Nikica Jelavic

[Steven Naismith]

The Baines cross that he wasn't alert to?
The rebound form the keeper after Naismith had challenged?
The Osman cross/shot that went just beyond the far post?

They were all chances he could've scored from if he was in form imo.

He could also be keeping hold of the ball a lot better than he is which would allow us to build attacks that could provide him with more chances. He isn't pulling his weight at the moment.

He would have to have legs as long as peter crouch to get to that baines cross, a neck like a giraffe to the osman shot and i cant really remember the naismith one because i'm completely hammered.
Point is we're not playing to his strengths and every everton fan with sense can see that and jelavic can see it himself, i'm assured when gibson mirallas and fellaini are back in though we should start playing how we should be

 

[RFUS]

Heitinga and Distin kept hoofing it up to him, he had no chance.

Fairly sure they wouldn't have done that unless they were told that was the game plan. Moyes generally doesn't allow 90 minutes of players ignoring instructions.

 

[davek]

Disagree with that, think he's struggling to find space in the box and he isn't anticipating chances as well. I've no doubt that when it's put on a plate for him he'll finish but he needs to be doing more than he is at the moment.

Spot on. I dont think he's busting a gut to make things happen of late. This feller was on fire last season and hungry as ****. I mean really bouncing off the pitch and taking a chance on quarter chances, never mind half chances. He might be moving into decent positions now, but I'd expect that of any bog standard forward in the PL.

 

[davek]

It depends on what makes the striker a 'top' one. Jelavic is a goalscorer. He can't dribble past men for fun, he's not quick, he's not a physical brute.

Give him a chance to slot and he'll slot. That's what he's done for all of his Everton goals.

He's not getting those chances, and yes that's a two way street -- you need movement. But his movement looks the same to me; I was watching his runs and constant gesturing for passes that didn't come.

The service is the problem. Although I did say that with Saha too, to a lesser extent. When strikers don't score people have a tendency to blame only them, but our style and tactics this season really aren't getting the best out of him. I thought with Felli out we might be a bit more creative but for some mad reason we spent most of the game hoofing it to him, as he was outmuscled, outjumped and outnumbered by their grocky CBs..

I accept some of that mate. His performances for Croatia hammered home how he isn't that type of player you want linking up on the half way line. He just hasn't got the engine to do that type of work and get on the end of stuff too. I'm not saying we should expect that game of him. But this feller really wasn't getting boss service last season either as I recall. He was picking up on scraps that his eagerness got him into position to take advantage of.

 

[tim cahill]

He would have to have legs as long as peter crouch to get to that baines cross, a neck like a giraffe to the osman shot and i cant really remember the naismith one because i'm completely hammered.
Point is we're not playing to his strengths and every everton fan with sense can see that and jelavic can see it himself, i'm assured when gibson mirallas and fellaini are back in though we should start playing how we should be

Not if he anticipates the chance better.

I'm not convinced our approach play is all that different to what was when he was scoring but we have injuries and players out of form and that is going to effect the way we play, as is the tactics of our opponents who have generally been sitting very deep and not allowing him the space he had last season. I think that is the main reason he's struggling. You're talking as if he's playing well but he isn't contributing enough to the side at the moment.

 

[Steven Naismith]

Not if he anticipates the chance better.

I'm not convinced our approach play is all that different to what was when he was scoring but we have injuries and players out of form and that is going to effect the way we play, as is the tactics of our opponents who have generally been sitting very deep and not allowing him the space he had last season. I think that is the main reason he's struggling. You're talking as if he's playing well but he isn't contributing enough to the side at the moment.

He can't contribute if he's not taking chances, his game revolves around off the ball movement and getting in to space and slotting it, thats his game and we should be playing to his game and giving him more chances. When we gave the ball into his feet he was getting into the game, launching at his head does no good

 

[tim cahill]

He can't contribute if he's not taking chances, his game revolves around off the ball movement and getting in to space and slotting it, thats his game and we should be playing to his game and giving him more chances. When we gave the ball into his feet he was getting into the game, launching at his head does no good

Exactly, that's what he isn't doing as well, which is why he isn't getting as much service. When he was getting the ball into his feet he was often giving it away cheaply.

