Everton 0-0 Newcastle United (05/10/24)

[Groundhog63]

47 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

It should be mentioned, mainly because it's literally the first instance of it I've witnessed, but Pawson was good last night. Could barely believe it when he blew up for full time and had got through the match without an insane decision. 

Two big decisions, bang on. I do think, however, he let Doucoure get away with murder.

[STM]

Creating chances and scoring goals isn't an issue with Eddie Howe sides and never has been for us (barring the odd little spell).

 

Having a solid defence and balanced midfield is more of a likely issue and if feels like we've turned a corner in that regard (since Tonalis inclusion and the Brazilians getting up to speed).

 

Against City I never really felt like they would get a winner and Everton didn't get near our goal for most of the game.

 

We drew away from home, kept a clean sheet and dominated the game. We are fine. 

 

Also, as absolutely shite as Everton are, they will get a couple of big scalps this season and I'm pleased we aren't one.

 

 

[Ronson333]

Reading the Everton forum, they think our midfield was as good as they’ve played this season and were totally dominated by our trio. 

[Kid Icarus]

11 minutes ago, midds said:

The Gordon chances were the big ones and he was poor for both of them in all honesty, the pen is weak and in the ideal spot for the keeper and the one on one should have been on target at the very least. The Bruno shot was unlucky and would have gone in 99/100. Other than that I didn't see much else that was close to being a clear chance really. I don't think it's any surprise that our goals from open play have dried up since we lost Isak, that's not a coincidence and him returning should help. 

 

A decent option on the bench wouldn't go amiss either

Do you really think there should need to be an other than that? You're talking about a pen, a perfectly positioned one on one, and a lucky clearance off the line. Those 3 mixed in with a good handful of decent chances, half chances and opportunities and that doesn't strike me as below what should be needed to win handedly. 

[midds]

1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

Do you really think there should need to be an other than that? You're talking about a pen, a perfectly positioned one on one, and a lucky clearance off the line. Those 3 mixed in with a good handful of decent chances, half chances and opportunities and that doesn't strike me as below what should be needed to win handedly. 

It should have been enough, yeah but clearly it wasn't

 

I also think we need to consider how the chances arrived tbh, the pen is a ridiculous piece of defending from Tarkowski, the Bruno shot came from a corner where it fell to him in loads of space and was unlucky. The only real time we opened them up through our own good football was the Gordon 1v1 imo. And all of that comes on the back of the Wimbledon game which also had a distinct lack of decent chances too. I'm just saying there's a legitimate issue with chance creation and/or conversion at the minute. We're not creating enough good chances and the few we do create aren't being converted. I'm not shitting myself about it but it's something that needs to be addressed 

[Theregulars]

I thought we had a lot of really pleasing passages of quick passing but both final ball and final third play generally were quite poor. I don’t think teams have to defend particularly well to shut us out, it isn’t unreasonable to say we’re not creating loads of chances. It’s currently also reasonable to say we don’t have a good enough striker available and look like it. 
 

We currently have an odd problem where none of our players look in form for more than part of a match (except pope, who Fulham mistake and some kicking aside has been his usual reliable self).
 

The general play has trended upwards recently and we look very good defensively, which was the key platform for 4th in 22/23 and that’s without Botman available and with schär missing 3 games. 
 

We don’t look at all confident or fluent as an attacking unit. I wish we’d have signed a good number 6 midfielder to let Bruno be a more creative player as I think he could help unlock doors. Gordon being the only winger who can beat a man - and rarely playing his main position this season while also looking a pale imitation of last year - doesn’t help at all. We’re not getting in behind defences who seem to have sussed that we struggle against a low block. 

[Heron]

For me we were simply lacking Isak's calm composure in the final third or wed have been out of sight. That being said Wilson would have also done the job, I reckon.

 

We did enough to win that game and win it comfortably. Sadly, there wasn't players in the right positions in the box more often than not and with a mix of bad fortune (Bruno's cleared attempt and numerous where the ball didn't quite fall right) and a lack of composure (Gordon) we didn't get the goals we should have.

 

I'd have taken a draw pre-match. I think winning home games and drawing away is where "we are at" as a club, picking up the occasional win on the road and maybe the occasional loss which hopefully more than offset in our favour (see Wolves and Fulham).

 

We're ahead of where I'd expect us to be I think, by a single point, which is good and hopefully with players returning and time to work together for those not on international duty then hopefully we can continue the toward trajectory of performances and maintain the same level of results going into the next section of games.

[Keggy_Keagal]

People are forgetting the difference a good striker can make even when not scoring . Isak and Wilson have different strengths but between them they bring things like pulling defenders out of position, dummy runs , holding up the ball, dropping deep , playing off the full back etc .

