West Brom (Home)

[Bailey]

 

I thought that was toothless performance. We may have had chances, but very few of them were any good. We didn't create a lot of chances from central areas inside the box that you expect to go in more often than not. There was the one that Fellaini flicked onto the post but I can't think of another one at the moment.

 

Everything simply broke down in the final third. They had a lot of men behind the ball of course, but even the simple passes that didn't even need to go past one of their players went wrong a lot.

 

Well we head the Pienaar chance early as well as a couple of chances on the edge of the box that we should have done better with. We had a couple of good balls across the box but no-one was there to put them in. We didnt create as many as we should have, because poor decisions let us down and there was also some good defending in there as well.

 

Just listening to Merson now saying that Fellaini was better playing off the striker and that we arent playing the Fellaini way. Jesus Christ these people are frustrating.

[Steve_E]

 

Well we head the Pienaar chance early as well as a couple of chances on the edge of the box that we should have done better with. We had a couple of good balls across the box but no-one was there to put them in. We didnt create as many as we should have, because poor decisions let us down and there was also some good defending in there as well.

 

Just listening to Merson now saying that Fellaini was better playing off the striker and that we arent playing the Fellaini way. Jesus Christ these people are frustrating.

 

I think a lot of people at Goodison Park want him to play up front too. You could hear a lot of murmurs from the stands even in the first half when the ball wasn't going forward quick enough.

[JoeQuince]

Am I alone in thinking Osman was actually looking a little better than previously in his new role today?

[Brett Angel]

I'd go and get defoe. We need a natural born finisher who shoots on site..... On loan for the season.

[Steve_E]

Am I alone in thinking Osman was actually looking a little better than previously in his new role today?

 

He was still one of our weakest links imo. We need someone with more incisive passing and someone who can cover more ground faster defensively.

[Zoo]

On my way home from the game now. We lacked pace and clinical finishing in the final third but we have to take what positives there were in that game. At the back we were solid and we've always been slow starters even under Moyes. We're heading in the right direction, we're un-beaten and just need some drive going forward to get some goals.

 

I'll post a full review when I'm home. On the mobile atm.

[Bailey]

 

I think a lot of people at Goodison Park want him to play up front too. You could hear a lot of murmurs from the stands even in the first half when the ball wasn't going forward quick enough.

 

Yep I have heard pundits galore saying that is where he should be playing and that we should hoof it up to him. They forget that it didnt really work that much last season other than the Utd game.

 

Must admit, one of our midfielders should be making more of an effort to get into the box, namely Barkley. He needs to mix it up a little bit more between coming deep and gambling on a cross ball coming in. Same for Mirallas too.

[Zoo]

Osman was utter shite too. When Gibson is fit I hope he's replaced.

[Steve_E]

 

Yep I have heard pundits galore saying that is where he should be playing and that we should hoof it up to him. They forget that it didnt really work that much last season other than the Utd game.

 

Must admit, one of our midfielders should be making more of an effort to get into the box, namely Barkley. He needs to mix it up a little bit more between coming deep and gambling on a cross ball coming in. Same for Mirallas too.

 

Mirallas doesn't do that for the national team either and it bothers me then as well. When a cross from the far side comes in he needs to attack the far post, but he's too glad to stand outside of the box.

[Bailey]

 

Mirallas doesn't do that for the national team either and it bothers me then as well. When a cross from the far side comes in he needs to attack the far post, but he's too glad to stand outside of the box.

 

Didnt realise that he did it for them as well. With only one up front we need to make sure the striker is given more support, especially when they have been involved in the build up.

[Brett Angel]

Just watching the shite on telly now... Everton fans are far too impatiant when it comes to posession and doing something.... We all moan that we what them to get the ball forward quicker yet we don't want to see the long ball constantly.... We seriously do need to be more patient as a crowd when they slowley build up posession otherwise were goin to win more game away than at home.

