FAN ARTICLES

F365's Keep or Ditch

By Mike Dillon :  19/05/2011 :  Comments (47) :

For those who read Football365 on a regular basis, they are doing a brief review of each team's squad, as submitted by a so-called fan. The Everton one is here:

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8750_6937350,00.html

I read this and thought I begged to differ - that, and he'd left out a few names of our squad list! So I'd like to offer my own review of our squad:

Tim Howard
Not the best keeper in the world by some distance, but solid, makes very few mistakes and pulls off some cracking saves. His confidence seems to wane every now and again (especially coming for the ball), as does my confidence in him.
Verdict: Keep

Ján Mucha
Has only been given a chance in the odd cup/no-mark game. Seems to be at a similar level to Howard, but I don't doubt he's fed up of sitting on the bench. He is younger than Howard and that might prove key in the future.
Verdict: Give him more time on the pitch, then Keep or Ditch in January.

Iain Turner
Has spent practically his entire career on loan to other teams. Played a mere five games and in one of those he dropped an absolute clanger and got himself sent off.
Verdict: Anyone want him? Anyone? £5?

Tony Hibbert
Has a cult following in some parts of the Goodison crowd. Personally, I quite like him. If it's defending you need doing, Hibbert's your man. If it's crossing, dribbling or anything else to do with a football, he's not. Can't wait for him to score, though.
Verdict: Keep

Leighton Baines
Bred into Everton (allegedly starting off as One of Them) - I've always rated Baines even when he couldn't get a game from Lescott. Now beginning to show what he can do, hopefully is still developing. Has had an outstanding season this year.
Verdict: Keep, so hard.

John Heitinga
I subscribe to the idea that every successful team needs a maniac; a ball-winning thug who will break opposition attacks and legs. Heitinga's ours. Yes, that can make him a liability a lot of the time, but he's also the only defender in the Everton back four who doesn't lump it upfield mindlessly. Not sure about him as a midfielder though. He played in defence in the World Cup Final, don't you know.
Verdict: Keep.

Phil Jagielka
Snapped in half about a year ago and hasn't been the same player since. If Arsenal want him and (laughably) wave lots of cash in our direction, I'd bite Arsene's hands off.
Verdict: Sell for silly money.

Sylvain Distin
Barring the odd mistake, has been solid and probably our best defender this season. Getting on a bit, though, and I don't see him having much left in him.
Verdict: Give him a year.

Phil Neville
Hardly an outstanding footballer but a good, solid leader ? the type of player every team needs. Terrible right back though, and with his advancing years and the emergence of Rodwell and Fellaini taking up his midfield position, I see him in a coaching role sooner rather than later.
Verdict: Edge him towards the backroom over the course of the season.

Joseph Yobo
Has spent this season away at Fenerbahce. Is a younger but slightly more error-prone Distin. There are mixed thoughts about this one; when Jagielka gets injured (inevitably) who do we have to replace him? Yobo would have been invaluable this season in that at the very least we'd have an actual centre-half playing at centre-half. Sadly it seems things are against him at Goodison and he'll be shipped out.
Verdict: Would like to keep him around, but he's going to be sold, and not for much either.

Séamus Coleman
An explosive start to his career. Still young, though, and it showed when he faded desperately towards the end of the season. Has often had to do the running of two players and popped up with some important goals. With more work on his final ball, he could be very good indeed. Certainly an absolute steal at £60k.
Verdict: Keep

Shkodran Mustafi
A young lad absolutely nobody's heard of. He's spent most of his time in the Reserves, but has been on the bench a few times. Would like to see him shipped out on loan if we have enough players to actually fill the bench next season, and begin to ease him into the side after that. A Championship level team would suit him, but he has to avoid spending half of his early career at other teams.
Verdict: Send out on loan.

Shane Duffy
Seems to be a future version of Jagielka. Needs to stay at a top tier club and learn from defenders of that quality, rather than go out on loan just to get games.
Verdict: Keep

Marouane Fellaini
Can be outstanding if he stays fit for more than fifteen minutes. Has played in all sorts of silly positions due to our lack of numbers, and acquitted himself very well at times. Can also be utter dogshit. Horribly inconsistent and lunges his gangly legs into far too many irresponsible tackles; has seemingly done nothing to arrest his awful disciplinary record. When he takes to the field, I expect Everton to leave the pitch with ten men. We are, however, short of numbers, so it'd need an offer fat enough to buy two players for us to move him on.
Verdict: Sell for ridiculous money if offered.

Jack Rodwell
Overrated in my eyes by people and a media who see "The Next Big Thing" in every talented youngster, because that's all he is. Comparisons with Rio Ferdinand are wide of the mark, and one or two good showings (admittedly against half of Manchester United) does not a wonderkid make... Still young, still developing, and a good player, just not as good as everyone seems to think he is. If we can get something absurd like £25m+ for his hype, I'd drive him down the M62 myself.
Verdict: Sell for silly money.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov
The most frustrating player at Everton by a country mile. Capable of flashes of absolute brilliance not seen since Andrei Kanchelskis, but all too often is too slow mentally and physically and so simply goes missing and watches the game pass him by. He's had a full season to adapt now - though to be fair he hasn't been given much of a chance. Is the closest thing Everton have to a luxury player.
Verdict: Last chance saloon.

Mikel Arteta
I have noticed a pattern through his career. Has been to a club for two years or so and has been exceptional, then fades badly until moved on. This appears to be happening at Everton: he was a liability for most of the season, so much so that at times I would rather have Bily on as a passenger instead, and I don't want to see him take a set piece again. Countless rumors abound about how his head was in Spain. If that's the case, son, on your bike.
Verdict: Sell if a reasonable offer is given.

