Worries, thoughts etc

[Chris]

Been having a chat with a few other blues in work today. I was quite interested to hear an observation by one that basically said something like "I wouldn't want to come to Everton as a striker. He buys the best he can and then destroys them completely".
By that he explained strikers come in, hot streak or not and then we strangle supply to them or play them in a 4-5-1, tarnish their reputation and destroy their confidence in front of goal.

I have to say I sort of agreed with him up to a point. I suppose Beattie is a case in point and he could argue AJ is a case in the making...

We do have stacks of defenders and utility players and it is worrying that we have all this multi-million pound striking talent on top of an absolute gold mine of homegrown strikers. We appear to be adding to it even more(Caicedo), yet we are still lacking in midfield and outwide BADLY. Moyes sort of tried to shore up(although I still think it was a panic buy) the midfield with Grav, but face facts if Arteta takes a knock we're sunk everytime unless the opposition is having worse injuries than us!
So no matter how good our defence is, we can't keep balls out forever with no pressure up the other end. We can't create pressure up the other end as we can't supply the front men from midfield, or if we can it is usually a punted ball in to the corner which leaves our main runner (AJ) out wide and out of contention for smashing it in.

If we can't fix our midfield problems (yes I know people are injured and they will be back... eventually), by buying in more cover for times like these, more quality cover at that! then I would be very hesitant to want to play up front for Everton if I was looking at them as a prospective new team for me to play for.

Bit of a rambling rant that but the thread topic was very er.. non-specific :huh:

 

[ever tony an]

your mate has got a point

beattie i always thought was a good striker and always hoped he could prove he could do a job for us come good whatever and look at him now scoreing goals again ok down a level but i think he would of scored no matter where he went

 

[SuitsBlue]

yet moyes bought marcus bent for £250.000 and utilised him in such a manner as to get the best from him for the team, the system worked bent and cahill scored the goals that got us fourth.

looking at vaughans development, and anichebes, both have been allowed first team games, both have scored goals.

Johnson is struggling for goals at the moment but he had surgery three months ago, up to that point he had played through the pain to keep us going.

beattie had a decent first full season netting 13 times if i remember correctly, season after he went off the boil and stopped scoring and even looking like scoring.

johnson had a decent first full season and is currently out of form, BUT has looked like scoring from the few scraps he has been allowed and has made goals for others (vic, yak)

 

[ever tony an]

i think its down to our midfield and the injurys, it defo a better midfield than when beattie was struggling, so when everyones fit the goals will come back

fingers crossed its sooner than later

 

[Bruce Wayne]

To be fair Moyes did try to strengthen the midfield. If Fernandes hadn't had an about turn things may have been very different. Alas until January we have what we have.

 

[bluewoo]

To be fair Moyes did try to strengthen the midfield. If Fernandes hadn't had an about turn things may have been very different. Alas until January we have what we have.

Agree, also though if the board had stumped up the cash a bit earlier and allowed moyes to plan his transfer activity with a genuine budget instead of the tuppence hapenny he had at the start of the close season, we may have had more luck.

I still think that once the new funds magically appeared, fernandes was our second choice - and overvalued based on current ability - with someone proven like lucho or appiah being preferred over him.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

It would make sense for Fernandes to be chased early in the window. Given the complexities of that deal it's unlikely we will ever know quite what went on but given Moyes record of signing those he brings in on loan it would seem sensible to suggest he was chasing him from the beginning of the window.

 

[Sim]

I think it can be explained by two things:

1. Moyes likes to play a strong, fast flowing, closing down and defensive sort of team. Discipline is high, and with high discipline creativity is stunted somewhat. This rigid structure is always going to be harder for strikers to get goals.

2. Moyes was a defender and I think thats the game he understands best, I dont think it comes natural to him to find attacking solutions and it explains his buys when it comes to strikers. He does tend to sign strikers on reputation but can clearly see a hidden diamond in a defender.

I think this will always hinder him building an attacking team, but hopefully as Everton become more skillful he'll allow a more relaxed and creative style of play.

 

[Gazdalf]

When we get to enjoy, Cahill, Arteta, Gravesen, Vaughany, AJ, Yak, Baines, Jag's, Howard, all in the same team and still play dog turd then I will worry. Up until that point I will have to settle with feeling upset and worried when I see our performances and results. I am keeping my chin very high as when all other teams are getting tired we will be getting our boys back rested. Then let the games commence.

