Match Thread Everton V Manchester City - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[Daz1878]

While we obviously need to manage expectations, it's a pity that, in just a few short months, we've gone from looking like we could give anyone a game to depressingly predictable results like last night. While they're obviously a very good team, I don't think we should be beaten before setting foot on the pitch - I had really hoped we had turned that corner. I thought we put some effort in - which was a bare minimum requirement after Fulham - but while the commentators fapped themselves silly over the Citeh goals. the second and third were poor goals to concede as little or no pressure was put on the man lining up the shot. Anyway, on to Saturday...

 

[Jadubsee]

Wow, I must have scrubbed that Gerrard red on Campbell from my memory, absolutely horrific.

 

[Sharpattack]

Sigurdsson was particularly useless last night.

 

[Toffee222]

We've hit our bad patch again.

And we are hit by injuries? We have one injury right now in DCL ffa.

Sorry I didnt mean in terms of this one game it was a general comment about our form since Xmas, for various games etc we have missed DCL, Richarlison, Allan, Rodriguez, Digne, etc etc. The point was we haven't had a game since well before xmas with our best 11 all fully fit.

 

[arch stanton]

While we obviously need to manage expectations, it's a pity that, in just a few short months, we've gone from looking like we could give anyone a game to depressingly predictable results like last night. While they're obviously a very good team, I don't think we should be beaten before setting foot on the pitch - I had really hoped we had turned that corner. I thought we put some effort in - which was a bare minimum requirement after Fulham - but while the commentators fapped themselves silly over the Citeh goals. the second and third were poor goals to concede as little or no pressure was put on the man lining up the shot. Anyway, on to Saturday...

Like most of the teams in the prem, the Toffs can beat anyone on their day, like dec 28th when we were in a good run of form, and a fit first choice team available to select from, against the opponents who had some problems. Under those conditions, we had a chance, a pretty good chance at that. Last night things were stacked against us, look at their bench, bringing on KDB and Aguero sitting it out. We had Josh King. It was always going to be tough last night, our first choice squad is thin, we rely heavily on a small number of players performing. Having said that, we scored against a team who had only conceded 4 goals in 13 games (fact check needed) and they had a splendid strike and a deflection in their 3 goals. Disappointing of course but not the end of the world. Better teams than us will get schooled by City.

The weekend is a different game. They will be up for it but they are fragile. If we have some key players back, it can be a big statement game. Lets get back on track and whoop these, deez are sheight.

 

[PaulPowersTash]

Like most of the teams in the prem, the Toffs can beat anyone on their day, like dec 28th when we were in a good run of form, and a fit first choice team available to select from, against the opponents who had some problems. Under those conditions, we had a chance, a pretty good chance at that. Last night things were stacked against us, look at their bench, bringing on KDB and Aguero sitting it out. We had Josh King. It was always going to be tough last night, our first choice squad is thin, we rely heavily on a small number of players performing. Having said that, we scored against a team who had only conceded 4 goals in 13 games (fact check needed) and they had a splendid strike and a deflection in their 3 goals. Disappointing of course but not the end of the world. Better teams than us will get schooled by City.

The weekend is a different game. They will be up for it but they are fragile. If we have some key players back, it can be a big statement game. Lets get back on track and whoop these, deez are sheight.

Good post.
As a City fan I can honestly say that last night was one of the toughest games we have had for more than a while.
Much harder than the Spurs & Liverpool matches. You defended very well for long periods and I thought Davis and
Godfrey were excellent. You also attacked on the break fast and caught us out on a number of occassions. I most certainly
would say that you were far from schooled. If you play like that against Liverpool then you should get some sort of a result.
Ancelotti is a very smart manager and he'll set the team up to suit. If DCL is back then that's a big boost also.
I reckon you are least on for a draw. They will be as nervous as kittens and if you can cleverly rough up their strikers
early in the game (particularly Salah who just doesn't like the physical stuff) then its game on.

 

[Titus Bramble]

Where is he? Constantly injured. We signed an older player for instant results. He’s constantly crocked.

Christ

 

[riddick]

Sorry I didnt mean in terms of this one game it was a general comment about our form since Xmas, for various games etc we have missed DCL, Richarlison, Allan, Rodriguez, Digne, etc etc. The point was we haven't had a game since well before xmas with our best 11 all fully fit.

What team does? Regardless of what the RS media try to paint it as, injuries are part of the game. You shouldn't have such abject performances when you are missing a couple players, much less one player missing that we have often had. We haven't had a slew of injuries at once, we've had a bunch spread out over the season. Again, one player missing out for the majority of matches shouldn't be THAT much of a discrepancy of performances.

 

[catcherintherye]

Wow, I must have scrubbed that Gerrard red on Campbell from my memory, absolutely horrific.

