The season fizzling out...

[Wolf8312]

You’re only ever a couple of losses away from being crap IMO. And in the case of this week, about 5 mins.

We didn’t concede in the late stages vs Palace, or we took another of our many chances, and threads like this wouldn’t keep popping up.

I’m not blaming the OP, because I’m sure his thoughts echo many on here, I’m just pointing out the fickleness of us as football fans.

Thing is that when you are high up the table even if the football is tedious the league position still generates its own excitement for people.
But when you start losing or going nowhere with the very same football you are left with nothing about the game to even enjoy anymore.
Yes some of the games we lost could have gone the other way but so could many of the ones we won, and if we are being honest we were seldom convincing.

One thing I’ve noticed about Carlos reign is I can’t really remember ever winning a game convincingly and most of the games we have won were dicey hang-on-for-dear-life affairs. I know we haven’t got a great team but I do think sometimes we need to go for it a bit more especially when we go one up or gain an initiative.

And yeah it is a case of ‘sing when you’re winning’ but the kind of football we have played this season is only acceptable if you are winning!

 

[twoblue]

Lack of fans or not, winning away at Spurs and Liverpool was good to get the monkey off our back of no away win since 2014 at a top 6 ground.

Must admit I'm as close to giving up on them as I ever have been. Not sure if it's just because I can't go to the games or the awful football or the fact that even appointing Ancelotti and signing James hasn't made a blind bit of difference, but I really am fed up of them at the moment. Literally the only thing making me lean towards renewing my season ticket is not wanting to miss out on the final days of Goodison.

Hands up. I preferred punching above our weight under Moyes, then spunking money on big name mercenaries and underperforming.

 

[twoblue]

I've convinced myself Ancelotti doesn't want UEFA cup Thursday night football, we have looked laboured playing twice a week as it is.

To be honest the Monday night games have been tedious

 

[DanB90]

Thing is that when you are high up the table even if the football is tedious the league position still generates its own excitement for people.
But when you start losing or going nowhere with the very same football you are left with nothing about the game to even enjoy anymore.
Yes some of the games we lost could have gone the other way but so could many of the ones we won, and if we are being honest we were seldom convincing.

One thing I’ve noticed about Carlos reign is I can’t really remember ever winning a game convincingly and most of the games we have won were dicey hang-on-for-dear-life affairs. I know we haven’t got a great team but I do think sometimes we need to go for it a bit more especially when we go one up or gain an initiative.

And yeah it is a case of ‘sing when you’re winning’ but the kind of football we have played this season is only acceptable if you are winning!

I agree with this, but more often than not, we’ve largely had to field the same side that had us in the relegation zone under Silva at one point last season. I’m not saying all our players are terrible and the shackles could probably be eased a bit, but there’s no doubt in my mind the football being served up isn’t because that’s how we want to play, but most of the time it’s out of necessity.

Beginning of the season we played some of the best attacking football we’ve played in ages, then we hit a slump, injuries started happening to key players too frequently and we had to tighten things up.

We looked to have more about us going forward in the Palace game but for some bad finishing and good goalkeeping. But once again on Monday, we had to play about 6/7 defenders, and our bench were all up past their bedtime. I’m not sure what kind of football we can expect to be playing under such circumstances.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

The highlight was spirit of the blues,for me.

 

[ForeverEverton]

Thing is that when you are high up the table even if the football is tedious the league position still generates its own excitement for people.
But when you start losing or going nowhere with the very same football you are left with nothing about the game to even enjoy anymore.
Yes some of the games we lost could have gone the other way but so could many of the ones we won, and if we are being honest we were seldom convincing.

One thing I’ve noticed about Carlos reign is I can’t really remember ever winning a game convincingly and most of the games we have won were dicey hang-on-for-dear-life affairs. I know we haven’t got a great team but I do think sometimes we need to go for it a bit more especially when we go one up or gain an initiative.

And yeah it is a case of ‘sing when you’re winning’ but the kind of football we have played this season is only acceptable if you are winning!

Take Leeds as an example, you cant tell me everyone of their players is better than ours, that is why they play that way and we play the way we do. They go for it game in game out and they are good to watch for that reason. Now they are sat 3 points behind us with virtually a team that played in the championship, yes the goal difference is 0 but ours is only +3 and they have scored more. I probably fear Leeds more than anyone from the chasing pack over the next few seasons, imagine how good they could be with better players!

Real chance we could finish behind Leeds, Arsenal and Villa in 11th....

 

[billyblue80]

Weirdly we have more name team's in the next run and we seem to do better against them probably because they give us a bit of space on the break. It is fizzling out but our squad isn't good or big enough, it's no coincidence the teams with better squads are kicking on while we hit the buffers this is a weird season with no fans and a very compacted fixture list we have also had obscene luck with injuries. Plus our players arent winners we have had an issue taking chances to kick on or go into good positions in the table for year's it's an inferiority complex mixed with a lack of pressure to suceed from the top. Also Carlo has gone defensive since December because well what choice do we have. I do criticise the style of play and the defeats at home but there are reasons that go beyond just training.

 

[billyblue80]

Take Leeds as an example, you cant tell me everyone of their players is better than ours, that is why they play that way and we play the way we do. They go for it game in game out and they are good to watch for that reason. Now they are sat 3 points behind us with virtually a team that played in the championship, yes the goal difference is 0 but ours is only +3 and they have scored more. I probably fear Leeds more than anyone from the chasing pack over the next few seasons, imagine how good they could be with better players!

Real chance we could finish behind Leeds, Arsenal and Villa in 11th....

Read the same thing about Wolves the last few years.....now look at them.

 

[wainy]

Win, lose, or draw, the plonker ends up red raw.

Should have that instead of nil satis nisi optimum

 

[blulouie]

Now they are sat 3 points behind us with virtually a team that played in the championship,

Leeds spent £100 million in the summer.

 

[Azza]

Expected to happen when the team is full of absolute losers apart from one player.

 

[deipnosophist]

Our seasons usually fizzle out about March/April as it is about then our brave lionhearts start thinking about Blue Chrimbo...which has a much higher priority than silly togger games.

 

[Cels]

So, is everyone still happy with their predictions in the thread below?:

Predictions for 2020/21

This is one for the vault-lovers out there. Six predictions for the upcoming season. Whoever's closest by the end wins a @GrandOldTeam mug (probably). 1) Player of the Season 2) Biggest disappointment 3) Biggest surprise 4) At which point will Goodison be full again? 5) How many wins away at...

www.grandoldteam.com

 

[Drico]

At the end of each season everything seems to rest on the next.

There are certain factors that can explain and justify our difficulties to an extent, but I do feel as as club we cannot always rely on some excuse or other.

There is a general sense that most people would be happy with Europe, outside of the Champions League. It isn't wildly demanding.

What happens if we fail to achieve that next season?

It depends on whether or not the manager has been properly backed in the summer. If he is, he'll be under some pressure - which is a good thing as we need to re-establish standards. If he's not, then we'll know he's come for the quiet life and a slow gentle slide into retirement - unless he departs in a huff. Most importantly, we will know the ceiling of the Moshiri experiment. Everton have to put their money where their mouth is. You really do not hire the best manager of superior footballers in the world and provide him with Alex Iwobi, Tom Davies, and Josh King and imagine this is an optimal use of his genius.

Only Everton could hire the "diva whisperer" and give him divs to work with.

 

[MACCA75]

Read the same thing about Wolves the last few years.....now look at them.

Finished above us twice, likely below us this season, but they aren’t going away just yet.