Theo Walcott

[StevO]

As much as it’s a big part of the game, I’m not worrying too much about a wingers defensive side of the game. If a centre forward is brought down in the box by a centre midfielder, and I’m not looking at the winger. Ok, Theo could have been in there, but so could Coleman, so could Keane, so could Gomez. I want Theo to create chances and score goals. 

[markjazzbassist]

46 minutes ago, StevO said:

I don’t give a crap about any players age Mark. I’ve seen Messi, Hazard, Ronaldo, all make mistakes. Players will get it wrong sometimes. Some of the best players in the world have missed open goals. I’ve seen it all my life, I don’t get why we come down so hard on a player for making the wrong decisions on the pitch sometimes. You’re at the point where you’ll nail him for any mistake he makes, so there is no point discussing it with you. I trust the managers opinion more than yours, and he thinks he’s good enough to play and very rarely be subbed, maybe he’s wrong too.

Who do you think we should go buy instead? Or do we just put Lookman in there and hope he turns out better than Theo, even after he’s awful few months of attitude and sulking?

No idea but Theo is a big sam signing, I’m sure brands will have someone lined up for the summer if Bernard or lookman don’t work out.  Theo is mirallas Mk II

[Aidan]

6 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

No idea but Theo is a big sam signing, I’m sure brands will have someone lined up for the summer if Bernard or lookman don’t work out.  Theo is mirallas Mk II

A bit harsh on Theo.

[Bailey]

For me, Theo just has so much more that he can give. With someone like Lennon you could see he was working as hard as he could every game even though his quality was limited. Walcott is miles ahead of him in talent yet under the same manager and in the same conditions you wouldnt see much difference in output. 

I also dont like the fact he blames others for his mistakes. If he took more responsibility for his mistakes he might improve for it. 

[StevO]

2 hours ago, markjazzbassist said:

No idea but Theo is a big sam signing, I’m sure brands will have someone lined up for the summer if Bernard or lookman don’t work out.  Theo is mirallas Mk II

There we go, now we get to the reason. Is it all because Sam signed him then?

Just because someone else signed him doesn’t mean Brands will want him out. I could say the same about any player, Pickford being a Walsh/Koeman signing, they’ll still want him. If Brands is as good as we hope, then he won’t want to just buy a whole team in a short space of time as that doesn’t work in football. It takes years and years to replace a squad without making a massive mess of it. Every single signing is a big risk, so a player performing to a good level will he kept. Right now they will be worrying about a right back, a centre midfielder and a striker. I’ve said before and probably will again, Theo won’t be in their minds as a player to replace any time soon. There are positions where we are in need of adding quality more.

[12ubb3rduck3y]

2 hours ago, hafnia said:

It's got nothing to do with age in the sense that laziness is laziness..  he should know that he was in the wrong and in a way he did.... he just couldn't be arsed.

Richie and Bernard worked hard and were defensively disciplined. 

We don’t know about the tactics Silva told them though. For instance Theo could have been told to stay further up the field to get in behind the defenders and Bernard could have been told track back get on the ball and get digne to overlap you. 

We’ll find out if Silva drops him or not. 

[Haiku]

This turns into Gana thread #2. Yeah I know nothing is good enough for Everton, but pointing a finger against a forward who fucked up in his defensive duties, is this really our biggest problem right now? If so, then Marco Silva is doing tremendous job, congratulations to him.

[markjazzbassist]

Ste to be honest I never wanted him here in the first place.  Didn’t like him for the arse. Thought he was massively overrated (English bias).  When he signed I backed him hoping to be proven wrong (like I have been many times before).  I hoped that one 20+ goal season with the arse would be a regularity here since he would get more playing time.  I don’t care that Sam signed him, I said that to insinuate that Marco might not want him (ala the rest of the exodus).  

[12ubb3rduck3y]

6 hours ago, Haiku said:

This turns into Gana thread #2. Yeah I know nothing is good enough for Everton, but pointing a finger against a forward who fucked up in his defensive duties, is this really our biggest problem right now? If so, then Marco Silva is doing tremendous job, congratulations to him.

+1 considering he was our best  outfield player coming into the start of this season.

[nogs]

19 hours ago, StevO said:

Still baffled by the hate towards him. He’s still one of our best players, he made no more wrong decisions than Richarlison or Bernard. Not the only player to have a poor game. 

It's not hate Steve, he's just playing badly, he has offered nothing the last few games I've watched. We've got a squad, I don't believe in keeping players in the first XI when they are not contributing. 

[Hafnia]

Are we still at a stage where players are getting selected and excused on reputation?

Mirallas was a very talented player... capable of things similar to Walcott. Just a bit more surly which befitted his half arsed efforts.

