JoeQuince

I think Valencia's energy made a big difference. But, I think the biggest difference was Davies bombing forward on the right flank. He gave us that much needed option that finally gave balance to our play.

Schneiderlin.

Mark, apologies, that was Jags with the pass. My bad.

I believe that was Williams. Also, we should've had a penalty just now, but Kevin Friend.

BARKLEY! Beautiful goal

Valencia on for Holgate. Looks like Davies to RB.

We're in full control. We're just lacking that little bit of decisiveness. Rom just juked Kabasele into injury.

Yes, agents are necessary to some extent. Of course. Or else clubs would fuck the players. But, allowing them to extort players and clubs is too much.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/39882054 I believe I mentioned agents' overhead fees and power in the game being the bigger issue the other day. There's nothing I detest more than middlemen.

I need to step my game up. My phone still autocorrects "fuck" to "duck" sometimes.

Everton spending 50m on a mercurial striker is a risk I can't see them taking. I'm all for improving the squad. But, that's a risk of a magnitude this club has never seen. Yeah man, I'm just saying we shouldn't judge players necessarily on the league they come from and its history, but on the qualities of each player's game and what they bring to a team.

Did your phone autocorrect "ship" to "shit"? We can start working on some stress management techniques, if you want...

Mark, you're just as guilty of turning toward a handful of individuals to make your point about the Dutch league. And, as an American, you know just as well as I do that Jozy Altidore is an enigmatic bastard. Sometimes he looks unstoppable and sometimes you wonder how anyone ever saw anything in him.

There has to be a solid wage floor, at the very least. This could create new problems, too. There are eleven players on the field at any given time. How much of each player's performance is down to them, at an individual level? How does one measure the performance of players in positions that don't create a lot of statistics? How does this guarantee better overall team play and not create individualistic divisions within the team? Team-based performance incentives might be better. But, this could create new tensions in the locker room and could place managers into an even trickier position vis-a-vis players and place them under even more scrutiny than they are already under. I think the best thing would be for football to regulate agents and the perverse incentive structure they have. So much of what goes on has to do with agents trying to cash in and make huge profits off of player sales. It keeps players' heads turned and sucks up so much overhead cost from clubs and players alike. Something could be done about this.

Very much agreed. Don't want Holgate out, but we need an outlet on the right.

Kenny has been really good since he came on. Definitely more of a right back than Holgate. That kid Mawson has played out of his skin today.

I feel like there's a lot of tension with the players and manager these days.

And he's about to put on a FUCKING LOANEE when we have nothing to play for. Develop one of our own, please.

I'm with you and Matt. I'm sick of watching it at this point. Took a solid season and a half for me to tire of Martinez. This is dire garbage.

Please sub out Stekelenberg.

I can't deal with looking at this lopsided garbage on the pitch.

I don't know what this system is that Koeman has us playing. Holgate is isolated on the right and everyone else is bunching on the left. Mirallas needs to pick his fucking head up and look for a pass rather than attempt to shoot through 6 defenders for once in his life.

I just don't see the fucking utility of playing Stekelenberg. Our whole backline has been disorganized since he came in

Stekelenberg is fucking horrible. Plays like a little kid who's afraid of contact. Great defending by Holgate

They had something to play for. We didn't. It showed. I don't think this is an existential crisis inducing match. Unless we're mad that most of our players simply didn't show up today. I think Koeman's lineup also reflected us not having much to play for. Starting DCL and Valencia hardly makes sense, even with some of his wonky decisions. And, Ross needs to get his head screwed on tight. He was playing inside of himself yet again today.