The next steps

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Bluestar

Player Valuation: £35m
Yesterdays result was fabulous. It’s finally broken a spell that has bound us for years. It was done through tenacious defending and purposeful counter attacking. It feels like it should be a springboard.

The next puzzle to solve is how to go into games like that with a less defensively minded mindset. We played two games this week against tough opposition. In both games we had less than thirty percent possession and in both games we went in set up to defend. It worked in one and failed in the other. It also failed against Leicester.

We also have a conundrum to solve against teams like Newcastle and Fulham where we are expected to do well, but didn’t.

How do we take the next step as a club to dominating against lower opposition and matching better teams. What are the missing ingredients?
 
Yesterdays result was fabulous. It’s finally broken a spell that has bound us for years. It was done through tenacious defending and purposeful counter attacking. It feels like it should be a springboard.

The next puzzle to solve is how to go into games like that with a less defensively minded mindset. We played two games this week against tough opposition. In both games we had less than thirty percent possession and in both games we went in set up to defend. It worked in one and failed in the other. It also failed against Leicester.

We also have a conundrum to solve against teams like Newcastle and Fulham where we are expected to do well, but didn’t.

How do we take the next step as a club to dominating against lower opposition and matching better teams. What are the missing ingredients?

Pace power and technical ability from 1-26 in the squad.

We have it in a few players. Allan Digne Godfrey Holgate DCL and Richarlison. Everyone else has one of the other or both missing. City and Liverpool have it in almost every player and so we are always hoping that we catch them on an off night and we’re at our absolute max to stand a chance.
 

Score 1 more goal than the opposition. Football is simple. Only pundits try to make it sound more complicated- to protect their jobs.
 
Pace power and technical ability from 1-26 in the squad.

We have it in a few players. Allan Digne Godfrey Holgate DCL and Richarlison. Everyone else has one of the other or both missing. City and Liverpool have it in almost every player and so we are always hoping that we catch them on an off night and we’re at our absolute max to stand a chance.
This.

We currently get inconsistent results because we have an inconsistent squad, due to several years of inconsistent recruiting in the transfer market (amongst other lesser factors).
 
Keep on doing what they are doing - consistently beating the top teams.
For so long we have all been moaning about not beating the top 6.
Its better taking points off them and drop points to Fulham and Newcastle than the other way round.
That's why they're still in with a chance of top 4. Not only did we win we stopped RS getting 3 points.

The run of games between the 17th April and 8th May will defines where we fininsh -
17th April - Spurs
24th April - Arsenal
1st May - Villa
8th May - WHam

Win the Chelsea game on 8th March and go into these fixtures as if they are knockouts and anything is possible.
(There's another game against Villa as well)
 

Playing better football.Right now it isnt football. Its Big sam style.
We have a llo of good players, but don’t seem to have the strength in th middle to dominate games.
I suspect if we had a RB and RW of appropriate standard, the team would be much more balanced. It might make things harder to set up defences.

As for Big Sam style, euuugggghhhh.
 
This.

We currently get inconsistent results because we have an inconsistent squad, due to several years of inconsistent recruiting in the transfer market (amongst other lesser factors).
Personnel is obviously a key factor, but who could we get tha5 would improve the midfield?
 
Personnel is obviously a key factor, but who could we get tha5 would improve the midfield?
Well, I would say "anyone currently at a different club but seen as having the raw material necessary to improve the strength of our squad" but I suspect that's an answer you already knew.

Everton, like every other Prem club, has a department staffed by people whose job it is to scout, analyse and evaluate players from every corner of the planet. I'd like to think they earn their keep, and would have shortlists for every conceivable player "type' the DOF might ask for.

If you're asking me to name players:

1) Kalvin Phillips. I get that he'd be pricey but he looks a worthwhile investment and he's younger than Allan and Doucouré.
2) Martin Ødegaard... maybe. I'd definitely keep an eye on how he performs for Arteta for the next 15 games.
3) Scott McTominay. Strikes me as industrious, reliable and consistent, which is why Utd would be nuts to let him go.

But we would be foolish to say that we cannot improve on what we currently have in the squad.
 
Keep on doing what they are doing - consistently beating the top teams.
For so long we have all been moaning about not beating the top 6.
Its better taking points off them and drop points to Fulham and Newcastle than the other way round.
That's why they're still in with a chance of top 4. Not only did we win we stopped RS getting 3 points.

The run of games between the 17th April and 8th May will defines where we fininsh -
17th April - Spurs
24th April - Arsenal
1st May - Villa
8th May - WHam

Win the Chelsea game on 8th March and go into these fixtures as if they are knockouts and anything is possible.
(There's another game against Villa as well)

Id say our next 6 games are critical. We need 4 or 5 wins from them if were going for top 4.

Then wed have to win 1 every 2 games of the remaining fixtures which is achievable.
 

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