2-3
Comments (39)
Familiar failings. Long balls from deep, to little Ossie of all people. Except for sporadic moments in the second half, we were abysmal. Jagielka looked lost in midfield, and Pip had his usual careless distribution. Also, Baines was shockingly bad.
So the two players who we need the most did the most on the day, Arteta more so than Yak. Dear god, what would happen to us should Mikel get injured? Aside from him, there's little creativity going forward. Ossie tried as usual but when you got balls flying high up above you, what can you do?
Blackburn deserved it, no doubt in my mind. If we had held on to the lead for a few more minutes, who knows what we could build from there? But the instant equalizer sapped the confidence back into their collective shells, and in the end, we struggled to flourish in the end minutes, save for a Baxter chance that I swear would have me in tears (of joy) if he'd scored.
You can see from DM's morose reaction in the end that this is getting serious. Potentially fatal. 6 teenagers (!) out of 7 in the subs bench. Even if we get everyone back, it's still not good enough. Nowhere near good enough. I'll save the boardroom troubles for those more in the know, but it looks like, on the playing side, it's more of the same cautious, sedentary (and LONG BALL!) approach for my beloved club...
Mikhail Ridhuan,
Singapore Posted 16/08/2008 at 17:01:23
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Well i've just watched that pile of shite today, I feared the worse, but the dreaded hoofball was back. Each time a defender has the ball at his feet... HOOF! Somewhere in the direction of the Yak. Yeah I guess we had 2 good points with the 2 young-uns' performances, but the rest should hang their heads... starting right at the top.
Kenright and Moyes are losers. My Sunday league team could have passed the ball better than Everton did today. I've been shaking my head all summer, now it's iced off and it's looking worse than we all feared. Our Everton is dying and all us fans can do is sit and watch.
Well if ever there was a time for Billy boy to get his hand out of his mingy tight pocket it is now. Despite a decent second half, Blackburn basically crushed us. Everyone in the premier league will too if we keep having to field youngsters and play players out of position. This really is a make or break time between now and the transfer window and I really expcect some transfer movement very soon indeed or were done for.
If you field a team containing 7 defenders with 7 subs 6 of whom have never played at this level can you really expect to win?
Secondly, anyone who has tracked our record aganist Blackburn down the years will have seen it's been tit for tat and this was their turn to inevitably even the overall record once again. Aside from the numbers mentioned that told me we would lose I think it's worrying that we have to rely on moments of magic from Arteta and Yak because realistically they are not going to produce them every week and if we can't keep a clean sheet with 7 defenders we have issues.
My concern now is that even if we do sign new players then it is going to be much harder for them to come into a losing team ( think of Amokachi /Fegruson/Durrant in 94 or Jeffers/Martyn/Kilbane/McFadden in 05) than it would be for someone coming into a winning team pre-season. Ditto with the kids. They have some promise but over exposed in a crappy side and subject to the fans frustrations they will probably flounder short term.
Anyway cheers to BK nice surprise to see some new faces today. Silly me... I didn't realise you meant kids I thought you meant established pros.
Well here we go. The Blackburn game showed how Carsley whilst although utterly useless going forward was a clever player at protecting a back four which,without Stubbs or Wier organising them, is liable to start day dreaming. People will say we played well in the second half but this was against a team of the same standard as ourselves with a dodgy keeper.
Moyes and Kenwright have really dug themselves into a corner now (I don't think I can remember any other club recently with the possible exception of Leeds that have had so few options to get out of the mess).
If I was a players agent I wouldnt let my client sign for us unless it was for a ridiculous weekly wage and if I was a potential buyer of the club I would at best hold off until the end of the season by which time Kenwright will be pleading with someone to take the mess of his hands.
I think in the last few months a lot of people have finally realised how close this club is to falling apart financially and this could very well be the season when the shit finally hits the fan (fans?).
It goes without saying that the next signing is incredibly important in determining the season...and if its Alan Smith, Moutinho or Tiago then we are shafted because they are not the type of players we need for this team at the moment.... that's what worries me more than the performance today.
Just home from the game. All things considered, I felt we came back at Blackburn very well in the second half and although it was disappointing to lose `on the bell`, the all round performance was certainly no disgrace.
Of course it will provide the Gavins and Marshes with plenty of amunition but losing our first game is far from unique and will almost certainly ensure that re-inforcements will be on the way as Chairman Bill has promised. It may have seemed a disappointing summer but I still believe it will turn into another good winter.
