Nearly a quarter of the season gone, subs and goals so far.

[GraemeS1980]

I have been thinking about Roberto's choice of when he makes subs because I got a bit frustrated with it during the derby and again today. So I decided to look into it and it seems that Bobby does tend to leave it later on in games and substitutions also haven't had what would be the 'desired' effect. Leicester we should have seen the game out, Arsenal the same, also versus the RS Lukaku hadn't really done much and Eto'o didn't get on until the 80th minute. Also I want to point out the goals, only Manchester City and Chelsea have scored more goals than us however the flip side of the coin we have conceded the most in the league, seeing games out and costly defensive mistakes are costing us dearly and a run of this magnitude could see this season be ruined early on. We are nearly a quarter of the way through and it just shows how important it was to have got better defensive cover in during the transfer window.

Substitutions

Everton v Leicester winning 2-1 with 10 minutes to go:

Mirallas for Pienaar 81st min
Coleman for McGeady 85th min

Final score Drew 2-2

Everton v Arsenal winning 2-0 with 15 minutes to go

McGeady for Lukaku 76th min
Atsu for Mirallas 85th min

Final score Drew 2-2

Everton v Chelsea losing 3-2 with 20 minutes to go

Eto'o for Mcgeady 70th min
(losing 5-3) Besic for Lukaku 89th min

lost 6-3

Everton v WBA winning 2-0

Osman for Lukaku 68th min
Besic for McGeady 88th min

won 2-0

Everton v Crystal Palace losing 2-1 with 35 minutes to go

Naismith for Atsu 64th min
Mirallas for Stones 64th min
(losing 3-2) Gibson for Distin 85th min

lost 3-2

Everton v the RS

McGeady for Mirallas 31st min
(losing 1-0) Browning for Hibbert 73rd min
Eto'o for Besic 80th min

Drew 1-1

Everton v Man Utd losing 2-1 with 30 mins to go

Oviedo for Pienaar 64th min
Osman for McGeady 77th min
Browning for Hibbert 78th min

lost 2-1


Goalscorers

13 in total
Naismith 4
Lukaku 2
Mirallas 2
Baines 1
Coleman 1
Eto'o 1
Jagielka 1
McGeady 1

 

[L4Everton]

Few sides will get close to scoring 3 vs Chelsea, and that save by Courtois onto the post was just magnificent. Chelsea and City will put a few drubbings around make no mistake. We have faced 3 of this seasons CL sides, and a ManU with no Europe at all. What will be a test will be playing the likes of Saints, Swansea (again) and even West Ham. I can't be sure if sides have consolidated and so closed some of the gap or if we are feeling the effects of last season plus a WC summer a late preseason as well as coping with a lot of early injuries.

It needs highlights that we have not been anyway near having our full first choice side on the pitch together, let alone actually match fit and in a bit of form. That we have managed with being a bit patched up and utilising some of the scapegoats the boo crew love to dislike and haven't been blasted off the park is testament to the squad and Martinez.
What I do find concerning is that at times I struggle to recognise Lukaku as the same player from last season (only at times and I know he was carrying and playing through his foot injury). Barry's timing seems to be a little off, where last season he was 3 steps ahead of the game now he is barely one step ahead and it is showing with how urgent he is required to be. (regards Barry I wonder if because he was barely used by City he came and played for us with the freshest of legs, and this season he is feeling the slog of 35 games or whatever number from last year).

Anyway, we'll come good.