Relegation 2022/23

[Shevin Keedy]

We don’t, we need a replacement for him. He isn’t going to stay fit, he’s finished.

This was obvious to me even before last season. If we can't pump him full of whatever steroid is needed to get him functioning on the pitch then get rid and give someone else his wages. Anyone will do who knows where the net is.

 

[Magus]

Quite simple this one for me
Go get some forwards who are not crocked or old and we have a chance.
Dont, and we're gone

Having watched that performance I think the problems run much deeper than a couple of forwards. The midfield is weak and slow, Tarkowski is a scrapper but ponderous in open play, Patterson is good going forward but leaves a glaring gap down the right whenever he pushes on. The forward line is largely redundant because we are always on the back foot. Lampard and the coaching staff don't seem to be instilling any kind of team cohesion or confidence.

 

[Gilbert..]

Having watched that performance I think the problems run much deeper than a couple of forwards. The midfield is weak and slow, Tarkowski is a scrapper but ponderous in open play, Patterson is good going forward but leaves a glaring gap down the right whenever he pushes on. The forward line is largely redundant because we are always on the back foot. Lampard and the coaching staff don't seem to be instilling any kind of team cohesion or confidence.

I was trying to be a bit optimistic. There are issues. But the number one issue is forwards. If we cant score we cant win games.

 

[Magus]

I was trying to be a bit optimistic. There are issues. But the number one issue is forwards. If we cant score we cant win games.

I applaud your optimism and of course we do need goalscorers, but I can't see a weaker team than us at the moment, even Forest seem to have more fight in them. I feel relegation is finally coming no matter what we do.

 

[jonnyboy316]

Having watched that performance I think the problems run much deeper than a couple of forwards. The midfield is weak and slow, Tarkowski is a scrapper but ponderous in open play, Patterson is good going forward but leaves a glaring gap down the right whenever he pushes on. The forward line is largely redundant because we are always on the back foot. Lampard and the coaching staff don't seem to be instilling any kind of team cohesion or confidence.

I think you can pick holes in any player. If you are not playing for a CL club there is likely to be some holes in your game. Tarks is a decent enough PL CB as is Coady. Is there a problem with them as a pairing due to a lack of pace I would say yes. Perhaps we need to consider reverting to a back 3 but I have huge issues with Godfreys ability on the ball.

The Midfield 3 might be the strongest area of the team. I certainly would not describe it as weak but it is lacking in goals and creativity. Our forward line is just abysmal. We are in desperate need for some higher IQ and better technical footballers. All the below had their limitations but their qualities have not been replaced

Iceland
James
Digne

 

[Magus]

I think you can pick holes in any player. If you are not playing for a CL club there is likely to be some holes in your game. Tarks is a decent enough PL CB as is Coady. Is there a problem with them as a pairing due to a lack of pace I would say yes. Perhaps we need to consider reverting to a back 3 but I have huge issues with Godfreys ability on the ball.

The Midfield 3 might be the strongest area of the team. I certainly would not describe it as weak but it is lacking in goals and creativity. Our forward line is just abysmal. We are in desperate need for some higher IQ and better technical footballers. All the below had their limitations but their qualities have not been replaced

Iceland
James
Digne

I don't like singling people out, but these players have been brought in to address specific problem areas, and as you say are not showing significant improvement over the men they replaced. The midfield certainly looked weak against Wolves. The more worrying issue for me is that successive managers have not been able to get any consistent uplift out of the squad. We don't perform like a premier league team any more, and the drop seems inevitable.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Think this season it's sadly looking more likely than it isn't.. at least in my opinion.

 

[TraffordBlue]

That's exactly what the worst run club in Europe would be doing; building a stadium that they can't afford and don't need whilst ignoring the problems that could sink them.

We do need it

Sounds like a fair few of our fans like to argue that we don't have any ambition on the one hand and on the other say we shouldn't be building a better stadium through fear of getting relegated.

Goodison is a dump, outdated and too small for our fanbase.

 

[blueblueday]

Lampard, if you follow his interviews seems like an intelligent thinker. He has surrounded himself with what could be argued a decent coaching team. As far as I know his time here has been statistically his worst peeformance. So it is him, the players, the board or all three causing this downward spiral?

I think it's probably all three.

