I have to pull you up on one point - that derby tackle was clean and he barely touched Tumbling Ted Suarez who made a 12 course banquet out of it, though the incompetent Martin Atkinson was already reaching for the red card.

It wasn't even a booking - and up to that point Rodwell had been very impressive.

What went wrong?

Personally I do not believe Mr.Moyes handled Rodwell very well.

I note your comment about "goodwill". I am a Season Ticket Holder and I not only do not recognise any goodwill towards Rodwell but hear nothing but moans and groans and in my opinion over the top criticism. In fact I would say he is the main target (along with the magnificent Tim Cahiil - - how short memories we have) of the boo boys.

His development, for many reasons, has not only been delayed but, again in my opinion, hindered by the way he has been handled at Everton.

It seems that all the talk nowadays is about selling him asap.

As someone who works with young people, albeit in arts and cultural activities, I regular criticise the Statutory Bodies of not really understanding the word "development".

As for the final sentence about sideways and backwards - - have a look at the crop of England "stars" playing out in Europe 2012.

I personally hope he recovers fitness (and confidence) and goes on to be a great Everton player.

Good luck to him wherever he plays.

On balance, I still think he is a great prospect. The great unknown is his state of fitness and the effect of the injuries. Time will tell, but the best of luck to the lad.

I still think of that goal against the Manure. And I also think of the sending off against the Dark Side. It seemed to affect him quite badly and I wonder a bit about his temperament. Is he a bit too sensitive? Could the Suarez incident make him a bit "tackle shy" in future and as a consequence less effective?

Countless fans had him down as a Beckenbauer for some reason, he scored a good goal against Utd and that was the last time he took a forward step.

Possibly a Jenas, Tom Huddleston sort - a reasonable player flattering to deceive - if you get to 21 and it ain't happening you have to ask questions.

He lacks the street fighter mentality for me and whether it's coincidence or related - injury prone.

In real life, no matter what everyone says, an injury prone 21 year old is a liability, but, and this is a big but, a lot of people can see something in him and personally, I think maturity might be the telling factor for Jack. He might be one of those players who develops physically well early on, but only really brings all the necessities together later on at 25 or later.

It was magnificent,stirring stuff.

Sarcasm aside, I like Jack. He seems a nice lad and probably will be a decent squad player for us who hasn't cost a penny in transfer fees. All this talk about England captain is,imo, ridiculous.

I hope I am wrong but I just don't get it with Rodwell. I never understood why he is so highly rated.

Gets his chances when he is fit and then pulls up injured.

One of his best "defensive" performances last season was away to Man City, the way he played Silva out of the game was brilliant, even on a stupid early yellow card.

More of a defender in my eyes now, one who can get forward if needs be.

It's a tough one, I often think that it's a matter of time - probably short - that Felli goes, and the kid - adult now, I suppose, could become his replacement, or he could be off himself. Difficult to call right now because of those injuries, which may mean Rodwell'll never become what he at times threatened to become.

Though there have been Everton managers who have believed in the kick-up- the-arse whilst injured approach... I wonder what happened to Michael Ball?

I dont agree with Sam's view of his abilities,I think he is a poor tackler,sometimes dwells on the ball then usually passes it sideways and he is definately not dangerous in the air.He will also never make it as a centre back as he cant tackle,head or be brave.

I think being loaned out (I know we need the numbers but in a perfect world) to a club like Blackpool would do him the world of good.He would start every game and not have to worry about defending too much and when he gets his confidence back will start doing what I think he should be doing,travelling with the ball and going past players and attempting more adventurous passes.

No offence to Jack as a player or a person, I just think Everton have higher priorities and have a better player than him to pay that role.

If Rodwell had the belief he would be a superb player. He has shown in flashes just how good he could be. Trouble is, when he turned out for England he looked a better player than he does when he dons our shirt. I think he's a bit too old to be farmed out, he's, what, 21? And a full International? I can't see that being of much use, getting clogged at Blackpool.

But if Henderson can get in the squad you and I could make the bench at least..

I also think you are

For me he will improve as a player as he matures as a man and gains belief in himself and hopefully a bit of arrogance and aggression, which he will need to play midfield in this league.

