AlbanyNYToffee

Thanks Shukes definitely see where you're coming from now and I 1000% agree with you on the high press. We're just defining work rate differently I suppose. I wouldn't say any of the players you mentioned (Son is best example and I know the shite has quite a few hard workers) give their all every match. Many have large stretches where they're complete passengers. But this is where we agree on the high press. A good one hides so many of your other flaws and allows players to rest at certain points in the match. As I know you would I'd also love to see us adapt a high press and really challenge teams physically and Frank is trying but it's hard to press with unathletic dogshit. Speaking of that's the other part of your post we're on the same page. The players you mentioned are naturally gifted athletes. We only have a few those. I don't think it's particularly popular because we're desperate for success after so many years of tough sledding and more recently relegation battles, but when you look at our recruitment in 17/18 (I'm a huge believer Everton is the only club who could have survived this long), 18/19 and 19/20 it's nothing short of an absolute miracle we're still in the league. For 3 straight years the team got worse on the field, more expensive and had no sell-on value. A club our size, no matter how rich the owner, can't do that. And I know I'm completely beating a dead horse right now and mostly off-topic from where we started above I just can't say it enough. I'm completely done with this game where we pile on a manager after a year and get him sacked (Benitez excluded, the rat). We signed Maupay as a backup to DCL, not expecting to need him for large stretches, not because Frank or Kevin or anyone on the staff thought he was good. The whole world can see he's not. He's the best we could do in our current situation. I have absolutely 0 faith in Moshiri and Kenwright to run the club. I have some faith that Frank and Kevin can improve the team and academy enough to make us a worthy investment for some other rich dude. Maybe, just maybe, the next rich dude will be more competent. Until that day comes I'll be supporting this club with everything I've got and expecting a relegation battle at all times. COYB.

Fair enough. I think we're just in a different era of football. When you say players in pretty much 90% of premier teams that are like that who are you referring to? I'm sure you have some examples - off the top of my head I can't think of any. Who is doing what you describe for City? Utd? Spurs? Chelsea? the Shite? Arsenal?

Maupay is complete garbage but he puts in more effort than Kean, Tosun, King etc. Dele was a passenger. Gomes couldn't run anymore. Gbamin was a traffic cone. Walcott was useless. Bernard tried his best but was significantly too small.

Bit unfair. Never questioned whether Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Mina, Godfrey, Seamus, Iwobi, McNeil and Townsend have given everything. Most of the others it's a moment or two of laziness/lack of awareness. Quality is our problem not effort. While we haven't necessarily improved our results this year's squad is the most industrious in quite a few seasons.

City 1 - 1 Everton Coady

Bournemouth 0 - 0 Everton none

Unless they’re fatigued on Saturday from 3 games in a week and two trips to the south coast. We’re now winless in 7 against promoted sides. Saturday is obviously not a must win this early but it sure as hell feels very important with the layoff coming.

Agreed. Begovic Patterson Holgate Welch Vinagre Davies Doucoure Garner (in the hole) McNeil Rondon Gordon Somehow Maupay is even harder to watch than Rondon.

Everton 2 - 2 Leicester Gordon

Would be happy to buy one for you and you Venmo me for it. I’m a member so get ticket access to home games.

Fulham 0 - 1 Everton Iwobi

Jesus six winless against promoted sides is absolutely fucking dreadful.

Incredible thing to me is the team have 11 goals. Iwobi has assisted 5 of them. City have 36 so from my very biased perspective Iwobi's achievement is nearly 2x as impressive as KDB's 9 assists. KDB 9/36 Iwobi 5/11 Bernardo 5/36 Andreas 4/22 Saka 4/25 Vardy 4/21 Amazing.

Here's how I see it: Locks: Pickford, Gana Most likely: Coady Darn close: Tarkowski, Onana Still technically possible: DCL, Vinagre Everyone else heads to the land down under.

Everton 2 - 0 Palace DCL

Newcastle 2 - 2 Everton DCL

Spurs 0 - 0 Everton None

Everton 1 -1 Utd Gordon

Southampton 1 - 3 Everton Gordon

Literally the first player who could have gotten injured has. FFS. What did all of us do in a past life to deserve this torturous love affair?

Ok we're building something here and feeling good so who wants to guess which key player gets hurt on international duty...sorry for the doom and gloom. Coady, Patterson, Mykolenko, Gordon, Onana, Gana, Iwobi, Garner. Not wishing ill will on Rondon or Coleman but that would be best case scenario.

Went looking for my comments in this thread but apparently i left the really bad stuff in the matchday posts. He's had many a critic on here and I was towards the front of the queue. While this is a great place to share our thoughts and grievances it's also very important we admit to our mistakes. I would like to formally apologize to Alex. Many have been watching Everton for decades so I'm sure others jump to mind but in my 15 years I have never seen anyone have a turnaround like his. He was absolute trash no way around it and now he is our most important player. Full credit to him (with a decent assist from the coaching staff) on persistence and unlocking his potential.

Special. https://twitter.com/RBMersey/status/1571667708231434242?s=20&t=9NgvgjPff7bPZlckdfgjMA

Ok it’s official, I love this group. I’m scared.

Everton 2 - 1 West Ham Onana