The role of the football pundit is a weird one. Clearly most of the viewers or listeners are tuning in primarily to watch the game. Yet you only have to look at twitter during a live game or listen to a lounge full of viewers to know that the co-commentators and pundits can make a massive difference to people's enjoyment of the game.
No doubt who you prefer to listen to depends on your taste. Are you looking for someone who will hype up the excitement? Someone who will add some real insight to the action taking place? Someone with a soothing voice?
For me the best pound-for-pound pundit working on tv/radio is Pat Nevin. When he's co-commentating he's adds insight as well as describing the action in a way that's easy on my ears, when he's in the studio he'll nearly always highlight something interesting from the game and on magazine programmes he's able to be both interesting and do the amusing banter the genre requires. I'd like to think these observations aren't coloured by the fact I know he's got some Everton in his heart.
Coming up on the rails is new boy, the freshly retired Gary Neville. He's contributed more to my enjoyment of Sky games in the last four months than Jamie Redknapp has in the last three years. Aside from Neville (and Redknapp) Sky have some other half decent analysts - Graeme Souness can be interesting when he's not being partisan and Ray Wilkins has a lot to add despite the far too regular shouts of 'my word'! At least he's stealing from a broadcasting legend I suppose!
Where things go really downhill are on our main two terrestrial channels. Somewhere along the line the producers on these channels must have decided that anything too complex will cause the masses to turn-off. The worst two in my book are Jim Beglin and Alan Hanson. I can only assume they must have made a pact to provide shit punditry during retirement over a half-time cuppa in the Anfield bootroom at some point in 1983. If they did, they've stuck to their word.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Monday, 19 December 2011
The Goodison time machine
The January transfer window is fast approaching and it appears that David Moyes is trying to reprise an Everton squad of yesteryear. Not content with just picking up James McFadden on a free transfer, Moyes has agreed a deal for Landon Donovan to return for a two month loan spell. Rumours are now gathering that he might complete the set by striking a deal to loan back Steven Pienaar for Spurs for the rest of the season.
It would be an interesting move. One that most of the football world would probably find a bit beffuddling. But I think most Evertonians would probably welcome the South African back. For all the bitterness around him leaving for the money (and Champions League), I think people realise the key part he played in the football we played during his previous spell and appreciate that all the more having put up with the last few months of dirge.
For me, the biggest thing we've been missing this season is attacking movement and that's something that Pienaar has in bundles. Couple this with the pace of Donovan and the directness of Drenthe and we might just get to see some interesting football again soon.
It IS a step backwards. You shouldn't go back. It probably won't be the same.
But right now, it might just be for the best.
It would be an interesting move. One that most of the football world would probably find a bit beffuddling. But I think most Evertonians would probably welcome the South African back. For all the bitterness around him leaving for the money (and Champions League), I think people realise the key part he played in the football we played during his previous spell and appreciate that all the more having put up with the last few months of dirge.For me, the biggest thing we've been missing this season is attacking movement and that's something that Pienaar has in bundles. Couple this with the pace of Donovan and the directness of Drenthe and we might just get to see some interesting football again soon.
It IS a step backwards. You shouldn't go back. It probably won't be the same.
But right now, it might just be for the best.
Monday, 5 December 2011
When is fair play unfair?
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| Empty seats at the Reebok |
The forthcoming UEFA fairplay regulations are intended to redress some of the imbalance, limiting clubs spending to a proportion of their turnover. Theoretically, this would prevent rich owners coming into smaller clubs and spending hundreds of millions on new players without a sustainable business to fund it. However, it's a plan with flaws. Clubs will find loopholes, such as signing massive sponsorship deals to increase turnover. This is supposedly limited as part of the plan but as yet Manchester City do not seem to have been called to account for their incredibly fishy sounding stadium naming deal with Etihad. With the regulations pegged to turnover, it also means they essentially protect the status quo even more so than currently. The rules benefit huge clubs like Manchester United and Bayern Munich who have already invested in massive stadia and set up huge merchandising operations around the world. Smaller/medium-sized clubs who have challenged at the top of European football after investment from rich owners such as Villareal would be less likely to repeat their feats.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Rodwell takes his chance
When Mikel Arteta left Everton in the final hours of the last transfer window, many Evertonians doubted that Jack Rodwell would be able to step up and fill the void the spaniard left behind. In the intervening weeks Rodwell has taken the first steps towards doing just that.
