carlmc25

Can't see us heading down the league, but I certainly think we will plateau - in reality there is not much scope for improvement until we get a decent CM in as otherwise having excellent defenders and strikers counts for nothing if you can't provide the service and support the defence. I think everyone must know we need a decent CM, including Moyes - let's just hope we can get one!

I didn't mean to be aggressive, I think he can speak for himself anyway you don't need to kiss his ass! Licker normally talks a lot of sense but as he said, I think his desperation to see Vaughan back (which I share, as I think he could become our number 1 striker) clouded his judgement! I mean does anybody else think realistically that Vaughan will possibly in a million years start tomorrow....? I have no problem with opinions but sometimes an opinion can be wrong - one of our opinions will be wrong come tomorrow kick-off. As for Romey's comment, Everton were absolutely DESPERATE for a decent cM in our team, we were playing abysmal and we needed Cahill back. We don't have anything like the same need for Vaughan to be rushed back, especially considering his run of injuries - in fact Moyes is probably slightly nervous about trying to keep so many good strikers happy. Even you must know there is no chance that Vaughan will play tomorrow (I'd be surprised if he was on the bench) so in reality you just made that comment about Cahill to make me look stupid when in reality you more than likely think I'm right. If you can think of any possible argument why Vaughan will start tomorrow then I'd welcome the discussion, rather than just smart comments If somehow Vaughan does start tomorrow (I suppose if it's 442 there could be the remotest possibility) I'll be the first to admit my opinion was wrong and offer a full retraction

yep, I'd go along with most of that. Although Cahill has never really impressed me consistently in a 442 so maybe Gravesen in for him, but I'm not saying with any authority Gravesen would be any better in a 4. In a 451, if Gravesen is still the magician of old then you'd have to find a place for him, possibly for the unlucky Osman who is playing well in a 5 but just doesnt have the passing range of Gravesen and the ability to control a game. Still Osman, has shown he is a very capable squad player in a number of positions and Gravesen would certainly have to perform to edge him out.

wouldn't surprise me if Mc goes but he does give us options, certainly off the bench and I think he could play the Cahill role behind a lone striker. I think Anichebe needs to buck up his energy levels and workrate otherwise I wouldn't be surprised if he's loaned out or something as he looks the weakest of our striking options to me. The only thing that saves him and may keep him in Moyes plans is his physical attributes, IF he could just take a leaf out of Vaughan's book of effort then Anichebe has all the attributes to be a younger/better Emile Heskey, unfortunately he looks a little lazy and inconsistent. Vaughan/AJ/Yak with Cahill looks a pretty strong selection of forwards, especially with some youngsters in reserve. Everton's squad is really progressing now, all we need is a decent class CM.

I'm sorry Licker but it's not all about opinions when yours is so obviously wrong! AS IF Vaughan will start on Sat, he's hardly kicked a ball in months and it'd be a bit much asking him to start when he's only played 50 mins of football. Yakubu was obviously rested to keep fresh for tomorrow, I mean he scored one and created one last weekend so I hardly think he was dropped! VAUGHAN WILL NOT START TOMORROW UNLESS EVERY OTHER FIRST TEAM STRIKER IS INJURED! As for 451/442, I've been saying it for months - it should be 451 in most games unless we're playing poor opposition who we can get away with playing a 442 against. Virtually every one of our players, certainly defenders and midfielders seem to relish the 451 and it frees up all our creative players, some strikers may be unhappy sitting on the bench but until Moyes can buy a truly classy CM then it's tough luck on them. Yakubu deserves a chance but in the long run Vaughan or AJ look the best suited to a 451. Someone on here said that AJ will end up a winger in a 451, don't you remember the beginning of last season? AJ started on his own with Cahill behind and both of them scored about 7 goals in the opening 10 matches, AJ was a lot more effective in a 451 both here and at Palace. Moyes tactics have often been questioned and some of his team selections, but the one unqualified success (except when Beattie played) of his Everton managerial career is his 451 formation, NO ONE will fancy playing Everton if we have a fully fit 451 one out, we could easy do Chelsea over in a couple of weeks and go a long way in the cups this year. COYB!

