Elston Gunnn

All they need to do is pop in long balls

How can Howard not see what's coming it was blatantly obvious he was going to tee a shot up so he stands 10/15 yards off his line.... Plank!

I cannot stress enough how important Gibson and Lennon were in this match. Gibson was pivotal to distributing the ball and attacking in a way that Barry has failed to do. It was important in this match that Martinez not stop the flow of the game by putting two defensive midfielders on: Barry/ Besic or Barry/ McCarthy.
 
However, I think that Lennon was by far the best player in the pitch. He fulfills his offensive and defensive duties well. Moreover, he made Coleman shine today, particularly when his play has failed to impress during the season. The reason being that having a fast and tactful player on the right flank that also plays well defensively leaves Coleman open for more runs and crosses, what Deulofeu did last season, and what McGeady has failed to do consistently.
 
Lennon is what we need to play wider football. However, he and Atsu are only here on loan. Wingers will be pivotal during the next transfer window. Who will be the long term solution?

We need Barry out of the lineup more often.

Burnley with 3 points over City. Possible late penalty not given. Shocking result, and very bad for us.

Congratulations with the win ! It was a good game. Kyiv (this is Ukrainian way of transcription, while Kiev is Russian way - it was always like this, no change) started really great but looks like they really are unfit after the re-start of the season. Looks like the biggest problem for DK. Yarmolenko (#10, tall guy) played excellently when was able physically, no performance in the 2-d half almost. There were 3 very young guys (19-21) in the midlefiled for Kyiv (and the 4-th was a substitude) - almost no experience (2-3d game in Europe for all of them) - they were lost under the pressure definitely. So, well deserved win for Everton. I'm not surprised with it considering DK was really poor this season on away games in Europe.
Will be totally different game in Kyiv. DK could give a rest for core players in the local league, they should be in better fit form definitely - and there should be 70 ths crowd at the stadium. It is quite a unique there - the crowd pushes DK forward and they usually run as twice as much home vs away games. Would be very tough game for Everton considering you can not relax in the local game. I'm keeping a balanced optimism about the home game for DK - but we have 2 equally strong teams here - a minor things or luck will decide.
P.S Come to Kyiv - the situation is stable there and you'll enjoy it - don't be afraid

This is the Everton we've missed!
 
Attacking with pace, urgency, constantly!
 
Full backs pushing high up. Barry dropping back in. Centre backs splitting. Loads of energy and power.

Don't forget we also had Jags header cleared off the line and Lukaku's open goal...we could be two up.

It's a fair question. I have an answer -- mine --which isn't necessarily the answer. I'm not trying to persuade you or anyone else that he came to Everton with a fantastic record that promised certain future success. Only trying to explain why I think people thought him so promising. 
As an American -- a burden on this subject -- my intro to RM was his commentary during the 2010 WC. He was so refreshingly interesting compared to many other so-called experts that I, and others, were very impressed with his knowledge of the intricacies of the game, leagues, teams, players. You may find this difficult to believe, but he did not speak in cliches. (Amazing, I know.). He was unfailingly upbeat, to be sure, but for a commentator, a sunny disposition seemed preferable to the snarky boorishness of others. He was, and is, likable. He explained the game, discussed teams' and players' strengths and weaknesses, and not incidentally seemed to have impressed his fellow commentators.
 
When rumors began that Moyes might be next at MU, and when Moyes declined to sign a new contract, I told the lifelong Everton fan who introduced me to the club that I hoped Martinez would be considered. I knew nothing of his playing or coaching career, save that at the time of his appointment he had Won the FA Cup with Wigan, having in the process embarrassed Everton (3 goals in 3 minutes). Did I and others ignore the disconcerting fact that Wigan went down? Apparently so, a mere oddity that didn't fit the developing narrative.
 
Now maybe some folks saw major flaws in his approach during his first season at Goodison, but surely very few, given a record number of points and a near-miss at a CL spot. The developing narrative certainly wasn't slowed last season. Quite the contrary, it exploded. His always-positive press conferences, then, didn't irritate nearly as many people as now. Easily forgiven, even assuming one were bold enough to think he needed forgiving. He was, or seemed, gold.
 
