Match Thread Everton V Manchester City - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[arch stanton]

City are different class mate, no denying it , it’s there for all to see. What I’m saying is the mentality of Everton is all wrong, City are not infallible, no team is and they are still there to be competed against and having a mentality of feeling a game is lost before it’s started is a detriment and it’s happening far too often past and present.

`I'd agree that our mentality isn't where it needs to be (see Fulham, Barcodes etc) but last night I think was Ok attitude wise, there was a game plan to be tight and narrow, defend well, stay in the game and hit quickly on the break. Largely that was how it went but unfortunately city managed to get a couple extra. I didn't see poor attitude last night, heads started to drop in the last ten minutes when we were behind and with tired legs/no options to change it. This weekend is the big test for attitude. They are there for the taking, their confidence is fragile, if we get at them, and don't let them get ahead, these could fold. We absolutely cant allow them to get in their stride.

 

[Old Blue 2]

Good post.
As a City fan I can honestly say that last night was one of the toughest games we have had for more than a while.
Much harder than the Spurs & Liverpool matches. You defended very well for long periods and I thought Davis and
Godfrey were excellent. You also attacked on the break fast and caught us out on a number of occassions. I most certainly
would say that you were far from schooled. If you play like that against Liverpool then you should get some sort of a result.
Ancelotti is a very smart manager and he'll set the team up to suit. If DCL is back then that's a big boost also.
I reckon you are least on for a draw. They will be as nervous as kittens and if you can cleverly rough up their strikers
early in the game (particularly Salah who just doesn't like the physical stuff) then its game on.

Thanks for a very reasonable post.

My views on our side of the game last night.

4-4-2 appears to be the formation that best suits us. It kept Man City at bay in the first half (I'll comment on your goal lower down).

You don't take your best player off (Davies) and leave Siggy on.

Man City's first goal: no way that was going to be a goal - Pickford was down and covering the trajectory of it, and then came a big deflection. A VERY lucky goal indeed.

The second goal: ANY Manager worth his salt would be telling his players to show Mahrez his right-side (i.e. do not under ANY circumstances let him cut inside onto his strongest foot). Same as with Salah (on Saturday). At the edge of the area get tight and do not let him come inside. Basic. Even without any advice of the Manager, players know the strengths of opponents, particularly attackers. A totally self-inflicted second goal.

The third goal: If we have a goalkeeping coach, he should be drilling it into all of the keepers that when you dive for a ball, you go for it with TWO outstretched arms. Go for it with one, and there's a very good chance that there will not be sufficient strength/force to prevent the ball going on behind the keeper. Again, this is basic. There is really no excuse for that third goal. Basic goalkeeping error.

Although City had far more possession (which was to be expected) the scoreline ultimately flattered them. A fluky first and a basic goalkeeping error...

 

[everton1953]

Good job it was on Prime. I never saw it and never will. Onwards to the next gallant defeat at you know where. I will record that cos you can always delete should you wish not to suffer.

 

[Bluestar]

Ha. I fancy us in the cup actually. Just go for it. They are obviously very good but they are still human...

It depends if they are distracted with Europe.

 

[Bluestar]

Thanks for a very reasonable post.

My views on our side of the game last night.

4-4-2 appears to be the formation that best suits us. It kept Man City at bay in the first half (I'll comment on your goal lower down).

You don't take your best player off (Davies) and leave Siggy on.

Man City's first goal: no way that was going to be a goal - Pickford was down and covering the trajectory of it, and then came a big deflection. A VERY lucky goal indeed.

The second goal: ANY Manager worth his salt would be telling his players to show Mahrez his right-side (i.e. do not under ANY circumstances let him cut inside onto his strongest foot). Same as with Salah (on Saturday). At the edge of the area get tight and do not let him come inside. Basic. Even without any advice of the Manager, players know the strengths of opponents, particularly attackers. A totally self-inflicted second goal.

The third goal: If we have a goalkeeping coach, he should be drilling it into all of the keepers that when you dive for a ball, you go for it with TWO outstretched arms. Go for it with one, and there's a very good chance that there will not be sufficient strength/force to prevent the ball going on behind the keeper. Again, this is basic. There is really no excuse for that third goal. Basic goalkeeping error.

Although City had far more possession (which was to be expected) the scoreline ultimately flattered them. A fluky first and a basic goalkeeping error...

Those mistakes came about because of the sheer number of chances and quality of possession.

Its easy to call stuff basic. You can do it for every single goal that is scored. But under sustained pressure, it’s not easy to keep a team as good as City at bay. I’m afrId if it hadn’t have been those goals, then other opportunities would have opened up.

I think we have been paid a huge compliment by the City poster and it reflects my feelings on the game.

 

[Old Blue 2]

Those mistakes came about because of the sheer number of chances and quality of possession.

Its easy to call stuff basic. You can do it for every single goal that is scored. But under sustained pressure, it’s not easy to keep a team as good as City at bay. I’m afrId if it hadn’t have been those goals, then other opportunities would have opened up.

I think we have been paid a huge compliment by the City poster and it reflects my feelings on the game.

Not necessarily so. I'm old enough to remember the Italian teams of the 1960s defending for 90 minutes. Inter Milan in the first round of the European Cup in 1963 at Goodison for starters.

Good proper, planned, defending CAN nullify an attacking threat, whatever it may be, and wherever it comes from. I was appalled at the Mahrez goal last night. Absolutely obvious what he was trying to do, and going to do...

 

[Tree13]

Yes I understand what you are saying but what about the Fulham game, should we also accept that defeat so easily as well.

