Fulham

[Bailey]

We should be favourites to beat all of them.

 

Sunderland will probably be the toughest game. They might not be scoring but they arent conceding many either. They work hard, keep their shape well but just struggle to create chances. We might be able to dominate them but considering how toothless we are at the moment, its no gimme that we will convert one of our chances!

 

Reading simply arent good enough in this league. They put in a lot of effort and if we sit back they will cause us problems. However if we play like we did today we can knock a couple past them because they arent great defensively.

 

Norwich are a tricky one. I havent seen too much of them, but I wouldnt underestimate them. They seem to be finding their feet and they are creating chances.

 

Arsenal are definitely ones to beat, especially at home. They are a soft team these days and they can be shut down (like Man Utd did today despite being average defensively themselves). They still carry a threat in attack but thats only if you let them play. Press high up the pitch and dont give them time to think.

 

Looking at these games, I would say Moyes should be targeting a minimum of 8 points but they are all very much winnable fixtures. Having said that, so have the last 4 games!

[Steve_E]

Apparently Sunderland have had 13 shots on target all season. We've had 15 today.

[Dalziel Kane]

There was more than that, I read at least 26 during the game ?

 

Yes, see what you mean now, 26 shots at the Fulham goal today, but only 15 of those on actual target.

 

61 / 39 per cent in our favor for possession.

 

Saw the game on highlights, but they only showed about five or six of all shots by our players, apart from actual goals scored, although of course you were never going to see all the action.

 

Think I've got over that initial rage about the second goal they scored right at the end, can't change anything now, but it did look a bit messy and the player had red hair of all things just to add insult to injury.

 

Said it before that there really is little chance we can get 4 points from 12 games after this, Moyes continues to make questionable decisions, absurd substitutions, the team spurns chances, can't hold a lead and can't even win a game anymore it seems. (unbeaten in four, but where's the victories?)

 

Yes we played well today, everybody pulled their weight, Fellaini again was immense, and we should have been out of sight before that late equalizer they got but the fact of the matter is, for everything that went on, we couldn't quite make our superiority count and it was a frustrating draw.

 

What odds can I have, that in four games from now, we will have seen Everton get eight drawn games in a row ?

 

Norwich and Arsenal at home are going to be damn tricky I'm afraid, as is Reading away and as for Sunderland, you never can tell what will happen.

[MikeO]

Said it before that there really is little chance we can get 4 points from 12 games after this,

 

I think we might.

[Dalziel Kane]

Probably illustrates how tired I must be..

 

12 points from 4 games, obviously. Yes I made an error

 

Sunderland - home win 3 points

 

Reading - away draw 1 point

 

Arsenal - home draw 1 point

 

Norwich - home win 3 points

 

and even then, Norwich have the capabilities to get a draw at Goodison, they are no pushovers

 

so that's say 8 points from 12 games (or at least 6 if Norwich get a share of points)

[Steve_E]

MOTD analysis was a joke. Hansen says Fellaini and Mirallas impressed him, then they only show stuff that was already in their highlights: the goals, Fellaini's volley and Mirallas turn and shot in the box...

[Brazil Banks]

We have to start killing games like this.

End of.

[Peter H]

We should be favourites to beat all of them.

 

Sunderland will probably be the toughest game. They might not be scoring but they arent conceding many either. They work hard, keep their shape well but just struggle to create chances. We might be able to dominate them but considering how toothless we are at the moment, its no gimme that we will convert one of our chances!

 

 

Toothless? I wouldnt call us toothless, havent we scored almost 2 goals per match on average? Sure, it could be a lot more and Jelavic seems out of form but Fellaini has already scored alot of goals. Mirallas has 3, Osman, Naismith etc. Wouldnt call us toothless, maybe wastefull.

[Blue 250]

Toothless? I wouldnt call us toothless, havent we scored almost 2 goals per match on average? Sure, it could be a lot more and Jelavic seems out of form but Fellaini has already scored alot of goals. Mirallas has 3, Osman, Naismith etc. Wouldnt call us toothless, maybe wastefull.

