Match Thread Everton v Leicester City - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[PhilBr]

I think he did much better than okay, considering he had Gomes alongside him helping out? more of a hindrance Gomes, and that’s not taking into account that pitiful attempt in the last minute, all he had to do was head the bleedin’ ball.

Except that the ball was at stomach height, difficult to control.

 

[BlueToff]

Fair points
Just watched it again
Saving a shot that going out to concede the corner.
Cross from that corner he's bouncing around and flaps at it.
Then makes a big mess.

I'm out with him.

Yeah, it's fair.

He clearly just didn't want a take a chance with the corner, but should have known where his positioning was.

 

[skybluematt]

Ok, shouldve worded it better. We've had a few occasions in my eyes to make a statement, first one was home to the Rs on back of 4 straight wins, and though we got a point i still look at it as a missed opportunity. Forgetting the barren run, when we played Manure at home in the QF again a big chance for a club crying out for a trophy but we didnt turn up. West Ham at home we win we go clear in 2nd but didnt turn up. Last night again massive chance to do the double over a rival and push ourselves into 4th with 1/2 games in hand on everyone around us.
Beating Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester away were all brilliant results but we dont seem to grow in belief from them.
If we want to aim for europa, maybe even CL this season, we need to have more faith in the side to push on.

14 points from 21 from the other 7 teams (excluding West Ham & Southampton, not only because it improves the numbers but I don't think they'll finish in the top 7) competing for the European places. When you take into account where Everton were last season and their record against the bigger clubs in recent history, it's quite an improvement. A statement, if you will.

You've got to walk before you can run. Considering the vast majority of the squad is still made up of players that many on here said last year, they were not good enough. The improvement has been impressive.

 

[Chrismac]

14 points from 21 from the other 7 teams (excluding West Ham & Southampton, not only because it improves the numbers but I don't think they'll finish in the top 7) competing for the European places. When you take into account where Everton were last season and their record against the bigger clubs in recent history, it's quite an improvement. A statement, if you will.

You've got to walk before you can run. Considering the vast majority of the squad is still made up of players that many on here said last year, they were not good enough. The improvement has been impressive.

Yes, i agree, and maybe i should know our level a bit more. But i look at the options we have up top, and i cant remember us having that quality since mid 80s, and it irritates me that we dont fully utilise them.
For us to progress we need to get the best out of Richy, James and Dom, and playing so defensively with 4 CHs and a LB at LM at home, against a side if we are honest are decent, but without Vardy are no world beaters, disappoints me.
The away wins and any win against top 6 are huge in comparison to recent seasons, but we need to expect that regularly going forward, dont compare against mediocrity or we'll be doing ourselves an injustice.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Where is the Geordie thread? I am dying to see formations!

 

[Tree13]

It's not really a surprise Everton struggled yesterday, with Allan and Doucoure out. Flashbacks to last season. They were two brilliant signings but not even Ancelotti can perform miracles with 2 and a half PL standard CM's.

I do think Gomes is a good squad player but only when he has better players next to him. Davies isn't good enough to be a first team regular. Neither are good enough to play together against a good PL side.

If Allen & Doucoure played last night, I believe Everton win the game.

As for the positives, Godfrey seems to impress every week. If you can get a quality RB in the summer (just imagine Lampty! - no chance), that back four would be seriously impressive.

I have emphasised the parts of this post I agree with.

 

[Tree13]

Thats it. His tactics were identical but no said we were negative that night. The difference was Allan was the best player on the pitch until he went off early, then Dacoure stepped up and was the best player on the pitch after Allan went off. Because they were so good we kept in control and passed our way up the pitch. We couldn’t do that yesterday as we didn’t have anyone good enough to compete and use the ball properly. That’s why we got bogged down and why the full backs couldn’t get forward, it wasn’t the way we set up. What we desperately need is to buy another centre mid with the aggression and athleticism of Godfrey who loves a tackle and passes forward quickly.

Spot on with both of these points.

In the summer (presuming we get rid of at least Besic, Bolasie, Delph) we should aggressively pursue Kalvin Phillips from Leeds. Have him sit in front of the back four and give Allan and Doucoure freedom to play box-to-box.

If we were somehow able to create space on the wage bill NOW (Bernard going, for instance) I'd take a punt on Michael Olise from Reading, who is rumoured to have an £8m release clause... and then go for Kalvin Phillips in the summer too.

*heads off to transfer thread.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

I put Richarlison.
He never stopped running.
But what a waste .
That lad in full flow is great to watch.

 

[Tipp blue]

Madison is a cracking player, took several hits last night and got up without moaning.. a player like him is exactly what we need, top class.

 

[Tipp blue]

Ban every single person who voted Tom Davies!

We were crap, they were good, feel sorry for Jordan but he has to save those and I'm finally flipped.. He has to go

And Gomes, how many times did he give it away? He made a run at one stage it looked like a slow motion replay.

 

[Andy_Oz]

Yeah, it's fair.

He clearly just didn't want a take a chance with the corner, but should have known where his positioning was.

Always get the feeling with Pickford he likes to take any opportunity to “dive for the cameras”, i.e. when he tipped it out for the corner, I imagine he thought ”this might go in”, but his overriding thought would still have been “I’ll look incredible diving and saving this”. What a berk.
Olsen in please (not that I have much faith in him either).

 

[Smithfox]

shame with all that possession and fingering from the commentator how could they possibly not be the better team.

because tactics yo.

I am a Fox and I was really disappointed with Everton's boring negativity. A wonder goal from nothing gave you a chance of a win. We well deserved a stroke of luck with Pickford's error. Surely you guys want to see more exciting football?

 

[Everton1654]

Need a ball playing centre mid to accompany Allan and Doucoure to help us keep the ball better and to unlock defences when we do have possession

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Madison is a cracking player, took several hits last night and got up without moaning.. a player like him is exactly what we need, top class.

We have the absolute opposite

 

[Titus Bramble]

Felt like a frustrating missed opportunity last night, we’ve put the pressure on ourselves for Saturday now... if we beat the barcodes then I’d say 4 points is a good return from those 2 games, if we don’t then we’re looking at 1 win in 4 Which isn’t ideal.

The lack of mobility in the middle was our biggest issue yesterday. Davies made some good interceptions and I think both he and Gomes were fine on the ball, but the space Leicester had when in possession was always going to be an issue and I was surprised the Iwobi sub came so late when we were crying out for someone to get the ball and carry it up the field.

Having said that... we should have won. Their goal was a mistake by Pickford - he saw it late but it shouldn’t be going in when he gets such a big hand to it - but other than that we restricted them and I can’t really think of any chances where you could say 'we got away with that', albeit that being as a result of some last ditch defending.

Both Richarlison and DCL should have scored their headers in the last 5/10 mins and Gomes could have done better with his chance but in fairness to him it fizzed at him at an awkward height through a boxful of players.

Carlo's got this.