Ronald Koeman

[Btay]

1 hour ago, chalkpie said:

If you watch basically ANY other team at the moment, there are at least one or two aspects that you can say "OK, they at least do X well, or wow, they are pretty adept at Y". When you watch us, I honestly can't think of ONE aspect of our playing that I think we are excelling at, and that is just sad. If you would have told me that I would be feeling this way in the summer when the excitement was running high with all of the new signings, I'd say you were huffing too much paint and BBQ sauce. But its fuckin true. And unless a miracle comes blasting through Rooney's asshole on Sunday, we ain't winning that match. Its going to come down to damage control and trying to minimize the amount of embarrassment.  Its actually a good thing were not at Goodison on Sunday in a way. 

I understand what you're saying. Perhaps we as a fan base have been too naive thinking we would hit the ground running with all our signings. As mentioned before - let's see where we are at with the Liverpool game, I'd like us to be on 25 points. 11 games to get 21 points is reasonable given the run we have and would have us in a position for 60-65 points end of season. We just need to grind out this period.

[Keith B]

As usual, there are a lot of good points made in the most recent comments above. I could scarcely do better. But here are my thoughts and concerns with RK:

First, I don't have a sense of what he wants to do to win matches. What is his preferred style? He talks big on having a solid foundation on defense, but it's 8-0 in the last three matches. If we were grinding out 1-0 or 1-1s, I could see it. But absent a solid defense, what is his preferred attacking style? (And honestly, there might be an answer to this that I just haven't seen or don't know.) Lukaku seems to have covered up a lot of our attacking issues, and if losing him is even 33% of our dip in form, he's got to be considered one of the best strikers in the world, no?

Second, why is it that the team doesn't look like it knows what it is supposed to be doing? I don't feel like this was the case at any point last season. We had our dips in form, but it felt like players knew their role and knew what was expected. Why are there so many headless chickens right now?

Third, our best players aren't playing up to their ability. Morgan Schniederlin was one of our best players in the second half of last season. Now he seems like one of the worst. What is going on there. Why is it that Ronny isn't getting even average levels of performance out of players that we've seen perform better recently? Absent tactics, this is the managers biggest job. 

Lastly, he's brought in a bunch of players that aren't gelling. Why is that? They are his guys? What was his vision for Gylfi, Klassen, and Rooney? Did he think he could play them all together?

I remarked on twitter that we'll have to hire Big Sam in March to keep us up. I know we've had a difficult schedule, but I am terrified that my prediction might be right.

 

Up the toffees!

 

 

[chalkpie]

What is also REALLY worrying me is that Koeman is having the "deer in the headlights" look for the first time as manager imo during his pre- and post-match interviews. Its pretty similar to when Martinez the Clown was shitting the bed in the winter/spring of the season he was sacked. You can see it in his eyes, you can hear it in both the words he chooses and how he says them. At least Koeman is openly admitting that he is to blame for this utter shite pool that we are currently bathing in, but looking what he has to work with on "paper", I don't think he has many more tricks up his sleeve. These players were supposed to raise this team into new heights and uncharted territories, and ironically it has had the exact opposite effect. The negative aspect of this teams playing and attitude is manifesting and feeding on itself, and I think we we are headed to a possible out-of-control spiral unless something drastic changes in our system, tactics, attitude, pace, spirit, teamwork....you name it...it ALL has to change. Whether this is hyperbole or not, that remains to be seen. But how fucking crazy is it that he is publicly coming out and saying stuff like Keane is devoid of all confidence?! That is just not a good scenario anyway you slice it. 

I wanted to believe in Koeman, and with the talk of him possibly going to manage FC Barca someday, I thought we got pretty lucky and made out like a bandit. Now, I am beginning to almost think the opposite...is this guy a fraud? Is he really that clueless on the scouting of players and how to correctly utilize them, as well as basic tactics and systems of play? I really don't know. Yes its a tough run, and its early days, but like Baz said in his video, its the manner in which we have lost, not just the losses themselves. 

[StevO]

Pace and width please. Thanks. 

[Bailey]

I think he needs to decider whether he wants to dominate possession  or whether he wants to play on the counter. We seem to set up as a team that want to dominate possession (slow technical players, width from full backs etc) but then we sit deeper and deeper as if we are playing on the counter. Because of the gap to the striker, we turn over the ball. Our 10's aren't mobile enough, our striker feeds of scraps and our full backs can't provide any width as they are too deep. You cant expect a 33 year old to be sprinting box to box all game. All that happens is that as we start to transition into attack, we lose the ball, and then we are out of position. Quick and incisive teams will exploit that as they have done.

