Watching Everton is a blast unless you support Everton

[degsy]

This article pretty much sums it up.

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/12/29/10684218/everton-stoke-city-premier-league-highlights

Being the league's premier entertainers is great for everyone but your fans.

After a somewhat slow start to the season, in which they were shut out four times in their first nine games, Everton have emerged as the Premier League's biggest entertainers. Their 35 goals are good for third in the league, behind title contenders Leicester City and Manchester City.

They were part of a seven-goal game on Monday, which followed a five-goal game they participated in just over a week ago, a six-goal game at the end of November and a stunning eight-goal game in the first week of November. If you're a neutral fan and you're just looking for the most entertaining game to watch during a packed mid-day slate, pick the Everton game. They're never boring.

But there's a slight problem with all this entertainment -- it's coming at the expense of results. Out of those four goal-packed thrillers, Everton only won once. Monday's seven-goal game was a loss to Stoke City.

The Toffees may be the most fun side to watch right now, but this is the other Everton. The one that hundreds of thousands of people actually have to support. The one that lets them down constantly.

The attacking trio of Romelu Lukaku, Gerard Deulofeu and Ross Barkley is one of the league's most exciting, perhaps only rivaled by Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and the cast supporting them at Leicester City. Barkley bulldozes his way through midfield, Deulofeu makes the silky passes and Lukaku finishes moves by making very large defenders look like small children.

So Evertonians are left to wonder why their team isn't very good. Despite having the best attacking talent they've ever had, the best young central defender in the country and an excellent goals record, they're down in 11th. In a year where top four appears to be attainable for anyone with a couple of top talents and a decent coach, Everton are failing to make the most of the opportunity, and sit nine points behind Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Behind their great attackers, Everton's team is a bit less convincing. Gareth Barry is quite good for what he is -- a 34-year-old signed on a free transfer -- but his best days are clearly behind him. Tom Cleverley is no defensive midfielder. James McCarthy hasn't been his fit and in form best in a while. Young defenders Ramiro Funes Mori, Brendan Galloway and Tyias Browning look like they're learning on the job. Tim Howard is still competent, but no longer world class. The same goes for the now 33-year-old and injury prone Phil Jagielka. And all of those factors lead to John Stones just looking like a solid defender, not one that Chelsea was willing to pay a British record fee for.

As fans of soccer, we should thank Everton for existing. It's brilliant that a team with great attackers bombs forward and has no coherent defensive plan, leaving all of the defending in vast swaths of space to children and soon-to-be retirees. It means that not only do we get to see Everton score tons of goals, but also Stoke City score four, and Bournemouth score three, and Leicester score three. They value entertainment over everything else, and the Premier League would be better if it was filled with Evertons.

Unfortunately for Evertonians, most teams prioritize defending, and 13 of them are better at it than Everton is. They probably don't care much about their team providing a service to soccer fans who don't support Everton. So thanks a lot for what you've done for the neutral, Roberto Martinez, but your fans would like to see their team playing European soccer next year.

Short Version; We're frightening when we attack and frightening when we defend.

 

[oldblue]

Sounds like the writer has looked at results, seen who got the assists and goals then made it up based on the players he's heard of.
Our away results have been pretty solid defensively, Bournemouth apart which was a crazy game. So the question is really what's going on at home and why the same players are looking totally different when playing in front of their own fans. This could just as easily be lack of confidence and feeling under pressure as anything else. Two defenders in their first season in the premier and one who despite the hype is still at the novice stage. People moaned about going for Evans and some even about Dann, so we have a young defence who aren't getting a lot of leadership from their keeper, and they probably need time and encouragement. And a bit of luck.
Think it's worth remembering that even with a solid pragmatic side there is no guarantee of a win. It's not what football is.

 

[allezlesbleus]

Sounds like the writer has looked at results, seen who got the assists and goals then made it up based on the players he's heard of.
Our away results have been pretty solid defensively, Bournemouth apart which was a crazy game. So the question is really what's going on at home and why the same players are looking totally different when playing in front of their own fans. This could just as easily be lack of confidence and feeling under pressure as anything else. Two defenders in their first season in the premier and one who despite the hype is still at the novice stage. People moaned about going for Evans and some even about Dann, so we have a young defence who aren't getting a lot of leadership from their keeper, and they probably need time and encouragement. And a bit of luck.
Think it's worth remembering that even with a solid pragmatic side there is no guarantee of a win. It's not what football is.

They definitely need encouragement, not criticism although there is bound to be audible frustration and anxiety if we play against Spurs and City at home like we did against Leicester and Stoke. They know they are not as naturally strong in the air as they need to be and individual errors such as misplaced passes or being out of position are being punished nearly every time because virtually every team in the prem has got someone (or two!) who can hurt you. This is where they need someone who can make up for their deficiencies a little....a player who is over six foot and can use his hands to repel the aerial challenge would be handy but that is the weakness of TH's game too and he just does not talk enough to guide them through it.
But our team is generally spread out too much around the pitch when we lose the ball and so fast breaks lead quickly to easy crosses which catch our young defenders out of position et voilà!! So as soon as we concede possession we need to be faster to close space to cut out supply all round the pitch AND TH to step up (or give Robles a go because he looks more dominant in the air)

 

[oldblue]

They definitely need encouragement, not criticism although there is bound to be audible frustration and anxiety if we play against Spurs and City at home like we did against Leicester and Stoke. They know they are not as naturally strong in the air as they need to be and individual errors such as misplaced passes or being out of position are being punished nearly every time because virtually every team in the prem has got someone (or two!) who can hurt you. This is where they need someone who can make up for their deficiencies a little....a player who is over six foot and can use his hands to repel the aerial challenge would be handy but that is the weakness of TH's game too and he just does not talk enough to guide them through it.
But our team is generally spread out too much around the pitch when we lose the ball and so fast breaks lead quickly to easy crosses which catch our young defenders out of position et voilà!! So as soon as we concede possession we need to be faster to close space to cut out supply all round the pitch AND TH to step up (or give Robles a go because he looks more dominant in the air)

Agree with most of that. I'm wondering if we may have to rethink the full back positions too. I love the way Baines and Coleman have added to attacking options in the past but maybe it's time to think of extra height and defensive stability there.

