10-man Everton forced to settle for opening-day draw

Glad to see Holgate is fit enough to make the bench.

Not confident.

Most of our defence still Moyes signings from 9 years ago +Keane.

Gonna need a bigger sofa.

I see Jimenez upfront for Wolves, a loan signing, we were linked with him last season.

The team and Silva cannot be judged on this selection. It will have a completely different look within a few games.

The old guard have to demonstrate they are worthy of their place. I'm expecting 1-2 will fail the audition, but as ever, hoping for a positive result today.

Silva and us all are hoping the competition for places will provide the incentive for a bigger effort all round. Digne on for Baines, Holgate on for Jagielka and Niasse on to confuse them later on.

Here's hoping. . .

So much for a new dawn. Let's hope we can park a bus and catch them on the break. Time for some class finishing as I don't see us getting too many chances.

Attack wise it's the shape we can expect and there's talent in there. Sig, Rich, Theo, Cenk... they can give us something.

COYB!

Me, not so much.

So often the ball gets caught up in the back 6 with seemingly no way out until it goes back to Pickford for a long ball. Gueye and Schneiderlin don't do enough to turn and play forward.

The thing is, have we addressed that? My view of the two centre backs we've bought is that they are much of the same; not ball players.

So basically we're hoping Gomes is going to be great. It's a lot to ask.

Attack wise we look alright once on the ball.

Coybs

They just pointed out the free kick was taken 6 or 7 yards closer to goal, too.

We were on easy street. Wolves were snapping at our heels for all of five minutes at the start.

Thereafter, we had excellent shape and total control. Wolves were reduced to hitting hopeful balls over the top that would run through to Pickford or out of play, or simply turning backwards towards their deep-lying defence.

Richarlison alert for the goal. Wolves easily held at bay.

And then Jag lapses for a second. The red card seemed harsh. The team has to be reshuffled. The free kick should have been better defended by Pickford. And now we face a really difficult 2nd half when we were looking nailed on to record a rare away win.

Football, eh?

Last man overruns the ball, slides and makes a good tackle, but it’s deemed serious foul play? Maybe it’s me but football has never disillusioned me so much, and not just because that decision was made against Everton.

Like United’s penalty last night, concept has completely left this sport, even if Jagielka’s lack of ability with the football has always caused him problems?

My perennial boo-boys Keane and Schneiderlin actually played well. Aside from losing his man for their 2nd equaliser, Keane was rock solid throughout, certainly better than he has been last year.

Schneiderlin put a shift in and played very well.

All the plaudits though for Richarlison; good finishing and worked very hard covering back, as required by Silva.

A win would have been just splendid but after playing the 2nd half with 10 men I can settle for a point.

Tosun's shit was too tame, but there were loads of positives. The team will gradually evolve over the season but already you can see what Silva is trying to do. For the first time in what seems a life time, Everton play an exciting game of football. COYB

Keane, Snides, so much better, although I would love to see Morgan travel forward with the ball, and no way is Baines finished? Although after the benefit of a replay, I switched the blame from Keane to Leighton, but isn't football is easy when your sitting on the couch!

Everton worked hard, broke well at times, and it would have been all downhill for Ricky, if he could have have got the ball out his feet for Walcott twice, because that was a still a really good debut.

Sorry, Jags, close the door on your way out, you fucking muppet. Hope thats his last game, he's been a bloody liability far to long now. He's finished.

Well done, to the 10 men in blue... Now let's stuff Southampton next week. Good signs so far.

A man down for 50 minutes, and we were still the better team for most of the 2nd half and thoroughly deserved to retake the lead.

Richarlison a clear MoTM and not just for his two goals. He told us he is a team player. He showed it today. How many times in the 2nd half did you see him tracking back, from his left wing position, right across to the right back position?

OK, circumstances dictated we needed all hands to the pump, but maybe he needs to be discouraged from expending so much energy in that manner and conserve it for where he can most hurt the opposition. Was his substitution caused by fatiguing himself so much on excessive defensive duties?

By contrast, Theo Walcott looked well off the pace. Not sharp at all, possibly due to missing so much game time pre-season.

Keane also had an excellent game and Baines continues to demonstrate it is way too premature to dismiss with his services just yet.

The resilience and discipline from Everton was a joy to behold. With XI on the park we would, I believe, comfortably have won that game.

With the new signings, with more time, things can only get better.

I repeat: encouraging.

Baines started both goals and played well, Keane had his best game in an Everton shirt by far, and Holgate reminded us how good he can be.

But obviously Richarlison is the reason everybody is smiling. Wow, what a talent.

Few beers tonight for me, hope you all have a nice evening fellow Evertonians :)

ps: Keane was very good today.

Holgate looked good when he came on, will one of the new boys partner him next week.

Gana looked a bit lightweight though. Schneidelin?

If Rico is not fit we have Bernard to slot in. Baines played well attacking but his defensive positioning is bad.

Roll on next week, a draw with 10 men away from home is not a bad result.

At almost 34, Baines still solid. Between Digne, Baines and Richarlison our left side looks good. and of course, Richarlison did well today.... pacey, direct and tenacious with an eye for goal. He could be quite a player for us.

If Tosun had played Walcott through on goal we might even have snuck a win.

And I'll tell you, it's really hard to be the only Evertonian in a bar, shouting and screaming. I wish I had more like me around up here in far north.

That's a tough point with 10 men, and it'll get done to death but there is no way - no way at all - that's a red card. Just isn't. Won the ball, tackle wasn't shin-high or anything. It was a good, good recovery and tackle for me.

But moving on from that the spirit and effort were sublime in my opinion.

Gana was fantastic - covered acres of space. Rich is simply awesome. Keane was great despite letting the striker behind him for the goal. Baines very good. And I think I may be the only one to say this but I thought Tosun was great. He ran a ton side to side to apply pressure, and I thought he was wonderful with players running off him. I saw a lot of comments on the LF slating the guy - I saw a completely different situation and performance from Cenk.

Lots to be happy with. I'm not happy with a point as I believe we are the better team, but what an improvement over the dross and ass effort we've seen from last season.

It's going to be a good 2018-2019.

I actually thought Tosun did a decent job. In the absence of any other link it's going to fall to him to bring players into the game. Probably not his natural game but he was willing. We know what Niasse brings and doesn't bring - created opportunities with his pace and then controlled a ball with every part of his body!

We'll scare a few teams this year. The attack needs time to gel but that was a decent starting point. Very pleased for Richarlison – a young man with a lot of pressure on him. He earned that with some basic hard work and some great skill.

Baines v Digne is far from sorted!

Richarlison brilliant – including tracking back. Hoping Tosun can step it up as was pretty cack. All in all, a rollercoaster for my 15-week-old first son – at least there were highs unlike last season; welcome aboard, son!

"We either defend our we attack - no-one has the ability to link those two things together."

Patience. I think Bernard will be a revelation.

I think we have a good manager.

Proud of the heart and spirit shown today by the lads.

Hopefully this will be the start of something good.

Well done today, and the fans at the game were truly awesome.

COYB

And continuing that, it's a bit harsh to say there's no link when you're down to 10 men. Ten men dictates a mentality and approach of, "time to defend!" and then quickly transition to, "here's an opportunity, attack!"

Linking with 10 men isn't really going to happen too often.

And Ernie, please know I'm not being critical of your comment! It's very, very clear we need that link by any reasonable measure in the main. You know your shit way more than I.

I just think we need to be patient and we'll see it, especially with Bernard.

Basically any kind of desperate challenge is being taken out of the game. A shame in my view, but maybe I need to acknowledge I'm a bit old school.

I was a bit disappointed with Walcott who kept cutting inside instead of stretching the defence wide. Coleman was very solid defensively but didn't get past his man to cross much – maybe managers instructions when away? Keane made some really good headers and I don't really blame him for the way their striker got free for their second goal as it and he seemed well placed, the cross was perfect and it missed his head by inches.

