Allardyce pleased with 'masterful' Rooney display

I had hoped we had sorted this nonsense out with penalties. Baines No 1; Sigurdsson No 2; I'd have Tosun at No 3. It's not hard. Put your best penalty taker first, Jagielka as captain don't let it happen again!

Glad to see Williams and Schneiderlin omitted, long may that be the case. I was worried with Gana missing in the middle but hopefully he'll be back for tougher games.

I'm not sure why we bother giving Klaassen a run out unless it's to remind teams he exists. Good on him but he's no Premier League player.

Sam, thanks but you still have to go.

To me, Sam could look at attacking because he had Coleman, Jags, and Baines fully fit. After, what, 7-8 seasons playing together they probably communicate thru telepathy. Look how well Keane played bracketed by experienced, first-rate professionals.

Stay healthy, you three, these last 8 games, so we can make some noise in the run-in.

So any guesses on what our 'attacking line-up' v Brighton would likely have been, whichever sideways-passing DM it would have included, if the Frenchman with a German's surname (and a "Can't be arsed" mentality!) hadn't been ill???

Answers on a fucking postcard to Goodison Park, please!!! Prizes? Naah,we're still not doing them... well apart from the odd 3 million quid for us, hopefully, not to go down!!!

While I think we have left it too late to challenge for the Europa League spot, I don't think we are missing much by not being in it. I just wish we had someone other than Allardyce to get us ready for next season.

It would do for next season, our new manager lays down the law on what adjustments Wayne has to make to remain an important part of EFC winning.

Schneids or Wayne transitioning us from defense to attack? Wayne all day.

I couldn't agree more, Baines back is massive, Coleman back (should be skipper without question) massive – Jags is still great on his day. But these guys are all kicking on – not sure where we get replacements from – solid keeper and back 4 gives the others the license to go and play... build from the back.

We signed Keane from Burnley, not sure we got right centre back from them??? Remember Lescott going to Man City and Hughes saying he got the best centre-back in the league – I'll leave Pat Nevin sum that deal up... haha!

Whatever lack of pace that the passage of time has brought, he could be accommodated by younger legs around him. Allowing him to 'conduct the show' from a deeper role. He will need to work on retaining possession though, crucial to such a role, as he has a tendency to put the opposition on the front foot with occasional sloppy distribution.

People need to accept that we will rarely see the Wayne of old now, who regularly terrorised and punished top defenders. At this stage of his career, it would be unrealistic to expect it. But nonetheless, I saw enough against Brighton to suggest that in this, the twilight of his career, he still has much to offer Everton, when deployed deeper.

The stray passes and being caught on the ball are not great but higher up the field have less a damaging impact. Perversely higher up means shorter balls and less errors.

Allardyce clearly can't see that. Lets see if the next man can figure that out?

I thought we'd got past buying players who weren't even first choice from where they came from ?? I have a good friend from Southampton and he pissed himself when we bought him. Shocking signing!!!

At least Hibbo could defend. 😳

You talk about perversely, but really where do you expect everyone to be at this moment in time?

We've been awful this season, but chances are we will finish 7th or 8th – exactly where we deserve!?'

Perverse indeed, I kinda thought more this season too – but that is where we currently are....

I think John was talking about higher up the pitch rather than higher up the table in his post.

To get back to the OP, Sam Allardyce has to show that he knows how to get this level of performance consistently to prove to me that his appointment was necessary for us to avoid relegation this season. Thus far he seems to be pretty much a slave to fortune, with some of the selections that were forced on him being as (or more) successful as those were he has apparently got to play the first choice XI he has prepared all week for a particular fixture.

I don't think full backs even have to defend like the old days – Baines has more assists than any other defender in Premier League!?!

The game has changed, full backs are the attacking force for most teams now. (Spurs, Man City) Everton so good with Baines and Coleman playing, best attacking players we have some weeks??

we look a different team with Coleman and Baines back – how many goals and assists do they make for EFC? We missed them when injured, we will miss them even more when they are gone ,I fear

Buy or sign (still paying him) – I don't think he's been a great signing, in my opinion . A fit Baines or Coleman, this guy doesn't play. I don't see him ever pushing to get in front of these guys either.

