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Richard Lyons
1 Posted 31/12/2016 at 07:15:41
"We showed a really good attitude and reaction twice." Koeman or Martinez speaking?
Ralph Basnett
3 Posted 31/12/2016 at 08:29:16
I have stopped commenting on our performances post match and give them the benefit of the doubt overnight to try my best to give a balanced opinion but it always boils down to the same thing – we are shit, we have been shit for far too long to remember and we need a major overhaul!!!!!

Happy New Year everyone and hopefully the whole of Everton will wake up and give us what we deserve.

Ian Hollingworth
4 Posted 31/12/2016 at 08:56:32
Let's put things into perspective here, Hull are basically the same team from the Championship and sit bottom place in the Premier League.

We are too slow and lack real quality. The first goal was a combination of mistakes by Jags and Barry, I guess many on here could have predicted that when they were selected. Why make so many changes to a winning team? It's not like we have quality players busting to get back in the team.

I think we need a reality check: we are not very good, our players are not very good (generally speaking), we are not playing as a team, we do not appear to try very hard, we are not fit enough.

The goalkeeping situation is a disgrace and should have been sorted in the summer. Neither of our goalkeepers are good enough for a Premier League team with aspirations of climbing the league. It's laughable that many on here thought that Joe Hart was not needed.

Relying on Lukaku as the lone striker is suicide as he may get injured or guess what just be in a poor run of form. Continually giving contract extensions to ageing players including ones who never actually play is a mystery. That mentality is what keeps us where we are because we accept mediocrity. We appear content to just survive in the Premier League.

As fans it only takes one win for us to start thinking we have turned the corner and we are not that bad. If we want to progress we have to accept that our so called stars are not good enough and guess what they need replacing by not only better quality players but also by winners as that is a trait we do not possess.

We need a major overhaul starting now in the January window. Don't hold your breath, though, as with Kenwright still in charge, there is still something fishy about the new ownership to me.

Phil Flannery
5 Posted 31/12/2016 at 08:57:10
Ralph, I probably agree but what's getting worse is the pace we play at – far too many touches, and it's so pedestrian. We are miles of the pace of the top teams. Desperate for forward passing midfielders! Too many one-trick ponies to choose from.
Nick Armitage
6 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:09:37
The fellas on Sky summed us up perfectly last night. Barkley simply not doing enough and the defence dropping far too deep.

Sort or eliminate these and we'll be okay.

Stan Schofield
7 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:26:43
Koeman's apparent lack of a system, effective organisation and tactics puzzles me. I'd like that to be sorted out before shipping out any of our good players.

I accept it will take time to get us to consistent top-6 with European qualification, but equally I would expect to see improvements on the pitch NOW. We have the players to beat the likes of Hull, but our lack of effective organisation seems to be preventing it. Koeman keeps talking about pressing, but pressing is only one ingredient. To be effective, it has to be on the back of an effective system.

Kieran Fitzgerald
8 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:28:05
Younger legs are starting to get a lot more game time. Clavert-Lewin and Davies won't just suddenly disappear come mid-January. I think that these two, plus Holgate, have shown enough over half a season to justify more game time in the next half a season.

I am making myself be patient. You can't just drop Barry, Baines and Jagielka completely and replace them with eighteen year old kids. Koeman seems to be blooding kids in a way that won't destroy them. Are they able for more than he is giving them? I don't know, I don't see them in training day to day. For now, I will give the benefit.

If the transfer window can produce Schneiderlin then fair enough. Use him, Gueye and Davies more and keep fazing Barry out gradually. His experience on the pitch and around the squad, as well as Jagielka's, can still be a help.

John McGimpsey
9 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:35:36
And still the comments contain digs at Ross, who had a good game compared to others.
Andrew Clare
10 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:36:24
Unfortunately the pundits were spot on with their pre-match assessment. We are a mid table team and a club that just doesn't have the spending power of the six clubs above us. Unless we make some very astute signings in this window and the next I really can't see the situation changing.

In that time, we require at least six new first team players. I'm sure Koeman knows this. Barry, Baines and Jags have had their time now and need to be replaced. I would also move Williams on as well. The goalkeeper situation also needs to be addressed as at this level a top class goalkeeper is essential.

Our midfielders are too lightweight and lack creativity. Meanwhile Lukaku needs a strike partner. There is a lot to be done. I just hope Moshiri has deep pockets. It's a tall order we the teams above us have a transfer budget at least ten times bigger than ours!

Paul Traill
11 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:38:09
We were terrible last night, atrocious. However I believe if we didn't concede the second goal when we did we'd have gone on to win. That was never a free-kick. A quite awful award from Moss and that gave Hull a set-piece – literally their only route to goal.
Tony McNulty
12 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:46:41
With our current set of players, in 7th place, we are the best of the rest.

And the gap between ourselves and the top five is wide indeed (I am less sure about Man Utd).

A good transfer window could change things, but without decent reinforcements we will continue to spin our wheels.

Brian Harrison
13 Posted 31/12/2016 at 09:52:28
Yet another change in personnel and, just to add a little more confusion, change the system from a back 3 to a back 4. We lack creativity, our back 4 cant push up to try and squeeze the game because they are to old and slow and are scared of a ball played over the top were they will have to turn and chase.

