Toffeeweb - The Mail Bag - Is Bily bothered?

Nick Entwistle
1 Posted 22/03/2010 at 20:48:07

I think he is. He went nuts when we Landon got the 4th against Hull so he is committed.

He's just turned pants ever since Russia got dumped out the World Cup. And he's now a season and a half without rest... though that's nothing on Cahill's stint a few seasons back.

For all the crap he does, there is a genuine brilliance here and there throghout a match and should be on instead of Osman, who has recently shown what a great influence from the bench he can be.

Duncan McDine
2 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:00:22

I think he's doing alright, and actually looked pretty decent on Saturday. He slipped a cracking little pass into Baines who should have got a shot away before being challenged. On that subject, I think Baines must start shooting practice with his right peg!!! He's got himself into great positions lately, and could've nicked a goal or two if he'd got a shot away quickly, rather than wait wait wait to get it back on his left.

Ossie should start on Wednesday. When he, Pienaar & Arteta are on form, there's no stopping them.

Keith Glazzard
3 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:06:37

Six weeks in the datcha, and he will come back as the star he is.

Duncan McKenzie restored to us.

Duncan McDine
4 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:00:22

I think he's doing alright, and actually looked pretty decent on Saturday. He slipped a cracking little pass into Baines who should have got a shot away before being challenged. On that subject, I think Baines must start shooting practice with his right peg!!! He's got himself into great positions lately, and could've nicked a goal or two if he'd got a shot away quickly, rather than wait wait wait to get it back on his left.

Ossie should start on Wednesday. When he, Pienaar & Arteta are on form, there's no stopping them.

Ian Kearney
5 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:10:07

Learn the lesson from Fellaini and be patient, we are lucky Russia aren't going the World Cup (though it's a shame because they play nice football). Bily will be judged next season by fans with any sense.

Keith Glazzard
6 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:09:56

Duncan - the day I hear anyone connected with football suggest that 80% of the players should learn what to do with their left foot rather than just stand on it I might agree with you.

All the same, Baines got into some amazing positions for a left back last Saturday.

David Hallwood
7 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:35:37

2 great feet, skill in abundance, can spot a pass and a great footballing brain, If(and it's a big if) he can settle down in this country, and master the pace of the EPL we've got a gem on our hands

Duncan McDine
8 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:36:11

Fair point Keith.

Don't know why my last few posts have popped up twice - hopefully this isn't duplicated (get a grip TW!).

Dick Fearon
9 Posted 22/03/2010 at 21:27:30

I agree with Nick E, Osman should be used from the bench. I have said that for yonks and my thoughts were vindicated against Bolton.

As for Bily there is no doubt he has a football brain and skill to go with it but he does lack pace.

Expert speed coaching would improve that side of his game but only if he is prepared to do the hard yards. I hope the lad is up to it because I see something in him that reminds me of past greats.

Matthew Salem
10 Posted 22/03/2010 at 22:28:13

I think Bily has shown his talent and skill in many games. Unfortunately, he seems to lack confidence at times and seems knackered rather quickly.

I am convinced, that just like Screech, he will eventually be a hit, even if not in his very first season.

David Booth
11 Posted 22/03/2010 at 22:41:28

We'll see the best of him when he's played in his proper position, ie: not on the wing.

He's an inside forward - a position marginalised in modern-day football and the reason behind the demise of Danny Cademarteri for example, who sadly was never allowed to settle in his rightful position at Everton (or anywhere else for that matter).

In these days of one up front, there's no room for an Adrian Heath type player, which is surely the best parallel for Billy.

A winger he is not. But I believe he's got real potential to be a menace in and around the box, with good close control and an eye for a quick shot on goal.

Until we use him properly, I don't think we'll see him play to his full potential. If we don't, he'll be off and branded a failure. What a waste that would be, as in patches he's shown us he clearly has the potential to be something special.

Simon Kirwan
12 Posted 22/03/2010 at 22:57:15

He is severely lacking confidence i think.. Certain mannerisms and all that

Jay Harris
13 Posted 22/03/2010 at 23:14:16

I think he left his heart in San Francisco ...... well Moscow actually.

I see no desire,maybe a little skill, but his contribution gets less every time I see him.

The old argument that he is tired doesnt wash as he has been well rested these last few games.

Maybe we'll see the best of him next season but I would expect more from him now.

Kevin Tully
14 Posted 22/03/2010 at 23:20:42

The boy certainly needs some coaching. He doesn't know when to make a run or not at the moment. He missed a couple of opportunities to connect in the box against Bolton, this part of his game is still very poor. Agree with the other posters though, could be a star if he puts in the graft next season.

