Everton Banter Archive December 20 2016

20 Dec 2016 23:35:01
Begovic, Keane, schneiderlin, depay, siggurdson and traore over the next 2 windows please Moshiri.
Sell. Cleverley, niasse, Barry, Kone, del boy, Lennon and robles.
Bring through Calvert Lewin, Davies and Holgate.

Surely that would bring top 6 and maybe top 4.

21 Dec 2016 03:23:56
Barry has just signed a contract extension, so I can't imagine him leaving.
Depay and Schneiderlin do seem possible.
Keane and Sigurdsson are good players, but I imagine would difficult to get in January.
As for Traore, which one do you mean?

{Ed025's Note - i think he means adama sid, he comes with an attitude and i would steer clear myself..

20 Dec 2016 21:03:47
Considering the comparative squad strengths, I'd have been surprised - but pleased - if we'd been a top-six challenger this season.
However, once SW's recruitment staff starts working its magic AND once RK has the squad of players he wants for his pattern of play, I do expect us to be genuinely competitive. That'll take another season or two imho, so I'll try to be patient - although that's mighty difficult!

20 Dec 2016 21:51:29
I whole hearty agree sid, yeah we are not were or what us fans want but we MUST stick together and support koeman.

20 Dec 2016 22:10:12
Well said Sid. We must be critical of both manager and team but tempered with a sense of realism of where we are.

You like many others on here have it down to a T. ;)

20 Dec 2016 22:13:23
Agreed Sid.

20 Dec 2016 17:08:45
It is my real hope that the club do not let MaCarthy go, nothing aginst barry, but you don't take him to a bare fist nock down, street fight, once he went off, the shite too control of midfield, last two games he has been outstanding, he may not have silkey skill, but he knows how to stop those who have.

20 Dec 2016 19:44:28
We have certainly been a different side with him and valencia in the team.

20 Dec 2016 20:09:23
It was blatantly obvious what's been wrong with our midfielder, Barry, to old and to slow, the high pressing game is for younger legs, hopefully RK will have taken notice and if fit put McCarthy back in the team, Valencia is a good addition on the right and with more games will get better.

20 Dec 2016 20:23:36
Hey

. yep. the game changed when McCarthy went off. the combination of him n Gana worked against the Arse and also was working against them. Barry totally took that fast, pressing dynamic away. not his fault and won't knock him as he has been a good player for us. but simply the wrong player for that type of game. many of us has said it. Tom Davies on the bench on Monday night would have been perfect to keep the energy n intensity. in my humble opinion.

Mart.

{Ed025's Note - no argument from me smithy mate..

20 Dec 2016 21:21:06
Then why offer Barry a new contract.

20 Dec 2016 22:22:47
Imagine any team trying to get past a midfield 3 of Gana, McCarthy and Besic.

20 Dec 2016 22:23:36
I'd imagine a valuable squad player Skylark. Will a fair few leaving. Barry is as consistent a player as we have. Hopefully we can stretch another year out of him.

20 Dec 2016 23:21:44
wouldnt want Gana, McCarthy and Bescic as my midfield, unless of course your playing for 0-0 draws every game. Two out of the three yes, but we need a creative attacking midfielder in there. Remember Read, Bracewell strong tacklers would tackle anything. But then you had Sheedy's left foot and Stevens who could provide that killer pass. Worked as a unite, and were awesome. So go get two creative players please.

20 Dec 2016 11:36:00
Hi Ed that game last night really show s how much we need some reinforcements in January and top of the list must be a goalkeeper and another striker we are lacking in so many departments, what's your take on what we might realistically be able to do cheers, GuernseyBlue.

{Ed025's Note - i share your concerns GB but priority for me is a quality midfielder who can make things happen, we are too predictable and dont really impose ourselves enough for me mate..

20 Dec 2016 18:26:08
Hi Ed Yeh definitely mate, there is no midfield general at Goodison these days ahhhhhhh what happened to the good old days, cheers GuernseyBlue.

