Everton 1-2 Real Madrid KO 0100 4th August

[Eggs]

We also have McAleny out on loan, and despite sending him out I think Martinez might see him as one who can come in and do something.

Overall though, I think the attack looks a bit blunt. Anichebe is limited, Jelavic is streaky as a finisher to say the least.

....smacking of desperation thinking McAleny will be the saviour. I'm sure if this was the case we would've got him on a new contract rather than sending him out on 6 months loan in the last year of his current deal. If I'm reading the signs right the club don't think he's up to premier standard and are giving him an opportunity to earn a living in lower league. I understand the optimism surrounding youngsters but this needs to be guarded as its a massive step up and that's why very few come through.

 

[Mogwai]

Didn't watch the game. What formation did we play?

 

[allen]

For the past decade, our manager has treated the strikers as hold-up men and defence stretchers, with goals coming from midfielders joining the attack. Any goals the strikers managed to get were in spite of this system.

None of us know how any of our strikers will fair playing consistently in a system designed to allow them to act as the primary goal scorers.

Granted, this is a little premature to say, but early indications are that Jelavic is going to benefit from the change in style.

 

[Eggs]

Didn't watch the game. What formation did we play?

...bit like Holland's system in the 70s, but we didn't have Cruyf et al.

 

[Eggs]

Didn't watch the game. What formation did we play?

...bit like Holland's system in the 70s, but we didn't have Cruyf et al.

 

[davek]

....smacking of desperation thinking McAleny will be the saviour. I'm sure if this was the case we would've got him on a new contract rather than sending him out on 6 months loan in the last year of his current deal. If I'm reading the signs right the club don't think he's up to premier standard and are giving him an opportunity to earn a living in lower league. I understand the optimism surrounding youngsters but this needs to be guarded as its a massive step up and that's why very few come through.

I don't think he'd be our saviour, I'm saying that if the manager has sent him out for a month it suggests he's not out of his plans.

 

[Blue Truth]

People do realise that we should have at least drawn with REAL MADRID?

You'd think reading some of the comments in here we'd just got beat by Cheltenham at home

yep and first half they were pretty much full strength while we were not. you take out heitinga and put in gibson and its a completely different game

 

[Kay20]

Can we talk about how lost Heitinga was on the pitch?

Straight up lost.

 

[Kay20]

Cant understand why Kone getting stick already. Had hardly any pre-season minutes, fasting for Ramadan. He's a blue now- give the lad a chance, he'll score goals. Then again for some reason some blues always need a scapegoat.

I'm not ready to throw knives at him or anything, but his lack of effort was palpable. Hope it's just because he's fasting.

 

[toffeeben15]

My thoughts are

Scrap the back 3 when going forward- when we go forward baines and Coleman go into wing backs and the fowards move into the centre but from watching the game yesterday the full backs are better overlapping with a another play on the wing because most of the time baines tryed to run but there was no one around to pass to so he just passed it back to the defence . This is not using baines to his best

The centre backs are not that good at possession based play so if this new style is used the best option is to always have Gibson deep to collect the ball and then he can pass it around . That's why we need another centre mid who is comfortable on the ball. It doesn't hurt once in a while to hoof it when in danger.

I think we keep possession to much and don't use the time on the ball wisely . This style of play is good but it gets a tad boring when it's barca esque of just 5 yard passes to each other . I think if we had that directness of last season how we used to power up the pitch with quick passes then we could have a great balance . We should try and educate our players to use bayerns system or maximum efficiency . By that I mean that they use the nice passing tactic but when needed they can drive at players and quick there passes up.

the strikers need the extra time to get back to the best . Jelavic seems to be coming back and Naismith looks like delivering some good combos with him so I wouldn't sell him . Kone looks off the boil but it's early days and he can gives us something different of the bench. If we had to get rid of one I would choose victor . He's improved and his play his good but as a striker that's not priority . If kone was brought in to hold the ball up then victor has really not much use .

