Silva: Not the best display but we deserved more

Friday, 23 August, 2019 98comments  |  Jump to most recent

Marco Silva admitted that his side didn't play especially well at Villa Park but argued they didn't deserve to lose given the chances they created.

Everton went down 2-0 to newly-promoted Aston Villa, conceding their first goals of the season and suffering their first defeat in hugely disappointing fashion.

The Blues dominated possession but struggled to break Dean Smith's team down, especially once the hosts had a lead to defend afforded them by Wesley's 22nd-minute strike, which they did in determined fashion.

Nevertheless, Everton created three good chances to score but managed just one effort on target all evening, that a Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort that the striker fired at Bjorn Engels on the goal-line with a clear shot at goal from 11 yards out.

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Substitute Alex Iwobi was unfortunate to see the best effort of the second half come back off the post Lucas Digne scooped a stoppage-time effort over the bar but Theo Walcott wasted a gilt-edged chance when he was picked out by Moise Kean but slashed a volley high over the crossbar.

"We didn't achieve what we deserved," Silva said. "We started the game well. When you play away and create three of four clear chances to score and don't score one... When you create the clear chance with Dominic.."

"After we changed to 4-4-2, we started to create more chances. [We] hit the post with Iwobi and [there was a] big chance for Theo but we couldn't take them.

"With all the chances we created we deserved something more."

Silva was asked whether he thought it was a good performance, he said: "I didn't say it was a good performance. We had possession and didn't score. It wasn't the best performance."

 

Reader Comments (98)

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Mark Tanton
1 Posted 24/08/2019 at 08:04:12
It was toothless, cowardly performance – by the players and the manager. Coleman drives me insane with his awful crossing and the way he literally stops and walks with the ball. Gomes should have been shot as an act of mercy. Many others were a total embarrassment.
Pat McKinlay
2 Posted 24/08/2019 at 08:06:29
In my opinion, there were at least 4 players on that pitch whose only concern was what day their wages would go into their bank accounts. The only player to score a goal for Everton in the Premier League this season was substituted, same old Everton!
Harry Wallace
4 Posted 24/08/2019 at 08:32:43
Calvert-Lewin isn't Premier League quality. Cannot score. Walcott cannot finish or deliver assists. Both must be dropped out of squads.
Dave Abrahams
5 Posted 24/08/2019 at 08:33:08
Watching Everton play like that is like going to see a friend in hospital, who is very ill, hours and days later you still can’t get them out of your head worrying about them.

I don’t worry or care about a lot of those players who came on the field last night and didn’t earn their wages but I worry about where my club Everton are going with frauds like these on their books.

Clive Rogers
6 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:04:48
Harry, 4, correct. Those two will cost Silva his job if he persists with them. Our best player was Iwobi, so why was he on the bench for over an hour?
Liam Reilly
7 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:23:31
What happened to Gomes; he was just bullied out of it by their bearded guy.

As for DCL, a Sunday league striker wouldve scored that. it's even more horrific from behind the goal, where t he whole of the left side (6 YARDS) is wide open.

Villa took their chances and deserved to win.

James Newcombe
8 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:23:41
That was like the Fulham away game again. We can’t deal with massed defenders for some reason. And with no Gueye, and a lack of pace with the CBs we’re always in danger to the counter.
Dave Williams
9 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:33:24
Quite right Dave- some players don’t care but we all fret about our club. I’m sat here having a coffee with the dog going over it all again having been in a bad mood last night and have to get myself right for a party tonight hosted by a red! I know what’s coming!
It’s the simple things which are going wrong. A failure to put in a cross which our players can attack. An inability to play a decent through ball. An inability to play a simple pass forward to our own player. A failure to look around at where the opposition are running.Lack of desire in some players to grab control of the game.
I also think we still have a problem at No10- Siggy not Boris. Our midfield play is way too ponderous and Siggy and Morgan are too slow to play in this team. Ok Morgan was a second or third choice last night but Siggy does not contribute if he doesn’t score and cannot survive just because he scored a few last year. Iwobi looked good and I would play him instead of Siggy, Gbamin to return when fit and Delph to challenge Gomes( dreadful from him last night).
I thought DCL was one of our better players last night but no doubt his “supporters” will slag him off for the one chance he missed and ignore the fact that only one chance created for the CF in 95 minutes needs to be addressed first. Kèan looks good and I thought Mina had a decent game too.
Silva has work to do- we still look a yard too slow and lacking fire. It’s s### or bust for him this season and he has to find his best team quickly.
Liam Reilly
10 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:38:33
One chance created Dave, come on. DCL is going to have to watch that back Monday morning with the rest of the team and that is one to hide his face in his palms.

How much confidence dies the rest of the side have in him I wonder. Hes not justified his in inclusion as a striker.

Clive Rogers
11 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:39:10
Dave, DCL has now not scored in his last 14 games and did absolutely nothing of worth last night. He looked exactly like what he is, a midfielder shoved up front.
David Greenwood
12 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:46:42
Bang goes the early season optimism.

A woeful effort by most of the players (not all) and most especially by our manager.

His original team selection, tactics and then subsequent game management was shameful.

Schneiderlin doesn’t care, doesn’t try and just strolls around avoiding any responsibility. When he does decide to get involved it’s almost always a sideways or backward pass that contributes nothing.