{Ed025's Note - they turned into the bad new days GB.. :)

20 Dec 2016 15:44:16
To all those who wrote that the performance was key, I have only one thing to say what a load of nonsense. The result is all that matters. Every team expects to win at home and we lost. To have so few chances to score is almost unforgivable.
Some performances were good but others not so good. I am sorry to say this but not to score goals does not win you points. Being full of spirit doesn't win you points also. I much prefer to win ugly. We ended up we no points, this must be the goal of our team.
I am sorry for the rant, but I must get it off my chest.
Let's forget the result and move on to the next and hope for much needed recruits in January especially a new striker. We have a goal drought problem.

COYB.

20 Dec 2016 16:15:03
I knew a post like that was coming. Some people just don't get the point that others make.

20 Dec 2016 16:51:01
I have to say I have seen a marked improvement last 2 games. The players pressed and did what Koeman had been preaching. As yet we still need a few players, but what I saw was progress. If you expect us to win every game, you are going to be one disappointed person mate.

{Ed025's Note - nothing wrong with the industry degs, a lot is wrong with the quality though mate..

20 Dec 2016 19:19:35
Totally agree Degsy. My point below simply was if them performances keep coming the results also keep coming. Some we will lose, some we will draw but most we will win with that fire in the team.

20 Dec 2016 13:08:15
This is the way I see last night's game and where we are at the moment.

The goal scorer Mane sums it up. He was lucky. He said it himself. A moment of luck at the end changed everyones perspective on the players performance, the teams performance and even Koeman's performance.

Had that moment of luck (all 10 seconds of it) not happened we would all be praising everyone.

I'm a results type of supporter. That explains why I like Pulis, Moyes and Big Sam managers. They get results. Don't care if it's ugly just make it hard for the opponent to score and try and get one in. I hate losing, especially to last night's opponents.

Here's the BUT, it was the performance last night that was more important for me. Reason being our spirit and fight was at an all time low before the Arsenal game.

I was so glad to see it was not a one off and the players not only done it to again but done it forms the start. They showed they cared and tried there heart out.

That's all we can ask. If that effort is maintained we are onto a winning formula. Yes we lost technically. That's one game. It was the fight and determination showed in that game and against Arsenal that will get a momentum going.

Good times are ahead. Definitely going in the right direction when we beat Arsenal and deserved at least a draw against you know who.

When Koeman gets enough time and enough of his own players we will be challenging at the very top. Just look at our performance in the last 2 games. Both teams challenging for the title.

20 Dec 2016 13:33:00
Great post NBTB.

It was only last that people were saying if we got one point from the next three games it would be enough, well we got 3 so far.

I don't care what anyone says we deserved a point last night against ( and I hate saying this ) top class opposition. For the first time in a long time the whole team showed up to play and it frightened our opposition.

What I really enjoyed was watching Lukaku getting stuck in for a team mate when the handbags started flying. That was the first time I have seen him even acknowledge other team members. I loved the way the RS kept backing away from him when he shook off his team mates heheheh.

I mentioned on chat last night we were the Puppies of war, a few more weeks like the way we played last night and the dogs of war will be back.

20 Dec 2016 14:03:06
I can't see how u think we deserved a point this is were we are going wrong we had 30 mins of us stoping liverpool from playing an pressing them but created nothing after that we caved in nothing up top nothing going forward we look poor the lack of quailty in r team is dragging us down how ya can say we deseverd a point from a game were we had 32% possesion an 6 attemps at goal 1 on target in 90 mins at HOME in a derby is beyond me.

20 Dec 2016 14:48:46
NBTB - if you take the 1st half in isolation, I would completely agree. At half time I was chuffed and thought it was our best 45 minutes of the season so far.

I expected us to kick on in the 2nd half and put them under pressure, but the opposite happened. We showed no quality on the ball and didn't look like we could score if the game went on all night.

Agree that the fight was encouraging, particularly after the last few games, but you can't win games with tackles alone.

