Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Cheer up, Anichebe

What's eating Victor Anichebe? Looking at the misery on his face following his last couple of goals you'd think he'd put through his own net rather than helping us to important wins. When the Stracq scored his first goal for the Blues he was in tears from joy; following his deflected strike against the Black Cats today it looked like the teammates who mobbed Big Vic were consoling, rather than congratulating him.

To me it seems clear; he does not feel appreciated and rated by Moyes.

Given limited chances, often in his less favoured position wide on the right, does he have a case? When Beckford, Yakubu, Vaughan and later Saha departed, he must have thought he first team opportunities had significantly improved. But no. First Velios, then Stracqualursi and now Jelavic have moved in front of him. Does Moyes dislike him, or does he give the manager very little reason to include him in the squad, let alone the team, during training, either through his effort, attitude or ability?

Some facts, for what they're worth: Big Vic is our top league scorer. His minutes per goal ratio is the third best in the league: one every 82 minutes on the pitch (imscouting.com - incidently, Vellios is fourth and Jelavic seventh on this list). He has scored different types of goals, some of them more than decent: poaching one at West Brom, running onto a Donovan through-ball against Villa, the early strike in the return match against the Baggies.

Yet he has spent the equivalent of only four and a half matches on the pitch. When handed a start in the Anfield Derby he was abject: disinterested, immobile and frequently horizontal.

Will the real Victor Anichebe please stand (and remaining standing) up?

Is he now truly developing into a top quality striker, or is he still a moaning, injury blighted could-have-been, prone to Heskey-esque tumbles and the-world-is-against-me arm-waving?

Where is his career going? No longer a promising youth player - we've got plenty more of those close to banging on the door to the first team - he's 24 in a couple of weeks.

Will Victor be allowed to drift away from Goodison like a Dan Gosling or Joseph Yobo without us gaining any financial recompense? Will he haunt us with goalscoring feats of Yakubu proportions, or will we cash in for £1-2 million, off-loading an injury prone squad player, to be left rubbing our hands and counting the cash as he makes no impact whatsoever at a new club (cf McFadden to Brum, Vaughan to Norwich)?

His issue may be, as evidenced again by his lack of celebration today, with the club's management for not selecting him more regularly, but to me it seems like it's Anichebe versus Anichebe. And in that battle there can be no Victor.

The current run is great, the win against Sunderland terrific, the prospect of dismantling Liverpool at Wembley tantalisingly possible, but we're kidding ourselves if we think this is sustainable in the longer term with only one striker. Jelavic is fantastic, but he will get tired / injured / lose form at some point in the future. I doubt Stracqualursi will become a permanent addition to the squad - and with one league goal in 685 league minutes, how badly do we want him, despite his superb workrate? (imscouting.com).

With funds likely to be as tight as ever, we'll need more striking options from somewhere. Velios, McEleny, Joao Silva and other youngsters may burst through, but I'm not holding my breath.

Big Vic once replied to me on Facebook when I asked him how pre-season training was going, 5 or 6 years back. His message was enthusiastic and upbeat - he was clearly loving his football. Ironically, now that he looks like he is playing at gunpoint, he is showing signs of real goalscoring form. He is unlikely ever to have the all-round link- up play of Jelavic, but if he can keep the goalscoring going, he could still (and yes, I know how long we've been saying this) become a real asset.

The stage is set. Extra-time at Wembley. Big Vic is introduced as a substitute. He looks around at the 90,000 crowd, hears the supportive roars of the assembled blue throng, realises he is a highly paid footballer living the dreams of the lesser mortals raining cheers down upon him and has an epiphany. A huge grin spreads across his face. He sprints on and buries the winner past the hapless Reds' reserve keeper, celebrates like a maniac...and goes on to become an Everton legend of the most satisfying kind: the homegrown talent.

I'd settle for a stray dog knocking in the winning penalty in a shoot-out, to be honest, but two things are for sure: One, Victor Anichebe is starting to score like a real striker. Two, he is not celebrating scoring like one.

You need your fans, and, more importantly, your manager on your side, Victor, to get the chances it seems you feel you deserve. Attitude isn't everything, but looking at Moyes's 'favourites' - Hibbert, Neville, Osman, Cahill, Jagielka, Pienaar - it's a hell of lot. Recognise that, and you can move on further.

Win the FA Cup, boys.

Reader Comments (30)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

About these ads