Newcastle (Away) 19th October

[Elston Gunnn]

We are a mediocre team, much closer to relegation (bottom 5-6) than to top 7.  Our mediocrity starts with our passing, which has been dreadful for the last 3 seasons, and was on full display today.  Opponents simply wait for us to make a mistake.  They know we’ll give it away regularly.

Mykolenko was so poor today that I’d prefer to give Vinagre the start against Palace.  Gana is not a box-to-box midfielder, and so should be a sitting DCM, period.  Start Garner instead of Gana on Saturday.  

We are also mediocre — well, poor — at crossing and finishing.

One might hope that as our new players are fully integrated into the team, our players will understand each other’s movements better, and our play will improve, perhaps from near-relegation-zone ugly to 13-14th pathetically passable.  Up to top 8-9?  Seems unlikely.

I’ll hope to see some rotation Saturday, though I just don’t see much goal-scoring talent.

 

[memmaclub2]

I think relying on Patterson when 6  months ago he wasn't good enough is bollox. We need two right backs as Seamus can't cover for weeks on end. But this team is not about the players in it its about tactics and why Frank can fuck off. We signed another set of 1 season players. Alex = Gana no good just a player who seems leggy after the 10th minute. Please explain to me after last season and this season what does Frank Bring. Iwobi is still the poor player he was. a couple of good performances does not make him the 2nd coming. Onana decent signing but needs soooooo much time. Turning down 40 million for gordon is criminal. Mcneil instead of Cornett shocking. He made two good CB signings and people want to give him time. 

 

This season 2 wins in 11

Whole time here 8 wins in 29 15 losses.

Why are people backing him. He goes now before he gets to do more damage.

[memmaclub2]

1 hour ago, chicagoblue said:

Gray delivers decent corners and from the wide area, but his deliveries from the middle are generally terrible.  Better to play it wide first. 

He runs down blind alleys I don't see why he gets in every week. But when your competition is gordon and McNeil maybe I do

[memmaclub2]

lets get Fat Frank Gone. Why we didn't take Potter is criminal.

[Matt]

3 minutes ago, memmaclub2 said:

I think relying on Patterson when 6  months ago he wasn't good enough is bollox. We need two right backs as Seamus can't cover for weeks on end. But this team is not about the players in it its about tactics and why Frank can fuck off. We signed another set of 1 season players. Alex = Gana no good just a player who seems leggy after the 10th minute. Please explain to me after last season and this season what does Frank Bring. Iwobi is still the poor player he was. a couple of good performances does not make him the 2nd coming. Onana decent signing but needs soooooo much time. Turning down 40 million for gordon is criminal. Mcneil instead of Cornett shocking. He made two good CB signings and people want to give him time. 

 

This season 2 wins in 11

Whole time here 8 wins in 29 15 losses.

Why are people backing him. He goes now before he gets to do more damage.

Because we were a mess and it takes time to undo years of crap. 6 games unbeaten until the last 3 games. There was progress, this is a set back. 

[Matt]

1 minute ago, memmaclub2 said:

lets get Fat Frank Gone. Why we didn't take Potter is criminal.

Because you can't take managers? Plus why would Potter have left a much better performing team for us? 

[Btay]

1 minute ago, memmaclub2 said:

lets get Fat Frank Gone. Why we didn't take Potter is criminal.

Saw enough in the liverpool game to see what Frank is trying to achieve.

We have been absolute dog shit the last 2 games but I assure you Frank doesn’t send them out there for us to have 1 shot all game. As mentioned above, these were 3 tricky games - yes, we haven’t gotten the results and the performances haven’t been great. Before these 3 games, i feel we were starting to look up the table. Let’s see what happens in the next 3-5 games before we start getting rash.

[memmaclub2]

6 minutes ago, Matt said:

Because we were a mess and it takes time to undo years of crap. 6 games unbeaten until the last 3 games. There was progress, this is a set back. 

What does good look like then....... Unbeaten in 6 is shit if the next 3 shows up the same old shit for us where is progress. We aren't making progress we are consistent in how shit we are. a few tackles by onanna doesn't make Frank a good manager he bought back gana and then played him 3 games in a row that we lost them all.