I personally think we had a younger players who could have done job as good as Martina or even better – maybe I'm be unkind, but Cuco never inspired me – we should be looking at better though, surly?

I'm not talking about Martinez-ing it to the point of absurdity, and yes of course he can only do so much before the players take to the field, but we need more of this from whoever is in charge.

I still think he's the wrong man because if this was his first win I would, as I did, think give credit where credit's due... but instead he's spent nearly three months taking any credit for success (including the West Ham game) and berating everyone else when he's sent us up to fail, with two defensive midfielders, a poor right-back at left-back, and a centre-back who should be put out to pasture.

For all the talk of Analysis Rooms, I don't know what he shows in there other than 'vintage' porn.

Back to the match, I thought Jagielka, Baines, Rooney and Tosun were excellent. Tom had one of his better games for a while and Bolasie began to show what he can do with confidence. If we can keep the back five intact with either Keane or Funes Mori involved, then we will be fine.

Then the summer has to be the night if the long knives – and I think it will be.

We did seem t try to give it away towards the end with some woeful passing. What the F were they thinking about!

Rooney does take risks and he does lose possession in dangerous areas, but the other two manage that without taking risks. His positioning is better. He is braver and more willing to take responsibility, He has better vision, He's more creative, He brings more out of Davies and others around him and his range passing is on another level to the other two. He also prefers playing on his feet to sitting on his arse. . .

This my friends is football. Players putting their skills (and flaws) up against an opponent. You either come out victorious or you go out on your shield, but you never suffer the humiliation of losing a game you only ever set out to spoil

The message sent to Allardyce yesterday couldn't have been more powerful if it had been delivered between his eyes by a swinging telegraph pole.

He needs to remember though that he can't take the risks in possession on the edge of our box that he could do further up the pitch.

Some fantastic long range passing yesterday though.

Still has much to offer us.

As for Cuco, he was a free transfer brought in as cover for both full back slots and that's exactly what he's done. One of the few successful transfers from the summer. Is he first choice? Of course not but he's served us well.

On the original topic of Rooney. The perfect opposition for him, he can definitely play there against these type of teams at home. Given the time on the ball he needs nowadays, he'll still produce.

Vital 3 points. Coyb

Maybe I am jumping the gun, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit, if he reverts back to DM's against Stoke and one up front.

Admittedly Stoke away has always been a difficult fixture for us, God knows why, because they are pretty poor, although they seem to have improved slightly with Lambert as manager.

We have basically got to play virtually the same side as yesterday, maybe Bolasie to the bench (he was poor really) as was Tom Davies, but in Tom's case, his age and relative inexperience, partly absolves him from yesterday's poor display.

At least we looked better at the back, although having said, that we were rarely tested.

DCL is another player who will prove his worth as he gets more experience but having Wayne around will improve invaluable to him< Holgate, Tom, Kenny etc

I'd also make Seamus capt. Loved the way he got in the face of that dickhead, knockoff.

At the beginning of the season, playing up front, he was worth his place because of the goals he was scoring,wasn't playing great, losing the ball, misplaced passes and running out of steam, but I was grateful for his goals.

He is now getting a game in midfield because there are so few options, in my opinion,still losing the ball, mis placed passes, silly fouls, sliding through tackles on the floor with his studs showing, did one yesterday, got away with it,most probably because it was in the first few minutes, stupid foul against Leicester which an experienced player shouldn't do, he wasn't too bad yesterday because Brighton gave all the time he needs now.

Wayne is the highest paid player on the books but is not worth those huge wages, and he has another season to come getting the same money, I for one hope he is not here next season.

Wayne has a great football brain, his body is at fault, it can't do what Wayne's brain wants it to do.

I'd play Rooney up front for an hour, he still has an eye for a shot at goal, was that one going in yesterday, went off a defender for a corner in the second half, he'll never lose the power in his shots.

How a young Wayne Rooney would change the dynamics of this poor team, and most teams in Europe, but Colin those days are long gone, unfortunately, just remember the young Wayne, what a player, one of the very best I ever saw for the Blues.

You could have Sigurdson in 10 with two strikers and no width or two wingers and one up front in a three.

But I stand by the comments and oh the iron, we don't play with an out and out DM and we keep a clean sheet!

