From my seat: Man Utd (A)

I could have maybe understood this, if it was Martial who was receiving the pass, but not Mata, who was one of the slowest players on the pitch.

Although it was a fast counter attack, Everton, never, ever, set up as a defensive unit, which definitely equates to NO CHEMISTRY.

Playing left back for Everton, must be really hard to do in most games though, because never mind chemistry, you just don't even get any help.

Team selection and tactics are a concern. Rarely do our substitutions have a positive affect on a game. Both Utd and Chelsea have had poor seasons but they have introduced teenagers into their teams. They are gaining valuable experience so why can't we do something similar even if it's only coming off the bench for 20 minutes or so.

Why are Osman, Kone always subs when they have very little impact when they come on. Why is Niasase there when he clearly isn't up to scratch at the moment.

I can't see Martinez achieving anything at Everton and I worry about the future of the club with him in charge.

Watch the goal from about five seconds before the cross is played down by the wide player and note where Stones is and how little he actually does. Do it in slow motion if actual speed distorts your view or you cannot comprehend things at a normal pace. Stones had all day to get in position and didn't. He was not marking anyone and had no immediate threat. If he stops the ball, Coleman can do cartwheels and not have to worry.

Explain why, in your expert opinion, it makes sense to let the ball go past you as an unmarked defender all the way to your back post to another defender when bad things can happen. I have two reasons. One, the backside defender calls for it or two, the center back is not in position. Guess which one this was Darren? Why Darren is Stones that close to his own goal line and goalie if he isn't going to be in position? It takes both Stones out of being able to defend the cross and takes Robles out of being able to dive to stop the cross as Stones is in the way.

As for the keeper, seriously, you think Robles has done well? Fine, but the ball was not drilled with pace and it hit him in the foot. Say what you will about Howard's skills he would have, in my opinion, been able to keep it out. I was however, commenting on the need for a new keeper overall, as Robles is woeful and has not improved the position, your comments to the contrary. However, you continue to be stuck on your anti-Howard rants. Seriously, did he run over your dog or something?

BTW, Darren, I didn't absolve Coleman of all blame as he let the man cut in front of him. More importantly, he relied upon Stones to actually defend like a center back instead of a midfielder.

That ball was fizzed across the box. Not only was it fizzed across, it went through McCarthy's legs on the way. NOT ONLY does the ball go through McCarthy's legs... it takes a little nick on his heel and changes direction of the ball. If Stones puts a foot out, it ends up in his own net.

Barkley stands with a gormless look on his face making no attempt to close down the initial ball. its hit 60-70 yards over Baines head and he still doesn't get there. Jagielka is nowhere near close enough to his man, McCarthy initially sleepwalks his way back then is forced into a desperate lunge when the ball goes through his legs and Seamus... well I'll tell you what, listen to what Seamus says about it.

YET we have people on here blaming Stones for the goal! It's still there on YouTube! It'll take five seconds to check it out...

Alan Thompson,

No I'm not easily amused, but I have to laugh at suggestions that Stones was to blame for that goal... what on earth are you guys watching? You do realise that cross went through somebody's legs AND took a nick too... don't you?

Stones was most right thinking people's Man of the Match, he made some excellent interceptions, passed accurately and he also produced what must be the best tackle made by an Everton player this season... Yet he cost us the match?

I despair...

Talk about seeing what you want to see. But if a GK stops ten shots and then stands and watches a ball go past him for a goal, which is the only goal in the game, is he culpable? Hmmm . . . I wonder.

I love your qualifiers that only those who think like you and agree with you can be either knowledgeable, or "right-thinking" or "unique" to use your most inane quaifier on yet another inane post by you.

You don't debate or raise issues, you just state things as right because you think so. As I indicated, watch the play from five seconds before the ball gets played down by the wide man and see where your vaunted center back is and where he finally ends up and how he ends up. So now you wish to blame a ball going through a defender's legs (happens a lot) and taking a newly minted "nick" as confusing your untouchable JS.

