Everton Banter Archive March 13 2015

13 Mar 2015 16:09:40
I'm just wandering what you guys in here think of James McCarthy as a player, I think he is so under rated and, he is as good an all round midfielder who offers protection to the back 4

13 Mar 2015 18:55:25
He is an immense talent who covers a lot of ground and does his job well. Feel he needs a creative player next to him rather than another holding player he can therefore sweep up and give the ball to a playmaker to make things happen, still feel Barkley can do that job from a deeper lying position.

{Ed025's Note - deeper into the reserves for me gray..

13 Mar 2015 19:26:28
McCarthy is a Tiger alright. Great tackler and balls of steel. Must still be one of the top defensive mids in the league, despite our poor run of form. Wish he could add a few goals to his repertoire though.

{Ed025's Note - me too mate..

14 Mar 2015 01:24:23
Could start in any team in league for me is there a defensive mid better in league matic maybe

{Ed001's Note - but he is not a defensive midfielder by any stretch of the imagination, which is why you have Barry alongside him to cover the spaces left where he is running around. He is a box to box mid, not even close to being a DM. As a DM he would be awful, as he is positionally inept, which is why he is always chasing his tail.}

14 Mar 2015 11:53:38
Think it should be McArthy and Besic either side of Barkley (Barkley just slightly forward), that would give us solidity with a creative one to drive forward. Change the system and I guarantee we will see the lad in Barkley we all know is there.
Robles
Coleman
Stones
Jags
Garbutt (Baines)
McArthy
Barkley
Besic
Naismith
Lukaku
Mirallas

Thing is we know that Team will not happen and it is such a pity.

13 Mar 2015 15:16:01
Martinez now saying everton's problems are psychogical. The only psycholgical problem, is this deletional fraud. Don't know why we did'ent go all the way, and appoint David Iek.

13 Mar 2015 09:36:35
Enjoyed the last game after the first half hour. Really fearing the worst up to that point. Interesting debate afterwards regarding fans influencing matters on the pitch. Have to say for me it was the game changer. Even Martinez alluded to the second half tempo.
Heard the half time entertainment with Reidy pitching for the job and Baines getting splinters trying to sit on the fence.
Optimistic we can beat Newcastle. They are safe, have key players out and whilst I don't think they will be quite on the beach yet I think they will play and that should suit us.
Regarding the return leg in Kiev apparently part of their ground will be closed as a sanction. Based on the ground layout plan looks like the equivalent of closing the old boys pen as a punishment.
Also regarding Kiev looks like our Aiden will be available.

13 Mar 2015 08:35:00
Some on here ain't going to like this, but what a difference Ossie makes when he comes on. He shows Barkley how to play the game. Barkley dithers through the game as if he hasn't a clue how to play the game, Ossie comes on gets the ball involves and links all around him and if he's not doing that he gets on the end of attacks too. Thanks to him for the penalty don't forget. Ossie offers the team what the likes of the rest of the midfield can't do, a link between the midfield and attack, so much was a let down last night, first half especially when we went on attack n it just stops and ends up going backwards n sideways again, with Ossie on it kept moving the ball forward and involved the likes of Naisy n Garbutt and McCarthy n Coleman far more dangerously. Ossie to start V Barcodes imo.

13 Mar 2015 10:15:09
absolutely agree with that Howie, he linked the play around the box so well had great touch and vision, really made a difference!

13 Mar 2015 12:41:28
Howie mate, have a look at my posts for the last 6 months. People say I go on about him too much, and that he is past it. They are probably right about the first bit, but the stats prove it. We have probably won about 12 games in all competitions and Ossie has probably feature in 9 of them. Whereas of the loads of games that we have lost, Ossie has featured in about 4 or 5 at most. Besic, Barry and McCarthy are all strong defensively. Naismith and Barkley are great attacking wise (sometimes). Ossie does it at both ends of the pitch. He conceded possession in a game last season when Howard rolled the ball out to him when he had a player on his shoulder and the other team scored. He got slated for it and people assumed he was past it. He is 31 for goodness sake. Not 36. He still has two seasons in him and I predicted ages ago that he may well turn out to be our saviour. He scores an average of 1 goal every 8 games. Even McGeady and Lennon only get 1 in 9 or 10 and they play much further up the pitch. I assume RM will pick him next league game. let's hope so.

13 Mar 2015 13:03:36
I too always defend him, it just doesn't hit on people how much he's missed till he's not there. Barkley bless him, is Englands saviour, the next Captain, build a team around him n on n on, but sadly he has no football nous, has plenty of skill but nothing between his ears in a football sense. I've watched him off the ball and its sad to watch, he really is clueless as to what he is meant to be doing, his head is going everywhere, but his body can't make its mind up where to go. What is alarming me too about him is how on occasions and it shouldn't happen because he shows he has it, but how often he is easily robbed or pushed off the ball. He needs to watch Ossie to see how the game is played though I do feel that with all the hype over him he shouldn't need to.

