Everton (H) 3pm Saturday 9th November (not on TV)

ASLEFshrugged

Is it just me or did Paqueta look a bit better today?

alderz

jay_in_cpt said:

Actually thought Soler looked composed and linked up play well when coming on…

I thought he had his best showing so far yesterday. He didn’t pull up trees, but he looked improved, to me.

Kuchinghammer

Well no-one got sent off. Liked the substitutions: Soler improved the midfield, Coufal and Ings link up with Bowen more effectively. AWB keeps getting stranded upfield, and jogs back, which annoys me. Won't repeat what others have said, but the players must hate match days...

Lukerz

I must admit, whilst I feel a little bit apathetic towards the side at the moment & hoped to be feeling more optimistic at this stage of the season, I do find it strange how some fans are ‘surprised’ that we still haven’t managed to click yet & the negativity from it.

Just some reasons as to why…

1) New manager & coaching set-up.

2) High turnover of players (several in, several out).

3) Some key characters within the club left (Zouma, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Ward-Prowse, Benrahma).

4) Change in captaincy.

5) New back four (minus Emerson) - one of which signed so late & had limited pre-season as a result.

6) Several signings who have not played English football (Rodriguez, Soler, Todibo, Guilherme, Fullkrug).

7) Injury to the new starting striker.

8) Paqueta betting saga that is rumbling on.

9) Alvarez missing the start of the season (plus pre-season) due to injury.

10) Horrendous form so far in 2024 as a whole, not just since August. Lopetegui is actually trying to rebuild a side that has been fairly poor for a while.

The game yesterday was never going to be easy. Everton pride themselves on making games scrappy & turning it into a bouncing, second ball game. They have a lot of experienced PL players & so is their manager.

We stuck at it, could have pinched it in the end, clean sheet. We need to improve dramatically but I am still allowing for more time.

IronHerb

I too thought Soler played well yesterday. He needs a run in the team to consolidator some form.

claretandbluesky

I think that is a very reasonable case for the defence Lukerz, as with all arguments there are two cases, the other could read as follows.

1. No clear tactical aim and identity, Moyes was a clear counter attacking identity and his aim was to keep meticulously drilled at the back and as soon as we lost possession the defence would rush into pre-drilled shape, when in possession try and break fast using Kudus, Bowen's pace and Antonio's forward drive.

2. Has been afforded a huge sum of money to improve the team and yet it's quite hard to find areas of the pitch he has done so, central defence I guess but not definitively just yet, more like potential.

3. Team spirit doesn't seem as good to me, the body language of some players and even the manager doesn't look as in harmony as previously.


4. One of the key positions of Striker has been a failure again at present. I do recognise Fulkrug is injured and so it is a signing that could yet come good, it was however one many found odd regard his age and price tag and opening indications of Antonio still being selected despite a Euros fit Fullkrug being available, and his lacklustre introductions could indicate another failed attempt to fill this most important spot.

5. Some poor on filed discipline which didn't seem quite as pronounced previously and has cost us dear.


I am in favour of giving more time and at least until Christmas and ideally util the end of the season, unless it's dire and we are in the relegation zone with results speaking too loudly to be ignored.

Lukerz

I don’t think 6 weeks of international breaks in 11 games has helped either.

Lukerz

I also see the same old rubbish ‘they don’t care’ has started to come out on social media about the players.

chicagohammer

I agree with all the points made by both Luke and C&B, has it been great?, certainly not and I understand the frustration but imo, it is way to early to start pressing the panic button

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Lukerz said:

I also see the same old rubbish ‘they don’t care’ has started to come out on social media about the players.

Wouldn't care about social media, Palmer is there jsut to be toxic

The way people are going on you'd think we were bottom with 4 points....

IronHerb

Who is Palmer? 🤔

Ravel49

IronHerb said:

Who is Palmer? 🤔

Carlton

Still fuming after the 2 nil defeat back in 93/94 when he played for Sheffield Wednesday

Lukerz

One thing we can take is that Danny Ings, for me at least, deserves a run of games & a start at Newcastle. He’s had meaningful impacts in several cameo performances this season & we look more dangerous when he plays.

claretandbluesky

I love his attitude, for a player who could rightfully be disappointed regard how his move has gone from the beginning he arrives totally ready to fight for everything when he gets the chance. The guy has a mentality that teams in our situation need at present, I have so much respect for him even if I don't see him ever being the answer to our striker problem. I agree deserves his chance in the absence of that answer being evident at present.

Lukerz

Also, going from a side that accepts 35%-40% of the ball, defends deep & in numbers & relies on Bowen & Kudus to counter us up the pitch, as well as moments of magic from Paqueta & clinical finishes from Soucek, to a side that wants to have more of the ball, break teams down, play out more from the back & go between the lines, is a big adjustment & will take longer than 2 months to sort.

chicagohammer

claretandbluesky said:

I love his attitude, for a player who could rightfully be disappointed regard how his move has gone from the beginning he arrives totally ready to fight for everything when he gets the chance. The guy has a mentality that teams in our situation need at present, I have so much respect for him even if I don't see him ever being the answer to our striker problem. I agree deserves his chance in the absence of that answer being evident at present.

This. - when I was able to attend an open training session in Florida during the close season, it was Ings that impressed me the most with his enthusiasm and obvious rapport with the other players.

Whitehorsehammer

chicagohammer said:

I agree with all the points made by both Luke and C&B, has it been great?, certainly not and I understand the frustration but imo, it is way to early to start pressing the panic button

Theses points are all valid, my worry is that while it's too early to pull the panic button that time looms closer. If we were not picking up points but there were signs of a plan starting to take shape that would be encouraging, but I can't see anything, the Notts Forest game and Saturday were very poor. Not a glimmer of anything to get positive about and I can usually be found in the Positive Arms.

steve

Clean sheet .No red cards things are looking up

Ravel49

Ravel49 said:

And talking of internationals, no call up for Jarod

And now he is 👍🏻

MrsGrey

Ah, it was here lol

Of course. The Everton match thread!

thornburyiron

Cue Bowen getting injured in training and not even playing then missing games for us.

MIAHammer

Everywhere you turn, we are in the news or media about our dire situation. But the teams in and around us (except for Man Utd) don’t seem to get the same scrutiny. From the tone we are receiving you would think we are in last place. We are closer to 10th place than the relegation zone.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not happy with the football either but I think it’s way too early to sack JLo. I don’t think he has been helped by the form of the players and I’m sick of hearing how he’s lost the dressing room. If these overpaid prima dona’s won’t play for him what makes you think they’ll play for anyone else?