 

[allezlesbleus]

Agree with most of that. I'm wondering if we may have to rethink the full back positions too. I love the way Baines and Coleman have added to attacking options in the past but maybe it's time to think of extra height and defensive stability there.

Good point although I still like them to be attack minded. Danger down the sides is still a boss way to create mayhem in the opposition ranks. Wingers alone can get blocked out too easily. It helps to have that extra player bombing on although Bainsey is reluctant to do it as much as he used to with his dream partner Pienaar.

 

[oldblue]

Good point although I still like them to be attack minded. Danger down the sides is still a boss way to create mayhem in the opposition ranks. Wingers alone can get blocked out too easily. It helps to have that extra player bombing on although Bainsey is reluctant to do it as much as he used to with his dream partner Pienaar.

I think Martinez will always prefer that anyway but assuming Baines may struggle for long term fitness and Coleman I can easily see moving, then looking at players who will get forward but are more basic in both their approach and add something at setpieces may be where to spend some cash. Coleman and Baines are gonna be almost impossible to replace like for like anyway and I just think for a number of reasons we may have seen the best of them. As a youngster I was gutted when John Bailey was replaced and I was even a fan of Brian Borrows, but we were more solid as a result and there was more freedom for key players. And Gary Stevens was still very much a threat, if not as much fun.
Anyway my gut feeling is that Martinez will look at a third centre half at some point so full backs are covered. Of course until we have a keeper who does the basics we really won't know how much does need changing.

 

[allezlesbleus]

I think Martinez will always prefer that anyway but assuming Baines may struggle for long term fitness and Coleman I can easily see moving, then looking at players who will get forward but are more basic in both their approach and add something at setpieces may be where to spend some cash. Coleman and Baines are gonna be almost impossible to replace like for like anyway and I just think for a number of reasons we may have seen the best of them. As a youngster I was gutted when John Bailey was replaced and I was even a fan of Brian Borrows, but we were more solid as a result and there was more freedom for key players. And Gary Stevens was still very much a threat, if not as much fun.
Anyway my gut feeling is that Martinez will look at a third centre half at some point so full backs are covered. Of course until we have a keeper who does the basics we really won't know how much does need changing.

Yep Stevens and Van Den Hauwe were much more solid defensively (putting aside Stevens' error in the 1986 cup final....wish I could erase it from my memory!,)
Got to say I am not a fan of three at the back. It will certainly give opponents lots of space to run into down both sides.
Still hopeful we will see a resurgence of Seamus this year and that we will resist offers. Bainsey is in his last season as first pick for me. Do not actually want that to be the case but time is passing.

 

[oldblue]

Yep Stevens and Van Den Hauwe were much more solid defensively (putting aside Stevens' error in the 1986 cup final....wish I could erase it from my memory!,)
Got to say I am not a fan of three at the back. It will certainly give opponents lots of space to run into down both sides.
Still hopeful we will see a resurgence of Seamus this year and that we will resist offers. Bainsey is in his last season as first pick for me. Do not actually want that to be the case but time is passing.

It can work if operating as a flexible unit that allows anyone to push on and immediately regroup as a back four. Much easier said than done though as you're talking about a group of five players who can read the game and each other, and central defenders who are decent on the ball with both feet. We're a long way away from that but maybe that's why Martinez is buying up every young centre half that can pass a ball.

 

[njligernj]

No, he also said that Tim Howard was still competent.

Well depends what he means by competent. He's wearing clothes and he generally knows where to stand -- I mean not exactly where to stand but he generally manages to keep himself in the general vicinity of the goal. He seems to be able to feed himself.

 

[zirc]

Well depends what he means by competent. He's wearing clothes and he generally knows where to stand -- I mean not exactly where to stand but he generally manages to keep himself in the general vicinity of the goal. He seems to be able to feed himself.

Fair points all, also forgot to mention his drooling is minimal.

 

[Kankurette]

Well depends what he means by competent. He's wearing clothes and he generally knows where to stand -- I mean not exactly where to stand but he generally manages to keep himself in the general vicinity of the goal. He seems to be able to feed himself.

He's not been declared clinically dead. Sometimes he even saves the ball.

 

[big bobs beard]

And start adding snide breaking up play fouls to prevent this and get back into posiation. How many times did newcastle do that to us last week - and not even booked for it

 

[toffeejack]

if we're not going to win anything, i'd much rather watch us like this than under moyes. But it's even more frustrating because we have a top class squad - which goes very deep. Martinez is underachieving with this squad, no doubt - but he's the one who built it. It's almost impossible to succeed with our board and he is building something special, which is why i tend to cut him a bit more slack. I don't see how keeping howard in the team helps in the short of long term though.