Playing teams at their own game.

[Azzurri]

Is it me or do we just mirror the playing style of our opponents?

It seems like whenever we play Stoke we end up being dragged down to their level and attempting a hoofball from defence straight up to our forward regardless of his size.

Yet when we play Arsenal next week we'll probably try and pass them off the park.

Obviously teams like Stoke won't give you time and space to knock it round whereas Arsenal, Man City and the other teams that try and play football will, but it seems to me like we don't even bother attempting any of that chance creating football business.

Yes Jags' is a hoofballer and Coleman isn't the most technically gifted, which people will point out, but I refuse to believe Baines, Osman, Barkley, Bily, Drenthe etc. can't play some neat passing football.

I just think we should be trying to carve out oppurtunities and knock it round when we play the likes of Stoke, Blackburn etc. and play an aggressive, more direct syle when we play the teams with higher class - rather than vice versa.

 

[BlueLlama]

the problem is that we don't seen to be able to change to a plan b if things aren't going our way,

If we are toss in the first half we often come out better in the second. However today was not the first time that if we start well enough - and we did ok until we conceded - our heads drop and we don't seem to be able to "get ugly" if needed or -as was the case today - stop getting the ball wide and and hoofing in crosses and concentrate through the middle.

 

[Azzurri]

Yeah.

Also, our only route which is through Baines is far too predictable. Teams know this, and if on the off chance Baines isn't being absolutely fantastic as usual we've got no plan B as you said.

 

[The Equaliser]

Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross

Repeat ad infinitum until you bore yourself to death or the end of the season (whichever comes first).

 

[Muggins]

It's the simple things we don't do.

Like one-two's to tee up a shot. A lot of fans today were frustrated with us trying to walk it in.

Shooting and shots lids.

You know it makes sense.

 

[chrissyjack]

They're not allowed to shoot...Moyes doesn't like it. Shows initiative on that players part

 

[Muggins]

They're not allowed to shoot...Moyes doesn't like it. Shows initiative on that players part

The truth in your sarcasm is like a kick in the nuts. I hate it.

 

[bluenorthwarrior]

To go back to the original question - I don't think we do respond to other teams styles, whether we like it or not the current Everton style is percentage football, based around punting the ball forwards enough times to hope one will go in off someones arse.

TBF we need 3 or 4 players genuinedly comfortable with the ball before this changes, not going to happen in the near future.

 

[Elong]

I don't see many other teams playing hoofball, except Stoke, who are better at it.

 

[Azzurri]

I don't see many other teams playing hoofball, except Stoke, who are better at it.

Bolton (although not as bad as under Allardyce), Wolves, Villa (not necessarily hoofball but generally negative).

I don't mean just hoofball. What I mean is when teams are dead negative and defensive we shouldn't try and lump it in to their box and hope for the best but actually try and pass holes in their defence. And when we play teams like City and Arsenal we should kick lumps out of them and bombard their box with long balls and crosses.

 

[chicoazul]

I remember posting it, all dead furious, at the time. When we were in Europe we'd try and play it all dead patient and stuff when some teams, Sporting comes to mind, would have crumbled if we would have played a high intensity game like we usually do.

It done my swede right in.

 

[BigBlueBalls]

We were never going to outmuscle Stoke, the way to best them was neat quick one touch stuff on the deck, think Ossie, Arteta and Pienaar stuff.

 

[Kay20]

Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross
Get it out to Baines for a cross

Repeat ad infinitum until you bore yourself to death or the end of the season (whichever comes first).

In all seriousness, when did this begin? When we lost Arteta? He was kinda not so great last season too (and injured), but I don't remember us being this 2x4 last season.

 

[toffee-bhoy]

i think ur been a little unfair in we get dragged down to their level i think we are at that level and there is days that we can raise it (though currently few and far between)
what pisses me off is we cant compete playing against teams who play ball and cant break down teams that dont want to which leaves us in nowhere footie land and the 1 man who can alter this in a number of ways sticks to HIS agenda....

 

[toffee-bhoy]

In all seriousness, when did this begin? When we lost Arteta? He was kinda not so great last season too (and injured), but I don't remember us being this 2x4 last season.

just off subject and im completely over the arteta transfer now but some of the stats coming out about the man leave me head scratching...take the weekend game just gone he ran 2 miles more than any of our players overall in the game( and he is in a passing side) plus he has made the most completed passes per game than any other prem player since he left