Norwich City v Everton. 12th Dec at 1245.

[Ring master]

martinez says football can be cruel,no its cruel on us

 

[ilikecheese]

Couldn't care less if I seem like your fat cousin Stanley 3 points from these past 3 games is a disgrace.

Hahaha...disgrace!

Shame these players don't kill these games off...that's the frustrating part for me.

 

[Wasawelder]

Hammered them in the first half yet almost managed to lose the game. Atrocious defending again at a corner. Talk about a top 4 finish slightly premature. Keep dropping points like this and we'll do well to finish in top 10. Coming down to Leicester and Spurs games, so that's 2 home wins guaranteed.....I hope.

 

[ilikecheese]

It would help if we practiced them in training, like

So you've been to Finch Farm and can confirm that we don't practice them?

 

[faddy the blue]

Nah...we had more than enough opportunity to kill the game off. Missed chances are the story. A soft goal from a corner should never have been the difference between a win and a draw in this game.

The players are 100% at fault...including the soft goal.

I see your point. We should have killed the game today. But as a manager away at Norwich this time of the season you should be smart enough to know what missing half a dozen chances at HT means with a slender lead of 1-0. How many times under Bobby have our 2nd half performances been piss poor? We can score an avg of 1 to 2 goals given the quality but after 2.5 years he still hasn't figured how to make the defensive mentality strong. Hence we are always vulnerable even at 2-0.

In PL you need to grind out results esp this time of the season. Most teams would kill to be a goal ahead away at Norwich. Yet we always need 3 or more goals to ensure a win. It shouldn't be the case. Its the manager's responsibility to enstill a defensive mentality.

 

[kenada_blue]

But were in 6th....

Will drop a few places by the end of the week.

3 back to back draws, two of which we threw away

 

[flibbyflob]

Leicester will tear us a new one next week and we will be looking at a top half finish as good.

 

[SpurtingLesbian]

Incredibly frustrating but knew it would happen because, as a great man once said, this is Everton and Everton do Everton things.

We should have been 4 clear by HT, and that's down to the players. We then do our usual thing of falling asleep for the first five minutes of the second half. Also, Howard... there comes a point where enough has to be enough. He's useless. Yet another goal conceded from a set piece and from a cross directly into his six-yard box.

Overall, one of the best 45 minutes of football I've seen this season in the first half. Lets at least not take away how good we were - the negative was that we didn't get another (at least) and put the game to bed.

Second half, we were inept, and that grock centre half had Rom in his pocket. It was a good change by Neil, who today showed more astute tactics than Martinez. His refusal to use his last sub was baffling - a perfect game for Naismith to come on and harry and hassle their defence.

Howard - 5 - He's useless. RM's main fault is not giving Joel a chance.
Coleman - 8 - Thought he was superb today. Our MOTM for me.
Stones - 6 - Looked a bit shaky at times but still our best player at the back.
Funes-Mori - 6 - Poor in possession today but made some good blocks and tackles.
Baines - 6 - Great to have him back and you can see the difference he makes going forward. Still looked a bit leggy but that's to be expected.
Barry - 7 - Brilliant in the first half. Looked far less composed in the second.
Deulofeu - 7 - Fantastic in the first half, but lost his head in the second and got frustrated.
Cleverley - 7 - Thought he was excellent again.
Barkley - 6 - He controlled the game in the first half without actually doing all that much, but struggled in the second.
Kone - 6 - Good link up play as always but missed two good chances and tired after 60 mins. RM can't seem to take him off though.
Lukaku - 6 - Great goal but missed a sitter after that. Not his best game given the form he's in.

Mirallas - 5 - Didn't take the chance to put himself back into contention to start, unfortunately, though it doesn't help he was shipped out left.
Gibson - 5 - His composure really helped us control the end of the game, but made some stupid decisions re. long passes and shots.

What was your problem with Howard today. Did everything right, not to blame at all for the goal.

Ross getting a 6?? he controlled nothing in the first half and even less in the second.
Kev coming on was like going down to 10 men.

