James McCarthy M free agent b.1990

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Good old head down centre forward.

Milan Baros?

[tricky_colour]

The fact he was off balance gave him no option other than to run forward, maybe he should do more of that!!

[Charlie Darwin]

Given man of the match now, Gary Neville giving him loads of praise.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Clean sheets for Coleman, Dunne and McShane this weekend.

[tricky_colour]

Given man of the match now, Gary Neville giving him loads of praise.

Didn't even realise Given was playing, still he kept a clean sheet.

[KK77]

Yes second goal this season and third Everton goal. Long may it continue.

[DeLorean]

James McCarthy ‘off the leash’ and happy to stay at Everton (http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/27/james-mccarthy-everton-roberto-martinez)



McCarthy: ‘I am happy here. Nothing has changed since day one’
Midfielder has been linked with Man Utd, Arsenal and Tottenham


James McCarthy has said his long-term future remains with Everton and attributed an improvement in front of goal to being “let off the leash” by Roberto Martínez.

The Republic of Ireland international produced a man of the match performance in the 3-0 win over Manchester United as Everton recorded their biggest win in the fixture since 1992 and extended their unbeaten run to six matches.


McCarthy has been hugely influential for Martínez’s side when fully fit and has been linked with moves to United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur amid claims he is unhappy at Everton’s reluctance to offer an improved contract.


The 24-year-old followed Martínez from Wigan Athletic for £13m in 2013 and, although the manager has said the midfielder’s contribution will be rewarded with a new deal, one has not been forthcoming so far.


McCarthy said: “I have got time on my contract here. As it stands, I am tied down just now anyway. I am happy here. Nothing has changed from day one. I love it and I am still loving life. I have not heard anything. It is new to me if a club is going to come in and buy me in the summer. I have not spoken to anyone. I have not heard anything. The media has done a few stories but I am delighted to be here and I have many years still to come.”


The Glasgow-born midfielder insists his priority this summer is to fully recover from the hamstring issues that have interrupted his second season at Goodison Park.
He believes Everton can return to challenging for European qualification next term despite difficulties during this campaign. “I have a couple of games with Ireland this summer and after that I will look after myself and make sure I am ready to go next season. I am sure the manager and the physios will give me a programme to make sure I am keeping on top of things. It has been a very frustrating campaign for myself. Each and every one of us wants to get better and hopefully we can kick on. We want to finish this season on a high and next season we need to go again. We want to be pushing for European places, Champions League places, we want to have a go again.”


Having scored only once in his first 18 months at Everton, McCarthy has scored two in the past four games at Goodison including the early opener against Louis van Gaal’s side. “We have been working in training on a different style of play. The manager is letting me push on,” he said. “Gareth Barry is sitting in there and I have to try to get back and help defensively but the manager wants to try to get more goals in my game. He is letting me off the leash a little.”

[tricky_colour]

That is a good thing I think, we don't tend to attack much through the centre, we need to I think
otherwise we become too predictable. Obviously there is a downside to that defensively however
they do say attack is the best form of defence.
It seems to work for Everton so why can't it work for us?

Midfielders should be box to box, not sitting in front of the box.

Sounds good in theory anyway.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Daniel McDonnell ranks Ireland's Premier League performers in 2014/2015.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/mccarthy-tops-charts-in-year-of-hits-and-misses-31277104.html

McCarthy is #1.

Some ranked ridiculously high - Given and an Aston Villa teammate. Some ranked ridiculously low - Meyler, Ward & Gibson.

IDK how, for instance, Grego-Cox could be rated above Ward & Gibson. Ward & Gibson did well to force themselves into their respective teams and had decent runs in the side before injuries struck. Grego-Cox was poor in his only start. Meyler has, arguably, performed more laudably than more luxurious teammates like Livermore & Huddlestone.

Given has conceded how many goals in his 3 league starts alone. Come on. It's commendable that he won back his place in the side but 9 is too high.

