Kevin Kilbane

only1kilbane · 17/02/2004, 8:28 AM

It amazes me with the amount of people in these forums who are dismissing kevin kilbane from the team and some even from the squad for the Brazil game. Now with duffer out Kilbane has to be a deffinite to start . How many players do we have playing week in week out on top of their form in the premier league ? He was our most consistent player in our qualifiers so should be given more credit. David Moyes has even said only him and Nigel Martyn have been a credit to the club this season .

**BobbyHans** · 17/02/2004, 8:57 AM

Fair point. I think that the point alot of people are making is that his heart is in the right place. He's committed to the cause but people will question his ability.

With all respect to the man he's no duffer is he? Although Andy Reid can play down the left i think. But he deserves a place on current for, the Everton fans have nicknamed him 'Zinedine Kilbane'!

**eirebhoy** · 17/02/2004, 9:55 AM

Originally posted by BobbyHans
Although Andy Reid can play down the left i think.

That is where Reid plays for Forest but I'd prefer Reid given a free role.

I don't have Kilbane in my team in the other thread because he wouldn't fit in. I don't have any wingers because it would be pointless to play wingers when there is nobody to cross high balls too. Maybe Kilbane in the centre would be good.

**sylvo** · 17/02/2004, 11:06 AM

One role that i've felt Kevin Kilbane has alway's looked good in is an attacking left back, his done this a few time's @ club level and also in the match v spain in Suwon, after Quinn and connelly came on and was more then comfortable. Mind you i'd let other's take any penalty's.

**John83** · 17/02/2004, 11:11 AM

Originally posted by sylvo
One role that i've felt Kevin Kilbane has alway's looked good in is an attacking left back.

I'd like to see him tried there again too.

**BobbyHans** · 17/02/2004, 12:15 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by eirebhoy
[B]That is where Reid plays for Forest but I'd prefer Reid given a free role.

I wasn't sure thanks for clearling that up, Kerr played him through the middle against canada.

I agree that KK could be played in an attacking full back role, my only worry would be, would the centre backs have enough to cover for him goin forward. International football is all about pace, and none of our centre backs are very fast. It certainly wouldn't be worth changing to wingbacks to accomdate kilbane, not in my opinion.

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 1:36 PM

Kilbane isn't good enough. Good form for Everton V 50 caps of utter ineptness. People love to praise him because he gets slagged off some much and he's a likeble guy but at the end of the day he's not good enough to get his game for a side that has Damien Duff in it.

**Declan_Michael** · 17/02/2004, 4:12 PM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
Kilbane isn't good enough. Good form for Everton V 50 caps of utter ineptness. People love to praise him because he gets slagged off some much and he's a likeble guy but at the end of the day he's not good enough to get his game for a side that has Damien Duff in it.

You can't judge players by the standard of Duff. If the was the case Damien would be the only one playing.

Bottom line is that Kilbane is the best performing Irishman in PL at the moment. He can be accomodated in centre midfield but should not be left out for some division one fringe player.

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 6:01 PM

Originally posted by Declan_Michael
You can't judge players by the standard of Duff. If the was the case Damien would be the only one playing.

Bottom line is that Kilbane is the best performing Irishman in PL at the moment. He can be accomodated in centre midfield but should not be left out for some division one fringe player.

Kilbanes preforming better then Keane? You must be having a laugh, are you an Evertonian by any chance?

Kilbane can't be accomodated in central mid field, he's never played there for us before and playing him there without good prepration when he's not playing there for his club would be stupid. Same goes for left back, where I incidentally think he could do a job.

So yes, he does have to be judged by the standard of Duff, because it is Duff and only Duff who he has to displace from the side, and the bottom line is he's not good enough to do that.

**Declan_Michael** · 17/02/2004, 8:41 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Slash/ED
Kilbanes preforming better then Keane? You must be having a laugh, are you an Evertonian by any chance?

