13 Aug 2022 14:54:15
Motm between Kamara and Buendia but Mings and Watkins amongst the best on the pitch. Gerrard will probably try and take credit for getting them fired up.
Everton no better than last season and we still struggled. Subs were way too late again.
13 Aug 2022 16:10:22
So in terms of the positives from today it has to be the result, the individual performances of Buendia, Ramsey and Kamara who looks a class act, and the return of Mings our defence from open play looked more secure. In terms of what could be better, firstly Coutinho I almost didn’t realise he was on the pitch until he was substituted. Secondly and for me a real concern is our ability to defend set pieces or rather the lack of it. Thirdly we are too slow when we turn the ball over we had a lot of the ball but too much of it went backwards and sideways for my liking. Finally and probably somewhat controversially Watkins needs to do better up front I know the pass for Buendia’s goal was class but to often he overran the ball and his decision making on when to release the ball was poor. But hey it’s early in the season and 3 points is 3 points. UTV.
13 Aug 2022 16:15:50
I don't get the struggled analysis, the final 10-15 mins when Everton lumped it forward then perhaps but bar a few corners throughout the rest of the game I felt we were in control. Issues still to be addressed, don't think we played particularly well but had enough to beat a poor Everton side.
13 Aug 2022 19:31:55
I didn’t say we struggled defensively in fact we looked better with Mings alongside Carlos in open play, but what I did say was we struggled at set pieces, we were shocking against Bournemouth and in the first half the only chances Everton created were from balls into the box, against better sides with better delivery we will concede plenty unless we tighten up in this area. We don’t want to end up like Leicester last season top of the goals conceded from set pieces stats
13 Aug 2022 20:04:58
Also my use of struggled is that Everton barely turned up and prior to Buendia's introduction we had maybe 2 decent chances. We also looked likely to concede from a corner.
If a team are as bad as Everton were and you're holding on for dear life at the end then you've struggled, no 2 ways about it.
Passing it around the back 500 times might make it look an easy game but leaving yourselves in a position where you have to convert 50% of good chances is foolish.
14 Aug 2022 15:33:44
Watkins got 2 assists, good day at the office in my book