Magnificent Everton serve up Easter misery for United
Everton are starting to enjoy hosting Manchester United on a glorious April afternoon when things aren't quite going right for the Red Devils. It was five years ago that David Moyes, infamously haunted by the grim reaper sitting in the Family Enclosure, met his end as United boss following a comprehensive 2-0 defeat to Roberto Martinez's then up-and-coming outfit.
Having recently been handed the reins of his team on a permanent basis, the occupant of the visitors' dugout this time around was in a very different position but the outcome of the game was even more emphatic for an Everton side once again moving in the right direction.
The talk in the aftermath has been all about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United's limp performance and the size of the rebuilding job that lies ahead for the Norwegian. Precious little kudos have been given to an Everton team that now has four successive clean sheets against “big six” opposition in its last four home games, should really have beaten Liverpool and has impressively seen off Chelsea, Arsenal and now United. At some point, you have to look at the Toffees' increasing strength rather than the weakness of their opponents but that's modern football media for you.
Solskjaer's side didn't get a look-in because Marco Silva's simply overpowered them and gave them no room to breathe — you can argue over whether Everton running a collective five miles more than the visitors was a lack of effort on the latter ‘s part or a psychological symptom of their destruction on the day — but United's situation has dominated the post-match assessment. The debacle at Fulham last weekend partially explains why; Everton need to earn their way into the conversation by achieving consistency and the pressure they will put on the top six by doing so. That defeat at Craven Cottage is even more perplexing after what unfolded in the Goodison sunshine this afternoon.
How do you square this utter domination of the Red Devils with the abject display at Fulham? Indeed, looking at it more granularly, how do you reconcile the instrumental role played this afternoon by Gylfi Sigurdsson with his nearly invisible showing by the Thames last weekend? If and when Silva can find the answer, today, in combination with those last four results at an increasingly fortitudinous Goodison Park, laid down another marker for what this team could be under the Portuguese's stewardship.
Much was made in the preamble to this fixture about how much Sigurdsson enjoys playing against Man United and he would pad those prior achievements today with a fine goal and an assist. His early role was provider from a flurry of early set-pieces as Everton began the game with exactly the kind of intensity a packed Grand Old Lady was demanding after last Saturday.
A couple of corners and a free kick from the right were repelled, however, and it was from dead-ball situations involving Lucas Digne on the left side that the Blues made their first real inroads. The Frenchman's deep corner was hooked back into the box by Idrissa Gueye where it dropped to the feet of Richarlison in the kind of predatory position from which many of his goals have come this season. His shot was saved by David de Gea and, unfortunately, he lacked a bit of composure with the rebound that he lashed wide.
He was far more clinical just couple of minutes later, though. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, playing his now customary role of hard-graft, ceaseless running and general nuisance-making among the opposition defence, rose to meet Digne's long throw-in and helped it on with his back and it sat up nicely at head height for Richarlison to sweep it into the roof of the net with an acrobatic swivel.
United had been hemmed into their own half for the majority of the opening 20 minutes but they briefly threatened to equalise entirely against the run of play when Marcus Rashford was put in behind Michael Keane, back in the side after sitting out against Fulham, but the England striker couldn't keep his first-time shot down and it sailed over Jordan Pickford's crossbar.
The visitors were starting to get a foothold in the contest when Everton hit them on the break and doubled their advantage shortly before the half-hour mark. Gueye collected the ball in front of his own defence and exchanged passes with Bernard before finding Sigurdsson driving into the United half. The Icelandic star profited from the space afforded by Nemanja Matic, looked up and then bounced a terrific 30-yard effort past De Gea's despairing dive.
Richarlison would have one more chance in the half after Morgan Schneiderlin, the man selected to replace the suspended André Gomes, intercepted a ball out of the United defence and immediately found the Brazilian in the right-hand channel but the keeper was equal to it.
Richarlison, who looks like a candidate to be stretchered off on a weekly basis, went down writing in his usual fashion shortly before half time clutching his side and while he came out for the second half, he didn't last five more minutes and was substituted in favour of Theo Walcott.
