Elston Gunnn

Man City 2-2 Everton

 

Mirallas

I like RM, and appreciate, seriously, millwallforever's analysis of his intelligence; and I'm glad to hear Roberto's a paragon of Hochkultur.

 

I admit, however, to some concern for how Roberto's Hochkultur sensibilities will cope when Goodison is transformed as its nice families and supporters become the new Mongols, bloodthirsty Huns, trampling and scourging, and such.

 

Might make him yearn for the (relative) sanity of la Sagrada Familia.

.... and distin (our rock)

In the absence of Stones and Alcaraz, we can only desperately hope that Distin regains some semblance of his rock-solid play of previous seasons.

 

As I joined this forum only a few months back, I've no sense of whether milesey05's rock-ref is aimed at those who might have over-praised Distin previously, but in any case the cynical sarcasm of this description is ...... just hilarious.

 

Footballers are dead stupid. And football fanatics, when aggrieved, are dead cruel. Just now, we are aggrieved, mightily.

 

I should be ashamed to laugh at milesey05's bon mot. And I am very ashamed. Because I am laughing.

RM says in post-match interview that he's "incredibly proud" of how the team played. Amazing. I'd like Distin to say something like, "The manager is standing up for us, but the Hull goal is down to me, period."

 

Second half, a strange combo of overconfidence and panic. Way more daft than deft passes. Just utterly daft.

 

Pienaar and Osman may have been fluid enough in years past, but now they are not physically strong enough to hold off opponents.

 

I appreciate the energy and promise shown by Besic, Barkley, and Lukaku. Mirallas, too, at times, though the chip attempt seemed foolish, as it usually does when it (usually) doesn't work.

Everton 3-1 Hull

 

Lukaku

Arsenal vs Southampton, Chelsea vs Spurs. This is a must-win (excuse the cliche) to keep in touch with the pack for top four.

Although the must-win cliche isn't quite to be taken literally, it feels that way psychologically, so Pearso's point seems well taken, especially given tonight's results. A loss or dismaying tie tomorrow night will mean Everton lose ground to Man U, W Ham (away win), Swansea, Reds (away win), Villa (away win), even Newcastle (away draw).

 

As we've no chance at top 2, I'll hope Chelsea and Man City win tomorrow night, and I suppose I prefer a draw for Arsenal-Southampton. But no question that anything other than a win for Everton would mean these midweek fixtures will have been terrible from an Everton perspective.

 

If Hull City manage a win, Everton will be losing touch with a pack larger than merely the top 4.

 

Edit - Just realized how awfully pessimistic my post is; so, for balance, an Everton win, and it's up to 8th. Conceivably even 7th, though that seems hallucinatory.

Spurs 2-3 Everton

 

Lukaku

Didn't realize this was an 'early' night game. As is it'll be on at 10 my time and I won't be able to catch any of it with work.

Replay tonight in US on FoxSports2 at 8 EST, if that helps.

Everton 3-2 West Ham

 

Naismith

If all said players are out (which I doubt).

I'd like to see him go with this.....

Howard

Coleman Jags Distin Garbutt

Besic Barkley

Naismith Eto'o McGeady

Lukaku

Barkley a little further back would give an interesting look. Besic can cover lots of defensive ground, so Barkley pushing forward from a deeper position would make for lots of attackers.

 

I'll guess Osman starts somewhere, but I don't want to distract the conversation from your more important point about Barkley.

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2014/11/18/martinez-to-check-on-quartet

 

Lots of "a bit too early to tell," " a worry," "make sure," and "we need to be cautious."

 

Doesn't exactly sound optimistic that any of these 4 -- Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Gibson -- will play Saturday. Nor Oviedo. No mention of Pienaar, so who knows? Kone surely still unlikely.

 

So, maybe .....

 

............................ Howard ............................

 

Coleman ...... Jagielka ...... Distin ...... Garbutt

 

................... Besic ............... Osman ...............

 

McGeady ............. Barkley ............... Naismith

 

.............................. Lukaku ............................

