I think he's starting to find his confidence and is finally realising that he is part of a team. All power to him and I hope his improvement continues. He adds power to Jelavic's guile. They could form a lethal combination. But still quite understand his goal celebration. Always seems like he's mad with the crowd when he scores....a smile once in a while would be good...but hey, if he continues to score goals, who really cares about the celebration right?

Play him whilst you can. With his track fecord hewill be injured before fellaini's ban is up.

Yes he has played well at times, and boy does he need to. His 15 league goals in 7.5 seasons or 2 a season is dreadful.

He needs to stay fit for the rest of the season to have any chance of still being with us next season.

Not for me I am afraid, too many false dawns and too fragile physically and sensitive emotionally. He has had the odd great game nearly always followed by near total flop in the following match, then injury. I suspect he will bomb today and then be out for a month or so......

I hope I am wrong, but just in case I have a tenner on a hat-trick today and he is captain of my fantasy team

You never know

He's still only 24, is he not? The injury history worries me, but people have become more resilient as they mature physically in the past. He's clearly a talent, so hopefully he's just taken a bit longer due to (injuries & mentality) to hit his stride. It's only one game, but when he has played this year he's been very good. Hopefully we'll see him get some burn, now. And hopefully we'll be rewarded.

Sell him now. Get it while you can, he is not good enough, consistent enough or worth keeping. Sell him whilst his stock is as high as it will get

I suspect he will be our sole striker against Wigan.That`s if you ignore the useless Naismith who`ll start alongside him.Jelly has proved a flop this season under Moyes` tuteledge and will be justly benched. I`d have Neville at right-back and Hitz in midfield.

No matter how good you think he is as a player, his injury record says sell him. We have a small squad and there is no point having injury prone players in it. I also don't think he is good enough as a player anyway but even if he was we should sell.

Yes, he got a goal but he and Jelavic did nothing else worth note.

The problem Anichebe has got is two things: First is that, after his attitude problems over the past few seasons, the majority of fans will never fully take to him again. And secondly, even though he is fast, powerful and seems to have all the attributes, he lacks the one needed the most: good control. He has the first touch of a baby elephant.

I think if we had the opportunity. and a decent offer, we should sell him...providing we had a replacement in mind.

There is no sense selling him, and not buying another else, because what happens if Jelavic gets injured for 2 months? Velios isn't good enough, and Naismith isn't a lone striker. We also wouldnt want to put Mirallas up there, and lose his abilities out wide.

One thing about Anichebe...if he could get a run of games, he could become a very decent player. Whilst he may be injury prone for the rest of his career, some players, for whatever reason, get to a point where their luck/strength improves. RVP spent every season at Arsenal playing half a season because of a major injury...but he has played pretty much every match of the last two years. It is not inconceivable that Anichebe may beat his injury record.

But as I said before, his prior record justifies a sale if we get a decent offer...but we must have a replacement lined up.

I'm still trying to figure out why Anichebe attracts such ire and venom from a number of Everton fans. I know he can be frustrating (he drives me mad on a frequent basis), but he's actually got all the attributes (except one which I''' come onto) to be a good footballer. But some of the comments I've seen about him on here would have you believe he was Hitler, Ian Brady and Steven Gerrard all rolled into one.

I think the major flaw in Anichebe is his mental attitude. Time and time again, he seems to either get frustrated in games and stop trying, and simply fail to try at all in games. Sometimes, it's as if he wants to be playing a different style of football altogether (can't fault him on that at times over the last couple of seasons - we have been bloody awful), but more often he seems to take great umbrage at getting kicked and knocked and just loses the plot. But here's the thing: as I see it, Vic's role in football is pretty much to get kicked and knocked. He's a big lump of a guy, and most defenders would just bounce off him if he just stood his ground and gave as good as he got. I know he gets no protection from refs, and I know that must be soul destroying, but he has to realise that he's more akin to Kevin Davies than Leo Messi. If we could just get him to accept that kind of a role and throw himself whole-heartedly at it, I think he would be a terrific footballer (of a certain kind).

