I'm normally always in the "pre-season means nothing" camp, but there's only one pre-season game left and even though there's only one new player in the squad, this lot look like they've never met each other.
Defensively we are absolutely all over the place. The issues we were having with Martinez - full backs bombing on and leaving our centre backs exposed - are back with a vengeance. Except now it's worse, because Jags' legs (and, inexplicably, his upper body strength) seem to have gone completely and Michael Keane is absolutely dismal.
The midfield is utterly anonymous. No one is stamping their authority on the game and we can't keep he ball.
Tosun now has more support (which he was constantly moaning about under Allardyce) but it's not really happening for him, and the added support is contributing to the defensive exposure.
I never wanted Sam Allardyce as Everton manager and still don't. But this pre-season in demonstrating why we had to play like we did under him. We are simply not good enough or balanced enough to play free-flowing attacking football. Anyone half decent will rip us to shreds with a little bit of pressing and a good counter-attack ignore set up.
None of this is Silva's fault btw. We have to get behind him because I'm more and more convinced that he's inherited a group of players which is rotting from the core outwards.
Defensively we are absolutely all over the place. The issues we were having with Martinez - full backs bombing on and leaving our centre backs exposed - are back with a vengeance. Except now it's worse, because Jags' legs (and, inexplicably, his upper body strength) seem to have gone completely and Michael Keane is absolutely dismal.
The midfield is utterly anonymous. No one is stamping their authority on the game and we can't keep he ball.
Tosun now has more support (which he was constantly moaning about under Allardyce) but it's not really happening for him, and the added support is contributing to the defensive exposure.
I never wanted Sam Allardyce as Everton manager and still don't. But this pre-season in demonstrating why we had to play like we did under him. We are simply not good enough or balanced enough to play free-flowing attacking football. Anyone half decent will rip us to shreds with a little bit of pressing and a good counter-attack ignore set up.
None of this is Silva's fault btw. We have to get behind him because I'm more and more convinced that he's inherited a group of players which is rotting from the core outwards.