The impetus remained with Everton who were relentless in their pressing and intensity and Bernard's brilliant feint opened up space for a cross that was delivered behind Calvert-Lewin before the Blues made it three 11 minutes after the interval. Sigurdsson's shot was deflected behind, De Gea fisted the midfielder's corner out of his area where Digne was on hand to deliver it back towards goal with interest, the ball arrowing into the net from 25 yards out.
Two minutes after that it was almost 4-0. Sigurdsson hooked a corner in from the left side this time that almost caught De Gea out as it curled towards his line but the Spaniard reacted quickly to sweep it away from under his crossbar.
It would only take another five minutes for Sigurdsson to create the fourth goal, though, as Everton caught United cold with another counter. He sent Walcott on his way with a perfectly-weighted pass and into a showdown with De Gea that the winger won by slipping the ball past him and inside the far post.
That was more or less job done by Everton even if Blues fans of a certain vintage were yearning for a fifth that would have been so beautifully evocative of the 5-0 win over the same opposition in October 1984 that was one of the catalysts for the run of results that carried Howard Kendall's team to the title the following May.
Anthony Martial probably should have scored a consolation for the visitors with 20 minutes to go when he jinked his way past his marker but fired wide while Rashford drove another rising shot over after Digne had been dispossessed and Matic also missed with a shot of his own.
Seamus Coleman, meanwhile, popped up at the other end to take a ball down on the chest and volley goalwards but it was too close to the keeper.
After Digne had been forced off with a foot injury, Martial finally registered United's first shot on target in the waning minutes but it was routine for Pickford who had one of his quietest afternoons of the season.
Again, in the context of this being Solskjaer's heaviest defeat thus far as Red Devils manager, the first time United have lost three successive away games in the Premier League since 1996 and the first time since 1981 that they have lost five on the bounce on their travels, it's inevitable that the dissection of the game would be all about them.
Everton were magnificent, however, and that shouldn't be overlooked or forgotten, particularly by Silva's players themselves. Schneiderlin slotted in seamlessly alongside Gueye who was once again immense; the central defensive duo had Romelu Lukaku in their pockets throughout while the fullbacks were in fine form up and own down the flanks.
That, combined with Calvert-Lewin's work-rate, Richarlison looking more confident and assured with the ball at his feet and Bernard buzzing around for 90 minutes linking up play and zipping down the left gave Sigurdsson the platform to be the chief architect of United's sorry demise.
Just like the Chelsea and Arsenal results before them, this brilliant victory and the performance that underpinned it should form another piece of the roadmap forward under Marco Silva. While Marcel Brands will be preoccupied with securing the additional talent that is required to take this Everton team to the next level, the manager's biggest task now will be to get consistency out of this squad.
In many ways, Silva might prefer it if achieving results against the inferior sides rather than the top teams is his biggest challenge but getting that psychological dimension right is no mean feat. Certainly, this team has proved in recent weeks that it is capable of mixing it up with the best in the division and from that perspective they might be ruing that dreadful spell over winter, some unforgivable results at the likes of Newcastle and Fulham and the fact that there aren't more games left in the season.
It bears repeating — if they can get their collective heads right and perform at this level on a more regular basis then the future can be very bright under the current manager.
Reader Comments (91)
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2 Posted 21/04/2019 at 21:00:43
On to the next game and let's hope consistency of this performance level, becomes the normal standard.
If we can get into the Europa League it may help retain and attract quality players.
All to go for now, and if, we'd beaten the Toon and Fulham ?
3 Posted 21/04/2019 at 21:26:22
4 Posted 21/04/2019 at 21:34:35
5 Posted 21/04/2019 at 21:45:22
6 Posted 21/04/2019 at 22:12:42
I have been smiling all day and I think I'll continue all week.
7 Posted 21/04/2019 at 22:28:02
Today, we hammered them, absolutely tore into them and outplayed them. It was better.
8 Posted 22/04/2019 at 01:10:10
Picture size helped the experience together with he'd blue-toothed surround sound.
