The Future (Thread)

Status
Not open for further replies.

kenada_blue

Welcome to Barcelonaton FC
Bit early and may not get many replies but I think it'll be a good thread to put what YOU think should happen next season on the pitch - Players, tactics, manager...the lot.

Off the pitch, its clear that Kenwright et all are strangling the club, but we'll keep that in the Kenwright thread.

Bare in mind we have a kitty of £0 for the summer.

Here's the squad -

EVERTON SQUAD: GOALKEEPERS
Jan Mucha
Marcus Hahnemann
Tim Howard
Adam Davies

EVERTON SQUAD: DEFENDERS
Tony Hibbert
Leighton Baines
John Heitinga
Philip Jagielka
Sylvain Distin
Phil Neville
Seamus Coleman
Shane Duffy
Aristote Nsiala
Jake Bidwell
Luke Garbutt

EVERTON SQUAD: MIDFIELDERS
Royston Drenthe (loan)
Jack Rodwell
Darron Gibson
Tim Cahill
Ross Barkley
Leon Osman
Steven Pienaar (loan)
Marouane Fellaini
Francisco Junior
Adam Forshaw
James Wallace
Femi Orenuga
Magaye Gueye

EVERTON SQUAD: FORWARDS
Nikica Jelavic
Denis Stracqualursi (loan)
James Mcfadden
Apostolos Vellios
Victor Anichebe
Joao Silva
Jose Baxter
Conor Mcaleny

TACTICS
Big thing for me is the mentality of the team and the tactics. We have played the same way for seasons with different players and this shows when we have a poor start to the season when no new players arrive or players without pre season in them. We push towards the latter stages when injuries or new players come in/out in January and change things up.

To me, if Moyes is to stay, he needs a overhaul to the way he manages the players he has, the type of players, and his tactics.

A player who works hard in training and is a model professional will only get you so much. When you need to win a game, those troublesome flair players that maybe wont track back or put effort in training, will turn up and will get you those points - see your Drogba's, Ronaldo's, etc. So scouting for a flair player with Phil Neville's attitude is not going to happen. You get what you can.

Case in point - Royston Drenthe. The lad is a free transfer. A FREE. But because he's troublesome, he doesnt track back enough, he's not going to be here next season. To me, he needs to be signed. There are players out there like him with bad attitudes but win games that are reasonably cheap. Ben Arfa at Newcastle is a good example. Troublesome player, was available on loan, Newcastle got him, made him perm for about £5million. Look how he turned out.

Playing reactively, setting up to stop an opposition, needs to be changed when playing the lesser teams. Moyes needs to start to think about how his attacking players can hurt a side like Wigan etc rather than being concerned about how to stop them scoring. All 11 players back for corners. Why? This needs to be stopped.

A big problem is pace. For seasons we've needed it. Occasionally get it (Donovan), then it goes. We need it and need it badly. We hardly counter attack as the lack of pace hurts us. We can defend superbly but when there's no outlet, the ball comes straight back.

Target man. Why? We have capable players with good technique and passing range to not be hoofing it 30 yards aimlessly. Playing Fellaini off a striker in dire states is a shocking tactic. Totally wrong in every sense and needs to be stopped especially when it breaks up a midfield partnership.

OUTS
These players will more than likely not be here -
Jan Mucha
James Mcfadden
Royston Drenthe
Steven Pienaar
Denis Stracqualursi
Conor Mcaleny

7 players.

In an ideal world...I would've already tied up Drenthe and Pienaar (if the price was right). If we can get Pienaar without taking it up the backside from Spurs, we're half way there. But Drenthe on free is a non brainer. 10 premier league starts, 13 sub appearences - 3 goals, 5 assists. Has 4 goals and 8 assists in all competitions. And he's a free. We wont get a player with that return unless we spend. And we have no money.

The rest can be gone.

SQUAD
These players have passed it/squad players/Not good enough IMO -
Tony Hibbert
Phil Neville
Tim Cahill
Leon Osman
Victor Anichebe

The legend that is Tim Cahill has ran time-out on his clock. His biggest strength is getting on to crosses in the box and bullying defenders. For 2 seasons he's not got on the end of crosses and spends more time on the floor. He's getting older, 32. When players get older, they rely more on their experience and intelligence to pick out a pass, time a run, conserve energy and make the right choice. Cahill is not the most gifted of footballers and relies on his strengths - jumping, attacking, positioning. So when those traits begin to be less effective, he has to make up with something else. Sadly, to me, he doesnt have anything else to offer. And in his position nowadays, more intelligence is needed.

Hibbert and Neville. Well, its obvious one is coming to an end of his career and the other is a solid enough fullback. But, in the premier league, you need more from a solid defending full back. You need an attacking mentality which Hibbert doesnt have and needs replacing. Neville, model pro, good to have around the club. But his playing days have gone.

