Monday night’s game saw Newcastle, not at their best and we suffered our first defeat in five games.
In fact, the last defeat was a 2-0 loss also in Liverpool against the Reds.
Not many players on Monday shone in what was a mediocre game to watch.
But our Man of the Match has been a revelation this year – and Mo Diame gets the top spot with 43% of the vote.
Mo has one year left on his contract in June and we are hoping Mo gets (say) a two-year extension to his current contract in the summer – he deserves it.
Mo Diame challenges Wayne Rooney on Monday night
His continued good form as the holding midfielder is proving to Rafa this is not just a flash in the pan from the 30-year-old former Senegal International.
We need his experience in the side, and it’s interesting that our two players in the engine room during our good form this year – Diame and Shelvey – are also our two most experienced players.
Other players who had decent games for us at Goodison Park were Kenedy, Dummett, and Lejeune, who is really starting to look the part alongside Jamaal Lascelles in central defense.
Comments welcome.
15 comments so far
posada
Apr 25, 2018 at 10:39 AM
Comment #1One point I noticed from being in the ground for this game. The pitch was not just watered it was saturated. KK used to like the pitch with some water on it to help put some zip into passing etc. it helped a passing side. This went beyond that. It was like they wanted to prevent a passing game.
Reality check. We were booted out of game. Some of our players are on small side.
Same is true of Liverpool, but they are harder to boot out of a game. More quality and more pace.
Also, more protection from refs.
RobLeenio
Apr 25, 2018 at 10:44 AM
Comment #2Ed, surely Diame can’t be a ‘surprise’ man of the match any longer? He’s been one of our best and most consistent performers for months. What is surprising is that a player who was roundly derided before Christmas is now looking more and more like a serious contender for our player of the season.
lochinvar
Apr 25, 2018 at 10:49 AM
Comment #3So Allardyce has moved on from goofball to water polo.
It seems no different to having tape in your pocket and doctoring the ball to saturating the pitch for an advantage and destroying the game, maybe even putting players at risk.
Just smells of a lack of class.
Geordie-john
Apr 25, 2018 at 10:50 AM
Comment #4posada comment #1
I’m pleased someone else noticed the fact that the pitch had been heavily watered more so in the centre. This was apparent after the game when Henry and Martinez were commenting on the match as in the background grounds men were prodding the grass to help drain the pitch.
No doubt another one of fat shams antics to slow us down and help Everton players match us.
RobLeenio
Apr 25, 2018 at 10:54 AM
Comment #5posada, I wonder if this contributed to Perez over-hitting his pass to Slimani? If he expected the ball to slow down but there was less water in that area, it could explain it.
I prefer that explanation to the alternative which has been shouted all week from some areas (he’s useless and needs to be sold)
ArtyH
Apr 25, 2018 at 10:56 AM
Comment #6Would get my player of the season any day of the week, and I was one of his biggest critics before Christmas. What an amazing turn around, deserves all the praise, just shows how good a manager Rafa is finding MO’s best position!
Water on the pitch, poor excuse as it was the same for Everton, very poor match, we got caught out, it happens, move on.
Jib
Apr 25, 2018 at 11:01 AM
Comment #7C’mon Rafa sprinkle some of your magic
dust over the Toon this Summer
https://twitter.com/bet365/status/988337064826548225
Jib
Apr 25, 2018 at 11:06 AM
Comment #8ArtyH
Water on the pitch, poor excuse
Not an excuse really more a critique
of the fat gumchewing tosser that is
Sam Allardyce
beefman13
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:02 PM
Comment #9I thought Diame was very good the other night, has been for a while, i thought in general we played well but did not have that extra bit of class at the deep end, we had half a dozen really good chances that just fizzled out, Perez n Gayle n Slimani could not link it up at anytime, I mentioned the other day Gayle and Perez and their shortfalls ie they are two thirds the way to being really good strikers, but they have not got that other level, I do feel good vibes about Slimani, I think he is better than the other two and of course better than Joselu.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:04 PM
Comment #10I wonder if the Everton players wore longer studs to combat it in preparation, they weren’t slipping all over the place.
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:23 PM
Comment #11Should’ve been in central midfield alongside Shelvey all last season, with either Mitro or Murph up top, and any one of Perez, Gayle or even Gouffran behind. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but that really does seem glaringly obvious now. Ah, all’s well that ends well. Nee bother.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:24 PM
Comment #12Just got two for Watford whoop whoop 😀
Jail for Ashley
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:25 PM
Comment #13Jimmy,
Don’t tell that to Munster, he’ll be all over Rafa’s failure to spot that 😮
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:31 PM
Comment #14Just between you and me then
martoon
Apr 25, 2018 at 12:51 PM
Comment #15RobLeenio @5 – I have to agree that although it sounds like a pathetic excuse it would explain why Perez misjudged the weight of his pass so badly. I thought at the time we seemed to be slipping a lot – now I know why – it really is gamesmanship taken to another level by Fat Sam!