 

Maybe Eto'o to start instead of McGeady or Naismith, both of whom will presumably play today in friendlies.

 

Hard (for me) to name 6 likely bench players. Browning, presumably. Maybe Pienaar???

Jagielka appeared to limp off the pitch when substituted for near end of Slovenia match.

 

Hope it's truly minor, and that he doesn't play v. Scotland.

If Distin plays ahead of a natural LB I'll go ape shit.

I have a vague memory of Distin at LB a couple of matches last season, or maybe 2012-13. No memory of how he performed, though I gather your memory on that point is distinct.

 

I've heard little about Oviedo's progress, so maybe Garbutt is best bet.

 

Bad news is that it's "a fortnight at most," which may be roughly translated as "a fortnight at least."

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fc-relief-leighton-baines-8115134

 

"... a fortnight at most."

 

Maybe returns for Wolfsburg, maybe not. Oviedo, Garbutt, or even Distin v. West Ham??

Whether we like it or not...football is a limited topic. The same questions week in and week out from journalists notorious for tearing things out of context with a view to manufacturing strife. The best strategy in terms of dealing with these sharks is to always remain positive; mechanically repeat platitiudes to keep the bastards at bay. Rather be overly positive than ambivalent in such a way that the journalists find some thumbscrew to turn. Martinez handles media better than any manager in the league because he is the cleverest guy in the class. The fans need to understand that talking to the press is a mere ritual devoid of actual content. Of course, Martinez could take the journalists for a ride like a Mourinho, but Martinez is simply not that kind of guy. Deal with it.

 

Although "Deal with it" is uncharacteristicly churlish, the remainder of your post makes really good points [and I'm being serious, not churlish]: sharks manufacturing strife, platitudes for the bastards, thumbscrew turners, contentless ritual.

 

To be clear, I wouldn't want RM to adopt Mourinho's snarky interview personality. Despite my irritation at his incessant fluffery, you and others are undoubtedly right that the scribes are looking for a thumbscrew story. I've no idea whether RM's the cleverest, but he's the sunniest, and it's mostly refreshing. As you suggest, he's sort of an anti-Mourinho.

 

And to repeat a point that originally led me to comment on RM, he's so engaging and plain interesting as a football analyst that it's too bad the interview game is so shallow. Because Roberto isn't.

I just looked in the classifieds: "used Ford Fiesta, phenomenal engine, incredible power." It's how you justify the selling price.

 

Would you buy if it read "always in the shop, constantly going in the wrong direction"?

No, I would not. However, you'll not be entirely surprised that I am reluctant to concede the validity of your analogy.

 

For, my suggestion of what RM might more straightforwardly have said included the complimentary words, "strong" and "wonderful." True, I thought RM might simply have noted that Gibson was not consistently at his wonderful best at Sunderland, but I definitely didn't recommend that RM tell the whole truth: that, alas, Gibson is "always in the shop."

Didn't see the game but according to Sqwarka Gibson had 94% pass completion.

I admit I'm surprised, because my own impression as the match went on was that Gibson uncharacteristically gave the ball away several times. I thought his passing was rather more uncertain than in an earlier match this season. He looked to be struggling to keep up the final 20 minutes.

 

But I'm willing to be corrected. Maybe others who saw the match can comment.

Here's an example of Roberto-fluff that is just silly.

 

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2014/11/10/gibson-fitness-pleases-martinez

 

"But we have seen today [sunday] that he [Gibson] is a phenomenal passer of the ball. He has got incredible technical ability...."

 

I like Gibson, a lot. But is his passing "phenomenal"? Is his technical ability "incredible"?

 

And did we see anything phenomenal or incredible from Gibson against Sunderland? [Apart from one incredibly bad touch that nearly gifted Sunderland a goal.]

 

RM seems incapable of saying, "Darron possesses strong technical ability and produces wonderful passes. Today we didn't see his very best, as he'd be the first to say, but as he regains his form we will all see what a good footballer he is."

Imported these from the Sunderland thread, as there's a lively debate about RM over there, but maybe it belongs here.

