[Archived] Everton Preview

[philipl]

With a better ref, we wouldn't have lost as so much was going through Arteta.

But the elephant in the room is that we were totally outclassed by the team lying 8th in the Prem.

[RIML]

We wouldn't have lost that game had Samba been on the pitch instead of liability Nelsen.

Samba has been a liability this season don't forget, he's been lucky on a few occasions, Nelsen not so lucky, I'm sure there's more but I can think of,

-Carling Cup semi final 1st leg, he took out Agbonlahor didn't get any of the ball, it looked like a penalty

-Carling Cup semi final 2nd leg, sent off

-Stoke away, sent off

-Hull away, almost scored an own goal

-Wigan away, almost scored an own goal

-Burnley away, clumsy tackle on Wade Elliot, it was just outside the box, very dangerous position but another ref might have given a penalty

-Chelsea home, I didn't think it was a sending off at the time but he didn't get the ball and Anelka would have beaten him for pace and would have been through on goal

We played at Goodison earlier on in the season, Samba played and we conceded 3 goals, I don't see, if he had played, how it would have been so different.

The goal which lost us the game, wasn't the first goal, it was the third goal, make your mind up who's fault it was but it wasn't Nelsen.

I agree with the above I think Robinson should have been off his line for the second.

[Bobby G]

Havent felt this bad in a long time.

No feeling worse than a stoppage time goal against.

[RIML]

Havent felt this bad in a long time.

No feeling worse than a stoppage time goal against.

It just had to happen after Ooijer's last minute winner @ Goodison, similar goal too, the curse of Paul Ince

[Rover Down Under]

Everton 2 Rovers 3 was the score in Ince's first game in charge (with a last minute winner from Oijer). I would love to think that this result is symbolic of the last remnants of his legacy gone from our team. In other words, and many others words as well, NEVER seeing KA in blue & white again.

Can't fault his effort, just not a Premier League player, 1 sweet pass and nothing else. Cannot understand why he started with Grella & Basturk on the bench, mad, mad, mad.

Abysmal ref, if we had done that it would have been instant red, 3 game ban, red tops shrieking ThugBurn for the next year etc. The league is hugely imbalanced as it is and refereeing decisions like that make it 10 times worse.

I just wish Sam would mix things up a bit. We can play 4-4-2 AND 4-5-1 even with the same players on the pitch. Move Samba up front Olsson to left back and shift Givet into central defence - plenty of other workable combos involving Emerton, Hoilett, Diouf. Change back and forth several times in the game would cause the oppostion a real headache - just as they get used to one formation we switch it round.

Lovely goals though and yes Roberts we know what your name is.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

young Jones got done for the third.

Young Jones had just made a clearance and was totally off balance as Cahill had just clattered into him (a free kick imo). He was totally off balance as he went to close down the Everton player. The fact that the referee didn't give the free kick just summed up the referees afternoon. He was either incompetent or just plain bias.

[thenodrog]

And if our so called England No.1 goalkeeper had moved off his line he could have punched the ball clear but, as per usual, he was static on his line when a ball came into the danger area.

He learned his lesson for the last goal!!! If went so far awol when if he'd stayed on his line he'd have stopped the goal.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

No, when you watch the highlights, look out for Salgado and Nzonzi.

I was stood right behind the goals - and saw Nelsen yet again out muscled and out jumped by an opposing player. There may have been issues leading up to the cross - but it was far too easy for the Everton player.

[Bobby G]

If Jones had stuck a leg out, it would have been a penalty for sure, as the player would have taken the fall. He was off-balance, and not in the best position to defend that move, other than to stick out a foot, which he didnt.

[Majiball]

I just wish Sam would mix things up a bit. We can play 4-4-2 AND 4-5-1 even with the same players on the pitch. Move Samba up front Olsson to left back and shift Givet into central defence - plenty of other workable combos involving Emerton, Hoilett, Diouf. Change back and forth several times in the game would cause the oppostion a real headache - just as they get used to one formation we switch it round.

If we're going to play like we did yesterday sod 442 or 451, lets get creative and play 5-0-5.

[47er]

Rovers v Everton are curious affairs. They are nearly always tight contests, either a draw or 1 goal in it. I think, after yesterday, they are ahead 13-12 with several draws. They often go against the form guide too. When they were a relegation threatened team, which they were perennially in the early years of the premiership, we found them hard to beat. That's my memory of it anyway. I take consolation in knowing that next season this fixture will go our way!

[thenodrog]

Young Jones had just made a clearance and was totally off balance as Cahill had just clattered into him (a free kick imo). He was totally off balance as he went to close down the Everton player. The fact that the referee didn't give the free kick just summed up the referees afternoon. He was either incompetent or just plain bias.

