Porto a little too good for Everton in The Algarve

Sunday, 22 July, 2018 72comments  |  Jump to most recent
FC Porto 1 - 0 Everton
A more senior line-up was named by Marco Silva for tonight's finale of the Algarve Football Cup, when Everton took on FC Porto at Estádio Algarve in Faro, Portugal.

Yesterday's goalless outing against Lille OSC, that Everton lost on penalties, featured what many regard as the second string of players Marco Silva has inherited, with Tom Davies the only regular first-teamer from last season making a brief substitute appearance.

While the likes of Ademola Lookman and Theo Walcott were absent with minor injuries, youngster Anthony Evans, meanwhile, was on the trip but did not get any game time with the seniors.

Some good football early on with Mirallas firing on a nice shot that was tipped over. Incredibly, Schneiderlin heads away from the open goal! Mirallas crossed well but Tosun's acrobatic strike was never on.

Dowell went on a tentative run and finished with a shot that tested Casillas. He then put in a trio of dangerous corner kicks. Mirallas, Dowell, and Tosun were all making good runs, but Schenerlin was called for a rather robust foul.

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Tosun dug out a fine shot from a Coleman cross that smacked the post with Casillas beaten. That led to a speedy counter by Porto that was thwarted by Baines and Davies. But Aboubakar got behind the Everton defenders and came close to flicking it past Stekelenburg, almost a goal. At the other end, Sandro fired low just wide of the post and into the side netting.

Porto then had a spell of control and almost gave up a goal with poor marking off a corner, but Stekelenburg saved well, low to his left. Sandro chased his man well and was called for a nothing foul, and was booked when he suggested as much to the ref. From the free-kick Porto bundled it in but were called back for offside.

There were no changes at the half-time break and Porto showed well with Otávio crossing in low but no takers. Dowell, then Davies with some strange touches demonstrated how not to control the ball

Marega looked offside but galloped in to nutmeg Stekelenburg. Poor defensive covering. That seemed to take the wind out of Everton sails while Porto became emboldened. Porto then began to dominate totally, helped by the officials, with Dowell wrongly called offside and the team play getting a little sloppy, in need of some substitutes.

Tosun and Sandro got through the Porto defence but totally fluffed their lines. Some really sloppy play, Everton won a free kick and Schneiderlin lazily hoofs it straight to a defender... poor fair really.

Brahimi scampered through and played in João Pedro, whose shot slammed into Stekelenburg, who then saved a soft header from the corner with 20 mins to go and still no substitutes.

Sandro played in a great ball that Tosun could not dig out for a scoring header. Finally, some subs, with Vlasic on for Mirallas as Everton took a corner but no chance created. Coleman went on a good run down the wing but ran the ball out.

Holgate intercepted well to prevent a shot on goal but Everton were stymied going forward. Besic ran forward as a late sub but his ball was too hard for Vlasic. And the game petered out to a rather disappointing end, with Everton rather poor in the second half, unable to really make anything count.

Scorer: Marega (51').

FC Porto: Casillas (78' Vana), João Pedro, Felipe (73' Chidozie), Diogo Leite, Alex Telles, Otávio (81' Pereira), Sérgio Oliveira (73' Costa), Óliver Torres, Brahimi (81' Lopez), Marega (78' Maxi), Aboubakar (73' Saidy).

Everton: Stekelenburg, Baines, Keane, Jagielka (75' Holgate), Coleman, Schneiderlin [Y:21'], Davies (87' Niasse), Dowell (87' Besic), Mirallas (73' Vlasic), Sandro [Y:44'], Tosun.
Subs Not Used: Hewet, Hilton, Williams, Klaassen, Calvert-Lewin, Connolly, Pennington, Kenny, Robinson.

 

Reader Comments (72)

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Simon Smith
1 Posted 22/07/2018 at 17:05:08
Why hasn't Lookman travelled?
Fran Mitchell
2 Posted 22/07/2018 at 17:24:38
Most talk when treating youngsters to be promoted has been of Dowell and Robinson, yet seemingly under the radar, Anthony Evans, with the recent comments around him, suggests that he may be well placed to be this season's young man in the squad.

A winger, pace and skill, seemed to do well on his short-term loan last season (personally, I much prefer short-term loans to season long ones for player development). Anybody with any further knowledge of the man?

