Sigurdsson: Things aren't clicking but we're determined to start winning

I'll believe it when I see it, Gylfi. Sorry, but I've lost all confidence... no better than under Bobby and he had a lot less money to play with...

Against Brighton? No, the main thing is you failed to win.

"We have played well as a group".… He must be playing for some other team on the side.

Can't figure out Pickford's comments at all, but he's playing well enough that he can recite Jabberwocky in his interviews and I won't care. It could be argued that he's the only player in our side who is playing up to the proper standard.

"The manager hasn't got a clear plan and I am being played out of position like everybody else?"

Play him either in a conventional cm position or behind the striker! I didn't see him playing wide left for Swansea.

His problem in my opinion isn't his position on the field... it's that he's not getting the ball enough and doesn't know yet what his targets are. Sigurdsson's game is all about anticipation, but we're so disorganized up front that right now he can't anticipate where anybody's going to be. And he sure as hell needs more touches.

Form is temporary and class is permanent. I just hope he outlasts Koeman then we can start afresh.

Thanks goodness for that.

It's a shame that the next three are probably games that Mosh and Ron have marked down as "expect us to lose".

Every five minutes or so I play a game where I wonder where he is – then I look around the screen trying to see the number 18, inevitably I find him off somewhere nowhere near where I expect him to be, like a bad spot-the-ball competition. Then I watch as the game plays around him. He doesn't tackle. Mostly he passes backwards. His forward passes hit defenders.

I know the reply could be "play him in his right position" (ToffeeWebbers say this a lot at the moment) but these deficiencies are not a result of being played in an unfamiliar position. I'm pretty sure a decent footballer can play more of the pitch than a 3 x 3 square of turf right behind the forward. And it's not like he's a goalkeeper asked to play centre forward – he's an attacking midfielder asked to play slightly wider than centre.

I'm writing this coz it's a plea of desperation, I'm so hoping someone will reply with something to assure me he's actually really good and I don't know what I'm talking about. I want to be 100% wrong and learn to love the useless Icelandic penguin. But if the argument hinges on his free kicks or something, there's a guy in Row KK with a sore face who thinks otherwise.

I'm hoping someone sees something amazing in him that I don't.

I've watched Iceland's last three World Cup qualifying games. Ran the show in 2/3 games scored 3 goals played behind the strikers and in central midfield.

He did look marginally better Sunday but the bar is so low he'd trip over it. But I saw better delivery and generally a more comfortable player in the role he started in.

My support for him is shapes up to no runners in the team. If he had a target, things would be different for him, maybe not the team but you'd see a better version of Glyfi.

I would like to try and kill two birds with one stone here – bear with me. We have too many captains on the field at the moment, so make Rooney captain till January; give him a free hand in choosing the team along with Koeman. If it doesn't work out, get rid of him and Bill and Duncan as well!

We all love our club and only want the best. COYB

His crossing, shooting, passing, finding of and movement into space, dead balls, receiving of the ball and general vision are all better than we've seen so far. He'll get much better under a manager worthy of the description.

That square of turf is indeed where he needs to play, but it's a little bigger than 3 x 3! Yes, he's played out left for Swansea, but in a team with settled players that know each others' game. His best position is central.

Almost all the players are below par in this current malaise, and they'll almost all improve substantially when things are sorted. I have certain concerns but we're not seeing enough to know anything for sure as things are. I wouldn't underestimate what poor team spirit can do to players.

This said, we paid too much for him IMO – and I'd take Barkley over him all day long in a choice between the two.

After 10 games, it is fair to say Siggy is going down in to the Everton Hall of Fame – Legendary Shite Midfielders section.

Danny Williamson, Scott Gemill, Tobias Linderoth, Alex Nyarko... all shocking. Welcome aboard, Gylfi – you've earned your stripes.

The tactical system, if there is one, seems to be 'Whatever you do don't make a mistake' which of course is working great.