To repeat: the above isn't intended to persuade you that things are fine, just trust Roberto, blah blah. It is simply my answer to your good question. I've no idea what the rest of this season, this summer, next season will look like. I can't explain this season's EPL disaster; I do not discount the obvious possibility that the explanation is down to RM and no one else.

This post may wind up sounding confrontational, or naive -- I don't yet know, not having written most of it yet -- but my intention is to solicit straightforward responses to some questions.
 
I begin by granting that RM has lost the plot, and that his actors sure appear to have lost faith in his direction. I grant, too, that I am in a less perilous psychological state than many of you, as I have followed Everton intermittently and from afar for a mere 20 years, but more importantly have been an Everton absolute-nutter for only about 7-8 years, as my TV access to EPL and especially Everton matches is fairly recent. Not having grown up an Everton fanatic, never having been to Goodson, not living alongside Liverpool nutters, my devastation at relegation will feel real, but probably won't be really, really real, as will be the case with many of you. Your joy and pain, respectively, far surpass mine.
 
So I'll depend here on your being "thinking Evertonians" rather than murderous Evertonians. "Toffee Talk: For the Fratricidal Evertonian."
 
1. Assuming we're almost all right now fearful, even firmly convinced, we'll not get to 40, does anyone -- anyone -- think it will actually take 40 to stay up? Anyone?
2. If "yes," you're excused; no comfort here. But if "no," ok, how many to stay up?
3. I have posted previously that we need 36. Is that crazy, stupid, dumber than dirt? Because we need more? Less? [.........]
4. But say your response to #2 above is 37, 38, 39. Ok, do you think 3 of the current bottom 5 -- Sunderland, Villa, QPR, Burnley, Leicester -- will achieve 39? 38? 37? Which 3?

This post may wind up sounding confrontational, or naive -- I don't yet know, not having written most of it yet -- but my intention is to solicit straightforward responses to some questions.
 
I begin by granting that RM has lost the plot, and that his actors sure appear to have lost faith in his direction. I grant, too, that I am in a less perilous psychological state than many of you, as I have followed Everton intermittently and from afar for a mere 20 years, but more importantly have been an Everton absolute-nutter for only about 7-8 years, as my TV access to EPL and especially Everton matches is fairly recent. Not having grown up an Everton fanatic, never having been to Goodson, not living alongside Liverpool nutters, my devastation at relegation will feel real, but probably won't be really, really real, as will be the case with many of you. Your joy and pain, respectively, far surpass mine.
 
So I'll depend here on your being "thinking Evertonians" rather than murderous Evertonians. "Toffee Talk: For the Fratricidal Evertonian."
 
1. Assuming we're almost all right now fearful, even firmly convinced, we'll not get to 40, does anyone -- anyone -- think it will actually take 40 to stay up? Anyone?
2. If "yes," you're excused; no comfort here. But if "no," ok, how many to stay up?
3. I have posted previously that we need 36. Is that crazy, stupid, dumber than dirt? Because we need more? Less? [.........]
4. But say your response to #2 above is 37, 38, 39. Ok, do you think 3 of the current bottom 5 -- Sunderland, Villa, QPR, Burnley, Leicester -- will achieve 39? 38? 37? Which 3?

This post may wind up sounding confrontational, or naive -- I don't yet know, not having written most of it yet -- but my intention is to solicit straightforward responses to some questions.
 
I begin by granting that RM has lost the plot, and that his actors sure appear to have lost faith in his direction. I grant, too, that I am in a less perilous psychological state than many of you, as I have followed Everton intermittently and from afar for a mere 20 years, but more importantly have been an Everton absolute-nutter for only about 7-8 years, as my TV access to EPL and especially Everton matches is fairly recent. Not having grown up an Everton fanatic, never having been to Goodson, not living alongside Liverpool nutters, my devastation at relegation will feel real, but probably won't be really, really real, as will be the case with many of you. Your joy and pain, respectively, far surpass mine.
 
