Everton v Arsenal. 23rd Aug at 17.30.

[BlueToff]

1 why bring on Ossie surely mcgeady was the like for like replacement
2 last 15-20 gave them way to much space especially down the wings
3 better football but wigan style defending
4 cannot do that against the chavs next week, they look fit and hungry , we need to be at our very best
5 ANGRY

1. Osman was replacing Pienaar who was playing as a Centre Mid, so Ossie was actually the 'like for like' in that instance - it was the right sub - Osman was just poor yesterday.
2. Agree with you there. We sat back way too deep and started tiring around 75 mins. Sloppy defending for both goals
3. The defence was actually good up until the first goal. Looked comfortable apart from the Howard save. After 80 mins we just fell apart
4. Again, agree with you. We really did seem unfit yesterday. I accepted it last week as everybody is leggy in the first game, but we should have been at our best today - which we were fir 70 mins. Down to an under-prepped pre-season - we needed one more game where our first 11 (or most of it) would have played. 6 games is an ideal pre-season.
5. I'm not angry. More annoyed - because we threw away a lead again and that's 4 points dropped now. But retrospectively, if you'd have offered me a draw at the start yesterday i'd have taken it

 

[evo1878]

I think it was just too early in the season for us against a quality team who are ahead of us fitness/match sharpness wise given there CL involvement and charity shield excursions.

We handled them fine, even second half but at around 70 mins you just saw the energy drain out of the team. By 77 mins we were knackered. And Roberto didn't have enough subs to replace all the tired legs out there.

If that game and scenario had happened a month down the line we would of held out for the win, I have no doubt!

Get something against Chelsea next weekend, draw or win, and we'v got the same points total as last season after 3 games. But will have 2 title challangers out of the way early doors!

This. Entirely. It's no shame to draw with Arsenal at home and we're just as likely to draw with them at the Emirates. They were just that bit more competitive match (as opposed to preseason workouts) fitter than us in the final 10-15 mins. Tactically they squeezed 10 yards further up the pitch for second half and that's what CL teams do. Get something against Chelsea and the future is bright.

 

[BlueToff]

It feels like a massive disappointment to draw that game because we played very well for most of that game and were in complete control for 80 minutes, we really shouldn't be letting a 2 goal lead slip with 7 minutes left and it's something we need to look at, we should be on 6 points now and looking merry at the top of the table but we are not, we are stuck on 2 points with chelsea coming to town next week, but we have to keep getting behind the lads, look at last seasons start, we are playing good football and the results will start to go in our favor sooner rather than later. COYB!!!!

I think Bobby really wants us to be firing on all cylinders come September which is huge month for us. If we can scrape a win next week then that's 5 pts going into the break. Need a good deadlined day with hopefully two signings - definitely a forward - and hope all our internationals stay fit.

 

[Duncan Disordely]

I agree with a lot of the points being raised in the threads here, we looked leggy, Besic should have come on for Ossie after 60 minutes, sitting too deep etc BUT we were a Mirallas chance away from a comfortable 3-0 win.

We switched off twice and got badly punished for it. Yes some of our second half play wasn't up to scratch, but before their first Howard had only made one save all game.

I do think we're struggling for fitness which is really disappointing. The management team have misjudged that, whether the plan was to go easy on them due to the number of games we'll play, I don't know, but if that is the case then it was always a massive risk with us having to play Arsenal and Chelsea so early in the season.

Originally I wanted us to spend whatever we have left on buying another striker. Right now I'd be happy with loaning one and spending cash on a left sided centre back as I think Distin is in decline now. Ossie's legs have gone and you can't expect more than 45 minutes out of him if we're lucky too.

 

[toffeejack]

Could be worse lads...

at least we're not drawing with villa

 

[toffeejack]

Another predictably shocking performance away at a top 5 PL team. Lucky we came away with a point. I feel sorry for Ozil for the [Poor language removed] in front of him and behind him. Unbelievable, never seen anybody who doesn't learn from their mistakes more than Wenger.

you better hope you don't replace him with moyes.

think about never learning from mistakes and not winning trophies.

 

[toffeejack]

i would like to see media outlets come out and kill off this "we beat arsenal through physicality nonsence" - lets be perfectly honest, there was only one team yesterday kicking lumps out of the opposition and that was arsenal - wilshere's tackle was reminiscent of him not knowing how to actually tackle. not moaning about it because it's a man's game after all and it's about time arsenal actually developed some spine and toughness.

but it's absurd to label us this way - especially after last season when we tore them apart through neat football. i think it was lee dixon on my stream who said, "you still feel everton can nick this from a set-piece or something". utter tosh, if he knew anything he'd see where not a danger from set pieces anymore and it was arsenal who were getting their own success from crosses.

 

[bicycleheader]

One of the things that is really doing my head in at the moment, is how many flick ons Naismith wins in the air, and yet there is never anyone within twenty yards of him. This is simple football at it's most basic, but we don't seem to have grasped it. If it is not pretty enough for Roberto, then why do we play so many arial balls to Nais ?

