Match Thread Everton v Spurs. 3rd Jan at 1600.

[evertony]

Spurs played the possession game well today just as Everton have against many teams. Yes they should have been in front with the 2 shots off the woodwork but looking at the overall picture they did not threaten us much especially in the 2nd half. We also didn't threaten that much but thought we looked the more dangerous than spurs once Besic and Del came on. Spurs did an Everton against us...possession football but not really telling....but they are getting heaps of praise for it.

Their keeper made two top class saves from Besic and Barkley, whilst Howard didn't have to make any. Both teams scored good goals. There are very, very fine margins between Spurs and Everton in terms of ability, quality of play and technical approach. I'm sure people will mock but like you I think Martinez is building something special.

 

[evertony]

Inbred? Why? I agree players shouldn't get abuse but when Howard doesn't acknowledge the fans in the park end and stones is tryna be cruyff in our own penalty area there's going to be a few murmurs in the ground.

I thought we wanted him to be like the new Cruyff, not like the old Unsworth? That's the kind of moronic treatment that makes your better young players want to move on. And Howard got sarcastically jeered because he caught a simple ball, not because he didn't acknowledge the crowd.

 

[chicoazul]

The Park End telling Stones how to play like. But it's sound that.

 

[evertony]

Criticise Martinez for starting Lennon, then boo him for subbing him. You can't make stuff like this up. Someone definitely needs to do an Everton Reality TV Series.....come ed, Bill.

 

[maccavennie]

Did u hear that @MoutsGoat Kilbane saying Besic hasn't took his chance when he's been given the starts lol

 

[maccavennie]

Criticise Martinez for starting Lennon, then boo him for subbing him. You can't make stuff like this up. Someone definitely needs to do an Everton Reality TV Series.....come ed, Bill.

Or better still, maybe sack Martinez as I reckon that would make a crackerjack of a 15 minute programme what do you reckon mate?

 

[Chegsy]

The team that ended the game needs to start the next few.

Thats the best we've looked as a UNIT for absolutely ages.

Besic Barry
Deulofeu Barkley Cleverley
Lukaku​

Wouldn't mind seeing this vs City if everyone is fit.

 

[Jeff Jones]

Didn't see the game, but thought Koné and Howard weren't at the races. Just felt that reading about other people's opinions on the game, if we had scored more goals we probably would've won it.

Hard to argue with the last bit.

I've nothing to add that hasn't already been said about the match, but I was mightily irritated by

 

[Goat]

Hard to argue with the last bit.

I've nothing to add that hasn't already been said about the match, but I was mightily irritated by

Did you miss the bit where he said he didnt see the game.

 

[Goat]

Did u hear that @MoutsGoat Kilbane saying Besic hasn't took his chance when he's been given the starts lol

I like Kilbane, but he wasnt a 10th of the player Besic is, so should probably pipe down.

 

[Carlito]

The first half bordered on embarrassing, but they picked it up in the second and pretty much matched a very good team.

I was really pleased for Besic. He's had to be extremely patient, but hopefully more opportunities will come after he showed the sort of bite and quality that Everton sorely lack in the middle.

Lukaku looks about ready for a rest. Martinez needs to look at increasing his options up front, or else the lad is going to be on his arse sooner rather than later.

 

[Jeff Jones]

Did you miss the bit where he said he didnt see the game.

No, but I didn't get to finish my post. I was going to say that Beglin's co-commentator never shut up with his statistics about Spurs
domination of Everton. He kept rolling them out, but he forgot the one about them only winning one of their last eight visits to Goodison.
Today makes nine.

 

[degsy]

The Park End telling Stones how to play like. But it's sound that.

I think they were telling him how NOT to play tbh, as in don't fanny about in your own box and that the next option he shouldn't choose was to take it into the 6 yd box and fanny about there.

 

[Goat]

I think they were telling him how NOT to play tbh, as in don't fanny about in your own box and that the next option he shouldn't choose was to take it into the 6 yd box and fanny about there.

Park End in not liking good football shocker.

 

[BlueToff]

The first half bordered on embarrassing, but they picked it up in the second and pretty much matched a very good team.

I was really pleased for Besic. He's had to be extremely patient, but hopefully more opportunities will come after he showed the sort of bite and quality that Everton sorely lack in the middle.

Lukaku looks about ready for a rest. Martinez needs to look at increasing his options up front, or else the lad is going to be on his arse sooner rather than later.

It wasn't bordering on embarrassing at all. By far from our best performance but we took the lead with a well-worked counter attack and it was obviously our game-plan to sit back and soak up pressure and keep it tight (which we did), and then to come out and attack in the second half.

They had four chances in the first half.

1 - 3rd minute, Coleman made a good block
2 - Pot shot from range by Kane - very good effort and unlucky not to score - but limiting opposition to shots from outside of the box is usually what teams aim to do.
3 - Another cracker from Davies, this time. If it had gone in you'd have held your hands up and accepted it as one of those great goals.
4 - We allowed Alderweireld too much time and they did to us what we'd done to them. And it was a superb take and finish from Alli.

If we'd have opened up in the first half as we did in the second, they would have got behind us with ease.

As for Rom, he'll be fine. Didn't look tired at all IMO, he was just up against two very good defenders playing on top form at the moment - and two who happen to know him as a player given they're all regular starters for Belgium.

Bar Robles in for Howard, I'd start the same team that finished that game against City in the cup. Potentially bring Jagielka back in for Mori, but I think the lad did well in the second half after a shaky first half.