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Post by empresstouch on Feb 13, 2022 10:27:02 GMT
What a difference four days made yesterday. A complete turnaround in every possible way. Lots to enjoy. Lots to be proud of – for one evening, at least.
Everything that needed to happen yesterday afternoon did happen; EVERTON players first out of the blocks, blue shirts into the penalty area to pass the ball to, lots of running and movement, giving players options to pass to – not least to mention the appetite to win the ball back as soon as possible, when lost.
Seamus Coleman’s desire to be first to the ball typified by that very brave headed opening goal that would otherwise have been cleared off the line by a Leeds Utd defender an obvious example of a completely different approach to the players’ attitude.
But whilst that glorious 1st-half was a very delightful watch for any Evertonian yesterday, I’d like to discuss what a very encouraging 2nd-half display would follow it up.
Great as it is to see players running as a team on relentless energy and adrenaline, what we witnessed in yesterday’s win in the 1st-half is not something that can itself be sustained over a 40-50 fixture season – let alone the 60-70 fixture season that hopefully will be a regular occurrence in seasons to come.
So not only did the fans need to support the players in that 2nd-half to get over the line victorious, the players themselves had to have it in them as individuals to act as a team, a unit, a collective and organised XI in dealing with an opposition given the half-time treatment by their manager. And doing all this with adrenaline running through the brains of every single one of them, trying to keep their composure to make the right decisions in the heat of the moment.
This can’t happen with faithful attitude alone.
A plan of team structure to stick to AND enough class to see it through to the end. Control earned and never relinquished.
Although Leeds were able to pass the ball more in the 2nd-half, to an extent, they never once penetrated our defence; we successfully contained their threat. Raphinha’s only individual threat a result of scrappy play – NOT penetrative design.
Yes, without Patrick Bamford, Leeds were short of a striker who could efficiently convert all that opposition offered into tangible score – something that clearly affected the Leeds players’ approach to their own game.
But if Lampard had been given a choice of foe to face after what happened in Newcastle last Tuesday night, a team that had lots of energy and high technique combined would not have been top of his wish list.
Yet it was Everton who made the running look simple and Leeds look laboured and short of ideas.
The selection of Iwobi and Kenny as wing-backs, with Coleman and Gordon supporting their running throughout. Richarlison an ever-willing support to the team. Calvert-Lewin an excellent target man, if a little selfish in vision (to be extremely harsh). Keane backing-up Coleman in goal scoring.
Frank Lampard’s team selection, plus his decision to swap Iwobi & Kenny’s wing-back sides of the pitch early, was spot on. Absolutely everything fell into place, with everyone contributing well to the plans laid over the past four days since St. James’s.
Whilst I still back Moshiri’s decision to hire Benitez on qualifications and scenarios of the present situation, my views on Lampard as a manager have very much changed over the past 24 hours.
And even if, as I expect, more coaches say to Moshiri words to the effect of: “FFP. BMD. There’s only so much I can do with this situation. If the money’s not there by [such-and-such a time], I’m off”, our players have clearly demonstrated that they can play.
This has to be the norm – in struggling away times, as well as highly-backed Goodison support.
But we can now dream, at the very least, of 10th place in the Premier League come May; and starting next season, again, with something to work with, in wait of the new stadium being built and (hopefully) UEFA seeing sense over FFP.
Who knows... wasn't Joe Royle's 3rd game as Everton manager a 3-0 Monday night win over Leeds in 1994?
Yesterday: everyone delivered big-time. EVERYONE. More. More. More. (Please!)
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Post by rugbytoffee on Feb 13, 2022 11:58:41 GMT
Nailed it!!!!
This is the level we need to find consistently. Players like Kenny , Holgate , Keane and Iwobi all stood up and raised their game. A very good team performance. The hardest thing now is to keep operating at that level. But we are Everton and we all know how low our performances can get.
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Post by jimmy on Feb 16, 2022 10:05:30 GMT
We've won one league game, so sorry to be a damp squid. If we can play the same without the home support then I'll start to think we're on the up.
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