20 Dec 2016 14:59:16
Just look at the stat that other teams who faced the RS this season have. With 68% possession they usually score 3 - 4 goals, with us they had one lucky rebound to win the game.

Losing one nil against a team in the top four is hardly caving in. I'm not saying we deserved to score, but I am saying they also did not deserve to score.

If we lack so much quality how did we manage to hold out for so long? because they did not play badly, we held out due to our defense and we were very unlucky to concede that is how I can say we deserved a draw.

We played to our strengths and held the leagues top scorers to one goal.

20 Dec 2016 16:21:39
That sums it up for me Grumpy. Well said.

We have no quality? That's very much debatable. We totally deserved a draw. Stats can be misleading and they certainly were last night imo. We were by far the better team in the first half yet Liverpool had something like 56% possession. Just because the stats are in your favour doesn't mean you were the best team.

I say look at Grumpy's post to see that.

On quality? Arsenal definitely have quality and we beat them. We have quality. Might not be what we want in certain areas but we definitely have quality.

20 Dec 2016 17:14:09
NBTB - I think we defended very well, and it can be argued either way whether we deserved a draw but if you were saying who deserved to win, you would have to say they did.

And if you read the post, I said "We showed no quality on the ball", and I don't think you can argue with that. We didn't create anything with the ball.

Off the ball we were very good and that was very encouraging. It's definitely an encouraging base to work on, and I agree we have quality off the ball. But that alone doesn't win you games - only goals can win you games and we didn't look like scoring in a month of sundays against one of the most inconsistent defences in the league and that was a big disappointment for me.

{Ed025's Note - good post that mate, and very fair..

20 Dec 2016 19:38:56
southern_toffee I agree to a certain extent. I think we have quality in areas. Last night we did not have killer instinct. When Barkley and Rom are our best players we win games. Unfortunately last night they were ok and not our best players. In the final third we were not good enough I agree. I never said we were.

I'm more pointing out the team as a whole have obviously changed their attitude and are trying very hard. The first half they ran their socks off. What more can you ask players to do?

Before the Arsenal game there was talk the players weren't playing for Koeman. During the Arsenal game and last night no one can say that. That is what I'm simply saying and am very happy with.

It kills me to see players not bothering. Almost everyone was posting on here how it annoyed them that the players didn't seem bothered. I think the players should get some credit for the change in attitude.

Yes the finishing was nonexistent. I don't know why they don't shoot more. Twice in the first 20mins Barkley had half chances and although it might not be expected he would score, he certainly should of done better. I even said so in the live chat room. Anyone can check it if they really want to.

Totally agree our chances and finishing needs to improve. The area for me that improved immensely was the fight and desire to play for the jersey and one another on the pitch. Someone posted and I noticed this myself. Lukaku got involved with the handbag's at one stage. I know it doesn't matter in the whole scheme of things but it certainly is important for me that players care and stand up for one another.

Players are well payed and are looked after. They get their fair share of criticism as well. I think its only fair to give them praise when they deserve it also. Regardless of quality.

Quality alone doesn't make a winner. Quality and determination does.

{Ed025's Note - great post NBTB..

20 Dec 2016 19:42:55
One thing we have learnt from the last 2 games is we will be a much different animal with 2 or 3 key signings. The games Before it looked like we needed 7 or 8.

20 Dec 2016 21:05:15
Southern Toffee, we did play well and the last two games against the Arsenal and RS have shown we can play and we can stop others playing. The only thing we do forget to do is play up to and beyond 90 minutes. Others do it, I do wonder if RK believes in Sports Psychologists (not exactly in the Hoddle mold, but he was an innovator, that got things going until, shall we say he had others questioning his mental stability) .

20 Dec 2016 21:11:04
Thats a good and valid point you make Smit666.

20 Dec 2016 22:27:42
Jeers Ed025. Totally agree Smit666. 2 or 3 key signings would be fantastic for us and make us so much stronger.

