I agree with you for the first half we were disappointing, and in the second resorted to long balls up to the front. Mad Dog was truly horrendous but Manny (other than the first ten minutes) was outstanding - a must have. He’s the only player who plays on the floor, and passes and then moves - although why Moyes keeps taking off Pienaar I’ll never know. Jags played a major role as well and tonight just showed how much we need a right back who can pass the ball. - Gutted

Other than that - Joe Cole was offside for the goal - overall - a bit of a mess, the need to rebuild and shore up a patchy midfield is obvious.

Can only assume Pinnear is carrying an injury as otherwise his substitution makes no sense at all.

Regarding summer signings, obviously now a lot will depend on whether we are able to get into Europe. I can only see us hanging onto the last spot through any failures by Villa and Portsmouth rather than us getting the necessary points.

There just isn't an ounce of confidence anywhere throughout our squad anymore. Chelsea were nothing special tonight, Howard didn't have to do that much, but we wouldn't have scored if we would have played all night. Oh well, chins up, what else can we do?

Well I am really sorry if I am going to ruffle a few feathers here but I am not going to pick out single players and lay the blame on who is shite and whatever... I am going to say what I have been feeling for a long time now:

David Moyes, your style of play is total shite....

There, I have said it... It's as simple as the light of day. Our style of football at too many times has been awful on the eye.Totally dreadful... and can someone tell me why oh why oh why do we still persist in playing the majority of the match with the ball in the air when we have one of the smallest teams in the Premier League???

For Gods sake, I am so frustrated again. We hear all the chest-beating before kick off about putting in a performance like the one in 2005 against United. All I saw was a team sent out that looked completely un-motivated and dis-interested. What the hell we do on the training ground? I simply do not know as we seem incapable of passing a ball five yards then moving into space.

It was painfully schoolboy at times. Chelsea didn't play well but they didn't have too, you can be sure they will on Tuesday when the Redshite hit them like an express train in the way they play the match with tempo and power. We looked tonight in awe of Chelsea, scared and clueless and it hurts me to say that we are so so far away from being a genuine top four team.

People may come on here and say that had Arteta and Osman been fit it would have been different. No it wouldnt. Just as it wasn't when we lost so limply at Anfield. Ok granted we miss Cahill terribly but other teams have injuries and still look a Premier League team...

So are you telling me when we have one or two players out injured we are always going to be a God-awful side? Then that's not good enough to be a top five team and, unless there is a hell of a lot of organising done in the summer to shape that team out into some sort of balance and co-ordination, then next season will be a long hard slog.

Damning but very very obvious..

I normally read these pages but I feel compelled to post this. I can excuse Johnson and Yak. I also think the back 4 have done ok. We have two footballers in Pienaar and Fernandes who aren?t even ours but HOW THE FUCK can Moyes keep playing Neville and Cars in midfield? We don't serve the stirkers so they wont score. Fernandes is out of position and I?d love to know what Baines is doing wrong. Yeah injuries have taken there toll but has Arteta been on fire? NO. Osman? In and out. Cahill? In and out. I honestly think Moyes has to start taking the blame as we are so obvious its unreal. 5th place is ours at the minute but its slowly slipping away. Does anyone know what the stats are on games won with Neville and Cars in midfield and games lost? Sorry for the rant but we have self-destructed and Mr Moyes needs to have a long hard look at things around him.

I think the lack of confidence and class within the squad are to an extent the cause of our limp to the end of the season but people cannot forget that for the last two months we haven’t had a midfield. Can anyone remember the last time Cahill, Arteta, Pienaar and Ossie were on the same pitch? I can’t. No team (and I include the ’big’ 4 in that) would be able to cope with such a chronic midfield injury crisis.
Finishing fifth with such limited numbers is going to be a great result and if we can do that, the foundations are there for a great season next time round. Two new central midfielders and we’ll be right up there.

Well two things more than anything else were confirmed tonight - Hibbert and Gravesen are totally out of their depth. Gravesen didnt put 1 pass right for the 30 mins he was on and Hibbert never found an Everton player all night. Both should never play again.
Whilst I’m on a rant a few other things need stating if Yobo makes anymore glaring mistakes he can join Hibbert and Gravesen,and whilst defensively Jags was great his passing his woeful.

We talk about playing on the deck but while 3 of our back 4 cant pass other than 60 yds punt then forget it.

Positive points - Fernades seems to be coming back on form and Lescott didnt put a foot wrong again for the 40th time this season.

Last point - we are totally lost without the little bundle of Aussie dynamite - get him back asap.

This was like the old end-of-season games with nothing on the result and a chance to play the kids to blood them for next season. Sadly this was not the case. We have the carrot of fifth in front of our noses yet the performance was dismal.

How much longer can Davey put Neville and Cars together in midfield? I can't recall any game were they have worked well. There just isn?t the level of skill needed and to leave them both on and replace Peanuts unless he had a knock was baffling.

Everyone knows Tommy G is finished, he brought absolutely nothing to the midfield. I would have preferred a youngster to be given a chance. I know it's been a long season but if we are to be successful we need a squad capable of getting over injuries instead of a first eleven and having to scratch around for players when we need replacements.

