WILL THE BEAT GO ON?

IT looks like the bar is still open and Everton’s number nine is drinking at the last chance saloon once again.
With David Nugent heading elsewhere and no other forwards on the radar, James Beattie looks set to get a final crack at his Goodison career.
Cue moans, groans and grumbles from the usual suspects.

- “He’s fat”, “He doesn’t try”, “He never wins headers”, “He couldn’t hit a barn door...” You know the script...
Variations on these usually ripped around Goodison within minutes of Beattie lacing on his boots last season. He was scapegoat number one.
We all know that certain sections of Goodison love a scapegoat and if that individual is a confidence player it can be a nightmare.
I think Beattie is very much a confidence player.
When he first came he still had the brio to try fizzing in those Hollywood 30 yarders which he scored for Southampton. When things stopped going his way, he stopped.
Barring his wonder-strike in the rout against Fulham two seasons ago, Beattie’s nerve doesn’t stretch to the spectacular, or even the tap-in, anymore.
But he still has the ability. James Beattie is a good player and if he is sold, he will score goals for another club.
Admittedly his confidence dipped so low last season that his performances were very poor.
One home performance in particular led to sympathy cheers when Moyes substituted him to save further torture.
You probably remember the game. At one point a pass from a teammate pinged of his shin. Then he tried to run with the ball and tripped himself up.
Despite it all Beattie’s attitude has been faultless. He has never stropped or headed straight for the tunnel flinging water bottles and shin pads.
Instead he is first on the pitch at full time to congratulate or commiserate with the team.
You get the feeling he is popular at Goodison.
Granted that doesn’t mean we should have limitless patience, especially when he mistimes another jump for a header.
But let’s at least give him until January and try to swerve the negativity.
With a bit of luck and a bit of the old confidence, James Beattie can still earn the famous old shirt number he is clinging onto with his fingertips.

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