Walcott has spent his entire career flattering to deceive. He will never change.

DCL has a fantastic attitude, great work rate and I love him to bits but he just doesn’t score goals.

Bernard,, siggy, Richie are all guys who could be described as enigmas. They had a good game once and we’re all waiting on it happening again.

It’s not their fault they keep getting picked. I fear Marco is just too stubborn and we’re in Martinez territory of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

How Gomes lasted the entire game should be the subject of a lengthy conversation at the next board meeting. Taking him off would have been a mercy for his own sake. He deserved better management.

Rant over.

John Keating
13 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:48:11
With interviews and comments like that, Silva is going the Martinez route.

Yes, he has the interests of the players to look after but he also has the interest of the support, especially the fans who went last night, to say it as we all saw it.

Only thing I saw last night was proof that "my boy" McGinn will be in great demand at the end of the season. He spent more energy himself than our lot did in total. Him and Grealish bossed it both with and without the ball. Embarrassing.

Mick Conalty
14 Posted 24/08/2019 at 09:49:40
Silva is clueless simple as. The board are clueless for chasing after him as if he was some great manager. I posted after the Watford game that the jury was still out over Silva, but I seemed to be in a very small minority. Maybe most of the ToffeeWebber's are happy with second-rate football?
Dave Williams
15 Posted 24/08/2019 at 10:00:41
Calvert-Lewin had one chance, boys. He missed and should have scored. I don't say he will make it as a centre-forward but the time to judge is when there is a decent team around him. Kane and Salah would have looked crap in that team last night.

Many people will focus on him for the failure to score last night but the midfield was dreadful once Villa scored. I think Kean has to be given a start now and Iwobi and maybe even the French lad at right-back.
Calvert-Lewin may never be the finished article – I hope he will be – but us losing last night was not down to him.

Phil Lewis
16 Posted 24/08/2019 at 10:05:21
Tottenham would not have let Sigurdsson go to Swansea in the first place if he possessed the quality that the hyped media would have you believe. I don't recall anyone else coming in for him when we paid Swansea silly money for him. From the word go for me, his performances have flattered to deceive. There is no way he would ever get into a top-four team.

Dead ball specialist? He was more 'Dead Balls' last night. I would play Bernard in his role. He successfully played that position in Russia. I believe he would be ideal in a pivotal role, his quick thinking and footwork, bringing Kean and whichever wide men are picked into play.

Okay, Calvert Lewin should have scored, but the lad could not be faulted for effort. Gomes uncharacteristically stunk and Richarlison looks like a petulant sulking child when things don't go his way. In all three games so far we have started like world beaters for 20 minutes, then like an over-excited boxer we 'punch ourselves out', run out of steam and ideas and allow the opposition possession.

I don't profess to know the answer, that is your job, Mr Silva. But please, don't say we deserved more. We got exactly what we deserved last night. In fact, we were fortunate to hang on for three points against Watford. We now have a decent squad, when all are fit it is your job to make hard decisions even if it means dropping so-called costly 'stars' and find a winning formula.

It's early days yes, but my comments are aimed mainly at established players who are continuing to display the worst aspects of their respective games.

Trevor Peers
17 Posted 24/08/2019 at 10:17:20
Don't fret, Dave @15,

Calvert-Lewin will always play as long as Silva is manager, he must have total faith in him – otherwise, he would've bought a replacement in the summer.

Brian Harrison
18 Posted 24/08/2019 at 10:18:10
Worrying, worrying, worrying, our 2 leading goal scorers from last season are a shadow of themselves. Gomes had an awful night, by far his worst game since coming to the club. I wonder what Tom Davies must think we had 2 CM injured Gomes was having a nightmare and still Silva chose not to bring him on.

We have played away to 2 clubs who will probably be in the lower reaches of the league for most of the season, yet we could only draw with one and lost to the other. I can't think of to many easier away games than these 2, so we haven't made the most of an easy away start to the season.

I said last season this team doesn't look like scoring a lot of goals, and with practically the same starting line up in our first few games that trend is continuing, 3 games 1 goal.

Their first goal was a poor goal to give away, Wesley made a run in behind Mina and Keane didnt track him, when you are the last defender you must stay with your man. What was even more frustrating is we had totally controlled the game up to that point, without looking like scoring. We huffed and puffed but, apart from Calvert-Lewin's gilt edged chance going begging, didn't worry their goal keeper too much.

I thought Silva might make changes at half time, but he decided to give the starting line up a chance to turn things around, but on the hour his patience ran out and he began to make the changes. I wouldnt argue with his substitutions although maybe a couple who actually stayed on were very lucky to do so.

There is no doubt that Iwobi and Kean made an impact with Iwobi unluckily hitting a post and had another shot deflected that looped into the keepers hands. Kean looked lively and laid on a great chance for Walcott from 6 yards out but he blazed way over the bar.

I can't think to many top 6 sides looking at last nights game will think they have much to fear from us, let's hope that Iwobi and Kean start against Lincoln and Wolves. These boys need game time now not more training sessions.

Not the start we had hoped for and, while we did create chances in the last 15 minutes, I think Marco needs to select a side that has more momentum going forward and carries a greater threat than last night's starting line-up created.