Osman and Anichebe. Osman is one of the most technically gifted players at the club. Great touch, good vision. Last season he took the free role off a striker with both hands and had probably the best 3 months I've ever seen him play. Yet, his biggest downfall is his pace and strength. Players his size do have the ability to hold players off, to keep the ball - Silva, Modric etc. But sadly, Osman doesnt and is easily pushed off the ball without hint of a foul. Out wide, he's ineffective. No pace, no strength, no power in his shots. But due to his technical skills, he's a player worth keeping but to be used effectively...and not as a winger.

Anichebe...to me either needs to be sent out on loan or sold. He's not a premiership striker and hasnt played many full games for a player who is 23 years old, he can barely finish 90 minutes. He needs to learn his craft because technically, he's sub standard.

That's 11 players that either need replacing IMO.

NEW BREED
So Moyes has to play regularly -
Shane Duffy
Francisco Junior
Magaye Gueye
Seamus Coleman
Apostolos Vellios
Ross Barkley
Jack Rodwell

A big thing for me is start playing Coleman at right back. Coleman has taking a lot of stick, but to me he's grown as a player. He doesnt get his head down and run at players anymore, he tries to use skill. But the problem he has is that he needs space. Without space to run into, he's not going to be effective. Putting him a right back gives him that space when he supports the winger without a defender marking him. You can question his defensive qualities...but in the premier league today, 90% of fullbacks cant "defend".

Then there's Shane Duffy. Came back from loan when we had a centre back crisis and certainly impressed. The lad is big and strong, puts a tackle in. But he also looks composed, shouts and communicates at the players around him which shows signs that he'll be here for years to come. He needs to play.

At the club we have 3 superbly talented midfielders - Barkley, Fellaini and Rodwell. It would be an utter waste to not play all 3 in a midfield together. Moyes should try to forget about players fitting into his tactical plan and think "what plan works better for these 3 players?".

Barkley has shown he can create, has that drive to beat players, and has a superb passing range. Fellaini can destroy midfields, break up and distribute well. Then there's Jack Rodwell.

Rodwell has been debated and argued over whether or not he's a "good" or "world class" player. To me, its a futile argument or discussion. What you have is an elegant, calm, athletic player who can glide past players. He has that Italian composure for me. He never gives the ball away, never has a bad first touch, makes all his passes. He has shown in glimpses that he can shoot, score, spread play, and attack. He received 2 England caps and played as a attacking midfielder. Now, these werent against Jamaica or San Marino, this was against the current world champions Spain and a very strong, experienced, Sweden that has talent and he impressed in both. His injuries shouldnt be a worry as he adjusts to what being a premier league and international player is all about, but if we dont give him the freedom and the push he needs he wont be an effective player for us. This is the same with Barkley as the two players would flourish at a Spurs, Citeh, or United side.

Two players who have stepped up this season are Magaye Gueye and Apostolos Vellios. But both seem to have fallen foul of the manager at certain points in the season. Gueye has always shown to me that he's an intelligent player with great awareness and a cracking delivery. The problem his has are pace and fitness. He cannot beat a player on the wing and he also doesnt look like he could ever finish 90 minutes. He seems to switch off occasionally too which led him to be subbed against Norwich a few weeks back (apparently he was blamed for one of the goals by Moyes). So I cant see him being anything other than an effective substitute.

Then Vellios pops into it. Supersub this season, once our top goalscorer, who suddenly disappeared when he wasnt training "hard" enough. But the fact that he's big, strong, but also has good technique and vision seems to eclipse a certain manager who would insist on playing Anichebe (despite his goal return as a substitute) who does not have the skills compared to Vellios IMO. Needs more game time.

TRANSFERS
We all know players will need to leave before players come in. If we're a big advocate of playing youth, we should do that and see where it takes us.

We do not have that £10million+ player to to sell to make some worthwhile signings without hurting the team. £5million is needed for the bank (I believe), so we dont have much to work with. Rodwell will not be sold due to injuries, and Fellaini is a key factor to the team.

But I have said before, selling Fellaini for £20million could save and add players to the side, giving us options. We need another striker, 2 wingers, and a full back. Killing 2 birds with one stone would be to sign Drenthe and Pienaar. Then there's players on a free like Diame at Wigan who could replace Fellaini and do a capable job.

Joesph Yobo is one player certainly on the way out and, for me, Phil Jagielka is a player I believe we should've sold to Arsenal at the start of the season instead of Arteta. Jagielka panics, has poor distribution and has unsettled the defence this season for me. But what he can do is...defend, last ditch tackle, and is the kind of player that can save a game if possible. But with Distin hitting the end of his career (2 year contact maximum) and Heitinga (despite a snide) being the better player, he's the only one with some sale value out of the back 3.

OVERALL
This is just hypothetical and way off from what will happen. But overall we need to change. Change the way we play, the way we approach games. I hope Moyes changes it. He's got the defensive aspects well drilled but he needs that winning mentality, the ability to push things forward and take chances. He has international class players, which he's mentioned plenty of times. He has a good squad, which he's mentioned plenty of times. You also dont need to spend millions to play good football (as Swansea have proven this season). While that might be a kopout thing to say (plenty have)...if you take an already strong squad of internationals already drilled into being solid defensively, you've won half the battle. But then add a mentality to play a certain way with more attacking, adventurous way, you take a step backwards rather than forwards.

