2022/23 Ellis Simms

[Egil Olsen]

The MOTD analysis after Arsenal picked up on the fact that initially we couldn’t get out because no one was near Dom and so he had no one to lay it off to even if he won a duel. It’s a situation that makes the 9 look bad but really it’s created by a lack of support. In that game the highlighted that Dyche changed things and got men closer to Dom as the ball was going forward, resulting in the ball sticking up front and a raft of chances created.

Last night we started the same and never improved it- no idea if that was from the manager or just the players were too timid to push up and support him. I’m not saying he was brilliant but he was set up to fail. No support, and no service. His only half chance was given to him by a defensive error. You can’t expect to see anything from a striker playing like that.

I think this is exactly what Dyche is referring to when he says we need to be braver with the ball. We lost the ball too often and too early before we had any opportunity to move the team up.

 

[maccavennie]

I think this is exactly what Dyche is referring to when he says we need to be braver with the ball. We lost the ball too often and too early before we had any opportunity to move the team up.

Doesn't help when your full backs are scared of the ball and the 2 wide men couldn't be arsed.

Such a poor, disjointed performance from so many players.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Hopefully he doesn't take his first team beginnings to heart.
The distance in quality and expectation will be very clear now between the championship and prem level.
The support aint on his back, which is a plus, he'll have a better idea watching back about sharpness of thought and something as odd sounding as 'pre-anticipation'. Cal-Lewin took 18 months - two years to fully grow into his role.

 

[degsy]

Simms / Dyche
Dyche/ Simms
damned if you do
damned if you don't

Edit; if DCL can't get his head round the fact that he might not be 100% yet still able to do say 90%...
which is what Dyche seems to be dancing round without actually saying it.

Who else is there.

 

[kenada_blue]

The MOTD analysis after Arsenal picked up on the fact that initially we couldn’t get out because no one was near Dom and so he had no one to lay it off to even if he won a duel. It’s a situation that makes the 9 look bad but really it’s created by a lack of support. In that game the highlighted that Dyche changed things and got men closer to Dom as the ball was going forward, resulting in the ball sticking up front and a raft of chances created.

Last night we started the same and never improved it- no idea if that was from the manager or just the players were too timid to push up and support him. I’m not saying he was brilliant but he was set up to fail. No support, and no service. His only half chance was given to him by a defensive error. You can’t expect to see anything from a striker playing like that.

You'd still need a team that weren't cowards. And our record there says we've been cowards for decades

 

[Tony’s Carp]

We need to see Onana making the type of forward runs he made against Arsenal when we play Leeds. That allows whoever is up front the opportunity to get defenders running toward their own goal and they can become a threat.

I'd prefer to see a 442, tbh.

Yeah, I thought Onana was timid, showed more aggression scrapping on the sidelines after he went off. You need him up almost alongside the 9 (whoever it is) when we go long, gives you twice the chance of winning it and the other to go for the second ball.

 

[Tony’s Carp]

Play him alongside Gray, while Dom is out. I don’t see Maupay being any use. I was disappointed we didn’t put Gray on alongside Simms last night. We had zero threat and Dacoure was making my eyes hurt. Yet we didn’t try 2 up top for some reason. How much worse could it have got?!

I can see why Doucoure has played the last two games to give more energy in the midfield, but for me it makes sense for Gray to come in for him now. You can put Gray up nearer the striker for some proper support, or if you do need to switch for a more conventional third CM you just put Gray out right and bring Iwobi into the midfield.

 

[Curtis]

I actually thought he had a decent performance especially for a green player who just started his first game in a derby , which is a truly demanding and intense environment. also in my opinion he did a solid job in trying to bring in other players to initiate attacks but it didn't seem like anybody other than onana was attempting to be anywhere further up the pitch. It seems lack of proper service somehow affected how people perceived his quality of play

 

[Lanolin]

I see we're doing the thing where we compare him to top class players who were already full internationals etc at his age and saying that they had a bad game once so he might also go on to be top class, because that's how it works. A perennial favourite.

 

[Rugby Toffee]

Perhaps I am in the minority , but I thought he looked lazy. Being a young player , wanting to impress , I would of thought he would want to show energy and intensity. All I saw was a young lad letting the game pass him by. I saw rarely him break into a sprint.
This may sound harsh , but I wasn't impressed with the effort he shown. A hard job granted playing up there on your own with very little service or support , but he really didn't put himself about enough and show any desire in my opinion.

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

I see we're doing the thing where we compare him to top class players who were already full internationals etc at his age and saying that they had a bad game once so he might also go on to be top class, because that's how it works. A perennial favourite.

On the flip side is judging him after playing up front on his own at Anfield with a supporting player barely in the same postcode as him that great either?

He likely won't be the answer but he might be all we have for large parts of the season and slagging the lad isn't going to help.

 

[Lanolin]

On the flip side is judging him after playing up front on his own at Anfield with a supporting player barely in the same postcode as him that great either?

He likely won't be the answer but he might be all we have for large parts of the season and slagging the lad isn't going to help.

No. Remarkably there's a massive hole between the two, where you can say he was poor last night and is unlikely to turn out to be as good as Marcus Rashford, but isn't necessarily completely useless and needing to be fired out of a cannon into the sea. I know many people struggle to see this middle ground, but it's there, I promise.

 

[Curtis]

I think its humorous how we've had awful squads for a lengthy period of time and yet ample everton fans have such stringent expectations for new players. I'm not saying accept mediocrity but just relax for the love of god. Our team is rubbish and needs an extensive overhaul but whinging over aspect of the game of some younger players is silly , and futile. Nathan patterson or simms isn't going to see your comments on them being dire maybe dave cause I could see him sending a verbose letter to patterson critiquing his perceived flaws which he first noticed when watched that one Scotland game.

 

[Toffeelover]

Very little support.

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

No. Remarkably there's a massive hole between the two, where you can say he was poor last night and is unlikely to turn out to be as good as Marcus Rashford, but isn't necessarily completely useless and needing to be fired out of a cannon into the sea. I know many people struggle to see this middle ground, but it's there, I promise.

There are plenty more ahead of him for cannon duty that's for sure!

I don't think Rashford is that good a barometer either as although he is in terrific form he isn't that good and it has took him to 25 to get to this level.

We have done well with young academy strikers in the past though I am going back here but Jeffers, Chadwick, Vaughan and Anichebe all proved themselves useful at one time or another, hopefully Simms contributes from now until May as beggars can't be choosers.