Season 2011-12
The Mail Bag
Moyes and Strikers
21 Comments: I wonder what others think of the strikers Moyes has bought to the club in his almost 10 years?
I have made a list: He has signed 3 strikers on loan (McBride 2003, Jeffers 2003, and Jo 2009). The others are McFadden 2003, Bent 2004, Beattie 2005, Johnson 2006, Yakubu 2007, Saha 2008, Beckford 2010, Vellios and Stracqualursi 2011.
These are strikers who have all played for the first team and signed by David Moyes.
I have not included Vaughan, Anichebe abd Rooney as they all came through the academy.
The numbers are low when you consider Moyes only likes to play one upfront and the only 20-plus goalscorer was the Yak.
Goals win games and ? just stating the obvious ? unless we change the formation/tactics we shall continue to struggle upfront.
Mark McDonald, Posted 26/09/2011 at 22:08:51
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To me Moyes is generally a good manager, but not a great one.
Moyes has certain great attributes, most notably his ability to pick up good players at bargain prices - Arteta, Cahill, Coleman, Jags, Baines, Pienaar etc.
Moyes also has some poor attributes - his apparent inability to change tactics per opposition. His dogged reliance on his old war horses when they aren't performing, like (at various times) Cahill, Neville, Saha and Jagielka. And of course there is the small matter of Victor Anichebe.
When it comes to strikers, however, this appears to be Moyes' biggest issue. Forwards are the most sought after commodity in the game, they are rarely under-priced like defenders and midfielders can be, they are often, in fact, way overpriced. This, in itself, makes it very hard for Moyes to pull out his bargain tricks on a striker - but its not impossible.
Beckford, to me, was a good signing. As wasteful as he could be, he certainly showed the potential to be able to bag a fair few goals in a season. Given our meagre striking resources I'm still not sure flogging him to leicester for £4mil was the best idea.
Yakubu was excellent early on, but he was well paid for. Saha is capable, but rarely fit. Vellios is promising, and I hope to see more of him, but he hasn't played enough to really determine. Same goes for Stracqualursi. Jeffers, Beattie and Bent were what they were. Absolutely nothing special. And Anichebe is just an absolute puzzle.
I feel that Moyes' eye for a bargain doesn't really extend to strikers. He has a defensive mindset, and I just don't think he really 'gets' forwards. I think that whilst we can't spend big money on strikers, then we won't see a big return from any of them.
Hope I'm wrong.
You kinda answer you own question by saying he plays one up front. We were 6th top scorers last season, one goal behind Liverpool. So your point being is?
I would suggest that maybe might be an idea to employ Graeme Sharp to work with the forwards one day a week. We seem to have plenty of ex-midfielders and ex-defenders as coaches but no ex-striker.
Maybe Sharp could help with the movement of our strikers as Saha in particular seems to run everywhere bar into the opponent's area. Maybe working with someone like Vellios would in my opinion improve the lad.
You're right about Rodrigo, I think he's used in bedtime stories for children.
Then Fellainin Rodwell Osman & Cahill (with Drenthe coming on with last 20mins). Neville @ right back (sorry Hibbo) Captain Fantasitc needed.
I can t even remember Rodrigo, Yep Radzinski & McFadden - used to miss from a yard, but also scored some crackers!
COYB!
Nick, do I take it you are happy with the formation with playing one upfront? That's fine, that is your opinion. We all want to see a winning, successful side.My point is I would like to see us do it in style and is enjoyable to watch. Ok sometimes you win ugly so I take it you like the style of football we are playing under Moyes?
The point you're making centres on the 'low' number of strikers signed.
Yet not to include academy players (though you did when including them) and strikers at the club when Moyes arrived, and forgetting some signings, and defeating your own argument by mentioning the one up front, makes this post redundant.
There's 24/25 strikers at Moyes disposal. What point could you possibly be making other than some loose notion you dreamed up, having no basis in reality, fulfilling your desire to bash the man in charge? Really, I'm all ears...
Absolutely correct. What happened to the old adage "Attack is the best form of defence"? I'm afraid Moyes doesn't get it ? unlike those of who can rememeber the GREAT managers: Catterick, Kendall et al... I am 42 years an Evertonian.
The attendances tell the true story and, in keeping with the league table they don't lie.
Negative and sterile tactics will not bring back the increasingly disaffected. If Moyes doesn't understand that then we are doomed to failure. Bring back the School of Science!
But generally you do need plenty of money to get yourself a decent striker. I'm sure people will come up with examples now of cheap strikers, but for me would be the exceptions that prove the rule... (hopefully!..)
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1 Posted 27/09/2011 at 14:31:56
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Incidentally, Vellios played 87 minutes for the Reserves against Chelsea and Barkley played all 90, which suggests to me that neither will feature in the derby. I hear constantly that his options are few and his resources are meagre... so why are two of our most exciting players being wasted ? one might even say risked ? in the stiffs?