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Ratings v Everton

Sigi and Townsend have not been any better when they have started.

Would love AVB to just throw off the shackles . Lamela, Eriksen , Holtby, Paul, Defoe and Soldado . Just for once it could be liberating.

I think it would be as simple as - just get out there and play... no orders or tactcs but just ****in play.
 
Not sure what people wanted or expected. We played quite well in first half, Everton struggled to get out their own half, felt we had a lot better tempo to the game.

Lukaku, Baines barely had an impact, as did several other Everton players.

Sandro, Vert, Lloris (worth a mention for his refusal to go off) and Dawson (for all the stick he gets and all the people worried that Lukaku was going to dominate him) had great games.

AVB got starting lineup and tactics right, we still struggled with the final ball, and the subs didn't work, but outside of the lack of goal threat, thought we looked a better side than we have for most of the season in the first half (gel time?)
 
Thought all the defence were excellent, Walker included. Chiriches uses the ball really well and quickly, our centre mids could learn from him.
 
Lloris - 8 - Didn't have any save of the season contenders, but a very solid display, quick off his line, commanded his area well and showed iron will to get back on the pitch after his injury.

Walker - 7 - Defensively sound, offered little in attack though

Dawson - 8 - Kept Lukaku out of the game

Chiriches - 8 - So composed on the ball, made one world class sliding tackle in the first half too

Vertonghen - 9 - Outstanding in both attack and defence. Although should have given a penalty away.

Sandro - 7 - Was playing well. No idea why he was taken off.

Paulinho - 6 - Meh

Holtby - 5 - Huffed and puffed, but if he is to start ahead of Eriksen, Sigurdsson and Lamela, he needs to offer more end product in the form of creativity and defence splitting passes. Not enough of that from him today.

Townsend - 6 - Looked lively, but no real end product today

Lennon - 5 - Lots of eager running, but final ball was awful apart from one ball to Soldado in the first half.

Soldado - 4 - You can say he had little service, which is true, but he was poor today. Should have scored from that Lennon cross.

Subs:

Dembele - 5 - Didn't really offer much

Sigurdsson - 6 - A decent shot that forced a good save from Howard, tried hard to make things happen but it didn't quite come off.

Eriksen - N/A

AVB - 5 - Correct starting line-up, but the substitutions were poor. Taking off Sandro made no sense as he was playing well and was preventing Everton from really coming at us, we went on the back foot after that sub. I know he felt that Paulinho was probably more likely to pop up with a goal than Sandro, but this left us exposed. Eriksen should have come on far earlier than he did. Our £30m man can't even get on the pitch. Sorry, but it's easy to see why there's a lack of goals in this side when you leave Eriksen, Sigurdsson and Lamela, arguably our three most creative players, all on the bench.

You do know Sandro was injured and had to come off don't you?
 
Keeper and Defence 7 - everyone did well ... cut out attacks, last minute tackles/saves, supporting the midfield

Townsend and Lennon 6 - never thought i'd see the fastest pair of headless chickens last night.

Paulinho 5 - Is he Jenas in disguise?

Holtby 7 and Sandro - excellent pressing and tackling (which should have given Paulinho more courage to really attack)

Soldado 6 - good pressing and getting into a few positions, hold up play etc,. but should have dropped back further to let others come into play behind him
 
Lloris - 9 - Commanded his defence and area really well as always. Didn't have to make any real amazing saves, but was a vital part of the defensive unit. He cleared up a lot of danger and gets an extra point for carrying on after that knock as he knew we were under pressure in that 2nd half.

Walker - 7 - Did well against Everton's dangerous left-flank, supported the attack more in the 1st half, but put a shift in with the rest of the defence when we were under pressure in the 2nd half.
Dawson - 7 - Captain's innings in the 2nd half, cleared up a couple of times when Chiriches got done and the two looked like a good unit together.
Chiriches - 8 - A couple of awesome tackles and interceptions. I think he is going to be an absolute legend with some of his antics. Worked well with Dawson and didn't allow himself to get bullied by Lukaku
Vertonghen - 8 - What can you say, a rolls royce performer, he was a good attacking out let, especially in the first half and was great defensively too.

