Season › 2014-15 › News
Jagielka: Not 'make or break' yet
Everton have suffered four successive League defeats, including dismal defeats at Southampton and Hull, which has dropped them to 13th in the table and they will kick off against Champions Manchester City later today just four points above the relegation zone.
It's a far cry from the team's form of last season that carried them to a record points haul in the Premier League and while the 32 year-old can't quite put his finger on the reasons for the difference, he cites injuries and inconsistent team selection as one of the factors.
“You're talking about a very similar bunch of players to last season, when these questions weren't being asked,” Jagielka said in response to suggestions that the players are having difficulties implementing the manager's instructions.
“It's a difficult question to answer. We've not had a consistent team selection — quite a few injuries — but I don't think you can aim that question at us.
"We were asked to play in a much different style last season to how we had played for quite a few years, and that criticism didn't come up then, when we were doing well. It is an easy, simple question to ask now.
“I wouldn't go so far as to say they set the alarm bells ringing but the Hull and the Southampton games brought it home to me,” Jagielka continued.
“Nothing is simple in this league. Those two away defeats give you a sense of realism that unless we start picking up points on Saturday it's going to be a tough second half of the season. But with the players we have we can deal with that.”
Some supporters have identified the lack of leaders on the field as one of the problems preventing the Blues from pulling out of their current slump and Jagielka admits that he is not one for Phil Neville-style rallying cries, preferring a more personal approach with the players.
[When confidence is low] “you tend to second-guess yourself at times. We have put in a lot of decent 60 minute performances but football is 90 minutes long and we have not managed to see it through to the end.”
“How many times can you give a rallying cry?” he explained. “How nervous do you want to make people? I do go around and speak to players individually or in little groups but I don't sit at home hoping to have to issue a rallying cry. If I felt it had come to make-or-break time I would, but we have not reached panic stations and hopefully we don't.”
Jagielka admits that stories about squad disharmony have kept the players amused of late, though, using one rumour involving his England teammate Leighton Baines as an example.
“You do hear some weird stuff but it gives us a bit of a laugh at the training ground,” Jagielka explained. “Sometimes football isn't enough for stories so people go a few steps further but we appreciate the really funny stuff because it keeps us going on a day-to-day basis.”
“The best one we've heard is that Leighton had a fight with someone in the dressing room. I don't know if you know Bainesy or you've seen him but I don't think that would ever happen. He's more of a lover than a fighter.”
Reader Comments (51)
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2 Posted 10/01/2015 at 07:10:02
3 Posted 10/01/2015 at 06:44:06
Oh for a local lad with loyalty, talent and fire. Kenny or Ledson one day perhaps.
Right now I would go with McCarthy. He leads by example and can blow his top.
Of the other candidates, Eto'o is too old, Gibson too sick, Stones too nice and too young and Besic too new.
4 Posted 10/01/2015 at 07:37:47
5 Posted 10/01/2015 at 07:58:11
I like Jags. Good player but he's not and never will be considered, IMO, an Everton captain. He's far too nice and he's from Yorkshire!!!
I've mentioned Barkley before but maybe he's too quiet as well. We need a leader on the pitch. Who and where is he?
6 Posted 10/01/2015 at 08:11:19
7 Posted 10/01/2015 at 08:06:51
8 Posted 10/01/2015 at 08:29:18
Too quiet and introverted for the role, we need a big gob, who doesn't care if he upsets people.
I'd give it to Naismith, he is mouthy, and he leads by example, both on and off the field.
9 Posted 10/01/2015 at 08:43:54
Kremlinologists might like to start reading between the lines of the entire Guardian piece rather than the abridged version above. Link
10 Posted 10/01/2015 at 08:47:24
My God this is nuts.
We have been on a quite appalling run since, well since the end of October and let's be honest, the Villa and Burnley games aside in that said month, we were horrendous before then too.
How can it not be make or brake?
If we lost to City today and go at West Ham then the match at home to West Brom is a 9 pointer.
If you head into the Spring with the mere 6/7 wins then ththat's a relegation battle.
One quick glance at the fixture list and there aren't too many games that look favourable between now and March, even games against West Brom and Palace will take on a new level now due to their new stewardship.
Not make or brake??
Really?
12 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:11:08
13 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:30:54
In some respects I feel sorry for players in this situation, they are footballers (well most of them) not spokesman.. .
Need to pull it out of the bag today, no stupid selection... I.e no Distin, or Alcaraz, ideally Besic and Barkley in the middle. 4 at the back..Lukaku on fire.
