We have good players, not a good squad. (the pundits can eat a poodle)

[MKS]

We blew the chance to kick on big time when Koeman was hired. That squad had Stones, Lukaku and Barkley if we had Appointed the right manager and supported our young stars with more ambitious recruiting I think things would be so much better.

None of these players have been replaced properly

 

[MKS]

Writing that last post just made me think about how much I loved watching Stones play because I knew how good he was and it was exciting that he played for Everton. Cant say that about any of our players now

 

[BernieH]

We probably do over rate some and not rate others, one thing I'm pretty sure of is we have players who should be doing better than they are.

 

[Cool_Blue]

Coleman - legs have gone
Keane - Burnley is his level
Zouma - Bang average. Will never make it at Chelsea
Digne - Quality
Baines - Done
Mina - Decent

So two out 6 doesn't make a defence.

This. “transfer value” means zilch, as most of our recent buys have proved.

 

[overkill]

I dont think we have a good sqaud or talented players, well no more talented than the teams around us anyway.
The players and the manager are probabily performing to their level.

 

[gonetomorrow]

I can't believe we are ahead of Bournemouth and Leicester. They seem much better than us generally. The same thoughts used to run through my head this time last year as well.

 

[marcus]

just need to stop giving silly free kicks & pens away...

Coleman & Baines legs have gone, Tosun not good enough...

 

[Billefc]

Back 4 is awful. We don't have a decent striker. And we're light a centre midfielder.

So the squad is about where it should be.

Agree with all this, but light in midfield, is a huge understatement imo

 

[Tipp blue]

Back 4 is awful. We don't have a decent striker. And we're light a centre midfielder.

So the squad is about where it should be.

I don't agree that the back 4 are awful, 36
Goals against 16 of which are from set plays, that's 20 from open play or own goals, the zonal marking that silva is going for is not the way to go, we should be cleaning up from corners and frees with the size of our CBs but it's just another case of our manager implementing the wrong tactics and not playing to our strength. 20 goals let in from open play in 25 games isn't too bad.

 

[Steve Wigan]

We blew the chance to kick on big time when Koeman was hired. That squad had Stones, Lukaku and Barkley if we had Appointed the right manager and supported our young stars with more ambitious recruiting I think things would be so much better.

None of these players have been replaced properly

The three players you mention are no longer regular starters for their current teams.

 

[kenada_blue]

I don't agree that the back 4 are awful, 36
Goals against 16 of which are from set plays, that's 20 from open play or own goals, the zonal marking that silva is going for is not the way to go, we should be cleaning up from corners and frees with the size of our CBs but it's just another case of our manager implementing the wrong tactics and not playing to our strength. 20 goals let in from open play in 25 games isn't too bad.

It is bad. I agree the manager is implementing a terrible set up based on 2 CBs who aren't really suited to it. Additionally, we're not a big side either so being aggressive in a zonal marking sense only leaves 2 players to deal with it really.

 

[carolinablue232]

The players showed in October/November that they’re a lot better than how they’re performing now. We aren’t functioning well as a team. Some of it is down to basics, some of it is just poor tactics.

You have to have tactics for them to be poor. We just do the same thing every week.

 

[Deleted member 38674]

Depends on our targets. If our targets are top six, do we have a team fit for purpose? No.

We have one player currently that could hold their own amongst the best in the league, Rico. And even he’s been tosh lately.

The rest of them are mid-table fodder.

 

[Efctrueblue]

Pickford
??? Mina ??? Digne
??? ??? ???
??? ??? RIcharlison​

If we go 433 we only have 4 players up to it.

We need to hobble along till summer and then bin off as many players as possible + continue the rebuild.

I’ve not seen anything from Mina so far to make him a dead cert

 

[Efctrueblue]

The back 4 has to be better than all the teams outside the top 6 surely - Coleman, Zouma, Mina, Keane, Digne, Baines are to varying degrees all top players. And then with the England goalie in behind them. Who would you take out in center midfield? Gomes and Gana on paper are again very good. Backed up by no less than McCarthy, Davies, Schneiderlin

Wolves have a vastly inferior squad but seemingly better tactics / mentality / confidence?

Maybe Everton have a problem a bit like the England team - struggling with the weight of expectation - pressure has eroded confidence whereas others like Wolves have less to lose / less pressure

Its not just about saying our player is better than other teams player etc. A player who is playing in a well organised, well drilled, cohesive team, will automatically ‘play better’ because the the whole unit is working well together so by default makes them look good! Partnerships are formed and things slot together. We look like a bunch of strangers playing together on a sunday morning!!

Plenty of crap players have played for succesful or title winning teams over the years. But they looked ‘good’ cos they fitted into the team unit