Klaassen gets belated Under-23s run-out

Lyndon Lloyd Monday, 5 March, 2018 62comments | Jump to most recent

Davy Klaassen saw competitive action for the first time since December when he turned out in Everton's Under-23s 2-0 win over Swansea City at Goodison Park.

The Dutch midfielder has been frozen out of the Blues' first team since his rare start against Apollon Limassol in Nicosia and hasn't played a Premier League game since October.

He got an opportunity to impress tonight, however, and was be joined by Ramiro Funes Mori as he played 70 minutes before being replaced by Conor Grant. Funes Mori had been scheduled to play one more U23s game before being declared fully fit to return to the senior side after 10 months out with a serious knee injury.

Sam Allardyce was asked about Klaassen and the possibility of him featuring for the U23s during his press conference last Friday.

“He does get games spasmodically, “ the manager said of the former Ajax midfielder, presumably referring to behind-closed-doors 11-a-side training games. “We give him a game every now and then.

“Obviously he trains with the first-team squad every day but it's a bit dejecting, for a player of [that level] — or any player that finds himself in that position.

“As I said before the window, we've reduced the squad dramatically. It's down to about three of four now [on the fringes] whereas before it was seven, eight or nine who weren't involved in the squad or preparation for the games because we were overloaded with players.

“We've reduced that somewhat but we've still have a few players who are still frustrated.”

Everton had the better of the first half against Swansea's U23s and took the lead in spectacular fashion when Antony Evans whipped home a free kick.

And, after weathering increased threat from the Swans in the second half, they extended their lead through young Australian Con Ouzounidis.

Everton U23s: Hewelt, Markelo, Gibson, Funes Mori, Ouzounides, Baningime, Klaassen (70' Grant), Evans {c}, Bowler (86' Henen), Sambou (62' Denny), Hornby.
Subs: Hilton, Lavery.

Reader Comments (62)

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Derek Knox
1 Posted 05/03/2018 at 18:04:58

What a brilliant idea, albeit about five months too late! Is this this another masterstroke from XXXXL Hippo Head?

Like I have said many times, the sooner we jettison this idiot, the better. If Klaassen plays a blinder, he'll claim the credit for it.

Iain Love
2 Posted 05/03/2018 at 18:26:13

Klaassen was poor against Man Utd in the Europa League Final last season and his signing really didn't impress me. He has done nothing since to change that impression. So I doubt if he'll get MotM tonight.

Funes Mori, on the other hand, will be welcomed back, if only because our present defenders are awful.

Tom Cuffe
3 Posted 05/03/2018 at 18:30:21

Hope he still remembers how to play football, unlike the 11 that took to the field at the weekend.

Best of luck, Klaassen.

Tony Everan
4 Posted 05/03/2018 at 18:54:30

He will go to the highest bidder in June, when we put him on eBay.

Dermot Byrne
5 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:05:04

Go for it, lad. Too bright for the rest of the numpties – apart from Sigurdsson.

Gary Fenton
6 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:07:17

The live link is not very live.

Brent Stephens
7 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:10:03

Crap live link. It's Bill's fault.

Michael Stephenson
8 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:13:10

Frozen link – pathetic!

Brent Stephens
9 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:13:50

Anybody got a decent link?

Michael Spear
10 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:13:56

I don't know whose fault it is Brent, but you're right, it's a crap live link.

I've given up to watch Palace v Man Utd... for once I'm hoping for a Man Utd win!

Darren Hind
11 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:16:06

Anybody seeing any action? – I mean those who are trying to get the game, not those who are watching a bit of Frankie.

Mike Oates
12 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:20:35

It's now 7:20 and I have a picture of the Everton players warming up, obviously at 6:40-ish – what a complete joke of a live TV system. The Echo is giving a live written update.

Gary Borrows
13 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:21:02

Yet again this useless club has failed me... I'm fed up moaning about what is now an everyday event. internet is useless when we try to get a match on. I think Klaassen got booked after 30 secs... I haven't coughed up for the next season ticket as yet. Come on, Everton – wise up; look after your fan base.

Brent Stephens
14 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:24:05

Live feed my arse. The feed is as dead as the club.