Nope LFC

Kilbane can't be accomodated in central mid field, he's never played there for us before and playing him there without good prepration when he's not playing there for his club would be stupid. Same goes for left back, where I incidentally think he could do a job.

Plenty of players plays one position for club and another for country

So yes, he does have to be judged by the standard of Duff, because it is Duff and only Duff who he has to displace from the side, and the bottom line is he's not good enough to do that.

Duff would not need to be 'displaced'

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 8:43 PM

So you'd shove our best player out of position, where it's been proven countless times he's almost ineffective compared to what he's like on the left, to accomadate a man who was singled out as being a joke and hated by the fans of the team who were statistically the worst ever in the premiership?

**Declan_Michael** · 17/02/2004, 8:48 PM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
So you'd shove our best player out of position, where it's been proven countless times he's almost ineffective compared to what he's like on the left, to accomadate a man who was singled out as being a joke and hated by the fans of the team who were statistically the worst ever in the premiership?

Nope, I keep Duff on left. Regardless of what happened at Sunderland Kilbane is a crowd favourite with Everton and banging in goals in the Premiership. A hard worker who played well in the World Cup qualifiers and also European qualifiers. I am not about to disregard him for players who are yet to prove a thing - Healy, Kavanagh, Miller. No disrespect to them - their time will come

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 8:54 PM

So you put Kilbane in central mid field, a position he's played about 5 times in his career, based on his form in a completley different position at club level, ahead of people like Miller, who are preforming in central mid field at a higher level then Kilbane and in better form then Kilbane? Aside from him, Delap and Holland would be ahead of him in the pecking order.

I think Kilbane could do a job at left back, if he starts playing there for Everton he could emerge as a real contender for a start there. Maybe if he moves to the middle for Everton and preforms there aswell he could be considered for us but until then he can't really be considered in that position for us, imo, at least not unelss we have a few injuries.

**Declan_Michael** · 17/02/2004, 8:57 PM

Then play him at left back, just don't leave him out of the team when he's on fire.

Have the same problem with Carr and Finnan. Best positions are both right back. Both good and playing their at club level. You'd either have to drop one or play Finnan at left back.

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 9:00 PM

You can't just shove him into a position where he'll probably fail because he's not played, on fire or not. Did we play Kiely in defence when he was on fire? It's not like moving from one side to another in the same position, it's two completley different positions, you can't just randomly play in one without any preperation.

If he plays there for Everton, fair enough, but he hasn't. We can't just accomadate all of our players who are 'on fire', which btw, from what I've seen Kilbane is playing fairly well but I wouldn't call him 'on fire'

**Declan_Michael** · 17/02/2004, 9:03 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Slash/ED
[B]different position at club level, ahead of people like Miller, who are preforming in central mid field at a higher level then Kilbane and in better form then Kilbane? [B]

Higher level? The Scottish prem is one horse race, two horse at best. Apart from his well documented 'move' to Man United will he displace Keane, Butt, Scholes doubt it.

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 9:06 PM

first of all, champions league is a higher level then the premiership. Secondly, he wont have to displace Butt or argubley Keane, Butt doesn't get his game Keanes on the way out, plus he's better then Phil Neville, who gets his game, so to say he wont get his game is way off imo.

**Declan_Michael** · 17/02/2004, 9:12 PM

Firstly I'll admit that I don't keep much of an eye on Celtic.

However, its week in week out that counts. Apart from Rangers players who does Miller test is skills against?

Meanwhile Kilbane is up against Van Nistelrooy, Shearer, Owen, Campbell, Ferdinand - list is endless really.

Not sure if miller is a Celtic regular and if he shows such prospects why is he being sold??

**Slash/ED** · 17/02/2004, 9:15 PM

How can you judge a player who you've probably rarely if ever see?

Have you missed Millers preformances in the champions league this season? You can only play well against what's on front of you and Miller did it in europes premier competition, aswell as the below standard SPL, week in week out.

And your last sentence proves the first one is true at least

he is being poached off Celtic as he is out of contract at the end of the season.