Home > Football > With the right little reshuffle, Everton's defensive talent can all play at the same time
With the right little reshuffle, Everton's defensive talent can all play at the same time
Does the right-back position - traditionally the problem slot for the Toffees - hold the key to getting Lescott, Jagielka, Baines and Yobo playing together?
by Ed Bottomley on 15 May 2008
Email this Article (10) Comments
Nothing worth having comes free of charge, and for every cure there is at least one side-effect.
Although, on the face of it, Phil Jagielka’s call-up to the England squad, and his strong season at the back for Everton, is good news - it has presented David Moyes with a little problem. Last week, Joleon Lescott (he of the double-figure goal tally from defence and the best strike rate in the Premier League - a whopping 42.1%) was presented with the Player of the Season award, and afterwards he spoke about his desire to play in central defence.
Although Lescott has done very well at left-back, there is little doubt that he is more suited to a central position. The dilemma for Moyes is that Jagielka has been playing wonderfully at the heart of defence alongside Joseph Yobo, and for that reason, unable to drop the brilliant Lescott, he shunted him over to left-back.
The two obvious side-effects of Jagielka’s very successful breakthrough into the Everton first team are that Lescott, although a strong left-back (indeed, he played there for England) is playing out of position, and the fact that Lescott has moved to left-back means Leighton Baines has been forced out of the team.
Comments (10)
by Ogunleye Leke on May 15, 2008
YES
by jim bobbys on May 15, 2008
Its does sound like a good idea at first but my only problem would be that Yobo's crosees are defintaely not his strong point. defensively there is no problem, but if he were to play full back, we would really miss his pace keeping quick strikers who attack down the middle, at bay. he is our fastest defender and sometimes we realy rely on that pace.
on May 15, 2008 on May 15, 2008
boring Ed, boring Everton!!!!
by Lee R on May 15, 2008
This is one of the most sensible suggestions I have heard for a while. The only other option would be to try Jags at RB as well maybe during pre-season although i am not too sure we should be changing his position about too much now he has found a good one. Only problem is then dropping Captain "Marvel" Neville which Moyes will be reluctant to do, or god forbid if he moves him into midfield on a permanent basis. "Anyone fancy buying an experienced Ex-England International??"
by doug scouser on May 15, 2008
i have been saying the same for months what a defensive back four we would have, i would have lescott at right back with baines at left back, yobo and jag in the middle, we would have have brilliant defensive and attacking players on the wing
by EFC on May 15, 2008
Use pre-season to try out a few combo's involving those 4. They have to be our starting defensive line next year. Try Jags at right back with a bit of training, give Yobo a go there too, surely one of them can adapt well to it.
I don't understand whay all this fuss is about. I think Moyes has seen the damage inflicted by a longer-than-mormal season at Everton. Hopefully, with UEFA, Prem and a bit of a run in other comps, this'll become standard for EFC. Therefore, we need players rested. I'm not suggesting a Fat Waiter-style rotating 90% of the team week-in-week-out policy, but what's wrong with benching a player. Their hunger increases, they stay fresh and, over the course of a season, will all probably see as many games as each other.
by Joe W on May 15, 2008
Firstly, well written mate. Had me chuckling. I agree completely with you. I think Jags and Lescott are clearly our best centre backs and with Yobo's pace he could prove to be a good right back. He does have some skill on the ball which is useful for a wing back and it will bring Baines into the side, which I've wanted to see all season.
by P Davo on May 15, 2008
Yobo has played there before for Everton on a good few occassions and has looked very uncomfortable. The same has applied to Jagielka. The 3 are going to have to fight it out for 2 places and Everton will be in the market for a new right back.
by Mohan S on May 16, 2008
Everton need a last man like John Terry or Carvalho. Non of the current players can match to the top notch defenders. Yobo is actually a defensive midfielder. Jagielka is good but we need another strong player and one who is really in the air.
Add your comment here
PERSONAL ABUSE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
First Name
Display your favourite sport or football team badge with your comment.
Last Name
Sport
Email
League
Heading
Team
Comment *
Please enter the text you see in the picture into the textbox below. *
Carter class too much for battling Boks as All Blacks prove they're the world’s best
Rafael Nadal's firepower to outgun the Swiss movement of Roger Federer
Shoaib Akhtar's return is great news for cricket - but for how long?
Name: This is simply to give the editors a general idea of what the article is about and will not appear on your published version.