Correct. Mariner got that as wrong as the decision to only yellow Arteta and to punish MGP for shoving his own eye onto Arteta's finger.

3 other bigger factors did for us yesterday though.

a. Samba being injured.

b. Mariners poor decision re: Arteta

c. Sam Allardyce playing Keith Andrews when Grella was fit.

btw imo Nelsen is now our 4th choice centre half. A poor decision to lunge in on Arteta when he only hade to block him. He also appears to have turned into a plodder recently.

[RIML]

I was stood right behind the goals - and saw Nelsen yet again out muscled and out jumped by an opposing player. There may have been issues leading up to the cross - but it was far too easy for the Everton player.

Yakubu would out muscle a lot of defenders, I just think Nzonzi and Salgado should have dealt with the throw better, two Rovers players on one Everton player and you're quick to blame Nelsen who had no help from any other team mate and was left isolated. I do feel Yakubu was just in front of Nelsen, some people argued that Nelsen was in front of him but he wasn't.

[Parsonblue]

But the elephant in the room is that we were totally outclassed by the team lying 8th inthe Prem.

Which only goes to show the gap developing between the top eight or nine teams with money to spend and the rest. The likes of Everton, Fulham and even Sunderland, are not big spenders by any means but in the last two years they have spent the sort of money that the Rovers simply aren't in a position to spend. If those clubs spend the money wisely, the odds are that those teams are likely to finish above us more often than not. That's why I believe that a mid-table position is not only the best we can hope for at present but is a pretty decent outcome when you compare the transfer budgets of clubs in and around us.

[thenodrog]

As for Sam? I don't like his CURRENT brand of football and never will. The games are boring and tedious to watch and we exhibit no skill or technique. Equally I fully acknowledge what he is achieveing with a very poor squad, no money and no sign we can invest. Mid-table is the best we can expect to achieve, just a shame the football is so awful to watch.

3 centre forwards on yesterday plus Olsson, Hoillet and Dunny and we got beaten! I suggest the Expert has made quite a good point to all.

[Ossydave]

Samba has been a liability this season don't forget, he's been lucky on a few occasions, Nelsen not so lucky, I'm sure there's more but I can think of,

-Carling Cup semi final 1st leg, he took out Agbonlahor didn't get any of the ball, it looked like a penalty

-Carling Cup semi final 2nd leg, sent off

-Stoke away, sent off

-Hull away, almost scored an own goal

-Wigan away, almost scored an own goal

-Burnley away, clumsy tackle on Wade Elliot, it was just outside the box, very dangerous position but another ref might have given a penalty

-Chelsea home, I didn't think it was a sending off at the time but he didn't get the ball and Anelka would have beaten him for pace and would have been through on goal

We played at Goodison earlier on in the season, Samba played and we conceded 3 goals, I don't see, if he had played, how it would have been so different.

The goal which lost us the game, wasn't the first goal, it was the third goal, make your mind up who's fault it was but it wasn't Nelsen.

I agree with the above I think Robinson should have been off his line for the second.

No idea why you are so obsessed with Nelsen but even a blind man could see that Samba is ten times the player he is.

[1864roverite]

what do you expect? they are scutters, scum bags of the highest order, scousers are dirty benefit rats. i work for the DWP and 90% of people I deal with are dirty scratting scousers. If i had the choice Id cut their benefits and let them rot

And what was that about being dire ??

it is my view of the football team I have watched for 39 years so I think I ma entitled to an opinion mate.

as for working for DWP ? |Are you not in the position of decision making if a person is entitled to benefits or not ? I suggest that you do a little more digging on an individual and FIND the reasons why they cant have it.

As for your steroetypicla view of scousers, your a funny one pal. Its a misconception as there afre scallies in every town not just merseyside.

You need a job change and different outlook on life.

[thenodrog]

With a better ref, we wouldn't have lost as so much was going through Arteta.

But the elephant in the room is that we were totally outclassed by the team lying 8th in the Prem.

I disagree with that. Everton were better but not by that much and with the exception possibly of Fellini they had their first choice squad available. A rub of the green would have seen us go in level in the first half.

Also I've said that I don't understand how an ordinary medium sized club like Everton continually manage to keep their manager and players out of other clubs reach. I still don't (putting aside Rooney and Lescott) cos if we'd had Moyes, Arteta and Cahill they'd have gone long ago. It's only my opinion but if Samba nad been fit and Grella had started I don't think we'd have lost.

[47er]

I disagree with that. Everton were better but not by that much and with the exception possibly of Fellini they had their first choice squad available. A rub of the green would have seen us go in level in the first half.

Also I've said that I don't understand how an ordinary medium sized club like Everton continually manage to keep their manager and players out of other clubs reach. I still don't (putting aside Rooney and Lescott) cos if we'd had Moyes, Arteta and Cahill they'd have gone long ago. It's only my opinion but if Samba nad been fit and Grella had started I don't think we'd have lost.

