Wolves (Home)

[12ubb3rduck]

We just drew to fuckn wolves at home wtf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Steve_E]

Dont think anyone played well from what I saw, Baines, Heits, Arteta & Pienaar did okay but that isnt good enough...

 

Cahill was ok as well. Scored the goal of course, gave some sneaky passes inside the box and worked really hard all game. He was lucky to get away without a booking though when he seemed to overreact a little when he was fouled after a good steal.

[Bailey]

Cahill was ok as well. Scored the goal of course, gave some sneaky passes inside the box and worked really hard all game. He was lucky to get away without a booking though when he seemed to overreact a little when he was fouled after a good steal.

 

From what I saw of his 2nd half he didnt really do too much, but definitely a step up from the Blackburn game from him!

[12ubb3rduck]

owell fucking a league game im goign 2mrw will produce more entertainment.

[Lowensda]

ten right with the predictions again, echo of last season. domination ending in a 1-1 draw. brilliant!

[Kohen]

Shit subs...

[Wall Writer]

Just wanted to say before I forget, I could hear the boo-boys giving it to Pienaar on one occasion, but I hope people saw that he did give a lot today, he was always tracking back and put in a few good tackles in and around the box, and then was looking to get forward.

 

Other than that, Hibbert did well (for a Hibbert performance), Billy had some good touches, but then also had some bad ones, should have scored in the first half but ballooned it. Beckford, I thought, did ok on his full debut, but still has a lot to learn.

 

I think Wolves came out stronger in the second half, and tried to bully us, and I don't think we like it when teams do that (as Blackburn did last week). Disappointed with yet again another slow start from our boys.

[Bill]

ten right with the predictions again, echo of last season. domination ending in a 1-1 draw. brilliant!

 

But Ten forgot to put his Oztips in didn't he.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

Yipee the footie season is underway again at last, I had forgotten just how depressing Saturday nights could be!

 

Piennar got my vote just because of the effort he put in tracking back, pretty grim performance all round really

[dark]

At least we managed to score. The problem is that we need to be beating teams like this if we want to have any chance of getting into the Champions/Europa league next season. I'm actually worried about the Huddersfield game now after a performance like that.. 6-0? Unlikely.

[tint]

Gross. I felt like Osman, Bily, Saha all played awfully bad today. I honestly don't understand putting Osman in. I think maybe I love Rodwell to much!?

[Formby]

I had forgotten just how depressing Saturday nights could be!

 

 

Yup, that just about sums it up. Wolves, for God's sake. Ugh. Frighteningly slow, frighteningly predictable.

[inertia8]

It almost seems like the whole team freezes when we think there's a foul against us... as soon as Johnny got dispossessed I had a pit forming in my gut.. his fault too, not like Saha could see the opponent, Johnny shouldn't have hesitated, but there were a few instances like that.

 

Pienaar did work well and it was sad to see the boo'ing.. but can understand the sentiments.

 

Hibbert for me did really well early on, was overlapping well however the final crosses into the box weren't good enough.

 

Osman shouldn't have come on, he needs time to warm up and get into a game... would have much preferred to see Gueye given a shot or Coleman for Bily.

[marcopaulo]

we can't beat wolves..4 games in a row now we haven't beaten them..bily is not a winger he is so shite as a winger..moyes broke up pienaar and baines for him to play on the left? get a grip moyes! pienaar looks shite not sure if that is cos he was on the right or what but he doesnt look bothered..beckford looks like a grafter and i think the goals will come he had a nice touch about him..can't understand people blaming hibbert he was one of the better performers if you ask me(granted it wasn't difficult) but i personally would have played coleman too..try coleman as a winger against huddersfield i mean i have seen it mentioned before and i ahve said it before look what it has done for gareth bale!

[Bailey]

Finally watched the whole game now and at times we were pretty decent but at others we were shocking.

 

I thought the back 4 and Howard did pretty well. There were times when they made a minor mistake or didnt deal with something as well as they could have but aside from that they did a good job. Hibbert was very good apart from his final ball. He linked up well, put in some cracking challenges and was positionally sound. Id rather he play than Neville tbh...

 

Heitinga did his job, yes he should have gone in firmer for the challenge which led to the goal but Saha shouldnt have been fucking around.

 

Arteta controlled the midfield for most of the game, his passing, movement and drive were all good.

 

Pienaar worked hard, I didnt have a problem with him starting on the right but I would have liked to have seen him switch, especially when we were dominant in the 1st half. Really dont understand the dickheads that booed, his end product might not have been its best but he ran his arse off and helped out defensively on many occasions!