20 Dec 2016 12:27:44
So this may be a controversial post, but I think nothing sums up our current situation more than Aaron Lennon last night.

First things first, I'm not blaming him for the defeat, I actually quite like the guy and he was by no means one of our worst players yesterday, but.

. I don't think we are where we are because Ross has gone off the boil. If Ross was playing at his best or if Rom closed down more, would that make us a top 4 team? I don't think so.

I think the problem we have throughout the team / squad is far too many bang average players. Sid put a great post earlier about how many of our squad "must be kept at all costs", and the consensus was 3, maybe 4, which means 21+ players that we feel can fairly easily be replaced.

Our squad is full of Aaron Lennons (or for Lennon read Kone/ Stek/ Valencia/ Cleverley etc etc) . They work fairly hard, and difficult to fault them on that front, but they provide a painful lack of quality. Lennon is considered by most to have had a good game last night. Yet he didn't create a single opportunity or really cause them any problems at all - he showed zero quality in the final third. But we expect that and so therefore he did alright.

The problem last night wasn't effort or work rate, it was just a woeful lack of quality - and that's not we need to address, particularly in the final 3rd. We need midfielders who can create and (shout out to Degsy) score goals! We need a GK and CB who can command the box (Williams is starting to do that now) .

So apologies for picking on you Aaron, but for me he is a symptom of the wider problems that we need to fix.

20 Dec 2016 13:03:32
I think it is a symptom of the entire team ST rather than just one. I'm not sure if it's the system we use and the players aren't good enough to implement it or the system just does not work. Even under RM, the likes of Ross, Gerri and Kev weighed in with a few assists. None of them have got many this year, possibly Bolasie has made the most goals this season. RK has got a bigger job on his hands than any of us imagined.
Last night, we played quite well without really threatening their goal. Our lack of creativity is worrying as the longer the game goes without us scoring we just know we are liable to concede. I can certainly see a lot of this team being moved on and replaced over the next few windows.
It's no use pointing the finger at individuals but I felt we went too defensive, maybe too pedestrian when Barry came on. Jimmy Mc will always cover more grass than GB and we lost that energy and intensity. It is what it is I suppose, we will bounce back and our manager will sort out the mess eventually. Hopefully!

20 Dec 2016 13:09:33
Bang on 100% right on all points in my view mate. Would add a few more comments but what you say is so very true.

20 Dec 2016 13:14:21
That's a top post. Couldn't agree more ST. What I would do for a Timmy Cahill right now. Too much is put on Lukaku shoulders. We need a window for creative players. We need midfielders and wide men with an eye for goal. And we also need to get into the penalty area more often with more players. Let's get some pens and cause the opposition havoc.

20 Dec 2016 14:51:43
This is also the reason why I would be so disappointed if Ross does end up leaving. He is one of the very few in our squad in can provide that quality, even if it has been a while since he has. There should be a lot of players in front of him on the list of departures to improve the squad.

20 Dec 2016 07:45:00
How bad was lukaku last night anyone who's concerned about losing him just needs to watch last night's game against we played with ten men all night 60 mil for him there must be a decimal point missing from that he's useless should have been subbed at half time as for ross I'll drive him down to spurs for 30 million.

20 Dec 2016 07:55:58
Lukaku does get crowded out and bullied by opposition defenders in the front-three-system played by RK. We need a better blend up front - with or without him - and all three forwards have to work harder and be much more productive. The others we've tried - for all their promise and good intentions and occasional skilful moments - just aren't consistently effective. Bring on the transfer window.

20 Dec 2016 08:31:48
Hi Ed that one hurt last night mate that much I'm starting to blame RK he could see Stekelenburg has hurt, take him off, nice to see Calvert Lewin come on but it's to big a game for him and we've got Mirallas sat on the bench. Lukaku we've got no other striker on the bench and he knows it.

20 Dec 2016 08:54:57
Someone like Shane Long would score fewer goals but link with other forwards much better. But I actually thought Lukaku was starting to work a bit last 2 games?