[Mikky]

6 minutes ago, Heron said:

For me we were simply lacking Isak's calm composure in the final third or wed have been out of sight. That being said Wilson would have also done the job, I reckon.

 

We did enough to win that game and win it comfortably. Sadly, there wasn't players in the right positions in the box more often than not and with a mix of bad fortune (Bruno's cleared attempt and numerous where the ball didn't quite fall right) and a lack of composure (Gordon) we didn't get the goals we should have.

 

I'd have taken a draw pre-match. I think winning home games and drawing away is where "we are at" as a club, picking up the occasional win on the road and maybe the occasional loss which hopefully more than offset in our favour (see Wolves and Fulham).

 

We're ahead of where I'd expect us to be I think, by a single point, which is good and hopefully with players returning and time to work together for those not on international duty then hopefully we can continue the toward trajectory of performances and maintain the same level of results going into the next section of games.

I think that’s a really fair summary tbh - I am always OTT after matches - but when the dust settles you look at it at a different light
 

Being honest, we’ve taken a step back this season - not having a 9 hurts us - we have Chris Wood, we win yesterday imo

 

Theres 2/3 positions in this team that are really hurting us - those that had to be addressed in the summer and weren’t - that’s why everything seems a bit of hard work right now 

[Tsunami]

We didn’t have a shot on target after Gordon’s penalty miss in the 35th minute. Gordon booted one over and Bruno shovelled one over where he really should have done better.

 

A look at the passing maps shows that we were largely playing sideways and backwards from the halfway line up to their box (due to low block). Despite what’s being said we struggled to make chances through our patterns of play.

 

We were one mistake or Pawson awarding a penalty (which wouldn’t have been overturned) from losing a game where the opposition were dreadful.

 

I’m not having we played well, we played comfortably and it wasn’t enough. Down to tactics for me, couldn’t get through a Dyche low block with a make shift back 4.

[Mikky]

4 minutes ago, Tsunami said:

We didn’t have a shot on target after Gordon’s penalty miss in the 35th minute. Gordon booted one over and Bruno shovelled one over where he really should have done better.

 

A look at the passing maps shows that we were largely playing sideways and backwards from the halfway line up to their box (due to low block). Despite what’s being said we struggled to make chances through our patterns of play.

 

We were one mistake or Pawson awarding a penalty (which wouldn’t have been overturned) from losing a game where the opposition were dreadful.

 

I’m not having we played well, we played comfortably and it wasn’t enough. Down to tactics for me, couldn’t get through a Dyche low block with a make shift back 4.

The shape of this team is totally wrong - I have always been an advocate that we play a 4231 - Tonali and Bruno as the double pivot - interchanging with Big Joe 

 

You had Murphy yesterday constantly coming inside - it was absolutely infuriating to watch - 433 lends itself to constant sideways passing as well - Burn constantly passing it sideways behind Hall was irritating 

 

There’s no proper shape or style and we have stagnated as a result 

 

It’s something I think Eddie has to recognise quickly because the 433 has run it’s course imo

[Heron]

3 minutes ago, Mikky said:

The shape of this team is totally wrong - I have always been an advocate that we play a 4231 - Tonali and Bruno as the double pivot - interchanging with Big Joe 

 

You had Murphy yesterday constantly coming inside - it was absolutely infuriating to watch - 433 lends itself to constant sideways passing as well - Burn constantly passing it sideways behind Hall was irritating 

 

There’s no proper shape or style and we have stagnated as a result 

 

It’s something I think Eddie has to recognise quickly because the 433 has run it’s course imo

We played 4 2 3 1 against Fulham in essence and got completely over ran if I remember correctly. Our one defeat of the season.

 

EDIT: Not according to FOTMOB tbf but it certainly looked that way when watching.

 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by Heron

[Mikky]

21 minutes ago, Heron said:

We played 4 2 3 1 against Fulham in essence and got completely over ran if I remember correctly. Our one defeat of the season.

 

EDIT: Not according to FOTMOB tbf but it certainly looked that way when watching.

 

 

 

In fairness none of us know what we were doing that day 

[Heron]

2 minutes ago, Mikky said:

In fairness none of us know what we were doing that day 

Fotmob has it as 4 3 3 but for me it was more of a 4 2 3 1 with Willock pushing into the 3 and us being entirely over ran across midfield owing to a lack of cohesion.

 

Get the point being made about Bruno and Tonali or a double pivot or whatever. Just think it all depends on our personnel and who we're playing.

[Tsunami]

Fulham were a much better side, had pace and pressed us. The other thing to mention is that Everton didn’t play out from the back, we couldn’t press, couldn’t get them out of position high up and we gained the ball inside our own half almost every time.

 

Howe got it wrong and should have been able to work it out. Think I’d have had someone in as a 10 early 2nd half and see what Everton did.