People can go on and on about Barkley but he has had countless opportunities and always fails to deliver. When did you come away from a game and think Barkley was Man of the Match? Yes he scored last night but for most of the game was anonymous, along with Lukaku.

Barry has been a good player but age is starting to catch up with him sadly, and last night Gueye had his worst game in a blue shirt but he is allowed an off night. Whether its Valencia, Mirallas, Lennon, Deulofeu or Bolasie this team lacks goals, add to that the fact Barkley rarely scores and there in lies the problem.

Too old and slow at the back, not creative enough up front and generally lack goals from forwards. Either Walsh and Koeman have to unearth some gems or Moshiri, you'd better get your mate Usmanov to join you as you will need hundreds of millions to put this club right.

Alistair Grist
14 Posted 31/12/2016 at 10:00:05
More or less spot on, Ian Hollingworth. Patience and perspective...
John Raftery
15 Posted 31/12/2016 at 11:03:18
'Hundreds of millions to put this club right' is wishful thinking. Money may be invested in a new stadium but, as far as the team is concerned we will almost certainly have to manage within our normal income, mainly comprising the TV money, plus whatever marginal loans Mr Moshiri is prepared to underwrite.

On the pitch, we continue to demonstrate our inability to control games in any aspect, whether it be defence, midfield or attack. It was obvious last night the defence was sitting too deep to compensate for ageing legs, the midfield was therefore too stretched and the attack usually found themselves heavily outnumbered because our build up play was too slow.

Nevertheless, our points total of 27 at the halfway point in the season reflects some progress compared with last season. Our form in December of eight points from six games is an improvement on October and November when we took only five points from six games.

A positive is that the players are showing more spirit than in the last couple of seasons under Martinez but that will never compensate for our failure to control games.

Paul Kennedy
16 Posted 31/12/2016 at 11:14:25
Pay them half as they only ever deliver 45 minutes. Crap again.
Kunal Desai
17 Posted 31/12/2016 at 12:00:42
We'll finish 7th come the end of the season. We're probably the least garbage out of 14 other teams that are also crap in the separate league.

This 3-year 'project' might have to be revisited though, it should be how to bridge the gap to 6th place. I cannot see in the next few years how Everton will finish above any of those sides, let alone have Champions League aspirations.

Mike Powell
18 Posted 31/12/2016 at 12:05:14
Last night proved again that we need at least 5 players in January. Barry is too slow; Valencia is a poor player; Jags is past his best.

I can't believe that Barkley was again the scapegoat, him and Mirallas were the only two players to come out of it with any credit. Watch the game again and see how many great through balls he did; compare that with how many of the other players couldn't find a blue shirt.

Well, roll on the transfer window – let's get fresh legs in there.

Mark Andrews
19 Posted 31/12/2016 at 12:37:44
Yet another dreadful performance. Slow, languid and lacking in pace and creativity. Old legs showing their age and sluggishness. Paying £12M for a 33-year-old central defender looks like an extreme act of panic and sheer folly.

As for the young bucks, well I'm yet to see anything of the promise people see in Davies. His touch is as poor as his positional sense, his passes that don't go backward or sideways either go astray or put the recipient in trouble. If people like him because of his energy, I'd say that simply isn't enough at this level. Calvert-Lewin shows a little promise but it's early days for the young lad.

As for Koeman, what is his plan, what is his style? He leaves me cold and uninspired, it appears his players feel the same. He's looking like a man who's ambition massively outstrips his ability as a coach.

The football we play is dour and horrific to watch. I suppose we can look to see what Walsh and the club have planned for the winter window but I don't feel good about the progress of this current "project". It was Hull we were playing. Hull. A Championship team earmarked to go straight back down.

Hoping for a Happy New Year.

Sean Patton
20 Posted 31/12/2016 at 14:06:32
Seeing as Koeman has just given Barry a new contract, I wouldn't be so sure that he thinks his days are numbered.
Mike Powell
21 Posted 31/12/2016 at 14:51:38
I agree with Mark about Davies. What do people see in him? I don't think he passed to a blue shirt once .There was one instance when he gave the ball away in our own penalty area.
Mike Gaynes
22 Posted 31/12/2016 at 15:42:13
Paul (#11), the true blame for the second Hull goal goes to our best player. Gana gave the ball away with a limp pass in a critical location, then spent a vital moment flapping his arms instead of immediately reacting. His worst moment of the season.

And yes, the foul was dodgy, but probably more than half of Premier League referees would have called it. Baines did have his hand on the shoulder, and the falldown was persuasive.

Ian #4, the goalkeeping situation is far from a "disgrace"... neither Stekelenburg nor Robles is brilliant, but we weren't going to pry away Butland or Schmeichel or one of the other top young keepers last summer.

And you're welcome to your opinion that Hart at £110k/week would have been the answer, but I'd say the skeptics have been vindicated. Torino are 15th out of 20 defensively in Serie A, and Hart's current body of work can be viewed on YouTube in the December 19 game against Napoli.