Still your blustering response fails to address the issues raised and points made as to why John Stones was so close to his goal line and facing the wrong way thereby taking himself out of doing anything but blocking his goalkeeper from diving and confusing his own defender. Oh wait, as per usual, when the actual facts put paid to your argument, you ignore that and result to generalities and more qualifiers. Fact remains Darren, defending for 89 of 90 minutes does not excuse not defending for one of the 90 does it? Kind of like saying I went out for a drive and did well, except for the one accident I had.

Honestly, I despair.

John Stones is as good a defender as I have ever seen and we have had some true giants here. He will be better than Bobby Moore, in my view, and that is as good ss it gets.

If you think using the word unique to describe Stones in today's game is "inane" then back it up, show me another players like him in top class football. If he's not unique, you'll have no trouble.

I'm not "now" claiming the cross went through McCarthy's legs and takes a nick; I always knew it did. I watched the game you see. If you can't see it, I'm sure there is a Specsavers or the equivalent over in the US of A.

Stones's position was textbook, and despite you wanting him to abandon all other dangers and sprint back before the ball was even in the area, he got there at exactly the right time.

Do you actually view and understand these things? Or are you just so hell bent on blaming the same player??? He did not face his own goal until the ball came off McCarthy. He was also very aware of the danger of sticking out a foot. If the ball doesn't take that nick and change direction, he walks away with it.

And by the way, Jim, when I refer to "right thinking" fans I'm talking about every report I read (including on here) every comment I've heard. The overwhelming majority of whom made Stones MotM. I'm talking about people who are taking a fair, impartial view rather than a couple who are desperately trying to back up previous criticism of the boy.

I repeat; No right thinking person would have seen Barkleys disinterest, Baines's error of Judgement, Jagielka not getting anywhere near tight enough, Macca's late reaction and Seamus's dire error and come to the conclusion that Stones was to blame.

By the way Seamus is my favourite player, but the footballing world saw what happened... well the overwhelming majority of us did anyway.

A good tackle earlier in the game does not absolve him. The question is, how far from him was the ball when it passed him?

Yes, sticking a foot out may have diverted it into his own goal and might just as easily hit it for a corner or a throw in. Fact is he didn't stick a foot out and they did score.

The ball was deflected... do you know how many goals are scored when a ball goes through a players legs or is deflected? This was both. it does not matter how far away from Stones it was, it was deflected past him.

Knowing Seamus was behind him and had things covered made sticking a foot out the stupid option. Seamus was best placed to clear it. He knows he was, I know he was, just about everyone who saw the game knows he was. There are obviously 2-3 exceptions... but I guess there always is.

Your "deflection " excuse is comical. You absolve Stones of any responsibility but fail to see that his poor positioning caused him not to be able to react to the "massive deflection" you must be claiming. Daft is daft Darren.

Just answer the one point you have failed to respond too in your inane responses. Why is Stones facing backwards? What school of thought says that is correct? It is unique, but not correct, Darren. If Stones had been facing towards the ball or away from goal, he could have handled the "deflection." Defenders do it all the time. Well, regular defenders do, maybe the same cannot be said for "unique" ones.

When the broadcasters on radio and even for the English friendlies talk about how the other defenders have to be aware that Stones will make "mistakes." what does that say about his defending? Is this one of those situations?

In this game, I did not absolve either Coleman or Robles (although you did). Obviously, Coleman has a job to do and let the player by him. But, that and others' mistakes does not absolve Stones of poor positioning and therefore poor defending on this particular play.

You can despair or laugh or whatever Darren, but try to stop your hero worship of Stones long enough to try to judge his defending on that play (not what Baines or Jags or someone else did or didn't do). Try to be objective Darren, that would be a first in any of your posts and then you and Stones can be "unique" together.

It isn't you I despair at, I will always laugh at your take on things. You are simply unable to stick to the facts or understand what you are seeing. why on earth do you feel the need to talk about a "massive" deflection? Do you not understand that a subtle deflection can be far more deceptive? ... silly question.

