Blues beaten in the first minute

Funes Mori played in all our good games at the start of the season and in our last win and last clean sheet against West Ham. That should be telling Koeman something...

I would also have put Mirallas & Davies in for Lennon & Barkley. Whatever people say about Mirallas, he's our most likely goal threat after Rom, and Barkley just isn't at it – has no vision, slows our play down, and gives opposition defence too much time to organise and mark up tight.

A morale-boosting win is desperately needed – COYB.

"He's a good young player. He's played some very good games for the Under-23s. He has the maturity and it's a good chance for him."

Looking at our line-up, I can't help feeling a tad envious of Puel's thinking and wish some youthful exuberance would come in and shake the first team out of their collective puss.

"Champions League" said Baines... Deluded.

We need something inspired in 2nd half. Koeman must take a lot of responsibility. Jags looks shot and our team looks sluggish.

I thought he spoke shite at his one-man show at the Titanic last week. And he's proving me dead right, he has absolutely no passion or desire to succeed at our great club.

If he's using us as a stepping stone, he's not doing a great job of that. Give me a thimble of Klopp's passion ahead of this fool.

Quite what our gameplan is, I can't see. Same team, same dross, same "non"-gameplan. If you can't raise your game with people like Koeman and Duncan Ferguson in the dressing room, then I'm at a loss as to what you need?

Just lethargic dross. I expect 3 changes at half-time.

Slow... putting it mildly, they do not talk to each other obvious the way Barry was dispossessed with no call from team mates.

Why Koeman does not at least try something different, I don't get; it cannot be much worse than what's happening now.

All I can hope for is they try in the second half but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm not saying it's a good performance but, at the moment, what we're witnessing is probably as good as it gets with this current group of players. Lukaku is THE problem and would be the problem in most Premier League teams.

Body language is there for all to see yet same faces turning out the same dross, absolutely nothing to build on, slow in thought, slow to move, another goal conceded inside the six-yard box.... and worst of all, no motivation.

This is mind-bogglingly poor.

We are an embarrassment. Slow, ponderous, lethargic and players who don't give a flying fuck about them lads and girls who have travelled a long way and spent a lot of cash to witness that shite. I'll be delighted if we snatched a draw or unlikely win. But, I mean, come on...

Merry Christmas from all at EFC.

No heart, no vision, no fucking hope. Absolute pile of shite. Makes Moyes's teams look like Barcelona.

What I wouldn't give for a Cahill, Arteta or Pienaar – players who actually gave a shit and could actually play.

I think Koeman has given up on our squad, except for those he brought in himself.

That performance was terrible and it appears to be consistent. We look like relegation fodder.

At least under Martinez we were able to hit teams on the counter and looked like we could score. Under this clown we don't look like we can score against anyone, no matter how bad.

He's got to go. Give Unsworth and Royle another go at least until the end of the season and get some pride back.

I watched that Austin header and it occurred to me that we don't have a single player who could produce that.

We are waiting for the money. That's Ron's big plan. The players are playing like they're waiting for the money. We're watching a club that, from top to bottom, doesn't really give a fuck right now.

The team has no energy, no passion, to flair, no vision and no plan

Bolasie couldn't hold down a place in the Palace team (the worst side in the Premier League).

Lukaku doesn't want to play for us and it shows.

Mirallas's attitude stinks yet he thinks he's too good for us.

Barry, bless him, is finished.

Baines looks very, very average.

Coleman slightly better but way off his peak.

Jageilka has lost confidence and looks a real liability.

arkley has two great feet but no stamina and no footballing brain (he'll never be Gazza because he can't read the game).

Valencia is a joke.

Kone is a joke.

Niasse is a joke.

We are a joke.

If the young players were put into the white-hot atmosphere of the Premier League with the current senior players, they would be ruined for life. I can't wait for the transfer window – not for the addition of new players but, on current form, we might have to wait that long to celebrate a victory.

On another day, we may have taken a point at St Mary's but that's the best this team can hope for on most away days. There was no lack of effort – as some believe – out there today, they just aren't good enough and I would argue not fit enough either.

Anyway, on to the next match, to see if we can find another unique way to surrender the game before it's got going.

Yes, Koeman needs time but, for the sake of us fans, do something to change the team – it's not working game after game... please try something else before we all (or most) give up on this season.

Koeman's useless; if we hadn't've won early points against shit teams, this season would have 'relegation' written all over it. It still might with this unfit, gutless, clueless squad.

How has it come to this? Action is needed NOW.

I am one of those who had thought that we could re-build and be patient but there is something rotten at the core and it is obvious that Koeman doesn't know what to do.

There are some very serious alarm bells ringing.

People are saying we need 2 or 3 new players we need 5 or 6 or we could end up fighting relegation.

And let's not forget good old Ronald keeps picking players who are having nightmares – where's Davies – is he injured?

Has anyone seen all season one pressing game, which he keeps talking about??!?!

I feel ashamed to call myself a fan. God help the poor souls who travelled all the way down there today. Let's see if honest Ron apologises to them. Not a chance.

How the hell is Bolasie warranting a place, week-in & week-out??? He's shite. Then again, he's not alone. 6 or 7 are as bad every week.

I said the start of the season, we won't finish in the top half of the table, and I'll be right. And please don't tell me it'll be okay come January... It won't. He wouldn't know a good footballer if it smacked him in the face. "Give him time..." My arse. I'd give him something but it wouldn't be time.

Barry's header in the first-half and Gueye's two miscues were good if not very good chances and if any team fails to make the most of those types of chances they will struggle to win matches.

We have no direction, do not play as a team, just all-round abysmal. Should refund the fans who went today and the Chelsea game, feel for them.

I'm slowly losing patience with Koeman, his game plans are simply not working. I know he inherited shite but to be honest he should have them playing better than that. If he can't get them playing better then we really are in for another poor season.

Roll on, January – let's see what he brings in.

And you comments about young players was completely contradicted by the performance of Sims, who ran Everton ragged.

Why should our club have to rely on transfer windows? After the dross we got last time, I would stick with the young players and make Unsworth manager.

Oh, by fuck – it can... it really can.

I would like Koeman to be bold, I would like young players to be given a chance, but everything now is about immediate results and Koeman is being ultra cautious.

I don't like what I am seeing any more than most Evertonians, but, our coach is not being sacked and the idea that he should be is insane for multiple reasons.

We are, again, crawling towards 40 points but the man with the money has picked his coach and I think and hope that time will show he is right.

For a team of players, of the level of quality that we have, to perform in such a way for the last three weeks now, at least, there has to be something going on, or going wrong, behind the scenes.

There's no other explanation for a performance lacking in EVERYTHING that's needed to win a football match.

We've played two teams in the last two weeks who were lacking in confidence and lacking in wins and both of those teams have been better than us in every department.

Something STINKS!

A shameful display from one of the most heartless uninspiring clueless teams in Everton history with a manger who just sits there and watches on impassively.

I like what I'm seeing no more than you but, for fuck's sake, losing at Southampton is not the end of the world.

I suspect, at the end of the three years, we'll be around fifth, sixth or seventh with a squad of late twenty-year-olds, leaving the next person the job of building for the future.

[I'm angry, in case you haven't noticed.]

"Right Dave, go through your squad with me and point out the lads who could do me a job better than the garbage I have at the minute.

"Oh! by the way, sorry about this but you'll have the useless bastards who are replace in your squad next game."

I can understand the vitriol after games like last week and at Stamford Bridge but today, whilst it wasn't always easy on the eye, it was better than in those two previous games. It seems that, if Everton fail to win, blow the manager out, blow the players out and anything else associated with the club.