They are different types of player of course, but Rodwell has at last started to show that he might just fulfill the potential he showed when he first burst onto the scene in 2009. Rodwell appeared to be losing his way last season and at the start of this but I always felt that had a lot to do with confidence. It was obvious that Rodwell had good technique and the right physical attributes but he was struggling to impose himself on games. He didn't appear to be sure of his position (possibly due to being deployed in too many different roles) and to me his head seemed clouded with self doubt. As anyone who's played at any level will testify, when you're confident everything you try seems to come off, but as soon as the doubt creeps in the touch is heavy, passes are overhit, underhit and every game starts to become an arduous road full of pitfalls. For a young player the temptation in this situation is to play safe, to make sure you don't make mistakes - you can see why they would play it simple and avoid showing for the ball unless it's absolutely necessary.
Since Arteta's departure, Moyes has publically stated that he's looking to Rodwell to tie down a place in the centre of the Everton midfield. He's played him regularly and in the same position. Gradually, I've started to see that match condition returning in him and with his performances gradually improving his confidence has returned.
Whilst Jack might not be the creative force that Arteta was he has racked up some impressive stats for pass completion (over 90% in a couple of games) and has thereby replaced one important aspect to the spaniard's game that many feared we would miss. And as we know, controlling possession means a lot in the premier league today.
In terms of personality, Rodwell seems a modest lad by the standards of many professional footballers these days, you can look at him stepping up in Arteta's absence in two ways. Either he's thriving with the responsibility of the team relying on him, or he's more comfortable with less pressure on his place in the team. His performances culminated in him being called up to the full England squad - and judging by the way he took that opportunity (most observers agreed he impressed in both games) I would say that young Jack might just be one of those players who needs responsibility. Future club captain anyone?
Let's hope Rodwell can keep it up. I think he may just have turned the corner and he could turn out to be a lot better player for the experience of overcoming such a wobble. Believe lad!
They are different types of player of course, but Rodwell has at last started to show that he might just fulfill the potential he showed when he first burst onto the scene in 2009. Rodwell appeared to be losing his way last season and at the start of this but I always felt that had a lot to do with confidence. It was obvious that Rodwell had good technique and the right physical attributes but he was struggling to impose himself on games. He didn't appear to be sure of his position (possibly due to being deployed in too many different roles) and to me his head seemed clouded with self doubt. As anyone who's played at any level will testify, when you're confident everything you try seems to come off, but as soon as the doubt creeps in the touch is heavy, passes are overhit, underhit and every game starts to become an arduous road full of pitfalls. For a young player the temptation in this situation is to play safe, to make sure you don't make mistakes - you can see why they would play it simple and avoid showing for the ball unless it's absolutely necessary.Since Arteta's departure, Moyes has publically stated that he's looking to Rodwell to tie down a place in the centre of the Everton midfield. He's played him regularly and in the same position. Gradually, I've started to see that match condition returning in him and with his performances gradually improving his confidence has returned.
Whilst Jack might not be the creative force that Arteta was he has racked up some impressive stats for pass completion (over 90% in a couple of games) and has thereby replaced one important aspect to the spaniard's game that many feared we would miss. And as we know, controlling possession means a lot in the premier league today.
In terms of personality, Rodwell seems a modest lad by the standards of many professional footballers these days, you can look at him stepping up in Arteta's absence in two ways. Either he's thriving with the responsibility of the team relying on him, or he's more comfortable with less pressure on his place in the team. His performances culminated in him being called up to the full England squad - and judging by the way he took that opportunity (most observers agreed he impressed in both games) I would say that young Jack might just be one of those players who needs responsibility. Future club captain anyone?
Let's hope Rodwell can keep it up. I think he may just have turned the corner and he could turn out to be a lot better player for the experience of overcoming such a wobble. Believe lad!