No, for two reasons:

- Fulham are not at the same level as Man City
- By and large none of our lot made any effort against Fulham, whereas they did against City.

The Fulham game was unacceptable. The performance was insipid and the result disastrous, and the knock-on effect is that we now need to get more points than we can reasonably expect against better quality opposition. Looking at this passage of three games (Fulham, City and the RS), I was thinking four to six points was a distinctly possible return but this assumed a win against Fulham. Now we need to beat the snakes in their pit just to avoid losing ground.

 

[lieneverton]

No, for two reasons:

- Fulham are not at the same level as Man City
- By and large none of our lot made any effort against Fulham, whereas they did against City.

The Fulham game was unacceptable. The performance was insipid and the result disastrous, and the knock-on effect is that we now need to get more points than we can reasonably expect against better quality opposition. Looking at this passage of three games (Fulham, City and the RS), I was thinking four to six points was a distinctly possible return but this assumed a win against Fulham. Now we need to beat the snakes in their pit just to avoid losing ground.

Yep, good post. We were in a great position to really attack the top 4 and we're ending the week scrambling just to barely stay in touch.

 

[Tree13]

Yep, good post. We were in a great position to really attack the top 4 and we're ending the week scrambling just to barely stay in touch.

Really wasted our games in hand, which is infuriating.

I can live with trying to get a point against City and ultimately failing, because it was apparent that the players were making an effort. I cannot abide performances like we saw against Fulham because if we are aiming to finish in the top six it follows that we should be attempting to beat teams who, when just past the halfway point of the season, are tenth or below in the table.

The one saving grace here is that the next fixture is essentially a six-pointer. Winning it will go a long way towards getting us back on track.

 

[arch stanton]

Thanks for a very reasonable post.

My views on our side of the game last night.

4-4-2 appears to be the formation that best suits us. It kept Man City at bay in the first half (I'll comment on your goal lower down).

You don't take your best player off (Davies) and leave Siggy on.

Man City's first goal: no way that was going to be a goal - Pickford was down and covering the trajectory of it, and then came a big deflection. A VERY lucky goal indeed.

The second goal: ANY Manager worth his salt would be telling his players to show Mahrez his right-side (i.e. do not under ANY circumstances let him cut inside onto his strongest foot). Same as with Salah (on Saturday). At the edge of the area get tight and do not let him come inside. Basic. Even without any advice of the Manager, players know the strengths of opponents, particularly attackers. A totally self-inflicted second goal.

The third goal: If we have a goalkeeping coach, he should be drilling it into all of the keepers that when you dive for a ball, you go for it with TWO outstretched arms. Go for it with one, and there's a very good chance that there will not be sufficient strength/force to prevent the ball going on behind the keeper. Again, this is basic. There is really no excuse for that third goal. Basic goalkeeping error.

Although City had far more possession (which was to be expected) the scoreline ultimately flattered them. A fluky first and a basic goalkeeping error...

I could hear it all night that when Mahrez had the ball, I could hear shouts about keeping him down the line. That was the intention but Mahrez is decent.

 

[RomanReigns]

Newton's Third Law of Motion - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Everyone knows Man City play a high press with constant passing and movement

There must be a way to counteract this style of play effectively.

There is no way sitting deep and trying to counter-attack is effective. It just invites pressure and will lead to the inevitable. We didn't even have a single corner.

The question is why don't we try and match city's intensity? Is it due to lack of quality or tiredness?

Everytime we got the ball there was no outlet. Why is there no outlet? we succumb to just booting the ball away and waiting for the next wave of the attack to happen.

There is something inherently wrong with the way we are set up to play.

 

[RomanReigns]

I could hear it all night that when Mahrez had the ball, I could hear shouts about keeping him down the line. That was the intention but Mahrez is decent.

digne tracked mahrez back and then stopped tracking his run and lost him, the end results was mahrez running inside and silva cleverly using that momentum to lay the ball onto his left side in his stride so that he could shoot first time. It was a great move and goal but twice we conceded because players stopped tracking their player.

 

[LEONARD]

Now 16 POINTS ahead of the RS.

The only consolation from this game.

 

[arch stanton]

digne tracked mahrez back and then stopped tracking his run and lost him, the end results was mahrez running inside and silva cleverly using that momentum to lay the ball onto his left side in his stride so that he could shoot first time. It was a great move and goal but twice we conceded because players stopped tracking their player.

oh I'm not disputing that there were errors in the goal but the game plan was to send him down the line all night. Sods law that one of the few times he managed to come inside he netted

 

[Andy Gray Diving Headers]

On a side note, last night showed exactly how much better we are with Davies and Iwobi in the team.

Balance is more important than picking a team that twitter thinks will "have a go". If you have no balance you will struggle to get hold of the ball. If you can't win the ball then it doesn't matter how attacking you plan to be, it won't work.

Once we made those subs last night we looked awful. It's becoming a far too regular occurence where we make subs to bring on attackers but actually completely nullify ourselves tactically. If you load the team with players who won't run and tackle, it is not going to work. These players are not suddenly going to start doing things they've never done before.

Agree with your point about balance but Davies and Iwobi have played more than their fair share in the lowest points if this season. Fair play to Davies who has improved but in my opinion still a very limited footballer. And as for Iwobi, the whole football world laughed (and still are) at Everton paying 35 mill for him. Not saying for one second that they are to blame for everything (despite what I say about Davies, I have never seen him not give 100%) but alll the time those type of players are in the team, there will always be plenty of frustration.