David Donnellan
19 Posted 24/08/2019 at 10:26:35
Very disappointing! How did we lose to a bag of shit like Villa? They had two shots and scored from them both. We had all of the possession and more shots and couldn't get anything from the game.

What villa did well, was getting two lines behind the ball when we were in possession and shutting off all the space for forward/through balls down the middle, they allowed us to have the ball in front of them, but we never had the guile to unlock them. Passes were going sideways & backwards, the only real space was out wide, but are delivery was very poor from wide positions, especially from Coleman and Richarlison.

Coleman can never whip an early ball in, always insisting on beating a man first & then delivering a nothing ball. Richarlison looks as if he can't make up his mind what to do with the ball when he gets hold of it and ends up holding onto it for too long and running into someone who takes the ball off him.
Having said all that, we created enough chances to get something from this game, but weren't clinical enough. This isn't the Villa of old, this is a team of second rate players. If we have ambitions of breaking the premier league elite, it is teams like this we should be taking all 3 points from.

Positive for me was Iwobi and Kean coming on definitely livened things up & made us more threatening. They need to be part of the starting 11 in my opinion, definitely good enough.

As for Silva, I don't think he can get away with too many of these results under Moshiri. He has to put things right and get us back on track fast.

John Davies
20 Posted 24/08/2019 at 10:34:23
Silva's interview and comments after the game were as woeful as the rest of the evening. The performance was totally gutless and inexcusable – just like our Manager's comments.

We didn't deserve to lose? Seriously? We were beaten by a side who at least managed to get a couple of efforts on target over 90 minutes, and whose players worked harder for their wages than ours did. We got EXACTLY what we deserved.

I'm fed up with listening to Silva's pathetic, inaccurate, feeble interviews. His players' performances are totally reflective of his own absurd efforts both during and after games. How does he expect players to accept responsibility and be embarrassed by performances like last night, when he isn't himself?

He's nowhere near good enough for the job he has and, if Brands & Moshiri can't see that, then we are in trouble.

Yet another long, infuriating season ahead for us Blues.

Shane Corcoran
21 Posted 24/08/2019 at 11:06:42
Mark #1, after watching and dwelling on that game, how Coleman could make it into your comments in a negative sense is beyond me.

I'm not saying he was great but, other than Digne, the back five had reasonably good games. It's what lies ahead of that that is clearly the problem.

I just had and still have a bad feeling about Gomes.

Kevin Latham
22 Posted 24/08/2019 at 11:43:25
David (19), you saw the game exactly as I did. We don't seem to have a clever midfield player to pick the right pass. Gomes looked to be that player early last season but he just doesn't seem at the races. And even when we do get in on goal we don't have a decent finisher – hopefully Kean will become that.

So, no guile, no finishing and no leadership on the pitch, nobody who's willing to get in anyone's face. Please God, it's just got to get better!

Sean Kelly
23 Posted 24/08/2019 at 11:53:03
Phil, “stars”? – we don't have them, lad. We have some stars in the making: Kean and Digne... after that, it's dross. Over-hyped over-paid dross that no-one else in this league wants.

Coleman, Sigurdsson, Walcott — do I need to go on?

I've a daughter seriously ill in hospital at the moment and flicked to the Live Forum for a lift. I'm more depressed than ever about this club. Brands can spot the talent but he's handing them to a dope. Silva couldn't run a bath.

Dick Fearon
24 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:05:32
I sometimes wonder if Silva is aware of what is happening? Like his predecessors, he stands emotionless while all hell lets loose on the field.

Good managers show some animation in covering every inch of the technical area, demanding, praising and when needed, criticising their players.

Yourself, plus Walter Smith, Moyes, then Martinez, followed by Dubaii Sam, and Koeman, would make a small forest of fossilised trees.

Danny Broderick
25 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:10:22
Silva is right in what he says. It wasn't a good performance. But we did deserve more. 2-0 flattered them massively. We had 64% possession, and twice as many chances as them as the away team.

The trouble is, we only hit the target once, so we will not be winning many games while that continues. The whole midfield stunk last night, although at least Bernard was trying to create. The worry for me is that we don't seem to know how to attack – the only threat we have comes from our full-backs.

It's clear that Sigurdsson playing just behind Calvert-Lewin isn't working. It wasn't working well enough for the majority of last season, let alone the 3 games this season. The system will have to be tweaked. I don't think Kean is ready to play up front on his own yet, so I would take him playing off Calvert-Lewin up front. Schneiderlin has no place here also – he just shadows what the other midfielders are doing. Gomes had a bad night last night, but did Schneiderlin take on more responsibility to help his mate out? No, he went missing as usual.

I feel Delph is going to be a key player for us this season, if only to keep Schneiderlin out of the team!

George Cumiskey
26 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:26:54
What's Silva on about??? We got exactly what we deserved — nothing.
Hugh Jenkins
27 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:27:08
In recent times we've heard a lot about mental health and how it affects footballers.

I am wondering if, during these stringent medicals that are conducted ahead of transfers nowadays, whether the psychological health of a player is looked at?

The reason I ask is that Gomes apparently was suffering from depression when he first came to us.

If this was a clinical diagnosis, did it not occur to the management that he might relapse at any time?

Maybe this is the problem he is experiencing now and it would go some way to explaining the up-and-down consistency in his performances.

