101 Comments
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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Based on what the NBC commentators are saying, apparently this is the first time James Rodriguez has ever seen rain.

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Derek's avatar

Colombia is literally the rainiest country on the planet according to a quick Google search.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Brighton have been pretty bad. They also rotated the majority of the squad for the Carabao Cup match. Maybe Everton are just ... good?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Like, Brighton haven't created anything beyond the Pickford thing. Brighton were significantly better than United and Chelsea despite the results. Given the, uh, "midfield" Everton are playing, this is pretty impressive.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Please enjoy your halftime entertainment: https://twitter.com/blzzrd/status/1312403784803516416

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Given how wet the ground is, James made that look way easier than it should be.

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Derek's avatar

Where does James rank in the league (non-City-or-Liverpool division)? He's an absolute steal for Everton...

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Quinn's avatar

I can't believe how much of a difference one player has made to their attack

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Lamptey and Richarlison are both off injured. Other than James, that matchup is why I wanted to watch this game. Sick.

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Despair, Repair's avatar

Fun things that are still possible:

- Maupay shithousery

- James magic

- Sigurdsson once-a-year wondergoal from outside of the box

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

If he rises from the dead, maybe we'll see some Ben-ckenbauer White passes, too.

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Derek's avatar

- Another DCL hat trick!

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

RIP Ben White. That was like LeBron on Jason on Terry.

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Or John Lucas iii...

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

James looked pretty good in the rain to me! The game against Liverpool should be fascinating. Everton might be legit, you guys. They're not winning these games via luck; they've outplayed their opponents in every match so far. Stats from today:

Shots (on target): Everton 11(6), Brighton 11 (3)

xG: Everton 1.56, Brighton 1.39

Final-third passes: Everton 73, Brighton 156

Penalty-area passes: Everton 10, Brighton 15

I wouldn't get too caught up in those numbers, though, as EFC took their foot off the gas once they went up 4-1. Thanks for hopping in here today, all. Glad to see we were able to get some good discussion going despite neither team being one of the big teams. Enjoy your weekends, all.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Can someone younger than me explain this celebration? Chilwell did it too today: https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/1312407554396479491

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Jack Dawson's avatar

As the podcasts resident gen Z member I’ll do some research

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Halftime stats

Shots (on target): Everton 7 (4), Brighton 3 (2)

xG: Everton 0.67, Brighton 0.88

Final-third passes: Everton 40, Brighton 41

Penalty-area passes: Everton 4, Brighton 3

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Quinn's avatar

Did Pickford's pass to Maupay count towards Everton or Brighton's total?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Pickford was really bad this year. Still true this season.

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Mike's avatar

Watching James makes me think of the paper you've referenced about good players making everyone around them better.

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Despair, Repair's avatar

YERRY MINA HIVE ASSEMBLE!

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Melvin's avatar

“A weapon in set pieces” - someone who knows a bit about the game

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Derek's avatar

Lol good call

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Despair, Repair's avatar

I'm not sure how good he really is, but I'm glad Everton continue to play Yerry Mina all of the time. Always the chance for a ridiculous headed goal and a cumbia dancing celebration.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Should, at worst, be a weapon on set pieces.

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

You think James ever comes if Mina isn’t there

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Despair, Repair's avatar

Seems like Ancelotti was the bigger deal in getting him there but having fellow Colombian player surely didn't hurt!

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Derek's avatar

Calvert-Lewin is the greatest #9 in history.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I see no lies here.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Watching Theo Walcott try to run just now made me really sad.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I'm a little less excited now that I'm seeing Everton's midfield ...

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Melvin's avatar

Everton lining up a deadline day swoop for Kepa?

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Despair, Repair's avatar

LOL Pickford. Seriously.

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Despair, Repair's avatar

Going from Richarlison to Iwobi....they don't really do the same things....Everton is so fun with their best XI but once they dip into the bench it gets weird.

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Derek's avatar

As an Everton fan, how long can I expect this to last?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I feel like the first clause of this sentence should provide the answer. (But seriously, they could finish fourth! Why not?)

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Mike's avatar

I fully expect to be heartbroken at some point so I'm just gonna roll with it as long as possible

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Mike's avatar

Totally missed that there was a chat this morning, checking in as an Everton supporter to express how much I love James.

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Melvin's avatar

Me, a neutral- “this game is fun, and these teams are FUN”

Me, a spurs fan- “im scared”

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Jordan woof

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Jack Dawson's avatar

Happy to see DCL living up to his potential from my Brighton FIFA career mode save

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Melvin's avatar

This is the first Everton game I’ve seen this year. Is DCL doing something different this year, or just on a good run of finishing?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

He's been awesome since Ancelloti took over. Biggest difference this year is he's getting passes from James, too. Still getting great shots, but he's getting even more of them now.

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Craig Henderson's avatar

He seems to have really improved his attacking in the air. Is that due to Ancelloti?

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Despair, Repair's avatar

Just checked because I was curious...Marco Silva remains unemployed as a manager

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Derek's avatar

Hey it's an Everton chat!

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Philip Johnston's avatar

My friend who’s an Everton fan refuses to acknowledge their good form

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Derek's avatar

Oh I mean I am fully expecting a collapse at some point later this season but for now I am just trying to enjoy it!

