Ronald Koeman discussion

[USABlue]

Fair points but I'm still leaning more towards the manager being the main reason.

not saying he's blameless by any means. There was the same night and day difference last year between how we played in martinez' first season and last season with the same players. I just think the squad has declined and isn't that good

 

[grandjoeblue]

Bringing Calvert Lewin on was a terrible decision, badly out of his depth. Not his fault but he should not have been on the pitch.

 

[BlueToff]

Absolute rubbish that Toff, rubbish.
There is absolutely a time for kids and throwing him on here and there for the experience. Great. Fantastic even.
We had completely lost our way today and needed to get hold of the ball. Someone who could seize back a bit of initiative.
I'm not Kevin's biggest fan by any stretch but it was the most logical substitution.
The poor kid looked absolutely lost.
It was a ridiculous substitution.

I agree mate, I thought Kev would be the right call.

It was a baffling sub. It didn't really lose us the game like, but it didn't help us in any way. The other subs were pure necessity.

My only note would be, be careful what you wish for.

 

[BlueToff]

Remember when we absolutely schooled Arsenal at Goodison a couple seasons back, outplaying them with classy and slick passing football. Some proper ole football.

We have more or less same players now and can't string together multiple passes.

What's changed ?

...

Three years is a long time in football.

It's very simple.

We have stagnated - gone backwards, in fact - due to RM's 'possession at all costs' principles (even though RM's sides were always at their best when counter-attacking, like in the game you mentioned).

He built a squad that suited his style. It has left us with about 4 or 5 players capable of playing with any intensity for a length of time.

We're mid-table. We are where we belong with the squad we have.

 

[BlueToff]

Apparently he only makes us play like this because our players can't play the kind of football he wants us to play...

Even though the same players have shown in previous seasons they are capable of playing very tidy football.

They haven't been for well over a year though mate.

You can't look back at previous seasons. We finished 11th two years running.

 

[longers]

They haven't been for well over a year though mate.

You can't look back at previous seasons. We finished 11th two years running.

The football was often tidy though with decent possession, sure we were still gash overall but id rather that than be equally gash playing hoofball.

 

[nsno-chris]

Three years is a long time in football.

It's very simple.

We have stagnated - gone backwards, in fact - due to RM's 'possession at all costs' principles (even though RM's sides were always at their best when counter-attacking, like in the game you mentioned).

He built a squad that suited his style. It has left us with about 4 or 5 players capable of playing with any intensity for a length of time.

We're mid-table. We are where we belong with the squad we have.

Still no real excuse for the hoof ball footall, we have a scary toothless attack and a striker who has the worst holdup play but us constantly being asked to hold up the ball.

 

[tirion]

there isn't much we can do but wait until January and see if we do spend serious money on quality players, Moshiri now needs to show some serious, tangible intent, we have a losing mentality throughout the club and that can only be changed by bringing in quality. I think this is the most important 8 months in our history, we may have a chance to change everything especially with BMD on the horizon, some positive early action on both fronts is vital in order to try and harness some change in mentality, failure to do so may well see us self implode by the end of the season.

 

[tadao]

problem is we have the same players that can't defend

We don't have the same players though.
Gueye has been immense in midfield which should help but, we just don't seem to defend.
If you invite pressure, eventually you'll get it.

 

[BlueToff]

Still no real excuse for the hoof ball footall, we have a scary toothless attack and a striker who has the worst holdup play but us constantly being asked to hold up the ball.

Thing is, we weren't playing hoof ball in the first half. We didn't against Arsenal last week.

We were pressing high and winning the ball back. We were actually playing tidy stuff, and getting the ball wide and getting it in.

That isn't hoof ball, that's good play.

What we lacked was the final pass, the final run. It needs fixing.

Second half was atrocious, but there's one simple thing that changed.

McCarthy - for all the stick he has taken (from myself included) was bossing it. He was everywhere. He was actuall better than Gueye, who was a bit sloppy and rash tonight and kept getting dragged out of position.

Unfortunately, his injuries are getting the better of him.

 

[BlueToff]

We don't have the same players though.
Gueye has been immense in midfield which should help but, we just don't seem to defend.
If you invite pressure, eventually you'll get it.

We did invite pressure, but for all their possession, they had one clear-cut chance - and they took it - and that was down to the sheer luck of the bounce off the post.

We had our clear chance in the first half and Funes missed it.

 

[balggy]

It's a horrible horrible night to be a blue.

But we beat Arsenal last week and Goodison was bouncing.

We carried that team spirit and effort through to tonight. Unfortunately McCarthy, one of our best players in the previous 135 minutes of football went off injured at half time. He had to change things at half time. Sadly, he probably got it wrong with his changes. I think cleverly would have been a better shout but some have you would have fumed at that.

They had the better of the second half and scored a bloody crappy goal well into stoppage time.

Yes it's hurts, really crap feeling. But we were close to getting a point tonight. 4 points against Arsenal and the RS given the form we were in would have been fantast. Sadly we we let it slip late on.

But come off it. Some of you are moaning like it was the Anfield derby last April. We just played two title contenders ffs

 

[BlueToff]

The football was often tidy though with decent possession, sure we were still gash overall but id rather that than be equally gash playing hoofball.

Read back to January this year then mate - even on here.

I defended RM, but even at the time I said the football wasn't great.

It was so samey. All nice and neat but no bark. That hasn't changed - and the players need to be changed to get it going again.

 

[nsno-chris]

Thing is, we weren't playing hoof ball in the first half. We didn't against Arsenal last week.

We were pressing high and winning the ball back. We were actually playing tidy stuff, and getting the ball wide and getting it in.

That isn't hoof ball, that's good play.

What we lacked was the final pass, the final run. It needs fixing.

Second half was atrocious, but there's one simple thing that changed.

McCarthy - for all the stick he has taken (from myself included) was bossing it. He was everywhere. He was actuall better than Gueye, who was a bit sloppy and rash tonight and kept getting dragged out of position.

Unfortunately, his injuries are getting the better of him.

How many attempt on target have we had in the last 10 games

 

[The Rhino]

Still no real excuse for the hoof ball footall, we have a scary toothless attack and a striker who has the worst holdup play but us constantly being asked to hold up the ball.

Problem is the long ball to a target man to hold the play/with the team pressing is how Koeman plays. Asking him to change is like expecting Guardiola to be successful playing pulis football or Pulis being a success operating tika taka.

Sadly we need at least another 2 transfer windows to sort us out. I would also say losing Lukaku wouldn't be a disaster providing we brought in a striker who can player to RK's strengths AND be somewhat prolific. Sturridge is a class finisher but he doesn't fit in Klopps system and will probably be shown the door.

We also need a new GK, CB, LB, LW and RW with a 2nd striker coming in. We ideally/realistically need 3 players coming in January with another 4-5 in the summer.