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16 Dec 2025 14:26:34
Mykolenko "obsession" continued.
Left-back comparative detail for 2024-2025 (last full season) . Left out the likes of Cucurella, Gvardiol, Robertson, Califori etc as they play for the clubs competing at the top of the table.
A fair comparison would be a few left-backs that have had as many seasons in the PL as Myko and at similar clubs.
(A) Mykolenko, (B) Mitchell, (C) Ait-Nouri (pre-city) and (D) Robinson.
Fair play to him, he comes out on top at being tackled the least amount of times. I imagine that is due to the fact that he never wants the ball - least amount of touches overall/oppositions box, total passes and take-ons.
He doesn't even come out on top in what is supposedly the strongest aspect of his game - defending. Least amount of duels contested and won, least tackles, least recoveries. All he has in his favour are clearances, a part of the game that will become less and less, the more we improve.
The lad is so limited and it is about time this is recognised. Nothing against the lad on a personal level. He seems honest and hard working but that doesn't make you good enough to play for Everton Football Club, at least not for me.
He is out of contract in the summer and I for one hope that we don't just lazily renew it. Full-backs are now some of the most important positions in modern day football and we need two of them, that is for certain.
Agree4
16 Dec 2025 14:47:29
That’s a hell of an in depth analysis mate, good on you, some post.
Agree2
16 Dec 2025 16:00:24
Wow! All that work to prove a point to someone. Wish I had the time or could be bothered.
Agree3
16 Dec 2025 17:09:33
A lot of work, to prove what! to who! Moyes?
Agree0
16 Dec 2025 17:49:11
If the point is there are better left backs out there, then I think we all agree.
Agree0
16 Dec 2025 18:42:18
I don’t need any stats to tell me what my eyes can see. Mykolenko is a left back and not a very good one. There’s much room for improvement in that position for us and I have no doubt we will try to improve that area and the other areas were we can easily improve ie right back and striker.
Unfortunately I thought we would improve left back with Aznou but he doesn’t look ready for the EPL. So Mykolenko is our best option there at present. But he needs replacing sooner rather than later.
Just like Keane has done well this season but as soon as Branthwaite is fit, he’ll be straight back in because he is a massive improvement in Keane.
{Ed025's Note - dont get me wrong Joe, i dont think Myko is great but i think we need other positions strengthening more than left back mate, i feel that a forward, centre mid and right back should be our priority first..especially a forward, thats just my take though..
Agree0
16 Dec 2025 20:12:06
Agree with you Ed025. I thought the we played as well as Chelsea but it is obvious that we have no cutting edge especially without KDH. If you don't score you don't win.
{Ed025's Note - now that KDH may be out and Ndaiye is away our quest for goals will become a great deal harder Mike, and if jack is struggling then i really fear that these games coming up will be a real struggle mate..
16 Dec 2025 13:40:09
Not good for Saturday super thin squad with Ndiaye and Gana out, also KDH and now Grealish could be missing as well also Rohl and JB long term absence, chance for some fringe players to step up.
Agree1
16 Dec 2025 20:28:03
Could have Grealish out. 3 behind Barry, McNeil Alcaraz Dibling. No idea of the bench.
Agree0
16 Dec 2025 21:27:24
We have plenty of keepers in youth ranks to fill our bench I suppose.
15 Dec 2025 14:59:00
Father in law is a Chelsea season ticket holder, reckons we were the better team in first half and a draw would've been fair, could easily have been 3-3.
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 15:06:29
Agree our woeful finishing is our problem.
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 18:34:38
Could easily been us ahead at halftime. We are a good side. Stop predicting is my sdvice. Predict a score ln no basis and then slag the team off ehen it doesn't happen. 1994.
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 19:04:23
It’s not slagging the Team off at all, if I’m not happy with the game of any player I question it, every fans right,
Chances created 2
Final third passes 11
Recoveries 3
Rating 7.1
Not bad for a crap left back against the World Champions.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 15:02:56
Some good stats them. Are we not adding the ball watching and flat-footedness for the first or the fact he got his ankles snapped by Neto for the 2nd?