This is why I thought it was interesting against West Ham when, after getting kicked and starting to bang the ground in frustration (his favourite show of strop), Jagielka hauled him up off the ground, gave him and talking to and then just got on with things. Maybe, just maybe, the players aren't going to tolerate his strops any longer, and will make him get his act together. I hope so, because throwing a strop like that just gives encouragement to the defenders and alienates the ref.

A new year, a new Vic? Wouldn't be a bad Xmas present, would it?

Not good enough simple as that, sell for what ever we can get and give Velios a chance, this lad can hold the ball up, link up play and knows where the net is.
Victor has had more than enough chances over the years, besides scoring at the weekend can you remember him doing something else that contributed to the team performance?

I think many are too quick to get on jelavic's back. He is a goal poacher, with his overall play being fairly average. If he doesn't score he looks poor. But if he scores 20+ a season who cares?

I expect him to come back today playing at home and snaffle some goals. He looked more at it against west ham and on another day one of those offsides would have come off, or those presentable shots would have gone in. The time to worry is when he gets zero chances.

No, Ian (#019), the time to worry about Jelli is right now when he can't put away anything even with all the chances that are created for him. This 'instinctive' striker of last season has been replaced by the Moyes/Round-coached failure of this season. They have done with Jelli just what they have done with other Everton strikers over the years.

Ian Bennett(#019) I think Jelly's looking a bit jaded, and I'm hoping that he gets benched for the Wigan game and hand the spot to Vic, who will be fired up with a point t prove. Now I never thought I woud ever being calling for Vic's inclusion, but give the man a chance, he did well as the lone striker vs Swansea (missed a hatful of chances mind).

My team for today-Howard-Neville-Jags-Distin-Baines-Naismith-Gibson-Hitz(Barkley?) Pienaar and Ossie playing off Vic

I have been guilty of being far too hard on Vic. When I try to be rational about it, I reckon that injury against Newcastle was the turning point. He needs to overcome it, and there are small signs that he could do that. Partner him with Jela for a run, and see.

I would love the lad to come good, but then I am a softie. I wanted that twat Jeffers to come good when he came back, and best not to mention the Scottish Rooney. Soft on him too.

Go on, Vic, become the best late-developing Evertonian in the strikers role since Ian Rush

Emile Heskey.

Vic will have to put in alot more decent performances before i'm convinced. Maybe he'll get the chance should Moyes have the arsehole to drop a very out of sorts Jelly, which wouldn't be a bad thing as in the last game for example not only did he miss two sitters, it seemed his touch left him too.

But Vic needs to drop that ' I'm going to break into tears look' every time he gets tackled and get on with it. Players like that get right on my tits. It's a man's game,(though the powers that be are trying everything to make it non contact it seems) so man up.

David - rest him in the cup if he needs it, hell send him for a week in the canaries if he needs it. But today he needs to play, and today we need a win.

I thought he played with a lot more space against west ham without Fellaini. I expect more of the same, so for me he starts.

Howard
Baines
Neville
Jags
Distin
Pienaar
Osman
Gibson
Naismith
Big vic
Jelavic

Well summed up by Anthony (005). While I hope he proves me wrong I think he is a lost cause. While he has all the attributes, Physicallity, skill and ability he doesn't use his physical strength, and has no mental strength and a poor attitude. If these were going to have been coached out of him it would have happened before now.

As far as I'm concerned he's a wasted talent and couldn't believe he was selected in front of others last game after missing several due to injury. What message does this give out to the likes of Oviedo and Vellios.

Needs managing properly he's one of a thousand players out there with all the attributes who needs direction.

Big Joe would have had him powering through defences at centre forward week in week out.

Victor will prove you doubters wrong; he is a good player and he will score at least one today... Wigan will really struggle against him.

