OK I was prepared to give Moyes/Everton a certain amount of leeway in the results column given the paucity of players to choose from but there's now some gathering of evidence that the squad isn't getting the job done, the football isn't good enough & the creative spark, finishing just isn't up to the mark. I'm quite worried that not enough players are doing it week in week out. I don't mind either going down fighting in a match or even so much losing to better sides but now were seeing inadequate effort from some & poor results against lesser sides. Even if some of the generosity & allowance is extended because of the circumstances we all know about small squad, lack of funds, the great finishes to the seasons we've seen in the past & so on you still can't help but be worried about the slide in our fortunes. It's very frustrating to see all the good work going to pot after the loss of so many good players in the past 12-18 months.
We're starting to see cracks in all areas of the side:
For me those giving 100% & getting the job done to the level we probably expect of them include:
Hibbert, Distin (now fit again), Baines (pretty much), Vellios (now apparently not fit or unwanted), Osman (probably injured) , Howard & to a lesser extent Jagielka, Rodwell & Fellaini (the last 3 perhaps injured as well)
The Jury is out on: Heitinga (has improved a bit of late) & Drenthe (but for me there are signs that he's not totally onside or 100% fit), Victor might be getting back to giving a damn (& being fit for a while, who knows?)
Coleman has regressed (and suffered injuries) - where's the Coleman we saw the past season gone?
Straca doesn't look up to the standard required so it's not too fair to criticise too much.
McFadden hasn't shown anything to justify his return. Gueye hasn't done very much when he's been on the pitch.
Barkley I have no idea - he's getting no time on the pitch.
Cahill, Neville, Saha & Billy are going backwards fast!
So not only is it worrying but you have to wonder if they are banged up with injuries (which could well get worse) or just not doing the right things/over the top in some cases.
To summarise all this: If fit which eleven players - at the moment - are doing the most to justify selection? This is a completely different question from "what is the best XI we probably could field" - and I think the answer is:
Howard,
Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines
Donovan, Fellaini, Heitinga, Osman
Vellios, Victor*
(*in the absence of anyone else in attack)
Potentially Barkley, Rodwell, Drenthe .
with Cahill (probably), Saha, Neville, Billy nowhere near the bench.
We're starting to see cracks in all areas of the side:
For me those giving 100% & getting the job done to the level we probably expect of them include:
Hibbert, Distin (now fit again), Baines (pretty much), Vellios (now apparently not fit or unwanted), Osman (probably injured) , Howard & to a lesser extent Jagielka, Rodwell & Fellaini (the last 3 perhaps injured as well)
The Jury is out on: Heitinga (has improved a bit of late) & Drenthe (but for me there are signs that he's not totally onside or 100% fit), Victor might be getting back to giving a damn (& being fit for a while, who knows?)
Coleman has regressed (and suffered injuries) - where's the Coleman we saw the past season gone?
Straca doesn't look up to the standard required so it's not too fair to criticise too much.
McFadden hasn't shown anything to justify his return. Gueye hasn't done very much when he's been on the pitch.
Barkley I have no idea - he's getting no time on the pitch.
Cahill, Neville, Saha & Billy are going backwards fast!
So not only is it worrying but you have to wonder if they are banged up with injuries (which could well get worse) or just not doing the right things/over the top in some cases.
To summarise all this: If fit which eleven players - at the moment - are doing the most to justify selection? This is a completely different question from "what is the best XI we probably could field" - and I think the answer is:
Howard,
Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines
Donovan, Fellaini, Heitinga, Osman
Vellios, Victor*
(*in the absence of anyone else in attack)
Potentially Barkley, Rodwell, Drenthe .
with Cahill (probably), Saha, Neville, Billy nowhere near the bench.