Dave Abrahams
4 Posted 22/07/2018 at 18:19:43
Fran (#1),

Anthony is well regarded at Goodison, big strong forward with plenty of skill, not afraid to shoot from distance, can make as well score goals.

He was forming a good working relationship with Fraser Hornby at the end of last season when he suffered a bad ankle injury; he is just coming back from that. Yes keep your eye on Evans, he is still only nineteen, he could get one or two games next season. By the way, he is more of a striker than a winger, and he is always looking for the ball, never goes missing.

I don't know what position Connolly will finish up in, midfield or full-back, but I prefer him to Robinson; he looks more of a footballer to me, with an eye for goals.

Derek Knox
5 Posted 22/07/2018 at 18:55:17
Good info there, Dave, regarding Anthony Evans, I have seen him a couple of times and he indeed looks worthy of further attention.

You also mention that he is always looking for the ball, which is a plus in my estimation. I have always liked Dowell, but he does tend to 'disappear' in games, and unlike young Evans, very rarely goes looking to get the ball back once dispossessed.

John Keating
6 Posted 22/07/2018 at 18:56:00
Dave,

I think Connolly is a bit like Alan Harper – you could play him anywhere and he'd put in a good solid shift.

Great to have someone like that in the squad but being so versatile maybe not great for the lad himself.

Dave Abrahams
7 Posted 22/07/2018 at 19:12:59
John (6), yes Alan Harper was under-rated and didn't do himself any favours by being versatile, much like Kevin Richardson. Mind you, Kevin won two championship titles at Everton and Arsenal.
Mark McParlan
8 Posted 22/07/2018 at 20:09:10
Does anyone know where Calvert-Lewin is? Did he travel on the tour?

I've watched all the pre-season friendlies and have suddenly come to the realisation that I don't once remember seeing him playing.

Philip Bunting
9 Posted 22/07/2018 at 20:50:31
Good all round first half. Sandro and Mirallas doing well on the flanks. Dowell moving the ball nicely. Just a goal or 2 needed. Feeling a lot more positive after that.
Colin Malone
10 Posted 22/07/2018 at 20:56:04
Justed watched the first half: is Mirallas reborn for this season? Jagielka solid as ever... what Koeman was thinking about Jags was unbelievable, still one of the best defenders in the Premier.
Colin Malone
11 Posted 22/07/2018 at 20:58:34
Need some guile down the middle for Tosun to run on to; everything coming from the flanks.
David Mckee
12 Posted 22/07/2018 at 21:07:32
As an Everton Member, I am having trouble logging into the Porto game using the Password e-mailed to me. There are o's and zeros in the password capital O and also 01s and I have a number of combinations without success anybody got an answer, or had similar trouble.
Jim Bennings
13 Posted 22/07/2018 at 21:32:48
Standing by what I said last night.

They might only be friendly matches but I just don’t see enough goals in the team next season.

Richarlison might add a bit more but seriously think we lack a top top striker.

Tommy Surgenor
14 Posted 22/07/2018 at 21:51:51
Think we are looking pretty well organised at the back. However, coming forward we are extremely pedestrian, static and predictable.
Lennart Hylen
15 Posted 22/07/2018 at 21:54:14
New manager, new season, same players, same results, same shit.
Clive Rogers
16 Posted 22/07/2018 at 21:59:24
Mark (#8), Calvert-Lewin has had a back problem. I think it's a recurrence of an injury he had last season.
Conor Skelly
17 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:03:07
Sandro proved tonight he can play. Showed excellent technique and a great attitude. All he needs is confidence. He can do everything but seems to be a sensitive soul who may not have the head for it. Time will tell but he should remain with us for the first part of the season at least.

Tosun showed some excellent touches in the first half but his lack of mobility is a worry. He's never going to win us a game on his own.

Baines struggled in the second half and was caught out in behind several times. One such time led to the goal. Digne looks to be a more than adequate replacement, should we sign him.

On the other side, Coleman's lack of natural ability was quite evident tonight against technically superior players. His game has never been technical and he will improve with fitness.

Overall a decent display, especially in the first half but we need more goals in the squad. We need a mobile striker who can run in behind and down the channels and we need a play-maker who can find him. We should swerve Richarlison. The inflated price aside, he's not what we need.

Gavin Johnson
18 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:03:49
Pretty grim to watch. Fingers crossed we bring in a midfielder or striker, besides Richarlison, Digne and Mina if the latter two happen.