[Matt]

Just now, memmaclub2 said:

What does good look like then....... Unbeaten in 6 is shit if the next 3 shows up the same old shit for us where is progress. We aren't making progress we are consistent in how shit we are. a few tackles by onanna doesn't make Frank a good manager he bought back gana and then played him 3 games in a row that we lost them all.

Did you watch last season? We've improved, this is a set back for sure but we've improved. We definitely need to focus on attack in January though. 

[Btay]

1 minute ago, Matt said:

Did you watch last season? We've improved, this is a set back for sure but we've improved. We definitely need to focus on attack in January though. 

A couple of dynamic wingers changes the squad. Also a back up RB is a must 

[memmaclub2]

3 minutes ago, Matt said:

Did you watch last season? We've improved, this is a set back for sure but we've improved. We definitely need to focus on attack in January though. 

Yes mate in the last 3 games I fail to see the difference. I watched us not compete against spurs in any way and give up against Man U after 5 minutes. I also tonight watched a strong team (the words of them commentator) lead to no clear chances. Our stats are shit. We may have got a few decent results but our true form is 2 wins in 11. On these stats we are 30 points after 33 games that's relegation form.

[memmaclub2]

I don't know the answer but is sticking with frank really the right thing. We dodged relegation by 1 point. Frank got lucky he didn't deliver a fat sam style avoidance of relegation

[memmaclub2]

8 minutes ago, Btay said:

A couple of dynamic wingers changes the squad. Also a back up RB is a must 

Gordon and Grey are not these players. McNeil not these players. Richy maybe this player if we didn't fucking sell him

[Bailey]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Not sure how we went from one of the best defences to losing 3 on the trot. Back to basics Frank. 

I did try and warn you all!

[Matt]

8 minutes ago, memmaclub2 said:

Yes mate in the last 3 games I fail to see the difference. I watched us not compete against spurs in any way and give up against Man U after 5 minutes. I also tonight watched a strong team (the words of them commentator) lead to no clear chances. Our stats are shit. We may have got a few decent results but our true form is 2 wins in 11. On these stats we are 30 points after 33 games that's relegation form.

Last 3 games have been disappointing to put it mildly. But last season there was no chance of us going 6 unbeaten, with the best defence in the league for nearly 2 months. We desperately need to win, or at least start scoring but on last seasons form we'd be bottom of the table already. It's a slow and frustrating progress but it is progress.

[Matt]

Just now, Bailey said:

I did try and warn you all!

But you're a miserable sod so best ignored at the moment, we have enough misery watching the last 3 games without your help

 

[memmaclub2]

3 minutes ago, Matt said:

Last 3 games have been disappointing to put it mildly. But last season there was no chance of us going 6 unbeaten, with the best defence in the league for nearly 2 months. We desperately need to win, or at least start scoring but on last seasons form we'd be bottom of the table already. It's a slow and frustrating progress but it is progress.

How do you measure Progress!!! We are 14th with 2 wins in 11. Franks stats as our manager are losing 52%. Lets carry on with him but when do you give up I give up now. give him 10 more games but that's 1-2 wins tops and we probably lose 6 of them. I want more as an Everton fan not this utter shite.

 

[Bailey]

15 minutes ago, Matt said:

But you're a miserable sod so best ignored at the moment, we have enough misery watching the last 3 games without your help

 

Now that I can agree with

[Bailey]

The defending leading up to their goal is shocking. The gaps between Tarkowski and Mykolenko couldn't get any bigger. 

It actually starts before Onana loses the ball. Mykolenko is all over the place, it gives Tarkowski a problem as he has two players to watch. Communication between them them two and Gueye looks non-existent. Joelinton shouldnt have that space 22 yards from goal and Longstaff is left all alone. The chance is wasted until Onana loses it and gives them a second bite.

In a small bit of balance to Onana, DCL and Gray couldn't be any less helpful if they tried. The recovery effort from all 3 midfielders leaves a lot to be desired. Gana should have been busting a gut to snuff that out or slow the attack and he basically calls them on. Iwobi's effort is pitiful too, he can see two players goalside of him. Gray does more to get back than any of the others.