I'd had the feeling we'd sneak a win but not 4-0. Shows up the performance vs Fulham as others have stated.
Difficult again to select a MotM. Digne, Sigurdsson, DCL, Bernard, Zouma and Gana would be in contention for me but it was the team performance as a whole that was impressive again.
Just an observation - not sure which Utd player it was but it looked like a late stamp on Digne's foot shortly before Digne was subbed. I haven't heard any rumblings about retrospective action as was meted out to Gomes. Maybe not as clear as The Gomes incident but still similar in intention.
9 Posted 22/04/2019 at 02:07:53
Something Silva has to do next season is be able to stop the rot and turn us around quicker during a slump. He started quite well and seems to have ended quite well, but during the middle we slumped badly, going out of the FA Cup and doing awful in the league.
Hopefully that has passed and the players have seen the light and bought into everything Silva wants us to do.
10 Posted 22/04/2019 at 03:29:30
11 Posted 22/04/2019 at 04:26:29
If DCL and Bernard can add goals to their armoury, then we definitely have a Top 6 team. Plus, of course, some depth in the strikers, midfield and full back positions.
12 Posted 22/04/2019 at 07:08:24
Don't be expecting goals from him. Just enjoy what he does.
13 Posted 22/04/2019 at 08:32:06
It was interesting to note how effective the midfield was without Gomes. Of course it is an area we need to strengthen but I am not sure we should be lashing out £30m for a player with few goals and some question marks about his ability to maintain consistency over a full season.
14 Posted 22/04/2019 at 09:09:19
Qualifying for the Europa League would make this a decent season. I know some people don't want it, but managed correctly the Europa League should be a huge bonus, allowing us to keep a bigger squad match fit and giving young players game time. I think some blues are scarred by how badly previous managers have dealt with the situation. (This was typified for me by Martinez not playing Christian Atsu for a month then starting him twice in four days - the exact opposite of how the Europa League should be managed).
It doesn't have to be that way. A few years ago Spurs played a separate XI on Thursday nights, got out of the group and used it as a stepping stone to being competitive in the Champions League. They're still reaping the benefits now and frankly, who knows what they're about to achieve.
15 Posted 22/04/2019 at 09:24:45
3 wins in a row against the top 6 is fantastic. Can we now beat one of them away from Goodison? Maybe we can be the first to defeat Spurs at their new ground?
Bob #8, it was very worrying to see Digne go down in such distress, but I don't think there was a stamp or any intent from Pogba. The two came together and Pogba lost his balance and trod on Digne's foot, but he was looking the other way and it did not appear intentional. Just a frustrating accident. The two are French National teammates and swapped smiles and handshakes throughout the match, so I doubt there was any intent. It was nothing like Gomes' dirty challenge.
16 Posted 22/04/2019 at 09:32:31
17 Posted 22/04/2019 at 09:42:45
18 Posted 22/04/2019 at 09:58:57
What is absolutely doing my head in at the moment is these fucking pundits. Switched onto NBC after the game
'We're going live now to Robbie Earle'. And he pipes up, 'and this isn't Barcelona we're talking about here. This is EVERTON!' Like we're Doncaster fucking Rovers.
Same from that Dickhead Gary Neville. Who do they think they are, I was so wound up I looked up Robbie Earle. Started his career at Port Vale when we were the greatest team in Europe.
19 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:10:50
Seriously though, a club of Evertons size and stature should be in Europe every season. The idea for any football club at the start of the season is to have an objective to aim for. First it's to win the league, then finish in the top four, then to win a cup and finally qualify for Europa league. Also by winning one of the two domestic cups qualifys you for Europe anyway, albeit straight into the Europa league group stages. For about 60 or 70% of the league, their aim is to just remain in the premier league, and I know, or hope that the Everton hierarchy don't want to be in this category.
Whilst at the moment Europe is out of our hands, to be in the frame, providing man city win the FA cup, is an achievement itself considering the dire run we had between the start of December up to the end of February.
