A thought I had...

[RFUS]

Arteta is up there with the best centrally for me. His assist and scoring ratio is frightening since coming inside.

Not only that his ability to dictate and impose our rythem on a game is a joy to behold something Evertonians will talk about for generations to come.

I suppose. But if you play him too far forward, you ask players behind him to pull the strings more. Or him to go deep to collect the ball. I don't like the sound of either.

We have a problem I think. We have a class player, but sadly he can only be one place at a time! If only we had two Mikels.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Play Cahill behind Yakubu then, Arteta and Fellaini in the middle and Pienaar and Bilyaletdinov/Anichebe on the wings, maybe even give Rodwell a try out there, seeing as he's our quickest midfielder and has a presence about him, aswell as the obvious natural ability.

Yakubu would certainly help things, he's our most 'creative' striker and his game isn't fully based on scoring goals, unlike Saha and Cahill, who spend far too much time competing for headers in central positions.

 

[toffeetower]

Play Cahill behind Yakubu then, Arteta and Fellaini in the middle and Pienaar and Bilyaletdinov/Anichebe on the wings, maybe even give Rodwell a try out there, seeing as he's our quickest midfielder and has a presence about him, aswell as the obvious natural ability.

Yakubu would certainly help things, he's our most 'creative' striker and his game isn't fully based on scoring goals, unlike Saha and Cahill, who spend far too much time competing for headers in central positions.

I think this is the most likely solution.

 

[RFUS]

Play Cahill behind Yakubu then, Arteta and Fellaini in the middle and Pienaar and Bilyaletdinov/Anichebe on the wings, maybe even give Rodwell a try out there, seeing as he's our quickest midfielder and has a presence about him, aswell as the obvious natural ability.

Yakubu would certainly help things, he's our most 'creative' striker and his game isn't fully based on scoring goals, unlike Saha and Cahill, who spend far too much time competing for headers in central positions.

I think the Yak should get the nod as the lone striker, because he brings the midfield into play better. BUT, it looks like he's getting sold. There must be something we don't know I feel.

But putting Rodwell on the wing... is it just me or is that a genius idea? Not forever, but as a quick fix. He's got pace, power and ability. He can pick a pass too. It seems a great idea.

 

[toffeetower]

I think the Yak should get the nod as the lone striker, because he brings the midfield into play better. BUT, it looks like he's getting sold. There must be something we don't know I feel.

But putting Rodwell on the wing... is it just me or is that a genius idea? Not forever, but as a quick fix. He's got pace, power and ability. He can pick a pass too. It seems a great idea.

I'd like to see him more central and more often.

 

[RFUS]

I'd like to see him more central and more often.

But right now, we have an abundance of central midfielders. I really think putting him on the wing could be good for us short term. It would also let him work on other areas of his game, like beating his man, crosses etc.

Just a thought, but I'm not the manager. I don't even play football manager.

 

[stinger]

I think the Yak should get the nod as the lone striker, because he brings the midfield into play better. BUT, it looks like he's getting sold. There must be something we don't know I feel.

That's something you (not you personally, but more fans here) just can't understand - Yakubu is the slowest player in our squad in regaining his fitness, he had an extended break following World Cup, plus some minor injuries, he is just not ready... yet. We are playing with 1 striker, so Beckford and Saha were expected to be enough, plus there's also an option of playing Cahill/Fellaini there. Yak will be soon in rotation again.

Coming back to topic - it's one, which we are discussing almost every week. Unless somebody else will show that he can play well as deep lying playmaker on consistent basis, Arteta will play there. And Mikel's performance in last few weeks of previous season was as clear demonstration as you can get, that he can score goals and provide assists from open play.

 

[RFUS]

That's something you (not you personally, but more fans here) just can't understand - Yakubu is the slowest player in our squad in regaining his fitness, he had an extended break following World Cup, plus some minor injuries, he is just not ready... yet. We are playing with 1 striker, so Beckford and Saha were expected to be enough, plus there's also an option of playing Cahill/Fellaini there. Yak will be soon in rotation again.