 

Agree with this, no way are we 'toothless', we have 'teeth' all over the place.Damage can come from all across this Everton team, Jelavic, Mirallas, Baines, Pienaar, Fellaini etc.....this team have goals written right across the the team sheet.

 

Colemans becoming a major threat, Jags and Distin can and have scored from set pieces.We were against Fulham 'wastfull' as we have been against others this season.We will if we click on the day an opponent has a bad defence day whack someone for 6 or 7.Sure we might concede a goal or two.This Everton team 'toothless' no way.The teeth are there it's just we aren't biting as much as we could/should.

 

For a 'toothless' team, check out liverpool without Suarez as the striker.Where are their goals likely to come from?

[Avinalaff]

I think Jelavic is fine. He can only put the ball in the net when he has the chance, and if we don't keep the chances coming, any striker will appear cold. I thought Anichebe was doing ok to be fair to him.

[Sideliner]

the next day and i still can't beleive we blew it - both goals against us were due to our bad play rather than their good attacking - we are continually getting our teeth kicked out - we seem to keep on bumping our head against the same stone - the sighns of brilliance are there but we selfdestruct equally as impressively. Everton has the potential to do really well - it just seems as if the players and the coach are going to wait too long before they really beleive it - fix the obvious weaknesses and we will be up there with the big dogs - or carry on in this fashion and look back at the end of the season at all the missed opportunities we had - we urgently require killer instinct and must stop dishing out free goals to the opposition

[Sideliner]

Jellavic had enough chances yesterday - that one clear header of his nearly broke his own toe - he must also create some of his own chances like all great strikers do

[Avinalaff]

MOTD HIGHLIGHTS

 

http://www.mysoccerplace.net/video/fulham-vs-everton-2-2-motd

 

Some interesting words from Martin Jol too. (Are you listening Mr Gerrard?)

[CMorley91]

Sickening result, really need to work on our finishing.

Pienaar never really got going yesterday. Most of our good play came from Coleman/Mirallas/Osman today.

Looking at the second Fulham goal again, Coleman looked for the pass up field before losing the ball, but had noone. Terrible move by Moyes to bring on Distin for Jelavic.

Sickened, but still. Were in the top four, need to give Sunderland a good hammering next week though to stop the sequence of draws

[Bill]

Quote from Domoshield .... "Terrible move by Moyes to bring on Distin for Jelavic".

 

 

 

Terrible move to leave out Distin and bring in Heitinga.

[Bailey]

Toothless? I wouldnt call us toothless, havent we scored almost 2 goals per match on average? Sure, it could be a lot more and Jelavic seems out of form but Fellaini has already scored alot of goals. Mirallas has 3, Osman, Naismith etc. Wouldnt call us toothless, maybe wastefull.

 

I suppose that is a better way of putting it. The law of averages dictates that by having that many shots that we should at least scored a couple of them. So while we might be scoring more than we normally do, we are also create a lot more chances than we normally do. I suppose you would call Sunderland toothless

[Bailey]

Quote from Domoshield .... "Terrible move by Moyes to bring on Distin for Jelavic".

 

 

 

Terrible move to leave out Distin and bring in Heitinga.

 

I thought both Heitinga & Jags played really well yesterday and completely stopped Fulham getting anything going. I think it was also noticeable how much more we kept the ball on the floor with Heitinga back.

 

I imagine Distin was left out of the starting line-up because of the tackle that Suarez made on him. No point making it worse by playing 90 minutes with it.

[mcirony]

The commentator yesterday said we struck the woodwork for the 9th time this season yesterday too. That's a tad unlucky!

[Avinalaff]

The outcome was down to our players, not Moyes. It's easy to criticize after the event, and I appreciate we're all gutted, but putting a sub on with a few minutes left is a normal move for any manager, and the chain of events that led to the goal had little to do with that decision.

 

We were unlucky to concede the first goal, but to be honest, I'm more concerned about us conceding the 2nd one.