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 15:07:07
I keep getting told stats don’t mean anything hmmmm.
Agree2
15 Dec 2025 17:00:04
Neto has been snapping ankles all season. Offer your services to Moyes.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 17:08:15
They don't in the round GB, it was an answer to bluenose's obsession with Mykolenko. He isn't the best LB in the Prem but he certainly isn't the worse. TV doesn't show the whole game I. E. follows the ball.
Tarks shove for instance or what led to it. Mykolenko is quite often the last man when Tarks and Keane venture. Moyes thinks Myko is okay and I agree, some don't but Myko is certainly not sh**e.
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 17:16:34
To be fair stats don't always show the true picture. I mean the centre halfs can have 100% passing rate just because they pass it back and forth to each other.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 17:41:48
I agree.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 17:57:50
I think Myko has improved since first joining us, happy for him to stay myself.
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 20:19:05
He is solid, not spectacular or really attack minded. I don't look at LB and worry, but understand why some aren't convinced.
We've also been blessed with quality and popular at LB for a long time before him so he is up against it with fans sometimes.
Digne
Baines - Best ever? My favourite Everton player.
Lescott
Distin
M. Ball
Unsworth
Hinchliffe
Van den howe
And way back further, players i didn't see.
Agree0
16 Dec 2025 00:22:29
I imagine those final third passes were predominantly the 5 yard passes to Grealish as he hugs the touch line.
Few more stats:
0 accurate crosses
11 times possession lost
1 tackle won.
Agree1
16 Dec 2025 08:50:20
The only way we will ever find out how good or bad he is, will be when we have another good left back challenging.
Agree0
16 Dec 2025 10:12:51
Ah VDH now there was a full back.
14 Dec 2025 19:19:52
What’s our Team likely then against the Goooners next Saturday, big boots to fill, Ndiaye and Gueye will be missed massively and also KDH.
{Ed025's Note - Tim for Gana is easy enough, and probably McNeil for Ndaiye, with the 2 sub goalies coming on with 10 mins to go.. :)
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 19:48:19
Now now Ed.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 20:16:58
Ed could be right, we are threaded.
{Ed025's Note - you never know it could be the making of the guys who step in, it may also prove to TFG that we need reinforcements come January, that is my positive spin on things, the negatives are that i cant see Millican and Nesbitt getting many goals so the next 6 weeks could be a war of attrition..
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 20:30:36
He won't play Dibling against Arsenal so expect Grealish, Alcaraz, McNeil in front of Garner and Irogebunam, one of the B's up front. Eds call isn't far off, oh and further cheer, wasn't Grealish also worrying about a hamstring. On a personal note I am in line for deaf and dumb breakfast all week because I want to be back from a trip Saturday.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 21:58:11
We are going to sit back and use McNeils pace on the breakaways.
Agree2
15 Dec 2025 09:26:54
All their defenders in our half and McNeil hailing an uber.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 11:39:56
When we attack the south stand use McNeil it’s downhill will give him an extra inch of pace, and for north use dibbling his youth will counter going uphill.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 14:27:54
Rolling sub. Brilliant. 😅.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 14:28:36
Everything is uphill to my 5ft 7inches.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 17:18:33
Try 6ft 4in, everything cost a fortune. Shoes, clothes everything grrr.
14 Dec 2025 18:15:39
DCL 4 goals in 4 matches, well I never.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 18:33:04
Getting the feed. With Grealish, KDH, Ndiaye feeding in he could have played how Antonelli had him. But we were not to know who we were getting in. Hopefully our scouts have been looking further down the leagues for someone similar.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 18:58:32
Yep agree with that mate.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 21:59:08
DCL? Move on .
Agree1
15 Dec 2025 00:39:20
Good for him 5, 3, 7, 2, 5 that’s his goal tally for 5 years didn’t include cups didn’t make much difference, his numbers for physio tables is amazing though.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 10:11:24
I think he has 3 pens in that total and if you watch him he does less than Barry.
