Ronald Koeman discussion

[BlueToff]

I just reckon he's getting a free pass this season regardless, unless we get dragged into a relegation battle which I can't quite see happening. So much deadwood though, can't see the actual players for the deadwood.

I won't give him a free pass entirely. There's no excuse for 2 wins from 12, but there's a lot of caveats that the hyperbole lovers on here tend to ignore.

I'm worried for the next few games though.

Leicester are now flying, typically, and our away form is atrocious. I would have been worried even had we held on for a point last night as well tbh.

Hull - they've got City on Boxing Day I believe. So, two options, they either put in a great performance against City and nick a result, or, they get hammered, which means they go out to be even more defensive when we go there, and ultimately we can't break teams down who do that to us.

Then, Saints, at our place.

Then the window.

 

[gaino92]

Sadly they aren't good enough reasons. For me anyway. Slowing the tempo is not ever really a problem for us as we are the slowest team in the league every single game!

They're the only reasons I can come up with. The game yesterday showed why he needs binning alongside another 6/7 players from that starting 11

 

[BlueToff]

Pretty much all this.

And our keepers are just the actual worst.

I got questioned on here last night for having a go at Joel, but having seen it back, I actually agree with my initial analysis. He was way out of position to even get close to that shot.

Stek made a great save with his head though and in fairness that's all he had to do.

What actually annoyed me was the fact he stayed on for ages hobbling about, like the officials needed any excuse to add more time on anyway.

 

[BlueToff]

They're the only reasons I can come up with. The game yesterday showed why he needs binning alongside another 6/7 players from that starting 11

And the game against Swansea showed how much we miss him.

Horses for courses.

I think the issue at the moment is we've got 1 horse, 6 who are crocked and need retiring, and about 20 who need putting down.

 

[Tony Hibbert's 3rd leg]

We will be going toe to toe with them lot in two seasons if Koeman is given time, I still think he is the manger capable to get is to that level.

That is, if we ship off 75% of the squad and Steve Walsh process his worth. Although I suspect Koeman will have his own targets in mind. That squad last night was a shambles on paper and on the pitch, it really was.

First eleven, is our team actually better then Saints? Leicester have a better attack than us, heck at the minute half of Stoke's players would get into our team.

It hasn't occurred to some that we may being playing negatively because that's how we have to play with players we have. Last night they didn't even press that impressively and we're totally done in after 50 minutes. They're not capable of doing what Koeman asks of them. I'm fully aware they aren't passing backwards and sideways with more possession because that's what they're being told not to do, as last season showed these players aren't capable of making that work either.

When or if Koeman gets the backing of investment in players, I don't doubt performances and the way we play will improve. I'm sick of these players not adapting, not changing their mentalities. How many managers and different styles will it take before its realised that they've gone as far as they can go?

 

[ijjysmith]

I got questioned on here last night for having a go at Joel, but having seen it back, I actually agree with my initial analysis. He was way out of position to even get close to that shot.

Stek made a great save with his head though and in fairness that's all he had to do.

What actually annoyed me was the fact he stayed on for ages hobbling about, like the officials needed any excuse to add more time on anyway.

Standard Joel. Loves to be that little bit too far out.

I didn't like that Stek took so long to realise he was dead either.

 

[bluestevon]

Pretty much all this.

And our keepers are just the actual worst.

Arteta, Cahill, pienaar, a 27-28yo osman, carsley, speed, limparr, Andrei, graveson.

All those played for us over the last twenty years and gueye aside are a lot better than the players we have in midfield currently, most of our sides even when crap had some good players in there, right now we have gueye and Coleman, maybe Williams and an aging but still good Baines, the rest are so far below the level needed its worrying.

Lukaku aside as he's not gonna be here past summer, and honestly sick and tired of seeing a world class striker worth 60m or whatever be so anonymous and do utterly nothing against dross like klavan, blind had him in his pocket last year, Lucas and skirtel have controlled him in past years, sorry but a truly top striker would have destroyed those cbs.

All I want for Christmas is a complete new set of players

 

[Ashtonian]

I think the biggest problem within the team is that we have no identity. We have nothing that sets us apart or that we do well. Koeman hasn't tried to develop a style here or a way of playing. It is all just basic tactics that we resort to which as proven last night achieves nothing.

You go and watch burnley for arguments sake, they aren't the best team in the league but they are good at what they do, and they know how to play it. We have nothing like that, if someone asked what is Everton's style, what could you possibly tell them? Hoof it 40 yards with no support?

this is an issue that will intensify if we do go and recruit because even more new faces means an even more distorted identity on the pitch which could be until august before we settle down again.

 

[JJK]

Last night confirmed to everyone that we are a mid table side, maybe even a bit lower than that. I'm amazed we are still 9th. Stoke, Southampton, Leicester even West Ham all have better players than us. Years without decent investment has crippled us, Liverpool always beat us because they have always had better players.

It's scary to think, just how much of that squad need replacing, full to bursting with absolute deadwood.

Koeman shouldn't go without criticism though. Even if he's come to realise how awful this set of players is, he should still have them at least playing his way. But what way is that? It's Christmas and I still don't know how we play apart from going direct to a striker who can't hold the ball up.

Still yet to see a complete 90 minute performance.

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

We are a team of mostly decent players and very little quality. Whenever we play a top club you notice how much they create even with limited possession. Unless we can raise the quality of our squad over time we will never compete at the top end of the table. I accept it'll be a long process but I would like to see us make a solid start this window.

 

[blue to the bone]

Goin by recent team selections It looks like koeman has identified players that he doesn't want goin forward which is a positive. Looks like he needs to see a few more as well but maybe he does and will act in it in the next 2 windows.

 

[Zatara]

People moan about him not playing 2 strikers, now they're crying because Koeman brought Calvert-Lewin on and not Kenny.

There's some unmedicated bi-polar people on here.

He could bring on Messi but doesnt make sense to play him in right midfield to cover coleman!!!

Of course kenny or holgate would be a better option there than a young forward...also we would actually have a chance of winning the ball back or at least hold a better defensive position....how many forwards can tackle ?

Different story if he went up top next to lukaku...but he didnt...poor kid just stood there a few times near RB position looking lost.

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

So all the haters who went quiet for a few days after Arsenal have slithered back. Can't say I'm shocked at all. If you want to criticize him when he gets stuff wrong I'd get it but just what planet are you all on if you think he was to blame for last night?! It's not his fault that our player's once again showed just how mentality weak they are. This entire squad is an absolute cowardly joke with zero ambition, they're like a gang of mice that occasionally roar in impotent rage. The sooner Koeman rips it to shreds and starts again the better.

 

[BlueToff]

He could bring on Messi but doesnt make sense to play him in right midfield to cover coleman!!!

Of course kenny or holgate would be a better option there than a young forward...also we would actually have a chance of winning the ball back or at least hold a better defensive position....how many forwards can tackle ?

Different story if he went up top next to lukaku...but he didnt...poor kid just stood there a few times near RB position looking lost.

He tried to go up top, just like he did vs Arsenal.

However, he had to go out wide as they then just bombarded us down that side.

Koeman should have recognised that though, and not put him there.

 

[Zatara]

I didn't even read past stupid substitutions part because he only truly made one. It's tough for a manager to change the game when two go off injured

He made 2 though...

1-- Bringing Barry on rather than ANYONE else who can run and tackle/pass in a derby...

2-- Bringing on a young striker and sticking him between right midfield/ right back

Totally bizarre.