From time to time, I scroll through various comment sections of online football articles to see what the fans really think.
In truth, I don’t ever really believe I have read ‘what the fans really think’, more often than not it amounts to little more than wild, antagonistic, reactionary outburst, and so the tedious reaction to Everton’s 1-1 away draw with Aston Villa proved.
The game featured a debut for new signing Darren Gibson – that in itself an excuse for an attack from Everton’s dissenting supporters.
In truth Gibson did fine, and so did Everton in general, with loan signing Landon Donovan influential throughout, cutting in to brilliantly lay on substitute Victor Anichebe’s equaliser.
Having been forced to give youngster Shane Duffy his first league start, confidence was restored to a depleted defence as the Irishman’s performance alongside John Heitinga was largely impressive but for a mistake for Darren Bent’s opener.
Everton were unfortunate not to take all three points after pinning Villa back for long periods, but were left to rue the predictable lack of productivity up front.
In fairness, some supporters’ comments are struck a chord with me: Everton need to immediately drop Saha and Cahill and give anyone else a chance, for it is these players who are holding us back the most right now.
For me, the difference between the successful Everton side which qualified for Europe so consistently and the current side is that one was able to score the first goal and then defend whereas the other simply cannot take the lead.
The key is the ability to give precious little away at the back and convert one of the few chances created.
This sort of performance has been the making of Moyes and has in recent seasons showcased his team’s greatest qualities.
When Everton finished fourth, nine of their 18 victories were 1-0, and of the other nine, a further five were by one goal margins.
Which brings us back to Cahill and Saha…
Their collective failure to apply any sort of pressure to back up consistently decent possession statistics, or work that bit harder to turn a half-chance into a sitter is what is costing Everton at the moment.
After months of criticizing the midfield for the dire sideways passing which has dominated attacking output of late, it is clear now that this anti-play is inevitable when your front two are managing less than five shots a game, and appallingly, no goals a season.
Though Saha has been a changeable character throughout his time here, I have always been an unrelenting Cahill supporter; he has scored crucial goals, late goals, brilliant goals and more to the point, plenty of derby goals.
But enough is enough!
If any new signing, loan or otherwise, were to perform this poorly for so long – and that goes for any youth product or player returning from injury – they would be out of the team immediately and rightly so.
Inevitably the age-old ‘resources are thin at Goodison Park’ line will be clapped out and I understand this – as an Evertonian I even enjoy it – but the simple fact is that resources are not that thin, not by a long stretch!
I would accept that no other Everton attack is capable of completing 90 minutes, but neither are Cahill and Saha, and to be honest, they are less willing.
Anichebe, Stracqualursi, Vellios and McFadden all have fitness problems, but I put it to any Evertonian that their 20/30 minute cameos are each ten times more productive than the hour long shambles of the other two, and for the right now, they are our best options.
Any part Cahill and Saha still have to play for Everton ought to be from the bench; as reluctant as I am to admit it, they are past it.
By Chris Smith
chrissmithfootballblog 