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What do these players have in common

Some light amusement to ease the tension before another critical game on Saturday...

Can you find the common link between all these players?

Junior
Vellios
Rodwell
Anichebe
Barkley
Duffy
Baines
Hibbert
Naismith (3)

Clearly only one has performed consistently at the highest level for most of the season (Baines), and another has been a nice surprise and has done quite well mostly, but still cannot perform at the very highest level consistently (Anichebe).

The rest have had little to no impact on the first team. One has been on loan most of the time (Barkley), and one has been sold (Rodwell) – and he has not had any real impact for his new employers either.

What do they have in common? Well they were all the players who scored in the pre-season games. (nb: Baines's goal was a penalty...)

Which just goes to show that pre-season doesn't tell you too much about the season to follow. Except for the fact that Jelavic didn't score pre-season — and that's been telling...

Julian Wait, Austin, TX, USA Posted 22/02/2013 at 15:49:31

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Reader Comments

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Paul Ellam
451 Posted 22/02/2013 at 17:23:07

Maybe Naismith used up most of his goal quota in those games then!

David Flanagan
457 Posted 22/02/2013 at 17:30:09

Jelavic played very little preseason due to being late back but has looked off the pace for most of the season. Maybe he needs the training more than most? Most players only play 45 minutes per game anyway.

Nick Entwistle
466 Posted 22/02/2013 at 17:50:47

Its the only time of year Moyes likes to rest and rotate.

Julian Wait
493 Posted 22/02/2013 at 19:20:35

GodwinsLawFN(Moyes) == 2

:-)

Dean Adams
501 Posted 22/02/2013 at 19:40:34

Julian - I guess life in Austin has been slow this week!! Lovely town from what I remember (1993, whilst the Waco thing was unfolding). Nice part of the world with only one drawback. Long way from Goodison.

Derek Thomas
502 Posted 22/02/2013 at 19:37:28

It could tell you that on the whole the quality of both our bench and opponents is poor. Futher more that the way we go about our pre season is flawed.

Apart from Baines, Anichebe and Naismith have had 'some ' appearances and scored ' some' goals.

But the rest haven't, so didn't score.

Julian Wait
550 Posted 22/02/2013 at 21:39:04

Dean - I was looking up the day / time of the game so I could forewarn wife and family, i.e. plan the weekend around the game, and I just happened at the bottom of the match fixtures page :-)

Bill Griffiths
575 Posted 22/02/2013 at 22:59:24

Sorry but I don't see the point/reason behind this article? Pre season games/friendlies don't mean a thing. It's like the England football team, they look good in friendlies and qualify for championships but when they get to meaningful games they are exposed for what they are. My view is that in pre season games you should play basically what is your strongest team and stick to it. What good does chopping and changing do? - Nothing whatsoever.

Nick Entwistle
802 Posted 23/02/2013 at 18:53:19

That they're shit?

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