Expectations will continue to be lowered until everyone is as happy as a cuckoo with 8th.

I'm with Rick and Marshy on this – a shocking buy at a vastly inflated fee He's shown Jack Shit apart from that goal in Split and Koeman again has shown he wouldn't know a player if he smacked him in the face.

Oh, and another thing: I don't care what he does for Iceland – I don't support Iceland! I support Everton and he's done fuck all since he came.

I am only going on what I have seen so far at Everton. I don't give a shit what Sigurdsson does for Iceland or did for Swansea. Who is to say we will see Gylfi play under another coach?

The clowns running this club might stick with Koeman until it's to late and destroy everything.

I wouldn't write Sigurdsson off yet, although his form has been far from ideal as yet...

No striker means defences can hold their shape.

No pace means opponents can stay organised and calm, even teams like Burnley and Brighton don't get stretched or stressed too much.

No pace = no counter attacking threat.

No movement from any forward player means sideways passing and midfield congestion. Never getting behind the full back and cutting the ball back to the 18 yard line.

Any of these ingredients would see Sigurdsson in a better light and facilitate goals from him.

He's not settled in , can play better and needs to be more involved. Just attacking him individually though is unfair and unjustified.

The only players I have seen who can Inject some movement pace and energy recently are Davies and Mirallas.

Well, now that we have finally established that, we can move on to our formation, and kicking the ball in the right direction, maybe?

Patience, Twebbers... Patience!!!

Appalling statement and an insult to the intelligence of the fans. These lightweight average dullards need a huge kick up the arse and the old guard need to be dispatched immediately. If they can't be bothered to give 150% then cull them.

It's clear Koeman can't motivate the team but there is a clique of comfortable non triers who are on cruise control with no demands that they must get into Champions League etc. Koeman has bought utter crap (I actually think only Vlasic is good enough).

There is simply no leadership at the club. We are now facing the unbelievable fact that Newcastle (yes the Teletubbies in stripes) are better than us and up for sale, likely to get an owner who doesn't have to discuss player purchases with Bill Kenwright.

I'd love someone to explain to me why Sigurdsson is worth £45M and Dowell has been sent out on loan? I think Jose Baxter is a much better footballer than Sigurdsson or Klaassen.

Carlo Ancelotti - 4/1
David Unsworth - 6/1
Paulo Fonseca - 8/1
Rafael Benitez - 10/1
Sam Allardyce - 10/1
Eddie Howe - 10/1
Sean Dyche - 12/1
Chris Coleman - 12/1

Meanwhile, Lookman is not even on the bench and I often look at all our coaching staff during games with their bewildered looks... fucking joke they all are.

The protracted negotiations meant that he had no proper pre-season and he came into a team struggling with confidence.

"His forward passes find defenders" –Forward to what exactly?

There is no pace or width in the side and the opponent defenses are not stretched so there's no room to play these passes into.

We can accept getting beat; what grates is the inept performances we have seen all season. Granted, Koeman is also at fault, he decides the team and the tactics, but even playing out of position, a top player should be able to pass the ball.

On MotD, Martin Keown said we lacked movement, the footage proved him correct. Players don't want the ball, they seem scared. Needs sorting and quick

Rooney as a young fella played in an utterly crap team and made it happen by himself, all great players do. 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them'.

The mediocrities now wearing blue shirts have had it thrust upon them, made to look great in an over-rated, over-hyped Premier League.

I will be surprised if Ronald turns this around.

We had been interested in him a long time, but left it so late in the transfer window to actually get him that the season had started. His game time certainly could have been managed better, especially considering that we have quite a few players in his no.10 position.

Ease him in gently. Whether he plays on the left or not, looking at the set-up of the Brighton game, he didn't have anyone to aim for anyway as our target man was on the left wing, occupying his previous position. Again, I assume we bought him as part of a larger plan that included a big target man, again which never materialized, leaving us short in another key position. As was stated a few times, we have the gun, but no bullets.

