Philosopher

Ironically RLC and Ziyech started against Tottenham yesterday!

We have to say what we see. Any criticism I give is meant as constructive. We are a work in progress. Emery has instilled the ability to won ugly, but we can't do that all the time, football doesn't work that way. The best teams can play well and win against weaker teams most of the time, and win ugly against their equals and lessers when they need to. We need to play well and win against the likes of Bournemouth, Southampton, Brentford and so on. Especially so when at home. For me Everton, West Ham, and Wolves are exceptions down there as they have real quality. Onana, Doucore, Tarkowski, and DCL (when fit) at Everton. I probably wasn't entirely fair as Everton are a big strong outfit of the type that tend to make us suffer. However they lack quality in the final third and aren't a possession based team, but they dominated us for periods, and created more then us.

Just because he has been okay in previous games, doesn't mean they were good performances. Under Gerrard he was total wank! Now he has been decent, with one good performance. That's how I see it.

Seems to me we are either trying to play at 200 miles an hour, or totally pedestrian. The players still haven't found that sweet spot where we are patient, yet moving the ball at a good tempo.

Ollie is confident and looking a force infront of goal. His workrate, pressing, ability to work the channels is still his bread and butter. The first touch still lets him down sometimes, and he isn't great one on one (but capable). He was poor with his one on one's yesterday, little to feed off as the supply was poor, good penalty.

One good performance in a poor team performance doesn't make him reborn. This was a game that suited his skillset. He played well and was my man of the match. But he needs to do this consistently.

Felt he had his best game since he came back from injury. Feel he is playing very defensively, we need to give him more freedom to find the space and get forward, because defending the left flank isn't his strong suit.

Bailey is being played very high.up the pitch, and when are defending corners he is higher up than Watkins. He simply didn't get the supply he needed yesterday. He had a couple of moments in the first half, where he looked sharp, but wasn't able to fashion anything significant, the supply dried our after that. Buendia came onand he plays deeper, he dropped into midfield, and did well with the goals, but otherwise consistently gave the ball away. The team in general was poor yesterday. McGinn stood out for his aggression, and Mings as he was the only one in defence that looked like he could be relied on. We got away with that one, Everton were better than us, fortunately we have found our scoring boots under Emery, and Everton don't seem to have any.

The win was most important, the clean sheet a lovely bonus. McGinn put in a beautifully dogged performance today. My only complaint in regards McGinn is that sometimes he wasn't quick enough to help Cash. Digne is really struggling for form. I understand why he started, as Everton are a big strong outfit, and Dyche has injected some extra aggression into their play. Emery clearly selected the biggest, strongest defense and midfield he could have fielded bar Dendonker. Poor performance overall today though. Struggled to play out, struggled to find teammates with the ball, struggled to build attacks. It was a backs to the wall effort against a poor (but improving) Everton team. Not what I want to see going forward. The defense as a whole is too slow with the ball, when playing out, defenders taking too many touches. This really needs eed sorting. Ref was poor today, as usual. Got the important decisions right though. Buendia did two lovely things, contributed to a goal, and scored one. Otherwise he was constantly giving the ball away. Konsa was poor today, he was getting bullied out there today, lacks conviction in possession. Cash was dogged, but let McNeil look like a good player. Mings was solid, looked the most assured of our defenders. Martinez made a couple of important saves, and his distribution was improved on last weeks showing. Ramsey worked hard and got Digne out of trouble a couple of times. Gave the ball away less than most. Kamara had a poor game struggled with the power of Doucore and Onana. Luiz was good on the ball, but overpowered at times. Watkins made it 5 in 5. Workman like performance, got tackled everytime he tried to take a defender on. Bailey worked hard, looked lively, but like Watkins had very little service, unlike Watkins lacks the strength to compete for high balls, and balls over the top. Important win, which was needed to get over 3 disastrous results. Barely kept a clean sheet against a team that's only scored 16 goals in 24 games. Good result, must improve!

Thought Ramsey has had a solid second half. Very good defensive work. Has been the only one on that side not consistently giving the ball away.

Good goal Buendia, terrible defending from Coady.

Buendia seems to be giving the ball away at every opportunity.

Coutinho is a classy player, I think Moreno on the left helps him a lot. I also think he is our most creative player, and definitely our most intelligent creative player. For me he would start ahead of Buendia.