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Jonathan's avatar

Can't wait to wake up early in two weeks for a Merseyside Derby between two top sides and watch another 0-0 draw at Goodison.

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Greg D's avatar

A truer statement has never been spoken...

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Patrick C's avatar

How much of this Everton start is all about James vs the additions of Doucoure and Allan as well?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I've never been a huge Doucoure fan, and Allan isn't playing today. I think the easiest explanation to me is: 1) James, 2) DCL getting even better, and 3) Ancelotti having more time with the team.

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PabloRV7's avatar

Will the fact James is finally getting consistent playing time mean Colombia will win the 2022 World Cup AND the next two Copa América or just the WC?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I go the other way: Colombia benefited from him getting all that rest. Now he's gonna be beat come the summer.

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PabloRV7's avatar

Ryan, why you gotta say things like this and pop my bubble this early on a Saturday. You sure you didn't mean we're about to win more international tournaments than Spain 2008-2012?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

OK, fine. Here you go: Eduard Atuesta is my favorite player in MLS. Once he starts getting senior caps, Colombia is going to win everything.

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Rishi Kowalski's avatar

Why has Gross fallen out of favor?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Seems like they want a more dynamic lineup, plus the young guys in his theoretical spots had all performed pretty well before today.

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Rishi Kowalski's avatar

I really rate Potter as a manager but not sure Lallana is the sub I'd make there.

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Despair, Repair's avatar

5 minutes until we get to see what weird lineup Pep puts out today

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Despair, Repair's avatar

New CB signing Ruben Dias gets the start...Hope he's everything they paid for! Bielsaball awaits...

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Patrick S's avatar

Would Ancelotti winning the premier league with Everton be the most impressive accomplishment of his career? Would finishing second?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Yes, and yes.

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Despair, Repair's avatar

So this upcoming Merseyside Derby is going to be the most hyped one in quite a while, even though it is so early in the season.

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

There are some players who just look the part when they step up to a free kick. Lewis dunk...is not that

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Quinn's avatar

The t-rex arms strike again

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Jake Whited's avatar

Feel like I see Pickford making a big mistake every 2 games or so. Yikes

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Derek's avatar

How was Pickford ever considered a good goalkeeper?

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Also what is Mina doing on that knockdown

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Melvin's avatar

I love Brighton’s free kicks so far, if for no other reason, they’re making the commentary on BT sports absolutely furious.

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Emanuel's avatar

Is Iwobi really that bad as the backup winger?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

In theory, no. In practice, so far? Yes.

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Emanuel's avatar

I guess a different question is if it's realistic to expect more from the backup wing at a team like Everton?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

For most, 9th-ish-best teams in the league, no. But given the amount of money they spent on Iwobi -- and all of the other players over the past few years -- I think it's reasonable to expect a bit more.

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Quinn's avatar

He plays a different style than Richarlison, IMO he's much less likely to take on a defender and try and drive into the box, more likely to try and build lateral link up play and drift centrally to function as a midfielder, which is the same role James has essentially and by playing both you lose width and some dynamism. He's also obviously much less of a goal threat himself

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Drew's avatar

I'm hoping we see Anthony Gordon at some point in this match.

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Quinn's avatar

I wish Carlo would've put Gordon on for Richarlison, have a feeling that Everton are going to lose a lot of their ability to quickly outlet to the wing and attack Lamptey's side by switching for Iwobi

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Derek's avatar

I was just about to say something similar - I think Gordon might just be their best winger right now after James (who's really hardly even a winger) and Richarlison. Seems like a case of wages determining playing time.

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Quinn's avatar

totally agree, I've been very impressed by his aggressiveness in the cup games he's played in. Hopefully he'll pick up some games as the season goes on

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Lamptey somehow is the best tackler in the league too...

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Do we think James will ever play as a 10 in this system? Seems like the only reason he wouldn’t is because they are devoid of any quality among right wingers (Walcott, Bernard etc)

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Their best winger last year -- based on the DAVIES model I wrote about in y'day's newsletter -- was Theo Walcott, whose rating is literally 0.0. Iwobi, Bernard were both negative.

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Jonathan's avatar

What's Gordon's rating? If you ask Everton fans, he's the best winger behind Richarlison.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

He's rated as the worst player on the team in terms of goals added per 90 minutes. But it's a pretty small sample of games.

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Yikes...feels like a place they may need to buy

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Melvin's avatar

Isn’t this kinda his game; doing “10” things from the right wing?

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Emanuel's avatar

Everton basically started their A team for a Carabao Cup game to then put out this 11 for a league game. Why?

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Allan is hurt no?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Andre Gomes, too.

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Emanuel's avatar

Did they get hurt last game?

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Definitely naming my next kid Solly

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Solly or Solomon?

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Maybe just solly. Is that a common shortening of Solomon?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Some reading for when Stefan is sleeping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solly

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Thomas Van Grinsven's avatar

Can’t believe March didn’t make it on that page

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Despair, Repair's avatar

What is Tom Davies supposed to be good at?

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Despair, Repair's avatar

Wow. That is something....Also, that webpage/stat tool is pretty awesome

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Derek's avatar

Being born in Liverpool is his most (only?) defining trait, I think.

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