You might notice in the aftermath if that, Richard Gough offers him out. He absolutely bottles it puts his head down and scurries off. Proper hard nut him,

 

[Bluestar]

Of course he is, it's more of a general thing. They are not leagues ahead of us, they are in the same league, it just feels a bit wrong that teams in the same league as another act like they are happy to have not been battered. It's grim but its modern football.

They are in the the Champions league. We haven’t even qualified for Europe. So they are in a different league.

They are going to be PL champions and probably have thrir best chance at winning the European Cup.

It could have been a lot worse for us last night. I understand your frustration, but that’s football.

Get ready for part two when they put us out of the cup. When a team is that good, you just have to give them respect (then get Pickford snap their most important player).

 

[Papa Shango]

They are in the the Champions league. We haven’t even qualified for Europe. So they are in a different league.

They are going to be PL champions and probably have thrir best chance at winning the European Cup.

It could have been a lot worse for us last night. I understand your frustration, but that’s football.

Get ready for part two when they put us out of the cup. When a team is that good, you just have to give them respect (then get Pickford snap their most important player).

Ha. I fancy us in the cup actually. Just go for it. They are obviously very good but they are still human...

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

DREAM REPORT. (spoiler: it ended much better in my dream)

Alright folks, here is the story for you to laugh about:

Last night I had a dream of Everton playing against City in the area where my country house is located ('dacha' actually, as we call it).

The scene itself is laughable cause our pitch was a small patch of land 30-35 yards long and nice metal posts but without a net. The place was on the edge of the forest facing the last line of housing. Just as it was when I was a teenager.

So we were 1-3 down and yours truly somehow how managed to step up as sub. My first touch on the ball was so f-g poor that I thought to myself if I was watching this I would boo the hell out of this guy. However, I conspired with Allan (somehow he was on the pitch but little he looked like Allan), and scored three times. Don't remember who else hit the target, but the final score was 6-4 for Everton, suddenly half a dozen Middle East looking women from Mahli or something, showed up in our box and start to accusing me (don't remember the reason, something about femininity).
When I was waking up for the very short moment, I was very proud of myself to score goals and change the game , and then I was just smiling understanding the absurdity of the whole thing.
A bit sad thing is that this playing pitch of ours doesn't exist anymore. While playing we used to cursing and swearing so loud that the guy from nearby fed up with this. His garden door was just facing the place with only a small earth-road dividing us. So he dug out the metal posts and plowed the whole f-g thing, and sow spruces, and now there are tall trees leveling with forest.

Where is this paradise you describe?

 

[MockBu4]

Where is this paradise you describe?

Do you mean the dacha?

 

[catcherintherye]

Good post.
As a City fan I can honestly say that last night was one of the toughest games we have had for more than a while.
Much harder than the Spurs & Liverpool matches. You defended very well for long periods and I thought Davis and
Godfrey were excellent. You also attacked on the break fast and caught us out on a number of occassions. I most certainly
would say that you were far from schooled. If you play like that against Liverpool then you should get some sort of a result.
Ancelotti is a very smart manager and he'll set the team up to suit. If DCL is back then that's a big boost also.
I reckon you are least on for a draw. They will be as nervous as kittens and if you can cleverly rough up their strikers
early in the game (particularly Salah who just doesn't like the physical stuff) then its game on.

I think Mina going off was a big miss, and in honesty a big miss last night. Godfrey has just turned 23, which is still young for a centre back and while he has lots of strengths is probably not quite nasty enough yet (though he is at fullback). Holgate is 24, and it's similar with him. They do lots well, but that "dirty" stuff- blocks, tackles etc thats a weakness. It also seems to affect Keane a bit, who drops down a level wen he's not next to Mina now, He's got fit and had a really good run of form.

Mahrez goal is great, but maybe if Mina is where Holgate is, he gets a block on it. So we will miss him.

I'll contradict myself a bit though, but Mahrez's goal last night was a wonder strike. There are some games where you play some teams, and you just look at them and say "we can't stop that". It's funny, that even last season against Liverpool, I never felt that. But at times, City are unstoppable. You can play to your maximum, but still lose.

There were a couple of half moments, Doucoure striking the ball, the ball into Sigurdsson being a yard forward.

As for Anfield, we always go to pieces there. Logically we should be able to do ok, but we tend to go to pieces, so we will see. I'd happily take 0-0 there now.

 

[Daytripper]

You have to agree they are a class team although the first goal was deflected and the third was saveable. I don't think we wrote it off we were still in the game at 2-1. I hope that DCL and Allan were saved for Saturday because that is a must win game. If we lose the season may die but if we win, were still in the mix and I know personally I would have been happy at a top 6 finish.

City are different class mate, no denying it , it’s there for all to see. What I’m saying is the mentality of Everton is all wrong, City are not infallible, no team is and they are still there to be competed against and having a mentality of feeling a game is lost before it’s started is a detriment and it’s happening far too often past and present.