Title race over.
Perhaps I should have put this in the 3 words thread.
Title race over.
Perhaps I should have put this in the 3 words thread.
Agree but no more disgraceful than some of the other games that got cancelled. Liverpool's 1st leg match at the Emirates was postponed on the back of a bunch of 'false positive' Covid tests - now what are the odds of having a load of Covid tests go falsely positive at the same time?
Spurs had some games somewhat dubiously cancelled as well
IMHO no games should be allowed to be cancelled for Covid reasons as long as there are fit players on the books even in the youth team but the teams are gaming the system so no reason Arsenal shouldn't do the same.
Pretty disgraceful that they call off a game as they don't have enough players the same week they allow 2 first team squad players to leave on loan.......
We all know why this is called off and has little to do with COVID
The same managers will be calling foul when the are forced to play 3 times a week to clear fixtures
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Strange don't hear people moaning about Burnley v Leicester being cancelled
Process for calling off matches here: https://www.premierleague.com/news/2426753
When making an application, clubs must provide the Board with the following details, together with clear reasons why they believe the match should be postponed:
- Players and staff who have returned a positive COVID-19 test, their vaccination status and, if known, the source of their infections.
- Players and staff who are self-isolating.
- Players who are unavailable to play through injury or illness.
- Players listed on the club’s squad list who are still available to play in the match, including appropriately experienced Under-21 players (which includes Under-21 players who have played for the club, another Premier League or EFL club, or an overseas club in the current season. However, any Under-21 player who participates in a club’s FA Cup Round Three match and has not played in any other first-team competitions for the club this season will not be considered by the Board as appropriately experienced).
- Supporting medical information to verify the status of each unavailable player, which will be reviewed by the League’s medical advisers.
We played Liverpool (did anyone mention false positives match cancelled and back in training ready for Shrewsbury...), had a moron get a red card, and three additional first team players get injured as we had 4 academy players on the bench, none of which came on (only Patino had a start with first team in cup matches). Balogun who was off to Boro hasn't been near the first team and had Covid v Pool anyway. ANM off to Roma deal was already done and had sparse minutes anyway.
Premier League rules say a club must play a game if they have 13 outfield players and one goalkeeper available. Our first team outfield players left:
- Tavares
- Marí
- White
- Gabriel
- Tierney
- Holding
- Lokonga
- Martinelli
- Lacazette
- Nketiah
At a push thrown in 18yo Patino under the minimum experience (10 mins in Carabao, 69mins FA cup total with first team) makes 11...
Agent Rafa needs to stay.
https://youtu.be/MfIrFqGmkIA
AgentBenitez sacked
One of the strangest managerial appointments Benitez. Absolute dinosaur who was stubborn and stuck in his ways.
I was happy to overlook his Liverpool connection at the start given his CV, but after a handful of early wins we have been dreadful and if it was allowed to continue we would have got sucked into the relegation struggle. Not sure about Rooney, perhaps a little early for him. Maybe Potter is a good shout, but if we were any lower it would have been Big Sam time again
Is big Dunk part of the wider problem?
Some serious issues at Goodison. Selling Digne due to clashing with the gaffer then sacking the gaffer just after is madness
My assessment of our team at the halfway point of the season:
Keeper - we're OK. Would buy better if available but not a worry.
Trippier - class. Head and shoulders above the rest. Positioning, pass selection, set piece delivery and organising of the back four is excellent. He could get forward more for me.
Dummett - fine. Has been our best fullback for a few seasons.
Lascelles - League 1 standard. Shouldn't be anywhere near this team and will be the first out the door and rightly so.
Schar / Fernandez - both acceptable.
Longstaff - unbelievably terrible. Has nothing. Second out the door.
Shelvey - see Longstaff. Third out.
Willock - WTF has happened to him? Unplayable last season and also this but for very different reasons.
Fraser - Championship level at best.
Joelinton - excellent again. Never stops. Would be excellent as a holding midfielder if we're able to get a couple of forward thinking midfielders.
ASM - a liability. Like playing with ten men when he plays. Headless chicken. Never scored more than three goals in a season. Never puts a cross in. Cuts back inside every time. Lost the ball every single time he got it in the first half yesterday. I'd have replaced him with Almiron at half time (yes I know he then scored).
Wood - has obvious abilities as a big No 9. Bullied the Watford CBs all day and won every header all day. Problem is we never put in a single cross for him to attack.
So we need a CB, two attacking midfielders and a couple of wide players....this week....to stand any chance of survival.
You’ve had two top classes managers in the last two and they’ve both done nothing.
The squad is absolutely dreadful, absolute dross on big wages and you can’t move them on.
You’re best players are two bargain buys Benitez has brought in.
Seriously apart from maybe Richarlison who else would get near a starting spot in a top 6/7 side ?
Benitez was never going to work with the Liverpool connection but him and Carlo are the best managers you’ve ever had.
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Did he? Both buyer & seller state the fee as 'undisclosed'. If you've conclusive information that he cost £12m, you're well-informed.
(As an aside, the Scottish press had him as a £25m player in November. A player who made less than 30 club appearances, mostly as a sub & played less than 1600 minutes of first-team football since January 2020. Hyped? Very possibly!)
______
Jim.
https://www.skysports.com/transfer/n...rs-in-16m-deal
Thank me anytime
Everton has never had a manager in its history that has won league titles across Europe and Champion's League / European Cups therefore they are both the best / most successful managers they've every had.
I have a prediction for your perusal, TZ Massive:
Amanda Staveley apparently has a great relationship with Rafa, having discussed at length their visions for the club way back when he was still here. I can see a scenario where Howe gets the push as early as this week and Rafa comes back.
Thoughts?
Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 16th January 2022 at 21:17.
It's really strange because we all know his football is quite regressive but his stock is still high here, he was loved here. I think I can speak for 'supporters' and say we'd have more confidence of getting out of the Championship first go with Rafa than Howe.
I think he'd take it for sure.
“ Top class manager “ ? Benitez ? Don’t make me laugh.
What are the credentials for being a ‘top class manager”. ?
He was at Liverpool for 6 or 7 years and won three cups .
Top class indeed .
Three cups more than Everton have won in 30+ years.
All those trophies from the past mean nothing in the present. He may have been a world class manager in the past but you can’t level that against him after the last few months and arguably the last few years.
He also has to take responsibility for some of the unrest in the dressing room. Targeting Digne whilst continually playing Rondon who looks like he’d struggle to keep up with seniors walking football is pure stubbornness.
The minute we beat them on Saturday he was finished. Bottom of the table, no goals in 6 games then 2 from their own player and young Idah who hasnt ever scored a premiership goal.
Word is he will be getting around £500,000 per game he managed if you look at his settlement fee.
Burnley Watford still on because Burnley haven't cancelled the pie order
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As a Leeds fan I was both pleased and very surprised with yesterdays win at West Ham. Despite an extensive injury list, a bench full of teenagers, and 2 more injuries in the first half, Leeds stuck to the task and got a much- needed win.
David Moyes had a moan on TV in reference to the mid- week game vs Norwich that West Ham were forced to play, sounded like sour grapes and did him no credit. West Ham didn’t play badly, they missed chances and Leeds took advantage, sometimes that’s the way it goes.
I still can't get over how Bowen missed from 1 yard
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It is poor form that (we) Arsenal ducked the spurs match. Just an excuse to have more rest and to prepare for the Liverpool match in a few days. Covid is just an easy excuse, Even Liverpool showed that a few weeks back with their false positives, amazing Klopp had that many staff and players all with false positive results!