Hull City (h)

[bluenosetoffee]

Why can't we put a game to bed anymore!?

 

The first half yesterday we were the better team, Hull didn't really threaten. Last season we would score goals! One point we went 4 games scoring 3 goals each time. Now we can't even get a second!

 

Hull were the better team in the second half. With 10 minutes to go they looked like they were going to score the winner. Listening to the commentators and they said the crowd are urging the team forward but that isn't the Martinez way! I get it, we use patient football but at the same time, with 10 minutes to go and having to pass back to defence or the keeper and not getting it out of your own half is ridiculous. Then when we did get out of our half we gave it back to them straight away! We looked like a team that couldn't play football in the second half and made them look like Bayern Munich with how they were pressing and us pushed back!

I do believe in Martinez and I think he is a good manager but when we are drawing 1-1 a bit of tempo is needed not patient passing and waiting for the opening. Everyone played poor in the second half. Barkley is frustrating at times, can be world class. IF he passes the ball once in a while. It was the same with Sturridge! When he first went to Liverpool he wouldn't pass. He then adapted his game and is now one of the best forwards in the league!

 

Against Spurs was a great example, Barkley taking on defenders on the edge of the box. Has McGeady on his left, Lukaku on his right (Ok Lukaku was man marked but McGeady wasn't). He had a shot and basically passed it to the keeper!

 

We are missing McCarthy and Naismith. (Although I think Besic did play better this week than against Spurs). Anyway lets put that game in the back of our minds and focus on beating City on Sunday!

[Romey 1878]

I don't know if I was just grumpy because of the cold but I'm quite shocked that people think we were brilliant in the first half tbh. Yes we had lots of the ball (as usual), but I was bored out of my mind. I don't think I was the only one either because other than when we scored the most noise I heard from our fans was them talking amongst themselves :dont know: .

[MikeO]

I don't know if I was just grumpy because of the cold but I'm quite shocked that people think we were brilliant in the first half tbh. Yes we had lots of the ball (as usual), but I was bored out of my mind. I don't think I was the only one either because other than when we scored the most noise I heard from our fans was them talking amongst themselves :dont know: .

 

I didn't think we were up to much either, and neither did Josh sat next to me. We scored a good goal and never looked like conceding but our all round play was average; Josh was getting angry with the crowd for lack of noise but I said they had very little to shout about.

 

Having said that normally I'm a nervous wreck at 1-0 up but I really felt comfortable at half time; I really couldn't see any way Hull would score, was a real shock when they did. Our subsequent efforts were sadly even more shocking.

[Romey 1878]

 

I didn't think we were up to much either, and neither did Josh sat next to me. We scored a good goal and never looked like conceding but our all round play was average; Josh was getting angry with the crowd for lack of noise but I said they had very little to shout about.

 

Agreed. I don't think we played badly by any means, but we didn't play well either. We just played, if that makes sense! I also didn't think we looked like conceding, Hull weren't really in it, But again, that doesn't mean we played well - a fella behind me was repeatedly saying "this is shite" as we passed it around, going nowhere as usual.

[Paddock]

I don't know if I was just grumpy because of the cold but I'm quite shocked that people think we were brilliant in the first half tbh. Yes we had lots of the ball (as usual), but I was bored out of my mind. I don't think I was the only one either because other than when we scored the most noise I heard from our fans was them talking amongst themselves :dont know: .

It was shite. we were rubbish they were even worse. First 15 we were abysmal but thought we grew into the game and after we scored never looked like conceding but were still shite if that makes sense.

 

People around me were chatting and having a laugh, some weren't hardly watching the game it was that dire.

 

We were far from excellent in the first half, we scored a decent goal and was the better of two sides us being mediocre them being exactly what they are, a side in the bottom 3 completely devoid of confidence.

 

I don't even want to talk about the second half it was that bad. I'm still furious now I'm usually calm by now. Done my head right in last night.

[veedublin]

Hello all,

 

Minnesota USA fan here. I've followed EPL only cursorily until recently, but I really always leaned toward Everton, and at the beginning of this season I decided they were the club I wanted to follow until I die. (Which now appears will be a slow, painful death.)

 

But even though it's been a rough season, I cannot imagine following any other club. (I also follow the Minnesota Vikings, so you have an idea about my bent towards masochism. Although, I was born in Minnesota, and still live here, so I have little choice.)

 

Shamefully, one reason for my interest involved Howard after the WC, which I now feel was a stupid, shallow, shortsighted thing. (I still think he could be a good goalkeeper, as he's had his moments, but he's also been inexplicably hideous and boneheaded at times.)

 

Anyway, I've lurked here for a few months, joined a few weeks ago, first post now.