14 Dec 2025 12:58:07
Positions! Keeper solid fullbacks poor not including obrien as he is a CB. Tarks and Keane reliable but always expect 1 or both to do something dodgy think branwhaite is back late January. nydieye Grealish are quality mcneil slow but dependable can't really comment on Dibling as i haven't seen enough of the lad idrissa has lost his legs but will miss him when he isn't here. Garner been brilliant this season apart from his crosses which are very hit and miss. Tim frustrates me because his head drops to quick if he starts a game badly.
love Alcaraz with his gung ho attitude when attacking but does misplace quite a few passes. KDH for me is still more effective when playing deeper and is not a 10.and then we have B+B and I don't rate either Barry has come on loads but he wouldn't start in any other prem team but he is the best we have at the moment. we all no were we need to improve the team just hope are recruitment team do aswell. hopefully get a couple of bargains in January and kick on again. stange season this year as everyone is beating anyone super 6 is solid to predict 😉.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 15:09:54
Actually look at Mykolenko's role in the Team, he is often last man and more mobile as most paint him. I am not saying he is best in the league but he is not the worse.
As I have mentioned before I would love to see posts from our away fans in order to get more rounded opinions. Everyones opinion matters but surely live views are better than TV.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 15:45:17
He is utter s**** and the way it consistently gets overlooked is astounding. Seems to be that 2 good performances against Salah and Saka in 5 seasons are enough to give him grace.
Constantly ball watching and totally unaware of the dangers around him. Sooner that he gets replaced the better we will be. If we can bring Robinson back home it would be as important a signing as a striker.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 15:52:39
TV or at the game BlueNose1878.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 16:26:38
Out of contract isn't he aswell in the summer.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 16:43:34
We’ve had better left backs but I don’t think he’s as bad as some on here. Thought he played well against Forest last weekend.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 17:36:22
Live is always better. Remember when they opened the new stand at Goodison. Not only was the view amazing but you could see clearly what the players were trying to do. The movement and passing, good and bad was clear to see, and even with a bad pass you could see the players intention. No comparison to watching on tv.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 19:32:57
Went to Blackburn years ago watching someone. First time I sat high up, like watching coaches with their board and buttons. Always wondered since why Managers/head coaches don't have someone sat up there.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 21:26:58
Myko not great going forward but nowhere near as bad as you make out overall Bluenose1878. Not sure what makes you think Everton is 'home' for Robinson?! Born down south but represents USA, signed for us at 18, never played a league game, left.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 22:46:23
The Chelsea lad went past him as easy as off a shovel but Myko kept at it. The Chelsea wide lads do that to all the sides including City and Arsenal. If Myko was as Bluenose put it, he would not be in the Team, yet successive Managers pick him.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 10:13:53
They have to pick him because we have no1 else Dms. myko is not good enough and never has been but that is my opinion each to there own i guess.
Agree3
15 Dec 2025 17:22:37
Rugby League coaches always sit in the stands, It really is the best way to watch the game. Saying that most managers have screens next to them so that they can watch replays then complain to the refs assistant.
Agree0
15 Dec 2025 21:37:31
Mykolenko is not consistent or good enough for the EPL. He has some games were he is a 7/10, most other games he’s a 5 or 6. Defensively he used to be much more reliable, but most games now the wingers constantly get the better of him because he’s caught out of position or ball watching.
We have had no other left backs since he signed. Young or Garner were/are the backups, that’s the reason every manager picks him.
He will be replaced, hopefully sooner rather then later.
14 Dec 2025 12:32:10
Just watched our match again, we played well for long periods and had at least 4 very good chances to score, if only we had a striker who could score one or two of them, it’s costing us so many points, really hope we can get one in Jan.
Agree1
14 Dec 2025 16:33:01
We did and losing KDH was a biggy, Alcaraz cannot play as a 10, that is obvious. Moyes doesn't want to mess PNE around but a very strong case to bring Armstrong back (not sure how it works) .
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 17:39:26
Watched Armstrong yesterday and he had a poor game by his standards. I am a big fan of his but don’t see him as a 10, plays a little deeper than that.
Agree0
14 Dec 2025 19:24:38
An 8 which Alcaraz is according to Moyes. I don't think (when you watch the game) we actually play with a 10.