Arsenal vs Everton

[smat]

Get yer "fucksakes" in here, lads.

 

[Destruction]

Sorry Smat, this one clashes with the ding dong Norfolk/Suffolk derby that is Norwich v Ipswich.

So Arsenal Everton is OUT.

 

[smat]

I blame ye not, oracle. I see this one as being tense and nervy. Or tervy.

 

[SALTIRE]

Arse 3 - 1 Everton

 

[Pagnell]

After our win against City I'm in an unusual situation of wanting Everton to win here. Don't think they will though.

2-1 the arse.

 

[Libertadores FC]

"Ospina doesn't make any good saves he's shit! Put on Szczesny Wenger you bastard"

Anyways what a save Ospina!

 

[Sideshow Bob]

1-0 Giroud

Pleased for him after the monaco game, generally he's been in great form recently but you'd wonder if he'd be affected by the disaster midweek.

 

[smat]

"Ospina doesn't make any good saves he's shit! Put on Szczesny Wenger you bastard"

Anyways what a save Ospina!

He did well. He's still not better than Woj.

We're playing very conservatively (understandable really). Gabriel fucked up one long ball but what a tackle on Lukaku just before the goal. This won't end 1-0.

 

[SALTIRE]

Are Everton showing anything? Not watching the match, though maybe I should find a stream I suppose before the Final at 4.

 

[smat]

Not really. Have had most of the ball and one or two dangerous breaks through Lukaku but I don't think Ospina's had more than one save to make.

 

[JimJams]

This won't end 1-0.

Will.

 

[Pagnell]

Good period of pressure from Everton, they need to make it pay.

 

[SALTIRE]

Do we need a 20 minute delay it seems for a bloody nose!

 

[SALTIRE]

Did Phil Neville honestly just say Ross Barkley has the potential to be 'THE BEST MIDFIELDER IN THE WHOLE OF EUROPE!'

 

[Master D]

If that's the other way and Lukaku gets the header first then gets punched in the head by the keeper, nothing would be given.

 

[smat]

Well thank fuck for that.

 

[smat]

"That's just pure unluck" - Phillip Neville

 

[JimJams]

Bugger.

 

[Avatar]

coquelin's nose was MOTM. Looking forward to us "going out with dignity" in a 0-2 win at monaco.

 

[SALTIRE]

That'll please Ty

 

[thespus]

Thought Ospina, Bellerin, and Gabriel (the dodgy moment aside) were outstanding. Push on for 2nd now.

 

[thespus]

 

[Smudge]

Thought we were terrible. Arsenal were understandably going to be a bit cruddy after midweek, but we never ever tried to take advantage of that. I think given the unrest at Arsenal, had we gone for that, they would have found it difficult, especially with confidence so low. As it is, we were an absolute dream for them, lots of slow possession football going absolutely nowhere when we had it, and far too much standing off Arsenal and letting them play when they had it. Lazy is the best word I can think of to describe ur performance. There just isnt enough work in the majority of our players at the moment, and people can blame low confidence all they want. You only get your confidence back by working hard and changing things.

The team selection was awful too. Once again, Martinez refuses to pick 2 wingers in the same side, and leaves our full backs with absolutely zero support in front of them. Coleman and Garbutt were our best players yesterday, but every time they made a good run forward, they had nobody in the box, nobody supporting them, and 2 defenders to beat. It was absolutely terrible. Barkley's work rate is absolutely disgusting, makes Mirallas look like a hard worker. Lukaku tries, but he's completely and utterly isolated. He had two chances on the break in the first half from absolutely nothing, and ultimately they came to nothing because he was completely on his own.

I keep saying we wont go down, just because there are so many teams down there and so many need to overtake us. But the gap is closing all the time. We are still 6 points above the drop zone, but there are now still only 5 teams between us and that total. And if you look at our League form since November 30th (we beat Wolfsburg in Europe 3 days earlier, and I think the Spurs game on November 30th is where our for started to change) we have played 15 games. Won 2 drawn 5 lost 8 scored 11 conceded 20. I think its only Villa who have such a bad spell in the same period.

 

[smat]

Yeah you were pretty insipid. Really surprised by how quickly you've turned to shit. Might be time to acknowledge that Martinez is actually not very good. He's been a bit unlucky with older players suddenly losing their mojo, but there must be something else wrong to win two in fifteen.

 

[thespus]

I was really impressed with Garbutt. His set-piece deliveries and crosses look threatening each time.

 

[Smudge]

Yeah you were pretty insipid. Really surprised by how quickly you've turned to shit. Might be time to acknowledge that Martinez is actually not very good. He's been a bit unlucky with older players suddenly losing their mojo, but there must be something else wrong to win two in fifteen.

