Fulham (Away) Saturday 21 November

[milesey05]

Got the win but bloody hell we were shite 2nd half 

[Matt]

12 minutes ago, Bailey said:

 

I dont understand what he can do about the 2nd goal? 

Yes he was slow to react for the first but he has been very good for the rest of the game. There are plenty others that should have done a damn site more before the ball even goes near him yet they get away with any criticism.

If its not him, its Pickford.

He could stand up instead of turning and laying a leg down like he did the other week 

[Shukes]

Well that was harder than it should have been. Good first half, but made hard work of it in the second and ultimately ended up lucky. 
We’re decent going forward, but so shaky at the back. 
 

But we can play like that and take three points... then we have to be happy.

[Hafnia]

First half great. .. second half awful 

Need Gbamin and a transfer window

[pete0]

We're did they get 5 minutes worth of stoppages?

[Palfy]

That was a painful 2nd half. 

[Shukes]

Just now, Matt said:

He could stand up instead of turning and laying a leg down like he did the other week 

Never ever in my life saw that coached into a player.  But apparently it’s good defending

[Bailey]

Thank God for that... I'm not sure we really deserved 3 points from that performance. Fulham handed us the first half and once they stepped up into us in the second half they bossed it. 

I think DCL is easily the MOTM. Iwobi was great first half and still held his own in the second and Doucoure didnt stop. 

[Zoo 2.0]

11 minutes ago, Gwlad all over said:

Kicking into the sun why is Pickford not wearing a cap?

Personal preference but I never wore a cap, they feel awful. It's rare that you see goalkeepers with them to be honest, unless it's absolutely necessary.

8 minutes ago, badaids said:

Wasn't Antonee Robinson our books a few years ago? 

Yeah, sold to Wigan Athletic and then moved to Fulham (following a failed medical at AC Milan).

Just now, Matt said:

He could stand up instead of turning and laying a leg down like he did the other week 

Agreed, 100%. 

[pete0]

Lucky to get the win. Barely strung two passes together second half. 

Brilliant first half but Ancelotti didn't have an answer to the changes second half. Digne was getting rattled by Lookman and the back three wasn't working. We needed an extra man in midfield to get stop them getting at us. Some how hung on but that was more luck than anything.

[Bailey]

2 minutes ago, Matt said:

He could stand up instead of turning and laying a leg down like he did the other week 

 

1 minute ago, Shukes said:

Never ever in my life saw that coached into a player.  But apparently it’s good defending

It very nearly made the block. Its not being lazy its a technique to make yourself bigger and it very nearly worked. If he stands up he is a smaller target. 

Its a technique they use in cricket (and ice hockey as well I believe). David De Gea uses it quite a lot in goal too. I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse but I do it a lot in 5 a side because it stops lower shots more effectively when you can't get near to the ball being struck.

He can't get out to the ball so he does what he can. It amazes me that anyone can call him out on that when you have James' lack of effort leaving Allan to try and defend 2 men and Digne getting beaten by Lookman 1v1. 

[markjazzbassist]

we played terrible and got a win.  under other managers and with different players we would have lost that.  just happy to get the points.  we have a lot of tired internationals, transatlantic and trans-hemisphere flights players had to endure.  get them on the training ground and get some rest and have a go next weekend.  3 points is 3 points.  we need a new CB, RB, and GK in the summer.  gonna be defense heavy recruitments.

[Bailey]

6 minutes ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

Personal preference but I never wore a cap, they feel awful. It's rare that you see goalkeepers with them to be honest, unless it's absolutely necessary.

I agree, always found them annoying. I tended to wear them for 5 mins and then it pissed me off and got chucked in the net!

[Shukes]

2 minutes ago, Bailey said:

 

It very nearly made the block. Its not being lazy its a technique to make yourself bigger and it very nearly worked. If he stands up he is a smaller target. 

Its a technique they use in cricket (and ice hockey as well I believe). David De Gea uses it quite a lot in goal too. I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse but I do it a lot in 5 a side because it stops lower shots more effectively when you can't get near to the ball being struck.

He can't get out to the ball so he does what he can. It amazes me that anyone can call him out on that when you have James' lack of effort leaving Allan to try and defend 2 men and Digne getting beaten by Lookman 1v1. 

I know what your saying mate, I just feel the best defence is to step forward into the angle, which closes down the space to hit the ball into. I hate it when players do that in such a mobile game like football. I understand how it works in other sports, but not football.