Really they mess it up again. We defend it well enough. Bodies are back, it should be attack snuffed but that same laziness and miscomminication comes back to bite us again. Iwobi is just nowhere. He is on a different planet. Gueye tries. I have no idea what Tarkowski is doing. He has a man to mark right next to him but he is waving his arms about and sitting deeper than everyone else. Myko then tries to get back in and pick up Tarkowski's man. Newcastle move the ball and it gives Almiron 5 yards of space on the 18 yard box whilst Tarkowski is 2 yards deeper than the rest of the line. If he marks his man, Myko can then push forward and try and stop the shot. As it is Myko just watches him shoot. 

You can't give any player in this league that time and space to have a shot. Even Almiron! 

Minutes later the same thing happens again. Unnecessarily losing the ball on half way (Gray). Gana on his heels, Mykolenko completely sold the dummy. Gana's recovery effort in particular is pathetic. Tarkowski and Onana go to do the same thing but then don't get there and instead leave the biggest threat in the penalty area, again giving him acres of space.

Mykolenko was given the runaround again all game. Iwobi was consistently the wrong side of the ball. Gueye and Onana lack intensity. Coleman is pretty much a sitting duck for anyone that goes at him. 

The sad thing is that is better than our attacking play which is almost non-existent. We have no plan to attack. It seemed to be a lump it forward to Dom and hope for the best. I completely disagree with Lampard's comments as the difference wasn't that we were toothless and they weren't. They were toothless too but they gave themselves enough opportunity to score one of them. 

[RuffRob]

Other than the fact we where pretty toothless in the final 3rd, I actually thought we played OK away against an in form and confident Newcastle side.

We know and Frank knows this squad was shy of goal scoring wingers or two after the transfer window. Gordon and Grey being off form and Patterson injured are really magnifying this. Really can't understand anybody suggesting it time to think about giving Frank the boot.

We have to remember this midfield trio has been together a matter of weeks not months and the defensive line have been together only a couple of weeks longer.

At times in games this lack of experience together does show, however this is going to improve.

As frustrating as it is not to be nicking something out of these games, I am optimistic that we are competing and still in the game through out much of it. Last season we where battered, out fought and out played week in and week out. That's not what I am seeing now. We are also doing this with a lot of younger players in the squad and team.

[RuffRob]

Tonight, an early yellow for DCL did not help, similar for Maupay against Spur. You just loose that bit of battling quality your solitary forward might have when he is already on a caution. This make quite the difference.

[Bailey]

Another big difference that I have noticed in the last two games is that our defensive line is dropping deeper and deeper. 

Whenever the ball went up to Maupay or Dom in these last couple of games, their centre backs are stepping into them and making life really difficult, pushing them back into midfield and turning the ball over. 

Our centre backs are starting to drop off far more often. I just watched another clip where Tarkowski gives Joel Linton () more than 5 yards of space to bring the ball down and play the ball to a teammate. Kane got far too much time on the ball last week too. These are guys with no pace as well so there is no excuse.

[Bailey]

Most embarrassing moment of the game must go to Onana being knocked off the ball by Almiron! 

[Wiggytop]

Eureka! I’ve found the problem, 7 people predicted a loss, it’s all their fault, you know who you are and need to stop doing it now!

[Romey 1878]

That was fucking alarming. So much so that I just got drunk after it.

Not a single positive from that abysmal performance. One attempt at goal, which came from a corner and wasn't even on target. Pathetic, utterly pathetic effort from the side in an attacking sense.

All three wingers used were utter shite. Mykolenko and Coleman offered nothing going forward. Onana is either lazy as fuck or thick as pig shit. Gueye isn't going to offer anything in attack. Iwobi had another terrible game but was still the most useful of the lot (which says it all). DCL may as well have saved himself for Saturday and sat on the bench for all the times we got the ball to him.

A complete and utter write off of a game.

[Matt]

11 hours ago, memmaclub2 said:

How do you measure Progress!!! We are 14th with 2 wins in 11. Franks stats as our manager are losing 52%. Lets carry on with him but when do you give up I give up now. give him 10 more games but that's 1-2 wins tops and we probably lose 6 of them. I want more as an Everton fan not this utter shite.

 

I think end of Feb is when be seriously needs questioning. We lost our main attacking threat and didn't replace him. 

Progress is relative and, whilst it's not the most exciting definition, we didn't lose for 6 games when last season we would've lost at least 4 of them. We need some attacking cohesion, which must be priority 1 in January window.