A pretty good performance with more to come.

Keane, apart from the second goal, did well as did Baines & Seamus, who had some crucial interceptions. Schneiderlin seems to play the game on his own terms. Played better than normal but pulled out of a 50/50 challenge early on.

Promising start bearing in mind the improvement the new boys will bring. Time to make arrangements to travel to Goodison.

I can't see Bernard, all 5ft 5in of him, playing in a true midfield role. And I certainly can't see any of our centre backs having the balls or the capability to slide passes into his feet further forward.

I'm hoping it's Gomes who replaces Schneiderlin and can bring the ball out. Schneiderlin did a decent job defensively in the second half but the problem with him was very evident in the first before the sending off. We have no idea how to go from defence to attack. We basically have to hope we win the ball in the opposition half.

Still, there were enough positives to take from today. That was the negative one for me.

Gana didn't commit a foul all day in a poor position. He also held when he needed to. He is an absolute ball winner and his distribution was far from poor to my eyes.

I think Silva can coach him into the mould he wants from a player in the deeper midfield role.

For me, he's such a better option than Schneiderlin.

1. He won the ball

2. He wasn’t flying through the air

3. When his studs met the ball, they were skimming the grass - hardly studs up.

4. Their player went to ground holding his thigh at first. That needs to be clamped down on.

5. It wasn’t a dangerous lunge, it was a well timed tackle that we should be praising (albeit after a silly mistake).

Is there any TV pundits who have a fair viewpoint on Everton? Never seem to get a balanced opinion, looks like they can't wait to stick the knife in. In the coming weeks, tackles like Jagielka's today will be robustly defended.

Gomes at his best is some player such as Valencia days.

Tough with love...maybe we have a clever boss?

We'll see eh?

Jagielka's time has passed. Great servant to the club but we cannot afford to be sentimental. He's going to struggle to get back in the team. I thought the red card was a little harsh, but it was his own poor first touch that forced him into the last-ditch tackle.

For me the player that frustrated the most was Schneiderlin. Holgate was furious at him for the second goal & when I watched the replays I could see why. He was wandering around as a sort of 3rd centre back with no Wolves players nearby while the player he should have been helping to close down & block the cross from was a good ten yards away FFS.

Morgan doesn't contribute much in the way of passing, he doesn't have Gana's energy & determination & he looks lazy & seems to have poor positional sense. He isn't fit to lace up Gareth Barry's boots in my opinion & it baffles me why so many managers seem to rate him.

I don't mean to be overly negative as we have Zouma, Mina, Bernard & Gomes to come in and replace these two. I just don't understand why we didn't offload Morgan in this window. Perhaps we can still sell him to a European team before the window there closes!

Anyway, now that slightly nervy first game is out of the way with a respectable result I think we will start to see Silva's influence grow as we get into our stride. COYB!

Ref killed the game for us, we dominated up to that point. A Coleman square ball to Niasse would have won it for us.

Promising signs all around.

And a great debut performance by Richarlison which promises much for the future. Let's hope the other new signings follow his exemplary lead. The dawn of a new era? Who knows. We can only live in hope. COYB.

Equally Tosun did extremely well on his lonesome own some especially after the sending off.

Admittedly Keane had a "good" game but that's relative as again he switches off and defensively we are still horrendous.

The sending off ruined the game as up until then playing against 11 Wolves would never have had a look in.

The sooner our new lads get up to speed the better. Zoo a and Mina look starters ASAP. still not convinced with Siggy. Once Walcott gets a few games under his belt we will be electric going forward.

I would have settled for a draw before the game but seeing how bad Wolves actually were it seems like a bit of a loss.

With that out of the way, all the players stood up today, no farting about, as soon as Jags went off, we addressed it with putting Holgate on but still holding shape in attack.

Likewise when Tosun went off we brought Niasse on instead of settling for a draw, how refreshing to be positive instead of shut shop. Ok so we never got the winner, but it stopped our opponents pushing too far forward, or the ball coming straight back in our half when we cleared it.

Once we get the new guys in I think we will do well, already a big improvement on last season's shite we had to put up with.

Most players looked a lot more comfortable on the ball today. Very rare we start a season well, but the green shoots are already visible and an interesting season for us to look forward to.

Richarlison great going forward, and in defence, hope Jeff embarrases Merson the twat, next Saturday.

Keane had a good game.

Wallcott not match fit, but we already look a different team under Silva. I hope our new signings, come into the frame, over the next couple of weeks.

Er. A million times better, even at this early stage. We were positive, in fact we'd have lost this with Allardyce, like the West Ham game.

Where up north are you?

For me a holding midfielder's job is to either to block the cross coming in or mark an opponent in the box if he's too far away. He did neither for the equaliser. He was just wandering around in no-mans-land.

I'll re-watch it on MotD & I may be proven wrong, but for me he was the player who should have at least attempted to stop that cross coming in.

In a nutshell, Rob.

Pickford: A competent and first class goal-keeper but does not make world class saves: 6

Coleman: Everton need the Coleman of past years: 6

Keane: Had a good game, better than expected: 7

Jagielka: Should never have started: 0

Holgate: Should have started: 7

Baines: Looked very tired in the end: 6

Walcott: No contribution whatsoever: 0

Gueye and Scheiderlin both played well: 7

Tosun: Makes Lukaku look irreplaceable: 0

Sigurdsson: Can't be blamed for Silva choosing Jagielka over Holgate: 6

Richarlison: Already looks irreplaceable: 10

I am pleased that an Everton XI went out today and played for the jersey. Richarlison looks genuinely proud to be here and his work rate was infectious.

I feel sorry for Jags. He did well for 40 minutes and 1 error was costly. The way we are set up and play requires players with an assured touch. Jags can't hoof it anymore so he will be a casualty of the new era anyway.

Criticism of Siggy is harsh. He tried to link up with Baines and Richarlison and with Schneiderlin sitting deep, Siggy went hunting for the ball. It looks like he is a slow starter so might need a couple of games to get going.

Hope Zouma gets fit for next week end.

Even the coterie of curmudgeons (did TW settle on the correct collective description?) can't moan about the performance surely?

I have seen a lot worse, either go unpunished, or receive a Yellow, and no free kick as well.

This is what irks, the inconsistencies by different refs.

I am actually not joking either, I thought we played well against a decent side. Make no mistake, they are better than most sides we will face, and the slick surface helped their game by allowing the passing to have a little extra zip, and giving defenders the chance to lose their footing. Add the hour we played with ten men and I thought that we still carried a threat.

On the whole, we kept our shape and pressed well. There were a lot of times we nicked the ball back and could have (and possibly should have) either extended the lead or gone back in front, had we used the ball better.

Richarlison proved that ruining deadline day was in fact a brilliant idea, as we now have a threat down both flanks – Baines it seems will and can get forward if he trusts the player ahead of him.

Keane was pretty good – the equaliser for me was more down to the fact there was no-one closing the cross down. There was a bit of fight, a bit of nark, and some really good football.

Pickford made up for getting caught trying to steal a yard for the wolves opener by making a huge save, and he and Keane were both vocal.

Had Coleman (who should be captain, with Jagielak as some nominal figurehead club captain) managed to find Niasse with a cross late on, then it might have been is coming away with all three points. Although it's equally possible he would have hit the post, or fallen over, or ballooned it into Row Z come to think of it.

I like the lad coz he managed to make Koeman look a meff, and he's always smiling. Not necessarily the recognised method of judging a footballer I grant you, but hey.

All in all - I think even if this is a season of transition, we might go well. Anyway, off to work! Grim!

The amount of times he shirks his off-the-ball responsibilities is unbelievable – watch at every corner or piece of play where he has to track a runner or close a space; he totally can't be arsed.

The sooner Jimmy Mac is fit, the better.

But last season we would've collapsed and been beaten by 3-4 a la Southampton.

So good start, is this the last time we see Jags in a blue shirt?

