Everton vs Southampton

Carlo is diplomatic in his pressers, but reading between the lines it sounds like he read the riot act to some of our midfielders after Tottenham. I am expecting a reaction.

We lose a lot in building attacks through losing Holgate. Keane can pass, but only if he has time and space and when under pressure he makes mistakes. Mina is better than Keane, but I'd rather have Holgate.

Unless SF knows better.

Edit: the Wolves game is definitely on Sky Sports Pick. It's a 12 noon kick-off, this Sunday.

Never get an injury and never look tired.

Yes it is extremely embarrassing, but not as embarrassing as it may have been if Duncan hadn't have stopped the rot at Christmas time.

A lot to be said about instilling fear into the players, but they would be on the phone to their agents as quick as you could say "CRAP!"

Unfortunately for our young potentials, they walk into a room of senior players who accepted and preached that "good enough" was taking a knife to a gunfight or being plucky. It didn't matter if we lost to the top 6 because it wasn't expected to win, so if we did it was a bonus. Listen to some of Jagielka's interviews and the arm wrapping around Barkley.

I agree with you Steve, but it is the mentality throughout the club that has to change otherwise hopeful and talented youngsters with a desire to win will have their wings clipped when then step up into a culture of negativity and losing mentality.

And to your point about the homesick thing; didn't he come into football late because he was a home boy? And didn't he occasionally get bullied out of taking the odd penalty when it was his responsibility?

Great player but didn't have the mentality to be a winner and not a leader. We have too many of those.

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Everton FC are in a malaise that cannot be solved by new mangers and players. Their mind-set is firmly embedded in their psyche. A psyche of inevitable defeat against teams from the top six away from home.

Our club needs an Exorcism. And that can only be achieved by relegation and clearing out everything and everyone from the board to ball-boys.

We are going nowhere, and we have to accept a radical change and overhaul to our club to survive. Otherwise... RIP Everton.

Or were they?

Answers on a postcard to:-
Failed Attempts
Everton FC Co Ltd
Goodison Park
Liverpool
L4

We need to find out what he was doing in training to build the players up to that fitness.

But, glutton for punishment that I am, I just went down the fixture list and standings rabbit hole.

If we win our remaining games and finish on 59 points, I'd bet we'll qualify for Europe.

Will that happen? Probably not. Everton just let you down. Honestly, what's going to happen is we'll win tomorrow, start to get our hopes up again, and then lay a fart against Wolves.

Or if the Everton gods are cruel, we'll actually beat Wolves, hope will really return, and we'll lose to Shefield.

But, at this moment I believe 7th is still on.

I honestly think Europe would kill us next season. We're not deep enough, and we're not ready. It'll piss Carlo off as we'll miss a goal he set - European qualification. But we need a midfielder, and we need more time under Carlo. If we extend ourselves too far, too quickly, I think it'll bite us in the ass in the long run.

They've talked a lot about the “right personalities” since RM arrived and Brands is always saying. We seem to have a squad of similar personality types but the problem is the shared trait is anxiety/depression. Gomes, Keane and Bernard have all come out publicly and discussed their battles with periods of anxiety and depression.

I realize mental health is a serious issue and laud them for their honesty. But in competitive sport, is that a trait you want in their squad?

Case in point: Years ago, an NFL psychologist did a study with England players after Euro 96. He said Southgate would not have been drafted in the NFL due to his anxious/negative outlook and he specifically said it was no surprise Southgate missed the penalty at Euro 96.

Coleman Keane Mina Digne
Richarlison Davies Baningime Gordon
Kean Calvert-Lewin

Pick the keeper. I want Virginia, it'll never happen, Pickford's pissed me off so much lately, I can't write his name in the lineup.

I realize mental health is a serious issue and laud them for their honesty. But in competitive sport, is that a trait you want in their squad?

No. In fact, you want the polar opposite.

I know I'm just being diplomatic because, though I have the same issues myself, I'm anxious someone will call me heartless and totally twist my comments to portray me as a mental health cynic.

This farcical attempt to finish the season defies common sense. The remaining games should never have been played. Games played behind closed doors to an audience of none and an enthusiasm level of ZERO is purely for financial reasons.

