The Mail Bag
The Captain's Role
Comments (24)
The new arrivals in the transfer window, particularly that of Johnny Heitinga, got me wondering about the role of Phil Neville in the team. After the Naughton bid had failed, I took the lack of transfer activity in the right back position as an indication that Neville may be moving back to that position for the rest of the season.
Our Captain probably only has two or so seasons left in him at this level and most of us would agree that against the very best of opposition he is probably not good enough in central midfield. He played very well there last season but I think this was more due to the influence of Arteta next to him as once he was injured Neville’s performance level has dropped. Heitinga is unlikely to be content with being fourth choice centre back and is most probably going to be right back hopefully first choice ahead of Hibbert.
This means that if Phil Neville wants a place in our team he will be contesting for one of the two deep lying central midfield spots presuming the usual 4-5-1 is being played. With Arteta a certain starter when he returns this leaves Neville jostling with Rodwell and Fellaini / Cahill for one place. Add in to that mix Osman who will probably be moved inwards of the flank with the arrival of Bilyaletdinov. Osman is very good in the centre of a five man midfield as he shown in the past. I for one wish that Moyes had played him in there next to Rodwell to provide the creativity that we have lacked so far with Arteta’s absence.
Anyhow this makes Neville’s place in the team extremely dubious. Is he only in there because he is the captain? As much as I love the guy in the long term future if we want to progress surely he can’t be making our starting line up in any position other than right back? He has never let us down in any position he has played including centre back, shows more passion than the majority of players and has been a wonderful captain. I would like nothing better than to see him get his hands on a trophy with Everton this year.
In the near future, however, I feel for the good of the team Moyes has to bite the bullet and appoint someone else as Captain and use Neville almost in the way Beckham is for England — to provide experience and cover.
James Martin, Posted 09/09/2009 at 19:16:29
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I think though he should be playing less games, him and Rodwell should rotate as the deep lying midfield, we can have all midfielders being attack minded.
All you have to do is look at the OS article on midfielders..Moyes thinks Neville is a midfielder. An ultimately frsutrating state of affairs....Our captain is here to stay - he will be occupying a footballers position for many moons...
Jo is basically a loan player helping out because of the Yaks, Vaughan and Anichebe situations. However Neville’s experience will be a factor to hold the side together during some tough battles ahead whilst other players are missing or settling in especially for European games.
Before last season Neville had been one of the worst ever players in a blue shirt...last season he had a decent 4 or 5 months - firstly in right back, then in midfield performing the Neil Lennon ’sideways pass’ role beside Arteta..before reverting to type and being close to useless again...
Because of this decent 4 or 5 months...Neville was suddenly a good signing...
Behave. Money or no money...he’s been frankly useless since he arrived.
Oh aye, but he fouled Ronaldo...and he shouts a lot!
Hip, Hip Hooray!
Barring extensive injuries, he should never be seen in midfield again....
"Before last season Neville had been one of the worst ever players in a blue shirt", even with your gloomy outlook on everything Blue, that is going a little too far.
Tony, a couple of your posts yesterday had you sinking back into your bad old ways... you know what happens next, don’t you?
Bit of a cop out there.
I agree with Jack Daou’s thoughts regarding his deployment around the squad. Neville’s best years are behind him, and Rodwell is emerging at a frightening pace. I can see Phil staying with us until retirement,and possibly staying put in a backroom coaching role. Does anyone happen to know if he’s started taking coaching badges?
It’s quite easy for folks to say he’s crap; yes, he’s limited, but he’s never pretended to be Maradona! He’s an engine-room mud & sweat merchant,and more than passable in that department...
Finally, and forgive my ignorance, but does anyone know who the vice-captain actually is these days? As the author points out, Neville's days are diminishing, and I think it’s important for us to be grooming a successor. I’d equally be interested to hear who people would like to see inherit the armband too... Cahill? Jagielka? Baines? Rodwell? Hibbert? *
* (obviously a typo!!)
Yes there are better players out there, but we are skint and for now he's a great example and role model to Rodwell and will teach him a few things.
Basically, we should have bought someone in. Rodwell will be a successor but he’s too inexperienced at the moment. Heitinga may be worth a punt but i’m not convinced, he’ll be just like Jagielka there.
Basically, the transfer windows shut, stop moaning Neville haters and make do what we have, at least until the January transfer window, he’s the best alternative in that position until then.
I told ya if you kept moaning we’d tire of it in the end....
I must say however that Phill is a rubbish footballer....
As Alan Hansen once said "you’ll never win anything with flids in your team"....
Can only see Heitinga being used as a right-back. Hibbert is only good enough for back-up quality, but Heitinga has got too much of the ’old Yobo’ about him to play him at centre back. Heitinga is similar to Lescott, just right sided rather than left sided. Strong, good in the air and can weigh in with goals, but too error prone to play at centre back, but unfortunately not like Baines at bombing forward.
Heitinga was a strange signing for me. A lot of money and a lot of wages for simply a versatile player that’s not guaranteed a starting role, and not the right mentality.
So % time, if he can help to get 10% more out of 10 other players then surely he’s worth his place.
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1 Posted 10/09/2009 at 08:08:50
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SAF thought that 5 years ago and he was right.
When Evertonians call for the team to play to a higher level, I don't think they mean they wanted a right back who keeps booting it into the Top Balcony.