Match Thread Stade Rennais vs Everton (A) 5.30pm, Saturday 28th July

[Jacob]

Makes you wonder why we have 4/5 men ahead of the ball when you acurately point this out. Do you think it could leave us short if they break???

I think it leaves us short anyway as the ball invariably goes backwards putting pressure on our already jittery "Christ, don't pass to me" defenders who fear (rightly given their lack of same) pacey attackers. Today was a cameo of the legacy that brings.

 

[Walter Ego]

Unless something miraculous happens very soon - next season is already looking like a damage limitation exercise with at least another two or three windows to clear the decks and get new blood in....

I’m not buying this 2 or 3 windows argument. If they’ve got money it should’ve all been done in this window.

 

[CRIMHEAD]

I strongly recommend that some of you do some research on Silva's tactics or get a clue as to what you are watching. I've read that we are playing a high line. I've read we play possession football. I've read our CBs need to play long passes. I've read Silva has to play with a holding mid. None of this is true.

 

[Moomin]

I strongly recommend that some of you do some research on Silva's tactics or get a clue as to what you are watching. I've read that we are playing a high line. I've read we play possession football. I've read our CBs need to play long passes. I've read Silva has to play with a holding mid. None of this is true.

I've read that we got beat again.

 

[streeky]

He can see that. I’m sure he’s not thick.

But the way some go on.....

They were pretty good, think that shocked a few people. Good team to watch, play to their strengths.

 

[Eggs]

Two centre halves and this would be bang on.

..their keeper didn’t have a save to make. We hardly created a chance, our goal came from nothing. Not sure that two CBs would significantly change that situation unless one of them is Roy of the Rovers.

 

[Blues Harp]

Since Silva was sacked, he has had since Nov to watch us. Brands knew we wanted him as Dof for ages. Are people seriously believing they have only had 6 weeks to see what is wrong with the team and who needs punting? Nobody expects immediate miracles, just an acknowledgement of the damage the last 3 managers have inflicted on us and a plan to repair that damage. Sorry, cant see any sort of plan atm...

 

[TheBigIguana]

He did though. The stats proved as such - he was creating as many chances as any number ten from the top teams in the league (and incidentally double what Gylfi was doing at Swansea).

Again, the misinformation regarding him constantly astonishes me. He was the guy you could give a ball to and he'd carry it and get a move started, or pass it to feet for the shot, switch play etc. Instead, we now have two crabs in Gueye and Schneiderlin and whatever the hell Sigurdsson is meant to be doing.

I agree with most of that but the production never matched up in terms of goals and assists. That would be fine if he A. won the ball back on occasion B. controlled the game more frequently. I think the right manager could have had him doing the second one but that didn't happen.

Ultimately it doesn't really matter though because we had no real desire for him to leave he chose to do it. It wasn't a bad decision from any of the people involved and there is plenty to criticize them for but not Barkley leaving. That's down to Ross

 

[Walter Ego]

I strongly recommend that some of you do some research on Silva's tactics or get a clue as to what you are watching. I've read that we are playing a high line. I've read we play possession football. I've read our CBs need to play long passes. I've read Silva has to play with a holding mid. None of this is true.

Every time I’ve read an article on Silva tactics someone says something different. And that goes for Silva too.

 

[ToffeeDan]

They're not though, they just came 5th in Ligue 1. Not championship by any means. They knocked it about well.

Of course they aren't bad but I already said compare our regression to their relative strength viz-a-viz Lyon. Lyon turned us over badly home and away (let's be honest we were lucky to only lose 2-1 at home). So, 12 months on and where are we.. we have lost badly, again, to a side much worse than Lyon (20 points worse than them last season).. so even if we were as bad as 12 months ago you might expect us to improve on that against a side inferior to Lyon.. but hang on.. it's gone south both ways - we look worse than the Koeman (newly appointed Rhino) Everton side and can't even match that pish poor stuff when tested by lesser opponents.

 

[paulbefc]

He did though. The stats proved as such - he was creating as many chances as any number ten from the top teams in the league (and incidentally double what Gylfi was doing at Swansea).

Again, the misinformation regarding him constantly astonishes me. He was the guy you could give a ball to and he'd carry it and get a move started, or pass it to feet for the shot, switch play etc. Instead, we now have two crabs in Gueye and Schneiderlin and whatever the hell Sigurdsson is meant to be doing.

He was the guy who'd run 40 yards with the ball on his toe at what seemed like 100mph and look like Henry in his prime, before falling over or completely ruining all his good work by inexplicably choosing the wrong pass. This is when he actually looked forward and wasn't passing sideways. Got a few assists by taking a lot of set pieces like.

 

[daza_1973]

I’m not buying this 2 or 3 windows argument. If they’ve got money it should’ve all been done in this window.

It's very hard to buy a new team in one go - i.e us last year and Spurs after the Bale windfall
Also we can't shift the deadwood

 

[marsh]

Sell them all

 

[CRIMHEAD]

I've read that we got beat again.

At least that's factually accurate.

 

[brian labone]

Some people on here are complaining about some players fitness, well I think its even more worrying to know most of the players have not even played a full 90 minutes yet due to Silvas changing tactics of different halves.