Like all the rest of the Goodison regulars, I'll be there again next week, hoping and wishing that this team can nick a victory and get out of this rut, but all the vitriol in the world won't make any positive difference to the result and, if we're not careful, the thing we least desire may become a reality.

What happened to the defiance in the face of adversity that we as Evertonians used to display? When did we as a fan-base start to believe that changing the manager every five minutes would lead to what we all want?

I don't know if Ronald is the real deal or not, but until he has had at least half a season in the job, we have to be a little more patient. If you want to take your ire out on anybody at the club, it should be the directors and owners of the club – they are the real decision makers and they set the standards for the club or at least they ought to.

Koeman will spend big in January and he will have to. We need to sign at least 3 starters, a centre half a No 10 and a wide right. Holgate has to play right back next week.

Jags, as good a servant as he has been,needs leaving out. Barkley give us nothing today except slowing the counter attacks down.

We don't have the players to play the system we start with. I am confident in Koeman's ability to turn it around and remain positive in the long run.

If he gets it wrong in this window and the summer that will be time to look at it differently.

Wow, now I understand why we paid the 6 million quid. The man's a football genius!!! Lucky for us we didn't go for Conte or Klopp... phew! !

"I wasn't aware of Josh Sims when I was here."

If that is symptomatic of his views on the use of youngsters, then it looks like we are going to be stuck with Dad's Army for some time yet.

We are on a turgid run at the moment and I can't see what Koeman has tried to stop it. Same players, same tactics (or lack of clear plan). Surely the likes of Davies and Holgate or whoever might at least offer some energy.

Things look very worrying at the moment and I'm just glad we had those 4 wins at the start of the season as there aren't many teams playing worse than us. Hopefully Ron can earn his corn and turn it around or this season will disappear into mid table scrapping (or worse) very soon.

To me, Koeman is a boring plodder of which we've had more than a few. Of course he can't be sacked but I think Moshiri is far from the genius he was hailed.

But I do get the feeling that some people are happier when Everton are a complete car-crash and they almost hope that it gets worse in order to prove they were right about whatever point they want to make.

Our spirit and soul have disappeared and we are a shell. There may be more to this than meets the eye but anything we say on here is going to be speculative in that regard.

My first practical step would be to drop Jagielka and to appoint a new captain.

However, why waste Rjino's (Dutch spelling, OK, my typo) time training seasoned pro's who blatantly can't be arsed? Why should Rhino be saddled with them? Why should WE be saddled with them ?

And my apologies, Dave, if this appears in any way as a criticism of your comments, it most definitely is not.

Absolute fucking disgrace to Everton FC. I don't think I can go anymore... I can't take it. I will go as far and say we are the worst team to watch in the Premier League. We will get destroyed by Liverpool.

We need a new team – never mind 5 or 6 players; we need at least 10 – the only player I would keep is Barkley... every player around him is utter gash.

Anyway, thanks Everton, for ruining another weekend. You go back to your mansions while I have to go and do 12 hours listening to all the RS fans given it loads.

Fuck Of... I've had enough of this garbage.

Decisive Management – knowing what he was doing building an Everton team with Everton ideals.

I want Koeman and Moshiri to show some courage, bravery, initiative and management skills.

Do something NOW – it's falling apart.

They are one of the highest paid football teams in the world and have discounted the possibility of ever winning anything so why fucking bother? And who the fuck is Ronald Koeman? He's obviously not grabbed them by the boo-boo has he? Have a run out, pick up the money, turn up for training, switch off, go home, do just about enough safe in the knowledge you are made for fucking life. Amateurs.

"I wasn't aware of Josh Sims when I was here and he is not my problem – I work for Everton, not Southampton."

Now, given that Koeman was only at Southampton less than six months ago; how is it that he was unaware of, obviously, one of the most promising Under-23 players Southampton have got?
Certainly lends credence to the perception that Koeman is shy on giving promising youth players a crack in the first team.

You talk about defiance in the face of adversity? Mate, the adversity is self-inflicted by players who visibly don't have any professional pride, so who can we be defiant against except ourselves? Which we are being by voicing so much displeasure.

Your point about some fans being happier if the side is a car-crash is pretty baseless, I doubt it gives anybody much pleasure in being able to predict with uncanny certainty that we are shite.

I see no signs of an attacking plan except thread the ball along sideways and hope Rom gets a chance.

What is his grand plan? Are we going to be a pressing team? Passing? Counter-attacking? There is no sign that we are working towards any sort of vision of how we are supposed to appear on the pitch.

If we were playing football manager, this would be a side where nearly no-one scored more than a 5 on the off-the-ball stat. Anticipation and vision is also sorely lacking in this team. How does Koeman plan to address this?

This lot are unrecognisable from the great teams of the past. Even our really crappy teams of the early 70s, 90s and more recent times, at least showed some effort. This pile of wet turds should be ashamed of themselves, and ashamed to wear the shirt.

I hope their coach breaks down on the way home, in the middle of nowhere, and they spend a freezing night thinking of their pathetic and abject display. I also hope they give a thought for the 1000s of poor sods who travel all over the country watching this shite. People who have real jobs, real difficulties and real lives. These twats live in their little bubbles worrying whether to buy a gold Bentley or a Silver Rolls. They don't give a toss about the fans and they show it.

I'll never give up on Everton but this lot make it so difficult. As for the manager, either buck up or fuck off. This is now beyond a joke.

The trouble with the performances is down to the players in the main, they're simply very ordinary.

Martinez was crucified on here for two seasons, now it's Koeman's turn. You won't solve anything at the club by sacking managers, it's the players who want sacking!

Charlie Austin on the other hand looked much more like a £70 million man today, of course alongside a more determined set of teammates. He at least managed to carve out some very good chances on his own.

Only one player stood out: Stekelenburg – and if we were a decent team he wouldn't have a chance to.

Maybe they need a night or two out camping in the freezing cold to liven them up.

These were the words of a Monty Python sketch, about a spoof election result. Sadly, they seem a perfect fit, for the current EFC malaise.

There will always be the odd game, when, inexplicably, nothing goes right but when you have 3 games in 4 like that, then something is drastically wrong!

The wife and the cat disappeared upstairs after about 45 seconds and stayed there for the duration, apologies have been made and accepted!

Over riding memory was in the 54th minute, Van Dijk controlling the team, directing where the ball should go and somehow Southampton managed to string 3 or 4 accurate passes together. Not sure if they practise that sort of thing but maybe we could give that a go during the week?

I wasn't confident before the game and I'm certainly not confident with our next 5 games. It's become a chore supporting this club, needs something drastic happening. Youth maybe... I don't know... but it's not pretty at the moment and needs refreshing.

We have an average squad, but Koeman should be getting more out of them. Poor side, poor manager.

Koeman gets £6 million a year. Disgrace.

We're an utter shambles and he presides over this.

Simply 'NOT GOOD ENOUGH'.

Not much has changed, Bolasie tries, but he does very little to bring others into the game, and everyone waits for Barry, to try and get on the ball.

We are so static it's painful, and if the manager doesn't try and change something soon, then I'm not sure I would want to give him any money in January, because this inflexibility, and same old, same old, we are witnessing at the minute, doesn't fill me with much confidence in the man.

This manager and team make a complete mockery of:

"Nil Satis Nisi Optimum".

I can (barely) excuse these three today as age has obviously caught up with them but their teammates have no such excuses. Spineless, cowardly bottlers. Today most of them were as useless as being in a brothel with a limp dick.

I was never a Moyes fan but mostly, and of course there's always the odd game, but mostly the players at least tried during that 11 years. Effort can overcome quality at times, but quality means nothing without effort.

This lot? They don't give a fuck. And I include Baines and Coleman in that. Those two used to break their necks getting down the line and would pump crosses and pull backs into the box. Nowadays, they just jog a little and say "Fuck it, I'll give a square ball."

