Cottoned On

evertony · March 20, 2016

seems to me that the opposition in general have cottoned on to our two major weaknesses- inability to defend crosses and corners which we've known for a good while, and more tellingly Phil Jagielkas distribution. Every team we've played this year has pushed onto us in a way that leaves Jagielka the free man - that means he has to invariably move the ball on to the offensive part of the team. Jagielka is the least comfortable of our players on the ball and as a result possession is given up easily in the early stages of the move. Arsenal did it perfectly yesterday.
For me, if Martinez stays and possession football remains our preferred style then the captain unfortunately needs to be moved on.
We have a similar issue with the centre of midfield where for all his good work and break-up play James McCarthy is equally poor in terms of distribution. I'm not sure we can improve massively with that limited passing ability in two key positions.
Shame, as both are two of the more committed, heart-on-their-sleeve type players in the team. How's the conundrum solved....change in style or change in personel?

bluestevon · March 20, 2016

evertony said:
seems to me that the opposition in general have cottoned on to our two major weaknesses- inability to defend crosses and corners which we've known for a good while, and more tellingly Phil Jagielkas distribution. Every team we've played this year has pushed onto us in a way that leaves Jagielka the free man - that means he has to invariably move the ball on to the offensive part of the team. Jagielka is the least comfortable of our players on the ball and as a result possession is given up easily in the early stages of the move. Arsenal did it perfectly yesterday.
For me, if Martinez stays and possession football remains our preferred style then the captain unfortunately needs to be moved on.
We have a similar issue with the centre of midfield where for all his good work and break-up play James McCarthy is equally poor in terms of distribution. I'm not sure we can improve massively with that limited passing ability in two key positions.
Shame, as both are two of the more committed, heart-on-their-sleeve type players in the team. How's the conundrum solved....change in style or change in personel?

Much simpler than that, teams can press us as they know we don't handle it well, and then when they have the ball they can take a breather as we don't press in return, so it makes it easier for them to kep pressing us all game mate, take the chelsea game when w eactually pressed them and they did us, second half their legs went, take Arsenal yesrerday, they pressed we didn't and at the end they looked in second gear and still fresh, we make it easy for teams to play against us, way way too easy

Deleted member 28206 · March 20, 2016

Paragraphs pls

kithnou · March 20, 2016

Bryan said:
Paragraphs pls

I'll take a comma and full stop even.

Groucho · March 20, 2016

Come on lads, not everyone is grammatically spot on - this was very much readable.

McBain · March 20, 2016

The fact that Martinez has had to resort to a change at half time shows how poor he is at picking the right team to take the field.

Now he's tinkering with a back three trying to accommodate Stones when it's obviously playing two holding Midfield and a lone striker at home that is the noose around his neck.

If you're an opposing Manager with a mobile pack you're rubbing your hands together playing us at home.

Verbal Kint · March 20, 2016

We have been able to spot our weaknesses in this system for 2 years, if a premier league manager can't then he shouldn't be in a job.

edge · March 20, 2016

Verbal Kint said:
We have been able to spot our weaknesses in this system for 2 years, if a premier league manager can't then he shouldn't be in a job.

true that, crosses , balls through the middle of the defense, and close down the Everton players quick and stay behind the ball in your own half and you are half way there.

mini-Blues x 2 · March 20, 2016

in a nutshell......we are bloody awful.

davids · March 20, 2016

edge said:
true that, crosses , balls through the middle of the defense, and close down the Everton players quick and stay behind the ball in your own half and you are half way there.

Sack Guus Hiddink

degsy · March 20, 2016

evertony said:
seems to me that the opposition in general have cottoned on to our two major weaknesses- inability to defend crosses and corners which we've known for a good while, and more tellingly Phil Jagielkas distribution. Every team we've played this year has pushed onto us in a way that leaves Jagielka the free man - that means he has to invariably move the ball on to the offensive part of the team. Jagielka is the least comfortable of our players on the ball and as a result possession is given up easily in the early stages of the move. Arsenal did it perfectly yesterday.
For me, if Martinez stays and possession football remains our preferred style then the captain unfortunately needs to be moved on.
We have a similar issue with the centre of midfield where for all his good work and break-up play James McCarthy is equally poor in terms of distribution. I'm not sure we can improve massively with that limited passing ability in two key positions.
Shame, as both are two of the more committed, heart-on-their-sleeve type players in the team. How's the conundrum solved....change in style or change in personel?

Big decisions for the new guy, I hope he starts tomorrow...next day at the latest.

barneygumble · March 20, 2016

How many times did we see it last season?

Hull, Sunderland etc...

Where we all said the same thing. Teams don't fear coming to goodison, cause we don't play a dangerous game. Pass pass pass. They know they can soak up the pressure, hit us on the break and get something from the game. We all expected we'd learn from the mistakes and move on.

On to this season.

16 games in to our dismal home campaign and we've taken just 16 points. Us, the supporters, are asking the exact same questions, why are Swansea, West Brom, Stoke, Watford, Palace coming to goodison and taking points off us? If they score first, we're screwed. We don't change our plan, we don't break down teams, and we eventually all leave frustrated 70 minutes later as we inevitably lose or maybe scrape a late equaliser.

There is all this talk about points we've lost from winning points. I'd love to see our record for points earnt at home from losing positions this season.

I've got Watford, Palace and Liverpool as just 3 points. Having been behind against city, United, Arsenal, Swansea, West Brom, Leicester.

That's appalling. Worrying that we've took just 5 points against top half teams this season at home. With 3 of our wins coming against sides in the relegation zone.

Can't blame the fans for the manager being inept.

Rook · March 20, 2016

In defense of our keepers and CBs in defending crosses, its bit harder to accomplish when the flanks are constantly left exposed. Also if Jags distrubution sucks (and admittedly its not good) why are we taking our sweet old time casually rolling the ball to him every time the keeper gets the ball?

Look at Schmichel as soon as he as he gets his hands on the ball he's looking to counter. He either immediately boots it deep to Vardy or fires it to the flanks. You know who else used to do that? Everton did, under Martinez, 2 years ago. We used to make teams pay for sending guys forward against us or at the very least not give the opposition a break and eventually tire other side out and score late.