ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Heitinga's best position

A lot has been said about where Johnny Heitinga's best position is.

Some say he's too slow to be a right-back and some say he's got problems with his positioning at centre-back... but against Villa on Saturday he gave the best holding midfield performance of the season. With his great distribution and well timed tackles, he kept Villa's central midfield quiet.

He could be the long-term solution to our holding midfield problem as I believe he would compliment Arteta well and he would also allow Neville to drop back to right-back.

Am I alone in thinking this?
Ian Tod, Liverpool Posted 01/11/2009 at 16:50:10

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Kiern Moran
1 Posted 01/11/2009 at 21:42:38

This is exactly what I thought after seeing the game. Our new Carsley and chief water carrier, gets my vote.

Ben Jones
2 Posted 01/11/2009 at 21:48:13

Hmm... I think it’s way too early to tell. I don’t think he can be classed as the new Carsley after one great performance. I think we’ll find out by the end of the season, because Moyes loves playing him everywhere at the moment

Andy Crooks
3 Posted 01/11/2009 at 22:06:01

I agree with you, Ian. As a player subject to the odd loss of concentration, I think holding midfield is the best place to have him. I really don’t know how good he is but I hope he gets a run in the side.

Phil Roberts
4 Posted 01/11/2009 at 22:41:10

To answer your question, Ian - No you are not alone. Probability theories alone would say there has to be at least two of you.

Ian Tod
5 Posted 01/11/2009 at 22:52:12

Thanks Phil, I feel much better now.

John Martin
6 Posted 02/11/2009 at 00:23:22

While he did play well yesterday, I am not jumping to conclusions because previously he’s been poor in midfield. Let's see what he’s like after a few games.

Jason Lam
7 Posted 02/11/2009 at 02:34:26

Give Moyes a year and we may find out. In fact, he could be our next best striker if injuries forced Moyes’s hand.

John Barnes
8 Posted 02/11/2009 at 04:11:42

Jesus, the new Carsley????? God forbid he’s as average as that.
Agree Heitinga looked the business in centre midfield and really pressed Villa around their own box in the second half.

Matthew Lovekin
9 Posted 02/11/2009 at 07:48:08

How about left-back? He should be left-back in the changing room!

Phil Roberts
10 Posted 02/11/2009 at 07:45:06

John,

First you have really upset with your parents to be a Evertonian and they gave you the name John Barnes.

And second - Jesus in not the new Carsley. Jesus is God’s Son and not a defensive midfielder. Go check out the Bible and you will see what Jesus is all about -

Gerry Rutter
11 Posted 02/11/2009 at 08:19:29

I’m sorry but there are some absolute idiots on this site. Like my old mum used to say if you havn’t got anything constructive to say then say nothing.

Brian Noble
12 Posted 02/11/2009 at 08:34:41

So far ,he strikes me as a very average utility player who in the true vein of most Moyes’signings has failed ’to hit the ground running’.Like Fellaini, he seems to have been signed for his ability ’to do a job’ in a number of positions and has not struck me as particularly outstanding in any of them.Only when Moyes has the money-and/or the wisdom-to sign classy specialist players will we have any chance of seeing a return to former glories.
(The sort you need a long memory to have experienced!)

Tony Williams
13 Posted 02/11/2009 at 09:03:28

Whatever you do, don’t let Ciaran within a mile of this post ha ha

Geoff Edwards
14 Posted 02/11/2009 at 09:26:07

Jesus was a goalkeeper - he was very good with crosses.

Liam Reilly
15 Posted 02/11/2009 at 09:51:37

The jury’s still out on Jonny’s best position, but for sure, he should be kept well away from any dead ball situations. The fact that he can hit the ball at some pace notwithstanding, his free-kicks has been shocking.

Warren Bridgewater
16 Posted 02/11/2009 at 10:23:49

I agree, that was his best performance and reminded me of Gravesen!

Tom Bowers
17 Posted 02/11/2009 at 11:18:00

Heitinga had an excellent game in a much more spirited performance from the Blues but we were all at sea for the Villa goal despite having many players back. Neill is our best option for right back now but these new players will need a few more games to get an understanding with each other and that had better be quick as we come up against Manure and Liverpool. Bily and Neill would miss the Benefica game anyway and now Bily misses also the next 3 Prem games.Never ends does it?

Alan McGuffog
18 Posted 02/11/2009 at 11:42:53

I agree that it is a bit early to be getting carried away but, whatever his position, at last we have got a real hardcase knocking about. I for one have been sick to death of our lads being generally kicked and bullied by the opposition...especially by the so called Sky 4 teams.

We have a tradition of playing football but as Brian Labone stated "we could play football if you wanted but if they mixed it up we could look after ourselves as well "... probably bolloxed up the quote but you get the drift.

I remember Dennis Stevens, Bobby Collins, Gabriel ,Morrisey ( prior to the Smiths )... later on Reid and Psycho Pat... all hard guys who made the opposition realise we weren’t there to make the numbers up.

Having said that, Johnny H will probably be in the bath by half time in the derby!

Derek Thomas
19 Posted 03/11/2009 at 01:04:05

Brian Noble, I was that memory man and while we’re on Jesus. I remember an old Bill Tidy cartoon series on a Blue Vs red theme.

1) Scene: Outside St Lukes Church on Derby day, 1st religious placard waver (blue?) ’ Jesus Saves ’...2nd RPW (red?) ’ St John Scores Rebound ’

2) Scene: Disgruntled Blue to mate on way out of ground after match, spys lump of Gum on Gravel by grass, says to mate, ’We’ed never av lost if Alex hadn’t lost his chewwy ’.

3) Scene: (very applicable today) Fan enters tv repair shop carrying telly, says to assistant, ’Something wrong with this mate, only shows Leeds and Man United’

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