 

Billy was yet again anonymous, but he does have a knack of dropping into space in and around the 18 yard box. Unfortunately we cant carry a player who is going to do that unless he scores goals. On another day he could have scored a hat trick, then most of us would be saying what a player, hes finally come good etc etc. Most of all I think he needs his confidence to grow, hopefully it will happen soon.

 

Cahill did more work than I gave him credit for in one of my previous posts. He certainly ran his arse off which IMO is what he is there to do. If he wants to be selected each week, he will have to put in that maximum effort to close people down, win headers and generally make life hell for the opposition back 4.

 

Beckford was a strange one. His movement was good, his touch was hot and cold, he didnt really see much of the ball at all in the 1st half. Start of the 2nd I thought he was better but there were a couple of occasions where IMO he chose the wrong option. Jury is still out for me. Having said that we were a much worse team when he went off!

 

Saha was a fucking waste of space. For their goal he had no-one anywhere near him, yet dwelled on the ball, let them in, got brushed off too easily and we got caught short and they went and scored. Nowhere near good enough from a player that oozes class. Yakubu must be really shit in training if he isnt on the bench.

 

Osman and Felli could do nothing, they were the wrong players at the wrong time. If we are setting up to play more counter attacking football get some pace on the pitch. Beckford was fine up front but bring on Guaye or Coleman, lets finish them off please dont bring on a straight like for like with Osman for Billy, its pointless.

 

Yet again we drop points because Moyes is tactically inept. He only seems to gain the confidence to go for it after Christmas, but by then it will be too late to get into the places our team deserves to be in!

[Romey 1878]

While the players need to take a lot of the responsiblity for that shite yesterday, Moyes needs to take a big share of the blame as well. Again. I'm really starting to lose it with Moyes and his inept tactics/decisions. His substitutions yesterday were fucking woeful and, IMO, cost us the game. Every single one of his subs yesterday was negative. Some might say bringing a fresh striker on was a positive move, but not when you're putting Saha up there on his own. Beckford was leading the line superbly and he was the perfect lone striker, so why oh fucking why take him off to play Saha up there on his own when he's shit as the lone striker! We were 1-0 up at that point and that change made me feel sick because I knew the ball would just keep coming back at us with only Saha up there and I feared an equaliser, and it came because we just couldn't hold on to the ball up the field. If he was going to bring Saha on then he should have gone 2 upfront. Then you've got him bringing an unfit Fellaini and Osman on after the equaliser when he's got Rodwell and Gueye sitting on the bench. Jesus wept. Not to mention he put Osman on the wing where he is incapable of doing anything positive for the side anyway!

 

We played some decent stuff in the first half and had plenty of the ball but, let's be honest, we were toothless and not really a threat. The second half we were just wank.

 

 

 

Howard - I can't remember him having much to do tbh.

 

 

Hibbert - He had a pretty good game yesterday with his defensive work and his support play, but every cross he put in after getting into good positions he fucked up so in my eyes it made all his good work obsolete.

 

 

Jagielka - He defended reasonably well but his long balls were annoying as fuck. STOP IT.

 

 

Distin - The better of our defenders yesterday. I liked that he at least was bringing the ball forward and trying to be positive.

 

 

Baines - He was OK, nothing spectacular or anything.

 

 

Pienaar - I thought he had a really good first half; good work rate and trying to keep us ticking us over. But in the second half he was nowhere to be found.

 

 

Arteta - He was my biggest disappointment tbh. Why? Because he played like a shithouse. He just played safe every time he had the ball - he'd get it and pass it two yards straight away. So he looked like he was doing plenty but in reality he was doing nothing. He's being paid to be our magician who is the key to opening up teams, not a little pussy who's afraid to do anything.

 

 

Heitinga - I thought he was solid and went about his job effectively. But again, nothing spectacular.

 

 

Bily - Much like Pienaar I thought he played fairly well in the first half but in the second half he was anonymous.

 

 

Cahill - A MUCH improved performance from Timmy compared to the Blackburn game. He worked his arse off for us yesterday and he took his goal well.

 

 

Beckford - I was dubious about Beckford when he signed but I was really impressed with him yesterday. He really was the perfect lone striker; the ball was lumped up to him all day long and for the most part he got to the ball and held it up waiting for our snail midfield to catch up to the play, and when he couldn't get to the ball he hassled the defenders or the goalkeeper. His pace was lovely to have as well. If we have to play 451 then he'd be my choice of strikers to have up there tbh. My MOTM.

[Kev627]

Well, this is very slightly better than losing but only just.

