05 Nov 2023 14:29:10
I've really got to disagree with Sean Dyche's post match comments. What I cannot understand is why after good performances against sides like Aston Villa and West Ham away where tactically we were compact but not camping out in our final third. This allowed us to break quicker and more effectively and offer far more threats on goal, with Branthwaite winning the ball from Antonio inside WHU half to start the move that resulted in the goal last week.
Momentum and confidence gained from recent performances combined with scoring an early goal should have resulted in a commanding pressing performance but the exact opposite occurred and we employed regressive and negative tactics, retreating into our final third and defending in depth.
The consequence created a disconnect between the combined back four supplemented by the midfield players leaving DCL and to a lesser degree Doucoure isolated up front.
I appreciate this rendered a very ordinary Brighton side to be absolutely no threat, but unfortunately these tactics resulted in very little space or options when we were in possession and meant the majority of the time we hit hopeful long balls hoping DCL would gain possession and hold the ball until support arrived. The problem was the time it would take for players to break from such deep positions meant DCL and Doucoure spent most of the game chasing the ball being passed between five or six Brighton players.
To concede the amount of ground and possession was ridiculous and only invites a slip or unfortunate deflection to punish us which is exactly what happened.
The simple instruction from our manager and coaching team should have been push forward, as a unit, 30 yards and compress the midfield, making it difficult for Brighton to so easily retain possession and allowing our players space and time to launch menacing attacks.
To De Zebis's credit in the second half, he instructed their most dangerous player, Musili, who during the first half had continually cut inside and encountered a wall of blue, to use his speed and take on Young on the outside, which he did on a number of occasions, reaching the bye line and pulling the defence out of position.
Defensively it was a sound performance but collectively it was a poor performance and not a good watch.
05 Nov 2023 18:18:14
So we are to negative, to put it into a few words ?.
05 Nov 2023 18:42:03
I have to agree with Fancy Smith. At the 25 minute point they had 87% possession and we were the home team and where one up. We just backed up constantly and when we had the ball we lost possession quickly and cheaply. It was disappointing because we had looked good for the last few games. Sitting back on a one goal lead is not a good strategy and that's what we did. If some think that is moaning, so be it.
05 Nov 2023 19:13:33
100% correct BM.
{Ed025's Note - but you have to consider when we do try to play expansive free flowing football at home (like against Luton), things can go tits up very easily, we dont have the skill set of some teams so we might just have to play to our strengths until we can bring in players who can change it guys..
05 Nov 2023 21:36:07
Definitely Ed mate I don’t want fancy footy just plain hard graft will do me get points and get up the table and then fancy can come, a lot on here have short memories.
{Ed025's Note - i would love us to play attractive expansive football GB, unfortunately the players we have in the club at the moment are not effective at that type of game plan, its all about gaining points at the moment until we are safe then we can think about bringing in players who can move us forward hopefully with an improved skill set, Dyche is doing what he has to do mate so its no good us all moaning because we dont play like Man City, instead of having a pop at the manager lets get behind the team and look forward to moving to Bramley Moore with the club on a stable footing from where we can build and progress to the Everton we all want us to be...rant over..
05 Nov 2023 21:58:27
Agreed Ed, cliché or not ''play to our strengths'' is the truth of the matter because 'Tika Taka is not for us atm mate, I would love to have a passionate affair with Taylor Swift, however something tells me I am not up to the job.
{Ed025's Note - i can confirm that last bit GD mate.. :)
06 Nov 2023 02:45:33
Ed who the heck is talking about playing like Man. City. We could have had three points on Saturday by pressing them after we scored. We might not be the best team in the league but we are better than we showed on Saturday. I guess we have to agree to disagree, we all have our opinions and it is not moaning. I for one are not having a pop at the manager, I just can't agree with some of the tactics. Having supported Everton for 77 years since I went to my first game at the age of six, including spending numerous years attending games both home and away I believe I am entitled to have an opinion. Maybe having witnessed first hand some great performances and teams over the years my expectations are too high. It seems to be acceptable to some on here that we allow a team like Brighton to run rings around us at Goodison and that it is acceptable that we got a point. Rant over.
{Ed025's Note - everyone is entitled to their opinion Mike and i was just expressing mine, i dont think with the squad we have at the moment that we can go toe to toe with the likes of Brighton (yes Brighton) and win, sad i know, i dont want us in a relegation dog fight again mate and think if we grind out results that we can build from there, i have seen the glory days as well as the dross over the years and i just want whats best for the club, getting to Bramley Moore in the top flight for me is paramount and if that means grinding out results against teams then so be it, NSNO only applies when you have a very good squad of players..
06 Nov 2023 08:06:12
Disagree. You don’t have to play tippy tappy football to attack. You just have to move the ball quickly and show some intent. We had two wide players and one striker, but they spent most of the game defending. This sitting back and hoping for a breakaway doesn’t work. We put no pressures on their defence, so they’re allowed to stroll around the park as if they own it.
The players have shown they can play if given the freedom to play. At 1-0 we should have continued to press and get that second goal. As for the Luton game. Well with better finishing we could have won that comfortably.