Everton (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

[TinFoilHat]

We are missing two of the main ingredients for the goals in Kev and Haaland.

We've scored 20 goals in the last 9 games. Scoring isn't our problem.

 

[Phil1]

We've scored 20 goals in the last 9 games. Scoring isn't our problem.

I wasn’t inferring it was, I was giving Bigga an explanation as to why our tally may be slightly down on previous seasons. He seems to think it’s because of Grealish playing and Doku not.

 

[madloaf]

I hope you don't include me in your last sentence.

I was simply offering the differences in the impetus of 'controlled' control and controlled chaos and how it affects our attack. You could even argue how often we score vs chances made via Doku vs Grealish.

I'd love to see those stats somewhere.

Big chances created is 4 v 3 for Doku over Grealish according to the premier league stats - but i get what you mean in terms of him creating space for others to create by creating chaos.

I think grealish, particularly over the last 6 games, has got goals, and created big chances - he clearly wasn't 100% at the beginning of the year.

He doesn't square his defender up as much as doku, for sure, and when doku runs at people it definitely creates more chaos and is fun to watch, but the idea that grealish slows everything down isn't true either. Look at the two first half chances yesterday: (7 seconds to 32 seconds)



First one is grealish running at defenders, playing a perfect ball forward for alvarez, the 2nd one is grealish running at defenders and getting a shot away (admittedly a toe poke!)

You factor in the defensive side of the game as he showed last night, the diligence to do that side of the ball as well, and that's why I prefer him right now.

 

[Bigga]

We are missing two of the main ingredients for the goals in Kev and Haaland.

Whilst it's true, I don't think it's major factor.

What we're mainly missing is the direct threat to goals or attempts at goal which is why Doku is quite a loss at the minute.

I can see the trifecta of de Bruyne, Doku and Haaland all playing being a major turning point for the team.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I wasn’t inferring it was, I was giving Bigga an explanation as to why our tally may be slightly down on previous seasons. He seems to think it’s because of Grealish playing and Doku not.

Fair enough.

 

[OB1]

Nothing similar for me in the two, I assume you mean in the cup final ?

Jack jumped for header, wasn't even looking at the ball, it flicked his hand, I think 1 or 2 rags appealed half heartedly, game went on, and it was only awarded about 2 minutes later, after every angle was scrutinised by var to find one that helped united.

Last night the defender dived in front of a shot that may (or may not) have been goal bound to block, inherant risk there of it hitting his arm or hand, it hit his hand first, then his head (had it been the other way round, I suspect var would have ruled it out). Referee didn't give it, doubt he saw it, but every nearby City player appealed vociferously, and the linesman indicated he had seen it, the referee checked, clear penalty under these rules, and it seems var confirmed it, I presume they checked what it hit first, as I doubt the linesman could see that.

Too much fuss has been made over last night’s penalty award. The defender blocked a shot with his arm, which was pretty much above his head. So hard not to give it.

Handball is always going to be a problem because I’m sure that more often than not it is given for offences that were not deliberate. However, you have to penalise instances that if you didn’t, players could start taking advantage of. Last night‘s would be one of those, IMO. I’m sure I’d feel differently about that one if I was a Neverton supporter.

Fundamentally, if you block a shot with your arm, and the arm is not glued to the body i.e. there’s daylight (or floodlight) between the arm and body, you should expect to be penalised.

The Grealish one in the Cup Final was quite different and was an appalling decision.

 

[OB1]

Probably because it was yet another game where he was kicked to fuck and then booked for nothing.

Yup.

 

[cleavers]

They won’t be pragmatic very often. Whilst, especially with hindsight, there are times when a big boot up the field would be the best option, it’s not how we play and choosing the right time to divert from plan is probably harder in the moment than we might think in many cases.

No I realise that, as I say I normally like it, but it was quite obvious last night that it was getting too tight in the latter part of the first half, as Everton were putting everything into it, and basically overloaded us, hence the Rodri slip/mistake.

The one highlighted in the video also looks very tight, but they weren't pressing as hard by then, it's very hard to keep that up for long, as you have to do a lot of running while we just move the ball.

 

[cleavers]

We've scored 20 goals in the last 9 games. Scoring isn't our problem.

No defending is.

 

[Bigga]

I wasn’t inferring it was, I was giving Bigga an explanation as to why our tally may be slightly down on previous seasons. He seems to think it’s because of Grealish playing and Doku not.

We've scored much more when Doku's been playing than when Grealish has.

Have the goals not been harder to come by since Grealish's 'control' style has re-entered our game?