Match Ratings Ratings vs Everton

[Japhet]

More of the same. Double pivot midfield got bossed. Forwards selfish to the point of butchering the very few chances we had. Set pieces a shambles both offensively and defensively. No idea what Mourinho was thinking with his subs, especially the first one. Bringing Sissoko on could have given us a foothold in midfield but it seemed he was given specific instructions to get in Doherty's way.

When we signed Hojbjerg I thought we'd at last addresses the lack of a DM, but no. Instead, Mourinho has him wandering about trying to be disruptive while Winks is left in the deep position where he has been very poor for 2 seasons. We really needed a dedicated DM anyway who would stay disciplined and organize the players around him. Hojbjerg can't do that if he's chasing the ball all over the place.

Everton put 3 players on the pitch who'd been there just a couple of days and they looked quite at home. By comparison, ours looked lost and unfit. Mourinho needs to turn this around quickly because we can't afford to sack him and pay gargantuan compensation if it continues.

 

[Who’s our next manager?]

First half wasn’t that bad with Son lively and Doherty looking decent. Dele was frankly poor and no great surprise he was pulled, with him and Moura we look so ponderous and wasteful with the ball but they both ran around a lot.

Second half we just had no shape at all and all too slow. Can’t for the life of me understand why the defensive line was set so far forward for their goal. Thinking with ball put into that area should have been Hugo’s but at least would expect Toby and Dier to get off the ground.

Positives Doherty looks good, PEH put himself about and Bergwijn again showed he is a footballer. James showed what a decent ball player can do, if only we had one.

Ironically, that instance when Doherty nearly scored,if he’d tried the header he probably would have but let the ball drop to his feet.

 

[Kingellesar]

Trying to think of one positive from yesterday but...nothing. Not one player showed us any desire or passion, it was all very flat. Even with 10 minutes to go, Everton started to look a bit tired but we didn't step it up, we just carried on with Tobys long diagonals to no one.

 

[punkisback]

Good point that.

Completely; we've gone through a phase of not buying to upgrade but buying to replace. We should have bought competition for these players when they were at their peak. Instead we have let them decline and sold them off with their replacement not ready or able to take us to the next level.

 

[C1w8]

Forgive me for not panicking, but this is a team that has basically had little to no pre-season together due to internationals/quarantine

Our last game against Watford - which should have been a final run out for the majority of the first team - was made up of a hodge podge of available players

Doherty was signed and went off to international duty, along with PEH and many of the squad. Our main creative outlet, GLC is injured, and Kane was quarantined for two weeks before he disappeared for the national team (they really need to sort out the international calendar), meaning he's probably short of match fitness

Hardly a surprise the performance was as bad as it was, given how little time the team has had to gel

Every team has had to deal with the internationals unfortunately, and then you look at the team in blue, who had Allan, James and Doucoure signing in the last week to ten days and are thrown straight in the mix, at this stage James probably doesn't even know everyone's name yet he's that new to the side, and the performance they put in was light years ahead of us.

Our situation might not have been ideal but it doesn't even come close to justifying how bad we were...

 

[The Apprentice]

Absolutely no point in having all these attacking players if we have no plan or method of getting the ball to them in meaningful areas.

To end up with Hojbjerg and Sissoko in midfield second half is a recipe for creating absolutely nothing, as they are both incredibly limited in possession. If Alli goes off, surely it has to be Lamela or Ndombele on?! Not bloody Moussa the Tractor


Finding another ball player in the middle should have been a priority as it seems Lo Celso, as talented as he seems, is another injury prone addition to our hall of fame.

Some really odd decisions by Jose and not sure I have much confidence in him to find the answers as he seems wedded to his personal favourites. It seems that Moura, Dier and now Hojbjerg are going to be undroppable.

Sounds like Skipp got MOTM for Norwich.The one bit of good news all weekend.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Amazes me how much average players we had in our starting line up yesterday, half of them should be playing in the Europa League

 

[Donki]

Amazes me how much average players we had in our starting line up yesterday, half of them should be playing in the Europa League

All good then .

 

[ultimateloner]

Completely; we've gone through a phase of not buying to upgrade but buying to replace. We should have bought competition for these players when they were at their peak. Instead we have let them decline and sold them off with their replacement not ready or able to take us to the next level.

Arsenal went through the same thing; took them over 10 years. Looks like it's our turn.

 

[ultimateloner]

Amazes me how much average players we had in our starting line up yesterday, half of them should be playing in the Europa League

yep which is where we are playing on Thurs

 

[paulcumpstone]

The difference between james for them and son and moura for us sums up our problems, davies had an absolute stinker, doesnt get forwards and nowhere near his man all game. Son and moura have no footballing ability bar getting their heads down and running. Neither can pick a pass or has a assured or reliable first touch. Far too many similiar average players in our squad and most of them dont even work hard

 

[Mornstar]

The game was crying out for Serge.....alas!