I have gone through the entire build up and goal, but you cant seem to grasp it. There's no longer any point debating it? I'll leave you alone to wrestle with the subtleties of the game

I'm not joking, I really do smile when you point to the half witted commentators ("Announcers" as you call them) as some sort of evidence that you speak the truth. Nearly everyone else I talk to about the game switches them off and prefers to think for themselves.

Let me put it this way; Every top club in the world has shown a keen interest in Stones. We were offered more money for him than any other player in our history and Evertonians everywhere rejoiced when we turned it down. They even made a song about it. No other defender in the world will cost as much, we will have a queue around the block for his signature if we put him in the window... but you cant see any good in him.

Go figure!

However, how other clubs desire to have Stones as one of their players affects the circumstances surrounding the only goal of that game defeats me. He moved to a position that he should have but, when there, didn't do anything to deflect the path of the ball, and I cannot agree that he let it go for Coleman to clear.

If he knew Coleman was there, why did he not know that there was a Man Utd player with him?

As the Frogs say, "Vive la difference!"

Having said that, I have watched the replay many times and the only reason I can come up with for him not putting that ball out for a corner is that he was worried he was going to score an own goal.

What a sad state of affairs. Time for the club – by that, I mean the players and fans – to pick themselves up off the canvass and dig deep. We need a win at Watford.

I too have watched the goal many times and I agree. I say so in post 68.

When my lads were getting to the age when They were taking their footy seriously I decided to take a few coaching courses.

Although no Pep Guardiola myself I met some fantastic coaches. One guy in particular, the late Eric Denner was a respected name in the north west, a humble man, he had worked with some of the games top names and was a fantastic communicator and coach.

He told us that taking responsibility was one of the best thing a defender could do. He also told us that taking a fellow defenders responsibility was always going to end in tears. Its a bit like taking a shot when somebody was in a far better position than you are. Good play is about allowing the guy in the best position to do the job.

Stones clearly decided not to risk sticking a foot out. The ball had come through Macca's legs and had changed direction. he felt it too risky to have a slash at it and having seen it so many times I think he was right.

The suggestion that he didn't know Seamus was there is silly, he had actually taken a look... the suggestion that he should have known Seamus had drifted into a coma is just plain ridiculous .

Every defender in the history of the game could look back with the benefit of hindsight and say he could have done something different after his team had conceded... That does not constitute a mistake.

Alan J Thompson,

Stones being in huge demand has nothing to do with the goal on Saturday – nobody claimed it did. However; when somebody criticises him after every game he plays and never has a good word to say about him, I think pointing out that little fact kinda negates the vitriol. Some would say It makes a mockery of it.

What I do know is that I love the club. I have only been to Goodison once since I left England in 1973 – the invincibles hammered us 1-4. Nevertheless, like many fellow blues scattered across the globe, the deep bond with Everton, its players and supporters remains unbroken.

Oh for the day when Goodison – the players and fans – are on fire again.

Like I said above, we just have to dig deep at the moment. That is the only way we will get out of this situation. The digging deep will have to start with the players. I saw a glimmer of hope in that respect in the Man Utd game when Phil Jagielka lost his rag with Romalu Lukaku.

We have Barry back next week – a top pro. He could be enough to turn the tide. We have missed him desperately.

But then you don't let the facts get in the way, something you have in common with Martinez.

Read the posts, my comments were not directed at you, I can hardly accuse you of criticising Stones after every game when I don't recall ever seeing a post from you before this thread. I only relayed the points out of courtesy in posts 75 because you asked me to explain them in post 73.

Facts? You haven't presented any facts, you merely gave an opinion and I completely disagree with it. That's kinda the point

Vive La Difference

I think they were the facts you used. What was that badge you got again?

Never mind, it doesn't matter.

I think we miss him because he's at a higher level than any of our other midfielders. Hopefully the Moshiri money will provide the chance to get players of a similar quality.