How would Big Joe have managed that though Barry, when he spends most of every season injured? His record of 5 goals in 12 appearances (not starts) last season, and 3 goals in 320 minutes this season, suggest we know now how to use him, but don't get the opportunity to enough. If Anichebe had the injury record of Baines, we wouldn't be discussing the need to get rid of him.

last season he scored 5 premierleague goals in 448 minutes btw, so over the past two seasons, he has scored 8 goals in 768 minutes, or a goal every 96 minutes.

Ian, you don't think Ross should figure in that line up?

Jim, I accept the injury argument but many don't rate his ability I just feel he has a lot more to give.

Seems the sort of lad who needs to feel he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Can't help wondering if his predilection to injury might improve if he was the main man.

Those lads at Swansea - Sinclair and the other winger (can't remember his name now) are examples of lads with ability going nowhere but suddenly finding the right home and performing, think Vic is the same.

He was great in the Europa, Barry. I just live in hope it isn't over for the lad. But, fuck, has he frustrated me over recent seasons

Last season and this season,he has done a lot better than before and his goals per game ratio in that time bares this out.
Let's give him credit where it's due. He's been doing ok last season and this season.

Bary '#059. Good post. Vic needs proper arm round the shoulder encouragement and I just hope David Moyes can provide it. If so, we could have a valuable asset.

Victor will prove you doubters wrong. He is a good player and he will score at least one today. Wigan will really struggle against him.

Andy (#066), I don't see Moyes as an arm round the shoulder guy, I then presume that the kick up the arse method is not working so where does that leave us and Vic.

Could it be that Vic is, as has been stated elsewhere, 'built like Tarzan, plays like Jane' and nothing except a drop down the leagues until he is a big fish in a small pond will make him look good.

I don't buy into the after the Nolan injury syndrome excuse, he was just the same then as now.

Last season he scored 3 or 4 vastly different types of striker's goals, I wrote a mailbag piece and we thrashed it out then it came out, as I remember, 20% yes, Vic is a player; 60% no way; 20% undecided... with attitude being the big fault.

I am still undecided at best, If he had half the Stracq's attitude he would be a world beater.

But he hasn't so he won't.

Sorry to say so, but if England were to play Victor Anichebe as a striker (or anything else) for the national footie team it would mean thirty or so better suited alternatives was sick, injured or just couldn't be bothered.

I would love for Anichebe to be a great player. Really would. But he is not. Yet, anyway. And he's almost 25, so the talent thing is a bit off now.

@ Gaute

It would be a fecking miracle for Vic to be called up for England given that he's played for Nigeria at senior level 11 times

Before you slate a player, at least know something about them...

Derek, I don't know the answer to this, but can attitude be coached? Is there not a sports psychologist at Everton who can do it?

What a ridiculous post. Total fresh bollocks. Anichebe was absolutely fucking sad today. He is a pile of shit who now and then will score a goal — his goalscoring ratio must be rock bottom. He's a lumbering, moaning, falling, climbing, hands-in-the-air, oafsome piece of shite, with the control of one of the lesser tellytubbys.

The Pie-eaters and the Mutants are his natural destination if this piece of shit is to stay in the top drawer where he does not deserve to be. One of Crosby's worst products. Leave my club, Anichebe, you are a piece of shit.

I don't doubt, that Victor has talent, but I wish it was on show more?

One talent he does have, is the ability to appear from nowhere!!

He goes missing for weeks on end, does not seem to appear on the bench, and then into the first team? Amazing.

In 7 seasons at Liverpool and 297 games Michael Owen Scored 158 goals, in 7 seasons at Everton and 145 games Victor has scored 22 goals.

Why on earth do people still think he'll come good, he's not and never will be a Premier League player.

I must have seen a different game to you then Paul Ferry, he didn't play great, but to read your post would suggest he offered nothing to us, which I think was not the case - he worked hard, won most of the headers sent his way, had 2 goal bound shots blocked, and gave the Wigan defenders something to think about the whole time he was on the pitch. Some people form an opinion (Hibbert, Osman, etc.) and then never have the balls to change it when required

Totally agree with Paul Ferry.
A waste of a blue shirt and a fucking big useless lump. He was static in the middle of the box for most of the game and was forcing Jelavic to go wide for the ball as he was taking up the central position.
Get him flogged in the transfer window.

