Everton Banter Archive February 02 2018

02 Feb 2018 18:42:39
Just read two articles that we only listed a 22/ 25 man squad and that we didn't include Vlasic? What's that about? Surely a bad move, or did he sneak out loan?

02 Feb 2018 19:42:12
Number 27 and still listed on the official Everton site.

02 Feb 2018 21:52:30
He’s under 21 so doesn’t need to be named in the squad.

03 Feb 2018 00:30:28
Cowpat Sid?

03 Feb 2018 16:37:42
Cheers lads, I realised in the end. because some of the younger ones had aged and been included in the senior squad I got confused.

02 Feb 2018 17:00:57
It appears to me that there are some fans who are not happy with Sam. However, he has signed Tosun, Wallcott and Mangala. He has taken us from 3rd from bottom to 9th. Yes when he arrived the football was terrible. but it was pretty rubbish before he arrived anyway under Koeman this season. All I would say, is the jury should stay out until he has turned the squad into his own. He inherited a very poor squad with injuries to key players. He had to pick youngsters to fill gaps and play right sided players on the left through no fault of his own. He might not get every decision right, but remember 10 games ago we were all talking relegation and it looked odds on. I suggest we give him another transfer window so he can sort a left back and another younger center half. Then if the football is crap. say so then! Right now we have improved no end. yes partly due to Seamus returning. but also due to Walcott and the team he picked the other night.

02 Feb 2018 17:19:55
No doubt about it Degsy we are in a much better situation now than before. Walcott is a great addition and Colman returning is a big plus.

02 Feb 2018 18:26:35
Think he needs time but if we'd lost to Leicester and Arsenal we'd be talking relegation again so shows how fragile the situation is. Now the teams better balanced it should be onwards and upwards, see how he gets us playing.

02 Feb 2018 18:58:37
Good posts above, would just like to add I have also said many times on here folks the team Sam had was inherited, we have to give him time and see how his additions benefit the team, so far with Tosun and Walcott and now Mangala, and of course not forgetting Seamus back from injury we have the making of a good team, there will be always Big Sam haters and some that disagree with everthing on here, so let's give the guy a break get behind him the team and and the club and see what happens, if the board decide not to extend his contract then so be it,

02 Feb 2018 21:12:28
I think the jury is out on Walcott. He spent a decade at Arsenal putting in largely ordinary performances sprinkled amongst which was some real excellence. I think that part of that may have been because he was always a peripheral rather than a key player there. Maybe more responsibilty here may work the oracle. Let's hope so but only time will tell.

{Ed025's Note - wenger did him no favours glen because he was not a moaner he was easy to drop unlike most of them, i think hes a nice person as well and he will be an asset in the dressing room as well as the pitch mate..

02 Feb 2018 22:54:24
But hasn’t Sam inherited Seamus? Can’t have it always mate. Give it a couple more games and Coleman won’t be allowed passed the half way line.

02 Feb 2018 23:06:39
I think we were 13th when Allardyce took over not 3rd from bottom but I agree that the jury should be still out until the end of the season and then see where we are from there.

03 Feb 2018 02:35:53
We were so bad when he got here, without him we would be in the bottom 3 fighting for our lives, as it is we are in with a fighting chance of geting back into europe, as for style, I take winning rather than getting thumped every week any time.
PS, don't forget this was the man choisen to lead England to the world cup, wiser heads than ours must have seen something in his approch.

03 Feb 2018 08:00:32
Good post JCW right up until the last part. Just remember the same wiser heads also picked Gareth Southgate and Roy Hodgson.

03 Feb 2018 09:50:01
Hey Woburn, what are the 6 winning lottery numbers for tonight. just that you seem to be able to predict the futurs about Seamus not being allowed past the half way line?

03 Feb 2018 14:35:33
19 21 24 26 40 42.

03 Feb 2018 16:59:47
Might do them glen :)

{Ed025's Note - put your money on us getting a goal tonight tit....its the same odds..