I don't think he's played better in midfield obviously, all I'm saying is at the moment, I'd have him on the bench at best once everyone is fit. He has to do a lot more for me. But as I say, I'll give him a chance.

I don't know what matches you watch but Carsley has never been slow and even now that he's getting on a bit I'd say his acceleration is quicker than Jags. Hibbert and Neville aren't slow either (plus Neville gets a few assists himself at fb), not lightnight fast but not slow, Jags looks slow over the first couple of yards when I've seen him but sometimes gets away with it as he has long legs and seems to manage to just about get a tackle in. I'll wait til I see more of Jags before I make a decision, but I think he's been disappointing so far and Barry Horne was NOT impressed by his performance last night. I'm not saying Barry Horne knows everything, but he normally can spot a decent defender. Maybe I'm wrong and Jags is deceptively quick but I'm yet to see it, Carsley on the other hand (who you seem to have it in for) covers the defence second to none in a 5 and is always tracking back and getting tackles in, I've yet to see him particularly done for pace and a couple of years ago marked Gerrard out of the derby and Gerrard is QUICK. I think Carsley deserves a bit more respect to be honest, we all know he can't hack it in a 442 (but he's not alone there) but in a 5 he is superb and was the one of the main reasons we finished 4th one season and 6th last year. Why some fans seem desperate to support an underachieving new signing over a faithful/go through a brickwall for the club servant is beyond me. It's no surprise Carsley has come back in to the team and our defence immediately looks more secure.

no question Valente isn't up to it, he's been a pretty poor signing overall, just a pity Boyle got that bad injury last season. Valente will never play for us again except in a major injury crisis I would expect.

this will be the team he picks except that Nev will come in for Jags probably. Osman is playing very well, Carsley is back and so are the clean sheets (no coincidence) and Yakubu played well in the last match. Last night's match once again proved why Yak should play ahead of the likes of Anichebe, they both don't have the best workrate but Yak does actually have genuine class. If Anichebe could pull his finger out he could be a very effective player, but I can't see him cutting it due to his poor workrate. Vaughan looks the real deal tho but he won't be ready for the weekend.

pace - possibly the most important attribute to be a good fb, plus Horne said he was caught out of position regularly and looked no better than the Luton players. I'll give Jags a chance and in some games he's looked alright, but he definitely looks slow and in this day and age you need pace in the premier league.

job done, sounds like Barry Horne wasn't exactly enamoured with Jags at right back either, he's looked pretty ordinary since he's signed, can't see him having the pace for RB tbh. Just a squad player if people get injured. Poor line up last night, we were always going to struggle with a 442 unless Gravesen (or possibly Cahill) plays, we were asking for extra time with the CM's we had last night. Anichebe was useless when starting again and apart from Osman we had nothing going forward. Gravesen sets up the goal with his first corner (same as Bolton) and good work out for both he and Vaughan so some positives. We won, that's all that matters and once again it just proved why we need to play 451. I don't care how many good strikers we may have, our team plays best with a 5. Although once Vaughan is back fit he and Johnson did create a lot of problems in 442 so there is hope, especially with TC and Tommy back.

it's called playing 451, it suits our players FAR better than 442 and Moyes has obviously gone back to it as he knows it works. About time too, hopefully Everton fans will start to acknowledge that it does actually work and that it gives us a far more solid defense and options in midfield, although playing the Yak up front on his own is seriously questionable. Just a pity Blackburn won as it was a perfect week results wise otherwise.