Agree with Stewart Littler. As a comment solely on yesterday's game (not the past, not the future) he had a fair game. Not great, not shit. Fair.

Another classic from Peter Barry #027 and his obsessive dislike of David Moyes. As both our results and performances make it difficult to carry on spouting his alliterative criticism he now wants to blame Jelavic's poor form on David Moye's coaching.
Quite simply ridiculous, the lad has hit a run of poor form which a few goals will sort out, I certainly saw plenty of effort yesterday and I suspect he could do with a rest which means relying on Victor for a few games.
I would have no problem with that as we are finally seeing what he is capable of after some really bad luck with injuries, 10 goals in his last 26 games not all of which he has started.

Paul. I have agreed with many of your past posts. When something needs called and pointed out you have done it. This time you are over the top. At the very least surely you must accept that Victor can be developed into an asset who can be sold on?

Paul Ferry #157 you absolutely nailed it with your first four words.

What a sad state of affairs we seem to be in when this oaf of a young man still has people talking about 'needing an arm around the shoulder" to get him to play! He is another example of a young man being paid such obscene amounts of money each month but, seeming to lack any professional and personal pride and ambition, he thus lacks any incentive to improve.

In my opinion he seems to be exploiting the situation at Everton where there seems to be such a paucity of central attacking options that he is able to be in touching distance of regular involvement with the first team in spite of his ludicrously disgraceful attitude on the pitch, where he mopes around as though it is a chore and sees spectators as his enemies. Then he has the gall to see any time when he eventually scores a goal as an opportunity to indulge himself in ludicrous displays of anger etc towards spectators!

In over 55 years of watching professional soccer at Everton, I have never seen the likes of it — the lad is simply a joke who needs to be shipped out asap. It is one criticism I have of Mr Moyes that he consistently seems to "have faith" in him — perhaps it is more an indictment of the manager's situation regarding options that he HAS to???

Unless there is a drastic change in Anichebe's attitude and commitment on the pitch that begin to resemble anything like a true "professional" approach, I simply find any talk of him "coming good" as fanciful in the extreme; I long for the day when he can be replaced by someone who plays rather than postures.

Very fair, Andy (252), I was over the top, not least to you who I admire on here – apologies.

We'll have to agree to disagree about Big Vic though. My heart sinks when he is in the line-up, but I do take your point about an impact squaddie. That said, I would be chuffed if we could get someone else in for the same amount that we could sell him for next window.

Anthony can you explain to me what you saw in his attitude or commitment in yesterday's game or for that matter any game this season that justifies your comments. I've seen a player this season who has put in some real shifts and been an absolute handful for the opposition eg Swansea, Newcastle, West Ham and Wigan. Also his goal scoring record in the last two seasons is starting to resemble a PL striker.

As for his celebrations he just looks happy to me... but maybe he saw Paul Ferry in the crowd!

Anthony #260. Neither you nor I would require an arm round the shoulder to play for Everton but lets deal with what we have. We have a player with talent who has, apparently, a bad attitude and is regarded as a "piece of shit" by some.

So, what is the answer? In my opinion it is for the coach, in the interests of our club, to find it and to get him playing. Recently it seems like this is happening. His goal against Wigan was superb and I think encouragement rather than abuse is what is best for Everton.

Can anyone give an example where abusing a player was good for the club?

To be fair to Victor, I thought he looked the part tonight. Just wondered are there any stats about Goals per minute on the pitch, because I bet that makes him look even better

I'm not a fan of Anichebe but even I can say he played well against Chelski until he went back to the wing and I was calling for Moyes to give him a shot against Newcastle tonight to create a battering ram foil for Jelavic. If he can keep this up (admittedly being played as a strike partner NOT a winger) he offers something.