Everton Irish and Opposition Irish

[Charlie Darwin]

McCarthy is out, Coleman is still a maybe for Germany.

[paul_oshea]

Ok, cos the independent had reported quotes from oneill that both were out, but I wasn't sure. O'Neill said he had spoken to both and not martinez.

I like the fact that he spoke directly to the players and ignore martinez completely.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sorry, I actually read the latest update, it seems he's more or less said they're out but there's a slim chance:

"I haven't spoken to Roberto Martinez, but I had a word with Seamus - Seamus doesn't feel fantastic at the moment - and James .

"There was talk about James being available, or trying to be available, for last Sunday's game against Manchester United, but I think that was a long shot.

"At the moment, you would say that there is no chance of them being available."

[paul_oshea]

Ok I updated and removed the thanks accordingly.

[Charlie Darwin]

You're a harsh taskmaster, POSH.

[DannyInvincible]

"At the moment, you would say that there is no chance of them being available."

... But things may change and there might be a chance at some point in the future between now and next Tuesday that they will become available? Martin has an exceptional ability to be both assertively definitive and ambiguously cryptic at the same time. You'd know he studied law and attended court in his spare time!

[Stuttgart88]

Alan McInally on Sky saying Coleman and McGeady are causing havoc on the arHS for Everyon v Swansea.

Separately, a recent Indo article quotes O'Neill as needing to give Everton the benefit of the doubt about the McCarthy and Coleman unavailability for Germany, thinly disguising his real thoughts. He says he'll be within his rights to insist on our own medical assessment next time. He was very diplomatic in his choice of words but it's clear what he meant.

Indo website is a bit of a mess and I can't find the article anymore.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm watching it now. Swansea have barely touched the ball all half and are defending very deep to make it difficult for Everton. All three Irish are playing well, but Barry is now playing as an auxiliary centre half so McCarthy will have a job in front of him.

[paul_oshea]

Causing havoc on the arse stutts?not your arse I hope.I see a lot of towk in you.

[paul_oshea]

I saw the article stutts but others on here might dispute how you read that but it's exactly how I read it. He won't be taking martinez word for it anymore.

[DannyInvincible]

Separately, a recent Indo article quotes O'Neill as needing to give Everton the benefit of the doubt about the McCarthy and Coleman unavailability for Germany, thinly disguising his real thoughts. He says he'll be within his rights to insist on our own medical assessment next time. He was very diplomatic in his choice of words but it's clear what he meant.

Didn't the FAI have to power to insist that the players turn up for assessment before the Gibraltar and Germany games too though? Why didn't they demand the players go over if they were suspicious?

[paul_oshea]

That's not what he said he said he believed and trusted and had spoken to coleman but not Mccarthy directly.

It's the events directly proceeding i.e. playing for Everton the following weekend that gave him reason to be sceptical.

[Charlie Darwin]

Shelvey sent off for blocking off a strong forward run from McCarthy. 20 minutes to make something of it. McGeady has just been withdrawn for Lukaku.

[DannyInvincible]

That's not what he said he said he believed and trusted and had spoken to coleman but not Mccarthy directly.

It's the events directly proceeding i.e. playing for Everton the following weekend that gave him reason to be sceptical.

But why the scepticism if he believed Coleman's word?

[Crosby87]

Everton lacked motivation today. I still think Martinez is managing elsewhere by April.

[Stuttgart88]

All this talk of YBIG has jolted Crosby into actually talking about football. :)

[Crosby87]

Im on yb. Joined the same day I joined here. I like it here and hope footy stays strong.
And also on football TCU is losing. We need the dominoes to continue to fall for the Irish to see their way into the final 4. (Pending winning out which starts at 8 vs Navy.)
Get involved Stutts! There are no German Universities for you to root for.

[DeLorean]

That article (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/european-championships/oneill-prays-for-injury-luck-ahead-of-scottish-battle-30703908.html)

[DeLorean]

McCarthy and McGeady start against Lille, Gibson on the bench and Coleman not in the squad.

[geysir]

Under normal circumstances I'd be up for the french team. Only McGeady and McCarthy can prevent an average english team from being outclassed.
Heavy lies the burden.

[geysir]

McGeady and McCarthy combine brilliantly to set up the assist for Everton's first goal (ever?) against Lille.

