26 Nov 2023 19:13:16
Think we need to see things in context. We played like we have most if season and players gave their all. Went behind to worldie then failed to take our chances before half time.
Penalty was soft but correct decision once foot poked out but thought ref was poor throughout.
Utd deserved today but thought game was decided on a couple of decisions and our inability to take chances (same old. same old) but really believe we will be fine!
However, 10 points will mean it will be tight!
COYB!
26 Nov 2023 20:13:21
Well ignoring all of the passion, ten point deduction, the problem with Refs and luck etc. and the fact that the players are trying their best, we have now got 5 points from an available 24 at home which is just not good enough and would normally make us relegation candidates. Our away form on the contrary has been excellent. To survive this year it is pretty obvious where we need to improve.
26 Nov 2023 23:14:54
Luckily we have dramatically improved away because we were terrible both home and away. Obviously we'd all love a home win and a winning streak to remind teams that Goodison is a nightmare host. On a great day we'd have been 5-1 up at half time. They were begging for a good seeing to but we didn't smash em when they were on a plate. 2nd half was a little lackluster by comparison to that 30mins in 1st half yet we still could have got a couple and then we got punished as per our luck. Ref was terrible but they all are in all games so no conspiracy theories apply. We will be fine with a month to go. I'd like to think we will get a home win soon. UTD were and are in good form so not that unexpected. Scoreline was harsh though.
27 Nov 2023 07:32:34
Pretty much exactly as I see it FBS.
27 Nov 2023 09:21:31
That's not how I see it. We try and play the same way at home as we do away. We sit back and try to hit teams on the break. It works away from home but not when were playing at home.
The first ten minutes of yesterday we sat back and allowed them to do whatever they wanted, I mean at times their keeper just stood there with the ball at his feet with zero pressure.
Once we started pressing them the game changed and we were able to unsettle them. Then for some reason in the second half we came out and sat off them again.
Utd are not a good side, but they do have enough good players who given time on the ball can punish you. Second half we basically handed them the game.
27 Nov 2023 10:34:07
Walking home from the game yesterday having the usual debate with my mate as to where we went wrong. Yes they scored a worldy early on, but even that could have been avoided with tighter marking.
I agree with Brass, when we pressed them they panicked and we were on them. At half time the feeling was that we could still win this. However, the team for some reason decided to sit deep and allow them possession again. Yes the crowd were vocal, but they were pleading with the players to push forward and get in their faces.
There were a few out there who simply underperformed, and substitution should and could have been made earlier.
Utd had a young lad in midfield who basically ran the game for them, and our midfielders got no where near his level of commitment. I would have liked to see young Dobbin given a run, especially as both our wide players were having poor games.
Once the pen went in it was game over, and all the backing in the world from the fans wasn’t going to make any difference. Manager has to change his tactics when playing at home, we need two strikers on the pitch. We need to be pressing teams the full ninety minutes and not allow them to dictate the rhythm of the game.
Felt yesterday we played the badge and not the team.
27 Nov 2023 16:09:36
The frustrations are understandable. There doesn’t appear to be a plan B in terms of a formation change, under any circumstances. Not many teams in World football can press with that energy for 90 minutes. It’s difficult to say that we weren’t positive with the number of chances we created.
{Ed025's Note - things went against us JB, we conceded a worldie of a goal very early ans were chasing the game from that point, i believe if we had converted one of the many chances we had at that stage it would have been a completely different outcome mate, as it was we conceded a very soft penalty and there was no way back after that..
27 Nov 2023 16:36:38
Things always seem against us Ed. It's not just bad luck any more.
McNeil jogged back and left myko defending against 2 utd players for the cross for the first goal. I've not got the stats but we seem to concede from crosses from our left very often. McNeil is supposed to be good defensively but I think he looks bone idle. Danjuma must be Maupay level to not get a game over him.
Stupid foul for the pen, but young has done it before, he can't help giving fouls away. I know a lot are saying it's a soft pen but I think it was a clear trip in the box and even though it was soft it was an obvious pen.
Then the 3rd we were just chasing the game and they finished well.
I don't think we were unlucky in any of them. The misses again weren't unlucky, in all honesty I've come to expect them. I think we all just think we are a much better team than we are.
I don't get why we can do it away (sometimes) but not at home.
I think McNeil and Harrison are our biggest problem. Both need to score far more often than they do. Harrison at least looks busy but McNeil couldn't be further from the player he was under dyche last year, he looks like he doesn't want to be here, never puts the effort in.
{Ed025's Note - i think the pressure after the 10 point ban which we hoped would work for us actually hampered us Chris, we were chasing too hard and snatched at our chances mate, this game was not the be all and end all and will not define our season so im just writing this one off, we will improve and things will settle down sooner rather than later and we will be fine..
27 Nov 2023 21:14:18
Thought that myself, when they didn't think about it they actually pressured but appeared to fold in front of goal. Wasn't at the game so hard to judge atmosphere but it looked on TV as Ed described. I must admit, I did think the deduction would have that nervous effect. 5 points so currently it is in Lutons hands. We certainly cannot afford to slip.
27 Nov 2023 21:18:03
I hope so ed. Just hope we continue doing the business away from home. I just can't work out why we miss so many chances at home.
{Ed025's Note - confidence and trying too hard Chris..
27 Nov 2023 21:45:47
As we’d picked up points, the squad had seemed more relaxed, more confident, and that’s not the case now.
The penalty: same thing happened in the Burnley game, not overturned, so again, we’re given the s***y end of the stick. McNeil and Harrison did have off days, but overall they’ve been decent this season.
I don’t think the performance was as bad as others are saying.
27 Nov 2023 21:55:39
Put two strikers on the pitch and the still need feeding, Beto can do the knockdowns from what I have seen.