Column

Onward and Upward!

Benji Learman 09/12/2007 15comments  |  Jump to last
I sat in the first half, watching a woeful game of football, but then thinking "No, come on, the weather and the pitch is not really helping us play." We were slow to the ball as I noticed players wern't running as fast for the ball and turning that well as it was a slippy surface. Overall, that first half is forgetable.

As for the second, I was so impressed with the midfield, the way they came out and put the first half behind them. Pienarr played brilliantly, ran for every ball, put pressure on the entire Fulham squad, he just never gives up and that is what the Everton crowd love seeing.... hard work!

Which brings me to the YAK.... he has realised what it is like playing for our club, he's realised that if you work hard on the pitch and put that graft into it, then you feel the roar of the crowd. Goodison is not like any other crowd in the Prem, we're special. You just look around and there's something about us that makes us stand out (if you know what I mean!). He really is adapting to EFC.

Since Henry left the Prem, Yakubu is now the most proven striker ? statisticly we have the best striker in the Prem. It is showing by how many goals he has already got, hes got great awarness of the players around him, he holds the ball up well and he can always find that pass to carry on the attack!

I think David Moyes has found a tremendous group of lads that understands what Everton means; they love playing for the club. And the football we now play... well, for once i'm proud to say that we play sum brilliant football. We have the likes of Arteta and Cahill and Osman to go forward, and the likes of the legend that is Lee Carsley, who breaks up play and always gives 100%

I spoke to a kopite after the game, having a nice chat about the weekends football... I mentioned Lee Carsley and how he is such a top asset to the side, and he laughs and asks if I'm joking? He thinks him and Neville are the downside to our squad. I laughed back at him and just said "You obviously don't watch Everton apart from the derby." For any one to say that Lee Carsley is not a good player they obviously do not watch us play the game! It just puts the phrase "Kopites Are Gobshites" in perspective.

I think everton are on the up and up finally; I think David Moyes has come, saved us, and made us into what Everton used to be, deserve to be, and that is top 6, maybe even top 4 contenders for every season!

We need to sell McFadden and put it towards a big, tall solid midfilder to help the likes of the smaller yet skilful players of the side, like Osman and Pienaar. McFadden has not proven himself for us ? maybe for Scotland ? but not for us. He has a good goal in him, but that's not good enough to be nonest. He has got good potential, but I don't think he has scored in 3 games in a row for Everton, which proves he's not the best.

Yakubu, Johnson and Anichebe and Vaughan are all ahead of Jimmy Mac in the striking ranks. I think if he was not Scottish, Moyes would have sold him on by now. I would just like him to move on so we could cash in on him.

West Ham in the Cup and League this coming week... play for the replay at goodison, kill them off there and pick up 3 points for the League!

also i think moyesy should put out some of the reserves for the game in Holland. We've secured a place now, and becuase of the amount of games coming up, we need to rest key players. I thought Arteta looked knackered yesterday, Yea he's got that flair about him where he did the odd thing, but he wasn't one of the better players on the pitch yesterday! it would just be nice to rest the likes of Arteta, Cahill, Lescott, Carsley and the Yak; just give them a breather so they return even sharper and even more up for the season!

Up the Blues!!! A top 4 finish and maybe the FA Cup!!! COYB!!!

Reader Comments

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Alex Baker
1   Posted 09/12/2007 at 18:50:12

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In the League Cup there will be no replay, because it is decided on the night - extra time then penalties.
Benji Learman
2   Posted 09/12/2007 at 20:15:08

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Oh yeah sorry about that, well I'm sure we'll do the business over there... COYB!
Peter Pridgeon
3   Posted 09/12/2007 at 20:17:00

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Where does this "Arteta looked Knackered yesterday come from". We are a third of the way into the season played 5 euro games and two LC cup games. Arteta is 25, gets paid a fortune to keep his body in a prime state so he can play for 180 minutes per week of the game he loves playing.
I have my doubts that some people understand what they are watching, Arteta looked far from tired, Pienaar played the best game of his Everton career and therefore Arteta did not shine as he usually does. So what, he did not shine against Pompey or Chelsea, so what, he was outstanding against Sunderland and a whole host of teams this season and will be outstanding against many other teams this season but tired come on. Maybe if he had done a night shift at Vauxhalls and then had to train for a game before grabbing 6 hours sleep he would be tired.
On your other point about Carsley, I personally think he is the most underrated player at Everton . His passing may lack the perfection of Arteta or Cahill, but his ability to break up an attack is excellent.

