Season 2011-12
The Mail Bag
Team selection v QPR
33 Comments: Fellow Toffeewebbers,
What first XI would you pick on Saturday? I predict this line-up (4-4-1-1):
Howard;
Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines;
Neville, Mikel, Fellaini, Osman;
Cahill;
Saha;
Cue Moyesie shouting from the touchline.....
"Down the line, Hibbo!!!", "Keep centre forward Louis!!!" etc....
Answers on a postcard please...
Eddie Tully, Posted 17/08/2011 at 16:04:54
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
Hmmm... apologies there?s an injury / suspension I?ve forgotten about, but I?d go with:
Howard
Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines
Fellaini, Rodwell
Arteta, Osman, Barkley (playing interchangeably)
Saha
No start for Jagielka in case he?s been unsettled by the transfer rumours or for Cahill because last season proved once and for all that whatever his individual merits, he totally destroys the balance of the team.
Howard
Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines
Fellaini, Rodwell
Arteta, Osman, Barkley (playing interchangeably)
Saha
No start for Jagielka in case he?s been unsettled by the transfer rumours or for Cahill because last season proved once and for all that whatever his individual merits, he totally destroys the balance of the team.
Aiden.
How did Cahill prove once and for all last season he destroys the balance of the team?? All the games I watched he was one of our best. Admittedly he was off form a bit after the Asian Cup campaign but destroying the balance of the team is utter crap.
How did Cahill prove once and for all last season he destroys the balance of the team?? All the games I watched he was one of our best. Admittedly he was off form a bit after the Asian Cup campaign but destroying the balance of the team is utter crap.
"Off form a bit after the Asian Cup campaign..." Understatement Alert!!!
He was fucking useless. Our leading goalscorer buggers off in the middle of the season for five weeks to a stupid Fifa waste of space tourney, plays while injured, aggravates injury, returns totally jiggered and does nothing for the next half of the season.
Mind you, we did play and do better without him... Go Figure!
He was fucking useless. Our leading goalscorer buggers off in the middle of the season for five weeks to a stupid Fifa waste of space tourney, plays while injured, aggravates injury, returns totally jiggered and does nothing for the next half of the season.
Mind you, we did play and do better without him... Go Figure!
Well, since you asked Peter:
Last season Cahill started and subsequently played a major role in 22 league games. He didn?t make the starting line-up and made little, if any, contribution to the remaining 16 due to international duties and injuries. Obviously, that?s not an entirely even distribution, but it?s sufficiently equitable to give a reasonable insight into the way the team performs both with and without him.
With regard to the quality of the opposition, we played six of our twelve games against the top six with him and six without. In other words, a slightly disproportionate number of the toughest fixtures were played in his absence and, conversely, he played in a relatively large number of games against the sort of opposition that we were expected to take points off.
So, if he?s genuinely beneficial to the team as a whole, we should have performed at least as well, if not better, in the matches when he was in the side. We didn?t. We won 5 of the 22 games he started. We won 8 of the 16 he sat out.
We managed 26 points from 22 games with him. We took 28 points from the 16 without. That?s an average of 1.18 points per game with him and 1.75 points per game without.
Extrapolated over the course of a 38 game season, that would work out at 45 points with Cahill in the side - and 67 points without.
Last season, our form with Cahill in the side would have merited 15th place, avoiding relegation by 6 points. Our form without him could have seen us secure 67 - missing out on the Champion?s League by a single point.
That seems pretty strong evidence that, no matter how well he seems to play as an individual, the team as a whole is better off without him.
I?ve no doubt that he?s a good guy to have around the club & I?m sure that he can still play a role as an impact sub - but when he?s shoehorned in to the starting line up and the rest of the team is tailored to suit his strengths, he rapidly becomes an utter liability.
Last season Cahill started and subsequently played a major role in 22 league games. He didn?t make the starting line-up and made little, if any, contribution to the remaining 16 due to international duties and injuries. Obviously, that?s not an entirely even distribution, but it?s sufficiently equitable to give a reasonable insight into the way the team performs both with and without him.
With regard to the quality of the opposition, we played six of our twelve games against the top six with him and six without. In other words, a slightly disproportionate number of the toughest fixtures were played in his absence and, conversely, he played in a relatively large number of games against the sort of opposition that we were expected to take points off.
