Jelavic at the end

[Gwladys Nights]

Regardless of the merits of Jelli or otherwise he's obviously fallen foul of the Goodison curse which seems to affect our strikers after a relatively productive start to their Everton careers - Big Dunc suffered from it, Beattie had it in spades, Saha next - then Cahill and now Jelli has it too - can't buy a goal in their last seasons with us.

You forgot Cadamarteri, Yakubu and Andy Johnson.

On current form we can also add Lukaku to the list of the afflicted. The last half dozen games have given me some concerns about his attitude. He has more bad touches than good, and goes for the easy option every time e.g. trying to win a corner or throw off a defender rather than taking him on. These are forgivable when he's scoring, but that's dried up now as well.

I'm not convinced that he's tired, I reckon it's more likely to be the lack of pressure on his place. For that reason I'd start Jelavic against QPR in the hope a couple of goals go in off his arse, to remind Lukaku that he's not the only international striker at the club (for now).

 

[Come on Lad]

I'll never forget Tottenham at home last season.

You just know wherever he goes he is going to score a goal a game.

 

[Housequake]

Seems to be majorly frustrated & wants so much to do well for the fans that have continued to sing his name.

Seems a bit of an emotional character to me.

Which makes it all the more baffling, why would the so called "ice-man" have such a crisis of self-confidence?

Maybe he's a really moral bloke, which would explain why he's probably uncomfortable in stealing a living as a professional footballer, I've seen empty packets of Quavers knock in more goals than him.

 

[Housequake]

Even if one goes in off Jelavics backside it may just be the break he needs!

Ignorance really is bliss, isn't it?

If he just "needs one goal" then how come he didn't go on a mad run after the goals against Wigan, Sunderland, Tottenham and City last year?

Absolutely the worst cliché in football.

 

[Housequake]

You forgot Cadamarteri, Yakubu and Andy Johnson.

On current form we can also add Lukaku to the list of the afflicted. The last half dozen games have given me some concerns about his attitude.

Behave lad.

9 in 17, not two in a year.

 

[mrb85]

I would start him against QPR.

Dilemma here for Martinez if he does want to move him on, since playing him v QPR will cup tie him and so reduce the chances of anyone wanting him.

 

[TyphooToffee]

God can you imagine if he had tried taking the penalty? I think Baines would have tackled him in his run up.

I think the team is more important to him trying to get a goal at last

 

[BiggyRat]

He's probably realised that asking Hibbo for scoring tips wasn't the right move...

 

[Smudge1985]

Ignorance really is bliss, isn't it?

If he just "needs one goal" then how come he didn't go on a mad run after the goals against Wigan, Sunderland, Tottenham and City last year?

Absolutely the worst cliché in football.

I think we changed our style a bit last season. The second half of the season before, the set up we played worked to absolute perfection. Fellaini and Cahill as the support, Pienaar was on fire when he first came back and him and Baines down the left providing the width, it was all geared towards just setting him up chances and him scoring. Then last season, Moyes seemed to try and turn Fellaini into Cahill, and seemed to gear the team more around playing and using Fellaini as a target man. Jelavic was on fire when Fellaini was playing deeper and providing him with the ball. Playing Fellaini so close to him as near enough another forward meant nobody was then giving him the ball, so he was having to come deeper, and scoring less, and as a result, his confidence dipped. By the time we got to the likes of the goal against City, Moyes had started dropping him in favour of Anichebe...now if that doesnt knock your confidence, you're a man of steel. We saw Moyes do the same thing to Beckford, only Beckford was an arrogant sod who saw Moyes' treatment of him as a challenge and a chance to throw it back in his face when he proved him wrong. Jelavic has never needed just a goal, he has needed a run of them to get it back. But obviously we cant wait forever, and signing Lukaku has meant once again he hasnt been able to have that chance of a run. He has been unlucky in some of these games to be fair, he had a great chance at Norwich on the opening day when the keeper made a good save and Coleman scored the rebound, and very nearly set up a last minute winner for Naismith in the same game but for another great save. Who knows, after a good pre season, things could have been different had he then started the season with a goal too under a new manager. But again, its gone against him and then he's lost his place. I dont know if he'll ever get it back, but Id like to see him get a chance to. One things for sure, at least I trust Martinez enough not to do a Moyes, i.e. sell him, not bother getting a replacement, then moan when Lukaku gets injured. Bloody hell, remember the summer before we signed Jelavic, when we sold Yakubu and Beckford and decided to 'go with what we've got?' Bad times...

