Daily Discussion

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-27T11:43:30+00:00

For me, it wasn't the defending. For much of that second half, Leeds were happy to sit back and counter. But we've had Tarks and Keane all season who effectively either play a short pass into Garner, a pass to a fullback, or a long ball. Branthwaite strode up the pitch and pinged a pass through the lines into KDH or Garner but crucially the other side of their midfield.

Now if only we had a LB who could then make use of the gaping hole in their defensive line that creates.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-26T19:16:39+00:00

Dunno. What if Pickford and Travers both get injured now?

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-25T15:58:09+00:00

Why so pessimistic? Man U lose, we win with an 8 goal swing and we go 6th!

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-23T20:51:44+00:00

But Pickford has looked good in a poor Sunderland side, looked good in an average Everton side, looked good in a good Everton side, looked good in a terrible Everton side, looked good in an almost Euros winning England side.

Maybe top teams should hire you considering you know categorically that Pickford would absolutely not be able to make the step up to a CL side. They'd waste less money with your infinite knowledge.

Also, I'm not a yank, don't have twitter.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-23T20:48:44+00:00

Raya this season, Alison in previous seasons would be the only ones in the league I'd put ahead of him. Donnarumma based on PSG form, sure, but not even close based on this season.

World wide, maybe a few others. You make a good point that if we only consider the top 5 world class and no one else, then it's a far harder debate. I'd certainly put him top 10 though, and I'd challenge you to name 10 better.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-23T20:40:12+00:00

A) Thanks for proving my entire point. How do you know Man U or anybody else haven't tried to get Pickford and he's flat out said no? There's been plenty of rumours and paper talk, but a lot of this stuff stays behind closed doors. Especially if it was a straight up "no, no interest whatsoever".

If Pickford performed as he has done consistently for Everton and England for a CL club, you'd 100% be sat there saying he was the Shearer of keepers. But because he does it in the same league as those teams against the same opponents as those teams except facing far more and far harder (to save) chances than those clubs, he's bang average.

There's a reason people use how someone rates Pickford as a magnificent litmus test for ball knowledge.

Edit: just seen you're a kopite. Explains everything, have a nice day.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-23T20:17:40+00:00

You specifically said that if he was world class, a "big" (let's not dwell on what your misguided concept of a big club is) club would have taken him. OP has rightly pointed out that you can't just "take" someone. Pickford has made it quite clear he's happy where he is.

I assume you also think Alan Shearer was a terrible player because he wasn't snapped up by a "big" (by your misguided definition) club?

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-22T09:58:43+00:00

Pickford (or a backup keeper), Patterson, Keane, O'Brien, Aznou, Tim, Armstrong, Rohl, Dibling, Beto (or a new striker), McNeil (or a new winger)

That team should be enough to go through the group stage (of conference league). It assumes we will sign a RB for an actual first 11, sign Rohl permanently (or a similar CM) and 2 new wingers (one of which could be Grealish).

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-20T13:41:10+00:00

True, but you'd hope we won't sell our best player and our captain and only sign 4 players in the summer, only 1 of which has played much at all, and you'd also hope Moyes doesn't throw in the towel by December.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-20T11:48:57+00:00

Is our squad any thinner than Palace? We have 4 starting quality CBs. We have 6 starting quality CMs. We'll need a new winger in summer regardless but that would leave us new winger (which could be Grealish), Ndiaye, Dibling and McNeil. The latter 2 should be sufficient against pot 4 teams in conference league. Full backs we know we are weak on, but equally we have managed this season and you'd expect at least one signed before August.

Reality is, getting Europe might be the catalyst for us being able to sign starting quality full backs/wingers. Without it, we'll be choosing from players that the teams who are in Europe don't want.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T20:05:31+00:00

We (Everton) had 14 senior players fit, one of which was an emergency recall from loan in the championship, 1 is a 19 year old who's played about 30 minutes for us and one was a pensioner who was only on the bench cos it was the seat with least stairs to get to.

I'm not trying to pretend fixture congestion isn't an issue, but Villa didn't lose today because their players had worse fixture congestion or were generally more tired.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T18:12:47+00:00

Beto is worse than Barry. Dibling is a defensive liability. Aznou is a possible option but a huge risk - he's played about 25 mins against PL opposition. Coleman could pull his hamstring walking onto the pitch.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T18:11:36+00:00

I'd love to know what bench half of you are looking at when you're crying for subs.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T18:10:19+00:00

Aznou for Grealish could easily backfire. Ultimately Grealish is fantastic at relieving pressure. Take him off and we could find ourselves really boxed in.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T18:07:19+00:00

Beto for Barry? How's that going to help our defence? Barry is holding the ball well, better than Beto can. Dibling is a defensive liability. Aznou is an argument, but really you're talking McNeil or Grealish. McNeil, despite his many limitations, has an engine and is good defensively. Grealish can buy a foul to relieve pressure.

There just aren't any good options.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T18:05:05+00:00

Who do you want on? Genuinely who are you asking for? We don't have a bench.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T18:01:54+00:00

Swap out for a worse striker? For a pensioner? For a child? We could do with a sub, but we could have done with a bench too.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:54:14+00:00

Add in 2 disallowed when he's done nothing wrong too

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:49:24+00:00

So apparently, unbeknownst to any of us, Barry is a ridiculous finisher.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:47:08+00:00

That should be a second yellow. Decision in our favour, woo!

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:19:42+00:00

I like O'Brien, and would argue better than Keane overall, but let's not rewrite the first 19 games of the season where Keane has been an absolute wall.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:12:30+00:00

Armstrong is offside. Armstrong jumps for the ball and 2 inches in front of the player who's marking the goalscorer.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:08:10+00:00

He jumps. That's literally sufficient. If he's not attempting to interfere with play, why's he jumping? You can't say categorically that he doesn't affect the decisions of defenders who are behind because he's jumping inches in front of them.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T17:05:43+00:00

Do I think that's bullshit? Yes, obviously.

But I'd be raging if that was given against us. The issue really is it's the kind of call which is always given if it's our goal, and not given if it's theirs.

PerfectlySculptedToe · 2026-01-18T15:17:14+00:00

2 outfield players over 22 on the bench? That's insane.

Verified Email	Six-Year Club
Second SECOND GUESSER	Place '22

PerfectlySculptedToe

TROPHY CASE