We might just finish high enought to play in Europe next season but it seems now the result of the Carling Cup tie against Huddersfield will give us a better idea of how the first half of the season could go.

[Matt]

Mark, thats why i waited to respond, spot on there mate. Only thing i would disagree on would be Distin getting my MOTM, but only just, because he was solid and didnt always hoof it. Beckford had a good game, some quality touches etc but seems a little lightweight. I hope he acclimatizes to the strength of the EPL quickly, he seemed up to the pace.

 

Its already been said, think it was Mike, Guaye and Coleman shouldve come on for Bily and Hibbo - both of whom had decent 1st halfs but Bily disappeared in the 2nd and Hibbo seemed unable to put a cross in that was useful. I understand Screech coming one - big guy that if we got freekicks/corners could be useful. Ossie had no chance, though again i understand why DM put him on, i just dont agree with it. Saha.... im one of his biggest fans but his "appearence" yesterday was dire. Would still put him ahead of Kak though.

 

1 thing i dont understand is why DM broke up the Baines/Pienaar partnership, our most impressive partnership last season! Bily can walk around on the right too, then can cut in on that left foot. That really confused me....

[Bill]

Here we go again, we couldn't have got an easier game to kick on with, Blackburn away isnt hard but Wolves at home should have been very easy.

We keep doing this season after season, some peops are going to say we will soon get better and start moving up the table, Yes we probably will but its results like this now, that costs us places in April and May.

Last year we finished just behind Liverpool, when we should have finished five points ahead of them, and its results like this that will cost us again.

[The Beard]

I echo most of what has already been posted. I think it is about time Moyes stopped the lone striker at home game plan, especially against the so called lower teams, when we should be going all out to win the game. We also have the unhappy knack of sitting back on leads and inviting teams onto us, this happened in the second half yesterday. It was a case of us letting Wolves into the game rather than them forcing themselves into it. We just don't seem to have the mentality or tactical knowhow to play that way, yet how many times has it cost us over the years. We have shown that attacking and pressurising teams at a high tempo we can play with the best, so why don't we do that every game. Football........so simple yet so baffling at times.

[Bailey]

We have shown that attacking and pressurising teams at a high tempo we can play with the best, so why don't we do that every game. Football........so simple yet so baffling at times.

 

Completely agree... We do this against the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd who have much better technical players who should be able to play and move it through us easier, then we sit back and let average players waltz it out their own half. It shouldnt matter who we play against, we should always get in their faces, no players likes facing that, not even our own so why we dont do it all the time I dont know?! IMO thats what let us down most in Europe last year, we sat back and let teams play... Ridiculous!

Edited August 22, 2010 by Bailey

[nogs]

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news//tm_headline=everton-fc-boss-david-moyes-admits-he-is-still-searching-for-the-right-blend-as-pressure-begins-to-build%26method=full%26objectid=27116283%26siteid=92534-name_page.html

 

"Still trying to find the right blend?" Sorry Moyes but that's a load of bollocks. It's not like you've made wholesale changes to the squad over the summer, there is something seriously wrong if you don't know your best team by now. I'm starting to wonder if Moyes is only any good when his back is against the wall and he can rely mainly on his motivational skills. When all the pieces are in place to have a really good start to the season he suddenly looks vulnerable, and saying he's 'looking for the right blend' two games into a Premiership campaign just suggests to me his preparation is flawed. Still sure we'll start winning games and have a decent season but it's a pretty woeful start once again, Moyes has got to take the blame for that.

[Lowensda]

But Ten forgot to put his Oztips in didn't he.

 

I know Bill Its because im a penis! Haven't had time tbh mate, work work work!!

 

All i've done is echoed last years performances against the players that played then and now, and taken into account all of our knowledge from Moyes tactics over the beginning of last season. Someone has mentioned it elsewhere but our pre-seasons do NOT help us, playing second rate teams, whilst the other European contenders like spurs play in this (admittingly pointless) cups with teams of close ability. It's a shot in the foot scenario.

[Bailey]

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news//tm_headline=everton-fc-boss-david-moyes-admits-he-is-still-searching-for-the-right-blend-as-pressure-begins-to-build%26method=full%26objectid=27116283%26siteid=92534-name_page.html

 

"Still trying to find the right blend?" Sorry Moyes but that's a load of bollocks. It's not like you've made wholesale changes to the squad over the summer, there is something seriously wrong if you don't know your best team by now. I'm starting to wonder if Moyes is only any good when his back is against the wall and he can rely mainly on his motivational skills. When all the pieces are in place to have a really good start to the season he suddenly looks vulnerable, and saying he's 'looking for the right blend' two games into a Premiership campaign just suggests to me his preparation is flawed. Still sure we'll start winning games and have a decent season but it's a pretty woeful start once again, Moyes has got to take the blame for that.

