Crystal Palace (Away) Saturday September 26th

[markjazzbassist]

 BIG WIN.  last year we would have played that sloppy we would have lost.  we won this time.  once we actually click we will be lethal.  very happy with the result.  

[Matt]

Happy that we can dig in and grind out results as well as look flashy. Just need my stomach to relax now before dinner. 
 

oh, and before the inevitable nit picking (and there’s plenty of reason for many players), I’ll just type this:

WWWWW

[badaids]

Glad we were professional enough to close the game off. One day soon all our midfielders will play well the entire game and it won’t be a tense watch.

[Hafnia]

They will trip a few teams up will palace. But we need to get better....   We have no quality to cover the players who get subbed. 

[Aidan]

2 minutes ago, badaids said:

Glad we were professional enough to close the game off. One day soon all our midfielders will play well the entire game and it won’t be a tense watch.

Those performances happen week in week out against the top teams, we gave them possession and didnt allow them a sniff at pickfords goal. 

I actually think we will play better against better teams with more space to play with! 

[Bailey]

Weird game in many ways, neither side created much from open play but both sides put in tough, determined displays. 

I wouldnt say I thought anyone played badly. Mina was a bit dodgy at times, Doucoure gave the ball away really sloppily on occasions and whilst DCL was quiet, I thought he did really well late in the game drawing fouls and getting us out of their half. 

In the same breath, no-one really stands out as being head and shoulders above the rest. Richarlison was always a pain in the arse, Digne played well and Gomes played his best game for a while. James showed moments of real quality too but he struggled to get involved in the game enough in the 2nd half. 

[dunlopp9987]

3 minutes ago, badaids said:

Glad we were professional enough to close the game off. One day soon all our midfielders will play well the entire game and it won’t be a tense watch.

Putting my money on the derby to be that game

[Shukes]

very tough game, but we actually managed the game out. Big last twenty minutes from DCL, must have saved us ten minutes there.

They had a lot of the ball in that second half, but we managed to limit them to scraps. 
 

Solid performance without anyone really standing out.

[barryj]

The result was the most important thing today to keep the momentum going. Thought 2 out of the three subs  didn’t help themselves although Davies got a few mins. Tactically spot on. James tired in the last 10 mins but again showed his class. 

[chicagoblue]

Just watched the handball for our pk again. Surprised it was given. Ball was going to Richy who was well offside and hand looked like it was in a fairly natural position. 
 

can’t exactly complain about it though...

[Wiggytop]

5 minutes ago, Matt said:

Happy that we can dig in and grind out results as well as look flashy. Just need my stomach to relax now before dinner. 
 

oh, and before the inevitable nit picking (and there’s plenty of reason for many players), I’ll just type this:

WWWWW

And we’re top of the league! It certainly wasn’t our best game but we got the points which is what is really about, we played some nice football at times, and when we did we were in control, need to keep doing that.

[Cisk]

10 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

 BIG WIN.  last year we would have played that sloppy we would have lost.  we won this time.  once we actually click we will be lethal.  very happy with the result.  

Absolutely right.....we would lose this type of game time after time over past 3-5 seasons

[Cisk]

5 minutes ago, dunlopp9987 said:

Putting my money on the derby to be that game

Oooohhhhhh........BIG Call!

[SpartyBlue]

1 hour ago, Aidan said:

Can we just all agree that if the penalty was against us we'd be annoyed? Thats the way you have to look at it.

No unnatural position, no intent, no reaction time. No penalty. The fact that people now think it is makes me genuinely upset to see the modern game going that way. 

By the current rules it’s a clear penalty which is why the official took 5 seconds to call for it. Cannot have your arm  away from your body when the ball hits it in the box. He left it hanging out there and took his chances.

[Shukes]

4 minutes ago, chicagoblue said:

Just watched the handball for our pk again. Surprised it was given. Ball was going to Richy who was well offside and hand looked like it was in a fairly natural position. 
 

can’t exactly complain about it though...

I was surprised because of the offside as well.

I can see why it was given, defender had the ape arms pose, which players do to make their body bigger. Harsh, but to the letter of the law.

But once Digne heads the ball, Richie is on an offside position. Can only think it’s because the offence takes place before the ball gets there? 
 

A harsh penalty either way.

[SpartyBlue]

As others have said that was a win we don’t get in previous seasons. Windy, rainy, on the road, Palace in good form. So often when you watch a “Top” club they find a way to grind out a result when they aren’t at their best. It’s the difference between 6th and 10th..or 4th and 6th. In some ways I think it was our most impressive win. Learning to be winners.

[Aidan]

Just now, SpartyBlue said:

By the current rules it’s a clear penalty which is why the official took 5 seconds to call for it. Cannot have your arm  away from your body when the ball hits it in the box. He left it hanging out there and took his chances.

'Took his chances' he knew nothing about it! He was a foot away from the attacker. Its not like he was throwing his arms about in the air. His arm slightly moves away from his body due to the momentum caused from him planting his feet and starting to turn his body to face the play. His arms are more or less by his side they are in no way in an unnatural position. No way a penalty and I'd be furious if it was the other way around. 

[SpartyBlue]

10 minutes ago, Aidan said:

'Took his chances' he knew nothing about it! He was a foot away from the attacker. Its not like he was throwing his arms about in the air. His arm slightly moves away from his body due to the momentum caused from him planting his feet and starting to turn his body to face the play. His arms are more or less by his side they are in no way in an unnatural position. No way a penalty and I'd be furious if it was the other way around. 