[Charlie Darwin]

IDK how, for instance, Grego-Cox could be rated above Ward & Gibson.
Probably in terms of his trajectory - he managed to, by the end of the season, establish himself in a very expensively-assembled team. Ward and Gibson, by contrast, never really got started this season due to injury.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Did he though? He seemed to get his chance in the team due to a shortage of strikers, and by the time he started they were already relegated. I remember Michael Harriman started for QPR on the final day of the 2012/2013 season and he has drifted down the leagues.

Good luck to Grego-Cox and if Daniel wants to have younger players high in that list to raise our spirits, that is fine, but on the pitch is where it should matter.

Ward & Gibson had a few games where they were cracking.

[Charlie Darwin]

It doesn't matter how he got into the team - he came in alongside proven Premier League strikers and earned some appearances. Yeah, Gibson and Ward made more appearances at a higher level, but Grego Cox is getting credit for a much more difficult achievement.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

MCCARTHY SEEKING URGENT TALKS

James McCarthy wants urgent contract talks with Everton after the club completed the signing of Tom Cleverley on a five-year deal, writes the Daily Mirror.

The report suggests McCarthy is unhappy because Cleverley will earn more than him when he joins on July 1st but he is also annoyed because talks have not already got underway.

Roberto Martinez had said talks would get underway at the end of the season and the Republic of Ireland international will now push for urgent talks.

http://www1.skysports.com/transfer-centre/

[tetsujin1979]

no quotes from the player, sounds completely out of character, total nothing story

[geysir]

It's not just a total nothing story, it's a total nothing non-story.

[Charlie Darwin]

MCCARTHY SEEKING URGENT TALKS

James McCarthy wants urgent contract talks with Everton after the club completed the signing of Tom Cleverley on a five-year deal, writes the Daily Mirror.

The report suggests McCarthy is unhappy because Cleverley will earn more than him when he joins on July 1st but he is also annoyed because talks have not already got underway.

Roberto Martinez had said talks would get underway at the end of the season and the Republic of Ireland international will now push for urgent talks.

http://www1.skysports.com/transfer-centre/
Haha, that is some manner of bull****. You could half-believe it if McCarthy had an attention-seeking agent, but Willie McKay and James actively try to keep him out of the papers.

[Olé Olé]

Haha, that is some manner of bull****. You could half-believe it if McCarthy had an attention-seeking agent, but Willie McKay and James actively try to keep him out of the papers.

Definitely. I've seen some references to the article which state that McCarthy is seeking urgent talks due to Everton signing another midfielder. I'd be shocked if either of the following were true: James McCarthy is a money-grabber whose place in a team would be threatened by Tom Cleverley.

[tricky_colour]

It's not just a total nothing story, it's a total nothing non-story.

In which case it would be a total nothing.

[Deckydee]

I was keeping an eye on the web to see when the abuse of McCarthy from the Scots would start. Seems we're off and running: http://www.the42.ie/craig-brown-june-9-2015-2149955-Jun2015/

[DeLorean]

I don't think there's much wrong with that. You could argue his view on eligibility is narrow minded but I think he expressed his opinion constructively enough. His opinion on the management and staff is an interesting one I think, I can see some logic in that. As for the "goalscorer is a goalscorer" bit, well I think ignoring the various levels is a bit mad but he's probably just promoting his own to be fair.

[Deckydee]

I don't think there's much wrong with that. You could argue his view on eligibility is narrow minded but I think he expressed his opinion constructively enough. His opinion on the management and staff is an interesting one I think, I can see some logic in that. As for the "goalscorer is a goalscorer" bit, well I think ignoring the various levels is a bit mad but he's probably just promoting his own to be fair.

Ok, I'll admit the word 'abuse' is probably not needed here :)

[geysir]

It's a tiresome negative refrain in scotland, this idea that Irish ethnic identity has low value.
Respect though where it's due, for a pensioner, Craig certainly had the wherewithal to pull a string of women half his age.
Would not be my choice to be a keynote speaker to a bunch of Irish development coaches,
besides being boring, negative, he's not Irish enough :)

[Stuttgart88]

...and happy to sing songs about Fenians and the stuff that flows through their veins?