 

Martinez has made some shocking decisions this season and got plenty wrong yet no one seens to question him cos it's Bobby lad isn't it. So most blame Lukaku because he's being asked to play a role that he doesn't excel in. If you listen to most you'd think Lukaku was playing that way just because he decides to and not because Martinez is telling him to.

Just pisses me off the way he can do no wrong in some fans eyes yet players who play in his formations and to his asking do. The Palace game epitomises Martinez. Losing 2-1 and he takes a right back and centre half off puts 2 forwards on and drops both his holding midfielders into the 2 vacant positions. What fucking planet is he on to think that would work? Yet because it's "bobby" (I cringe when our fans call him that) then it's accepted.

Cons:-

 

 

• annoying with positivity when we have played poor
• £28m on Lukaku
• Poor pre season prep this year
• unable to get us playing to any consistent and quick tempo

Overall I think he's good...

Acknowledging that hafnia also listed the pros, I focus on the cons, as this season's problems raise legitimate questions.

 

When Moyes was stalling on a new contract, I told the friend (Wigan-born, now in US) whose lifelong devotion to Everton led to my Everton-fanaticism that I hoped RM would be Moyes's successor. I knew little of RM's Wigan years, so my initial assessment of him came entirely from his 2010 WC commentary on US tv. Fast-forward to his superb first season here, and then he shows up again on ESPN as easily their best 2014 WC analyst, more detailed insights on numerous teams, players, formations, strategies.

 

However, because he wasn't discussing Everton, his commentary, though unfailingly upbeat, was the opposite of annoying; it was straightforward, confident, pointed, informative. Best I can tell, everyone in the US loved hearing Roberto's stuff. Felt truly informed by his expertise, not to mention charmed by his smile and warmth. Including me.

 

Not so much these days, when he discusses Everton. To be fair, he does seem a genuinely upbeat fellow. But he lapses into a set of cliches, favorite fluff expressions. Is it fair to say he dissembles a bit more than necessary? Would the fluff be a lot less irritating if we were 4th or 5th in the table?

 

For that matter, would we be sitting at 4/5 if all these ghastly injuries weren't plaguing our season, and Roberto's squad plans? Surely the succession of injuries plays some (major?) role in what hafnia notes - and what I will guess is a dominant concern among virtually all posters - as the inconsistency in tempo, and overall performance.

 

Getting to 4th by season's end, perfectly possible, just now doesn't feel perfectly likely. And winning either the Europa League or the FA Cup entails a long road. So I find myself already thinking that the real - fair? - test will come in RM's 3d and 4th seasons. I think - and here I will adopt hafnia's subtle punch line - he has a multi-year plan...

Thank you for pointing out my error - and, especially, for your honesty. My day was a little busy, and I muddled your prediction with that of BlueBlood, but all is corrected now.

Yes, I'm a proper angel, my Mum says.

 

Still, as long as we're being honest and all, I honestly just assumed that if I honestly pointed out the error, I'd surely be awarded 20 or 50 Honesty Bonus Points. After all, I'm aiming for top 4, so I can make next year's Champions League, the veritable Silver Chalice of the Meaning of Life. Failing that, those Honesty Bonus Points would fix me atop the Fair Play Table, and maybe a spot in the Europa League.

 

If all honesty gets me is a couple of spots lower in the table, down the muck with Spurs and the Redshite, well, heck, I'll just go the Luis Suarez route, and cheat every chance I see. He's made a good living, and hasn't been caught even once.

Cornish Steve -- You've given me too many points.

 

My guess was Sunderland 1-3 Everton, Eto'o, which appears to give me only one point.

McGeady has saved Coleman several times. Jagielka steady. Eto'o bad miss early on, and Barkley should have scored. McGeady probably our best (........) so far. Not enough play down left side, though Baines has created some good movement a couple of times.

 

Not a smooth team today. Sunderland always look dangerous on corners.

Pienaar not even on bench. Another injury?

Sunderland 1-3 Everton

 

Eto'o

His brother Cole is supposed to be decent.

Pretty irritating, though.