To allow the subsequent free kick to be taken 6 yards further forward is equally as bad. Two poor defensive lapses have given them two goals, but poor refereeing has probably cost us the 3 points.

Walcott well below the level we need him to perform at but I presume he is still lacking fitness. Personally, I think the midfield has to work harder to give the defence other options when we are trying to play it out from the back.

Overall, a decent performance. If our recent influx can significantly improve us then we have a lot to look forward to. I'm hoping Richarlison coming off was just a sensible precaution. Avoiding injuries to key players will be crucial this season though we have better strength in depth on paper.

Did anyone else pick up that when first asked to comment on it, without showing a replay of the image, he categorically stated it was the correct call because Jags caught the Wolves player high on the shin. Whilst Walton was actually speaking those words they started showing a slow-mo replay of the tackle.

What was immediately obvious is that Jags slid in with his foot on the ground. At no point did he lift it off the ground. In the same sentence that Walton had stated 'he caught him high on the shin', he closed it by saying 'he caught his ankle'.

The first replay was not immediately conclusive if Jags got something of the ball before catching the player's ankle. What was obvious is that it was not a two-footed, studs showing lunge.

It also sounds, Clive Thomas-like, that the referee is changing the reason for the red card from dangerous play to stopping a goal scoring opportunity.

And evidently I was not alone in noting on the resulting free kick that the Wolves player did a Gary McAlister on us by gaining a few yards to improve his scoring chances. Pickford should still have done better, mind.

Yet, he still gets picked nearly every game, it's about time this charlatan was either shipped out, or frozen out.

Everything you said after Pickford is irrelevant, did you not watch the World Cup?

Watch him next time, the centre backs will have it and he will position himself directly behind an opposition player, forcing the centre backs to play it wide.

He is meant to be the player that dictates play in that area and starts the ball moving, instead he hides.

All it would take is 3/4 steps to one side and he is available, the ball moves forward and it is already past their most advanced player. Instead we are faced with all 10 outfield players and no outlet other than Gueye or the full backs, as the 4 attacking players are where they should be - upfield.

Baines was decent but he just can't close down, they clearly targeted him as a weak link which he is. He's always 10 yards from his man who has time to pick a cross with no pressure on the ball with Baines just jumping and waving a leg.

If we had 11 men I know what would have happened ….we would have beaten them comfortably. You could tell in McManaman's voice he wanted Wolves to score. I thought he was a blue.

The sending off was a joke, and completely changed the game plan. But Silva adapted.

Keane played well, but hell, that cross drifting over his head was so typical of him.

I was alarmed at our continuing to attack with 10 minutes to go when I thought we should be closing down for a draw. I was wrong (I think).

I enjoyed our performance in an away game. It’s been a while since I could say that.

That said, if I'm wrong then I'm wrong and I might just be picking on him because of last seasons performances. I want him to do well. I just thought his position for the second goal should have been five to ten yards ahead of the centre-backs & not stood between them marking nobody.

I've just found the replay and run it through in slow motion. We have 3 vs 3 in the box (Holgate, Keane & Baines) then five in line with the edge of the box (Coleman, Walcott, Schneiderlin, Gueye & Richarlison). Coleman and Walcott are responsible for the two wider Wolves players, Richarlison is running back to help out Baines & Gueye & Schniderlin are both in a position to close down the crosser or and runners. Schniederlin is closer than Gana & should have at least been trying to stop the cross from a player in the centre-left position while Gana kept an eye on any runners. Instead, both are caught in no-mans-land while the guy is free to pick out the cross under no pressure. As Morgan is the right of the two its his job to close the distance. On the replay it looks like the guy is taking a free kick!

Anyway, I'm not trying to bring a downer on a decent result. I'm pretty pleased overall & really looking forward to the next one.

"Stuart Pearce on Talkshite said it was the same type of performance as Allardyce from last season!"

Er... A million times better, even at this early stage. We were positive, in fact we'd have lost this with Allardyce, like the West Ham game.'

Seems a bit ludicrous considering how we performed.

I thought there was spirit which has been lacking for some time. Charlie looks the real deal and with the new recruits to factor in I am very positive.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea have spent huge amounts of money on goal-keepers they hope will make those exceptional saves other than the routine and competent saves that are expected from just good goal-keepers.

On replay of the second goal, however, I don't blame Keane anymore. He was actually quite tight on Jimenez when the cross was played. The blame was on the midfield (primarily Schneiderlin) for not closing down Neves on the cross. Neves is pure quality and you can't give him that much time and space at the edge of the box or he's going to drop in a perfect cross, as he did there.

Mike Price #109, no and no. Silly to write off Tosun after one game, especially after he laid on the second goal for Richarlison. And Baines was better than decent, he was brilliant -- started both goals, made big tackles and interceptions, constantly got into the attacking end. So he doesn't close down... actually, Coleman doesn't either. It's the mids who are supposed to pressure the crosses. Today Richarlison did so repeatedly.

I felt without the sending off we could've won that fairly comfortably. Southampton next (relegation candidates for me) and I can't see anything but a win.

I do have plans for a nap on the beach, however.

On a similar theme, I think MacManaman's comments were more of a solid opinion on the way Wolves let the game pass them by until we scored our second rather than enthusiastically supporting them. Possibly they were a little rocked by our performance considering our preseason performances or the manager simply gambled on containment and then pinching a winner with a late flourish.

Wolves and Fulham seem quite highly rated by the pundits. If (a big one) they are right then the result has to be considered decent and our overall performance promising – assuming we will improve somewhat once the manager has time to work with the players he has chosen to keep and those he has brought in.

The general performance was decent and the fact we had three two on two's on the break was encouraging. Unlike the final ball on each occasion (or shot in Tosun's case). I liked the way we still looked to win that game and we still have other players to come in who will make a difference creatively.

As a first game we should not really expect too much. I don't think anybody played badly, but I am sure we will benefit from the new additions.

A huge difference from the Allardyce Everton. Also we didn't have to listen to him spouting rubbish after the game. CYOB...

But he can shoot on first touch. Maybe with Bernard that works?

Maybe at last we realise the lone CF being crossed to or the holdup CF is thing of past?

Taking a ball in front of him?

Re the placement for the free kick.

A smart clever team argues fervently that the ball is blatantly in the wrong position.

I didnt really see any protest at all. Get Wise, Everton!!

Now Tosun just hangs around up front not knowing what to do next, because he has no exceptional power, pace or strength. So opposition defenders can just bully him. Having a fox in the box like Tosun who can put them away can happen when all players are playing well, but what happens on bad days when the opposition controls the game?

2 very valuable points were dropped today.

I think both Keane and Holgate were much too far from the Wolves players prior to the cross coming in.

Keane consistently gets caught out either being on the wrong side or allowing too much space in the box.

It was one of his better performances but still poor in my opinion.

I Also don't think Silva, is going to be that type either, and it looks like he wants his players to stay calm, and concentrate, although it's early days to be sure?

I saw him having a go at the 4th official, after their player never received a yellow for fouling Ricky, just a few minutes after he had been booked for a similar offence. He looks like he might take the intelligent approach, rather than the aggressive one, but only time will really tell us that.

I agree though there are better

Okay, it's fair enough that some people are already sure, but I thought he showed well for Baines, and provided a lovely little lay off to Ricky, even if that goal was mostly about the young Brazillians technique and composure.. It really was a magnificent finish that, brilliant!

The referee got a game-changing decision wrong, VAR can't come quick enough. Jags got the ball then the player with the follow through. Sending him off was wrong.

The referee then let Wolves take the free kick from a more advanced and much stronger position. These game-changing decisions can't be left to amateurs. The tech makes it clear. It's 2018 not 1918.

To be honest I thought that Richarlison's tackle, for which he was booked, was worse than Jagielka's 'red card' tackle.

Keane was better today but that's a very low bar and he looked at fault for the equaliser. Likewise Schneiderlin offers very little and doesn't make himself available. Seamus was continually shouting at Theo as they are not on the same wavelength and need to work on this.

