I disagree, we got beat because the team was imbalanced and susceptible to counter attacks. Let’s not try to rewrite history. He had the whole team pressing except the back 4, like a schoolboys game. There was no protection in front of the defence. In fact there was a 20-30 yard space in front of the defence. He had the back 4 so narrow that opposition fullbacks and wingers had the whole flank to themselves unchallenged, it. was literally impossible for any of our fullbacks to get out quick enough to stop crosses. He basically left the back 4 hung out to dry. He had every player inside the 6 yard box when defending corners with opposition players literally lined up along the 18 yard line unmarked, Opposition players going out to take short corners and being left to do so unmarked. There was lots of things wrong with the team earlier in the season, some down to injuries and having to play people out of position or play Maupay up front. But a lot of it was to do with Dyche and how he set up the team.
This IS Everton football.
He’s made improvements and adjustments. That’s what I wanted to see, let’s see what he can do in the medium, longer term. He has some good players, admittedly a thin squad, but a very decent 13/14 or so players.
There have been some changes since the start of the season but his principles are still the same and I would argue it has all just come together and started working, including new signings and getting DCL fit.
We should have been after last night. 20 points = 10th spot
I disagree, he had too many players committed to pressing high up the pitch and we paid the price. Have you noticed that we are not committing so many players to pressing so high, so often now? It’s made us much harder to play through and gives our backline cover. He made the adjustments because they were needed and consequently we have started winning games.
I was encouraged by the Man Utd performance, we played some very nice football, held onto possession well for long periods of the game. Pickford and the 2 centre halfs played the ball out from the back more often, consequently Pickford punted the ball long less often. And I thought we looked better for it. It’ll be interesting to see if we continue in this vein when we get our midfield back to fitness, I hope this is the case.
I don't really agree pal, which is fine we can disagree! I firmly believe the signs were there and DCL/Branthwaite have made a huge, huge impact to the spin of the team. Im sure adjuments have helped, but the signs were 100% there that we were capable of scoring goals and winning games.
The defence looked shambolic even with Tarks and Branthwaite playing. He basically left the back 4 to fend for themselves against Premier League opponents. You could play the best defenders in the history of the game in such circumstances and they would have struggled and looked poor players. Coincidentally this is around the same time that the “doubts” about Patterson emerged. When the truth was he and the rest of the back 4 were fed to the lions. And coincidentally nearly every goal came down the left, where Young was playing. But he basically made it impossible for the back 4 to function in a cohesive manner. How can you say you “deserved to win the game” in such an situation?
I don't know so much, 29 passes leading up to the third goal looked like joined up football to me, but, it's all about opinions.