A bit of advice for SA; yes we're away next week, but how about experimenting with a radical, off the wall team selection. Now I know you're a bit of a dinosaur (in fact you're a lot of a dinosaur); old dog, new tricks and all that, by why not pick the same team as we started with on Saturday?

I'm thinking of calling it the ‘don't change a winning team theory' -wild innit Sam.

When he plays deeper, he has the horrible habit of losing the ball all too frequently, despite the occasional brilliant pass, and that tends to put us under severe pressure in and around our own vulnerable area.

He's a yellow-card-waiting-to-happen and can't last a full 90 against the better teams either, as we've seen time and again, and the more tired he gets the more frequently he faffs up. For now he's best used from the bench but I'd like to think we could and should have done a lot better than sign him up on the wages he enjoys, especially as he recently showed himself up, again, as a champion boozing machine rather than the role model he was identified as being by those who signed him.

Like you though I have great memories of his teen-age years with us. If only etc etc.

I'm pleased with the win, but let's not get too carried away – half time stats: us, 79% possession 1 shot on target; them 21% possession, 1 shot on target. It got better in the 2nd half, but hardly surprising against a very poor Brighton side – by Chris Hughton's own admission.

These are the wins we should be getting routinely, so no fireworks from me yet, but great to see something resembling a decent back 4 again and the old unit back together – something Keane can only benefit from.

I thought Tom Davies was average again, but other than that, it was good to see a routine normal result against a bottom half team, and nice to see Tosun settling in.

Allardyce – it was fuck-all to do with you, mate... get out.

West Ham had more possession than us, 3 times as many corners and only 1 less shot on goal. They also hit the bar and missed a penalty.
I never felt Brighton would score at any time of the match.

I'm not an Allardyce fan but if we're going to blame poor performances on him then it's probably only reasonable to give him a little credit for decent performances.

It's a disease that has been running through the club. The managers, and it started with Moyes getting their excuses in before we have even kicked a ball. Trying to convince us we will be lucky to get something out of the game.

Wouldn't it make a nice change to hear a manager back up his management and coaching skills and say to his players, we won at the weekend so i'm sticking with you lads, I know you can go out and do more of the same! Just maybe that gives them the confidence to get a positive result.

Sam has also indicated that he is going to change the team for this game, so don't hold your breath of him not changing a winning team again! He does himself no favours even though I think he has never of been capable of being a good manager for Everton football club.

His record as a manager has been average at best, definitely not good enough for us. It's just embarrassing he is even in charge, but it is what it is? Someone wake me up when this nightmare is over.

Brighton as there manager said were poor so if we cant beat a poor Brighton side at home were we have usually been strong then we really were in trouble. I think most fans would have earmarked Brighton and Newcastle at home as our most winable games. So hardly something to get excited about, beating teams like Brighton used to be considered a given, just shows how far we have slipped when its no longer the norm.

He has, as you say, been guilty of both having his pocket picked and coughing up cheap possession close to our penalty area. We have been fortunate not to have been punished more severely for his errors with the opposition scoring from them.

But I have to disagree with you - and other posters - claiming he was equally negligent on Saturday as he evidently was in previous games.

In Lyndon's match report I note you make him culpable for Brighton's one real chance in the 1st half, the Glenn Murray shot from distance.

Watch the play again, Dave. Long ball played into the mixer, Jags heads a looping ball away, Tosun challenges for the falling ball and heads it back towards his own goal, Rooney is the one under the (still) aerial ball and as he jumps to head away, Murray gives him a sly nudge so Wayne can't get a clean header in. Nor can Wayne be blamed that he is not the one to run with Murray who picks up the ball to get a shot off on goal. Offering that as an example of Wayne's 'poor play' is a harsh one.

I have also read on here others, like yourself, citing the late play when the ball is taken off his toes, centrally, 10-15 yards outside our area. Brighton didn't actually make much of it, but I would argue it is again harsh to place the 'blame' for that solely on Rooney.

Again, if you watch the play, Jags plays a ball into Wayne with a player closing in rapidly on Rooney. What you maybe didn't see at the game Dave after the 'threat' had been repelled, was a close-up shot of Jags shaking his head with a look of self-disgust. I thought it live and Jags' reaction confirmed my belief, that our skip was more culpable for the 'confusion' than Rooney, unnecessarily playing a ball to a player under pressure in a vulnerable area.

