Everton vs Spurs, Match Report and MotM Poll...

[PhilM]

Spurs are class. We are not.

However, Spuds did not need to be class yesterday and they rarely got out of second gear. We were just simply woeful!

 

[Eggs]

Natural process when a team sells a top player for bobbins and spunks the money on average crap

...similar to Spurs with Bale, although I think it's a bit early to suggest the buys are 'average crap'. The big money signings in this window are Pickford, Keane, Sigurdsson and Klaassen. Only time will tell if your description is right but of more concern to me is the apparent lack of strategy. I'm not convinced RK had a team shape or structure in mind when making these purchases.

At least we've looked solid defensively but yesterday we were wide open with a very narrow back four. They exploited space 'between the lines' that Barry patrolled and should've scored more. I wouldn't be surprised if he reverts to a back 3 against United which again suggests a lack of strategy.

 

[Markydys]

That was by far the worst performance I've seen for years. Probably go as far as saying that it was worse than most performances under Martinez. Hopefully just a bad day at the office but there's no way we'll be challenging top 6 based on the last two matches I've watched.

 

[TyphooToffee]

Anyone knee-jerking with "Koeman out" posts ought to have a reality check. This Everton team, with Koeman in charge, will be unrecognisable from yesterday come the end of the season. I for one have changed my hopes for the season. We beat Stoke and took one point off three of the favourites for the title. It was always a tough start, especially for a team with so many new players. Some of us, myself included, assumed/hoped players like Klaassen and Sandro would perform like they did last season. It was a naïve assumption and a false hope. The only problem I see is, with Manure away coming up, and a more than likely defeat, the confidence of the team will take another knock, and we might still struggle against the upcoming teams we would be expected to beat.

So I am now just looking forward to seeing the team develop as they get used to playing together. I am assuming nothing but expect to see great improvement in the new year when a new target man will surely be signed.

Lower your expectations, Blues, and let Ronko get on with turning this bunch of strangers into a force to be reckoned with next season.

 

[blueboy1664]

For me, getting Koeman in was open to debate. Yes he has been a well respected, world class player but his managerial record is suspect.

His stint at Valencia was horrendous to say the least, his period at Saints was good but for me he benefitted on the team and playing style left by Pochietino

His team, his tactics now 100% ..... Awful IMO , as bad as Bobby and Moyes at their worst. Not knee jerk as I felt this towards the end of last year

Not falling for the fixture run, yes it's tough and yes I predicted 5 points from 5 games but for me the manner of our performances is really worrying, against better teams at least expect fight, desire and effort..... Looks a team in disseray and a team not in harmony

Joe Royle hates Koeman with a passion.... I wonder if some of the players do as well as something looks wrong

 

[Columbo2]

Joe Royle hates Koeman with a passion.... I wonder if some of the players do as well as something looks wrong

Is there a reason why you say this?

 

[TheBlueGibbon]

For me, getting Koeman in was open to debate. Yes he has been a well respected, world class player but his managerial record is suspect.

His stint at Valencia was horrendous to say the least, his period at Saints was good but for me he benefitted on the team and playing style left by Pochietino

His team, his tactics now 100% ..... Awful IMO , as bad as Bobby and Moyes at their worst. Not knee jerk as I felt this towards the end of last year

Not falling for the fixture run, yes it's tough and yes I predicted 5 points from 5 games but for me the manner of our performances is really worrying, against better teams at least expect fight, desire and effort..... Looks a team in disseray and a team not in harmony

Joe Royle hates Koeman with a passion.... I wonder if some of the players do as well as something looks wrong

Of the players that were in the squad yesterday, only 5 pre-date Koeman (excl. Rooney).
Baines, Jags, Mirallas, Davies and Holgate.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Anyone knee-jerking with "Koeman out" posts ought to have a reality check. This Everton team, with Koeman in charge, will be unrecognisable from yesterday come the end of the season. I for one have changed my hopes for the season. We beat Stoke and took one point off three of the favourites for the title. It was always a tough start, especially for a team with so many new players. Some of us, myself included, assumed/hoped players like Klaassen and Sandro would perform like they did last season. It was a naïve assumption and a false hope. The only problem I see is, with Manure away coming up, and a more than likely defeat, the confidence of the team will take another knock, and we might still struggle against the upcoming teams we would be expected to beat.

