Toffee_in_LA

Just got back from watching the match at a friend's house (he's a Man U supporter) and he had some good things of note to say

• He was really impressed with McCarthy, he kept on mentioning that he is such a boss and does everything you want a CDM to do
• Also loves Stones, told me to never sell him as he is the type of CB you build a backline around. "you struck gold with stones" he said, kinda has a nice ring to it
• Also likes Lennon which he mentioned he was surprised with because he was not a fan of him at Spurs. Mentioned that he's playing with a passion he had not seen before. I mentioned Alan Ball's "Once Everton has touched you" quote and he had a good laugh about it but I know it was all in good fun

We can still get to 8th, we're in pretty darn good form. COYB!

Happy to see us pick up the 3 points although it would have been nice to slot a couple more past them, we just couldn't finish them off. They seem to have a lot of fight left in them and I don't see them going down that easily.

That's when Lukaku's touch lets him down there

Mirallas off for Lukaku. Overall, good game back for Mirallas

Baines looks fired up charging up the field, those passes have been on point

Barnes sent off for Burnley, surely we'll win this now...

Really hope so because after what's happened that would be a real finisher for me if it was directed at our fans.

 

I'm an Everton supporter.

Absolutely, like I said I have no idea but if it was directed toward Goodison or even the Everton staff, I'd be done with him as well

Kone really leaves me feeling sad. Lukaku gets critiqued which is fair enough but I (as many of y'all) have not seen anything from him

Edit: And right as I say that, he did a great job holding up play there. MORE OF THAT!!!

As for the hand gestures, for all we know, it's directed toward the media saying he is looking/playing his way out of Goodison. Who knows really

He scoffed the 1st shot but solid finish nonetheless. Tim touched that didn't he?

Baines may have had a quiet word with Roberto and said that he doesn't feel happy continuing to take the pens after the Mirallas/WBA fiasco. Agree it was a pen and a missed opportunity. Also agree that Lennon looks like our best player. Though, pen miss apart, Ross does look lively.

Hmm interesting, although I feel conflicted by that. On one hand i kinda understand but on the other, I would make sure he was continuously taking them and feel like he's not doing what's best for the club. I swear Baines had taken a pen after the West Brom game though, am I wrong?

Really loving the contributions Lennon has had with us this year.

What point could Baines possibly be making? And I guess after hearing what the rule is (continued contact in the box=penalty), that was a pen so FFS on the miss

Really, it wasn't a penalty so fair enough I suppose but the commentators said Coleman ran to Baines to inquire as to why he wasn't taking it...

Thought the game was a 9 am kickoff and not a 6:45 one so i was only able to catch the last 15 or so minutes but we looked ok at that time. A point is a point and away, I can't complain too much.

3 points away from the 40. Did not get a chance to post on the thread but I am happy that we got the 3 points. On to the next one now

Falcao scored against us...

Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the game (I was at a place where I had no internet access outside my cellphone). However, I listened to it on the radio and boy was I nervy. Is Roberto the right man for the job? Idk, I really do not know. I am the type of person that likes to give people the benefit of the doubt so I am just hoping we win our next two game and get to 40 points so I can get rid of this damn signature and all but secure our safety next season.

I have a lot I really want to say ... however I can't get worked up enough to say it.

 

And that, is the biggest indictment of all. Whatever he has done for us or to us RM has done something much worse. He has made me apathetic about the entire season. I wonder if there are any others who are edging the same way?

Personally, it is hard to be apathetic when we are so close to the relegation zone. But the fact that is concern number 1 really shows how badly this season has gone.

Alcaraz has been very ying and yang this season. Great performance against Newcastle in the middle of two shite ones against Dynamo. Assuming Stones simply cannot go (in which case why have him on the bench), why have we not seen Distin at all this season. Sure he started out quite poor but he has been relegated to the U-21 the entire season while players that have been poor have been given the opportunity to persist and play or at least make the bench (Barkley, Barry, McGeady to name a couple).

I think Martinez said something about going for goals in a pre game interview?

 

I expected us to line up like we did vs liverpool with 3 strong CM's but I think Martinez always expected us to have to score with Kiev having that away goal.

 

But yeah, focus on QPR. Get those lessons learnt.

Yeah I do agree with that. The lineup just seemed to me like Martinez did not believe we would be able to keep a clean sheet. But I never would have thought we would concede 5 goals... and with schoolboy defending... Like if we would have conceded all 5 like the last one (despite us not closing out on the shooter) then fair enough but Coleman/Alcaraz were simply comical.

On to the weekend now.

I still feel so numb right now, like did our shite defense really lose the game for us. I'd drink but I still have class tonight. At least y'all across the pond will have to sleep in a bit. It's barely 3pm here and I have to think about this shite performance the rest of the day.

Bah.

 

I guess the forum will be busy over the coming days!

 

I think we went for it a bit to much. We went with an offensive mentality and left ourselves open at the back. Alcaraz had a nightmare. Coleman not much better...did he ever actually beat a man in attack?!

 

I also think we underestimated them a bit.

 

A good game of footy. End to end stuff.

I disagree on the going in a bit too much because of what you said. Alcaraz/Coleman both had their worst games I can remember, especially Coleman. Barry/McCarthy/Jags were a bit too jumpy as a result of the shite defending and it cost us severely. *sigh* We need to beat QPR now...

Stupid defending by Alcaraz and Coleman for their last two goals. Everyone stood off on the first. I can only really partly blame Howard for the 2nd one, he should have come out and punched the ball. Do we really need to waste a sub on Alcaraz? We may need Osman/Gibson/Kone to get us out of this but I think we may need to sacrifice one for Stones if he is up to it. His schoolboy defending... FFS. Now we all have to sweat this 2nd half out, hopefully go through.

Howard, Baines, Jags, Alcaraz, Coleman, Naismith, Barry, McCarthy, Atsu, Barkley, Lukaku

 

Robles, Kone, Garbutt, Stones, Gibson, Besic, Osman

4-2-3-1. Decent options from the bench (Stones/Besic if we're defending) (Kone/Gibson/Osman) if we need a goal. Let's just win it and not have to sweat the game!