Good subs by Silva and kept attacking rather than sitting back. Richarlison was excellent. Green shoots. Oh, all the way back, TalkSport were reporting on the excellent shock result that Wolves had achieved at Goodison...?!

Unfortunately though, the top players we do have, like our keeper, you still see fit to criticise so I suspect you will never be happy until we conquer the world and even then...

The sending off was an absolute farce and if the game has come to this I give up. Why do people use a shit refereeing decision as an excuse to castigate one of our great servants?

Richarilson looks decent but needs to cut out the Neymaring.

Dont Stop Thinking About Tomorrow, Because Yesterday's Gone.... and Lukaku it seems will always be wasted. Because if a player has got height, pace, power and strength, then surely he can do no wrong, once his team-mates just give him the ball?

People calling for this to be his last game in an Everton shirt need to take a check of themselves. He’s been an absolute stalwart for us and I hope this is not the way he ends his career at Everton.

Zouma, Mina, Holgate, Keane all very young and I think someone of Jag’s experience can only benefit them, even if he isn’t a first choice for us this season.

The best keeper in the world only saved 1 of the shots on target during the World Cup, the rest went in; Jordan was the best keeper in the World Cup.

Tosun was involved in both our goals and our only 2 other chances, what do you want?

What about the retaliatory tackle on Richarlison from behind? Not even a yellow.

Richardson is worth his fee and Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson and Walcott went missing. At least we have players to replace them now. At the start of the game, I would have settled for a draw, but Everton showed promise and I feel cheated out of a win.

Top clubs have realised they can pinch points and matches with the best keepers. I can't remember too many games last season where Pickford helped Everton to steal points.

After the last couple of seasons and managers, we knew that it would take more than 1 transfer window to steady the club with a new manager. We got a new manager along with a Director of Football who in the first window has brought in some good players, changed the system, and have shown improvements in the playing style, both in the organization and fitness.

We have improved in some areas but some other areas need improving, and looking at our strikers there is not much to choose between them, so maybe we should back the manager in his judgement who should play, and not be too critical, as overall, as a "team", this was a good performance today.

Niasse came on and kicked the ball out of play with no-one around him, then tackled Digne right at the death when Baines played him into the box. Great lad, great heart and a decent impact player but sometimes he looks like he's won a competition to play.

You are right in acknowledging the fact that it is much tougher for us in the transfer market than it is for six other (top) clubs but equally we have done ourselves no favours in recent times buying players devoid of pace, players with no resale value, building a squad positionally imbalanced, and failing to address glaring weaknesses. Remember, we could have taken Maguire and Robertson last Summer for relative buttons; we chose not to.

Stevey Buckley is right to criticise; take Richarlison out the equation and we were poor today, why should we be pleased with that? Walcott was abysmal, Tosun poor, as was Sigurdsson. Wolves were hardly the great team the media have been bigging up of late. Seems to me you are just too easily pleased.

He was our best player last season and England's best player in the World Cup. Which keeper that cost about £70 million has proved himself World class or one that you'd even heard of, be honest?

Was Southall too short?

As for last season, he prevented cricket scores at times and kept us in games.

As for £60 million for him, that depends on market conditions and how long his contract with Everton is.

Pickford is a very good keeper and will hopefully improve further and with us! Southall was absolutely incredible despite being, as you correctly point out, relatively short; he was unbelievably agile.

Pickford has been done a few times on looping, curling balls from out wide so my assessment on him is probably similar to Steavey; it's all about opinion at the end of the day.

Some players get off the ground better than others of identical height, cue Tim Cahill!

In my view, it was a clear red card caused by bad defending.

Don't forget, we were that poor last season that Wolves title winning odds are shorter than ours with a few bookies. Onwards and upwards.

Just seen Huddersfield v Chelsea on MotD and the defender who gave away the pen was just as reckless as Jagielka was. The difference was Alonso was moving away from him so just about avoided the brunt of the challenge. If the point is to stop players leaping towards the opposing player with studs showing then near misses also have to get the same punishment. Personally, I think it is the intent that needs to be policed.

Tony Everan (140) the sad thing is they aren't amateurs and their wages are enough you'd expect a certain level of ability.

I also think Tosun has something to offer. You will get absolutely no argument from me on the recruitment policy, but I don't buy them. That lies at the door of Moshiri et al.

It was a decent performance today and there were promising signs. We have made efforts to balance the squad out and add the attributes you rightly point out we lack.

Hopefully it will work out. Doesn't mean I'm easily pleased, just means I don't spend my life thinking we are eternally shit because we don't win every game.

My judgement on those two was probably correct, sometimes I am wrong! I follow your posts, Christy, and apart from our differing opinions of James McCarthy, I agree with much of what you have to say.

ps: After Everton spending £300 million on players in the past 12 months, shouldn't Everton supporters expect better? When considering many Everton supporters receive just £7.50 an hour to live on? Over to you.

He is taller than Shilton and the same height as Banks. Goals posts are the same size.

But it is churlish to say he was even average today, he was pretty good. One of the above critics ponders whether or not they missed something and I think the answer is yes, he was mostly a very solid midfielder today and made some vital interceptions. His passing was on occasion pretty lax but overall he was unrecognisable from the player we've come to loathe which admittedly is not saying much. That is just how I saw it but I suppose I was scrutinising him a bit more than the rest.

I also think damning Walcott is over the top as he is clearly rusty and did his job fine. But giving a solid 0 points to Tosun I think is ridiculous, as if he contributed nothing. So I guess the little lay off to Charlie passed everyone by? Not to mention his general leading of the line without much support when we were a goal down. There is far more to come from him, I'd not take Lukaku and his ego back for all the goals.

ps: Mike wonders why so little mention of Gana; well, he only did what I've come to expect from him – the prince of tackles.

You just know that no matter what their 'pet hate' does in the match or across the season, they will always seek single incidents to confirm their preset biased against said player.

Nobody who represented Everton today merits some of the dismissive comments being directed at them.

Yes, Jordan Pickford's step to the right for Neves's equalising free kick weighted the odds against him defending it. He also made a telling one-on-one save against Jiminez to keep the score at 1-1.

Yes, Jags created the (still debatable, for me) red card situation himself by his poor first touch. I think it is a wee bit premature to call that his 'last game for Everton' as some are describing it.

Yes, Jiminez got Wolves' second goal from a cross Keane failed to cut out. That claim fails to take into consideration the poor closing down on Neves, allowing him the time to deliver an exquisite quality cross. Sometimes you have to acknowledge the play of the opposition, rather than seek to blame your own players – Keane in this case, who otherwise had an outstanding game.

Yes, as previously stated, possibly the likes of Coleman, Walcott, Schneiderlin, Gueye and even Tosun – all players close to the play when Neves sent in his quality cross for Jiminez to equalise – could have done better in denying Neves time on the ball. But that ignores that Wolves were recycling the ball from a play that saw the ball played in behind the Everton defence from which most of the above-mentioned players correctly readjusted their positions. It was not, as several are trying to claim, the sole responsibility of Schneiderlin that afforded Neves the time he had.

Yes, Tosun doesn't have pace, but it is nonsense to suggest as some are that he lacks power or strength and has poor hold up or linking play. Did those making those claims really not see his part in Richarlison's second goal? With his back to goal, easily pushing back and holding off the marking centre back, receiving the ball from Baines and in one touch slipping in Richarlison who took advantage of the space Tosun's play gave him by finishing with style?

The one player who looked most of the pace and well short of the standards he is capable of today was Theo Walcott. And there is an obvious reason for that: he has not had much game time in pre-season.

I'll leave you with one thought: With the exception of Richarlison, every single one of Everton's starting XI featured regularly under Sam Allardyce last season.

I don't want to traumatise anyone by asking you to recall how the team played under Allardyce, but with EXACTLY the same players Marco Silva got a tune out of his team today in very trying circumstances. Players who many wanted (and apparently STILL want) shifting out of the club.

