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

[evertonandchelmsford]

That was so poor last night.

I had a bad feeling like many others once the line up was announced it just didn't seem to make much sense to me. Too much rotation/ too many central midfielders and no striker. What was the point in signing Josh King if we're not going to use him from the start if there's no DCL?

I know Richarlison took his goals well the other night but yesterday it was his turn to be isolated, no one else in our team got close to him to offer him support. His first goal against Spurs was all down to him linking up with DCL.

I thought Davies was playing well and subbing him off considered he was the only one of our central midfielders having a positive effect on the game was a strange one. We had 5 CM's if you include Sigurdsson & James it was like a very deep and narrow 4-3-2-1 formation they were all so close together yet apart from Davies there was no real authority or forward passes/runs. James was getting frustrated and having to come even deeper for the ball yet when he did that no one was then offering a run ahead of him or a good option to pass.

Whenever Digne or Coleman had the ball they had no options or support ahead of them to link up and play a decent pass. The slow lethargic tempo starting with our centre backs Holgate in particular. For me the over rotation of our defenders is very frustrating and hopefully soon it will stop. I can accept if Holgate needs to play at RB i'd have him ahead of Coleman but there should at least be one of Mina/Keane at the back every game as a partnership or with Godfrey.

The first half was shocking and it was very concerning that Carlo thought it would change without any half time subs. Then two minutes later we're 1 down make changes but by then its too late we're all over the place the second goes in and all over. I decided to find something else to watch after that.

There's no excuse for losing at home to a team who had only won 2 games all season like that every week you see some Evertonians moaning about the medias perception of us and that we wont last the challenge for those top European places then that's why and add that to other home performances like West Ham & Newcastle.

Its a very strange season with no fans but I think the differences between the normal home & away results will definitely even themselves out for us as the season goes on.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Maybe a blessing in disguise,CL then getting turned over in the preliminary round by the Danish League runners up would have been all that the future would hold.

But there'll be another season of no trophies or CL, because when the chips are down we fold.

Possibly. The one caveat in that is the fact that so many other teams are doing exactly the same. We could end up being in Europe by being less crap (or inconsistent) than other clubs

 

[GrandOldTeam]

You are obviously a Carlo fan but I am not, it does not matter who we play he always starts every game on the defensive, sideways, backward football, I have watched the blues for 70years and witnessed some poor teams in my time and I am not saying we are not having a reasonable season, but we are supposed to have better players now and I do not see any better football, in my humble opinion we are very boring to watch and I am entitled to my opinion but managers come and go and I will always be a blue.

I'm an Everton fan mate.

I've just glanced at your posts and I can see you post stuff like this before Leeds;

If we get beat tonight with that team we know who to blame this time.

... Which is fair enough that's your opinion but maybe when we do then win you could say well done?

Yesterday made my eyes bleed, as did Newcastle and West Ham.

But I think it's over the top to say he plays negative, boring football. We've been really open, perhaps too open at times;

... I just think the mentality/application of the side is lacking.

Everton players didn't fancy it yesterday, and it annoys me a bit when we let them off the hook by putting managers infront of them.

 

[quasi modo]

Ancelloti goes on about dominating the midfield before the game yesterday but how can you do that with the set up we had, at times Davies was the only central midfielder as Doucouand Gomes where too far out on the right and left sides respectively covering for whoever was supposed to be playing that side. Also you will win no midfield battle with players sitting on the edge of the penalty area and not contesting for any loose ball.

This is a problem that is happening every game now, we have no desire to go and win the ball, no commitment to chase teams down, all wee do is sit back and try and soak pressure up and that is on the manager.

I would like to see us go looking for the ball and not giving teams a second on the ball especially at home but I just don't think we are up to this as the team do not look fit enough or want it enough.

 

[CWP1956]

It was the lack of pride they showed that really got to me. Just imagine you're a decent, experienced pro - you have international caps, you're in a team that is close to the top of the division, you have the prospect of displaying your skills in Europe next season, you're playing a team heading for relegation.
They are completely, comprehensively out-playing you.
Somehow you get into the dressing room at half-time still level. Forget what the manager says. Aren't you going to stand up and say "We are playing like a bunch of [Poor language removed]. We can do better than this. I accept I have not done well, but none of you have either. Let's get back out there and show them what we're made of. Show them how to play. Start running. Start passing forwards, Close them down. Start playing like we know what we're doing. Play like we have some heart"? Or something like that.
But instead you go out - after hearing who knows what Carlo said? - and you put in the same level of ineffectual, can't be elfin' arsed performance that you put in during the first 45. Or possibly an even worse performance.
What is the matter with them? Don't they learn anything? That performance against The Skunks stank the place out more than they do. But this was even worse. And I didn't think that was possible.
But it's Everton. Just when we think they might do something, they let us down. I should have known.

 

[blue1948]

I must confess to feeling a little surprised that there is so much anger and angst around today's result. Today's result was 100% Everton...I expected the abject surrender...it is what Everton is all about. I love the club...but i know that they are losers...and i do not expect anything from them.

