It's not always someone's fault.

[Dirk Gently]

We were outplayed by a damn good team, with bags of Premier League experience who are very "streetwise" - remember not so very long ago they qualified for the Champions League.

So why do we always have to have all these post-match sessions of arguing which player(s) are to blame for the every defeat?

Sometimes it's just that we've played against a better team - we're playing in the most competitive league in the world, and it'll take us quite a few years to get to a consistent standard in it, so remember - we can't win them all, for every match there must be a loser as well as a winner, sometimes that'll be us - and CHILLAX!

[The 17 Bus]

What if it is a draw?

[Dirk Gently]

What if it is a draw?

Smartarse

[RG30]

Agree with Dirk. Everton played really well today and the 2 players that made the difference was Howard and Lescott, a player who we made a big bid for in the summer so I'm not to dissapointed.

The target was 20 points by Christmas, we got 26 so let's all rejoice and look forward to the next 2 away games.

[Denver Royal]

We were outplayed by a damn good team, with bags of Premier League experience who are very "streetwise" - remember not so very long ago they qualified for the Champions League.

Fair enough.

Problem is, we seem to be playing against 'damn good teams' every week. We allegedly played a damn good one last week in Blackburn (who, btw, got hammered 6-2 today ).

A few weeks ago, when our next 4 games were to be Newcastle, Watford, Blackburn and Everton, did you figure we might make a little hay?

[Chaney]

did they outplay us in the 2nd half today???, if you think that then you must have been on a different planet let alone a different stadium

[Arch]

The real disappointments were Watford and Blackburn. There's no point SC coming out and saying "they make it difficult". Of course they do, but we did not make a good fist of that game at all. Then we should have put the Blackburn game away - or at least held on for a draw.

Good fighting spirit second half today. We need Kitson back, and we need to toughen up our defending, but basically it's a game we could have got something from on another day.

[Dirk Gently]

did they outplay us in the 2nd half today???, if you think that then you must have been on a different planet let alone a different stadium

Thye gave us plenty of space to play in and were happy to soak up the pressure, but in the penalty area - where it really counts - I'd say they definitely did outplay us.

We could hardly clear it from defence, but everytime they got a foot on the ball they got it well clear. Good solid defence from them.

[RG30]

Regardless of the opposition, the Watford point was a good one taking into account we played Newcastle few days beforehand away and Watford had the better chances.

We let Blackburn back into the game last week and got beaten on our 2nd half display, while today we didn't show up for 55 minutes.

[Millsy]

The real disappointments were Watford and Blackburn.

Yes I think this hitws the nail BANG on the head.

Dirk I totally agree, and in retrospect I was thinking that too - Everton are a class Premiership side and today we were simply beaten by a better side really.

But as Arch says the comments of many, including myself almost certainly come as a result of a very frustrating period playing with no passion against teams we really should have destroyed. Had today been on the back of good fights and good results against those teams I don't think there'd be a word of complaint really, but today's result is just asking for the pent up frustration to be unleashed.

Unfortunately I can see losses against Cheatski and ManUre just adding more tension, when infact 1 or 2 nil defeats will be good results.

[soggy biscuit]

Ave it

[Royalwaster]

I'd say that today we were found out - you got to give it to the Everton manager, he'd done his homework. Did you guys notice how they always put two men on our wing players? Little tried hard but had very little space and the overlap between Shorey and Hunt just never happened. I've always been worried that almost all our goals arrive down the wings and we're not very creative down the middle - and Everton seemed to have really sussed that today.

[Captain Sinbad]

Isn't that Sir Stevie's job though? To suss that out and change things.

And let's face it, the team have all played before - don't they realise when to change it

Just asking the obvious like!

[Legend]

We were outplayed by a damn good team, with bags of Premier League experience who are very "streetwise" - remember not so very long ago they qualified for the Champions League.

So why do we always have to have all these post-match sessions of arguing which player(s) are to blame for the every defeat?