Benji Learman
4   Posted 09/12/2007 at 21:05:29

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i understand what im watching lad, arteta is a brilliant player, i just wanted to give my evaluation of the teams performance and how it went about. i think you can say that the midfield didnt peform aswel as they should in the first half, it was a woeful first half , nothing involved in it, but the second half they came out and gave it everything. what i said about arteta, yeh hes a brillaint player, one of the best in the prem, but in the game on wednesday and yday, i just thought he wasnt there as much as he normaly is. theres your opinion and theres mine and every one elses
Peter Pridgeon
5   Posted 09/12/2007 at 22:36:00

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Benji
Don’t get too excited about what I said, if you put your opinion on a site then expect someone to have a different one. You are offering your opinion for public scrutiny and expect just that.

My point about Arteta is; he was noticeable because our midfield did not function properly, thus the onus of creativity fell upon him,. With the return of Cahill and the form of Pienaar, Arteta now makes up one of three, in a very exciting midfield combination. Osman has dropped deeper to support Carsley and allow all three forward going midfielder’s the chance to get forward. The result speaks for itself.

In summary Arteta is not at all tired, he is operating in a functioning midfield and will therefore not be as obvious as he has been during the midfield interchange.
Paul Mac
6   Posted 10/12/2007 at 00:05:10

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got to say boys aside from the gladwys we need to start raising the atmosphere. I sat in the lower bullens closest to the gladwys side and despite me and the lads (you might of seen us standing at the back!trying to get it going it was dead !!
Lets get it sorted !!
Kraxpot
7   Posted 10/12/2007 at 02:28:53

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Nevertheless, I agree that in the match in Holland, we should be resting Cahill, the Yak, Carsely, Arteta, Pienaar, Lescott, Yobo. Or at best let them play a half.

Benji Learman
8   Posted 10/12/2007 at 12:08:36

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I just disagree with you peter, i love arteta, becuase of what he gives us, dont think im goin back on myself cos im not i just wana put my point across, you dont see him in some parts of the game for e.g like i mentioned the zenit nd fulham game. theres times were arteta dus a bit of silky skills when theres no need, its nice to see, but when you want himt o cross the ball, he doesnt, he wnts to turn the player another 2 times before hand, this is very nice of him, but when it doesnt come off it is pretty anoying, i like to see us get the ball intot he box than anything, i do like ceing that magic arteta produced, but theres times he tries stuff when thereis no need, and it is anoying in fromt he stands. i dont want to argue, the team is playing brilliantly, and i dont see why we cant be going to a cup final or 2 this season, moyes has bought excitement back tot he hearts of all evertonians, and i thank him!!! its a brilliant feeling!!!
Ed Fitzgerald
9   Posted 10/12/2007 at 14:49:24

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Benji

Arteta or Carlsey - more important to the team, you are winding us up. Arteta is the most gifted player in a Blue Shirt (Rooney aside) that I have seen since the mid 80s. He would have got in that side too! I dont want to see the ball in the box all the time, I want us to keep the ball, play football and entertain. There are plenty of players who could do the job Lee Carsley does, but very few who have Artetas sublime skill, talent and vision. Lets face it Saturday suited Carsley ,wet, a battle against a team of bruisers, it wont be enough if we are to progress in Europe when we have to keep the ball. I suspect this is why the red neck laughs at Carsley and Neville because their distribution is awful’ even though they are sound battlers and I am not slagging them.
McFadden is the whipping boy for the crowd at present, fickle fuckers Evertonians it was his performance in Kharkiv that kept us in the competition. Is he good for scotland because he gets a start ,knows what is expected of him, and wont be dropped for others?
Neil McKinney
10   Posted 10/12/2007 at 18:38:17

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"Is he good for scotland because he gets a start, knows what is expected of him, and wont be dropped for others?"