13 Mar 2015 02:30:45
Guys I have a question, I'm interested to know what your thoughts will be at the end of the season if we win the Europa League and survive relegation.

I'm just as frustrated about this season and the way we've played at times (mostly) as most of you guys. And it shows because I haven't been waking up in the early hours of morning to watch the boys unless it's a Europa game where someone we manage to turn things around.

For me I'm actually happy about the way we seem to be prioritising the Europa league because we have a squad that really should be able to handle it and not be relegated. It'll be the best thing to happen to this club in recent history. And even if we don't win the Europa, if we survive the drop then it will have been a risk worth taking for me.

13 Mar 2015 09:17:21
I would rather be out of the Europa League and be on 40 points. Premier League survival is vital. Without it we are dead as a club and won't come back from it.

No money, no stadium and players sold to keep our heads above water. Imagine Leeds then times it by 10. I have not been so nervous about our situation than this season.

Next season though, We need to keep this group and build by spending good money on a number of players and not one.

13 Mar 2015 13:36:30
BlueJohn:

Great post and agree with you on every point.

May I add to ''We need to keep this group'' by typing
' without RM' please?

then for me it's perfectly complete .

13 Mar 2015 19:43:44
Would rather survive in the PL to be honest. But having said that, I admit I started watching last nights game with a slight hope that we'd lose to be able to more fully concentrate on Premier league survival, but was really pleased with the result and now hope we go as far as we can in Europe. It's still a great showcase for the team internationally, which means that if (I mean when. definitely mean when!) we survive relegation, we will hopefully be still attractive for top players to join us in the transfer window, despite a shoddy season. This may depend on who the manager is at that time, though. If it's still RM, then it's probably "hello Cleverly".

13 Mar 2015 01:33:46
So its the manager who is responsible for our poor season (in battle its the general who calls the shots. and ultimately him who must fall on his sword mate) he is a fraud, he talks a good game, Mr Bean a Spanish waiter.
But when we played well in the last 60 mins and gave it a go with tempo and desire its the fans, its the players that get the praise.
Come on lads give the guy a break! We have had a bad season and lots of faults but it shows we can still play out from the back and keep possession but just need to have a bit of British 'in ya face mentality' and mix it up with the right service to Rom he is unplayable and shows we can move forward as a club.I have always said it is our strength as a nation to chase down lost causes and put teams under pressure other teams can't cope with it, dare I say it but that is when LFC have done well in europe and I don't understand why England don't play this style.
Anyway going of my point here why don't people give Roberto some credit for tonight's performance, he's damned if he does damned if he doesn't. People had a go that we have no plan B and he has gone more direct in recent weeks. He plays the same system which is flawed but he has played 3 in CM with Besic to try a different approach.I am far from happy with this season but be consistent with your criticism we should criticise the players and manager when its a lacklustre performance but praise them both when we win and put a shift in.

13 Mar 2015 07:59:32
Robbie, we won because the crowd turned on him and the players reverted
to how we used to play before el bobo turned up.

13 Mar 2015 09:12:39
Robbie listen to Baines comments at half time when the commentator asked him if the Manager would go along with the more direct quick passing style that the players took upon themselves once the supporters had a go. 'I think the Manager will always stick to his principles' was the diplomatic subdued answer from a senior player. The lack of confidence and Premiership performance comes from Roberto's stubborn refusal to adapt. Look at the evidence of Wigan and his attitude there even when relegated he still refused to accept it was his methods even to this day. Hate to say this but the other young coachg across the Park has the same passing principles but recognised he would have to change and look at the results. There is no evidence in Roberto's CV History that his methods work yet somehow his BS is believed.

13 Mar 2015 09:30:16
When the crowd turned on Barry for hanging onto the ball that is when the players started to play proper attacking football. Not a shout from the manager or a tactical substitution.

We became direct but not in lumping the ball forward but in precise forward passing and using the channels. We didn't hang onto the ball in defensive situations allowing their players to get back and dig in. Instead we were dangerous, powerful with pace and aggression.

More of the same please on Sunday.

12 Mar 2015 23:25:18
I for one for that was a pretty good performance this evening, a complete contrast to the dross we play in the league. Was by no means perfect and we started off poorly. Credit to the lads for working hard and chasing everything down in the second half. McCarthy and Lukaku were quality. Gareth Barry actually played some balls forward! Won't get my hopes up for Sunday but you never know we might just might have turned a very slight corner.