 

I'm starting to lose patience with our captain at the moment. I normally defend the guy from petty finger pointing, and I think rightfully so, but lately he is becoming annoying, especially after his dive. Yesterdays foul leading to the goal was a joke. Why try to use the right leg? Where is his left leg? I think his days are numbered now, and he needs to think seriously about taking a back seat.

[CMorley91]

The outcome was down to our players, not Moyes. It's easy to criticize after the event, and I appreciate we're all gutted, but putting a sub on with a few minutes left is a normal move for any manager, and the chain of events that led to the goal had little to do with that decision.

 

It is the managers decision when he chooses to bring on a 3rd centre back for our only striker. Retreating into our shell was never a good move.

That said, the three points should have been well wrapped up at that stage.

Have also had enough with Neville. Thought he had a decent game for the most part but the free kick today, lost the challenge for Hoiletts goal... Two goal costing mistakes in 3 games is not good enough

[Memmaclub]

Some of the quotes on here are ridiculous. We concede a lucky goal what would have been a great save from howard. We came back and had the lead which should have been higher with a bit more luck (we hit the post and there keeper made a great save). We have had a best start in the last 5 years we are in the top 4 above liverpool spurs etc we have lost one game and we have had some awful referee decisions against us. Frustrated we didn't win but I can't fault the team.

[Memmaclub]

On the neville thing I think he is playing better than he ever has (In midfield) but I don't think at his best he is up to it if gibbo is first choice fine but we need someone better than gibbo in my opinion. someone who dicattes the play from deep and breaks up play. It was interesting that Diarra at fulham played that role for them massively today.

[JoeQuince]

On the neville thing I think he is playing better than he ever has (In midfield) but I don't think at his best he is up to it if gibbo is first choice fine but we need someone better than gibbo in my opinion. someone who dicattes the play from deep and breaks up play. It was interesting that Diarra at fulham played that role for them massively today.

 

...except Diarra was even more ineffective and porous than Neville

[Avinalaff]

It is the managers decision when he chooses to bring on a 3rd centre back for our only striker. Retreating into our shell was never a good move.

That said, the three points should have been well wrapped up at that stage.

Have also had enough with Neville. Thought he had a decent game for the most part but the free kick today, lost the challenge for Hoiletts goal... Two goal costing mistakes in 3 games is not good enough

 

It's also the managers decision when all the positive aspects are considered too, but at the end of the day, it's the players who are on the pitch, and it's the players who conceded the goal.

[pete0]

...except Diarra was even more ineffective and porous than Neville

I thought Diarra played well considering Fellaini was in the mood, Mirallas being a menace and Osman venturing forward more often than usual. Impossible job to cope with that.

[JoeQuince]

I thought Diarra played well considering Fellaini was in the mood, Mirallas being a menace and Osman venturing forward more often than usual. Impossible job to cope with that.

 

I suppose, considering our level of play yesterday, you're right. I just don't think Diarra's performance was exactly noteworthy. He gave the ball away deep several times and committed a few needless fouls because he was frustrated.

[Bailey]

The outcome was down to our players, not Moyes. It's easy to criticize after the event, and I appreciate we're all gutted, but putting a sub on with a few minutes left is a normal move for any manager, and the chain of events that led to the goal had little to do with that decision.

 

We were unlucky to concede the first goal, but to be honest, I'm more concerned about us conceding the 2nd one.

 

I'm starting to lose patience with our captain at the moment. I normally defend the guy from petty finger pointing, and I think rightfully so, but lately he is becoming annoying, especially after his dive. Yesterdays foul leading to the goal was a joke. Why try to use the right leg? Where is his left leg? I think his days are numbered now, and he needs to think seriously about taking a back seat.

 

Your right, we should have been out of sight by the time we got there but I do think the sub was a case of breaking something that was already fixed. We didnt look in trouble, the back 4 had been solid. If he wanted to make a change that badly he could have brought on some fresh legs like he did with Naismith (which was a good sub).

