ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

I Hate To Say This...

Let's face it — the performance against Fulham was about as spineless as it gets for Everton; compounded by strange decisions from Moyes and what now appears to be a bad ligament injury to Phil Neville.

However, it's the Neville injury I'm going to focus on. Obviously, in what is a threadbare squad, we don't want players injured for the Blues in any circumstance.

Saying that, if I'm being brutally honest with myself... I'm sort of, well, not "happy" he's injured, but it DOES force David Moyes to break his unbelievable selection policy involving Neville in midfield.

Of course, the fact our manager decided to throw a right-back on in his place isn't encouraging (given Fellaini was sat on the bench, and Cahill available to drop into midfield for Yak to come on upfront, or about twelve other more obvious answers that most managers would have done — but thats by the by...), but overall it does free up a selection problem that was caused by the signing of Bilyaletdinov.

Neville was never going to be dropped... ever — even if the majority of Evertonians would have screamed for a midfield of Pienaar, Rodwell, Cahill, and Bilyaletdinov.

Perhaps "Captain Pointsalot" being out for a while could, in a perverse way, be beneficial for Everton this year.

It couldn't get much worse!
Lee Kidd, Liverpool Posted 14/09/2009 at 17:42:58

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Martin Cutler
1 Posted 15/09/2009 at 02:29:41

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I see what you’re saying Lee but I totally disagree ... one might argue that in the long-term (ok, short term but NOT immediately) Neville would be replaced by "a better player" ... his injury will force a change that Moyes has to make.
However, what about Hibbert? What about Osman? And on Thursday we could have played Neville as right back as both Hibbert and Heitinga can’t play!

So with a very, very important game coming up on Thursday and a no doubt physical game against Blackburn (with that rubber-faced dick for a manager) on Sunday... I hope I’m wrong BUT it could get worse!!

The only saving grace is that we have a run of 4 or 5 league games coming up that we absolutely should and must win. (Of course I was thinking we’d beat Burnley and Fulham too).

One plus is that Distin is playing rather well — not a bad signing at all.

Nick Xenos
2 Posted 15/09/2009 at 05:50:15
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This reminds me of a similar scenario two seasons ago when most of us were crying out for Baines to be given a go at left-back. Eventually, Yobo received an injury and we got our wish, and consequently formed a very good defensive unit.
In this case, I would've rather preferred (if anyone) Hibbo to have come a cropper as Nev offers us leadership skills and cover in several positions. Anyway, as it were in the Leighton/Yobo case, this will force Moyes’s hand (why did it have to come to this again?) and play someone like Fellaini or Heitinga, who are more suited to the defensive midfield role. I only hope it’s Fellaini that feels the void as Hibbert needs replacing at right back.
To close my point, Nev’s injury is bad short-term (for reasons Martin mentioned) but long-term, I think this may prove to be beneficial to our style of play.

Viv Sharma
3 Posted 15/09/2009 at 09:13:18
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Poor old Pip gets a lot of stick from us fans, but the truth be told he’s an excellent player at doing his role. The trouble is that in the team that we have, he needs to do his role and then some, and that's where he falls down.
I watched the highlights of the Man City game on MotD on saturday (mainly to watch the Arse lose and throw things at the tv each time Judas Lescott came on) but the post-match anaylsis they were all singing the praises of De Jong for breaking up play and being positionally aware. They went on to say "ok, his passing is lacking and he just makes simple 5 or 10 yard pass to a team mate, but defensively he’s superb".
Pip is grand at the holding part (ok, rubbish tackle on Illunga to concede that free kick, but generally I rate him). The trouble is after that, he can’t lay it off to a decent creative partner and he has to try and pass it more than 10 yards which is way out of his ability.
Mikel is the only player in the whole squad who is really able to pick a pass and without him, everyone else looks bad. Bily looks like a ’get it and run’ kinda guy and Heitinga looks just like Pip in that respect. I cannot believe we didn’t invest in cover for Arteta. Taking Pip out of the centre does free up a space for a creative player... Trouble is we don’t have one.
I am truly grateful of the stability DM has brought to the club. Not staring relegation in the face year after year is a real blessing, but if we want to progress from here, we need to replace him with someone who can see the creative and attacking void that we have. It's not Pips fault.
Hibbo and Osman on the other hand... Nah, I’ll leave that one this time...

James Thomas
4 Posted 15/09/2009 at 09:35:14
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Moyes will not go more attacking. This injury is very bad for the club — Moyes will play Heitinga, a full back, in defensive mid with Rodwell. We saw at Fulham that is how he intends to play. I love Jonny Heitinga (possibly from playing too much Pro Evo) but the man is a right back or at a stretch a centre back. He is NOT a defensive mid, but that is where Moyes will play him. Safety first and all that...

Ciarán McGlone
5 Posted 15/09/2009 at 10:08:58
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We have Gosling for right back... I’m not happy at any players misfortune... but I’m happy he won’t be available for selection in midfield for a long time.

Take issue with this stance all you want — but if Moyes won’t do the obvious — then fate can do it for him.

Philip Jones
6 Posted 15/09/2009 at 10:17:05
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Is Coleman over his toe injury? Perhaps he could be given a run at right back.

Norman Merrill
7 Posted 15/09/2009 at 13:17:31
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Well Lee, it looks like you are going to get your wish: No Capt Pointsalot, as you put it for some time. When do you expect to see the improvement you crave?
I hope we do start winning games, because with or with out the captain, we will be in deep shit. We have only played Arsenal, of any ability, and we know what they did to us.

James Boden
8 Posted 15/09/2009 at 20:57:53
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God forbid either of them 2 pricks ever get injured. Plus also they will be in the side forever no matter who Moyes signs. That is why Moyes sticks Neville into midfield to accomodate Hibbert. As for Osman he will be in the team even when all are fit. If that means Arteta, Rodwell, Cahill, Pienaar, Felliaini or Billy are dropped then so be it as far as Moyes is concerned.

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