Jimmy Mac started against Zenit (and he’s started a few others for us since he came) and he was average to say the least. There is no doubt he has talent and why he performs for Scotland more consistently than for us is the ultimate question. I think many Evertonians are just wondering how long to give him before you have to admit that he just isn’t the Scottish wunderkind that he was billed as.

On Carsley and Arteta, I agree that there are probably more players in the Premiership capable of Carsley’s role than Arteta’s. However, that does not belittle the performances that Cars has been turning in of late.
Benji Learman
11   Posted 10/12/2007 at 21:55:09

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So Ed, your saying is doesnt anoy you atall when arteta dus more than he should do when he has the chance to cross, when there are player running into the box waiting to hava go at the goal, it doesnt anoy you? arteta is a quality player and one of the best i have seen in an everton shirt for along while, all im saying is, it is jst frustrating when he uses what he has for granted, when he shouldn?t! your reply to this may be hes got the ability so y not, but when theres no need for it, theres no need for it.

ont he jimmy mac issue, i just think hes had the time to prove himself, he dus do it for scotland but not for us, i just cant get my little hed round it, the way he walked off on saterday afternoon frustrated me also, walked off slower than anything with his head down, i blieve if he was not scotish, moyes wud of sold him on and cashed in what he cud get for him. i think we shud offer him to birmingham, who he could peform better under a manager hes peformed well under and it will help us out to bring in another player! MONEY!

what about this stubbs for the assistant manager post, anyone else heard anything bout this?
Brendan McLaughlin
12   Posted 11/12/2007 at 23:07:44

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WHY DOES TOFFEEWEB NOT ALLOW SUBMISSIONS WHICH ARE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS BUT TOLERATES THOSE WHICH ARE ALL IN LOWER CASE (apart from when he switches to capitals for effect).
Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
13   Posted 11/12/2007 at 23:26:22

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We don?t ? they?re just harder to spot than all-caps when scanning a page of hundreds of Comments! Personally, while I really would prefer you try and use some punctuation and grammar ? after all, if you want someone to take the time to read what you?re writing, it helps to be arsed enough to make proper use of your keyboard (yes, you, Benji!) ? I?m probably not going to delete Comments (MailBag submissions are a different kettle of fish) that aren?t formatted properly... though I probably should. Michael, it seems, is taking a tougher line that is more in line with our editorial standards.
benji
14   Posted 12/12/2007 at 13:23:50

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sorry Mr Gates! how about comemnting something about the game rather than my fucking keyboard skills! im very sorry, i will check next time to make sure everything makes sence to you! i am so so sorry! :)
Dave Wilson
15   Posted 12/12/2007 at 17:25:39

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Ed Fitzgerald

In total agreement with your comments concerning Arteta, but your really unfair in claiming anyone could do Carsley’s job, You only have to look at some of the goals Carsley Has scored to know he has a lot more skill than people give him credit for, when he was left out earlier this year our football was dire, its no coincidence that since his reintroduction to "his" role the performances have become much easier on the eye, ok he’s not a box of tricks, but his tenacious challenges, intelligent positioning and simple use of the ball provides the Leo’s, the Pienaar’s and the Micky’s possession they could never get for themselves, unlike others in our ranks he doesnt bypass these guys. Yes a lot of people can play in his role, but looking around the prem, not many of them could do as well
Ed Fitzgerald
16   Posted 12/12/2007 at 18:46:12

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Dave





I did not slag Carsley off, it was a response to people slagging Arteta and McFadden. Carsley had scored a couple of belters during his time but his distibution is not great, he is playing well at the moment which is wonderful! What gets on my nerves is when people belittle players like Arteta because he is not all lunging tackles and confuse this with a lack of commitment. All I am saying is that if we really want to reach the heights we need to find a better player for that position something that Moyes must have considered when he was ready to sell him to Wolves?
Dave Wilson
17   Posted 13/12/2007 at 01:16:09

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Ed
Didnt think you were slagging him off mate, just underestimating him. Your right moyes did look at alternatives, he spent 8 million on Jags and Neville, tried them both and both were found wanting, if you can afford it there’s Makelele - think thats how you spell it - or Essien, both would cost more than DM could afford, outside them two is there really a better - back 4 protector ?


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