Everton (A) - 16 Sept 18 4pm ko - Match Thread

IronHerb

Thing is Luke the back four has been chopped and changed in the five games so far. It takes time and drills to get the off side trap working properly even with a settled back four. Give it time.

Lukerz

IronHerb said:

Thing is Luke the back four has been chopped and changed in the five games so far. It takes time and drills to get the off side trap working properly even with a settled back four. Give it time.

Herb ;ok

Yeah I completely agree, I just think with this offside rule with first phase and second phase, it’s not geared up to allow sides to play offside. I mean you see it with the goal they scored. We all moved up just before it went wide, played them all offside in the box (so worked perfectly), but then those same players are all now unmarked once it goes wide & now all behind the ball.

Just seems like you are on a hiding to nothing.

ASLEFshrugged

We were playing a 4-3-3 rather than 4-2-3-1, I suspect we could play any combination of Rice, Obiang, Noble, Sanchez or Wilshere and it would work.

Lukerz

Watching some of the game back last night it looked to me that although Noble & Obiang both tended to play in front of Rice, I thought Obiang was the one who was the furthest forward on the most occasions. Interesting as he is a bit of a 'maybe' player since signing IMO, without an actual role where you think "that's what he does in the side". Saw a different side to him with some of his creative passing so wonder if there is a role for him to be the one who gets forward more often in that midfield 3? Makes you wonder why it took five games to give him a start but there was a lot of talk that he wanted to return to Italy for personal reasons so maybe Pelle has been holding him back whilst he gets his head right.

Was also good to see how well we passed the ball in tight spaces too. Carragher referenced it 2/3 times during the game but I didn't appreciate it as much when watching live & being nervous about the game. But we did play some real good stuff.

chicagohammer

Agree with Lukerz here, I too watched the game again last night, amazing how much I noticed the second time around and Obiang did indeed have a stormer.

Watching live, I was elated when we scored, anxious that we would not hold onto the lead, shocked when we went two up, incredibly anxious that they would get one back, was despondent when they did, elated and shocked once again when we got the two goal cushion back but terrified that they would get another one back.

It was a real roller coaster, last night I was actually able to watch the game whilst sat in one place instead of pacing around the room.



;wahoo

claretandbluesky

Many have said for so long we need a really effective DM and on Sunday we had one in Declan Rice, it's not that the rest of the team didn't all put everything in also but that position is central to our resilience, and he provided that.

We have also wanted a three man central defence and in a way we did as on many occasions he was just in front of the front two creating exactly that, yet with also a little more free reign than if given that exact role.

EXETERHAMMER

I enjoyed watching the game more than any other for such a long time.

4 at the back worked because we played so tight in midfield. Rice excellent, Noble worked hard and was disciplined, and Obiang was outstanding.

Attacking on the break suited us in this game.

McHammer

So looks like it was Obiang that maybe injured Arnie...but more importantly whose leg is that??

IronHerb

Anderson I think.

thornburyiron

If it's Arnie's no wonder he came off.

Cuz1

Think they were doing the Hokey Cokey

Hammerex

I think it is the Third man.

ASLEFshrugged

Jake the Peg (diddle-iddle-iddle-um).

Lukerz

Interesting now looking back on that decision after Wolves for Pellegrini to go back to Chile & give the players a few days off. Seemed to do the trick.

MunichHammer

Hammerex said:

I think it is the Third man.

Now THAT is just a Silly Point.
;wink

Adam

Lukerz said:

Interesting now looking back on that decision after Wolves for Pellegrini to go back to Chile & give the players a few days off. Seemed to do the trick.

Same with the uproar about the team going to Miami towards the end of last season.

It’s almost as if fans have less experience about how to handle the team throughout the season than professionals...

BubblesNeverDies

Adam
"It’s almost as if fans have less experience about how to handle the team throughout the season than professionals..." ;nonono
;wink