So I'll depend here on your being "thinking Evertonians" rather than murderous Evertonians. "Toffee Talk: For the Fratricidal Evertonian."
 
1. Assuming we're almost all right now fearful, even firmly convinced, we'll not get to 40, does anyone -- anyone -- think it will actually take 40 to stay up? Anyone?
2. If "yes," you're excused; no comfort here. But if "no," ok, how many to stay up?
3. I have posted previously that we need 36. Is that crazy, stupid, dumber than dirt? Because we need more? Less? [.........]
4. But say your response to #2 above is 37, 38, 39. Ok, do you think 3 of the current bottom 5 -- Sunderland, Villa, QPR, Burnley, Leicester -- will achieve 39? 38? 37? Which 3?

Bobby please, please don't mention how great or phenomenal our 'character' was in the second half because we're shite.

I actually think second half we looked as much of a threat as we have been all season. Gibson's forward passing was one factor and I actually think that Atsu's movement helped us. We lost today because of Howard. Such a frustrating season this has been.

Howard has to be dropped.
 
There are just no words for Lukaku... normally, he makes up for his heavy touch by finishing opportunities like the ones he had to day, but he can't be defended when he misses.

2 key ingredients to having a shitter...you GK has a nightmare one end of the pitch...your key striker has a nightmare at the other end.
 
My word. I'm out of things to say.

Whichever way you look at it Robles has elevated his standing in the team, if Tim has a poor game he knows quite well that Martinez can now rely on Robles - before his injury Tims place was assured, he knows he has a young buck chomping at his heels. He has come back for one game and was excellent.
 
We have competition for the number 1 spot - we never had that before.

Didn't he play deep against QPR which ended up in arguably one of his best performances of the season alongside Besic?
This is where I see him.
He loves to have space in front of him to run Into.
He doesn't seem to enjoy being on the edge of the area, he always turns back.

I think Gareth Barry may well have been a crucial ally of Roberto's when Eto was causing mayhem. I think he had to have players he trusted and Barry was that man.
 
I think RM sees him as the man to employ his tactics out there.
 
Isn't it amazing - since Eto left all the players with head down etc seems to have gone. Last night was a strong team performance - not the best perfromance but one with loads of character.

Anyone clock how many offsides lukaku got tonight? My guess is he's 33% higher than the next highest offender. He was on 28 offsides after the derby, after him was Costa on 20 and then there's a good few in and around 16-20.
 
Unlucky offsides I can handle, he's get caught 5 yards plus needlessly. Daft.

2nd half was a better watch!!!
 
In the end, it wouldn't have been unfair for us to get a draw or even nick a win. We held our own most of the time. That's not say we played brilliantly, but we did what we had to...For 88 minutes anyway!
 
Was no surprise to see Barry sent off. The up side to that is that we hopefully get to see McCarthy and Besic together.
 
Surprised to see the role Gibson seemed to have. He seemed quite far up field.
 
Pleased for Howard. Real solid performance. Justified his Number 1 slot tonight.
 
Onwards and upwards.

Typical Everton. Lots of guts, effort and commitment but couldn't take our chances and got done by a bit of bad luck. I think being without Barry for at least 2 matches might be a very good thing. Besic and Mcarthy to start together. If they have Lennon, Nais or Ross, Mirallas and Rom ahead of them we will give some team a real spanking.
 
But right now I am a little bit proud of the effort and a little bit disappointed that we couldn't see it out.
 
Oh, and I have to get up in 5 hours and fly to Dhaka and back.

Howard was beaten by an unsighted deflection.
Naismith got hit by a ball and it deflected in...
 
Not anyone's fault.

Naismith was running to close the shot down, Howard done by the deflection. Cannot blame either of them, just bad luck

Hit and hoper. We've been unlucky there.
 
Hard on the lads. They've done well for the most part.