So what's the difference at the moment between a mirallas and a Walcott?  Walcott is a PR mans dream - lovely lad. Says the right thinks, signs autographs and takes selfies and has scored some nice goals here and there.  But on the pitch he is leaving his team mates exposed.... allowing them to be doubled up on.

Let's not make out that Coleman and pickford are narks.... when we conceded the second goal they let rip at Theo.  Let's not also start bringing Messi and Ronaldo into the mix and compare them getting back or not with Theo..... their full backs are rarely left doubled up on because no players leave those two unmarked.   If the opponents attack their full back doesn't leave Messi or Ronaldo.   Theo doesn't hold that fear factor. 

[pete0]

Find it crazy n that Walcott's effort levels are being questioned. He's far from a lazy player and one thing that was noticeable when he first signed was how much effort he puts in tracking back. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/theo-walcott-arsenal-arsene-wenger-england-squad-snub-centre-forward-winger-a7634121.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/10/05/revealed-the-inside-story-of-how-theo-walcott-is-reinventing-him/

[StevO]

1 hour ago, nogs said:

It's not hate Steve, he's just playing badly, he has offered nothing the last few games I've watched. We've got a squad, I don't believe in keeping players in the first XI when they are not contributing. 

I think for many Nogs, it is hate. I agree he’s not played great lately, but he’s also contributed to three premier league wins on the bounce before the United game. In his ten games so far he’s scored two and assisted two, that’s not such a bad record. I don’t believe in keeping playing players who aren’t contributing, but he is contributing. He’s not playing as well as in the first few games in the season, but I’m still not seeing anyone looking like stealing his place. 

How anyone (not you Nogs, but plenty of others) can blame one of our players when Martial hits a strike like that is beyond me. Just give the lad praise for scoring such a good goal and move on. All of our players have made mistakes, but as I’ve said loads of times, we have to have someone to pick on don’t we?

[nogs]

8 minutes ago, StevO said:

I think for many Nogs, it is hate. I agree he’s not played great lately, but he’s also contributed to three premier league wins on the bounce before the United game. In his ten games so far he’s scored two and assisted two, that’s not such a bad record. I don’t believe in keeping playing players who aren’t contributing, but he is contributing. He’s not playing as well as in the first few games in the season, but I’m still not seeing anyone looking like stealing his place. 

How anyone (not you Nogs, but plenty of others) can blame one of our players when Martial hits a strike like that is beyond me. Just give the lad praise for scoring such a good goal and move on. All of our players have made mistakes, but as I’ve said loads of times, we have to have someone to pick on don’t we?

You have to judge form in the now though Steve, not on what he did a month or two ago. For the record, yeah Martial scored a very good goal, but it was visible that Walcott was jogging back instead of tearing across the grass to close him down and pressure the shot. That's poor. 

What concerns me more though is he has just looked off the pace going forward against Palace and against Man Utd. He's been wasteful in possession and in front of goal. So has Bernard and I want to see a different front 3 next game, with Richarlison back on the left, Lookman on right and DCL or Tosun up front. Because the three goals we have scored in the last two games have all come with some combination of those four on the pitch, it seems to be working better. 

I don't think Walcott is shit, but I do think he is annoyingly inconsistent and goes through poor spells. While he's in one, what's the point in starting him? 

[pete0]

It's Coleman's man all day, but Keane hasn't marked his man which has then forced Coleman to shift in side to pick him up. Walcott then comes back to cover as the other two are out of position. 

Walcott if the others had done their job is waiting in the space left open by Martial being forward. If we won the ball back he'd be the outlet to counter. Most likely a tactical decision. 

If the play comes down our right Walcott would have been chasing. As it's not Coleman marks the winger and Walcott cuts out the full back. 

[Hafnia]

Keane was placed where he needed to be. He and zouma were central for the cross from young which was cleared.  Second phase pogba picks up the ball and zouma steps leaving Keane covering the through pass in the penalty box - Coleman cover rashford.

Martial runs up whilst Walcott jogs and gets on place to finish.

 

It's on Walcott.

[pete0]

You've got two centre backs v one centre forward. Why on Earth would the full back be expected to mark the lone striker. 

[StevO]

7 hours ago, nogs said:

You have to judge form in the now though Steve, not on what he did a month or two ago. For the record, yeah Martial scored a very good goal, but it was visible that Walcott was jogging back instead of tearing across the grass to close him down and pressure the shot. That's poor. 

