FC Everton v VFL Wolfsburg

[chicoazul]

Iz rite lad dats da trooth right der.

Do you know why that Wolfsburg fan got threw out mate?

I was sat right by him lad in the Park End. He made eye contact with me for more than four second so I snarled and der bizzies launched him out for his own safety.

 

[blue4eva77]

Quality performance is a big exaggeration.

Let's get it straight. I'm sat here with a massive smile on my face beating a very decent team 4-1. But I don't buy the argument that we can't critique that performance.

Was I watching a different game? For most of the first half we could barely string a pass together and basic moves were falling apart. Wolfsburg pressed us high (shock horror, decent European teams do that) but we looked utterly clueless. Lukaku was laughably bad and our midfield barely imposed themselves at all.

It was only after the 2nd goal and, inevitably, the early 3rd goal in the 2nd half, that Wolfsburg heads naturally dropped and we understandably didn't look bothered about getting more. But we really were not value whatsoever for a 3-0 lead, and I would say anyone who thinks we were is bordering on insane.

Why am I being harsh? Because I think we are genuinely in with a chance of winning this trophy or at least getting far. We won well tonight against a team desperately lacking in quality up front, but even then, they found massive spaces in dangerous areas time and time again.

Delighted with the result. The performance left a lot to be desired. And yes, I find it staggering I'm saying that after a 4-1 win but it's true. We played better against Chelsea. Strange sport, this football.

Absolutely agree.

Amazing result but as the saying goes; it was never a 4-1 performance. At times we played some really good stuff and I hate to mention anything negative after a 4-1 win; but im still worried how we seem to back off teams and allow them to play it around at will, inviting teams to have a good go; for them to gain in confidence. Hate to say it but was Howard MOTM? scoreline could of been different if he wasnt between the sticks.

Barry was very good tonight, Mirallas had a good game, Howard was very solid and what a performance by Stones. My god what a player we have here. Very impressive display; mature, calm and collective.

 

[JP McMurphy]

So we played badly against one of the strongest teams in the Bundesliga. . .and won 4-1!!!!! If Spurs (the EL fav's) had won 4-1 tonight, the South-East biased British media would be virtually handing them the trophy.
Peter Reid sensibly stated that if Wolfsburg had scored, it seems like we'd just up a gear, like the first half. I personally love seeing us rip teams apart, then sit back once we have a decent lead, and pick them off on the break; too many sides have done that to us over the years. So onward Evertonians, and hope we celebrate winning a trophy or two. . .at last

 

[meagher94]

I was sat right by him lad in the Park End. He made eye contact with me for more than four second so I snarled and der bizzies launched him out for his own safety.

There goes Chico, he's a bad man.

 

[Goat]

Player Ratings :

Howard 10
Coleman 10
Baines 9
Jags 8
Stones 12
McCarthy 10
Barry 8
Aids 7
Superkev 10
Lukaku 7
Nais 8

Eto'o 9
Osman 1
Gibbo 7
Besic 15

 

[Roztitute]

Der woz two undred fausand locked out lad.

24 year waiting list lad.

 

[deipnosophist]

Player Ratings :
Howard 8
Coleman 7
Baines 7
Jags 6
Stones 7
McCarthy 7
Barry 6
Aids 4
Superkev 7
Lukaku 5
Nais 5

 

[bluemangroup]

LOL. I'd hate to be one of the other teams in the group that have us as third seeds.

 

[KevMirallas]

Delighted with the result. The performance left a lot to be desired. And yes, I find it staggering I'm saying that after a 4-1 win but it's true. We played better against Chelsea. Strange sport, this football.

See, I'm not having this argument at all. Remember how against Chelsea we could keep the ball alright and looked good going forward, but were shizen at the back and against a ruthlessly clinical team? That was Wolfsburg tonight. The team doing the belting often ends up more on the back foot than the team getting belted.

When you have a three goal lead against a good side, with another game two days later, you are not usually willing or able to go ballistic and attack. They pressed us for half and hour and the defence and keeper stood up. Then we got another sniff and put it away.

There is more than one way to play well, it doesn't have to be an all action, 100% precise domination because frankly, any half decent team won't let us do that. Soaking up the pressure from an excellent attacking side and then slotting four past them from limited opportunities is an excellent sign, and not unlike what we did to United at home last season. I heard no backlash then.

 

[blue4eva77]

Player Ratings :
Howard 8
Coleman 7
Baines 7
Jags 6
Stones 7
McCarthy 7
Barry 6
Aids 4
Superkev 7
Lukaku 5
Nais 5

Barry 6??

Come on mate.