James Flynn
15 Posted 23/03/2010 at 00:11:27

Get Landon back next mid-season after MLS is done. Assuming everything I read here about Toffee economics is correct, some creativity will be required, but Landon wants to come. So get it figured out. Donovan is not the typical transfer/loan player.

Regulars here know my opinion on how to work a deal between EFC and Galaxy. Donovan said for the record it's EFC or no one. He wasn't just saying that to be nice. He wants to play wearing the Blue.

The surface was barely scratched on the loan this year. Name another just appeared in EPL and did as well as Donovan? Name him. Wait until he asserts himself. You'll see. Bily, and anyone else attacking, will get delivery they love game after game. That is when Landon is not attacking the net himself.

Bily has the basic goods. We're just not going to see him coming on and think, "It's Bily! We got em now"! He needs things around him just right to allow him to excel. That's what I see. Why put expectations on him, he's not suitable for?

EFC has to win. To para-phrase a common American sports expression, "There's an i in win, but no i in team".

Moyes' challenge from now on is to get the team to winning consistently. The talent (minus this off-season, those who are more into the "i" than the "team") is there, Bily being one. Has he flaws? The best do, so why not him too?

Get Landon back. He'll lead this team by the time April 2011 comes around.

Eric Myles
16 Posted 23/03/2010 at 01:53:29

Jay, Bily may have been rested in the matches but I bet he has to turn up at Finch Farm every day and put in the same shift as the other players.

Conor Ryan
17 Posted 23/03/2010 at 04:52:26

Just watched that clip there ,of Bily lying down like he's posing for Playgirl .Im sorry but thats not good enough.The first requirement of EFC is attitude and passion that mirrors our good selves. Only for the fact we scored in that attack and were already 1nil up does this get over looked.

Paul Gladwell
18 Posted 23/03/2010 at 08:11:37

These people calling for Osman to stay on the bench. Did you not witness the first half? At half-time, a few of us over our half-time pint in the Park End were crying out for Osman and not until he came on did we pass or play any football, I thought it was our worst 45 this season.

It`s about time this lad got some recognition. Yes, he has his off games, but this season he has done the business against the top teams including MotM against Utd.

When he plays with Pienaar, Arteta and Co they mostly rub off on each other as they all have footballing brains, yet in the first half these lads where shocking. I suppose it was a good job he was not on the pitch in that first half, as if he would have been at the level these players were at he would have been knocked from pillar to post.

It seems certain players players can do no wrong, yet when Osman has a bad game after being our best player against Utd and Chelsea, it`s classed as a fluke run and he is really shite.

David Hallwood
19 Posted 23/03/2010 at 08:44:13

Paul Gladwell — you mean it was worse than Arsenal & Wolves? But agreement about Ossie, I think he's a great little player.

Keith Glazzard
20 Posted 23/03/2010 at 08:39:42

Conor - I've just had another look at the clip myself, and it really is amazing.

I keep getting these flashbacks to Duncan McKenzie - is it not exactly the kind of thing he would have done? Gordon Lee hated it an was unable to use the talent available to him. I think the word 'arrogance' was used now and then. Some people prefer to call it flair, or character, and we are forever hearing that the modern game has lost it.

Bily seemed to me to be admiring his team mates' skills, and you know, he got it exactly right. He wouldn't be needed again until the celebration. So let's save the barbs for when he does get something badly wrong.

Tony Williams
21 Posted 23/03/2010 at 08:54:57

Paul, we have played many worse halves than that this season. I like Ossie but I bet the rollicking the lads got at half time also helped them pull their finger out and start attacking more.

Jay, I and all those around me agreed that Bolton was Bily's first game where he really looked up for it and started putting himself about a bit. Once he settles in and gets put in his preferred position he wil come good, if anything Felliani has taught us is that we have to be patient with new players.

Mike Elbey
22 Posted 23/03/2010 at 09:31:08

I think we have seen enough promise from Billy to have legitimate hopes that he will be a very good player for us in years to come. Afterall he has still contributed about 5 goals and a fair few assists even when we are saying he's not good enough.

As far as Ossie is concerned he is a different player when played in his proper peosition in the middle. All our best football in recent seasons has coincided with him playing centrally. At the present time no-one can convince me that Ossie would not offer more to the team than what Cahill has contributed since his return from injury. Cahill should not be in the team at present based on form - I am not writing him off but given the strength of our squad now we should not be picking players who are not in top form.

