Heitinga

[Brennan]

I think people overstate how much European football means to footballers. It's usually just code for 'team with more money that will give me more money'.

If European football meant so much to footballers we'd see people queueing up to play for Celtic/Linfied/Basle and, indeed, Fenerbache. But we don't.

They love the coin more than love going to Ukraine on a thursday to play in a competition most of them don't really care about.

Why would Heitinga stay at a team who finish 6th-8th and don't win silverware when he could go to a team who consistently get into Europe, and where he would actually be a starter ?

 

[Seamus Colemole]

I think in this case its clear that Moyes has his "favourite" and will play them any chance he gets.

Well not straight away, he likes to make them wait a game or 2 before putting them back in the team but once they're in for some players the Everton team is harder to get out of then alcatraz.

 

[BoysInBlue]

Really glad to hear that the club turned down the Fiorentina and Fenerbache bids for him.

 

[Cockney_Toffee]

hes not good enough to displace jags or distin simple as!! great back up mind!

Sorry Chris, but i disagree. Johnny should play ahead of Jags for me.

 

[LTblue]

he's quality, a good marker of where our squad is just now, we need quality outside of the game day XI to rotate and keep things fresh.

 

[Cockney_Toffee]

Dont recken Moyes is a fan of the Johnny/Jags partnership, could be wrong tho.

Spot on, they are too similar in what they offer. It has to be Distan and one other. When the two mention have played together in my eyes it's not "worked".

 

[billycopper]

It's balance. Jags normally has to move to the left side to accommodate Johnny and I don't think he's totally comfortable with it.

 

[boris]

Really glad to hear that the club turned down the Fiorentina and Fenerbache bids for him.

They really didn't though mate regardless of what spin anyone wants to put on it.

Sheedy told us long before anyone else we were touting him around. He then told of us of Fener's bid and Jonny refusing the move despite the club accepting the offer. Everything Sheedy proved o be correct and the leaks followed in the days proceeding.

Jonny refused the move not the club, I reckon he's hanging around to go on a free.

Personally, I'd play him ahead of Jags.

 

[steken1]

Johnny and Jag looked comfortable together at the back end of last season. Johnny and Distin also looked good together last year.

For the first half of last season Jags and Dizzer were all over the show making errors left, right and centre. This season they have kept out Man Utd and looked boss. Had an Uber shaky spell Vs Villa what nearly saw them come back into the game and looked a poor excuse for a pairing against WBA.

I've said for a long time I don't rate them as a pairing and I'm suprised a man likes Moyes who places so much emphasis on solid defence has persevered as long as he has with them. Like others have said we know he has his favourites and those two must be in them, because there's no way anybody thinks those two are our best pair and the stats back that up.

 

[toffeestillidie]

****ing hell the strong opinions in here are absurd.

jags and distin are world class centre backs. so is heitinga. moyes has a tough decision on his hands.

a season is also 38 games long plus cups. we've played 3 games. 3 ****ing games. the transfer window is over so he's not going anywhere for the time being. i promise all 3 of our centre backs will have plenty of chances to play. settle down

 

[slimspek]

....

Watching how he coached Duffy along when they played together told me everything I need to know about the man and I bet that the player duffy learns most from is him.

I thought it was a bit harsh when Duffy was asked who is favourite defender is and he said Jags and not Johnny. :/ However those two were the most badass CB partnership in league. Whenever Johnny is on the pitch he has been an absolute stand out guy. He's always leading and he's always the first person to go to Moyes for instructions. Very professional.

 

[kev101]

Does it though, what if at some point in time Heitinga playing is the most effective solution, but he's not in as good form as he would otherwise be because of lack of games/poor mood/left the club? Wouldn't it have been better to use a player that you don't see as the best for the job for one game so that they're still an option in the event of them being the best for the job in the future?

You play your best 11 for the match ahead... end of. imo

 

[mightymoyes]

i would still play him at right back. i know he wasnt much use the games he did play there but a run of games and he'd be better the neville or hibbert, though thats not too hard.

 

[bainesontoast]

If Gibson isn't fit, he'll start in CM with Neville at RB.

 

[steken1]

****ing hell the strong opinions in here are absurd.

jags and distin are world class centre backs. so is heitinga. moyes has a tough decision on his hands.

a season is also 38 games long plus cups. we've played 3 games. 3 ****ing games. the transfer window is over so he's not going anywhere for the time being. i promise all 3 of our centre backs will have plenty of chances to play. settle down

Absolute miles away from World Class mate. A handful of International caps between them mostly in friendlies and against unfancied opposition doesn't make you world class.