Decision, Decisions...

It's one from two for me: as it cannot have escaped anyone's attention that since Heitinga became a permanent fixture in the team, the team has become a team!

He is so accomplished, yet so seemingly unspectacular and whoever plays alongside him is equally so, be it Jagielka or Distin.

However, when paired together, Jagielka and Distin are always getting into and out of scrapes.

I only hope Moyes can see what we can all see.

Play the World Cup finalist Moysie and whoever partners him doesn't make any difference.

Got to be Heitinga and Distin for me, Jags hasn't been the same player since Lescott left.

Have to agree w Colin;

Heitinga and Distin for sure. Distin is superb, and so is Heitinga. Heitinga is a future captain, should he be staying. Distin has a tremendous physique. His accelaration is very good, size considered, and his dicipline stands out.

I believe the two of them is one of the best cb pairs in the PL.

Jagielka is not second to either one of them when he's in top shap. However, he's not in that shape this season, and should be on the bench.

Yep, Distin and Jags was a terrible partnership in hindsight, whereas all three of Distin, Jagielka, and Duffy have looked bloody sound when played alongside Heitinga. Give him the captaincy.

Jags played very well against WBA, Distin was crap against the Shite.

Johnny is a world class World Cup defender. Johnny and Distin, Jags as cover.

Adam Dow on Jags:
"He is experienced, can pass perfectly well.."

:Shakes head and leaves laptop to make the tea:

Harsh to lump Joseph Yobo next to Senderos and Koldrop, Adam - he did pretty well for us for quite a while. But to answer your question, it has to be Distin and Jonny. Jags has never been the same since his return from injury.

I`ve always felt that Davey is not comfortable when there are choices to be made. It is no co-incidence that some of the most successful spells during his tenure have come when he was `down to bare bones`.

As far as the present luxury of three excellent central defenders is concerned, I am sure we shall see ? from now until the season`s end ? a constant rotation of the trio even to a point of a different pair being chosen for Semi and Final... Now there`s confidence for you!

Jags is the Hibbo of the centre halves. Best tackler bar none, but limited in his distribution. Heitinga is a decent all rounder, Distin the same but with lightning pace. If each had a top trump card, their totals would be the same. Personally, I wouldn't complain whoever started. But then again, I am not someone who is always looking for an excuse to criticise the manager.

No brainer Distin and Heitinga.

I think Jags will play in the next two games to get fully match fit,
I also think Johny will be the scapegoat for the semi,
And if that happens and we lose Moyes will have burnt his boats completely with the Everton Fans
Heitinga and Distin have proven they can play together and each complements the other,but hey when has Moyes done what's logical.
As someone above said,when he has to choose,that's when he tends to fall short.
We just have to win the Semi, it has been a long long time since 89.

Well, we'll find out soon enough. The partnership for the Norwich game will be the one that plays in the semi. The other one will play against Sunderland with Duffy, I suppose.

Personally, I'd go with Heitinger and Distin, but if Jags is in for Distin it wouldn't be OK with me.

Talking of "Decisions" - the official site is now running player/young player/goal of the season. After you cast your votes you get to see the current leaders, and I was amazed that my favourite goal - Jelavic against Sunderland - wasn't in the top 5! Proper team goal (I loved the way Fellaini really drove forward with a purpose in the inside left position and fed Gueye) with a great finish; also, it was a crucial goal in our season. I went for Drenthe v Fulham and Baines v Swansea as my 2nd and 3rd.

Kev, highlight reels don't show whole build ups as much as they just show the final shot, so no surprise that the goal against the Cats isn't in there, even though it should be. It's like the Goal of the Tournament in the 06 World Cup - Cambiasso! If you watch the strike itself, it's nothing special, but the build up of 150 passes that we all crucial to the end product was wonderful. It was good to see the powers that be put a bit of emphasis on the "team goal". Stevie just happened to be the one that was in position to drive that one home for the Argies.

Goal of the season for us? Probably Drenthe vs. Blackpool or Fulham. Underrated goal in the history of football has to be Anichebe's last week.

On current form and the solidity shown it has to be Johnny H and Distin, they have been fantastic and are, for me, undroppable.

Heitinga has been fantastic these last few months. He is a brilliant reader, positional player and the talker and organiser we have possibly been missing, these are personality traits the Jag may lack.

This partnership has brought about the best form of Distins Everton career.

My observation on this partnership compared to the Distin/Jags is that, whilst they appear more organised and complement each other a little better, which they do, they are also getting better protection.

