Everton Need Patience

Watching Man Utd-Arsenal highlights last night, I noticed how often that Man Utd played the ball back when attacks petered out. Rather than hit half-decent crosses or deep balls to no-one, they played the ball back into midfield (sometimes defence), switched play across the pitch, and started again. I am not advocating this style of play every time, but once in a while I think the Everton players could benefit from being (as the OP puts it) more patient.

Often, after battering Fulham, someone would choose the wrong ball and the midfield/defence would end up scrambling back to deal with a breakaway (QPR's first goal too).

Good article Bradley and if my maths are correct, that's some 200 attempts at goal so far this season in league games. I suspect we've gone whole seasons in the past decade without that many attempts! I think Jim's point is well made, it would be good to see the players 'realise' an opportunity isn't there and perhaps play the ball backwards, crucially retaining position, and equally as important, allow the forward-attacking (flair) players we have, several of them, the opportunity to make new movement, runs into space and start the attack again? It's what Barcelona do better than anyone as we know.

I know it sounds ridiculous but 20 or 30 less attempts this season but 3 or 4 more goals through a slightly improved decision-making process and I reckon another 4 or 5 more points on the board?

Nevertheless, despite the frustrations of saturday and 1 or 2 other games so far, the season has been good, the next month looks very likely to deliver a reasonable points haul and the style, quality of the football "is at times breath-taking" (commentary from several sunday newspapers!)

Jim Harrison, I was listening to Cesc Fabregas regarding his change of scene with Barca, and he commented on the fact, that rather than just aim hopeful balls into the opposing area, it's more beneficial to bring your own defenders into play, providing they have a good passing skill, and it does help to open up defences.

Watching Barcelona they will play around, keeping the ball, just waiting for the chance to lull a defence into making a mistake.

But you have to have defenders who are comfortable on the ball?

Nico and Norman; good decision making (from players) and good ball playing defenders. These generally tend to cost bigger money than we have and have paid over the years.

But sometimes good decision making CAN be coached into players, play the percentage ball, but this needs coaches who actually know what the good percentage ball IS and can impart that knowledge.

*Sees potential problem in our case*

If Naismith in particular had taken his relatively simple chances 3 points would have been gained and most of the mailbag would have been totally upbeat.

Whilst agreeing that patience is key, I don't think playing more tippy-tappy football would help our cause at all. Finish off 10% more of the chances created and hey presto, games would be won comfortably.

19 goals from 200 chances means we have to create 10 chances to score one goal — a ratio which is poor finishing by anybody's standards — especially when the opposition seem to only need 3 or 4 chances to find the back of our net.

Don't change the style, just finish off what has been created and Everton will reap the rewards.

I sort of agree with Patrick, i'm not sure we need to change anything about our play other than being a it more clinical in front of goal (and obviously a little tighter at the back). I wonder how many fans/coaches/players have said that about their team?!

On another point I wonder to what degree falling behind early has been responsible for our then having to come out all guns blazing and creating loads of chances. Will be interesting to see what happens next time we score first.

I agree with Patrick too, but only upto a point. The current playing style is creating chances, and good to watch. But too often we seem to be being hit on the counter. I know when you attack more you open up more at the back, but with a little better judgement we could still create the chances, but keep possession better too.

As an aside, much has been made of Fellaini's chest control, but I have been thinking that Jagielka's long balls have been pretty accurate of late. Playing it long hopefully is one thing, but hitting a target at distance takes a fair bit of skill.

I can't really agree with the point here Bradley.

If you take Saturday as an example then we scored 2, hit the post, had one cleared off the line and Schwarzer made a very good save. On top of that Jelavic had 2 good chances and there may be 1 or 2 others I've forgotten. That's a minimum of 7 real chances to score where no further patience was needed, I don't think many teams will do better than that at Craven Cottage. If anything we're sometimes guilty of trying to pass the bass into the net rather than having a pop when the chance arises.

Also, keeping the ball and going backwards may help Barcelona but with the likes of Neville, Jagielka, Distin etc in the team you always feel you are 1 poor touch away from giving away a goal yourself.

Patrick I agree with your general point but you are being a tad harsh. Those stats are for total shots, not chances. If you look at things like headers from set pieces and long range shots then it's hard to class them all as 'chances'. As I said above in the Fulham game I'd say somewhere between 7 and 10 of the 27 shots were proper chances.

Watching Barca try to break down Chelski in the Semi Final didn't really show that playing the ball around can achieve anything. I sat there watching them play all around the outside of Chelski area but never got a decent ball into the box. Chelsea defence was pretty packed, hence the reason Barca had all the room to play in but unless you get the ball into the box you ain't gonna score. Chelsea then proved the point by breaking out and scoring.

Barca, ha, who needs them, we've got the BLUES !!

Read the Executioners Bong, link on this site. Never less than excellent and makes these points and more in a more analytical way.

Sometimes football is really simple. We need to kick the ball in the goal more, and stop the other team doing it as much.

Goals come from putting in a half decent ball. Man United hammered Arsenal yet only won 2-1 in a game they should have won 5-0. I don't think that's anything to copy, in fact it sounds very familiar.

Barcelona likewise lose games they are totally on top in and in which they far outclass the opposition. Maybe they should copy us.

Peter 496

Stats don't always tell the full story. In fact 20% of the time they tell less than 50% of the story. 7 out of 10 people know that.

Maybe we need patience but off topic a few fans need perspective.

Never been Moyes's biggest fan. But look at us now. Think we've turned the corner or at least approaching it.

ps( sorry for going of OP, just had to have my say).

Mike, The point isn't just about converting more chances (though that would be nice!) It also that sometimes, retaining possession rather than creating a half chance that allows breakaways isn't the best policy.

Man Utd in their game had the same issue with chances not being taken, but until the last 5 minutes the barely gave Arsenal a sniff of the ball

It's the same idea across the pitch; look at Coleman against Fulham, a simple pass would have done, rather than trying to beat the entire Fulham midfield for no reason. The first QPR goal also highlights this. Hitting a shot into 2 defenders, there will be a chance of a goal, but equally a chance of the ball cannoning out to midfield and the play has switched from an attacking phase to defensive in seconds.

As Fulham proved, you don't need 27 shots to score 2 goals.

Once Jelavic is on form, our goals-to-shots ratio will soar. Also, when you're 2 or 3 goals up to nil, as a top team we will keep the ball more as opposed to whacking it up to Fellaini or putting crosses in, meaning our goals-to-shots ratio will also improve. Don't worry.

Its a good point Jim I accept the wisdom, but do we really want to tell our players not to take a risk, especially in the final third, because we might concede? Aren't we all really enjoyed the new expansive, attacking Everton? It seems like we might be accused of being a bit negative and defensive. I actually found the Man United game frustrating for exactly that reason, that they wouldn't try to score when they got in a good position.

Maybe this is a new theory that I'm not up with, but I prefer the idea that if there's a reasonable chance of scoring, you take the risk. I'm sure we remember the Arsenal team of a few years ago who were accused of the opposite, not creating enough chances because they wanted to walk the ball in and score the perfect goal.

Barcelona can be guilty of this, although they're so good it usually doesn't matter. Last night's result was nicely timed for my side of the argument though.

Mike, I am all up for the current style of play, and with Gibson fit I think the midfield would be less exposed.

I heard on Magic radio this morning that Gibson may be back for the Reading game! Here's hoping.