Everton post match 2-4

[Slim Dog]

2 minutes ago, The Guvnor said:

Showing you have a sense of humour is applaudable , but you had already demonstrated that in your earlier posts.

No, I'm serious.

[Dr The Singh]

6 minutes ago, Slim Dog said:

No, I'm serious.

Your an idiot, and yes, I'm serious 

[Slim Dog]

Just now, Dr The Singh said:

Your an idiot, and yes, I'm serious 

You're* an idiot.

[Guest]

Who is the greater defender of a player

 

Slim Dog  (for the obvious)

Or MattCan (for Mahrez)?

 

[Thracian]

10 minutes ago, Abrasive fox said:

Inevitable loss really today - disappointing but was always going to happen and we have a really tough run of games now. If I'm honest this talk of giving Shakespeare the job is still premature right now, Champs league aside he's had 4 home games against winnable opposition (a lot of sides in bad form) and an away game against a side in the bottom of the form table virtually. Tougher tests to come, and we should wait until the end of the season before deciding. There's simply no need to do anything before this.

 

As for the game, Benaloune had a nightmare, the defence was all over the shop, a midfield of Drinkwater and King was powderpuff in the championship let alone away to one of the top 8 teams in the league. King took the opportunity to give the ball away virtually everytime he got it.

 

As for Slimani, he took his goal well but his contribution outside of this is really frustrating. His first touch is so poor, and he's taken to moving away from the penalty area to go and receive it where he's a lot less effective and frankly doesn't have the footballing ability to even be effective. The fact is for £30m I expect a whole lot more, and for the money I would have said Benteke would have been a better bet given his age and previous record in this country. As for the Ulloa debate, I think most would accept Slimani to be a better player, however not by that much and Ulloa's effort is never questioned whereas I would question Slimani's sometimes. The jury remain out for me and I still think he's a poor signing.

King didn't give the ball away any more than anyone else and in fact, got a bit better (after a long lay-off), the more the game went on. But that was due to Everton losing their ambition, something Amartey benefitted from as well and Chilwell too later on.

 

Drinkwater was worse than King - almost off the pace and nothing like as bright as at his best.

 

With Slimani not being in any way the kind of midfield dynamo Shinji is (for all that he tried hard enough) we were always going to be up against it in central midfield especially as our full-backs having quite enough to do trying to contain the Everton threat for an hour or so.

[Dr The Singh]

3 minutes ago, Slim Dog said:

You're* an idiot.

[Dr The Singh]

3 minutes ago, Thracian said:

King didn't give the ball away any more than anyone else and in fact, got a bit better (after a long lay-off), the more the game went on. But that was due to Everton losing their ambition, something Amartey benefitted from as well and Chilwell too later on.

 

Drinkwater was worse than King - almost off the pace and nothing like as bright as at his best.

 

With Slimani not being in any way the kind of midfield dynamo Shinji is (for all that he tried hard enough) we were always going to be up against it in central midfield especially as our full-backs having quite enough to do trying to contain the Everton threat for an hour or so.

He was shit

[Slim Dog]

3 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Thank you. I'm here till Slim leaves!

[fuchsntf]

22 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Personally, I feel really sorry for Ulloa. He's clearly bothered. Look at him when he came on today! He was clearly upset with his 'near misses'. I imagine him to be a consummate professional and moralistic too. If he says he wants to leave because he still has plenty to offer as a footballer, I believe him. And I think he does. He'd be fine in a lower Prem/Upper Championship side and would play consistently.

I don't see much of an improvement over Leo, in Slim. I think Slim is probably a better finisher, but that's it. Ulloa's all round game is better imo.

I like Ulloa. He needs to leave to further his playing time. And we should let him. Giving him ten minute cameo's isn't what he wants and he's better than that.

Sums it up really...

In our away game with AM.  Might be tempted to put Ulloa and Vardy together.

Still playing Okazaki, for the Kamakazi running...

 

[Dr The Singh]

Just now, Slim Dog said:

Thank you. I'm here till Slim leaves!

[Foxhateram]

35 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

Your previous post was somewhat short of optimism...

Yer I was frustrated after we had thrown away a 2-1 lead and made Everton look good. Champions League is great. But I still see the league as priority that's all.

[HighPeakFox]

1 minute ago, foxhateram said:

Yer I was frustrated after we had thrown away a 2-1 lead and made Everton look good. Champions League is great. But I still see the league as priority that's all.

It's unlikely to be repeated, I think I can forgive them....there will be many more league games to come, not many CL games.

