2025/26 Merlin Röhl

[Noisy noise annoys]

Think it’s fair to say that Rohl will need to become better on the ball in order to become the very first choice in the middle of the park (especially with Garner and KDH there), but we simply cannot afford to blow that money on a guy who apparently only excels when he’s used as a headless chicken and told to run.

Give the lad a proper chance and we save ourselves another 50 million in the future trying to take even more punts on more midfielders. We’ve got the lads there to develop…so develop them.

It doesnt make sense, he either is rapid and great for getting us the pitch or he isnt. The fact the armstrong and Dwight were miles ahead of him until we play city is strange.

 

[Lanolin]

I honestly don't understand why that isn't obvious tbh.

Looks to have a great engine and real running power, but what he's actually done with the ball in the moments we've seen has been mixed (at best), albeit the sample size is very small.

I've loved the way he's been used in the games against Villa and City because you can see exactly why he was played and how his profile suited the systems in those games. It doesn't mean he suits every game and I'd have no problem with him not being in the team on Sunday if we feel that we are going to have more of the ball etc.

What I would say though is that in situations where we want players on the pitch late on for transitions etc, I'd hope we'd see more of him than Alcaraz for example.

What are the chances that they're the only 2 games he's been suited to though? That's the point surely? Between the Villa and City there were 8 games that we didn't win, are we really saying it's 'obvious' that he couldn't have offered us something worthwhile in any of those 8 games? Seems a stretch like.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Yeah, I would agree with you, if it weren’t for the fact that this is nonsense.

Even when we were skint, we always had a couple of strong runners. Johnson, Beckford, Bent, Mirrallas etc.

Whether they were any good is another argument.

He's right though, it's 11 back for corners and clear it away first touch, always has been, always will be. A handful of times in his time here we've had a breakaway goal happen because of that, but the sample size is hilariously huge.

We currently have Ndiaye back for every corner too, so he can bust a lung if a ball gets hoofed away and make something happen. Beto is usually good for a few corner clearances too.

Overall though, yeah, we've had some pacy players, occasionally used them well too - we've also had Leon Osman shoehorned on the wing for the same reason Rohl currently isn't playing, and he was an actual snail.

Remember Drenthe btw? As fast as he was mental.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

I’m not talking about an out ball for set pieces, I’m talking about in general.
Someone for the players to look for on the break when we’re under constant pressure.

Earlier in the season, it was Grealish, who had zero pace, but players could rely on him to keep the ball and allow us to get up the pitch.

Again, I do agree to an extent it just strange that having lost grealish on the left months ago and having amrstrong, dwight and JOB lolloping down the right, moyes now unveils his secret weapon. If moyes starting 11 are fit on Sunday - will Merlin start.....?

 

[DualityNSNO]

What are the chances that they're the only 2 games he's been suited to though? That's the point surely? Between the Villa and City there were 8 games that we didn't win, are we really saying it's 'obvious' that he couldn't have offered us something worthwhile in any of those 8 games? Seems a stretch like.

A player with pace being suited to only 2 games this calendar year is certainly a take.

He absolutely 100% could've offered more than Armstrong on the wing, likewise McNeil for the majority of games. No chance Rohl's pace is bad against tired legs too, but we also didn't use him as a sub.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Again, I do agree to an extent it just strange that having lost grealish on the left months ago and having amrstrong, dwight and JOB lolloping down the right, moyes now unveils his secret weapon. If moyes starting 11 are fit on Sunday - will Merlin start.....?

No.

 

[ValBlue]

Again, I do agree to an extent it just strange that having lost grealish on the left months ago and having amrstrong, dwight and JOB lolloping down the right, moyes now unveils his secret weapon. If moyes starting 11 are fit on Sunday - will Merlin start.....?

If Gueye is fit, Gueye is starting.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Also Rohl can deputise at right back too, but we have to play JOB there, because reasons/trust issues/whatever.

 

[ValBlue]

Also Rohl can deputise at right back too, but we have to play JOB there, because reasons/trust issues/whatever.

Our absolute refusal to just play a right back at right back.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Also Rohl can deputise at right back too, but we have to play JOB there, because reasons/trust issues/whatever.

Or we could do what we should have for the past 10 years and buy a couple of RBs.

 

[toffeeblue9]

I keep seeing you post this rationale that Rohl is best suited to certain games I just cannot wrap my head around it.

Are we genuinely suggesting that a 17 million pound outlay is good for a guy apparently who’s only been suited to 2 games since he’s joined?

If he doesn’t play in these ‘on the ball’ games, how on earth will he improve? This is exactly why Moyes cannot develop youth players. He concentrates solely on what they can’t do vs what they can do and limits them to that.

There's a halfway house here - I think he should have had more minutes off the bench at least this season. One of the major negatives for me this season has been that Rohl and Dibling haven't had enough minutes on the pitch, but that doesn't mean that you can't look at him and appreciate what he's good at and what he's not good at and make decisions based on that. For instance, in a game where we are going to dominate possession and there's not going to be any space to run into, he (and Alcaraz to a lesser extent) aren't players I'd choose to have on the pitch based on what we've seen (and what was written about him before he got here), but that doesn't mean that there aren't going to be games and times within games where it wouldn't be handy to have him on the pitch.

He was used on Monday night because we knew City play an incredibly high line and that he's the fastest player we have, so he'd be a useful outlet because there would space he could exploit, particularly behind O'Reilly because he pushes up so far - that's good management.

Equally he and Armstrong played in a 433 against Villa because of the way Villa play so centrally and we needed to be able to cover ground well there - we picked the players in that game who gave us the most legs and ability to close spaces. It was really good management.

That isn't to say there haven't been other games we could have used him - the derby actually comes to mind here along with Arsenal away, so I am by no means saying that because Moyes has used him well in those two examples that there aren't other times he could have done it.

I get frustrated though because one good game in a system and environment which were perfect for him to use his attributes doesn't mean he should immediately be in the team every week, particularly when you can see that there are some real limitations to his game. I equate it a bit with Doucoure (I think he's potentially better than Doucoure btw) - real engine, running power and limitations with the ball, but very useful at times. Moyes playing him every week isn't going to turn him into KDH with the ball, but again I'm not absolving Moyes of the blame of the lack of minutes he's given to Rohl and Dibling in particular because I think that's been the major negative of the season (more than the two cup exits).

 

[DualityNSNO]

Or we could do what we should have for the past 10 years and buy a couple of RBs.

Well, yeah, but I mean for right now. The madder shout and situation is playing our best and in form CM as a right back because JOB couldn't play, I'd rather it was Rohl at that point, for example.

 

[toffeeblue9]

What are the chances that they're the only 2 games he's been suited to though? That's the point surely? Between the Villa and City there were 8 games that we didn't win, are we really saying it's 'obvious' that he couldn't have offered us something worthwhile in any of those 8 games? Seems a stretch like.

Not at all, I agree, see my last post

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Well, yeah, but I mean for right now. The madder shout and situation is playing our best and in form CM as a right back because JOB couldn't play, I'd rather it was Rohl at that point, for example.

Quite

 

[DualityNSNO]

Quite

Watch us not get a right back who's ready and fit, again, this summer. The proper Everton way.