If the ref had done his job we'd have won anyway.

[RIML]

No idea why you are so obsessed with Nelsen but even a blind man could see that Samba is ten times the player he is.

I was simply stating that Samba has been a liability too just season, he is our first choice centre half without a doubt but people think Nelsen is now our 4th choice centre half when Givet played in that position against Liverpool and was slated on MOTD for his performance. I wouldn't say Givet is any better in that position than Nelsen and Jones has been good but he showed yesterday he his human and will make mistakes, just like all our defenders, they've all made mistakes, out of Jones, Givet, Nelsen and even Chimbonda I think Nelsen is the best option we have.

[MarkBRFC71]

3 centre forwards on yesterday plus Olsson, Hoillet and Dunny and we got beaten! I suggest the Expert has made quite a good point to all.

But only for the last 20 mins. The first hour was one-dimensional, Unibond Premier, hoofball toss. And with his one-striker system we lost 1-0, with 4-4-2 we at least scored and drew 2-2!

We have players easily good enough to play football, but the current regime doesn't allow them too. The tactical plan is simply hoof forward at the earliest possible opportunity. A work of genius.

I have to agree with the posters who say Nelsen is looking cumbersome too - he seems to have declined rapidly - even Zurab would probably get in ahead of him tbh!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

As for Sam? I don't like his CURRENT brand of football and never will. The games are boring and tedious to watch and we exhibit no skill or technique. Equally I fully acknowledge what he is achieveing with a very poor squad, no money and no sign we can invest. Mid-table is the best we can expect to achieve, just a shame the football is so awful to watch.

I don't like Sam's brand of football - but it is probably a necessity given the players. However - I don't actually think it is boring. We created more chances than an Everton team that played (on the whole) far better more controlled football than us. As a result of our style of play - we have the ball in the opposition box far more than most teams - it may not be in a structured way and relies heavily on our ability to win the ball in the air and the second ball on the ground - but it does create chances and it does create excitement.

It could be argued that early in the Ince reign we played far better football, without even looking like getting results - which would fans prefer ?

One last point - mainly as a result of increased crowds and the DE Choir - the match day atmosphere is better than it has been since the days of Shearer - it some ways better. I go to watch for the whole match day package - and have found this season to always be entertaining, even if at times frustrating.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Disappointing result.

I thought that both teams were poor and that a draw would have been a fair result. We were very direct and in the first half it worked, particularly towards the end of the half, there was choas in the Everton box on numerous occasions and we were unlucky not to score.

The second half, Everton started the better and seemed to be dealing with balls in the box better. Then we get a wondergoal from N'Zonzi. Poor defending allows Everton to take the lead, we then get another superb goal from Roberts and look the more likely to team to get three points. However, at the death more defending lets in Cahill to score the winner.

Sam is never ever going to win over some fans (there were plenty of moaners in the Jack Walker Upper today). If he gets results then people are happyish, but when things don't go well then people will moan about the style. I agree that at times it is soul destroying football, but then when you look at the bigger picture (our squad, the lack of financial resources) you have to say that Sam is doing wonderful job, teams like Everton have spent millions and yet we still compete with them. We do not have the players to play sexy, fast flowing football and we do not have the resources to purchase them.

Most of this post is very sensible, apart from the first sentence. I thought Everton were superb first 20 minutes

[Kelbo]

The reason we lost yesterday was nothing to do with the style of football played by either side, it was this, Sams brand of football relies heavily upon good defending throughout the team and yesterday we didnt do that, was it the change in defence (ie Nelsen) or was it the change in midfield which didnt give the defence the protection?? I will leave it to you to decide, but those were the reasons as I saw it.

Look at it this way, we scored two really good goals and conceded three poor ones, if they hadnt scored we would have won, yes I know that is obvious but had we defended the way we did against Chelsea and Man U, it would have been three points!!

[Amo]

Yesterday's football was dire before Nzonzi brought everything to life with a bang. I was bored senseless. If people believe THAT is our lot, then they are sorely mistaken. It was like watching a lower-league team in the FA Cup, shoving one up front and playing for set pieces and long throws. Once again, let's not deal in absolutes here. No one is asking for free-flowing football, because we simply don't have the players to maintain that tempo of play for 90+ minutes. In fact, very few teams do. Take Aston Villa for example, for all their expense, they still rely on route one. HOWEVER, highly paid professionals should be able to compete in the very basics - which means being able to string more than a handful of passes together without looking to hoof it at every available opportunity.

I also think Olsson and Hoilett should occupy the wings for the foreseeable future. Pace and energy is exactly what this team needs. People could say Hoilett has no end product, but neither did Aaron Lennon or Gareth Bale until Spurs stuck with them and gave them time to develop.