Norwich City v Everton. 12th Dec at 1245.

[bluestevon]

In the season before we won the championship in 1970 we played some fantastic stuff as THT got their act together. Finished third and I just knew that we were on the brink of something very special. I know.....I know.....it's the hope brutally dashed that wears you out.
But I've been watching Everton since 1962 and feel that excitement now for the first time since Ball Harvey Kendal. Too young to have appreciated the 1963 vintage. The 1984/85 side was in essence a surprise that started in or around that Oxford match and built momentum from there.
But I can honestly say that I feel the same about the Fab Four now as I did in those far off days of the late sixties. They're playing football the way it should be played. Forget boring Utd and Chelsea. Ignore the nouveau riche Man City......they're impostors. This Everton side are the real deal......just a few young players who are getting some tough lessons about closing games out with professionalism. I for one would rather hope for better from them over time.
Frustrated with Bournemouth and today of course but also the most excited I've been since 1969 for the purity of the football we're playing. Absolutely love the passing game we have. With my length of service I can truthfully say "Everton that"

I was sitting in the Norwich main stand, sat next to someone who said he's missed perhaps a dozen games in 30 years at Carrow Road, really knew his football. He said the last 30 minutes of the first half was the best prior of attacking play he can remember.

We are so close. Just need to kill off games when on top.[/QUOTE]

That's the thing that makes it so much more frustrating though esk, lacking consistency from game to game is bad enough but constantly lacking it during the same game like we have so many times already this season is beyond a joke.

Simple answer though is you can't successfully kill a game off when as a team you can't defend crosses or set pieces any better than a schoolboy team. Set pieces full stop need so much work it's untrue, comments about not regarding them from Martinez, leaks about not practising them, Bark;ley taking free kicks whilst having stated he never practises them in training etc, the penalty fiasco from last season, all in all the set pieces for us is a mess right across the board and that has to be laid at the feet of Martinez and honestly the players too as they should bloody well demand that they focus a bot on them in training as it is costing us what seems like every game

 

[TyphooToffee]

Another corner!

 

[bluestevon]

Frustrating again today. That's 3 league games on the spin that we've dropped points in, that we should have won.

You can't drop 6 points in 3 games the way we have and expect to mount a serious challenge for the top 4.

We're not far off, but we're still lacking defensive solidity and organisation at times. I still think he should bring in a defensive coach to help him out in this area.

If we can tighten up a bit, then we won't need to score 2 or 3 every week to get the points.

Onwards Evertonians

Defensive coach won't work mate would be too much of a different class of philosophy, what we do need though is someone to work on our set pieces and make them actually a priority in training

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Defensive coach won't work mate would be too much of a different class of philosophy, what we do need though is someone to work on our set pieces and make them actually a priority in training

You mean like a defensive coach maybe?

 

[neonleon]

Anyone remember that West Ham side with Lampard, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Tevez and Di Canio?

 

[bluestevon]

You mean like a defensive coach maybe?

do they work on attacking set pieces now as well mate? As ours are shocking on both sides of the ball

 

[bignev23]

We drop too many points no matter who is in charge, it's the same old story prob should win but don't, it's been like this for years. we waste too many chances going forward and whilst the defence are comfortable on the ball their defensive ability is certainly questionable, are they a bit weak in the air.

 

[bluestevon]

Anyone remember that West Ham side with Lampard, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Tevez and Di Canio?

No mate as those players never once played together in the same west ham side, nice try though

 

[TyphooToffee]

One of these days all of these near misses and off the goal frame will go in and we'll we 4-0 up at half time. I don't think even us will let in 4 corners in the second half

 

[streeky]

In a nutshell our inability to kill off inferior sides when we are on top by a country mile and the fact we will always concede from corners/set pieces will ultimately I feel do for us this season,so frustrating points being frittered away so,so easily.

true, and if Robbie thinks sides are not watching our defensive frailties on video and putting it into practice on match days he must be on something.

 

[Joey66]

I was sitting in the Norwich main stand, sat next to someone who said he's missed perhaps a dozen games in 30 years at Carrow Road, really knew his football. He said the last 30 minutes of the first half was the best prior of attacking play he can remember.

We are so close. Just need to kill off games when on top.

Yes but we just knew a cross or a corner would go in in the 2nd half it took 90 seconds, for the inevitable corner clanger 7 goals conceded from corner all of them cannot be the defences fault Tim tipped the ball away from RB who was ready to thump it off the line - I have not seen Stones ever win the ball in the air on a corner Kone , and Barry seem to clear most in the air today , But I agree our football in the 1st half deserved 5-0 up minimum if you watch MOTD tonight it will not show this!
Like Bournemouth 2nd half performance was poor and RM substitutions????????

 

[Joey66]

One of these days all of these near misses and off the goal frame will go in and we'll we 4-0 up at half time. I don't think even us will let in 4 corners in the second half

yes they seem like pens!

 

[TheBigIguana]

In your opinion. I've seen midfielders take a team by the scruff and make things happen. Didn't see that from Cleverley today, although it's perhaps unfair to single him out compared to others. If he's as amazing as you suggest we need players less nuanced and subtle in the centre.
We had the stripes of a tiger and the heart of a kitten today.

I really can't believe that we watched the same match. But ok

 

[Dario Terracotta]

For years we've been too nice,we need a Reidy type character,snarling,pushing,shoving his teammates into position,we wouldn't be such a "soft touch" then,frustrating as some of our football is quite sublime.

 

[DrEFC]

Boss, but frustrating, first half- crap second. At least we're consistent, eh?

 

[Jxg]

It's six points dropped over the last three games. Where we're going to pick those points up I do not know, because if we can't beat Norwich, Palace and Bournemouth we aren't going to beat the other teams.

It seems to always be set pieces and crosses that are our undoing. Who's fault that is, is anyone's guess. We know Martinez doesn't value corners etc. very highly but as much as I love the stuff that we're playing at the moment, they're a big part of the English game and not preparing for them in this league is going to hurt us. He should know that, he's been here long enough. Perhaps the defence are to blame too? Is Stones really as good as we think? Do they make poor decisions as a result of a lack of trust in Howard's ability?