I only saw second half, the usual suspects Hibbert, Neville, Carsley have proved once again of how not to play football. I will not accept that Moyes does not see what is obvious to us all, he will argue about players being injured, some needing tlc, I wonder what he feels for the fans of this great club?

I noticed some time ago that we had gone backward which proves that all is not right with the players and Moyes. I would love to know what was the game plan for tonight; I couldn?t see one. I don?t understand taking Pienaar off and switching Neville but I?ve changed my mind on Manny, I think he is starting to play... Sadly it has come to late for him and us.

Staying 5th with this team is something I can?t see happening; I hope I?m wrong but we can certainly expect a rampant Villa to gain 3pts in our next home game. Thank God this season is nearly over; once again the team of nearly there... I wonder will Penaar sign now ? or even Fernandes?

Imagine playing football for a tactical incompetent like Moyes... Sorry for the rant, a hard day at the office as well.

I will start off with I am sorry for posting this; I am a season ticket holder in the Lower Gwladys. I sold my ticket tonite thro Viagoo and got £22. For this i watched the match at home and got paid for it.

Here we go... I love Everton to death; I got a tattoo that will stay with me 'til I die at xmas. I have decided not to to renew my season ticket for the forthcoming season due to me not having £455 and I am glad I am not renewing due to the performances in the last few games.

No fight, no passion... and players that can simple not pass a ball. Neville is a disgrace. He broke up all our play. Fernandes was probably our best player on a night when we showed Premier League football to be a boring game. I think I fell asleep at many points due to the game being shite.

I wished I had never picked Everton to be team but I did. I don?t know why I picked you but I did.

But, for the first time in my 25 years, you really angered me tonite and I don?t really know why cos I knew you would get beat and it shouldn?t be like that for our beloved team that is Everton.... :(

Please please invest in new players in the summer!!!

How many blues will bother watching another 6 years of shite football out in Kirkby??????

Looking at league positions you have to say Moyes is making progress so he deserves our support but I really am starting to question why he continues with Neville and Carsley in the centre. It?s been clear for a long time that ANYTHING is better than that. It?s not even an option. If we see that same partnership next game then the men in white suits should come and take DM to a padded cell.

The other big question mark against Moyes is why his teams fall away towards the end of the year. Yes we have a smaller squad than some clubs but we?ve had something to massive to play for and DM and his skipper just haven?t been able to motivate the players. You look at some of the teams down at the bottom who have struggled with smaller squads than us and yet they are raising their game as the threat of relegation nears - was it too much to expect the same mentality of a much better side chasing Europe?

Mike Oates pretty much spot on there especially concerning the back 4. Although everybody picks out the midfield we still need defenders comfortable on the ball.

The uncomfortable thing about Moyes?s Everton is not performances like tonight; it?s just that they are SO predictable. How many Evertonians had that scoreline in mind for tonight?s game? I?m not sure if Moyes?s Everton will ever be capable of real surprises. Let?s hope so.

Turning Villa over and winning at Arsenal would do for starters...!

Very poor tonight. I must say that if Chelsea win the title we might as well all just go shopping on a Saturday pm, Sunday pm, Thursday pm.
Points to make: I finally lost it with Neville tonight. I watched a lot of AJ when I lived in south Finally, I?ve defended Moyes at every turn - and I still think that he?s the best option we have - but after the game there was some ?best ever Sky team of all time because football never existed before Sky? bollocks.DM?s best centre back pairing?Adams and Terry. Adams, yes, but the Stamford Bridge drongo? And next to Adams?This is a defence that starts out saying? we?re gonna be under seige from the first whistle?. Three games to go - one point from the Barcodes.

You can see why, unfortunately they call "THEM" the "BIG FOUR". We did not look like a top four side. Big investment is needed, Mr Kenwright we're all Evertonians but either get your money out or get someone that can invest a huge amount of money on what looks like a run-of-the-mill side with a few shining stars that are all injured. We need a big squad ? can you not see this? The Prem is at best an average league. Look close at the teams involved in the chase for mid table! I rest my case..

I’d love to see some stats on how many (if any!) games we have won with Neville, Carsley and Hibbert in the same 11.

Anyone?

I think this season has shown us a couple of things:

1. We cannot play a 4-4-2 with the midfield options we have now. Why? cos Carsley and Neville do not offer us anything beyond their defensive abilities.

2. We cannot play a 4-5-1 without Cahill. Osman is too lightweight to play in the hole, AJ doesn?t have the technical or goal scoring ability to play in the hole.

Our primary transfer concern for next season would be to find another central midfielder that would give us the competitiveness in the centre, and is still able to see a pass. In Pienaar, Arteta, Osman, we have decent flair players that can play the wings. We probably still need another option down the left as playing Baines there is not a long term option.

If Chelsea play against the Shite like they did last night against Everton, then the RS will walk all over them in the Champions League Semi-Final. I think Chelsea are so bloody boring to watch.

If Chelsea play against the Shite like they did last night against Everton, then the RS will walk all over them in the Champions League Semi-Final. I think Chelsea are so bloody boring to watch.