Man City vs Blues - Match Report and Man of the Match Poll...

[Barnfred 55]

Back to plucky old Everton again then, sigh.

Not at all. If we went for it with both full backs bombing on et al we'd have got murdered. Koeman played to get a result and had our forward players been on song we may have won. The tactics were no different to RMs tactics away at Wolfsburg when we won 2-0. The difference was our attacking trio were on blob that day in what was generally considered a masterclass in counter attacking football.

I was made up with the point but disappointed with the performance from an attacking viewpoint But I put the blame for that mainly with the players. Koeman could/should have looked at changing things as it was clear from early doors the front 3 were isolated. But the players should still take the bulk of the responsibility.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Not at all. If we went for it with both full backs bombing on et al we'd have got murdered. Koeman played to get a result and had our forward players been on song we may have won. The tactics were no different to RMs tactics away at Wolfsburg when we won 2-0. The difference was our attacking trio were on blob that day in what was generally considered a masterclass in counter attacking football.

I was made up with the point but disappointed with the performance from an attacking viewpoint But I put the blame for that mainly with the players. Koeman could/should have looked at changing things as it was clear from early doors the front 3 were isolated. But the players should still take the bulk of the responsibility.

Best masterclass in counter attacking football was the 3 - 0 win away, funnily enough against Koeman's Southampton.

 

[Barnfred 55]

....I suspect it's lots to do with players not fitting the way RK wants his team to play. That's why I emphasise 'type' of players, it will take a number of windows to find and recruit the footballers he wants but he has at least got us better organised defensively.

I know he's expecting them to show more from a defensive side but most of us fans want that too. That shouldn't affect the quality they show when they have the ball though. That's where they're failing and I'm just hoping it's a confidence thing.

 

[Eggs]

I know he's expecting them to show more from a defensive side but most of us fans want that too. That shouldn't affect the quality they show when they have the ball though. That's where they're failing and I'm just hoping it's a confidence thing.

...I don't think he's convinced with the offensive players he has. They struggle to play the way he wants which is why they are being rotated. If they can't adapt they will be replaced. At the moment I reckon he's doing the best he can with what he's got but I'm sure he is chatting with Steve Walsh about where we need to strengthen most.

 

[4737carlin]

Not at all. If we went for it with both full backs bombing on et al we'd have got murdered. Koeman played to get a result and had our forward players been on song we may have won. The tactics were no different to RMs tactics away at Wolfsburg when we won 2-0. The difference was our attacking trio were on blob that day in what was generally considered a masterclass in counter attacking football.

I was made up with the point but disappointed with the performance from an attacking viewpoint But I put the blame for that mainly with the players. Koeman could/should have looked at changing things as it was clear from early doors the front 3 were isolated. But the players should still take the bulk of the responsibility.

Problem is he could of done them changes but it might of sacrificed something defensive, where we were rock solid yesterday and have been for most of the season, risking going all out for the win yesterday would of played into cities hands I reckon.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Best masterclass in counter attacking football was the 3 - 0 win away, funnily enough against Koeman's Southampton.

Excellent performance I agree mate. But IIRC whilst all of our goals came on the counter, we pretty much controlled that match and it wasn't played out mostly in our final third. I was trying to make a comparison to yesterday's game when we had very little possession or territory.

 

[davek]

But we didn't play a 451 yesterday Dave, we played a 433. The wide men gave very little defensive cover and was quite a bold move by Koeman I thought. But it didn't work out as the front 3 were too isolated and I thought Koeman could have done something earlier to change it by changing to a front 2, and putting either Bolasie or Del into a slightly withdrawn and more central role to try and link up play.

The very adventurous format City played left them open to counter attack, as evidenced by Rom's goal. Had our front 3 been on their game we could have won yesterday, but Mirallas, Bolasie, Ross and Del are all completely out of sorts at the moment, which is also the reason why we have shown almost zero attacking play in the last 4 matches. It's not Koeman's tactics at fault, our forward players are under performing.

Kone and Valencia don't appear to be the answer so, if it carries on much longer, he may be forced to give a run out to the likes of Calvert-Lewin and Dowell from the under 23s. Not great really and links back to a below par transfer window.

They're not under performing as much as they're skills dont fit his tactics.

The season for me has been defined by the large numbers we get behind the ball and the limited number we get going forward. Look at that goal yesterday, Lukaku was about the only Everton player deep into City;s half when he slotted it. If he'd had to check back because he couldn't get the shot off the chance would have disappeared.

It's way too conservative.

I get that the defensive confidence had to be rebuilt, but the stick has been bent back too far that way now and we present our opponents with almost nothing to think about.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Problem is he could of done them changes but it might of sacrificed something defensive, where we were rock solid yesterday and have been for most of the season, risking going all out for the win yesterday would of played into cities hands I reckon.

I don't think so mate. Yesterday, Koeman played a back 4 with a defensive midfield 3 sitting in front, and then a front 3. The 2 wide men were providing little if any protection to the full backs. It was quite a bold tactic by Koeman as he was effectively trying to go 1 for 1 with his back 3 to stop them building from the back. But it didn't work from an attacking view because there was no link to the front 3. I'd have tried changing to a 4312 formation, bringing either Del or Bolasie into a slightly withdrawn more central role. That shouldn't have affected our defensive set up too much.

No idea if it would have worked like.

 

[Barnfred 55]

They're not under performing as much as they're skills dont fit his tactics.