Tim Cahill
The subject of far too many defensive hoofballs, and with his advancing years and dodgy foot, seems to be becoming more of an (effective) impact sub. I hope he's continued in that role next season as new blood is brought into the midfield.
Verdict: Keep

Magaye Gueye
How he's not been given more time on the pitch is beyond me. Things seem to happen when he's around. Still young, but has bags of potential and embarrasses commentators.
Verdict: Keep

Leon Osman
Another one-club man. Really did step up to the plate when the rest of our creative/midfield players were crap (Arteta) injured (Fellaini, Cahill) or jumped ship (Pienaar). Always has been reliable but unspectacular. The dictionary definition of squad player. Not a right winger, though.
Verdict: Keep

Louis Saha
I think everyone who has seen football in the past ten years knows about Saha. Brilliant at times when not injured, but always injured... ALWAYS. Everton cannot afford to be spending five-figure salaries every week to players who simply don't get on the pitch.
Verdict: Keep on a pay-as-you-play, otherwise ditch.

Jermaine Beckford
Nine goals is a fairly decent return for his first season in the Premier League. However, I don't think I've seen anyone manage to get the ball over the crossbar in so many unique and irritating ways. He genuinely looked surprised when he managed to get it under the crossbar against Bolton. A Leeds friend of mine once said that "Beckford will score you 20 goals, yes, if you give him 200 shots." He was right.
Verdict: Keep.

Jose Baxter
Was Everton's next big thing until drug allegations seemed to wipe him out. Spent most of the season dwelling in the reserves. Not sure if he has the right attitude to be a professional footballer, but he does have the talent. Would like to see more of him.
Verdict: Keep.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Another like Arteta, seems to be wonderful at a team for two years before losing interest. While I do yearn for a player of his ilk to be playing regularly for us. I'm happy enough for someone to do nothing for 89 minutes of the game, as long as that other minute is spent banging the ball into the back of the net. Off to Sven, it seems.
Verdict: Replace, then sell.

Joao Silva
Signed for a packet of Walkers and two Ginsters in the close season, and has spent half the season at home in Portugal. Has a decent but not outstanding record of one in three over there. Still seems far too rough around the edges, and I doubt we'll see much ? if any ? of him next year.
Verdict: Stay off on loan next season

James Vaughan
Always breaks when playing for Everton. Enthusiastic, energetic, does know where the goal is. Has been loaned out to Crystal Palace this season and has done well enough for them to want to keep him.
Verdict: Sell to Crystal Palace unless we're really short of numbers.

Victor Anichebe
I'm at a loss to describe "Big Vic". Believed his own hype, thinks he's better than he is. Isn't very good at all. Isn't even very good at being big and strong. An absolutely awful goal return for a centre-forward, and my nan's a better winger. Did flatten a few of The Other Side in the derby though. But that's not enough.
Verdict: Ditch.

Apostolos Vellios
Has had a handful of decent ten-minute cameos. Most of you reading this are wondering, "Who is he?" ? don't worry, we are too. Hopefully we'll find out next season. Hopefully he'll replace Anichebe.
Verdict: Keep

The Future:

This is a little addendum I'd like to add of my own. Out of the plan above, I would like to see us move Yakubu, Anichebe and Arteta on most of all. Providing we have another striker (no, Cahill's not a centre forward, neither is Fellaini), Vaughan would go too. Speculation does seem to be growing about Rodwell, and if it is City that's interested, we can con them like we did Lescott. Assuming (it's a big assumption) that we do, I would like to see us bring in some of the following players this close season;

Steven Defour (Midfield) Ambitious one this. Belgium's answer (for me) to Van der Vaart (who I'd have loved for us to get last season), similarly a steal at about £8-10m, and is absolutely class. Pace to burn and endless skill. Though I'm not going to gush too much because he's been monitored by Manchester United for the past two years or so, so we don't have a chance if they're still interested.

Miroslav Klose (Striker) Getting on a bit, yes, but so is Saha. Wonderful player. Most important factors of this deal would be the price, at a sweet, sweet nothing. Offer him Yakubu's (a little extra, perhaps throw in Anichebe's too) wages and the selling point of being in the Premier League, and who knows?

Václav Kadlec (Striker) Sparta Prague striker, seen as the Czech "next big thing" from the club that gave us Nedved and Rosicky. Moyes likes to try and buy youth, and the young Czech is obscure enough for the likes of City, Chelsea and United not to pay that much interest. Hopefully will be fairly cheap at around £5m, and well worth a punt.

Niko Kranjcar (Midfield) How much, Harry? How much? He wants out, you want rid. We'll have him with open arms. Hopefully the mini-conspiracy rumor that suggested Pienaar was a makeweight in a deal to bring Kranjcar to Goodison was true.

Victor Obinna (Midfield) Yes, I know he was crap ? with a worse disciplinary record ? at West Ham, but West Ham were crap in general. Again, the best part of this deal would be the price; Inter don't seem to want him. A loan deal (mooted in 2008) would be wonderful.

Manuel Fernandes (Midfield) Moyes is keen, and he has had a couple of spells with us and been that little bit of class we've been missing in the centre of the park both times. Would work excellently next to Fellaini. Valencia, it seems, really don't want him (shipping him out on loan again), so we'll forget about his little backstabbing turn to Valencia if he pulls on the blue shirt again for a knock-down price.

Brede Hangeland (Defence) If Jagielka goes, this is who I'd like to see him replaced with.

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