COLUMNIST JOE JENNINGS

Time for “AJ” Departure?

Andrew Johnson elevated himself into legendary status in the minds of Evertonians when netting twice in a famous three-nil derby victory back in September 2006. A glut of goals followed. Pace, precision, persistence just a few of the attributes "AJ" possessed. I have been a loyal disciple of Johnson since he arrived, but the penny is beginning to drop.

Don?t get me wrong, Andrew Johnson is a great worker, who literally runs his socks off and will get you 10 goals a season. However as the club continually look to improve the squad, Johnson is a player who consistently looks average in plenty of departments.

His finishing, at best, is erratic. Nobody could argue the fact he has glass ankles and he is somewhat weak in comparison to opposition. His confidence appears fragile to say the least. Does he bottle it when it matters most? A sign of a great player is somebody who will hold their heads, remain calm, reap the resulting benefits.

Admittedly, he has netted important goals this season, but is that enough for him to remain a prominent feature of our squad? Johnson is English, and was reportedly targeted by West Ham in the close season for fifteen million, now that is tempting from my point of view.

Considering the euphoria surrounding his arrival only last summer, I never expected one year on, to willingly accept he is not too the standard we require in order to reach the next level. If a tempting offer is forthcoming, and a worthwhile replacement is found, the boy from Bedford perhaps should leave the club.

We as a club really have the chance of rivalling Liverpool on a consistent basis, but only if David Moyes continues to strive for improvement, even if it means realising that worthy servants have been outgrown by the club. (Carsley and Neville, anyone?)

Andrew Johnson deserves the continued respect of the Goodison faithful for his tireless service, not to mention his "indirect" input into our success. The amount of corners, throw ins, free kicks he will win is unbelievable, and although trivial to some, they remain imperative in the Premier League.

His confidence was completely destroyed last year following the "Andy Johnson is a diver" circus, it was pathetic and nothing short of fantasy. Why do I get the sense such rapid loss of confidence is irretrievable? I would love Johnson to prove me wrong, score a hatful before the season end and become the lethal finisher we all hoped he would be following his arrival.

However, I don?t hold harbour much hope and as stated earlier if a lucrative offer arrives, selling should be strongly pondered. Everton are hoping to reach the forefront of the English game once again, there is no room for sentiment, we must continue to improve, if that means shipping out those not capable, so be it.

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