Coming back to topic - it's one, which we are discussing almost every week. Unless somebody else will show that he can play well as deep lying playmaker on consistent basis, Arteta will play there. And Mikel's performance in last few weeks of previous season was as clear demonstration as you can get, that he can score goals and provide assists from open play.

I thought the Yak was much better at the end of last season -- the Blackburn game springs to mind.

I hope we keep him to be honest, but if we don't, then I have to think that Moyes doesn't think he'll get back to his best.

 

[stinger]

I thought the Yak was much better at the end of last season -- the Blackburn game springs to mind.

I hope we keep him to be honest, but if we don't, then I have to think that Moyes doesn't think he'll get back to his best.

I know that and that was not my point. The point was, than he needs more time than other players to be back in shape, if he had any break in training. He had it because of the post-World Cup holiday, so that's the reason why he wasn't even on the bench against Blackburn.

We all want for Moyes to not based his selections on "names" - he did it wrong with Coleman not being in match squad and Osman starting out wide, but he did it right with Yakubu not being a part of team, he's just not ready.

And there's nothing which would suggest that Moyes wants to get rid of him.

 

[toffeetower]

I know that and that was not my point. The point was, than he needs more time than other players to be back in shape, if he had any break in training. He had it because of the post-World Cup holiday, so that's the reason why he wasn't even on the bench against Blackburn.

We all want for Moyes to not based his selections on "names" - he did it wrong with Coleman not being in match squad and Osman starting out wide, but he did it right with Yakubu not being a part of team, he's just not ready.

And there's nothing which would suggest that Moyes wants to get rid of him.

I'd say the language he used when being asked about West Ham's interest would suggest he isn't completely opposed to letting the Yak leave, rather that the money wasn't quite right.

He said it would take a lot of money, those where his words, I don't see him using that line in response to any interest in Mikel or Jags.

 

[TX Bill]

We had Arteta out on the wing the season before last and he did ok. That said, he was wasted out there and Toxteth Blue and myself were crying out for him to be used in the center of the park. Moyes eventually put him there and he's flourished ever since, the Blackburn match not withstanding.

I'd only move him back out there if we were to get a more skilled central midfielder but I say leave him be.

 

[Elong]

The biggest issue with how we set up is not Arteta/Fellaini but Cahill sitting in front of them in the Lampard/Gerrard/Fabregas role.
Don't get me wrong I love Cahill but if we are going to set up this way, Cahill is not the man for the job. He doesn't have the creativity and vision needed for the position. Rodwell could happily do this role, or my personal choice would be Bily, he ticks all the boxes. You don't need pace in this positon.
Where you put Cahill I do not know!

 

[rochdaleblue]

The biggest issue with how we set up is not Arteta/Fellaini but Cahill sitting in front of them in the Lampard/Gerrard/Fabregas role.
Don't get me wrong I love Cahill but if we are going to set up this way, Cahill is not the man for the job. He doesn't have the creativity and vision needed for the position. Rodwell could happily do this role, or my personal choice would be Bily, he ticks all the boxes. You don't need pace in this positon.
Where you put Cahill I do not know!

Probably gonna get slaughtered for this but I agree with you. Don't get me wrong I love Tim Cahill and the passion and drive he brings to the team. However if we do have genuine aspirations to crack the top 4, I think we need someone in that position who is more creative and can open up a defence. I really would love to see Bily played in that position behind preferably a fully fit Yak. In addition to this we are crying out for pace and a threat from the right. I really don't know what more Coleman has to do to not only get a place in the team but even on the bench. He has been our best player this pre-season behind Rodwell.
The likes of Wolves at home I would like to see the following formation:

----------------------------Howard------------------------------------

Coleman-------------Jags---------------Heitinga--------------Baines

-----------------------------Felliani-------------------------------------


----------------Rodwell-----------Arteta-------------Piennar---------


-------------------------------Bily----------------------------------------

------------------------------Yak----------------------------------------

Someone would say this team is to lightweight. But look at United midfield, they are picked on footballing ability can all see a pass and bar Scholes have pace. I am not suggesting our midfield is as good as theirs, but we now have the nucleus of a very good side, we just need to start playing our best 11. This is not a knee jerk reaction to saturday as most supporters in my opinion think Rodwell and Coleman should be in our starting 11.