Sandro - 9 - MOTM - I think we would have won this game if he'd stayed on. Completely dominated Everton's midfield and we noticeably lost our grip on proceedings when he went off.
Paulinho - 6 - Looked tired, which is understandable. Would have liked to have seen Dembele start this game alongside Sandro.
Holtby - 7 - He's a little pocket dynamo isn't he? Ran himself into the ground for the cause. Decent distribution and I think he's growing in stature with this run in the team.

Townsend & Lennon - 6 - I'm going to say exactly the same thing about them both. They are both good outlets with their pace and control, but both of their final balls, whether that is passing, shooting, or crossing were sub-standard in this game, which meant that we couldn't turn our domination in the first half into clear-cut chances for Soldado or the midfield runners to convert

Soldado - 6 - Harsh to give him lower, as he was starved of service, despite setting off on a run whenever we broke forward. I think he's struggling because we bought him with the idea that we'd have Lamela and Eriksen in the team, who both play the kind of quick one-two and threaded balls he loves. Neither of these two are regulars in the team, because they're taking time to adjust, so at the moment he's clearly in a team that doesn't suit him. Ade would be perfect for this team, so its a surprise he isn't being used..

Agree with these markings and largely the comments, except the one about Ade as it should be no surprise why AVB doesn't consider him fit for purpose given his performances last year. An Ade Mk1 would be useful however, or something similar in January please.

Chiriches deserves a special shout out as he had a strong game against Lukaku and before the game I was worried he would be bullied by him.

Unless Sandro was indeed injured, taking him off was a stupid thing to do.

I don't get AVB's seeming infatuation with Pauli. He was clearly tired from the off against Everton and did very little to support Soldado. We need much more from him or else play someone else here. Why he got to stay on the field for 90 minutes baffled me.
 
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Lloris 8
Walker 7
Dawson 7
Chiricheș 7
Vertonghen 8
Sandro 8
Paulinho 6
Townsend 6
Holtby 6
Lennon 5
Soldado 5

Dembele 6
Sigurðsson 6
Eriksen -
 
thought we looked a better side than we have for most of the season in the first half

I saw about 20 mins of the first half and i've got to agree,we were taking the game to Everton, and I was happy with that. Can't believe some of the the moaners on here....
 
Keeper and Defence 7 - everyone did well ... cut out attacks, last minute tackles/saves, supporting the midfield

Townsend and Lennon 6 - never thought i'd see the fastest pair of headless chickens last night.

Paulinho 5 - Is he Jenas in disguise?

Holtby 7 and Sandro - excellent pressing and tackling (which should have given Paulinho more courage to really attack)

Soldado 6 - good pressing and getting into a few positions, hold up play etc,. but should have dropped back further to let others come into play behind him

:ross:

Sincerely hope not!
 
Must say Paulinho has been very poor since Sandro returned. Maybe both can't play together and Paulinho is worried he might lose his starting place to Sandro ?

I think its more to do with the fact that he's found the pace of the Premiership compared to Brazilian football a massive step-up. He started well because he was putting a massive effort in, which he probably didn't have to do playing for Corinthians and he's hit a brick-wall fitness-wise and is tired out. He probably just needs a rest IMO.
 
I think its more to do with the fact that he's found the pace of the Premiership compared to Brazilian football a massive step-up. He started well because he was putting a massive effort in, which he probably didn't have to do playing for Corinthians and he's hit a brick-wall fitness-wise and is tired out. He probably just needs a rest IMO.

Sounds highly plausible. From what we've seen so far it appears he has the skill-set to become a major success long-term but he's come from a different hemisphere and a vastly different culture yet he's expected to hit the ground running in what's widely regarded as the most intensively competitive league in the world. Sooner or later it's going to take its toll.
 
The Sandro/Dembele partnership was pretty good from what I remember at the start of last season. They worked well together if I recall correctly, so maybe little Paulie should be rested for a few games.
 
thought we looked a better side than we have for most of the season in the first half

I saw about 20 mins of the first half and i've got to agree,we were taking the game to Everton, and I was happy with that. Can't believe some of the the moaners on here....

How many real chances did we create? I mean chances, not shots ...
 
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