05 Apr 2017 10:03:24
On the blame game for last night. I firmly put it at Koemans door.

This obsession with 3 at the back is driving me crazy. At 4 at the back we had better support going forward and were able to buffer the midfield and defence. Once he went defensive we were battered and a better team would have beaten us just like the Chelsea, Spurs or Liverpool games.

I love Koeman and I think he will win is trophies but he has to recognise this is not working. We talked about it on the chat last night before they scored that the change was killing us.

On another note Kev showed his frustration last night and looks like he will be on the move this summer. Plus a lot of frustration from Baines and Williams towards Rom. I hope this doesn't start to be detrimental in the performances coming up and undo the good work over the past 5 months.

1.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 10:39:11
It's unlikely we will finish below 7th this season so in a way whilst I agree it sometimes works against us with 3 at the back, I can see this as being the right time to keep with it in a way to educate the team to play this way and then bring in some quality in the summer, to fit the formation better. Just a thought.

2.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 12:17:45
Have to disagree. I can't think you can blame Koeman for the result. The changes were necessary given that most of those players were looking extremely leggy (including Mirallas) . Also, given injuries to key players in key positions his actual options are limited.

One sub that I would have changed is putting Valencia on rather than DCL. Think Valencia's hold up play and movement would have suited the style we were trying to play at that stage of the game.

3.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 13:45:55
Have to agree with Toffee ace and CToffee.

4.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 17:32:50
I don't disagree with taking off Kev but I do disagree putting on another CB. DCL or Valencia should have been the move instead he went with 3 at the back.

Can anyone here say that when he went three at the back we looked better and more in control? Can anyone here say 3 at the back has worked against the better sides away from home? Even against City it was awful and we defended for 90 minutes.

His risk taking with this formation has cost us positions in the league using this.

Now before you say I'm being negative I'm not. Koeman has been brilliant this season and we are a massive improvement. He will make us better and better and I've never been happier. However, you've got to call him on it when he makes mistakes. This was a mistake. RESULTS prove it.

Next season hopefully he will have the players to make this work but don't use it if we don't have them. We could have been above United today.

5.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 17:27:13
I rate Koeman's knowledge better than mine, but I feel we missed a trick last night in not bringing on Lookman instead of C/ Lewis. I feel his speed and ball control and possibly better self confidence running at tired it's defenders in last 10 mins could have brought reward. Though thought ref gave all 50/ 50s their way if it was for assistant flagging offside we would have lost a game we deserved to win.

6.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 18:35:28
Don't disagree with your comment on 3 at the back BlueJohn but I do think you need to look at this specific decision in the context of what was available to him on the bench.

7.) 05 Apr 2017
05 Apr 2017 21:28:38
I think that frustrated me more Toffee. Why not Valencia or Calvert? Instead Pennington.

It works well at home and he's had success there but away from home it just leaves too much space in the midfield and they get overrun.

Hopefully next season he will have learnt lessons and maybe he just doesn't trust these players and panics. There's definitely something not right with this group and that 2 year plan looks more realistic each performance like this.