Football News: Current Thoughts On Everton FC

Not looking forward to the Brentford v Everton match on Saturday. They are a proper outfit and have a clear and distinct way of playing. I think Brentford will put 3+ goals past us and we lose again.

Pickford made some decent saves on Sunday, and he is by no means a player that needs turfing out. We face far worse issues in almost every other area of the pitch. That being said, I call the likes of Keane out for clear individual errors, so the same should apply to any player in the team.

That kick he did before shortly before the Arsenal goal. DCL won the ball off their corner and he hadn't even made it to the halfway line before Pickford had booted it up the pitch. No intelligence whatsoever. It was easily mopped up by their 2 big lads and they start the attack again. Just utter stupidity. This obsession about his distribution is a complete myth to me. For years, his kicking has been dreadful. He either boots it out of play or puts too much on it that it either goes to the oppositions keeper, or our forwards can't do anything with it.

Don't get me wrong, Pickford has some blinders for us but he also makes a huge amount of mistakes and stupid, low IQ and impulsive decisions that lead us to concede goals. He is a great shot stopper but his overall ability as a keeper has gaping holes.

Due to him being anything but physically imposing, he does not command his area and claim things that he should be claiming, rarely coming for crosses. Although he has matured and seems calmer in his older years, he is still erratic and unpredictable and fails to fill a back-line with confidence in what is going on behind them, like all the greats do.

Other than his shot stopping abilities, I think he flatters to deceive.

It is no secret that I don't think Mykolenko is good enough to play LB for Everton Football Club and I have called out his ability many times. I have never disliked the lad because you can't, he always tries his best when he plays and at least shows the right signs that he is trying (within himself) to complete for this club. I thought he played defensively brilliant on Sunday.

We all know he has better defensive abilities than attacking, but I have always thought he is too easy to get in behind with a simple 1-2's etc. He seemed to deal with Saka's movement a lot better than previous games. Hopefully, he is maturing and can at least offer us better performances this season, especially if Young is to play on his favoured side whilst Seamus is out.

The midfield 3 of Onana, Gueye and Douc's, is just simply devoid of any creativity. Doucoure is not a no 10. His first touch, spacial awareness, sharp-short passing and vision are below average. I would much rather have him sat with another anchor and see James Garner get a run as the most advanced of the 3. The lad has a good touch, he is busy and energetic but he has the intelligence to thread a pass or at least retain possession in the higher areas of the pitch.

McNeil looked unfit to me and it was evident from the get go but I see why he has been rushed back. Is what it is, given our lack of quality. He will inevitably get better once he's into the swing of things fitness/ games wise.

Hopefully Harrison is ready to get some minutes on the pitch for us sooner rather than later. Imo, he is comfortably the most competent midfielder and probably player we have in the team this year.

I was watching the game at 0-0 and thought, I wonder if he will have the balls later in the game to change it up and play DCL and Beto. Get the crowd behind us in true Goodison fashion and turn the screws on the opposition by hounding them in dangerous areas.

I like Dyche at times, but he flatters to deceive at others. It is hard not to support his general message of hard work for the club and its fans. I think it is more likely to see better characters playing for this team with him in charge, than if he weren't. Beto, Harrison, Young, Tarkowski, McNeil. I think they are all players that you know will "run the hard yards", a favourite of his to use in press conferences.

Speaking of press conferences, there are shades of Allardyce that I see in Dyche that are beginning to annoy me. The smart remarks to the journo's and then the constant chatter about past club decisions on and off the pitch that are to blame for the performances of today. His inability to change it up in games and look to capitalise on areas of vulnerability in the oppositions play is very concerning.

Cheers for the vent Gents, I will pray for us all.

Written by BlueNose1878! September 18 2023 19:41:06