 

Like most of you, I've been wincing watching the club play. Thankfully (or not), we get all the matches through our sat provider on NBCSN, and the coverage is superb. But each week, I'm less and less excited to watch. I streamed yesterday's match while at work. (Quickly clicking away if anyone came into my office needing anything.) I felt like it was such a monumental waste of time, but I had a big work task to undertake, so it was as good a procrastination tool as anything.

 

My first worry yesterday was when we scored the first goal! Noooo! Too early! How many games have we done this? Seems like nearly every one but the Chelsea disaster. But, the first goal isn't the problem, it's that we think a one-goal lead is safe. But it never is. (And apparently, neither is a two-goal lead. Someone above said that we need a three-goal cushion. That's probably true.)

 

My question, and reason for this post, is to ask: If the team was healthy all at once... having McCarthy, Stones, Naismith, Alcaraz healthy now, and not missing the time earlier from Barkley, Barry and Baines (and any others I'm forgetting), would we be having this dreadful conversation? Is part of the issue simply a lack of continuity, that we're just that thin, that we can't field a top-four team if anyone's injured? Forgive me for not researching thoroughly, but did we have major injuries last year, when we finished fifth in the table?

 

I'm sure this is a naive question, but so be it. Gotta start somewhere, and this is the thread of the hour. Relegate me if you must.

 

Cheers.

 

- Chris

[MikeO]

Hello all,

 

Minnesota USA fan here. I've followed EPL only cursorily until recently, but I really always leaned toward Everton, and at the beginning of this season I decided they were the club I wanted to follow until I die. (Which now appears will be a slow, painful death.)

 

 

Not read the rest of your post yet but that's an outstanding opening para; welcome, you'll fit right in .

[Btay]

Hello all,

 

Minnesota USA fan here. I've followed EPL only cursorily until recently, but I really always leaned toward Everton, and at the beginning of this season I decided they were the club I wanted to follow until I die. (Which now appears will be a slow, painful death.)

 

But even though it's been a rough season, I cannot imagine following any other club. (I also follow the Minnesota Vikings, so you have an idea about my bent towards masochism. Although, I was born in Minnesota, and still live here, so I have little choice.)

 

Shamefully, one reason for my interest involved Howard after the WC, which I now feel was a stupid, shallow, shortsighted thing. (I still think he could be a good goalkeeper, as he's had his moments, but he's also been inexplicably hideous and boneheaded at times.)

 

Anyway, I've lurked here for a few months, joined a few weeks ago, first post now.

 

Like most of you, I've been wincing watching the club play. Thankfully (or not), we get all the matches through our sat provider on NBCSN, and the coverage is superb. But each week, I'm less and less excited to watch. I streamed yesterday's match while at work. (Quickly clicking away if anyone came into my office needing anything.) I felt like it was such a monumental waste of time, but I had a big work task to undertake, so it was as good a procrastination tool as anything.

 

My first worry yesterday was when we scored the first goal! Noooo! Too early! How many games have we done this? Seems like nearly every one but the Chelsea disaster. But, the first goal isn't the problem, it's that we think a one-goal lead is safe. But it never is. (And apparently, neither is a two-goal lead. Someone above said that we need a three-goal cushion. That's probably true.)

 

My question, and reason for this post, is to ask: If the team was healthy all at once... having McCarthy, Stones, Naismith, Alcaraz healthy now, and not missing the time earlier from Barkley, Barry and Baines (and any others I'm forgetting), would we be having this dreadful conversation? Is part of the issue simply a lack of continuity, that we're just that thin, that we can't field a top-four team if anyone's injured? Forgive me for not researching thoroughly, but did we have major injuries last year, when we finished fifth in the table?

 

I'm sure this is a naive question, but so be it. Gotta start somewhere, and this is the thread of the hour. Relegate me if you must.

 

Cheers.

 

- Chris

Firstly welcome Chris, you've picked a fantastic albeit frustrating club to follow at this moment. To start - top 4 club fully, it's hard to say, premier league is incredibly competitive of late and there are 6/7 teams who could finish top 4 ( chelsea and Man City are the only certainties ). We over acheived slightly last season, we haven't been in Europe for a while and maybe perhaps our expectations have been inflated by us the fans seeing Everton play some crisp possession/passing football resulting in free flowing goals last year, when in truth we are still in transition BUT on the right track, we have a strong core of young exciting players that once they mature just a little bit more we will be a force and strongly push for the top 4 more consistently.

 

The players have learnt how to Play Martinez it's just the other teams have learnt how to play us, it's an exciting challenge the next few months for us

[Keith B]

I missed the Hull game, but at this point I'm pessimistic about the rest of this season. Hull, Swansea, CP....2 points.

[chicagoblue]

Just watched the OS highlights. We must have been utterly dreadful in the second half. The highlight didn't show a single Everton play between the Hull goal and the final corner kick. Not one. That means we had no attacking play of any note for 30+ minutes at home against the third from bottom team.