I'm no expert and am just wondering as I can't think of any other reason that might apply?

Joe McMahon
28 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:28:32
Danny, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that possession stats mean nothing, it's goals scored. And Everton have scored 1 in 3 matches.
Laurie Hartley
29 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:31:09
I had a feeling Villa would be too energetic for us so I wasn't really surprised at the result – just gutted.

Dave Abrahams # 5 – I'm feeling for you. If I lived on Merseyside still, I would take you out for a few pints of ale of your choice.

Marco – we got what we deserved... nothing.

Dave Abrahams
30 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:44:57
Laurie (29), as you get older, you'd think it would be easier to take these defeats with a shrug, but lack of effort and endeavour combined with no Plan B intends to rile a lot of fans, I certainly know it riles me.

To be honest, we were better when the two new lads came on, but we still had no real midfield to create chances.

If you ever get over here again, I'd love to have a couple of pints with you.

Chris Leyland
31 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:50:45
People saying Kane and Salah would have looked crap in that team last night... maybe, but both of them would have put Calvert-Lewin's chance in the back of the net when it came.

If we are going to play like we do, which seems to be about controlling possession but creating very few chances, then we simply must have someone who is capable of putting the chances away on the rare occasion that they are created. Is Calvert-Lewin that man? On the evidence of this season so far, no. Is Kean that man? I don't know but it is surely time to give him a run of starts to find out.

James Fletcher
32 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:55:22
If he doesn't change the squad up after that performance, then I'm convinced that managers literally do nothing – they don't buy the players, they don't train the players (on evidence), and they don't pick a team. We could save a lot of money by having an intern hit copy and paste each week and then invest that money in more players who we will then refuse to start.
Clive Rogers
33 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:57:36
Danny, 25, Bernard May have been trying to create, but the point is he didn't. He has not made it in the Premier League and will have to be moved on. He is too lightweight.

Calvert-Lewin is a midfield player at League One level. He is a midfield player shoved up front because he has height and pace, but he is not a forward in any position.

Alan J Thompson
34 Posted 24/08/2019 at 12:59:47
Get rid of this imposter of a Manager. Schneiderlin?!? For heaven's sake, put out our most creative, workmanlike and effective side or we'll end up another Watford or Hull. And please, no more of this, "They aren't fit or ready" — can he not see what the rest of us can and the results show?

So what now from this one-trick pony?

James Hughes
35 Posted 24/08/2019 at 13:01:44
Missed the game last night, I sat down just as Walcott volleyed a mile over the bar, then they got their second goal. Stayed away from TW last night as it would be in meltdown.

This thread has been a good insight into how we played so many thanks to all.

Clive Rogers
36 Posted 24/08/2019 at 13:02:14
I think it is time that Anthony Gordon was introduced to see if he is as good as some people think. Richarlison is not really a winger and has had his chances and needs to be dropped for a while.
Clive Rogers
37 Posted 24/08/2019 at 13:15:37
If Mina keeps going missing, Gibson should be given a chance also.
Ben Attwood
38 Posted 24/08/2019 at 13:29:15
Deluded if we think we are going anywhere under this clown. I was hoping he would have been relieved over the summer.

Easy fixtures so far and poor results. We should have beaten Palace and Villa if we have aims of top 6 let alone top 4. We have less points than this stage last year and the same points as 2 years ago after 3 games and we all know what happened then. We had terrible fixtures that year if I remember.

Enough of this 4-2-3-1 crap. We have seen this negated too many times. The front 4 get cut off from the rest far too easily.

Richarlison and Sigurdsson need dropping as well. 3 games into a new season this speaks volumes of the attitude of these players.

John Pierce
39 Posted 24/08/2019 at 13:31:04
I think the biggest fault with the games so far lies with Silva. The pattern of play. We are utterly predictable. From the back, to the middle, to down the side and in.

Every team we've played has let us do that because when we cross it, we don't do so with any accuracy, there are no bodies flooding the box. This style completely ignores the Number 10 and as such any player there would find it hard.

We never play into the centre forward or have midfielders breaking beyond the back line as a third man running. We are one dimensional and once the tactics are rebuffed we are blunted.

An amateur can figure it out, we are woeful against poor sides and that has not changed under Silva. For him to defend that performance last night was just an exercise in defiance.

Patrick Eimsman
40 Posted 24/08/2019 at 13:47:18
Went to the pub last night eagerly anticipating this game and really looking forward to watching us play for the first time this season. We looked to Gomes for everything and he didn't deliver. Sigurdsson was non-existent.

Left the pub in a shit mood now trying to salvage some bank holiday spirit. Such a bad game. Mina played well that's all. Plus the Wesley lad for Villa is a beast.

George Cumiskey
41 Posted 24/08/2019 at 14:42:13
The problem with Silva is, if the team he puts out first doesn't do the business, he hasn't got the tactical nous to change it.
Christy Ring
42 Posted 24/08/2019 at 14:51:17
Silva must have been watching a different game to me, our midfield were clueless, no pace whatsoever, Grealish wasn't touched. What does Davies have to do to get a game, his treatment has been bizarre, and what does Silva see in Schneiderlin, he hasn't changed in the last 3 years, he's still shocking.
Kieran Kinsella
43 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:09:36
George 41,

I don't even think it is a lack of tactical nous. He has shown some tactical flexibility in his career. I think it is arrogance. It's like "this was the best team so if they don't perform it is on them, not me, I am never wrong." Very much in the mold of Mourinho.