By the letter of the law it’s a trivial penalty as others have mentioned. You’re exaggerating to say “he’s a foot away”. He could have had his hands glued to his sides or behind his back as many defenders do (and as DCL did later). If a ball strikes your hand or arm in the box when it’s well away from your body (and it was) it’s a penalty as written. The official called it very quickly which means it wasn’t a difficult one for him to interpret. Intent doesn’t matter if it meets the criteria of being well outside the body in the box, arguably moving towards the ball.  You don’t have to like the way the rule is written but it’s a penalty via the current rules.

[Matt]

29 minutes ago, dunlopp9987 said:

Putting my money on the derby to be that game

[Aidan]

1 minute ago, SpartyBlue said:

By the letter of the law it’s a trivial penalty as others have mentioned. You’re exaggerating to say “he’s a foot away”. He could have had his hands glued to his sides or behind his back as many defenders do (and as DCL did later). If a ball strikes your hand or arm in the box when it’s well away from your body (and it was) it’s a penalty as written. The official called it very quickly which means it wasn’t a difficult one for him to interpret. Intent doesn’t matter if it meets the criteria of being well outside the body in the box, arguably moving towards the ball.  You don’t have to like the way the rule is written but it’s a penalty via the current rules.

I am exaggerating. But it was in all serious about 2 ft away. And his arm was not 'well away' from his body. 

I suppose we agree to disagree 

 

[SpartyBlue]

Just now, Aidan said:

I am exaggerating. But it was in all serious about 2 ft away. And his arm was not 'well away' from his body. 

I suppose we agree to disagree 

 

I’ll give you 4 feet. Even if you think that it’s a completely natural position, his arm was moving towards the ball. That alone is grounds for a penalty as the laws are currently written and the rest of the criteria doesn’t matter. I expect that’s why it was given so quickly. Arm outside his body, moving towards the ball.

 

In any case I’m glad it went our way today as it will surely go against us at some point. 
 

 

[Aidan]

Just now, SpartyBlue said:

I’ll give you 4 feet. 

Stop it your flirt. 

[Hafnia]

Handball.... Putting your arm to your side and leaning towards the ball is leaving you open to getting penalised if it hits your arm.  

Is it fair? Not sure. But if you allow players to arm the ball then it will get abused. If the arms behind the back then there is no danger. 

[Ger]

Get in, great result. Last season we had an easy start and we fucked it up, this season we have a relatively easy start to the season and we're getting results. Today showed real character, determination to see us through. The players will grow in confidence if this continues and when we come up against the bigger teams we won't roll over. Our opening game against Spurs stated our intent. Onwards and , well we can't really go upwards can we, 'cause we're top of the league.

 

Can't wait to get back inside Goodison Park, it would be a real Everton thing to win something with the fans not able to get in.

 

[RuffRob]

Good win that, even before the game thought we might have dropped a couple of points today as a tough away fixture. You could argue that Palace have had an even better start to the league that we have, winning 3:1 at Old Trafford last week. 

Second half was tougher, but we had an away lead to defend and Palace had enough confidence and quality to bring the game to us looking for the goal they needed. But even though Palace put the pressure on a bit more in the second half think we created still just as much as then. 

A lot tougher than the Spurs game (in which Spurs where poor to be fair) and home to 10 men of West Brom. You could see some of our players where a little more tired come the 70min mark than they had been in the first couple of games. We played Wednesday, but Palace had not. 

Probably the best 3 points gained so far, as were the hardest to earn.  Good to hold on to leads when under the kosh, just as confidence building as running out as comfortable winners. 

We got a bit of luck with the penalty, but we are making our own luck to a degree with good balls in to the penalty areas. 

Like I keep saying, given the change to the middle of the park (none of the 4 midfielders had ever player together until two weeks ago!!!) don't expect this team to really come together until the Xmas/New Year time.  9 points from 9 is quite amazing really.

 

[Btay]

We have the makings of a very, very good footballing team.

Were not at our best yet 58% possession, 10 shots, 5 on target and a win - I’m very happy with that. 

[Aidan]

 

 

[Btay]

30 minutes ago, Aidan said:

 

 

He is a sook. Not as good as he thinks he is to be honest.

[Romey 1878]

1 hour ago, Aidan said:

 

 

He's pap, that's why. If we wanted a winger in this window we should've been after Eze. Younger and a better bet than him already. I said at the time Palace were sniffing around him that I hoped we'd show an interest. I doubt he'll still be there in three years time.

[Romey 1878]

I'll preface this by saying I'm a little bit worse for wear, but I am fucking loving all of this you know.

We didn't play that well today and yet I wasn't worried watching it. When Palace got the equaliser I just knew we'd go again and I felt confident we could get another goal. When Palace were on top at 1-1 I wasn't worried and didn't even care if they did grab another. I believe in this team and our manager, I believe that if we take a hit we won't stay down anymore but will get back up and have another go. We've got grit now, we've got confidence, we've got creativity, we've got fight, we've got goals.

This. Feels. Different.

To all those saying it shouldn't have been a penalty... bla, bla, fucking bla. That's how it's being applied this season and Palace got one that went their way last week, it's just been applied consistently. Penalty, three points to us. End of story. Goodnight. Take the win and stop being fucking weirdo's because sure as night follows day we'll have something go against us soon enough and no one will go to bat for us over it.