20 Dec 2016 09:21:38
AB, can't see how you can look to blame RK last night Steks was hurt but RK had Robles up off the bench waiting to go on it was more of Steks not wanting to go off than RK not making the sub. That with McCarthy's injury probably scuppered his plans to bring on impact subs. Valencia ran himself ragged last night and did need to be replaced so that's all subs used. I personally thought Kev may have been a better option as the last sub but a lot of us have been calling out for RK to try to bring youth players through to the 1st team so I am not going to moan about DC-L getting derby experience. I feel a bit sorry for Robles though as he looked pretty good before the goal (which wasn't his fault) . We definitely need another striker and CAM in the window let's hope Santa gets the letters.

20 Dec 2016 09:35:52
Agree with every word sa90. Luck was not with us.

20 Dec 2016 09:54:07
I don't think Steks should have been on for as long as he was even I could tell he was hurt bad.

20 Dec 2016 11:55:24
I think he thought he could run it off when it was obvious he couldn't he was replaced. It didn't have any impact on the game but if he could have stayed on then we would have an extra sub to use. If the Reds had had a shot and scored then I can see your point but IMO you need to give the players time to asses if they can carry on rather than subbing them off just in case. They are adults after all.

20 Dec 2016 12:02:54
Then how much time do you want I'm no expert but even I could see he wasn't going to run that one off, adult or not.

20 Dec 2016 07:35:17
i think we actually defended pretty well during the game, obviously disappointed that we lost but i think we defended well second half, it just seems to me that we lack a leader and lack quality in the final third of our play, say we removed lennon and mirallas with (hypothetically) someone like pedro, i'd be looking to add quality to our wingplay and get a leader our team looks solid but just seems to lack that cutting edge thoughts?

20 Dec 2016 07:03:22
Dear Everton Football Club, after we lost this morning 9am Melbourne Time, my phone was Going crazy from some diehard and bandwagon supporters who follow the red mob. Every year it's the same old story, we own you, your the left overs of merseyside, your irrelevant, only one team in Liverpool all that crap. My anger really got to me tonight driving home from work, with my Everton stickers and scarf all over my car and the bloke next to me with his Liverpool crap all over his car laughing at me. This is what Everton have become, a joke. Everton Football Club you have not won anything since the days of VHS, you cannot beat your nearest rival, (Over Six Years Now) . We can't get into Europe, we attract average players. Is there any hope. I'm angry, frustrated. Will I see my team win anything ever again. I'm 44 and at this very moment I doubt it.

{Ed025's Note - cheer up mate its christmas.. :)

20 Dec 2016 07:49:50
AT i feel the exact same mate everyone can beat Liverpool except us i might stop my 10 year old son supporting us and get him to support someone who's not afraid of Liverpool like Bournemouth or Burnley.

20 Dec 2016 08:03:55
I was living in Australia in the early 80s and used to listen to the football on the BBC Workd Service radio. One such match was the 0-5 derby thrashing and I really did feel "down under" after that - literally and metaphorically. Still, by the time I was back in the UK, we were on track to the mid-80s success, so - as all Evertonians habitually do - I live in hope (if not in expectation) !

20 Dec 2016 07:49:50
AT i feel the exact same mate everyone can beat Liverpool except us i might stop my 10 year old son supporting us and get him to support someone who's not afraid of Liverpool like Bournemouth or Burnley.

19 Dec 2016 23:50:07
Started of ok but we lack quality and a winning mentally I'm afraid bragging rights go to the dark side once again great way to start the xmas festival. . same old same old.

20 Dec 2016 05:50:06
Nothing will compare to the shock of the Boxing Day home fixture in the late 70s when we were on a 20-plus unbeaten run and ManUtd came here and spanked us 6-2.

20 Dec 2016 11:22:56
I was there that day. The horror was componded by the fact that United's goals weren't well taken half chances but six great big must score sitters.