Gavin Ramejkis
23 Posted 23/03/2010 at 09:49:11

Keith I'm loving the Duncan McKenzie memories, I'm hoping Bily does get his head straight next season. I also agree I love to see one of our boys in blue with a bit of swagger to them, remember the Fellaini twirl taking the ball off Bellamy, could watch moments like that every week, even the Neville stepover at the end of the Bolton game.

Paul Gladwell
24 Posted 23/03/2010 at 09:33:23

Tony / David I agree with what your saying but yes in ways I do think it was worse than those games in ways because of how badly the standard had slipped, the passing was unbelievable from the lot of them with the exception of Heitinga and Distin.

Against Arsenal the whole club was up the wall and that came as no suprise in ways and to be fair I cannot remember how bad Wolves was as I was pissed on a freebie in the exec boxes.

Matthew Mackey
25 Posted 23/03/2010 at 09:58:24

Bily the kid will be fine.

Look at Fellaini. He had a dodgy first season and then upped his game in his 2nd season, becoming one of our better performers before being knobbled. I hope Bily will tread the same path, bar the "knobbled" bit of course.

Just goes to show that sometimes foreign players do need a little bit of time to settle in this country before coming good.

Dave Roberts
26 Posted 23/03/2010 at 10:03:48

One of the things I have noticed about Bily is that he doesn't celebrate that much when he scores himself! Have a look at his reaction after his goal against Manure. No shirt over the head or charging into the crowd and no boxing the corner flag. Just a broad smile. It's probably the way he is, muted.

As for tiredness, after a season and a half without a real break it's not only a matter of physical tiredness there is psychological tiredness as well — or staleness.

I think he is potentially a great player and it's up to the coaching staff and the gaffer to make sure he fullfils that potential. Partly by playing as an inside forward as somebody else has already said. He doesn't have to play every game.

Mark Murphy
27 Posted 23/03/2010 at 11:44:10

Billy will be great next season, I've heard great things about him in training.
But he is no Duncan Mckenzie! The sun shone out of his arse!
doodah, doodah..

Gavin Ramejkis
28 Posted 23/03/2010 at 12:12:13

Mark I still have boyhood memories of him running off at half time to have a fag, he was one of many boyhood heroes, do they make em like that anymore?

Tom Bowers
29 Posted 23/03/2010 at 14:56:30

Winning at City will be tough but we generally have had a good record there and we are playing pretty solid at the moment except for some atrocious passing especially in the first half against Bolton.Everton should be quite relaxed now as deep down they must know we are not really going much further up the table.On the question of Osman remember he had fresh legs when he subbed on Saturday and apart from the howling miss he showed spark and taht is why I think he should be used as a sub. City have Europe to play for and a draw by the Blues wouldn't be that bad under the circumstances. I still say the younsters should get more starting time but Vaughan and Coleman are gone on loan so Gosling, Rodwell should play on the run in.

Andy Codling
30 Posted 23/03/2010 at 17:40:07

So am I being told Danny Cadematri was shit because he was played out of position and not because he was an arrogant useless twat who made a name for himself on a derby goal?

Paul Maguire
31 Posted 23/03/2010 at 19:32:56

Thats true, Dave Roberts, he doesnt big himself up when he scores, but he's always one of the first to congratulate another teammates goal. Yes, Bily is bothered. He is one of the most exciting players I've seen in many years at Goodison, and with a bit more confidence and settling in time I'm certain he will be one of Everton's greats.

Peter Carpenter
32 Posted 23/03/2010 at 20:17:15

Poor Ossie. Even a discussion about Bily ends up about him. For what it's worth, down at St Andrews last week I met up with an old friend and Brum fan. Whilst discussing the relative merits of our teams he picked out Ossie one of our top players and the one he would like to have playing for them. Yes, out on the right - not fast enough - but central - others play well around him. It's the same effect as Peter Reid all those years ago. (Fuck, I'm getting old!) Will we ever learn to love our Ossie?

Dick Fearon
33 Posted 23/03/2010 at 22:24:17

If everyone was honest, they would have to agree that, for each of Osman's good games, he has a number of bad ones and it dosen't matter what position he is in. His main drawbacks are a lack of pace and how easily he is shunted off the ball.

Coming fresh off the bench when opponents have been run ragged allows Leon that fraction of time that he needs.

Joe McMahon
34 Posted 23/03/2010 at 23:11:00

For £9 million I was hoping we could sign someone whi was quicker than "Brian the Snail".