Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Everton. Saturday 27th August @ 15.00

[Kay20]

Kay excellent post. I feel the same way. Stinky is a good word for Arteta at the moment but hopefully he will in time revert back to his clinical passing and build up. With Peanut missing we are just throwing everything into the box not a recipe for success unless Moyes unleashes Vellios with Cahill at some point. I agree on Neville who actually looked decent early but looked gassed around the hour mark our aging stars with heavy legs will tell as the season wears on.

I see glimpses of hope and the new boys have to step up sooner rather than later. I think Moyes is right middle of the table is were we will be this year with one of our stars gone for financial and rebuilding reasons.

Thanks man. I just hope the wait and see turns into something at some point. We've now written that line about Arteta multiple times and are still waiting. To be fair though he looked good towards the end of last season, and is still warming up since he didn't really have a proper pre-season.

What's frustrating is our problems are easy to see, we have no $$$ to fix them.

Watched the Man U - Arsenal game today. If we come up against Man U the way we played yesterday we will lose 10-0.

[Kay20]

A quick tactical report on the blackburn win if anybody would like a read...

http://theexecutionersbong.wordpress...econstruction/

Those pass completion rates for both teams are cringe-worthy. Worse than the MLS average (low 70s) for both teams.

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

[QUOTE=Kay20;925809]Thanks man. I just hope the wait and see turns into something at some point. We've now written that line about Arteta multiple times and are still waiting. To be fair though he looked good towards the end of last season, and is still warming up since he didn't really have a proper pre-season.

What's frustrating is our problems are easy to see, we have no $$$ to fix them.

Truth of the matter is Arsenal's back four were terrible. I worry Jags is back on Arsene's hit list for big money now. It will now be hard for Moyes not to accept funny money as Wenger is becoming desperate.

As much as we haven't a clue to attack we have a surprisingly good back four with Howard and midfielders who besides the work rate collapse well on the ball. I would be very surprised if United with all their weapons could score eight against us.

[Kay20]

Truth of the matter is Arsenal's back four were terrible. I worry Jags is back on Arsene's hit list for big money now. It will now be hard for Moyes not to accept funny money as Wenger is becoming desperate.

As much as we haven't a clue to attack we have a surprisingly good back four with Howard and midfielders who besides the work rate collapse well on the ball. I would be very surprised if United with all their weapons could score eight against us.

Man U looked *very* good today with lots of weapons. If we are on our defensive game we can stop them, if we play like we did yesterday it will be a slaughter.

I'm of the camp that if Wenger splashes silly money we take the money and do something with it. Reality intrudes for me. But only if we're talking enough money to do something with it. The first few weeks of the season have been disheartening for anyone not in Manchester or the red sh*te. (Or the Wolves I just realized!)

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Man U looked *very* good today with lots of weapons. If we are on our defensive game we can stop them, if we play like we did yesterday it will be a slaughter.

I'm of the camp that if Wenger splashes silly money we take the money and do something with it. Reality intrudes for me. But only if we're talking enough money to do something with it. The first few weeks of the season have been disheartening for anyone not in Manchester or the red sh*te. (Or the Wolves I just realized!)

One thing people are forgetting is Yobo isn't gone yet and Rodwell will eventually play cb. All this talk of Arteta going is silly it's Jags they want all along with Bolton's Gary Cahill they will try to get both I'm betting money on it.

United looked awesome. The red & blue side of Manc land will demolish all London teams this year including Chelski.

[Rook]

Teams like Man U don't worry me. We've shown the past couple years that when teams play open footie against we more than hold our own. Its these squads like Blackburn, QPR etal who are just good enough to muck it all up. We can't play physical and we can't break down 10 men. The one big squad we don't good against is Liverpool not because we can't play footie with them, it because the games always turn into a who can tackle more fircely clusterfudge.

I think more than the lack of funds the negatively around this club is the result of just not it getting it done against the likes of West Brom, Blackburn etc because we've seen what this club is capable of.

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Teams like Man U don't worry me. We've shown the past couple years that when teams play open footie against we more than hold our own. Its these squads like Blackburn, QPR etal who are just good enough to muck it all up. We can't play physical and we can't break down 10 men. The one big squad we don't good against is Liverpool not because we can't play footie with them, it because the games always turn into a who can tackle more fircely clusterfudge.

I think more than the lack of funds the negatively around this club is the result of just not it getting it done against the likes of West Brom, Blackburn etc because we've seen what this club is capable of.

