Howard, Donovan: Everton vs Birmingham 1/23 10 a.m. EST

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad Gameday' started by Bite o' the Cherry, Jan 23, 2010.

  1. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Do you even know what the definition of swagger is?

    ( without googling it? )
     
  2. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007

    1) It was in a small pond.

    2) ohh not this again, I heard somebody else say this to another poster........... What are you Dr. Phil.
     
  3. BS49

    BS49 Member+

    Jan 25, 2008
    Drinking a beer
    Club:
    CF Atlas Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    This. I have been on record in the main Donovan thread that for someone being the "Best American Field Player Ever" in his prime, he should be making more of a difference. I have seen all his games at Everton and I think he was not as good in the first two as was hyped by the English media. However I do not think he was that bad today either. He has been average to slightly above average overall. But because we expect more from Donavon is the reason some disappointments here.
     
  4. Dignan

    Dignan Member+

    Nov 29, 1999
    Granada
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This.
     
  5. brianasher

    brianasher Member

    Sep 22, 2005
    KY
    Club:
    Sunderland AFC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Feddy >>> Donovan. End of thread.
     
  6. Arteta's Girl

    Arteta's Girl Member

    Sep 29, 2008
    Liverpool, UK
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Ok, I haven't read the thread yet so I apologise first incase it's getting repetitive.

    Today, after 2 weeks of playing pretty damn good, we saw the other side of Everton today - all the bad stuff. Frustrating, one dimensional, horrible and boring to watch. I felt like walking out.

    We totally stunk the place out from minute one, persisting with long balls when we know that Birmingham defend that way with ease - particularly having played them only a month ago. They get in your face and make it hard for you to break them down. They hit us with 2 sucker punches (although, there was awful defending on both!) and happily sat back. We upped it a bit in the 2nd period but not enough and the game was long gone.

    Defence was awful - Baines was abysmal, especially first half. Neville just bores the hell out of me when he plays RB, his long balls are particularly tiresome. Soo many times everyone was just yelling "Give it to Donovan" and he just hung it forward to Cahill...Boring...

    Midfield - well Billy was awful again, but I guess he wasn't helped by Baines and it certainly wasn't "his type of game", so to speak. Cahill was anonymous. Donovan ran a lot and tried to make things happen but I can't help think he got a raw deal on service, with Neville playing behind him. We really need to learn how to utilise his pace more. Fellaini and Pienaar get away with being the best of a bad bunch, I guess, not their best games but they still stood out.

    And Saha up front, he may of had a little hissy fit when he got took off but you gotta earn your place on the pitch and he didn't really do anything, other than stand around and moan at everyone else.

    Bit of a learning curve for Landon anyway, so he knows he don't always get it easy here, and the fans can get frustrated and angry if the team isn't working hard enough (I think that was part of the problem this week, frustration after playing so well last week to coming to the other end of the scale and to us, seemed like they weren't even trying that hard - no effort). I just think we need to learn how to use LD more, get him more involved, he was always looking for the pass but Neville (being the main culprate) never gave him the ball. He did some good stuff though, worked triangles well. I am just so frustrated for him, and us, that he isn't getting enough of it to show what he can do.

    Anyway, we move on and look at the only positive to really think about - Our Little Spanish Magician was back - can't help but feel he will bring the best out of Donovan if he can get on the pitch with him..
     
  7. Cris 09

    Cris 09 Trololololo

    Nov 30, 2004
    Westfalenstadion
    Club:
    Borussia Dortmund
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Ballack is considered as one of Germany's top players over the last decade. He has been class and on the WC and Euro "Team of the Tourney" for 2008, 2006 and 2002.

    However, it took him almost a year to get settled in the PL. Give Donovan a chance, it's his 3rd game for crying out loud. :rolleyes:

    @ BS49; This is not directed at you, per say, just using your post to make the above point.
     
  8. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Unfortunately due to the circumstances, I don't think we are going to see the Landon Donovan we have seen and constantly see In the MLS and with the US National team in such a short amount of time.

    It's not as if Landon has a 1 or 2 year contract with Everton. He is on a 10 week loan, in a new environment. He's not going to come in bossing people around and trying to be a leader like he is for the Galaxy or the US. It's not and won't be his position with everton in such a short period of time.

    He starts acting selfish, and he'll get benched fast. ( although he will get benched also if he is too unselfish.)
     
  9. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    Ok, i rest my case. I should have never brought it up. Well see. I am just hoping this is not Bayern Munich 2.0 and next time he has an open shot with a good probability of scoring, he takes it.
     
  10. luftmensch

    luftmensch Member+

    .
    United States
    May 4, 2006
    Petaluma
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lame.
     
  11. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    Yeah, I wonder if he over eats before a match. Because he never looks hungry to me either.
     