So, if he?s genuinely beneficial to the team as a whole, we should have performed at least as well, if not better, in the matches when he was in the side. We didn?t. We won 5 of the 22 games he started. We won 8 of the 16 he sat out.
We managed 26 points from 22 games with him. We took 28 points from the 16 without. That?s an average of 1.18 points per game with him and 1.75 points per game without.
Extrapolated over the course of a 38 game season, that would work out at 45 points with Cahill in the side - and 67 points without.
Last season, our form with Cahill in the side would have merited 15th place, avoiding relegation by 6 points. Our form without him could have seen us secure 67 - missing out on the Champion?s League by a single point.
That seems pretty strong evidence that, no matter how well he seems to play as an individual, the team as a whole is better off without him.
I?ve no doubt that he?s a good guy to have around the club & I?m sure that he can still play a role as an impact sub - but when he?s shoehorned in to the starting line up and the rest of the team is tailored to suit his strengths, he rapidly becomes an utter liability.
Here goes:
Howard
Hibbert - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Arteta - Fellaini - Rodwell
Osman
Saha - Beckford
Howard
Hibbert - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Arteta - Fellaini - Rodwell
Osman
Saha - Beckford
You can read into stats what you like and there are many reasons why a team loses or wins games of football.
To simply state he totally destroys the balance of the team is not a fact but your opinion.
Well, Peter, if it's so easy to bend stats to your will, show me some that demonstrate we're better off with him in the side. Good luck; you'll need it.
Honestly... with the amount of game time Barkley's been getting in pre-season, I think (and I hope) that he starts this weekend.
Howard
Neville, Distin, Jagielka, Baines
Arteta, Fellaini, Barkley, Osman
Saha, Beckford
Very comfortable with Fellaini screening the back 4, and invention down the flanks with Arteta and Osman. Beckford plays much better in a 2 up top with Saha the target man.
Howard
Neville, Distin, Jagielka, Baines
Arteta, Fellaini, Barkley, Osman
Saha, Beckford
Very comfortable with Fellaini screening the back 4, and invention down the flanks with Arteta and Osman. Beckford plays much better in a 2 up top with Saha the target man.
Toffees, Toffees, Wherefore art thou?
Come on you lot, I (and many others) are travelling down from the North East on Saturday (we are playing at home to QPR (Queens Park Rangers). if I can afford a Boeing 707 to take us from Los Angeles via Denver, Mozambique and Southend on Sea via Croydon central, then surely you can afford a local ticket??
C'mon you blues, win the first game for us!!!
@ Aiden, How's about he was the only person that could score a goal in the first 6 months of last season!
I'm pretty sure that the stats you gave for Cahill would be almost the same as for Fellani (before and after injury).
Seems to me that we never start to play (get results) until we either have backs to the wall or the pressure is off us. We play really well, then as soon as Europe becomes a possibility...we play shite again! No matter who is in the team
I'm pretty sure that the stats you gave for Cahill would be almost the same as for Fellani (before and after injury).
Seems to me that we never start to play (get results) until we either have backs to the wall or the pressure is off us. We play really well, then as soon as Europe becomes a possibility...we play shite again! No matter who is in the team
Here goes nothing... my team:
Howard
Neville - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Osman - Fellaini - Barkley - Arteta
Saha - Beckford
What Moyes will put out there:
Howard
Hibbert - Jagielka - Distin - Baines
Neville - Arteta - Fellaini - Osman
Cahill
Saha
Howard
Neville - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Osman - Fellaini - Barkley - Arteta
Saha - Beckford
What Moyes will put out there:
Howard
Hibbert - Jagielka - Distin - Baines
Neville - Arteta - Fellaini - Osman
Cahill
Saha
*Apologies, let me explain my selection. Heitinga in for Jags only because of transfer speculation and what it'll do to his head (I know he's big and ugly enough to keep that behind him however just to be on the safe side, Heitinga should play the role).
Barkley in the middle simply due to him impressing during pre-season and we'll f**k it why not - give the kid ago against a Championship side, yet to prove itself in the league.
As much as I have Cahill as my hero, I can see him (against QPR) as being the pain in the arse around the 60-70mins. Against the bigger sides, I'll have him in there in an instant - F*** the stats!
