Everton (FA Cup) Post Match Thread

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

I never felt like we were going to lose unless it was on penalties but in a tight game like that you can't be sure and they can be a threat from set pieces, which I thought we allowed them too many of. We defended set pieces really well though and Steffen only dealt with one shot on target; Zin handled the other.

What was particularly pleasing was that after we scored, we managed the game out without any real fuss.

This is isn't the first win that we have ground out this season and I have no doubt that in the past we would have come a cropper more often that we have this season. We aren't blowing sides away very often, which can make for more tension when watching, but, unless they should consistently let us down, we have to learn to trust in them to get the job done. I said to one of daughters who was flapping a little yesterday that it's a 90 minute game...

I am always nervous before games but last season the nerves used to get worse if we didn't get an early goal and if we hadn't scored and led by half time I feared the worst. I was rather unfair to the lads but there was a body of experience that backed up the belief that if the longer we went without a goal the more the tempo, the craft and the belief seemed to drain away. Last night, and for the last few months (with one exception), this was not the case: the lads kept playing their football (no resorting to impossible passes or going long in pursuit of some fictitious "plan B"), and the belief that this would pay off always remained firm. At half time I had not been particularly worried because one real chance has been enough for us. Everton were very resilient and were always in the game but the City side of this season may well be the best team in the world right now and we should take pride in that. It doesn't mean we'll win everything unless we can play like the best team in the world for the next 2 or three months but we have a bloody good team right now.

PS Thanks to Carlo Ancelotti for his typically generous comments.

 

[bluemanchester]

Havent got BT so yet another match I didnt watch.
Saw the highlights which dont really mean anything basically just showing a few goal chances from each team.

As others have said I was surprised the tannoy announcer thought Everton were playing utd. It's becoming a more common thing for people in the press/media to call City , utd. I wonder if it's done on purpose. I am sure I have heard match commenters call us utd this season.

Of coarse it is deliberate. Yesterday it was probably the same people at Everton who set it up that also did the press release about the covid game. In their small minded way they probably think it annoys us when in actual fact it makes us laugh. And I am sure United don't want linking to us winning. All it shows is that we have now lost our long held title, the bitters, who are the new bitters, United, Livarpool, Arsenal, Spurs and now Everton are the frontrunners. Makes it good to be a blue.

 

[Manc in London]

Somebody correct me if I’m wrong but haven’t we won something like our last 5 penalty shoot outs ?

The last one I remember us losing, outside of friendlies, was Doncaster in the League Cup. For some reason, I think Brighton may have beaten us on pens in around 2006 but cannot quite remember and I am far too lazy to Google.

 

[old blue]

The BBC edited did well to maximise Everton’s 26 per cent possession to make it look like an even contest. In fact it looked like Everton dominated the first half - which they clearly did not.

At one point Keown actually said that Everton were in our half, this was after about 20 minutes. MOTM painted a different scenario.

 

[growl]

I have just read that this was Pep's 279th game in charge of City which equals Tony Book's total.

 

[stonerblue]

What we saw yesterday was a team willing to scrap their way to a win if needed.
Everton fielded some big lads and weren't afraid to get stuck in and do the rough stuff.
Normally you'd expect a team of midgets to buckle under that type of pressure but our lads up front showed they weren't there to be pushed, pulled or kicked off the ball. Throw in some bigger back-up in the shape of Walker and Fern and a few timely digs and the opposition knew they weren't gonna kick us off the park.
The crisp passing in tight spots, receiving the ball with a defender charging in and the lightning quick one-two's were all on show despite the threat of a walloping from behind or late tackle.
I know todays game is a shadow of the organised brutality of the 70's and 80's but it still takes guts to play without fear of injury.

If we add this trait in the team together with all the others they have; the mesmerising passing, rock solid defending, organisation, intelligence and blindingly bright individuals then surely this could be the City team that has the best season any of us have ever seen.

 

[mac]

At one point Keown actually said that Everton were in our half, this was after about 20 minutes. MOTM painted a different scenario.

It wasnt to far after that I notice the pass stats. We had well over 200 and Everton had about 20.

 

[Scottish Cityzen]

At long last it’s great to see Zinny getting the praise he deserves. For me he always plays in our best starting line up. He’s so underrated and yet he just keeps us ticking over and moves the ball so well.

Even more under the radar is the way he has quietly improved his defensive abilities, his positioning means he rarely gets caught out - he used to be susceptible to a high diagonal but no more.

Pep’s ideal, having the brain and ability of a midfielder in a defensive position.

 

[inchy14]

It wasnt to far after that I notice the pass stats. We had well over 200 and Everton had about 20.

209-17 after 22 minutes....

 

[Hoghead]

Of coarse it is deliberate. Yesterday it was probably the same people at Everton who set it up that also did the press release about the covid game. In their small minded way they probably think it annoys us when in actual fact it makes us laugh. And I am sure United don't want linking to us winning. All it shows is that we have now lost our long held title, the bitters, who are the new bitters, United, Livarpool, Arsenal, Spurs and now Everton are the frontrunners. Makes it good to be a blue.

We're not really here.
We are not ........