Saturday, 12 November 2011
My favourite players (in no particular order): 2. Dejan Savicevic
Before I start, apologies for letting this blog slip over the last few months. Winter's coming....more effort will be made!
To get things moving again here's the second in the 'my favourite players' series.
Up 2nd is another Eastern European who played in Italy - Dejan Savicevic. Savicevic was a Milan and Red Star legend, a classic enigmatic number 10, inconsistent but at times sublime.
For the sublime see Savicevic's performance in Milan's demolition of Johan Cruyff's Barcelona in the 1994 UEFA Champions League final. I remember watching this game as a 16 year old - the way Milan beat Barca this night was jaw dropping. Capello's Milan handed out a trouncing of the most emphatic kind on the biggest of stages. Savicevic created the first goal for Daniele Massaro with a typical surging dribble and then put the tie to bed by scoring Milan's third with an outrageous lob from distance. It was an absolute peach, a brilliant combination of quick thinking and technique. He then clattered the post before Marcel Dessaily put the cherry on top of the cake with a fantastic fourth.
No words could illustrate Savicevic's talent better than the video below. It's quite long but worth watching to the end i think as it shows footage i'd never seen before from his international games for Yugoslavia and from his time at Red Star. His dribbling skills are awesome, somewhere up there with Maradona and Messi i'd say. Bloody brilliant!
And to cap things off I found this whilst researching his youtube catalogue.
To get things moving again here's the second in the 'my favourite players' series.
Up 2nd is another Eastern European who played in Italy - Dejan Savicevic. Savicevic was a Milan and Red Star legend, a classic enigmatic number 10, inconsistent but at times sublime.For the sublime see Savicevic's performance in Milan's demolition of Johan Cruyff's Barcelona in the 1994 UEFA Champions League final. I remember watching this game as a 16 year old - the way Milan beat Barca this night was jaw dropping. Capello's Milan handed out a trouncing of the most emphatic kind on the biggest of stages. Savicevic created the first goal for Daniele Massaro with a typical surging dribble and then put the tie to bed by scoring Milan's third with an outrageous lob from distance. It was an absolute peach, a brilliant combination of quick thinking and technique. He then clattered the post before Marcel Dessaily put the cherry on top of the cake with a fantastic fourth.
No words could illustrate Savicevic's talent better than the video below. It's quite long but worth watching to the end i think as it shows footage i'd never seen before from his international games for Yugoslavia and from his time at Red Star. His dribbling skills are awesome, somewhere up there with Maradona and Messi i'd say. Bloody brilliant!
And to cap things off I found this whilst researching his youtube catalogue.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
The Cahill Conundrum
Tim Cahill has been a great player for Everton since his arrival in our 'darkest hour' during the summer of 2004. The 31 year-old Aussie has clocked up 54 goals in over 200 appearances. In recent years though, as the teams style of play has involved, a growing number of fans have been calling for him to be axed from the side. They point to his lack of passing ability and pace as the reason for this.
I can see their point. I think it's unlikely that we'll see him deployed in the centre of midfield in anything other than an emergency for these reasons. I also think his effectiveness in the role of second striker or in the hole in a 4-4-1-1 is decreasing rapidly.
Yesterday in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, Moyes played Cahill as our loan striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation and I thought he had a really good game. It's in this role within this specific formation that I think Tim can still be a really useful player for us and in my opinion is probably why Moyes sanctioned the selling of two strikers in the transfer window with only one replacement.
In the 4-2-3-1 we saw yesterday, the presence of two holding midfielders in Fellaini and Rodwell allows the three more advanced midfielders to get a lot closer to the front man. I think this makes the ability of the front man to run in behind and stretch the opponents defence less important as runners from the advanced midfielders can provide this threat. It creates the feel of an attacking four and as with Messi at Barcelona means that the centre forwards can come deeper. Cahill may not have the ability to play a twenty-yard through-ball but his short passing, movement and as importantly his vision for it is very under-rated by Evertonians. His assist for Osman is a prime example. Cahill's job yesterday was to control the ball, and bring Osman + either Coleman or Bily into play. The three players then work the ball in groups of three to create an opening. It's what you see Barca do all the time. I think Tim did this very well yesterday.
