December fixtures, 21 points going

[Darth Toffeeman]

points at Christmas

2012/13 (Moyes) 30
2013/14 (Bobby) 34
2014/15 (Bobby) 21
2015/16 (Bobby) 26
2016/17 (Fat Ron) 26
2017/18 (Fat Ron and Fat Sam) 25
2018/19 (Marco) 24*


*assumes we lose to Spurs...which we will.

We will be 7 or 8 points behind what I would have realistically expected the tally to have been, given the extremely kind home fixtures handed to us.

We have probably gained 3 points in regards to the draw at Chelsea and win at Leicester (although they did go to 10 men).

Yet dropped loads of stupid ones to Newcastle, Watford, Huddersfield and West Ham.

24 points at Christmas, if Spurs do turn us over, is a really poor return tbh.

 

[deipnosophist]

We will be 7 or 8 points behind what I would have realistically expected the tally to have been, given the extremely kind home fixtures handed to us.

We have probably gained 3 points in regards to the draw at Chelsea and win at Leicester (although they did go to 10 men).

Yet dropped loads of stupid ones to Newcastle, Watford, Huddersfield and West Ham.

24 points at Christmas, if Spurs do turn us over, is a really poor return tbh.

yes...it's pretty mediocre...just like the team

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

yes...it's pretty mediocre...just like the team

Rinse and repeat.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

The only saving grace is that we're not threatening relegation and we have a new team and players who didn't know each other just a few months ago.

The manager must regret not having signed a striker to go along with all the midfielders.

Hopefully January sees that resolved. I want lots and lots of outs, and two ins - a striker and a winger. Both of whom should be straight into the starting xi.

If we just end up with a striker I'll be happy with that also.

 

[marsh]

@4737carlin ban

 

[Yid4life]

Not doing this one this season. Got too much other stuff going on.

Never an easy game against the Toffees but we are on a decent run and seem to be able to grind out results these days. Very 'un-Spursy'. Our away record is good apart from Watford (should not have lost that one) and Woolwich.

We have Woolwich again in the League cup on Wed and have a ridiculous number of injuries (3 of our 4 CHs missed Burnley).

Will be a close one Vs you I reckon. The odd goal separating the teams.

 

[Eggs]

..these prediction threads are always the kiss of death @4737carlin.

Folk never learn.

 

[EverBlue92]

I think the Spurs game has come at the right time for us tbh. A home game against some bottom half side and I think the atmosphere would be flat and the players still looking not arsed.

Big game at Goodison under the lights on a late Sunday kick off.

Now is the time to issue a kickback if we are to get our season back on track.

I said yesterday feels a little like the 2-1 Arsenal game where no one even the fans gave us a chance of a result.

Lets see if Silva has the stuff to pull off a win against one of the stronger sides when the chips are down. A loss will not look good when even previous managers like Koeman and Martinez could pull these sort of results off.

 

[EFC78]

It's been a really good start and in many ways performances matter more than points at the moment. The points will come if the performances are good.

Under Koeman and Allardyce, the points were there without the performances. Certainly under Allardyce.

And as people have said, I wouldn't swap this season for any other since Martinez's first.

I see it slightly different, but understand what you are probably getting at. The future looks a lot more optimistic this season, despite not getting the points on the board we'd have expected recently. We have strengthened in key areas and know that we are in a far better position to push on since probably the 13-14 season finished.

But I'd always rather the points than performances personally. I'd much rather we had played poorly in a few more games and were on 28 points rather than the 24 we're on. E.g got a 1-0 against Fulham, instead of the 3-0 and then won 2 more of the games we drew by grinding out wins.

 

[dannyboy]

However many points we get over Christmas is irrelevant. If we won all the games then the instant euphoria would come crashing down next time we lost to or drew with a team that we should be expected to beat.

Bottom line is that we have talent but are weak mentally and until we can start believing in ourselves and trusting each other then we are always going to be chasing the title of 'best of the rest.'

If we miss out on Europe this season, it won't be because of dropped points at Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea and Spurs, it will be because we failed against Huddersfield, Watford, West Ham, Wolves, Bournemouth and Newcastle - all games we should have won. We could, and should be 13 points better off than we actually are and that is what condemns us to mid table mediocrity - yet again!

If we miss out on Europe it's likely to be because the European places haven't dropped down to 7th.

You can't realistically have expected us to beat all the teams you have listed, we haven't got a squad good enough to do that. If we did, we would be on 26 wins in a season and in the Champions League.

 

[dannyboy]

I think the Spurs game has come at the right time for us tbh. A home game against some bottom half side and I think the atmosphere would be flat and the players still looking not arsed.

Big game at Goodison under the lights on a late Sunday kick off.

Now is the time to issue a kickback if we are to get our season back on track.

I said yesterday feels a little like the 2-1 Arsenal game where no one even the fans gave us a chance of a result.

Lets see if Silva has the stuff to pull off a win against one of the stronger sides when the chips are down. A loss will not look good when even previous managers like Koeman and Martinez could pull these sort of results off.

It's a really big game but it's also a difficult game. People underestimate how good Spurs are. A problem I think we face in these matches is how seriously the opposition take our threat. They realise we are a good team and get their mentality right.

I am hoping we put in a good performance more than I'm expecting a good result.

 

[twoblue]

It's a really big game but it's also a difficult game. People underestimate how good Spurs are. A problem I think we face in these matches is how seriously the opposition take our threat. They realise we are a good team and get their mentality right.

I am hoping we put in a good performance more than I'm expecting a good result.

The fact is spurs have better players in almost every position. We need to be top of the game for us to beat these and they need an off day.
Problem is we haven’t been top of our game for weeks. Our team is player for player stronger then last season but we are spunking points away. The derby has had a big effect on momentum

 

[Strikinglyhandsome1]

Still on if we can get 6 points for each win.

Looking forward to the Spurs game, dannyboy, and yes ‘choker’ Spurs never seem to get much credit. It has the potential to be a great game as they always go for it.

 

[Caolam]

We aren't good enough to compete with City away from home. Not many are. I think we can beat Spurs or get a draw at least. It isn't the December results that are crucial to us, it is watch happens after the window closes. If we buy a goal scoring centre forward and tie up Gomes then we will be fine. If we do an Everton and buy two wingers then season ends.

 

[toffeejack]

We will be 7 or 8 points behind what I would have realistically expected the tally to have been, given the extremely kind home fixtures handed to us.

We have probably gained 3 points in regards to the draw at Chelsea and win at Leicester (although they did go to 10 men).

Yet dropped loads of stupid ones to Newcastle, Watford, Huddersfield and West Ham.

24 points at Christmas, if Spurs do turn us over, is a really poor return tbh.

But if we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, there's no need to be so bleak. This is a young, new, exciting team. I get why people compare to previous seasons, but those where with expensive buys with no forward planning, it didn't matter one bit because it was being achieved by players and managers who had no long term future here. Look at the squads compared to our team now, none of them are here, their Everton careers are already over. Look at our current team, most will still be here in 3/4 seasons time, much the same that spurs have gradually improved by keeping that same core of players together.