[Dr The Singh]

I'm just frustrated......Mainly sexual,.....I jus thought i would say that

[Babylon]

Stick to what I said pre match, thought the selection was a half way house stuck between resting people and trying to win the game, without ever doing enough of one or the other to benefit.

 

No Shinji and N'didi gave them the freedom of the middle of the park. Add into that Benny having a mare and it was a stroll in the park.

[foxinsox]

One to forget. Most of the regular starters looked a bit poor, apart from Kasper, Huth and Albrighton. I hope it was because they were pacing themselves. Ulloa looked good. 

 

We missed Simpson and Fuchs a great deal. I hope Wes is fit for Wednesday, 

 

Amartey is not a Right back, and Slimani cannot defend set pieces. 

 

We're going to Madrid... 

[Babylon]

4 minutes ago, foxhateram said:

Yer I was frustrated after we had thrown away a 2-1 lead and made Everton look good. Champions League is great. But I still see the league as priority that's all.

"Made Everton look good" they've mullered quite a few teams since the start of Jan. They are capable of being good without our help.

[Bossman Blessed It]

To be honest we missed the rested players massively today. Would be silly to criticise many - most teams go there full strength and come away with nothing and to grab two goals is a big plus. Benny and Huth arguably could have been more effective from set pieces however I think they had their hands tied given that they usually rely a lot on the support from Ndidi, Fuchs and Simpson. On the plus side, Ulloa looked ****ing fantastic when he came on and easily could have bagged twice on another day.

[Dr The Singh]

Benny was the difference today,if he had a good game, we would.have won.

[volpeazzurro]

Well we now know if we didn't already that we haven't got strength in depth. Sorry  Thracian, but as much as I admire King as an individual,  he's not even a good squad player at this level. He was anonymous and contributed nothing. Must,  so poor I don't know what to say. Chilwell and Gray both very good prospects, that's it. Armarty did ok but is not a right back, not good enough and doesn't show the ability to be a midfielder,  so if he can't later make a centre half? (Still preferable to King in midfield however).

Not the end of the world today but highlighted our limitations.  Different team on Wednesday so reasons to be cheerful.

[Alan lcfc]

according to sky we made barkley look good, now that's worrying, benny has only played with ndidi in front of him, all of a sudden he's got the tackling might of drinkwater and king in front of him, what's he supposed to do , lets give him a break 2 out of 3 good games and a bit of a wobble today. we played a team that haven't played together and aren't going to know their positions at set pieces as solidly as the first 11, lets all bet on lcfc to win in Madrid can get 12/1 and is doable coyb

and I don't bet but odds are to good to miss

[Foxhateram]

10 minutes ago, Babylon said:

"Made Everton look good" they've mullered quite a few teams since the start of Jan. They are capable of being good without our help.

Ok maybe I phrased that wrong. We didn't play our high pressing game, which allowed them enough space to play it through our shakey defence. This made them look better than they actually are. 

[st albans fox]

Said before the game that we aren't able to play anything other than 100%

 

this was a throwback to the autumn but with a little better spirit 

 

expect similar next saturday at palace, assuming we are still in the tie.

 

would rather not play vards if he isn't going to able to play at full pelt. musa may as well run about and stretch the game. 

[CanadianFan]

23 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Benny was the difference today,if he had a good game, we would.have won.

I'm not sure we would have won, but there is no doubt that he was the main reason we lost. Someone should take him to one side and explain that the job of a central defender is to get between the attacker and the goal, especially on set pieces, then to jump up with the attacker and make sure that, even if they don't win the header, to do enough to put off the attacking player......making it difficult to score. I was really, really disappointed today to see Benny running a yard and a half behind the oncoming attacker, with no potential of a challenge, simply watching them head it, uncontested

, into the net. Not good enough.

[sm1]

Its funny how King is getting slaughtered on here yet it is DD who has been consistently shit for quite a few games. Ndidi has been covering for DD, something which King is not good enough to do. 

The biggest problem with this game was Shakey going 442 without a natural defensive midfielder. At least he should have brought on Simpson 2nd half (for Vardy) and moved Amartey to midfield and played a 451/433. Amartey could have shielded the defence and King could've played further up, his natural position. At the moment King is asked to play out of position next to an out of form DD, against one of the best 3 man midfield units in the league, and he's getting singled out because we got over run in midfield! This was a tactical error from shakey and its a little sad he hasn't learnt this lesson from our early season form.

It reminds me of the situation that Gerrard and Lampard were in with England, both fantastic midfielders, but when they were asked to sit in and become more defensive by England, they looked ordinary.

[VLC86]

Was I the only person here who saw the woman in Stanley park wearing just a t shirt and pants while scooting along on her Zimmer frame? Top stuff.