leffe186

I’d have given it, although I’d be tempted to book Ashley Young too (which would mean he got sent off ).

Because he very clearly dived. He also got fouled though.

Tough one. Got tugged, then dived.

Good game now . Everton couldn’t quite maintain that early pressing.

Don’t know their financial situation tbh. Debt isn’t necessarily a problem as long as they can service it with their income. The bigger concerns will be PSR and wage-to-revenue, no idea how they stack up there.

Defense parted like the Blue Sea

Even if it is a poisoned chalice, it’s interesting to discuss why. I presume the academy is still in good shape (?). Sounds like the day-to-day operations have been a bit of a mess. The stadium needs upgrading (at least), the recruitment seems very patchy, there does seem to be a lack of football leadership on the face of it. All fixable given they still generate a fuckton of money, and that always tells in the end.

Hope so. Guy at the park whose dog plays with mine is going today and I could do with some more schadenfreude.

It’s been asked a million times, but I’d like to hear @Froggy lay it out. Without really paying enough attention, it feels like they needed a proper reboot, hired the wrong manager, backed him with a decent whack of money but didn’t have a great hit rate with that money. Then you have a new manager coming in at an awkward time with a broken squad, who either tries to get the whole team working towards his own goals (long term view) or is pragmatic to get results (short term). He’s gone for the former, which makes sense given that they’re not realistically going down, but is painful. Ignoring the off-the-field stuff, you’re also in an environment where PSR and the relatively even sharing of cash in the PL has meant that there are a lot of clubs who are close to you in terms of performance in the pitch but also more used to operating within financial constraints and with strong management and squads. For the coup de grace, those clubs have had less football to play and generally fewer injuries and less fatigue as a result.

It’s a perfect illustration of the impact momentum can have. Everton are confident, on a roll and at home, Man U are in free fall. Both have a similar injury list, but Everton have adopted tactics that suit their players and are perfect for the opposition, while Man U have tried to put their players into the tactics. Fernandes aside, those players just aren’t quite good enough. I also thought they’d have more kids playing, although injuries are presumably the issue there. Three starters in their 30s, youngest player is Dorgu at 20 - meanwhile we’re routinely starting three teenagers. They’ve got a handful of good kids, but it feels like they’re still in transition, with a lot of pain still to come.

Wife is away, was going to see the sis today but that’s been postponed, now I’m really looking forward to some games. Quite interested in the Everton match, it feels like ages since there’s been a game on that I both don’t really give a shit about what happens but I’m curious to see how Man U play.

Europa is actually fascinating, lots of decent teams in it. Chelsea in that Conference League is an entirely different prospect.

I mean, the first thing Joey Barton would say is “typical women’s goalkeeper”.

I’m up for Leffenham Hotspur like.

I mean, not that long ago someone on here posted that they could have had 5.

Yeah that’s part of the point - this is a transition that was needed at least a couple of years before it eventually happened. Doesn’t preclude us being able to win trophies now or later, but it was never going to be without at least a little bit of pain. I think people are partly protesting because of missed opportunities in the recent past, partly because however impressive the wage-to-turnover is - and it is impressive - if you want to be one of the big boys sooner or later you have to spend real money. The Postecoglu stuff is harder to parse because we’ve truly looked bloody good at times then everyone died, and that is clearly a result of his coaching, bad luck, and the timing during squad-building. I don’t think the fans would be protesting if we were winning/playing better, and I don’t think that part is really down to Levy.

Hi

Urgh. Cheers.

Anyone know why the Oxford-Portsmouth match is suspended?

Erm…

The poor things.

Tbf if Donley wasn’t on loan at Orient he’d have played this week

Of course. What can you even say at this point?

Phew