Our central midfield is now balanced and we have a genuine partnership, that works, for the first time in a couple of seasons. I was never convinced by the Arteta/Fellaini partnership.

Arteta didn?t do enough off the ball for me (to those who say well he plays there for Arsenal, the game is much more based on keeping the ball and retaining possession than here, basically Arsenal have the ball a lot more than we do, Gibson suits the way we play much more), didn?t offer enough protection and we were too easy to play through. Fellaini has still been developing during this time, however appears to have become a man these last few months, best run of form since he?s been here. We were in shit and needed our big players to step up, don?t know if someone had a word but Fellaini has raised it.

So, for me, Heitinga and Distin, whilst being undoubtedly excellent, have been getting better protection. I think the set up the team/midfield was poor earlier this season. I kept wondering why we were so easy to play through even though Rodwell and Fellaini were playing so deep.

As for the Jag, I still think he is a cracking player; however he got caught up in the general malaise at the club earlier this season, I think Cahill suffered as well. It?s difficult because when he was playing alongside Lescott he set such high standards, which are the standard everyone remembers. Jag/Lescott was one of the best partnerships in the division, they had a fantastic understanding, and were on of the main reasons for our development as a team back then. We were watertight. This has been transferred into international football when they have played together and looked very good, looked like Capello was leaning on occasion to them being his reserve choice partnership. The Jag aint shite by any stretch of the imagination, he is a tremendous player.

He isn?t as good a reader as Heitinga, Heitinga has to play that way to compensate for a lack of pace and he is fantastic at it. Have you also noticed how Heitinga approaches challenges in the air? If it?s a ball into the striker Heitinga just uses his positional play, his body and just "eases" the striker off without actually making a challenge. On crosses his positional play is great. But, as Moyes said, the Jag is a "great recovery defender". He was up and down earlier this season, however he seems a very honest/genuine type of fella, he would probably say it himself.

We are lucky to have them all. Difficult one come the summer though, decisions to be made. I think Heiinga can play Champions League football no problem and am amazed he has stayed here so long considering the lack of football he's had. He should be playing European football every year and am worried someone is gonna take him in the summer, or he uses this run of form to attract a move, like the spectacular run of form Alonso put in over the park. Put it like this, if i was a manager id be in for Hetinga.

The Jag is club captain, English, so putting it bluntly more chance of him sticking around than Heitinga, didn?t agitate for the Arsenal move when he could quite easily have done so and appears to love it here. He is also still a very good player. Distin has 2 years left max at the level he is now I?d say. So what the future holds is intriguing as we are gonna need to get another centre half in at some point soon anyway. No time to be knee jerk and selling the Jag.

To think the dogs abuse Heitinga got on here after 'shittin out' of a tackle against Wolves. Now he should be captain.

Some of us knew all along he was quality. The Moyes in brigade were having none of it though. Moyesy knows best.

Heitinga and Distin, the partnership has been superb - no brainer.

Heitinga first and foremost, difficult decision after that, but really it has to be Distin huge physique, great skill, pace and athleticism. Our best performances this season have been with those two at the back and plenty of "big game" experience there as well.

Distin and Hentinga for me - Jagielka is a top notch centre half who had a run of bad form for a while (as all players do) but the other two really compliment each other.

I think all three have been excellent buys, but out of the three Distin has been the best value... he exudes class, he just shouts it in your face.

Shame he's in the winter of his career.

Yobo was an excellent centre back - for 89 minutes each match; but you could always more or less guarantee he'd have one of those Yobo 'moments' when it would seem as if his body was at the game but his head was on the 5th hole at Birkdale or halfway up Church Street.

Stephen I don't understand that comment. You know it was Moyes that bought Heittinga, don't you? Also, I'd consider myself a member of the Moyes in Brigade and have always thought that Heittinga is a quality centre half, and should have been playing there.

Just because JH is playing great now doesn't mean he didn't deserve the shit he got when he wasn't.

The tackle at Wolves wasn't the only one he shit out of either.

Credit where it's due though, I used to give him loads when he deserved it but he has to be my player of the season since he came back into the team.

I've never fully understood the hostility to Heitinga in some quarters. I've always thought he was a world class defender. Every player makes errors and the ones that central defenders and goalkeepers make are more likely to result in disaster. Incidentally, Yobo was never as bad as some are now claiming, although he did make some howlers, and Lescott was never as good as some think either. That sale has to be the best bit of business we've done in decades.

We all play fantasy football and who you would like to see in a blue shirt that would improve the team. Can anyone think of a CB pairing that is significantly better than Heitinga & Distin (oh and Baines) and would improve the team? Thought not...