 

[monty]

I think it can be explained by two things:

1. Moyes likes to play a strong, fast flowing, closing down and defensive sort of team. Discipline is high, and with high discipline creativity is stunted somewhat. This rigid structure is always going to be harder for strikers to get goals.

2. Moyes was a defender and I think thats the game he understands best, I dont think it comes natural to him to find attacking solutions and it explains his buys when it comes to strikers. He does tend to sign strikers on reputation but can clearly see a hidden diamond in a defender.

I think this will always hinder him building an attacking team, but hopefully as Everton become more skillful he'll allow a more relaxed and creative style of play.

Agree with that Sim, Alan Irvine should carry more responsibility for attacking matters. IMO its unfair to suddenly start blaming Moyes because BT has found his scoring level, those same people were the ones that joined the BT out brigade organised by myself, it was the right decision to get shut

 

[Great Dane]

When we get to enjoy, Cahill, Arteta, Gravesen, Vaughany, AJ, Yak, Baines, Jag's, Howard, all in the same team and still play dog turd then I will worry. Up until that point I will have to settle with feeling upset and worried when I see our performances and results. I am keeping my chin very high as when all other teams are getting tired we will be getting our boys back rested. Then let the games commence.

You're so right. The players you have listed - with the exception of maybe one or two - will feature in a strongest first 11 of any fan.

 

[micknick]

Ok firstly about the money thing Moyes said on camera that 'Something has changed recently and that has meant there is possibly money to spend....If there is money Im definitely going to spend **wry smile**' That means to me that money was made available late on and therefore that is why our transfer dealings happened late on.

I think Moyes utilised the 4-5-1 when it was about not getting beat with poorer players and trying to get the best from them. He is now moving away from this and trying to strengthen all areas so we can play more attacking football. For this he needs the right players- A midfield of Arteta**Jags**Grav**Pienaar/Osman, would give us plenty going forward but enough defensively to cope. I havent seen enough of Pienaar but from what Ive heard he could be a great left sided player for us and give the team some balance.

We've recently lost to the current champions and Villa- its not the end of the world. Lets get behind the team and get back to winning ways firstly tonight against Sheffield Wednesday and then Boro on Sunday- Blues 4 Boro 0 you heard it here first- I believe, do you?

 

[Great Dane]

We've recently lost to the current champions and Villa- its not the end of the world.

Yeah they are both good teams. Villa have been blessed with a full squad and United won a game that could have gone either way. If we loose to Boro I will start to worry though

 

[monty]

Ok firstly about the money thing Moyes said on camera that 'Something has changed recently and that has meant there is possibly money to spend....If there is money Im definitely going to spend **wry smile**' That means to me that money was made available late on and therefore that is why our transfer dealings happened late on.

I think Moyes utilised the 4-5-1 when it was about not getting beat with poorer players and trying to get the best from them. He is now moving away from this and trying to strengthen all areas so we can play more attacking football. For this he needs the right players- A midfield of Arteta**Jags**Grav**Pienaar/Osman, would give us plenty going forward but enough defensively to cope. I havent seen enough of Pienaar but from what Ive heard he could be a great left sided player for us and give the team some balance.

We've recently lost to the current champions and Villa- its not the end of the world. Lets get behind the team and get back to winning ways firstly tonight against Sheffield Wednesday and then Boro on Sunday- Blues 4 Boro 0 you heard it here first- I believe, do you?

Never lost the faith Mick and welll said lad

 

[Gazdalf]

Ok firstly about the money thing Moyes said on camera that 'Something has changed recently and that has meant there is possibly money to spend....If there is money Im definitely going to spend **wry smile**' That means to me that money was made available late on and therefore that is why our transfer dealings happened late on.

I think Moyes utilised the 4-5-1 when it was about not getting beat with poorer players and trying to get the best from them. He is now moving away from this and trying to strengthen all areas so we can play more attacking football. For this he needs the right players- A midfield of Arteta**Jags**Grav**Pienaar/Osman, would give us plenty going forward but enough defensively to cope. I havent seen enough of Pienaar but from what Ive heard he could be a great left sided player for us and give the team some balance.

We've recently lost to the current champions and Villa- its not the end of the world. Lets get behind the team and get back to winning ways firstly tonight against Sheffield Wednesday and then Boro on Sunday- Blues 4 Boro 0 you heard it here first- I believe, do you?

Similar to what I was saying Mick. I am not worried. How can you be when we are missing half of a starting line up. We will come good and top 6 is still fixed firm in my mind as to where we will finish.