 

Thats what we saw against Wolfburg pre-season with a complete has of a midfield. He should have been tinkering in the Oz games not the last game of pre-season and the 1st game of this. Its stupidity and I think he needs to go back to basics, even if that is selecting the same team that finished last season, with Heits at DM, Osman in the middle and either a Vic/Billy down the right.

 

IMO he seems to be complicating something that really shouldnt. Osman isnt a winger, Cahill isnt a midfielder, Pienaar is most comfortable down the left and Saha is best trying to get in behind defences for the most part rather that constantly dropping short and getting caught out.

[tint]

Thats what we saw against Wolfburg pre-season with a complete has of a midfield. He should have been tinkering in the Oz games not the last game of pre-season and the 1st game of this. Its stupidity and I think he needs to go back to basics, even if that is selecting the same team that finished last season, with Heits at DM, Osman in the middle and either a Vic/Billy down the right.

 

IMO he seems to be complicating something that really shouldnt. Osman isnt a winger, Cahill isnt a midfielder, Pienaar is most comfortable down the left and Saha is best trying to get in behind defences for the most part rather that constantly dropping short and getting caught out.

I agree with most of this but again it could be I have a weird dislike for Osman, but I think he is very overrated. I am rarely impressed with him.

[Matt]

I agree with most of this but again it could be I have a weird dislike for Osman, but I think he is very overrated. I am rarely impressed with him.

Ossie (i know im biased here) is a brilliant little player who is comfortable on both feet, quick turner and has a decent shot on him. The trouble is, he is always played out of position. As Bailey rightly says, he is no winger. But, he puts 100% into every game and when he gets his chance in CM/AM where he is best, he can be formidable. The trouble is his best position is one of the overcrowded spots in our team but he is willing to play out of position (albeit badly most of the time) just to meet the needs of the club.

 

He was completely the wrong choice against wolves but its Moyes who should take the blame here. Moyes has always played him out of position with few exceptions but on those exceptions where he gets to play where he wants, he has been brilliant.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

Thats what we saw against Wolfburg pre-season with a complete has of a midfield. He should have been tinkering in the Oz games not the last game of pre-season and the 1st game of this. Its stupidity and I think he needs to go back to basics, even if that is selecting the same team that finished last season, with Heits at DM, Osman in the middle and either a Vic/Billy down the right.

 

IMO he seems to be complicating something that really shouldnt. Osman isnt a winger, Cahill isnt a midfielder, Pienaar is most comfortable down the left and Saha is best trying to get in behind defences for the most part rather that constantly dropping short and getting caught out.

 

 

lol Well somebody better tell him that because hes made a very good living playing there for his entire career!

[Romey 1878]

lol Well somebody better tell him that because hes made a very good living playing there for his entire career!

 

 

He's not a midfielder in the traditional sense, as you know .

 

Is nobody else a little worried that we, the fans, seem to be better tactically than our manager?

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

He's not a midfielder in the traditional sense, as you know .

 

Is nobody else a little worried that we, the fans, seem to be better tactically than our manager?

 

 

Dont know wether or not you saw this in the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/aug/23/premier-league-chalkboards-analysis

 

Tim Cahill is and always has been a midfielder, granted we tend to deploy him in a more advanced role these days and

I do believe he is much more effective in a 4-5-1 but never the less he is still a midfielder.

 

 

Lol I do find it slighlty amusing that you claim to be more tactically aware than Moyse

[Romey 1878]

Dont know wether or not you saw this in the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/aug/23/premier-league-chalkboards-analysis

 

Tim Cahill is and always has been a midfielder, granted we tend to deploy him in a more advanced role these days and

I do believe he is much more effective in a 4-5-1 but never the less he is still a midfielder.

 

 

Lol I do find it slighlty amusing that you claim to be more tactically aware than Moyse

 

 

Yeah he is a midfielder, but he's not very good at being a proper midfielder the majority of the time. We have to have a formation just for him to contribute! Fair play to him for winning some tackles and creating a few chances in one game. Before I started going the game regularly I used to think Cahill was some sort of God because of his goals, but when you get to watch him play first-hand and a lot then you realise he doesn't actually do all that much.

 

And I don't just think I'm more tactically aware than Moyes, I think the majority of us are, including yourself. His tactics and decision making leave a lot to be desired. He's done a good job for Everton but he's not a messiah, he's not without fault.