Season 2011-12 Fan Articles
Not a lot to get excited about
By Paul Traill :: 24/07/2011
32 Comments (»Last)
We had a busy day planned with a mate?s 30th birthday in Liverpool. I probably wouldn?t have bothered with the Reserves match in Southport on Saturday if another mate wasn?t able to organise some free tickets, so it nicely coincided with the whole day ? a free match then a big night out? It was quite special for Southport ? the FInal of the Liverpool Senior Cup. The only problem being that we had to wear a suit for the occasion and then consequently ended up wearing suits for the night in town also? hence looking like complete pillocks for the evening.
We stayed down in the bar just a little too long; not only had the game started by the time we sat down ? we?d also missed the first goal so I?ve no idea how that one was scored but it was Karl Ledsham who scored it apparently? my mate Tim?s mother describing it was ?woeful? later on. I took my seat to see Alan Irvine sat just a row forward to the right of me. Alan Stubbs standing at the edge of his technical area, arms folded, head shaking? this was to be quite an ongoing trend.
It wasn?t long before Southport doubled their money, the busy John Paul Kissock smashing home a free-kick from about 20 yards out. I did see that one?shame our goalkeeper Taudul didn?t. 2-0 but I hoped this would bring the best out of us and get us to attack a bit more; not so. Kissock certainly played as if he had a point to prove.
I don?t think there was an attack of note from Everton throughout the first half. Balls in were always either under-hit or too comfortable for the keeper whilst Silva toiled painstakingly in attack. Come the second half and Kissock had surprisingly been taken off as Everton needed to go for it in what is, historically at least, quite an important competition locally. It wasn?t until we got around mid-way through the second half that we were able to put anything together at all really and that was enforced by the introduction of Hallam Hope who got on the end of a few things though with no reward. As it transpired, Southport really oughta have made it 3-0, missing a very presentable headed opportunity whilst Everton struggled to cope defensively.
So? any stand out players? I thought Baxter was the only one that stood out. Although he?s played a few senior games it?s the first time I?ve really had a good look at Baxter. He seems an intelligent player and was a step above most if not all around him. I think he could be our next Leon Osman in that he?s technically clever and can slot into a few different positions.
Other than that, I?m really struggling. Browning the right back looked quite good though did nearly tee up another ex-blue Scott Spencer who never made the grade at Everton with an under-hit backpass which thankfully wasn?t capitalized upon. At centre back, Duffy and Mustafi were particularly poor which was strange given that these are probably two of the more senior players in the squad. Bidwell didn?t look out of place at left back I suppose though offered nothing special. Garbutt (also a left back) was playing ahead of him on the left wing so was difficult to judge.
Forshaw, who I think got on the pitch away at Wolves last season, got into the game a little more as it went on but didn?t offer much, nor did any of the other midfielders other than Baxter. Joao Silva toiled up top but had a truly awful game? looking totally unable to get going whatsoever. We did look more of a threat when the lively substitute Hope got going but in truth we were never really in this game and, Baxter aside, I struggled to see much on the field who was going to make a positive impact on either the current or future team. I know they?re young lads and you don?t want to be too critical but I think they?ll all know it was a seriously poor display today? though I was quite impressed with Southport.
After the match, it was a decent night in town, all suited and booted? home late after a long, long day. A taste of football at least.
The first team squad are back today? hopefully we can really kick on now in the next few friendlies before the real work starts at White Hart Lane.
No player ratings for this one. Man of the match: Jose Baxter.
Reader Comments (32)
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2 Posted 24/07/2011 at 17:27:59
3 Posted 24/07/2011 at 19:35:51
But Martin is spot-on: The kids in the USA are the ones we are watching... and for me the brightest spot is that Barkley doesn't appear that injured after all the talk of him not playing.
4 Posted 24/07/2011 at 20:06:53
5 Posted 24/07/2011 at 20:22:59
If it is option 1... why give up on him... and still take McAleny... unless they think they have given Baxter his go.
I would just love to hear Moyes's thoughts on the young man's potential, which ? until Rodders took the headlines ? was considered the brightest young star in the club. He might have to do an Osman and wait till he's 23 for a proper chance... and then play wing.
6 Posted 24/07/2011 at 21:44:08
7 Posted 24/07/2011 at 22:12:29
How can ex-defenders like Stubbs, who never experienced what it is like to be physically or mentally in the attack zone, give advice to potential strikers when they themselves only ever got within 50 yards of the opponents goal at set pieces?
Oh, thanks, Paul, for your much appreciated report.
8 Posted 24/07/2011 at 23:15:00
9 Posted 25/07/2011 at 00:21:20
10 Posted 25/07/2011 at 00:58:09
I hate saying it but my advice to any aspiring young striker would be, escape the influence of deadly Dave and his like-minded defensive clones as quick as possible.
11 Posted 25/07/2011 at 08:53:13
12 Posted 25/07/2011 at 11:36:54
13 Posted 25/07/2011 at 11:34:02
14 Posted 25/07/2011 at 12:06:04
Trouble would have then ensued. Like it or not Moyes cannot handle big name players, it's his way or the highway. Ferguson has handled him superbly and the lad is developing all the time as a footballer.
15 Posted 25/07/2011 at 13:36:03
16 Posted 25/07/2011 at 13:17:43
Ah... the old "coached out of him" classic, that has to be the single most pathetic claim to come from Moyes`s critics. When Saha is fully fit, he`s as good as anyone around, he doesn't seem to have had his class "coached out of him"; neither does Baines, Osman, Fellaini, Arteta or any of our flair footballers. It's a ridiculous notion... and to claim there would have been murder between Moyes and Rooney is just pie-in-the-sky gueswork, you have no way of knowing.
