Positives - Form

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toffeestillidie

Player Valuation: £35m
With all the doom and gloom i figured i would join the brave few trying to shed a positive light on our season's outlook. last season despite doing well, we struggled early, but i don't think that will happen this year mainly because i think form is generally picking up around the team.

Tim Howard: for both club and country, this has probably been the best summer of his life in terms of form. He first guided USA by the defending european champions and world cup favourites spain, holding them scoreless for the first time in god knows how many games. He followed that up with one of the most phenomenal performances i've ever seen against the MLS all-stars, blocking several penalties to give the MLS all-stars their first ever defeat. His last game, against mexico, while a defeat saw him come up with numerous amazing saves. I think this summer alone has probably earned everton many american fans, particularly young aspiring keepers.

Phil Neville: I haven't seen too many preseason games but from what i've seen and heard, he's been rock solid. He's played right back , his normal defensive midfield role, and even centre back, and has shined at all of those positions (i know none of you will accept him at CB but i really think there are worse options out there). I think his leadership qualities really peaked last year as well, i don't think anyone could accuse him of being a captain in name only as he's really taken to leading the team like a general on the pitch. Even off the pitch, i think he's seen as almost a spokesman for the team, particularly with his comments warning off manchester city. He's greatly grown in confidence, due in no small part to most evertonians finally accepting him, and i think he'll be one of our strong performers. His last preseason game saw him put in a solid performance in a position he has limited experience with, so i'm sure he's just buzzing for the campaign to get started.

Tim Cahill: He's always been one of our best players so i don't need to go into much detail, but even though he's one of my favourite players i think he struggles for form from time to time. This summer i got to see him play wide midfield, a position i'd hate to put him in, but atleast we know he can do a good job there if arteta and fellaini in the middle is deemed to be enough. But the big thing here is form, his last game was a 3-0 trouncing of a relatively good international side, in which he put 2 goals passed none other than City's goalkeeper, shay given, he's coming off 4 goals in his last 2 internationals, opponents beware.

Baines - Pienaar: It wouldn't make sense to talk about these two individually because the synergy between them is remarkable. i don't know how they'd played together earlier in preseason, but against Malaga it really gave our side a huge boost. I knew the partnership was important, but i didn't realize how special it was until we were forced to go without it for a little while, the link-up play is amazing, and we're coming off one of the best performances i've seen the two of them put in. I'm really looking forward to seeing the contest between pienaar and baines, and sagna and whoever arsenal stick at right wing (i imagine arshavin will be playing striker since adebayor is out).

Rodwell and Fellaini: Very different players I know but i feel like they're worth grouping for this instance. They're both very young, and some might say two of the brightest young prospects in the league. Everyone has spoken highly of fellaini for quite some time as he quickly works to make the 15 mil we paid for him look like a bargain, and on top of the praise rodwell has been getting just recently NewsNow: Loading story... came out. Fellaini has adjusted to the pace of the premier league, and this preseason his fouling, the weakest part of his game, has dropped to a minimum, and he generally looks more comfortable on the pitch. Rodwell has grown from cover last season, to a full-fledged first teamer. Moyes has the confidence to play him at Defensive Midfield, which very few will do for someone so young, and he's only risen to the occasion so far. I really do believe this is his breakout season.


so despite the lack of signings, we're coming off a summer of the best goalkeeping we've had in a long time, our proven goal scorers scoring many goals, our team chemistry only growing despite departure rumors, and the matriculation of several young prospects. when you look at it like that, suggestions of bringing boots to the game or whatever other protests you're thinking of just seem misplaced.
 

And Citeh have spent £200million
Spurs have stability and depth in talant
Villa have got some good editions IMO.

Oh and Citeh and Spurs arent playing in Europe either.....

Other than that, peachy....

*runs away*
 
Stop being so cynical, the man's just wrote a very good article and the first comments are "hilarously" sarcastic comments which we've all heard before.
At least somone's trying to give a new perspective onto things.
 