In regard to coaching, when Ings was here much of the coaching for Ollie would have been how to play with Ings in a front 2, and to play as a conventional striker playing through the middle (under Gerrard). Whereas now he is basically going back to how he played under Smith, which is going out to the left and moving inside to that left channel between the fullback and the centre back. Also I think we are seeing an improved Watkins at the moment, he is a man that is always working to improve, has hired his own striking coach, and now is under the guidance of a world class manager. I expect him to maintain a high level for the rest of the season and to score close to 20 goals next season if he stays fit and in the team.

A lot of talent at Sporting.

Versatile forward who can play both wings and as a second striker. Tried to sign him for Villa in fm23, but his agent was an arse so I sign Cole Palmer instead (who was much better).

I agree, however I'm not going to say this squad is a th place team under Emery. I think that's ultimately an educated guess, so not worth much at all. What you say about high turnover is spot on though. We won't get anywhere by binning off good players. We have lots of good players. We need to improve on those players sure, but to do that is very difficult. If we signed 7 or 8 players this summer at least half of those would be players no better than what we have. Not to say they would be bad, as we have a squad of good players. We need extra quality on the right, and at right centre back. We also need a top quality midfielder that can pass, and has grit and physicality. 4 players for the first team max! I'd sign as many as 5 players if we include a new number 2 goalie. Obviously if Digne and / or Martinez leave that may have to be 6 players with one a back up left back and a first choice keeper instead of a backup. For me the back keeper up should be young and talented.

After so long out he'll need time to get his touch and fitness back up to scratch. Great to see him back, and can't wait to see him.in the team again once he is 100% ready.

I said POTENTIAL. Duran has all the raw qualities. He certainly isn't at Haaland's level currently, and probably won't reach that, but the potential is there. It's why I called him a wildcard!

Ollie is a good striker for most teams in this league. For me he is every bit as good as Toney, and Mitrovic, whom many said we should replace Ollie with. Even for a champions league team, Ollie would make a very reliable back up striker. For me he has a future with us for the next 5 years. Now Duran is the wildcard. The potential he has, is Haaland levels. Pace, strength, skill, workrate, and aggression. Only thing I'd say he needs to improve is his right foot. Strikers need to be good finishers on either foot. I think Duran looks very comfortable coming off the right hand side and working that right channel. Watkins likes to do the same on the left flank, so they can certainly play together. What we would then needs is for either both fullbacks or one fullback and one winger providing the width. I'm really curious as to how Emery will handle this, as for me I'd go two attacking fullbacks and Coutinho in the hole, with Ollie and Duran as wide strikers. But probably not this season.

Sorry but when did Howe say he didn't rate Mings as a centre back? I've not seen this! I'm pretty sure he was the one that converted Mings to a cb. Also sure he said he would've liked to keep him, but Mings had his heart set on joining Villa. They had also just signed 2 centre backs the previous summer. And we got him on loan just after recovering from 2 serious knee injuries.

So I'd definitely sign a new right sided centre back. The higher calibre the better. But i'd still keep Chambers. Chamber versatility means he can always have a place in the squad. He is decent cover for 3 positions. and if we want to build a squad that compete for cups and in Europe then you need a player like Chambers to supplement the squad. Now if Chambers wants to leave, then move him on. Mings extending his contract is good news. He is our top CB, he is a ball player and the quickest of our defenders, all essential qualitie to how we are trying to play.

Archer is 5'8, 5'9 at a push. As for his ability, as long as he score goals he will get his chance. Quite frankly I feel the main reason he has had few chances to breakthrough us down to the style of striker we play with. I don’t think Emery is going to change this, as we have seen what he is looking for. Fast, with strength that plays off the wing. For me he is very much in the Aguero mold. Short but broad with a good touch so can hold it up a but, and link up play. Fast enough to run in behind and sharp in front of goal. However doesn't excell at either. Lacks the dribbling skill Aguero had so is probably more like Ings! The Irony is I think he would have fitted Gerrard's system better. These days a striker is crucial to how teams want to play. Their goal isn't simply to score anymore. He would do well for a team like Citeh, that dominate the ball and territory. Or a team that plays with the old fashioned little and large strike duo.

The Bailey bashing is so boring. Comparisons to Gnoto like he is the new Messi, it's so tiresome and silly. We should be getting behind Bailey, he is clearly struggling at the minute and he need the support of us fans not hate. Yes bring in serious competition for his place I the summer. But until then he's probably the best we got.

Footballers aren't human, they aren't allowed to experience a dip in form. They aren't allowed to get injured. They aren't allowed to get depressed, they aren't allowed to get paid while injured, even though those injuries happen while playing or training for the club.