Match Thread Chelsea vs Everton - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll.

[Ring master]

Carlo's Interview with the press

 

[jamieni]

Been impressed by the form of Davies recently,never been his biggest admirer, but losing the ball the he did for their chance and th Pickford double save really was the Davies of old and a liability...

He came on when we were chasing the game against a quality team. Difficult situation.

 

[evertony]

100%

Said it for years....we’re crying out for a Fabregas-type player who can open up play with the blink of an eye

 

[BlueToff]

Said it for years....we’re crying out for a Fabregas-type player who can open up play with the blink of an eye

I mean we have that very player in James, mate.

But, you need mobility to go with that.

Look at the top three most creative midfielders in the league - De Bruyne, Fernandes, Grealish.

They can all run with the ball as well as pick a brilliant pass. We lack that.

We have James who is as good a passer on his day as any player. But, he can't carry the ball. So, we need him upfield or at the very least some excellent movement ahead of him.

We need a player that - and this is a modern term but for lack of a better one 'transitions' well with the ball. Basically runs with it, through the thirds, or gets it, gives it, gets it back, beats a man, progresses up the pitch steadily. Someone who has those attributes.

It's a bonus if they can score and assist 10 or 20 a season but first and foremost it's the ball-carrying attributes we need, because we have James to create. It's getting the ball to the front line that's an issue, whether James plays or not.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I mean we have that very player in James, mate.

But, you need mobility to go with that.

Look at the top three most creative midfielders in the league - De Bruyne, Fernandes, Grealish.

They can all run with the ball as well as pick a brilliant pass. We lack that.

We have James who is as good a passer on his day as any player. But, he can't carry the ball. So, we need him upfield or at the very least some excellent movement ahead of him.

We need a player that - and this is a modern term but for lack of a better one 'transitions' well with the ball. Basically runs with it, through the thirds, or gets it, gives it, gets it back, beats a man, progresses up the pitch steadily. Someone who has those attributes.

It's a bonus if they can score and assist 10 or 20 a season but first and foremost it's the ball-carrying attributes we need, because we have James to create. It's getting the ball to the front line that's an issue, whether James plays or not.

Modern football all about ball carriers. The traditional play making no.10 is a rarity these days.

If you don't have midfield players who can carry the ball forward then you will struggle to match top sides.

 

[Gwladys St. Glory]

Plenty of joy in this thread...use this anger to please your lady on her day.

Tell those dishes who's boss.

I've realised this could be read the wrong way...I was implying bedroom antics but suggested you'd only be doing the dishes.

I wasn't telling you to tell her to do the dishes...sorry if you got pistol whipped, I'll buy you a beer when next I see you, just make sure to take a photo of your shiner.

 

[mmmmsnouts]

A limited and depleted squad lost away to a more talented side with a competent manager, this is absolutely unacceptable!

 

[ToffeeDan]

This was a free hit but we didn't...

absence of so many players means we really weren't going to get much so, in the end, to lose to a penalty and a deflection doesn't make me feel so bad.

 

[gonetomorrow]

I thought Allan was busy first half but in the end I had to go for Pickford.

 

[thefisch26]

I mean we have that very player in James, mate.

But, you need mobility to go with that.

Look at the top three most creative midfielders in the league - De Bruyne, Fernandes, Grealish.

They can all run with the ball as well as pick a brilliant pass. We lack that.

We have James who is as good a passer on his day as any player. But, he can't carry the ball. So, we need him upfield or at the very least some excellent movement ahead of him.

We need a player that - and this is a modern term but for lack of a better one 'transitions' well with the ball. Basically runs with it, through the thirds, or gets it, gives it, gets it back, beats a man, progresses up the pitch steadily. Someone who has those attributes.

It's a bonus if they can score and assist 10 or 20 a season but first and foremost it's the ball-carrying attributes we need, because we have James to create. It's getting the ball to the front line that's an issue, whether James plays or not.

I think one of those players would certainly help, but the type of player you're describing is a superstar. A cheaper alternative is a "true" winger or pacey second striker, which we lack right now. Think a Lennon/Walcott/Pienaar/Mirallas/Deulofeu type; somebody that can play out wide or lead the line. Not saying all of those players were fantastic for us, but for years if nothing else, we were able to play on the counter and now the only player in that category is Bernard?

 

[UptheTofees]

Haven't watched the match

Was working

Should I watch?

 

[BlueToff]

Modern football all about ball carriers. The traditional play making no.10 is a rarity these days.

If you don't have midfield players who can carry the ball forward then you will struggle to match top sides.

Precisely, and it's what we severely, severely lack. It's mad that after so much investment we lack it, but it shows how poor recruitment has been in general.

James is a wonderful playmaker, but he's part of a dying breed. Doesn't mean he can't be brilliant, but we're still even seeing his impact reduced (when he's fit) to fleeting moments, because of a lack of quality elsewhere.

It also takes the onus off him, Digne and, to a lesser extent, Sigurdsson, to be our only creative players.

 

[BlueToff]

Haven't watched the match

Was working

Should I watch?

Nah. We worked hard, but just have nowhere near their quality. They had us at arm's length all along.

 

[BlueToff]

I think one of those players would certainly help, but the type of player you're describing is a superstar. A cheaper alternative is a "true" winger or pacey second striker, which we lack right now. Think a Lennon/Walcott/Pienaar/Mirallas/Deulofeu type; somebody that can play out wide or lead the line. Not saying all of those players were fantastic for us, but for years if nothing else, we were able to play on the counter and now the only player in that category is Bernard?

Not really.

There's plenty of ball-carrying midfielders that aren't superstars.

It'd be a bonus if they could create and score loads but the main quality we lack is someone who progresses with the ball and looks to move it forward one way or the other.

For example, the links to Rabiot. They may well be BS, but he's actually a template of the type of ball carrier we do lack in midfield. Athletic, powerful, can pick a pass but it's more about the supply line into the forward players.

We also need a winger/forward, 100%, and a right-back. Those are the three areas of concern for me.

 

[Furey1878]

I don't think Carlo employs a press, at all.

Carlo adapts, man. The kind of football we play will change with the personnel.