Barkley in the middle simply due to him impressing during pre-season and we'll f**k it why not - give the kid ago against a Championship side, yet to prove itself in the league.
As much as I have Cahill as my hero, I can see him (against QPR) as being the pain in the arse around the 60-70mins. Against the bigger sides, I'll have him in there in an instant - F*** the stats!
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Barkley Osman Fellaini Arteta
Bilyaletdinov
Beckford
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Barkley Osman Fellaini Arteta
Bilyaletdinov
Beckford
Whatever team he picks it will be 4-5-1.
Howard
Neville Heitinga Distin Baines
Arteta Fellaini Osman Barkley
Saha Beckford
Arteta & Osman can swap between centre and right.
Neville Heitinga Distin Baines
Arteta Fellaini Osman Barkley
Saha Beckford
Arteta & Osman can swap between centre and right.
Howard
Hibbert Jags Distin Baines
Arteta Fellaini Osman
Anichebe Saha Beckford
That would be my choice lets go for the throat early on a quick goal would shatter there confidence.
If things weren't going well after 55 mins get the Yak and Cahill on.
Hibbert Jags Distin Baines
Arteta Fellaini Osman
Anichebe Saha Beckford
That would be my choice lets go for the throat early on a quick goal would shatter there confidence.
If things weren't going well after 55 mins get the Yak and Cahill on.
Suspect Baines may be missing too ? preserved for transfer! Hibbert and Neville as full-backs.
Howard
Jags Heitinga Distin
Fellaini
Osman Arteta Rodwell Baines
Saha Beckford.
Jags Heitinga Distin
Fellaini
Osman Arteta Rodwell Baines
Saha Beckford.
Howard
Neville Distin Jagielka Baines
Arteta Fellaini
Barkley Cahill Osman
Saha
Neville Distin Jagielka Baines
Arteta Fellaini
Barkley Cahill Osman
Saha
What I want:
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Fellaini
Arteta Osman Barkley
Saha (in the 'hole')
Beckford
More likely to see:
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Heitinga Fellaini
Anichebe Osman Cahill
Saha
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Fellaini
Arteta Osman Barkley
Saha (in the 'hole')
Beckford
More likely to see:
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Heitinga Fellaini
Anichebe Osman Cahill
Saha
Betcha Cahill will be either our top or second top scorer this season!
Howard
Heitinga Jags Distin Baines
Osman Arteta Fellaini Billy
Cahill
Saha
Howard
Heitinga Jags Distin Baines
Osman Arteta Fellaini Billy
Cahill
Saha
Eddie... no offense n all.... but....
Neville infront of Hibbo down the right? Have I missed something, or has this new owner of QPR just signed Messi and Phillip Laam to fill their left flank?
We need to take the game to them, and attack them from the start. This means getting some quality balls in the box for Louis and Cahill. Ossie, Baines and Arteta are our best crossers, so I'd like to see this line up to start:
Howard
Nev Jags Distin Baines
Arteta Felli Rodwell Ossie
Cahill Saha
Neville infront of Hibbo down the right? Have I missed something, or has this new owner of QPR just signed Messi and Phillip Laam to fill their left flank?
We need to take the game to them, and attack them from the start. This means getting some quality balls in the box for Louis and Cahill. Ossie, Baines and Arteta are our best crossers, so I'd like to see this line up to start:
Howard
Nev Jags Distin Baines
Arteta Felli Rodwell Ossie
Cahill Saha
Cant see the fuss around Barkley just yet...was at the game in Dublin on Monday and he cut in 100% of the time he had the ball, passed sideways and actually made no ground at all.
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Osman Arteta Fellaini Bilyatdinov
Cahill
Anichebe
Just joking. Anichebe! Would love to know what Moyes sees in him. Its Saha up front.
Howard
Neville Jagielka Distin Baines
Osman Arteta Fellaini Bilyatdinov
Cahill
Anichebe
Just joking. Anichebe! Would love to know what Moyes sees in him. Its Saha up front.
Anichebe up front!.... you almost had me going Scott!!!!
Barkley certainly doesn't look like a wide player. You're right that he cuts in all the time. But played in the middle, he looks dangerous... and can spot a through ball like no other. Lets hope he isn't ruined by Moyes' attempts at playing him out of position.
