be anchoring our midfield from now on. He can be a CH when he’s 30 if he wants. Beckenbauer was about 19/20 when he started playing that role. Control, composure, vision. Two good feet. And, like the Kaiser, a slightly superior attitude.

Gosling could be moved to RB over the next couple of seasons. And he has all the makings to be a very good one. I have a feeling he surprised the coaching staff on Thursday night. Much more to come on this story.

Pienaar should get into central midfield with a good Russian working with Baines down the left, then watch Fellaini blossom.

Examples of changed position are difficult to recall - Lee Carsley took on a new role and responsibility with great success, but that doesn’t really count.

So I’ll finish with what Pat Nevin said at half-time on Thursday. ’Mark Hughes says Lescott is the best centre half in England — what do you think?’ he was asked. With a very deliberate reference to John Lennon and Ringo Starr, he replied "He isn’t even the best centre half at Everton". Brilliant.

Andy Mack
7 Posted 29/08/2009 at 22:19:28

Cahill, he’s crap in at traditional 4 midfield in the premier league and given a hell of a lot of lee-way because of his other strengths. Whereas Felli, Ossie etc are relentlessly made a scapegoat. But... push the lad to the Inchy Heath role and suddenly its like we’ve another man on the pitch.

Jamie Carroll
8 Posted 29/08/2009 at 22:30:05

This is where Moyes's Football Manager links are coming to fruition, him being made aware of certain players' "hidden abilites" using the database hindsight perhaps?

Franny Porter
9 Posted 29/08/2009 at 22:42:47

Michael Ball started at centre mid, then went to left back. By the time he left us, to the at the time richer, Glasgow Rangers, he was a shit hot centre half.

Ray Roche
10 Posted 29/08/2009 at 22:44:59

Fred Pickering.
He started out as a centre half at Blackburn but became one of our best post war centre forwards. Wasn’t Brian Harris a winger before becoming a wing half?

Guy Hastings
11 Posted 29/08/2009 at 23:23:51

Big Nev - started out as a centre half as a schoolboy.

Tom Bowers
12 Posted 29/08/2009 at 23:42:30

For the older fans Tommy Wright was a goalscoring forward when signing from Liverpool schoolboys but he became a classy right back and also for England.

Phil Bellis
13 Posted 30/08/2009 at 01:01:03

Ray,
I think Fred was a full back at Blackburn before moving up front
I was at his debut game (was it 3 against Forest?) where the Echo described him as ’never seen a player more suited to centre forward - legs like young oaks’
Happy days

Mark Dawson
14 Posted 30/08/2009 at 01:31:28

I hate to say it boys but gosling is awful in my opinion. He has no pace, no skill and is just plain shite.....I obviously loved the goal he scored against the red shite, but it was a deflection after all..... hate to be negative but thers nothing worse than building a player up when he aint any good

Derek Thomas
15 Posted 30/08/2009 at 06:49:06

I seem to remember Moyes converting Beattie from a decent CF to CRAP ONE... does that count?

Dan McKie
16 Posted 30/08/2009 at 11:37:19

Moyes also stopped those annoying runs that Andy Johnson used to make, ya know, the ones towards goal? The corner flag is where it is at, Andy!!

David Shaw
17 Posted 30/08/2009 at 11:49:24

I remember Unsworth coming on as a left winger against spurs as a kid. Rhino never looked the type to hug the touch line so it was never going to last.

Away from Evertion, I also remember watching Spurs, with Sol Campbell playing as a youthful striker.

Philip Jones
18 Posted 30/08/2009 at 12:27:09

How about Big Vic as a right midfielder / winger. Only joking, though he did have a decent game in that position against Villa in the cup.

Gareth Atkinson
19 Posted 30/08/2009 at 13:23:54

I’d enjoy Rodwell while we can and savour every pass and goal, cos it won’t be long before the ’big 4’ come sniffing round Rooney style.

Lets just hope he’s got a bit more about him though.

I think Gosling would make a good right back, only for the fact I can’t for the life of me figure out were he plays, even when he’s on the pitch.

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