When you say Ferguson has managed Rooney superbly, are you refering to when he played him out of position for a season to accomodate Ronaldo, or when he had him chasing up and down the line for another season ?
Or perhaps you're talking about the way he humiliated himself by not only by publicly begging Rooney to stay after he`d handed in a transfer request but by giving him a massive pay rise to sweeten him up?
Brilliantly handled, my arse, he bought him and he continues to buy him.
17 Posted 25/07/2011 at 13:37:12
If Rooney stayed at Everton, he would have been up front or in the hole. Moyes would never have put him on the wing.....ermmm.... I guarantee it..... ermm
18 Posted 25/07/2011 at 15:20:33
Other than Baines, every one of those players has been played out of position sometime or another. Moyes has IMO destroyed attacking play at Everton; pinch-a-point Davey (love that one, Dick, by the way) has turned us into a one-dimensional gang of hoof-from-the-back merchants... Christ ! He has even played Anichebe on the wing.
When his team can play like Ferguson's, I will concede the point to you. Until then, you wallow in your 'happy with a top ten finish' mindset.
Flair does not exist in Moyes's footballing ethos; if it did, and he was a winner by nature, he would be at club with bigger expectations than Everton. Which, by the way, is stay up at all costs.
19 Posted 25/07/2011 at 15:50:27
You may be happy to kiss the arse of Ferguson but I see a man whose club will back him to sign the best players in the world and when he gets them he STILL plays them all over the shop.
You are whining about Moyes for doing what EVERY other manager does.
Show me a manager -anywhere - and I`ll show you players he`s played in 2-3 positions. and that IS a guarentee.
And I dont know where you get this "happy to finish top half "shite. You`ve never heard me say that.
its just a pathetic attempt to try and act all superior to people who unlike you, can see EVERY manager is guilty of what you are saying Moyes does.
Remind me again, how many defenders did fergie play against Arsenal at home ?
20 Posted 25/07/2011 at 20:16:01
Least of all a football manager. Then again, i won't defend a loser either, especially one that has his tongue so far up a skint chairmans arse.
The whole fucking club is bent from top to bottom and anyway, if Rooney had such a good relationship with Moyes, why did he slag him off in his autobiography ?
If Rooney had stayed at Everton it would have been a train crash waiting to happen.
Defend Moyes all you want but fact remains he has never won a trophy in his career.
21 Posted 25/07/2011 at 20:50:26
It's also about your admiration of Fergie and the laughable claims that he has handled Rooney superbly. I cringed when I read that.
22 Posted 25/07/2011 at 21:13:33
Rooney was an England International long before Fergie got hold of him and was arguably Englands best player at the European Championships and a long time before since the his first star in the Turkey game. Rooneys best performance in a Man Utd shirt was probably his debut for Man Utd when he scored a hat trick against Fenabache, since that day I don?t think he has progressed anywhere near as much as most people expected.
In my eyes he was a far more exciting player under Moyes at Everton If anything it has been coached out of him at Man Utd to run at people and beat people like he did for fun at Everton and England early on. Yes his goal scoring record is much improved at Man Utd just as you would expect of a player who is gaining experience.
IMO his composure in front of goal and finishing has improved a lot but his all round game has gone backwards since he went to Man UTD and was forced to play out of position to accommodate Ronaldo as Dave stated
And Dick, Moyes has had to have a ?pinch a point attitude? it was the only way we were going to survive relegation considering the poor quality of players we had early on.
23 Posted 25/07/2011 at 22:03:46
24 Posted 25/07/2011 at 22:17:25
25 Posted 25/07/2011 at 22:30:50
We will likely continue to suffer it though if Moyes is not given the propper funding to go out and buy top attacking talent instead of having to rely on kids and crocks.
26 Posted 25/07/2011 at 22:33:43
As for pinch a point, he still has that attitude in every game we start, which is why we play shit defensive football.
Let's all pretend Moyse is a winner shall we and rejoice in another season of ugly predictable football.
Hallelujia brother.......
27 Posted 25/07/2011 at 22:57:42
You?ve either got it or you havnt. Maradona Messi Rooney would all have been great players who ever was coaching them, Just like Anichebe would be a poor striker no matter who coached him.
As for playing "shit defensive football" dont you watch the other teams in the premiere league? The only teams that play better attacking football than Everton are the teams that can afford to go and buy the best attacking players.
The rest are the West Broms and Blackpools of the world who cant afford to buy the best attacking players but fool themselves into thinking that they will get the results to stay up by trying to out football pedigree permeire league sides. You are as delusional as Tony Mowbray and Ian Holloway.
28 Posted 26/07/2011 at 05:48:49
Dick
You only saw Ossie have a couple of decent games last season and you`ve spent the last few of seasons defending Kenwright to the hilt . .you`re discription may gain traction with the easily led and the desperate to whine . . but thats about it
Anyway ; Heres me thinking it was the opponents who came to GP to pinch a point , but you`ve convinced me, I`m with you two.
SO
Kenwrights doing a great job.
Fergie handled Rooney superbly.
When 36,000 matchgoers rose to show appreciation for Moyes`s efforts they were not Knowlegeable Evertonians, they were "syncophants".
And it was Moyes, not his opponents who came to pinch a point - or PAP to those in the know eh Dick.
lets us three start an action group,we`ll call ourselves the Evertonians against PAP
29 Posted 26/07/2011 at 06:36:57
30 Posted 26/07/2011 at 14:05:22
31 Posted 26/07/2011 at 14:14:01
32 Posted 27/07/2011 at 19:19:23
And don't forget, next season may be just like last season which is why I... Can't Understand Negative Tactics.
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1 Posted 24/07/2011 at 16:08:40