Matt Tiger

Everton 1 - Brentord 1

chermiti!

Agree with Matt, it genuinely could've been anyone... I'm usually brief, but I want to highlight a few players that I usually critique moreso than others that I thought were about perfect today:

Godfrey has been an extremely tough watch defensively for quite some time, and he was immense today not only in winning challenges and going forward but most importantly in being exactly where he needed to be on the back line. Immense perforamance and if not for DCL would be my MOTM.

McNeil / Harrison: Lumping these two together because they've both been frustrating in different ways this season but they finally tied it all together today (albeit with some frustrations from both). Their work rate is always excellent, and they have their moments going forward, but today they both absolutely tortured the shite digging back on the press and then going forward and maintaining possession just long enough to get the ball into the box and create danger. Dwight can drift, harrison can overdribble and turn it over, and they both did that occassionally today. But as a whole they were both pests and also dangerous going forward. 

Garner is always quite composed and handles himself well in challenges in the midfield, but I think that he's mostly been overpraised as a passer and a controlling midfielder. I can't say enough about what he did today in that regard. In close quarters, his decision making between pass / extra touch was consistently good, and once he decided between those two options he was clinical. 

Lastly, I'll just say that DCL was my MOTM because I'm not sure how you could draw up better hold up play than what he displayed today. Sure, he missed a goal early that he absolutely should've buried. But we played the same long balls to him that we've played all year and he consistently won possession, showed great touch with little space, and served as the engine for an attack that was miles away more dangerous than it had been all year.

Ok, end soliloquy. What a match, what a performance. UTFT.

3 hours ago, Matt Tiger said:

This makes no sense and will clearly result in letdown, but for some reason I feel a mild sense of optimism about this one. No logic involved obviously. Just feeling like there's a reasonable chance we can get a point today..

Clearly knew the issue with this was that it wasn’t optimistic enough

never in doubt!

Dickhead Klopp coming to congratulate Dyche before the whistle blows. Love Dyche telling him to fuck off.

Can't remember the last match where there were so many contributing. Can't think of anyone who played poorly.

my god ashley young hahahaha

DCL has been enormous today. What a performance.

Still a whole lotta game left the boys gotta dig in and keep this energy level

IS THIS REAL

My peacock stream just cut out....

Not sure whether we should try and press like we did for hte first 30 or so and keep them off balance, or go a bit more conservative and hope we can hold them to one and get a point.

Think I'd rather just go for it and leave it all out there but I do think there's an argument to be made that up one a conservative approach for the second half makes sense.

Just now, badaids said:

McNeil is a frustrating player.  He nicks the ball brilliantly, then dribbles sideways, lays it off and just stands there as our attack goes forward.

Agree he's frustrating generally, but I think he's been very good today.

Myko may have become my favorite player in the squad. Just seems to bleed blue. Leaves it all on the pitch.

Fuck Myko actually looks to be hurt. Not good

Just now, Btay said:

Branthwaite grabbing the badge after scoring gives me goosebumps 

100%. Hope he stays forever

Not sure if we know we don't have the legs to pressure hte way we did in the first 30 or if it's a choice we're making, but we can't let them possess without pressure like we have since the goal. 

Team is absolutely full of fight tonight. Skill is what it is but they're looking like a proper everton side right now

LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOO

As has been the case throughout the year, DCL with a top class performancve thus far with the minor exception of missing a borderline sitter

Best I've seen Godfrey play in years

DCL absolutely has to do better than that. Needs to be a goal.

1 minute ago, chicagoblue said:

He's got to get that on target. Free header 6 yards out, doesn't even have to jump for it. 

I'll take those headers as long as he's playing like he is right now everywhere else on the pitch

Godfrey I love you dearly

Good press so far. Need to be careful obviously but I like the balance we've struck early

Ahhhh hes off