Blue Wiz
Player Valuation: £25m
These are the players that form the squad Everton FC have to choose from when forming their lineup.
Goalies: Howard is still the number one, reliable and a worthy follower to Big Nev, Martyn, etc.. Wessel is the undisputed nr 2. Have experience in plenty and with luck might even push for starting games even with Howard healthy. Add to that the youngsters Turner and Ruddy. They're not really ready for games on this lvl yet, but have shown promise when they've been thrown into the heat and at lower leagues.
Verdict for goalies: 8/10
Defenders: With a starting line of Baines, Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka and fullgood subs like Stubbs, Neville.. Hibbert & Valente have shown some mistakes lately but are good secondary string players, and with Boyle as well our defence looks very good.. However I'd have liked another CD/LB to be perfectly happy when Yobo leaves for the african nations.. but that will be in the Januarytransferwindow and there is a possibility to add one then. Overall a very good defensive lineup.
Verdict for defenders: 9/10
Midfielders: A healthy midfield looks extremely interesting. Cahill, Arteta, Gravesen, Neville & Carsley are very good midfielders, Osman is not quite as good in my eyes, but still a good midfielder, but a bit weak against tougher opponents. Pienaar is an unknown, but if he find the shape he had in Holland that made him move to Germany.. then he's another top player. daSilva is another that have to prove his worth, he looks like he lacks the last bit, but it can be down to not being used to the game here in england. Vidarsson is young, might get a few chances as a sub or in a cup game, but can't see him in a starting lineup for a league game yet... and VdM? We all know what he CAN do, but he doesn't show it here. Overall a great midfield when everyone is fit and healthy, but with injuries to key-players we are vulnerable. In my eyes still the weakest part of our team, and the area that Moyes should look at improving in the next transferwindow.. if possible.
Verdict for midfielders: 7/10
Strikers:We have a lot of young strikers. All of them have many years in front of them in the toplvls if they stay healthy and have a normal evolution. AJ and Yak are proven scorers and if they get a good partnership going the opponents will be nervous to see their names in the lineup, Vaughan has shown he can play at this lvl, but he's still young and shouldn't be starting week in and week out.. very good as a sub though, Anichebe is a step behind his young friend. But can score and do his part at the lvl required. But he need to improve a bit to be really dangerous. McFadden is a bit of an enigma for me. His top lvl is high, but his low lvl is too low. If he can raise that low lvl he will become a very good player. So we have 5 strikers that are good, add to that youngsters like Jutkiewicz, Spencer & Sheppard that wants to prove that not just Vaughan and Anichebe can do what it takes... I say our strikerforce is very good. But Yak & Anichebe will leave for the african nations, hopefully Vaughan will be back in full health by then, otherwise we are low on numbers. But it looks good for many years to come!
Verdict for strikers: 9/10
Note, that I've only rated players in their natural part of the team. Jags can also play at midfield and Neville at defence, but since they are primarily defender and midfielder. I've only used them in that position when doing this calculation.
Goalies: Howard is still the number one, reliable and a worthy follower to Big Nev, Martyn, etc.. Wessel is the undisputed nr 2. Have experience in plenty and with luck might even push for starting games even with Howard healthy. Add to that the youngsters Turner and Ruddy. They're not really ready for games on this lvl yet, but have shown promise when they've been thrown into the heat and at lower leagues.
Verdict for goalies: 8/10
Defenders: With a starting line of Baines, Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka and fullgood subs like Stubbs, Neville.. Hibbert & Valente have shown some mistakes lately but are good secondary string players, and with Boyle as well our defence looks very good.. However I'd have liked another CD/LB to be perfectly happy when Yobo leaves for the african nations.. but that will be in the Januarytransferwindow and there is a possibility to add one then. Overall a very good defensive lineup.
Verdict for defenders: 9/10
Midfielders: A healthy midfield looks extremely interesting. Cahill, Arteta, Gravesen, Neville & Carsley are very good midfielders, Osman is not quite as good in my eyes, but still a good midfielder, but a bit weak against tougher opponents. Pienaar is an unknown, but if he find the shape he had in Holland that made him move to Germany.. then he's another top player. daSilva is another that have to prove his worth, he looks like he lacks the last bit, but it can be down to not being used to the game here in england. Vidarsson is young, might get a few chances as a sub or in a cup game, but can't see him in a starting lineup for a league game yet... and VdM? We all know what he CAN do, but he doesn't show it here. Overall a great midfield when everyone is fit and healthy, but with injuries to key-players we are vulnerable. In my eyes still the weakest part of our team, and the area that Moyes should look at improving in the next transferwindow.. if possible.
Verdict for midfielders: 7/10
Strikers:We have a lot of young strikers. All of them have many years in front of them in the toplvls if they stay healthy and have a normal evolution. AJ and Yak are proven scorers and if they get a good partnership going the opponents will be nervous to see their names in the lineup, Vaughan has shown he can play at this lvl, but he's still young and shouldn't be starting week in and week out.. very good as a sub though, Anichebe is a step behind his young friend. But can score and do his part at the lvl required. But he need to improve a bit to be really dangerous. McFadden is a bit of an enigma for me. His top lvl is high, but his low lvl is too low. If he can raise that low lvl he will become a very good player. So we have 5 strikers that are good, add to that youngsters like Jutkiewicz, Spencer & Sheppard that wants to prove that not just Vaughan and Anichebe can do what it takes... I say our strikerforce is very good. But Yak & Anichebe will leave for the african nations, hopefully Vaughan will be back in full health by then, otherwise we are low on numbers. But it looks good for many years to come!
Verdict for strikers: 9/10
Note, that I've only rated players in their natural part of the team. Jags can also play at midfield and Neville at defence, but since they are primarily defender and midfielder. I've only used them in that position when doing this calculation.