Yep that sums us up to a tee. We always struggle against the lesser teams for whatever reason we don't play two upfront now there is a novel idea. The way we play we are tempting mediocrity at the moment.

[Kay20]

Teams like Man U don't worry me. We've shown the past couple years that when teams play open footie against we more than hold our own. Its these squads like Blackburn, QPR etal who are just good enough to muck it all up. We can't play physical and we can't break down 10 men. The one big squad we don't good against is Liverpool not because we can't play footie with them, it because the games always turn into a who can tackle more fircely clusterfudge.

I think more than the lack of funds the negatively around this club is the result of just not it getting it done against the likes of West Brom, Blackburn etc because we've seen what this club is capable of.

Agree - we always step up against the Sky 4. BUT, Man U looks even better than last year. It'll be tough.

[Mutzo Nutzo]

Meh - we're poo!

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Agree - we always step up against the Sky 4. BUT, Man U looks even better than last year. It'll be tough.

It's always been tough for Everton that's how we roll. Perhaps it's why we claim respect from most of the backroom chatter. If we get through Wednesday without any key losses we will be OK. Not Champions league fare mind you but OK. We will have our ups & downs. I just hope we can cut the debt playing with a bare bones squad.

[Hilga]

can anyone get the match hilites to work on evertontv?

[billycopper]

It's not hard tho mate, attacking as a group and defending as a group. It's what you learn on the playground when you're 7 years old. All it takes is one player to close down the man on the ball and everyone else to at least vaguely be in a decent position. We just gave it away and then backed off again, same as last week. It makes such a difference, if every player was working harder we would be so much better.

True. What really puzzles me is how we keep getting caught 2v2 at the back. Where is everyone else? If we were blitzing teams I could understand it, but we're not creating anything.

[orchard]

can anyone get the match hilites to work on evertontv?

Don't worry Hilga, it'll just cover the warm up period IF you're lucky...
PM me if you're serious though and I'll check x

[ToxtethBlue]

It's not often I call for Tony Hibbert to be in the team, but Phil Neville legs get slower each week. There where two or three occasions in the first half where Barkley was looking for an overlap and Phil just wasn't up to it. He looks like he's running in quick sand. Hibbert atleast has a bit of athleticism and mobility, and is willing to run beyond his wide player.

Fellaini's a tidy defensive midfielder but it's a different story all together when he's expected to be the more creative type in our midfield duo, and dictate the way the team plays. There was lots of space inbetween our defence and midfield and neither Heitinga nor Fellaini where dropping in there and getting things started. If you don't show for possession, the team will go long, it's that simple really. You need mobility and close control in these positions, and it makes you appreciate what Arteta does for us infront of his back four. I'm hoping Fellaini and Osman get something going when there both up to full speed, but we might have to consider moving Mikel back there again.

[orchard]

Thing is,Nev's going to play, so it's RB or midfield...personally,if Baine's is happy, he'd get the captaincy from me,he's the role model that we need for our team now and in the future, we need to push on psychologically.

[RadioFriendlyUnitShifter]

Thing is,Nev's going to play, so it's RB or midfield...personally,if Baine's is happy, he'd get the captaincy from me,he's the role model that we need for our team now and in the future, we need to push on psychologically.

Baines is too meek to be captain, I think. And that's okay.

At this point I'd be happy with Arteta, Jagielka, Howard or even Distin captaining us.

[orchard]

Baines is too meek to be captain, I think. And that's okay.

At this point I'd be happy with Arteta, Jagielka, Howard or even Distin captaining us.

Not sure about Mikel, Distin would be good short-term,could Howard do it? Jag's would be good,but I think he's a bit distracted by the possibility of us shipping him out.
We DO need to start taking a TEAM onto the pitch asap though.

[jsweeney17]

Vic for captain - always has a great attitude, never complains....

[Roztitute]

I don't understand Heitinga as holding midfielder. Play Fellani there, he can dictate the game whilst allowing our other midfielders to get foward. Fella had an average (bad?) game playing behind the striker. Heitinga is a CB.

[Bigmaclad]

I don't understand Heitinga as holding midfielder. Play Fellani there, he can dictate the game whilst allowing our other midfielders to get foward. Fella had an average (bad?) game playing behind the striker. Heitinga is a CB.

It makes perfect sense if you're Moyes.