Going through the motions is all this team does.

Put Barkley, Jags and Bolasie on the bench. We need an injection of young hungry players until reinforcements arrive in January. We just don't look capable of scoring a goal.

I thought this season was going to see Mirallas back to his best, but he gets messed around too much.

God help us for the next three games.

Something seriously wrong in that dressing room. Either most of the players or the manager will be the victim of these gutless performances come the end of the season. Disgusted with all.

Everton FC, like most other clubs, only give youth a chance when they are outstanding talents, such as Rooney or Barkley, or when they have no money to spend and are forced to do so, as happened in the past at Everton FC.

Could it be that Koeman doesn't want to throw youngsters into the mix too quickly because he wants to protect them? Or could it be that he doesn't want to give his current favourites any excuses for their failure as a team? Or could it be because he doesn't think that any of the youngsters are better than those currently in the first-team?

I don't know the answer but I do get the feeling that we are all being taken for mugs by the current board and they would be quite happy to see the wage bill reduced and the transfer expenditure lowered as they 'plan' an ambitious ground move which may or may not come to pass.

Aston Villa tried to promote youngsters instead of buying ready made Premier League players and it didn't do them any good at all.

The salary of the manager is not important, if he was on £100m a year and we were running away with the league we wouldn't worry about it. The board make these decisions on behalf of the club; if they overpay their staff, that's their problem and it doesn't really matter because the TV money covers it.

Koeman is a disappointment in that we all thought his impact would be far more positive and immediate. Trouble is, these players will no more play for him than they would for Roberto and he knows not what to do about it!

But the difference this time round is that, like you, I don't give a flying duck. Unlike so many younger Evertonians, my life was blessed by seeing – and feeling almost a part of – the teams of Catterick and Kendall Mk 1 so perhaps that was my ration of football perfect.

I'll still back them to win but without expecting any return on my stake. But, when I go home, there won't be anymore wasted Saturdays in the Sports Bar in Pafos as I play The Lone Evertonian crying in my beer!

How the hell can he say he doesn't know Sims, the youngster who tore us apart today? He is 19' he was there the last few seasons Koeman was in charge, he is an English Youth International, and yet Koeman doesn't know him – a terrible indictment of a man who will not take a chance with the youngsters. If I was Davies, Holgate, Dowell, Walsh I'd been asking for a transfer.

Barkley – you've had your many chances and you've not improved, you slow play down, you can't win the ball, you can't keep it, you don't link play – goodbye!

I hope Patrick (#131) isn't correct and that Ronald doesn't feel that he's been sold a load of bollocks by the new regime. No doubt Jim White will tell us.

Unacceptable by our players. If not work hard for the manager, do it for the fans.

Not one aspect of our team has improved under Koeman. We can't defend or attack well and we have no desire.

I want a winter break now!!!

I'm willing to give Koeman the benefit of the doubt right now because four of his five signings have been our best players so far and the fifth one was desperation right at the end of the window, not his fault.

The sooner Lukaku, Mirallas and Deulofeu are shown the door, the better, and Jags, Baines and Barry pensioned off asap please. Koeman knows he inherited shite; I'm willing to give him the next two windows to get rid of it.

It's forbidding what we now face and desperate times mean desperate risks but surely get some of the U23 midfield in and play another upfront with Rom. We must be the easiest team to play against and our defence is a joke

So... time to build survival plans as our permanent 7th slot won't last too long. Groundhog Day amidst a lifetime of this and tbh 30 years since we were at the races!

I expect a higher-than-average manager to already change things and assess and then change things again if needed. He has done nothing.

His man management skills have been found wanting with numerous abject performances of late. This team suits the manager, very very lazy.

You bring in youth to show up the first team regulars... maybe even to push the first teamers to up their game.

At the moment, I blame the manager but there are few first team players who have performed consistently enough to be considered worthy enough to wear the shirt.

Koeman must have known the squad wasn't up to it and serious moves should have been made to sort the squad out. We spent fuck all in the summer and now we are paying the price for it.

I've no idea what to think anymore.

The ongoing Americanisation of Great Britain has continued apace with the arrival of Black Friday to these shores in recent times. And Everton have been guilty of taking the concept of handing out cheap gifts a little too literally.

In the last two years, the passing of Black Friday has prompted the Blues to embark on a run of form that has seen them win only one of their next 10 Premier League games. Last season, they dropped 21 points in that period. The previous year, the tally was 24.

This campaign, of course, Koeman's side haven't even bothered waiting for the sales pitch.

Oh dear can we cancel Christmas?

I watched the '66 final with the wide-eyed innocence of a child. I cried after Geoff Astle ruined my first real FA Cup Final.

I walked with head held high after winning the title in the 69-70 season. I cringed under the latter years of Catterick and Bingham. Had my hopes raised under Lee only to be dashed... and so on and so forth.

Like you, I've experienced the sweet, sweet taste of success and glory. I've also lived through years of pain and anguish. But this shower of excrement don't deserve my time. They don't get us and neither, apparently, does the manager.

This is unacceptable. This goes against everything we stand for. You might be a crap footballer with little or no talent but, ffs put in some effort. Show some fucking pride in what you do. Be men and not some arse-licking ponces.

Everton have been in decline for almost 30 years now and for the life of me I can't see who can stop it. Koeman looks clueless, the players don't seem to give a toss. Maybe Moshiri can call his mate Jim. Maybe he can fix it.

Jags is past it, as is Baines... and then we have Lennon. I actually thought John Lennon played, he was that slow, clueless and lethargic. Only Deulofeu and Mirallas showed any willingness.

Don't get me started on Bolasie, £28 million? My fucking arse... absolute shite and more to come.

Since the Norwich game, the same scenario seems to be prevalent that the players are only playing for themselves and will not put themselves out for the team.

Koeman needs to get a grip of Lukaku and show him that he has to hold the ball up better. He was second to almost every pass today and don't get me started on his heading ability or lack of.

I personally am with Patrick and Andy Crooks in stating we must be patient. It took Kendall Mk 1 around 18 months of dross before his side came good and we all know what happened after that. There are no quick fixes now – just ask Man Utd who have been through 3 top managers in 3 years and still not improved despite spending around £300 to 400 million in that time.

The problem there was similar in that cliques of players were at work behind the manager's backs.

Just for one game, don't go, and let the wankers play in an empty ground.

A weak, inept display by the team was epitomised for me by many things. I was particularly surprised at the wearing of little, black gloves by a number of players on what was, after all, a reasonably warm day. I'm a 71-year-old avid fan and rarely wear gloves even in winter, so why on earth supposedly fit young men do so is a puzzle. What effete wimps!

Perhaps they need to work more on their basic skills and start to produce a valid and effective team pattern, rather than showing what spoilt brats they really are.

As a previous contributor has said, people are spending hard-earned money and sacrificing all sorts of other pleasures to watch young millionaires prance about, show little commitment to the team ethic and, in some cases, merely turn up to collect extremely high salaries.
Sorry to be so negative.

The problem is, who would want to sign for us? And I'm not sure if I trust Koeman to mould such a group of players into a team.

Today I sat down at 5:30 pm as per usual, trawling through the web looking for a site. The only difference to the last 46 years being (apart from technological advances) that I found myself not caring if I missed a minute or two, or even a half.

Having found a link (via ToffeeWeb as always), I saw that we were one down already. Instead of f-ing and blinding at Mrs E and my pug, I just sat there somehow expecting it and knowing that we were never going to win. I endured the rest of the game, my only consolation being that I knew every other blue who adores our beloved Everton was feeling the same.

What I can't get over, though, is my almost "couldn't care less" attitude and my resignation that we were doomed to defeat. I don't know who to blame for this... what good does blaming do anyway?