Barkley, Mirralles, Lukaku and Naismith (due a good game) can scare Citeh if played properly...
14 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:47:47
Complacency has set in here, and I now genuinely think we are fucked.
16 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:44:28
17 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:51:38
I will tell you this PJ, you are not for me as captain, you are not for 10's of thousands of others. Phil Neville was not a great player, but he leaves you standing as a Captain.
18 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:45:08
Commendably he prefers to lead by example and encouragement – much better than bawling individuals out on the pitch which is just playing to the gallery and affects team morale.
However, all the strengths (and there are many) of this squad need to be harnessed this afternoon to send out an unequivocal message that the lean period is over and that we once again mean business.
19 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:03:53
20 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:48:27
What is our current record, regardless of our 4 consecutive defeats, 1 win in about 9 or 10 games? For me, if we hadn’t won in 3-4 before the consecutive defeats then that would of been a worry to me and things would be said.
We’re a team that from last season, was used to doing well, winning games and not going many without a win and have aspirations to be at the top end and challenging the top 4 and yet we’ve been struggling for months now and our captain doesn’t think we’ve reached panic stations yet, get a grip lad!
Course there’s concern for panic, there was weeks a go, we’re now in the bottom half, conceding a lot of goals and closer to the bottom 4 than top 4 and for a team that expects better and aspires to better it isn’t good enough and he should see that and say so! Like some have said, would likes of Gerrard come out and accept this and paper over cracks, no he wouldn’t, he’d be a straight shooter and say it how it is and demand more, like all good captains do!
For me, the best captains are the ones like Ratcliffe, Adams, Keane, Gerrard etc, all top players, loud, aggressive when they need to be and demand the very best and 100% effort and commitment like they’d all give and they was very sore losers that wanted to win badly and Jags is nowhere near like any of those.
For me, Jags is just one of lads that likes his banter and wants to fuck about. A proper captain can do that, but knows when to separate himself from that and be serious about his duties and I’m not sure Jags as or can grasp that?!
21 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:01:06
22 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:14:29
23 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:14:16
24 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:17:12
25 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:22:22
http://viewfromtheroyalbluemersey.wordpress.com/famous-Everton-quotes/
26 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:22:20
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30735905
27 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:12:11
Unless we get this back I fear for us as the more we get dragged into a relegation fight this manager hasn't got the fight or desire to get us out of it. Someone at the club has got to grasp the nettle quick as after City we have got 2 massive games against teams with new managers and if we don't take 4 points from them games were in big trouble.
The more I see Roberto the more he reminds me of Mike Walker and we know how lucky we were under him. So Roberto has to change his ways or I'm afraid a parting of the ways is needed.
28 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:35:14
29 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:03:22
He has been an automatic selection (not sure he should be now) he's experienced, doesn't get injured very often, maybe he's ok in the dressing room!
Personally I think he should be sold if we can find a suitable replacement that we can afford, him along with at least 6 or 7 of our squad, we need a clear out.
Moyes left more over the hill players than quality ones when he left, there's going to big upheaval needed.
30 Posted 10/01/2015 at 09:33:14
31 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:24:01
Naismith has scored 1 goal in the PL since August. What sort of example is that?
32 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:49:23
I hope we get shut of him to be honest with you.
33 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:39:28
5 March 1994 we played home to Oldham. Before that game we were 15th in a top league of 22. Management team member, I'm fairly sure Gabriel: 'we're not going to qualify for Europe and we're not going to be relegated, so opportunity to [etc]...' Sick feeling in pit of stomach. We beat Oldham 2-1. Only 11 games to go. We won 1 of the next 10. You all know the rest.
34 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:08:26
35 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:14:23
"Yes we are all panicing, we have to win this next match or it is a disaster".
Never going to happen.
36 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:06:25
What's for us to worry about, then ? The skipper implies that we have a great '60 minutes' team and that the lads are working hard on seeing games out.
No need for a rallying cry, he says, and the players can't stop laughing at how we mere mortals see the situation.
Me, I'm just glad we are in such good shape and have such an inspiring captain at the helm.
37 Posted 10/01/2015 at 10:53:57
His basic defending is a joke-lets balls drop,doesnt attack the ball,has no awareness,tackles like a pudding,too soft,too nice and he is a reactive player and not what we need at centre-back/captain. Your centre-back/captain needs to be proactive, in the sense they organise players around them into the right shape/areas before the opposition have attacked and thus almost preempting what’s going to happen.
