Everton post-match thread

[Marvin]

This is not a one off loss. We play exactly like this every week. Create very little, get outfought and defensively we are dire.

I thought maybe the Watford game was a turning point but no that looks like the aberration and this is back to normal. In fact the Watford game was normal for 80 minutes

 

[Tricky_Trev]

For me very typical Kevin de Bruyne away performance, the point where he lost the ball on the half way line then just got up and strolled back while Kun sprinted past him to close down on the edge of our box summed up his game. Would have been happier with sterling, Silva and Navas behind Kun tonight.

Silva is just as averse to defensive running at the moment. Maybe even more so.

 

[purplenose]

Yes, no point in going for it in a semi final when we could get an horrendous draw in the FA cup should we beat Norwich

Its amazing how any blue can belittle a semi final of a competition some of our fans are getting far to like the swamp people for my liking.

 

[the god Gerry Gow]

I am what you would call a happy clapper but I am very pissed off tonight. I am sick to the back teeth of watching us get out worked. Every single game is the same. The opposition are tight and hard to beat yet we are opened up with one pass time and time again. How many times did Berkley have the ball in acres of space?
We never win a second ball and any 50/50 is lost. It's all well and good having great footballers but if we don't actually work it is a waste of time.
Someone needs to fucking sort it because I can only see the whole season crumbling at the moment.

This.

Have staunchly defended Pellegrini but no longer.

Can't see any prospect of our form turning round anytime soon.

We are hanging on by our fingernails in all competitions at the moment but think that is all smoke and mirrors and am not we are gonna compete in any of them.

 

[Dhruv1]

Wasn't great tonight, 18 attempts 4 on target (according to BBC) and the defence was very suspect at times.
Unlucky first goal, not sure if it was offside but Caballero made the save thought he was pretty good.
Should've had a penalty and I don't think Agüero was offside one time Otamendi played him through.
Sergio great ball control and pass and Navas great run and finish. But really annoying to concede so soon after, again the crosser not closed down and no one was able to get tight enough in the box.
Our supporters were excellent, ofcourse especially at the start, loved it's only 6-1 and Kolo/Yaya.
Not too bad for a first leg we can come back at home.

 

[blueheart84]

Everton fan here.

Thought you only played at 70% tonight but you're still certainly favourites and I'm not looking forward to the return leg.

Basically came on to say how the hell doesn't Navas get in your team. He caused all kinds of problems when he came on and did the same at Watford - brilliant player. I know you've got some big names but Navas really stuck out for me.

Good luck in the return leg.

Well done to your team tonight.

I think you half answered the question yourself. When the rest of team is playing at 70% then he really does stand out, because you can depend on him to give 100%. When the team is clicking though (which has, admittedly, been quite rare this season), he probably isn't our best 11. He has the workrate but the end product lets him down too often. Having said that he has been very good in his last 2 substitute performances. He also gives the team a better balance in terms of defensive workrate. When both he and sterling play wide they provide much more defensive support to our fullbacks.

Hope we make it a tougher game when we meet next :)

 

[Essex blue]

That's my biggest concern. A 2-1 away defeat in the first leg of a cup tie isn't the end of the world, but we're in a malaise at the moment and there's no signs of getting out it. Our away form is abject at the moment.

Yet another piss poor result!!

I ain't no tactical genius but why don't we play more long balls?

You would have thought with navas and sterling plus kun we could scare the life out of the opposition on the counter but they know we will just pass it 10 metres to the nearest player.

Keep these three near the half way line spread across the pitch and the opposition will think twice before committing their full backs and leaving 3 on 3 with that amount of pace!

Didn't Hughes do it a few times when defending corners to stop the opposition from overloading our half.

He kept up to three players close to the half way line so a simple clearance into the opposition half would create havoc in their defence especially as the centre backs normally go up for the corner.

Surely it's go to be a better tactic away from home.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Bloody hell ! We could do with jimmygrimblesboots, for someone to do a toe-bunger !!

haha , i reckon Jimmy Grimble could have effected the game more than yaya tonight , looking forward to 2nd leg , need a full house getting behind the team , cheering us all the way to Wembley , i have seen so many disappointments over the years robbed in a league Cup Semi Final at Klanfield in the 80's , Spuds thrashing us at home in an FA Cup Quarter Final , and the infamous pitch invasion ,and much more , supporting city now , is a piece of cake. We should never forget were we have come from in a such a short space of time , predicting a 2-1 win in 2nd leg , and we win on penalties , its the City way.

 

[blueheart84]

Silva is just as averse to defensive running at the moment. Maybe even more so.

Yaya, Silva and DeBruyne are all guilty. Their defensive efforts make big sam look like an elite runner.

 

[g180aj]

Silva is just as averse to defensive running at the moment. Maybe even more so.

I know but Kev has pace and in all honesty I just thought he gave a lazy performance. It's far to clear to see that starting positions are far too much of a given for too many players and that's where Manuel is failing.