Early days yet, but Marco Silva demonstrated today we did/do have good players at Everton. It is how you prepare them and ask them to play that goes a long way in determining how good or bad they can look.

I was able to watch all or parts of most of today's games and no team was outstanding first day out. After last season's weekly horror shows this was a satisfactory display. Silva has got more out of the same players in one game than Koeman and Allardyce did in a whole season.

Hopefully we are all true Blue supporters and obviously want the best. Optimism is healthy as is patience. We cannot jump to irrational conclusions after one game.

I find you hard to believe. I've been going for 60 years. Still do. I've seen it all. The great and the absolute shite but I've never met an Evertonian who is so against everything they do as much as you are.

If you are for real, then get a fuckin grip. Things are nowhere near as bad as you seemingly want them to be.

If you don't like Everton fans making judgments about certain Everton players, don't go to live forum when Everton matches are on. Those comments even make me blush.

At the end of the day, it's a schoolboy error that has put himself into that position in the first place.

Jags needs benching and the captaincy given to Seamus.

But that happens. We already know he's a good shot stopper. He showed it again standing big for that one-on-one – a much better save than was made of it.

Distribution was a bit off too... but, again, we know he's one of the best around in that area.

Put it down to rust. Happens to keepers too.

Walcott was poor throughout and will need to step up to retain his place in the side. I'm surprised he wasn't the one subbed to make way for Holgate. I expected it to be Richarlison as he was already on a yellow.

All in all, quite a creditable point and one we probably wouldn't have got, last season.

You are coming across as quite mad, but I can't blame you as Everton drove me slowly mad over the course of the last three managers. What I saw today is helping me convalesce but I appreciate it may take time and we won't necessarily all see it at once.

Everything.

If you've not seen it, go to the official site and have a look.

A man who's disappointed in not getting ALL three points, but credits the players (justly) and defends them, all while arguing the Blue point of view as to how the game was basically ruined by a ref.

Roll on Marco. You da man.

Remember there is still this Financial Fair Play rule in effect. Who would you have sold and for how much to give you more funds to buy? Remember, they have to want to come and the club you negotiate will want to sell.

I disagree with every single post you have put on here. No-one can be so much against a club and profess to support them.

True Everton fans can make any point they want. But true Everton fans wouldn't be so down on them with every breath they take.

And you still haven't said if you've ever actually been to a match in your life!

It drives me mad to see how much we give possession away. Yeh Pickford can save shots but man he's so shit with his feet, worse passer than Jags... sigh.

I don't want to come across as a hard-ass but it is early days in a new regime hopefully devoid of interference from Kenwright. Right now, the future under M&M, and yes the other "M" – Moshiri, seems a lot more rosy than in many a year.

I read that Silva's 3-year contract is £3mill pa with incentives based on league position. Good; incentivisation is how it should be, including players. That said, if we get top six this season, I really hope Mr Moshiri gives serious thought to whatever it might take to making our club even more a golden vision to M&M.

They'd deserve it, as would us fans.

Shearer was a great striker, a dirty player, and is a sycophantic pundit. If asked for an opinion on an incident on Match of the Day, he will always go with the "popular" view. His stance on the Niasse "dive" at Crystal Palace last season proved that to me, beyond reasonable doubt.

So please, do not hold his opinion up as though he is a "Paragon of Virtue"; in all matters football. He isn't! He is nothing more than a "Paid reactionary hireling of the Western Press", as Comrade Stalin would have said.

ps: £7.50 an hour amounts to £65,700.00 per annum – wish I was on that. I know what you mean – but if you are going to quote facts and figures – you do need to be precise.

Have you ever been to a match???????

The simple problem is that, 90% of the time he is playing it forwards like that, it is precisely because the outfield players have failed to find a constructive outlet for themselves, and so there is no obvious right ball to play and the defenders are ready and waiting.

Character and fight; far more than we've seen for the last 4 years, in my record.

Not perfect, but first game and EFC done well. Plenty of hope today for the future.

We have some natural class, but soon it will show. A good team and team spirit is brewing.

I don't think Steavey (#170, not #161 as you cited) meant that many of our fans were being paid "£7.50" per hour on a 24/7 basis. In the interests of precision of course.

I knew it!!!

Sitting in the house reading stupid comments in the papers. Or listening to ridiculous "pundits" like Shearer, Merson and the fuckin kopite mafia.

" I gave him 10/10 and I gave him 7/10." Why? Because some prick on the radio told you he was good? Go to the game and be a proper supporter, for fuck's sake!

And spell your name properly!

Wolves were supposed to hammer us but instead got a very lucky point courtesy of the referee and a free kick allowed to be taken 10 yards further forward than it should have been.

All the players played well today with perhaps Tosun less effective than he might have been.

Before this game, I was concerned we'd be at the wrong end of the table but I am reassured by the determination and organisation shown today.

Miles to go, for all at EFC.

You mentioned that we'd spent £300m, it's actually £265.59m. I wouldn't be so pedantic if you were out by say a couple of million, but over £34m is over 10% out.

I'd also like to point out that we actually received £135.25m during the same period, with 3 weeks to still left to sell more.

That's a net spend of £130.34m over our past 3 windows. Liverpool's net spend in just their last transfer window alone was £151.38m.

Not unconnected, isn't it great to have a manager who gives a damn, and who works his socks off to achieve the wins he craves? Let's give him lots of time to get things right.

Truth is, there's a 90% chance we would've lost that game under any of last season's managers. We had a genuine attack and we did it with essentially one new player over the line-up of the latter part of last season. That's a positive change.

Something I've not seen mentioned: perhaps Jagielka's sending off was not for the ferocity of the tackle but that the tackle denied a goal-scoring opportunity, since the player had a clear run on goal?

Yet, ultimately, it is not managers, chairmen, shareholders and players who make a club great, but supporters, who support the team, generation after generation. That's where Everton are lucky to have such supporters, because in the past 30 years, supporters have had little to celebrate.

Both true Evertonians... ie, always right. Buckley just has more class and experience has to be a factor.

In the last round, Lenny just lost it!!!

You don't choose Everton to be your football club; they choose you.

With pace on both wings, we are a genuine threat. Teams have to respect that. That threat doesn't diminish even with 10 men.

I saw Wolves made to attack down the sides, not down the middle. A big thing that in 11 team sports.

If I were Tosun I'd sharpen my act up quickly. Richarlison could easily play centre-forward.

What I can't be doing with, is people from the city, who don't go to the game but constantly complain about everything to do with the club.

Comments like, "I went to the school of hard knocks," where the naughty boys said "Liverpool are magic, Everton are tragic"!!

Jesus! What school was that? St Winifred's School for Crying Bastards?" Evertonians can moan with the best of them, but at least back it up by back actually seeing it for yourself.

1.Phil Thompson.
2. Armchair moaners.
3. Kopites with the kit on.
4. Phil Thompson.
5 Things you can't remember cos you've had to much to drink!

Goodnight.

Silva brought out the best in a number of players, including Baines and Keane, who I thought had their best games for a long time.

Pickford's distribution can be shambolic at times.

Today was awful.

Now... before I go all "negative Johnny" please know I think Jordan is worth 100 million pounds, as the stupid fuckers across the park paid 72 million for some dude... some dude...yup some obscure dude. Jordan Pickford is a gem and I love the kid to death.

Jordan is young. He'll progress. He's a keeper I'd not trade for any other on the planet - and I mean that. No one else, not a soul. His positional sense and shot stopping are superb.

But he launched 4 balls out of touch today, and he definitely over-cooks many goal kicks. His distribution needs working on! It borders awful at points!

And today - go back and watch - he crushed 4 balls into row AA BB with no pressure or reason to do so.

I love that boy. He's a gem of a keeper. But all young players have elements of their game they need to work on.

Jordan must simply work on his distribution. I thought his World Cup stint with England - where he played out from the back often and wonderfully - would translate to Everton.