Stop being so cynical, the man's just wrote a very good article and the first comments are "hilarously" sarcastic comments which we've all heard before.
At least somone's trying to give a new perspective onto things.

We are entitled to an opinion as much as he is.
 

Villa doesn't look better this season than last, they only have two centre backs (hey, that's like us if we sell Lescott), the loss of Laursen is huge for them. Downing is a good signing but he'll be out until december and Delph is unproven on this level.

Spurs looks stronger in attack but there is still questions to be asked about their defence and keeper.

City are obviously stronger, but if they get a poor start there might a lot of unrest in the squad and back office.

So, all isn't doom and gloom but I do still think we need to strengthen not to risk mid table mediocracy, we might just as well finish fifth as tenth next season.
 
Of course you are, but that doesn't mean you can instantly discredit his opinions and not discuss them,

E.g the post just above me he discussed the post and had his opinion at the end.
 
Villa doesn't look better this season than last, they only have two centre backs (hey, that's like us if we sell Lescott), the loss of Laursen is huge for them. Downing is a good signing but he'll be out until december and Delph is unproven on this level.

Spurs looks stronger in attack but there is still questions to be asked about their defence and keeper.

City are obviously stronger, but if they get a poor start there might a lot of unrest in the squad and back office.

So, all isn't doom and gloom but I do still think we need to strengthen not to risk mid table mediocracy, we might just as well finish fifth as tenth next season.

I've heard Villa are stepping up their chase for Richard Dunne.
 

I generally agree with the first post in this thread, and I'll add this: last year this time Moyes had still not extended his contract, and that may have been the biggest single factor behind our slow start. Look back on this forum, there was even more pessimism than there is now, and many were predicting how Spurs, City, Pompey, etc. were miles ahead of us - not to mention Villa.

We do not have enough strength in depth right now to compete on all fronts. But I have no doubt we'll bring in 2 or players in the next few weeks. We also now have a more mature Rodwell, and at least 3 other youngsters capable of filling in at this level.

*Note to self: remember to bump this thread in January when City are mid-table and we’re in the top 5.
 
i'm sorry but i'm really not convinced about the city threat, you can't sign that many new players and expect them all to gel within a season. next year if they play their cards right they could be challenging for the premier league, this year (even bluemooner will agree) they're not nearly as great of a threat.

they've made plenty of signings, but nothing to convince me they'll stop bleeding goals. the closest thing to a defensive signing they've made is signing shay given, and even after he joined the squad they conceeded 25 goals from february on (europe and cups included). i don't care if they have 30 strikers because theres diminishing returns at some point, and each additional striker won't necessarily translate to making up for the goals they're letting in. toure was a good signing, but the fact that they're chasing lescott, who's biggest asset to the team IMO is his goal threat, and not his consistency in the back, shows that their priorities are misplaced and i think that will ultimately be their downfall.

Spurs? are you freaking serious? must we go through this every single season it gets really really old. I laughed at it last season. I laughed at it the year before. And still year after freaking year everyone with a computer all over the internet is talking about what a threat they will be this year. their biggest problem under jol was their miserable defense, and while they drastically improved on that last year (down from conceeding 61 goals to 45 goals), their strikeforce also got worse (down from scoring 66 to scoring 45 goals). their best signings this year have been crouchy, bassong, and the unproven naughton... i'm shaking.

villa lost their hands down best player, as well as laursen. they've been a threat the last two years, and they've bottled it in the end. abonglahor is maturing nicely and young has made great strides so i think they'll be our greatest threat, but i still think we're capable of edging them out.

you have to keep in mind that the players aren't fixed values, they're human beings that change. the players on our team seem to be in a good condition coming off an important and relatively comfortable preseason win against reasonable opponents. all we need to do is maintain a strong top half presence until we get the nitrous kickstart of arteta, jags, and yakubu all returning to the side.

anyways, my post was about form, and i think we're looking to be a threat at the moment that will turn a lot of heads against arsenal.
 

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