Sometimes it's just that we've played against a better team - we're playing in the most competitive league in the world, and it'll take us quite a few years to get to a consistent standard in it, so remember - we can't win them all, for every match there must be a loser as well as a winner, sometimes that'll be us - and CHILLAX!

No they didn't they lost 5 niLOL in the qualifier.

In one week, out the next
In one week, out the next
In one week, out the next
Everton in europe.

[Victor Meldrew]

We were outplayed by a damn good team, with bags of Premier League experience who are very "streetwise" - remember not so very long ago they qualified for the Champions League.

So why do we always have to have all these post-match sessions of arguing which player(s) are to blame for the every defeat?

Sometimes it's just that we've played against a better team - we're playing in the most competitive league in the world, and it'll take us quite a few years to get to a consistent standard in it, so remember - we can't win them all, for every match there must be a loser as well as a winner, sometimes that'll be us - and CHILLAX!

I think fans can accept a defeat against Chelsea,Man Utd,Liverpool or Arsenal but we need to beat quite a few of the rest in our home games and why not discuss where we went wrong and how we might improve?
As for Everton being "a damn good team" they had previously won one solitary away game all season,the same as Man City and Fulham and two LESS than Sheff Utd.

When we went to Newcastle I heard some fans singing "We're all going on a European tour" and in the same week our chairman was coming out with a similar lane and furthermore suggesting that our current squad doesn't need adding to.
I felt at the time "I wish people wouldn't sing and say these things" especially when it is so premature as was the chant of "Goin down" to Newcastle fans who's team can't now stop winning and are now just one point behind us!!

It's not necessarily "always someone's fault" -it is a team game and there should be corporate responsibility or "fault".
Unfortunately due to our squad size there aren't many other options so the first team has to play to it's maximum every week-recently they haven't.

[Denver Royal]

As for Everton being "a damn good team" they had previously won one solitary away game all season,the same as Man City and Fulham and two LESS than Sheff Utd.

Heh. Last week, Blackburn were supposedly also a 'damn good team' who were no doubt destined to fly up the table. Well, today Blackburn came back down to earth with a thud and were soundly thrashed 6-2.

[Stranded]

Or maybe there's a hell of a lot of equally matched teams in this league who can all beat each other. This division is going to be up one minute,down the next and we're going to have to get used it.

I think we were sussed a little bit today and I think we need to be a bit smarter, on the plus side two of our better players should be back soon and will offer us something extra than we already have. As hopefully, will some new singings next month.

[2.8 lita injection]

We were outplayed by a damn good team, with bags of Premier League experience who are very "streetwise" - remember not so very long ago they qualified for the Champions League.

So why do we always have to have all these post-match sessions of arguing which player(s) are to blame for the every defeat?

Sometimes it's just that we've played against a better team - we're playing in the most competitive league in the world, and it'll take us quite a few years to get to a consistent standard in it, so remember - we can't win them all, for every match there must be a loser as well as a winner, sometimes that'll be us - and CHILLAX!

I was surprised when they made Reading Favs to beat Everton, Everton have some really classy players and for us to lose isnt the end of the world.

We cannot give 110% in every game and our form from last season will only last for so long at this level, the players cannot play above themselves forever.

We are still one of the lesser teams in the PL who could get relegated this season and just because we have started well you shouldnt kid yourself that we are better than that.

[kirkrich]

When the teams were being read out pre match, it hit home just how good their squad was. They are a good side on paper and I think even better on grass. Our squads are not comparable, they are stronger and faster, today anyway. Matches like that show that we do need investment, not masses and not panic investment, but one or two quality players who can change a match. Its frustrating, as Sir Steve says, when you are trying to sign that elusive player and he's not interested! But hey, rather this than Crewe away on a rainy Wednesday evening.

[Platypuss]

did they outplay us in the 2nd half today???,

They didn't need to. 0-2 and job done.