What concerns me more though is he has just looked off the pace going forward against Palace and against Man Utd. He's been wasteful in possession and in front of goal. So has Bernard and I want to see a different front 3 next game, with Richarlison back on the left, Lookman on right and DCL or Tosun up front. Because the three goals we have scored in the last two games have all come with some combination of those four on the pitch, it seems to be working better. 

I don't think Walcott is shit, but I do think he is annoyingly inconsistent and goes through poor spells. While he's in one, what's the point in starting him? 

Nogs, got nothing but respect for your opinion mate. I agree with pretty much everything you’ve said, apart from the bit about the goal My issue is just with people hating the lad, you aren’t one of them. 

[StevO]

5 hours ago, hafnia said:

Keane was placed where he needed to be. He and zouma were central for the cross from young which was cleared.  Second phase pogba picks up the ball and zouma steps leaving Keane covering the through pass in the penalty box - Coleman cover rashford.

Martial runs up whilst Walcott jogs and gets on place to finish.

 

It's on Walcott.

No one should have been all over Pogba then? Why is he allowed to be a free man? None of our midfielders should have been on him? None of them should have stopped him playing the ball out wide? Hmm, ok then. 

[nogs]

45 minutes ago, StevO said:

Nogs, got nothing but respect for your opinion mate. I agree with pretty much everything you’ve said, apart from the bit about the goal My issue is just with people hating the lad, you aren’t one of them. 

Makes one of you then! 

[Hafnia]

48 minutes ago, StevO said:

No one should have been all over Pogba then? Why is he allowed to be a free man? None of our midfielders should have been on him? None of them should have stopped him playing the ball out wide? Hmm, ok then. 

Pogba got the cleared ball from the cross by zouma. Gomes closed down the shot option which was the right thing to do.  Keane had the through ball in the penalty box covered, Coleman had rashford marked.... pogba had one free man to pass to..... martial who was half hea4tedly being watched by Walcott. 

Absolutely No fuckin excuses.  If mirallas or bolassie had done what Walcott done there would be uproar.  Nice lad though Theo.  And no.... no one HATES him. Daft thing to say.  Infuriated by him, annoyed, yeah.... hate? No I hate people like phillip green and that prick who was disrespectful outside Leicester yesterday. 

[Palfy]

8 hours ago, pete0 said:

It's Coleman's man all day, but Keane hasn't marked his man which has then forced Coleman to shift in side to pick him up. Walcott then comes back to cover as the other two are out of position. 

Walcott if the others had done their job is waiting in the space left open by Martial being forward. If we won the ball back he'd be the outlet to counter. Most likely a tactical decision. 

If the play comes down our right Walcott would have been chasing. As it's not Coleman marks the winger and Walcott cuts out the full back. 

This for me as well before you start blaming one of the most forward players on the pitch who would normally come back to cover their full backs and winger if they were both pushing down the line and not there striker, we should have had plenty of players closer that hadn’t reacted to what was happening and were marking fresh air. 

Coleman being the closer goes to pick up Martial then the other three defenders should shuffle along the line to pickup the player Coleman left and so on that way all players are marked , I managed for a few years and that is what I expected from my players to shuffle and cover, and I would have been saying to Coleman in the dressing room why the fuck didn’t you go to the man then your man would have been picked up, and if Keane hadn’t gone to the man you left not your fault you did what you had to do Keane didn’t  

Shit defending for me from Coleman not down to Walcott  

 

[StevO]

2 hours ago, hafnia said:

Pogba got the cleared ball from the cross by zouma. Gomes closed down the shot option which was the right thing to do.  Keane had the through ball in the penalty box covered, Coleman had rashford marked.... pogba had one free man to pass to..... martial who was half hea4tedly being watched by Walcott. 

Absolutely No fuckin excuses.  If mirallas or bolassie had done what Walcott done there would be uproar.  Nice lad though Theo.  And no.... no one HATES him. Daft thing to say.  Infuriated by him, annoyed, yeah.... hate? No I hate people like phillip green and that prick who was disrespectful outside Leicester yesterday. 

I disagree, but whatever. 

[Cornish Steve]

Can I just make clear that disagreeing with someone else's opinion about a player does not equal hate. It simply means I disagree with someone else's opinion about a player.

[StevO]

1 hour ago, Palfy said:

This for me as well before you start blaming one of the most forward players on the pitch who would normally come back to cover their full backs and winger if they were both pushing down the line and not there striker, we should have had plenty of players closer that hadn’t reacted to what was happening and were marking fresh air. 

Coleman being the closer goes to pick up Martial then the other three defenders should shuffle along the line to pickup the player Coleman left and so on that way all players are marked , I managed for a few years and that is what I expected from my players to shuffle and cover, and I would have been saying to Coleman in the dressing room why the fuck didn’t you go to the man then your man would have been picked up, and if Keane hadn’t gone to the man you left not your fault you did what you had to do Keane didn’t  

Shit defending for me from Coleman not down to Walcott  

 

Exactly this!!!

