Match Thread Everton v West Ham United - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[Fansince1988]

Why bring Tosun on at all?

A crap Rich is far better than Tosun. So take off Davies, go with Rich up top and bring on Gordon

That shows our weakness up top, DCL was doing nothing, yes perhaps Richy could have gone up top, but it shows that position needs to be addressed ASAP, Kean would have been ideal but he wasn’t willing to wait his chance. So let’s hope we get a striker in or I feel out season could tail off which would be a shame as we have in the main done well.

 

[stamullenblue]

Whilst we have the squad we currently have, there are going to be games like this. A few areas we need to strengthen and until we do, this is the norm unfortunately. A few games we pick up the points and then a team who sit two banks of four and we do not have the creativity to break them down. Usual words ponderous, laborious, indecisive.

Players like Davies, Sigurdsson, Bernard etc are good for a game or two but you cannot rely on them for 5 or 6, they unfortunately are not just up to it.

We are a work in progress, another two or three windows and we will be sound

Spot on mate ... just need more quality depth in the squad

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Whilst we have the squad we currently have, there are going to be games like this. A few areas we need to strengthen and until we do, this is the norm unfortunately. A few games we pick up the points and then a team who sit two banks of four and we do not have the creativity to break them down. Usual words ponderous, laborious, indecisive.

Players like Davies, Sigurdsson, Bernard etc are good for a game or two but you cannot rely on them for 5 or 6, they unfortunately are not just up to it.

We are a work in progress, another two or three windows and we will be sound

Correct,Kind Sir.

 

[Fansince1988]

I don’t know why but from very beginning I never really rated well Richi , yes he can score and he did score decent amount of goals but he looks way too often like he didnt show up like today , disconnect with the rest of the team, poor body language, probably the only Brazilian who struggle with ball between his feet , can’t dribble 1 on 1 , l would swop Zaha with him without question

What I rate Richy as our best player, it showed in the 3 games he missed earlier in the season, yes he wasn’t good today but he does work hard and does cause defenders problems. You could argue James is better but they are different types of players and James is a luxury player Who will miss games. Richy misses very few games. Problem today West Ham sat back no space for our forwards, we struggle with that and that needs to be addressed.

 

[BlueToff]

....I’ve always been of the opinion Holgate is a superior RB to CB but I‘m also of the opinion Coleman is our best RB. Holgate is terrific, I love his attitude and he’s vital to the squad but he won’t get in the team when everybody is fit.

Its funny that Ancelotti has found a way to win with FBs who get a nose bleed if they cross the half-way line and posters now want us to persist with that approach. Our problem tonight was at the other end of the pitch and ultimately if we want to carry threat we need attacking full backs with two defensive midfielders.

I agree on Coleman but for me today showed his inefficiencies, especially when there's not a natural full-back on the other side.

Coleman also slowed a lot of attacks down. Chops back so often. We then had Bernard doing exactly the same ahead of him.

 

[TheBigIguana]

That shows our weakness up top, DCL was doing nothing, yes perhaps Richy could have gone up top, but it shows that position needs to be addressed ASAP, Kean would have been ideal but he wasn’t willing to wait his chance. So let’s hope we get a striker in or I feel out season could tail off which would be a shame as we have in the main done well.

What weakness up top? We didn't create anything and basically haven't done for weeks. No striker on Earth thrives in a team like ours currently is.

Fix the midfield and play real fullbacks and suddenly DCL will start scoring again.

 

[BlueToff]

I don’t know why but from very beginning I never really rated well Richi , yes he can score and he did score decent amount of goals but he looks way too often like he didnt show up like today , disconnect with the rest of the team, poor body language, probably the only Brazilian who struggle with ball between his feet , can’t dribble 1 on 1 , l would swop Zaha with him without question

hmmmm

I mean we need another player of Richarlison's quality to come in.

He's been poor recently, but it happens. He's 23.

 

[BlueToff]

What weakness up top? We didn't create anything and basically haven't done for weeks. No striker on Earth thrives in a team like ours currently is.

Fix the midfield and play real fullbacks and suddenly DCL will start scoring again.

Or, concentrate on keeping things tight with the four CBs and just give Rich and DCL the freedom up top - concentrate on one area of the pitch at the time.

I'd be with you on playing Nkounkou and Coleman, but we have to do it one or the other - either two FBs, or the two CBs there.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Or, concentrate on keeping things tight with the four CBs and just give Rich and DCL the freedom up top - concentrate on one area of the pitch at the time.

I'd be with you on playing Nkounkou and Coleman, but we have to do it one or the other - either two FBs, or the two CBs there.

We can't be much tighter than we have been lately. Sometimes you will still lose games because the ball deflects right to someone and you didn't score up your end.

 

[BlueToff]

That shows our weakness up top, DCL was doing nothing, yes perhaps Richy could have gone up top, but it shows that position needs to be addressed ASAP, Kean would have been ideal but he wasn’t willing to wait his chance. So let’s hope we get a striker in or I feel out season could tail off which would be a shame as we have in the main done well.

Hard for DCL to do anything today. We just didn't get anything into him.

 

[Groucho]

Tonight was crap. We’re 4th with no squad depth.

Let’s not be too down.

 

[Eggs]

Hard for DCL to do anything today. We just didn't get anything into him.

....and their CBs were terrific.

 

[BlueToff]

We can't be much tighter than we have been lately. Sometimes you will still lose games because the ball deflects right to someone and you didn't score up your end.

True, but I think we looked imbalanced today and that impacted the attack.

It's reflected in the average positions. Our defence resembles a rugby formation (sliding diagonally across with Coleman on the half-way line, Godfrey deep on the left).

Very easy to defend against.

If you have a flat four, there's more licence for the midfield and attack to be pushed on I think.

But we weren't helped today by the midfield being set out in a stupid 3, with each of the advanced players pushing on at the same time and nobody dropping in to get the ball off Davies or the CBs.

 

[BlueToff]

Tonight was crap. We’re 4th with no squad depth.

Let’s not be too down.

Aye, would have been nice to be 4th with no squad depth by Monday too, though.

Also, I don't accept that we shouldn't have depth. The issues we have now were known about in the summer and not addressed. Pushing it four months down the line has done little other than make players less likely to be available (or at a higher premium).

Again, have to question the decision not to bolster our attack, mate. It was nuts.

 

[TheBigIguana]

True, but I think we looked imbalanced today and that impacted the attack.

It's reflected in the average positions. Our defence resembles a rugby formation (sliding diagonally across with Coleman on the half-way line, Godfrey deep on the left).

Very easy to defend against.

If you have a flat four, there's more licence for the midfield and attack to be pushed on I think.

But we weren't helped today by the midfield being set out in a stupid 3, with each of the advanced players pushing on at the same time and nobody dropping in to get the ball off Davies or the CBs.

The system is a mess in possession. It didn't work the last few weeks but it didn't matter and we won anyway. Today it mattered.

I think a way to take stress off the midfield three is to have real fullbacks who can help. James taking Gylfi's spot also helps but Carlo seems to want him always on the right. Which throws off the balance even when Coleman does play because Coleman is bad with the ball.

There are just problems, I don't know how to fix them all, but I do know we should flipping try.