[DeLorean]

Great purpose in that run from McCarthy and desire to get into the box, something he's been lacking a bit I think.

[DeLorean]

A second McGeady assist, from corner this time for a Jagielka header. Brilliant tackle from McCarthy in the build up to the corner, the crowd love him.

[geysir]

This irish duo are on another wavelength altogether.
Scotland beware, ye bunch of pretenders.

[paul_oshea]

It's all mcgeady on itv.Strachan not saying anything

[DannyInvincible]

Naismith scores.

What on earth happened his neck? I've not been following it all.

[paul_oshea]

Naismith better not be doing that nxt weekend.is that 5 in 12 he said?

[DannyInvincible]

He'd be my main worry. He's a dangerous player. He went down earlier on and I was hoping he might stay down. (God forgive me!)

McGeady coming off now for Atsu and receives a warm round of applause as he departs.

Oh, and here's Gibby for Barry now.

[geysir]

You gotta look at the whole picture, That goal just glosses over a sackful of inadequacies with Naismith like just how he lost that ball in midfield which caused outright panic and Barry forced to make a possible career ending challenge to save the situation.

[DannyInvincible]

Where's Seamie, by the way? Simply being rested?

[Stuttgart88]

Naismith can be clinical, but his output is less than a top notch striker. I guess what I'm saying us that at times he looks like one but isn't one. Good, yes, but our defenders regularly deal with strikers of his ilk. But he is my main worry in that team.

[BonnieShels]

Too good etc...

Did Gordon say anything at all about the Macs?

[Charlie Darwin]

Where's Seamie, by the way? Simply being rested?
Roberto "Scotsman" Martinez left him out to cruelly leave him short of match fitness by the time the Scotland game rolls around.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Hmm..... is this my penance for my "strange little man" comments about Roberto Martinez?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/other-soccer/two-thirds-of-the-world-is-covered-by-water-the-rest-by-james-mccarthy-irish-midfielder-hailed-on-twitter-30725042.html

Lavish praise for McCarthy.

[Charlie Darwin]

Hmm..... is this my penance for my "strange little man" comments about Roberto Martinez?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/other-soccer/two-thirds-of-the-world-is-covered-by-water-the-rest-by-james-mccarthy-irish-midfielder-hailed-on-twitter-30725042.html

Lavish praise for McCarthy.
No, it predates your arrival on the forum. It comes from the infamous 173-page James McCarthy thread whereupon fully half the forum were outright convinced Martinez was a sleeper agent working for Craig Levein and the SFA to get James to declare for the Scoots.

It's the main reason why Danny, Stutts and me and others have always kept an open mind on Grealish's intentions, having witnessed the wild conclusions drawn by people who wanted to believe he was on the cusp of William Wallacing on us.

[gastric]

And do you know Charlie, despite one moment of pessimism, I know feel convinced Grealish will play senior football for us. Who needs Stutts' guts, I have my own!

[BonnieShels]

And if they're working all the way from Melbourne it's best that you're that far from us.

[paul_oshea]

Too good etc...

Did Gordon say anything at all about the Macs?

He did, he gushed about McCarthy eventually, but was also gushing about Naismith.

He basically said Naismith is one of the players who realised his limitations early but made the most of what he has got, and made the changes where necessary to do whatever would get him that extra 1 or 2%. For example bulking up, and physicality. He also negated stutts point or whoever it was above about the striker role. He does not play as a striker but off one, and links up play and is always running and knows the intelligent runs, learned rather than instictive, paraphrasing now but "he can score the striker goals like he has demonstrated tonight".

He also made a good point about the athlete type footballers, reminded me of McAuley(whose statement was somewhat ironic given what happened a few days later against Donegal), that they have so much energy and their fitness is so good, they can harry and harass and never stop, keep the tempo going and the opposition under pressure by moving in on them from the front. He was talking about Naismith here too.

[paul_oshea]

No, it predates your arrival on the forum. It comes from the infamous 173-page James McCarthy thread whereupon fully half the forum were outright convinced Martinez was a sleeper agent working for Craig Levein and the SFA to get James to declare for the Scoots.


I dont think its fair to compare McCarthy and Grealishs declarations or intentions in the same way to be fair CD.

