Everton Banter Archive August 21 2017

21 Aug 2017 22:34:46
Exciting game but disappointing to get a draw after leading so comfortably for so long. Especially sorry for Holgate, who was having a great game until his clanger. What was Koeman thinking taking off Williams so early in the second half? Too keen to show off his new toy. Gylfi said himself he wasn't fully quite match fit yet. Pickford made a great save, but his otherwise spot on distribution was a bit lacking tonight. Nerves from everyone including the manager perhaps. Still unbeaten so that's a positive, as we can hold our own against the top teams. Any chance Schneids' red card can be appealed?

{Ed025's Note - i would not think so mate, i think you make some good points there..

21 Aug 2017 22:53:40
If there is now a retrospective panel for diving Ed surely players cards would we resinded if players are found guilty of diving.

{Ed025's Note - i dont know to be honest gray, but i hope not as DCL could be in trouble mate..

22 Aug 2017 10:30:10
I would think the fact he won the ball and Aguero ran into him, might give him a chance.

21 Aug 2017 21:54:03
Well I know we were against Man city. But against 10 men for 88 minutes you never would of guessed it. I got to say it we are still missing something. Horrible game to watch. Very Lucky the score was what it was.

21 Aug 2017 22:01:19
I agree, I thought Moyse was on charge.
Koeman went for a draw and he got it, very very ugly but I think it says more about how far behind the top teams we are.
Still, onwards and upwards as 4 points so far is good.

21 Aug 2017 22:15:28
You guys have to be joking. Exciting game and we were up against a top team away and we came away with a point. How many teams will do that this year. We have new players and they will take time to gel. Get real for God's sake.

21 Aug 2017 22:17:18
Come on guys! We were away against City - of course we played to defend and counter-attack. Even Chelsea would have done the same. Fair enough, they had a lot of the ball and we didn't create too many chances but we were never going to be go against City at the Etihad and outplay them. We played really well and got a good result. Shame about Morgan - unfair sending off and that could hurt us. I thought he was immense tonight. Gana, Wayne and especially Mason Holgate were fantastic tonight. We have to be positive at times like this, in spite of the disappointment.

{Ed025's Note - fair point mate..

21 Aug 2017 22:19:25
I don't think you can complain with a point at city, they have some unreal players. I do think we need a big strong target man for these type of games, if you're on the backfoot you need someone to loft the ball up to and hold it up. Calvert Lewin did well for our goal though, showed composure dragging it back and picking out Rooney.

{Ed025's Note - he was good all game gibbo..

21 Aug 2017 22:21:31
Nonsense.

21 Aug 2017 22:24:22
Well said mike.

21 Aug 2017 22:38:15
So a 140 million pounds spent and we still have the attitude of we were never going to beat them. Moshiri may as well of only spent 20 million.
And I'm sorry with an extra man on the pitch we didn't look like we were going to do anything. Caution to the wind playing against them yes. But the performance shows we are aren't competing for top 4. Couple more seasons maybe but not this one. Before anyone says oh Mr negative. Be real with yourselves. Definitely a top half finish maybe a very good cup run. Like I said still missing a few things.

21 Aug 2017 22:53:14
We've spent about £125 million, but we also sold our most prolific striker for £75 million, so £50 million net, compared to their £210 million this summer. And they were way ahead of us before that. Get real.

21 Aug 2017 23:02:53
Have to agree here - spent a lot of money to finish top half - if we don't make top 6 I would consider the season a failure.

21 Aug 2017 23:11:19
That was my point as well mowfee82.
Fortune favours the brave and I'm not moaning before I get shot down but we invited all the city pressure.
DCL was fantastic for his age and add some power and he will be something special. Holgate was our man of the match except the mistake but he is learning and improving each game.
Maybe adding mirallas or lookman towards the end to give city something to think about but then again we might of lost the game.

21 Aug 2017 23:20:07
Second league game of the season and already we are being judged of how far we are behind the top teams and how we won't break into the top 4! In the season Leicester won the league, they took 8 points from there first 4 games, Sunderland and Tottenham at home and Stoke and Bournemouth away, now would you have had them down as title winners after these 4 games unbeaten? Probably not but, they won 2 and drew 2 so were unbeaten, we have won 1 and drew 1 after 2 games. Now I ain't saying we are going to win the league, what I am saying is that it is to early to predict a top 4, especially after 2 games. City only lost once at home last season, to eventual champions Chelsea, so going there is never going to be easy, let's leave the predictions until after a good few league games.

21 Aug 2017 23:52:29
We are a long way from being a top four team but the journey has to start somewhere, we are going the right way I am sure.

21 Aug 2017 23:54:11
Mowfee we have just competed against them and come away with a draw. The team that spent what we did and 100m more.

We are getting better and the understanding within the team is getting better.

The players need to believe in themselves a bit more and retention of the ball is so important in these games. However, after 5 competitive games so far AND the preseason we are undefeated. Any team now knows that they have to be on their A game to get something from us. Never mind the other way round.

For me Koeman has got us working like Atletico. They competed with Madrid and Barca. They couldn't compete playing the same football as they were the masters of what they do. This is the same we need our own way of getting results. It got us one tonight. Keep the faith.

22 Aug 2017 00:22:53
I'm very surprised that there is any negativity. City for me are the most talented laden side in the league. and to go there with a new side. no established CF and perform how we did with a net spend if 50m, I thought there were aspects of our game that was immense. Williams had his best game, Rooneys desire, Calvert-lewins composure. very very impressive. yes there may have been mistakes but young mason played a blinder for me. the lad is 20.he cost a couple of million I think. and he didn't look out of place. I for one am a very proud blue. teams will be wary of coming to goodison park. well done boys.

