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The Mail Bag

McFadden or Bily?

I have to tip my hat to Birmingham and Alex McLeish, credit where it´s due, they fully deserve to be in the next round.

Straight to the point though — McFadden: the guy is class. It beggars belief as to how we let him go.

Let´s compare him with our recent Russian import... like for like, who would you rather have in the side?

As I see it, McFadden is streets ahead. So why sell a great player cheaply only to purchase a similar yet poorer player for double the price a year later?
Robert Prince, Spain Posted 25/01/2010 at 03:14:07

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Kevin Sparke
1 Posted 25/01/2010 at 07:44:35

Oh how quickly the memory fades...

McFadden, was given every chance to stake a claim for Everton greatness. Tried up front, tried on the flanks, tried just behind the forward... eventually tried my patience.

He had 1 great game in 10 and and 9 very indifferent ones. He looked great when you were winning 2-0 (which wasn’t very often in those days), scored some spectacular goals but much, much too few.

Still, he looked good on Saturday... but the way Baines was playing, my Grandma with her Zimmer frame would have looked like Zola...

In short, McFadden is what he is — a very ordinary player who sometimes has flashes of genius... but not nearly enough.

I will concede that McFadden always looked interested — unlike Bily, who seemingly still has his head somewhere above the wheat fields of Kiev... I’m really starting to lose patience with him. Someone should sit him down to watch a video of Kevin Sheedy, Trevor Steven, Johnny Morrissey et al to show him what we expect to see out wide in an Everton shirt.

Bily might be a shit player — I don’t think he is; but he certainly gives the impression that he doesn’t give a damn either way.

Tony Williams
2 Posted 25/01/2010 at 08:56:55

Seriously? You are bigging up a certain James McFadden, who last season wasn’t even a first choice at Birmingham?

He was ordinary at best and even I would have had a good first half against our lot on Saturday.

I remember McFadden for 3 things: his goal against Charlton; his uselessness on the wing and up front; but most of all for us basically raping McLeish for almost £6m for a crap player.

And what has McFadden got to do with Bilyaletdinov? This lad has played non-stop footy for over a year and its his first season in the Premier League, whereas Fadds had a lovely break and has been playing, I say playing I mean stinking up, the Premier League for years now.

I take it now that, as Hibbert wasn’t playing and Ossie scored our goal, that our next target is to be the tired Russian. Next up will be the Cahill haters again.

Steve Carter
3 Posted 25/01/2010 at 08:56:32

With you, Kevin, on McFadden - lots of dribbling around here and there, fiddle farting around and inevitably getting dispossessed. Also, he just doesn’t have enough pace for the game he wants to play. Bily seems to play in fits and starts on a game by game basis too. Neither are really that much better at the end of the day for me than, say, Kilbane — at least he was an honest trier.

Graham Tansey
4 Posted 25/01/2010 at 09:18:55

There seems to be a lot of negativity towards Bily at the moment. Yes, he has not been playing his best but has everyone forgotton what Moyes said when he signed him? If I am correct with my memory, he said that he would take time to adjust and that he was a player more for next season.

I think if we had had Arteta fit he would not have been playing so much so that he could get used to the Premier League.

Neil Vaughan
5 Posted 25/01/2010 at 09:57:12

McFadden... class... hahahahahahah!!... A pint of whatever you’ve been drinking, Robert.

Dick Fearon
6 Posted 25/01/2010 at 10:53:05

A simple question that requires a simple answer. On the basis of the Brum game alone, was McFadden better than Bily? — and if so, by how much was he better?

I cannot offer an opinion because I did not see the game. I own up to being a fan of Jimmy Mac and only wished we had had better class players around him.

Simon Kirwan
7 Posted 25/01/2010 at 11:05:08

Re-word the question a little:

Do you want somebody who is tried and tested, utterly shite but can produce something special when you least expect it? Do you want somebody shite but has massive potential to improve once settled etc etc.