I think the FFP rules or whatever they are called have seriously damaged us. It means we can't dig ourselves out of this hole. Moshiri seems to be losing interest because he can no longer throw money at the problem. I believe he wants to get us into the new stadium as a premiership club and then sell 4 a tidy profit. I also think his connection to Usmanov, since the Ukraine/Russia war may have changed his outlook in some way.

I also think it has proved extremely difficult to recruit anybody decent who can play at premiership level whilst on comparatively low wages. The sale of Richie, although inevitable, has left a deep chasm. The loss of Dom has also proved disastrous. We now know recruiting Gray, Maupay and McNeil may well seal our fate.

I don't think Lampard knows what to do now? He doesn't seem as angry as last year. It may be the case he doesn't get let go as the club can't afford it due to the FFP rules. Nobody knows!

I think some of the players know they are not good enough at this level and are happy to avoid the stress of a battle to the very end. Relegation may not be the worst thing for them after all!

It's a very sad season for us blues as most can smell trouble now and are bracing themselves for the worst. Unless we can somehow get two or more quality goal scoring forwards its probably curtains.

It's annoying watching Eddie Howe do so well as I'm sure he would've considered us. Problem is we never took him seriously enough. Chances are he would've struggled anyway as any manager would in our predicament.

 

[ForeverEverton]

Lampard, if you follow his interviews seems like an intelligent thinker. He has surrounded himself with what could be argued a decent coaching team. As far as I know his time here has been statistically his worst peeformance. So it is him, the players, the board or all three causing this downward spiral?

I think it's probably all three.

I think the FFP rules or whatever they are called have seriously damaged us. It means we can't dig ourselves out of this hole. Moshiri seems to be losing interest because he can no longer throw money at the problem. I believe he wants to get us into the new stadium as a premiership club and then sell 4 a tidy profit. I also think his connection to Usmanov, since the Ukraine/Russia war may have changed his outlook in some way.

I also think it has proved extremely difficult to recruit anybody decent who can play at premiership level whilst on comparatively low wages. The sale of Richie, although inevitable, has left a deep chasm. The loss of Dom has also proved disastrous. We now know recruiting Gray, Maupay and McNeil may well seal our fate.

I don't think Lampard knows what to do now? He doesn't seem as angry as last year. It may be the case he doesn't get let go as the club can't afford it due to the FFP rules. Nobody knows!

I think some of the players know they are not good enough at this level and are happy to avoid the stress of a battle to the very end. Relegation may not be the worst thing for them after all!

It's a very sad season for us blues as most can smell trouble now and are bracing themselves for the worst. Unless we can somehow get two or more quality goal scoring forwards its probably curtains.

It's annoying watching Eddie Howe do so well as I'm sure he would've considered us. Problem is we never took him seriously enough. Chances are he would've struggled anyway as any manager would in our predicament.

Statements like this annoy me, it shows complete lack of understanding of the game we watch, how many times do we see a manager change affect the team for the better?

Wolves, 2 wins from 2 under the new manager. I would love to know how these people can hold Frank in such high esteem where they think no-one else can do better... Is he the best manager in the world? No..... Other managers would 100% do better.

Look when Joe Royle took over from Mike Walker, no one thought he`d be able to keep us up, he did with stats that rival any manager since and won a cup!

Absolute lunacy!!! Take the Frank blinkers off....

 

[blueconverse]

Without 3 decent attackers in Jan then its over but after seeing simms is doing well in the championship then at least we have a striker who is ready to go. It may finally rid us of that walking stench kenwright so maybe it's worth it

 

[Lowste]

It’s very concerning, it has to be said.

It’s just got a little more concerning, it has to be said

 

[PhilRegan]

The fear hasn't even properly set in with them yet. Worse than last year this

 

[paultheblue]

There are 7 teams in the relegation battle starting from Bournemouth downwards 3 will go down 4 will stay up
As it stands we are in the worst 3 .
It all hangs on the transfer window if we get it wrong we are down.

 

[4737carlin]

We do need it

Sounds like a fair few of our fans like to argue that we don't have any ambition on the one hand and on the other say we shouldn't be building a better stadium through fear of getting relegated.

Goodison is a dump, outdated and too small for our fanbase.

We need it but we need our top flight status more, too many clubs have declined doing the stadium move thing, very few success stories
Big capacity just means more people get too see us play badly.