Match Thread Everton v Arsenal - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[maccavennie]

Yes wholly agree with that, I'd add in to that Aston Villa and Bournemouth. We should have got out with one at 0-0 and another at 1-1. You can also throw Burnley in their too. Thats 5 extra points, from dong something unglamorous and just staying in games while drawing. Take 2 points off all of the sides mentioned too and we are clearly ahead of many of them (we'd be 11 points clear of Villa for example). There would be no fear re relegation whatsoever.

All down to piss poor game management and not doing the basics when required in all those games.

Whatever we throw at Ferguson (and let's all remember he's a coach, not a manager) he got us doing the basics right, got us looking a lot more solid and that's a better foundation to build a team from

 

[maccavennie]

The (lack of) fitness and mounting injuries are almost certainly an issue and is for me another unfortunately legacy of the Silva era: we never look truly fit.

It reminded me of the Martinez era where pre-season wasn't given a priority and players were expected to gain their fitness over the first few months of the season.

For far too long, we've struggled to impose our selves for an entire forty-five minutes of a match, let alone an entire game; injuries mount up if you're not fully fit.

When you consider the injury list and our lack of physical preparations, it is no surprise that a by-product of Ferguson's more imposing tactics is we look exhausted.

Digne looked unfit and unprepared, and Delph and Gylfi slowed the game down even further with their lack of sharpness or perhaps that is something else entirely.

It worries me that we have a run of fixtures close together and we look exhausted already, so I hope that Carlo has something special up his sleeve.

Spot on about Silva mirroring Martinez. Same happened with Koeman and a massive issue we have had is that our pre seasons have been an absolute farce.

This needs to be changed immediately and I'd hope Ancelotti would be already booting off about demanding it being top end because the players look so undercooked at the start of the season and recruitment is too late so a lot of players are playing catch up.

I would imagine that would have been Brands remit (for pre season) but judging by the piss poor attempt at sorting a pre season out at the start of this season I'm not so sure.

 

[PhilM]

Spot on about Silva mirroring Martinez. Same happened with Koeman and a massive issue we have had is that our pre seasons have been an absolute farce.

Exactly. It isn't a coincidence that our tempo and/or intensity hasn't been what it should be, and still isn't, because this lack of fitness seeps into our style of play.

I know it's not as simple as it may sound, that's why managers etc. get paid a lot of money, but the best teams play at a higher tempo and we simply do not.

 

[maccavennie]

Exactly. It isn't a coincidence that our tempo and/or intensity hasn't been what it should be, and still isn't, because this lack of fitness seeps into our style of play.

I know it's not as simple as it may sound, that's why managers etc. get paid a lot of money, but the best teams play at a higher tempo and we simply do not.

There's issues we've had for years mate that need sorting isn't there

Pre season
Away form
Game management
Killing teams off when on top
Fitness
Injuries
Crap managers..... We've finally rectified this issue and hopefully he will sort out some of the above ones as well

 

[Abraders]

What a tragic game of football this was.

 

[Tel001]

People talk about fatigue but can I remind you out of the 11 that played the majority of the game. Digne Gylfi Delph Sidibe and Tosun were fresh....

Siggy and sidibe has just overcome flu digne was injured against Chelsea and played and came off against united while delph last stood on a football pitch about a year ago as he’s made of glass.

 

[PhilM]

There's issues we've had for years mate that need sorting isn't there

Pre season
Away form
Game management
Killing teams off when on top
Fitness
Injuries
Crap managers..... We've finally rectified this issue and hopefully he will sort out some of the above ones as well

I'm not suggesting that Carlo is a magic bullet who will instantly fix all our problems, but he may well be the catalyst for change over a period of time.

All of our problems are linked to poor management and are intrinsically linked: fix fitness and injuries and game will improve; mentality will improve away form etc.

 

[Jeff Jones]

We almost always kick to the Gwladys 2nd half but didn't against Leicester and Arsenal. How is it decided these days. Used to be a coin toss
didn't it?

 

[catcherintherye]

All down to piss poor game management and not doing the basics when required in all those games.

Whatever we throw at Ferguson (and let's all remember he's a coach, not a manager) he got us doing the basics right, got us looking a lot more solid and that's a better foundation to build a team from

He has been very astute in how he has managed games.

 

[catcherintherye]

I'm not suggesting that Carlo is a magic bullet who will instantly fix all our problems, but he may well be the catalyst for change over a period of time.

All of our problems are linked to poor management and are intrinsically linked: fix fitness and injuries and game will improve; mentality will improve away form etc.

Ancelotti is a very different type of manager as well. The sort of manager Moshiri hoped to get with Koeman.

He is tactically very aware and managers games very well, but can also handle big personalities.

I don't think we will over complicate things with him, trying to sign and develop too many young players etc. It will be far more, sign the player that is needed. I can see for example Nzonzi coming in on loan and Zlatan as well. No initial outlay, very little re-sale value, or long term prospects but in the short term two players who are a big improvement on what we have.

We probably need a bit more of this pragmatism. Over the next 2 windows I expect a lot more of this, need a player, go and buy the best player we can, irrespective of age or re-sale value.

If we can then get established, Brands can balance the books in the background.

 

[Bob Latchford]

Siggy and sidibe has just overcome flu digne was injured against Chelsea and played and came off against united while delph last stood on a football pitch about a year ago as he’s made of glass.

Sigs ran over 11k yesterday and still managed to ghost through the game.
We really need more from him but it’s not going to happen. It’s a shame

 

[ToffeeTim]

We almost always kick to the Gwladys 2nd half but didn't against Leicester and Arsenal. How is it decided these days. Used to be a coin toss
didn't it?

Lost the toss and they turned us round.

 

[Tel001]

Sigs ran over 11k yesterday and still managed to ghost through the game.
We really need more from him but it’s not going to happen. It’s a shame

Yeah I agree .. I stick up for him last season but I can’t defend him this season. He has been anonymous in every game I have seen him in so far and like you say it’s a shame as technically he is probably our best player

 

[dave11]

There's issues we've had for years mate that need sorting isn't there

Pre season
Away form
Game management
Killing teams off when on top
Fitness
Injuries
Crap managers..... We've finally rectified this issue and hopefully he will sort out some of the above ones as well

+ Defending corners or any type of cross into our box.

 

[Jeff Jones]

Lost the toss and they turned us round.

Where do they toss up? I've never noticed it before the kick off. It looks as though Everton wins it almost every time. I mean, why wouldn't the
opposing captain choose to kick to the park end when it's clear that Everton prefers to kick there?