With the team we had out today, its no wonder we long balled it! Rodwell was poor first half but improved as the game went on. Jags was carrying Rodwell first half but then was awful in the 2nd and looked like he didnt have a clue what he was doing. Neville, as usual looked like he was scared of the ball, but Yakubu in my mind, gave up for some reason with 15 mins to go, he hung out on the left but didnt want to get involved then gave the stupid petulent free kick away at the death, I didnt understand it!
It?s a joke that we have started the season with this size of squad; it wouldn?t surprise me if we did not sign anyone before the transfer window closes, clubs now know we are desperate and will demand over inflated fees for average players. A whole summer and pre-season wasted well done Everton.
Dont expect too much James.......................who in their right mind would have let it get to this stage.......I just cant understand what Kenwright AND Moyes are doing...........We were on the crest of a wave one minute and the next ...self destruct.......we need to be told what is going on..........total lies and mis-management.........
Watched the game on the Internet today and the most worrying aspect (besides the lack of bodies) was the poor display of Yobo and Lescott. Neither seemed sure what to do,who to pick up and worst of all total lack of communications between themselves.
What it demonstrated to me was the total reliance on Carsley these two guys must have had. Carsley orchestrated, protected and shielded the back 4 to an extent I never thought until today.
Two things have to happen:
- Get Jags back in the centre with Yobo and push Lescott out wide . Baines and valente and not options.
- As a priority over every other priority get a defensive midfield player, tried and trusted even if he's 35 years old.
We will never get anywhere if we concede 3 goals at home - what an absolute shambles, even worse than the midfield shambles we had today.
I despise Bill Kenwright, we lost at home today, are we bottom?, I despise the man, all smiles for the telly, ?watch this space? etc, we have kids in the team, and well done to them, but get that smiling smarmy little shit out of our club, now, today, yesterday, and tomorrow, I hope the lightweight little bastard reads this site....I am pissed off, up the Toffes
Starting the season with the bench that we had and with so many players out of position was an absolue DISGRACE. If BK has tightened the purse strings, then there’s little DM can do about it - except resign maybe, but if DM has dithered, then the lack of signings had better be remedied in the next fortnight or this is going to be a long hard winter.
Apart from the goals today, two things stand out for me - Neville with the ball, running towards his own goal from the half way line to pass to Howard and little Leon jumping for a punt with that giant called Samba.
One defeat on opening day doesn’t necessarily spell disaster but I am genuinely fearful this season!
Mike Oates - I thought Yobo was MoM today but I agree about Lescott who was below par. Funny how two people see things differently.
Is it me, or of our 3 centre backs Yobo, Lescott and Jags, its the combination of Yobo and Lescott that has always looked the shakiest? Jags and Yobo were great last season and also Jags and Lescott when Yobo was at the African cup!
I think the reason Neville was caught out of position so much was the fact he was trying to fill in the midfield...............it shouldnt happen but he had no other option..............the midfield was horrendous,............
Did anyone think the midfield would not be horrendous with 2 centre backs one 17 years old making his debut and a left back in midfield, I think Moyes is a great manager but why has he allowed this to happen, I dread to think of that midfield up against the powerhouses at Chelski like Lampard, Essien, Ballack
This shit storm has been brewing for a while now and I said the other day that any side could just walk through our midfield as it is which was demonstrated throughout most of the game today.
Moyes has said he’s at fault for the lack of signings. In which case, more efforts should have been made to retain Carsley and Fernandes until new players came in. I’m sorry but it’s not fucking good enough to go into a season ill-euipped like this, in fact I regard it as NEGLIGENT
Batten down the hatches for a long season where Premiership survival should be our first objective. You may scoff, but I’m wondering where the next 3 points are going to come from as West Brom, Portsmouth and even Hull away now look like tricky fixtures
But, hey Richard, we still have ’Watch this space’ Kenwright and Dithering Dave to trust and all will be well. Well the clock is ticking...
Rodwell was actually our best player today, he showed the most composure on the ball and was in fact hindered by the lack of options available to him going forward. When we did manage to get the ball into the final third, Yakubu was totally isolated, neither Jagielka or Rodwell got forward to support and the gap in the middle was gaping. Also the back four had a nightmare especially Lescott and Yobo who looked like strangers. Blackburn looked likely to score everytime they came forward.
