2018-19 International Blues I

[MmmblueBernard]

I’m delighted Richarlison got his well deserved call up but at the same time terrified he’ll get injured.

[Lxxx]

If we get through international breaks without Richarlisons dad suggesting he’d quite like to win trophies sometime soon I’ll be content.

[MmmblueBernard]

If we get through international breaks without Richarlisons dad suggesting he’d quite like to win trophies sometime soon I’ll be content.

He’s not Belgian ya know.

[Tony Clifton]

McCarthy on track to return just in time to get injured again in next months internationals. 

[Shogun]

Not really a fan but good backup to Gana.

More likely he’ll be at Celtic come next summer, mind.

[brap2]

That video was ages ago you know?

Edit: also I wonder what his passing is like compared to Gana / Schneiderlin actually? Might appear less crabby

[TheRam]

That video was ages ago you know?

Edit: also I wonder what his passing is like compared to Gana / Schneiderlin actually? Might appear less crabby

You see that chart knocking about last night? Basically comparing how quick and effective midfielders are when using the ball.

Surprisingly Morgan is amongst the leagues best when it comes to using the ball quickly

Gana isn't, but I always maintain he's not there for that. Win it, pop it off and sit

[dazfrancis]

You see that chart knocking about last night? Basically comparing how quick and effective midfielders are when using the ball.

Surprisingly Morgan is amongst the leagues best when it comes to using the ball quickly

Gana isn't, but I always maintain he's not there for that. Win it, pop it off and sit

Nice. Agree we can't expect too much of the same from Gana as we do from Scheiderlin.

You got a link to the chart?

[Lxxx]

McCarthy would be right up there if they’re looking at players who use the ball quickly. He’s top drawer at already looking behind him, or at best to the side, for a zero responsibility negative ball before he’s even got it.

[Tony Clifton]

That video was ages ago you know?

Edit: also I wonder what his passing is like compared to Gana / Schneiderlin actually? Might appear less crabby

Yeah, thought I'd seen it before...  it was just posted on the echo site again with the update on his comeback, that's my excuse anyway.  Well, that and my fried brain.

[brap2]

You see that chart knocking about last night? Basically comparing how quick and effective midfielders are when using the ball.

Surprisingly Morgan is amongst the leagues best when it comes to using the ball quickly

Gana isn't, but I always maintain he's not there for that. Win it, pop it off and sit

I did see that yeah but to be fair not a great deal of minutes played so far so likely to get skewed results.

The CM article by @footballfactman on Twitter is the best read on this for us. The Everton preview on statsbomb mentions it as well I think I.e how well do we move the ball up the pitch etc.

Re: Gana - yes I agree that that is what he is *good at* but that doesn’t seem to be what he is being *asked to do* which are two very different things.

Every touch Gana takes in transition or in the final third is for me, a touch that should be taken by Gylfi. But that isn’t what we see, what we see is Gana winning the ball back an incredible amount and then more often then not dribbling in half circles and passing backwards or sideways to someone else who is equally as bad at going forward. Checkout toffee analysis for his Bournemouth review as well. Good detail with gifs explaining etc.

Edit: also Morgan will be up there because it was a Quick/Accurate matrix which he will be both because he’s a competent passer and quick at recycling posession, but doesn’t try passes into the final third or with any kind of risk or impetus to them (I.e risk of being inaccurate - check out where neves is on that chart for instance.)

[Toddacelli]

I did see that yeah but to be fair not a great deal of minutes played so far so likely to get skewed results.

The CM article by @footballfactman on Twitter is the best read on this for us. The Everton preview on statsbomb mentions it as well I think I.e how well do we move the ball up the pitch etc.

Re: Gana - yes I agree that that is what he is *good at* but that doesn’t seem to be what he is being *asked to do* which are two very different things.

Every touch Gana takes in transition or in the final third is for me, a touch that should be taken by Gylfi. But that isn’t what we see, what we see is Gana winning the ball back an incredible amount and then more often then not dribbling in half circles and passing backwards or sideways to someone else who is equally as bad at going forward. Checkout toffee analysis for his Bournemouth review as well. Good detail with gifs explaining etc.

Edit: also Morgan will be up there because it was a Quick/Accurate matrix which he will be both because he’s a competent passer and quick at recycling posession, but doesn’t try passes into the final third or with any kind of risk or impetus to them (I.e risk of being inaccurate - check out where neves is on that chart for instance.)

Am I over-simplifying it too much to expect our better ballers to be immediately making themselves available to the ones who win it back? If every time Gana is getting near the ball, the likes of Sigurdsson, Walcott, Richarlison etc are aware of  where they are in relation to him and whether they can show for an easy pass - is that too much to expect?

[brap2]

Am I over-simplifying it too much to expect our better ballers to be immediately making themselves available to the ones who win it back? If every time Gana is getting near the ball, the likes of Sigurdsson, Walcott, Richarlison etc are aware of  where they are in relation to him and whether they can show for an easy pass - is that too much to expect?

Feels simple doesn’t it but this is a problem that has existed for us since before we got Barry, so i assume there are other elements to it besides move towards the ball winner.

Plus Gana must get asked to try and be a bit more progressive on the ball, ala Kante this season, because Koeman, unsworth, allardyce and silva have all pushed him up the field with Schneiderlin behind.

[Evertonian in NC]

Hate international weeekends

At least it's NFL kickoff weekend.  Takes some of the bite out of it.  Not the majority, by any means.

[Lxxx]

Feels simple doesn’t it but this is a problem that has existed for us since before we got Barry, so i assume there are other elements to it besides move towards the ball winner.

Plus Gana must get asked to try and be a bit more progressive on the ball, ala Kante this season, because Koeman, unsworth, allardyce and silva have all pushed him up the field with Schneiderlin behind.

See I don’t actually think Gana is bad at that at all. He can win the ball and drive forward 10 yards quite easily and is quite effective at it too. It’s the next stage where we fall down because we lack the fluidity of movement ahead of him which makes him pirouette and turn back, making him look more limited than he is.

It might come once we get the new way of playing bedded in and better quality at No 9 and 10.