Distin: Don't panic

As Capt Mainwaring would say "You silly boy."

There now appears to be a lethargy in the camp about getting themselves up for games.

I hate to say it but the ":leave it all on the pitch" attitude that the players had under Moyes appears to have been replaced with a laissez faire attitude that it will be alright soon.

No it will not be alright unless we improve the concentration levels and the commitment which has only een evident in the Wolfsburg game since the end of last season.

I would ask those that said preseason doesn't matter if they feel the same way now..

Last four games of last season were poor, pre-season merely an exercise and 5 points out of 15, especially when we drew two if them in the last 10 minutes.

I said as we left the Wolfsburg game, that should have been a lot closer if they had decent forwards. The result papered over the cracks.

I understand what itÂ’s like to manage a large team, each player wanting to be recognised as cream of the crop. You have to keep the group and individuals motivated, but you also have to know each personÂ’s strengths and their most effective role. You have to learn from mistakes. You have to evolve to find the best fit for each / all.

DonÂ’t take risks with unproven teams, especially in live situations. WeÂ’re making these mistakes. WeÂ’re taking risks in live situations. WeÂ’re ruining our chance to evolve into a solid team. WeÂ’re losing when we shouldnÂ’t.

Get smarter, EFC. Get smarter, Roberto... DonÂ’t believe the hype.
COYB

I ainÂ’t panicking... IÂ’m effing suicidal. Arghh!

You donÂ’t see what huge differences you can make? How about changing the personnel.

Let's go with another from Jonesy ...

"They don't like it up 'em" (without the racist bit at the start).

Liverpool's defence looks as shaky as ours ... could be 5-4 either way.

I believe that Roberto Martinez is taking us the right way but to talk of "hysterical" Evertonians is unfair. The criticism levelled at the coach seems to me to be fair and is what supporters do. His performance this season has been disappointing and his Pollyanna media stuff can grate a bit. However, there is still much to like and it's very, very early days.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think we're that bad yet, but the performances so far leaves a lot to be desired. We need more than just positive thinking and we need results against Liverpool and Man Utd regardless of what happens at Swansea.

Okay .. no need to panic, just get it sorted and quick .. a solid showing against the dark side is a good place to begin.

Something – be it tactics, preparation, selection or motivation – is not right. If it continues like this, we will be fighting for mid-table mediocrity soon enough and all excitement for the potential of this season will disappear.

Still it remains a conundrum: stick to Martinez game plan, or realize that the defence are not comfortable or capable of playing the Martinez way.

Liverpool v Everton, only the most optimistic fan will think we have a chance of getting something from that game.

54 years I've been a fan and just when I thought we where coming good again, we lose to bottom of the table Palace.

Panic might not be the right word, but they need a f*ckin rocket up their jackseys to wake 'em up and get rid of the "ah what a pity" effect.

It BLOODY DOES MATTER, they need to start showing they care and get out of complacent lovey dovey mode before they can't!!

I want to see a bit of passion and commitment... and I want to see them HURT when it's not going right, because right now I'm hurting.

We're crap and all we get from Bobby is his usual smile and over positive attitude that's starting to wear thin. Come on Bobby, I want to hear you swear, look angry and say they were shite, just once, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee.

I’m not panicking! I’m pissed off! Because I KNOW we can do so much better. Cut out the the stupid mistakes and get on with it.

Read Tony Sullivan, Aman, because although you make some valid points, some people might stop reading when you say the last four games of last season, "we was poor".

Lets be honest, we have already conceded 13 goals, I'd be astonished if it's not at least 18 or 19 by the time the Old Trafford trip has been concluded, maybe even more.

How do we not panic?

Are we meant to say "ok I have faith on this team to go and shore things up away at Anfield and Old Trafford and come away with a few good results"

We have defended, as a unit, like a ill-prepared school team this season and players such as Sterling, Balotelli, Sturridge, Falcao, Rooney, Di Maria will be tearing us a new one in the next two matches.

Like a few posts above mention, you'd like to see the players get angry and at the end of the match, see one of our players pull all his team-mates into a huddle or something and hive them a rollicking, something, anything to show a bit of hurt and anger but at least leadership.

The next two games are going to bring massive tests of character, it will be interesting to see if any one of our players has that leadership character to pull us through this obvious bad patch and make sure it doesn't become a mini crisis.

His pass to Lukaku was precise and well laid on but he simply shouldn't have been on the pitch after the hour mark.

Obviously Besic has had a tough start but surely can play right back if still without Coleman? ItÂ’s a better option.

However, seeing as the only clean sheet we have kept this season was in his absence, he would be well advised to keep his mouth shut and let his feet do the talking.

Anyone looking for an omen for Saturday? The last time we beat them at Anfield — 27 September 1999.

Distin has been a wonderful servant but his reactions and legs will go any time soon. Jags likewise as a servant, but he has been out of form for a while, since before the WC (and he was poor in that). Stones is good but still very naive defensively while we've seen enough of Alcaraz to know he is not requisite standard.

It's not all down to the defenders- Barry and McCarthy have both been below par this years- but the problem of defensive back up was very obvious.

We might be writing Distin or even Jag's obituary a little prematurely but let's face it, it won't be a total shock if we're not and there is no back up to speak of.

I'm looking for an omen but maybe there's a September 27 Derby at Anfield again in the year 2040 , I reckon we'll all still be searching for that good omen even then.

No chance of a win Saturday the way we are defensively and the way we always shit ourselves with the "oh my God this is Anfield" mentality.

See what happens tonight and against the RS. This week could kick start the season if we cut out the unnecessary errors or..........not

Use your right leg to clear instead of heading it against your bar and we wonÂ’t have to.

Defending like this is what going to put Everton in the Championship next season.

I am lost for words what has happened to our defence.

Looks to me we are over complicating things with this keep football and play it back, time we got back to basics and stick to simple defending.

I touched on Martinezs tactics in the Anfield derby last season, patched up defence a few playing with a jab before the game, what do we do, we push up high, simple ball played through to Suarez, Sturridge etc and not a chance of our players catching them, leaving Howard more expised than a clapham common flasher.

Back to basics Roberto and please no pushing our defence up to near the halfway line as a line,

The derby & the Man Utd games are opportunities (albeit difficult) to rebuild our confidence, and try to restore some stability in the team, and push on.

Fingers crossed, and maybe some good luck, or heavenly intervention!!! COYB

I donÂ’t agree with the relegation talk either. WeÂ’ve got a stronger squad & had worse starts in the not too distant past!

That said, itÂ’s been disappointing, the Europa League game aside. IÂ’ll be surprised if we get much out of the next two games either, but ecstatic if we do. Maybe our turn for an upset??

I suspect the results / hunger will return after a collective reality check – hopefully not a caning @ Mordor though!
Keep the faith (& a towel handy). The answerÂ’s 42. (Or maybe 38 in todayÂ’s league!)

Ford Prefect.

"Practice what you preach" and "Actions speak louder than words".