It didn't. The kid needs to stop launching balls too far and too left or right. It happens a lot.

As a supporter since 1948, I am obviously going to be on his side. I presume he is closer to my age. As a Senior, I can be judged as either senile or wise. I also think it is great that TW allows Evertonians of every ilk and age to agree to disagree. Humour is a vital part of every Scouser ever born. We are ALL alike. We really do think we know everything. Keep Smiling.

ps: In my case, I do know everything because my wife actually said to me, "You think you know everything", and she wasn't smiling when she said it and she has had to put up with me for 51 years.

Yes! I too love Pickford but I have been complaining about his kicking for a while now.

It’s a complete joke. Once a blue moon he sends out a laser-guided gem. The majority of the time he either boots it out of play or into orbit.

I also detest that both his feet leave the ground when he kicks the ball off the floor. It’s a ridiculously out-of-control technique for someone who’s primary job is to safely clear the ball and relieve pressure.

I’d also argue that I saw plenty of the same with him in an England shirt. He’s a terrific goalkeeper and this is such a basic, easy fix. Just kick the frigging thing normally.

I might offer some defence for the lad. Wolves did press well in the first half often when it was on his weaker foot.

But sure many of his attempts were lamentable, a couple weeks training under Silva will iron that out.

Pickford 6 - not had a preseason and did ok, kicking was a bit off and could have done better with the first goal

Coleman 7 - good to have Seamus back, good running and solid at the back, wayward pass to Niasse spoilt a good day

Baines 7 - linked up well with Richarlison, some good runs and crosses, time is catching up though, obviously struggling at the end

Jags 4 - Was fine then got sent off. Could be pretty much it for him in the league now, but he'll always have my respect

(Holgate 7 - looked fit played well)

Keane 7 - solid, looked confident and a target at set pieces, competition for places should see him improve hopefully

Gana 7 - did what he does and did it well but a couple of lapses

Morgan 6 - better, but still offloads a 5 yard pass anywhere but forward as soon as he gets it like it a hot potato. He needs to improve his passing or be replaced. But at least he turned up.

Siggy 6 - did ok but was subbed for Holgate after the red card, set pieces not great

Walcott 5 - got into the odd good position but looked off the pace at times and didn't link with Coleman as well as Baines and Richarlison

Richarlison 9 - two well taken goals and always looked our biggest threat. Fell over a bit too easily though at times, still excellent debut

(Digne 6 - late sub, nothing much to say)

Tosun 5 - ever willing but not sure we play to his strengths, deserves a run in the side, Bernard may be good for him

(Niasse 6 - did what he does but ever threatened)

Overall, despite being down to 10 for most of the game we were the better side. The cross for the second equaliser was outstanding from Neves. Still, after a bad pre-season, it was a solid result, and it's good in a way to come away disappointed at two points dropped.

"Which one made him real mad. The referee, the media who's so biased against us, or those on the forum that agreed with the red card?" (Something like this, not his exact words...)

For me it's clearly the third one. And some even suggest that the red was for denying the player (faker by the way) a clear goal-scoring opportunity. As if every Everton players should just stand there and do nothing if a Wolves player has any chance of scoring a goal!!!

That was never, ever a red card. I posted this elsewhere

Jags got the ball. BEFORE he made contact. It was not, in no way, shape, or form, a "stiff leg studs up" challenge. His leg locked at the end but it wasn't with the intent of injury or violent conduct. He could have never, ever stopped a goal scoring opportunity as the attacker never had control of the ball!

A yellow perhaps. I personally thought it was just a strong, good, clean challenge after a glaring awful first touch.

It seriously pissed me off and I can not understand how anyone thinks that tackle is a straight red.

I'm with you. I've no idea how anyone thinks it's a straight red.

I accept that Tosun assisted with the two goals and Niasse could have been better, though he was brought late on to a team of 10, but Tosun has to be a constant threat in the position he plays, getting the ball and positioning himself to score.

If he had been playing the same position for Wolves in a similar way Everton would beat them. His assists will be needed less with the introduction of other players.

Can he do the business? That will be the question asked of him.

This was a different Schneiderlin, he was the communicator out there, the conductor; I watched him closely and he talked his teammates through the entire 90 mins. Finally, the silence has been broken. If you were impressed with the improved cohesion and organisation of our two banks, then you should be given credit where it's due.

I thought for all the world that Schneiderlin was finished here, but the new manager clearly has plans for him and may yet get a consistent tune out of him.

Wolves surprised me. They were very shy to come out and have a go. Perhaps they were a little worried about the pace of Walcott and Richarlison. Let's hope so, because if they were, others will be too.

This was perilously close to entertainment. The laptop nearly ended up smashed on the patio when they scored, but overall, I enjoyed the sight of an Everton side going forward looking for goals away from home – even after being reduced to 10 men.

Yes, our young goalie could have maybe taken another step to his left, but that's what happens with young goalies. He's nowhere near his peak so get the fuck over it.

An improvement, but Guys, Tosun...? I'm afraid not.

And that's my issue – the referee made it a talking point and that's not their job. It wouldn't have even been talked about otherwise.

I saw a player take an awful touch, lose control and then overstretch to compensate for losing the ball in a dangerous position on the pitch.

I don't buy this "got the ball first" thing. That's used as an excuse for bad touch / bad tackle. He potentially could have snapped the player's leg / ankle.

So regardless of whether he "got the ball first", it was a dangerous tackle, which is a foul.

The debate as to whether it was a red is another argument, however it was a demonstration of poor touch & control, which led to a foul, which led to a free kick, which led to a goal.

That's how I saw it.

It's only in the last few weeks that silly prices have been paid for keepers.

Also, keep in mind he hasn't had a pre-season so maybe he wasn't at his peak, he also made a blinder 1 vs 1 save, which kept us in it.

For the first time in a long time, it looked like we had an actual plan... Also, did anyone else notice the pace, accuracy and purpose of our passing? I thought that part alone was a massive improvement over last season, where every second pass seemed to be a giveaway.

The best feeling of that game was the thought that, apart from Richarlison, this was last season's Team and we still have like 4 players that can slot in and hopefully be great and elevate us COYB.

I was surprised to find out Jagielka was allowed to start when Holgate was sitting on the substitutes bench. A decision that probably cost Everton a win yesterday. I personally rate Holgate as a better defender than John Stones.

Everton did play better than usual yesterday because they did have a positive game plan of getting the ball forward as quickly as possible, which can be done when playing a 4-3-3 formation. But the big difference is the form Richarlison. He is one player Everton have to keep fit, because the form of Tosun and Walcott yesterday over shadowed Richarlison's performance. IMO.

I'll be VERY interested to watch all sliding tackles this season and see how many are 'controlled' and, if not, are treated in the same way.

To me it's a little like when Niasse got banned for diving retrospectively and then, despite many more flagrant examples elsewhere, not one single player got the same treatment afterwards.

Not saying we're hard done by specifically, but I do think this decision is just wrong.

Even worse, when one of the most slyist, dirtiest elbowing fuckers pipes up and says, “according to the laws of the game”, according to the laws of the game, half of his goals wouldn't've stood (probably a slight exaggeration) and according to the laws of common sense you should be fucked off from your post as a pundit for being such a twat... and breath.

I don't agree, in case you haven't figured it out.

Some justice at least from the idiot media.

This was actually a hard-fought result that showed commitment and effort that we would not have demonstrated last season. The defence was strong, particularly Keane and Holgate. Schneiderlin, who I usually slam, worked extremely hard. Baines and Richarlison worked well down the left, Coleman and Walcott less so on the right. Tosun put in a shift for the team. This is before the new signings even join the squad. I am not over-excited but that result gives cause for cautious optimism, particularly with Silva. I had doubts about hiring him, but the loyalty he inspires in players is clear and they buy into his plan.

We played 45 minutes with 10 men and could have won had it not been for the brilliant Neves. So instead of coming on here to carp and criticise in some pathetic effort to prove how clever you are, back the team.

