Zaha deserves everything that he gets, one of the biggest gobshites I've ever seen. Should have seen red for his elbow on Gordon and was hoping that someone would snap him towards the end of the game - absolute rat.
Just watched the game again, this time with a more critical eye. You can see the style of play we're gravitating toward, and it's beginning to come together. We're not yet at the level to compete with the top five or six teams, but we're making genuine progress. This time last season, we had no strategy and the wheels were falling off. This season, we're on the up and up. There will be disappointments along the way, but we're looking more like a top-half team than relegation fodder.
I'm so pleased the manager plays the same lineup consistently. For now, it's needed. Garner and Holgate and Godfrey and Doucoure and the rest will get their chances, but for now we need to improve our core starting lineup. They need to understand each other better, learn to be more intuitive, and play as a unit. It's happening, but it needs more time. The farce of a winter World Cup comes at just the wrong time for us, but so be it. Maybe it will allow our defence to gel even more.
It all starts with defence. Tarkowski and Coady are an awesome partnership, and the confidence they, with Pickford, inspire provides more freedom on the wings and in midfield. Gordon and Coleman showed just the right balance, helping each other while pushing up the field. Mykolenko was much improved today, and that's obviously the result of careful coaching. He must be delighted at his contribution to the second goal, but he was excellent throughout. Coleman, filling in while Patterson is out, dominated Zaha, who became more and more frustrated as the game went on. It's great to see genuine competition for places all over the field.
What a midfield we have! Onana had a superb game - full of momentum, bold tackles, and some delightful passes. The long pass to Gordon early in the game was sublime. Iwobi looked like he was cloned, with two or three of him on the pitch. How is he able to maintain his energy levels for that long? Two assists and many important contributions. Gana was the weakest link today, although he wasn't poor by any stretch. Gordon was back to his best, and Gray's trickery was always evident - although I wish they'd lead to more goals!
And we have squad depth. McNeil is clearly a confidence player, and his goal will do wonders for him. It was an excellent run, making something almost out of nothing, with Iwobi's back heel so magical. Such moves won't always come off; when they do, though, they increase the volume of cheers. DC-L wasn't always in the limelight, but the fact that we have a powerful target man allowed us to play differently. We knew we could score goals again, and it showed.
Gareth Southgate was in the crowd today. In his shoes, I would be most impressed with Tarkowski. I don't want either of our central defenders to get injured in the World Cup, but wouldn't it be something if both are called up for the final squad. They deserve it. By the end of this season, pundits are going to be raving about them, wondering how Everton, great relegation escape artists last season, now have the most solid defence in the league.
If only we can secure another prominent goalscorer in the January window. DC-L needs the competition, and we need the backup. We can't afford to be without a strong presence again upfront. Maupay is a contributor, for sure, but we need the power of another DC-L. If we manage that, we could even be pushing Europe toward the end of the season. And wouldn't it be something to finish ahead of Liverpool!
Zaha deserves everything that he gets, one of the biggest gobshites I've ever seen. Should have seen red for his elbow on Gordon and was hoping that someone would snap him towards the end of the game - absolute rat.
Zaha deserves everything that he gets, one of the biggest gobshites I've ever seen. Should have seen red for his elbow on Gordon and was hoping that someone would snap him towards the end of the game - absolute rat.