I consider myself a fanatical Evertonian who has supported for eons. I really just don't care what happens for the next five games. They are friendlies that may give some insight into who may be playing for Everton next season. I just don't care who is good bad or indifferent. Next season is a new dawn and I can only hope for the best. Just like the sincere supporters of every team in the country.

I am a chess player who hates watching games of chess. This idiotic finale to a season is a meaningless chess game. As much as I appreciate the appalling disaster of Covid-19, it seems that attempts to finish a fiasco of a season are unwarranted. For an endless number of reasons, I consider the football season as over in March.

Liverpool should have been given their title in March so that their over-the-top gloating, rioting and general lack of class would have been over by March. I still long for a new season, with new players and a whole new perspective. I just don't care about last season. It finished in March.

Nowadays people really, really walk on eggshells. You say 'diplomatic', I say overly careful choosing their words for fear the "PC Language Police" will rear their ugly heads and crucify anyone who doesn't agree with their definition of what should and shouldn't be said.

For me, if I'm running any sports team / franchise, I want, top to bottom, team players who are mentally rock solid.

That's not saying anything disparaging about anyone with mental health shortcomings or issues. And those pros who have overcome any mental health issues need to be held up as examples of what can be achieved.

But, for me, I'd want every player to be mentally rock solid. I think that's a human condition that, in professional sport, provides a better likelihood of success.

That's my opinion. If anyone disagrees with that, fine. If they find anything I've said offensive or not compassionate, I'd reject that notion, recognizing their right to have their own opinion.

Cheers.

One of the best sports documentaries I ever saw was on British cycling and featured Vicky Pendleton. Remember this is a double Olympic champion sprinter and nine time world champion. One of our best ever athletes. She’s a pure winner.

However, Vicky was clearly an emotional mess. On the documentary it was clear to see she only got into cycling as she had a pushy father who lived vicariously through her. She seemed to be almost bullied by him and almost bullied by the likes of Shane Sutton. But in terms of sport, it worked. They broke her down and built her back up again many times.

You can’t break down a guy like Keane. Not roy anyway. You can someone like Michael. And clearly in the case of Pendleton, you can turn a girl who is overly sensitive and often in tears into a fierce winner.

I do think we need one Roy Keane though. Preferably with pace.

Link to the Vicky Pendleton documentary and for the avoidance of doubt, the tears I refer to are whilst she is at the top and she is not rock solid mentally after she starts winning. She’s a mess off the bike (seemingly) at all times.

More often than not a turgid first half was followed by an improved showing in the second or a late charge to sneak the points. Sometimes, the Blues took a healthy half time lead and on the occasions that they held that lead to take the points they didn't often break their necks to put their opponents to the sword.

The constant references to David Moyes and his methods I have read today, bring me close to tears as he's been gone for seven years and it is chastening that despite the passing of time and the huge outlay on players - we have to use the ginger one as our touchstone.

Whomever broke the mirror or ran over the black cat please apologise to the football Gods and help us to move forward, please!

I'm watching a beautiful interview between Ian Snodin and Howard Kendall. Howard's comment on when he went to scout the then Liverpool reserve Kevin Sheedy with Colin Harvey and their discussion afterwards:

"I'm concerned about your work rate"

Sheedy:

"That's because I'm a first-team player Mr Kendall, put me in your first team"

Belief and arrogance. But winning mentality.

The Victoria Pendleton comparison is a poor one because she's involved in individual pursuits. Having 10 teammates around you, with the fear of letting them down, adds a different dimension.

If it's common knowledge, in the public domain, that your teammates are angst-ridden and mentally weak too, then where do you turn?

I suspect there's a safety in numbers as it were. We all cower together, we all blend in, we all avoid responsibility, we all fail, the manager gets sacked and we carry on with the next guy in charge.

Summer Signings

The article is in the Guardian and the Mail has a similar item.

Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street has a better mentality from this shower.

You can say either.

And your response is hilarious and absolute gold.

Rather than undiplomatic, your stock just increased in my estimation.

Cheers.