The positives are that we should be better with Sigurdsson, Richarlison, Walcott and Lookman in the squad.

I thought Sandro put a decent shift in. He's a grafter and I think he might be retained. I'd like to see him played centrally. He is meant to be a striker, after all. He's not gonna get ahead of Walcott, Lookman and Richarlison out wide.

Clive Rogers
19 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:04:37
Jim (#13), goals is the worry. The jury is still out on Tosun. He may not have the pace for the Premier League. Sandro played better tonight, but his shooting is awful.
Paul Birmingham
20 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:10:59
For me... a mixed bag. Big fortnight ahead for the squad. Dust down now and show true grit and character.

Early days but it's hard to see where / when the nous and character, required to make a solid challenge on the top 6, will come from.

Long way to go; we must give Silva time and patience is needed. I sense though and understandably many see this as the same old, same old..

Michael Lynch
21 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:15:54
The positives – Sandro is not absolutely fucking useless, he's actually almost mediocre. Baines is quite fit for a 38-year-old. Tom Davies has lovely hair.

The negatives – everything else.

Don't know how much we're paying Silva, but boy is he going to earn it coaching this squad.

Jim Bennings
22 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:22:08
Yep, sadly it's just pretty much the same as I expected.

Everton pack all the punch of a box of Farley's Rusks and, aside from the 25-goal Lukaku seasons we had, it's pretty much looking back to what we are used to and hard to see next season being much different on the goalscoring front.

Tommy Surgenor
23 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:26:44
Reminded me of Martinez's second season without Lukaku there to score something from nothing.
Peter Morris
24 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:30:01
We played okay in the first half but went backwards in the second.

Another goal surrendered by Tom Davies losing the ball in centre midfield. How many times? I know the lad is still young, but for me he is too much of a liability with possession to be a regular starter. I compare him with a player like Luka Modric, who never wastes the ball. He had to be a benchmark for Tom to emulate.

I hope now that the manager has seen enough of Kevin Mirallas to write him off. He has also given Dowell, Sandro and Besic enough of a chance to make his mind up about these guys. Is Sandro worth a salary which is maybe 5 times that of Dowell? Probably not.

Rob Dolby
25 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:30:22
No matter which way we juggle these players, we have a serious lack of quality.

Losing Lukaku and replacing him with Tosun isn't going to be the answer. We need goals from the midfield.

From the pre-season games I have seen, Besic has done his case no harm. The rest need to pull their socks up.

It's going to be an interesting first couple of months.

Tony Twist
26 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:31:27
It seems pretty obvious that there were a few reserves thrown in that team. Sandro instead of Walcott, Mirallas instead of Lookman (or Richarlison) and Dowell instead of Sigurdsson.

To truly make an impression in attack, I think we need Walcott, Lookman and Richarlison to really add some pace to this team. I can't see any pace coming from our midfield.

Mark Brennnan
27 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:42:34
Mix-up between Baines and Jags gifted the goal. It looked like they are trying to get used to his set up and they are struggling. I reckon maybe 6 of them will start against Wolves.

I'd like to see the new lads in sharpish and a game or two together as a starting 11 before 11 August.

Danny Halsall
28 Posted 22/07/2018 at 22:58:52
It's still relatively early in pre season and we still have 2 and a bit weeks of the window left. Not panicking just yet, but it's fair to say that we do look a little pedestrian going forward – although we have been unlucky with offsides and hitting posts, also lots of potential attaching options out of the team at the moment.

I'm going to stick to the positives – I have been very impressed with Mo Besic, I think he has done enough to play a part this season. Tosun is a good footballer, but was too isolated tonight, needs more bodies around him. Hopefully this will be the case when Walcott, Lookman, Richarlison are available for selection again.

I thought we were well organised and, even though we lost the game, I don't think there would have been many complaints if the score would have ended as the reverse. I know there are many on here who say it's more of the same, but I can see green shoots starting to appear. The players certainly have a better attitude, we definitely look more organised and we seem to be passing the ball around well at this stage.

The things that are letting us down are the odd moments of being sloppy in possession which tonight cost us a goal. Lots of work to do, but I'm certainly not worried, at the moment at least!

William Gall
29 Posted 22/07/2018 at 23:08:45
We can sign as many wingers as we want but the problem of replacing Lukaku is still a problem. As supporters, we were all aware of the problems facing Silva and hopefully some of them can be solved by the next couple of weeks.

