[tombombadil]

Although he has been poor this season, he has been injured more than half of it and the few times he has played, he has been played in a back 3 where the whole team tends to defend poorly. Kinda hard to slag him now, if you ask me.

Give him a few more games and see if he gets to grips with the system, etc. If at the end of the season, after he has played many games and still doesn't perform, then perhaps we can draw a conclusion he doesn't fit into LvG's system and might be shipped off. But I get the feeling, if he gets a run of games in a settled back 4, he'll shine. I still remember a time when he was part of an excellent back 4 for us 3 - 4 years ago. I do not believe that the wonderful centerback of that time has suddenly disappeared.

 

[marlowe78]

What troubles me more than anything is how he gets caught watching play develop around him without taking any kind of action. On Sunday there was more than one instance where Liverpool had gotten into our box or on the edge of it and Evans is just standing there, not marking, just standing and trying to figure out how to get involved. His main problem besides injuries is that he's too afraid to make a quick decision and carry it out. Is fairly good when playing with strong defenders next to him, but we don't look as solid when he's leading the backline. Smalling is 100x more of a leader than he is.

 

[Loublaze]

Its pretty clear he needs a leader to perform

What troubles me more than anything is how he gets caught watching play develop around him without taking any kind of action. On Sunday there was more than one instance where Liverpool had gotten into our box or on the edge of it and Evans is just standing there, not marking, just standing and trying to figure out how to get involved. His main problem besides injuries is that he's too afraid to make a quick decision and carry it out. Is fairly good when playing with strong defenders next to him, but we don't look as solid when he's leading the backline. Smalling is 100x more of a leader than he is.

This. We need to sell this imposter while we can still squeeze a decent amount for him. 5-7 M would be a decent return, we won't get more. Come on Hull City make a cheeky bid!

 

[Nighteyes]

He's shit.

 

[Señor]

He's shit.

x1000. Get rid of him ASAP.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

He's shit.

Very shit, about as much use as a chocolate teapot, get rid in January please

 

[United22]

He's going to be 27 , supposedly into his peak age for a defender and he plays like he is still in the U18's... fecking embarrassing player, ship him out asap

 

[Nighteyes]

The worst thing about this was that it was so predictable. Inevitable really.

 

[Raoul]

Knee jerking already. It was a sublime, unstoppable strike.

 

[Jev]

Did nothing wrong. Shielded the goal. Just an incredible finish. Scapegoating is over the top.

 

[Getsme]

Can't believe Evans is getting blamed for that goal and he's not a scapegoat.

 

[OneUnited24]

Did nothing wrong. Shielded the goal. Just an incredible finish. Scapegoating is over the top.

Wouldnt say hes completely free from blame. He miss judged the flight of the ball and ending up trying to arc himself back to get something on it. I also felt he dived in a bit where he could have given away a pen. I just feel when Evans is on the ball hes going to do something stupid that could cost us.

He wasnt completely to blame for the goal but i think he should have done better

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

Can't believe Evans is getting blamed for that goal and he's not a scapegoat.

Are you Jonnys agent?

 

[Nighteyes]

It was a good shot, but poor defending leading to it. He should be doing a LOT better.

 

[Raoul]

Wouldnt say hes completely free from blame. He miss judged the flight of the ball and ending up trying to arc himself back to get something on it. I also felt he dived in a bit where he could have given away a pen. I just feel when Evans is on the ball hes going to do something stupid that could cost us.

He wasnt completely to blame for the goal but i think he should have done better

It was going in irrespective of how much better he did.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Knee jerking already. It was a sublime, unstoppable strike.

The strike was good yes but any decent CB wouldn't have given benteke the space to get the shot off in the first place, benteke made Evans stumble 3 or 4 times just by doing fake shots.

Not good enough.

 

[Getsme]

Are you Jonnys agent?

No, I just have a memory that goes further back than 5 games.

 

[Raoul]

The strike was good yes but any decent CB wouldn't have given benteke the space to get the shot off in the first place, benteke made Evans stumble 3 or 4 times just by doing fake shots.

Not good enough.

Nonsense. Benetke deserves all the credit for that. The knee jerk scapegoating of players during matches is utterly embarrassing.