[HaydnNUFC]

2 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

We created plenty of chances yesterday. 

 

Was admittedly full of drink of just back in the pub post match when I posted that so may be being harsh.

 

We had total control of the game yesterday, thought we had won the midfield battle and the only way they were going to score especially second half would've been from our mistake. 

 

Just had a feeling that Gordon wasn't going to put that pen away as soon as he stepped up. Wanted to see Schär take it but hindsight and all that.

 

Felt we had plenty crossing opportunities but no one to aim for, which is a bit confusing when we have a 6'4 striker sat on the bench. If he's not ready for matches like that, why did we sign him and why is he on the bench at all?

 

I just didn't think we created many chances. When did we other than when Gordon skied that shot from the angle second half? When did we work Pickford? I can't remember us doing so, but I probably need to watch the match back again when I get in.

 

 

Edited 9 hours ago by HaydnNUFC

[Hovagod]

14 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Was admittedly full of drink of just back in the pub post match when I posted that so may be being harsh.

 

We had total control of the game yesterday, thought we had won the midfield battle and the only way they were going to score especially second half would've been from our mistake. 

 

Just had a feeling that Gordon wasn't going to put that pen away as soon as he stepped up. Wanted to see Schär take it but hindsight and all that.

 

Felt we had plenty crossing opportunities but no one to aim for, which is a bit confusing when we have a 6'4 striker sat on the bench. If he's not ready for matches like that, why did we sign him and why is he on the bench at all?

 

I just didn't think we created many chances. When did we other than when Gordon skied that shot from the angle second half? When did we work Pickford? I can't remember us doing so, but I probably need to watch the match back again when I get in.

 

 

 

Good day anyway, lad?

[HaydnNUFC]

3 minutes ago, Hovagod said:

Good day anyway, lad?

 

Canny, aye.

[Joelinton7]

The level of vitriol I’ve seen from Everton fans towards Gordon is bordering on unhinged.

[Heron]

3 minutes ago, Joelinton7 said:

The level of vitriol I’ve seen from Everton fans towards Gordon is bordering on unhinged.

Noticed that in the commentary it was all about how Gordon moved on to try and achieve better things. Not that he was being chased down the street and threatened in his car. Or the fact he's gone to Newcastle and played in the Champions League instead of fighting relegation.

[Hanshithispantz]

45 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Was admittedly full of drink of just back in the pub post match when I posted that so may be being harsh.

 

We had total control of the game yesterday, thought we had won the midfield battle and the only way they were going to score especially second half would've been from our mistake. 

 

Just had a feeling that Gordon wasn't going to put that pen away as soon as he stepped up. Wanted to see Schär take it but hindsight and all that.

 

Felt we had plenty crossing opportunities but no one to aim for, which is a bit confusing when we have a 6'4 striker sat on the bench. If he's not ready for matches like that, why did we sign him and why is he on the bench at all?

 

I just didn't think we created many chances. When did we other than when Gordon skied that shot from the angle second half? When did we work Pickford? I can't remember us doing so, but I probably need to watch the match back again when I get in.

 

 

 

Trippier's injury forced our 3rd round of subs early which could be why Osula never got a shot.

 

In hindsight we'd have maybe been better off just hoying him in then like.

[Yorkie]

51 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Was admittedly full of drink of just back in the pub post match when I posted that so may be being harsh.

 

We had total control of the game yesterday, thought we had won the midfield battle and the only way they were going to score especially second half would've been from our mistake. 

 

Just had a feeling that Gordon wasn't going to put that pen away as soon as he stepped up. Wanted to see Schär take it but hindsight and all that.

 

Felt we had plenty crossing opportunities but no one to aim for, which is a bit confusing when we have a 6'4 striker sat on the bench. If he's not ready for matches like that, why did we sign him and why is he on the bench at all?

 

I just didn't think we created many chances. When did we other than when Gordon skied that shot from the angle second half? When did we work Pickford? I can't remember us doing so, but I probably need to watch the match back again when I get in.

 

 

 

 

 wouldn't recommend it. 

 

Bottom line for me is that I cba to go after them too much given it was a much improved away performance and another step in the right direction. The trajectory is broadly upwards imo.

[Lish007]

Why do Everton fans hate Gordon so much?

 

I can't really see myself ever hating an academy player that leaves us - Anderson for example. It's a bit odd. 

[gbandit]

Think they’re a particularly angry and bitter set of fans. Might come from being in Liverpool’s shadow for so long

[GeordieDazzler]

16 minutes ago, Lish007 said:

Why do Everton fans hate Gordon so much?

 

I can't really see myself ever hating an academy player that leaves us - Anderson for example. It's a bit odd. 

If Carroll had went on strike to get the Liverpool move you don’t think there would be a similar level of vitriol?