Manchester United away (October 2)

[Romey 1878]

1 minute ago, London Blue said:

Or not.

I was crying it in on behalf of Paddock .

[Bailey]

Just now, badaids said:

I couldn't pick a MOTM to be honest.  They've all been immense.  Mina has been immense and influenced the game just as much.

Really tough one... Godfrey, Digne and Rondon probably the only ones that were below the level of the rest but they still played their part.

I would go with one of Mina, Doucoure, Gray and Townsend but I know which. 

I really enjoyed the game, I love the way we counter attack and the way Doucoure is being used to spring forward as soon as it is on. I think Rondon came into it more later on in the game when we moved into a 451 which was also a positive. The two centre backs had good games on the whole as well. 

When I watch us play like this I can't help but think how much further we could go with a bit more depth in the squad. I know it is early days but Rafa has done a great job in moulding the squad into a combative and explosive counter attacking team that will be a match for anyone on the day. It could have gone against us in the first half but it didn't and we kept going and got what I think in the end was a deserved equaliser. 

I do still think Rafa is a bit of an obnoxious twat though  

[Finn balor]

Brilliant performance. Gutted Tom didn’t smash that in instead of the easy pass. Well deserved. We have a team that stand up for each other and get stuck in. Lovely goal we scored as well. Three decent fixtures to come now and players back

[barryj]

Well that was way more enjoyable than I ever thought was going to be possible. So many of our players giving their all out there. Great entertainment and thoroughly deserved. (xG Man U 0.98 - 1.28 Everton)

[Romey 1878]

A lot of the media were saying today’s game would be a barometer of where we’re at this season but with our injury problems I don’t think that’s right. However, if that is the case then I think it showed that we are a very competitive team this season. We’re a team that are pulling for each other and will fight for everything. But we’re not just a hard working team, we’re also threatening and efficient. We’re well organised, in attack and defence. We're full of energy. We’ve got a good smattering of quality.

We earned that point today, we didn’t fluke it despite not having a lot of the ball. We’ve gone there many times in the past and sat in and offered absolutely nothing in the game but today, other than the start of the game, we didn’t look under too pressure.

I was very pleased with us today. 

[Palfy]

3 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

A lot of the media were saying today’s game would be a barometer of where we’re at this season but with our injury problems I don’t think that’s right. However, if that is the case then I think it showed that we are a very competitive team this season. We’re a team that are pulling for each other and will fight for everything. But we’re not just a hard working team, we’re also threatening and efficient. We’re well organised, in attack and defence. We're full of energy. We’ve got a good smattering of quality.

We earned that point today, we didn’t fluke it despite not having a lot of the ball. We’ve gone there many times in the past and sat in and offered absolutely nothing in the game but today, other than the start of the game, we didn’t look under too pressure.

I was very pleased with us today. 

[MikeO]

7 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

A lot of the media were saying today’s game would be a barometer of where we’re at this season but with our injury problems I don’t think that’s right. However, if that is the case then I think it showed that we are a very competitive team this season. We’re a team that are pulling for each other and will fight for everything. But we’re not just a hard working team, we’re also threatening and efficient. We’re well organised, in attack and defence. We're full of energy. We’ve got a good smattering of quality.

We earned that point today, we didn’t fluke it despite not having a lot of the ball. We’ve gone there many times in the past and sat in and offered absolutely nothing in the game but today, other than the start of the game, we didn’t look under too pressure.

I was very pleased with us today. 

But you still can't say the R word

[Hafnia]

It's the most positive I've been in a while.

We had these type of results early doors with Carlo but not with an injury ravaged squad.

Rafa knows his stuff.

[Romey 1878]

5 minutes ago, MikeO said:

But you still can't say the R word

We're in no danger of going down .

[London Blue]

14 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

A lot of the media were saying today’s game would be a barometer of where we’re at this season but with our injury problems I don’t think that’s right. However, if that is the case then I think it showed that we are a very competitive team this season. We’re a team that are pulling for each other and will fight for everything. But we’re not just a hard working team, we’re also threatening and efficient. We’re well organised, in attack and defence. We're full of energy. We’ve got a good smattering of quality.

We earned that point today, we didn’t fluke it despite not having a lot of the ball. We’ve gone there many times in the past and sat in and offered absolutely nothing in the game but today, other than the start of the game, we didn’t look under too pressure.

I was very pleased with us today. 

How much of that performance do you think was down to the manager?

 

[Hafnia]

Just now, London Blue said:

How much of that performance do you think was down to the manager?

 

99%

The same players coaches by other managers don't show 

Hes made them accountable. 

