Everton post-match thread

[Dr.Faustus]

I disagree with that mate he moved side to side therefore confusing willy therefore interfering with ply

He also goes for the rebound (before pulling out) for just long enough for Caballero to pay attention to him (as well as Funes Mori) before the goal.

 

[willipp]

There has been a lot of criticism of Klopp this week. For me, I can see MP trying to be more measured in the knowledge of many games to come. Running around like idiots only works for so long. Neither can players be mentally 100% on it all the time. That's not human nature. Most of this squad know how to win and when the time is right.

Anyway, I thought that the away goal was the most significant part of last night. Everton were at the top of their game but they can't and don't that every week. Now they are three main players lighter.

There are between 25 to 35 ish games left this season. To decide that the season is already over is utterly bizarre. I can only foresee improvement. If people one to be negative, that's their problem and not mine.

I agree with you to an extent in that there is a long way to go this season and we are in prime position to have a fantastic season. That however is all down to the players and manager turning around what at the moment is game after game of very poor performances. At home we have won a lot of our games but i haven't really been overly convinced by our recent performances and away from home we are what can only be described at the moment as awful. Not just one or two games, this is now 3 months of awful football. I don't think our formation is helping at all, Sergio is so isolated far too often making it easy to defend against. KDB looks a bit lost stuck out wide far too often and Dave is not playing like we know he can. It needs changing quickly but pellers is showing no signs of having that in him.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

This was a performance which is typical of City at the moment and has been for some time, if we ignore the first 15 minutes. At first it looked as though Everton were not going to get a kick but we didn't create anything at all and the early impetus was soon lost. Everton were hard working, not particularly well organised but found City sunk deeply into some malaise. All too often I was reminded of a child's football game in which plastic players are attached to rods so that thay move up and down the pitch in straight lines, and, in City's case, at an even but very leisurely pace. Ya Ya had his worse game in a City shirt and looke exhausted at the pre-kick off handshake. The defence and CMs seemed to want to liven things up by giving the ball away every fourth pass and our front four failed to progress beyond the minefield the toffees had evidently placed on their own 18 yard line. The way we stood and watched their 10 men play keep ball at the end was a fair summary of the game. I can only assume that everyone is aware that Manuel will not be at the club next season and that many of the players are concerned that they will follow him through the door. We never brought Sergio into the game, David flits about but has no-one to slip the ball through to, Kevin runs with the ball but has nothing to do with it as he approaches the penalty box and Navas has no-one to cross too. There's never anyone in the other team's box.

Even so, and on the other side of the coin, a 2-1 defeat in the first leg is no disaster as Pellers seemed to accept by bringing on Fernando at the end. Their first goal was questionable though their second was rank bad defending by the midfield and back four. And God knows what we have to suffer to be awarded a penalty, or for an opponent to get a yellow card. There's still all to play for, but we have to improve markedly and we can't keep hoping everything will be OK if/when Vinnie comes back.

 

[trevorriley]

Not going to comment on our performance we all know...But I must have gone for a piss and taken 80 mins so missed something ! I Heard Everton fans saying how good they where on the radio after the game and should have been 3 or more, i thought for a cup semi final at home it was a poor effort from them. It was 30 mins before they got in to the game, thought they would have been at us from the kick off knowing they would want a 2 goal lead coming to Etihad. If thats their best shot at a first wembley appearance for years it wouldnt have impressed me as a home fan.

True they won 2-1 and got the result, but we always needed to score at least once at home anyhow to win the tie. Business as usual at Etihad in 3 weeks !

Thought their fans where quiet until the end, we sang our hearts out first half.

 

[coleridge]

I agree with you to an extent in that there is a long way to go this season and we are in prime position to have a fantastic season. That however is all down to the players and manager turning around what at the moment is game after game of very poor performances. At home we have won a lot of our games but i haven't really been overly convinced by our recent performances and away from home we are what can only be described at the moment as awful. Not just one or two games, this is now 3 months of awful football. I don't think our formation is helping at all, Sergio is so isolated far too often making it easy to defend against. KDB looks a bit lost stuck out wide far too often and Dave is not playing like we know he can. It needs changing quickly but pellers is showing no signs of having that in him.

I seriously doubt MP will change anything. It's up to the players. They have the ability to win a trophy or two this season. No excuses. No moaning. Do what is needed to win. That's all that is required until Pep arrives.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

My thoughts exactly, including the stand. I am amused to see exposed wiring, discarded old seats and dirty roofspaces on the concourse. It was like being back at Maine Road in the 70s.

I don't blame Yaya either. The numbskulls around me were furious too and had him down as lazy and all that but as you say, he's just physically gone. No matter what he's promised him, the manager has to bite the bullet or he will ruin the season.