The lack of passion in our team seems to be slowly spreading to this fan, at least. It won't take a lot to get it back; a rocking Goodison Park under lights next week as we slaughter Man Utd would do the trick. The sad thing is, I just don't see it happening.

Bolasie at present is little better than Niasse. Williams was the wrong age to play alongside a 34-year-old. Neither of them can get off the ground for crosses and both are sluggish on the turn.

Gueye, although good as defensive mid is not a good fit alongside Barry as neither score many goals. He has only got 7 in his whole career, and none in the Premier League. He won't get an easier chance than today's and Barry is fading fast.

Valencia must be poor if he is only worth playing for the last 5 minutes when desperate.

"It was such an impressive team performance, in fact, that you struggled to pick out one outstanding performer. And so naturally the eye was drawn to Sims, the latest product of the academy Koeman so famously spurned when he was in charge. For all his success on the pitch, Koeman’s distrust of the club’s youth production line opened up a major faultline with the club’s upper brass. There is a certain irony, then, in the fact that the youth and vigour of a player like Sims is what his side so badly lacked here."

Nail on the head there.

The players DID try today. Nonetheless, we're into our third straight season of being a bottom-half team. And it showed.

Jags, Baines and Barry, God bless the the three of them, are finished. They have no part in Everton's future. Mirallas and Delboy, too. Yet all five will be featured this season.

McCarthy, Lennon, Cleverly. They'll be featured too. We add paycheck collectors; Gibson, Kone, Besic, and Niasse.

This first season of the new regime, unfortunately, means get to 40 points. Because we're about to see a major transition. And it WILL take three years.

I never saw the game but listened on the live forum and, judging by way most fans who saw the game are reacting, I would have no hesitation in selecting Kenny, Davies, Holgate and Walsh next week,. They couldn't do any worse than today's players and I would guarantee they would give twice as much effort.

It's hard to see where Koeman is going with this team and why he is persevering with mostly the same players and the same system, although to be honest I can't see what that system is.

What I can see is it is hard being a Bluenose and has been getting harder with every season since you know who took over and no sign of him letting go of the club.

Williams is what he is — a 32-year-old stopper; is he an improvement on Stones?

Steklenburg may or may not be our No 1... we don't really know.

The Valencia loan was desperation.

Gueye, whilst he has a good engine, has no goals in him

On the whole, a transfer window fuck-up really. It will be very interesting to see what happens in few weeks when the window opens.

We must know who the players are we want and we need them in in the first week of January. None of this last-minute shite again when we already could have shipped points in the league.

He's in a position where he is expected to finish mid-table unless he is given significant funds. Mid-table isn't a struggle in this league, there's more than enough dross underneath us.

His approach seems to be to absolve himself of responsibility until the money is available. It suits him to trot out the same shite as he can then blame previous management. If he changes things too much, it will be on him.

In any business, if you offer anyone a huge amount of money with limited responsibility, they'll take it. And they won't be deliberately pushing to be held accountable for their performance.

That's our mistake – we've hired a very senior guy and not challenged him to do anything. This season will be painful. We'll tread water because that's exactly what we've set out to do. What we see on the pitch is precisely aligned with our entire club's approach.

So we wait for the money. There's nothing else to do. It will be frustrating for those of us who actually give a fuck. If and when the money comes we'll be able to judge them again... and we'll lose a year or two in the process.

I hear what you are saying. The same for me. I used to be shit scared of going to the toilet while watching Everton, for fear of missing a goal. Now, I have no fear of taking a dump during the match, knowing that, if a goal is scored, it's most likely against us, or the added bonus of us scoring... very unlikely!

It's a kind of Russian roulette that I have devised to break from the excruciating performance that we call football. >I have already stated in an earlier thread, that the only goal threat we could pose is if the opposition were all on rohypnol... highly unlikely!

L L D L L W L L
From match day 13 to match day 20

Then
W W W D W W

So it has happened before with Koeman and he righted the ship. Perhaps he can do the same again? So in the words of Jerry McGuire, "Who's comin' with me?"

No?

45 years a blue and I've never ever before thought after 1 minute that it's game over!

We are fucking shite! Get rid of all except Seamus.

Not good enough – we need to beat the dark side.

We have been shit for 2 years plus but continue with the same 4-2-3-1 formation EVERY match! Do we really need two defensive midfielders?

Colin and other posters are so correct – I've never felt so disconnected with these players! And please please don't roll one of these players out this week with some sort of scripted shit about 'putting it right' 'learning our lessons' – it's all bollocks!

No interviews, less talk more action!! Davies, Holgate, and Dowell must be given a run!

Koeman – a dour Dutchman bringing worse than dour performances to our team. At £6M per year he should be embarrassed to pull a pay check this month. I know I would be far too embarrassed to do so.

It is not the players. It is our uninspiring manager with his comfortable salary with all the dull Dutch food he can eat. Can't we see he gets fatter as we fall further down the table?

I used to anxiously await my mum sending me the pink Echo every couple of months to catch up with the news. I'd put them in chronological order and read then from back to front, including the ads and the birth and death notices.

I have lived, eaten and breathed Everton for as long as I can remember but I've never, ever been so disappointed (and turned off) as I am now. We are on the box again next week but as that old hag used to say, am I bovvered?

I watch Lukaku, I'm too angry to put into words... Shite, is one word.

Anyway, onwards and sideways, er, upwards. Come on, gentle beings, it's okay, or not, just remember if you feel bad about this, we are all going to die in the end.

Feel better?

'A limp dick in a brothel' – not forgetting the whore being paid for by Everton Supporters!

Just to add... I already stated on another thread that these tossers should reimburse the fans who paid for a shirt in good faith with their name on it!

Also, on another thread, I stated that, under the Mike Walker and Walter Smith eras it was dire but we didn't have the same expectations that we were going to be taken out of the shit by the scruff of the neck with an injection of dosh.

Now, we are waiting on the parting of the waters, with all the wonga (err, em, supposedly!) at our disposal. I, like you, experienced the boyhood fairytale, and then the mid-eighties. But watching that shite today, all that seems light-years away.

Now, my only disappointment is for the younger generation of fans who have been starved of success and possibly ridiculed by their peers for having chosen a sad package which is EFC!

Grow a set of hairy bollocks!
Bloody disgraceful pretending to be proper Blues.

The team has performed poorly (they did) then the majority here has displayed fuckall loyalty, but did so deliberately.

I din't mean sticking all the youth in, just the odd one or two. We couldn't do any worse, could we?

I see that Koeman wouldn't play the youth at Southampton.

What is your opinion on Koeman's performance so far?

That's about the worst part of it, Mark. Knowing a miserable 89 minutes is probably to follow. With every ticking second, every misplaced pass, every tame challenge just confirming it.

Individually and collectively inept.

I was at Chelsea too and I honestly don't know which game was the worst. On this form, we'll be sliding down to the foot of the table quite rapidly.

Jags and Barry were as bad as I've ever seen them. Gana and Ross were both very poor.

Koeman looked as disinterested as the players. Southampton were crap but never really looked under pressure. Can't get much worse...

Defence is in disarray, the midfield non existent and Lukaku not getting any service and any danger he posed being snuffed out by superior numbers. The team showed no passion or pride in the shirt.

What I don't feel from Koeman is passion for the club. You look across the park and Klopp has oodles of passion about the shite and it shows on the field. Koeman shows nothing of this passion.

If he doesn't show passion for the club how can he instill it in the players. Like I said, the jury still out on Koeman as, up to now, he looks quite unremarkable.

