Intimidation - The Missing Ingredient at Everton

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

It's not because Liverpool are a good side, it's because the place itself is psychologically intimidating. The thing is, in the article, he credits the home support as being the difference, but sub-consciously it's the whole experience. Even the crap "You'll Never Walk Alone" rendition, the upside down scarves etc. Whilst to us it's cheesy beyond endurance, the neutrals have grown up watching big games with those scenes and it gets in their head.

WBA, Wigan & Fulham have all left there with 3 points in 2012.

 

[Essex Blue]

Psychology is such a huge part in Football. It's no coincidence that Liverpool always beat us, and even why Man City have only beaten us once in 8 or whatever; we dominated the game until we scored, not because we're a better team, but because we had the psychological advantage.

It's a hard thing to change too.

Do you think persistently labelling yourselves as the underdog will help?

What about referring to relegation battles from over 10 years ago, which didn't involve any of our current squad? (apart from Hibbert and Osman, who were mere juniours at the time).

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Do you think persistently labelling yourselves as the underdog will help?

Whilst intimating that we're the favourites will I assume???

The expectation of winning brings it's own pressure.

 

[Tubey]

WBA, Wigan & Fulham have all left there with 3 points in 2012.

And? I'm not saying it makes them impossible to beat; I'm talking about the overall likelihood.

Basically, this part of the article:

... a visit to an in-form Everton at Goodison Park is still not as frightening a prospect as a visit to an out of sorts Liverpool at Anfield.

I'm not being "Kopite" in saying that, but it's true. Ryan Giggs agrees! ^^

If a game is winnable on talent alone, then that statement shouldn't ring true, as - with no bias whatsoever here by the way - we have a better eleven on paper than Liverpool do.

 

[EFC Si]

Do you think persistently labelling yourselves as the underdog will help?

Not at all; but sometimes you can't help have that type of mindset though, it's something you can really decide. You have to have such mental strength to be a successful football team, and that is a very difficult feaeture to instill.

 

[EFC Si]

And? I'm not saying it makes them impossible to beat; I'm talking about the overall likelihood.

Basically, this part of the article:



I'm not being "Kopite" in saying that, but it's true. Ryan Giggs agrees! ^^

If a game is winnable on talent alone, then that statement shouldn't ring true, as - with no bias whatsoever here by the way - we have a better eleven on paper than Liverpool do.

The pyschological set up of a team (ie winning mentality) is by far the second most important thing (after actually being good at football) for a football club. We see united do it every year, win despite playing ****e. All down to their mental toughness

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

If a game is winnable on talent alone, then that statement shouldn't ring true, as - with no bias whatsoever here by the way - we have a better eleven on paper than Liverpool do.

& our superior home record in 2012 reflects this fact.

 

[jtl60]

I think we do have the right levels of intimidation. What we don't have is enough talent to finish off the lesser teams who do to us what we do to them ( Norwich, QPR, etc)

In 2012 we have beaten the current top 4 teams in the country at Goodison park (Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Spurs) Chelsea and Man U in particular looked scared to death in their defeats. In fact looking at all the teams who finished above us last season I think Arsenal are the only team we haven't beaten at GP in 2012, and that was a credible draw.

What we have in pure bottle and hard work we lack in talent.

 

[LTblue]

We'll at least have a Champions League qualifier to look forward to next August, such is our improvement on this time last season.

 

[Brownie]

What kinds of things can we do then to get this intimidation factor?

 

[Bigmaclad]

What kinds of things can we do then to get this intimidation factor?

We'll do the Hakka before matches

 

[Tubey]

What kinds of things can we do then to get this intimidation factor?

Stop talking about being underdogs all the time; stop perpetuating the "little old Everton" myth when we can field a side of full internationals and have players worth £10-30m scattered across the entire team.

I'm not being deluded and saying we should be smashing sides apart - I was delighted with the draw at City, for example - but if we're playing well and we have a talented side then we shouldn't be afraid to shout it from the rooftops. Instead, we tend to curb expectations and, whilst this isn't a Moyes thread, it does start with him.

It starts with the fans as well. When Fellaini comes out and says he expects to play for a top four club and expects Everton to achieve it or he's leaving, we should be completely agreeing with him, not immediately panicking and pretty much packing his bags for him through negativity.

We can call Liverpool fans deluded all we want, but there's nothing wrong with demanding a certain standard. The difference is, you need to understand what is achievable and what isn't.

I don't think Everton will win the league, but on the flip side I don't think there's any side in this league that come to Goodison who should be considered favourites before the kick off this season - and I include Chelsea, City, Arsenal and United in that. But does the club feel the same way?

 

[Jacko93]

Its Heitinga's fault, because he shaves his head he should be the hardman we demand, and break 3 legs at least in every game.

All 3 being Suarez's.

 

[Essex Blue]

Whilst intimating that we're the favourites will I assume???

The expectation of winning brings it's own pressure.

A bit more encouragement and self-belief would, yes. Not only that, but a bit of competitive gamesmanship wouldn't go a miss either, rather than taking LSD and talking about 'class and dignity' all the time.

Check out that 1995 FA Cup final video on Youtube, one of the first things said by an Everton player is that intimidation just wasn't an issue for that side. That's because they were more concerned with kicking the **** out of the opposition than they were with mushrooms and world peace! And it is no surprise that they were the last Everton side to win a trophy.

Take a look at the trophy winning sides of the 1980's - intimidation was not an issue, probably because they were the ones who were doing the intimidating.

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

A bit more encouragement and self-belief would, yes. Not only that, but a bit of competitive gamesmanship wouldn't go a miss either, rather than taking LSD and talking about 'class and dignity' all the time.

Check out that 1995 FA Cup final video on Youtube, one of the first things said by an Everton player is that intimidation just wasn't an issue for that side. That's because they were more concerned with kicking the **** out of the opposition than they were with mushrooms and world peace! And it is no surprise that they were the last Everton side to win a trophy.

Take a look at the trophy winning sides of the 1980's - intimidation was not an issue, probably because they were the ones who were doing the intimidating.

I was at the '95 final & sat at Goodison through the 80's mate, so I don't need a refresher.

Without quality on the pitch the rest of it means fook all. You can be as intimidating as you want, but if you haven't got quality in your feet, it's merely wind & piss.

Winning is a habit, sucessful sides gain a belief that they'll win irrespective of how the game goes. That only comes over time & only ever happens when you've got top quality across the team.