2022/23 Vitalii Mykolenko

[Paul Rideout]

It seemed to me that every time he made an overlapping run into space yesterday, he never got the ball back? I dont know if him and Grey have had a falling out? Anyway, defensively he had another good game yesterday, and his nutsack-block was the stuff of legends!

this is something that the 'he offers nothing going forwards' brigade aren't wrapping their heads around.

You put Gray in front of Baines or Digne and they would be impotent going forwards too... Gray doesn't pass to full backs (watch the game back if you don't believe me)

 

[Toffeelover]

Had a good game.

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Just the goal saving block and assist for Gordon today

He did well yesterday, good on him
I don't think many would dispute they'd want him ahead of Vinagre when we're 1-0 up like yesterday, but away from home when we're 1-0 down may be a different story. I'd like to see him attack the channels more when we're behind (e.g. a possubke/probable situation in an away game over the next few weeks).

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Ah but he is not Baines or Digne for that matter thus Mykolenko won't win half many trophies as they did playing for Everton...

Baines is the type of player that top 6 teams like and tend to have, Myko is the type that can typically be found in most team fighting relegation.

NB: I'm not saying he can't improve, of course, he's still a young lad and hopefully can add an effective attacking element to his game.

 

[Jager24]

A good performance , but he ain't no Baines is he?

Can he get forward like Baines, no. Can he defend better than Baines, yes as Baines was a bit crap at the back but people seem to forgot this.

 

[miami]

He’s solid enough. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a world class left back though. There’s an attacking left back who sits on the bench most weeks at arsenal. He’s great on the overlap and is a constant provider of balls into the box.

Any chance we can make a cheeky bid for him in January?

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Can he get forward like Baines, no. Can he defend better than Baines, yes as Baines was a bit crap at the back but people seem to forgot this.

That applied to Tony Hibbert too, but Baines was far better.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Baines is the type of player that top 6 teams like and tend to have, Myko is the type that can typically be found in most team fighting relegation.

NB: I'm not saying he can't improve, of course, he's still a young lad and hopefully can add an effective attacking element to his game.

We really need to stop comparing fullbacks to Baines. He was a phenomenon in his prime who still holds the record for full back assists if I’m not mistaken (before the two steroid heads at Liverpool go past him). Even then he was miles better defensively than the Liverpool pair and was one of the few full backs who could do both very well until he lost that yard of pace as he got older and started to get caught out more.

You think of the best left backs in the premier league Ashley Cole, Patrice Evra and he was probably better than both of those going forward and could take set pieces. Look at some of those playing for the top 6 now Chilwell, Shaw, Cucurella, Zinchenko, Tierney, Ben Davies….Baines in his prime was miles above all of these.

You’re literally talking about a player who at his best was up there with Cole Lahm Alaba etc. as the best fullback in Europe and that was whilst playing for some poor Everton teams.

He’s one of the best left backs in Everton’s history, we really need to stop comparing every full back we get to him, there’s not going to be another Leighton Baines again for a long time. Digne in his prime was good going forward but nowhere near prime Baines.

Mykolenko is different, he’ll never be Baines going forward but the complete fullback probably doesn’t exist anymore and if they do we probably won’t be fortunate enough to buy them. We should recognise Myko as the defensive rock he is, barely gets beaten one on one, makes unbelievable blocks, tidy in possession and looks like he‘d run through a wall for the shirt. He’ll do for me.

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

We really need to stop comparing fullbacks to Baines. He was a phenomenon in his prime who still holds the record for full back assists if I’m not mistaken (before the two steroid heads at Liverpool go past him). Even then he was miles better defensively than the Liverpool pair and was one of the few full backs who could do both very well until he lost that yard of pace as he got older and started to get caught out more.

You think of the best left backs in the premier league Ashley Cole, Patrice Evra and he was probably better than both of those going forward and could take set pieces. Look at some of those playing for the top 6 now Chilwell, Shaw, Cucurella, Zinchenko, Tierney, Ben Davies….Baines in his prime was miles above all of these.

You’re literally talking about a player who at his best was up there with Cole Lahm Alaba etc. as the best fullback in Europe and that was whilst playing for some poor Everton teams.

He’s one of the best left backs in Everton’s history, we really need to stop comparing every full back we get to him, there’s not going to be another Leighton Baines again for a long time. Digne in his prime was good going forward but nowhere near prime Baines.

Mykolenko is different, he’ll never be Baines going forward but the complete fullback probably doesn’t exist anymore and if they do we probably won’t be fortunate enough to buy them. We should recognise Myko as the defensive rock he is, barely gets beaten one on one, makes unbelievable blocks, tidy in possession and looks like he‘d run through a wall for the shirt. He’ll do for me.

True mate, I was just answering a comment about Baines. I'm not anti-Myko, he has his virtues and is a fine defender. But a top full back for me needs to have more of the Baines/Gary Stevens about them, as opposed to the Hibbo/Psycho Pat's (who have their own strengths, of course).

 

[Bluestar]

Baines is the type of player that top 6 teams like and tend to have, Myko is the type that can typically be found in most team fighting relegation.

NB: I'm not saying he can't improve, of course, he's still a young lad and hopefully can add an effective attacking element to his game.

Lampard asked him to get forward and overlap yesterday and he did that. His shot set up Gordon’s goal.

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Lampard asked him to get forward and overlap yesterday and he did that. His shot set up Gordon’s goal.

I know mate, i got a great view of it too, as I sit in PK2. It was great to see and plenty of us were crying out for this approach (which was lacking in the week when we needed extra bodies in attack, as we were a goal behind).

 

[Eggs]

He’s solid enough. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a world class left back though. There’s an attacking left back who sits on the bench most weeks at arsenal. He’s great on the overlap and is a constant provider of balls into the box.

Any chance we can make a cheeky bid for him in January?

….if you mean Tierney, he seems to get injured lots.

 

[miami]

….if you mean Tierney, he seems to get injured lots.

I don’t think he’s been injured lately or been nursed back to fitness on the bench. I think he’s been fit for a good while now. Maybe he’s been injury prone earlier in his arsenal career, but he played loads for Celtic and didn’t seem injury prone up there.

I don’t know what the story is at arsenal, but if he’s been benched all this while, he’ll surely not be happy with that.

 

[Blue Roo]

Another top defensive game, very little if anything gets past him.
LCB type position suits him and he also gets an assist.
And he's giving the team the security for the midfield to press and do their thing
With Godfrey back we'll have serious depth in that role.

 

[Simon Buttle]

….if you mean Tierney, he seems to get injured lots.

He has, he very rarely starts games, usually comes on as a sub.