The young lad Sims playing for Saints had everything we didn't, ie, enthusiasm, energy and played like he enjoyed it! It makes it all the more mystifying why Davies, Dowell etc aren't given a chance as they they can't do any worse

We fail at the very basics – it's simple stuff and they did it better than us: ball control, passing to a colleague, moving off the ball to make the next pass simple and forward, moving towards the ball to take a pass rather than wait for it to arrive and have it nicked by the opposition, tackling harder, more aggression in challenging for balls in the air, marking the opposition in the penalty area. This is the basic stuff we were all taught as kids and quite what we do in training baffles me because it sure as he'll isn't practicing the basics!

The back 4 is way too old with 3 of them past 30 and we still lack a defender who is dominant in the air. CM is second to most balls, can't create, can't pass forward and allows the opposition too much space to pass and move. The wingers are not midfielders but rarely beat a man (Bolasie did a few times but with no end product), Ross started okay-ish but did nothing after half time and Lukaku stood and waited allowing their defenders to take the ball before it got to him.

So disappointing and I just want to know what are we doing in training all week and why does Koeman not play Davies and Holgate cos they both look ready to me! I'm not calling for Koeman's head at this point but it is all genuinely puzzling me why he allows us to play exactly the same every week. If we do this against Klopp's shower, the 0-4s of Roberto's reign will look like good results!

"Shows so much passion" – what a fucking idiotic statement! He's been a decent servant and that's it. Him and Williams shouldn't be anywhere near our club. Two slow old men.

His twilight I believe is now, much as I want to like him as a person. It's time for a change at his spot and leadership.

On the positive side, I'm hoping he is just giving the current players enough rope to hang themselves but that is probably being kind to him at the minute.

On the negative side he seems to be persevering with the same formation with the same players, give or take the odd one or two.

Martinez, persisted with the same players, playing the same formation week-in week-out so from that perspective nothing has changed and in some respects we are getting worse.

If I was Koeman, I'd tell Jags to find a new club in January, and one or two others too. We're not going to get into Europe via the league this season, so we have to write it off from that perspective. Considering we are almost half-way to safety I would put a couple of youngsters in the side; Davies alongside Gueye for example. Holgate at Right Back with Coleman on the wing who couldn't possibly do any worse than Deulofeu, Lennon et al. I'd ditch Barkley to the bench and put another player up front with Lukaku.

Personally, if I had the money and owned the club I would tear a few players contracts up, pay them off and allow them to leave on frees in January. Then I would give the manager a points target and tell him if he failed to meet that target, he's out of a job.

Drifting along, hoping something turns up, seems to be the way Everton FC has operated for so long, it's beginning to grate on all of our nerves and there seems to be no wish by those in power to change things.

Perhaps a relegation might be the best thing to happen to Everton FC because it might wake the club up to its issues.

A keeper who is Howard-lite, capable of great games and great gaffs.

A centre-half to mirror the one we already have... are Jags and Williams the slowest pair in the Premier League?

A center-mid who started great but has not shown much since the Man City game, and even when playing well, offers little going forward.

A winger with pace to burn but no plan or end product.

And a forward loaned in desperation.

Doesn't inspire confidence that the next 2 windows will solve our problems.

Like Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves. Season after season of nothingness. I know we are in the Premier League and they are not but that's the only difference.

Yet another season without a trophy, We are just fading away.

There is something very wrong at Finch Farm. If there is any sort of team spirit I'll show my arse in Lewis's window. We could see under Martinez a split from the hierarchy and coaching staff but this, to me, appears to be throughout the team.

Someone on the live thread intimated that it was probably because Koeman has removed the cushy life they enjoyed under Roberto, and maybe that's the case, but it needs to improve.

Let's not beat about the bush (because he certainly wouldn't)... he's been shit so far.

These are not terrible players. That's a convenient justification. And neither is this malaise Roberto's fault.

I don't think he should be sacked. But it's time to stop making stupid fucking excuses.

He's paid to do a job and he's failing miserably.

Our once brilliant overlap full back Baines has even lost it . He gets well up the pitch and passes it backwards. I think we're in deep shit at the moment – hope I'm wrong.

This is a young man's game and five of our starting eleven were over 30 with a couple of them well over 30!!

There comes a time when you get to that age and it becomes difficult to cope with players who are younger, stronger, faster and most importantly still have that desire and aggression that tends to fade a bit with time. It happened with Tim Cahill at the end and to my mind Jags and Baines are there now and probably Barry too though he might have a bit left yet.

I recall Bally hitting Keith Newton on the pitch for a bad error in a game which was perhaps not great captaincy but showed a passion and will to win which seems to be sorely lacking in this team. I remember Rats doing the same to Pat van den Hauwe for a similar error and Grobellaar thumped one of the RS for the same.

Where are the players who care now and who can drag the performance levels up during a game? Moyes gets stick on this site but he always looked on fire during a game and clearly cared passionately – I don't see that in Ron... yet!!

Everton's effort and fight and force are not up to Premier League standard. And if the manager's not at fault for that, what exactly is he responsible for?

How to earn 6M quid; Baring Injury/suspension keep your basic 8 average/under performing outfielders the same then shuffle any 2 from 4 under performing wingers.

They draw the 3rd round of the FA Cup soon... there will be 63 teams thinking 'Everton, home or away – don't care'... In fact, make that 64 teams (for 2 different reasons) who seem to think: 'home or away – don't care'

Moshiri – Get your head out of the Plans for Bramley-Moore Dock for a minute and take a serious look at what the fucks going on here... and while you're looking keep in the back of your mind that sometimes it's better for all to admit early on when you've made a mistake rather than drag it out... or at least put Koeman on notice of what you are thinking.

If standing still is going backwards then wtf are we doing?

Baines has trundled into the opposition half less and less over the last two years, and since the demise of Pienaar, Baines has reverted to stopping and passing backwards. This is nothing new.

Jags has also been on a steep nosedive over the last twelve months. Barry, so important to us, was signed as a stop-gap, and has done as well as we could have hoped, but he is 35. So, no surprises for me.

I thought we would do well to finish in the top half, and we well might. Koeman proved at Southampton , that he can get a team set-up and playing well. Patience please... this was billed as a 3 year project, and it is very early days.

I know there is much to improve on, but we must not get over emotional. There are a lot of shit sides in the Premier League – there might have been record amounts of money spent, but it is an inflated market and, apart from the top 4, the rest is mediocre.

No partnerships, no triangles going forward, poor use of space, no invention, smacks of a manager who can't understand why the players don't just know instinctively how to boss a match, and then cabbages their heads instead of getting to grips with his job.

Rom never wins a header so don't pump it to him, learn how to play the ball in front him. Players need to move into space so Barkley has a forward option, etc etc etc.

And that's down to the manager.

'See what you say' rather than 'say what you see' is the mantra for these silly commentators.

Anybody else in Australia having the problem with Optus using Fetch TV that they have not shown all Everton's EPL games, this one included? Just the highlights but the game not included in the On Demand section. I took the Optus package on because they told me all EPL games would be shown so I'm more than pissed off.

As others have said, it's becoming abundantly clear that Baines and Jags look over the hill.

Baines no longer offers anything going forward. I know Koeman isn't setting the team up to play with a high line like his predecessor, but I don't think it's just tactical. I think the niggling injuries have finally caught up with Baines. The same can be said for Jags. They've both been loyal servants, but time waits for no-one.

A new centre-backis a necessity for me. I don't understand why we didn't try and sign Van Dijk in the summer. He was outstanding today. It's rumoured Klopp and the RS want him so can't see him wanting to sign for us, even with the Koeman factor. In the meantime, give Holgate a game partnering Williams.

I'm probably in the minority but I'd like to see Valencia played alongside Rom from the start. We need another attacking outlet. We're too predictable and our game is far too dependent on Lukaku. Valencia is a 2nd striker. Give him the opportunity to play to his strengths. He only got 10 mins today, but he looked lively and offers something different.