 

The players themselves should have done better. All 3 CB's should have done more and Coleman was caught napping, looking as though he didnt expect it to get to him (which it shouldnt have). I just think it was an unnecessary sub under the circumstances.

 

I agree with Neville comments although bar that stupid tackle, he did play pretty well for him.

[JoeQuince]

I really don't know why Pienaar wasn't subbed out for Oviedo. I was expecting it the entire 2nd half. Still can't figure out why it didn't happen, especially when we were trying to defend the lead.

[Romey 1878]

I'm still struggling to get my head round the fact that we drew this game. I had similar feelings when we found ourselves one down. We were in total control of the game and I think it was their first attack of the game. But it wasn't even an attack that came from their own ingenuity; Pienaar sloppily gave the ball away (he did that all game long) in our own half, and then Neville committed the foul that led to the goal (he may have felt he had to give the foul away). Personally, I'd hold Pienaar more accountable than Neville for this one. Then Howard let us down with what was, quite frankly, a pitiful attempt at saving the free-kick. He got a hand to it but was so weak in the attempt at savin it that it just went through his outstretched hand. He gets a proper hand to that then he pushes it around the post or away from goal, not onto the post. He should have prevented the goal, IMO, it's as simple as that. The goal could have really knocked the stuffing out of us but it didn't, we literally spent the rest of the half camped out in their half. We did create a couple of opportunities to score, however, I don't really think we took advantage of our dominance in this half.

 

It was the second half when we really came into our own and created chance after chance. I don't think it is a coincidence that we really found our feet when Mirallas came into the game. He'd been extremely quiet in the first half but the half time break seemed to have done him the world of good because he came out for the second half with his spark back. He was involved in everything and showed this by grabbing an assist for Fellaini's equaliser. If we get Mirallas playing like that on a consistent basis we will win far more than we'll lose or draw. He's looking like being that important. It really was only a matter of time until we scored again to rightfully take the lead. It took a little longer than I expected but Fellaini finally got it. He'd given Fulham problems all game long and it was evident just why with this goal. He bullied the Fulham defender mercilessly into submission and then took his goal excellently. Quite how we didn't go on to score another 2 or 3 goals is beyond me. We were pummelling their goal and they have their goalkeeper and our own poor finishing to thank for not being on the end of a spanking. Even though we were very rarely under any sort of pressure from Fulham after seeing so many chances go to waste I was worried it'd cost us and sadly it came to pass . Another bit of poor play from ourselves let them grab a heartbreaking equaliser right at the death.

 

It's all fine and dandy being breathtaking going forward (we were) but if you're going to make mistakes when you've got them against the ropes and let them recover then you've got a problem. We are our own worst enemy recently and we need to stop handing our opponents an advantage, or giving away an advantage we've already built for ourselves. Cut those mistakes out and we will start annihilating teams on the pitch and on the scoreboard.

 

I've noticed that people were annoyed at Jelavic being substituted for Distin and Moyes being blamed for us dropping two points. Normally I'd be pissed that our only striker was subbed but Jelavic really wasn't doing anything for us. I would've perhaps shored up the midfield by bringing Hitzlsperger on though. I think Moyes sometimes gets a bit caught up with keeping all of our CB's happy and feels he has to bring the benched defender on. He was doing the same thing when it was Heitinga that was benched. Even though we were ontop in the game I think Moyes was worried that we'd get hit on the break so I've got no problem with him trying to protect the win. But he players let him down, dropping two points is all on them, IMO.

 

 

 

Howard - Already covered his role in Fulham's opener so I won't go into it again. Needless to say I wasn't best pleased and it's not the first time he's been a fanny when trying to make a save. If we weren't skint I'd really want us to be looking at bringing in a new first choice keeper.

 

 

Coleman - It's such a shame that he was majorly at fault for their equaliser because he had had a brilliant game up until then. I thought he was particularly impressive in the first half, constantly providing width down the right and he put in some quality balls too. He wasn't too bad in the second half either and had a big say in Fellaini's first when put Mirallas in to deliver the assist. If he sorts out the defensive side and keeps his concentration more he could be our first choice RB for the foreseeable future. What you've got to remember is that he came into the pro game very late, and then when he did he was mostly used at RM, so he's still learning and is going to make mistakes. I suppose we've got to let him make those mistakes and hope he learns from them very fast.