I have also read on TW Wayne was 'useless' in the second half. Other than the above quoted example, I can only recall one really bad pass from the lad - overhitting a simple pass to Baines straight into touch around the halfway line.

Other than that, his composure, alertness, vision, technical skill and correct weight of pass - both short and long - was overwhelmingly spot on.

It makes a huge difference to the momentum of the team having someone playing that role who doesn't play tikky-tacky, underhit, 'its behind you!', 'to you-to me-to you-to...opps! The opposition' passes, facing our own goal, in our own half, often on top of our own penalty.

But rather, someone who the opposition is well aware is capable of hitting a wide range of killer passes, FORWARD, that switches the play to the opposition's half, facing and running towards THEIR goal.

He is not and will never again be that power tank of a player he was in his prime. Like you, I was not in favour of his return. But in his defence, I have to say he is one of the few who genuinely cares and hates to lose and whilst not the ONLY player with a 'football brain' in the squad, he arguably still possesses the BEST football brain of all the Everton players.

GK - Pickford
LB - Baines for now but TBC
CB - TBC
CB - Keane (I rate him)
RB - Coleman
LM - TBC
CM - Davies
CM - TBC
RM - Walcott
#10 - Sigurdsson
S - Tosun

That suggest a minimum of four players to be found in the summer. The type of players the team needs are about 㿞m so the chances of that happening in one fell swoop is low. So what's the priority? The midfield is currently weak which exposes the defense, but the defense is also less than water tight.

Where would you put your money?

Against teams like Brighton who gave him too much time he can have a decent game, why they gave him all that space is down to Chris Houghton or the Brighton players.

If I was the opposition manager I would instruct them to press Wayne all over the pitch, he can not play under pressure, would lose his rag, saw it against Liverpool in the cup, booked early, lost it in the second half near the half way line, taken off not long after and we didn't miss him after he went off in that game.

Composure and awareness in the Leicester game giving a stupid penalty right in front of the referees eyes, did the same half way through the first half versus Crstal Pal. wrestling one of their players to the floor at a corner, good job the corner hadn't been taken, the referee was watching, so he left the player alone after that.

I could go on, we won't agree, you think he does a good job, I think he struggles in lots of games especially in midfield.

You might agree that if Sigurdsson is out for a few games we'll miss him a lot more than we'd miss Wayne, oh and we still need three points. !!!!!!!

Rooney I am sure was a "luvvy" decision and he is not even half the player he was.

Brighton just didnt show up on Saturday and left acres of space in MF and to be fair Rooney was the go to linkup player for us but when teams press Rooney is found severely wanting as he is no longer Premiership standard.

Rooney has been a great player but due to his lifestyle and 15 years in the Prem his legs have well and truly gone and cant respond to his brain.

Its a shame because Siggy looks to be out for a while and we don't have any creativity in MF but Rooney is not the answer.

Personally, I always look at each game and the players' performances afresh. Quite a few TWers have a default position on certain players and are loath to credit them with anything praiseworthy.

As for your reply, Siggy was just starting to look good, so yes, he is going to be a miss.

But miss him more than Wayne...? Not sure, Dave.

Over the season Rooney's bagged 10 goals to Siggy's 6 and has 3 assists (in all competitions) to Siggy's 5. Considering Siggy is the team's prime dead ball man for corner's and free kicks, you would expect that to be more. And Siggy is often just as guilty as Wayne in coughing up the ball cheaply.

As for your lingering doubts about relegation. Relax fellah! It was NEVER going to happen, and it certainly won't now.

I would mark him a 6.5/10 because of his (3rd) penalty miss this season. "Masterful?" Not even close.

I said, in another post about Saturday's game, that Wayne wasn't too bad because of the room he was allowed, but to me he didn't do anything to go overboard about, a lot of cross field passes that most players can do,nothing to rave about.

I agree he wants to win and it is not lack of effort that lets him down, his body just cannot cope anymore.

As for the goals returns subtract Wayne's three penalties scored, and see how many Siggy would have scored if he had taken the six Rooney had the benefit of taking.