Pienaar to return?

[RFUS]

I am totally fine with a 4-2-3-1 as well. I would love this with these players (aka Neville shouldn't be touching this formation with a 10 foot pole). I initially tried to cram this into a 4-3-3 and it didn't quite work as I felt we were lacking upfront.

Having that three a-top midfield + a striker would be awesome. I can only imagine the brand of attacking football that would create. And the SPEED of it all. We would need to work on major movement between Drenthe, LD, Pienaar and Saha, but I think they could do it. Not necessary tika taka, but plain old triangles and one-touch passing. Speed of thought and play to break down ponderous sides. And the final through ball to streaking players. This is what at least Drenthe, Saha and LD specialize in (less so Pienaar, but he could do it).

Although if it was Saha upfront, we would have an absolutely MIDGET front line. Nothing wrong with that, but no target striker = NO HOOFBALL and do we think we could accomplish that? I have no idea what Jags would do with himself.

But in all seriousness, it also means keeping the ball on the ground and reducing the pointless crosses from left and right unless Fellaini or Saha are in the box. That front line is going to have serious trouble heading the ball anywhere. Corner marking will also be intriguing. It would be different play than what we've done.

PLEASE Moyes, PLEASE. If Pienaar doesn't come on loan you could stick Coleman back in midfield, or Barkley.

Side note for USMNT fans:
This is essentially how Jurgen wants Landon to play. Would be great to see before WC qualifying.

You could always go for a big fella like Stracq or Vellios up front to give us the muscle and height. Both have shown an ability to hold it up and bring others into play, too, and this would work well with the attacking trio behind them.

Also, we'd have two powerful, tall players at CM in Rodders and Felli, so I'd think we'd have enough height and ability at set pieces and even in open play (via box-to-box style runs into the area) to still utilise crosses and aerial balls.

The fact of the matter is, with Drenthe, Pienaar, Baines and Donovan in the same side, there would be a million ways for us to unlock stubborn teams and no need for us to play hoofball. Whether or not Moyes would utilise those players in that way however is another thing altogether.

 

[ijjysmith]

Signing Donovan and Pienaar doesn't mean the end of hoofball.

It just means we have a few better players to try and win the aimless long balls back!!

 

[Toffe3m4n]

I'd welcome him back in a heartbeat.

I want him and Baines on the left again.

 

[The Equaliser]

Less than thrilled. Never go back. Nothing against the bloke, he left for more money, fair enough. But resigning old players in the hope it'll bring the good times back smacks of desperation.

Yeah it does. That's because we ARE desperate.

 

[Clint Planet]

Yeah it does. That's because we ARE desperate.

Quite.

Never say never. Not in our position.

 

[Kay20]

You could always go for a big fella like Stracq or Vellios up front to give us the muscle and height. Both have shown an ability to hold it up and bring others into play, too, and this would work well with the attacking trio behind them.

Also, we'd have two powerful, tall players at CM in Rodders and Felli, so I'd think we'd have enough height and ability at set pieces and even in open play (via box-to-box style runs into the area) to still utilise crosses and aerial balls.

The fact of the matter is, with Drenthe, Pienaar, Baines and Donovan in the same side, there would be a million ways for us to unlock stubborn teams and no need for us to play hoofball. Whether or not Moyes would utilise those players in that way however is another thing altogether.

Very true with the upfront guys - but I would really want them not only to have hold-up play, but the ability to combine with that trio so that we actually move into the box. From limited minutes, it looks like Vellios would be better at that. But who knows on Straq as we've seen him for like 10 minutes.

Agree completely with your second paragraph and that's my fear on Moyes. He'll have a toolkit, I'm wondering if he'll be willing to use ALL the tools on the same pitch at the same time. You could toss Coleman into that argument as well - attacking FB that we don't have in Hibbo.

If we do play this way Rodwell and Fellaini need to go box-to-box. Rodwell in particular has been hesitant doing this, he would need to commit. Fellaini doesn't seem to have the same issue as he lurks in the box all the time. But the two of their communication - who goes forward, who stays back - will also be crucial.

A lot of things to work out:
1. Who plays the target striker
2. No Neville or Cahill. Really Moyes, no Neville or Cahill
3. Ball on ground, limited hoofball (memo needs to go to Jags)
4. How to utilize pace that we'll suddenly have, one touch passing
5. Box to box communication
6. Right sided defending - in particular, do you try out Coleman at RB? If there's a team to do this with, it's Bolton.

All a recipe to freak Moyes out and may be too much to commit to on 1/4. The good news is that we're playing a team that's in dire straits. Time to experiment against Bolton and not Man U/City.

 

[Kay20]

Signing Donovan and Pienaar doesn't mean the end of hoofball.

It just means we have a few better players to try and win the aimless long balls back!!

Forget Pienaar. If Drenthe and LD are on the same pitch and the aimless long ball continues to be our strategy I will leap out a window.

Well, not really, but you catch my drift.

 

[Brennan]

Yeah it does. That's because we ARE desperate.

This. Who cares if it looks desperate ? If i cared about how the team looked to other people or teams i would have stopped supporting Everton years ago.

 

[chicoazul]

I wasn't happy with how he left, leading the fans on and then searching solely for the biggest payday he could. Still, he'd gave us four years good service so no hard feelings.

Thing is that were desperate at the moment and he's proven at being huge in our playmaking so it makes sense.

As long as these loan deals aren't a way of dressing things up so we don't spend a bean then it's cool, I'd be happier if there were terms agreed for a permanent deal in place in case they impress.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

I wasn't happy with how he left, leading the fans on and then searching solely for the biggest payday he could. Still, he'd gave us four years good service so no hard feelings. Thing is that were desperate at the moment and he's proven at being huge in our playmaking so it makes sense. As long as these loan deals aren't a way of dressing things up so we don't spend a bean then it's cool, I'd be happier if there were terms agreed for a permanent deal in place in case they impress.

Acting like we can pick and choose.McFaddenPeanutsDonovanEasy picking these, Yak will be back next year.

 

[ijjysmith]

Just to clarify...is this happening or what?

 

[kenada_blue]

I wasn't happy with how he left, leading the fans on and then searching solely for the biggest payday he could. Still, he'd gave us four years good service so no hard feelings.

Thing is that were desperate at the moment and he's proven at being huge in our playmaking so it makes sense.

As long as these loan deals aren't a way of dressing things up so we don't spend a bean then it's cool, I'd be happier if there were terms agreed for a permanent deal in place in case they impress.

It will look that way though.

We'll roll into next season down another load of players - Straq, Drenthe, Donovan, Pienaar(?), Saha.

Getting Drenthe could be possible, but knowing us we'll cock it up. But we're still lacking big time rolling into next season as we await a Heitinga/Rodwell sale.

The cynic in me says these loans are just to stay in the premiership ala Moyes' brief.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Just to clarify...is this happening or what?

Fifty percent chance

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I'd love to see him back, he's a quality footballer and a real team player, his attitude alone would lift things at the moment, constantly moving and making himself available, always willing to take responsbility. He could even play in the middle of the park for us, as he did a few times alongside Fellaini to good effect. I find the Fellaini-Rodwell partnership a little overrated and not as balanced as people make it out to be at present, so that could be a good option.

The use of Donovan will be interesting to see, I'd expect him to play as more of a forward if he was played in tandem with someone like Saha, not as a typical number 10. It might even be more effective if Saha dropped deeper and Donovan ran into space. That's his main strength really. I don't see him playing infront of teams and breaking them down, Stick him on either flank or as a forward and let him use his pace, movement and intelligence.

 

[bluesb1970]

Arteta means Andrews in Spanish...

...and mikel means Keith