Like a wayward child they are...you just love love them regardless of the disappointment.

Do not support Everton if you seek success...you will not find it with Everton

What a load of rubbish .

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Ancelloti goes on about dominating the midfield before the game yesterday but how can you do that with the set up we had, at times Davies was the only central midfielder as Doucouand Gomes where too far out on the right and left sides respectively covering for whoever was supposed to be playing that side. Also you will win no midfield battle with players sitting on the edge of the penalty area and not contesting for any loose ball.

This is a problem that is happening every game now, we have no desire to go and win the ball, no commitment to chase teams down, all wee do is sit back and try and soak pressure up and that is on the manager.

I would like to see us go looking for the ball and not giving teams a second on the ball especially at home but I just don't think we are up to this as the team do not look fit enough or want it enough.

What should he do mate?

He signed Doucoure/Allan to give us that midfield tenacity.

Unfortunately Allan has been injured and Doucoure looks to have hit a wall.

He signed Rodriguez to give us that quality ahead of them.

He then has to play Davies/Gomes/Sigurdsson - they're not "his" players, but they're not exactly this are they;

Also you will win no midfield battle with players sitting on the edge of the penalty area and not contesting for any loose ball.

This is a problem that is happening every game now, we have no desire to go and win the ball, no commitment to chase teams down, all wee do is sit back and try and soak pressure up and that is on the manager.

Search my posts for passive and it's all I moan about, but not sure what Ancelotti can do with regards to desire/commitment/contest for the ball when his midfield is Davies, Gomes or Sigurdsson.

 

[TimHowardsBeardJuice]

to be fair Davies was putting in the shift we’ve come to expect lately but he can’t do it himself and I have no idea why he was subbed off when there were ten more deserving at the time.

Mrs Juice fell asleep in the first half snd suggests Carlo had a poor game because he had a bad Valentines Day. I doubt that a suave Italian millionaire has much to worry about in that department but maybe he forgot and had to do with some Tesco chocolates at the last minute

 

[quasi modo]

What should he do mate?

He signed Doucoure/Allan to give us that midfield tenacity.

Unfortunately Allan has been injured and Doucoure looks to have hit a wall.

He signed Rodriguez to give us that quality ahead of them.

He then has to play Davies/Gomes/Sigurdsson - they're not "his" players, but they're not exactly this are they;



Search my posts for passive and it's all I moan about, but not sure what Ancelotti can do with regards to desire/commitment/contest for the ball when his midfield is Davies, Gomes or Sigurdsson.

Does it not come down to training methods and how he sets the team up? We seem to be set up to sit deep and soak pressure up, is that not on the manager?

We don't look like we can physically match teams and this is something he was criticised for at Bayern because of his training methods were not intense enough.

I admire Ancelloti but there is no excuse for what he sent out last night, he had other options, even a midfield two of Davies and Doucoure would have been stronger but instead Doucoure was dragged out to the right again to cover leaving Davies central on his own. He had players with pace on the bench we started with none. I know its all hindsight but it was so poor yet again from a manager with so much experience.

 

[Efcjake]

I'm still fuming about how crap they all were.

 

[terryefc]

No idea why we didn't play Keane. Without DCL that was our goal threat gone. One of the worst defences we've ever put out too - and yet we still defend free kicks in our 6 yard box. Only team in the Prem that does this. That Olsen is stuck on his line with superglue. Added to that a midfield of tired poseurs and strikers who don't touch the ball and that was game over. If we put that side out again we'd lose every single match.

 

[Bob Latchford]

Rotate, bollocks, or even rest, the players are supposed to be fit, they are not OAPs. Can't handle 2 games in a week?

I think he may have thought he needed to rotate, yes. A lot of double guessing. Personally I want the best team playing in every game.

There’s a sports science department that would tell him who, in their opinion, was fit to play etc etc. But it’s not just 2 games per week - there’s an accumulation and a need to train and maintain in between games.

That was the 10th game since the 1st of Jan including extra time in the previous match. I’m not sure what their glycogen levels were like or who was ‘blowing out their arse’ coming into yesterday’s game but the whole thing from start to finish was an absolute shambles and that’s aside from the professional athlete debate.

 

[blackie_jones75]

I'm used to turning the tv off with a resigned shrug when Everton are playing badly but Fck me that made me angry last night, no energy, passion or desire. Wrong subs, wrong players taken off and no change of tactics/personnel till too late. I said that I thought the second half couldn't possible be as bad as the first but how wrong was I. Fulham completely took the P*** out of us. My missus had to go and get me a drink to calm down and we ended up polishing off all the beer, wine and half a bottle of gin till about 2 am. Kids woke me up at 6 am wanting brekkie and Cbeebies, thanks Everton you c***s!

 

[BlueStevie35]

I'm still fuming about how crap they all were.

I spent the morning painting the ceiling and borders in my mums room so that helped take out some frustration from last night

 

[Preki]

Just did a 10 mile hike. Still annoyed but less fuming than this morning. Sweating more than 80% of blues yesterday.