One place higher than when we started. Think most of us would have taken a point at the start of the day though.
I made that point a while back. The only thing each week that defines whether or not it has been a successful weekend for us is that the gap between us and 18th is either maintained or increased. Looks tonight like it may be increased. That'll do me.
I cannot argue with that and an away point is priceless in the PL but why do I feel so disappointed tonight??
On a side note, Jordon Rhodes scored 4 today. His fourth Hatrick of the season. Could this effect our chances of landing him (if as rumours suggest we are interested)?
If Bolton lose all of the bottom 4 will have lost and we will have got an away point, increasing the gap, thats a good result! If you'd said we would have got 4 points from Newcastle at home and everton away i would have bit your hand off! OTBC
We don`t do clean sheets and need to score at least 2 to win, i`ve said it before i`ll say it again.... R Martin and Ruddy were excellent and Holt? What can you say, bloody hero... Happy with the away point
Ok full time, and I've never felt so nervous all season. The game started and finished with us desperately defending and playing hoofball with a Holt goal sandwiched in between. So my ratings: Ruddy - 9.5. (Joint MoM) Can't fault him, in great form, 3 huge saves, not at fault for the goal and caught lots of crosses and corners. (And there was a lot of these to deal with!) Naughton - 7. Played well except for his rash booking, one more and he's suspended. Not much of a presence in attack today. Rusty - 9.5. (Joint MoM) Brilliant. Blocks, clearances, challenges, everything you could want from a CB. Deserved to be on the winning side today. Whitbred - 8. Good, but not as good as Rusty. Tierney - 8. Decent in attack, and most of the time flawless in defence. One or 2 challenges he had to win in our area, and he did! Crofts - 6.5. Not too much to say here, didn't get really involved in the game. Surman - 6. See Crofts, plus gave possession away too often, might be making way for Pilkington next game. Fox - 6.5. Was ok, passed well enough most of the time but didn't really get on the ball so often. Hoolahan - 6. Like the rest of the midfield, rarely involved. Didn't make much happen today if I'm honest. Holt - 8. Perfectly taken finish, but some of his actions like elbowing an Everton player where very irresponsible. If it wasn't for the goal, he'd of had a much lower rating. Morrison - 5.5. Gave away possession too often, really lacking any sort of final touch today. Subs: Johnson 5.5 - beaten too often, see Everton's goal. Wilbraham - n/a. Didn't get enough time on ball to judge him, would be unfair.
Wigan lose to an improving chelsea side then all 4 at the bottom will have lost again! Away to everton at the beginning of the season i would have put down as a possible draw and thats exactly what we have got. Wolves lose at home to stoke, we have just as much chance of picking up the points and tbh could be the biggest haul of points of the season if we win at molineux on tuesday. P.S Sign up jordan rhodes!!!
As moderator of this forum I would like to thank all the Everton fans for being so well behaved on here today!
Careful Dave, you might be accused of some kind of 'ism' (Scouseism?) with Evertonians being the huge minorty on here today
Is it just me or others just a little concerned about the lack of qaulity we have in the striking department. Im sorry but wilbs is no premiership striker, martin is out on loan and jackson hasnt done much when he has got a chance. I know rhodes is not proven at prem or champ level but he is bang in form and face it he has the qaulity just like the likes of pilkington...
More concerned with the defence and sometimes the midfield being anonymous, as they were for large parts of today
Indeed! We've just lulled the rest of the Champ into a false sense of security... Promotion and European domination beckons...
Yeah, but tbh are defensive performance today was alot better and we didnt actually give a silly mistake away all game... I think its obvious that for us to stay in this league we will need to score more goals than we concede, we havent been great at the back since league one. If holt or morison gets crocked, we havent got anyone to call upon who really could replace them. We have to many numbers for CB, 6 including rusty and for most of the season weve no more than 3 to pick upon and i can understand why lambert doesnt want to buy anymore cb's...
Why did Surman play central midfield when Johnson came on? I think Johnson would have been better suited playing centrally with fox and crofts and surman either side. I think the ratings are pretty spot on but I would have given morison a bit more credit he ran well when he got the chance and took out a centre back from a long ball well. Him and Holt seemed to dummy a lot of high balls and give the others a chance to run at one centre back, looked good shame one didn't come off.
Can't criticise the defence after today in my opinion. Tierney made some very important tackles and the defence kept us in it despite huge amounts of pressure.
Granted the defence shouldered no blame today at all, but generally over the season and the lack of clean sheets it is a cause for some concern