I'm taking Bily all day but I'm by far the kid's biggest fan.

Terry McLavey
8 Posted 25/01/2010 at 11:27:40

Showing my age here! But l can see similaries between Jimmy Husband and McFadden, usually no impact on the game, misses sitters! (Jimmy Husband in the '68 FA Cup final) runs around achieving nothing, mostly down blind alleys! Neither of them can pass like Bily, end of!

Michael Lynch
9 Posted 25/01/2010 at 12:02:11

Robert, thank god you are not our manager. James Mcfadden? The lad couldn’t beat an egg. Terrible player.

James Stewart
10 Posted 25/01/2010 at 12:22:16

Neither; both are shit.

Howard Don
11 Posted 25/01/2010 at 12:22:36

Robert. Sorry can’t agree, MacFadden was 10% moments of inspiration and spent the rest of his time going down blind alleys. Bily has obvious class, great feet and at the moment is lacking work rate and ability to tackle.

The difference is Bily’s shortcomings can be worked on and given a decent break and pre-season, I believe his class will out. McFadden on the other hand will not get any better.

Terry McLavey, funny how the memory works, I remember Jimmy Husband as more effective than McFadden ever was. Or until THAT tackle from Dave McKay, that is.

Nick Broadhurst
12 Posted 25/01/2010 at 12:38:59

Is this a joke?

Billy is light years ahead of McFadden in pretty much every aspect.

He was shite in the Prem game and was shite on Saturday as well. Where you got "the guy is class" from is anyone's guess...

Dick Anderson
13 Posted 25/01/2010 at 13:06:59

Bily or McFadden?

Is neither an option?

Norman Merrill
14 Posted 25/01/2010 at 14:11:56

Robert, That's your opinion, I would sooner have David Moyes's thinking.

Anthony Millington
15 Posted 25/01/2010 at 14:31:44

McFadden is just an average Premier League player. Shows some nice touches at times, but is nothing special. Based on Saturday’s performance, anyone would have looked like a world beater compared to Bily, who was awful.

By the way, where is the post about how great Fellaini is this week?

Chris Fisher
16 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:09:37

I would rather have Bily by quite some distance to be fair! McFadden is not streets ahead, he was shite for us and Moyes gave him every chance possible but he couldn't cut it. One class goal a season does not make him a good player.

Rich Williams
17 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:41:05

My goodness, not even close! Bily!!

Jay Harris
18 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:40:22

Would rather have Ossie than either of them!

Kenny Lloyd
19 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:50:42

I’d choose Bily every time. As has been said, he had numerous chances for us and he, in the main, couldn’t deliver for us. We shit all over Birmingham with the amount they paid for him so I’m happy with the deal and I’ve never once wished for him back.

As for Bily, I think he could probably do more but if he has played a long season in Russia before coming here, it’s a big ask to come and pull your tripe out week-in, week-out in one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world. I know it’s the minimum requirement for most but I get the impression that it’s not something which comes natural to him.

I’m hoping a decent break for him in the summer and a proper pre-season with us will see him come good next season. He definitely has potential and at times looks a real goal threat so I guess we’ll see.

James Stewart
20 Posted 25/01/2010 at 16:47:53

Good shout, Jay Harris.. I will second that!

Tony Cheek
21 Posted 25/01/2010 at 17:07:16

Yes... Bily everytime. We just don't give new players enough time to get used to the pace here. I think Bily is going to be proven to be a very good buy. Can you all remember Mikel's debut? He really seemed out of his depth for a few games, but look at his status now.

Give these new players a chance... Heitinga is also going to be a good-un. Sorry, Robert, but James McFadden is just too inconsistent; as Kevin wrote, one good game in ten... pity it had to be against us.

Tony Cheek
22 Posted 25/01/2010 at 17:07:16

Yes... Bily every time. We just don't give new players enough time to get use to the pace here. I think Bily is going to be proven to be a very good buy. Can you all remember Mikel's debut? He really seemed out of his depth for a few games, but look at his status now.

