LCFCJohn

Fair enough 👍. I had a quick flick through that seasons results earlier but didn’t notice that as I was looking actually to see what the biggest wins were that season. I was surprised it was only by 3 goals but we had so many 2-1 wins. But yeah didn’t see that particular run. To be fair only a defeat tomorrow from that being the current 6 game run of form….

That was Yeovil. I may be revising history in my head here but it felt in 2013/14 that we didn’t really have a bad spell as such, and the bad results were just dotted about across the season. I may be wrong as I say. Performance wise, I also remember us being very consistent in not having long runs of poor performances. 2016, there wasn’t really? We lost to Liverpool at Christmas, followed by a couple of draws with Mahrez showing why for all his strengths, he should take pens!

This is the concern for me. I like Enzo and we aren’t at the point of being close to a crisis or anything like this. He will be judged on how he responds to the first real challenge in the role. But, it is likely the same people who scoffed at the possibility we would throw away a 14 point lead not once but twice for the top 4 and shouted down anyone who said we might be relegated last season who are not shouting down anyone who is raising concerns at the trend that is just starting to show now. These people have shown that they get sucked in by possession stats and tactics and don’t take a step back and look at the wider issues/context. Honestly, I was one who saw the fall in 2020 and 2021 coming and remember voicing relegation concerns as early as October 2021 (I was speaking to a Newcastle supporting mate when their takeover happened and said I hope they took Rodgers from us as we were heading down within 3 years under him, 18 months was a lot quicker than I thought though). So I am a little concerned. Not overly as each manager gets the chance to show how they can turn things around. But the pattern is something that we have seen before at its very early stages and could go either way.

It’s not compatible to last season you’re right, we are fighting at the opposite end of the league and were never ‘ahead’ last season. There are however similarities to 2019/20 and 2020/21. That is where the worry comes from so Enzo for me, will be judged on how he deals with that. Currently, results wise, it is just a small blip that you expect. Let’s hope he can get us back winning. The bits in your middle paragraph are purely facts and you are correct at the end of it about the concerns. The arrogance is people dismissing that other teams may catch us and saying ‘it’s fine’ like we are up already. Massive load of work to do this season to get to that point. Your last paragraph is clearly an extremely view by a few. Most people acknowledge the good whilst realising it is still precarious.

Was just thinking about this, not talking about any styles particularly, but ultimately, football and sport should be about entertainment right. My view is that a key part of entertainment is unpredictability. This is the issue for me. I’m fine with how we play as a fundamental principle. But we are so awfully predictable which not only makes us easier for opponents to plan for but affects the entertainment value. Even upping the tempo, overlapping the wingers (which we can’t do as he doesn’t do fullbacks) and loading the box for balls to be cut back would be achieving this. Dare I say it, those are the things I remember working so positively for Rodgers when things were going well.

Tend to agree with the most popular prediction on here of 2-0 West Brom. They are on the up, we are on the down and style wise, the game probably plays into their hands. Would definitely take a draw though as a defeat actually brings West Brom themselves into sight!

Sorry, I’m not a ‘knee jerker’ but that was not heading for a ‘comfortable win’, it was a scrappy 1-0 that could go either way after we had ridden our luck defending terribly. Also having a lot of possession around the back does not equate to ‘dominating the game’. We looked lost last night and did not dominate either end where it matters.

Waited until this morning to comment but what an utterly crap showing that was! Bad results happen so I’m not bothered about the result and don’t get too annoyed at bad results just as I don’t go over the top at good results. Leeds were held to draws by Rotherham and Sheff Weds and Southampton held by Rotherham to name some. You can’t win every game and it happens. What does bother me is the pattern of deteriorating performances. We didn’t get held last night to the leagues worst side by working their keeper and woodwork and being hit by a sucker punch on their only good chance. We pissed around and gifted them some great opportunities and were fortunate not to be down by a couple early on. And we really didn’t work them hard at the other end. Hopefully this run of performances and now the results is a short blip that you are always going to get. But I get the concern some are airing as we have been here before where we have looked very good, had a big lead and slowing, starting with the performances then the results, started to see the tide turn and our lead removed over the weeks and months.

We are just putting ourselves in trouble over and over from the first seconds. Very fortunate to have not conceded due to Wednesday being extra crap!

Gut feeling is Millwall to get a draw at Ipswich, Southampton to come through comfortably at home to Bristol City and Leeds to win, more because I don’t think Swansea are up to much. And if we do our job, that will be fine and good progress over the past few days games.