I don't like Baines at left back, he has poor positional sense and seems unaware of what's happening around him; he was better ahead of Valente. As for Neville, his distribution was awful as usual although he was given the ball far too often when he was himself isolated. Until we get a central midfield player in, I think Moyes should play Arteta in that central role and let Jagielka play in the Carsley holding role, hunting down the opposition and breaking up attacks.
The lack of options from the bench was frankly disgraceful, even though I like the look of Baxter who could be a valid option out wide. Got to say if we don't get some quality and experience into the team before the window shuts, we are in for a long backs-to-the-wall season. Billy Bull must be shitting his kecks after that.
Blackburn had Santa Cruz and Roberts starting on the pitch and McCarthey on the bench. We had Yakubu and a two youth strikers on the bench. Says it all doesn?t it? And let?s not even mention the midfield!
I’d love to take a pop at Doddy’s comments, but anyone that took any positives other than the performance of the young lads just isn’t worth arguing with. We’re in a hole and an injury or two (remember Vic is carrying a knee injury too) on top of what we have already will leave us in serious freefall.
Break out the life jackets!
Today was dissapointing, but I wasn’t suprised at all. No creativity apart from Arteta, and even he went missing at times in the first half. I thought Rodwell looked shaky but had potential considering all the pressure on him in the middle of the park. Hopefully, in time, he will be a great asset for us. Baxter looked decent when he came on and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet. As usual though, P Neville was responsible for giving the ball away time and time again, or, clearing it into the stands for no reason at all.
We clearly need players now! We cannot survive the season with the numbers that we currenlty have, and if we get any more injurys, we are doomed! Something needs to be done quickly if we are to have any type of successful season. Forget about challenging the top four this season. The way we are going, we will be battling it out with the bottom half of table.
Hope you’re listening BK - 40,000 today can’t all be wrong!
Interesting the comments about Phil Neville though we’ve seen it all before. So in whose wisdom was it to extend his contract by 4 years?
As my mate Steve would say, "the job is well and truly fucked"
Just back from the game. What a pile of rubbish! We deserved to be 3 down by half time and got out jail with the Arteta free kick.
A few people have commented on the number of long balls - what did you expect? Jagielka and Baines to playing 30 yard passes, dribbling and making surging runs into the box. They are defenders ffs. When your midfield consists of two midfielders and one 17 year in his first full Premier League game (actually I thought Rodwell played pretty well), the defence don’t have many options but to by-pass midfield.
Hopefully the result will actually spark some life into the board and we’ll see the signings that the manager, players and supporters have known were needed since the end of last season.
Make a 12million double raid for Stephen Ireland and Michael Johnson
Think we got what we deserved today. To go into a new season with such limited resources is worse than negligent, it’s criminal. I can’t really believe that Moyes has had funds at his disposal all summer and not signed even ONE player. Sounds to me like he’s covering the arse of his good buddy BK yet again. I have a horrible feeling that all he’ll have to spend is the Johnson money, in which case I don’t think things will improve all that much before 1st September when the window shuts either. Only Everton could blow such a strong position entering the close season and turn it in to the current depressing mess we’re in now. What was it the Spanish waiter across the park called us?
Don’t you think Baines looked completely uninterested? Do you think the rumours about him being sold to Sunderland are true and he just can’t be arsed now and is waiting for his move?
Rodwell? Our best player today?
Was I watching a different game????
Rodwell looked good in parts, but he also showed is in-experience, especially in the first half when he gave the ball away right near Howard. I thought that as the game went on he grew more in confidence and looked better on the ball etc... I did think he played better than Jags though in the middle. One for the future defo, but not one to steer us out of this crisis.
Rodwell looked good in parts, but he also showed is in-experience, especially in the first half when he gave the ball away right near Howard. I thought that as the game went on he grew more in confidence and looked better on the ball etc... I did think he played better than Jags though in the middle. One for the future defo, but not one to steer us out of this crisis.
Disappointed to say the least. Hoof after hoof you would think AJ was still playing for us heh? Now he’s gone who’s gonna chase the desperate hoofs? And some of you though with AJ out the side we would play more to feet.
It wouldn’t be so bad if we had a REPLACEMENT but that would be asking too much of this management. Sell our fastest and most industrious player with no guarantee plans of a replacement. BK and Moyes need to get their act together, or get out.
