At home but where is the comfort?

[Virgil Caine]

I believe that good teams are built in the dressing room and on the training pitch. I would like to think that Lambert is an excellent man manager and has formed a cohesive unit that will play for each other, box ticked. Where I think we are lacking is perhaps a tactical and coaching back room team, I worry about the lack of basic ball control, lack of imagination from set pieces, the team running out of steam after an hour even though we are not playing a pressing method, woeful strength in the tackle and movement and mobility off the ball. World class players are so deemed because those traits are a natural by-product, with other mere mortal players it has to be ' trained in' and my opinion is that we have not given this area enough focus.

[Axl Rose]

In our first game we played a good Liverpool side; hey they must be great if they can swat the "Pride of the Midlands".

In that game, they passed it better than us for forty minutes, created one opening and scored it. For the remaining 50 minutes, we managed to get on the front foot and passed it better than them. We too though only managed one opening, but it was well saved and the game was lost.

We didn't fashion enough chances that our possession and dominance merrited. We we lacked variety and an incisiveness in our passing in the final third, much like the better team we were playing did in their forty minutes.

Next up was Newcastle. The worst performance of the season. Six or so players had stinkers. We were disjointed in the way we passed it, we were static and too narrow. We got what we deserved against a side who are mid-table.

Man City will more than likely win the league. Descriptions of this as a fluke based on the balance of the game are products of a negative dogma. We deserved the win. We created more than they and two set pieces aside, defended (unusually for us) very well. The first half was too easy for them, the second saw our wing backs push right on and it caused them problems. We also took our chances when we had them. One Toure run aside, Man City, for all their billions, had no response.

Spurs. A tight game, defined by a soft goal and one moment of quality from three players who cost in excess of £60 million. There are fine margins in this league, but then there are some thick ones too; clubs in the top six spending a lot of money on a few very good players is one of them. Much like the Liverpool game, we were too obvious in our attacking play, which against a good side like Liverpool and a better one like Spurs is going to see us suffer. At one nil we had a great chance; Benteke should have burried a header unmarked from six yards.

Everton. Consistency in personel serves Martinez well. Not too many managers will be relegated and then handed the keys to a top six/seven team. This game was different from the rest, as we created a number of golden opportunities. We should have been three goals to the good before Guzan made his first save. Goals change games and you have to take chances like we had. Gabby at one nil down was an appalling miss. Leon Osman coming on for Englands ineffectual great hope changed things, as kept and used the ball far better than Berkley managed.

That was how I saw the games at home thus far. I am not trying to answer long term problems, as I no longer think it matters a great deal why we could only win 10 under O'Neill at home.

The common themes are that we have played a lot of very good teams, when we ourselves are mid-table in my opinion. What we have created, we have by and large fluffed. A point against Liverpool and three against Everton would have left the Merseysiders with no complaints.

Everton was different in that we were a lot more inventive and opened them up four or five times; the football prior to Gabbys miss was excellent. I think Tonev helped, as his passing was quicker and he was willing to hit the box with his runs.

I personally think the absence of Sylla is a factor. Delph is our best midfielder, he has pace and an ability to beat players, while Sylla offers all the physical defensive options and more that Delph does. Bring Sylla into sit by another, let Delph be the midfielder with more licence and push Tonev into Andi's position; the only player to put a few crosses (good ones too) into the box yesterday.

We have been punished for profligacy and punished by ruthlessness at both ends. Nobody has battered us, but if you miss the chances you create, small in most games, enough in the later, then you will get hurt. This will amplified more so against the quality we have played.

I don't think atmosphere or how whiny the Holte is means a great deal. Selection and a run of the worst fixtures I can remember at a time when the team is looking to put another 8-10 points on the board to go from bottom six to mid-table.

November, away from home too, will tell us a great deal. We all to a man expect us to beat both Cardiff and Sunderland, two sides who I think will struggle to stay in the league. To put them into the analysis above; they are far from top sides, they lack the quality to hurt you in an instant and they will give you more in front of goal. We have got to win both and we should win both, people expect us to win both, but we all lack the confidence to say that we will win both with 100% certainty.

Excellent post, my friend. I agree with you completely.

[andyh]

I must have watched a totally different game.
Yes we had good chances yesterday, but so did they.
So, not only could we have been out of sight at half time, but so could Everton.

As for Tonev, I really didn't think he touched the ball in the first 30 mins.