You need Indians to go with your chiefs.

I couldn’t agree more.

You’re a smart man. I know you are already aware of this, but just to be crystal clear - if you ever come State-side do not use that phraseology.

You will be drawn and quartered by the totalitarian PC state in America.

You’ve been warned. ;0)

However, my bigger beef is that your comments add to the stigma over mental issues and the stigma is one of the obstacles of dealing with what is a terrible modern-day scourge that ruins lives of those that suffer as well as their loved ones. It's okay to have an ACL injury. It's okay to have mental health issues. It doesn't mean the person is somehow "not a winner".

On the wider point I do agree we need a winning mentality. A big part of this simply comes from winning. This is why the "other lot"'s youngsters are confident – they are playing in a confident winning team. It's why promoted clubs often start seasons well... they have been used to winning and then gradually start to get used to losing.

I would be interested in any academic study done on this – anecdotal evidence doesn't really get us anywhere (despite my use of it above!).

You can have a stinker and still be on the teamsheet next week.

The better clubs have so much competition for places that guys know that a lazy performance will get them the hook during the game and a seat on the bench next time.

Watching Man City last night you could see that, if one of them missed a pass or didn't make the run, they were twitching wondering if Pep would hook them for another.

I won't compare us to the other lot, as I am sick of them.
Name another club who would have put up with Schniederlin for so long and still played him. Then think of the other lads who saw him cheat a living and they also think (subconsciously) that they are in the comfort zone.

It's simply all too easy. Put in half a shift, look busy and you are in again next week.

This is one of the reasons why others are persevered with. The season is a dead rubber, there is little to lose or gain. He will play Walcott, Sigurdsson and Delph when fit, as it helps keep the illusion that they are worth something.

We sure have a lot of deadwood to clear out.

How many more flaccid end-of-season performances can we stomach? I'm sick of the garbage we serve up. When was the last time we gave a good stuffing to the opposition?

Too many snowflakes in our squad. I would love just one Roy Keane on our side. We have no winners in the team. Carlo is the only winner.

"The peloton itself is handy at the art of mind games. Using the press to psyche out rivals or propagate their own myths ahead of a race, with carefully selected words, isn't uncommon.

Spindler calls it the "Tiger Woods syndrome".

"Look at Peter Sagan. He's won bike races before he has even started at times. The person doesn't matter – it's the context that matters" he adds."

You may have to disable ad-blocker on the site to read it.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/racing-thoughts-professional-cycling-and-mental-health/

Southampton will be on a high after beating city, but this game is a test for the hierarchy to stamp their authority on the players who want to stay next season. We’ll know if they do with a rampant performance and 3 or 4 - 0 home win, or else we’ll rollover and get beat with a woeful performance. If that happens I hope that we will be having a clear out and rebuild, in order that owner and manager can achieve what we all want, being top four regularly and challenging to win the league, and being in the Champions league with a great squad.

The USA has Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Stevie Wonder. The UK has no Cash, no Hope, no bloody Wonder.

Pickford
Sidibe Keane Mina Digne
Richarlison Gomes Davies Gordon
DCL Kean

I'd much prefer to give Gomes a rest but Sigurdsson was so terrible against Spurs and Beningame must be looking very mediocre in training if he's not even had a few minutes since the restart. Never expected to say this but I wish Delph were fit!

Ps how’s the fictional new ground coming along ?

Expect another snoozefest as the Saints have just as much to play for as we have.

Enjoyed that one, it has slipped through the humour net

Of the 20 names on the list there is not a single Everton player. Which is appalling really and demonstrates our lack of creativity. The likes of Sigurdsson, Gomes, Bernard, Iwobi, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin should all be hoping to feature in or around that list.

Top of the list was Jack Grealish who creates 2.17 chances per match, followed by Buendia on 2.08 and then Adama Traore on 1.63. Our old Deulofeu comes in 4th at 1.58 and tonight opponents have Nathan Redmond at 18th with 1.2.

Wolves have 3 in the top 20 and Leicester have 5. Not a single Everton player!