If Moyes doesnt do it, he'll never get a bigger club than us. He's assembled some very good talent he just needs to let them off the leash.

If it fails, it fails. But it will fail about as much as this and last season has. So where do we, and him, lose?
 
How long did that take you to write?

About an hour.

Its the last I'll talk about it this season so might as well go out with a bang,

Didnt help when my United supporting mate text me "you will never have a better chance to ever beat THEM and you blew it" so I thought I'd get it off me chest.
 
We should not sell Fellaini at any costs ffs. What good will that do? Give us a bit of money to buy more players who will need time to settle and then be sold on because we need to replace our strikers again etc??

This should be our team next season.

howard

??? Jagielka Heitinga Baines
Drenthe Gibson Fellaini Pienaar
Osman
Jelavic

Coleman should be sold in order to fund Pienaars return if it has to. Drenthe should take a wage cut and be signed on a free. McFadden, Hibbert amongst other dross can be cleared out. Neville, Distin and Cahill to become squad players.

Now only if someone would realise that £30 million investment could sort us out a bit. We could buy a boss right back, another winger, a striker and a solid CAM.

Also then we need to replace Moyes with a new Messiah of football.
 

We should not sell Fellaini at any costs ffs. What good will that do? Give us a bit of money to buy more players who will need time to settle and then be sold on because we need to replace our strikers again etc??

But that's how we survive in the premiership, selling valuable assets. Lescott, Johnson, Rooney - we would not be in where we are without raking in nearly £70million on selling those players alone. Now that the talent pool is shrinking - Baines and Fellaini being worth anything - and owing the banks money, the choices are limited if we want to improve.



This should be our team next season.

howard

??? Jagielka Heitinga Baines
Drenthe Gibson Fellaini Pienaar
Osman
Jelavic

Coleman should be sold in order to fund Pienaars return if it has to. Drenthe should take a wage cut and be signed on a free. McFadden, Hibbert amongst other dross can be cleared out. Neville, Distin and Cahill to become squad players.

Now only if someone would realise that £30 million investment could sort us out a bit. We could buy a boss right back, another winger, a striker and a solid CAM.

Also then we need to replace Moyes with a new Messiah of football.

Jagielka and Heitinga do not work against big, strong strikers. I thought it could but it doesnt and you need height in the defense.

Drenthe wont sign because Moyes doesnt like him not because of his wages (unless Im wrong).
 
I am too upset to reply positively to be honest, I salute you.
 

Some thoughts:

i) We are not as bad as we appeared in that second half, though Moyes and the players need to ask themselves why they didnt go for a defence and a keeper as shaky as that lot appeared to be. For once, we have a good keeper, a decent (right back aside) defence, a good central midfield and a striker who will score goals.

ii) We appeared not to have planned to go a goal up early on, or if we did have a plan it was a terrible one - you could see what would happen once we scored and then decided to try and sit on the lead. This is not the first time a Moyes side has done this in a big game.

iii) Drenthe does need to go. He could be a fantastic player, but if he cannot follow instructions (despite this being one of his last chances in football) then he shouldnt be offered a deal. Ben Arfa is a good parallel - since he went to the barcodes and got injured he has by and large STFU and has become a better and much more consistent player as a result, Royston could have done this here but - for whatever reason - hasnt.

iv) Moyes needs to make a decision asap what he wants to do with the squad, and give himself at most three weeks of the transfer window to get those players in. The priority should be both wings and a right back.

v) Cahill has to be phased out of the side next season, as does P-Nev. Barkley should be told he will replace Cahill and be given time to do so.
 
But that's how we survive in the premiership, selling valuable assets. Lescott, Johnson, Rooney - we would not be in where we are without raking in nearly £70million on selling those players alone. Now that the talent pool is shrinking - Baines and Fellaini being worth anything - and owing the banks money, the choices are limited if we want to improve.





Jagielka and Heitinga do not work against big, strong strikers. I thought it could but it doesnt and you need height in the defense.

Drenthe wont sign because Moyes doesnt like him not because of his wages (unless Im wrong).

I did throw in at the end that Moyes needs to be replaced!

I do see your point about Jags and Heits together, but we've our bigger players don't do much to help us out with crosses anyway.
 
The single most troubling thing I have read is that players now get guarantees about number of premier league minutes written into their contracts.

Can anyone confirm or deny this?

In my view that would destroy any semblance of meritocratic team selection policy.

It may also explain why **** players continue to get games.
 
Great post buddy, i would be willing to sell Rodwell at the right price i just don't think Moyes would because he will be worried he will get heaps of **** if he turns out to be a gun.

I think getting Pienaar back has to be one of our main goals at the summer window as he makes us look so better. If we do have any money i would love to get a partner for Pienaar because i think Vic and Stracq are to similar to Jelavic for them to work well. One player i think we should chase is Gary Hooper from Celtic, has a similar if not better scoring record than Jelavic in the SPL and i think he would make a good partner for Jelavic.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.
Top