 

[RFUS]

I accept some of that mate. His performances for Croatia hammered home how he isn't that type of player you want linking up on the half way line. He just hasn't got the engine to do that type of work and get on the end of stuff too. I'm not saying we should expect that game of him. But this feller really wasn't getting boss service last season either as I recall. He was picking up on scraps that his eagerness got him into position to take advantage of.

Not sure I agree. I think he made the most of all of his chances for sure, but Pienaar especially was magnificent and constantly creating good chances. Pienaar's been utterly turd this year and I've no doubt that's affecting Jelavic.

Mainly though I think it's the increased focus on both aerial delivery and Marouane Fellaini. Jelavic was the focal point of our attacks when he signed but now it's Fellaini. In the big fella's absence we bizarrely tried to turn Jelavic into him today with a horrifyingly misjudged aerial bombardment.

 

[tim cahill]

Not sure I agree. I think he made the most of all of his chances for sure, but Pienaar especially was magnificent and constantly creating good chances. Pienaar's been utterly turd this year and I've no doubt that's affecting Jelavic.

Mainly though I think it's the increased focus on both aerial delivery and Marouane Fellaini. Jelavic was the focal point of our attacks when he signed but now it's Fellaini. In the big fella's absence we bizarrely tried to turn Jelavic into him today with a horrifyingly misjudged aerial bombardment.

To be fair, he was playing up front with Fellaini most of the time last season as well.

 

[ToffeeBlueNose]

i'd think osman would suit him better as number 10 whilst pienaar is out of sorts

 

[RFUS]

To be fair, he was playing up front with Fellaini most of the time last season as well.

I don't recall how many times Fellaini played up top but I'm fairly sure Felli played a lot of games at CM post-Jan. He got forward a lot more as Gibson did the dirty, defensive work, but he wasn't played like he has been played this year too often I don't think.

Either way my main point there was that Felli is the focal point of our attack at the moment, and it's to the detriment of Jelavic. When Niki does get a bit of service he slots still. But Fellaini doesn't provide him with too much ammunition -- when he does he slots with aplomb, like against Sunderland.

 

[davek]

Not sure I agree. I think he made the most of all of his chances for sure, but Pienaar especially was magnificent and constantly creating good chances. Pienaar's been utterly turd this year and I've no doubt that's affecting Jelavic.

Mainly though I think it's the increased focus on both aerial delivery and Marouane Fellaini. Jelavic was the focal point of our attacks when he signed but now it's Fellaini. In the big fella's absence we bizarrely tried to turn Jelavic into him today with a horrifyingly misjudged aerial bombardment.

Yes, I agree, but I'm pretty sure last season Cahill was pushed up alongside Jelavic, so I'm not sure how far we can take that explanation. He cant be isolated, that's for sure.

The other thing is that he's missed some glorious chances. It's ok saying 'ball to feet', and all will be well.

 

[toffee-fellaini]

Hope Mirallas is fit for Wednesday

 

[Steven Naismith]

I don't recall how many times Fellaini played up top but I'm fairly sure Felli played a lot of games at CM post-Jan. He got forward a lot more as Gibson did the dirty, defensive work, but he wasn't played like he has been played this year too often I don't think.

Either way my main point there was that Felli is the focal point of our attack at the moment, and it's to the detriment of Jelavic. When Niki does get a bit of service he slots still. But Fellaini doesn't provide him with too much ammunition -- when he does he slots with aplomb, like against Sunderland.

Agree with this really, watched the sunderland fa cup game the other day and cahill played off jelavic, fellaini was better in the middle imo and we played football, and guess what, jelavic slotted twice, albeit one ended up as an own goal like but still

 

[Brownie]

He's a very niche player, when he's playing well he does absolutely everything with one touch, not just finishing. In general play he usually just runs either directly towards the ball and lays it off backwards, or runs in the opposite direction looking to be fed in. He's really good at doing those things so it's ok. The problem comes when he tries construct things and be on the ball, I'd probably give him about 2 for dribbling and I'd be surprised if he's scored from outside the area in open play at any stage of his career.

He'll still get goals if he sticks to his normal game, which is great for the money we paid, but he's not going to take us anywhere we haven't been before.