22 Aug 2017 10:34:35
How often do you see 10 men raise there game. We're still learning to gel as a team and got a good draw. Well done lads you impressed me.

21 Aug 2017 19:33:34
3 at the back suits us on paper but we never do well with it. Can't see us getting anything out of tonight. Although I sort of get the feeling the Europa league is a bit of a priority to Koeman and it's clearly our best chance of champions league as well.
Just hard to see how we will truly threaten them.
Before the line ups I'd gone 0-2 to us with Keane to score again from a corner (I have a feeling he'll score 7-10 for us this season) but now I've seen the 3 at the back I think they will win comfortably 3-0 or 3-1 with us being 2-0 down after half an hour and reverting back to a 4 as it seems we always do when we play 3 to begin with. Sane vs Baines is a real problem.

21 Aug 2017 19:43:48
Probably going for 5-3-2 and hit on the break with the energy of DCL and Davies. going to be a tough game regardless of the formation but unlike previous years, we'll have a strong bench with Sandro, Klassen, Mirrales, Lookman and the mighty Sig.

21 Aug 2017 20:54:46
What an opportunity we have now.

21 Aug 2017 22:00:45
Svenny, Mr negative!

21 Aug 2017 18:54:56
Check out the Manchester bee in the Catalan colours the two teams are wearing on their shirts tonight as a sign of respect for victims of both Manchester and Barcelona terror attacks! Pure class! Well done to both teams!

21 Aug 2017 18:01:41
There's one player I'd like to mention is bolaise he's indulged himself in Everton ever since he signed fir us with all his media stuff he does and respects Everton as his employer really good pro and I can't wait to see him back on the pitch. He showed glimpses last year how defenders do not like playing against him on another note I've seen us linked with dendonker fir some reason even though he is a player with potential we have more than enough midfielders now just hope they go for a cf over these next couple of weeks and only if we can get quality and not just to get one to please the fans.

21 Aug 2017 19:08:03
I believe we have changed for the better Eddy. The only players who the present owner and management will get in are ones who they believe will significantly improve the squad and not any one to please the fans or as a last minute panic buy.

21 Aug 2017 15:01:42
Unbelievable fixtures we were given to start this season, and I completely understand why koeman said we should of scored more and killed the tie of against split as I'm sure he would of rested players like Rooney after tonight but although 2-0 up it's a tie that's not won yet and we will need Rooney experience in case we make hard work of the game but it is what it is.
On to tonight's game so looking forward to it, I know City will have the ball a lot so we have to be strong as a unit and press quickly and efficiently but it's what we do when we counter they will leave space in behind and I think there keeper is poor on crosses so we need to get quality balls into the box, if we can unsettle them early we can get something tonight, anyone know if Sandro is fit, I think he could be a player that can stretch there defenders.

21 Aug 2017 15:35:28
forward sandro Ramirez is likely to return after a heel injury kept him out of the Europa league game on Thursday night :)

21 Aug 2017 16:21:11
Have a (probably hopeful) feeling Rooney will be immense tonight. A game he'll be massively up for on two counts. We tore them apart last season and think we can hurt them again tonight given their weakness at the back. Just hope RK goes with the right formation and tactics.

21 Aug 2017 17:37:50
Stones will likely have another of his errors leading to a goal, perhaps for Rooney this time ☺️.

21 Aug 2017 13:46:47
For all blues travelling to split this week
My son and i have been here since friday
This place is beautiful and the people are decent but this city is run by torcida and they number 9000
I get the feeling it could go either way as about 2000 are ultras and they are up for it
Stay in groups and enjot the bars and the beach.

21 Aug 2017 12:35:33
I've been mentioning over the past few weeks about possible transfers and that I thought that there might be somebody coming in that we haven't spoke about. Headline this morning,

Everton transfer news LIVE - Ronald Koeman promises unpredictable transfers as Blues prepare for Manchester City.

Hope I'm right.

21 Aug 2017 11:59:31
Not sure if this is a good trait or a bad one but Koeman seems to make quick decisions on certain players and once he has a negative opinion of them their is no going back. Niasse and Deulofeu are two examples. I watched the Barcelona game yesterday and Deulofeu was good. He provided the crosses for both goals and even the commentators commented on how good he was at getting back and defending, a common criticism he had when he was at Everton. Niasse seems likely to go back to Turkey, I for one wish him well.

21 Aug 2017 12:35:15
deulofeu is playing in an exceptional Barcelona team, all be it still very far behind real Madrid. the Spanish league suits him down to a tee due to the space he would have were as the premier league is quick high tempo and he wouldn't get so much time to think, doesn't have to get back as much at Barcelona due to the fact they very rarely in games get countered like a team in England would do :)

21 Aug 2017 16:08:15
Fully agree about the space Del Boy gets in Spain and suits him better than the Premier league, however with Niasse even when he was scoring for the U23,s Ronnie said I hope he scores every match, he still will not play again for the first team, I find it hard a player anywhere else being told the same, a player can hit his peak and go downhill and not be the player he was, in the same instance a poor player can improve and improve, no player should be judged over a few pre season friendliest, Unsworth had nothing but praise for Niasse, so I can only assume something has gone on behind closed doors, cannot see any other reason a player would be dismissed as quickly, baring in mind it took a while for Keown to become the player he was at Everton.