 

Jagielka and Heitinga - I was very surprised to see Heitinga starting this game but Moyes did say he was going to rotate his CB's this season and Distin was on the end of a very nasty challenge last week. I think the pair of them played well together. Heitinga allowed us to play the ball out from the back which was important for this game because we were so ontop. IMO this rubbed off on Jagielka (it usually does) and he played the ball out along the ground more too. However, we weren't really threatened throughout the game so it's hard to judge whether their partnership was solid or not.

 

Baines - His delivery, particularly from set pieces, was terrible yesterday. It was no surprise to see Mirallas assume the corners after Baines had been putting in shockers. It's not just yesterday though, he seems to have caught the Arteta's. He did work hard, as usual, but I think he struggled with Pienaar and Mirallas swapping wings and Pienaar having an absolute stinker of a game.

 

 

Mirallas - Disappointed me massively in the first half because he just did not get involved at all, and this, I feel, is why he was constantly changing flanks with Pienaar in this half in the hope of it clicking eventually. Where he was invisible in the first half he was wearing a big neon sign saying LOOK AT ME! in the second half. He'd found his spark (and perhaps confidence?) again, and that's why we looked so threatening in the second half, IMO. He was floating about the pitch causing Fulham all sorts of problems. He really was fantastic and added an assist to his brilliant performance. Due to him being so prominent in our play I was a little disappointed at him being subbed, but he had had to pass a fitness test to play at all so I won't grumble.

 

Osman - A great performance from little Ossie. Especially when you consider that his midfield partner played more of a just being there role. It comes to something when he is the tougher tackler of the pair! He dropped back to receive the ball from the defence, he brought the ball forward for us, he used the ball intelligently, he put himself about... It wasn't a stand out performance but he did his job.

 

Neville - After playing so well in the derby I was disappointed in his showing yesterday. I wouldn't say he was particularly bad but he wasn't great either. He played a role in Fulham taking the lead. Although, like I said above, I don't think he was the biggest culprit. Pienaar giving the ball away was the bigger crime and Neville may have felt it was better to give a free kick away rather than let the Fulham run at our defence.

 

Pienaar - In the past whenever Pienaar has missed games it usually takes him a little while to get back up to speed. This showed massively yesterday. I thought he was extremely poor. Don't get me wrong, he worked hard like he always does, but the amount of times he gave the ball away was criminal and incredibly frustrating. His link up play wasn't there either. Many times Baines would make a forward run and Pienaar would fail to find him, leaving Baines caught up the pitch.

 

 

Fellaini - Outstanding. Where his great games have usually revolved around finesse more than anything yesterday was all about raw power and brute strength with a bit of finesse thrown in for good measure. He was a handful for the Fulham defenders and they couldn't handle him. He bullied them all game long. His second goal demonstrated this perfectly. A high ball and he wins the header, bundles the defender out of the way and calmly slots the ball home. The only surprise is that he didn't get his hat-trick tbh. That volley of his was sublime! Two goals, a monstrous performance, my MOTM.

 

 

Jelavic - Another disappointing showing from Jelly. Struggled to get involved and missed at least two glorious chances. That downward header was embarrassing for a man of his ability. He's clearly out of form and we really need him to find it again, and fast!

[MikeO]

Howard - Already covered his role in Fulham's opener so I won't go into it again. Needless to say I wasn't best pleased and it's not the first time he's been a fanny when trying to make a save. If we weren't skint I'd really want us to be looking at bringing in a new first choice keeper.

 

Agree that his flap for the opening goal was poor but great save from Berbatov at 1-1 made amends in some part.

 

Think Jelavic just needs a goal....bouncing in off his arse would be good enough; he's still getting in decent positions and getting chances so I'm sure he'll turn it around soon.