So I am now just looking forward to seeing the team develop as they get used to playing together. I am assuming nothing but expect to see great improvement in the new year when a new target man will surely be signed.

Lower your expectations, Blues, and let Ronko get on with turning this bunch of strangers into a force to be reckoned with next season.

You can factor in certain things mate, but you don't need players to gel to show a bit of passion, put in a performance, have some movement around the pitch, and actually play some form of footy, they looked like they couldn't be arsed yesterday.

It was the same against Chelsea, the players looked defeated from the kick - off.

 

[banno]

You can factor in certain things mate, but you don't need players to gel to show a bit of passion, put in a performance, have some movement around the pitch, and actually play some form of footy, they looked like they couldn't be arsed yesterday.

It was the same against Chelsea, the players looked defeated from the kick - off.

Don't think it was that they couldn't be arsed it was just a good very organised team against an unorganised team of strangers. Spurs movement off the ball was exceptional and they exploited the space very well. I actually believe we are currently missing Barkley and Barry but reckon the team will only get better once an understanding is established.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Don't think it was that they couldn't be arsed it was just a good very organised team against an unorganised team of strangers. Spurs movement off the ball was exceptional and they exploited the space very well. I actually believe we are currently missing Barkley and Barry but reckon the team will only get better once an understanding is established.

Passion was missing for me yesterday mate, a bit of urgency as well, once the first went in heads were dropping all over the gaff.

 

[ToffeeTim]

We have no one ever running beyond our forward. We haven't for years. That is a joke.

 

[BlueToff]

The thing is though the amount of money Everton spent in the summer we should be competitive with the top six. Crap is an understatement. Shearer has just laughed at Everton and there effort to day

Yeh, we were crap.

So what if Shearer is laughing?

The issue has been a lot of new players bedding in but mainly in crucial positions. The failure to add a striker is awful and should not be glossed over.

Koeman's tactics and selections in the last two games have been dreadful and that to should not be glossed over.

Onto Europe and then yeh, another tough game next week. If Koeman doesn't learn quickly then the pressure will be on.

 

[ClausThomsen]

There may well be an issue with time and the players gelling but they looked no more organised aware than the Everton side that went to Tanzania in pre-season. The whole point of us doing excellent work and getting players in the early part of the window for once was getting us hitting the ground running come the start of the league.

We've also played more competitive football at this stage of the season than other teams not in Europe. Getting beat by Spurs is no disgrace but the lack of structure and coherence which has been the case in every game this season is worrying.

 

[BlueToff]

We have no one ever running beyond our forward. We haven't for years. That is a joke.

We did have when Klaassen played as a second striker, with Rooney leading the line and two 'wingers'.

It's not hard to replicate that system.

Ultimately, Koeman has to chose to drop one of these number 10s on a game-by-game basis.

It's on him to make that decision and rotate, not try and squeeze them all in the same side.

DCL, Sandro and Rooney to me gives us a balanced front three in the sense that I don't think any of our current 'wingers' are up to scratch.

Sandro isn't a lone striker and it's nonsense to try and bed him into that role in the Prem. Leave that to the European games where the intensity is lower.

If we go with a central three of the players I list above, with DCL and Sandro tasked with splitting the opposition defence allowing Rooney to drop when needed, we have a bit more balance.

That's if we go 4-3-3.

If we play 4-2-3-1, at least one of the three behind the striker must have pace. I think it's madness Lennon wasn't even involved yesterday and tbh I expected him to start infront of Holgate. It would have given us an outlet and also a solid base.

Koeman needs to start learning from the simple mistakes he's making.

He did last year, eventually - after that winless streak. We can't let that happen again.

 

[Caolam]

I have said we would regret not signing a good centre forward and we are. It is not just the lack of a player in one position it is the way we now have to play without that piece of the jigsaw. I don't think we can expect substantial improvement until the lack of a CF and a CH is addressed.