I have said it a couple of times – the season starts in less than 3 weeks and we need to have any new signings in place before that, so that the team that goes to Wolves don't have new players just signed a couple of days before, or hours before the window closes.

Tom Bowers
30 Posted 22/07/2018 at 23:13:21
Chances but nothing going in the net which really is indicative of what the offence is made of. Now perhaps Silva is aware of the inefficiencies of Sandro and Mirallas. They are just not good enough.

It will be interesting if nothing else to see if Tosun is paired up with Richarlison or Walcott in the next two friendlies, or Niasse and one of those others. This is depending on Walcott's fitness and the signing of Richarlison of course.

However, no goals at all in two games, especially yesterday against mediocre opposition, is scary.

Sometimes pre-season games can be misleading but we have seen this same Everton squad play this way before and a lot has to change to convince everyone who watches them that they can be competitive when push comes to shove in a few weeks.

Matthew Williams
31 Posted 22/07/2018 at 23:13:42
Doesn't bode well for the two domestic cups, does it!

Sigh.

Kase Chow
32 Posted 22/07/2018 at 23:19:25
There is just not enough goal scoring threat in the team.

We desperately need a decent striker.

Andrew Thompson
33 Posted 22/07/2018 at 23:37:13
All these comments about replacing Lukaku are so humorous. We haven’t had a goal scorer like that in decades, not likely to happen again any time soon.
Conor Skelly
34 Posted 22/07/2018 at 23:57:26
Don't be surprised to see us make a serious move for Rashford in the coming weeks.
Ed Prytherch
35 Posted 22/07/2018 at 00:07:21
I will be surprised if either Bolasie or Lookman are still Everton players when the season starts. Walcott, Tosun and Richarlison will fill the starting slots and the other two will not fancy sitting on the bench. Mirallas should go too but who will take him? Vlasic was not great this weekend but he or Dowel might be able to cover the Left wing position.
I think that Gana will displace Tom Davies but will Schneiderlin be ahead of Besic for the 3rd MF spot?
At the back Holgate looks at least as good as Keane but maybe we bring in the tall Colombian guy. Keane and Baines were both asleep for the goal when Davies coughed up the ball in midfield. I like Baines but his reign is coming to an end.
Lev Vellene
36 Posted 23/07/2018 at 00:13:36
The commentators were impressed a bit by Mirallas!

But as usual he had 1/3 OK/good stuff, 2/3 not so much. I still can't understand why he keeps ignoring invites for balls out to the left wing, but instead turns inside every time... It's almost as if he hates the thought of anyone else giving a cross from there...

Nicholas Ryan
37 Posted 23/07/2018 at 02:54:48
People are saying that Tosun is slow. The two slowest strikers I ever saw, were Gerd Muller and Paulo Rossi; but, boy did they know where the net was!
Victor Yu
38 Posted 23/07/2018 at 02:57:26
Big Sam has ruined us badly (he has done it to almost all teams he managed before too). It will take a lot of effort to stablize the ship now.
John Boon
39 Posted 23/07/2018 at 03:10:44
While not overly impressed by either game I think it is far too early to adopt a negative attitude. In the first half I thought we were much better than Porto but lacked bite. Silva has a huge challenge ahead but we must give him a decent chance. Anyone is better than Allardyce.
PS
David (12).. I am also a member and had a difficult time with the Os and os. The game had been on for about fifteen minutes before I managed to get the right password. Please try to leave out "O" in future passwords. I admit I am an oldie but even my technically smart grandson was confused.
David Ellis
40 Posted 23/07/2018 at 03:13:17
Victor #38 - how did SA "ruin us" in a way that affected us after his departure. He made a couple of decent signings (Tosun and Walcott). You can't blame him for what happens now. Clubs have suffered after he left because at those other clubs he generally did a decent job with poor materials.

SA drained the life out of the club so I'm glad he's gone, but no need to look backwards at his reign. Koeman caused far more damage by blowing a fortune on players who are not good enough for the first team or better than our youngsters.


Gary Russell
41 Posted 23/07/2018 at 03:33:34
Victor, going by your incessant negativity, I hope you stabilise soon.

On another note, Tosun's control with four Porto players around him, to bring the ball down in the box from Coleman's lob, dink past one and make space and hit the post was quite sublime.

