The Mail Bag
Versatility
Comments (23)
I think this is a very weird point.. but entertaining nonetheless. But has anyone noticed how obsessed Moyes is with versatile players? We probably have more versatile players than anyone else in the league i.e Heitinga, Neville, Jagielka, Arteta, Osman, Pienaar etc etc.
I'm not saying it's completely the worst thing, because obviously versatile players are useful, but this links to our small squad, where Moyes clearly buys versatile players to cope, almost as a substitute instead of simply buying more players. I mean Moyes's comments about Heitinga acting like two signings in one because of his versatility worries me.
I may seem naive, because of the current financial market bla bla bla we can't buy much more players, but there are plenty of cheap players for cover that would a job. A player like Zenden would do alrite, still a decent enough players on the left. Michael Ball even for left back. Basically, Moyes is stubborn in his philosophy for players as in they always have to be young and upcoming. I'm not criticising any players Moyes has bought, because most of them have been fantastic, but we do need more players, if we wanna acheive in 4 competitions, and cheap alternatives or loan signings would be good as cover, instead of focusing on players who are versatile all the time. Do people think I have a point or am I a loon?
Ben Jones, Posted 10/09/2009 at 20:11:03
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
As a side point, and without wanting to doom the guy from the start, I’m wondering whether Heitinga will even act like one signing. Some Atletico Madrid friends I was pumping for information said that he was an absolute liability at centre back, giving away vital penalties on a worryingly regular basis. When he moved to right back he did marginally better, but overall they’re glad to be rid of him, hugely disappointed with his time there, and well pleased for the dough they got from us. It didn’t sound to promising, but I’ve got enough faith in Moyes and Round to get the best out of him.
It did make me wonder, though, how excited we’d all have been about signing him if our transfer policy wasn’t so bloody awful, and we got players in early and in sufficient numbers. For the last couple of years us Evertonians have been like the kids who thought Father Christmas had forgotten them, but at the last minute when we were at our lowest ebb were given a consolation present.
However, I do not think Moyes aims to acheive this. He goes for players with the ’right attitude’. Of course this is important, I’m not denying that. We don’t want a team of disinterested idiots. But because of the limited budgets we operate to we often don’t go for out and out specialists for specific positions. We can’t afford the top players who can play in a numbr of roles well either. Thus we end up with square pegs in round holes quite frequently.
I understand the pragmatism involved, but I don’t necessarily feel great about it.
Moyes has to be very careful with the money he alone is generating, the key statement in his transfer policy is to bring people who will improve the squad and not adding players for the sake of it.
"I may seem naive, because of the current financial market bla bla bla we can’t buy much more players" if you cant realise the financial constraints Moyes is facing it answers your next question "am I a loon? "
Looking at our financial position, Moyes has this one spot on. Have one strong core unit of players and several versatile players that can interchange in the event of injury. It's not ideal, but until we can have 22 first class footballers, we’ll have to make do.
My bet is he will get the right-back slot allowing the skipper to flourish in his preferred role as the holding midfielder.
That said, I also think in the modern day there is more of a tendency for specialist players. I can recall Trevor Steven, ostensibly a right winger for us, playing up front when needed. Our "Mr Versatile" back then was Alan Harper - and boy did he suffer for it to a degree - the sub of choice, back when it wasn’t a 2nd team on the bench.
Question, am I still a loon?
Moyes seems to have been endeavouring to address these positions almost since he took over from Smith. No matter what variations he tried he always came back to Carsley as the best man we had for the defensive midfield role; unless Heitinga proves capable, we are no nearer resolving that position.
Similarly out wide, although at least here Moyes has bought first Davies and then VDM and is no doubt disappointed that neither really worked out, hopefully Bilyaletdinov will be the answer to that one.
It’s alright have versatile players who can do a job in a variety of positions but it’s not desirable to play them out of position for a sustained period, as has happened with Neville & Osman, for example.
In addition, their appearance would halt the progress of some of the younger players coming through and I’d rather see some one of the kids given a chance than some fancy Dan who would rather take the cash and the bench that play regular football elsewhere.
By a luxury player, I mean someone who might not cover every blade of grass but who can win a game in a second. Not, I think, the type of player favoured by David Moyes.
I rather think that most players at the top levels of Football today could be considered pretty versatile. Most full backs are required to ba attacking as well as defensive, hence the reason Hibbo took such a lot of stick. A good defender, he lost some of his best qualities as a defender desperately trying to be an attacking full back as well. Bainsey attacks well but is a bit suspect in my opinion when defending.
Lescott, who could pop up with useful goals, act as an emergency full back or occupy his favoured positon of centre back.
John Terry is another who scores goals not infrequently. Most midfielders appear to be proficient in playing back or forward though of course, tend to be better at one rather than the other.
Out and out forwards, e.g. Yakubu, appear to me to be a dying breed. I well recall Big Dunc tracking back to assist in defending corners.
It all stems from the success enjoyed by Holland, quite a tiny country, who espoused the concept of total football,
I don’t think versatility is such a wonderful thing. Was Christiano a winger or a central striker? What about Rooney?
I personally prefer my players to feel comfortable in more than one position. My criuteria would be, are they comfortable with the ball at their feet, Arteta is fantastic in my opinion. He always looks so relaxed and rarely loses the ball.
No, give me versatility. Moyes is not that unusual.
Are they really the 2 class internationals they have been marketed to be?
I hope so!
Cahill didn’t travel to Seoul either despite the fact he’s the soceroos most important player.
I’m just happy they’re all fresh, fit and ready to rock Fulham! =D
For me we now need to start getting good players who specialise in one position as this is usually better again. Obviously our sell to buy policy means we wont be seeing this anytime soon but hypothetically this is what’s needed to break the so called glass ceiling and possibly just to stand still considering what some teams are spending.
The obvious comparison is with Fellaini last season who, in spite of his obvious- albeit frustrating- ability was thrust into such a difficult situation that it took him ages to get into any sort of stride. Something tells me that Bily is likely to be a rather delicate soul that needs to be treated gently, so if things don’t go his way from the start and he makes Osman look like Cruyff it puts even more pressure on our threadbare squad.
To bring it back to your original point, Ben, surely Moyes’s obsession with versatility is in no small part because of Kenwright’s uselessness as a chairman and businessman?
Therefore, smaller squad, less money, players playing in several positions.
End of.
For Heitinga & Atletico Madrid - see Pienaar & Borussia Dortmund, see Arteta & Real Sociedad and to a lesser extent, see Howard & Manchester United.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 11/09/2009 at 08:09:29
Report abuse
Versatile players and young and upcoming players are a necessity for Moyes as we are skint. The young players have potential re-sale values and versitile players allow a certain flexibility.
I would love Moyes to buy a £20m specialist but it ain't going to happen.