Still, it's all about opinions isn't it?

[Ads]

Goals change games. We should have been 3-0 up before Lukaku's header. The game would have been entirely different.

[Clampy]

It could have very easily been 3-2 at half time. I'm amazed we didn't score, I thought they looked very dodgy at the back.

[eastie]

It could have very easily been 3-2 at half time. I'm amazed we didn't score, I thought they looked very dodgy at the back.

Poor finishing I'm afraid , Weimann seemed to panic when he realised he was onside and gabbys effort was more worthy of a back pass - benteke was foiled twice by top goalkeeping , although the pen was accurate it was a nice height - either keep it low or into the roof of the net - not the height he put it.

Would people stick with him on pens as he's missed a couple now this season ?
Personally yes I would give him another go .

[amfy]

Blame is an extreme word, but I was saying yesterday even before we lost the game that I can't remember such a strong synergy (if that's the right word) between the fans and the team.

Because we were actually playing pretty well before Everton scored in the second half yesterday. Let's not get confused by Sky type stats about 'shots on target' or 'making the goalie work', the truth is that balls pinging across and around the area are chances, and we had plenty of those, and actually also appeared to be defending well. I felt that the atmosphere was reflecting this, the fans were upbeat, I was even hearing new songs and chants.

Everton's goal, when it came, stunned everyone. Usually, when we concede, I am on my feet as the team troop back towards the centre circle to kick back off, shouting 'Come on!!!', but I didn't have it in me yesterday, I was gutted to see a decent performance heading towards nothing again. Alongside me, what had been a decent atmosphere around a decent performance, disintegrated into flat despondency in a moment.

......and that's what we saw feed into the team, the same despondency that fell across the crowd. From the time they scored, both the support and the team fell apart.

The contrast was there in the Spurs game - the instant perking up of the crowd and the team when Benteke came on, was only partially the difference that individual player made. It was a simultaneous lifting of the crowd and the team.

Like I say, it's not about blame, it's about feelings. It's hard work to fight your feelings, and try to lift the team when you feel let down, and disappointed, and the problem with modern football is at these prices, no-one feels they should have to work at it. When you've paid that much, and watching it is just pissing you off, then turning and walking out can easily seem like the best idea.

If we have any success with safe standing, the thing I will miss least about sitting is the sound of all those seats going up when things aren't going our way.

[eastie]

I agree in some ways Amfy, when we went behind heads dropped and it was like here we go again , this is where we lack in experience and leadership to gee up the younger lads and go again to coin a phrase .

Too often , when we concede the heart goes from too many players and lambert resorts to throwing on another big striker which does little to help.

[supertom]

Stats unfortunately tell us, game after game, at home that we're not creating enough. 3 shots on target yesterday, for a home game is not nearly good enough. It's been a similar tale in other home games. We might bemoan not getting what we deserved against Liverpool, Spurs and now Everton, but if you don't hit the target you've got no chance in scoring.
This is partly: a- not creating enough chances, b- not having the technically ability to create enough clear cut chances and c- not having any composure. We don't really measure much. It's always a bit manic our attacking play. Sometimes we need to calm it down a bit, but there's no one in midfield capable of stopping the ball, looking up and using their fucking brain. We don't have a single player with any vision in my opinion, which is a big part of our problem.


So far we've had 5 home games. We've had 13 shots on target in those games. That's less than 3 per game on average. Even considering the standard of opposition that's dire.

The big worry too is that we're not really creating that much away from home either. The Arsenal game aside, we've struggled a little away from home. We had a tight win against a dire Norwich and did nothing against Hull. Chelsea we played well considering the opposition but didn't really create enough clear cut opportunities to look like winning the game.

[Toronto Villa]

I do hate seeing away supporters celebrate almost the inevitable and than rub it in our faces with "you are shit you know you are" week in week out.
I hate the look on young supporters faces as we leave the ground.
I hate football for the rest of the week.
OH I DO HATE LOSING AT HOME.

Mind you, all a bit rich coming from Everton fans who've won fuck all for longer than us. Your points generally are valid. I do avoid football conversation as much as possible after we lose.

[Dave Clark Five]

There is no atmosphere in the ground. Our fans need motivating to do other than just turn up. Say what you like, it is too quiet in there. We need to generate something and the team should be instrumental in that.

I thought we were pretty good today. Where I sit in the holte upper we were singing loads in the first half and I only actually heard Everton once in first 70 mins.