I still think if Martial was man marked nice and tight he probably would have lost his marker and scored due to his pace, but yes, right full back covers left forward. 

[London Blue]

3 hours ago, hafnia said:

Pogba got the cleared ball from the cross by zouma. Gomes closed down the shot option which was the right thing to do.  Keane had the through ball in the penalty box covered, Coleman had rashford marked.... pogba had one free man to pass to..... martial who was half hea4tedly being watched by Walcott. 

Absolutely No fuckin excuses.  If mirallas or bolassie had done what Walcott done there would be uproar.  Nice lad though Theo.  And no.... no one HATES him. Daft thing to say.  Infuriated by him, annoyed, yeah.... hate? No I hate people like phillip green and that prick who was disrespectful outside Leicester yesterday. 

You need to re-read your posts then as they seem pretty full on to me.

Yes Theo has had 2 poor games (and I think he should be dropped for the Brighton game) but hes also had 7 good games. From reading, your, and other peoples posts you would think Theo had done fuck all this season and was stealing a living from us, he has 3 goals and 2 assists remember.

IMHO Theo was not at fault for the Martial goal, as has been said the fullback picks up the winger, plus, as has also been said before Theo may well of been told to stay higher up the pitch to be an outlet for a break by us. 

I have no problem with criticising players, but some of the attacks on or own players is over the top, and just does not sit right with me. 

[Sibdane]

Let's not take away the fact that it was an excellent finish. Just a few inches either way, and it's either blocked by Coleman or wide. We could've done better closing him down, but 9 times out of 10 that wouldn't be a goal. 

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, StevO said:

Exactly this!!!

I still think if Martial was man marked nice and tight he probably would have lost his marker and scored due to his pace, but yes, right full back covers left forward. 

He could well of he’s definitely got bags of ability. 

But I’d like to think Coleman could have got a tackle in or sent him down the line, or even held him up to give Gana or Gomes time to fill the space he ran into, but for Coleman to not go to him has resulted in what happened next. 

[Hafnia]

8 hours ago, London Blue said:

You need to re-read your posts then as they seem pretty full on to me.

Yes Theo has had 2 poor games (and I think he should be dropped for the Brighton game) but hes also had 7 good games. From reading, your, and other peoples posts you would think Theo had done fuck all this season and was stealing a living from us, he has 3 goals and 2 assists remember.

IMHO Theo was not at fault for the Martial goal, as has been said the fullback picks up the winger, plus, as has also been said before Theo may well of been told to stay higher up the pitch to be an outlet for a break by us. 

I have no problem with criticising players, but some of the attacks on or own players is over the top, and just does not sit right with me. 

You need to re-read your posts.... they look like they should be in some sort of apple vs android or Xbox vs PlayStation debate where fanboys furiously stick to their side.

I  don't do that - you do. I support ONE THING and that is Everton.  The components that form part of Everton all need to work together.  You only seem to be arsed about Theo. 

Here's a fact for you.  You can trawl the site through my thousands of posts for proof.  I never get overly critical of players for having a bad game  - I may say they need dropping or subbing, I may even say we need to buy a better player for the role.  But when a player shows an attitude of not working that fucks me right off cos they are letting their team mates down.

I have given support to some players who have been through shit times and cone through the other side.  You know the knee jerkers who get slated before even getting past 3 games like Naismith and kone.  Because I can actually see they want to do well. 

Typical.... I stated a good while back that Theo looked to have a certain indifference to stretching for a ball or closing a man down. It was laughed out.... not such the case now.  Some players have a lazy streak - he has it and we can't afford that in our side. 

[Hafnia]

On 07/10/2018 at 10:29, hafnia said:

Starting to royally piss me off now.  Seems to have an air of arrogance and complacency which needs sorting.  Yeah he's a classy lad and talks well and all that shit.....  but he is one of the players that others should be looking at as a leader and someone to follow "the example" he sets.   

For me he's far too economical with himself...  I wouldn't look at him if I was in the trenches.  I would drop him and if it's for a game to give lookman a go then maybe that will get the message across.  Needs to be doing a lot more. 

This moreso than ever. 

He will come good again but like Klopp has done with Sturridge it's more about attitude than aptitude. Which fuckin pisses me off.

 Everton is not a holiday camp or the "I've took early retirement from my stressful job, time to earn pocket money stacking shelves or delivering parcels and have a laugh when doing it".... our club has gone backwards from signing some players who have taken a supposed step down at their latter years.