Dislike Shearer but agree that Pickford could have done better for the free kick – he'll have to start putting up with closer analysis since the World Cup but hopefully he learns from it. He also made a great block so I guess it evens out.

Overall, not a bad start considering our transfer window was a bit last-minute.

5 BBC pundits tipped Germany to win the World Cup. What do they know? Shearer's comments on the sending off are incorrect, Jagielka's foot was on the floor, he won the ball, the rest is collateral damage. Everton should appeal it.

It was a poor mistake by Jags but should have been a booking as he was attempting to get the ball, not take out the man. Good effort from the 10 remaining men but the game was there to win, we need to stop throwing games away.

I also thought that Keane played well in a “back to the wall win and clear it” way. But he got caught under the ball for their second. He's poor at defended balls into the box from the flanks and I guess that's why we've bought the two beasts to replace him and Jags.

Nice to see you toning it down and being on your best Sunday morning behaviour.

Spot on too!

If it was a foul, then the ref made the right decision as Jags did, without a doubt, prevent a goal scoring opportunity. Should we appeal it? No, because if it goes through as "preventing a goal-scoring opportunity" then it's just a one-game ban. A game Jags would probably not have been picked for anyway.

As I say the only question really is "was it a foul"?

Anyway I shall take that result and performance, we just need to back it up with a decent win next Saturday. Onwards and upwards

I'm not a fan of Jagielka and never have been and it was his own simple miss control that put him in the position but, if that was a sending off, we may as well all pack up and go home. I'm expecting the card to be rescinded on appeal and surprised by some pundits saying the ref was correct.

Richarlison's goal was top-notch.

Can Negativity not be banned from this site.

We might lose some games but we are going to be good to watch. That's with 10 men for 50 minutes... I'm happy with that.

So with that in mind, Schneiderlin might have been ok and l mean just ok which makes it his best game in a year but on pure principle l would not have this poisonous individual stealing a living from this club, he is the epitamy of today's self entitled footballer (the only thing missing seems to be an armful of tattoos) the training episode with Mirallas should have been the last time he ever wore an Everton shirt. As a senior professional taking on the manager in full view of the team what damage has this done to the younger players and the effect on the performances last season. I just don't think this should be written off and the slate wiped clean, there are other players who deserve an opportunity to displace this nothing special average joe plodder.

I feel better now, negativity, you can't beat it

I thought we were terrific. If we had lost that lead and a man in any of the last 3 or 4 seasons we would have been battered. It seems that Silva has won them over and got them playing for him and the shirt.

Walcott has not had much game time pre season - when he gets to full fitness we are going to be a real threat from both flanks. Tosun fluffed his lines a couple of times today. He provided a beautiful pass for Richarlison to run on to into the box and score. He should have done the same for Walcott on at least one occasion. Those partnership will develop over the next few games.

It looks to me like we have got a football team with a heart again and a manager that plays to win. Things are looking up.

David Graves @238, sorry, but, everything you say, I disagree with, not even a yellow, he wins the ball, the fact he caught the the fellas ankle afterwards is inconsequential, the ball goes the opposite direction their player was running, Jagielka gets the ball!! How is it a foul?

Contact sport? don’t make me laugh, the modern game is becoming a joke, ruined by beauts without common sense.

It was a perfect challenge (won the ball and got the player too!!), the ref’ should be banned, or at least tarred and feathered. Ridiculous decision. Platini will be happy, but as anyone really liked that bung eating French gobshite anyway? Every time a challenge like that gets punished an angel in my heaven loses its wings.

Rant over, (for ten mins at least).

Richarlison oozed class and worked his socks off. I thought Schneiderlin & Keane played well. He lost man and ball for the goal, but the real problem was the time and space their guy had to cross it. That is happening too often and has to stop.

With the added defensive height & strength and extra class to come from midfield, I'm optimistic.

The best thing about yesterday was how we moved on and put that poor decision behind us. We carried on being the better team with a man down.

How may players from other teams will be sent off in similar circumstances this season? Not many I predict.

An equally enjoyable thread. Take a bow Mr Jameson.

Onwards and upwards Evertonians.

Having calmed down considerably, I am really glad the fighting spirit and never say die attitude appears to have returned to the team. I sincerely hope this is just the start of something, that has been sorely missed for too long.

It is also encouraging to think, that we have, hopefully stronger players waiting in the wings, who will only make us better. The so called pundits of both Sky and the BBC are hopefully choking on their words, that we grossly overpaid for Richarlison.

What a gem of a young player, who will only get better, as he becomes more familiar with both the players around him and also the traditions of Everton.

Without being too specific I thought most played well yesterday, okay after the reduction to ten men, there was a different pattern, I thought Walcott and Tosun were very quiet, I still fail to see what Schneiderlin gives us, and feel he is preventing someone who may care from playing.

It is only the first game of the new season, one where we were largely expected to draw or lose with eleven men, but we nearly upset the apple cart, had we finished with a full compliment, a win would surely have been the outcome.

Going in at half-time with a lead is sometmes a great psychological boost.That extra distance might have made the difference to the Neves free kick.

Still, a good result in the face of adversity away from home and Rich Charlie's Son is a gem.
Kudos to Silva on that one.

If walcott would have been slid in by Ricahrlison first half and Tosun in the second I have no doubt the outcome would have been different yesterday.

There was lot of encouraging sign’s in yesterday’s performance the only major let down for me in that team is Schneiderlin his attitude stink’s he is so half hearted it us unvelievable and I get the impression his team mate’s recognise and resent it.

Holgate was screaming at him as he walked away after Wolves’ equaliser because he sat in rather than close his man down. I’ve also seen Jag’s having a go at him in pre season for letting his man go at set pieces, the guy obviously hasn’t got the spirit to play for us hopefully Gomes will be a decent player and do a better job but report’s from Spain suggest otherwise.

I’m counting the day’s until James McCarthy is fit!

I think the ref was influenced by a couple of things: Jags had lost control of the ball and the ref saw "in his mind anyway" someone lunge "out of control" to make up for a bad error and instantly thought "foul".

Secondly the Oscar-winning attacker who rolled and rolled, and not just rolled but jumped after his first roll, influenced the ref. Refs should be knowledgeable enough to know that, when a player is truly hurt they don't roll like that with so much theatrics, you just don't. If you're really hurt, you go down like a bag of shite and you don't move through pain and fear of exacerbating the injury. IMO.

So, if it was a foul – good decision. If it wasn't – poor decision.

You couldn’t make it up could you mate? The fact the ref has come out and stated that makes me want to cry! How do these idiots get put in charge of a match,? every tackle a defender wins will be “ denying a goal scoring opportunity “ if the attacker is on goal. You couldn’t make it up, but the idiot will get away with it, 100%, and we’ll be the only ones who suffer the consequences. Apart from the few on here who can’t see the woods for the trees.

However having watched the replays, although it is difficult to pinpoint, I saw no evidence of the referee, marking the spot ( 5-6 yards further forward) with his spray and pacing the 10 yards.

It may be because of my poor broadcast, I missed it, could you, or anyone for that matter, clarify if that was the case?

It beggars belief when some officials, will insist on the ball being replaced if it is moved an inch off position, when others can be 5-6 yards out and not seem to notice!

Sneiderlin played well but I think there's still that dynamism missing from his game that I think is vital for a CM, the ability to carry the ball 10-20 yards further up the pitch.

Negatives: the officials, and some people wonder why we didn't have any officials in the world cup. As other posters have commented, the goon came out and said it was for denying a goal scoring opportunity. Will there be any action or criticism from the FA? GTF!

It was not a poor pass from Keane to Jags, as I've seen one poster describe it. It was poor control and touch by Jags that created the situation that led to his sending off.

Jags is as honest as the day is long and he won't need anyone telling him this. We will see the recovery tackle he made scores of times this season and many of them will not even gain a free kick, merit a yellow card, least of all a red card.

