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Post by rosscrombie on Dec 11, 2016 14:51:41 GMT
Indeed, they should look dejected. And should care. And resolve to do something about it. But can they? I'm getting a bit fed up of this. A season that held so much promise and began at a canter, is now in danger of imploding, if it hasn't already. And the immediate prospects look grim, playing Arsenal, Liverpool and twice against an apparently rejuvenated Leicester side, punctuated only by a boozy trip to Hull and a Southampton side so poor but that we managed to make look like Barcelona only a few weeks ago. Watford is not the loveliest of towns, and I was brought up there, so have some inside knowledge. I even have family there. It has nice bits, and some not so nice bits, and Vicarage Road is more of the former than the latter. But the Club has begun to resemble a jumble sale, a rag tag of nations represented by very few players you've ever heard of, and we can now add to that list, one Stefano Okaka, who makes Akinfenwa look like a Size 6 Model, but it turns out looks quite a decent striker. Well, against us he did, so it probably means he won't score again all season. And that, ladies, gentlemen, trans and 'not sure', is the extent of my review of the Watford team. You'd have to pay for insight like that normally, so feel grateful. Instead, I'm going to dwell on Everton. But only briefly, because to dwell on yesterday, and to dwell on the last two months, is only going to make me end up like furniture retailer - guess who? - Dwell. One minute you're there selling funky stuff, the next minute you're in administration and then disappeared altogether. There's a few players who we hope won't dwell with Everton that much longer, but as I've said before, anyone hoping for some kind of Damascus-Road conversion to this squad from almost rans to Europe contenders come the January Sales is deluding not just me, but themselves and an army of gullibles in the Everton fan base. It ain't gonna happen, it isn't that it 'shouldn't', it's just that it won't. The players we'd like aren't going to be made available, or if they are they'll be at vastly inflated fees, and however much we think we've got 'billions', it isn't Chelsea or City-type billions that it would need, and who the hell wants to come to a plummeting mid table side that at the rate of plummet isn't going to be mid table for that much longer. We're chasing Sunderland to the bottom, and who knows, we may even beat them to that trophy unless something changes and changes soon. OK, if we get reinforcements in January, and a few leave that are surplus to requirements, and even if RK overcomes his mental block and starts playing Holgate and Davies, we are not going to be unhappy, but, trust me, we're not going to be transformed in to a Top 6 side, although the talent we have on the pitch at the moment should certainly be doing better than it is, and that's even accepting that some are not good enough at this level, let alone the level to which we aspire. There's something else wrong. It's partly the players, but why can't we defend with an International back four, an International GK, an International trio (yes, honestly, 3 of them away to Watford FFS) of DMs (even accepting one of them is way past his prime), and three International forwards, one of whom has played and scored more for his vaunted U21 national side than any of his Spanish predecessors. It's almost as if the curse of Martinez defending has returned; but I'm not blaming him, when we have a manager much admired for his defensive qualities as a player and manager, but simply isn't doing it for Everton. I JUST DON'T GET IT. Something is happening, or rather it isn't, when these people are pulling on a Blue shirt. What is going on? Why? Why? Why? Go back to your leafy Merseyside or Cheshire homes, players and staff alike, and take a long hard look at yourselves, and wonder what the hell is going on, and resolve to do something about it. If you can't lift yourself and your team mates for the next run of fixtures, then you're not fit to be a professional footballer, let alone playing for the Club I love. Sort it out. Ross Crombie
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Post by Avinalaff on Dec 11, 2016 15:18:24 GMT
Below is the line up that played Manchester City, under Martinez, on SAT, 05 OCT 2013, and this same team went on to a 5th place finish, which really could have been a 4th place finish:
24 Howard 23 Coleman 3 Baines 21 Osman 6 Jagielka 15 Distin 11 Mirallas 16 McCarthy 17 R Lukaku 20 Barkley 14 Naismith
Substitutes 1 Robles 4 Gibson 5 Heitinga 7 Jelavic 9 Koné 10 Deulofeu 26 Stones
It's hard to understand why these same players, that have now been playing together for so long, can be so bad.
Who'd have thought that removing Howard, Distin, and Naismith would have come with such dire consequences?
Who'd have thought, that adding Barry, Bolasie, Gueye, Mori, Stekelenburg, Williams, Lennon, Cleverley, and a more experienced Deulofeu etc would have caused a meltdown?
Can anybody understand my point?
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Post by Avinalaff on Dec 11, 2016 15:23:19 GMT
Here's the team that beat Arsenal 3-0 SUN, 06 APR 2014:
24 Howard 23 Coleman 03 Baines 18 Barry 26 Stones 15 Distin 17 R Lukaku 16 McCarthy 14 Naismith 21 Osman 11 Mirallas
Substitutes 1 Robles 2 Hibbert 7 McGeady 10 Deulofeu 20 Barkley 29 Garbutt 32 Alcaraz
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Post by rosscrombie on Dec 11, 2016 17:27:34 GMT
Here's the team that beat Arsenal 3-0 SUN, 06 APR 2014: 24 Howard 23 Coleman 03 Baines 18 Barry26 Stones 15 Distin 17 R Lukaku 16 McCarthy14 Naismith 21 Osman 11 MirallasSubstitutes1 Robles 2 Hibbert 7 McGeady 10 Deulofeu 20 Barkley29 Garbutt 32 Alcaraz You're quite right. It defies belief. But actually, if you just changed the team to the one that started against Spurs and had a chance to go top, your point is doubly amplified. I don't think they're bad players, they're just playing badly, and capable of a hell of a lot more. I'm genuinely mystified. I'm also terrified of what Arsenal and Liverpool could do to us in the next two games. Two 4-0 defeats are staring us in the face, and that assumes they lift the foot off the gas at some point.
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Post by rugbytoffee on Dec 11, 2016 18:45:03 GMT
Complacency and in some cases age.
We need a total make over and players that seem remotely bothered would be a start.
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