Utd aren't a team that particularly care about possession so we have a chance to get on the front foot and dominate. That means our defence has to push up, we have to close down aggressively and we have to make sure our full backs get into the game to create the width as we haven't got any attackers that can.either bully defenders and hold the ball up, or have he pace to get in behind.

 

[johnh]

Regardless of what we think about Niasse,  he must be better than the empty space that we currently have up-front.  Unfortunately, it would be a major embarrassment for Koeman to bring him in after the way he treated him.

[Hafnia]

1 hour ago, johnh said:

Regardless of what we think about Niasse,  he must be better than the empty space that we currently have up-front.  Unfortunately, it would be a major embarrassment for Koeman to bring him in after the way he treated him.

Rumour has it that the players do not like him.  Keeps them waiting at meal times. .. they can't eat till he eats.  That sort of shit. 

[johnh]

Didn't know Niasse was like that.

[StevO]

I've heard he makes them wait until everyone is there, not particularly waiting for him. So the team and staff eat together at the same time. 

[markjazzbassist]

55 minutes ago, StevO said:

I've heard he makes them wait until everyone is there, not particularly waiting for him. So the team and staff eat together at the same time. 

last time i checked that's called manners or etiquette for you fancy english fuckers.  no idea why Haf thinks being polite is somehow undermining the players.  

[Hafnia]

36 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

last time i checked that's called manners or etiquette for you fancy english fuckers.  no idea why Haf thinks being polite is somehow undermining the players.  

 I'm here if you want to reply to my post which was indicating that he makes everyone wait for "him"... 

So rather than replying to the other version of events and referencing me - at least do me the courtesy of discussing whether or not you believe that making people repeatedly wait for you till you can start eating isn't gonna piss people off?

I have no issues with good manners - I have issues with bad manners. As you have discovered. 

[Bailey]

48 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

last time i checked that's called manners or etiquette for you fancy english fuckers.  no idea why Haf thinks being polite is somehow undermining the players.  

When you have around 40 people you are trying to feed? The food will be cold!

Not sure I really believe the rumour or whether it has even had an effect but I am concerned about all that luke warm food

[Bailey]

1 hour ago, TallPaul1878 said:

That is exactly the problem. He has tried to build a team that plays 4-3-3, that wants to dominate most of the possession but there are 6 teams better than us in the league and we have to play 4 of them back to back between tough European fixtures. Our confidence is shot and he doesn't seem like a manager that can pick up the players and motivate them.

 

Plus, when you are set up to dominate but dont, it usually means you are chasing shadows and wasting more energy. Teams like Leicester that accept they wont be on the ball, sit deep and conserve their energy until it matters but we are all over the place and not doing anything effectively. When you have players low on confidence who are also low on energy its not going to go well.

[Gwlad]

34 minutes ago, Bailey said:

When you have around 40 people you are trying to feed? The food will be cold!

Not sure I really believe the rumour or whether it has even had an effect but I am concerned about all that luke warm food

Yes but only  Koeman can turn a few loaves and fishes into enough to feed 40!

[Shukes]

We need a captain. I want to see someone clapping their hands together and shouting at the players. Drag them back up.

Rooney should be doing this. Jags should be doing this, Pickford has a go.

we need a fighter on the pitch, someone who hates to lose.

[Paddock]

As catastrophic as some think things are- just to put things a bit more into perspective IF and of course it's a massive IF and almost certainly wont happen Tittenham get beat tonight and we win tomorrow we're on the sae points as them.

I know we aren't playing well and things are looking bleak but we were never going to hit the ground running. The faliure to land the striker has forced us to play a system we probably wSn't intending to. He's going nowhere anytime soon so just get behind them and lets hope he turns it around. I'd like to think all the Koeman haters/doubters would be happy to be proven wrong if it was for the good of the club.

Just support the team, we knew we were in trouble with the first 5 fixtures, I said I wanted 7 points and we could regroup from there- a win tomorrow means that's still possible (although I admot highly unlikely) after tomorrow, we have a run of games that on paper we should be winning until the Derby.

I'll hold on until the Derbby is here before I make any decision on wanting a managerial change.

[Gwlad]

We knew with the shit rub of the dice for the opening PL fixtures that we'd be on the back foot but expected the players to put a shift in and show some passion to win. I clearly hasn't happened so it's hard not to do the easy thing and criticise. Expectations have been sky high and we've been knocked down yet again....should expect this as an Evertonian. I didn't choose I was chosen!