Gordon and Walcott have to start as we simply could not go with the same personnel as Monday night. If Siggy and Iwobi are in the starting eleven then we need to start worrying!

On a positive, I feel totally relaxed about this evening. The negative to that positive is that I feel totally relaxed about an Everton fixture as I have no expectation! It has been sapped out of me.

That particular one is clearly an "eye opener".

We all know from the evidence of our own eyes that Everton needs a playmaker in midfield. That list/stat. just underlines by how much we are currently lagging.

I hoped he'd turned the corner! But sadly he was poor against Leicester and woeful against Spurs (possibly his injury?).

I still hold a glimmer of hope that he could become a higher level playmaker but that glimmer is fading!

As for the rest, I'd happily sell Sigurdsson and Bernard. And Gomes if i'm being honest though he at least retains the ball well. Unlike Iwobi they are all on 100k or over and none of them is bringing enough to the team creatively.

Whether people like Ancelotti or not, we need to let him build a squad that can compete at the highest level. His history tells us he can do this, but he will need backing in the transfer windows. Just like our policy with players the same policy has applied when we look for a new manager, I cant ever remember appointing a serial winner as we have done this time. We usually appoint managers who have done well in the Championship if appointing a British manager ie Kendall and Moyes. Or we try and appoint a foreign manager who has acheived limited success in Martinez, Koeman or Silva, or in the case of Allardyce Moshiri was so worried about relegation he appointed Allardyce whose claim to fame was he had never had a team relegated.

However good managers are,it takes time to build a team able to compete at the very top end of the league, even Guardiola who took over a squad who had already won the league is still struggling to get this City side into a Champions league final, though he might put that right this season.

We have known for some time that the majority of this squad are just not good enough to compete at the top end of the table. This group have had 3/4 managers in that time and other than the first season under Martinez we have finished outside the top 6. So it comes as no surprise to me that even under Ancelotti these under performing players are still under performing, and until Ancelotti can bring in his players I think its a bit hard to critisize him for our predicament. I just want this season to finish and lets see who we get in the transfer window.

There is youth and flair on either wing and they should be able to create chances for the front two.

We have two very good fullbacks who can go down the touch line and then, for some unfathomed reason, stop and pass the ball back or sideways.

We have MF players who’s first option is always to play safe, retain the ball at any cost, never look for an incisive pass etc

Our two forwards are very good, imo, but DCL has gone off the boil and Richarlison seems more interested in getting fouls (although he is fouled a lot) rather than carrying on attacking. And with our nonexistent MF it must be frustrating for them.

I’m determined not to watch Everton again this season (I probably will) as their lack of effort, fight and skill do my head in.

Iwobe likes a fast one or two touch wall pass type environment, where everything is very fluid.

That's why playing with Sigurdsson doesn't work, as he won't run beyond Iwobe to build play.

So Iwobe is a very good player, but needs mobile players around him to connect dots and move the ball fluidly.

If the midfield is static, he won't hit it long, and just play a safe pass. My observations so far this season when he's played well, and when he has less effect on moving the ball up the pitch.

We will be genuinely doomed.

Fear not though we have Marcel Brands in charge of recruitment to find replacements, who is responisble for:

Iwobi (so unfit he cant last 45min)
Delph (Arrogant sick note)
Mina (Glass Man)
Gbamin (Everton career prob over after 2 matches)
Kean (the lockdown party planner)

With rumours of a Lindgard/Jones swap for Richarlison/Holgate and rumours of Digne & Pickford being targeted its like were road kill and people are picking at our carcass. Plus for all Ancelottis hyperbole hes only here for the monthly wages lets not kid ourselves.

As you can tell I'm really enthused for the coming 20/21 season.

The new Kit looks good though!

Sure, the defence is looking a little more solid since the restart but offensively the are poor and after Monday's let down how can one be optimistic about today or the remaining games now that a Euro place is out of the question.

We have MF players who’s first option is always to play safe, retain the ball at any cost, never look for an incisive pass etc.

That's not entirely true. We have one midfielder, young and talented, who continually drives the ball forward and is always looking for an incisive pass.

His name is Tom Davies.

