[Archived] Everton Preview

[Amo]

This ref's a bit crap, isn't he?

[yankrover]

That's just what I was thinking, Topman

[bigbrandjohn]

I think Howard is vulnerable. Dunn is rattling him. As long as we can keep it to one, there is hope

[Amo]

Cahill hacks Dunn and gets away with a slapped wrist.

God...

[bigbrandjohn]

Cahill chops Dunn no card. Ref is crap

[emglch]

this is crap refereeing... no card for cahill

[Tango]

Marriner the plum fails to book Cahill for a reckless challenge. Must be suffering from sunstroke.

[G Somerset Rover]

No Samba means that our whole set piece game is all a bit pointless really.

[des]

its fine playing a 4-5-1 if you play the ball through midfield, which allow time for the man in the hole and the wide players to get forward. Big Sam like the long pass get it forward quickly, which is fine, but in that system you need two up front.

We seen to be pl;aying the quicj ball forward within a 4-5-1 which by and large does not work.

why is andrews playing and what has he done todate....

[Amo]

Damn... I thought Olsson had that!

[yankrover]

How did we not score off that throw?!

[bigbrandjohn]

should have scored. We are coming back

[Dan]

Why do we keep doing long throws?! When have they ever worked?(once?!) Get the knack BFS FFS.

[yankrover]

Those throws have given us some of our best chances

[Amo]

The writing was on the wall the moment Sam paired Andrews with Nzonzi. We have never played convincingly with those two in the same side.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

why is andrews playing and what has he done todate....

He had a good opportunity saved by Tim Howard when the ball bounced to him on the edge of the area. It was a nice shot but unfortunately Howard got down well to save it.

I don't know why the Anti-Andrews brigade are out again and only targeting him. The whole team needs to step up a bit. Thankfully after the opening 15 minutes we seem to have got back into the game a bit better but there is still a big improvement expected in the 2nd half.

[Amo]

You mean the shot straight at Tim Howard?

[Exiled in Toronto]

For the first 40 minutes I could have sworn I was watching John Beck's Cambridge United. Not one attempt to pass the ball up the pitch. The stats look good but every 'shot' is in an almighty scramble with 15 players in between the ball and the goal.

[Mr. E]

I don't care what's an important game or not. We are losing 1-0 at home to Everton and at times making them look like Barcelona.

Nelsen...no words really, that was just stupid. Not sure how he's gonna explain that to the locker room.

But upfront...upfront. Are entire season right there. We created at least 4 good goal-line chances in front of Howard, and are showcase of misses begins. We'll either: hit a defender, hit the keeper, hit our own player, hit the referee, hit the post, hit the ground and have it bobble over, hit absolutely anything but not what most other Premiership teams would hit, which is the back of the net. This has been going on FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON and the players still look absolutely clueless as to how to stick a foot it and score a goal.

But hey, let's all relax, I'm sure BFS's crafty vision means that Andrews will suddenly start playing like Messi 2nd half and score a hatrick. He's just been warming up so far. Trust Allardyce, he knows what he's doing.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

You mean the shot straight at Tim Howard?

Hmmm....when you put it like that it doesn't sound as impressive

To be fair though, he did well to force the keeper to make the save. We haven't had too many clear chances which haven't been blocked by a defender.

[Amo]

H/T - 0-1

The question is who has conspired against us the most this half - the referee or ourselves? Kalinic once again feeding on scraps, and that's being generous. Dunn rarely looks bothered, coinciding with the contract he signed a little while ago. Pedersen proves Sam only wants him because he lobs a football 30 yards. And Andrews proves he's got candid photos of Sam at a massage parlour, for that's the only reason he could possibly be playing.

[tonyoz]

Some of the best deliveries from Gamst that I've seen in many a long while. It's a pity that we don't have a decent finisher in the entire team.

The defence seem to have got it sorted out at last.......(Nelsen (twice), Nzonzi and Andrews have all made howlers). Arteta is a class act however and this is not the first time he has done us.

It would be nice to throw on an extra forward Sam. How about it? They look vulnerable in the 6 yard box.

[brian_gallagher85]

Nelsen and maybe the ref is the reason they are ahead at the break.

Anyone saying we don't create enough chances and don't need at least one more quality striker after that first half is clearly deluded.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I thought Givet was at fault for the goal: too far off his man then turned his back to what was a dummied shot thus forcing Nelsen to lunge in with a desperate challenge

[Dan]

Those throws have given us some of our best chances

How many goals have we scored from long throw ins since Sam arrived?