Match Thread Everton v Arsenal - Barely a preview, Match Report & MotM Poll

[T LEAFE]

I just don't know what the game plan was to win the game. It can't be just to defend, defend defend. You have to score to win games. We know this, right???

The game plan was to lose by 1
Mission accomplished

 

[HTCHERO]

We categorically aren’t better than Arsenal in 2 positions!?

But professional players should be able to pass the ball to each other. That was embarrassing today.

We have a better keeper and have id have Branthwaite over Saliba. That's just my opinion

 

[HTCHERO]

I’d probably try and play in a similar way which caused them problems last time personally.

Really... I like to be sarcastic

 

[Goat]

Took my Grandson to his first League game, he had convinced himself he was our lucky mascot cos we beat Sporting in his last game.

SO thanks a lot Everton, Grandsons crying.

Just before Beto got subbed off, he turned to me and said "Grandad, I havent seen number 14 for ages", out of the mouths of babes.

 

[sam domingo]

Thought the work rate was decent but we just look so very,very limited,pedestrian in possession,no-one can play a cutting pass,we give the ball away so very cheaply,hopefully Harrison can add something for us,still confident we can keep our heads above water again this season,we are not a great watch though,Branthwaite a big plus today though.

I'll be amazed if Branthwaite is still with with us after January, never mind next season.

 

[Lineker]

I don’t get our need to bring everyone back at corners, but I’ve never seen an opposition team taking the p!$$ on this like arsenal did today with Raya on the halfway line and all their outfielders in and around our box.
Surely someone has to go out of our box and take a couple of theirs with them, and at least offer us a quick outlet?!

This this this. One player out of the box makes no difference and is at least an outlet so it doesn't come straight back in 100 perception of the time

 

[ToffeeTim]

Absolutely gutless way to play at Goodison

Any manager setting the side up like that should be booted out. Pathetic

I'd rather lose with a team trying to win under a manager who is trying to play with intensity and aggression.

What is our identity under Dyche? We just sit there at home waiting to get beat

 

[siddharth]

I think we played alright in this game, in some aspects we were much better than when they beat us last year at their place. Although we were extremely naive in possession, we matured much more defensively and that is a positive. In the last Arsenal game, we single-mindedly maintained a set structure (compact and all) and then they just tilted the pitch and got their way while we just did not take hold of it. This time, either our movement was good enough to ensure that it did not happen and surprisingly only happened during their set plays when the goal was scored or Arteta just wanted to try something different to win this time (kind of like milk runs for their title push). What we were extremely naive in was our plan for attacking play, We were never gonna score from outside the box with our midfield's shooting capacity and we were never passing well enough to get into the box for a finish, so what was the plan? The wingers seemed to play less and less as the game went on. I understand that is because of the defensive duties but why were Beto and the Midfield the only players who tried to break? If we have three defensively oriented midfielders or at least two who have experience sitting deep, should they have not supported the defensive duties assisting the wingbacks and the wingers turning inside to close down further up the pitch, to do what Gana and Doucoure were doing? Am I missing something?
By the time we figured it out, McNiel was knackered (Sean Dyche probably wasn't expecting that), Danjuma moved in as a second striker and the game ended. Why are we so rusty and experimental about so many things in actual matches instead of in training?

In many ways, it feels like today was our actual first competitive match of the season (good or bad?, idk), hope we improve by a lotttttt.

 

[StreetEndBlue]

I know I probably need to get a life but how come Arsenal are allowed to wear their white shorts at Goodison every season yet we have to change ours to Blue when we play at their ground?

 

[Bez2k2k]

I think we played alright in this game, in some aspects we were much better than when they beat us last year at their place. Although we were extremely naive in possession, we matured much more defensively and that is a positive. In the last Arsenal game, we single-mindedly maintained a set structure (compact and all) and then they just tilted the pitch and got their way while we just did not take hold of it. This time, either our movement was good enough to ensure that it did not happen and surprisingly only happened during their set plays when the goal was scored or Arteta just wanted to try something different to win this time (kind of like milk runs for their title push). What we were extremely naive in was our plan for attacking play, We were never gonna score from outside the box with our midfield's shooting capacity and we were never passing well enough to get into the box for a finish, so what was the plan? The wingers seemed to play less and less as the game went on. I understand that is because of the defensive duties but why were Beto and the Midfield the only players who tried to break? If we have three defensively oriented midfielders or at least two who have experience sitting deep, should they have not supported the defensive duties assisting the wingbacks and the wingers turning inside to close down further up the pitch, to do what Gana and Doucoure were doing? Am I missing something?
By the time we figured it out, McNiel was knackered (Sean Dyche probably wasn't expecting that), Danjuma moved in as a second striker and the game ended. Why are we so rusty and experimental about so many things in actual matches instead of in training?

In many ways, it feels like today was our actual first competitive match of the season (good or bad?, idk), hope we improve by a lotttttt.

Honestly, without sounding rude, but this is complete and utter nonsense. Your first sentence is that we played alright in this game, well I don’t know what game you watched but it wasn’t the same game I paid £54 quid to go and watch.

 

[AndyC]

Everton aren’t going to win anything again in my lifetime. I’ve accepted that. My expectations are lower than they have ever been. I don’t ask a lot.

But that was unacceptable for me today. I don’t ever want to see Everton football club play a home game in such a cowardly fashion again.

Sadly, I too came to that conclusion in years two and three of Martinez - those abjectly poor seasons were the beginning of the stuffing being knocked out of many of us who are old enough to have been privileged to see the mid 80s teams, never mind the Holy Trinity inspired 69/70 championship winning team.

 

[siddharth]

Honestly, without sounding rude, but this is complete and utter nonsense. Your first sentence is that we played alright in this game, well I don’t know what game you watched but it wasn’t the same game I paid £54 quid to go and watch.

Totally fair point, but you should be outraged that you paid 108quid for essentially glorified friendlies this season if you went to the other two games.

Yet our club went around saying we should have scored in the other games whereas we just were not competitive enough to close out the games we played in. This one I felt we tried, but very poorly.

 

[MACCA75]

We’ve scored 16 goals at Goodison since the start of last season. 22 games.

 

[Bez2k2k]

Doucoure penalty?

Knocks the ball around the defender and defenders knee makes contact? No?

 

[DanEFC92]

Showing the lack of intensity on motd. Particularly alarming.