02 Feb 2018 14:47:16
I watched the Leicester game again last night and recorded the number of times we booted the ball upfield from our half. When we lost the ball to Leicester it is (L) and when we won the ball from the boot it is (E) .
During the entire match we had 42 boots up field 31 times we lost possession and 11 we gained possession.
During the first 20 minutes we had 16 (L) and 2 (E) .
During the period from 20 minutes to half time when we scored two we had 5 (L) and 4 (E) .
From half-time to 70 minutes we had 4 (L) and 4 (E) .
From 70 minutes we had 6 (L) and 1 (E) .
It is pretty obvious that when we boot the ball upfield we lose possession and when we are playing badly like in the first 20 minutes we boot the ball more. A lot of the time it starts with Pickford. If we have any ambition about becoming a top six club we better start retaining possession more especially playing the ball out from Pickford and the defenders.

02 Feb 2018 15:28:36
What a waste of time you spent there.

We won!

Ok we only had 44% possession at home but Leicester won the title with less.

We had 9 shots to ther 8 with 4 on target to there 2.

We didn’t just play booted balls up, and the ones we did were to Niasse or Walcott as that’s the direction Pickford mainly kicks towards. So personally I wouldn’t bet on either of them 2 winning a header against a 6ft plus defender, would you?

People only looking for negatives after a win is a joke, it was a better game for us than previous, so here is hoping we carry on with that trend.

02 Feb 2018 16:04:49
It was not either a waste of time or negative just an observation. We were crap for the first 20 minutes and the type of play reflected that. I hope that Big Sam is more open to us improving than you are.

02 Feb 2018 16:09:27
To add to my post above after we scored the first goal we improved the distribution significantly so that is a positive is it not?

02 Feb 2018 16:46:48
Although I admire your investigation, it does not make for one necessary allowance. The "boots upfield" you mention might have been a mixture of clearances or efforts by players to pickout a team mate or indeed a half hearted clearance with the hope of picking out a team mate. Unless you can identify why we booted the ball upfield, then it is irrelevant data. I am one who loves statistics and data. but as the saying goes, "there are lies, damn lies. and statistics". Did you know 87.345% of statistics are created in order to falsify a claim?

02 Feb 2018 17:35:13
Degsy, during the first 20 minutes the boots up field were panic clearances in my humble opinion and I though that we played badly. After the first goal we were more likely to try to hit a team mate. I still think that we play much better when we keep the ball on the ground. It is all a matter of opinion and I think that I am entitled to mine.

02 Feb 2018 17:59:17
The team started nervously, and rightly so after the run they've had. That should skew the stats. Let's get some confidence going and then look at how they play. If it's still the same then we don't need to worry about big Sam's tactics as he will be gone in the summer if all we can is play long ball.

02 Feb 2018 21:34:08
Not related to how we played but a related to statistics
Three statisticians Go for a job interview and get asked one simple question
What is 2+2?
The first one answers “4”
The second one answers “anywhere between 3.99999999 and 4.00000001”
The third one answers “what do you want it be. ”
Big C 😉.

03 Feb 2018 00:34:44
So did the third one get the job Big C?

02 Feb 2018 10:55:09
I was going to post earlier but I've been busy. For me, this is the first game this season that I've genuinely enjoyed, and the first game this season that I feel we've deserved to win. We were all over Leicester from around the 15th-20th minute until the penalty, and even managed a few chances in the last few minutes.

Walcott was MOTM for me. He was all over the pitch, even making tackles, always wanted the ball and deserved the two goals. Seamus was just as good and kept up the performance for the whole game which is truly remarkable considering it was his first full game after 10 months out. Keane and Jags were solid at the back, and Gana quietly went about his business with minimal fuss. Another special mention is for Martina who looked a lot better and saved us from conceding a goal (still don't rate him though)

For me the two contentious issues player wise were Davies and Niasse. Both have received a lot of stick for their performances, which I think is a little unfair.

