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

I don't know if it's just Neville's tactic or Moyes' tactic or a bit of both, but it wasn't just the tactic for the day. In all 3 games Neville has shown an unwillingness to pass to LD, for whatever reason, and obviously instead prefers the tactic of hoofing it upfield to the forwards.

 

It's because he is a very limited footballer. When he was playing really well last season, he was play CM, and all he did was give the ball to the nearest player whether it was Arteta, Fellaini, Pienaar etc. When he plays RB he is atrocious to watch - he always does it.

 

Agreed.

Without wishing to bad-mouth your cap, (particularly after his crunching tackle on Cristine in that first game against manure... which was TERRIFIC ), there's a reason why manure got rid of him and why he's not best suited to playing at right back. He always reminds me of Stuart 'psycho' Pearce in that respect. I mean, I loved the guy to bits and all that but he would nearly ALWAYS bang it long.

Good defensive guys and great at breaking up play but not the best at distribution.

 

TBH I prefer him in front of the back four where he does a decent job but, atm, would YOU dislodge, say, Fellaini to slot him in? I can't say as I would.

 

Some good comments here. Neville is horrid with the ball at right back and Donovan does, at the very least, appear to be passive and defer too much.

While I thought he had some quality touches and passess - his play was instrumental in Neville's cross to Fellini that Fellini headed over and he blew by several defenders to set up Pienaar with a shot from the edge of the box, which was blocked, the fact is at that position he has to do this more often to be a regular player for a club like Everton. A goal would be critical if this Everton thing is anything more than a short-term experience.

 

I don't see LD screaming at Neville to "pass me the f-ing ball."

Passive? Perhaps Landon is just too nice, at times.

 

To me, Everton is a cross-happy team regardless.

When you got Saha and Cahill in the box, they can pressure any cross into a corner and then Fellaini, Distin and Osman come into the box as well.

But the Brummies defend that middle with rare aptitude, so it was alwasys going to be a bit of a strength vs. strength battle.

I watched the last 15 minutes of the first half. Donovan was largely MIA but he doesn't exactly have the stature to yell at Neville to give him the damn ball.

I thought he would have a decent chance against Liam Ridgewell (more centerhalf than a fullback) on speed alone.