JoeQuince

Video evidence! I can’t take the stress of penalties

You’re probably right. Personally, I just hope that Allardyce can display enough flexibility to manage this group of players to their strengths and pull their best football out of them. If what we’ve seen the past two matches are a sign of things to come, I’ll be getting worried. We won’t get lucky penalties every week and our opponents’ shots won’t always swerve to the wrong side of the posts. Getting four points out of the past two matches is great. But, if people think these results were down to the brilliance of our play (beyond our sudden ability to deal with crosses!), they’re sadly mistaken. There are bright spots, of course. I’m excited to see us get the ball into wide areas and make some dangerous crosses. That’s one of the reasons I’m so angry about seeing Schneiderlin ghosting around in the center of the park while Sigurdsson is out wide and a quick, direct winger sits on the bench. Our best play in the past few weeks has come with quick interchanges around the edges of the box that create room for crosses. More of that, please. Much more.

I don’t know. I thought we looked excellent in the matches against West Ham and Huddersfield (and against Apollon of course). Newcastle aren’t any better than those two. I’d like to see the same kind of aggressiveness and panache in our play. I know we were shite a month ago. But, we’ve seen this team put it together. I’d just like to see more of that.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m made up that we’ve picked up another three points. I’m over the moon about the solid performances our back line have put in as of late (watching them defend crosses doesn’t give me palpitations anymore). But, I don’t want to see us devolve into one-dimensional longball or start relying too much on our luck (as we did today and Sunday). I’m glad to see our players putting in a shift and improving their defensive positioning. But, I want to see us controlling games rather than reacting to them, especially against sides like Newcastle. I understood what Sam did against the Shite. And, he essentially did the same against Newcastle. It worked. Sure. But, watching us play in this style is frustrating.

Yeah. But, I can blame him for his tactics and substitutions. It was evident from the get go that we needed speed on both wings and more movement in midfield to help us move up the pitch. But, he was pretty much content to have us sit back and defend.

Man, I really fucking hate Sam’s philosophy.

Gana: “Bet you cant put in a shot worse than my first half effort!” Sigurdsson: “Hold my beer.”

Vlasic on! ....Lennon off... A like-for-like change is exactly what we didn’t need.

Schneiderlin aimlessly dives in for a ball he was never going to win once again...

Changes needed for the second half. Yes, we’re up one, but we should probably be down one or two. We’ve been poor in transition. Our best transitions have come from Lennon or Rooney dropping in a bit to receive the ball and run through midfield. They’ve been soft there defensively, so I think our best option will be bringing on someone like Lookman or Vlasic for Schneiderlin (preferably) or Sigurdsson. Their pace will also help us not to drop so deep and will keep Newcastle honest.

MOTM so far, Pickford’s posts

Great hustle, Rooney!!!

Schneiderlin is doing a great impression of a traffic cone out there today.

That’s a bummer. But, welcome back to the east coast! It’s actually possible, but doubtful, that I could make the match Monday. I’ll make sure to let you know if I’ll be there.

I won’t, unfortunately. I’ll be back in Manhattan this weekend, but of course we don’t play until Monday! It is a great pub. O’Neal’s will have to do for this week! (O’Neal’s is great, too. Spoonie O’Neal is my favorite bar owner). Where were you the past two years?

Mr. Dennehy’s will probably be the biggest/best. As an American, you are used to seeing large crowds for Arsenal, ManUre, Chelsea, Spurs, and the Shite. So, being in a city with an Everton pub—walking in and seeing everyone in blue; sharing in a love for this club; singing after a good result—it’s magical. O’Neal’s in Philadelphia is my regular Everton pub (a brisk 25 minute walk away), and is always great, as well.

Rooney’s goal, as celebrated in NYC yesterday. You’ll find me in the back, frozen in disbelief.

Seconded. If this isn’t your answer, then you didn’t watch.

I didn’t mention Rooney. Rooney had a good match, considering the role he was given and Sam’s shit tactics on the day.

Gana hardly put a foot wrong. Stupid yellow and didn’t challenge well enough for their goal. But, he killed off so many attacks and was basically the only player in midfield that offered an outlet and completed passes today.

Always great to come away from this fixture with any points. But, I really wish we had gone about it differently.

Fuck off, Schneiderlin

Fucking Jags? We should be trying to push on and get the winner. Fuck preserving the point. The shite are soft and we should’ve spent the match exploiting that. It was always about one point, never three.

I’d rather we lose derbies while trying to win. Losing while set up for a 0-0 draw is so fucking disheartening.

I’d like to see Niasse and Davies off for Lennon and Lookman. Move Rooney inside. Get Lennon defending where Rooney is currently. And get Lookman as an outlet to get us up the pitch.