Captains of sports teams are looked up to by the rest of the players because of either there deeds on the pitch or the fact that they help, cajole, encourage and organise them so they play better as a team. It’s called being unselfish as the Captain and respectful by the players, Jagielka!!!
I’m glad you find it funny, though, Mr Captain, because I found your attempt at defending v West Ham a fucking joke too!! As ever, people’s true colours come out when the pressure is on and this bloke can’t handle the pressure.
38 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:25:59
Whether your manager has to be as assertive is a moot point, Fergy was and LVG & Mourinho clearly are but the City fella and Wenger aren’t. That said, I can never see Arsenal winning the league or the champions for the simple reason the manager in keeping with Martinez is not assertive and as a result picks a team lacking in character, so much so that I cannot recall who the Arsenal captain is?
Right now Jags is our captain and that tells me we are going to tread water at best and at worst we will flirt with relegation. If and when Macca’s fit I would make him captain but what I really want is a new manager and right now Slaven Bilic would be first choice with Alan Irvine as his number two and my wild card choice would be Eddie Howe with Irvine as his number two.
39 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:48:33
40 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:43:28
I don't know the context of the interview but focussing on our defeats seems counter-productive. We had just lost 4 in a row but that last minute goal in the Cup should transform the squad into a mood of positivity and hunger for the next game. We broke the cycle and finished a game for the 1st time in ages. He should be talking how the team are bursting to get at City.
41 Posted 10/01/2015 at 11:59:51
there's not one player so far this season who can hold their head up. Not one
However, it must be said that out of them all at the very least Naismith comes off the pitch having at least tried !
At least you can see some emotion from Naismith.
We all know how he was put out wide right by Moyes and how Martinez played him in his best position al la Kilmarnock and Rangers.
Playing Barkley Eto and Naismith - sometimes all together ! - in the same position has fucked them all up.
Given the right service and playing I his right position without falling over others he is still worth a place in the team
42 Posted 10/01/2015 at 12:26:16
Likewise the manager. If only we had Diego Simeone someone with spirit.
We know our players have the talent( excluding one or two) but where's the passion?
Half of them look like they couldn't give a damn!
43 Posted 10/01/2015 at 12:35:49
Don't know what you mean. He's played in the hole all season apart from one disaster on the wing. He's not scored since Utd away on August 5th and people wonder why we can't win a game. He's a championship player.
44 Posted 10/01/2015 at 12:38:36
45 Posted 10/01/2015 at 12:47:47
I really do despair.
If we do survive this season, a massive root and branch overhaul is required.
Green shoots? Nah, too much dead wood.
The motto is "Nil Satis Nisi Optimum".
Did they run out of ink after "Nil"?
46 Posted 10/01/2015 at 12:28:44
His best position is 10 and early in the season when Ross was injured, Nais was doing really well, scoring regularly.
He ain't a winger or a midfielder, he is a poacher, who can draw fouls in and around the box, and he is good at pressurising defenders and provides an indusrious distraction giving others a chance to profit from his hard work.
He can finish given the chance.
As many have said on here, it is all about playing the right people in the right positions.
48 Posted 10/01/2015 at 13:39:40
49 Posted 10/01/2015 at 13:41:14
You are ignoring the facts. No goals for three months, no assists all season. What could be more obvious.
50 Posted 10/01/2015 at 13:41:35
But if you're looking for a local boy who cares about the club, has a go at people on the pitch, is a consistent performer then look no further than Baines.
51 Posted 10/01/2015 at 13:41:10
52 Posted 10/01/2015 at 13:51:27
Then RM was interviewed and he used the word "phenomenal" describing the squad and the situation had nothing to do with him, it was all about the players enjoying themselves again.
McCarthy should take over the captain's role and if he goes, then give it to Besic.
I despair right now and as much as I want 3 points today I might as well ask for Sandra Bullock to knock on my door and ask herself in for dinner!
53 Posted 10/01/2015 at 17:01:41
54 Posted 10/01/2015 at 19:51:18
If the players genuinely aren't motivated look towards the management team.
If you want to hear Centurian battlecries read some history.
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1 Posted 10/01/2015 at 06:38:47
This man should not be Captain. Good servant? Yes.
Captain? No.
We've not reached panic stations yet... That's not the point Phil! As Captain you should be demanding excellence each and every game.
This man's bar is too low to lead.