The Barkley situation is a interesting. How did we let it come down to him running his contract down? Was there an assumption that, as a local boy, he'd sign regardless. Just pure conjecture on my behalf, but how did it come to this?

What is going on on the actual pitch has been covered on here, like many others I just don't get it and apathy that I haven't felt since Martinez has replaced my optimism, but in record time. It wasn't long ago that I was arguing the case for Koeman.

Which brings me onto the whole set-up at Everton. Is it all a bit complicated and convoluted? From my limited knowledge, not long ago we had a manager and a chairman who dealt with transfer dealings. The manager had his own backroom staff and scouts. Look at the best Moyes years and see who those scouts were able to bring in for bargain transfer fees. There is no need to list them as I am sure we are all familiar with them.

Now, we seem to have two in the chairmen role pulling the strings, a manager, a Director of Football and backroom staff who were given to the manager and had never worked with him previously. It all seems a bit complicated.

The commercial side of things looks a lot better, the youth set-up looks great, we really have bought for the future and I hope it comes to fruition. However, for all this to pay dividends we need to be functioning as a football team, which we are clearly not. Is it a case of too many fingers in the pie?

Again, I feel that there seems to be some lack of communication within the club, I base this on nothing but what I have pointed out so far. Getting back to fundamentals might be what we need short term, both on and off the pitch. Defined roles!

Apologies for my meanderings!

The team has no punch where it matters despite the introduction of Vlasic and Calvert-Lewin.

Some things need to change and fast but Koeman seems unable to raise the game.

The pressure of being a record buy, combined with the protracted nature of the transfer and the ineptitude of the coach once he finally did arrive, has left him ham-strung a bit.

Sack Koeman – that's the answer.

Don't tell us – just bleedin' do it! Only you, the players, can do it. Actions, not words!

Brilliant. Siggy for manager?,"We are not scoring enough goals and we are conceding too many."

Brilliant. Siggy for manager?,,,1,12:58:52,,60.61.129.174,ok,13068,10/17/2017 12:58:52,MPenley,reader,, 859699,35665,toffeeweb,17/10/2017,Stan Schofield,Stan.schofield@icloud.com,"Mike, yes it is a collective problem from the very top, and much of that problem will remain once Koeman leaves. But of course Koeman's job is to make best use of the players he has at his disposal. To select them appropriately, use tactics that are effective, and motivate them with good man-management.

It appears that all of these three things are missing from Koeman's repertoire, and as such it's difficult to see him turning things around. As such, I think he should go asap.

I think a pre-season would have helped somewhat. He has known his Icelandic teammates for a while, knows the Icelandic system and his role in it. But he did not know his Everton teammates, his role in the team or the system. I would say he still doesn't. Who is that down to?

Saying that, pre-season doesn't seem to have helped the other new arrivals that much!

Gylfi seems content with a bit part role. Good teams can 'carry' the odd slacker and help them look better than they really are. Over-rated non-performing Everton cannot afford that kind of luxury.

As a defensive midfielder or central midfielder or in any other position, Sigurdsson needs to show for the ball much more.

Yes, small margins. All we need to do is stop playing shit and with no plan, and start playing competently and with some kind of tactical sense. Small margins.

Easy to pay off a manager on sensible money. Pay him 3 times the going rate then sacking him becomes a nightmare. That's the position we are in, IMHO.

But we still have our own comedy of errors. Not as I like it.

Vlasic, Tom Davies and Calvert-Lewin up front for now and for gods sake can we please play a proper right-back instead of Holgate?

The next two games will be a watershed for the club and the manager.

Sacked before a winter of discontent?

As discussed and posted, management are clearly not doing their job effectively, maybe especially in motivation, ergo our players are quickly losing confidence (and so not doing their job effectively!)

I believe we really need to 'go for it' in a few games and see what happens (its a fickle thing this 'top-level' football lark and confidence is key, even if it comes initially through taking a few chances!)

