The Mail Bag
Our Squad is too good!
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At the start of this season, I and many Evertonians thought that we had our strongest squad in recent memory. There was talk of qualifying for the Champions League and maybe even pushing the big 4 teams for the top spot. Crazy talk now... but it got me thinking that maybe the strength of the squad is part of the problem!!
Moyes has been brought up on getting the best from threadbare squads and has done an admirable job at it. However, he has had very little experience of handling more talented squads where players are competing (expecting) to play. In fact, one of his main selling points to attract players has been to tell them that we have small hardworking squad and they have a much better chance of playing at Everton than sitting on the bench at other clubs. The two main problems with a better squad are keeping people not playing happy and having a consistent balanced team; I think that Moyes has struggled in these areas.
One of the issues that I see, is that he is trying to squeeze in the "best players". This is exactly the trap that England fell into in the World Cup with Gerrard and Lampard etc. But the best players do not necessarily make the best team. First, you need team structure/balance and THEN you pick the best players for each role. So, playing Tim Cahill (absolute legend) up front on his own makes no sense. Similarly, recently playing Arteta alongside Fellaini and Rodwell made no sense to me. Arteta should have sat on the bench and bided his time.
Secondly, you need some consistency in the team and give people a chance to play/prove themselves. The forwards are good example. I think Moyes has too many options and, especially with a 4-5-1 formation, is struggling to give each forward 15 minutes to prove themselves. Maybe Yakubu is pissed off because of this.
In my opinion, we need to pick a forward and give him a fair go (my choice would be the Yak who can hold the ball up, is a handful for defenders and can score). If he fails after a number of games or is injured then the next in line comes in.
Ciaran Duff, Posted 05/01/2011 at 08:07:49
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Second, I don't agree with the sort of specious reasoning whereby teams somehow play better with key players missing. Quite a few people have already commented on how we will improve now that Cahill is on his holidays. I am just thankful that people like these are not allowed anywhere near my club in any sort of official capacity.
Obviously he is only a young lad who needs to get more experience and I am sure he will become a good player but I can't see this potential world beater that many others seem to see, for example, I remember reading a post a while back saying Rodwell shows as much potential as Rooney did at the same age and nearly fell off my chair.
What is it that Rodwell excells at that will hopefully have me eating my words in the future?
Could have had him for half the money we would have sold Yakubu for. Another one that got away!!!
I agree David I just don't see a huge amount of potential in Rodwell, he has the touch of an elephant and his passing is mediocre at best. I think he will end up staying in the prem all of his career but I highly doubt he will develop into some international superstar. I sincerely hope I am wrong though.
If Chelsea are prepared to pay £20 million for him I think we should take the money and run.
I honestly look at our squad and compare it with other premier sides and I find it seriously lacking !!
We do not seem to have any worthwhile youngsters pushing for places and to top it all we are hoping for other teams cast offs or surplus bench warmers to assist us through the coming months.
No team with any ambition would be associated with the injury prone Owen and santa Cruz.....
Too many of our fans have been hyping up Rodwell who is not exceptional in my eyes...
Our strong squad is really threadbare for tonights game and Redknap can afford to have a much longer injury list than ours and still field a really good side..... I fully agree with Anthony #3 we lack pace and guile and I am really scared of Bale and Lennon running at our defence.
I hope I am 100% wrong..
I think in that role he could be an exceptional player but we would need pacey wingers to make the system work. I do agree as a CM he is probably just a decent prem player but no more.
Now Moyes has assembled a better quality squad with (supposedly) creative players, he doesn't know how to handle them and get them playing as a team by attacking and dominating the opposition.
We do not have a consistant squad of players and although we all have views about Moyes team selections the fact remains we are a mid table outfit no matter which way we shuffle the pack. We need an overhaul and that has to start with Moyes being replaced. Some players have not ''kicked on'' with their progress either the young players or those returning after lay-offs. It would seem the Moyes now has to concentrate on getting a position of safety as any other hopes have long gone. Cannot for the life of me see them going on a winning streak and so unfortunately the rest of the season will be a struggle much like the first half. Sorry it's all doom and gloom but 4 wins so far this season speaks volumes.
Football.
The point is that he doesn't have one element of his game that's outstanding, such as pace, strength, passing ability, a good shot, or being completely two footed, being a natural in attack and defensive positions, reading the game intelligently, making good decisions with and without the ball, being able to play well in different roles within the team and getting your wife interested in football because he takes his top off when he scores (still with me?) its that he's got all of them. You might want to read that again to check it makes sense, but it does.
He's an excellent all-round player, with no real weaknesses.
In my opinion, he has not shown he has all those assets to his game. However, I sincerely hope you turn out to be right in the long term.
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1 Posted 05/01/2011 at 14:28:05
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How fortunes have changed inside six months and we're facing a different challenge now. The R word.
The squad isn't one you can compare to Man City or Spurs let alone the other big three. We can beat anyone on our day but that doesn't mean we are consistent. Another season petered out and more players on there way out in the summer. Enjoy the decline as that's where we are going with Kenwright and Moyes.