To me, we can argue all day about who should play where and what formation to play, we all have our favourites and on their day they can all deliver the goods. To me, the players attributes aren't really the problem ? it's their attitude.
For example... last night we went one-nil up very early with a fine cross and superb header. Straight after the kick-off, with the right attitude, we should've been straight into them, hunting for a second... but No. Typical Everton, we sat back almost onto our 18-yard box, lost all ability to string two passes together and became the hoof kings of the world... Why? Attitude.
Why is it this season we seem to play our best football when we're losing? ? because the players know that they have one option: 'attack', to get back into the game. The team as a collective is thinking forward, producing the right attitude. As soon as we get ahead, our immediate response seems to be defend, sending negative backward-thinking signals through the team. It doesn't seem to be, "Let's get another and put this game to bed". All the great teams in the past, including Everton in the 80s, had this attack mentality. Okay, it doesn't always pay off. But I believe if we just had a real attacking mindset and had a go at most of these teams, then this year we may have lost a couple more on the way but I bet we would've turned a good few of those draws into wins.
Last night, how many of you were screaming at the telly for the lads to shoot when we were in a and around the box? 9 out of 10 times we didn't shoot and ended up getting caught stringing together a number of sideways passes and then having to scramble back to cover a Sunderland attack. Arteta's goal just showed what can happen if you give it a go, we got a well deserved break for a change.
Also, I believe the right attitude is important for our defence. Countless times, I watch as our team are caught on the defensive because we've over played it further up the field and lost the ball. The opposing team have a break away... so the attackers generally are on par with the number of defenders. The idea at this point is to slow the attacker down to give time for more players to get back or guide the attacker away from the danger area... we seem to do neither.
The amount of times our defenders just back off and back off until they are literally 12-18 yards from goal, which gives the attacker a great opportunity to get a shot off at decent shooting range... the only exception I've seen recently was Heitinga when he played centre half actually had the belief and the attitude to step up to the player and force the attacker to make a decision outside of the danger area. He may not always win the ball but you can normally guarantee the player is not getting past him.
I really like the team we've got now and I do have my own opinions on where it could be changed... but that's for another time. I love Moyes, I think he's put a great squad together under the resources he's been given, but I just wish he oozed a bit more positivity which might cascade down to the team... Maybe he should do a sports psychology degree ? it just might help!
I think as a fan at the moment our best form of defence is attack. The players just need the belief that they can score and if they do score they can get another. Moyes just needs to hammer it home to the team that they can go out there and beat teams 3 and 4 nil and most of all believe it himself.
Attack... Attack... Attack!!!!
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If you look at the effort Pienaar and Cahill make as an attacking force compared to Arteta, there is no comparison. I know it will bring howls of derision but I would rather have Osman (when fit) than Arteta in that position unless we see some significant improvement from our little Spaniard, at least Osman will give it a go.
1) Inefficient, there is no arguing that;2) Goes down to easily;3) Sideways player and, as many point out, we are too slow ? for me, Pienaar is one of the main culprits there... he takes on men occasionally, but to what result?4) He runs a lot, but he is lightweight nonetheless, his defensive contribution is next to nothing.And not to be overly critical, he's is one of our top 6 players, but I think he receives too much credit for his efforts. He somehow reminds me a bit of Steve McManaman in his last months with Liverpool. He looked great, but he never really made the team any better.
But it is our attack that is woeful. Saha is simply rubbish, I'd rather have Marcus Bent for heaven's sake! Yak and Becks must be given a chance to start as the current formation is simply not working and costing us points.
I think the team doesn't have faith that we can score more than one and so tend to close up shop when we do nick a goal rather than risk exposure in the forlorn hope of scoring another ? something I suspect is reinforced by the manager.
There was one incident in the Sunderland game (second half) which basically summed Everton up this season. We were attacking and put about a dozen passes together. The ball was bobbling around in their penalty area before it came out to Neville on the 18-yard line. Any other player in the whole of the PL would have instinctively wellied it towards the Sunderland goal as it was sitting up so invitingly. But not our Pip... he tried to pass it again through a crowd of players and guess what ? the chance was gone and Sunderland broke out.
That one little passage of play just summed up our team at the moment and it's so frustrating. Some of them are like rabbits caught in the headlights when it comes to attacking whilst others have the proverbial "nose bleed" when in the final third.We need to rediscover the "attitude" we had when beating Man City and Chelsea at home last season when the team went through a period of "attack, attack attack". Why can't our beloved manager recapture that attitude? After all, we're using the same set of players.
I?ve always liked Moyes for his honesty and hard work, but his hell-bent desire to RE-act instead of PRO-act is driving me absolutely nuts. At 1-1 v Sunderland, with the game there for us, I was crying out for some sign of real intent from the manager that we were going for this.
But I knew, like everyone else on this site, it would only happen after conceding. That game was only ever going to end 1-1 or 2-2. The fact that we DO score ? or at least make clear-cut, genuine chances ? when we have these periods of attack only makes it worse.
For the Baggies, Yak AND Becks/Saha up front, Cahill driving from midfield. And from minute 1, not minute 81.
The main difference in that game between us winning rather than drawing was Danny Wellbeck's all round performance... he was superb. He was strong on the ball, held it up well, link-up play was excellent, he had the confidence and attitude to take on players and most of all finished the chances shown to him. God if only we had a forward like that on his game at the moment... rather than having to rely on 7 goals from Cahill.
Team on team, I think we were the better team, especially considering we were the away side... we just haven't got that one player at the moment that can convert our chances into goals. Take cahill out of the side and it's hard to see where the next goal is coming from.We play a 4-5-1 system and it's only been in recent games that Moyes has actually been going for it in the latter parts of games... who would've put money on us having 3 attackers on the pitch against Arsenal with 25 minutes to go? Okay it took 15 minutes for the team to touch the ball again but is Moyes starting to get the right attitude and give it a go? You never know, he might even start playing 2 up front against the lesser teams at home.
In all, the squad and the quality of football is so much better than where we were 5 years ago... Moyes in my opinion is still tactically inept ? especially when it comes to substitutions, I hate those really late pointless substituion he loves making, but I really believe in the last few games he's starting to turn a new leaf. Maybe only due to the fact we were losing but maybe just maybe he may learn from this.
I thought against Liverpool we were under the cosh a bit in the second half but Moyes was forced to bring on a second striker which totally change the dynamic of the game. Our useless hoofs out of defence started falling to a player in a blue shirt which took the pressure from our team. I really don't know what our fans really expect from a team with such limited resources. Moyes has risen our expectations to want Champions League and when he doesn't deliver it he is a Disney character. I think we should be thankful we're not in League 1 or 2 like some other big clubs.
Moyes actually gives us not just a dream but a real chance or European and Champions League football. You may mock but this season is so tight that when we start playing the attacking football we're capable of 'CONSISTENTLY' we should shoot up the league.I love being a blue... you've got to admit it's never boring!!
I would play Tim and Becks on Saturday ? both UP FRONT
Also, if Arteta continues to be ineffective, I would play Tim as an orthodox midfielder and put Becks up top with the Yak. Tim would still get a few goals and hopefully this would put a rocket up Mikel and get him back to being our best player. Surely it's worth a try.COYB.
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