We need players, fast. We won’t be able to field eleven players if we go on like this. I live in Holland and the Dutch Eredivisie has only a few good players we can get.
I have some tips for Moyes/Kenwright:
Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen)
Michael Bradley (Heerenveen)
Goran Lovre (FC Groningen)
Marcus Berg (FC Groningen)
Marcel Meeuwis (Roda JC)
Watched the game online but stormed off in disgust as Rovers' 3rd went in so didn't see the reply.
Moyes though has said on the OS that the goal was offside. Despite him defending the linesman - as it would have been tricky to see (???), this is one game played and one point lost already due to the men in black.
I'm not starting an anti ref thread, but this just makes it all the more unpallatable. Argh!!!
Thank God for some poor teams coming our way... I say that hesitantly...
I think he?s right, Nick. I hadn?t noticed that but I?m sure it is Nelson who is at least a yard offside at the moment the free-kick was struck, who then moved back to head onto the post. But it was a stupid FK to give away. We have to stay tight in circumstance like that but instead it?s down to riding our luck... and we didn?t. Fortress Goodison, my arse!
I never seen a worse performance from a midfielder, from Jagielka. In all the time I've watched the blues, he was a complete hinderance. When he appeared and stayed on in the second half, I thought these kids on the bench mustn't be good enough, because I could have done a better job, honestly; PATHETIC. We are going to have to replace Lee Carsley fast or we are in deep deep shit. Moyes gave the wrong player the four-year extension. Let's start with a bid for Alonso.
Every-one ?Calm down Calm down? We only need 3 players to make our
Club GREAT again, 1 MERLIN central midfield he can sprinkle his MAGIC
Every-where protect the back 4 no problems! 2 Superman up front ?Case Closed!
3 we will only use him as super-sub ?Christ the saviour! I think BILL can ?bull-shit!
His way and capture them 3 until that day comes ill just keep taking the TABLETS
i saw the game online today and am still gutted. the first half was a complete shambles, but we deffo improved in the 2nd half, which is a positive. i think there will be light at the end of this dark tunnel with Cahill, Pienaar, Van de meyde, Vaughan, Anichebe, Hibbert all to come back and if we can sign atleast 4 quality players eg in Milito, Moutinho, M’bia and someone else besides Smith, we can deffo get better as a team and will push on forward. We also now have 3 decent youngsters coming through in Rodwell, Baxter and Gosling to add to that. i think once we have these players back we need to get back to the back 4 of Neville, Jags, Yobo and Lescott.
Well, what a pile of shit!
Phil Neville was as bad as I have ever seen him which is saying something.
I thought we improved slightly in the second half but overall one of the worst performances from EFC I have ever witnessed in my 33 years of supporting them!
I thought Rodwell got better and better and Baxter looked good (reminds me of Mark Ward).
The Yak at times looked like he just could not be arsed!
We had no drive or creativity in the middle.
If we do not sign 3-4 top quality signings in the next couple of weeks I honestly think we will be flirting with relegation!
BK/DM sort this shit out fast!
Why the hell aren?t we playing lescott in midfield instead of jagielka. Jags was truly atrocious, rodwell seemed to be under instruction to only pass to neville; and as for phil, he is probably the most infuriating player we have; when in his own half it is either hoof or passback - when on the overlap in the opposition half he whips in accurate crosses. Personally, I thought that valente was our best defender and probably our best player all round although maybe that was just because Baines was just so utterly atrocious.
As for the Yak?s petulance costing us the game I was utterly sickened and left the game disgusted at his subsequent nonchalance over it - twat!
It was dire - lets face it, they deserved the three points.
I wasn't at the game on Saturday. I will make that clear from the off. I read one report in the Observer on Sunday saying Rodwell was man of the match and got 8 out of 10. I've read a couple of times on here today that he and Jags were a complete waste of space.
Are people giving Rodwell the sympathy vote because he's only a kid or what? As a premiership player, on the pitch with 21 other premiership players, kid or no kid, how did he honestly do?
Your opinions please...
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1 Posted 16/08/2008 at 17:03:37
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Kenright and Moyes are losers. My Sunday league team could have passed the ball better than Everton did today. I've been shaking my head all summer, now it's iced off and it's looking worse than we all feared. Our Everton is dying and all us fans can do is sit and watch.