[Charlie Darwin]

...and happy to sing songs about Fenians and the stuff that flows through their veins?
Heroin?

[Fixer82]

Brown's argument isn't a bad one. It would make playing for the national team a bit more authentic.
But the rules are the rules and while Holland, Morrison, Townsend and, of course, Paul Butler* were no more Irish than Barack O'Bama, the rule was there to be exploited and we didn't complain when those boys played out of their skins wearing the green jersey.
I think Brown's argument about all the staff needing to be from the country of the association is a bit silly though.

*exempt

[tetsujin1979]

Everton FC midfielder James McCarthy has NOT told club he wants to leave: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/everton-fc-midfielder-james-mccarthy-9422992?

[DeLorean]

That's some turn-up for the books.

[Charlie Darwin]

Another Goal.com EXCLUSIVE turns out to be complete fiction. Shock.

[tetsujin1979]

Another Goal.com EXCLUSIVE turns out to be complete fiction. Shock.
posting links to goal.com stories is a suspension, or in some cases banning, on other forums.
I briefly considered banning links to balls.ie, but the other mods wouldn't let me.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I can completely understand the Scots frustrations Vis-à-vis McCarthy & McGeady. I don't agree with the way they go about venting these frustrations though. McCarthy & McGeady's links to the country are authentic, at least.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/comment-everton-cannot-afford-james-9425392

Everton need to nip McCarthy situation in the bud.

[tetsujin1979]

linked with a move to Spurs over the last few days, the Daily Mirror are claiming a £20m bid, which may or may not include Aaron Lennon: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-make-20m-move-evertons-6014885

[DeLorean]

Big spending Manchester City set sights on Ireland star James McCarthy (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/big-spending-manchester-city-set-sights-on-ireland-star-james-mccarthy-31378031.html)



Manchester City are understood to be considering a swoop for Ireland star James McCarthy, having wrapped up a £49m deal for Liverpool's Raheem Sterling.

City appear to be turning their attention to Everton man McCarthy after missing out on England star Fabian Delph, who opted to stay at Aston Villa.

However, Everton would strongly resist any effort to lure the McCarthy, who would be another hugely expensive acquisition should City succeed with a bid.

[back of the net]

Big spending Manchester City set sights on Ireland star James McCarthy (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/big-spending-manchester-city-set-sights-on-ireland-star-james-mccarthy-31378031.html)

Dont see them bidding for him nor do i see him going there

Wud be a terrible move for him

[DeLorean]

Yeah, Manchester City are hard to like but he could do well there. Gareth Barry was an important player for them for a long time and Fernando/Fernandinho aren't setting the world alight. I'd have a bit of time for Pellegrini also, even though I don't think he's much of a tactician, certainly since he's been at City. At least he has a bit of integrity and values the contributions of players like James Milner and other such pros, McCarthy would fit into this category. Of course, aul Manuel could be on borrowed time if they don't hit the ground running next season. They are clearly looking for energy, legs and tactical awareness to cover for and do most of Yaya Toure's work, which makes sense. In that regard, McCarthy could be an ideal fit. Everton would have to consider silly money if it was offered and there would be a lot of benefits for McCarthy... it's only up the road, regularly competing for silverware, Champions League football, massive hike in wages and generally a further progression in his career. He's seems a humble character to the point of timidity though, so he might not fancy being taken out of his comfort zone where he's guaranteed first team football and getting pats on the back from Martinez every day.

[Nugget]

Just spotted him getting his ankle strapped up during the pre season friendly with Stoke. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

[DeLorean]

Bit more from Sky Sports match tracker (http://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog)


McCarthy is down for Everton after a feeling the full force of a Teixeira challenge. He's down having treatment on what looks like might be an ankle knock.

McCarthy gets back up, albeit gingerly, and he trudges off for further treatment while play resumes with Stoke in possession.

