Is this the greatest Everton XI ever?

Royal · March 23, 2023

Paul Gerrard

Cuco Martina
Abel Xavier
Antolin Alcaraz
Li Weifeng

Kevin Kilbane
Dan Gosling
Jose Baxter

Andy Van Der Meyde
Oumar Niasse
Brett Angel

Managed by Phil Neville

you might not like it, but this is what peak toffee performance looks like

steven · March 23, 2023

Hinchcliffe's Corner said:
Seamus Coleman who's on the bench, Phil Neville?

Neville is in centre mid

dholliday · March 23, 2023

no Rom, no Best XI.

Jokerdan · March 23, 2023

I can't even begin to start on my greatest XI because it was very much 'horses for courses' eg. would Dixie still make it today given the protection afforded to goalies?

But of more recent times ie. the last forty years there is one outfield player who I don't think gets the prestige he deserves and that is 'Inchy' (Adrian Heath). His ratio to games given his positional role was exemplary and he also scored some of the most important goals in our mid-80's history.

jazzy · March 23, 2023

Eggs said:
….nah & Ray Wilson was a truly world class left back. VDH before Baines in the pecking order.

All terrific LBs.

Agreed but not as bad as choosing Coleman over Gary Stevens

dholliday · March 23, 2023

and where the Dixie is Ratcliffe?

Bluebonic · March 23, 2023

I can only assume most of you never saw them play, but anybody who suggests a midfield that doesn’t comprise of Ball, Harvey and Kendall is insane

Davideeyore · March 23, 2023

It's a bizarre selection. I realise only 11 places but you can't shoehorn players in can you

You'd have to have Dixie but i'd go with Alex Young. Ball & Reid in midfield. Labone & Ratcliffe centre halves. Southall a given.
Next the width. 4 places.
I don't think you can leave Sheedy out. I don't think you can leave Trevor Steven out.

I'm going to throw in Ray Wilson even though he's before my time we know he's quality. I'm torn between 442, maybe or having 3 at the back, and chucking Kanchelskis as another forward.

Ah that'll do me

Jeff Jones · March 23, 2023

jazzy said:
Agreed but not as bad as choosing Coleman over Gary Stevens

Love them both and I'd go Stevens first, but the great Alex Parker over both.

The binman chronicles · March 23, 2023

dholliday said:
no Rom, no Best XI.

I hope this is a joke. It says best Everton side ever, not just last few years.

Swartzy · March 24, 2023

Personally I probably would put Baines in it, but then I would change the rules and make it a team from different eras.

dholliday · March 24, 2023

The binman chronicles said:
I hope this is a joke. It says best Everton side ever, not just last few years.

no joke...as Lineker was a single-season player, i don't feel he gets a crack. Rom was inarguably our best goalscorer since Latchford...them two are about on par, but I just about prefer Rom (recency bias, sure...but also his variety of goals while here). Bob is regarded as one of our all-time greatest strikers, behind only Dixie.

A Greatest XI also has to take a sense of balance into account. Rock-solid back 4 with a hint of attacking menace from the fullbacks. Two midfield anchors (one of whom can attack when required) and two skillful wingers. Two strikers, one just behind the other.

I'd go:

--------------------------- Nev ---------------------------
Stevens -- Ratcliffe - Labone ----- Baines

----------------- Reid ------------- Ball ---------------
Kanchelskis ----------------------------- Sheedy

---------------------- Rom -----------------------------
-------------------------------- Dixie --------------------

What about yous?

dholliday · March 24, 2023

coollino said:
It's insane how many people think dixie dean was that good, literally 5 people alive in the whole world have seen a video of him playing

It's that insane goal-ratio...close to a-goal-a-game for around 400 matches...even in the 1920's/30's that was pretty incredible stuff. Only recently with the likes of C.Ronaldo & Messi (and now maybe Haaland too) are we seeing that kind of regular top-flight ratio.

Until we can long-term keep world-class strikers akin to Lineker, Rooney & Rom, Dixie Dean will always be a shoo-in for any Everton Best XI.

The binman chronicles · March 24, 2023

dholliday said:
no joke...as Lineker was a single-season player, i don't feel he gets a crack. Rom was inarguably our best goalscorer since Latchford...them two are about on par, but I just about prefer Rom (recency bias, sure...but also his variety of goals while here). Bob is regarded as one of our all-time greatest strikers, behind only Dixie.

A Greatest XI also has to take a sense of balance into account. Rock-solid back 4 with a hint of attacking menace from the fullbacks. Two midfield anchors (one of whom can attack when required) and two skillful wingers. Two strikers, one just behind the other.

I'd go:

--------------------------- Nev ---------------------------
Stevens -- Ratcliffe - Labone ----- Baines

----------------- Reid ------------- Ball ---------------
Kanchelskis ----------------------------- Sheedy

---------------------- Rom -----------------------------
-------------------------------- Dixie --------------------

What about yous?

Not too dissimilar to yours but I don't understand why you are discounting Lineker who played 3 games less in total than Kanchelskis? Not exactly his fault Howard decided to let him go to Barcelona.

If you go for pace and finishing then Lineker and Sharp were better than Rom and had better all round games to them. Royle and Latchford could be considered better target men but if you were creating a team then you could say they are more in the Dixie role so would miss out. And that's before we even get to the Young(s).