Problem is that it's kind of an old school attitude that harkens back to the days when players genuinely feared managers throwing tea cups at them. These days, players have little respect for the managers. Half are happy to just pick up a paycheck, the rest just get on the phone with Raiola and orchestrate a move.

James Stewart
44 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:11:49
Utter nonsense. We deserved what we got, nothing. The team selection was piss poor, yes some players might not be fit for 90 mins, but play the best XI from the start then and take them off when tiring not the other way round.

Glaring issues in random order:

Right wing. Exciting £50M record signing played out of position. Richarlison's skillset is completely negated from the right. He is only playing there because Walcott is so useless. Play him in his best position on the left cutting in.

Striker: Calvert-Lewin, just no more please, it's embarrassing. Not good enough and never will be.

Midfield: a lot of players signed yet we still have Szzchneiderlin starting games. Gomes also seems to have dramatically lost form. The two of them were dire and far too slow at Villa. Delph and Gbamin can't get fit quick enough. Watching Gomes's and Scneiderlin's crablike build-up while we were 1-0 down was excruciating.

Kieran Kinsella
45 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:13:31
Clive 36

I wouldn't be surprised to see Gordon before too long. He has been training with the first team, couple of goals for U23s this week.

David Woodworth
46 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:30:15
Calvert-Lewin, the number 9, an embarrassment.

Same old same old Everton, never have 1 or 2 playing bad it becomes contagious disease and most play bad. When are we going to have a captain with some balls?

No pride, no commitment, and a manager who changes players on the “standard” 60-minute mark. Talk about original, inspirational, I don't think so.

As has been said, if Sigurdsson doesn't score, he's invisible. Calvert-Lewin couldn't score in a brothel and he's loaded.

An abject utterly boring and spineless display.

Paul Evans
47 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:33:44
What would be your team for Wolves? (never mind Lincoln just yet 🙈 )

Pickford
Coleman
Keane
Mina
Digne
Delph
Gomes
Richarlison (RW)
Iwobi (LW)
Bernard (No 10)
Kean

Front line needs a shake up, and fast!!!

Sam Hoare
48 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:48:44
We weren't good enough but I don't think it's totally untrue to say we deserved more. Calvert-Lewin and Walcott missed excellent chances and Iwobi hit the post.

We had more shots, corners, chances etc but again lacked the finishing touch. For the first 20 minutes and last 30 minutes we looked the better team.

Obviously none of that really matters compared to zero points but I don't think anything Silva says is totally without reason. We played better than Fulham away last season but need to start putting chances away.

Pat Kelly
49 Posted 24/08/2019 at 15:52:42
The season is already being squandered against the lesser teams. One deflected goal in three games. Silva has failed to have a decent team ready. The pre-season was just an embarrassment and proved again we can't score.

There is nothing to suggest this will change, and plenty of evidence it won't. Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson and Bernard are not going to improve, no matter how often they play. Gomes is unreliable. Playing Calvert-Lewin is an insult at this stage. Richarlison does nothing useful and increasingly looks a mistake. Gbamin and Delph are out of action. Why did we sign Delph with his injury record? He won't last a couple of games.

It's all down to Kean and Iwobi to offer some hope. It's going to be a long, painful season sliding to a bottom half finish. The Brands and Silva era has hit the skids.

Tony Twist
50 Posted 24/08/2019 at 17:50:58
Second rate performance from a team of players that are nowhere near worth the money spent on them. We are not up to speed and we are three matches in, that is unacceptable. We got away with it last season with good home form in the end-of-season run in, we will need the same again to finish in the top ten. Personnel has changed but the quality of play hasn't, it is average.
John Cartwright
51 Posted 24/08/2019 at 18:15:01
It's like watching Dr Who undergoing a regeneration. MARco Silva gradually evolving into MARtinez Silva.

Stand by for a phenomenal moment...

Andy Crooks
52 Posted 24/08/2019 at 18:21:52
John, I hope you are wrong. Unfortunately the interviews suggest there is some common ground.
Oliver Molloy
53 Posted 24/08/2019 at 18:32:12
Sean Kelly @23,

Never worry about the football, I hope your daughter gets well soon.

I don't agree with Silva, the team didn't get anything because they were not good enough to beat a very ordinary side. It's only the third game, but the teams we have played are quite ordinary.

It's not to bad luck we have failed to achieve what I believe was reasonable- 9 pts, it's down to the fucking management and players. The last 3 games are showing how much Gana brought to the team.

Allan Board
54 Posted 24/08/2019 at 18:58:57
So then, we are not fit enough and not quite ready? Excuse my language, but total bollucks, Marco. These early season games are okay to bed players in and get fit if you are Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs because they will win 75% of their games left because they are quality teams with decent coaches. Everton don't have that luxury, you muppet, Marco, so get the fuckers fit before the season starts and do your job!

Everton have to hit the ground running from the get go, because we all know the overall quality is not there to sustain it! Fuck a duck, can we get some staff who actually take this club seriously!!

