Here's Johnny!
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I don't know as much about football as some posters to this site so this is about character. My favourite moment yesterday? When Phil Neville disposesssed Rooney in the box and the look on his face immediately afterwards.
There is something about Phil, Tim Cahill, Fella and now Johnny Heitinga that shows on their faces that they are truly committed even though three are from abroad and two arrived only recently.
Is there now something about our club and its football leadership that somehow brings out this side of people or is it that DM deliberately looks for that in 'recruitment'?
Either way it gets my vote because that's what I like to see in an Everton team to compliment the skills of the Artetas and Pienaars.
Christopher Winslet,
United Kingdom Posted 21/02/2010 at 16:58:57
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Was it a look of relief. I was too busy watching Rooney grin as he was hurled abuse at from the front row of the Gwaldys Street.
Brilliant defending, what Neville did, when viewing the highlights.
Chris, I think it is well know that Moyes looks for charachter as much as a players ability and very few let him down. When they do start to mess about they are soon shipped out. Prime example number 1 — Jô.
And what about in the tunnel before the game started. Big brother Gary trying to do a "Roy Keane" looking hard as nails and ready to rumble. Little brother Phil calmly walks down along side ready to lead the troops out, looking straight ahead, chest out, pride written all over his face and thinkin' "today bro, i’m gonna kick your as!!!"
Don’t want to knee jerk too much but...
We have the basis of a very special team here. Today, while reading every possible match report, I had a think about what I believe is our fully fit current best possible 11 and the first few subs.
Howard
Neville Jagielka Heitinga Baines
Donovan Arteta Fellaini Pienaar Bily
Saha
Yakubu
Cahill
Osman
Yobo
Distin
Rodwell
Hibbert (is still a good stand in right back!)
I look at that and I think, shit, we’re really not that far off are we? Only Chelsea can rival that midfield.
Ernie, only problem with that is it’s pretty unlikely that we will ever see Donovan, Jagielka and Fellaini in the same side.
I really do hope that if we don’t bring Landon back on a permanent deal that Moyes at least learns the lesson that this is a position that needs to be filled by somebody similair, and not take the easy option and stick Osman back out there.
Don’t want to take anything away from Phil for the tackle, I really don’t, but I’ve watched that bit probably 10x now and to me as Rooney skips around Howard it looked like he didn’t want to score. Sounds ridiculous, but watch it again. Usually that would be touch-touch-poke into the net, yet he seemed to wait and wait and wait some more for a player to tackle him. Maybe he is still blue now he’s grown up. Maybe that’s just the 1-in-10 when he couldn’t hit a barn door.
Anyway, sorry Phil. Great tackle. I wish we could field the same side in the Europa on Thursday, we’d cruise into the last 16.
’Character’ is obviously something Moyes holds dear, the enitire back four have been captains at previous clubs. Neville (our captain), Heitinga (Ajax), Distin (Portsmouth and City), Baines (Wigan).
Was thinking the same thing Andy Mack. He’s even come out and said his young boy has got an Everton kit. Reckon his blue blood has returned and now I’m just hoping he stays at Old Trafford until his contract runs out and he comes back home on a free transfer.
It is certainly something that Moyes looks for in a player. The balls to stand up to the very best of teams, and show them who’s boss.
The only weakness in our side against Man Utd was Distin. That one good tackle on Orangutan (or whatever he’s called) just about made up for 90 mins of poor positioning, poor reading of the game, and poor distribution. I’d rather see Yobo or Senderos in there with Johnny — and that’s saying something.
Can’t wait to see PJ next to Heitinga... hope he’s getting close now — any news on his progress?
Andy Mack: The very same thought hit me as it happened. It was almost as if he refused to shoot! Sounds ridiculous I know but... Didn’t seem to bother him either.
Andy and Des I said something similar to the bloke behind me in the Park End, Shrek got the ball on the left wing and should have left the nearest Everton player for dust but seemed to take a long slow stride allowing the player to catch and dispossess him. Not taking away from the result but Shrek didn’t look arsed.
Think we might be on to something here Gavin! :-) Now that would be news.
Also thought Neville hesitated in his run back, almost giving up, until he saw how Rooney was inviting him on.
Forget the conspiracy theory. It’s simple.
We sold Man U an instinctive genius.
They have taught him to think about it. It’s all about the .something of a second.
Duncan,
Jagielka is playing for the reserves tomorrow night.
Christopher, Andy Mack: Rooney is very competitive footballer, when he rounded Howard, he over cooked the ball with his first touch, he then had to slow his pace to get his foot to the ball, allowing Neville to get there first. The look on his face was of disappointment in himself. Everton got off luckily with that one; however, no disrespect to Neville or a fantastic display by Everton as Arteta and Donovan both missed sitters as well.
Rooney took the ball left round Howard with his right boot and forward with his left boot, all in one fluid movement. This can be trained, and has been often employed by Gazza when dribbling. It’s a style that allows stubby players to maintain forward momentum in an upright posture (whilst dribbling the ball in a zig zag pattern).
He simply overshot this left foot forward touch.
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1 Posted 22/02/2010 at 10:32:41
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Brilliant defending, what Neville did, when viewing the highlights.