Joe McMahon
42 Posted 23/07/2018 at 06:52:04
Mark Brennnan - "Mix-up between Baines and Jags gifted the goal". What's worrying here is that these two have been playing in the same team for well over 10 years.
Mark Andersson
43 Posted 23/07/2018 at 07:13:43
Victor... what utter nonsense you spout about Sam Allardyce.

But ya made me laugh...

Eddie Dunn
44 Posted 23/07/2018 at 07:22:35
Victor, don't blame Sam, blame Koeman.
Joe McMahon
45 Posted 23/07/2018 at 07:26:44
Victor, I'll have to second what Mark and Eddie have said. The mess we are in now, with past it or/and not up to standard players is not down to Allardyce.

Yes, the squad is pretty dire but that is what Sam inherited; he brought in Walcott and Tosun, who are defo 2 of our betters players.

Allardyce was only here for a few months. If you want to lay the blame anywhere, try Koeman & Walsh to begin with. But it goes way beyond them two also, the club's expectations were lowered years ago.

Christopher Timmins
46 Posted 23/07/2018 at 07:48:45
To blame anyone other than the Dutchman for our current plight is just pure daft.

Give the new man time and hopefully we will start to move in the right direction.

Jay Harris
47 Posted 23/07/2018 at 08:04:09
Why is it daft to blame anyone but Koeman?

For years we have bought Man Utd rejects and sold our best players. We now have a mediocre squad with the best players too old.

Step up the transfer emperor and control freak who has been the blight on the club for 20 empty years.

The RS buy top quality while we overpay for average players. That is not and was not Koeman's fault, who was begging for a Lukaku replacement until the day he was sacked.

Phil Head
48 Posted 23/07/2018 at 08:23:25
John Boon (39), it's not far too early to be negative, it's far to late. We have amongst the worst squad of players I can ever remember, which consists of the dregs of the past 4 managers. It should be clear to most of us that, if we're gonna compete with the top 6 clubs anytime in the near future, we needed to completely overhaul the squad this summer.

I'm all for giving Silva the time he needs to achieve this, but he's already made the first mistake of his reign by not swatting up on the squad over the past 9 months. It was probably the worst-kept secret that he would be Everton Manager coming into this season, so I would have expected a professional to have a clear idea of exactly who he wants and who he doesn't.

Unfortunately, judging by the sheer desperation on his and the backroom staffs faces during the Algarve Football Cup, the penny's finally dropped. Hence, the desperation of the incoming signing of another bang average player, for double what he's worth.

Add to the mix, the fact that we're now on our second Director of Football who's struggled badly to attract the type of player that would actually improve our squad (mainly due to the fact that players of this generation have no idea who we are, due to the fact we haven't achieved anything in their lifetime).

Unfortunately, because so many of the deadwood have been with us for so long or have so badly underachieved, they're value has evaporated and therefore are just as worthless to anybody else.

I fear, if we don't sell some of the current crop of underachievers pronto, we may suffer the same fate with those players in a year or two's time.

Jim Bennings
49 Posted 23/07/2018 at 08:36:24
Fans contradict themselves a tad don't you think?

On one hand fans blame Koeman and Walsh (which I do to a big extent ) but the same fans then say we have some class players that are underperforming; they crow about future stars Lookman, Calvert-Lewin, Pickford and some fans can't get enough of the likes of Gueye without thinking it was Koeman who bought them.

The reality is, we cannot keep going through managers, the buck needs to stop with the players at some point and they need to start taking responsibility for not doing the basics required of a professional high (massively) paid Premier League footballer which are all too often including giving possession away aimlessly and endlessly or defenders losing focus.

How many managers do we need to stop our strikers falling over in front of goal and scuffing shots? Surely a professional footballer can do the basics of hitting a ball cleanly without a man telling him?

Point is, we can blame Koeman, Martinez, Walsh, Allardyce but the players get an easy ride and did get an easy ride right throughout last season.

Time to set foot on that pitch and have a bit of pride in yourselves this season, lads.

Martin Berry
50 Posted 23/07/2018 at 08:45:11
The player I want is Aaron Mooy from Huddersfield, a great passer of the ball and reminds me of Peter Reid.

We need a director in the midfield to link it all together and he would be perfect.

Ian Burns
51 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:03:24
I was so disappointed with that second half last night, particularly after a glint of hope from the first-half performance.