Note: Whilst Roberto did actually give this a go we were so full of players not up for it that it could only backfire (as it did!). I believe this team of blues are, individually as well as collectively, wishing to get such license!!

(Or maybe I'm just craving some excitement for a change!!)

I expect them to go for Ancelotti or Mancini and move up the table. I'd like to see Rafa tapped up. He's a man that would be a perfect fit for us and it would annoy the neighbours no end. Trust me, he'd be a great fit for us and whilst the Toon are in turmoil we should snap him up.

Sack Koeman and sack him now.

Mancini would be good. Or Benitez. As much as people will hate him for his Liverpool connections, the guy gets teams winning.

Tuchel still available, but not on the list?

The penalty was a nasty straight arm into Dominic. When he had a go at Bruno there was zero support from team-mates. I am not advocating a brawl, just some support for a team mate.

Phil – while I agree with your analysis, you have to say Rooney, when played up front, particularly alone, should be expected to stretch the pitch. He's played enough togger, at a high enough level and in that position too, to know the role.

If he's coming short to join in, he is either being selfish or doesn't understand what is needed from him, pace/height or not.

I would be tempted with Tuchel but not convinced, Wagner at Huddersfield or Silva at Watford. They have hunger and shown an ability to impact things quickly. Hunger is the key factor, and actually there's a nice parallel with the players we've bought this year.

The three players I feel have shown their hand amidst the malaise are Pickford, Rooney and Vlasic. All three supremely confident in their own ability and have adapted to their new side.

Vlasic in particular has put Sandro & Klaassen, and the notion foreign players need time to adapt, to shame. I will concede both need a more graded introduction but the hunger this lad shows in comparison is reflected in his performances.

This circles back to the manager: ambitious, yes, but not hungry enough to do that with Everton. And that is the key ingredient which is missing in both Koeman and his players. As we dither, options will inevitably dwindle.

Still, like most fans, I still look forward to every time we play... until we kick off and Baines cuts back!

Insanity. Same action hoping for different outcome etc. But the way it is with me and will always be I guess.

Thankfully there are smarter and more focused fans who can spend the time and energy trying to work out and debate what is wrong (though rarely right when we have a good spell).

After loads of research, I think there may be a problem with the manager's ability, leading to potentially good players playing poorly and with no drive, the influence of a Chairman who helped and now clings to power, a new owner who may not be able to fund our dreams, and a fanbase that has lost their own confidence.

But hey, that must be too simple a summary.

Hey ho... still looking forward to the game!

COYB!

You can see it, I can see it, you can't play Rooney and Sigurdsson in the same team!

Rooney slows everything down, stifling Sigurdsson's creativity, and we won't see the best of him until he is Rooney free.

But hypothetically here – If (big if) we were to win on Thursday, beat Arsenal, put on a good show against Chelsea, beat Leicester and say get a draw at Lyon in a couple of weeks would the clamour die down? Or has the damage been done?

We have had the same issue before Koeman got here but then it was tippy tappy between the centre-backs and the keeper.

Too many players haven't got the legs to get up and get back.Man Utd are no fools. If they thought Schneiderlin, Rooney., Cleverley, or Neville were any good, they would not have let them come to us.

We need Tom Davies and Vlasic in this team – and also I would venture Mirallas.

Valid point! Vlasic adapting well and taking the bull by the horns – the young lad is making Sandro and Klaassen look like frightened lambs. It's time they grew a pair of balls and did something with the one on the pitch too.

I'm not slagging them off, just want them to man up and start producing what I believe they're capable of.

Koeman not buying a No 9 has defined our season, and he should be sacked now. If he goes, maybe Barkley will have a change of heart; a better player with a lot more pace.

Lyon are currently 2 points off Monaco in Ligue 1. Last Friday Lyon beat Monaco 3-2 – could easily of been more. Lyon have Memphis Depay and Mariano up front and the free scoring Fekir in midfield. They are awesome going forward and battle hardened from being in Champions League every season.

