Do we have a problem breaking teams down?

[Lien]

Or is it just simply a case of poor finishing?

Yet again this season we dominate for large parts in a game but don't get the goals to show for it. So often when we are playing I'm thinking, great, we're passing it around nicely, but where are we going with this? There always seems to be an element of getting so close yet getting so far. For example tonight, what did Jaaskelainen actually have to do? A couple of smart saves but that was about it, if memory serves correctly.

Should point out this isn't meant to be a 'negative' thread - I think it's a sign of how far we've come that teams are coming to Goodison and just sitting with 8 or 9 back and looking for the counter attack.

 

[Elong]

Careful mate, you'll have people calling you a knee jerker before you know it!
Over 20 shots on goal and only scoring in the last minute is a cause for concern. Sure Bolton have improved a lot under Coyle and play a different style of footy to what Fat Sam had them doing, and before the game kicked off it should have been looked at as a tough fixture.
But facts are once the game started we had them under the cosh all morning (night) and the strikers/midfielders should be having a good look at themselves as to why some opportunities weren't converted.
It's fine to be negative about the result, I think people should be, we have a great team playing great footy but we aint converting the points. I'm very confident it'll happen though.

 

[RFUS]

Both.

We don't create enough clear cut oppurtunites, and we waste the ones we do.

And the teams that play us manage to make their chances count. Like Blackpool, when they scored their second, had literally had only 2 shots the entire game. How about that for clinical?



It needs sorting, because we're leaking points badly.

 

[Neiler]

Yup for about a year and a half now.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

Wouldn't surprise me if Moyes wants us to play like Arsenal and Barcelona.

And thats to his credit, i'd like us to play like them.

But he doesn't have the tactical skills or the players with the ability to do so.

I'd love to build a Porsche 911 from scratch, i could buy all the parts but i wouldn't have a clue how to put them together into an awesome car.

 

[Phil Neville Superstar]

Created plenty of opportunities, many of which were wasted or either resulted in no shot as we were trying to walk it in.

 

[Elong]

Both.

We don't create enough clear cut oppurtunites, and we waste the ones we do.

And the teams that play us manage to make their chances count. Like Blackpool, when they scored their second, had literally had only 2 shots the entire game. How about that for clinical?



It needs sorting, because we're leaking points badly.

Good point, and its a compliment to us in a way that teams are sitting deep against us and trying to nick a goal, I remember us being the same 5 years ago. We have to get a bit meaner, up the anti a little bit, and press teams harder.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

And didn't Moyes say earlier in the season when we were struggling to score that he didn't actually know why?

And recently that he wishes we scored more from corners. Seemingly missing why we don't.

Not a criticism more of a possible reason.

 

[TheBlueGibbon]

Yes and no, we need a striker who can put the ball in the back of the net consistently, we can make the chances, but we just need to convert them into goals. We also need to be faster on the break, one of our big problems is that by the time we get the ball near their box, our opponents have 8 or 9 men back behind the ball;

 

[chicoazul]

Our problem, which is a massive one, is the striker thing. It's glaring.

Firstly we've progressed to a point where we dominate the play but just don't have it up front. Not knocking the 4-5-1 or Cahill but we have a solid enough midfield where it is a viable option to play 4-4-2 and have two bonafide strikers hunting in the final third rather than Cahill roughing up their defenders or playing nice lay off football.

Were reliant on Yakubu getting over his injury and netting consistently and Saha avoiding injury and being arsed on the day. It's a shame as it could undermine the current progression we've been making. Finishing 7th-10th isn't progress any more and our players won't be happy with it.

If were to persist with the 4-5-1 (at home) then the solution is to go out and spunk money on a decent striker, which we haven't got. So we have to either hope that we finally get someone genuine enough to take over the club and invest really decent money in it, or more likely, have a clear out and try to generate some funds in order to go for it.

Danny made a post that I always remember saying that the FA Cup Final could have been our pinnacle under Moyes, I'd hate for that to be true. Watching us lately is so frustrating as you can see were on the verge of being really good but yet so far away.

 

[Elong]

Our problem, which is a massive one, is the striker thing. It's glaring.

Firstly we've progressed to a point where we dominate the play but just don't have it up front. Not knocking the 4-5-1 or Cahill but we have a solid enough midfield where it is a viable option to play 4-4-2 and have two bonafide strikers hunting in the final third rather than Cahill roughing up their defenders or playing nice lay off football.

Were reliant on Yakubu getting over his injury and netting consistently and Saha avoiding injury and being arsed on the day. It's a shame as it could undermine the current progression we've been making. Finishing 7th-10th isn't progress any more and our players won't be happy with it.

If were to persist with the 4-5-1 (at home) then the solution is to go out and spunk money on a decent striker, which we haven't got. So we have to either hope that we finally get someone genuine enough to take over the club and invest really decent money in it, or more likely, have a clear out and try to generate some funds in order to go for it.

Danny made a post that I always remember saying that the FA Cup Final could have been our pinnacle under Moyes, I'd hate for that to be true. Watching us lately is so frustrating as you can see were on the verge of being really good but yet so far away.

Must spread rep to other users*

If Torres was leading the line with our midfield, we would be top 4. Sadly I think we have to accept we can't afford it, and with no disrespect to our great club, but I cannot see a world class striker wanting to join us. It's Champions League for the likes of Villa/Rooney etc.

 

[kenada_blue]

Moyes needs to start seein whats up and change it rather than, as usual, wait and hope things will eventually come good.

Case in point, and ive said it before, if cahill isnt poppin up for a goal hes more times than not completely anonymous...moyes has to step up and change it and not be sacred to sub him off, and that goes for every other player.

 

[DionDublin]

we are to predictable under moyes.

always have been always wil be.

 

[Brownie]

It's because Leighton Baines is our best player at beating a man face up by running at him. In all honesty, I would spend a pound and a fortune on N'Zogbia for what he would be worth to us. Seriously, like 15million.

 

[RFUS]

It's because Leighton Baines is our best player at beating a man face up by running at him. In all honesty, I would spend a pound and a fortune on N'Zogbia for what he would be worth to us. Seriously, like 15million.

I'm glad Baines is getting noticed a bit though, now.

He's probably our most important player. And no, I'm not joking. His consistency is astounding, and if he got injured it would be felt more than any other player imo.

It says as much about him as it does about us though, that our main creative outlet is a defender.