Grant Rorrison
15 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:25:43

https://www.swanseacity.com/live-stream

Lawrence Green
16 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:26:43

I've heard that it is Schneiderlin's turn to peddle the bike that powers the generator that provides the feed... no wonder the screens are lifeless. :)

Brent Stephens
17 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:28:06

Thanks, Grant. Everton take note, you numpties.

Gary Fenton
18 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:35:21

Great link from Swansea; absolutely shite from our own club.

Lev Vellene
19 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:54:21

Grr, none of them works well for me! The Swansea one is totally dead, the Everton one extremely laggy. I'll have a look at the Echo, then.

David Barks
20 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:56:10

Swansea one works great. It's at halftime now though, maybe that's why you had a problem

Grant Rorrison
21 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:56:37

Who's that guy impersonating Klaassen right now?

David Barks
22 Posted 05/03/2018 at 19:59:32

Why are they watering the pitch during halftime while it's raining? Honestly, who in the hell is in charge?

Jay Harris
23 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:00:11

Klaassen not looking too shabby first half. Maybe he has found his level.

Beni playing well but the team generally look as disinterested as the first team.

Derek Knox
24 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:01:16

Like Grant has provided the link, the only way of watching is through Swansea link. I am member of Everton Football Club but not a season ticket holder any more; OS states ST Holders only.

Pathetic really, no wonder there is hardly anyone there either, piss-ups and breweries spring to mind for Everton to organise anything.

The same pre-season, we all paid ٧.99 for the four matches, and again they had technical problems; we only saw about one and a half matches in the end.

Bobby Mallon
25 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:08:45

It's a bloody disgrace that the former captain of Ajax is now only playing for our Under-23s. Klaassen should leave.

John Kavanagh
26 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:10:47

EFC 1-0 up. Klaassen just passed a ball forward if my eyes aren't deceiving me. EFC very lucky just now with clearance off line. Scrappy 50 mins in.

Trevor Lynes
27 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:18:45

Unfortunately the lapses of the first eleven are filtering down to our younger players. No-one seems to have any confidence at all.

I am afraid that managing EFC is becoming a poisoned chalice. No manager with ambition would be interested unless he is out of work and no prospects elsewhere in the Premier League.

Unless big money is spent wisely, we are heading for continued doldrums.

John Kavanagh
28 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:22:38

Evans scored from free kick, nearly got second from a free kick. Denny now on for Sambou.

Jack Convery
29 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:30:31

Links not working still. Even the Swansea one has frozen.

I see Palace are beating Man Utd – this season gets better and better.

John Kavanagh
30 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:34:19

70 mins. Klaassen off, Grant on. Klaassen was at least looking busy and interested. Funes Mori looks a bit rusty at times, but playing out of defence well and finding a pass.

Dave Williams
31 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:36:39

Is he planning on using Davy on Saturday? No point taking him off otherwise?

How is Beni playing?

Chad Schofield
32 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:37:11

Thanks for the Swansea link! Ridiculous really, especially having sent out an email about the match on the official site.

John Kavanagh
33 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:38:13

2-0. Ouzounides from 4 yards from a Grant free kick.

Matthew Williams
34 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:38:23

Word to the wise, Moshiri... sack our fucking useless Groundsmen! Don't ever water the pitch again!

As for the pricks responsible for providing the live match feeds....

Jeez... what a club!

David Booth
35 Posted 05/03/2018 at 20:58:06

Without fail, every time I have tried to watch Evertontv, it has failed.

Best of all was when it insisted on linking me through to the ticket office.

It can't be difficult can it, surely, after years of broadcasting: turn up at Goodison half-an-hour before kick-off, plug the cameras in, connect to the internet and flick the switch marked 'on'?

Instead, I got commentary by Norman Collier and intermittent pictures via what would appear to be a 15-year-old modem, interspersed with pre-match shots of the players passing the ball to each other in the warm-up.

Our club is a fucking shambles right now – on every level.

Jay Harris
36 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:01:05

Klaassen was okay first half but faded badly second half and was subbed on 70 mins.

Funes Mori seemed very steady throughout as did Baningime but I could see shades of the first team carrying over to the youngsters who certainly did not have it their own way despite the scoreline.