As I say, I’m not calling him out for it, I’m more commenting that he just isn’t a good player, and that Instance is just another example for me. Digne got roasted and I have commented on that elsewhere. James was a ghost at times, but quality when dictating play.

As for the making yourself a bigger target. Do that to me so I have time to look for my target area, and I’ll buy you a pint after every match

[Bailey]

4 minutes ago, Shukes said:

I know what your saying mate, I just feel the best defence is to step forward into the angle, which closes down the space to hit the ball into. I hate it when players do that in such a mobile game like football. I understand how it works in other sports, but not football.

As I say, I’m not calling him out for it, I’m more commenting that he just isn’t a good player, and that Instance is just another example for me. Digne got roasted and I have commented on that elsewhere. James was a ghost at times, but quality when dictating play.

As for the making yourself a bigger target. Do that to me so I have time to look for my target area, and I’ll buy you a pint after every match

I agree with you but in my experience it depends on how close you can get to the ball. If you can get out to the ball as you say then definitely stay big and get as close as you can, but he couldn't. 

If you can't get close to the ball and the striker has his head down and is about to pull the trigger you just have to make yourself big and hope for the best. Ironically I bet a fair sum of money if the ball goes in and Mina doesn't touch the ball noone is talking about it. IMO he does well to get something on the ball and he is probably a small fraction away from getting a full block in. 

I'll buy you the drink pal, I'll get my wallet out of my back pocket next to where you will be

[Palfy]

We’ve come out in the 2nd half with the intention to keep what we have and lock the game down, which in itself there is nothing wrong with when your 3-1 up, so you send the team out to be more defensive because you don’t need the 4th goal or at least shouldn’t not bad tactics the Italians have been doing that for decades even when at 1-0, until you look at our defence and it’s record for conceding goals until we get better players in the CD area our best form of defence is definitely attack because we are shit at closing the game down, and we have been for the last 6 years. 

[Tonsta]

If we had been playing anyone better than relegation fodder Fulham, we would not have won.

[Aidan]

First half there were a lot of positives for sure. I'm happy with everyone's performance minus a few moments from the back line. 

Second half Fulham were always going to come out and try to score a goal. We were pinned back and should have gone to a back 4 a lot sooner than we did. 

Thought dom was absolutely unplayable today, everything he did turned to gold. His hold up play got us up the pitch over and over again and he capped it off with 2 goals. 

Richarlison I thought also played well and you can tell he is getting frustrated not scoring too many. The goals will come for him though he's just getting unlucky. He's incredibly important to the team even if he doesn't score off assist. 

A win is a win. Time to build on it. 

[plaidharper]

Woeful second half. Had me pacing about the living room. First win in a little bit though and glad Richie is back. Hopefully they use the week to work on defense as Leeds are always on the hunt for goals.

[Matt]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/av/football/55035879

[Aidan]

9 minutes ago, Matt said:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/av/football/55035879

Love how he says it how it is. 'do you think you improved defensively in a back 3?'

'no we have to improve for sure' 

[FairWooney]

Weird game really.

First half we played lovely slick attacking football,  showing exactly why we'd missed Richarlison.   The set up with Iwobi as an attacking wing back and 3 CB's allowed us to cause them loads of problems   in no small part because of quality performances from Digne and Iwobi.  Fulham looked poor at the back giving the ball away and not challenging enough.

The second half after our 1st min chance we barely troubled their final 3rd and couldn't string more than a couple of passes together.  Felt their second was always coming and we panicked after that, bot getting forward and just hoofing the ball.

Praise for DCL' brilliant hold up play and foul winning tmat times. Doucoure was immense as was Allan and hopefully see more of that quality from Iwobi. 

James good at times but often a passenger.

Richarlison quality first half but nothing in second,  may be flagging from his travels

[FairWooney]

First half v second half

Passes

First Half - 331 - success rate 86%

Second Half - 186 - success rate 65%

Possession - FH - 58%

                       SH - 35%

[Ger]

