Some worrying signs from the start, but thankfully Everton had no real quality to hurt us. Disappointing goal to concede. We look absolutely devastating going forward though. So even though we're not really the best defensive team anymore, I'd accept 4-1 wins over 0-0 draws every week. Ratings - Pope - 8 - Some solid saves and good work under pressure. Trippier - 8 - Best game for us in a while. Good defensive work, his deliveries were most consistent. Schar - 8 - Unlucky to have his goal ruled out. Good performance. Botman - 8 Targett - 4 - It's his first game back. There were some moments were I appreciated his pace and overlapping runs, but he looked vulnerable. Defensively not on the same level as Dan Burn, and didn't really looked that bothered. Longstaff - 7 - Good work rate as usual, good performance. Burno - 8 - Fantastic play in the middle of the park. At times caught out early in the game but most of our players were. Willock - 8 - Great energy and runs into the box, good assist. Joelinton - 9 - MOTM - He has improved his all round game and can now play as a LDM, LCM or LAM. I expected him to be a rock solid player defensively and the midfield, but never expected him to be this good offensively. Wilson - 9 - Great hold up play, two goals, one of them fantastic. Almiron - 5.5 - Worked hard, first game back, wasn't great. A bit of the Almiron of old. Still, for all he's done so far, could still arguably be player of the season. Isak - 8 - Came on late, but fantastic impact on the LW. BDB - 7 - Looked much better defensively than Targett. What a solid defender.
Teams at the bottom start the first 20 minutes of each half with tons of fire and energy. Desperate for a goal. When it pitters out you can easily score
I wouldn't say it was a nervy start, so much as soaking up the pressure initially, sussing Everton out, then comprehensively outplaying and dominating them. Dyche had a spectacularly limited and blunt game plan, which was to try and put pressure on us from the off and get us on the back foot, we easily dealt with this as the likes of Bruno, Willock and Longstaff could easily fend off Onana and Iwobi and dominate midfield. After we got to grips with them in midfield we then got on the attack and exposed their horrific defensive and ripped them to shreds. They clearly ain't good enough for the Prem, that defence is ghastly, Ben Godfrey is the worst defender in the Prem and Tarkowski and Keane ain't far behind.
I was starting to worry about the players burning out But it looks the exact opposite now We seem to be miles fitter than most teams Some of the players are going on runs in the 90th minute and busting a gut
Remember those videos of training that emerged on day 1 of Eddie? Lots of fitness work from the beginning. Shelvey looked blown. Not surprised he left - not only are individual players fitter, so is the squad because we’ve sold or dropped all the lazy ****s
Pope - 7 - solid, did well and made some good saves you'd expect but flapped at the corner that went straight in Trippier - 7 - good going both ways, set pieces are fantastic, did well to continue after the knock in the first half Schar - 7.5 - would have given him a 9 if the goal was allowed, solid and classy on the ball Botman - 8 - best game for a while from the young lad, look forward to seeing him improve next season Target - 6 - struggled in his first game back in a while but good offensive output in the first half, done by Iwobi in the second and looked spent, right time to sub him Longstaff - 7 - mental how consistently good he's becoming, thriving next to Bruno Bruno - 8 - just class, and it's every game he plays to that standard as an average Willock - 8.5 - great link up with Big Joe down the left, trickery, cute little passes, could be amazing in the future, be surprised if he's not in the next England squad. again would have had higher if that volley had gone in Joelinton - 9.5 - MOTM - all over the pitch again, goals, shots leading to goals, assists, left foot right foot, headers, tackles you could go on and on. Can't fault the lad and from where he's come from makes it more special Almiron - 7 - busy as always, not much to shout about though but first game back in a few so let him get back up to speed Wilson - 9 - Two great goals, one proper strikers finish poaching in the 6 yard box, the other a worldie in the top bins, great to have in the squad and you'd never complain if he's starting. Murphy - 7 - good goal, work rate etc Burn - 6 - came on solidified the defence Gordon - 6 - need him to get a few starts under his belt really to see what he can bring Isak - 8 - what an assist, next season could be mental with him leading the line Anderson - 6 - not long enough to make a real impact on the game
This contrasts wonderfully with Bruce's training regime - where players had numerous days off, slack training sessions and zero motivation. I remember Callum Wilson saying in an interview the squad was really unfit at the start of last season, and citing the opener West Ham game, where we started well with a goal, but then ended up being well beaten because the players didn't have the energy to keep it up for the whole game.
How would people rate the Everton players just out of interest? Pickford made a few good saves and tried to organise the team, Calvert-Lewin very nearly got them equalised and showed some good skill, and Iwobi and Onana at least tried to put some effort in for midfield. Godfrey, Keane, Tarkowski and Myklolenko though? ****ing hell those guys were horrific.
He still wasn't that great, lots of indecision and got dominated in midfield...it's just he was one of the only ones who looked vaguely bothered, and the way Godfrey, Keane etc played, anyone vaguely bothered would stand out in that ****e.
I thought in first half Everton put all they had into it. So there wasn't loads left after an hour. The players who had the poorest performances IMO were Miggy and Targett, though it was good to see some good deliveries from Targett. But we must be able to rotate players all over the pitch if we're not going to burn out our best players. We got our game more together with Bruno Willock and Joelinton winning the midfield late in the first half, and after the second goal were much more effective in making chances. Liverpool would have had that penalty that Longstaff didn't get. The ref was soft on Everton's players as well. Hope Bruno's ankle will be ok. It's clearly bothering him.
Agreed and it’s the harmony and togetherness. Plus healthy competition for places. You can see that Wilson HATES the fact that Isak is so good and keeps him out the team. If it’s good for him.