If it turns out he's too nice to mix it in midfield he's got every attribute going to play RB(a problem position for us) for us and his country for the next ten years.

It's not just this season injuries have done for him so I'd like to see him with a season under his belt before we do anything hasty. Players that play at every level for the country before age and make a full debut before they are a man aren't ten a penny regardless of what some say.

Rodwell has always looked good in a good team.

He has two good feet,very athletic, good stamina and very rarely loses the ball, OK sometimes that necessitates a sideways or backward pass but it is better than giving the ball away in dangerous areas.

Have to agree with Stephen Kenny. I think he has a lot of the individual attributes to be a very good player but he seems to struggle to put them all together at the same time.

I also think people need to put this centre half idea to bed, if you've ever seen him play in the premier league surely you can see he will never be a top centre half in this league.

Or right back? Yeah. He could read the game from the back, cover the ground (he's not slow), close down, and possibly even tackle when necessary (fb's don't too often). And OK going forward. Right back it is then.

However, he doesn't appear to have the midfield bite, nor is he able to stay injury free. I want him to succeed, I have wished it for ages, however, given both these issues we may need to consider him in aless demanding role like centre back or sell what you can get. Last season was important, this has upped the game, which means coming back fit as a minimum. Really hope he makes it.

I honestly wasn't being ironic when I suggested Rodwell might make less sideways passes in a Harry Redknapp team. For me,Spurs played some of the best football in the league last year,and obviously their midfield were central to that. Regardless if whether he pays his tax or not,I like the way Redknapp's sides play football!
In any case,I could have picked half a dozen managers. My point was,how much of Rodwell's safety first passing is down to instructions from the manager and the way he has been coached?

When Gerrard was young, he spent a lot of time injured, spells of form mixed with spells of averageness. He got sent off. As his body got stronger and he matured he turned out to be the player he is today. Now I am not comparing Rodwell in terms of skills or ability, but at his age he has the time to develop and get his fitness right. Once he has that as a stable platform, he hopefully will get some form together and cement a place in the team.

He's strong, quick, 2 footed and a great header of the ball. Add to that he has a better first touch than most and can calmly play a pass to feet.

I don't see passing it sideways as a negative for a mid fielder, it's called maintaining possesion. Watch how often Xavi passes the ball sideways and backwards, it's not always a bad thing. Rodwell mostly passes the ball sideways when it's the best option on, sometimes it's not but that's something he has to learn. I'd rather see him doing that than lumping 40 yard diagonal balls into corners for a lone striker to chase. With the ball at his feet and the room to run there is no one at the club better than him, unfortunatly he rarely gets that room.

Part of the issue was that no one in front of him was available for a pass - static Saha, no pienaar, slow Cahill. He has a quality, but he needs to produce and be effective. He's old enough, and needs a big season. I certainly wouldn't sell yet.

At the end of the day if Fabio Capello thought he was good enough to play for England he must have quality. Is anyone on here a better judge of a player than Capello?

Those flaws mean he won't cut it in midfield, the first means he probably couldn't play off a front man and the second suggests that he would need to sit too deep to be a centre-back.

Not sure that kind of awareness will develop, sadly.

A young player comes through with good technique and a tendency to maintain possession through not trying to force forward passes and he's criticised for it. People then wonder why England don't keep the ball well!

Sideways and backwards passing is often the correct thing to do. Spain do it about 800 times a game and apparently they're brilliant. If an Englishman does it there's something wrong with it.

Not only do we talk absolute nonsense about football in this country on a daily basis, but we do it in an entirely self-contradictory way that nobody seems to notice or pick up on.

It simply isn't true that England don't produce players who are technically competent, it's just that these attributes aren't necessarily what leads to success in the premier league, and so they are often overlooked.
Osman, for example, is a very good technical player but we know all too well that his lack of speed and strength can be a major problem in this league.

In Rodwell's case, I think he has all the attributes individually but seems to struggle to put the whole package together.

