FANS COMMENT

James Beattie: I've Had It!

Tired of reading article after article on the “should we” – “shouldn’t we” move stadiums debate (personally I think we should move to Kirkby) I thought I’d change the record if I may, and divert back to an old classic: James Beattie.

I think I’ve just about reached the end of my tether. Now I’m not one of those who just gets on players' backs all game long — I’ve no idea why those people bother going to the game. Moreover, it's just not counter-productive. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an individual respond positively to getting booed and heckled. Think Paul Gerrard, Danny Cadamarteri, Mark Pembridge, Francis Jeffers, Kevin Kilbane and even presently Allesandro Pistone and James McFadden; no amount of abuse in the world from your own fans will make an individual up his game, it just shatters confidence. I’ll admit to joining in a collective “come on blues, sort it out” when the team as a whole is playing crap but that’s another story and highlights everyone’s collective frustration, it doesn’t work when singling out an individual.

I think Beattie now has quite a divide of support amongst Everton fans. Many still like him — perhaps more through willingness to see him succeed; others vilify him. Myself, when we signed Beattie I was as made up as anybody. I remember clear as day meeting up in the pub with Gary and Ste before we played Portsmouth at home in January 2005. I was delighted for two main reasons:

1. 20 goals a season
2. Loads of spectacular goals

Gary’s thoughts were:

1. We should have signed Yakubu for that price
2. He’s fat and lazy

Ste’s were:

1. He’s got potential
2. £6 million is a lot of money

Looking back, I think the truth lies somewhere between Gary and Ste’s analysis. Even the most ardent of Beattie fans must admit he’s been nowhere near as effective as we all hoped. He’s missed more sitters now than I care to remember. He’s slow. He’s generally lazy. His link up play, though improved, is piss poor. He can’t even head the ball that well for my money.

I’m sick of the excuses:

• “He’s never had a strike partner”
• “He’s played a lot of the games up front on his own”
• “He hasn’t had a sustained run in the side”
• “He doesn’t get the service”

His only use at the moment seems to be scoring penalties. Unlike ALL the other strikers at Everton, he fails to improvise. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him create an assist and he hardly has defenders quaking in their boots.

I lost all my faith last night when watching Man Utd vs Everton. McFadden (who takes much more abuse but cost a hell of a lot less and is always much more of a threat) wiggled and played a lovely ball into Beattie’s path. All he had to do was take one touch and bang it goalwards. His control: hit one heel then bounce back of the other and it was easily cleared. Christ, I’d be embarrassed about that having a kick about in the park. For a player of that value, you at least expect him to control it and got a shot away.

I’ll continue to back Beattie. I’m not going to start barracking him on Sunday and nothing would please me more than to see him start banging them in. However, I can’t see it happening and if we can get even £4 million in the summer I, for one, would bite the hand off.

Christ we could have got Rob Hulse for £2 million. I’d have more faith in him to get the goals!

Responses:

I agree with Paul Traill's view that James Beattie has to go he has been at Everton for almost 2 years and contributed very little. Unfortunatly i did not share his view of Beattie he is a player who has had a good season in which he scored twenty goals and six million was a ridiculous fee for a one-season wonder. That he has failed to deliver gives me no satisfaction even though i like being right.

Moye's substitutions against Blackburn were Kilbane and Beattie off and Cahill and McFadden on the teams performance improved and a point was won. Kilbane was sold and Beattie is probably next. The rise of Victor Anichebe and the return of James Vaughan will persuade Moyes to sell him in January.
David O'Keefe

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