20 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:16:24
'We're going live now to Robbie Earle'. And he pipes up, 'and this isn't Barcelona we're talking about here.
I bet man Utd thought it was deja vu yesterday, thinking this is Barcelona all over again. Outclassed and battered by a far superior team.
21 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:20:53
As Lyndon says, consistency now is key. We have the quality, proven.
Excellent, top performance from Gana Gueye, he was imperious and the quality his replacement [if he goes] will be crucial to next season.
22 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:23:23
The big 6 bias, that we all moan so much about, is not quite the conspiracy we think it is. It's just laziness. The journalists want to watch the exciting games, namely the box office games. Everton drop off the radar, and when they do watch us, we're the victims of the big 6, cannon fodder served up for them to beat.
You would have thought, though, that the last three games against the big 6 (I notice the BBC seem to be leaving the Liverpool result out of our current run against the big 6) would have led him to have a more informed opinion, but still he comes out with a lazy statement:
"They were up against a team with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Bernard at the top end, who are not the quickest". So a team with DCL, Bernard and Richarlison are not the quickest? Yet he excludes Richarlison on purpose as he's the exception, our quickest attacker? If he's so lazy, he has not watched us enough to know his statement is factually incorrect, then why's someone at the BBC not sending his article back and telling him that DCL is one of the fastest players in the Premier League? If our front 3 are not the quickest, then who is so fast that they make us look slow? I'd put our front three up against City, Spurs, Chelsea, and indeed United for pace. Liverpool might be quicker, but not by much, and Arsenal have two fast strikers but no one else.
Why do we have to read these lazy articles? Why are ex-pros always held up as experts? The likes of Merson know about their own sides (ie Arsenal) and little else.
23 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:24:05
Back to yesterday all 14 played really well and fully deserved the 4-0 victory. Sigurdsson was the stand out player for me everything we did came through him. Gana Gueye the man must have triple duracell batteries he just never stops, we just cant let him leave this summer.
We were back to pressing high up the pitch again and everyone did it not just one or two. Full credit to Marco Silva, I was delighted when we got him as manager but my only reservations were could his teams keep clean sheets, and could he turn things round when things werent going well. I think the last 4 home games have allayed those fears. So we now have to show the same desire away from Goodison.
Finally I think the group that calls itself the Originals 1878 deserve massive credit for the way they have helped transform Goodison into the bear pit it has now become again. I feared those days had gone, but now the atmosphere inside the ground is so positive. For the first time in a long time the fans are 100% behind the manager and the team and the team are responding to this and the fans are now seeing how their massive vocal support is transforming this team. I would just say its easy to get up for games against the top 6 sides lets make sure that same intensity is there for the Burnley game.
24 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:32:08
We still have 3 games to play and lets hope that what happened after Arsenal won't happen next weekend.
The standard has been set and now its a case of improving on the level of consistency. If we play like we did in the second half against Chelsea and the whole of the West Ham, Arsenal and Manchester United games then we will pick up a lot of points during the course of a season.
Lets enjoy the moment and hopefully we will see 3 similar performances before the season is out.
25 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:43:25
Checked the media afterwards to tally what they thought with what I'd seen with my own eyes - sure enough, absolute garbage from the usual suspects like Garth Crooks 'United should be beating the likes of Everton'. Oh well, sorry to bust your small-minded world view. The BBC really need to freshen up their punditry, it's so out of date now. Shouldn't Crooks be retired ?
Back to reality and we played some great stuff - United must have been having Barcelona flashbacks - after all, we do have players from Barcelona - if Robbie Earle had bothered checking.
On the left there was some great little triangles and defence-splitting passes from Digne, Siggy and Bernard. On the right, Coleman and Richarlison were direct and aggressive.
Gana was doing a great job in the middle to break up play, Zouma, Keane and Pickford were excellent most of the time - although there were a few hairy moments.
DCL worked hard and fought for everything - he is a handful, if not the most skillful - but then neither was Lukaku. Schneiderlin was fine and kept things ticking over.