Davies worked really hard all game, and was pressing for the ball at every opportunity. Yes he did misplace a few passes and he was a bit of a headless chicken but I'd have his effort over Schneiderlin's strolling about any day. I think that given a run of games in a side playing well, Davies would return to the form of last season.

Niasse as always gave 100%, and I think tactically it was the right decision. He hassled their defenders all game and creates a lot of potential opportunities. However, while I think his overall game was positive, he showcased his lack of ability missing 3 sitters. The question isn't necessarily would Tosun have scored those, but if he would have created those chances and been in the right position.

This weekend I wouldn't change too much team wise. I think Niasse despite his limitations ability-wise should start again as Arsenal's defence isn't the best. Here's hoping Theo shows Wenger what he's missing.

{Ed025's Note - a very fair assessment there tommy, for me tom is a bit lightweight at the moment and was easily bullied on wednesday he tried hard and had great energy but for me can be upgraded, niasse worked his socks off as usual and i agree deserves another chance..

02 Feb 2018 11:53:21
ED25 I disagree regarding Davies they had big strong mids and I thought Davies did well and with him and Gueye we looked a much better unit regard Martina 1 half decent performance doesn't change the issue that he isn't a good enough RB never mind LB overall I was very happy with how we played especially when they put us under 20 mins of pressure after their pen here's hoping we can carry it on this Sat.

{Ed025's Note - i think we will have to agree to disagree on tom bluey, the kid has great talent but for me just not ready yet mate..

02 Feb 2018 12:31:08
I agree with the Davies assessment ED. I think if Klaasan played in the number 8 then you can bring him through gradually. However, Sam doesn't want him. We then end up with a Gana and Snids situation every game and that's far too defensive and slow.

{Ed025's Note - i agree with all that john..

02 Feb 2018 13:26:20
I agree with Bluey on this one Ed. Mainly because I think Sam isn't quite sure what to do with him. On Weds he started off as a DM, then moved to a sort of no.8, linking defence and attack, then finished the game playing as a no.10.

He needs a defined role and game time to develop into who we want and need him to be. Then again this statement could apply to half of our midfield: Rooney, Sigurdsson, Klaassen, Vlasic.

{Ed025's Note - he has the ability tommy but lacks the physicality for me mate, but maybe with someone like nzonzi in the team he would be able to display his talents to better effect, i would certainly have him before morgan any day though..

02 Feb 2018 13:51:50
I like Bluetommy's assessment. Davies has great skill in my view. He also has loads of energy and disrupts the opposition with his pressing game. as does Niasse. We looked like a team with plenty of attacking options and we had shots on goal which was missing the last 5 games with Schneids in the team. and his very slow breaking. Add in what everyone said about gueye, Seamus and Wallcot and we suddenly have a team that is pressing to get forwards rather than sitting with 11 behind the ball and trying to break slowly. humping it to DCL only for him to lose possession because he is the only one anywhere near the half way line. So yes I would be giving Davies a run. but letting him know he is not 1st choice every game. maybe resting him in the away games more than home ones.

02 Feb 2018 14:01:08
That's a fair assessment Ed, though I think a cardboard cut out of Tom would have better movement and work rate than Schneiderlin.

{Ed025's Note - no arguments from me tommy..

02 Feb 2018 08:03:05
Good morning fellow Blues. Isn't it nice waking up a couple of days after a good performance. I had actually forgotton this feeling. I have 2 of my kids as die hard Blues now and also my 8 year old Grandson. The family atmosphere is all of a sudden just like Ken Dodds song, "Happiness". If aliens ever do get to Earth. and wonder what the fuss is. 22 men running around kicking a bag of wind and trying to get it between 2 sticks? Then another 40,000 emotional wrecks screaming and shouting at 11 of the men? But blaming the one in the middle dressed in black who just seems to blow a whistle every now and then ad hold up yellow and red bits of cardboard . intelligent life on Earth? You got to be kidding!

02 Feb 2018 21:48:57
It's brilliant isn't it degsy.

It felt like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders this last couple of days.

Bring on Arsenal.