Until he shows that I doubt he will amount to much

When the likes of Xavi and Inesta/Pirlo pass sideways it's because an opportunity for a forward pass that will hurt the opposition hasn't presented itself, they always look forward first,

Rodwell doesn't. He has shown a lack of vision quite often. The mistake for me would be any manager trying to use him as a playmaker as he's not that kind of footballer. He's a guy that can use his physique and power to hurt the opposition and if he develops an eye for goal and a more aggressive streak we will have a real box to box player on our hands, we will never have a playmaker though.

He would be better suited trying to be a makelele but I don't think he has the desire that that role requires either at present. Gibson should be groomed as the deep playmaker.

So given that we can keep Pienaar - where would Jack fit in? Fully fit he would obviously be decent cover on the bench. But who would you replace him with in a first 11? Neville, Cahill and Osman - possibly Hibbert. He has his abilities, but can he perform better than any of those?

I still reckon he could be a crackin' right back in a couple of years.

Young men don't often make good holding midfielders, as the position requires a tactical discipline that can be at odds with energy and enthusiasm, and always improves with experience. I also worry about Rodwell's footballing intelligence, particularly as Phil Neville gave an interview in which he chose Jack as the least intelligent member of the squad generally. As a midfielder he fits a German mould that includes the likes of Beckenbauer, Matthaus, Sammer and Effenberg (its no coincidence that at least three of those played as sweepers at various times in their careers) but the very strongest thing about those Germans is their intelligence and ability to read and control a game. I worry about Jack ever being able to do that and so we'll always have to accept limitations from him.

I have also said I think Jack will make an excellent full back, on either side, he has all the attributes needed and experience as a defender in his footballing development and obviously midfield. He reminds me of the more 'all round' Italian full backs like Maldini and Ferrara (as well as Thuram) as opposed to the modern full back who is essentially a second winger. Again, I don't he has the brain to be as good as those guys though.

But Jack at left back? There I take exception. Pip stood in for Baines to hold the fort very well, but most players, including Jack are one footed - right footed. Like a decent pro, he uses his left, in close control, but turns to the right to side-foot to the right with his right foot more often than not. It's one of his limitations.

As a left footer, Baines is better on his right than most of the majority of right-sided players are on their other foot. And that's just one of his qualities. Jack would be horribly exposed down the left.

Whatever happens, Jack will never be as good as Beckenbauer anyway. He was a once in a generation player, a true great of the game.

I think playing Jack at full back would be a waste of his talent. As would playing him as a holding mid fielder. I hate holding mid fielders anyway, a mid field should be fluid and inter changeable. He can be a very good traditional box to box midfielder.

Rodwell and arteta both went through a phase of generally buggering about in a John barnes/red knapp style of playing passes for passes sake.

A lack of movement in front of him (Cahill, Saha) and a lack of mobility from Fellaini exposed Rodwell big style. I think (probably hope) he can cut it in a midfield with gibson, Fellaini in front of him with an intelligent jelavic an pienaar able to receive a pass in a tight spot. To me we need a proper right winger who would have chalk dust on his boot (Donovan) and jack to have confidence to commit the opposition (we have players who can recover whilst he would appear to have the skill/pace/engine to make it tough on the majority of midfielders who are in their twilight.

But our team performances have improved - almost beyond recognition - since he last played for us. So when he starts or comes off the bench, as I'm sure he will, I will be looking carefully at what he does. Off the ball, he will play a good modern game. With the ball at his feet - that's what I'll be interested in.

I like Parker, but Sunday exposed the lack of legs in the middle of England, that saw England drop deeper and deeper, giving the ball away in cheap areas that hurt England.

England should have changed the shape. To me I would have dropped rooney into midfield with Parker and gerrard as a 3, and the played welbeck, chamberlain and Walcott as a three pronged attack forcing Italy back and providing an out ball. Young, and Milner were poor and exposed gerrard and Parker leaving them over runr
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The comparison with Heitinga is odd, Heitinga is fine in defence but looks like a fish out of water in midfield. End of.

All this being said though, I'm not saying it should be his main position, just that he will be able to cover in it comfortably if required.

"I do wonder though, did Beckenbauer have the ability and vision to control a game when he was 21?" Brian I'm too young to know from personal experience but my impression is that he kind of did. He was 20 during the 1966 World Cup Finals and England identified him as the German's best player to the extent that Bobby Charlton was detailed to ensure he wasn't able to get a grip on the game.