Give these new players a chance... Heitinga is also going to be a good-un. Sorry, Robert, but James McFadden is just too inconsistent, as Kevin wrote; one good game in ten... pity it had to be against us.

Gareth Atkinson
23 Posted 25/01/2010 at 18:32:23

McFadden is fucking shit, end of.

Andy Crooks
24 Posted 25/01/2010 at 19:46:42

Bily might be top class. McFadden will never be.

Craig Taylor
25 Posted 25/01/2010 at 20:15:12

Bily is quality. End of.

This time next season, we will be shitting it that he will be leaving to a team with a shitload of money. Probably Chelsea with their Russia links.

Nick Armitage
26 Posted 25/01/2010 at 20:27:18

After all the conversation, here Gareth Atkinson just about hit the nail on the head.

Kevy Quinn
27 Posted 25/01/2010 at 20:27:54

The problem with Bily is that he isn't an out-and-out winger. He hasn't got the pace and looks lost out wide. He stated when he signed he prefers to play more in the middle but there is no way Moysie would play him in there. I watched him play in the World Cup qualifer a couple of months ago he played on the inside from the left and was quality. Scored two goals one of them a cracker. He has ability but he's not the type of player to run past people; his game is more control and passing.

David Hallwood
28 Posted 25/01/2010 at 21:29:19

God opinion on TW goes up & down like a whores drawers, Bily has a good game v Man C — world class; shite game against Brum — plain shite.

For what it's worth, Bily looks like a player who can see a pass and can give himself a couple of options, he just looks lost by the speed of it all at the minute.

McFadden? I think it was Shankly who used to call players like these ’tanner ball players’.

I must admit I can’t remember the game, but he’d been away with Scotland, scored a great goal, then at the next home game looked like he was under the spell of a hypnotist. Given loads of chances, never impressed, I thought it was a great piece of business getting £6mill for him, and still do.

Andrew James
29 Posted 25/01/2010 at 21:36:43

This isn’t comparing like with like but that aside look at the stats. Bily is just past the halfway point in the season and has scored 4 times. Now correct me if I am wrong but Jimmy Mac would score that amount in a whole season. Therefore Bily is more prolific one would suspect.

Secondly look at last season. Jimmy Mac went down a division and played for a top side. Did he score a hatful and call the shots which an International player of his Premier League experience would be expected? No. For me that confirmed that we were right to get rid. He should have adapted well to going down a division but instead took his inconsistent form to new depths. On the flip side Bily has gone the other way (to an extent) and had some impact. He’s not perfect and does go missing but he’s got enough of a footballing brain and a sweet left foot on him to get by for now. He will profit from a break and proper pre-season.

Jimmy Mac had plenty of them and never stepped up. The guy moaned about being a sub in the 2004-05 season and then, when injuries hit the team, got lots of game time in 2005-06 and didn’t seize his chance.

Dick Fearon
30 Posted 25/01/2010 at 22:03:36

There has been only one reply that properly answers my question.

Most of you, according to reports, believe that a player who showed a disgraceful lack of enthusiasm and was dragged at half time was the better player on the day.

Tony Williams
31 Posted 25/01/2010 at 23:20:25

Dick, to be honest, it is a pointless question. For instance, on the showing of Stevie Me Laaaa’s last half-a-game, would you rather have him or Ossie?

Jamie Sweet
32 Posted 26/01/2010 at 02:12:45

I am 99% certain that Bily will turn out to be a great player for us. He is technically very gifted and needs time to adjust to PL footie and get onto the fact that you have to run around giving it your all until you’re breathing out of your arse to gain the respect of the Goodison faithful.

As for McFadden... aside from his goal against Charlton (which admittedly was one of the finest goals I have seen at GP), I consider him to have been a complete waste of space. Simply not good enough.

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