Its not all on Martinez, there have been other factors like injuries to key players, the likes of Distin and Howard turning to sit pretty much overnight etc. but some of his team selections and loyalty to certain players is scary. The immediate reinstatement of Howard for example. Before he came back in, we'd kept a clean sheet 3 games in a row and won our first game in yonks. Joel was a bit shaky when he first came in, no surprises anyway given that we were stuck with playing the likes of Distin in defence, and Stones and Jagielka having injuries. But given a run, he came into his own. He had very few actual saves to make against Liverpool and Palace, but he was doing the other parts of a keepers job, just simple stuff like coming out for crosses and taking the pressure off, so the whole defence trusted him. Take a look at the goals we conceded to Palace and Leicester at Goodison for fine examples of Howard's 'handling' this season. Conceding goals has been a problem all season, as pointed earlier referring to Distin and Howard losing it, but the spell Joel had in the side in the only time this season Ive felt we are comfortable in defence. We've leaked goals in games where Howard is facing maybe 1-2 shots per games? Hull at home, Leicester at home, Palace at home etc. He couldnt stop either goal yesterday, but since his reinstatement, the whole defence has gone to pieces again. And Im afraid the fact he was brought back in at all is Martinez' fault. He was playing absolutely awful before an injury on Boxing Day put him out, and Joel played better in his absence than Howard has played all season, so Im afraid Joel had to stay. You very rarely find Everton fans all agreeing on a player, but you wont find one at the moment who is happy that Howard is playing in goal.

The shape of the midfield likewise is Martinez' fault. Who has 4 wingers on the books, then only plays one at any one time ever, and then plays him narrow?

 

[smat]

It's not good for the confidence and trust of the players either. If Joel came in and played well, but got dropped as soon as Howard returned, where's the motivation for Joel? He definitely has his favourites and that's not good.

PS when one of those wingers is Aiden McGeady I don't think Martinez can be blamed for not using his full complement.

 

[smat]

This season might end up being nothing more than treading water for us, but at the very least the emergence of Hector Bellerin has been a good thing. He's excellent.

 

[Smudge]

It's not good for the confidence and trust of the players either. If Joel came in and played well, but got dropped as soon as Howard returned, where's the motivation for Joel? He definitely has his favourites and that's not good.

PS when one of those wingers is Aiden McGeady I don't think Martinez can be blamed for not using his full complement.

HA! Yeah, McGeady is diabolical. Seen nothing from Atsu yet either, and Ive seen 10 years of Lennon doing the same thing and still being completely ineffective. Simple fact is though, our policy of shoving square pegs in round holes isnt working either, we at least have balance when we play with 2. My personal preference to be the 2nd winger with Mirallas is Oviedo, but he's injured again unfortunately. Pienaar is still here too, but has been out with a mystery injury for months too, though did play for the reserves last week.

It is crazy though, 4 out and out wingers, and 2 naturally wide men, and we still play bloody Barkley and Naismith there...I miss Deulofeu...

 

[Avatar]

Thought we were terrible. Arsenal were understandably going to be a bit cruddy after midweek, but we never ever tried to take advantage of that. I think given the unrest at Arsenal, had we gone for that, they would have found it difficult, especially with confidence so low. As it is, we were an absolute dream for them, lots of slow possession football going absolutely nowhere when we had it, and far too much standing off Arsenal and letting them play when they had it. Lazy is the best word I can think of to describe ur performance. There just isnt enough work in the majority of our players at the moment, and people can blame low confidence all they want. You only get your confidence back by working hard and changing things.

The team selection was awful too. Once again, Martinez refuses to pick 2 wingers in the same side, and leaves our full backs with absolutely zero support in front of them. Coleman and Garbutt were our best players yesterday, but every time they made a good run forward, they had nobody in the box, nobody supporting them, and 2 defenders to beat. It was absolutely terrible. Barkley's work rate is absolutely disgusting, makes Mirallas look like a hard worker. Lukaku tries, but he's completely and utterly isolated. He had two chances on the break in the first half from absolutely nothing, and ultimately they came to nothing because he was completely on his own.

I keep saying we wont go down, just because there are so many teams down there and so many need to overtake us. But the gap is closing all the time. We are still 6 points above the drop zone, but there are now still only 5 teams between us and that total. And if you look at our League form since November 30th (we beat Wolfsburg in Europe 3 days earlier, and I think the Spurs game on November 30th is where our for started to change) we have played 15 games. Won 2 drawn 5 lost 8 scored 11 conceded 20. I think its only Villa who have such a bad spell in the same period.

Garbutt seems like a decent player, what's his story?