We need more leaders out there, and the much maligned experience for me.

It needs the whole ground going and always has. In P8 we hardly hear the Holte, but very much hear the away fans. Until there is some excitement on the pitch, the other parts of the ground rarely get involved.

[Gareth]

A bloody captain on the field would be a start, I'm sick of the opposition scoring & the players just turning round and wandering back to kick off, I want to see someone bollocking / rousing / getting them going.

Midfield is powder puff, still only Delph has made a spot his own in there - Westwood / KEA / Sylla, have any of them been better this season than Bannan was at the start of last?? Yesterday they were bossed by an experienced loan midfielder who we didn't appear to want in the summer.

Crowd is nothing to do with the home form, should we lose the next couple I can see lots turning on PL at which point it might be a factor.

Benteke aside we have bought a lot of squad fillers but seem to have failed to put the 2/3 quality players in the mix that we have craved for 4/5 years now. 

We are good away because we have pace to counter attack but at home you need a) have the ball to control the game b) not panic every time you have the ball c) not have to do everything at 100mph d) move to want the ball, seems to me that some prefer to be near their marker so they don't have to get the ball.

And as for width, there are more than full backs allowed to play wide....this 3 up top nonsense that we seem to play to find places for Weimman & Gabby needs a rest - would say 451 but not sure we have 5 midfielders worthy of selection.

All my opinions of course & I'm not paid a couple of mill a year to manage the side......

[Rudy65]

A bloody captain on the field would be a start, I'm sick of the opposition scoring & the players just turning round and wandering back to kick off, I want to see someone bollocking / rousing / getting them going.

Midfield is powder puff, still only Delph has made a spot his own in there - Westwood / KEA / Sylla, have any of them been better this season than Bannan was at the start of last?? Yesterday they were bossed by an experienced loan midfielder who we didn't appear to want in the summer.

Crowd is nothing to do with the home form, should we loose the next couple I can see lots turning on PL at which point it might be a factor.

Benteke aside we have bought a lot of squad fillers but seem to have failed to put the 2/3 quality players in the mix that we have craved for 4/5 years now. 

We are good away because we have pace to counter attack but at home you need a) have the ball to control the game b) not panic every time you have the ball c) not have to do everything at 100mph d) move to want the ball, seems to me that some prefer to be near their marker so they don't have to get the ball.

And as for width, there are more than full backs allowed to play wide....this 3 up top nonsense that we seem to play to find places for Weimman & Gabby needs a rest - would say 451 but not sure we have 5 midfielders worthy of selection.

All my opinions of course & I'm not paid a couple of mill a year to manage the side......

Agree totally with your first paragraph it drives me mad that there is no recation when we conceded

[ktvillan]

I don't think VP is any more "welcoming" than many other grounds and whilst we have played some of the better teams in the league at home, it's still no excuse for getting walked all over.  I agree with what  Jimbo says on page 1, our players suit the counter attacking game which doesn't really work at home.  Gabby's pace and Weimann's movement are ineffective because both lack the touch, guile and composure to play in the tighter spaces at home.  So do too many other players.

This is exacerbated by Lambert's insistence on trying to play through the middle, the players simply aren't clever enough or good enough technique wise to manage it against better teams.  On the occasions the full backs manage to push up to provide width, it leave us badly exposed at the back.  Any team that has a good winger can have a field day exposing the gaps (see Ben Arfa and Townsend).  When we go behind Lambert seems to lose the plot completely tactically and goes 4-2-4 or 4-1-5 and hoof it. 

Finally we lack experience and leaders on the pitch to steady the ship, and of course that vital midfielde general/playmaker.  It seems everyone except Lambert can see we need these.   

[SoccerHQ]

I would have to agree with pretty much all of that KT.

I was very pleased with how we started yesterday. Too often I think we start at a snail pace at home which allows the away team to comfortably settle in and dictate play but Everton barely had a kick the first half hour and I still can't understand how we didn't score during that period.

Simply as my dad often points out such as yesterday you simply can't squander chance after chance against the top 6/7 teams in the league as sooner or later they'll take control of the game and create and take a chance themselves.

I could take a defeat like yesterday as the commitment and general play was decent.....but we've had so many of those home games over the last few years it is really starting to grate now.

Next two are Sunderland and Cardiff. Infact Palace is also coming up. I would love to think we'll comfortably win all three but it's not going to happen like that is it?