What a season it has been.
Semi Final of Carling Cup
Last 16 of Uefa cup
5th in Premiership
At the start of the season that would had been viewed as amazing to ask from such a small squad. It seems only yesterday Everton were feeling the crazy highs and lows in the summer of Manuel Fernandes joining Valencia, Riquelme coming to be our new number 10, only for Gravesen to take it instead
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Moyes again in comparison to clubs we are competing with didnt spend alot at all, yet spent wisely. 2 of our best players this season cost him a net total of 6million in Jagielka and Pienaar. We have one of the best defensive records in the country and a defensive unit to rival any clud in the league. We have also finally found our 20 goal striker in YAKUBU.
Gk:
Howard - Been completely solid all season. Really overlooked by the media, he really has been on top of his game since he joined. Fantastic season
Defence:
Hibbert - Hasn't had too much of a good season. Hasn't been the same player since his illness. Really needs to work at his game and isn't good enough for our first XI anymore. Useful to have on the bench, but only as backup. Seems to have lost alot of confidence aswell. He's had a few good games such as Arsenal keeping Walcott our of the game, but other than that pretty drab. Wouldn't be surprised to see him leave in the summer if we can sign another right back, or if Moyes decides it's Gosling's time for the first team.
Baines - Took a while to earn his place in the team and when he got in a month or so into the season looked a really good player. What we had been missing on the left with his attacking ability. Unlucky with injuries, he's been playing the last few months of season injured, getting treatmens this summer on a foot injury, it has casued him severe pain when playing but has had to play through the pain barrier. Will seem like a new signing next season as we havent seen enough of him. Definately seems good enough.
Yobo - Very consistant all season. Cut the stupid mistakes out and has proved to be the centrepin of the defense, all other players have been swapped about but Yobo if fit, will always play. Future captain in my opinion. Has matured hugely. Very dependable.
Lescott - Will give a fantastic performance wherever you play him. Even against chelse he decided he'd be Thierry Henry and flick the ball over Belletti's head and fly past him. 10 goals a season from a centre back is a fantastic return. But he really is solid as a rock in defense. Played fantastic as a left back as he did as a centre back. Should be in the England starting XI, no question.
Jagielka - What a surprise he has been. First started off as a centre mid for us and didnt look too comfortable. Then moved to right back and impressed. But when Yobo left for the ACN and he got moved to centre back he was incredible. What a buy he is! Totally dominant as a centre back and has all the characteristics to be very successful there. Even lead to people saying him and Howard should marry as it seems in most game Howard is grabbing him and hugging him for great tackles.
Valente - Hasnt played much but holds the experience we need and is a good player for Baines to work with. Has lost any pace he once had but that hasnt stopped anything, had Lennon in his pocket all game against Spurs thanks to Valente's positional play. Maybe worth 1 more season, it's upto the player really, he wont get many games next season but deserves to be in the team as he can still hack it.
Neville - Neville has had a Jerkyll and Hyde season in my opinion. I have to say, as a midfielder he is totally trash. As a right back he is a very good player. The leader of our team and has put in many good performances for us this season, often a scapegoat for our fans but I rate him. If Moyes is going to be playing him as a right back next season we have a very solid defensive line.
Midfield:
Arteta - Pretty average season for him and a player with his ability. Been struggling with groin and stomach injuries since christmas. Has been there for important games though. He ran the game against Firoentina and can completely tear teams apart when he has the ball, you simply just can't tackle him when he's got the ball at his pace. Don't want to see him leave but wouldn't be surprised to see him go in the summer, Hopefully we will see Mikel in an Everton shirt come September.
Gravesen - Completely nuts, brought in to make up the numbers, and hasnt really stood out to much but has been useful to have in the team. Shown great leadership coming on to take the first penalty against Fiorentina.
Cahill - You don't realise how much we miss him untill he's not there. Brilliant goalscorer and turned our season around when he came back from injury, no surprises our form again dipped in his absence.