[Palfy]

I missed the game round the house I’m remodelling with a ceramic tiler who’s a red and a electrician whose a Villa fan, the red was happy with the draw didn’t want either to win, the Villa lad didn’t give a shit he was just taking the piss over the 3-0, wait till he wants paying

[London Blue]

15 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

99%

The same players coaches by other managers don't show 

Hes made them accountable. 

I think its a mixture, coaching, tactics and belief in their ability and what they were doing. 

Your right that giving players responsability and making them accountable can be liberating for a team, especially when combined with the right coaching, training and tactics.

The players have to exectute the plan and have belief as well as the determination and the skill so I would go 50 / 50.

[Tonsta]

Best team performance i have seen in a good few years, with top players missing, the shirt seems to be worth fighting for again, shame about Toms decision to pass from there, but the lad seems very low on confidence, in Raffa we trust.       (well i do anyway)

[Boston Toffee]

really proud of the boys today. They fought hard. So many to note Loved the play of Keane/Mina.. for me no doubt Rafa is more in tune with our club than Carlo was. carlo needs stars with him, Rafa needs attitude.. Points again after being down at half time..... beautiful

[Btay]

Huge. That’s we expect when we think of Everton. Underdogs who don’t know when they should roll over and lose. So much heart and determination. Get in lads, feels like 3 points and I can’t be more proud of them all.

Top stuff Rafa. Let him build a squad and we could finally get back to where we deserve to be.

[MikeO]

Goal of the season contender; as Keown says, Gray has no right to be winning that ball, but he does.

 

[Elston Gunnn]

27 minutes ago, Boston Toffee said:

 Carlo needs stars with him, Rafa needs attitude.

Good crisp thumbnail.  I want relentlessness in our play.

[Hafnia]

55 minutes ago, London Blue said:

I think its a mixture, coaching, tactics and belief in their ability and what they were doing. 

Your right that giving players responsability and making them accountable can be liberating for a team, especially when combined with the right coaching, training and tactics.

The players have to exectute the plan and have belief as well as the determination and the skill so I would go 50 / 50.

I think the manager is the critical difference. Under Ancellotti we lose that. 

[badaids]

Just realised. Tom finishes that chance instead of squaring and we are two points clear at the top.

[Romey 1878]

1 hour ago, London Blue said:

How much of that performance do you think was down to the manager?

 

When I get my invite into the changing room I'll let you know.

[Hafnia]

Where is @markjazzbassist? He would have loved that performance. Hope all is good MJB x

[RuffRob]

On 27/09/2021 at 16:16, Cornish Steve said:

So far, the only teams we've beaten are in the bottom five. This will be the first real indication of what our season will be like.

All things considered (transfer budget and injuries) marks out of 10 for Benitez's Everton's start to the season?

[MikeO]

Top rated comment under the BBC match report...

"These are the sort of games, against the weaker sides, that if you’re serious about top 4, you have to win.
But I’m sure Everton will learn their lesson."

[London Blue]

1 hour ago, Romey 1878 said:

When I get my invite into the changing room I'll let you know.

I will re-phrase the question:

Baased on your observations and knowledge of football in general and Everton in particular, how much of the performance against Menchester United do you think was down to the manager?

[Romey 1878]

10 minutes ago, London Blue said:

I will re-phrase the question:

Baased on your observations and knowledge of football in general and Everton in particular, how much of the performance against Menchester United do you think was down to the manager?

Most of it to be honest.

[MikeO]

5 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

Most of it to be honest.

For a bonus point, can you remember the name of aforementioned manager?

[Romey 1878]

17 minutes ago, MikeO said:

For a bonus point, can you remember the name of aforementioned manager?

Mike, I like you but you can fuck off .

[Cornish Steve]

3 hours ago, RuffRob said:

All things considered (transfer budget and injuries) marks out of 10 for Benitez's Everton's start to the season?

Before today, it was maybe 6/10. After today, 7/10. Of all the things he did today, I most appreciated how he interacted with Tom Davies after the game. Crooked Sam would have yelled at him; Koeman would have pointedly ignored him; Benitez went over and laughed the matter off.

[badaids]

13 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

Before today, it was maybe 6/10. After today, 7/10. Of all the things he did today, I most appreciated how he interacted with Tom Davies after the game. Crooked Sam would have yelled at him; Koeman would have pointedly ignored him; Benitez went over and laughed the matter off.

I don't think he laughed it off as such, it looked to me that he was using it to put an arm round him and encourage him; coaching and man managing him basically.  It's good management that.