Look, that was a great 3 points. Great first half, they showed us what they can do, terrible second half (in fairness I thought the players looked knackered) but they dug in and we got the result. That was probably the most nervous last 20 minutes of armchair viewing that I've seen as an Evertonian in a long time. And the reason for that is because I believe we can achieve something this season, every 3 points matters. We have two winnable matches ahead of us (home to Leeds and away to Burnley) and then the dreaded hard December. 6 points from our next two games and December won't look so daunting. It goes like this, home to Chelsea, I'd hope to win, then away to Leicester, will be a tough match but would hope for a least a draw, maybe sneak a win depending on injuries etc, then at home to Arsenal, again I'd hope for 3 points. Next away to Sheff Utd, another possible 3 points, next up Man C at home, we'd probably settle for a point but they're not great. As I've said before I haven't felt this excited about our club since 1984 and I remember the gut wrenching fear of dropping any point back then. And I feel that now. We're close to achieving something. I remember a few years back when Klippity took over the red shite and people on here ( or maybe it was the old forum on the official website which sadly got closed, good laugh, but you can't get way with that carry on these days) were pissed off that they had a plan, a vision and we seemed so directionless. I agreed. But now I believe that we have a plan, a vision,(our stadium included, though I'll miss Goodison). DCL is fast becoming a superstar. All of Ancelotti's signings look great, we wouldn't have had them otherwise. Richarlison is probably our most important player at the moment and has been instrumental this season. Previously we would have lost him. Lets win a cup this season( I don't care which), qualifiy for Europe (I don't care which) and win the league 2021/22. And most importantly, let the fans in before the end of this season.

 

[Matt]

 

[Romey 1878]

I thought, and hoped, the early goal would give us confidence but no, Fulham were miles better than us after that and deservedly got their equaliser. Fucking no idea what was going through Doucoure's mind for it to let Reid go, or what acting classes Mina has been taking to try and make himself look like a defender (he needs a refund), but the pair of them were a joke for it.

Thankfully that goal woke us up and we actually started playing football then and looked slick and like we could score a few. We got two more before half time and they were beautifully worked goals, they really were.

I'm a firm believer that when you've got your foot on the throat of the opposition you do not let up. You keep that foot right there and you destroy them. We came out like the game was done and Fulham came out hungry. If we'd have got a fourth then they'd have gone to bits completely and we could've put a load past them. Instead they got back into the game and we went to bits. We were very lucky to escape with the three points.

[pete0]

https://youtu.be/II9Z0PxiidI

Their equaliser starts around 40s.

Richarlison presses leaving a man free. Keane let's the goal scorer go who has an easy one-two as Allan hasn't picked up the spare player that Richarlison abandoned. 

Doucoure and Mina are scrambling because of the shit show from the others. Richarlison is the one who starts it, Allan doesn't react quick enough to swap players, and Michael Keane might as well be a training cone. All much more at fault than flavour of the month Mina, or Doucoure. Don't think there's anything Doucoure could do, Mina could react quicker but he's probably caught out by how shit his teammates have been as they simply shouldn't be able to get on that position, he's Keane's man all day so Mina would need future sight to see Keane was gonna fuck it and that he'd need to cover his arse.

[pete0]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/platform/amp/2020/11/23/21589731/everton-3-2-fulham-recap-5-telling-stats-first-half-second-half-digne-iwobi-defence-subs-ancelotti

 

[Matt]

https://youtu.be/Tefgu4uPgAo

[Bailey]

On 23/11/2020 at 10:12, pete0 said:

https://youtu.be/II9Z0PxiidI

Their equaliser starts around 40s.

Richarlison presses leaving a man free. Keane let's the goal scorer go who has an easy one-two as Allan hasn't picked up the spare player that Richarlison abandoned. 

Doucoure and Mina are scrambling because of the shit show from the others. Richarlison is the one who starts it, Allan doesn't react quick enough to swap players, and Michael Keane might as well be a training cone. All much more at fault than flavour of the month Mina, or Doucoure. Don't think there's anything Doucoure could do, Mina could react q uicker but he's probably caught out by how shit his teammates have been as they simply shouldn't be able to get on that position, he's Keane's man all day so Mina would need future sight to see Keane was gonna fuck it and that he'd need to cover his arse.

I agree with you. Its all on Keane and Allan for me for the first goal. I'm not going to say that the reactions from Pickford and Mina were everything I would have hoped for after that but as far as it goes the ship has sailed by the time they get involved and they are scrambling around because of the mistakes of others. Like the Utd game, Keane should be on the man that drops deeper, especially with 5 at the back. He gives them the space to play, along with Allan who gets caught ball watching.

I am also very surprised to see Doucoure get stick. I questioned him to start with but on watching the replay (because the BBC camerawork at the time was shocking), you see James and Allan should both have a man each. Allan goes to the wide man, James doesn't drop in like he should which would stop the pass. As soon as Digne gets done, I don't think Keane can do a great deal because he has to start moving towards the ball and again then its Mina, Doucoure etc all scrambling to stop the goal.

For yet another week its a case of poor communication and organisation.