Think you are just counting league games there
you're right, all competitive matches it's:
Lineker 57 (1 season).
Andrei 62 (1-and-a-half seasons).
So fair point that both should be eligible.
would have Rooney over Rom, especially if you want someone who can hustle and track back.
You mean the Rooney we had or the Rooney Man U had?
Sharp also played in some not great Everton sides and played for us over a longer period which skews his stats. I respectfully disagree with your analysis of just his first touch was better, Sharp was an intelligent player who created for others and could have scored a lot more if he had just been the usual self centred goalscorer (more like Lineker another words), that team ethic was probably why Kendall kept him.
Also good point.
If theoretically Rom was with us over that length of time would have injuries/slowing of pace/general malaise of not moving and freshening things up cause a drop off in goals in later seasons?
Impossible to say. I'm a believer in certain players fit certain clubs, and I think Rom fitted us perfectly. Maybe we wouldn't have had such a dire time these last few years had he stayed and continued his goals-ratio.
Sharp had the good fortune? Oh dear. The great forward likes of that era were:
Sharp and Heath, Sharp and Gray, Sharp and Lineker. There's a common denominator there.
Fair point.
Based on a player’s whole career, rather than just their appearances in blue, there’s no way I’d have Lukaku anywhere near this team, especially at the expense of Rooney.
One of England’s greatest ever goal scorers (and an excellent footballer all-round) or a fella who is as consistent as jelly with no first touch.
Rooney wasn't playing for us then. An Everton Greatest XI should only include their performances & achievements while playing for us.
I’m not going through every position, I’m just going to envisage the wet dream of Kendall, Ball and Harvey out-footballing everyone in midfield, supplying ammunition for prime Rooney and Dean to destroy every defence put in front of them.
That does sound tasty, even if we're accepting 17-year old Wayne.
For us, Lukaku was much better than Rooney.
Agreed.
Ball, Harvey and Kendall, one of the greatest midfields ever and all played together.
I know we blues see them as one of the greatest midfields ever, but other football fans are barely aware of them. Only Alan Ball is a vaunted name (as a player), and that's more because of England '66 than Everton.
only been watching since 89ish
Same...the Cup Final was my discovery of Everton (i just spontaneously chose the blue team and it stuck).
realise that Everton did have some great players pre-60s, other than Dixie.
Aye, outside of Dixie there's only Ted Sagar and Alex 'Sandy' Young who come to mind as potential pre-60's candidates.
A fair attempt tbh.
I'm not sure about Lukaku though...I feel they might cancel each other out by getting in Dean's way and he does tend to sulk if he's not the main man...sorry Rom, but there's nobody Main-er than Dean.
Agree with that!
He might thrive in that just-behind-the-goalhanger position. Gives him a lot to do.
So, due to his adaptability, around play, No 10-esque footballing brain - not to mention outstanding goalscoring record, Rooney gets my nod.
The Rooney we had or the Rooney Man U had?
I see the merit in having Rooney if we're picking players at their peak at different clubs. But he wasn't good enough for a long enough period playing for us.
He was inconsistent, and overplayed as a 17-year old. There was some incredible magic too, tho'.
I get the Rooney shouts and in his prime he was naturally better than anyone I've seen in a blue shirt - at his peak he was at the very top with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo - he just couldn't stay there... but as someone has already said we never had him in his prime. Rooney at 16 would still 100% be on my bench though and Rom was a goal machine so he's a no brainer.
Aye, Rom over Rooney due to goals.
When Wayne left a bit of romanticism for the game died...when he came back it just wasn't the same...like getting sloppy seconds 15 years after first lust.
Jagielka & Lescott had the best pairing i've seen, aswell as having that left foot, right foot combination, Lescott carried a goal threat too - think he's quite underrated when some of the best PL CB's are talked about.
Aye, Lescott was great for us. Maybe a bench-candidate for the Greatest-XXII Squad.
Midfield - Could make a case for fellaini
For a short time i loved Fellaini in the defensive-mid position. Where he seemed to intercept everything (that famous Bellamy-interception was from this position).
Stupidly, we didn't let him cement there...Moyes often then used him as an emergency striker, ffs.
Rooney's peak for me was while he was still an Everton player. Euro 2004 he was unplayable. Never felt that way thereafter. I'm not saying he didn't improve in certain aspects as a complete player, but he lost some of that machine like rawness and invincibility.
Do agree with this too...despite inconsistency and being overplayed, Wayne at 17 had the kind of magic moments we only know from dreams & Playstation.
Ferguson might've sorted his consistency out, but like he did with Giggs he sawed off the magic-edges to get it.
Wright
Sansom
Materazzi
Kroldrup
James
Gazza
Riquelme
Blomqvuist
Ginola
Eto'o
Hughes