Forget what fans on here said about this being an easy group. We will get murdered on Thursday. I have been watching both Lyon and Atalanta since we drew them. Both teams are light years ahead of Everton.

And the other old chestnut it's all about fine margins, I feel a bit sorry for the players when they are continually trotted out to toe the party line, and they know that we all know it's Bullshit Bill's script.

Just one pun before I go: Alas, poor Craig... I knew thee well! Get it?

Yeah, but apart from that Tony, what else have we got to fear?

20+ minutes of how Leon Osman used to be the Joker at Finch Farm, Schnierderlin on his first car, job section, back to Finch Farm, back to Snods talking about having fun with the staff at...? Finch Farm, then on to? Finch Farm is still improving!

Mentioned for two minutes the Under-23 side and how they are hovering or are in the first team! Really, not being released then, or sold or ignored for Ronnie's favourites.

Praised Shaun Duffy who was sold for pennies.

Not one word about the crisis we are in... or the real joker, Ronald Koeman.

Not much to fear, mate? Lyon this season in French league reads: P9 W4 D4 L1. Battered Champions Monaco last week. Not sure if our current manager and paceless plodders can live with this outfit, mate.

To think, in August, fans on here were saying it's an easy group...

Well, look where not accepting mediocrity has gotten them. New stadium? Being built. They have to compete in London against Chelsea and Arsenal, and they don't pay excessive wages. Now they're in the Champions League year after year, while we are pure shite.

So I believe that Sigurdsson & Rooney can play together in a high tempo high pressing team. It is unlikely to happen under Koeman but the right manager can blend those players I have no doubt.

I've long called Koeman's tactics ‘defensive shithousery' and it truly is sad when our once proud club go to Brighton not to get beat. He is a shithouse, of that I have no doubt; I just wish he was someone else's problem. *Sigh*.

Are you seriously not able to comprehend that you always compare yourself, whether a business or in sport, against those you compete against? Different circumstances? We both play in the Premier League last time I checked.

They were in a very similar position to us throughout much of Moyes' time here. It was usually between us and them as "best of the rest", finishing 5th, 6th, 7th. That was never good enough for them. They kept demanding more, while we sang the praises of being just outside the Top 4.

That demand to always keep pushing for more success has resulted in them actually moving forward, while we, as anyone who is simply happy to exist in the status quo, continue to move backward. Because the problem with accepting the status quo and not demanding improvement year on year is, that when in a competition, those around you might not be so accepting. And now they nearly won the league, and are now competing in the Champions League with regularity.

How can you not see that a football club is obviously compared to other clubs is beyond me. Christ, that's the purpose of the bloody Premier League table!! Or did you think they keep track of points just for the hell of it?

Their owners didn't shit themselves when Madrid came for Bale though and got the price they should have got.

Imagine if he'd gone there this summer!

And there are knowledgable Evertonians who want US to follow THAT example? Please! Get real! It is a sign of confusion and desperation. Sometimes the bravest course is to stay the course. Keep Calm and Carry On.

Instead, we are served up the same old primitive kick and rush, week after week, and we are not even effective at that. I can barely bring myself to watch us anymore. We will get a hiding on Thursday of that you can be sure. Everything about our club disgusts me.

Oh and Peter, in case you hadn't noticed, the course we are on is relegation.

Do you really suggest we accept this slow, bland, boring and self-destructive style of shite while we nosedive into relegation with a stiff upper lip???

Sack him and keep sacking if need be till it comes good. How many managers have Spurs sacked in the years since we employed David Moyes?

Things are moving forward in only this manner. Many years ago, when I first registered with ToffeeWeb, there was an unofficial embargo on comparing our lack of progress with that of other clubs particularly regarding our charming neighbours. The merest suggestion that they might be doing things better than us was jumped on by one and all posters.