Physically he has just "fallen off a cliff" and it is alarming that the manager isn't addressing that reality. I honestly think it would be doing him a favour if we could get him to New York fairly sharpish although clearly that won't happen. I can't believe he even wants to be playing in some of these domestic matches at the moment where the pace is so frantic. He just ends up scrambling around on the floor quite often because he can't cope with the physicality and pace of the game. I know this sounds harsh but not so long ago he looked majestic and now too often he looks a fool. He can't be enjoying that? Like I said, it is genuinely sad to watch at times.

 

[Marvin]

Not going to comment on our performance we all know...But I must have gone for a piss and taken 80 mins so missed something ! I Heard Everton fans saying how good they where on the radio after the game and should have been 3 or more, i thought for a cup semi final at home it was a poor effort from them. It was 30 mins before they got in to the game, thought they would have been at us from the kick off knowing they would want a 2 goal lead coming to Etihad. If thats their best shot at a first wembley appearance for years it wouldnt have impressed me as a home fan.

True they won 2-1 and got the result, but we always needed to score at least once at home anyhow to win the tie. Business as usual at Etihad in 3 weeks !

Thought their fans where quiet until the end, we sang our hearts out first half.

What is business as usual? All Everton have to do is run like f@@@ for 90 mins and they'll go through. We can't compete against teams that play like that

 

[Bozzie]

He also goes for the rebound (before pulling out) for just long enough for Caballero to pay attention to him (as well as Funes Mori) before the goal.

Each to their own, but I think we're clutching at straws if we think that should have been disallowed. If we're asking whether the current offside rules are too complicated and allow for too much interpretation, then that's a different issue.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

What is business as usual? All Everton have to do is run like f@@@ for 90 mins and they'll go through. We can't compete against teams that play like that

Can't or just don't? Genuine question, what needs to happen for us to be able to compete against teams that press us and hurry us? Because it is going to happen every single match from now to the end of the season because we have been well and truly sussed. If it isn't addressed then all this "fighting on all four fronts" stuff that seems to be the chosen argument of those who don't want to see what is in front of them is going to change fairly rapidly. Is it about player attitude or is it something Pellegrini has to address with his team selection and tactics?

 

[willipp]

I seriously doubt MP will change anything. It's up to the players. They have the ability to win a trophy or two this season. No excuses. No moaning. Do what is needed to win. That's all that is required until Pep arrives.

I think we are at rock bottom at the moment as well in terms of player form and confidence. I've never known Silva play like this before and Kun (if he stays fit) should keep getting better until he gets back to the levels we know he can reach. If even just those two start performing that would transform our attacking threat.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Physically he has just "fallen off a cliff" and it is alarming that the manager isn't addressing that reality. I honestly think it would be doing him a favour if we could get him to New York fairly sharpish although clearly that won't happen. I can't believe he even wants to be playing in some of these domestic matches at the moment where the pace is so frantic. He just ends up scrambling around on the floor quite often because he can't cope with the physicality and pace of the game. I know this sounds harsh but not so long ago he looked majestic and now too often he looks a fool. He can't be enjoying that? Like I said, it is genuinely sad to watch at times.

It is hugely alarming that the manager isn't addressing it. He would no doubt point to the goals YaYa has been getting but that's not the point. He's costing us control of matches.

Personally I don't think he's fallen off a cliff. I think it's been a slow decline for 2-3 years. Going to be really honest here, I think he's the most over-rated player in City history. The lack of short-range mobility was there, and costing us games, when he was at his peak. it's just gone much worse because his physical drive and ability to get past players has gone. He should have been sold 18 months ago when he had a market value and I'm not saying that with hindsight.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

On a lesser note anyone heard anything regarding the trouble on priory road near ground.heard it kicked of proper and in Liverpool Echo mentioned city fan spitting at a woman. And people saying blazing squad fight city fans.some Everton fans said it was worst trouble seen outside Goodson for years. I thought the ugly days were over and those involved should be ashamed.

 

[coleridge]

It is hugely alarming that the manager isn't addressing it. He would no doubt point to the goals YaYa has been getting but that's not the point. He's costing us control of matches.

Personally I don't think he's fallen off a cliff. I think it's been a slow decline for 2-3 years. Going to be really honest here, I think he's the most over-rated player in City history. The lack of short-range mobility was there, and costing us games, when he was at his peak. it's just gone much worse because his physical drive and ability to get past players has gone. He should have been sold 18 months ago when he had a market value and I'm not saying that with hindsight.