Here is an idea for you next time, sweetheart: get all the players you have available from July 1st, get them fit, and actually coach them and use them from the start until your 'tired' ones and new transfers are ready to start. Sounds like Martinez Mk 2 to me.

Kunal Desai
55 Posted 24/08/2019 at 19:06:04
Silva is going to need a minimum of 5 points out of the next 3 games (Wolves, Bournemouth and Sheff Utd) anything less and the pressure needs to (and will) be cranked up on him.
Ian Riley
56 Posted 24/08/2019 at 20:48:57
Silva is right: we did create chances. First 20 minutes, we controlled the match. Problem is "urgency". Takes us to go behind before the team decide to get a move on. Sadly, our previous two matches have been the same. Lack of urgency.

Still we have 4 points. Three games in. Panic, no. Are we top-four potential? No. Top six? Yes. It's too early to press the alarm button.

Alan McGuffog
57 Posted 24/08/2019 at 21:04:14
We're just not very good at footy, are we? No shame in that. Not been very good for 30years... why should things change now?
Ian Riley
58 Posted 24/08/2019 at 21:53:35
Alan #57. Players who have won trophies is what we lack. I do believe our squad is the most in depth of quality for 30 years. However, how many players have won trophies? Three at most? We need to win something quickly. In all Tottenham Hotspur's so-called success, trophies have not come.

The margins of success are very slim now. Silva must take the cup competitions seriously.

Nathan Snell
59 Posted 24/08/2019 at 22:31:17
Compared to Klopp:

“Our identity is our intensity.”

“I saw a brilliant game from my team at this early in the season. It was outstanding. A performance full of power, full of energy and full of passion. That's what you need against such a good team.”

Mike Keating
60 Posted 25/08/2019 at 00:45:35
Alan #57. because Moshiri is on his third manager and they were all given millions to spend.

But you're right – it's still crap!

Roman Sidey
61 Posted 24/08/2019 at 00:48:17
Kunal, if five points is the minimum aim for a run against Wolves, Bournemouth and Sheffield, then that is a sad indictment on the expectations of this club. I'd say seven is the lowest acceptable total there, if not nine. I know it won't happen, but people need to start having higher standards of expectation and getting pissed off at every point dropped.

Friday's match against Villa would have been three pencilled in points at the start of the season. They got zero, so now they have to find three points in another fixture to keep on track with their goal, or change their goal. In other words, Friday's match was a waste of time.

Derek Thomas
62 Posted 25/08/2019 at 02:15:24
Fitness and Intensity. Remember Osman's - Martinez's Hardest training is like Moyes 'Easy' day. Somebody ask Coleman, he must be one of the few, if not the only one who is left over from Moyeses fitness regime.

I remember bemoaning the fact of the rs Intensity...and our lack, in 2013, so it isn't just a thing Klopp invented.

Everybody is more or less affected by the same summer player commitments.

The rs reported back for training on 6th July, we reported back on the 1st July...who seems fitter??

Possible conclusion - our training methods and trainers are shite. All the players we signed must have started their own pre-season around the same time.

Another possible conclusion - all our players are lazy bastards.

Possible joint conclusion - The Training Staff and their methods are rubbish and the players don't give a shit...well thats how it seems.

By the time the injured and generally unfit get fit and back up to speed, It'll be fucking Christmas and the season could be long gone. 50pts...(if we're lucky) beckons and one day there won't be 3 or more teams worse than us.

Now I'm sure many will give me chapter and verse...burnout etc. on how I'm too harsh and vastly mistaken. But honestly, I'm sick of excuses, other teams can motivate themselves. Other teams can get fit. Why not us.

Kenn Crawford
63 Posted 25/08/2019 at 07:44:16
Please get this fraud as far away from this club ASAP I am sorry what has this guy ever achieved? Answers on a postage stamp. Silva is not the man to lead us upwards
Denis Richardson
64 Posted 25/08/2019 at 10:13:13
Luckily missed the game being on holiday. The comments above tell me all I need to know.

One goal scored in three games continues the issues from last season. Not sure why Kean still isn’t starting.

4 points from 3 games isn’t a crisis but worrying we haven’t played any of the top teams.

Jerome Shields
65 Posted 25/08/2019 at 10:16:50
The problem is that Aston Villa deserved to win and got the three points.
Dave Lynch
66 Posted 25/08/2019 at 10:30:49
Don't really know why everyone is getting so upset.
How many times have we been here?

This is "us" to a tee, I've become so apathetic toward this club and trust me apathy is not something I usually do.

Bottom line is that when it matters to us the fans, the players do not respond. It would have been lovely to be top, if only for a few hours but heyho lads along come Everton... You know the rest.

Drew O'Neall
67 Posted 25/08/2019 at 10:34:01
I’ve just re-watched the highlights. We banged on the door for a long time and they caught us on the break for both goals. We were the superior team, in control and just couldn’t finish.. I don’t know the stat for shots off target but it was high.. and it wasn’t just Calvert-Lewin!
Dale Rose
68 Posted 25/08/2019 at 11:23:14
Well just to say you have to take positives from the game. No doubt a few had howlers. It happens. The club for a while now has been referred to as a project, which it is. We have the players in we now have to get them fully fit and use them. Calvert Lewin is a greater. The goals will come. I would prefer a start like this than a finish like this. There has been enormous change at the club and things are coming together. The debacle on Friday was a blip.