I don't think there is a decision at CB, as barring injury Heitinga and Distin (despite his derby wobbles) will start.

Tough on Jags, as he is a top defender and we're in a fortunate position to have an international player in reserve.

The only decision Moyes has, is who plays on the flanks.

Osman will surely start, so its a straight choice between Drenthe and Gueye. If Drenthe has recovered from his personal problems, then i'd start him as he is more accustomed to the big stage and should relish the chance to showcase his skills at Wembley.

He also offers us an outlet with his pace, which unfortunately neither Osman or Gueye do.

So, same team that started at Sunderland apart from Drenthe for Gueye.

If they turn up like they did at Sunderland, positive attacking football with no fear, then we stand a great chance of turning the shite over. Although i'll still crap myself everytime they attack.

I'm hoping Gerrard fancies a night out in Southport over Easter with his 'crew', and takes a dislike to the DJs taste in music again.

Heitinga was a shithouse for quite a few games and kept mouthing off about moving and was the club's top earner. He wasn't playing well and the stick was fully justified ? nothing to do with Moyes, it was to do with him not trying. Now he's getting credit because he's fantastic ? again, nothing to do with Moyes.

Heitinga and Distin for me too.

My main criticism of Jags is that he is far too quick to hoof the ball - usually to the opposition - and I think a lot of our jitteryness comes from his poor distribution.

Adam, very harsh pn Yobo!. When J Yobo made a mistake it was scrutinised, and how many goals has Jaqs been responsible for this past 18 months and gets away with it. Johnny has always been an excellent CB, it's only Moyes who put's him midfield. He is our only real class (possibly Baines too) player. Drenthe and Pienaar ain't ours (sadly)

No mention of Shane Duffy, So, he hangs about until Distin is finished. Then waits behind Jags and Hetinga, and picks up a few league cup appearances.

How on earth will he get his chance? We will lose a potentially great centre half. We have four good centre backs and while I am certainly not advocating he should get in ahead of Hetinga and Distin who have been excellent I hope he gets a chance before the end of the season to pick up some experience.

Jags is 2nd only to Tony Hibbo in the "can't pass to a blue shirt to save his life" category.

He always goes for a long pass and always gives the ball away cheaply. He's a very good centre-half when it comes to defensive duties, but his distribution is nowhere good enough at this level.

It surely goes without saying that the one thing that really stops Jagielka becoming a truly top rate centre-back is the minor incidental of being able to accomplish the well-nigh impossible task of actually passing the ball to a colleague! How a man can progress through the ranks into the national team and be unable to pass the ball accurately in his club team is beyond belief. Perhaps someone could explain why this aspect of his game (and Hibbert's/Neville's) can fail to be developed by the so-called coaching they undergo day after day. It is beyond a joke.

'I also think Johny will be the scapegoat for the semi,'

Steve 081 - what does that mean 'be the scapegoat of the semi' are you saying he will not play - or are you saying that IF he plays and we lose he will be the scapegoat?

Rather confusing statement!.

Bobby Thomas 085 - your Looooooooooooooong post was possibly full of pertinent and interesting facts - but with that lengthg of post I just switch off-

KISS - keep it short sunshine!!

Got to be Heitinga and Distin a superb centre back combination. Jags hoofs the ball from the back and his passing is poor. Heitinga has become our leader on the pitch - definately captain material.

Now for something completely off topic.

Can any one tell me the name of the company adverising on the main stand at Goodison. I think it is either below or above the boxes and is in the form of a spanner? Is it Silver... something or other.

I am trying to buy some tools and believe this company makes them.

Thanks in advance.

Bob #124

Steve 081 - what does that mean 'be the scapegoat of the semi' are you saying he will not play - or are you saying that IF he plays and we lose he will be the scapegoat?
I think Moyes will play his favourite Jagielka
Maybe scapegoat was the wrong word -maybe
Should have used fallguy.

Steve 131. I hope you are wrong Johnny & Distin for me every time!

Oh yes found that tool @Silverline!!

Cheers.

Steve (131) - All moot. We're winning that game.

No Jags, just isn't worth the heart meds. Really no decision to be made for me.

Mark,

I'w well aware who bought him. I'm also aware he was played RB and CM for a good while before an injury crisis saw him have his best spell at the back with Lucas Neill.

After that he played in the world cup and didn't get a look in at the back until half way through this season. All the time I argued his case and was constantly told on here Moyes knows best.

We were conceding goals left, right and centre but he never got a look in until Jag got injured. I think this proves that Moyes knows best, he see's them in training etc. isn't always true.