As I remember, cakegate was around the time that they then went to Abu Dhabi with the trophies and many of us said that his agent and him had moaned enough, and that he should go. I think that the MP/Pep situation has allowed him to carry on and I can't see it being resolved until the summer. It also seems clear that Pellers will keep playing him.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

It is hugely alarming that the manager isn't addressing it. He would no doubt point to the goals YaYa has been getting but that's not the point. He's costing us control of matches.

Personally I don't think he's fallen off a cliff. I think it's been a slow decline for 2-3 years. Going to be really honest here, I think he's the most over-rated player in City history. The lack of short-range mobility was there, and costing us games, when he was at his peak. it's just gone much worse because his physical drive and ability to get past players has gone. He should have been sold 18 months ago when he had a market value and I'm not saying that with hindsight.

I know there was some decline, even in 13/14 where his passing and his goals pretty much won us the title you could tell that physically he was on the wane. But I still think there has been a staggering further drop off physically since then. And like you I was definitely of the mind that he should have been sold at the end of that season, especially when he started kicking off in the summer. I think we would struggle to get rid at all now given his wages. Personally I wouldn't describe him as overrated but I don't think he was ever the box to box player some said he was. But he was an awesome force and I look back at the four trophies we have won in recent years and all four of them it felt like he ultimately dragged us to them when push came to shove.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

As I remember, cakegate was around the time that they then went to Abu Dhabi with the trophies and many of us said that his agent and him had moaned enough, and that he should go. I think that the MP/Pep situation has allowed him to carry on and I can't see it being resolved until the summer. It also seems clear that Pellers will keep playing him.

Yeah, that's when he should have gone. The thing is we really don't know what was agreed. I know Pellegrini is big on managing individuals and may have made various promises, and I sense Ya Ya is a big voice in the dressing room, especially in a team which seems at the moment to lack leadership on the field. But it doesn't matter. The team comes first and with a load of big games coming up, we can't keep leaving Fernandinho on his own mopping up in a Ya Ya-shaped hole at the back of the midfield.

interestingly, Guardiola fucked him off from Barca when he was at his peak so I have doubts whatsoever Ya Ya is finished here in the summer.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Not going to comment on our performance we all know...But I must have gone for a piss and taken 80 mins so missed something ! I Heard Everton fans saying how good they where on the radio after the game and should have been 3 or more, i thought for a cup semi final at home it was a poor effort from them. It was 30 mins before they got in to the game, thought they would have been at us from the kick off knowing they would want a 2 goal lead coming to Etihad. If thats their best shot at a first wembley appearance for years it wouldnt have impressed me as a home fan.

True they won 2-1 and got the result, but we always needed to score at least once at home anyhow to win the tie. Business as usual at Etihad in 3 weeks !

Thought their fans where quiet until the end, we sang our hearts out first half.

I agree with that. I don't think they were very good at all & I don't think they would get through the other semi final, they were lucky to be playing City, & our fans were better than theirs.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

On a lesser note anyone heard anything regarding the trouble on priory road near ground.heard it kicked of proper and in Liverpool Echo mentioned city fan spitting at a woman. And people saying blazing squad fight city fans.some Everton fans said it was worst trouble seen outside Goodson for years. I thought the ugly days were over and those involved should be ashamed.

Sure they weren't just trying to converse in the local dialect?

 

[Dr.Faustus]

Each to their own, but I think we're clutching at straws if we think that should have been disallowed. If we're asking whether the current offside rules are too complicated and allow for too much interpretation, then that's a different issue.

The goal should not have stood. It does not however excuse the fact that we should have done better.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I simply don't see these issues that others seem to be seeing.

Then you need to go see a good optician.

You don't see the poor performances against even mid-table teams?
You don't see the gaping holes in our defence every week?
You don't see the opposition midfield walking unopposed through our midfield?
You don't see the failure to organise the defence and midfield in front of the ball when we're not in possession?
You don't see the lazy, half-hearted performances from our world-class midfield?
You don't see our consistent failure to keep a clean sheet?

And you don't see all the other faults in our preparation and play?

Yes every player and team will have their off-days but apart from the end of last season and the start of this, we've been under-performing for nearly 12 months.

 

[dubblue]

It is hugely alarming that the manager isn't addressing it. He would no doubt point to the goals YaYa has been getting but that's not the point. He's costing us control of matches.

Personally I don't think he's fallen off a cliff. I think it's been a slow decline for 2-3 years. Going to be really honest here, I think he's the most over-rated player in City history. The lack of short-range mobility was there, and costing us games, when he was at his peak. it's just gone much worse because his physical drive and ability to get past players has gone. He should have been sold 18 months ago when he had a market value and I'm not saying that with hindsight.

Yep said it at the time also. We need to be better at knowing the right time to sell st a decent price.