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

[catcherintherye]

I'm very downbeat.

You can make allowances for fatigue, but its not as if we have had European games to contend with either.

I just felt the attitude and application last night was just shockingly poor.

We should never be given the run-around by Fulham at home, under any circumstances.

It feels like a new low, and the glow of Wednesday's result completely gone.

Last night was a disgrace and this has happened too often now.

I was angry after Newcastle, but to be fair we got a good response at Leeds, then United/Spurs. But you kind of undo the good work you do with another game like that.

It goes from the manager down too. I understand people think the team we put out should be good enough to beat Fulham but it's not. And it's not like we've been really consistent either. Surely he could see after Newcastle, we need our best players out to win games.

This might sound mad, but if you want to rest people, rest them in the City game. It's a bonus game. But you can't keep losing games that you need to be winning at home as often as we are. If you beat Fulham, we would have been 4th and it really doesn't matter what happens against City, or to a degree Liverpool. Now we go into those games under pressure.

We've soon got 1 game a week. We need to get back to our best 11, which includes all 4 centre backs, and stop rotating as much. Big decisions are needed.

 

[deipnosophist]

What a load of rubbish .

...quite!...and been like that for 73 years I’m calculating!

 

[No8Bally]

3.30 next day and I still have a cob on.

 

[marcus]

Substituted Coleman & Davies should have been James & Richarlison...

Closing down or pressing starts from the front men, if they don't press it all comes tumbling down like a pile of dominoes...

We scored a double blank last night against Fulham, no intensity & no spirit...

 

[craig0988]

The defence was ridiculously deep every time they got the ball even when they had it in their half, the back line kept retreating to the edge of the penalty area. That must have been an instruction from the sideline for some strange reason. Fair enough if you do that against so called bigger sides playing the low block, but you should be the aggressor against these teams and that's where the battle was lost first. Not like we never had pace at the back to play the high line either.

On the odd occasion you could see some of our attacking players went to go and close down their players high up, but they never done it as a team and was too easy for them to pass through us especially with the gap between the defence and midfield being well off - leaving far too much space for them. When we did win it back, it was always in our half and then the slow passing round the back going nowhere was so frustrating to watch. Fulham done to us what we should of done to them, high defensive line, close to the midfield, no space, that allowed them to close down from the front in our half and win the ball back in dangerous areas.

Just pathetic all round really. Koff Everton.

 

[ElGato]

Manchester City are the only club (3) who have conceded fewer goals over the last 13 fixtures than Fulham (10). Fulham also haven't been beaten by a team outside of the current top 5 since the 9th round of fixtures.

Just been their lack of goals that has stopped them from climbing up the table. Trust that they finally bag goals against us.

But perhaps some perspective on last night's result? Doesn't excuse the performance

 

[jamieni]

Manchester City are the only club (3) who have conceded fewer goals over the last 13 fixtures than Fulham (10). Fulham also haven't been beaten by a team outside of the current top 5 since the 9th round of fixtures.

Just been their lack of goals that has stopped them from climbing up the table. Trust that they finally bag goals against us.

But perhaps some perspective on last night's result? Doesn't excuse the performance

Thought Fulham were excellent but we were desperately poor. Just looked shellshocked from the outset.

 

[ElGato]

Thought Fulham were excellent but we were desperately poor. Just looked shellshocked from the outset.

Agreed mate I switched off after 20 mins. We looked goosed from mid-week tbf think we can underestimate what the last two performances can do physically and mentally.

Just surprised we didn't pick a team solely on fitness levels?

 

[lieneverton]

Fulham played well but in exactly the same way as Newcastle, my word how easy we made it for them. As usual, we're barely on the pitch at the start and the opposition grow in confidence, almost shocked at how they're being allowed to control the game. They took the opportunity with both hands so fair play.

What's worrying me is how we're not learning from any of our previous pathetic performances. Why are we letting poor teams come and dominate us? You can say well clearly that's not the plan, but then OK - why are we so deep? Why do we not press higher? Why do we show no urgency in closing them down and surrendering the middle third of the pitch to them?

I simply have no idea what we're trying to achieve in some games. And yes Carlo needs more time to sort it out and I'm fully behind him, but it's absolutely right we question what's going on. There's throwing the odd shocker but we are now doing it time and time again. Something is really, really off.

 

[Zezti]

I was angry after Newcastle, but to be fair we got a good response at Leeds, then United/Spurs. But you kind of undo the good work you do with another game like that.

It goes from the manager down too. I understand people think the team we put out should be good enough to beat Fulham but it's not. And it's not like we've been really consistent either. Surely he could see after Newcastle, we need our best players out to win games.

This might sound mad, but if you want to rest people, rest them in the City game. It's a bonus game. But you can't keep losing games that you need to be winning at home as often as we are. If you beat Fulham, we would have been 4th and it really doesn't matter what happens against City, or to a degree Liverpool. Now we go into those games under pressure.

We've soon got 1 game a week. We need to get back to our best 11, which includes all 4 centre backs, and stop rotating as much. Big decisions are needed.

Not just Newcastle though. West Ham game was the same. Its worrying because its not one-off rarities, but frustrating because we can play really well when up for it (Leicester away e.g.).

 

[Devanski]

I’m just a bit baffled by what the plan was last night.
Woke up this morning thinking it was some bad dream but, no, came on here and it confirmed it really did happen.
Still can’t get my head around the shear lack of any cohesion or bite in that game... the players looked utterly lost and devoid of any understanding of what they were supposed to be doing.

 

[Terrarian]

Feeling deflated more than anything today, it has actually sunk in that I support players who earn so much money they dgaf about winning trophies and I'm not sure how I feel about it, my club deserves better.

Something has to change, I was hoping carlo was that change but he has the same problem, players who aren't born winners. Until we get more players with a winning mentality , we'll never get anywhere.

 

[kleew]

We can't play from the back under team pressed.

The only player who plays FWD effectively from the back is Mina. Keane is next, but often nervous with the ball and sideway prone. Next, Godfrey, most of the time dares not venture an inch, and passes sideways with yards of space in front to advance. Holgate, worst of the lot, in addition to losing ball easily.

 

[blue1948]

...quite!...and been like that for 73 years I’m calculating!

The problem when you calculate without all the information is it becomes a guess .So no not 73 years but that is not relevant ,is it ? If you are referring to my age then it would be safe to assume you have an idea of the success I have seen .Which would then lead to the reply to your original post .

 

[ChesterBlue]

For once I actually after a day still stand by what I said in the heat of the moment after last night’s game. I’ve seen us get absolutely smashed, but I still think last night was one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen.