When did this team go soft ?

TheBlueGibbon · December 10, 2016

When Joe Royle left? We always bottled the big matches under Moyes, and before then we were just awful.

everton2004 · December 10, 2016

MACCA75 said:
When Moyes left tbh.

Pretty much sums up the correct answer :locked:

l4toffee · December 10, 2016

Mediocrity and being weak is a disease at this club ever since royle left .

Timak · December 10, 2016

Tubey said:
Yeah OK we were Men of Steel, why not.

Love selective memories...

It depends how you are defining soft.

Did we bottle/lose some of the big games* under Moyes?

Of course.

* defined as 4 teams away from home.

We lost 15 league games from 76 in DM last /RM first seasons combined and won 36.

Since then we've lost 32 from 90 and won 28 from 90.

Effectively gone from a team that won twice as often as it lost to one that loses more than it wins.

Something changed.

Tubey · December 10, 2016

Timak said:
It depends how you are defining soft.

Did we bottle/lose some of the big games* under Moyes?

Of course.

* defined as 4 teams away from home.

We lost 15 league games from 76 in DM last /RM first seasons combined and won 36.

Since then we've lost 32 from 90 and won 28 from 90.

Effectively gone from a team that won twice as often as it lost to one that loses more than it wins.

Something changed.

Yes, Martinez butchered the squads balance. That doesn't mean they were any less mentally soft beforehand.

blue61 · December 10, 2016

tommytowne · December 10, 2016

When the Jags/Lescott partnership was broken.
Thanks Hughes you turd.

Eggs · December 10, 2016

Toffeeslam said:
Its been like this now for what seems an age but since we moved on from Moyes the players have lost the will to fight for the shirt, so when did our players go completely soft on us ?

...another post match defeat thread. I'd be more convinced if this was posted after a win but hey ho. The players application has been questioned for many weeks on many threads, this isn't something new being highlighted.

jinkyali · December 10, 2016

Toffeeslam said:
Its been like this now for what seems an age but since we moved on from Moyes the players have lost the will to fight for the shirt, so when did our players go completely soft on us ?

There has always been an underbelly even prior to Moyes.

Notorious bottlers. Happy to be in a final rather than gutted not to win.
Happy to finish top 10.

But they had character and didn't stop trying. Unfortunately our recruitment since seems to have brought in lesser characters and individuals who only really care about there pay packet and will never hold a strong affinity to Everton. A stepping stone .

Badge1878 · December 10, 2016

As fans we all have opinions on the team we support and I reckon that Evertonians know their football. The one thing that we do best is get behind our team, our away days - and when we're on fire, Goodison too - are full of songs about how great our history is and what Everton means to us.

But on days like this, when we've been beaten far too easily in my opinion, brings out a negativity in our fanbase that can become toxic. I know we're not great at the moment, it does my head in, but to say we are 'soft' is the wrong emphasis in my opinion...it implies the first team accept getting beat. No chance. It hurts me like hell on days like this but my belief is that it hurts the players as much. If not, and anyone can prove they don't care then, we do have a problem that isn't easily reconciled.

Time for cool heads. From the team to show us they do care, from the Gaffer to show us his credentials, from the owners to show us why we should believe. Are we soft? I [Poor language removed] hope not. But up to Everton to prove we aren't.

Shagster · December 10, 2016

We got soft since players got injured, young lads came in with hunger and performed well, and then the ' 1st choice ' gets back in as routine. You know the ones.

streeky · December 10, 2016

team started passing the ball today after the game was lost, spineless.

allezlesbleus · December 10, 2016

Badge1878 said:
As fans we all have opinions on the team we support and I reckon that Evertonians know their football. The one thing that we do best is get behind our team, our away days - and when we're on fire, Goodison too - are full of songs about how great our history is and what Everton means to us.

But on days like this, when we've been beaten far too easily in my opinion, brings out a negativity in our fanbase that can become toxic. I know we're not great at the moment, it does my head in, but to say we are 'soft' is the wrong emphasis in my opinion...it implies the first team accept getting beat. No chance. It hurts me like hell on days like this but my belief is that it hurts the players as much. If not, and anyone can prove they don't care then, we do have a problem that isn't easily reconciled.

Time for cool heads. From the team to show us they do care, from the Gaffer to show us his credentials, from the owners to show us why we should believe. Are we soft? I [Poor language removed] hope not. But up to Everton to prove we aren't.

I certainly agree with the time for cool heads bit but having just got home from today it is hard to deny that the team is overstocked with players who are pretty lightweight who rely on tricks and flicks rather than real consistent in your face pacey footy that gets the ball back off the opponent quickly when it is lost and then attacks with pace and energy in a way that defenders struggle to counter. Everything we do is just too predictable and slow at the moment. We are easy to play against. Keep your shape against us and you won't concede too many because first option has become longish ball to Lukaku which rarely causes danger or, eventually, crosses from dangerous positions which frequently hit the first defender who has had that extra few seconds to get back into position. And then when you get stuck into us we lack fight and you will get chances to score because we still do not block crosses enough and our ageing defence gives you chances of you like to play it fast on the deck. Finally a lack of leadership and fight at first sign of adversity. Bad combination at the moment.
A couple of breaks might turn things our way though...starting on Tuesday!