Everton XI 5-0 Fleetwood Town XI (Behind-closed-doors friendly)

[allen]

What?!
Midseason friendlies happen really often, particularly in January. Plus it's against moderately competitive opposition who will have been asked to avoid maiming if possible.

How could he have factored in pre season for someone like atsu who has only just signed? Or long term injuries like Gibbo?

When did we last play one?

 

[orly]

When did we last play one?

When did we last have a £28m striker returning from an extended break?

There's a first time for everything - embrace the change. Other clubs play them fairly regularly

 

[ijjysmith]

I'm with @orly here I have to say.

People looking at the negative possibility always. It might be true but people just automatically go for it.

 

[allen]

When did we last have a £28m striker returning from an extended break?

There's a first time for everything - embrace the change. Other clubs play them fairly regularly

So don't get up in my grill for saying I'd never heard of it happening.

 

[andy4efc]

It's not bad planning at all, Mirallas and Lukaku for example only came back what, two weeks ago? If anyone thinks we are the only team playing behind closed door games now then you're mistaken im afraid.

 

[Michaelcoyb]

Good to see gibson get some minutes.

 

[bicycleheader]

Said it before and I'll say it again

Schurrle played in the World Cup final and started for Chelsea in some of their pre-season games. He also played their opening league fixture and did pretty well.

Lukaku and Mirallas barely played for Belgium and they went out in the quarter finals. Why do they need more rest than Schurrle? They didn't play at all in our pre-season. Mirallas didn't play against Leicester and Lukaku only played because we don't have another striker - he'd have been given the game off too if it was possible.

Exactly. Why?

Why do you think?

Couldn't it be that the manager decided it was needed. If Chelsea played Hazard after a ligament injury should we do the same with Ross?

And it's not like Kev was an automatic first choice last season. I wasn't surprised to see him on the bench on Sat and wouldn't be to see the same against arsenal.

 

[blueboy1945]

Said it before and I'll say it again

Schurrle played in the World Cup final and started for Chelsea in some of their pre-season games. He also played their opening league fixture and did pretty well.

Lukaku and Mirallas barely played for Belgium and they went out in the quarter finals. Why do they need more rest than Schurrle? They didn't play at all in our pre-season. Mirallas didn't play against Leicester and Lukaku only played because we don't have another striker - he'd have been given the game off too if it was possible.

Couldn't agree more. Strangest preseason I can remember and the lack of match practise for the world cup returnees and general lack of fitness of others is very worrying.

 

[Jxg]

Exactly. Why?

Why do you think?

Couldn't it be that the manager decided it was needed. If Chelsea played Hazard after a ligament injury should we do the same with Ross?

And it's not like Kev was an automatic first choice last season. I wasn't surprised to see him on the bench on Sat and wouldn't be to see the same against arsenal.

Why was it needed then?

What's all this talk about ligament injuries? We're talking about Lukaku and Mirallas, not Hazard and Ross.

 

[thirdmantackle]

a game is better than any training session.

 

[ArtetaMoney]

Having a behind closed doors friendly, playing a player in the reserves, putting players on extra training sessions, all this shizzle happens throughout the season to help get players fitness/sharpness back up.

I don't see why everyones looking into this as being some sort of new thing, which is only being done because our pre season was cocked up. If we beat Leicester, which we should of, then i'm pretty sure this wouldn't have been as much of an issue as it is now.

 

[witchdoc187]

do people genuinelly believe that Roberto didnt know when the season started? Pre-season is planned meticulously we had players coming back from world cup/injury etc.. How can people spend their whole lives picking holes in everything. I pity you. Proper rant

 

[evo1878]

Said it before and I'll say it again

Schurrle played in the World Cup final and started for Chelsea in some of their pre-season games. He also played their opening league fixture and did pretty well.

Lukaku and Mirallas barely played for Belgium and they went out in the quarter finals. Why do they need more rest than Schurrle? They didn't play at all in our pre-season. Mirallas didn't play against Leicester and Lukaku only played because we don't have another striker - he'd have been given the game off too if it was possible.

Each club is handling it differently. The German players at Arsenal are on their own fitness regime and reportedly 2 weeks behind the rest of the squad. It's a long season so teams with smaller squads may not be willing to take risks with key players who were also at the latter stages of the World Cup?

 

[chopper6]

Weird how nobody seems to know who got the other 3 goals. Atsu got 2 it appears.

Possibly trialist Max Clayton another reason why we had the game

 

[Bruce Wayne]

We have to remember that it's a long season, and also that it's a squad game. Lets not get carried away here.