[Zoo]

Just watching the shite on telly now... Everton fans are far too impatiant when it comes to posession and doing something.... We all moan that we what them to get the ball forward quicker yet we don't want to see the long ball constantly.... We seriously do need to be more patient as a crowd when they slowley build up posession otherwise were goin to win more game away than at home.

 

It wasn't the fact that we were being patient that was pissing us off it was the fact that whenever we got towards the West Brom box there was nobody there to pass to so we had to play it all the way back to the back 3/4 again. I'm all for patient football but we actually need to be making progress. In the first 25 minutes all we did was pass it back and to without actually threatening the Brummies at all.

 

We need to have more men in the box though, the number of times that either Baines, Mirallas, Barkley and Pienaar ended up on the wing and had to play it back because nobody was in the box was infuriating. If we are attacking down the left then all those on the right need to be in the box and vice versa. All we had up top was Jelavic who was being marked out of the game by Olssen.

[Cornish Steve]

 

Just listening to Merson now saying that Fellaini was better playing off the striker and that we arent playing the Fellaini way. Jesus Christ these people are frustrating.

 

The commentator on the stream I was watching (alongside Trevor Francis, I think) said at one point that Fellaini needs to be freed of his shackles. I hate it when the press buy into the Moyes narrative on this. The sooner we can get these transfers done, the better. They are such a distraction.

[Cornish Steve]

Personally, I think that RM is being too cautious. He said upfront that he would build carefully on the foundations that Moyes built, which explains the Moyes-like line-up and keeping players too deep when they should have been in the West Brom box. Forget that, Roberto, trust your instincts. I'd rather win on 4-3 and lose one 5-4 than draw two 0-0.

[Brett Angel]

I didn't know we had bought fellaini ad a striker...... Don't listen to puntits.... They stick so the same little information about each club for about five years.

[Sideliner]

I am a big Martinez fan but this one he should have bagged -

I predicted a draw if Jelavic starts - his finishing outside poaching is sub standard -

we dominate the midfield but not the penalty box - chances can only be created if the forwards turn up -

Naismith for Mirallas does not do it for me - Delefeu might work or even Oviedo - but Naismith is an emergency wheel at best - not a game changer

Osman was slightly better but should not start a game anymore -

we need an attacking right wing , a running ball distributer in midfield and a firing striker urgently - if we want to be on the winning way

WestBrom came for the draw after Anelka pulled out - they got what they came for -

we needed to push harder for the win - we lacked some urgency in the second half - we squandered a win here

[Romey 1878]

WBA came for a point, took a point, job done for them.

 

But for us, that was so disappointing. Tbh, it wasn't much different from a lot of what we had to endure under Moyes last season - slow build up, no penetration, samey same play all the time (knock it about, get it out wide and hope something happens with a delivery in), poor quality into the box, and then when something decent was put in there was no one there to put it away, nothing through the middle really, lack of creativity, play breaking down in the final third. The only difference being that we took more passes to get to the breaking down of an attack. If we can just speed up our play and add incisiveness then I think our creativity will improve no end, and we'll start getting the results we deserve. But, right now, it's no wonder we're struggling for creativity when we play so slowly and allow the opposition to get organised in front of us.

 

Even though we didn't play very well we were still the better side, got a clean sheet finally and should have won. That makes this result even more frustrating.

 

Cardiff away next, and then Chelsea at home... if we don't get our shit together quickly we could find ourselves in a sticky situation early in the season. That's not what we need when we've got a new manager trying to implement his ideas.

 

 

Howard - Was barely called upon but on the occasions we needed him he was fully up to the job and made a couple of great saves.

 

 

Coleman - Our brightest spark in an otherwise uninspiring attacking display, and even he wasn't all that good. Gave it a good go going forward and had a couple of attempts at goal, but could have done better in creating opportunities for others. My MOTM, just.

 

Jagielka - Shoddy. He misjudged high balls and bouncing balls. Just all over the place.

 

Distin - I dread to think what would have happened if he hadn't been playing today because he was covering for the shambolic Jagielka whenever WBA did actually threaten us. His pace was invaluable in recovering what looked like lost situations.

