Everton Banter Archive December 15 2015

15 Dec 2015 14:23:54
Amongst the negativity I have noticed a lot of posters saying we don't practice set pieces. It's clear it is our weakness but have read Baines, Howard and possibly Roberto saying we have been doing work in this area last week and said they will continue this week. Is it just something that has been said once before and bad things stick with the doubters. I know Roberto always says he prefers to work on/score from open play but think somethings get taken out of context.

15 Dec 2015 16:04:30
Not at all mate, Martinez has said many times we don't bother working on them in training. Nothing taken out of context.

15 Dec 2015 17:16:22
Agreed Swan. Desperate is the only word for it.

15 Dec 2015 17:47:51
Some games are won and lost from corners but yet he doesn't practice them. That's like turning up for work but not doing all your job.

15 Dec 2015 18:04:06
This one really annoys me. Get the ball in the net from any possible means. Set plays are an advantage offered so use them. Also if they are offered to the opposition then defend them. Open play is great but it's not the only option. So why don't we work on them all for goodness sakes.

Practice practice practice!

We've scored one goal from a set piece, which tells the opposition that we are weak there. We concede plenty from set piece which tells the opposition we're weak there.

There'll be no trophies for us unless we start acting as if we want to win, not pretty winners, just winners.

{Ed025's Note - im with you on that ace..

15 Dec 2015 18:40:26
Very well said Toffee ace. Only for we have a top keeper who is that brilliant at dealing with deliveries into the box he doesn't need to practice them, we'd be a lot worse off. Teams don't even bother putting balls into our six yard box as the dog in the street knows our keeper will knock all in front of him to get a touch on the ball.

Big Nev eat your heart out!

15 Dec 2015 18:51:58
Spot on Toffee ace.

15 Dec 2015 20:29:28
One of my favourite goals was when Big Dunc powered in an unstoppable header from a corner to record his first goal for us in our first win of the season against Liver-something or other.

I was in a dodgy snooker hall in Swansea filled with annoying people all wearing red ugly looking t-shirts. I was in my resplendent Everton royal blue replica top. And by the time the second went in all the red stuff was gone.

Listen, I could right a book on that night but my point is this

We won that match because Joe Royle practiced set pieces. It restored my faith in our wonderful club, and we last won silverware that season.

SO CORNERS ARE IMPORTANT! They win you stuff. And apart from Sharpys Derby screamer, that goal is a favourite.

15 Dec 2015 21:25:46
Tim Cahill was handy at the headers also. Fellaini wasn't bad either. Both players along with Big Dunc were the difference of a couple of places in the premiership at the end of the season.

My fav for Dunc was against Utd. Ball went in like a bullet!

15 Dec 2015 21:26:13
Read an article about Simeone a while back regarding the high percentage of goals Athletico Madrid score from corners. He takes the view that if you are attacking and win a corner you have a scoring opportunity and possession near your opponents goal so should take advantage.
Their corner options vary for obvious reasons and are well rehearsed but they do show big rewards.
I hark back to the days of Hinchcliffe and Dave Thomas when we could take a corner and beat the first man. If you can't clear the first man have someone to get in front of the first defender for a flick on. George Graham's boring Arsenal used to score regularly off Steve Bould near post flicks from Marwood corners.
I apologise for going back in time. It seems that corner moves have gone out of fashion. I don't really understand why. You can still score from them as Norwich and Bournemouth did lat Saturday. Learning how to defend them is handy too.

15 Dec 2015 21:40:53
Not allowed to score goals from set pieces or corners as Roberto does not believe they are real goals. Likewise if the opposition scores from corners or set pieces Roberto does not regard them as proper goals. I would like to believe that something has been lost in translation but then I think about how long he has lived here.

15 Dec 2015 21:57:19
Hinchcliffe my mouth drooled as I read that Tedster. Never seen anyone whip them in like him. He was unbelievable.

Someone is an unreal manager. Builds tactics from having a sound defence. Turns things to his advantage as you outline above. Simple yet very effective.

15 Dec 2015 22:57:51
Also, the only player that looks like they can put a good ball in is Garbutt. Baines has been poor for a long time with them, the likes of Deulofeu, Barry and the worst Barkley have all had a go. Seems like a tactic to hit it at the first man, Roberto once said he'd rather lose a game then win in the last minute from a cross. No joke, listen to his interview with fans in his first season, absolute joke.

16 Dec 2015 09:03:02
I agree with you guys that it's very important and a big part of the game, just that I noticed them saying we have practiced them recently so obviously Roberto is not ignorant to our weakness and doing something about it. We evertonians have been brought up on bullet headers it's not just a case of putting it in, we should mix it up a bit l always liked the one Spurs used to play and pull it back to edge of box for a shot. I think I know why we concede and look weak at corners defensively, if we are practising them poor Tim is not getting the practice he wants, he has his defence set up exactly as they want but none of our players can get it beyond the first man so therefore it's pointless! And when we come to a match he's in shock that the opposition have mastered the skill of whipping one in with pace.

16 Dec 2015 12:00:56
Eh, no Robbie. Howard is just past it.