 

[TheOldLady]

We are drawing games we should have won easily

At least it's that way and not us battling to get back into games because we are playing poorly

 

[swisso]

From one of the best to one of the worst at set pieces in what, 2 years?

Unacceptable.

 

[ilikecheese]

I see your point. We should have killed the game today. But as a manager away at Norwich this time of the season you should be smart enough to know what missing half a dozen chances at HT means with a slender lead of 1-0. How many times under Bobby have our 2nd half performances been piss poor? We can score an avg of 1 to 2 goals given the quality but after 2.5 years he still hasn't figured how to make the defensive mentality strong. Hence we are always vulnerable even at 2-0.

In PL you need to grind out results esp this time of the season. Most teams would kill to be a goal ahead away at Norwich. Yet we always need 3 or more goals to ensure a win. It shouldn't be the case. Its the manager's responsibility to enstill a defensive mentality.

I understand your point, but we should never have been having to 'grind out a result' in this game.

It's a frustrating result for sure.

 

[neonleon]

Incredibly frustrating but knew it would happen because, as a great man once said, this is Everton and Everton do Everton things.

We should have been 4 clear by HT, and that's down to the players. We then do our usual thing of falling asleep for the first five minutes of the second half. Also, Howard... there comes a point where enough has to be enough. He's useless. Yet another goal conceded from a set piece and from a cross directly into his six-yard box.

Overall, one of the best 45 minutes of football I've seen this season in the first half. Lets at least not take away how good we were - the negative was that we didn't get another (at least) and put the game to bed.

Second half, we were inept, and that grock centre half had Rom in his pocket. It was a good change by Neil, who today showed more astute tactics than Martinez. His refusal to use his last sub was baffling - a perfect game for Naismith to come on and harry and hassle their defence.

Howard - 5 - He's useless. RM's main fault is not giving Joel a chance.
Coleman - 8 - Thought he was superb today. Our MOTM for me.
Stones - 6 - Looked a bit shaky at times but still our best player at the back.
Funes-Mori - 6 - Poor in possession today but made some good blocks and tackles.
Baines - 6 - Great to have him back and you can see the difference he makes going forward. Still looked a bit leggy but that's to be expected.
Barry - 7 - Brilliant in the first half. Looked far less composed in the second.
Deulofeu - 7 - Fantastic in the first half, but lost his head in the second and got frustrated.
Cleverley - 7 - Thought he was excellent again.
Barkley - 6 - He controlled the game in the first half without actually doing all that much, but struggled in the second.
Kone - 6 - Good link up play as always but missed two good chances and tired after 60 mins. RM can't seem to take him off though.
Lukaku - 6 - Great goal but missed a sitter after that. Not his best game given the form he's in.

Mirallas - 5 - Didn't take the chance to put himself back into contention to start, unfortunately, though it doesn't help he was shipped out left.
Gibson - 5 - His composure really helped us control the end of the game, but made some stupid decisions re. long passes and shots.

Seriously, what does Cleverley actually do? Every time he plays people say he's had a great game. I never see him make a) a run b) a key forward pass c) a telling tackle d) score a goal e) a cross or an assist. I can understand players like McCarthy do this but I can see McCarthy when he plays working hard. Cleverley just seems totally anonymous.

 

[deipnosophist]

I guess what upsets me the most, is that this Everton team has a lot of talent which is not being realised. Everton is missing an opportunity of massive proportion this season...it will pay a hefty price for it I fear

 

[Everton_Gary]

What was your problem with Howard today. Did everything right, not to blame at all for the goal.

Ross getting a 6?? he controlled nothing in the first half and even less in the second.
Kev coming on was like going down to 10 men.

He gave cleverly a 7. Must have been watching an Aston villa game from last season. Cleverdinho had a lot of terrible passes and offers very little going forward to this point. I'd say he was a 5 if I'm feeling generous. Very few in the team today looked up for crushing a relegation position team.

 

[jazzy]

as bad in the 2nd half as we were good in the 1st. what the hell does Martinez say to them at half time ? this was Bournemouth all over again.