 

[143BLUE]

I`m surprised no one picked up on the incident when we were waiting for the penalty?
On the edge of the "D" Naismith appears to separate Jelavic and Mirallas from having a go at each other.
No one else see this??

 

[Woolly Blue]

I think we changed our style a bit last season. The second half of the season before, the set up we played worked to absolute perfection. Fellaini and Cahill as the support, Pienaar was on fire when he first came back and him and Baines down the left providing the width, it was all geared towards just setting him up chances and him scoring. Then last season, Moyes seemed to try and turn Fellaini into Cahill, and seemed to gear the team more around playing and using Fellaini as a target man. Jelavic was on fire when Fellaini was playing deeper and providing him with the ball. Playing Fellaini so close to him as near enough another forward meant nobody was then giving him the ball, so he was having to come deeper, and scoring less, and as a result, his confidence dipped. By the time we got to the likes of the goal against City, Moyes had started dropping him in favour of Anichebe...now if that doesnt knock your confidence, you're a man of steel. We saw Moyes do the same thing to Beckford, only Beckford was an arrogant sod who saw Moyes' treatment of him as a challenge and a chance to throw it back in his face when he proved him wrong. Jelavic has never needed just a goal, he has needed a run of them to get it back. But obviously we cant wait forever, and signing Lukaku has meant once again he hasnt been able to have that chance of a run. He has been unlucky in some of these games to be fair, he had a great chance at Norwich on the opening day when the keeper made a good save and Coleman scored the rebound, and very nearly set up a last minute winner for Naismith in the same game but for another great save. Who knows, after a good pre season, things could have been different had he then started the season with a goal too under a new manager. But again, its gone against him and then he's lost his place. I dont know if he'll ever get it back, but Id like to see him get a chance to. One things for sure, at least I trust Martinez enough not to do a Moyes, i.e. sell him, not bother getting a replacement, then moan when Lukaku gets injured. Bloody hell, remember the summer before we signed Jelavic, when we sold Yakubu and Beckford and decided to 'go with what we've got?' Bad times...

Some good points in there mate.
But my eyes were going squiffy by the end, so please ...

 

[Roger Milla]

I was at the game, he had an argument with Mirallas because Mirallas was being a tit and wanted to take the pen. Jela seemed to have a right go at him whilst pointing at Baines. I've been a critic of Jela but fair play to him for that, shows he cares about the team even though he prob wants away for first team footy.

 

[Yeldah]

Thread: Jelavic at the end...

I agree...

 

[143BLUE]

I`m surprised no one picked up on the incident when we were waiting for the penalty?
On the edge of the "D" Naismith appears to separate Jelavic and Mirallas from having a go at each other.
No one else see this??

Should have read all the replies, difficult when most of it is dross
Someone spotted it on page one.

 

[Smudge1985]

Some good points in there mate.
But my eyes were going squiffy by the end, so please ...

I thought I had! Stupid small reply box!

I think we saw in little flashes last season what the old Fellaini/ Jelavic combo could do, the Sunderland home game for example, not a good performance, but both goals came from Fellaini coming a bit deeper and working that little bit of space, first to score himself, then to squeeze one through and set up Jelavic's winner. Amazing how misused Fellaini was both here, and now at United. Class player in that deeper position, not as a holding midfielder, but just in front of them, using his strength to dominate the midfield, and his quick feet to create chances. He may have scored 12 goals playing further forward last season, but his all round contribution was nowhere near as good as previous seasons, and it was also to the detriment of Jelavic.

But then Moyes had a history of doing that. Look at the season before. We played a system that suited nobody in the team except Cahill, then he goes to the Asia Cup forcing us to play two up front, with Beckford and Saha looking like a hell of a partnership, then muscles in Victor and slides back to one up top, and Cahill was never the same player after the injury he picked up then, but he still persisted with him.