Everton Wilderness

[Matt Damon]

His treatment of Yakubu rattled me last season. It's okay being a firm manager but cutting off your nose to spite your face is beyond frustrating. And that's what happened with the Yak after he was dropped during a very good period of form when his work rate was unquestionable. For Saha who went 11 months without scoring.

Beckford too. I didn't think much of their spat and laughed at DaveK for saying Beckford will be gone in the summer. But DK was right. I'm still shocked. Although I'm not sure if that was more to do with him not being able to play in the precious 4-5-1, rather than the spat.

I've watched Yakubu.

He's always the one at the back when they're doing shuttle runs in warm up and warm down. Jogging round.

He always looks like he can't give a **** when he's doing stretching too.


Yakubu's mental attitude is a big thing. When he was putting in 100% he was great. But he definitely lost something after his Achilles.

Beckfords gone because his link up play wasn't good enough for the level we're at. Sad to say. If that was better he'd still be here.

[TX Bill]

This much is undoubtedly true.

Once you get into Moyes' doghouse, you'll never be able to get out of it.

[RadioFriendlyUnitShifter]

I've watched Yakubu.

He's always the one at the back when they're doing shuttle runs in warm up and warm down. Jogging round.

He always looks like he can't give a **** when he's doing stretching too.


Yakubu's mental attitude is a big thing. When he was putting in 100% he was great. But he definitely lost something after his Achilles.

Beckfords gone because his link up play wasn't good enough for the level we're at. Sad to say. If that was better he'd still be here.

Remember last summer pre-season? "Yakubu was the first one up the mountain".

You could see in october the way he was putting himself about that he was eager to perform.

He does look lazy but in the same way Fellaini looks awkward. It's just how he looks. Just because he doesn't run around non-stop like AJ doesn't mean he's lazy, in the same way just because Fellaini looks awkward and spindly, it doesn't mean he doesn't have complete grace on the ball.

Obviously he worsened after the injury. No doubt. But he was still a hell of a lot better than Anichebe and he was the only striker on the books who could perform in the 4-4-1-1/4-5-1.

[deathbyropeandglass]

Beckfords gone because his link up play wasn't good enough for the level we're at. Sad to say. If that was better he'd still be here.

Its lines like that which make people call you a you know what.

We have several players who "aren't good enough" for the level we are at but don't get sold.

Slyvain Distins link up play isn't good enough so isn't asked to do that job, he's asked to do the job he's good at : defend.

If Moyes had actually had Beckford do what he was good at, running on to throughballs and scoring goals he's still be here.

Beckford never should of been played as a lone striker but at times needs must. However he is plenty good enough to be a back up striker or a partner to Saha but was sold because he showed Moyes how pissed off he was at the 3 times LMA manager of the year completly misusing him and wasting him and exposing his weaknesses instead of playing to his positives.

[RadioFriendlyUnitShifter]

Its lines like that which make people call you a you know what.

We have several players who "aren't good enough" for the level we are at but don't get sold.

Slyvain Distins link up play isn't good enough so isn't asked to do that job, he's asked to do the job he's good at : defend.

If Moyes had actually had Beckford do what he was good at, running on to throughballs and scoring goals he's still be here.

Beckford never should of been played as a lone striker but at times needs must. However he is plenty good enough to be a back up striker or a partner to Saha but was sold because he showed Moyes how pissed off he was at the 3 times LMA manager of the year completly misusing him and wasting him and exposing his weaknesses instead of playing to his positives.

Very well said, death.

[chaser]

Complete tosh of a post. it might as well read "Moyes told Beattie he was gonna sell him, Then he sold him and Beattie proved beyond doubt he was not good enough by disappearing into obscurity."

As for Beckford? he was crap. Did 'death by rope and glass' just say Distin's link-up play was not good enough? Jesus, ever heard the saying 'horses for courses' ??? A centre-backs link up play doesn't have to be good, a centre forwards DOES. Him and Jose Mourinho [I'll leave you to figure out who that one is] should be the next manager of Exeter City.

[Neiler]

TBH there is something in it for me after periods in the "wilderness" we have manged to turn some really valuable assets into also rans and prmeier league squadies, its massively harmfull to Everton that we managed to turn potentialy 10s of millions into assets into playeer going for paltry sumes how we got about 20 mill for the below is beyound me:

Arteta
Yak
Pienaar
Vaughan
Beckford
Yobo (potenitlay)
Beattie

I guess in the future you can add Billy to that, not to mention Kroldrup and one or two others.

One of the big criticisms and im his bigges fan of Davey, is at times his pride and stubborness iin footballing descions can really hurt the buissness model of the club - we donbt have it to throw away, we made what a 900% loss on what we paid for the Yak.

[thebluefox]

Its lines like that which make people call you a you know what.

We have several players who "aren't good enough" for the level we are at but don't get sold.

Slyvain Distins link up play isn't good enough so isn't asked to do that job, he's asked to do the job he's good at : defend.

If Moyes had actually had Beckford do what he was good at, running on to throughballs and scoring goals he's still be here.

Beckford never should of been played as a lone striker but at times needs must. However he is plenty good enough to be a back up striker or a partner to Saha but was sold because he showed Moyes how pissed off he was at the 3 times LMA manager of the year completly misusing him and wasting him and exposing his weaknesses instead of playing to his positives.

r you saying jags passes the ball better than distin ?

[Roztitute]

Bily is a victim of Everton wilderness?

Is he? He's still playing etc.

[Hibbert&Ernie]

Arteta £10 mill for a 29 year old that wanted one last swan song in the CL. Was more gutted when Gravesen left.
Yak Footballing nomad, great initial attitude then goes off the boil and moves
Pienaar Got our money back on his with under 6 months of his contract left. Good job really.
Vaughan Lets see if he fires Norwich back into the prem next season
Beckford Lets see if he fires Leicester into the prem this season
Yobo (potenitlay) ANC issues and lapses in concentration so large you could park a bus in them
Beattie Poor mans Kevin Davies

That about sums it up for me. Oh, and there can only ever be one boss.