James McCarthy

[Neiler]

That is your opinion , an opinion not shared by myself or a number of others here.
But, it seems that shortly we will all know where he stands with our new manager.
My belief is that McCarthy is capable of playing different roles in a team and I have seen him play very well as a box to box midfielder when he can make runs from midfield into scoring positions and can remember him scoring a very good goal like this at Goodison(not sure who the opposition were).
He is a strong tackler and is disciplined in the defensive midfield role and is used there a lot because the manager knows the player will follow instructions exactly but if the shackles were taken off he is capable of much more.

Excellent post.

 

[Neiler]

I think McCarthy now has to be utilised in a hassler/harrier role alongside a sitting player. Not so much as Gana does it, but more as a more disciplined version of Davies.

I would have no issues with McCarthy starting in a derby, for example, as he is aggressive and puts himself about and is decent enough on the ball to retain possession.

You pair that with Gana and Gylfi and I think that could work in that situation.

It'll just be interesting to see what happens. I'm not counting on him to regain fitness, but if he does he can be useful.

He can do exactly what Gana and Davies do he has both skill sets, he can play different roles but is a no 8 for me, he will transition the play well which is exactly what we need, he is straight into the team once fit and earns his place in my opinion.

 

[Neiler]

I do think there's a place for him at Silva's Everton.

He's quick over 10 yards, and has the levels to press high and hard.

On the ball he's got quick feet in terms of his short, sharper pass so can move the ball on quickly.

All of this you are analysing this well, hes a player right down Silva street, on top of this he can give us an extra tempo and he also can confront a game, is a battler and shows a bit of leadership. All things that will see him in the team.

 

[GwladysBlue]

I’d look to sell him in January, if anyone will take him. I know his last injury couldn’t be helped, but he’s been near enough constantly injured for 4 years. That’s bound to have an effect on his game.

 

[maccavennie]

Cheers mate

 

[blueblue]

Yes but you changed the argument. You said you thought he could be a good box to box player because you saw him score once. I said yeah once in 5 years isn't great and then you said he was a defensive midfielder. You could have given context, saying you were aware that it wasn't a great record but you thought he'd been shackled, or saying that you weren't claiming he was ready to do it yet but you thought it was maybe something he had in his locker with the right coaching, but instead you just shut it down by saying he was defensive midfielder and asking what I expected him to do. Well, as it happens I don't think we often have used him as a true defensive shield, he's usually been used as a box to box midfielder but one who does his best work in the middle third and doesn't contribute a lot once he actually gets to the boxes, hence me making the point.

That more or less clears out the casualty ward... for now.

I think we see my post in different ways... but there is no harm in that.

 

[Zatara]

I’d look to sell him in January, if anyone will take him. I know his last injury couldn’t be helped, but he’s been near enough constantly injured for 4 years. That’s bound to have an effect on his game.

This is one post I can agree with.

It doesnt matter if he was good before, it doesnt matter if he will be good again.

What does matter is that his injury record is there and we need players on the pitch.

He simply must be sold to a struggling worried team in Jan...

 

[catcherintherye]

All of this you are analysing this well, hes a player right down Silva street, on top of this he can give us an extra tempo and he also can confront a game, is a battler and shows a bit of leadership. All things that will see him in the team.

This is a good post. I think McCarthy is not the sort of player who is going to dramatically turn a team around. However he's the sort of player who will probably play better with better players around him. He has quite a simple skill set and with better players in front of him and more solid/quicker players behind him it will help him. He is very good at pressing, intercepting, tackling. Alongside that, for a lad who can do all of those things he covers ground well and is deceptively good on the ball and at moving it forward to better players.

Next to Gana he would be fine for me. He's another option for now and that will do me.

 

[catcherintherye]

This is one post I can agree with.

It doesnt matter if he was good before, it doesnt matter if he will be good again.

What does matter is that his injury record is there and we need players on the pitch.

He simply must be sold to a struggling worried team in Jan...

The problem is who will buy him though mate.

 

[BlueToff]

He can do exactly what Gana and Davies do he has both skill sets, he can play different roles but is a no 8 for me, he will transition the play well which is exactly what we need, he is straight into the team once fit and earns his place in my opinion.

He's not a ball carrier or passer though mate - not an incisive one.

That will be Gomes' role, first and foremost I think. On paper, him and Gana have the attributes to be a good partnership.

Throw in McCarthy and Davies and that's a solid batch of options. If they can all stay fit, I think we'll see Schneiderlin moved on in Jan.

 

[PeregrineT]

Quick, sell him before another injury.

You only get a small window with McCarthy, we could get a lot of value for him but only if we get him sold before another injury

 

[Eggs]

Quick, sell him before another injury.

You only get a small window with McCarthy, we could get a lot of value for him but only if we get him sold before another injury

..I very much doubt ‘we would get a lot of value for him’ until he proved his fitness over a lengthy run of games.

McCarthy is effective when firing on all cylinders but once the hamstrings started to pop he (perhaps sub-consciously) played within himself. As soon as he took the handbrake off he was outstanding against Arsenal but the muscle went halfway through the following Derby match.

The scar tissue will still be in the hamstring but I suppose there is a chance that his more recent recuperation might have improved that aspect of his body. I fear, however, it’s only a matter of time.

 

[Cameron Manning]

This is one post I can agree with.

It doesnt matter if he was good before, it doesnt matter if he will be good again.

What does matter is that his injury record is there and we need players on the pitch.

He simply must be sold to a struggling worried team in Jan...

Zatara, I usually agree with most of your posts but not this one. If he is sold quickly in January it's unlikely we would get a lot for him, why not wait and let him prove his fitness, if he stays fit he can be a valuable player for The Blues with the proviso that he ends his career with Southern Ireland.

 

[Tubey]

Why has everyone collectively forgotten how gash he is?

I can't think of any more anonymous a footballer in my time watching Everton.

Without looking, how many games do you think he's played for us? If you guessed around 10, I'd understand, as that's about the amount of games he did something in.

McCarthy is unrealised potential. He's 27 now - he's not going to come good. He's completely unremarkable. Gana is twice the player without being exceptional in his own right. Hell, I'm more interested in Baningime being back!

 

[Neiler]

He's not a ball carrier or passer though mate - not an incisive one.

That will be Gomes' role, first and foremost I think. On paper, him and Gana have the attributes to be a good partnership.

Throw in McCarthy and Davies and that's a solid batch of options. If they can all stay fit, I think we'll see Schneiderlin moved on in Jan.

I’d disagree with you there mate, he is a ball carrier, there are many ways of doing this. You can dribble, you can give and go, you can create triangles, you can use pace, you can use stamina, you can find space. Essentially it’s all about getting the ball forward yards from midfield and unlocking the forward players.

Deceptively McCarthy makes up yards through the central Chanel.

Leon Osman got a lot of stick, rightly so in some cases as he always lacked that killer ball, but one thing he is underatted for is how many yards he made from midfield in transition he was excellent at it.