We have alternatives and they surely cannot be as poor as that shower of shite today. We were under pressure and some of our players were walking back, actually fucking walking. I expect that our coach will have seen enough of them.

From this thread it's quite clear that we're shit and we know we are...

We're quite simply rubbish.

Blame the manager all you like, but the last one couldn't get this lot playing either – anyone else see a pattern emerging? I'm not sure it's the manager's fault anymore...

I thought Koeman tackling our lack of fitness would give us some dividend – but it looks like he is doing worse than the Spanish clown despite this so called improvement.

Forget the two-year plan, Ronald. Work better with what you've got. Because surely, if you can't get any more out of the squad that Roberto could, you are a bloody imposter, or you cannot motivate and lead your team adequately.

To correct an earlier post this season – he's not the Messiah, he's a dead end. Prove me wrong, RK, I'm happy to eat humble pie!

You say he won't come here "even with the Koeman factor".

I'm reading here and elsewhere that the Koeman factor would appear to be a negative and not a positive attribute – so Van Djik nailed on for the other lot then... :)

Lukaku's movement in the box was limpitesque – no point even trying to get a ball to him, if he stands still, marked by two.

The worst aspect, and one that Koeman is responsible for is the zonal marking. It is not working.

It would not be so bad if the goalkeeper would use his height and reach, and come for the crosses. It was like having Tim back, rooted to his line and calling for offside.

Too many players living on past reputations. This league waits for no-one – Barry is an exception, the game is too quick these days, and there are fewer veterans about.

Baines, Jags and Barry are being caught out for pace, and Lennon is showing why Spurs got rid of him. His early effort helping us to pull out of the relegation places under Martinez, has been replaced by a journeyman approach.

Koeman needs to change the marking system and drop the old guard. If these guys were picking up draws here and there, and their experience was helping us, then fine, but surely Funes Mori and Davies deserve to start.

I would also bench Lukaku and give Valencia a start – it might wake the big pudding up out of his coma.

Says it all really.

It appears we are going to be in for a very ordinary season until the Manager can effect changes through transfers. I feel there are going to be massive changes, and we all know that Jagielka, Baines and Barry will be moved on.

I can't see Barkley, Mirallas, Lennon or Lukaku being around next season either, the latter because he has given us another season to what appears to be no avail.

Interesting 12 months coming...

As a young lad who cried his eyes out on the stairs, when Astle's goal went in, I can't believe that I'm starting to lose that passion I've always had, even through the dark days of the past.

Why do I now hanker for the passion of early/mid-term Moyes, even though we never really threatened to win anything silverware-wise? At least he had players who gave a fuck to put in a performance, and feared what the dour Scot would say if they didn't.

God – we are so bog-standard average! ...and what is our new saviour doing about it?

Me to; after fruitless searching, on demand actually means at 10.00am.

They probably looked at the no doubt plunging EFC viewing figures... numbers and click rule - and based their decision on them... seems we missed out to the Confederations Cup who took the other 'box' in the On Demand section.

I gave in and watched the 2 min 'highlights' (which was bad enough) so I 'saved' myself nearly 2 hours at 7:00am. This allowed me to mop the floor and do some other jobs before it got too hot... and I've 'saved' another 2 hours by not watching at 10:00

I can sit in the garden, type this and watch the floor dry... much better use of my time. Foxtel shite, Optus shite, and Everton and Koeman even shite-er.

No it wouldn't – it would be an utter disaster that would probably take us many years to recover from. If the "answer" is "relegation is good for you", then think again please.

Our supporters are the most patient in the country. They are patient but not stupid. Usually it's the magnificent away core that spot the underlying issues first as they get up close to players hiding, lacking interest, urgency or passion. Even with the telly showing at least 55 minutes of all our games, the away crowd have the knack of calling players out when they know they are being cheated, and the same goes for a manager and his staff.

But interestingly I think even the far more patient home support have quietended down to a whisper which is a silence a lot louder and telling than for some time. Why? Because regardless of the obvious lack of wins or decent performances they see the gutless passionless lack of effort for what it is – a malaise that many top class managers simply wouldn't allow to fester in their teams'.

The lack of urgency is a reflection on Koeman. Where's the drive ? Where's the leadership ? These things can be addressed but it's not happening. If you keep doing things the same way, you get the same outcomes. That's why this current slump is such a mess ahead of three fixtures where getting shamed is totally on the cards if Koeman stubbornly retains his approach.

I get it that we can try to sort the pathetic failure in the summer window in January. It will be pricey and the best transfer targets won't like what they see right now, a supposedly top class manager with his head down giving rubbish post-match assessments and a team going through the motions and badly letting themselves and the fans down.

We can pay over the odds it seems, wage demands will be extortionate as players know they have us over a barrel. So surely we have to use these next three games to inject some spirit back into the side, get them playing with passion and urgency so sadly lacking now. The fans know we face a going over in all three games, but if we really give it a go with three of the younger lads coming in and a 4-4-2 set-up that gives us shape and organisation, there's a chance we might get a bit of pride back and actually perform.

Koeman isn't totally to blame here, of course he isn't. He and his staff will be shocked at how far Jags has slipped but he needs benching quickly. Ross? It hurts to say it but in my view he needs six to eight weeks out, and Davies must surely get a run? Before the Swansea match I gently suggested a different right back option and Coleman ahead of him on the right wing.

I honestly think it cannot be worse than ANY of the wingers we have right now, and has the attraction of offering a more solid defence in a 4-4-2. Holgate, or maybe Kenny or if back fit, Browning. I too would give Valencia a chance alongside Rom. Funes Mori clearly isn't high on Koeman's list and he's prone to some real cock-ups, but I think the so-far desperately under-whelming Williams plays better with Funes Mori at his side... and I'd make Williams captain now.

Koeman has a big week ahead of him. Of course you can't sack an Everton manager after so few games but this manager isn't getting the patience from many supporters unless we at least look like everyone gives a toss. Put in these desperate lack lustre Swansea, Soton, Bournemouth, Norwich type shows in the next three weeks and the fans will show just how little time they are prepared to give him.

But say enough is enough, try to change things round, show some fight, some passion, some real urgency, and the support will accept that ahead of getting a boost from the January window.

I suppose I was looking at it from the perspective that the club needs a rocket up it to make it realise it has to change its ways. Look at Newcastle – I know they lost on Saturday – but they will probably come back leaner and stronger next season and be challenging at the higher end of the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Everton FC seem to have been ploughing the same old furrow for year after year with no real signs of progress and quite a lot of regression. I don't want us to be even close to the relegation spots never mind end up in one as in truth like you say we'd probably fester there for a long long time. But something has to give and soon, as this death by a thousand cuts and too many false dawns is very difficult to accept.

I was looking at Shane Long on the bench for Southampton. I would take Long over Lukaku any day. He is the type of player that we need to lead the line right now.

We do not have a player who can control the tempo of a game. For all of the flak that Osman took in his years here I'm thinking he would look awfully good now. We have absolutely nothing in attacking midfield. So we are easy to read and easy to beat.

But contrary to most of the posts above we are no longer a totally lost cause. All of our games except Chelsea have been close. Whatever we do in January will improve us a bit more but as Koeman said at the beginning of the season it is going to take 5 windows. So get a grip folks and keep an eye on where we are going.

And Everton fans spouting that opinion is one of the reasons why this club is a mid table nothing, with no ambition. Shane fucking Long, who couldn't even get in the game for a poor Southampton. You know what, have at it. Have a bunch of headless chickens. Were you one of those crying out for Lennon to be inserted because of his "workrate". A lot of good that does. How about a manager actually trying to set the team out to provide some attacking support for our striker?