Barkley certainly doesn't look like a wide player. You're right that he cuts in all the time. But played in the middle, he looks dangerous... and can spot a through ball like no other. Lets hope he isn't ruined by Moyes' attempts at playing him out of position.
@Duncan,no offence taken,but if you read again you will see that this was my predicted - not preferred - line up.
From what I have seen of him pre-season I would like to see Ross Barkley given a chance,but I cant see Moyes playing him from the off. That would be out of character in my opininion.
Apologies on a postcard please!!
From what I have seen of him pre-season I would like to see Ross Barkley given a chance,but I cant see Moyes playing him from the off. That would be out of character in my opininion.
Apologies on a postcard please!!
Sorry Eddie.... I beg your forgiveness. You should join the fun and let us know your opinion. We can all predict the boring line-up we'll actually see!!!!
This will have to do, as I'm all out of postcards. And as Scott mentioned, Barkley isn't effective on the right - he needs to be given a chance through the middle.
Despite Moyes being so defensive, I actually doubt he'd play Neville right midfield. Not even he would be that negetive.
This will have to do, as I'm all out of postcards. And as Scott mentioned, Barkley isn't effective on the right - he needs to be given a chance through the middle.
Despite Moyes being so defensive, I actually doubt he'd play Neville right midfield. Not even he would be that negetive.
I think Duncan McDine has got the team spot on (21).
I do fear however, that there will be a position made available for Anichebe, at the expense of probably Rodwell.
I dont rate Rodwell either, but hes the lesser of two evils if you ask me.
I do fear however, that there will be a position made available for Anichebe, at the expense of probably Rodwell.
I dont rate Rodwell either, but hes the lesser of two evils if you ask me.
Haha Duncan that made me laugh. I will accept your veiled apology and grant you my forgiveness.
As requested here's my preferred team for Saturday(4-4-2)
Howard
Neville - Jags - Distin - Baines
Arteta - Barkley - Fellaini - Osman
Saha - Beckford
COYB!!
As requested here's my preferred team for Saturday(4-4-2)
Howard
Neville - Jags - Distin - Baines
Arteta - Barkley - Fellaini - Osman
Saha - Beckford
COYB!!
Nice one Eddie!
I think you're team is pretty much spot on... I think Rodwell probably needs to start showing some better form and desire, so Barkley might deserve the nod.
As for Beckford instead of Cahill.... I think Jermaine is better used as an impact sub later in the game. He struggles at the start when more forward play is done with back to goal.
I think you're team is pretty much spot on... I think Rodwell probably needs to start showing some better form and desire, so Barkley might deserve the nod.
As for Beckford instead of Cahill.... I think Jermaine is better used as an impact sub later in the game. He struggles at the start when more forward play is done with back to goal.
I'd play Latchford off Dunc, with Inchy in-behind.
Gazza in an attacking midfield role, with Bracewell behind him.
I'd give me Dad a game at fullback and Arnold in goal.
I might also give Bob the Pole a call-up too.
At least they'd have a fuckin' go - with maybe the exception of Gazza, who might be pissed. That would be funny though.......
0-0 on Saturday.
Gazza in an attacking midfield role, with Bracewell behind him.
I'd give me Dad a game at fullback and Arnold in goal.
I might also give Bob the Pole a call-up too.
At least they'd have a fuckin' go - with maybe the exception of Gazza, who might be pissed. That would be funny though.......
0-0 on Saturday.
Howard
Jagielka Distin
Neville Baines
Fellaini
Osman Barkley Arteta
Saha Beckford
Felliani deep, protecting the defence.
Osman, Barkley and Arteta playing quick direct passing through the middle.
Baines and Neville providing attacking width, coming from the back.
Saha dropping back to add a forth man to the midfield trio's creativity.
Beckford always on the shoulder of the last defender or in the box.
Jagielka Distin
Neville Baines
Fellaini
Osman Barkley Arteta
Saha Beckford
Felliani deep, protecting the defence.
Osman, Barkley and Arteta playing quick direct passing through the middle.
Baines and Neville providing attacking width, coming from the back.
Saha dropping back to add a forth man to the midfield trio's creativity.
Beckford always on the shoulder of the last defender or in the box.
We desperately need some midfield width, but add Coleman to that starting eleven and we could give anyone a game.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 18/08/2011 at 00:59:00
Report abuse