[Stuttgart88]

Martinez quoted in today's Guardian saying that McCarthy is the type of player managers love, doing the things that fans (like Paul :)) don't necessarily see.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/nov/06/everton-lille-europa-league-match-report

I'll be more careful to call Naismith a forward rather than a striker in future.

[paul_oshea]

I worry about how good Duffy really is. Martinez loves youth and putting time into developing youth players, he was more than happy to let him go and a bare minimum back up in that area as demonstrated in your artivle above stutts "Sylvain Distin made an assured return to the heart of an injury-hit Everton defence "

Don't be so facetious stutts, its how he was described by a proven manager, one you admire yourself.

I think everyone saw how good McCarthy was yesterday he put in a huge shift covering loads of ground and dispossesing players. He never did it like this before, its there for everyone to see and thats why he is getting the praise he so deserves.

[DannyInvincible]

I dont think its fair to compare McCarthy and Grealishs declarations or intentions in the same way to be fair CD.

For those who doubted him, McCarthy's intentions are obviously known now in hindsight, whilst nobody really knows what Grealish's intentions are at present. Maybe not even his da! :p It was undue paranoia over McCarthy; it's ambiguity with Grealish, so no need to assume anything or jump to conclusions.

I don't know if that makes the cases similar or if it distinguishes them. :)

[paul_oshea]

We can't get into it as ive seen the other, but with McCarthy he had a lot more to contend with when growing up and he is more than good enough to get in the Scotland team and always was.

[Charlie Darwin]

I dont think its fair to compare McCarthy and Grealishs declarations or intentions in the same way to be fair CD.
I'm not comparing their declarations or intentions, I'm comparing the way people jumped to conclusions based on flimsy and often ambiguous evidence. Grealish is obviously actually torn whereas McCarthy wasn't, but as for his actual intentions we don't know.

[Kingdom]

I think Martinez was prepared to let Duffy go, because he has Stones coming through who everyone at underage level reckons will be an exceptional footballer. He's not going to be an exceptional defender, that's for sure, but then again, I'm not sure that's what Martinez is after. I'd be happy for Duffy to mature into an agricultural centre-half, excellent at stopping, and with the ability to pass the ball 5 yards to a collecting full-back or deep-lying midfielder.

[Closed Account]

Gareth Barry has been forced to make way after a tackle from Gomez. He's left the field on a stretcher. On comes Gibson. #SUNEVE

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Something tells me we are going to be hearing a lot of "Seamus felt a bit of pain in his achilles." "The stitches came a bit loose." and "James would love to play but he's very tired. He felt a bit of tightness in his hamstring." on Monday morning.

[Littlest Hobo]

Something tells me we are going to be hearing a lot of "Seamus felt a bit of pain in his achilles." "The stitches came a bit loose." and "James would love to play but he's very tired. He felt a bit of tightness in his hamstring." on Monday morning.

You're worrying too much.

Good to see the 4 everton lads all get a run out today. Also with Walters, Wilson and o Shea all playing, the bulk of our team is in decent shape. Good to see Bardsley taken off for stoke, looked to be holding his groin area, hope he's out for Friday. Happy Naismith on the bench and fletcher has done nothing so far. My confidence is growing by the minute for next Friday.

[Closed Account]

CHANCE: Gibson dawdles on the ball near the Everton goal and is almost made to pay as Gomez collects and shoots. Saved. #SUNEVE

[geysir]

Martinez quoted in today's Guardian saying that McCarthy is the type of player managers love, doing the things that fans (like Paul :)) don't necessarily see.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/nov/06/everton-lille-europa-league-match-report

I'll be more careful to call Naismith a forward rather than a striker in future.
Martinez is spot on there, James doesn't seem to get the similar universal praise in some other games where he's been equally, if not more, effective.

There was an off the cuff comparison between him and Wiltshire done at the start of the season in the English Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/11054560/Premier-League-review-James-McCarthy-is-better-than-Jack-Wilshere-and-why-3-5-2-is-not-working.html)

The difference between McCarthy and Wilshere is the Everton midfielder, well, does stuff. He reads the game expertly, makes tackles and interceptions, passes the ball to his team mates and covers so much ground his 'heat map' must be radioactive.

Wilshere - or certainly the current version of him - does none of the above. True, he is a different type of player, selected for his creativity, but he does not score enough goals, has no turn of pace, creates nothing, often concedes possession cheaply and looks like he might be injured every time an opponent has the audacity to tackle him.