The problem for Cahill comes when the full-back (usually Baines) joins the three. At this point Cahill's build-up job is done and he should be heading towards the box to get on the end of the cross. However, because he doesn't have the pace of a Rooney or Messi who play the 'false-nine' role so well, the cross will either reach an empty box or the momentum of the move will be slowed as the wide players wait for Cahill to get there. It's for this reason I think that when Saha is fit he will play this role in Cahill's place. He's equally adept at building the play but has just that little bit extra pace and stikers instict when hitting the box.
So how about Cahill in one of the advanced midfield roles when Saha is back? Well i'm sure he can do a job there but I think Coleman, Osman, Bily and Drenthe all probably offer more than him there. Whether that's pace, range of passing (ie.can switch it if needed) or long range shooting ability so unless they're all out I would say no.
So in conclusion I still think Tim Cahill has a role to play at Everton but it's a striker rather than as a midfielder. Given the fitness of Saha and that Velios and Stracq are so unproven I still think that's a big and important one and when considered as above might be some comfort to Evertonians worried about our lack of forwards.
Lastly, just a couple of notes about the 4-2-3-1 formation. You may have guessed this, but I think it's our best option right now. Splitting the midfield as it does allows us to keep more bodies further up the pitch and given our lack of pace this is key to us offering an attacking threat. Whereas a faster team could get numbers forward on the counter, we can't so it makes sense to allow more players to stay up field more often. Having Fellaini and Rodwell sitting does that. I think it get's the best out of Osman which is crucial now that we have neither Pienaar or Arteta to provide a creative spark in the final third. I was impressed with the way Coleman played in it yesterday too, especially since it was his first game back. He looked more effective in the wide role of a 4-4-1-1 last season and seemed a bit confused when moved to the slightly more narrow role in a 4-2-3-1 but he looks to have done some work on it in pre-season. Perhaps it was having the ginger cafu playing behind him rather than ole pip. Anyway, we all know the result and it was a shame not to win but i'm taking the positives from what I consider was a very good overall performance.
I can see their point. I think it's unlikely that we'll see him deployed in the centre of midfield in anything other than an emergency for these reasons. I also think his effectiveness in the role of second striker or in the hole in a 4-4-1-1 is decreasing rapidly.
Yesterday in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, Moyes played Cahill as our loan striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation and I thought he had a really good game. It's in this role within this specific formation that I think Tim can still be a really useful player for us and in my opinion is probably why Moyes sanctioned the selling of two strikers in the transfer window with only one replacement.
In the 4-2-3-1 we saw yesterday, the presence of two holding midfielders in Fellaini and Rodwell allows the three more advanced midfielders to get a lot closer to the front man. I think this makes the ability of the front man to run in behind and stretch the opponents defence less important as runners from the advanced midfielders can provide this threat. It creates the feel of an attacking four and as with Messi at Barcelona means that the centre forwards can come deeper. Cahill may not have the ability to play a twenty-yard through-ball but his short passing, movement and as importantly his vision for it is very under-rated by Evertonians. His assist for Osman is a prime example. Cahill's job yesterday was to control the ball, and bring Osman + either Coleman or Bily into play. The three players then work the ball in groups of three to create an opening. It's what you see Barca do all the time. I think Tim did this very well yesterday.
The problem for Cahill comes when the full-back (usually Baines) joins the three. At this point Cahill's build-up job is done and he should be heading towards the box to get on the end of the cross. However, because he doesn't have the pace of a Rooney or Messi who play the 'false-nine' role so well, the cross will either reach an empty box or the momentum of the move will be slowed as the wide players wait for Cahill to get there. It's for this reason I think that when Saha is fit he will play this role in Cahill's place. He's equally adept at building the play but has just that little bit extra pace and stikers instict when hitting the box.
So how about Cahill in one of the advanced midfield roles when Saha is back? Well i'm sure he can do a job there but I think Coleman, Osman, Bily and Drenthe all probably offer more than him there. Whether that's pace, range of passing (ie.can switch it if needed) or long range shooting ability so unless they're all out I would say no.