I haven't read any quotes from Marco Silva – has he commented yet?

Brent Stephens
52 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:04:41
Porto the strongest opposition so far. A definite improvement on previous games through a better first half, though we struggled more second half.
John Hammond
53 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:10:43
Victor, did you only start supporting the club in November?? We were a bit of a mess before he came – hence, why he became our manager!
Dave Abrahams
54 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:22:09
I didn't see the game, but I'm saving my moans for the Premier League games.

What is obvious and has been for a couple of seasons is the absence of a quality and forceful central midfielder. Martin (#8) wants Mooy from Huddersfield; I wouldn't say no to him either, looks like a player who makes others up their game.

Anthony Hawkins
55 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:33:10
Things will look better and more balanced with Lookman and Walcott on the wings.

A striker who can score, a new centre-back and left-back are mandatory in this window. Anything else will be a bonus. The team will struggle without bringing in those three players.

Derek Taylor
56 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:36:04
The jury is out on how we shall fare in the early games in the Premier League – signings to be made and a fortnight's coaching by the new manager to take place.

For me, the disappointment of the weekend was the pretty abysmal showing in the 'reserve game' on Saturday where I saw nothing to indicate Allardyce was wrong to ignore 'Unsie's Marvels'.

Even the much-hyped Dowell was average at best and the absence of a 'third choice ' goalkeeper raised questions about the industry of the new DoF!

Brian Harrison
57 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:39:15
I couldn't get the live stream despite trying for ages, so obviously, didn't see the game. But the Echo did a good job in keeping in touch with what was happening.

Well, apart from the game in Austria, we have now had 3 games and scored only 1 goal against Bury. And therein lies the problem: none of our front 3 or midfield 3 have anything like the number of goals needed to move this club into a top 6 position.

I know Silva will play a more attacking and expansive game than either Koeman or Allardyce. But we need more firepower in the way of goals. Gueye, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Bolasie, and Davies just don't score enough goals.

Kevin Gillen
58 Posted 23/07/2018 at 09:43:26
We started well and made lots of half-chances in the first half. Porto were made to look poor. They came out much more aggressively in the second half, with two fouls straight away. We conceded possession and territory and paid for it when the ball was coughed up by Davies and Keane and Baines allowed the ball to be played in behind.

Some encouraging signs in that first half with intelligent play by Dowell, Sandro, Davies and Tosun. Mirallas was aggressive and direct and looked as if he might be a factor when the season starts. We weren't half bad but I would dearly like us to win a game like this instead of concocting a loss against a worse team. I don't get the headline, "Porto too good".

Brent Stephens
59 Posted 23/07/2018 at 10:11:52
I guess that the sort of players Silva wants are those that have the perception and skill to execute quick, accurate passing. Hence the time given to Dowell, Sandro, even Klaassen to prove themselves?
Paul Kennedy
60 Posted 23/07/2018 at 10:16:16
Obviously, the games so far have only been to showcase the players we need to move on. If Sandro is a Premier League player, then I am a Brain surgeon!

How come our forwards seem to be blessed with pin-ball control? First touch seems to knock the ball 6ft away and opposition come away with the ball. Last player I remember with the same gift was Jim Pearson in the '70s.

Dave Ganley
61 Posted 23/07/2018 at 10:59:30
Totally agree, Jim (#49). The players haven't been the professionals they ought to be. There appears to be no professional pride in preparation and performance.

However, the manager sets the tone for this and it's been going downhill since Martinez was here. He allowed the players to become unfit, lazy, team spirit completely died and that has carried on to this day. For some reason all the managers since Moyes was here haven't been able to get the players to gel and fight for lost causes and to give everything on the pitch.

Hopefully Silva can give that back to us, a team that will fight to the end and not give up. The teams have been way too flaky for me in recent years. The players are as culpable as the managers but the managers set the tone and have allowed the players to become this lazy.

Kevin Gillen
62 Posted 23/07/2018 at 11:14:34
One other thing I forgot to mention, and what was probably the biggest factor in the match was how poor the officials were. The referee booked Sandro and Schneiderlin for really well-timed tackles yet overlooked some blatant foul play from the Porto team. The linesmen were also incompetent.
Jay Harris
63 Posted 23/07/2018 at 11:30:45
Totally agree, Brian.