 

[vibe]

Cant watch the game so im making due with livescore from my phone. Can someone tell me if we`re playing good enough to nick a draw?

 

[bucky]

Knee jerking already. It was a sublime, unstoppable strike.

Which could have been prevented, if he hadn't misjudged the long ball and therefore was closer to Benteke. He drops off way too much and it is poor defending. Somebody could have helped him out though.

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

No, I just have a memory that goes further back than 5 games.

5 games, that's about as many good games he has had for us.

 

[Getsme]

5 games, that's about as many good games he has had for us.

Ok then.

 

[OneUnited24]

It was going in irrespective of how much better he did.

I never said he should have blocked the shot just he misjudged the first ball that went in from the FK

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

Ok then.

Sorry just don't rate him, never have.

 

[Señor]

Cant watch the game so im making due with livescore from my phone. Can someone tell me if we`re playing good enough to nick a draw?

Got a lot of the ball, doing absolutely feck all with it. Villa look more dangerous on the break.

 

[MThomas]

Nonsense. Benetke deserves all the credit for that. The knee jerk scapegoating of players during matches is utterly embarrassing.

Nobody is going to argue the quality of the finish, no chance of saving that one.

The issue is what happened before he took the shot, and it's typical Johnny Evans to give too much space away as he's worried about his pace. He needs to be much closer to Benteke to prevent him taking the shot in the first place. As soon as Benteke gets the ball Evans is struggling to keep up, feints a move and Evans is long gone. John O'Shea used to do the same against wide players, he'd stand off and instead of them going past they'd have plenty of time to put in a cross.

You'll see it when players are running towards Evans with the ball, he's not very good at closing down gaps to force them away from goal.

 

[Señor]

Wait, of course Evans is at fault for that goal. Credit to Benteke for finishing that the way he did, but he shouldn't be given nearly enough space as Evans has afforded him let alone the fact that Evans should be clearing or at the very least defending the initial ball in. Not to mention the fact that he's constantly hesitant on the ball and shits himself if anyone pressure him.

It's the same old story with Jonny, same old excuses too. You can count how many good games he's had in the last two years on one hand.

 

[Red Shorts]

Irrespective of the goal, I think he is the worst in a back 3.

 

[DWelbz19]

I love his ten yard sprints with the ball nowhere near any pressure then as soon as an opponent comes to close down he either passes it backward or hoofs it to nowhere.

 

[Godfather]

God he is awful.

 

[Cassidy]

needs to go in the summer

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

How was he at fault for the goal?

 

[Sam]

Johnny Evans can't deal with big, strong, athletic strikers. We've known that for years.

 

[Winrar]

Whenever I see him in the lineups I feel uneasy and usually those feelings are confirmed during the match. If he was 18 years old I'd understand some of his decisions, but he's 27 and supposed to be reaching his peak ffs. On top of that he is injury prone like the rest of our defense which is already bad enough on its own.

If we had to get rid of one of Jones, Smalling, and Evans, it has to be Evans. Right now I don't see what's to gain from keeping him.

 

[DevilRed]

How was he at fault for the goal?

Other than missing the header and failing to stop benteke's shot?

Absolute shit really. Has mistakes in him every match. Needs to go. At the very most he is defensive cover. Although I guess with Smalling and Rojo out he is doing his part?

We really need to get rid because he just cant play in a back 3. Not much better in a back 4 either.

 

[girish]

How was he at fault for the goal?

Probably because he didn't cover Benteke enough? But there was a huge gap in the middle too, though.

 

[Red Shorts]

How was he at fault for the goal?

He was the one marking Benteke? Surely you can see him takes some fault no?

 

[An Irish Red]

Said it in the matchday thread that it's been obvious for a while now that one of our senior centre-backs will make way for a new signing in the summer.

I'd be really amazed if it wasn't Evans that gets the boot.

 

[DWelbz19]

How was he at fault for the goal?

Because he was nowhere near tight enough to Benteke?

 

[dirkey]

Terrible defending from Evans for the goal. Misjudged the flight rather spectacularly given that it was played from about 30 yards away, and compounded that by not getting remotely close enough to Benteke and buying the dummy very easily. Beyond that, he looks very shakey all day in my opinion. Nothing to do with scapegoating, that simply wasn't good enough defending.