 

Baines - Barely noticed him in the first half but got right into the game in the second half and became a good attacking outlet. But, as has been the case for quite a while now, his delivery into the box was mostly poor. His corners looked to have improved though.

 

 

Mirallas - Incredibly poor up until about 5 or 10 minutes before he was substituted. Until that point you'd have struggled to even know he was playing, and when you did finally realise he was playing it was because he was fucking up another attack! It's been a slow start to the season for Kevin and I really hope it changes, and fast.

 

Osman - He didn't really do anything wrong in this game, but that's probably because he didn't really do anything full stop! He just coasted through the game and I really believe that him being in the centre of our team is why we're not varying our attack and are just relying on going out wide. How he has managed to play so many minutes in these first two games is crazy!

 

Fellaini - Since the end of this game I've heard plenty of people saying he clearly couldn't be bothered today and he wants out... And I'm wondering whether I was watching a different game or whether they're just seeing what they want to see. Because I thought he had a pretty good game for us and really put a shift in. He tired quite badly toward the end of the game, admittedly, but until then he put himself about, made himself available to the defenders so he could start off attacks, he passed well, he snuffed out WBA attacks.

 

Pienaar - He was very bright and involved all game long today. In the first half when Baines wasn't at the races he drifted centrally to great effect and caused problems, and then in the second half he linked up brilliantly with Baines and Barkley as well at times. It's just a shame his decision making was absolutely woeful otherwise he'd have been my MOTM quite comfortably.

 

 

Barkley - Didn't hit the heights of his Norwich performance but it was another encouraging display from him. He was energetic, composed, always available for the ball no matter what sort of pressure he was under, and he showed a willingness to track back and challenge which is something that has been a bit lacking from him. My one gripe with him today was trying to do too much himself. On three occasions he shifted the ball, and shifted the ball to try and work an opening for himself and then ballsed up the attack when all he had to do was lay it off sideways to a team mate who was completely open. I can accept it once or twice but by the third time you really need to have learnt and then do the right thing.

 

 

Jelavic - I thought he worked hard and did look up for the game, but things didn't really drop for him. I can't remember too many opportunities being created for him? Was it his header just before half time that looked like it was going to go in? If it was that's the only time I can really think he had a chance. And for the love of God, STOP GETTING PULLED UP FOR FUCKING OFFSIDE!!!!

 

Kone - Don't normally mention the subs but he deserves one. He looked quite dangerous when he came on and caused a few problems for WBA that we hadn't really managed to do during the game until then, i.e. stretch them down the middle. I just wish he'd come on and played with Jelavic, not as his replacement.

[Zoo]

I said that Kone & Jelly should have been on together. WBA were fine with us attacking down the wings so two down the middle was what we needed.

 

Good review as always though Mark .

[SimonButtle]

One thing i thought from today was, we don't seem to play with a front 3, Martinez played with 3 forwards at Wigan, yet it seems like it's Jelavic/Kone with Pienaar/Mirallas supporting from out wide. As was discussed in an earlier post, it's not really Mirallas's game, nor is it Pienaar's, when he comes inside he seems to just want to shoot. It's great watching all this possession football at the moment but we are not doing anything with it, this final week of the window could be interesting.

[Mike Preece]

.A very frustrating 90 minutes, hope it does.nt bring out the doom and gloom brigade.

West Brom came with a game plan and have to say they executed it well, they stifled the midfield, Olson was like a rash over Felli,

and with Shane Long in particular worried our defenced hoping to nick 1.

 

Cant remember the last time Pienaar was so quiet, Barkley again looked the brightest, and wish Jela starts getting the offsides right again

caught far to often. But Albion also covered our threat on the flanks really well.

 

A moments luck and we would have won, but credit Albion they got what they came for, im not too disheartened

 

But please blues beat Cardiff for me, hate the gobby bastards, obviously I know a lot of their fans and they are full of it.