Pienaar - Came and no one had a clue who he was. Has proved himself to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. A complete flair player, has come on leaps and bounds over the course of the season. Is totlally settled as a winger now and has improved one aspect he lacked alot in, defensively. Runs himself into the ground every game giving 110%.
Osman - Totally underrated player, gets played on the wings too often, he is a centre mdifielder and a bloody good one at that. Technically fantastic, scoring our goal of the season against Larissa. Bulked up alot this season I feel helping his ability to cope with physical players. Can't help but feel with an exotic spanish or Italian name he would have more praise.
Fernandes - First it really has to be pointed out, this is a player who has had the most hectic season of his life. One night last summer he was at an Everton friendly watching from the stand preparing to join the club he was on loan at. The next morning he was at Valencia being paraded as a new signing, being paraded as new signing. At Valencia he found himself completely left out the team, as his old Benfica manager Koeman had taken over, who had a huge dislike of the player, he seemed to have gone off the rails a bit in this time. on the 31st of January he returned back to Everton completely out of match practise, and has only looked fit in the last month or so. I am only going to be able to judge him on the past few weeks as that is when he has been able to complete most of a game. He seemed to be trying too hard to earn the fans respect and get them on side, instead of easy passes he'd try and take on a whole team. But recently he hsn't put a foot wrong at all, picks oput passes no-one else can and keeps balls no one else could. Brillaint at set pieces. Incredibly talented player, still only 21/22 and I said it when he joined Valencia and I'll say it again, he has the potential to be looked on as a truly great player. I want to see what he can do here with a stable pre-season behind him. I want him here next season.
Carsley - Every year you think it has to be his last. He fantastic as a defensive mid holding player, has no fear in tackles and just gets stuck in. We wouldn't be where we are now without him, he hasn't looked too fresh and a whole season looks to have been taken it's toll on his fitness but we need to give him another contract, even if we keep him just as cover.
Forwards:
Johnson - Effort is always 110%, gives everything to the cause. But his goalsoring record has been very poor. I feel bad saying this as he was great for us last season and eems a real nice guy, but if we were given a decent offer for him, I'd take it. He never looks like scoring 1 on 1's and his passing and first touch is very poor. As a squad player he's a good asset, and he can come on sometimes and his pace just surprises defenses, but he hasn't been putting away his chances at all.
Vaughan - Another season to be forgotten for the lad. A brilliant player who looks to have it all, eye for the goal, pace, strength. He's just been unlucky with injuries. It's not that he has re-occuring injuries, he has just been terribly unlucky. Broken Shoulder, Torn artery and knee injuries have kept the lad out. If fit he'd be in the first team I have no doubt. Can't wait to see him back next season.
Yakubu - Looked a high price at £12million but has prioved to be worth every penny. What a player. He was poor when he first came and he just seemed to have a poor attitude. Moyes dropped him and it seemed to have shocked him, as with his other clubs he could be... well lazy and get away with it. Not with David Moyes. He's came back from being dropped and has been fantastic infront of goal. Feed the Yak and he will score, it is true. Give him good service and he will score.
Anichebe - Havent seen a player change so much for the worse over a course of the season before. At the start of the season he was flying off the bench, looking hungry, never stopping running, using his strength and pace to get goals. Now though he has looked completely lazy. He comes off the bench and looks completely uninterested and nackerd after 10 minutes. He's a big imposing player but is always scared going into tackles, never contends heads and never runs too far for the ball. There were times at the Newcastle game where the ball would be rolling slowly out the box and the defender that was marking him would run for it from a distance and he would just watch, or drop on the floor. Terribly greedy aswell will always shoot rather than pass, even if the odds of him scoring are huge, this is especially frustrating when he is playing alongside the club's natural finnisher Yakubu. Don't put in the effort and you will never become a premierhsip player. I wouldn't be upset at all if we sold him in the summer.
End of Season squad review (07/08)
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