A shadow of the side that won the Premier League 2 trophy last season; let's hope the malaise isn't making its way through the club.

John Kavanagh
37 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:01:37

85 mins. Bowler off, replaced by Henen. Everton looking very comfortable apart from Swans shot that went foot wide of post.

Full-Time: 2-0.

Big question is whether to risk Funes Mori on Saturday. I would as he looked okay and anyone is better than Keane at moment. Presumably he would be partnering Holgate who should not have been dropped in the first place.

Klaassen did cover some ground and was at least trying, so I'd have him on the bench ahead of the Zombie in the No 2 shirt any day.

Chris Smallman
38 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:02:41

I saw most of it on the free Swansea link. Funes Mori was okay, Klaassen same as, runs around but nought special.

Mike Oates
39 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:03:34

Finished 2-0 to Everton but another poor game. I thought Funes Mori did well, Evans, Hornby and Ouzounides did very well, and Klaassen did just enough, considering he's not played for 6 months, but nowhere near enough to justify a 1st team comeback.

The right back Markelo was given the run around by the Swansea winger, and I've watched him on about 3-4 occasions and he's never looked secure.

I'm afraid the rest did little to catch the eye and the hole team looks tired, lifeless and there isn't enough energy out there, even on the bench with Unsworth demeanour. Maybe there are just too many new lads this season with the majority of last season's successful team out on loan or moved on.

Jack Convery
40 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:16:58

Palace 2 - 1 Man Utd – results starting to go against us.

Anthony Murphy
41 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:22:02

I can't believe that a lad who was captain of Ajax this time last year hasn't even had a run out since December – not even a few minutes for the U23s until tonight. Is he that disinterested or that poor?

Davey lad, I don't know what's gone on, but hang on in there, mate – we'll have a new manager soon who might have a clue what he's doing.

Jerome Shields
42 Posted 05/03/2018 at 21:35:22

Captain of Ajax. How bad has the Everton management of him been?

Peter Gorman
43 Posted 05/03/2018 at 22:29:49

Beni is ready for the first team and should be light-years ahead of Schneiderlin in the pecking order.

This kid is probably the one success story of the season.

David Hallwood
44 Posted 05/03/2018 at 23:19:01

Peter (#47), I'd put Beni ahead of Schneiderlin and Gana.

Ian Jones
45 Posted 06/03/2018 at 05:24:57

So, according to Sam, Klaassen "does get games spasmodically“... “We give him a game every now and then."

That's nice for him!

Tony Everan
46 Posted 06/03/2018 at 06:29:59

It's a rotten season, watching Man Utd at the beginning of March, hoping they beat fellow relegation candidates.

John Hammond
47 Posted 06/03/2018 at 06:46:11

It's mental that Klaassen is only playing for the U23s now. My prediction is that Niasse and Klaassen will start against Liverpool in April. (Joking)

Justin Doone
48 Posted 06/03/2018 at 08:17:10

A decent win. Klaassen by name, slow by nature. Neat and tidy but will not cut it as a current Premier League midfielder unless surrounded by Worldies.

Could do a decent job but not our saviour and I wouldn't have him in the front line. Osman Mk 2. Good but not good enough. The Premier League has moved on. Spain or back to Holland so he can play and pass.

There are so many big, strong, fast, skillful midfielders in Holland, how did we ever end up with him?

Sam Hoare
49 Posted 06/03/2018 at 09:22:27

Did anyone see the quotes from Callum Connolly saying he's disappointed with how little the club have been in touch?! Crazy that this England U20 international who has been doing well in a decent Ipswich team feels this way. Surely we have the resources in place to have someone who is in constant contact with the lads on loan...I'll do it for free if they don't!

"Well done Callum on establishing yourself in the first team, and in a new position no less. Keep working hard and know that we are watching you closely, especially as we are pretty weak in the middle of the park. Keep up the high standards and you could well be in contention for the first team next season, especially if we manage to get rid of a certain useless Frenchman..."

Sam Hoare
50 Posted 06/03/2018 at 09:35:44

Also, the calls to recall Dowell and get him in the first team (including my own) may have been premature as he has now been dropped by a mid-table Forest team. Bit of a luxury player perhaps?