[rubecula]

On 15/09/2017 at 01:53, London Blue said:

I believe he will turn it round before then, he is a winner and has experience.

But if he does not, who do you replace him with, Unsworth? 

There are not that many quality managers out there who are not tied down to a club.

at least Unsy knows the club and it's traditions but as you say Koeman should turn it around.....  but when?

[Hafnia]

I find his command of English pretty poor... I'll support him whilst he is here but so far hes left me feeling somewhat disillusioned.... I can't see any sort of system

 

[rubecula]

sad to say Haf  he struck me the same way the day he took over.  bit he is going nowhere fast so suck it up bud,  we agree  with each other.

[Cornish Steve]

1 hour ago, Gwlad all over said:

We knew with the shit rub of the dice for the opening PL fixtures that we'd be on the back foot but expected the players to put a shift in and show some passion to win. I clearly hasn't happened so it's hard not to do the easy thing and criticise. Expectations have been sky high and we've been knocked down yet again....should expect this as an Evertonian. I didn't choose I was chosen!

I don't agree on this point. The best time to play the top teams is early in the season, before they kick into gear. Just look at Burnley beating Chelsea, for example, while we simply rolled over and gave up. Stoke tied United: Do you think we will tomorrow? Swansea have kept Spurs at bay for over an hour; this time last week, we were three down at home. Watford tied Liverpool, and so did Burnley today: Do you think we could manage that right now?

[Paddock]

1 hour ago, Cornish Steve said:

I don't agree on this point. The best time to play the top teams is early in the season, before they kick into gear. Just look at Burnley beating Chelsea, for example, while we simply rolled over and gave up. Stoke tied United: Do you think we will tomorrow? Swansea have kept Spurs at bay for over an hour; this time last week, we were three down at home. Watford tied Liverpool, and so did Burnley today: Do you think we could manage that right now?

Just like City have beaten Liverpool 5-0 and Watford 6-0 you mean and United have ripped everone bar their last game apart.

[Bill]

Burnley undefeated against Chelsea, Spurs and L,pool. Also had a tough start.

[Guest]

If there's a 3 goal deficit tomorrow in favour of utd, I'll want him gone.

The reason is, after the shame of Thursday, the one outcome that should be a certainty is a tight game and being resolute at the back. If this isn't the case, he has lost the plot for me and we can't see £150mil go down the swanny.

[Cornish Steve]

3 hours ago, Paddock said:

Just like City have beaten Liverpool 5-0 and Watford 6-0 you mean and United have ripped everone bar their last game apart.

Of course there will be exceptions, but I'd choose to play all top teams in the first month.

[Chach]

1 hour ago, Cornish Steve said:

Of course there will be exceptions, but I'd choose to play all top teams in the first month.

Agree with your earlier comment, but if I was choosing I'd def rather ease into it with some confidence boosting wins.

[Hafnia]

12 hours ago, Bill said:

Burnley undefeated against Chelsea, Spurs and L,pool. Also had a tough start.

Good point

[c1982]

13 hours ago, Bill said:

Burnley undefeated against Chelsea, Spurs and L,pool. Also had a tough start.

Yet lose at home to West Brom - "typical Burnley" was the response I got after that game! It's fine margins - if Cahill isn't given a red early on then Chelsea probably win that... Spurs/Liverpool could have put 6/7 past them. People criticise our performance vs Man C but that's how Burnley have played to get these points; backs to wall, on the break, riding their luck. I'd love a performance like that today if it means 1 or even 3 points!

[Bailey]

2 hours ago, c1982 said:

Yet lose at home to West Brom - "typical Burnley" was the response I got after that game! It's fine margins - if Cahill isn't given a red early on then Chelsea probably win that... Spurs/Liverpool could have put 6/7 past them. People criticise our performance vs Man C but that's how Burnley have played to get these points; backs to wall, on the break, riding their luck. I'd love a performance like that today if it means 1 or even 3 points!

 

I agree I wouldn't use Burnley as an example although they are a selection all club, with very modest players and they haven't really got the option of doing much else to get the results they have whereas we do and they have still caused as much as or more of a threat than us. 

We have the squad and players to take it to the big teams but instead we are set up like minnows trying to hold on to a point.

[Bailey]

16 hours ago, Paddock said:

Just like City have beaten Liverpool 5-0 and Watford 6-0 you mean and United have ripped everone bar their last game apart.

The sending off changed the Liverpool game. Liverpool were far more dangerous  (even though they were losing) but they cant defend that we'll when they have 11 men, let alone 10 (and their best player sent off).