McFadden didn't play badly, he just isn't suited to a lone striker as he has none of the attributes required, that's not his fault though. Gravesen set up the third goal, nearly set up another goal and looked instantly comfortable on the ball, I thought he did pretty well considering how little he's played in months. Carsley was excellent, but once again another abysmal defensive mistake, Howard and Lescott to be blamed, after which our defence looked unbelievably shakey for 10 mins or so. Good goal by Anichebe, but when he starts matches he looks ineffective. If we're going to play 451 (which for most tough games we should imo) then it has to be AJ or Vaughan up front, they can make it work. As I've been saying for months, our midfielders all play far better in a 5 man midfield and our defence looks far more solid, with Arteta on set-pieces and Cahill in midfield we'll always get goals. All we need it some pace back up front and with a 451 we'll start to rocket up the table, that being said I'd probably go 442 at the weekend until AJ or Vaughan is back, in fact I'd go 442 most games except for those teams who have a strong midfield or away from home against the big boys.

451 GET IN, I've been calling for this for weeks, we'll stuff them. Our midfield will be transformed in a 5 especially once Gravesen is back.

it was a pretty good save actually! anyway, let's just look forward to the next game - Cahill/Grav should be back and once they are Arteta better buck up his ideas as he has been failrly non-existent this season. When he had the ball he used it well and his set-pieces and work-rate were good yesterday, but he also was guilty of dallying when we were in dangerous positions. On a brighter note, Yakubu worked a little harder and showed some moments of class, Anichebe on the other hand just isn't good enough yet. He has the raw attributes but not the skill levels, he could make up for this with workrate but he doesn't even work particularly hard, he doesn't look in the same league as Vaughan so far. We must start picking up results now, let's just hope we have some good cup runs and that we're in or about the top 6. At the end of the day the top 4 look pretty much guaranteed so this season I'm looking for us to have good cup runs, challenge for top 6 and consolidate our position as one of the best teams in the league and add some GENUINE quality into our ever improving squad. All we need is a real quality CM, our team will transform over night. The most pleasing aspect of yesterday is that 99% of the time we defended as a team, the midfield sat in front of the defence, we were solid and then tried to pinch some goals. With the CM we have had playing this season that is really the best we could hope for. Felt a bit sorry for Pienaar and Baines, but I can understand Moyes wanting to have some height in his team against Liverpool so that's why Baines was out and I assume Osman was in for his workrate. Just a real shame we didn't get a result, it would have been a huge boost especially as we rested a few players who will surely come back in next game (Cahill/McFadden etc).

Gravesen (if he can still cut it) Cahill and Vaughan will transform our team, we'll come through and no way will we be anywhere near bottom six. The only worry is Europe may take a bit out of our small squad (although I expect us to buy a class CM in Jan). We'll be top 6 or thereabouts, no question. Have a little faith, we've had a really poor start to the season but we're still in the hunt points wise and we haven't played any of the promoted teams yet plus we've been missing 3 of our 4 (Arteta is the other) most creative/attacking players all season. We WILL improve, definitely. Today we got back to basics, defending and teamwork - the rest will come. The fact is with the players we've had out we should have played a 451 this year and we would have been doing better, it's too late to go back in time now but finally with the plyers returning to fitness we may actually have the players to play the 442 everyone seems so desperate for. Like someone else said below, I always had a lot of time for Carragher, but now I just think he's an absolute prick.

disgraceful refereeing and even more disgraceful comments after the match by Benitez who seemed intent on winding up Everton fans. Carragher's antics at the final whistle moments after escaping a blatant penalty also left a bad taste in the mouth, coupled with Gerrard getting Hibbo sent off and Liverpool should be ashamed of themselves. The fact is, Liverpool's team was utter crap and we didn't beat them - that's the bottom line. They had an awful line up and we created virtually nothing against them, as it happens we competed and defended as team for the first time in weeks and didn't deserve to lose. Nev/Jags played well defensively and really Hibbert has to be blamed for the result. We were totally comfortable and his inexplicable decision to not go and head the ball on the halfway line ended up in 1-1 and 10 men. We should have had 2 stonewall pens and how the second in particular wasn't given was quite incredible. Arteta was once again anonymous except that he worked hard, I can only assume he is getting fed-up with the diet of long balls we've been playing. A bad day all round, but at least we can hold our heads up, we didn't deserve to be beat and we acted with honour. Pity we've lost more ground on City and Blackburn but now 3 of our best attacking players should be back (Cahill/Gravesen and Vaughan) we should start to haul the teams in, we've better than Blackburn/City and we'll start to show it. COYB, unlucky lads but if you make stupid errors (Hibbert) then you get punished. on another note, Benitez had a shocker and how he got away with it only Clattenburg will know.