When he attempts an incisive pass and it doesn't come off, we pounce on him and shred him to bits.

Maybe we should stop doing that? Food for thought.

Yet another overhaul needed, but I'm not sure who should be retained. When Gomes came into the team, I said on here that he was one of the classiest players I'd seen in a blue shirt in ages. I still stand by that, but he is so one-paced that he's becoming a liability. Even so, he's the only player in our midfield that I would retain - with some decent players alongside him, he'll be fine.

Up front, I've been really pleased with DCL at times - he's a decent footballer, great hold up play, strong, runs forever, decent ball control - but I'm starting to fear that he simply hasn't got the X factor to make it in the PL. He too often takes the negative, easy route, and seems to have no bottle in one on ones, or when he's running at the defence. Richarlison needs someone better alongside him.

In the wide positions, Iwobi was a very expensive mistake, and Bernard is looking less and less able with each game. Walcott isn't worth talking about.

So, at a minimum, we need a top class striker, an entire new midfield (except Gomes), a couple of new wide players, a replacement at some point for the ageing Coleman, and replacements for Richarlison and Digne if a team with a plan comes in for them. Oh, and Pickford can fuck off too.

Apart from that, everything's looking good.

On top of this was the stats for tackles put in in the last match by our central midfield. Gomes 1 Sigurdsson 0 [zero]. This was in a match that was largely played out in the middle 1/3rd of the pitch as well.

Our playmaker Andre Gomes played just three passes forward into Spurs’ final third over the course of the game. Gomes is negated without the ball winning , tackling Gana or enforcer type central mid complimenting his attributes. Gomes May still come good for us next season.

So as it stands at this point in time we are not creating anything and not tackling anything. If we are serious about mounting a challenge on the top six, Carlo has got to get two midfielders in who can completely turn these dire stats around. Over to you Marcel

Up the Blues!!!

Let's hope in music song terms it's Blue Heaven, and not When the Saints etc, or Ings aint what they used to be! :-)

He gets knocked off the ball easily, he runs (head down) into cul-de-sacs, he twists and turns to no avail, he doesn’t score goals, he doesn’t create goals. I’m at a loss to see what he offers but I admire your faith in him.

We have got a fictional new ground, a revamped Goodison, a shocking midfield, and a season that we can’t wait to finish. Life was so much simpler during the lockdown, because at least I was only bored then!

We have tried the Siggy central mid solution and it just doesn’t work. Sticking Davies in there is a better bet. I would like to get another look at Kean starting a game too, this is an ideal one. I hope Carlo now sees that changes things.

I said a few games ago, I actually believe we are one really, really talented midfielder away from competing for Europe and possibly higher.

It's easy to become despondent after a listless, lifeless game like we've seen at Spurs. But prior to that, we were indeed 4th in the form table I believe since Big Dunc took the reigns?

This team simply need a stud midfielder and some time to let some of our younger kids develop just that little bit more.

Midfield is what is holding us back. You put a world class midfielder next to Davies or Gomes, and watch how much better they perform.

Carlo has done a fabulous job sorting out the defensive side. He's working back to front, and the front honestly isn't all that bad presently.

Midfield, midfield, midfield. Stop buying these "maybe men" for 25 million. Sell Pickford for serious money allowing us to take that windfall and buy the best midfielder available on the market.

I might be wrong, but I think the understandable negativity after Spurs has resulted in some pretty dramatic negativity. It's a team game - not every player will poo rainbows. Some of them might be poor. But they're "good enough" for a role in a very winning, Top 4 side. You can pick holes in Leicester, Chelsea, Man U, Wolves, etc. just as you can with Everton.

Midfield. Say it again, midfield. We're not as dire or miles off as many are stating.

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You correct two or three good signings, in the right positions, and we wouldn’t appear to be so poor, however when you look at the bench, there isn’t a lot of strength in depth there to provide the necessary back up needed to get us challenging the top teams, it is going to be a long haul, I feel, to get us to that position.

Nevertheless I take a lot of heart from your post Jamie, gimmie one of your guns Jamie and I’ll join the fight!!!