Everton make another substitution, with Martinez probably taking no chances as he brings off McCarthy, with Arouna Kone coming on for the Toffees.

[DannyInvincible]

McCarthy gets back up, albeit gingerly...

Gingerist!

[DeLorean]

Roberto says no (https://www.grandoldteam.com/2015/07/15/martinez-dismisses-mccarthy-transfer-talk/)

More of the same (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fc-transfer-rumours-blues-9665582)

[back of the net]

Roberto says no (https://www.grandoldteam.com/2015/07/15/martinez-dismisses-mccarthy-transfer-talk/)

More of the same (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fc-transfer-rumours-blues-9665582)

Fabien Delph has done a U-turn and decided to join city - expected medical at etihad today ...that surely puts any McCarthy move to bed!

[Charlie Darwin]

I doubt there was anything to it to start with. Delph isn't on McCarthy's level but English clubs love signing England players.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

New deal for McCarthy.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/james-mccarthy-close-to-signing-new-everton-deal-1.2308956

If Coleman nor McCarthy can get moves to a top 6 team in England it could be decades before we see an Irish lad playing for a big team. I can't see us producing a player of their level in the foreseeable future. Even going back a decade, Keane & Duff left Liverpool & Chelsea without ceremony after brief spells. My hair will be grey. I might have grandkids..

[Eminence Grise]

I might have grandkids..

You might need to spend less time on here first...;)

[DeLorean]

TheOneWhoKnocksHerUp

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

McCarthy needs to grow some cojones - Quinn.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/quinn-mccarthy-needs-to-up-game-for-ireland-31437482.html

[Park_Lane]

Even going back a decade, Keane & Duff left Liverpool & Chelsea without ceremony after brief spells. ..

Duff was at chelsea 3 years?

[Charlie Darwin]

Duff was at chelsea 3 years?
Just the two league titles too.

[DannyInvincible]

Nice write-up picking out some highlights of McCarthy's performance from the other night: http://www.balls.ie/football/james-mccarthy-against-germany/311843

Was great to see.

[Olé Olé]

An article here comparing the stats of McCarthy to Whelan: http://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/glenn-whelans-premier-league-stats-compared-with-james-mccarthys-are-definitely-surprising/45663Tone of the article is pretty disgusting, to be honest. Seeks to discredit Whelan and ridicule him. It's laughable that some people find the need to ignore the opportunity to objectively analyse the performances of Whelan. I'm finding it difficult to think of a game in the past 2 years where he has been poor for us. His passing is crisp and often forward or to oncoming, attacking full-backs (hence the easy, ignorant 'sideways' tagging). He's always showing for the ball. He doesn't have the dynamism to drive forward in possession like Hendrick but he does tend to push up when we are attacking and rarely gives the ball away in such positions. This article is littered with smug inferences e.g.:"What does this mean? Honestly? Probably just that football stats are still behind the times a little.""More key passes is a genuine shocker and his touches have been tidier.""There's nothing there to suggest that the passes being counted weren't just buck-passing exercises or that they weren't back to the 'keeper or full back.""Whelan is rated and trusted by managers for some sort of reason."

[DeLorean]

Joe.ie is spectacularly terrible to be fair. I agree most of those stats are a waste of effort though as there is no context whatsoever.

As for Whelan having no poor games in the last couple of years, I don't know. You obviously rate him very highly which is fair enough, some top managers agree with you. I just think he's very limited in what he offers, it's not so much that he plays poorly but I think we might be capable of more without him. Whelan hasn't been missing very often but on a few occasions when he was I think we had more energy in that area. Swedan away and the friendly against Italy two obvious examples, plus we didn't look any less solid in his absence either, in those games or the recent one against Germany. I suppose he did miss the Germany game when we conceded six, but that was really just a continuation from the Euros where he was every present and we were shambolic. I did think he produced two un-Whelan-like performances in recent times though, in a good way, at home to Poland and Georgia.