The yardage they gained at the free kick makes all the difference to the odds of a goal being scored from that distance. I am quite sure the coaches will be reviewing that snippet with the squad in the coming days and drilling into them the need to contest such gamemanship by the opposition and incompetence by the referee.

As for calls saying Jags shouldn't have even started the game, this blithely ignores the following:

1) Mina and Kouma had signed less than 48 hours and 24 hours earlier. One of them wasn't even in the country. The other hasn't yet arrived on Merseyside. They were NEVER going to play.

2) That leaves the likes of Holgate, Pennington or Feeney as Jags' possible replacement. Pennington is a good lad, but maybe not PL class. Feeney, still unproven at this level.

Holgate, I am very hopeful he can have a serious career at Everton. BUT!!! He has played virtually no part in the pre-season games, suffering from Achilles tendonitis since the Austrian training camp. The management were well aware of this and rather than risk him from the start, were sensibly cautionary and had him on the bench.

Circumstances dictated he was needed earlier than anticipated and played more minutes than was perhaps desirable, but he was fine. Even though he played only 50 minutes, I'll wager Mason feels a little stiff this morning.

Too much simple Football Manager selections from some posters on here at times which fail to take into consideration all relevant factors.

Jordan would've saved that!

He also made a miraculous recovery once the sending off and free kick had been given.

I believe there are representatives from the Vatican and Lourdes, trying to contact the Wolves physios, as to how they performed the aforementioned 'miracle' without any apparitions or a drop of Holy Water in sight.

There was one player who vehemently questioned the spot of the foul - Richarlison. He was pointing to Poor-son where the foul occurred. But as he needed an interpreter for his post match interview then we can only assume that Poor-son did not understand the Portuguese for "Ref, you blind stupid idiot, the foul was all the way back there"

There is no reason for that to be displayed other than to take a very cheap dig at Everton.

They call us bitter!

To do so well with 10 men for so long is a real credit to the team.

It does raise questions about the ideal capacity for a new stadium.

Rob, I think you're right, they probably will sell out, but if it's in the last week then it does raise questions in my mind of what the current and latent demand is out there.

Rob, I hope TV didn't show those garish shorts I saw you in yesterday. Or those legs.

I personally thought it was a tutu, but the picture was a little 'frilly and fuzzy' at that particular instance. 😂😉

Just WHAT was on display yesterday???!!!

At least the clikky against Durham is going a bit better today, Rob. Lancs struggled to 143-6 in our 20 overs, but we are ripping them a new one in their innings - currently 4-4 in the first 4 overs! England going well at Lords as well.

But if Brent's eyewitness account of your wardrobe is correct, I'm glad we only saw your "upside".

I was encouraged by the display though, I thought they all played well which argues well for the future. I think even a point could turn out to be a decent result at Wolves.

Show any serious tackle in slow motion then it will look like a red card situation.

''His right foot misses the ball.''

Please explain why the ball changes direction to the direction that it would have gone had it been kicked by Jags foot. Which you state doesn't happen.

“No no no. It was no foul. Looks like no foul, no foul. Then why is it a red card? It's not a foul, it's not a red card. Not yellow, not red card.

“Until the red card, they did not have one chance to score, that's the truth. It was a harsh, harsh decision. Looks like no fault, was no foul, and of course not a red card. Not really a right decision by the ref at that moment.”

My point is mainly that Jags clearly went after the ball and not the man; he slid in, yes, but he kept low and, although the challenge was strong, I didn't think it was dangerous. Have the rules of the game changed such that you cannot tackle your opponent if there is contact with him on the follow through? If so, that is just plain fucking daft.

Yes, in slo-mo Jag's lunge yesterday seemed rash, but equally the red card seemed harsh; and yes, Ruben Neves's free kick, superbly put away as it was, was taken about three-quarters of a mile ahead of where the actual incident occurred. But I have no doubt that somewhere down the line we'll get the rub of the green on a similar incident.

However, I really do not see the point in indulging in this kind of bollocks" where pundits take into account every real or perceived injustice, and then correct the league table accordingly.

As George Orwell wrote in his novel, 1984, 'He who controls the present controls the past'. Hopefully the current obsession with stats and VAR won't mean that the past gets rewritten at the end of every season.

Never mind a sell out, I haven't got my season ticket yet!

I emailed and was told they were being sent out in batches!

Anyone else still waiting?

New era is fine, however, if they can't get the season tickets out one week before our first home game, what's going on!!!!

Ray, I got my season ticket yesterday, so you should get yours any day now.

This is my problem with Schneiderlin. A large section of fans think he played well but he offers so little. If by playing well you mean not making too many mistakes, then I'd bring on an 18-year-old. He should never be ahead of Gana as the defensive / holding midfielder as he's just not fast, energetic or a good enough tackler.

We need a distributor and link-up player. To take the ball from a defender and turn it into attack. Schneiderlin is not good enough for the Premier League. He only ever passes backwards and sideways when not under pressure or simply gives the ball away. Gomes is class and can hopefully come and run the midfield with his sharper passing and ability to go forward with the ball.

Generally, I thought we played well and I agree, I thought it was a good tackle by Jags; the replay confirms it was a good clean meaty tackle.

We must appeal the decision and, if nothing else, we should get complete clarity on what the ref think he saw was wrong with it to help clear up similar instances in the future.

If it meant being unfairly punished would lead to improved more consistent decisions, then I'd accept it – but we all know it won't. Rules need to be simplified so there is more agreement, eg, if a defender over-stretches for a tackle, it is considered dangerous, then state that. But then clarify what is 'over-stretching' and in what circumstances, ie, 50:50 tackles.

I don't want VAR because you get idiots on the review panel who think it was a deserved red card. What I want is consistency and VAR doesn't bring it. It's about clarifying and simplifying the rules.

In the World Cup, there were inconsistent handball calls, wrestling in the box calls, and players diving that didn't get booked. Either use VAR for all penalty box decisions, or to retrospectively ban players, or don't bother.

Next week starting XI:

Pickford
Coleman Holgate Keane Baines
Gueye Schneiderlin
Walcott Siggy Richy
Tosun

Subs: Stek, Mina, Digne, Davies, Bernard, Lookman, Niasse

Digne to replace Baines after 60 mins
Lookman to replace Walcott after 60 mins
Bernard to replace Schneiderlin 80th minute

The Incredible Sulk (Lookman) might not be on the bench. Looks like he was dropped from the squad on Sat for spitting his dummy out after Silva told the press that he won't be going anywhere.

But while the ref was making his mind up Jags is walking away with his hands on his head. Tantamount to an admission of guilt. Inviting the red card .

Thanks for update.

Perhaps they are doing it alphabetically. Joys of being Smith, always two thirds the way down any list.

COYB

A decent result away from home with 10 men for 50 minutes.

That's the simple answer to all of this.

That's the simple answer to all of this.

Your view is equally as valid as mine. Neither of us is right or wrong, or we argue the toss till we're blue in the face. The referee agrees with me, but again is he right or wrong? Well, neither.

So many factors.

None of this matters since we're going to win the league anyway..

There again, maybe you're right and Michael is talking bollocks. To be fair, don't know if I'm talking bollocks or not?

You're both right though. We're gonna win the league!!

COYB. FTRS.

At the time I thought it was a terrible decision. The pic at the top of the page of this link shows the moment of impact, and you have to admit that it does look really bad.

He wasn't confident in his defender's and that's why he was hesitating. Fast forward to half a dozen matches and a new settled defence, and we'll see the best of him again

This was an impressive debut for Richarlison, and if the referee hadn't got over-excited, Everton would have won their fixture against Wolves.

I said in this column last season that Premier League referees were becoming unpopular due to their over officiousness. If you want to know why Premier League referees were not invited by Fifa to the World Cup, then evidence is provided by the decision by Craig Pawson to send off Phil Jagielka, for what was at best a bookable offence.