Finally formations - I think a 4-2-3-1 should be used to start with but we can change it to a 4-3-3 in games buy moving kev and pienaar more foward and Barkley in the acm position . We could see how a 4-4-1-1 would work by playing naismith or kone of jelavic . We do either need to start Barkley or buy a creative player . Osman can do well but is inconsistent and would be a good option of the bench when we need is little knimble feet to work things . So Really we should be in the market for a ball playing mid who can come on for Barkley or if gibbo is injured he could drop deep

 

[Loz]

For the past decade, our manager has treated the strikers as hold-up men and defence stretchers, with goals coming from midfielders joining the attack. Any goals the strikers managed to get were in spite of this system.

None of us know how any of our strikers will fair playing consistently in a system designed to allow them to act as the primary goal scorers.

Granted, this is a little premature to say, but early indications are that Jelavic is going to benefit from the change in style.

I agree entirely. It's early days but I have the feeling that Martinez is actually intending to use strikers to score goals and I think that Jelavic could come into form again in that role. Some people praise Anichebe for his hold up play but, quite frankly, that defeats the object of having pace on the flanks (Baines and Pienaar on the left and Coleman and Mirallas on the right). We need to be able to break at speed and get the ball into the box early to a striker who has a bit of pace and is in there to score rather than to hold it up and take all the pace out of our attacks.

 

[RFUS]

RFUS' Ratings:

Howard: 7/10 -- Few decent saves, not much could be done about their goals and he made one sexual save against Di Maria. Looking good, Timmy -- nice to see what actual competition can do.
Coleman: 9999292943832932/10 -- One of our better defenders and tore them to pieces going forward. Marcelo had to resort to lunging in at him as he could not handle the Irish Messi.
Baines: 6/10 -- Unusually quiet, but he's carrying injuries I do believe.
Jagielka: 6/10 -- Okay, not great. Seemed more anonymous than I'm used to for him.
Heitinga: 5/10 -- Looked uninterested as ever, and played some gash passes. He might think he's Xavi but he's got more in common with Titus Bramble these days. Do one lad.
Distin: 6/10 -- Even he couldn't handle their pace, although with an inexplicably high line who really would? Grew into the game.
Osman: 5/10 -- Thought he was gash. Few dodgy moments, much like his Juve performance, could confuse neutrals as to which team he was playing for. Passed by in midfield easily, as ever.
Fellaini: 6/10 -- Meh. Some good moments but he's a long way off his velcro nipple, Bellamy pirouette, afro galloping best.
Naismith: 7/10 -- Surprisingly decent. Good, tenacious assist and some generally good play. But he was good in our last pre season too, so I'm not getting carried away.
Mirallas: 8/10 -- Thought he, much like Coleman, bummed them to shreds most of the time. His dribbling really is incredible and he's got that genuine spark of individual brilliance.
Kone: 5/10 -- Uninvolved, but not for a lack of trying (he frequently came deep to try and receive the ball but he looked isolated).

Jelavic: 8/10 -- Great goal and much like against Blackburn, he outshone Kone. But it's a different kettle of fish coming on in the second half -- we were a better team and he had better chances and more support from behind. Nonetheless, on these performances I'd be sad to see him go. I do still believe he's got that unteachable something that good strikers need.
Gibson: 7.5/10 -- You know when he's on the pitch.
Barkley: 7/10 -- In his element really. He knows he's a boss, so he plays like a boss. Really excited about hopefully seeing him get real game time.
Deulofeu: N/A -- Looked promising, and was tracking back and chasing everything -- good to see he's got more than just attacking flair.
Stones: N/A
Oviedo: N/A

 

[RFUS]

Distin casually bumming Mirallas in the pre-match picture there. Not sure who I envy more.

 

[Chang Elephant]

Heitinga starts, we lose. Cant wait until that chump gets out of my Club.
Also, to move FORWARD, Osman needs to be dropped completely, maybe the odd appearance from the bench, but ill be very, very disappointed if he STARTS the majority of our games next season.

Great post, we're not a benevolent gentleman's club for ****e midfielders, we need to progress.

 

[Baines' left foot]

How did we get on lads? I'll read back a few pages in a bit. I fell asleep for the whole of the 2nd half but apparently we did well?