I take heart you agree with me. For whatever reason I remember my last few posts you were not on the same page as myself. As a sort of TW moral compass that you are, I take heart!

I agree, as many would, that we're possibly just a midfielder, or two, away from being a half decent side.ment

However, if we sold Pickford most of that fee would have to be used to bring in a replacement who may not be any better. There certainly wouldn't be enough left over, if anything, to fund new midfielders!

Jamie
the problem is we cannot attract the sort of player who is in the £40-60m bracket.

I'd disagree with that. I think Carlo could indeed get someone (who? dunno) to come.

The issue with that is it is, without question, a massive gamble.

Do you get someone in that has that drive, never-say-die attitude who can change the fortunes of the squad? Or do you get the guy who is on big wages and starts to coast his way to retirement, a la Alexi Sanchez?

It's hit a home run or a busted flush my way admittedly. And that's the scary thing.

Were it me, and it's not and God knows I've been wrong hundreds of times, I'd sell Pickford and buy a fantastic, squad-changing midfielder. Qualify for Europe. use the 2020-2021 season to develop youngsters to fill gaps. It really is bad business to purchase players like Gylfi (we had Barkley, no improvement) and Iwobe (too expensive for the return). Save on wages with 2-3 genuine players, fill in the gaps with inexpensive, hopefully homegrown prospects like Davies, DCL, Holgate, this Brainwaithe (sp?) kid, and a few others that people like Steve Ferns and Brent Stephens would be aware of.

Freaking Football Manager silliness in an honest moment. If it were that easy! I'm probably talking out of my backside.

I've done an about-face on Jordan.

I do not believe we'd be any better or worse off with an inexpensive, serviceable keeper. Virginia, Stek (or comparable Stek) with a worldie midfielder would see us be a better side IMO.

It's sell to improve. You have to give up an asset to move forward as a team. It's a tough trade / transaction to make, but I think we'd be better off.

Jordan would command a pretty penny. He's probably the highest value player that we would miss the least in my opinion.

We ain't going down and the merit payments for finishing a couple of league positions higher probably make no difference to the players, so I expect a pretty dull affair. I think Soton my make a go of it though just to rub a few noses in the dirt after so many people up and down the country had them written off earlier in the season.

I shall be watching as usual and hope for a couple of ours of excitement, but I won't be holding my breath. I can see maybe 1-1 tonight, and doom and gloom on here tomorrow.

Let me be wrong!

Southampton played City off the park the other day and their away form is much better than their home form.

They are now playing with a confidence and determination that is sadly lacking in our mob.

Its the first time in 60 years that I havent looked forward to a game V Southampton one of the few teams we have battered in our history.

Where I differ from some, and I appreciate that we all have our own way of looking at, and addressing the problem, is the fact that I don't single individual players out for criticism. I view performances and results as a team effort, that's not to say that I'm happy with the situation. I revert to the start of this post by saying again, that we as a team, are simply not good enough.

I would like to stress that It's not my intention to be provocative or insulting, to those who hold different views. I respect the right of everyone to express their opinion, and I expect to be afforded the same consideration.

Hi Dave [107] I don't know who got the short end of the straw the other night, you who had to witness the game, or myself who had to listen to it, which I always regard as watching through someone else's eyes. I think that we have to live with the fact that we are simply not good enough. I understand the frustration of fans, and as I said in my post to Jamie [104], we all deal with disappointment and frustration in our own particular way, there's simply no right or wrong way.

I totally agree it is a team game and team responsibility including the manager, coaches and the board.

The problem is there are cogs within that machine that are performing consistently and cogs within that machine that have not been performing consistently. Therefore it is a little unfair to bash the whole team including those putting a performance in rather than the culpable individuals.

Having said that I agree with you it would be wrong to boo players or hassle them at a game which I abhor but I do think they are up for debate on ToffeeWeb.

The stats show Southampton had 26% possession to city's 74%.
Southampton had 8 shots (4 on target) while city had 26 shots (6 on target).
Southampton had 2 corners compared to city's 13.
MOTM was Southamptons goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

For the majority of the game city were camped in or around the Southampton penalty area, and if city had needed to win that game they would have done with ease. I was really surprised how they never scored?