Shane Corcoran
52 Posted 06/03/2018 at 12:11:07

Spasmodically – adjective

1. pertaining to or of the nature of a spasm; characterized by spasms.

2. resembling a spasm or spasms; sudden but brief; sporadic: spasmodic efforts at reform.

3. given to or characterized by bursts of excitement.

Ray Roche
53 Posted 06/03/2018 at 12:44:43

Sam @50,

Dowell has been Forest's stand out player this season but the club could see he needed a break. He's still a young man to be playing every week.

Trevor Lynes
54 Posted 06/03/2018 at 12:58:46

Instead of insisting on a player exchange (Rashford) we let Lukaku go for money which is now shown to have been wasted.I canvassed via TW to insist on a player exchange or no deal for Lukaku as I knew that no top striker of Rom's ability was available for money. Some fans were actually asking that we sell our only asset without a clue about who was going to replace him and his goals. It was blatantly obvious to me that we would flounder this season without him baling us out.We totally wasted the money on flooding our midfield with spoilers and a has-been (Rooney). Man Utd must have been dancing with glee to get Rooney off their payroll. So far we have spent decent money on Vlasic, Keane, Klaassen, Rooney (huge wages), Sandro and Tosun (who may come good eventually). Sigurdsson was bought to be our number ten but he has played everywhere and so far has not looked the part IMO.The bottom clubs are showing plenty of fight at the moment and we are NOT!! Our coaching staff and scouts are not producing anything and that includes Walsh. The only signing worth the money was Pickford and he will be looking away with the current defenders playing in front of him. No one seems to want the ball in midfield and they are all playing without confidence. The attack is toothless and the defence is disorganized.Players who lack quality must at least work hard and close down otherwise they should be sacked like anyone else in any type of employment who are not doing their job.We are not out of danger and we still need more than 40 points to ensure survival.

Sam Hoare
55 Posted 06/03/2018 at 13:00:51

Ray, I'm well aware of Dowell's exploits. He's done very well but his performances have fallen off a fair bit recently. Perhaps to be expected. Needing a break is a nice euphemism for being dropped.

As Tony says it will be interesting to see how he reacts. The lad's got talent clearly but work rate and attitude are just as important.

Dave Pritchard
56 Posted 06/03/2018 at 15:40:25

Dowell and Klaassen are the answer to our midfield problems â€“ get them both back in and start the pair of them every match.

[Only joking, by the way.]

Ray Roche
57 Posted 06/03/2018 at 17:33:45

Sam, I've watched Dowell on a couple of occasions and he is a gifted player, but his work rate is nothing to write home about, as you say. Forest fans have been very enthusiastic about his performances though. Dropped or rested...? Let's be kind, eh? Rested.

Richard Mason
58 Posted 06/03/2018 at 18:07:33

A big write up on Robinson playing left back for Bolton, stand out performer all season, 1st choice for them.

Also all praise for Besic these past few weeks, breaking up play passing the ball forward, full of energy.

Bill Gienapp
59 Posted 06/03/2018 at 18:20:17

By all accounts, Klaassen's attitude has remained exemplary throughout. After suffering through malcontents like Schneiderlin and Williams this season, that alone is reason to get behind him and hope he gets another shot next year.

David Currie
60 Posted 06/03/2018 at 19:30:16

Anthony (#41), How many managers should Klaassen get as he has had 3 so far and none of them have picked him. Baningime has looked a better player than him and the Frenchman.

Neil Wood
61 Posted 06/03/2018 at 23:11:16

Richard,

Besic is one player I really wish we'd given more opportunities to. He has never had a settled run in the side but he is the kind of spirit (certainly at the moment) that we need to lift the players and crowd alike.

Rick Tarleton
62 Posted 07/03/2018 at 07:10:04

Besic, Klaassen, Vlasic, Lookman – all players who looked as though they might have something, but were placed behind bigger money signings.

The club isn't being managed – it's an ad hoc arrangement where the pricetag and the flavour of the month dictate who gets selected.

Richard Mason
63 Posted 07/03/2018 at 13:34:59

Totally agree, Neil. He seems to have played well again last night in front of Boro's back four. He hasn't been booked in 4 games but still aggressive and composed on the ball.

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