Ralph Basnett
23 Posted 31/12/2016 at 16:20:19
How anyone can see anything in this team that will keep them at 7th is beyond me.

Yet another early goal conceded, so all teams we play are going to press at the start and we still don't learn, press Everton and they will just pass it across the back four and make a mistake, so the opposition press us until we play it across the back four until we make a mistake (cheers for that Martinez). Lukaku is most dangerous if you allow him to run at you down the middle, so they push him out wide – and he goes.

This was not just last night, this is week in week out, this team needs a massive clear out but more importantly we still need to look at who is dishing out contracts after Baines and Barry are rewarded for playing shit with new contracts – it beggars belief!!!!

We need at least 5 players in January – and that is at the start, not panic buys at the end – just to sustain our 7th place. Without this, we are going one way, and that is down – the table that is – and not to the Championship.

Lev Vellene
25 Posted 01/01/2017 at 01:06:46
We need enthusiasm, and there's been none of that in the squad, or the stands, really (from early on). So I'll still advocate for Davies, Holgate et al to get a shot every other game!

The old lazy bastards are... lazy? Let them come in to protect our good position if/when the hungrier players have gotten us to that point, and then falter to the high pressure (as Koeman assumes...)!

The old squad certainly feel no pressure to perform from the get go!
David Price
26 Posted 01/01/2017 at 09:42:54
One question, why change a winning team???

I love jags but he is clearly struggling. Why drop anyone who played at Leicester? As far as our youngsters go, there is some criticism of Koeman not giving youngsters a chance – he has and I for one would love to see it continue.

And on that point, why don't we give Holgate more time? I for one think he's top quality and is clearly a player who can cope and excel at the top level.

Happy New Year to all Toffees.

Rick Tarleton
27 Posted 01/01/2017 at 11:14:04
Another excellent report and analysis, Lyndon. The point you are making is that Koeman's team's selection seems to be whimsical; he does not seem to know what his preferred starting eleven should be. His rotation equally seems to show no coherent plan.

I do hope that, in the FA Cup he puts out a strong team and does not use it as an opportunity to rest his main players. There are two reasons why he must do this:

Firstly because the FA Cup is our only hope of anything this season and needs to be given a high priority and secondly and much more selfishly, myself two sons, and two grandsons are making the 300-mile round trip to cheer on Everton against our nearest team (Leicester) and for the younger grandson, it'll be his first trip to Goodison.

Colin Glassar
28 Posted 01/01/2017 at 11:39:35
The journos on Sunday Supplement were talking about Koeman being "a man in a hurry" ergo, he wants to be successful at Everton asap so he can move on.

Speaking about his ruthless streak (I've mentioned this before many times) he will walk over anyone (players, chairman) who gets in his way or will walk, according to them, hence the Barkley rumours.

He wants to win at any cost and that could mean ripping apart this squad in the very short term.

Ian McDowell
29 Posted 01/01/2017 at 11:52:02
Colin, that sounds a good thing.

This squad has had its day unfortunately and now needs major surgery. We should back Koeman and let him get on with doing things his way.

Colin Glassar
30 Posted 01/01/2017 at 12:15:59
Geri leaving on loan... running out of patience with Ross, publicly... maybe selling Jags... sending Niasse to Coventry etc.

I think this window might show us if these rumours really are true, Ian.

John G Davies
31 Posted 01/01/2017 at 12:39:05
In a 3-5-2 formation, we would need a left sided centre back. Williams in the middle of new signing and Holgate. Wing backs Baines and Coleman,both better going forward than defending. Three centre-halves gives them cover. 3 in central midfield would be Schneiderlin, Gana and a No 10 new signing. A forward to play alongside Lukaku would be already here: young Dominic or Valencia.

So three signings for me would be a start to getting a big improvement.

Steve Harris
33 Posted 01/01/2017 at 19:44:04
Why is everyone slagging off Davies when he hasn't had a chance!! He had a great game on his debut under Unsworth and he's done well every time he's had a few cameo roles coming on for the last 20 mins or so, giving us much needed energy and zest which changed the game against Leicester.

Admittedly he wasn't so effective against Hull but he should of come on at half time, not when the pressure was on to deliver just as we went 2-1 down. He's got the makings of being a top player, don't destroy him before he's fucking started!

Paul Hay
34 Posted 02/01/2017 at 10:45:19
If we can get 3 points from Saints and then make some worthwhile additions this window, at halfway through the season, I reckon that things should be more positive.

I do share the opinion of Ralph (#30) to be honest and will be amazed if we get higher than 8th place this year.

I just want to see more structure and an identifiable system as at times I cannot fathom what we're about. I drove back to London after the Hull game in a daze – to scrape a draw there? I was pleased for Ross with his goal and a great delayed pass from Leighton Baines but at times we were simply pitiful – and it's very rare that I put criticism of our team in writing.

I don't pretend to have the answers and it's needless adding to the frustrations felt here but, whatever is happening on the field, we simply have to get behind the boys like we did at the Arsenal game far more consistently.

Happy New Year to all of you and your families. Stay healthy and above all...

Keep the faith.


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