3 points and a show, or a last minute own goal, praying we don't lose. Still trying to get a ticket to be there.

2 wins for Liverpool not pleasant either. come on RM, so rooting for you and that first win.

[Brett Angel]

Can I just say that our home support is becoming increasingly annoying. It was like a funeral in that place today. No point in a great travelling support if we lose our voice at home.

[Newty82]

Can I just say that our home support is becoming increasingly annoying. It was like a funeral in that place today. No point in a great travelling support if we lose our voice at home.

You know, I was saying that to my boy. After the initial 'hurrah' pre game...it was shockingly quiet. Almost as if we were waiting in anticipation...but not really sure what we were waiting for!!! Bit more rowdy in the 2nd half though.

 

Fairly pleased with seeing us today. We controlled play really well, passed it around quite comfortably. We came up against a well organised WBA...who where quick to get all their players behind the ball whenever we advanced.

 

Barkley looked a step above on and off the ball. Expected more from Miralles...he seemed a bit of pace. Distin looked as athletic as ever, stepped in a few times. Jelavic...hmmmmm. Pienaar...not a winger for me. I think there is more to come from this team. A bit more geling.

 

Frustrated with the draw, but plenty of good stuff goin on. We do need a couple more players tho.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Newty82

[Newty82]

And for anyone not at the game...it kills me to say it...but Romeys analysis is pretty bang on. Cant disagree with much of it. The player by player bit if mostly accurate...I wouldnt quite say it was like watchin us under Moyes, but defo agree we were to slow as a team to build up an attack.

[marcopaulo]

shite

 

coleman and barkley only ones who looked to give a toss

 

baines towards the end wound me up so much...jogging to take throw ins...we were trying to fucking win!!

 

still fucked off...such a disappointing and frustrating day

 

 

agree with mark about fellaini...ran to win the ball a few times..i was more worried about baines lookin like he didn't give a toss to be honest

 

edit: also why do we still not leave people up on corners?! i thought that was a moyes thing...and steven naismith? fuck me

Edited August 25, 2013 by marcopaulo

[Matt]

Romey, great review as always, spot on.

 

Just a mention to Naismith, actually thought he brought more to the game than Mirallas did.

[marcopaulo]

Can I just say that our home support is becoming increasingly annoying. It was like a funeral in that place today. No point in a great travelling support if we lose our voice at home.

 

fuck all to cheer mate...i've never heard a quieter end to a game

[marcopaulo]

Romey, great review as always, spot on.

 

Just a mention to Naismith, actually thought he brought more to the game than Mirallas did.

 

 

all i saw him do was twat a west brom player within 1 minute of coming on then give the ball away and leap like an elephant for headers...he was shite again..i don't hate the guy..he's just not a winger..i'd love him to get a go in the middle i really would..mirallas at least excites me..naismith bores me

[Zoo]

 

 

all i saw him do was twat a west brom player within 1 minute of coming on then give the ball away and leap like an elephant for headers...he was shite again..i don't hate the guy..he's just not a winger..i'd love him to get a go in the middle i really would..mirallas at least excites me..naismith bores me

 

I'm a Naismith fan and thought he was shit yesterday. Could easily have been sent-off for crippling one of their players and didn't really do anything worth reporting. I'd love to see him played up front though, he's not a winger (as Marco says).

[StevO]

Was very frustrating, could see from the first minute that west brom were not here for the win.

 

We need to crowd to stick with the team and with Roberto. We are in the middle of a change, but I could hear fellas getting on the players case for keeping the ball at the back, I know we want to see a higher tempo, and we will, but not over night. I completely trust Roberto and I'm sure over the next 12 months we will see constant improvement, even after the window closes the team will improve with the uncertainty gone.

 

One comment on the game, if Gibson plays that game we win. We really miss his composure in the middle, he dictates our tempo and gives a bit more freedom to the other players around him.

[marcopaulo]

new manager or not..no excuse for no urgency in the 90th minute