The size of the Utd team compared to ours really struck me - you get a good idea of what their recruitment policy has been - but we just passed it around them and snapped at their heels to get it back.
I wondered how we would manage without Gomes but the whole team stepped up.
26 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:50:00
27 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:50:03
The media coverage and bias is annoying but fame and fortune is fleeting. We made be rightly proud of our history but with no silverware for 24 years we ain't the top dog. So when we do play as well as we did yesterday, unfortunately it is a surprise.
Stat I heard yesterday, in the first 20 years of the PL we only managed 4 wins, Just 4 out of Forty league games. Since then we have won another 4 and drawn 2.
So we can all be a bit indignant but yesterday was hardly another day at the office. Anyway - Souness and James 'the phlegm' Gobshite should fuck off as soon as possible.
28 Posted 22/04/2019 at 10:51:58
DCL is very quick - perhaps deceptively as he is a big guy. I wouldn't describe Bernard as slow, he tends to rely on quick thinking and quick feet rather than running in a straight line.
29 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:03:38
30 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:11:43
The media circus need to take stock of the fact Everton won the right to play from the first minute and played United off the park, as their manager freely admitted after the game.
They are insignificant and they can pine every week as far as I'm concerned because if Everton can make Europe next season, grow and develope this squad, and then kick on with consistency, the world will have to take note.
BBC seems to have given a rare realistic summary of the game, but the hard work at FF must continue and the players keep that belief and desire for what will be a very tough but winnable game at Selhurst Park, this Saturday.
It would be great to take this form and mental approach into the next three games, and achieve “Consistencyâ€.
That would be a good end to the season and kick us on for next season.
31 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:15:14
The idle rich at play.
32 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:23:12
33 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:26:24
Same again next week down at Palace please Lads.
34 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:34:06
35 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:34:11
Said alright Tony what a game, did you watch it. He said no not really. Looked a really miserable sod. Did he leave the club on bad terms?
36 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:37:28
Are you sure you're not speaking to Nicholas lyndhurst?
Perhaps he's wondering what you're going on about ?
37 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:47:58
He was very upset about it at the time, and maybe still is.
38 Posted 22/04/2019 at 11:59:27
That went uncorrected btw.
39 Posted 22/04/2019 at 12:16:25
40 Posted 22/04/2019 at 12:28:15
We all know what we've seen and more of this will do for me.
41 Posted 22/04/2019 at 12:32:39
42 Posted 22/04/2019 at 12:40:19
43 Posted 22/04/2019 at 12:47:27
Paul @40, very true.
44 Posted 22/04/2019 at 12:59:34
The money clubs are certain to be casting their eyes over some of the players.
Digne is a cracking player probably our most valuable asset for me.
Although conversely the way we are putting some of the best teams to the sword we could find it easier to attract some class players.
We shall see.
45 Posted 22/04/2019 at 13:16:09
46 Posted 22/04/2019 at 13:27:13
47 Posted 22/04/2019 at 13:38:34
1. Much as I am thrilled that we beat Man Utd, it'll take some time for the media or anyone else outside our fanbase, to think that "it's only Everton".
And can we blame them?
Season after season, other than Martinez's, Man Utd could always count on beating us at least once each season.
There were years when they always won 6 points. That's a whole generation of fans who never saw the glorious Everton teams of the 80s.
2. James McCarthy could be our ready replacement for Gueye, if he is able to get back to full fitness. Especially when we consider that McCarthy is actually younger than Gueye.
48 Posted 22/04/2019 at 13:47:48
I am thinking the same about Lukas Digne, the lad is pure class.
There will be one or two very rich clubs trying to get him on the cheap [<80m] because he is a left back. I am sure they will use all the dark arts to try and unsettle him and try to generate a cheap move from what they perceive as a soft touch club.
49 Posted 22/04/2019 at 14:23:07
50 Posted 22/04/2019 at 14:28:13
I would like Davis to succeed, given that it's important to see youths coming through the ranks, succeeding in our first team.
The reason why I mentioned Gueye is because there is the likelihood that he might be going in the summer, having being prevented from going to PSG earlier on.
