Match Thread Everton v Valencia, Sat, 15.00

[Harryflashman]

Was at the game...

I’m saving that treat for the season , I think I’m
Still a bit gunshy after last year .

 

[T LEAFE]

It wasn't that bad like. We already knew Jags is finished at this level. We already knew Baines is beginning to struggle physically with the toll of being a modern day attacking full back, and he's been replaced in any case. We already knew Keane was a yard dog. We already knew Lookman had attitude issues. We already knew Steklenberg is crap. But we already knew Pickford will obviously be our keeper any way. We already knew richarlison looks decent. We already knew Walcott would give us more threat. We already knew we needed defensive reinforcements. I don't think we really learned much today. We aren't in crisis but we aren't great either. We are where we are. We need 2 or 3 in by Thursday. Be we already knew that.

And we already knew Schneiderlin is not good enough

 

[Toffeelover]

We might have known the outcome with Stek, Jags, Baines and Schneids playing,lets hope Silva has seen the light and never picks them again.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Try and find a single mention on today's friendly games about us on the bbc

 

[Jebus_lives]

I’m saving that treat for the season , I think I’m
Still a bit gunshy after last year .

It wasn't our best performance ever (not our worst by a long way though!)

 

[Harryflashman]

It wasn't our best performance ever (not our worst by a long way though!)

I watched it via the wonders of modern technology and I don’t disagree , if we start the season with that back four then I’m going to continue to be concerned.

We need bodies and we need them quickly , it’s certainly a positive that the last four signings all look a significant step up .

 

[gonetomorrow]

Encouraged with that, especially the first half. Add Pickford to that team and take out a centre back (or two) and add new additions and it looks alright. Chuffed to bits with Richarlison. Everton having a single name Brazilian AND he's boss. Can't wait for Southampton at home now.

Good to have a snazzy Brazilian on the team!

 

[mooseatingnome]

wolves beat villareal 2-1

When is the trophy presentation?

 

[TheBigIguana]

8th is one way to look at it. Another is that we finished 17 points above the drop (given goal differential) in a year when the bottom half of the table was very poor indeed.

It's not hard to imagine the drop being at 38 or so this season, which would mean that if we have a similar season but reverse just a few results due to leaked goals, we go down.

Last season's goal differential suggests we stole a few points in close matches; that sort of goal differential should in principle have finished 12th on 44 points.

So I'd say that a finish of 8th last season flatters to deceive regarding the state of the team, and there's reason for grave concern about the state of the center of defense. We simply cannot score enough to stay up while shipping three goals a match against good resistance, which is how the preseason has gone. If we can get that fixed, we'll be fine. If not, Silva will quickly go the way of Koeman and we'll have to bring in an anti-football manager again to try and stave off the drop.

Honestly I think we were about where we should have been on points. Burnley overachieved big time and only Palace and maybe Leicester probably should have been close to us.

Last year really doesn't matter though. I can't think of a way we could be managed worse and that alone should be enough to get us more points. The shipping of goals will stop with more familiarity in the system, Pickford in goal, Digne at LB, and a new CB

 

[No8Bally]

Try and find a single mention on today's friendly games about us on the bbc

They are only interested in the Sky League which only consists of 6 teams

 

[RomanReigns]

When is the trophy presentation?

tomorrow at 5:47 pm

 

[streeky]

Our pre season would have looked a lot better if we decided to play a keeper instead of some pantomime horse.

 

[mooseatingnome]

tomorrow at 5:47 pm

Sound - got it set up to record. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[everton1953]

He was awful.

But some keep saying he deserves a chance. He deserves to hold the GOT accolade this season "there is a player in there somewhere". Seriously why was he not binned along with the other dross in the squad? Presumably because nobody would have him. So why pick him at all?

 

[Sarnia Kevin]

I only managed to get a stream for the second half (thankfully no commentary but unfortunately no replays) so I didn't see the best of it. But the highlights seem to show that, apart from some comical defending and the complete lack of a goalkeeper, we did OK in the first half, and the second half until the substitutions. I'm not one to sit on the fence so I'll give us 5/10