I have been saying since Lukaku was banging them in we need goalscoring midfield players and not to just rely on one player to convert them. Mirallas at his best was a good example and Fellaini also chipped in.

It says a lot for our current status that Fellaini would probably not come back even at the wrong side of 30.

This side is anaemic in front of goal and porous defensively. A recipe for disaster.

I think Silva had a realisation last night as he was seen pulling his Everton shirt out and pointing the badge out to the players.

On another note, anyone see the news that Lukaku is looking for a bigger country to play for. Lol

Andy Meighan
64 Posted 23/07/2018 at 11:51:53
Victor Yu (#38),

The same Victor Yu who said Sandro was going to be a star. Absolutely wrong on both counts.

Derek Knox
65 Posted 23/07/2018 at 12:13:48
Kevin @62, you are spot on with the standard off refereeing and linesmanship but that is no excuse really, for the performances of the players.

I thought, like many others, we started off quite brightly, but instead of building on that, they seemed to get progressively worse.

Porto upped their game second half, and after the goal, it's as if the towel went in. I know it's pre-season, but the real thing is only a couple of matches away, and although some personnel are or were missing, it doesn't exactly signal that they are anywhere near ready.

Jamie Evans
66 Posted 23/07/2018 at 13:27:58
For those bemoaning the lack of goals in the team, wait until Sigurdsson is playing. And Walcott. Oh, and when Lookman returns to the fold.

Tosun will benefit greatly with these 3 around him. That's before I mention Richarlison.

Keep the faith all.

Tom Bowers
67 Posted 23/07/2018 at 13:48:15
Let's just assume that these 2 games in two days were a way of giving many players a way of stretching their legs after playing golf for a couple of months.

We all know that many of these same players have to prove themselves for the new regime and to a degree it was obvious a lot of them tried hard.

The failings are there for all to see especially on offence and yes perhaps when the first Premier League game comes around they may be more of a threat with Walcott and the incoming Richarlison.

One can also point to the fact that Gana and Gylfi were absent but even with their presence will Everton's midfield be strong enough.

They don't seem to have a really classy, powerful guy who can make runs forward and get a defence back-pedalling such as a Dembele (Spurs).

What we have seen so far is an inability to really get at a team who parks the bus. The build up is far too slow and they take far too many passes just to get forward ten yards.

When you have some quick players going forward you can play a different game by sitting back and catching teams on the break like Liverpool did last season.

I noticed that Everton were particularly vulnerable to this in both weekend games especially with Baines who now doesn't have the recovery prowess he used too after venturing upfield.

At this stage, I can only see more of the same happening unless Silva acts quickly and positively to the problems we all can see and have seen over the last few seasons or more.

Pete Edwards
68 Posted 23/07/2018 at 15:37:01
No goals but come on, Mirallas forces a decent save and Tosun hits the post last night. Game before Niasse hit the post what 3 times and Martina once! Half of those go in and its happy days, best get them out of the way before the season starts!
Kevin Gillen
69 Posted 23/07/2018 at 15:40:00
Derek at 65, I must admit as soon as Porto scored we showed nothing from there. I do object to our players allowing themselves to be bullied in that way. We lack aggression from some of our senior players and I know we are going to have to make a really good start this year given the dreadful fixture list we have on our run in. The first half was encouraging yes but you're right we failed to build on it.
James Marshall
70 Posted 23/07/2018 at 15:40:31
We were excellent in the first half, and played them off the park for much of it. Second half we faded and lost by a goal, it's no great shakes.

We're also well short of our first 11 and Porto are a decent side. Big, strong and well drilled. We're still working out our new way of playing under Silva but the signs were encouraging and way better than the dross under he who shall never be mentioned.

Friendlies are long forgotten once the season starts anyway and don't really really much with regard to how the PL games are going to pan out.

We do look like we're a striker short though.

Neville Jones
71 Posted 23/07/2018 at 16:40:45
The main problem with the pre season and which could affect us later is a lack of goals.

Whilst our possibly best 2 outfield players, Walcott and Sigurdsson haven't played yet, it is still worrying that we have only scored 1 goal against Bury in the last 3 games.

Tosun does not yet appear to me to have found his fitness or sharpness but, as I said last season, he is not capable of playing upfront by himself. He needs support either in a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 formation. He was unlucky against Porto but his choices weren't always the best.