Not really, MOTD have always been pretty good at judging the order by the game not the ‘big sides’. The other games had more goals/drama involved.

Re McAteer, I thought he looked well out of his depth in the first few games of the season. That first game against Cov, it seemed he was a weak link and attacks stopped with him. Then he was flying and one of our main threats, very clinical in front of goal etc until his injury. I wonder if he just takes a bit of time to get up to speed?

Looks like he played in a 2-1 defeat at Hillsborough in early December 2013!

Agreed. Dyer scared defences shitless, Knockaert/Mahrez was their magic feet. Nugent and Vardy clinical. The full back also got forward a lot. We put up some big wins that season where we put teams to the sword which we haven’t done (yet) this season.

2013/14 for me. Hard to compare with different formations etc, one striker not two now for example, so you can only really look generally at positions. The only obvious ones from this year that get into 2013/14 for me, are Ricardo and Winks. I liked De Laet but Ricardo is so far superior and Winks is above this level. Others are a matter of opinion. I’d take Dyer, Mahrez and Knockaert over our current wing options. Dyer was a superior Mavididi for me. As someone says above, without looking, I’d have said Liam Moore played most alongside Wes. They were great that season so I’m not sure I’d swap out Liam for this seasons options but I understand many will. Nugent was great. Again he would either be a victim of our current formation or be the central forward but apart from Vardy who is in both years, he is far better than our other options now. I like a left footed left back so probably keeping Konchesky to be fair but he was very good that year. Central midfield not easy as some good options there. Drinkwater and Winks for sure. For that balance again, I might have KDH and Drinkwater either side of Winks but harsh on Ndidi.

Great to win and Leeds and Southampton drop points, both in fixtures we won! If West Brom can get something, will be great!

Good work Simon

Get in the Millers! I had a gut feeling they would get a result earlier in the day! Why though, do people on here feel the need to snipe and dig at each other? When did we become such a divided fanbase?

I don’t doubt it. As I say, I’d like to think so but I agree with what you say. Accidents happen, but this guy is a liability.

To be fair, I wasn’t comparing them to our run, but in terms of the expectation that they should beat Rotherham. As I say, I have a funny feeling about Rotherham tonight!

I’m sure this will come back to bite me when they tank Rotherham later, and I’m normally more pessimistic where thinking our rivals will win is concerned, but, I just have a sneaky gut feeling for Rotherham to nick something tonight. Everything points to a comfortable Leeds win and they are on a very good run. Just feels like a possibly banana skin!

Glad to see he’s back l and hopefully we see him make an impact on the first team in the coming weeks. Poor from Wolves to have given the thug who did it a pro contract. Given by all accounts, he intended to do what he did and had no remorse, he’s liable to do it again as he clearly has never been taught to understand right from wrong. Next time he might actually end a career. I’d hope if we had someone like that, we’d have shown more class than Wolves and cut our losses and let them go and make their own way. Karma will be for Alves’ career to take off and for Voice to end up trialing off into non league and having to actually work to make a living!

Correct. It wouldn’t happen that quick and even if it could, the PL would stall to give the secondary deduction when it’s safe to do so from a keeping Everton in the league perspective. I agree with the consensus on this thread that there’s no realistic chance they go down. Burnley are done (something we need to note if we go up for next season), Luton despite winning at GP, will be more than what would have been 10 points behind. Sheff Utd is an interesting one. They had some very tight games against some top teams earlier in the season and were getting their confidence sapped, culminating with the 8-0 at home to Newcastle. But they have picked up a couple of good results in the past two games and have their tails up, they also have Burnley, Bournemouth and Luton coming up. Would love to see them pull away a bit as it’s only really those 3 and Bournemouth that Everton will be able to catch.

Worth following up and taking action for this bit: Whether clubs proceed with litigation in this latest case, whether it is successful, and what all this uncertainty may mean for Everton's proposed sale by owner Farhad Moshiri to the US investment firm 777 Partners is unclear. But the doomsday scenario for the Toffees is that the club end up being ordered to pay more in compensation than the new owners can afford, and that administration follows, along with a further nine-point deduction, almost certainly condemning the team to relegation. We could view ourselves as the footballing plumbers, unclogging the the bogs so the turd will flush!

Yeah I mean it’s hard to know whether Bradford were just playing into your hands so to speak. But yes, it’s the quality in the final third that you have in abundance for the level. Just very impressive!