 

[Lien]

See, I'm not having this argument at all. Remember how against Chelsea we could keep the ball alright and looked good going forward, but were shizen at the back and against a ruthlessly clinical team? That was Wolfsburg tonight. The team doing the belting often ends up more on the back foot than the team getting belted.

When you have a three goal lead against a good side, with another game two days later, you are not usually willing or able to go ballistic and attack. They pressed us for half and hour and the defence and keeper stood up. Then we got another sniff and put it away.

There is more than one way to play well, it doesn't have to be an all action, 100% precise domination because frankly, any half decent team won't let us do that. Soaking up the pressure from an excellent attacking side and then slotting four past them from limited opportunities is an excellent sign, and not unlike what we did to United at home last season. I heard no backlash then.

This is why I say I must have been watching a different game. Man Utd last year, they looked genuinely insipid. Wolfsburg however had a lot of frankly massive spaces in our half which they failed to capitalise on. The 2nd half was by the by tonight, the game was gone. I'm genuinely confused by how we were winning 3-0. I was delighted, obviously, but play like we did tonight against better teams (or teams on their game, anyway) and we will get slaughtered. The difference tonight is Chelsea are clincal, Wolfsburg are not.

It's hard to really critique a win without being labelled negative. It's just how I saw it. The first half was rank poor and I'm shocked to see others thinking we actually played well in the first half. We've had far better performances in defeat in the last 6-12 months.

 

[KevMirallas]

This is why I say I must have been watching a different game. Man Utd last year, they looked genuinely insipid. Wolfsburg however had a lot of frankly massive spaces in our half which they failed to capitalise on. The 2nd half was by the by tonight, the game was gone. I'm genuinely confused by how we were winning 3-0. I was delighted, obviously, but play like we did tonight against better teams (or teams on their game, anyway) and we will get slaughtered. The difference tonight is Chelsea are clincal, Wolfsburg are not.

It's hard to really critique a win without being labelled negative. It's just how I saw it. The first half was rank poor and I'm shocked to see others thinking we actually played well in the first half. We've had far better performances in defeat in the last 6-12 months.

I'm not labeling you negative mate, just offering a different point of view.

Agree that United were nothing of Wolfsburg's quality tonight, which makes this result even better. Wolfsburg weren't missing sitters, they were taking shots from angles and range because we forced them out there with decent defending. Howard made a stack of saves, but only two were anything other than regulation. And then when we went forward, we found space and created some really nice stuff. Perhaps not as often as we'd like, but nobody's saying it was a perfect game.

Again, you're dead right that we've played better and lost recently. Even that god forsaken derby last year we put together some nice stuff and kept the ball well, but then Liverpool would win it and go and score. I remember tearing my hair out that they could find goals that easily while would press and press for nothing, but it's not an accident. The word Martinez used then? Naivety. The word the Wolfsburg manager used tonight? Naivety.

My only point is there is many ways to win a football game, and sometimes being smart, mature and disciplined is the best way to go, especially against a team like Wolfsburg. Naturally we'll have to play differently on Sunday, and hopefully we can do a bit more of the dominating ourselves then.

 

[kithnou]

Player Ratings :

Howard 10
Coleman 10
Baines 9
Jags 8
Stones 12
McCarthy 10
Barry 8
Aids 7
Superkev 10
Lukaku 7
Nais 8

Eto'o 9
Osman 1
Gibbo 7
Besic 15

Some game...

 

[meagher94]

Can't argue with 4-1 against 5th in the Bundesliga.

Some great footballing goals again on show for us this season. We do know where the net is. It's exciting to watch.

Puts us in a strong early position in the group. As has been said previously, a win in Krasnodar would mean we'd have a foot in the last 32. It'll be a bonus if we can get through this group with a game or two to spare.

A win on Sunday and the season's really up and running.

Well done to John Stones and Phil Jagielka again tonight. They looked really solid and improved again on the weekend's showing. That'll be great for their confidence. I believe there's a great partnership there. Mirallas, Howard, Barry and McCarthy all deserve mentions as well tonight. Especially Mirallas. I think we'll finally see the best of him this year. Fancy him for POTY if he keeps this up.

The team's come into form at a good time. The exciting year we were looking forward to is just getting started.

Looking at the weekends fixtures, Arsenal (Villa away), Liverpool (West Ham away) and UTD (Leicester away) could all struggle. A win against Palace could put us in a really good position indeed.

 

[teppic]

Looking at the weekends fixtures, Arsenal (Villa away), Liverpool (West Ham away) and UTD (Leicester away) could all struggle. A win against Palace could put us in a really good position indeed.

It is a great chance to go into the derby with a great run. Hopefully we take the Swansea game seriously too. Our league cup form seriously needs a