We need 2 upfront whether that involves a No 10 or not to win games. The truth is that we played well against all 3 teams and should have won 2 easily and possibly with better goalbound shots could have won all 3.

I am also worried about the defence, having let Porto off the hook, it was clear that they would come at us after half time. They scored within 5 minutes. Whether that was the fault of Baines or, as Darren Griffiths said, Keane, I'm not sure. We need a new central defender as soon as possible because we are definitely lacking in pace apart from Mason Holgate.

The main positives are the performance of Sandro getting better and easily the best player on the night. Oumar came on late but probably our best striker and Mo Besic, fantastic against Bury and Lille and looked good if only for a few minutes against Porto.

No coincidence that Mo, Oumar and Mason were substitutes coming on late as we looked for a goal.

Neville Jones
72 Posted 23/07/2018 at 17:24:13
One or two more comments, if you can bear with me. Well said, Kevin.

Porto won the league last year? so a result in which we were probably the better team not that bad. We should have realised that we would be under pressure for at least 20/30 minutes. It was how we withstood it.

Lille beat them. We would have beaten Lille but for a goal being disallowed when it should clearly have stood. Lack of goals has, however, been a feature of our recent performances.

I was grimacing and very frustrated with the football, let alone Silva because our finishing was poor. The present group of players are quite actually good. I can remember squads in the past far worse than the present.


Steve Ferns
73 Posted 23/07/2018 at 23:20:07
I take a lot of positivity from last night's game. You can see in the snapshots from the training videos that Silva is hard at work, and he is trying to increase the tempo of our play. He's been working on intensity, short sharp passing, switching play, pressing and shape. I think we can see the results of that. It was only pre-season, and it is a work in progress, but the most important thing is that the progress is there. There's a transformation underway.

In the first half, this was more evident, and we were more dynamic, getting the ball forward and really going at them. In the second half, the tempo dropped. Porto pressed us harder, and mistakes were made. Silva was clearly not happy, and this shows that there is work to do and the players were not carrying the plan out.

Of the side last night, the back four was pretty much our best back four. Coleman was okay, but not at his best, and didn't quite do his thing. Baines continued to show he's far from finished but faded in the second half. Jagielka was his usual self. I don't think he's done, and still is Jagielka even if he is starting to creak. Sure we need better but he doesn't give me the biggest concern.

Instead I reserve that for Keane. I only hope that we didn't see Holgate as he was carrying a knock. Why he had a cameo and instead we saw Williams and Pennington and then Jagielka and Keane, I would like to know. For me, Holgate might not be the best right now, but he could be the best next season, and I think this is how we need to be thinking. Playing players now, with a view to what it can do for them in the longer term.

I thought Schneiderlin and Davies did alright first half, and then Schneiderlin went crap as he got overcome by the Porto energy in the second half. Davies looked a little overwhelmed but mainly due to seeming like he was outnumbered.

Ahead, I thought Dowell did alright first half but looked out of his depth second half. But he's young and needs games. Sandro was impressive on the right, but only when you consider that he was considered to be a Sunday League level playerz. Is he good enough to play on the right of a front three against Wolves, no, I'd take Walcott every time. And I think Walcott Would have made a bigger difference. On the left Mirallas is continuing to show that he's not done yet. Does that mean he like Sandro is good enough to start against Wolves, no, it does not. It just means he is an option, but we lacked a cutting edge and Ricarlison or similar in his spot can provide that.

Tosun had a mixed game. There was one magical moment, and he came close. The rest of the time he struggled to produce much else. But that's why, for me Calvert-Lewin is a better all-round player for the side. The difference is that Tosun can produce those magical moments, and more often than not, it's a goal. Calvert-Lewin lacks that quality. I believe that he can still develop it though.

All in all, I was pleased. We outplayed Porto in the first half, we tired in the second. They are the perennial Portuguese champions, champions league veterans, and we were lacking 3 of our first choice front 4 (Bolasie, Walcott and Sigurdsson) and when you consider that we were lacking a cutting edge, missing so many of your best attackers is bound to have a difference. Sure Bolasie was poor last season, but whatever way you want to look at it, we played Mirallas on the left, due to injury to Lookman, Calvert-Lewin and Bolasie, and even Sigurdsson being not ready for a game.

Work in progress means we need to continue to make progress, and I am confident that we will do so. Let's worry about the Wolves game, and just let pre-season be used for development and fitness, rather than worrying about the results.


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