Match Thread Leeds 1-0 Everton, Mon 18 Aug, 8.00pm

Your Everton MOTM vs Leeds

  • Total voters
    460
  • Poll closed .
b-rad said:
I agree that the injuries at CB and left FB have really messed us up, but it highlights how paper thin our squad is.
We NEED two players for every single position on the pitch, because injuries happen.
We have a backup left back, who didn't play - so presumably isn't good enough to be dropped in the first team yet.
We have two right backs, who didn't play - so either not trusted or too old and shouldn't have been given a new contract.
We have no right winger.
We have two strikers, and each one might be impactful in some cases, but neither are good enough to be relied upon as a starting number 9.

Some of these issues might sort themselves through the season (maybe Aznou and Barry will come good), but everyone and the club and every fan knew that our right side is almost non-existant. We muddled through last season with O'Brien doing a job at right back, and Harrison filling a hole (but not much more) further ahead.

To arguably be in a worse position at the start of the season is ridiculous. We might bring in some people before the transfer window closes. We might address any remaining issues in January. It's alarming we haven't sorted it yet, and even more worrying that we may have to go a whole season without.
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Good post, I cannot help but feel the issues arise from the squad being unbalanced. Our appalling stewardship, especially since 2016 has meant players have been signed without a clear vision of how we will play. At last when the
finances improve, players we want seem reluctant to sign.
 

Smurph said:
Was ready for utterly abject first game of the season against a promoted team and got it.

So much is wrong but… we have a forward who’s no good having it lumped up to him and Ndiaye, KDH and Alcaraz watching it sail above their heads for most of the game.

Also why does it take us 4 or 5 games to get match fit when Leeds can turn up first game looking like they’ve had all the inhalers? The difference in intensity and fitness was insane.
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As people have pointed out so many times are pre season was crap I know its for fitness but we should already be somewhat in the grove tactical wise when the first whistle goes last night you could see from the Roma game we looked well off the pace .
We must be one of the highest placed established teams in the premier league with turn over of the ball we cant seem to keep hold of it once passed the half way line we get one or two passes in then lose it , our centre forward cant hold the ball, cant move off his defender to create space we don't have any runners going passed him because i think they know he's not going to hold it and lay it off and this hasnt just ben the Moyes return before anyone thinks im having a go at just him.
 
Eggs said:
….can only hope Moyes has a master plan in mind where his new signings blend and are on the same wavelength in terms of attacking cohesion and threat. I’m underwhelmed with both KDH and Grealish but it’s early days and I understand the formation needs to settle into whatever Moyes has in mind.

In the meantime, waking up with that ‘morning after a defeat’ feeling and not enjoying Everton. We don’t ask for much.
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Underwhelmed by KDH and JG!
You’ll be tarred and feathered if you carry on that talk and also labelled a bed wetter too.

How dare you, how very dare you!
 
b-rad said:
I agree that the injuries at CB and left FB have really messed us up, but it highlights how paper thin our squad is.
We NEED two players for every single position on the pitch, because injuries happen.
We have a backup left back, who didn't play - so presumably isn't good enough to be dropped in the first team yet.
We have two right backs, who didn't play - so either not trusted or too old and shouldn't have been given a new contract.
We have no right winger.
We have two strikers, and each one might be impactful in some cases, but neither are good enough to be relied upon as a starting number 9.

Some of these issues might sort themselves through the season (maybe Aznou and Barry will come good), but everyone and the club and every fan knew that our right side is almost non-existant. We muddled through last season with O'Brien doing a job at right back, and Harrison filling a hole (but not much more) further ahead.

To arguably be in a worse position at the start of the season is ridiculous. We might bring in some people before the transfer window closes. We might address any remaining issues in January. It's alarming we haven't sorted it yet, and even more worrying that we may have to go a whole season without.
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Thing is, we have 2 left backs and 2 right backs. (Forgetting quality level at this point).

We are in the perfect storm of things going wrong in terms of injuries for what is normally our best area on the pitch.

We have 2 left backs but both have got injured vs Roma.
We have 2 right backs, one of which is injured and the other is just classed as an injury himself now.
We have a CB that can do a job there but unfortunately our first choice CB has also got injured meaning both 3/4th choice CBs had to start.

You are saying we need 2 players per position and then pointing out we have 2 players in each of the positions that we are struggling for injuries in. The only position we don’t is RW.

And saying Barry isn’t good enough after like 10 mins the league is a bit unfair.
 

SteStocksDJ said:
His head wasn’t in it last night. He’s been some way off it preseason. I wonder if there is any truth in the falling out
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Looks that way to me.
Beto was not the Beto of last season last night. It was a ‘sulky’ performance.

I think Moyes’ team selection was political. He wanted to send a clear message to the powers that be.
 
Poor, thin and unbalanced squad to choose from. Not brilliant use of what was available. Lack of fight and intensity from many of the players. Got what we deserved, albeit in the wrong way with the penalty.

Smelled very much like even the players had a mindset of hoping to grind out a point with a squad that will be different/better in a 2 weeks. Can’t imagine they were specifically told that. But that’s the narrative completely immersing the club at the moment and it spilled onto the pitch.
 
Swagger said:
If that's a pen then rather than trying to open up a team and play football when in or approaching the penalty area you might as well target hitting an arm even when down by the side and behind a player's back when crossing or shooting. It's the % play these days which just shows where the game has gone. Really sad state of affairs.
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Maybe if he hadn't have leaned into the ball with his arm the ref might have some sympathy with this arguement.
 
Defence did well to weather the storm for 97 minutes. Shape was horrible to watch - no touches in their box in the first half - but with all the injuries, what else could we do against a very good attacking side at home. Lost to a dodgy pen decision. 0-0 away would have been a good result
 

The worst thing is that it will be much the same players on Sunday, but we're playing a decent team rather than Leeds.

I've been looking forward to our first game at the new ground - I've not gone to any of the test events so I can savour a proper match day atmosphere on my first visit to the place. What I wasn't expecting was that we'd kick off with a worse first XI than we finished last season with. I'm even getting misty eyed about Doucoure, DCL and Harrison.
 
Sham75 said:
The ball hit Rodri, he couldn't get out of the way of the ball.

Tarkowski on the other hand leaned into the ball.
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You have to be joking? Rodri couldn’t get out the way of the ball?

Edit - Ah you are a Leeds fan I see. No wonder you don’t have a clue what you are talking about.
 

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