reality check

[neil999]

We are winning games that previously we would have thrown away, next stage is trying to at least get a point from games like yesterday....

 

[tadpole]

We don’t look any different from the side Ancelotti came into almost one year ago.

Really ? One year ago we looked like relegation fodder. DCL, Richarlison and Keane have stepped up a level under Ancelotti, and Iwobi now showing signs of improvement. The summer signings have definitely strengthened us. When we're on song, we're a joy to watch, and you certainly couldn't have said that a year ago.

 

[gazzaa2]

We're half a good team. Once Carlo sorts the other half we'll challenge properly, but it'll take more windows.

You can carry 1 or 2 but not any more.

 

[GwladysBlue]

Really ? One year ago we looked like relegation fodder. DCL, Richarlison and Keane have stepped up a level under Ancelotti, and Iwobi now showing signs of improvement. The summer signings have definitely strengthened us. When we're on song, we're a joy to watch, and you certainly couldn't have said that a year ago.

Richarlison has always been good for us, even under Silva.

Keane is a mainstay in one of the worst defences in the league.

Have you really just said Iwobi has improved after one game against the worst team in the league?

DCL is the only player to significantly improve under Ancelotti.

If we looked like relegation fodder one year ago, what does losing 4/5 games look like and only 1 win in 6?

 

[matty1878]

Richarlison has always been good for us, even under Silva.

Keane is a mainstay in one of the worst defences in the league.

Have you really just said Iwobi has improved after one game against the worst team in the league?

DCL is the only player to significantly improve under Ancelotti.

If we looked like relegation fodder one year ago, what does losing 4/5 games look like and only 1 win in 6?

wait now we’re getting relegated? lol your the gift that keeps on giving

 

[PhilM]

If the fine margins had gone our way yesterday (e.g. James offside), we'd have probably came out with a victory and would be sitting in the lofty third position.

What would people be saying then? The defeat is disappointing and there's obviously areas we need to improve in - defence and depth come to mind.

However, it really isn't the doom and gloom that some people are suggesting even with our recent run of poor results in mind, which shouldn't be ignored.

If we can break the back of this poor run, I suspect we could easily put a series of results together and the optimism would start to flow back.

 

[Nymzee]

If the fine margins had gone our way yesterday (e.g. James offside), we'd have probably came out with a victory and would be sitting in the lofty third position.

What would people be saying then? The defeat is disappointing and there's obviously areas we need to improve in - defence and depth come to mind.

However, it really isn't the doom and gloom that some people are suggesting even with our recent run of poor results in mind, which shouldn't be ignored.

If we can break the back of this poor run, I suspect we could easily put a series of results together and the optimism would start to flow back.

Ifs and Buts. They battered us from the first minute and should have had about 5 goals.

 

[PhilM]

Ifs and Buts. They battered us from the first minute and should have had about 5 goals.

It is its and buts, but the point is this s a discussion and I feel that people are stuck on the pendulum of greatness or rubbish, rather than looking at the centre.

I'd also disagree with the 'battering us', but again hey ho. The cold fact is that we're still above them in the league, right?

 

[GwladysBlue]

If the fine margins had gone our way yesterday (e.g. James offside), we'd have probably came out with a victory and would be sitting in the lofty third position.

What would people be saying then? The defeat is disappointing and there's obviously areas we need to improve in - defence and depth come to mind.

However, it really isn't the doom and gloom that some people are suggesting even with our recent run of poor results in mind, which shouldn't be ignored.

If we can break the back of this poor run, I suspect we could easily put a series of results together and the optimism would start to flow back.

I thought Ancelotti said we got out of the bad moment by beating Fulham last week?

He doesn’t have a system and he can’t cope if we’re missing even just one of his preferred starters.

It’s a recipe for disaster.

He’ll get longer than the others because his name carries weight but this is all looking very familiar.

 

[Nymzee]

It is its and buts, but the point is this s a discussion and I feel that people are stuck on the pendulum of greatness or rubbish, rather than looking at the centre.

I'd also disagree with the 'battering us', but again hey ho. The cold fact is that we're still above them in the league, right?

4 defeats in 5 against beatable opposition is a slippery slope. People keep hiding behind our blistering start which still has us high in the table.

 

[PhilM]

4 defeats in 5 against beatable opposition is a slippery slope. People keep hiding behind our blistering start which still has us high in the table.

But again, it's ifs and buts as you said.

Yes we've been poor as of late, I'm not saying otherwise, but we're currently still above the likes of City, United and Arsenal in the table with over a 1/4 gone.

We're four and five points off from Spurs and the RS respectively. How we're currently playing is a concern, but the whole doom and gloom is for me irrational.

I would say it's not hiding behind our start but rather looking objectively at where we are; I'll do the same in another five or six weeks and consider our position.

It's almost as if people have already decided we're going to keep slipping - ifs and buts.

 

[bullybeef]

We have looked far from convincing in the last few weeks.

The rot started to set in after the Derby and we’ve never recovered.
It’s looking like a long hard slog to the end of the season now sadly.

 

[ToffeeTim]

If the fine margins had gone our way yesterday (e.g. James offside), we'd have probably came out with a victory and would be sitting in the lofty third position.

What would people be saying then? The defeat is disappointing and there's obviously areas we need to improve in - defence and depth come to mind.

However, it really isn't the doom and gloom that some people are suggesting even with our recent run of poor results in mind, which shouldn't be ignored.

If we can break the back of this poor run, I suspect we could easily put a series of results together and the optimism would start to flow back.

.I dobt really agree. We were outplayed and outworked by a team who wanted it more than us. We were unlucky not to score first half but second half was not good enough and yet again we had no response to going behind. Its not acceptable to lose at home to Leeds, and it cannot be defended.

There's very little positives as far as I can see. This was the chance to really challenge after a great start and we've picked up 4 from a possible 18. Its same old everton and we've blown it already.

 

[Nymzee]

But again, it's ifs and buts as you said.

Yes we've been poor as of late, I'm not saying otherwise, but we're currently still above the likes of City, United and Arsenal in the table with over a 1/4 gone.

We're four and five points off from Spurs and the RS respectively. How we're currently playing is a concern, but the whole doom and gloom is for me irrational.

I would say it's not hiding behind our start but rather looking objectively at where we are; I'll do the same in another five or six weeks and consider our position.

It's almost as if people have already decided we're going to keep slipping - ifs and buts.

I mean has anything over the last 5 matches convinced you we’re back on an upward trajectory?

We have Chelsea, Leicester, Arsenal & United (Cup) in our next 5 games.

 

[PhilM]

.I dobt really agree. We were outplayed and outworked by a team who wanted it more than us. We were unlucky not to score first half but second half was not good enough and yet again we had no response to going behind. Its not acceptable to lose at home to Leeds, and it cannot be defended.

There's very little positives as far as I can see. This was the chance to really challenge after a bad start and we've picked up 4 from a possible 18. Its same old everton and we've blown it already.

So the first matches outweighs the remaining twenty-eight? That's it, our season is now over - dead and buried?

Yes, we should be beating Leeds and our game of two forty-five minutes continues to ring true, but it really isn't the death nail you're suggesting it is.

I mean has anything over the last 5 matches convinced you we’re back on an upward trajectory?

We have Chelsea, Leicester, Arsenal & United (Cup) in our next 5 games.

Not really no, however I've watched Everton and football long enough to know there's peaks and troughs. It's a concern as I've said, but it's not decided.