veedublin

Let's go Rom. How about two hats against YB?

THAT was nice.

Streaming Fiorentina/Tottenham match now, and oh my goodness Spurs missed a golden opportunity. They had a two-on-one, and Soldado totally muffed the pass to Chadli, and it went right into the hands of the Fiorentina keeper. I gotta believe Kane wouldn't have mucked that up.

Now that it's on the interwebs, we know it to be true.

Just watched the presser, with RM playing footsie with Barry under the desk... Howard will start. ("needs match fitness") Atsu is ill with a virus. Distin is fully fit and available

I don't think we'll get relegated, but when you need a last-second OG to steal a draw from the last-place team, things do have to change. They start with the manager. Players have good and bad games, and the manager has to pay attention, and then act responsibly and objectively. I get that he brought back Howard, as he was the starting GK. Like in the NFL, you see it all the time. The starter gets injured, and the rookie comes in and does a really good job. But when the starter's healthy again, it's his job. It's part of the deal. His job to lose, yada yada. However, with TH's past couple performances, it's clear that he's lost whatever step he's had, especially after LC. Indefensible. HE HAS LOST HIS JOB. He needs to lose his position to Robles. But, unless TH volunteers himself to sit, Martinez needs to show some spine to sit Howard himself. Watching this team, I feel supremely constipated. The bloating, the distended middle, the excruciating pain in the anus. We need to poop out something huge. Human-sized.

Prediction from the peanut gallery: Everton will lose 3-0. They will advance to round of 16 on away goals scored. Howard will start, and then be benched for rest of season. Alternate reality: Just after halftime, having conceded one or more easy goals, Howard will appear to injure his calf again, and Robles will come in. (This will have been orchestrated in the dressing room.) New spark, Robles comes in and team is re-energized. Gibson will play well and will figure out how to get the ball to Lukaku. Barry will play well, too. Toffees come back in second half to draw with YB, with Robles being perfect for his stint.

Just saw him quoted as saying Howard not responsible for the draw. (Well technically true. The OG made it a draw. Howard would have been responsible for the loss.) So, yes, yes, into the Goat pile, yes.

My take: GOAT #1: Howard. First goal, ok, fine, I'll cut some slack. Some. Might have been screened, and Stones might have inadvertently interfered with TH's ability to hold onto the ball. But second goal, that was just absolute crap, committing early, being out of position again. And that's not the first time we've seen that from him. I don't think Robles ever committed a similar sin, and I don't think I've seen it from other keepers, that I can remember. Embarrassing. And the chuckle after shanking that clearance, well, that's just pathetic. It's like he's got to make it look like he knows what he's doing. Like "It's OK, I'm a professional." I don't know what gets discussed after the match about that kind of mistake. Do they give each other friendly digs? Laugh it off, and you'll get 'em next time? If we were top 5 in the table, that's one thing. But in what seems to be a relegation battle, it's shameful. GOAT #2: Lukaku. Offsides aplenty. And when given the chance, fails to connect. Same old, same old. He could be so good, like he showed against YB. Premier League nerves? I'd hang a goat on Naismith, but he scored, so it evens out, I guess. HERO #1: Gibson. Seems like THAT is what a midfielder is supposed to do. Great control in the midfield, and well-timed, accurate passes to the front. The game changed at that point. I really thought we were going to start scoring once he started playing. Refreshing to see. But, alas. HERO #2: Martinez. For bringing in Gibson, simple as that. So easy to blame him for all, and it may come down to that. But I'd really like to hear what he said to his side after what feels like a kick in the gut. If he learns something and benches Howard, I'll let him keep the hero tag temporarily (at least until the next poor outcome). If Howard starts, move him to the goat pile retroactively. If we won, I'd have given Gareth Barry a hero award for his absence. But we didn't. So sorry to learn about the Terry Orton story. So sad.

I don't think I could handle the stress of an Everton-Liverpool Europa final. What a derby that would be. And I'm a rookie. I can't imagine what it would be like for some of you. But let's take care of YB first.

I like our chances to win, unless we have to face another EPL team! It's like we're playing in secret. Shhh. Not Everton. Move along. Are the ties randomly chosen for each round? Balls in bowls, and whatnot, all the way to the semi-finals? (So if Liverpool AND Everton continue to advance, we might face each other in the next round, or the final, or somewhere in between?

I'm in the states, so the game was on at noon. Couldn't watch live as I was at my son's school function, so I'm late to the debate. Watched the recording. Was that Everton? Barry showed aptitude AND restraint! (no bookings?) We had some great crosses! (By Barry, too.) Lukaku was offside a bunch, and was lollygagging per normal, but actually connected on those great crosses. (He could have had five or six goals, really.) We had some good luck. (However, on the penalty, I really hoped that TH would have SAVED it rather than it just going wild over the top of the goal.) We held the defensive zone. I might be wrong, but RM actually had some well-thought-out substitutions. Yeah, we had some crappy luck and some suspect officiating, too, but man, what a great result. Bring on LCFC!

just that they haven't won all the games we say they must win! (as we say in the states: They didn't get the memo.)

Serious question: Who's the best keeper in the EPL? In many of the Tottenham matches I've watched, Lloris has been brilliant -- but who's the best, would you say?

So many posts about "must win" and "we need this" and "gotta put space between us and the teams below" Nobody from Everton reads this forum, apparently.

yah, this is what I read, too. (And it's really the only reason I made the comment I did.) Anyway, I know it wouldn't be Everton, but he'd be a great replacement for Howard.

If the rumors are true that Howard is MLS bound, then do we have to assume that Robles is the keeper for the future? (Or maybe we can pick up Lloris? ) So, if you're RM, how do you manage TH to get the most exposure and make sure his stock rises?

Too bad Lloris is rumored to be in United's sights. He'd be a great one to have.

Why Robles over Howard? (not arguing, just wondering if there's a specific reason we'd play him over howard against YB.)

That is supremely whack.

yah, I know that's the current ban... just wondering what his yellow total is. (And dreaming of the day when he gets suspended for multiple matches.)

Yep, you can see how the ref was confused.

So, Barry would have been suspended one game because of his first yellow, right? Does the fact that he got a second yellow (and thus, a red) mean anything beyond that? Is it another yellow in the totals? It would be nice if he were to be suspended for several games, and we were to win those games resoundingly. Not sure if that would send a message to RM, but it's something.

argh

nearly invisible, except for one early shot by Rom