looks like we have a pretty awful team out, McFad obviously on the bench due to fatigue but I'm not overly impressed with our lineup, let's just hope Yak and Anichebe actually work their socks off as both can be lazy. Looking at our team i'd expect to be beat fairly comfortably, BUT then I look at Liverpool's which is INCREDIBLY poor today, unbelievably so and surely we can do this. COYB! we'll never face a weaker Liverpool lineup than this for some time surely! Anichebe may get one I think.

Hibbo is a better defender than Neville, no question, plus Babel doesn't look anything special to me at all. I have it on decent authority that Hibbo is playing tomorrow - he's a local lad anyway, his type of game.

obviously if there is a heightened risk of sustaining a recurrence of his injury then he shouldn't play, but if he's physically ready (if not match fit) then he should play. He's been running etc for weeks hasn't he, it's only been jumping that they've been preventing him from doing? From what I can gather Hibbo is supposed to be starting (as I expected, local lad and all) so I assume Neville is at least one of the CM's, I'd expect Carsley and Cahill to be in there with him.

definitely. Hopefully we will go back to a 451, otherwise I can see us being 2-0 down inside 20 mins. Don't get me wrong, once Tommy G, Cahill and Vaughan are fit then 442 could finally become a winning formula (although I remain to be convinced) but no way for this match when we have some players out and some players not match fit. I personally think we should play a 451 and I'd be absolutely astounded if Cahill isn't playing, he sounds like he is fit and I'd play a half-fit Gravesen and Cahill over a fully fit Jags/Neville any day. Carsley to protect the back 4 (where he is brilliant) and 2 from Gravesen/Cahill/Neville in CM, depending on fitness levels. I just hope we can start to defend, we have one of the best defences in the league yet they are playing like a bunch of amateurs at the moment, the international break came at the best possible time and hopefully, the England defeat will have left Gerrard a little deflated (especially as he's been way out of form recently anyway). COYB!

take out Yak and put Carsley into a DM role and that is some team. We may still do it with a 442, but you can't play those four as no ball winners, small height wise and very lightweight midfield. We need to get stuck in.

we played better than in recent matches but it was still no great shakes against an understrength Newcastle team. I wasn't THAT disappointed with the performance, with the team and formation we had out we acquitted ourselves as well as possible - it was just the wrong formation - apart from some more defensive lapses. I just can't understand why the defence has become an absolute joke overnight, as soon as Moyes was saying how superbly Yobo had been playing for 12 months + he suddenly goes on a run of the worst performances he's ever produced. The international break has come at the best possible time, a time for our defence to regroup. We've had some of our best players missing, certainly offensively, all season and hopefully they will return next match. We are still in contention for the top 6 so now it's time to push on and let's get past Blackburn, Newcastle etc and try and overtake City. In January we DEFINITELY need a class powerhouse CM, let's just hope Gravesen and Cahill can get us some results until then. But it's the defence that is the most alarming aspect at the moment, you can't trust them to keep a clean sheet at all.

I agree, as soon as we get a good central midfielder, but with Gravesen injured we don't have one. Vaughan will also make a difference (and Cahill) as he can win the ball in the air and his speed and energy creates problems. Now everyone should be fit for the derby hopefully we can start to play some decent football and play like we should.

but you don't have to play Jags in the 5, Carsley, Neville and either Osman, Arteta, Pienaar or McFadden could all potentially play the Cahill role. Cahill worked hard but wasn't the greatest tackler/passer in the world, I think McFadden or someone like Pienaar could be the missing link between midfield and attack. Carsley can sweep up just in front of the back 4, Neville can also tackle so the other man in the CM doesn't have to be the greatest tackler, we just need his presence, the extra body to tackle and the extra man to pass to when attacking.