So in conclusion I still think Tim Cahill has a role to play at Everton but it's a striker rather than as a midfielder. Given the fitness of Saha and that Velios and Stracq are so unproven I still think that's a big and important one and when considered as above might be some comfort to Evertonians worried about our lack of forwards.
Lastly, just a couple of notes about the 4-2-3-1 formation. You may have guessed this, but I think it's our best option right now. Splitting the midfield as it does allows us to keep more bodies further up the pitch and given our lack of pace this is key to us offering an attacking threat. Whereas a faster team could get numbers forward on the counter, we can't so it makes sense to allow more players to stay up field more often. Having Fellaini and Rodwell sitting does that. I think it get's the best out of Osman which is crucial now that we have neither Pienaar or Arteta to provide a creative spark in the final third. I was impressed with the way Coleman played in it yesterday too, especially since it was his first game back. He looked more effective in the wide role of a 4-4-1-1 last season and seemed a bit confused when moved to the slightly more narrow role in a 4-2-3-1 but he looks to have done some work on it in pre-season. Perhaps it was having the ginger cafu playing behind him rather than ole pip. Anyway, we all know the result and it was a shame not to win but i'm taking the positives from what I consider was a very good overall performance.
Monday, 22 August 2011
That familiar feeling: Everton kick-off 2011/12 Premier League season with a defeat
Well this was one of the least surprising surprise results of the weekend. Everton in slow start shocker!
On the upside at least we weren't last on Match of the Day for once.
The blues kicked off for 2011/12 with a home defeat to QPR. Queens Park bloody Rangers. Predictably the problems we encountered were very similar to those that dogged us for most of last season. We had the chances to salvage at least a draw but missed them and a defensive error cost us (Jagielka clearing poorly then getting sucked towards the ball like a 12-year old).
What to do now? Attacking is clearly the problem area. Options are so limited up top there are only a few things we can do. If Saha is fit he plays and Moyes will probably go 4-4-1-1. If not then it's Beckford or Cahill in which case I think we should revert to 4-2-3-1. Playing two holding midfielders is frowned upon as being too defensive by a lot of blues but it gives the other three midfielders the freedom to get near to our striker and build attacks with our creative players higher up the pitch. If we do this and Becks is up front on his own we should use him to run in behind and stretch the play rather than as a target man to build from (as this just isn't his game). This means we want lots of good movement from 3 attacking midfielders (who should be Osman, Barkley, Arteta/Cahill) all looking to create space and demanding the ball.
Will someone be sold this week? I doubt it, but never say never.
Will Moyes throw in a wild card, such as starting Velios? I wouldn't have thought so. I'd love it if he did though.
Ho hum. A dissapointing result against a poor side. Options limited. Backs against the wall. A club in crisis. Seems like Davie's favourite recipe for an 8 match unbeaten run.
COYB
On the upside at least we weren't last on Match of the Day for once.
The blues kicked off for 2011/12 with a home defeat to QPR. Queens Park bloody Rangers. Predictably the problems we encountered were very similar to those that dogged us for most of last season. We had the chances to salvage at least a draw but missed them and a defensive error cost us (Jagielka clearing poorly then getting sucked towards the ball like a 12-year old).
What to do now? Attacking is clearly the problem area. Options are so limited up top there are only a few things we can do. If Saha is fit he plays and Moyes will probably go 4-4-1-1. If not then it's Beckford or Cahill in which case I think we should revert to 4-2-3-1. Playing two holding midfielders is frowned upon as being too defensive by a lot of blues but it gives the other three midfielders the freedom to get near to our striker and build attacks with our creative players higher up the pitch. If we do this and Becks is up front on his own we should use him to run in behind and stretch the play rather than as a target man to build from (as this just isn't his game). This means we want lots of good movement from 3 attacking midfielders (who should be Osman, Barkley, Arteta/Cahill) all looking to create space and demanding the ball.
Will someone be sold this week? I doubt it, but never say never.
Will Moyes throw in a wild card, such as starting Velios? I wouldn't have thought so. I'd love it if he did though.
Ho hum. A dissapointing result against a poor side. Options limited. Backs against the wall. A club in crisis. Seems like Davie's favourite recipe for an 8 match unbeaten run.
COYB
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