Sunderland v Everton. 9th Nov at 13.30.

[deipnosophist]

Lukaku has been playing his usual role of the striker up top recently. Crosses are coming in screaming for a player to throw themselves at it but more often than not, no one is there !! It's embarrassing.... I don't see no determination to get on the end of anything; i also don't see no movement to free up some space in the box either. Very poor.

The odd time he does manage to get his head on it, it's a lackluster effort straight at the keeper. There is no drive from him at the moment to get on the end of anything. Of course there is service, we've scored enough goals this season to prove that there is enough chances being created in the team.

I think the nasty head bang he received against West Ham has put Lukaku off headers

 

[bol-uk]

Lukaku has been playing his usual role of the striker up top recently. Crosses are coming in screaming for a player to throw themselves at it but more often than not, no one is there !! It's embarrassing.... I don't see no determination to get on the end of anything; i also don't see no movement to free up some space in the box either. Very poor.

The odd time he does manage to get his head on it, it's a lackluster effort straight at the keeper. There is no drive from him at the moment to get on the end of anything. Of course there is service, we've scored enough goals this season to prove that there is enough chances being created in the team.

He's odd for a striker. He rathers shoot from outside the box after cutting inside than he does be speculative in the box.

Perhaps he should play off a proper striker?!

 

[Eggs]

He's odd for a striker. He rathers shoot from outside the box after cutting inside than he does be speculative in the box.

Perhaps he should play off a proper striker?!

...I liked the selfish streak he showed with his turn and shot for his goal at Burnley and his early strike against Lille. He's frustrating but those glimpses are an insight into what he has to offer. He needs to realise how important it is for him to keep possession.

 

[LinekersLegs]

I am not a great subscriber to this après the EL theory.

We came on like a tank at the end of the United game despite playing in Russia a few days before.

We were sparkling at Burnley afte playing in Lille.

But the most conclusive evidence in my eyes is that as low key as yesterday's oerformance was, it was no worse that last week against Swansea which did not follow a European game.

This article would seem to back up your conclusion.
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/e...-wrong-with-englands-continental-competitors/

Here’s what we know for sure. Historically, according to this study by Dan Altman, playing in the Europa League does, in fact, hurt a club’s position in the Premier League — but the effect is slight enough to be more than canceled out by the benefits of the added prize money on offer in the competition. The effect, on its own, certainly isn’t large enough to be the driving factor behind a plummet down the table.

Then there’s the issue of short rest. Raymond Verheijen and his World Football Academy conducted a study that found that teams playing on two days’ rest tend to score less and concede more in the last half-hour of games than other, more normally rested teams. (It must be noted that the World Football Academy offers courses in training and conditioning, so it’s not like it doesn’t have a dog in this fight.) If such an effect exists, it would presumably also apply to Wednesday-Saturday fixtures for Champions League teams.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

This article would seem to back up your conclusion.
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/e...-wrong-with-englands-continental-competitors/

Here’s what we know for sure. Historically, according to this study by Dan Altman, playing in the Europa League does, in fact, hurt a club’s position in the Premier League — but the effect is slight enough to be more than canceled out by the benefits of the added prize money on offer in the competition. The effect, on its own, certainly isn’t large enough to be the driving factor behind a plummet down the table.

Then there’s the issue of short rest. Raymond Verheijen and his World Football Academy conducted a study that found that teams playing on two days’ rest tend to score less and concede more in the last half-hour of games than other, more normally rested teams. (It must be noted that the World Football Academy offers courses in training and conditioning, so it’s not like it doesn’t have a dog in this fight.) If such an effect exists, it would presumably also apply to Wednesday-Saturday fixtures for Champions League teams.

I imagine so but you have to take into account that CL teams generally have larger squads thus more scope for quality rotation.

 

[njligernj]

Wait the next game isn't for 12 days?!?!?!? Didn't realize that until now ... FFS Everton that makes this result even worse.

 

[JP McMurphy]

Lukaku has been playing his usual role of the striker up top recently. Crosses are coming in screaming for a player to throw themselves at it but more often than not, no one is there !! It's embarrassing.... I don't see no determination to get on the end of anything; i also don't see no movement to free up some space in the box either. Very poor.

The odd time he does manage to get his head on it, it's a lackluster effort straight at the keeper. There is no drive from him at the moment to get on the end of anything. Of course there is service, we've scored enough goals this season to prove that there is enough chances being created in the team.

I agree; McGeady put in a couple of superb crosses in the places where a striker, running in as he should be, would be handed a goal on a plate. I don't know why Rom has stopped running into the box like he did for some of his goals last season

 

[Khalekan]

The only win we've got after an E L match was at a p*** poor Burnley. Not a lot else need be said on that subject, i m o

That doesn't tell the true story though, '66.

We played Palace after Wolfsburg and lost.

That defeat was nowt to do with having played on the Thursday.....we battered Palace and should have been out of sight before Howard and Ossie gifted them a couple of goals.

Then we played at OT after Krasnador and it took a missed penalty and three world class saves from De Gea to deny us the points.

And as for yesterday, despite not playing well we were by far the better team and a better finish from Ross and a bit of composure from Rom would have seen us win comfortably.

No, I am not buying the Thursday Night Cup excuse.

Because the performances have been better than the results suggest.

 

[Eggs]

....I think a lot of teams suffer because of attitude. They treat Europa League like the League Cup, not wanting to be there and carrying that malaise through to the weekend. We appear much more positive, it's our reward for last season. I don't see why it should be an issue and I recall us doing ok in the league the last time we were in Europe.

Only point I would make is that Gary Neville and Carragher both commented that Thursday/Sunday games negatively impact players body clock in that they are playing catch up. Again not sure why that should be the case, especially in a season like this where our competitors are dropping points on a Saturday and we have a great chance to take advantage.

 

[EFC Si]

Europa League has nothing to do with it, unless it's a horrific distance a la krasnador then may cause a tiny bit of tiredness.

We still managed to finish 5th that season when we went out to Fiorentina with half the squad we had now, and we looked equally as dire last week against Swansea when we had no Europa league game that week.

If anything, our outstanding performance against Lille should have given us a huge confidence boost against Sunderland.

 

[Jeff Jones]

I thought we were sloppy on Sunday and even Baines' peno was lucky.

Maybe that miss at Old Trafford has affected his confidence. I hope not.

 

[cjuk87]

Sorry to hear about your experience with some of our dickheads.

Coming out the ground was great, had a chat with a few decent ones. Soon as we got near Tesco, then St Marys carpark we had people calling us all sorts.

 

[LinekersLegs]

http://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/premier-league/men-blazers-creepy-everton-fan-strikes

 

[L4Everton]

So far as 1-1 draws go, this was below average. I'm still Laughing My Ass Off about that Jagielka last minute stunner.

Up Yours Kopites.

:Big Smile:

 

[DanEFC92]

So, so poor.