Formby

I know just how you feel, although people chewing gum per se kills me. Add to that: People who eat loudly (particularly those in cinemas). People who shout down their phone (particularly those in cinemas) People who talk all the way through films (again at cinema) (generally sixteen year old girls) People sniffing every ten seconds (why don' they blow their nose?) (and again at cinema) People with headphones on who don't pay attention to traffic (or the fact they're meant to be watching a film) Sniffing (again)

'As i already pointed out Moyes has played most of our players in the wrong positions, but they get on with it.' And they equally underperform, which partly answers the question you asked. (‘He's had more than enough chances to show this ability but has failed to do so, why do you think Moyes doesnt play him, ????’) Moyes' tactics have no bearing on how Bily performs on the field? Really? If the tactics are wrong, the whole team is a mess, isn't it? Sorry, don't agree with you there at all. Not sure I understand your answer to point 7. Could be me. The question was about perceived 'lazy' players and what you do with them. I agree that time is running out for him, but could extend that to the whole team.

To recap: 1. Moyes plays him in the wrong position. 2. Moyes' tactics / team formations are witless and baffling. 3. I presume Moyes saw enough in him to shell out all that money. Ergo, he thought he had talent. I do, too. 4. Moyes has favoured players he sticks with despite lack of form. 5. Is Bily really the only player to underperform this season? 6. Bily's goal ratio. Not checked but guessing it's better than Osman's and Anichebe's. 7. Would you have sold Berbatov when he was playing crap or stuck with him? 8. I'm no Bily apologist. Just think you should try him in his best position for all the reasons articulated.

So, it's a question of effort, rather than ability, you're questioning? Would you have given up on Berbatov last season (another 'lazy' player with ability) rather than sticking with him? Good teams are usually an amalgam of artists and artisans. I couldn't care less if he didn't put a tackle in if he was producing goals. He has ability and that's something we sorely need.

And how many of those was he playing out of position? You can go on ad infinitum about him playing poorly, but if he's not playing where he plays best, what do you expect? Osman, Fellaini, Arteta, they all have positions where they operate well, and those they don't. You can target Bily all you like, but your real ire should be directed at Moyes. If Bily flunks in a more forward central role, off the strikers, then fair enough, but he hasn't been given that chance. I'm also pretty sure you were off your seat when he scored aginst United and Portsmouth last season. We need players like that and we need to get the best out of them.

Trying being the operative word. Moyes is trying to prove Einstein’s definition of insanity - ‘doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’ – with a practical demonstration. Meanwhile, for the rest of the school of science community, the results are quite obvious: Everton = Mediocre Club, too. The thing is, why won’t he experiment? If what he’s got on the bench is inadequate, then he shouldn’t have assembled it. It’s apparent that what’s on the pitch is inadequate, too. For me, layman et al, he has got to play the likes of Gueye, Bily (yes, I know he has been played, but not where he should be played) and the youngsters to see if we can get some different results. It beggars belief he plays the same hand all the time. There is a very real danger we could be relegated this year and utterly foolish to ignore the possibility. I’m sure DM knows this, but I’m equally sure he no longer knows what to do about it. Time for him to consult the alchemist and, for us, more likely the chemist.

I think this just about sums it up.

The whole Moyes thing strikes me as the last throes of a marriage. Fear of what life would be like without him bothers people more than whether being together is doing us any good. The passion has gone, the players growing up and about to move on, excitement is at a premium (rather play it safe than try, er, new positions), you’re living off memories and dreading the future. I have liked Moyes a lot – he has done really well for Everton – given us a bit of pride and a bit of excitement – but he is not a great tactician (see our European campaigns) and never will be, nor has his recent intransigence over team selections made me think he really knows what he’s doing now. Maybe he’s bored with us? It happens. I would like to give him till the end of the season to see if he can recapture the magic but by then the old lady may be on her knees.

I was at that game. Xmas'77. I think Utd came up the year before (75-76 season) because (memory serves) we were stuffed by them then, too. The memory of that drubbing was only erased by Sheedy at al hammering them 5-0 in 85 (and, of course, the cup final in 95).

Not far off.

Heaven forbid Moyes try something different, but he damn well ought to.

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more.

Pro Bily here. We simply don’t have enough players with that kind of guile / class. Moyes saw enough in him to bring him here; his job to get it out. You have got to get Bily in striking range of goal (his left foot is as sweet as Sheedy’s was) – therefore no point on left hand side. We’re not exactly scoring loads, so I agree with those saying push him forward. Give him a few games in a floating, forward role, see what he can do; let him take set-pieces. I’m with Romey and Marco on this. The clips of him don’t lie; he has ability. Moyes has to be brave (but we’ve all been saying that a la formation / Coleman / playing two forwards ad infinitum).

Not sure I understand all the objection (in the media et al) for Arteta’s inclusion. Club football is dominated by foreign imports and, with the odd exceptions, have proved they’re as committed as the home-grown ‘talent’. If Arteta wants to play and there is a provision that allows him to play, then it seems daft to overlook him. If there aren’t any English players that do the job as well, that’s not Arteta’s fault. If it was Messi or Ronaldo we were talking about, would people really say, er, no, we don’t want you. When I hear journalists and ‘pundits’ complaining that he’s not English and questioning his loyalty to the country, I kind of wonder how far the world has moved on. Will England really rid itself of the suspicion of Johnny Foreigner? Do we really want to be the Athletic Bilbao of the international game? In simple terms, if there is a chance he can play and he wants to play, then surely the only argument against his inclusion is , is he good enough? Would England benefit from that kind of midfielder? Unquestionably, I think, yes. On a side note, do these ‘pundits’ realise the number of foreigners who laid down their life for England in WWII, people who were born in far flung corners of the Empire (Canadians, Czechs, Poles, Indians). Is it really such a stretch to imagine a Spanish born player who has settled here wouldn’t give 110% on a football field? Shameful thinking (imho).

Yup, that just about sums it up. Wolves, for God's sake. Ugh. Frighteningly slow, frighteningly predictable.

I think the Charitable Uses Act of 1601 classifies schools of learning as a fitting charitable institution, so I think a ‘school of science’ satisfies that. Equally, giving money to philanthropic medical and social charities doesn’t guarantee all your money will go to front line services. Administration take a cut of every pie. If my wife and kids can blow three quarters of my income away on things I or they don’t need, I don’t say why I can’t join in. So 150 million, why not?

That explains the problem, then. Does anyone get Ulysses???? Sadly, the snapshot of the stadium you portray could be a snapshot of any town / city centre in our benighted realm. Welcome to England.

Ah, you have the reverse problem I have. I'm stuck watching Flyers games at midnight till three in the morning!

Pace isn't everything. The best LM Everton have had in my memory (Kevin Sheedy) was all left foot, but what a left foot. Billy is a very cultured player and it's hard to find those. If he can swing them across like Sheedy and work with Baines overlapping, I don't see why he couldn't fulfill a similar role. Width is very important, as is good balance, in a team. I think he'll come good.

Even if offered a chance? If I were Fabio, I'd test his resolve. I think he'd a be a fabulous addition - a bit of creativity in centre midfield.

Anybody heard anything about the possibility of him playing for England recently? Is he eligible now?