Fellaini ( from a belgian perspective )

[TX Bill]

Here's something that Evertonians would be wise to consider.

When we signed Phil Jagielka, my first experience seeing him with us was when he played for us agains Real Salt Lake in preseason.

We had him at right back but let me tell you. I wasn't impressed and had many of the same thoughts about him (why did we sign him? were there better options? etc....) that many are having about Fellaini.

Well look at Phil Jagielka now. He looks nothing like the player that started out for us last year. Nothing at all.

Evertonians would be well advised to give Fellaini time to get acclimated to his teammates, the pace of play, his position, etc... before passing judgement.

Anyone who thinks they've got him pegged RIGHT NOW is having a laugh.

 

[TsarDiniyar]

he's boss, prior to yesterday he was progressing nicely, one bad game and he's a cnut all of a sudden

 

[Vim Fuego]

I'm a supporter of Fellaini, i always get behind the lad, and have posted my opinion of him on here that the best is yet to come from him but only if he's willing to add to his game.But it was clearly evident last night that he likes to stroll around midfield at his own pace,he'll never be the success that we hope for playing at that tempo.

I'll continue to get behind the lad, the same as i do with any Everton player, but i must admit that my patience is wearing thin.Hopefully, given time he'll adapt his game to suit us and the premiership demands,i'm not too optimistic though.

 

[Nebbiolo]

Having only seen him in person on the one occasion, I can't honestly say that I was either really impressed or really disappointed. Given time he could prove to be a gem. We need to wait and see. Like others have said, it's not his fault that he will cost up to £15m. People need to give him time and hopefully we'll see later in the season why Moyes spent so much cash on him. We certainly don't want to turn him into the latest whipping boy for all Everton woes (we've got Moyes for that).

So I agree with the above.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Worth baring in mind that many raised similar concerns last season about Jags and Yakubu. The whole midfield has been rank this season and I think much of that is down to formation. Get that sorted and then analyse the lad.

 

[Nebbiolo]

Worth baring in mind that many raised similar concerns last season about Jags and Yakubu. The whole midfield has been rank this season and I think much of that is down to formation. Get that sorted and then analyse the lad.

In addition Bruce, he's playing in a team low on confidence, which can hardly help matters. Let's face it, everyone with the exception Jags could be doing more. God knows what the matter is? But I've a feeling that Everton is not a happy ship, particularly in the dressing room.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I'm just honest about the lad. He's a decent player and he will be a good player for us in the future BUT he's not what we needed nor is he a played I'd like to see us build our side around. Obviously that's just my opinion. I just don't see where he fits and and how we are going to get a midfielder who will suit him and suit the team.

For every "he's [Poor language removed]" posts there have been "he's world class" posts. Both are way off the mark I'm afraid. He's had his fair of critisism and he's also had his fair share of praise. This comes from the good and bad games he's produced.

Yesterday he deserved to be critisised like the rest of his teammates, it was a shithouse performance from the majority of the team and that includes Fellaini.

 

[Neiler]

Theres been a lot of talk regarding the big man since hes signed, mainly a great deal of criticism in a fashion typical to Evertonians Marco Materazzi style.

Time to put things into perspective. Players take time to adapt, take Jagielka as a prime example. He was very poor, no one can deny that, he was older than Fellaini, English and played in the Premiership before yet look how he started his career at us...

With in a game or two - because Fellaini hasn't done fancy step overs or any fancy tricks, fans are on his back. How many games has the young lad played?

Stoke
Hull
Blackburn
Liverpool
Newcastle
Arsenal
Man Utd
Bolton
Fulham
Middlesbrough
Wigan

So thats 11 games. In those 11 games he has been MOTM three times on here, scoring 3 goals (Newcastle, Man Utd, Bolton). Thats not a bad return, he has made more of an impact that Cahill, Arteta and Yakubu in all them games.

Fellaini was signed late on, with no pre-season behind him at the club. He turned 21 three days ago, (so same age as the 'Youngsters' Vaughan an Anichebe really) doesn't speak a word of English coming into a side who have been piss poor. I keep banging the drum of him not speaking English but it is a big issue, when I played football in Tunisia and Spain and was the only one who spoke English it was a nightmare. Fellaini has only ever played for Liege and Belgium, its his first big culture shock...

Before 20 he had become a significant player for Standard Liege hence his transfer fee and played over 10 games for Belgium. For Moyes to pay £15m... Moyes, the proverbial stig alone proves Fellaini is no mug and has a good pedigree behind him.