  12. Arteta's Girl

    Arteta's Girl Member

    Sep 29, 2008
    Liverpool, UK
    Club:
    Everton FC
    BTW, I just read a bit of the Donovan slating. Give the guy a break, he can only feed on what he has given, and that wasn't much at all. He was one of our better players today. The team was right off form, and enivitably, because of that, so was he. I think it's unfair to just pick him out (although I know this forum is for doing exactly that!) as being poor. I didn't think he did much worse than he did against City. Alls I ask is that the players give 100% for us, a number of the players didn't today, I think Donovan at least tried..
     
  13. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wondered if that was a gut I saw on Donovan. No wonder he tired out in the first two games.

    He must be hitting the bon bons hard.
    :p
     
  14. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    There's very little at this point to think that's the case. For one thing, this is not a dysfunctional club with a power struggle at the top the way that Bayern was last season. For two, listen to what the Everton supporters are saying. They're having more patience with Donovan at this point than we are. They like him. They won't like him if he continues to not make a difference, but it's not like he singularly stunk up the joint today, he simply didn't make the difference that was needed. And for that matter, the same could be said for the majority of the team today. He wasn't the biggest culprit.

    There are good games and bad games, and today wasn't one of the good ones for Everton. Maybe a little of the luster of the past two matches came off, but they're still looking like a club that can and should be on the upswing, and Landon's got some more time to make some of that difference for them. And Birmingham are a damn frustrating squad, which is why they're in the top half of the table. Everton are not the only team they've managed to do that to this season.
     
  15. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah,

    BUT he's the US' best player....!!! He should have scored a hatrick today!
     
  16. Seanin

    Seanin Member

    Feb 14, 2003
    I didn't see this game, but watched the first two. My impression was that Donovan needs to play closer to goal to be as effective as we're accustomed to. But Moyes seems to want to play 4-4-1-1 with Donovan playing as a traditional flank player rather than the kind of attacking outside mid role he's played on the left for the national team. (I don't see much of the Galaxy - is he more a forward there?)
     
  17. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007

    Well he can always come back to World Class MLS if it dosent work out;).
     
  18. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    Maybe you dont feed him enough because he never looks hungry.

    You saw this against ManCity: Everton back line cannot defend and pass at the same time. They can do one or the other. If they are defending as soon as the ball was won, they chucked it up field (neville is main culprit). WBKatter was bossing the midfield so they got away with it against the bigger teams, but if he has an off match then there is no real break.

    I would like to see Moyes run more passing drills from back to forward.

    The best use of LD is for him to be on the wing at midfield, when ball is won, it is instantly either played to him for a quick pass and go and it's off to the races or the ball goes to holding player who instantly releases him. (You need the midfield pass, one because it increases accuracy, but two because it freezes the other teams defenders for a split second)

    Now, you want to play the ball a bit long, but more towards the middle of the field so he can play his angles.

    This is why Beckham was so effective, he could release Donovan from anywhere on the pitch because he could turn, keep his head up and release the pass instantly.

    Donovan's real class is at a dead sprint with the ball at his feet.

    End of How to use basket case soccer player with amazing speed, situational skill and shooting accuracy on the counter attack 101.
     
  19. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He played as a withdrawn forward the year Ruud Gullit Coached. He scored 20 goals that year.

    This past year with Arena, he plays a similar role to the one he plays on the national team. He was playing on the left in the playoffs. With of course, a lot of freedom to roam.

    We have not seen this freedom yet at Everton.
     
  20. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Which is why I want to see Donovan and Arteta on the field together. Make Beckham jealous. ;)

    ( BTW, that's the main reason Blanco and Donovan at America would have been fun to watch. :D)
     
  21. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    yeah i think both donovan and beez are a passers dream because you can really show everyone's skill.

    Too bad the midfield for the US tends to play chicken head, backpass back pass chicken head so often.

    This is why I want to see Dempsey in a holding mid position because he can make those passes all day as well, then get into position to clean up the mess.
     
  22. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If only we had another Donovan to make these passes. He's been practicing them and getting pretty good at making them.
     
  23. An Unpaved Road

    An Unpaved Road Member+

    Mar 22, 2006
    Club:
    --other--
    He might have to settle for NASL if the loan doesn't work out. :(
     
  24. tsaldana3

    tsaldana3 Member

    Apr 26, 2008
    TX
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-KNZs4Z87c"]YouTube- Uh-Oh! Spaghetti O's[/ame]
     
  25. StillKickin

    StillKickin Member+

    Austin FC
    Dec 17, 2002
    Texas
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks for your posts. I appreciate the first-hand, eyewitness accounts.

    It's also nice that you don't have any preconceived ideas about Donovan. You're just evaluating him as simply a player new to the team and new to the league. I like the perspective you give.
     

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