It'll be quite a setback if we lose both Gueye and Gomes (not that we have him, as he is on loan), but I think they are still our strongest midfield pairing.
Morgan Schneiderlin has done well yesterday, but when we have to take the game to teams, he doesn't seem to be able to step it up. However, Gomes has a more offensive set of skills which would allow him to do that against more defensive teams.
51 Posted 22/04/2019 at 14:39:35
Gomes, to go back to John earlier, has every chance of being a better player next season than he's been this season; that's a very exciting prospect. I'm just worried he'll go to an established Champions League team rather than choose us.
Davies has many qualities and is a good all rounder, and I'm also extremely keen for him to succeed, but I think there's a lot of work to be done on developing him into a particular role in midfield. He's not quite creative enough to be a ‘ten', not quite athletic enough to be an ‘eight' and, compared to Gana, not pacey enough to be a ‘six' who can close down and intercept at will. None of these problems is insurmountable, but I hope someone is working hard, and intelligently, with him in training.
[BRZ]
52 Posted 22/04/2019 at 14:42:01
That said, I must acknowledge yesterday was a particularly extreme day from many a talking head about our game, exposing as Steve Ferns says above, poor research and understanding of the subject(s) they were pronouncing on.
At half-time Yosser Hughes Souness gave me a genuine laugh-out-loud moment when he said Richarlison's goal should have been disallowed for dangerous play. As another poster mentioned, Souness calling anyone out for dangerous play is jaw-dropping, given that every time he crossed the white line he was the very definition of 'dangerous play'.
ALL the post-match focus was from a Manchester United perspective. Numerous commentators made similar comments "This was against EVERTON!" The emphasis making us sound like a lower division side teams like United should always be putting to the sword.
Jenas' comments - "this was Everton, with a slow attack of Bernard and DCL." 1) DCL slow???!!! 2) Speed is not only about pace over the ground. Increasingly, Bernard's speed of thought and vision is leaving his full back for dead, giving him space and time to do serious damage to the opposition, all the more so with the Baines-Pienaar like understanding with Digne.
The pundits really are not paying close attention to recent results and performances from Everton, against the best opposition in the league.
And you know what? As Paul Tran says @ 40, I'm happy for us to stay under the radar. Because if we build on this form, recruit well in the summer and carry this over into next season with more prolonged consistency, we can challenge the top six cartel.
53 Posted 22/04/2019 at 14:43:14
Jenas? Toss pot. Never liked him as a player and even less as a pundit. Disgraceful lack of balance or acceptance of what he watched. Does it ever occur to some of these experts that if a team plays so well, they make the other team look rubbish?
Man u were thrashed in every aspect of the game and totally demoralised to the point were they gave up. Not because they were a poor team but thrashed by a better team. Pundits take note.
The kicker though is what did we expect? The RS win every week and yet their style is boring, but they win. We go to Fulham and looked as bad as man u were. Liverpool have consistency, we have style, pundits want winners, not inconsistency, makes their like easier.
If we can just raise the consistency without sacrificing style of play? That will be Christmas every Saturday. Well done you blues!
54 Posted 22/04/2019 at 15:31:22
He also said we should go for Costa, which I loved and agree with. Although he's a trouble-maker, he'd be welcomed here by most; he's a top player. A front three of Bernard, Costa and Richarlison sounds tasty hmmm.
Gotta love our Tim, a true blue forever.
55 Posted 22/04/2019 at 15:59:59
Now people may call that hasty or spoilt but its about time we all woke up.
Everton are there to be 7th at best as long as all the business and association are concerned.
That will never ever change while I play along to it.
Yesterday was sickening for me. Did anyone hear Gary Neville repeat "Everton" when talking about United being outrun.
He spoke of us as a non entity and like United are pulling up trees these days.
Its nothing short of a joke and I am not contributing to their living and Skys total bias analysis where a team like Everton is clearly not their concern.
56 Posted 22/04/2019 at 16:11:39
I haven't cancelled my subscription just because of yesterday.
