Ronald Koeman discussion

[Khalekan]

Ok point noted, but do you think barry did himself any favours today?

No he did not.

Even worse, he did EFC no favours either.

It was a bizarre selection and one I never saw coming.

Now, I was expecting a stiffening of the midfield and posted earlier in the week that I thought Jimmy Mac would replace Tom Davies and that Mirallas would have come in for little Lookman.

But Barry?

His inclusion never even occurred to me

 

[Slippin Jimmy]

5 defensive midfielders played for us in that game, what is it about us and bloody defensive midfielders

 

[CRIMHEAD]

Oh I understand the selection. Barry playing long balls against a high line made a ton of sense, if he wasn't completely over the hill. Koeman overestimated what Barry has left in the tank. And it cost us badly.

 

[nsno-chris]

One more window and this Dutch legend will have burned everything Martinez to the ground, we'll be sitting at the top table next year

 

[Jebus_lives]

I think Koeman got it wrong today. When I initially saw the team selection I was surprised by the inclusion of Barry, but I levelled it by thinking 'he's giving Davies a go alongside Rom... Might be interesting'. What it meant was that we were deep and slow to support Rom as much of the pressing was done in our own half. We lacked any sort of ability to play in Tottenhams half.

Tottenham played with strength, pace, pressing and energy and were direct a lot of the game - something which has been used as a stick to beat Koeman with. Tottenhams style of play is something I think Koeman is trying to emulate, he just doesn't have the players yet. That said, turning up with Barry in tow running through treacle won't do him any favours.

Bad day at the office, we need to bounce back last we did after the last loss.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Formation looks wrong to me. Looks as though he's tried to shoehorn all his midfielders in. The 343 was working fine. Davies looked far better deep, we had width with the full backs who weren't caught defensively, CBs looked more solid. Gueye coming back has led to a reshuffle and it's not really worked.

 

[a bell maul]

There remains a big gap between Everton's ambition and it's ability; we're still competing in the 'best of the rest' mini league

 

[jceverton]

He was, whilst at saints he managed wins away at Chelsea, man United and spurs last season, the season before at United and arsenal.

Yeah looks good on paper but he played Spurs when they'd starting to go, Chelsea when they were poor & same with United.

 

[brieverton]

I hope it is one window but I'm surprised at those comments tbh unless RK and others are really confident about the summer.

I just expected stabilisation this season so ok with how things are going generally even if today was depressingly familiar.

I see a huge gap between the top 6 and us which has as much to do with mental frailty as it has with a lack of quality and depth.

There was a lot of encouraging things said on that Sky day during the week and good to hear people talk about the Top 4 but I have to say I remain sceptical about achieving it unless significant investment is forthcoming. We need better players and numbers.

Much of the time the word "project" is used and to me that's code for slow and steady progress. To me I think Koeman would be satisfied with improving our league placing year on year and that's fine.

I'm just doubtful that we'll get to September 1st and have a squad on paper that we think is capable of mixing it. That's still at least 2 windows away for me, though if they come through in the summer I obviously won't be complaining.

It just concerns me that after a good run there is still an attitude that we are just a couple of signings short. It's fine until we run into a side like Spurs and have all our unaddressed problems exposed for all to see.

We have improved yes, without doubt but a long way to go.

 

[rochdaleblue]

Yeah looks good on paper but he played Spurs when they'd starting to go, Chelsea when they were poor & same with United.

That is still some achievement all the same. Sadly we are some way off matching it away from home, against clubs of that stature.

 

[catcherintherye]

I hope it is one window but I'm surprised at those comments tbh unless RK and others are really confident about the summer.

I just expected stabilisation this season so ok with how things are going generally even if today was depressingly familiar.

I see a huge gap between the top 6 and us which has as much to do with mental frailty as it has with a lack of quality and depth.

There was a lot of encouraging things said on that Sky day during the week and good to hear people talk about the Top 4 but I have to say I remain sceptical about achieving it unless significant investment is forthcoming. We need better players and numbers.

Much of the time the word "project" is used and to me that's code for slow and steady progress. To me I think Koeman would be satisfied with improving our league placing year on year and that's fine.

I'm just doubtful that we'll get to September 1st and have a squad on paper that we think is capable of mixing it. That's still at least 2 windows await for me, though if they come through in the summer I obviously won't be complaining.

It just concerns me that after a good run there is still an attitude that we are just a couple of signings short. It's fine until we run into a side like Spurs and have all our unaddressed problems exposed for all to see.

We have improved yes, without doubt but a long way to go.

Definitely a wake up call today. I think Anfield will be a very hard game as well. Robles, Mori, Baines probably have question marks over their name more than they did 24 hours ago. That being said, McCarthy did himself no harm, and neither did Barkley.

 

[Khalekan]

There remains a big gap between Everton's ambition and it's ability; we're still competing in the 'best of the rest' mini league

We're not.

That accolade is going to go to United, Arsenal or the RS.

That defeat today rules us out the 5th Place best of the rest Trophy race I'm afraid

Still....the reward for finishing 7th is the same as best of the rest so it ain't all bad

 

[jceverton]

Formation looks wrong to me. Looks as though he's tried to shoehorn all his midfielders in. The 343 was working fine. Davies looked far better deep, we had width with the full backs who weren't caught defensively, CBs looked more solid. Gueye coming back has led to a reshuffle and it's not really worked.

Hit the nail on the head, that's the problem imo

 

[jceverton]

That is still some achievement all the same. Sadly we are some way off matching it away from home, against clubs of that stature.

It would be if it was this season, last season no.

 

[Brownie]

I could see his thinking to be honest. We needed someone that could mix it with Dembele and Wanyama. Barry can do that; Gana and Schneiderlin don't have the physicality to go toe to toe with those two. Going full rash with McCarthy instead of Barry might have been a better option in retrospect though.

In the end I just don't think we had the attacking weapons to cause them enough problems. I think their defence would have eaten up any of Lookman, Valencia, or Mirallas up front with Rom. Bolasie would have been a great option to have today, lots of space in behind.