Koeman should play him behind a forward, Niasse, Calvert-Lewin or Sandro, with Calvert-Lewin my pick. Use Rooney and Niasse as impact subs for the next couple of games.

You must be having a laugh, mate, if you think we are worthy of staying in this completion with Koeman in charge.

Sooner we are out of it the better. I said it from Day One.

With Leicester sacking their manager now, what price Koeman being next after the next 3 games or less for Everton?

There was nothing clever about the result at Brighton after another poor performance. I think Koeman has had his chance and things look the same as when the season started. There is absolutely no indication that he is beginning to turn things around and that's the scary part.

Our away form was terrible last season, and now our home form is also poor. You can wait for things to suddenly click into place but Lyon will expose our positional misfits and sloth-like progress round the park.

I hope we can pull something out for the fans, perhaps Lady Luck will smile on us and we will get the breaks, but I won't be watching it. I will be playing 5-a-side, and I think this is the sensible decision.

Brave? Stoical and one's head in the sand more like. Everton have nearly always shown forbearance to their managers. To sack one summarily in relative terms is not foolhardy.

Judge the situation by what it is. Terminal. And judge it by the standards Everton set – not Spurs or Leicester.

We invested heavily in a manager therefore by inference an expectation of good football and improvement in all competitions. Additionally we have let the manager change the playing squad almost to a man.

Yet he has barely moved the needle, only flickering to shift between January and March of last season.

You maybe right, but the evidence suggests not. Bravery and stupidity are sides of the same coin. Peter, don't go down with ship.

What coaching goes on at the moment and what improvements are being made?

We're gonna have to bite the bullet and just keep guessing with managers but this current one needs the boot for the abject football on show, never mind the piss-poor results.

I agree the League Cup and Europa League are luxuries to be indulged when you are firmly in the top half of the Premier League. Moshiri will be paying little attention to the cup results.

The Premier League status is everything. If results don't improve over the next 2 or 3 games, he will be gone. A heavy defeat by Arsenal maybe will finish him.

However, this is Everton; anything is possible. Even Ronald turning it around.

“It's now or never.”

Spurs and that shower across the park have a winning mentality that runs through their respective clubs, we have crap that runs through ours.

What we can see on the pitch is the important thing. The players are clearly frustrated, out of ideas within minutes of each game, struggling for any kind of form. The manager can't figure out his best team but is rigidly sticking to his formation regardless of the players available.

No-one will say that publicly. So why listen to what they do say?

It also suggests that determination is all that matters which is true if there are other teams that are equally not bothered about winning out there. Sheer rubbish.

What I'd like to see is an interview in which a top player says we've had a meeting with the manager and told him his tactics are utterly wrong for us as a team and we need to look at these possibilities.

It won't happen, but that would be a meaningful interview instead of this utter tripe.

This team has beaten it out of me. I fully expect the next game to be shite and can't imagine how it could be any better.

I mean, even on the off chance he suddenly changes approach and goes with width, attacking intent, tempo, fewer holding midfielders... we haven't played like that all season. It's not going to be great the first time you try it – that's what pre-season was for.

The problem is that all the players are scared of him. They have seen how certain individuals have been shut out and they are all scared.

Koeman is a classroom bully who has had it easy all his life because of his god-given talent for playing football. He has no people skills or motivational skills and no interest in developing any. You only have to look at how uninterested he looks in his press conferences for that.

The fact that 85% of Evertonians and at least half the British media can see that he is tactically inept is irrelevant to him, because the only person whose opinion he values is his own.

Pride comes before a fall – although in Koeman's case he has a 㾸 million cushion to soften the landing!

Koeman seems to match that idea. What has he actually done to earn his reputation?

The problem is if they are managed badly – this is where things go wrong. I think we are witnessing again as with our last manager things going drastically wrong without anything being done to resolve the problem.

I mentioned in a previous post when Unsey took over after Martinez was sacked it was like a new team. I'm sure these players would flourish under different guidance.