Its a running theme which Brent Stephens rightly points out.
57 Posted 22/04/2019 at 18:16:26
We were the home team and were treated as an afterthought. It felt like sky tv's panel was spitting in the face of Everton FC after another scintillating performance.
They should issue an apology and get rid of one or two [or more] of their ridiculously biased pundits. Fans up and down the country must be sick to death of it.
58 Posted 22/04/2019 at 18:41:40
The way Michael Keane dealt with Lukaku! I remember Lukaku bullying him for a goal when we beat Burnley a few years back! He's growing into a top centre back!
We must do everything possible to keep Gueye! We can't be a sell our best players club forever!
The atmosphere in the stadium is electric! Huge credit to the architects of the sirens, flags, singing etc
I don't want the season to end now! A few weeks back I couldn't even be bothered to watch ( even though I did!).
On the pundits, I cancelled sky a long time ago and cited this reason when some call centre teenager asked me why !
59 Posted 22/04/2019 at 18:55:39
Anyone remember a player scoring direct from a corner for us?
60 Posted 22/04/2019 at 18:59:38
This summer will be very interesting and i'm really excited to see who Brands and Silva have earmarked. Just imagine this team with another 4 players of the quality and effectiveness of Digne and Richarlison coming into it! I think more than Gomes we will miss Zouma, he has formed a great partnership with Keane over the last month or two and I find myself in the strange situation of hoping Chelsea win their transfer appeal as I think thats the only possible way that we will keep him!
61 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:03:46
I still want to see more from him, more consistently, because his talent is so huge but when he plays like he did yesterday, he's just a delight to watch. We're assembling, quietly, a team for the connoisseurs.
62 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:10:25
The Kouma situation is difficult. I now think he would want to play for Everton. Mina is another guy that needs to work harder to get fit.
63 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:17:58
64 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:37:36
Still don't agree with his Everton comments but nothing more annoying than a pundit who does not check his facts eh?
65 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:41:06
66 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:45:51
67 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:52:36
68 Posted 22/04/2019 at 19:58:13
I was at that game and sure I'm right in saying it was scored in the 7th minute or thereabouts.
Anyway, what I do remember is getting punched in the back of the head by some big ginger bastard when I jumped up when we scored. Size of him to me... that's all I'm saying. Needless to say, I moved a bit further over then.
Ah. the good old days.,,
69 Posted 22/04/2019 at 20:09:33
The television company's have been in cahoots with Liverpool all season, seemingly helping them to get more rest by spacing out their fixtures, or maybe I'm just being paranoid?
70 Posted 22/04/2019 at 20:35:35
71 Posted 22/04/2019 at 20:56:43
De Gea was miles away from where he needed to be.
Up the long throw in Toffees I say!
72 Posted 22/04/2019 at 21:18:41
Re Manc Derby. The stars are aligning for the RS no doubt. It's a nap after yesterday Pogba will put in a MOTM performance, Lukaku will score and DDG will pull off a string of brilliant saves.
73 Posted 22/04/2019 at 21:56:58
74 Posted 22/04/2019 at 21:58:47
75 Posted 22/04/2019 at 22:05:38
76 Posted 22/04/2019 at 22:08:29
There was still no segregation in those days so prudence dictated keeping a low profile even when we scored.
77 Posted 22/04/2019 at 22:52:35
78 Posted 23/04/2019 at 02:00:56
For those of you getting upset about the biased tv punters... food fir thought some on hete think that Everton should automaticaly beat teams with less history status than us mighty blues... how dare we loose to such inferior small teams...
Anyway its always good to win in style... but I for one wont get to excited for on tge whole Everton have been shite this season...
I suspect next season will be much the same as if Ganna and Zoma don't stay replacing them with the same quality aint going to ve easy... so yet another season of transition...
The media love in with the red shite will continue because its all about MONEY...
Enjoy the last 3 games I hope they are as good as the last one or two at home...
Its always
interesting being a blue...
79 Posted 23/04/2019 at 08:26:56
Thats why I have cancelled sky sports.