It's no good mentioning the shite on here. They are an international brand. We aren't. No doubt in a couple of years given the vision of the club, we might see blue shirts in the Amazon instead of ones with Crown paint on.

John Wilson
69 Posted 25/08/2019 at 12:22:12
Calling Silva a fraud is not helpful. As others have said, it's not like we have managers lining up with their CVs in tow to replace Silva. Silva needs to find an answer for these teams who camp out in their half.

I don't know why we hear a foreign name of a manager and gravitate to them. If Silva can't get something out of these overpaid drama queens that we call players, then someone else will have to. It's not all Silva's fault. We need players who want to fight for the shirt, not just play for it.

John Wilson
70 Posted 25/08/2019 at 13:11:11
I meant good managers with very good track records either at Premier League or can translate to the PL. It's not that simple, is it?
Martin Berry
71 Posted 25/08/2019 at 13:45:39
The first 20 minutes Villa could not get the ball and I thought.. were going to have a bagful.

One breakaway and they score, the games changes completely, 2-0 flattered as we were chasing.

We will come good we have too much talent not too, it's just early season hiccup, relax and keep calm as they say.

Sean Kelly
72 Posted 25/08/2019 at 14:19:20
The players are not fit and that’s down to Marko and his staff. If I was their fitness coach I would stand at the top of a mountain and kick football down hill and tell them lazy twats to fetch it back or no wages. You’d see them sods run day and night if the wages was in doubt. Fuckin mercenaries.
George Cumiskey
73 Posted 25/08/2019 at 14:53:32
I'm sick of all this "Calvert-Lewin put in a shift" nonsense — putting in a shift is the minimum expected — he's there to score goals!!! I'll put in a shift if they give me a game and I'm 70, I'll be absolutely crap but I'll put in a shift. It never ceases to amaze me what poor performances some ToffeeWebbers will accept.

What about pushing Gomes further up the pitch in Sigurdsson's place? He's a bit too dangerous for us playing deep and he can pick a pass.

John Wilson
74 Posted 25/08/2019 at 15:01:12
Look at the gem of players that the likes of Bournemouth, Leicester and Wolves pick up for typically much cheaper than we pay for our players. I think we think too elite - thinking that the most expensive players make the best players. Brands needs to revise his opinion as he said would rather use what's in the academy than look below 'that level' (below Premier league). We need hungry players - not these expensive drama queens. Brands is good but he doesn't seem to rate non UK players below below Premier league level.
Eric Paul
75 Posted 25/08/2019 at 15:04:24
If the rest put in a shift George they would create more chances for him
Steavey Buckley
79 Posted 25/08/2019 at 15:07:56
Everton's preseason is a mirror image of their league form, the inability to look like scoring. The alarm bells should have been ringing during the preseason with no forward able to score a goal.
George Cumiskey
80 Posted 25/08/2019 at 15:10:34
Eric, Coleman put in a shift and laid one on a great chance for him and he fluffed it.
Eric Paul
81 Posted 25/08/2019 at 15:42:26
I don't think there are many players who convert 100% of chances George and he wasn't the only player guilty of missing a chance. To quote Bobby Charlton: “If you have 10 chances and score 1, fans forget about the 9 misses.”

Good job he didn't play for us.

Minik Hansen
82 Posted 25/08/2019 at 15:52:15
I wish Silva's attitude could change to the better when we are behind. Not an inspiring lad to play for, when that happens. Let's remember we have our own part to support the team, when we're behind. COYB.
George Cumiskey
83 Posted 25/08/2019 at 16:38:45
Yes, Eric, and good job Calvert-Lewin doesn't play for Man Utd, we're the only team in the Premier League he'd get a game for.
Eric Paul
84 Posted 25/08/2019 at 16:49:36
Is that the Man Utd whos boy wonder missed a penalty and got racially abused on Twitter, as far as I know the abuse of Calvert-Lewinis non-specific. At least DCL got it on target.
Anthony Murphy
86 Posted 25/08/2019 at 17:39:35
John, I was discussing recently that we seem to have stopped bringing in lower league or small club ‘gems' - something we once did better than any other club. Not sure it matters if the team are heading in the right direction, but we have certainly should have been in the mix for the likes of Maddison and also Maguire.
Trevor Peers
87 Posted 25/08/2019 at 18:16:52
The irony of our goalscoring drought is made worse when you consider the amount of criticism Sigurdsson and Richarlison to a lesser extent have been subjected to in the summer. Each contributed double figures last season but all through the summer there has been a lot discontent and talk of them not fitting into Silva's system.

The reality is without their goals we become a bottom half of the table club, unless Kean and Iwobi can make up the short fall. Sometimes I think the discontent gets through to the players and they lose confidence, that maybe a contributory factor anyway, neither player look like they have a goal in them at the moment.

Stan Schofield
88 Posted 25/08/2019 at 18:50:24
Trevor, it's false reasoning to say that without Sigurdsson's and Richarlison's goals, we'd be a bottom half of the table club. If they hadn't scored their goals, or if they hadn't played, the course of games would have been different, and nobody knows what the results would have been and where in the table we would have finished.