Every single commentator has been mentioning it: Lukaku is isolated up top with two and sometimes three defenders being able to mark him knowing that there is no other threat. Today the announcer mentioned that at times Virgil would just leave the defense because he knew he had two defenders back and we had no other players up top.

It must be a defenders dream going up against us, knowing they can simply surround our one striker and that there will never be any other players going forward. Mirallas was the only player today who made a forward run, Lukaku found him and played him through, but he sent in a poor cross instead of a shot after a poor first touch.

But yeah, Shane Long would solve that. I'm sure he'd have much better luck against three defenders, beating teams single-handedly. Or he'd just run a lot from side to side and that would for some reason make people like you feel better. The ambition of a good portion of our supporters is disgusting.

Koeman OUT!!!

The sooner this lazy, "legend in his own mind" overrated lump is moved on, the better. It can't come soon enough... and yes, howler, before you remind everyone, a fit and fully focused Anichebe over the 'world class' oaf every day of the week for me.

A few short comments on the game – Jags can't jump. Too many (Deulofeu, Mirallas, Lukaku) try intricate little touches rather than bulldoze into the box. Coleman's the only one showing urgency when the clock was ticking down. Lukaku spends too much time pointing at the exact blade of grass where he wanted the ball fed right onto the tip of his boot, rather than actually getting onto the ball, sliding, diving, trying to throw himself at it. Oh how we miss a fearless Cahill throwing himself into harm's way trying to get on the end of the bloody ball...

Funes Mori or Holgate to central defence, Davies and/or Walsh to midfield to offer something creative with one less defensive midfielder and, in January, recall all players on loan who have any sort of first-team experience even if that is only one game.

Start sending the message, perform or spectate, nobody is guaranteed a game every week and from upstairs, what is the game plan and why don't we see it!

And if the answer is wait until January then we will be fighting at the wrong end of the Premier League.

Some posters want Koeman sacked. Good call! Not to mention the probable huge amount of compensation he would command, he would take all his backroom staff with him, who need replacing. So we replace them from within, with Unsworth, who has never managed at this level, and what if he fails miserably, what then? We would have to rebuild again!

Secondly, this was not worse than any display under Martinez. Short memories, yes it was dire, but the levels under Martinez were so low and abject in the end they went off the radar, do I need to make a list!!!???

Now, I think Koeman needs a number of transfer windows to sort this out. I haven't criticised him on here yet, but I will. The team was so predictable, apart from who played right wing, the other 10 players could have been predicted by almost all fans. therefore, no surprise element. We are therefore easy to plan against.

We need to mix it up. Get a support striker for Lukaku when required. That could be from 1 of 4. Valencia, Mirallas, Deulofeu or Bolasie. Rotate and drop players. Give more game time to youngsters like Davies or Holgate etc who will provide energy, enthusiasm and a kick up the arse to those under-performing regulars.

More game time to Funes Mori too. Sometimes play Coleman as a winger! It would send a message to the other wingers. Too many one-dimensional players who are one-paced in the team at the same time. Too many old legs playing at the same time.

Things need mixing up a lot more imo! Experience and youth are a great combination, a happy balance needs to be struck. I am not sure we have enough leaders in this team, despite us having a few international captains, bizarre!

As a priority, I just want rid of Koeman and his going-through-the-motions, indifferent management style.

I wasn't convinced, since you can be a winner as a player and a defeatist manager. It's looking more and more like I was right.

I predicted to my missus we'd get beat, I just expected it to be by more. It's gone very stale very quick. I hope he can turn it around and soon.

Well, if these players are picked on form, god help us.

Seriously, something has to change. Give one or two of the U23s a chance. Bring in Holgate, maybe the idea of pushing Coleman forward would help. Play 4-4-2 for a change with only one holding mid.

What really riles is just sticking to the same ol' same ol'!!?? We have heard of not changing a winning team but, when it's a losing one, how about Koeman getting his finger out and actually earning his wedge?

The manager looked embarrassed and not knowing what to do. Can someone enlighten me on what he writes on his scrap of paper after the goal? His sidekick was more professional writing in a notebook (sarcasm).

Barkley looked like a world beater, the new Gascoigne; McCarthy gave an incredible show, full of energy and intent; and the whole team sprayed the ball around and gave a good, footballing Arsenal side a lesson in passing and possession football.

Roll on till now and we are a shambles. How has it been allowed to happen?

Some players have got older and less effective, some have failed to mature, and others have gone so far backwards, they look like they wear lead boots and have lard injections into their heads and arses before each game.

It's disgraceful that the coaches and medical staff, dietitians (if any) and all involved in the running of a professional sports team can be so shambolic in their working that the only thing that matters, the team, is in such a diabolical condition that they look like eleven people chosen by lottery from the crowd to represent us.

To me, essentially the same group of players have been playing together for awhile now; the culture of defeatism and inevitability has snuck in to the mentality.

We need fresh blood, starting this weekend.

I would pay serious money to see that.

Lukaku doesn't do much because he's stuck up front waiting for what exactly? The occasional cross? We have zero creativity in the team and it's killing us.

You can go on about everything else (age of players/motivation etc) but unless you have at least one playmaker in your team (it isn't Ross) you're never going to create anything, and therefore won't win games.

Football is a simple game made complicated.

For me, it was from one extreme to another and now we have Big Ron whom I feel does not have the heart for it. Of course he gets well compensated but without results and attractive football how long are we prepared to put up with this shite.

I think it was Mick Channon or Matt le Tissier who poured cold water on the move from St Mary's. The expectation on the south coast is not what it is on Merseyside. Soton are the top dog in their region while Everton have the massive shadow of Red Shite and really unless your a die in wool Evertonian nobody gives a flying fuck about us and our History.

We don't figure on Match of the Day and if I'm lucky, the paper might have a sentence about us if we are playing the big teams. Other than that we are anonymous and big Ron has a massive task to turn us into a top club able to compete at the top level.

Koeman has to make the changes and he should sell Lukaku in the window and play a more Dutch style of football. Barkley is another Osman. Its time for a massive clear out and if Ron ain't up to it then Unsy is the man.

Protect the back 4? No.
Win the ball? No.
Link up play with the forwards? No.
Provide through balls? No.
Create chances? No.
Score goals? No.

I now a lot of you will slaughter me for that but the evidence is there; you can drive a bus through our midfield when we don't have the ball and it takes us 6 or more passes to get out of our own half when we do have it.

Now, that may be down to the players who cannot adapt to the style of play Koeman wants, or the manager hasn't got a clue how to get the most from his players.

We said it was no use Martinez trying to turn us into 'Barca lite' because we never had the personnel, so maybe this 'pressing game' is just as alien to this bunch of fools pulling on the jersey. Maybe it's the fact we can now go out and replace nearly all of the first team that has got the current mob so shit-scared that their footballing brains have frozen?

Whatever has happened at Finch Farm, we are definitely broke, that is undeniable.

Stekelenburg – kept the score down, however prefer Robles. Need to go for someone like Butland or Forster.

Coleman – cannot defend to save his life. If Man Utd came in for him, get rid

Jagielka – Finished simple as if you start him in any the next daunting games, it's not rewarding him it's punishing him.

Williams – Not his best game but still our best centre-back, would love to see him alongside Van Dijk two leaders at best.

Baines – As much as I love him can the man learn how to stand up to a cross ffs.

Gana & Bolasie – not great but they were the only ones who tried going forward and had chances and shots at goal.

Barry – not exactly finished, however time to give Davies or Walsh a chance.

Lennon, Mirallas, Deulofeu – the most inconsistent fuckers in the league.