I think anticipation of a nod on has pretty much disappeared from football...I've noticed it a few seasons now. Probable due to changes in tactics. I think we hit those balls just as an easy option for the defence to get rid.

 

[BlueToff]

I think anticipation of a nod on has pretty much disappeared from football...I've noticed it a few seasons now. Probable due to changes in tactics. I think we hit those balls just as an easy option for the defence to get rid.

Apart from Kev's chance that he should've burried. But we created some decent chances in the 2nd half as well. Baines could have easily being given a pen on a different day, while his resulting pass was just behind mirallas. One of those days.

 

[marty mcfly]

1 why bring on Ossie surely mcgeady was the like for like replacement

I don't agree with the decision to bring on Osman but he is our like for like replacement with Pienaar. i.e Someone who is able to link up play between the holding midfielders and the attackers. McGeady is just too wasteful with his passing to play that role, he's more a replacement for Mirallas. Osman played that role a lot when Pienaar was out injured last season.

We could have brought on McGeady but it would have changed our formation to one having two out and out wingers. Hopefully Atsu will be another option for the Pienaar role but going on his short debut I didn't think he looked very impressive, but he needs to be given time.

We really should have been able to get Tadic. We're going to need to find someone to play that role and I feel we're going to have to pay a lot more than what Southampton paid for him.

 

[Coach]

This. Entirely. It's no shame to draw with Arsenal at home and we're just as likely to draw with them at the Emirates. They were just that bit more competitive match (as opposed to preseason workouts) fitter than us in the final 10-15 mins. Tactically they squeezed 10 yards further up the pitch for second half and that's what CL teams do. Get something against Chelsea and the future is bright.

I agree - not enough credit is being given to Wenger in all of this. People seem to be simply putting it down to 'tiredness' and 'defensive howlers' when to my mind it was much deeper than that.

The true defensive howler yesterday was putting Lukaku on the right wing. This also contributed in no small part to the tiredness.

I bet Arsenal couldn't believe their luck that we did this for a second match in a row. The suprise element of the tactic was gone and they had clearly prepared for it. Aside from the break to create Naismith's goal Lukaku was anonymous until subbed. Now injury may have played a part in this but I think it was more a combination of lack of form and Arsenal's tactics. With Coleman receiving no cover (and holding the back of his leg from 20 minutes on) it was no shock that both of Arseanl's goals came from that area.

Wenger's not soft and spotted this. He changed things to play us at our own game to an extent in the second half and Giroud was often moved a bit wider onto Coleman in an echo of Lukaku's role. Arsenal had the freedom of their lefthand side with Lukaku a passenger.

True to form, Bobby chose to address this with an attacking sub rather than a defensive sub (Besic?) - as Moyes would have done - to shore up our RHS . There is no right or wrong answer to this dilemma but I for one am pleased that we have gone down the attacking route as a way to win / close out games.

It was gutting to drop the points so close to end but I think we can take great heart from yesterday.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Talk about a draw feeling like a loss eh?

I don't know why we keep falling asleep at the back towards the end of matches

Still, 36 more games to go. Not the end of the world, so long as the issues are fixed I suppose

I'm surprisingly more optimistic in this post than I thought I was going to be

Go me

 

[Smodger]

The first half of football was fantastic I was watching some the arsenal players they didn't have a clue we had runners every we're second half you could see the lads were nackerd especially the last 10 mins.

 

[bluestevon]

I agree - not enough credit is being given to Wenger in all of this. People seem to be simply putting it down to 'tiredness' and 'defensive howlers' when to my mind it was much deeper than that.

The true defensive howler yesterday was putting Lukaku on the right wing. This also contributed in no small part to the tiredness.

I bet Arsenal couldn't believe their luck that we did this for a second match in a row. The suprise element of the tactic was gone and they had clearly prepared for it. Aside from the break to create Naismith's goal Lukaku was anonymous until subbed. Now injury may have played a part in this but I think it was more a combination of lack of form and Arsenal's tactics. With Coleman receiving no cover (and holding the back of his leg from 20 minutes on) it was no suprise that both of Arseanl's goals came from that area.

Wenger's not soft and spotted this. He changed things to play us at our own game to an extent in the second half and Giroud was often moved a bit wider onto Coleman in an echo of Lukaku's role. Arsenal had the freedom of their lefthand side with Lukaku a passenger.

True to form, Bobby chose to address this with an attacking sub rather than a defensive sub (Besic?) - as Moyes would have done - to shore up our RHS . There is no right or wrong answer to this dilemma but I for one am pleased that we have gone down the attacking route as a way to win / close out games.

It was gutting to drop the points so close to end but I think we can take great heart from yesterday.

Both our goals came via that side mate, plus arsenal scored 2 after lukaku was taken off, so god knows how that was a mistake and wenger did nothing different to last season besides having a better cb on the left side

 

[DanEFC92]

God dammit Everton