Matthew Pennington

kithnou · April 2, 2017

macdog said:
Give the young 'uns plenty of match time for the rest of the season. Top 6 is gone, so let's get into some squad development

Problem is I am fearing Top 7 is in trouble with the injuries and fixtures to come.

bluestevon · April 2, 2017

davek said:
On that Coutinho goal: If I was the manager I wouldn't be too critical. He tried to show Coutinho the outside but didn't get close enough to force him that way, but when he did get turned he was still facing him up and I'd have expected the GK to do better than wave the ball into the net.

He wasn't impressive, dont get me wrong. But I have a feeling he;d been told he was up against tricky customers and to not get drawn into rash challenges.

Maybe he has been mate, but he had similar issues when Martinez played him as well, staying too far off his man etc from memory, and that was an entirely different coaching setup, just think he was nervous about being skinned and in the under 23's you won't have the calibre of player who can punish you if you let them do what Coutinho did, as i said a learning experience, but from what i have seen he looks a long way short of being ready for this league.

No point slaughtering the lad, and credit to Koeman for not dragging him off early really as it would have destroyed him

evertonarntwe · April 2, 2017

Said this on several occasions. He is not a premier league standard defender. He's isn't good enough

collymcd · April 2, 2017

Zatara said:
That was Browning

Aha. Thank you. That makes sense.

Eggsyblueskin · April 2, 2017

What yesterday illustrated perfectly was why you don't 'just throw the kids on ' , as many fans constantly demand. They need to be introduced gradually to the pace and requirements of the PL.
Yesterday was a case of needs must, but his performance already has fans judging him as not good enough, ridiculous.

JLW · April 2, 2017

bluestevon said:
Can't remember who it was against (maybe Can) but that bit in the second half when he had 10 yards on him and ended up having to slide to reach it first was frightening, then again remember Costa absolutely leaving him for dead like he was Gareth Bale 2-3 times in the Chelsea game and he isn't a fast player, absolutely done at this level, once the pace goes to that extent your finished really

Pace is massive attribute in the modern game now! But ye he is well and truly finished mate, Its sad that his decline has been so rapid.

PhilM · April 2, 2017

kithnou said:
Problem is I am fearing Top 7 is in trouble with the injuries and fixtures to come.

When Schneiderlin returns I think our play will improve, but defensively I do worry as we're now reliant on Baines, Jags, Williams and Holgate.

As long as bank results against the easier fixtures in our run in (although there's no easy games any more), I think we'll be fine.

JLW · April 2, 2017

evertonarntwe said:
Said this on several occasions. He is not a premier league standard defender. He's isn't good enough

I agree with this but did any of our players look premier league standard yesterday? Gana and Baines probably the only ones who were half credible

bullybeef · April 2, 2017

Pennington had a spell in the side under Bobby if I recall correctly.

He was not up to it then and he hasn't progressed.

Unfortunately for the lad, RK thought he could do a job when the evidence suggested he couldn't and wouldn't.

That's not Pennington fault.

JLW · April 2, 2017

PhilM said:
When Schneiderlin returns I think our play will improve, but defensively I do worry as we're now reliant on Baines, Jags, Williams and Holgate.

As long as bank results against the easier fixtures in our run in (although there's no easy games any more), I think we'll be fine.

We have no worries about 7th mate the teams below us are rank!! We have put in one bad performance this year and its April!!

catcherintherye · April 2, 2017

bluestevon said:
Maybe he has been mate, but he had similar issues when Martinez played him as well, staying too far off his man etc from memory, and that was an entirely different coaching setup, just think he was nervous about being skinned and in the under 23's you won't have the calibre of player who can punish you if you let them do what Coutinho did, as i said a learning experience, but from what i have seen he looks a long way short of being ready for this league.

No point slaughtering the lad, and credit to Koeman for not dragging him off early really as it would have destroyed him

He was badly exposed yesterday. In a way I hope he gets another go against United at Old Trafford as if yesterday is his final appearance this season it's hard to see him being here longer term. That being said, you also have Kenny on the bench, who may take to first team football ah la Davies like a duck to water who needs an opportunity too. So it's difficult.

I think the standing off point is indicative of a lack of confidence/familiarity of mens football. I remember Stones being very similar when he first came in. He'd take up good position but just lacked the belief to make the tackle. When that came after 2-3 months he never looked back. I do like Pennington but he has got to get that half yard closer quite quickly. You can see he's a clever lad who's absorbed what coaches tell him in terms of positioning, body shape etc, but it's that final moment of winning the ball. The Mane goal is a classic example it should never have gone through his legs there.

The only bit I'd disagree with is last season. I thought against Bournemouth he had a very solid game. There's something in there, but I'm not sure if he'll get a chance to show it at us.

catcherintherye · April 2, 2017

davek said:
This lad is getting thrown to the wolves here for an all round no show derby performance.

Did he play great? No. Was he obviously at fault for two goals with glaring errors? No. We dont know what his manager told him to defend like. It looked to me like he may have been told "It's a big game, dont fly into challenges in your own 18 yard box, dont go to ground or get too close that they can give the ref a decision to make."

Oh, and he did something £70M man couldn't do and found the net.

I think thats true, but that advise would have been better given to Davies and particularly Barkley who is a problem for us when he starts flying into tackles, and believe me will injure someone badly if he doesn't stop.

The art of defending though, at times is winning the ball without having to go flying in. That's what was needed yesterday. Lots of people are focussing on the Coutinho goal yesterday, but for me the bigger problem is the Mane goal. He actually gets close there, but the ball isn't stopped from travelling. In many ways it's back luck, but he has to get a block on that ball.

davek · April 2, 2017

catcherintherye said:
I think thats true, but that advise would have been better given to Davies and particularly Barkley who is a problem for us when he starts flying into tackles, and believe me will injure someone badly if he doesn't stop.

The art of defending though, at times is winning the ball without having to go flying in. That's what was needed yesterday. Lots of people are focussing on the Coutinho goal yesterday, but for me the bigger problem is the Mane goal. He actually gets close there, but the ball isn't stopped from travelling. In many ways it's back luck, but he has to get a block on that ball.

The Mane goal: if Schneiderlin plays he doesn't carry the ball that far.

Agree 100% about Barkley, but I think it's just the derbies he saves up all his aggression for.

ianefc · April 2, 2017

davek said:
This lad is getting thrown to the wolves here for an all round no show derby performance.

Did he play great? No. Was he obviously at fault for two goals with glaring errors? No. We dont know what his manager told him to defend like. It looked to me like he may have been told "It's a big game, dont fly into challenges in your own 18 yard box, dont go to ground or get too close that they can give the ref a decision to make."

Oh, and he did something £70M man couldn't do and found the net.

davek said:
The Mane goal: if Schneiderlin plays he doesn't carry the ball that far.

Agree 100% about Barkley, but I think it's just the derbies he saves up all his aggression for.

I like this version of you. Fantastic stuff.

catcherintherye · April 2, 2017

davek said:
The Mane goal: if Schneiderlin plays he doesn't carry the ball that far.

Agree 100% about Barkley, but I think it's just the derbies he saves up all his aggression for.

I sense you are right. It's a bad goal to lose however with Pennington getting so close, would Williams, Jagielka, Mori, Lovren or Matip failed to have blocked the shot in that situation?

As for Barkley yes, he seems to lose his head in these games. That's how we payed the first half, having collectively lost our heads. There is a to of revisionism about the dogs of war teams. I'd advise anyone to rematch the games back when they play well, there is aggression but controlled aggression, and then calmness on the ball.