The season for me has been defined by the large numbers we get behind the ball and the limited number we get going forward. Look at that goal yesterday, Lukaku was about the only Everton player deep into City;s half when he slotted it. If he'd had to check back because he couldn't get the shot off the chance would have disappeared.

It's way too conservative.

I get that the defensive confidence had to be rebuilt, but the stick has been bent back too far that way now and we present our opponents with almost nothing to think about.

Yesterdays game was defined by the large numbers we got behind the ball Dave, not the season as a whole. We are more defensively minded I agree and are doing more pressing all over the pitch. But we've hardly been packing the defence like we did yesterday.

I agree with your point re Rom's goal though. We'd already substituted Macca for Del by that stage and I've already said we should have brought Ross on for Del. A defensive 8 was OTT even for yesterday's game.

Think you're giving the players mentioned an easy ride though mate. Despite not fitting all of Koeman's preferred skill sets (which I concur with by the way) when they get the ball they're more than good enough to show more quality than they have been over the last few weeks. All four players usually thrive in counter attacking football but showed absolutely no composure yesterday (apart from ross of course as he didn't get the opportunity sadly).

 

[Blue Cheese]

Not at all. If we went for it with both full backs bombing on et al we'd have got murdered. Koeman played to get a result and had our forward players been on song we may have won. The tactics were no different to RMs tactics away at Wolfsburg when we won 2-0. The difference was our attacking trio were on blob that day in what was generally considered a masterclass in counter attacking football.

I was made up with the point but disappointed with the performance from an attacking viewpoint But I put the blame for that mainly with the players. Koeman could/should have looked at changing things as it was clear from early doors the front 3 were isolated. But the players should still take the bulk of the responsibility.

Football doesn't work like that, we might have got bummed(which is what I expected anyway) it's the manner of it, we also might have won.

If you give it a go you score and may keep them out, if you have no intention of attacking like yesterday, you are never going to win. That isn't what football is about and I'm not a fan of that borefest.

 

[Goat]

Football doesn't work like that, we might have got bummed(which is what I expected anyway) it's the manner of it, we also might have won.

If you give it a go you score and may keep them out, if you have no intention of attacking like yesterday, you are never going to win. That isn't what football is about and I'm not a fan of that borefest.

Thats bolloxs, you are drinking the Davek kool aid, we tried attacking, Geri, Yala and Rom struggled to make it stick up top, Citys movement in midfield pulled us apart, the boy Gana even struggled to retain the ball.

We came up against a very good team, not many clubs come away from there with a result, we battled and we gained a point.

It wasnt pretty and we got lucky to a degree, on another day we lose that game 4-0, but if we hadnt switched off for 5 seconds we could easily have come away with all 3 points.

Its cool and hip to cry like a lil bish for some, me I just tell it how it is.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Thats bolloxs, you are drinking the Davek kool aid, we tried attacking, Geri, Yala and Rom struggled to make it stick up top, Citys movement in midfield pulled us apart, the boy Gana even struggled to retain the ball.

We came up against a very good team, not many clubs come away from there with a result, we battled and we gained a point.

It wasnt pretty and we got lucky to a degree, on another day we lose that game 4-0, but if we hadnt switched off for 5 seconds we could easily have come away with all 3 points.

Its cool and hip to cry like a lil bish for some, me I just tell it how it is.

hahahaha, that is the complete opposite of what you wrote. We attacked did we, hahaha. We set up for a point, absolutely no intention whatsoever of trying to win. That's bollox Mout. Other managers had their arses handed to them for playing like that. At least be consistent.

 

[Goat]

hahahaha, that is the complete opposite of what you wrote. We attacked did we, hahaha. We set up for a point, absolutely no intention whatsoever of trying to win. That's bollox Mout. Other managers had their arses handed to them for playing like that. At least be consistent.

Which managers?

Martinez didnt defend in 3 years and I was always a fan of Moyes.

Our players have been trained for over 2 years that defending is an ugly word.

We played 4-3-3, its hardly a defensive formation.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Football doesn't work like that, we might have got bummed(which is what I expected anyway) it's the manner of it, we also might have won.

If you give it a go you score and may keep them out, if you have no intention of attacking like yesterday, you are never going to win. That isn't what football is about and I'm not a fan of that borefest.

Football doesn't work like what?. Genuine question. Not sure what point you're wanting to make.

From the sounds of it you would have been happy had we got bummed so long as we'd had a go. I can understand that and used to have similar views myself, but got a bit fed up with it over the last 2 years tbh.

I'm now quite happy to see the odd game where we tactically concede territory to a team with superior players, with a view to hitting them on the break. I don't expect us to do it very often and would be disappointed if we did. But City away is probably our most difficult fixture of the season so can understand why Koeman set up that way. If our attacking players had been on their game we could have won yesterday.

As it is I'll take a draw rather than a bumming.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Football doesn't work like what?. Genuine question. Not sure what point you're wanting to make.

From the sounds of it you would have been happy had we got bummed so long as we'd had a go. I can understand that and used to have similar views myself, but got a bit fed up with it over the last 2 years tbh.

I'm now quite happy to see the odd game where we tactically concede territory to a team with superior players, with a view to hitting them on the break. I don't expect us to do it very often and would be disappointed if we did. But City away is probably our most difficult fixture of the season so can understand why Koeman set up that way. If our attacking players had been on their game we could have won yesterday.

As it is I'll take a draw rather than a bumming.

People automatically assuming we would get hammered 10-0 if we had the audacity to try and score and win.

There's a difference between having a good go and doing a Martinez.

Greatest squad since the 80's has suddenly become stoke 2011