Fans keep saying 'he's too slow' 'doesn't tackle' 'passes sideways' Maybe so but then I see attributes of constantly wanting the ball, putting himself available for possession (a rarity among our players at the minute), he rarely loses the ball, whether or not he passes sideways isn't the issue, the more established creative players should be the ones taking the ball on and creating something ie Arteta/Osman. But what I like most about the lad is, he looks comfortable on the ball. If he settles and fans get behind him, I am certain he will be a top player for us.

Time to look at the basics lads and ignore the price tag for a moment (£4m rising to £15m). He turned 21 the other day and his last game was only his tenth in the league. If you want to vent your anger at the transfer fee, blame Moyes not Fellaini. We desperately need a bit of bite in our midfield, a ball winner - we all though Fellaini would be the man, it quickly emerged thats not him. Moyes himself described Fellaini as a Cahill type player which begs the question, why sign a Cahill and not a Carsley when we need a Carsley and already have Cahill?...

This wont go down well on here and no doubt fans will continue to highlight Fellaini like last night, I fully expect the same replies from some after a defeat to say Spurs of just "[Poor language removed] off Everton, Fellaini was s**t" Its not about scoring brownie points of "I told you Fellaini was crap, see, he was crap again" As I said, time to support the lad, he needs time. Judge him this time next season.

Post of the month mate, someone should have told you it was scapegoat day your makiing far to much logical and rational sense in it. Its a matter of waiting for the pot to boil for this lad and then we will have some fun. Rubs Hands!

MWAH!

 

[Goat]

The more i see of the lad, the more i realise that hes just a luxury player, hes like Riqueleme, Kaka. Hes not the answer to our midfield problems, he is just the 1st piece in the puzzle, watch this space.

 

[Brownie]

A lot of the frustration is at Moyes for spending 15mil on a player that's not really very exciting.

Mainly tho, he is too slow. It is simply not possible to be a top class player in this division when you're that slow, and it's a pretty difficult attribute to improve.

 

[Goat]

A lot of the frustration is at Moyes for spending 15mil on a player that's not really very exciting.

Mainly tho, he is too slow. It is simply not possible to be a top class player in this division when you're that slow, and it's a pretty difficult attribute to improve.

Lampard is FAT and slow, Scholes doesnt have any pace, Keane was slow. Its not his pace he needs to improve on, its his speed of thought, that WILL come as he beds in and gets older.

 

[Neiler]

The more i see of the lad, the more i realise that hes just a luxury player, hes like Riqueleme, Kaka. Hes not the answer to our midfield problems, he is just the 1st piece in the puzzle, watch this space.

Your right mate great likening him to Riquelme or Kaka i couldnt have put it better!

 

[Neiler]

Lampard is FAT and slow, Scholes doesnt have any pace, Keane was slow. Its not his pace he needs to improve on, its his speed of thought, that WILL come as he beds in and gets older.

Agreed mate its about hios reading of the game where the improvement is needed, Sholes and Keane must have cut out at least five miles of running per game, because of how they viewed the game. I met Keane once and he told me the best thing he learned in the game from great players was that football was an easy game and to be successfull it was about sdoing the simple things well and the complicated things will come, i can thelp thinking of that when i see Mauronne play!

 

[Brownie]

Lampard is FAT and slow, Scholes doesnt have any pace, Keane was slow. Its not his pace he needs to improve on, its his speed of thought, that WILL come as he beds in and gets older.

I'd say all three of those are just standard pace, obviously not at all quick, but not as slow as Marouane. He can't run onto a ball and take it past a stationary defender, that is a severe lack of speed. I know what you mean, it is possible to not have pace as an attribute and be a good player, but honestly, his lack of pace is such a big negative. He's not at all agile either, which you'd expect from someone his size, but it doesn't exactly help.

 

[Neiler]

I'd say all three of those are just standard pace, obviously not at all quick, but not as slow as Marouane. He can't run onto a ball and take it past a stationary defender, that is a severe lack of speed. I know what you mean, it is possible to not have pace as an attribute and be a good player, but honestly, his lack of pace is such a big negative. He's not at all agile either, which you'd expect from someone his size, but it doesn't exactly help.

Do you really need speed though, surely its of best advantage on the wings, in a cenntre forward and no harm at the back, but in central midfeild you can play your way iin to a lot of space and time given your ability and your reading of the game, which again comes down to expierence. Like MG said Keane, Scholes et al were not blessed with burning pace but always seemed to be acres of room or find others in acres of room and always available.