80 Posted 23/04/2019 at 11:05:24
81 Posted 23/04/2019 at 11:59:47
- I love Bernard. I couldn't care if he doesn't score, he tracks back so well and helps transition the defence into attack brilliantly. Just effortless skill at times and it's been years since an Everton player has me "oohing" at what he just did. Just look at the simple pass for Siggy's goal that enabled us to get further forward.
- DCL - I was screaming at Theo to pass it to him because he deserves a goal so much, so selfless, but very effective
- Digno - genuinely multi-talented full-back who works really well with Bernard
- Zouma and Keane - best central defensive partnership in the league now, I only really see Van DIjk/Matip as a better pairing (much as that hurts to say)
- Overall, these kind of performances is what we saw sporadically at the start of the season. You could see something was being done, but just not successful. Now that is coming, we just need a few more players and I believe that we can properly compete.
- Siggy you are a master when your team earns you the space
- Richarlison, Digne, Zouma, Bernard, Gomes - These 5 players were signed in the summer during our manager's / DOF's first transfer window and they are fucking mint. I trust Silva and Brands to improve again.
- All players that were here before have improved - DCL, Coleman, Schneiderlin (yes him) Keane, Gueye plus others have all improved under Marco
For the first time in my life (since Colin Harvey took over as manager), we're moving in the right direction
82 Posted 23/04/2019 at 13:29:18
Selling the Utd loss as a hysterical disastrous collapse of the club rather than just a team outplayed on the day - which is what anybody who was there saw.
No doubt Utd can play better and we can play worse - the difference was that we can now punish a good team who don't turn up - in the past it might have been a cautious draw.
I like the fact Silva wants us to attack as the first principle - and that it isn't in a reckless way.
83 Posted 23/04/2019 at 13:35:15
Now don't throw it away at Crystal Palace, please.
84 Posted 23/04/2019 at 14:47:55
85 Posted 23/04/2019 at 17:26:14
86 Posted 23/04/2019 at 21:20:52
87 Posted 23/04/2019 at 21:48:07
We didn't have enough quality to see us through the fixture pile up.
Sort that and we are looking a very good outfit.
88 Posted 24/04/2019 at 00:32:46
89 Posted 24/04/2019 at 00:39:53
90 Posted 24/04/2019 at 00:59:55
And saying 'Siggy is great, BUT'. sorry, but what? he isn't Zidane? He's certainly our best player, runs his socks off, is our top man in both assists and goals scored and is at the top of his game. The lad has more of a role to play, he is the first name on the team sheet as far as i'm concerned. The whole 'he goes missing' thing s bollocks, no player completely runs game in game out, not even the very best. But when he is making or scoring, he's always running, he suits the 'high-press' game, and we aint getting any better than him anytime soon.
We should go all out for Wan-Bissaka on the right, Grealish on the left/centre and maybe another striker, i'd like Pavón from River Plate, and that'd be fine and dandy. Shame we wont have 200 million to buy them all (plus Gomes and Zouma)...hey ho
91 Posted 24/04/2019 at 01:22:14
My favorite from RP would have been Quintero, Mina's Colombia teammate. But I heard something about him blowing out a knee recently. Sad if true. Electric player.
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1 Posted 21/04/2019 at 20:56:27
As you pointed out we've played Arsenal, Chelsea and utd and not conceded a single goal, was the better team 5 out of 6 halfs of football (Chelsea really should have lead at Goodison in the first half), and 90% of comments have been how poor our opponents have been.
We screwed up big time v Fulham, no blue deny it, but against the above mentioned we've played with a confidence, style and most importantly a proper shape !
DCL and Bernard have played big parts in our recent success, they haven't scored goals but they play thrre position in a way you want from them. DCL gives us a presence and a willingness to work defenders in a way we've not had in a long while, and Bernard gives us something easy on the eye, he's a little magician who can take the ball in any space and keep it moving forward.
We are growing as a team, we need Zouma and Gomes to sign up ideally, but without them signing weve seen what's needed.