I have a lot of respect for the Southampton manager, Ralph Hasenhüttl.

Any manager would have been more than spooked after the 9-0 home tanking they received from Leicester back in October, but he held his nerve and has comfortably steered Saints away from the relegation zone.

Indeed, in the reverse fixture at Leicester Saints won 2-1.

As others have mentioned, they have an exceptional away record. In fact, if we retained our home record and swapped out our away form with that of the Saints we would be 11 points better off with 55 points which would put us alongside United in 5th. Our goal difference would also be hugely improved from -8 to +8 - a 16 goal positive swing.

That is yet another that Carlo needs to improve on. Our form on the road.

Play as we did against Spurs and we will lose. Simple.

For me Southampton won most of the 50/50s and were generally hungrier and more determined than City.

You are right City had more possession but couldnt do anything with it because Southampton closed them down so quickly.

At the end of the day as we know stats count for nothing its results that count.

That’s pretty much my recollection Rob, Saints were battered and if not for some last ditch defending would have been another 0-9...or 1-9!

On a lighter note, I believe that you're the front runner in the race for the chairman of the S.A.S. the "Snowflake Appreciation Society"

I would say that he has concentrated a lot on midfield tactics in the meantime.

Some side bar chat, sell Pickford to find a midfielder that Carlo can persuade? I think that is the creative and necessary thinking which might shift the needle.
There’s decent data to say Pickford is well...erm average and the eye test has people ducking for cover.
I’d even take a veteran like Foster at Watford for a season or two. A reliable keeper. Ancellotti hasn’t come here for a project, he’s come to win, that will be evident in the transfer strategy. My wild guess is, FFP might be loosened or dispensed with and we might have one last hurrah with money. If it’s not he will be off.

I’d love to see the side freshen up and youth given its head. It won’t happen but I’d like it to. If we see Gomes and Sigurdsson in the midfield again many TV’s might find need replacing.

Pickford
Seamus Keane Mina Digne
Davies Gomes
Richie Sigurdsson Gordon
DCL

I always took SAS to mean Steven and Stevens on our right flank. LOL

And boy how I wished we had them now.

The link displays a very prominent close up photo of the Dixie Dean statue.

Dixie Photo

No. No. No.

If you're gonna replace Pickford (who is not just "average" and still young for a keeper), then replace him with someone who is gonna elevate us and take us to the top, and there are hugely gifted young keepers all over Europe who could fit the bill and cost way less than an English keeper like Henderson.

My choices would be Onana at Ajax and the young Pole Dragowski, both of whom are big and quick and would fulfill the Everton fan base's obsession for a "keeper who commands his area" (an overrated characteristic in my estimation)... or, if you want to spend a little more money, Simon from Bilbao.

It really is OK to look across the water for a keeper. Really. It is.

1 A Pickford cock up
2 A midfielder to sprint 20 yards
3 A midfielder to do a crunching tackle
4 A midfielder to create a chance for our forward players
5 A midfielder to score a goal from open play
6 A midfielder to win the ball and put us on the attack
7 A throw in straight to the opposition
8 Lucas Digne to concede a free kick near the penalty
9 Another free kick conceded near the penalty area, only in the last 3 minutes
10 Seamus Coleman to get in a great position only to produce a disappointing cross
11 Iwobi to find a blue shirt, preferably intending to do so.
12 A direct free kick smashed straight into the wall.
13 An Everton to player to slip or fall over whilst taking part in a promising move
14 Andrea Gomes to kick the ball straight out of play
15 A player getting within 10 yards of DCL, getting on the ball after he wins another header.

Just a bit of fun to Cheer us all up. Up the the Toffee’s! COYB

Subs: Stekelenburg, Baines, Sigurdsson, Walcott, Sidibe, Bernard, Kean, Branthwaite, Baningime.

Sam, yeah, he'd be a big hit at Goodison with the big Viking beard and the attitude. I saw him last year for Empoli in a game where Atalanta took about 50 shots at him, like skeet shooters at a clay pigeon. He stopped everything. Clean sheet. Total command.