Similar arguments to yours were put forward in the past with respect to Lukaku's goals, and were similarly invalid.

Mick Conalty
89 Posted 25/08/2019 at 18:54:03
#80 You must be his dad then, may I remind you family praise is no recommendation
Trevor Peers
90 Posted 25/08/2019 at 19:12:29
Factually, you're correct, Stan, must be a film in there somewhere 'Back to the Future' maybe. You're spoiling my fun... haha.
Stan Schofield
91 Posted 25/08/2019 at 19:24:21
Trevor, if only we could make Everton great again by driving a DeLorean at 88mph!
Joe Corgan
92 Posted 25/08/2019 at 19:34:16
Silva apparently hasn't learned that he needs to build bridges with the fans – fast. As much as you can't come out and slag off your own team, you can't tell the fans we were anything other than crap on Friday night.

Three games, one goal, and very few chances created. All matches against teams we should expect to be beating given the money we've spent.

We don't want to hear how unlucky you thought we were Mr Silva. We need to hear what you plan to do to put things right because, bar a half-decent run at the back end of last season, you've shown nothing to suggest you've got anything to offer Everton Football Club.

Trevor Peers
93 Posted 25/08/2019 at 19:46:20
Stan. Set the clock back to October 1984! We can enjoy Sharpy's thunderbolt volley that set us on our way to the league title happy days.
John Wilson
94 Posted 25/08/2019 at 22:11:38
Anthony Murphy at 89 - I think you could be right. Silva doesn't seem to have a clue either. Brands seems to be a show-man. When Brands said that in his interview though it really caused concern that he would not look in the lower leagues for gems. Brands should not have this much power. Brands has been promoted far too fast - Everton seem to do that.
Henry Lloyd
95 Posted 26/08/2019 at 01:34:37
Mark Tanton (1)

In a Nutshell Mate!! Absolutely agree with every word you saiod I was cringing to be honest at some of the Play it was pathetic.

Had we beaten Villa we would be 3rd and only 2 point behind you know who!!

I cannot remember the last time Everton took any chance to do anything let alone go Top of the Table!!!

Let's buy Iwobi and Kean and only play them if we're losing, because we put inferior players on to start the match!!

I've said it before and I will say it again to the delight of some people and the despair of others Silva is clueless!! FACT.

Alan J Thompson
98 Posted 26/08/2019 at 07:20:52
Some are saying that even Salah wouldn't score at Everton but the reason would probably be our Manager showing the same lack of imagination that others have. Salah seems only to have a left foot and all the pace in the world and most of his managers played this left footed player on the left side. Klopp put him on the right and told him to cut in and have a shot, we all know the rest. Does anyone think that Silva might have some imagination with a couple of Brazilian players?
Phillip Warrington
99 Posted 26/08/2019 at 08:12:40
Who trains these players on their shooting? Virtually every time an Everton player takes a shot, they are leaning back which leads to absolutely no control of your shot. My old coach use to say when you’re shooting head over the ball and strike through the ball, your momentum should take you forward but you will get hit by defenders more.

Our players, when shooting, lean back and stab almost like they want to shoot but at the same time avoid all contact. Walcott’s was a miss classic example: shin-high volley, he tries to side foot it and avoided any contact. If he had really wanted it, he would have met it with his momentum going forward, giving it the full laces and head over ball and probably would have been hit by a defender on his follow-through.

Tony Twist
100 Posted 26/08/2019 at 17:49:50
We are a fair-weather team with a fair-weather manager. Not good in a crisis. Silva is a let's keep things the same and hope it will all come good in time, unfortunately this will be when we are out of the cup competitions and nowhere in the league.

Once things were lost last season, we regained composure; we are heading in the same way again. Where is the evidence of a successful pre-season with players not fit enough and playing like amateurs?

James Hughes
101 Posted 26/08/2019 at 18:09:06
Tony, thankfully not fair weather fans
Kase Chow
102 Posted 26/08/2019 at 18:54:40
Aside from anything else, our team are incredibly mentally weak.

Anytime there's anything to play for, we fail to deliver.

Yes, we went on a great run towards the end of the season when it didn't matter a jot.

Marc Carpenter
103 Posted 26/08/2019 at 21:02:59
Things will start to improve results wise at the end of September when 90% of the team will be fit. The fact the season could be over doesn't matter for us because Silva will make us better. I am seriously concerned what direction we are going in because surely last season was foundation laying, ready to push on this season? No.
Henry Lloyd
104 Posted 27/08/2019 at 01:35:37
It is all so simple, a 5-year-old could grasp it: Stop Starting Dominic Calvert-Lewin... he is useless. Sorry but it is true, he couldnt find the right position to be in to receive a cross or a pass if his life was depending on it! No More! Play Kean – isn't that why we bought him???

Play Iwobi from the start!! Simple! Drop Coleman!! Never been the same player since the leg break! Fact, not fiction.

There are three basic and very simple adjustments that will improve Everton!! Am I wrong???

What is going on?? We were humiliated by Aston Villa they are shite!

Matthew Williams
105 Posted 27/08/2019 at 13:04:03
Is there a Blue anywhere that can tell the difference between our attacking playnow and when Silva first arrived?

To me it's still slow and predictable and fucking boring to listen to never mind watch... club going nowhere.

Sigh.


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