Bailey Posted October 26, 2013 Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 Just watched the game on match choice. The first half was crazy. Stupid play from Coleman to give the penalty, just a bit clueless more than anything and something that could have been avoided. Cracking save by Howard though to bail us out. Then Coleman gives the ball away again in midfield with people ahead of him and they counter (not sure what Jags was thinking in trying to play offside) but again Howard bails out Coleman with a good save. Then they get a bit lucky with the chance through the middle because if Benteke touches it he is 10 yards off side, its not really something we could defend. Good job Howard was there again though. Overall they didnt actually create much and our defensive system was good. We found our stride and started creating chances with Lukaku having a point blank header saved alongside a couple more half chances, Distin scuffing a free header from 10 yards out and Mirallas getting one blocked with a last ditch challenge and Barkley hitting the bar. Second half, we started ok and within minutes Mirallas find himself in an excellent position behind the Villa back four on the right but the ball in was poor. Barkley picks the wrong option when doing well to win the ball but after that we went very flat. Villa pressed us well and we could work the passing angles because we were a bit too rigid IMO. Barkley played off the striker and didnt really move that much meaning the ball never really came to him in space and Pienaar might as well of not been playing. Barry and McCarthy couldnt find either of them and the sub was a very good one because Osman was bright and gave us a passing option we didnt have before. The goal was excellently worked because Osman makes such a great run and Lukaku made no mistake. Osman became part of a 3 man central midfield and I think Barkley would benefit from playing the same way and not playing in the 'Cahill' role as he was at times today. Osman's goal was an excellently worked chance as well, credit to Barry for finding the space and making the pass. After that Naismith makes himself available for another good chance that just goes wide and we see the rest of the game out comfortably. On the down side we again created our own problems in the 2nd half. Jags being lazy on the ball and having his pass blocked meaning a better pass would have left Benteke clear on goal (although he redeemed himself with an excellent block - again as a result of sloppy passing/control from Distin & Baines 25 yards from our goal). They created an excellent opportunity of their own where Agbonlahor hits it straight at Howard but that was it. Again the defensive system worked well and to only allow them one 'real' chance was good against a decent Villa team. We need to cut out these stupid mistakes which pretty consistently seem to come from the same players in Coleman, Jags and Pienaar/Osman/Naismith. Sometimes the misplaced passes are in the opposition half, but if we have committed bodies forward these poor decisions are causing some big problems, however these are the transition stages and it will happen. I think its a game that our overall play deserved the 3 points. We werent on sparkling form but we showed moments of pure class, the type of class that top teams show when they grind out wins in tough games. The substitution was a bit late but it was a good one and it was one that won us the game so full credit goes to Martinez for that. Steve_E 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_E Posted October 26, 2013 Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 Osman became part of a 3 man central midfield and I think Barkley would benefit from playing the same way and not playing in the 'Cahill' role as he was at times today. Osman's goal was an excellently worked chance as well, credit to Barry for finding the space and making the pass. After that Naismith makes himself available for another good chance that just goes wide and we see the rest of the game out comfortably. This in particular I agree with. He plays like a second striker and should drop a bit deeper to get himself more involved. It'll be a shorter, easier pass for his teammates to reach him and he likely won't be covered as tight as he would be higher up the pitch so he can turn and actually pass it forward. I'd still really like to see a midfield triangle that's pointing backwards when we build up play, with one holder, a left central midfielder and a right central midfielder ahead of him. The space in midfield is best utilized that way, the players are positioned so they don't have to do as much running. markjazzbassist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weebittight Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 Osman instrumental yesterday. Yet some are ready to bin him <shakes head in despair> Very balanced team these days. Anyone still missing The Wizzard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 This in particular I agree with. He plays like a second striker and should drop a bit deeper to get himself more involved. It'll be a shorter, easier pass for his teammates to reach him and he likely won't be covered as tight as he would be higher up the pitch so he can turn and actually pass it forward. I'd still really like to see a midfield triangle that's pointing backwards when we build up play, with one holder, a left central midfielder and a right central midfielder ahead of him. The space in midfield is best utilized that way, the players are positioned so they don't have to do as much running. Yeh exactly, its movement that creates space and at the moment Barkley is standing with his back to goal and waiting for the ball to come to him a little bit. We know Barkley can move and do what is required, he just isnt doing it regularly enough for some reason in the last couple of games, especially as he tires in the second half. Its Osman's movement that led to the first goal and if Barkley was still on the pitch, he probably would have been where Osman ended up but the defenders would have seen him and known how to pick up. Instead with Osman, the CB gets pulled across which creates the space for Lukaku. A true midfield triangle of Barry (deeper), McCarthy and Barkley (like we did at the end of the Chelsea game) would actually be incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcopaulo Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 Osman instrumental yesterday. Yet some are ready to bin him <shakes head in despair> Very balanced team these days. Anyone still missing The Wizzard? Osman instrumental yesterday. Yet some are ready to bin him <shakes head in despair> Very balanced team these days. Anyone still missing The Wizzard? people are ready to bin him on the pretence of him playing deep or wide...playing advanced like he did yesterday he is brilliant..as i've never denied..playing wide or deep he is shite Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue 250 Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 Barkley has just got to get these poor games out of his system, it's the only way he's going to get better, that and coaching will make the lad unstopable.It's almost like he's trying to rush the process, sometimes he just needs to do the simple thing. Really wasn't impressed with the Villa game, exception being Howard.Though a clean sheet and a win away whilst not at your best is surely pretty dam good. It's another 90 minutes for Matinez to play with, you can lean a lot from any game. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 For those who didn't see the interviews after the game: http://www.evertonfc.com/evertontv/home/9541 Won't post them all mind you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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