Barkley – As much as I want to see him progress and star for Everton, he doesn't do himself any favours. I look at players like Gana, Kante, Allen, Besic, Yacob, Coquelin, Defour, Fernandinho, Herrera and more they are less the size and muscle of Barkley yet get stuck in and drive forward. This lad can't even slide tackle. Never mind Ozil or Toure, Barkley needs to watch videos of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes, three English midfielders who were the best at decision making.

Lukaku – In what way could he think he can get into Barcelona or Bayern's team. Lukaku is literally one of those players when he's hot he is boiling, when he is cold he is freezing. On his day he is unplayable, when he is off form you might as well play 10 men. Look at Costa, Aguero and Kane –even though they score, they run everywhere their work rate is second to none. Lukaku needs to man up at times, for his age he is quality but still needs to learn big time.

Koeman – time to change this bollocks of a 4-2-3-1 system, it is boring and shite. We don't have the players for that system.

Everybody going on about January. We could be in the bottom half by then which won't exactly excite top players. The young ones need a chance; others have got to be dropped and fucked off.

We have to stop using this 4-2-3-1 formation. We have tried Mirallas, Deulofeu, Bolasie, Lennon in every possible combination and none of them have looked particularly good.

Barkley isn't going to be any better than he is now while he has a hole in his backside. He is inconsistent, lacks confidence and needs replacing.

Personally I would seriously start looking at the players bubbling under. Maybe they'll make it or maybe they won't. But we have seen the lethargy that has become ingrained within our first team players because they lack any competition for places. The team needs an injection of energy and enthusiasm because we have too many players just going through the motions and have lost the ability to raise their game. Although with five players over 30 in the side that's hardly surprising.

Come January we will need some serious reinforcements or any hope of european football next season will be gone. Although this is easier said than done.

I notice Pochettino is grumbling about Sissoko.

Link

No doubt he would have been the same for us. £30 million and he's hardly started a game. How do you find players who want to play and not just collect big wages?

People saying the players are scared of Koeman yet not many seem to be trying to hard to rectify things.

We look a totally different team from 2 months ago.

The defence was a joke yesterday, I lost count of the number of times the ball went across our 6-yard box and we failed to attack the ball and clear.

Koeman must either get the players back onboard or get rid. I reckon he will be given the opportunity to make wholesale changes over the next few transfer windows.

This has been the case now for much of the last year. How can they live with themselves professionally? They should be ashamed.

We are probably fools, though, for expecting anything more from the modern players – they play only when they want to and only for themselves.

Some players looking like they are not part of the manager's plans – maybe good old honest Ron has told them as much.

We need a proper outlet – yes, Rom is a good finisher and that is it; he offers absolutely nothing else. The team suffers – we nearly conceded yesterday when he dropped deep, picked up a simple pass and lost it in our own half... he's not a footballer.

Barry looks finished, as does Jags and Baines. Maybe they just can't be bothered taking their bodies that bit further for this manager? Something clearly isn't right.

I believe there was a reason that Koeman was bigging him up recently; he wants him out and at the best price he can get. Imho, the main priority in the next two windows is to move Lukaku on, the sooner the better, for the sake of the team.

I can not for the life of me understand how someone escapes criticism the way he does for what I could only describe as "Nyarko-esque" laziness. He has very little consideration for his team mates and the shirt.

When he scores its for him and him alone. His goals act as a criticism buffer he needs to get himself in credit enough just so he can down tools for a bit.

Watch him when we get the ball... his movement is juvenile at best. Like a kid who has just learned the offside rule "run in a straight line and try not to breach the defensive line before the ball is played".

Absolutely no dropping off - darting another way and changing direction, no angling runs or curving them. When he can't be bothered – he really can't be bothered.

The difference is we have fans who will tolerate this. That lot across the park got shut of Balotelli quick sharp – what's the difference in his work rate? Look at how they treat Strurridge... "play for the team or not at all".

With Lukaku, he is feted as some sort of superstar that we must provide service for and indulge. I can't wait for the day he is sold and, provided the money is spent wisely, we will see a forward or two who understand the importance of team play.

I have read so many times that we would be up shit creek without his goals which is just not true, he never played a minute or scored a goal in 11years under Moyes and we were never relegated because teams find other ways to score.

Take the lads goal scoring away (btw he went nearly six months without a goal last season) and what does he offer? Absolutely fucking nothing, he's a complete liability.

I also agree that Ross would be a better player and more productive if he wasn't playing with that clown up front.

Spot on. He is one of the main problems I think. Lazy, comfort zone, no pressure on his place, half-arsed, does it when he feels like it.

But hey, we are lucky he's here. According to him. And the manager. What motivational skills. It was actually the worst kind of arse-kissing bull Martinez used to indulge in.

Just get him and his ego gone and let's get someone hungry who will actually work, run channels and, shit, they may even be able to hold the ball up and put a performance in more than once a month.

Did you not know that you either get goalscorers or team players? – you can't have both. Watching the likes of Shearer, Rooney, Suarez, Costa, Aguero score goals whilst working for the team is a figment of your imagination.

I can honestly say I have never seen a player in all my years supporting Everton get such a free pass in every piss-poor facet of his overall contribution to the team just because he bangs in a goal now and again. It's a fucking joke.

We have no attacking threat and no creative players, the defence is old and the players most certainly cannot adapt to Koeman's style of play.

If we were a top foreign team, Koeman would be very close to the door, as it is we will keep persevering until hopefully we play better.

I firmly believed that Koeman will get it right eventually as he has only been in charge for 3 months but I can understand the doubters. His signings, the ignoring of the younger players, and the attitude of the first team really worry me though.

It seems his one appearance watching Unsy's crew coincided with a first team like performance, and he left unimpressed with Unsy furious that some had missed an opportunity.

So that's that, is it? Can't be surely. I mean Koeman keeps giving a bunch of poor performers chance after chance after chance, so why not have another look at the younger players who might actually run round a bit, look interested, like they care about the result and giving supporters 100%.

If his way of turning things round is simply to try and spend £100m in January then that's no answer. The real quality isn't coming here if they have seen anything of this team this season.

The manager has a huge challenge ahead, were playing every inch as poorly as Martinez had us performing, but somehow the rest of the league have conspired to keep us at seventh when bottom three is more our form guide.

What you don't need to do, Mr Koeman, is shut down your options without giving some a chance to show they can at least play with a bit of pride and enthusiasm.

One large dose of luvviness
2 heaped spoons of Sugar coated Drivel
One Early Bird, (which seems to get earlier every year)
40,000 suckers who live and breathe the club
One zipped tight wallet of an Iranian Billionaire
Oodles of over-paid, untalented, sad excuses for footballers/coaches
Add a dash of strange commercial deals

Leave to fester for over 20 years and hey presto! An Everton Mess.

The only reason he kept Lukaku on was in case his stock goes down. Hopefully January will end that.

Jags for England. Still a great defender.

Spot on Mark.

Didn't the same thing happen to Moyes early in his Everton career when the players downed tools and we ended up with our lowest ever points tally in a season?

If it isn't just right for modern day footballers, then the first fella to suffer is the manager, even though he's gonna make Brewsties, whilst us the fans suffer like fuck, both in the pocket and with are mood.

Tell us who 'someone' is Mike as you clearly know and being interested in your post I would love to know its integrity.

By the way, '3 days Monday to Friday' could sound like a typo and mean 5.

So, my 'someone', David Unsworth, tells me that Ron is there all week long.

Who is your 'someone'?

Also, the notion that we on ToffeeWeb know more about our young players and are privy to information unavailable to the coach is ludicrous, in my view.

I would like to see changes, I would like to see Holgate start, also, Davies. I can, however, accept that we pay a lot of money to a coach who must see them and pick his team. Too soon, in my view, to challenge his decisions.