Coleman: We have to perform for 90 minutes

I can't get my head round this myth that has very recently surfaced that we've been much better in the second half of games.

As I said on another thread, if there's less shite in your shite sandwich, than there was yesterday, you're still eating shite.

The only little tiny light in the dismal darkness that is Everton lately is that Rooney is suspended because, if he wasn't, after not scoring against West Ham, you can bet your life that he'd score the two he needs to break Bobby Charlton's record.

Did I mention we're shite at the moment?

With that in mind I wonder would it be worth pushing Coleman to the right wing with maybe Holgate behind him. I'd also bring in Funes Mori who would be another scoring threat from set plays.

At least Coleman will get to the byline and get it some crosses or have a shot himself. Yes Funes Mori makes the odd mistake but at least he's young and faster to react that Jags.

I will be very disappointed (but not surprised) if we see Koeman send out the same team again and hope that we will put in a better performance.

Well, ya never know... we might scrape a lucky win, but Everton with this shower putting in a full 90 minutes... hahahahahaha.

I look forward to reading the other post about this, but as always I skip anyone who writes their own team sheet as a post. Koeman know's the best team for the job, hahaha.

I'm getting fed up of Everton players stating the bleeding obvious to the press and then not turning up for the next game.

I like to be optimistic but – with us offering nothing in defence and nothing in attack at present – we could get hammered.

He's said what we're thinking; basically that talk is cheap, that the players need to leave every ounce they have out on the pitch.

What's the problem? You won't see Seamus hiding or not trying.

He would be a good captain for us. Doing a great job being captain of Ireland. It's sad to say but I can't see any other contenders. That sums up this current team really.

Shows up the major contrast in philosophy, fan vs player. That is, "What's done is done; it's all about preparing for the next game" — while we fans tear at every aspect and nuance of the last performance, the last few games, the record so far this season, what happened last season, what happened the season before... what happened the last time we won the league, what happened when Catterick was in charge... etc etc etc.

Players, and I understand why, mainly have to look forward, and only reference the recent past in a positive sense if they can use it as a source of strength, viz "We can take confidence from the home record" — which is no great shakes.

So many recent posts on here have tried to play the past card as an inspiration or spur, carrot or stick for them to do better. I just get the sense that they don't think that way at all.

There aren't many who are worthy of being captain at the moment. It's between Coleman & Williams, and I'd give it to Coleman at the moment, just because Williams hasn't been here for long.

We need a lot of change – but one thing I have realized is that Koeman's signings have definitely made a difference and an improvement. Idrissa, Bolasie & Williams are very solid, and even Stekelenburg is an improvement (although he has made a few mistakes, he has done a lot more good than bad).

We need to get in a few players in January, that's the first step – and whoever they are, I trust Koeman and Walsh will get the right players in. Next year, we will need a new keeper & further improvement in the squad.

A CB pairing of Van Dijk & L Kone over the foreseeable future, is one to hope for & be excited about if and when it happens.

I would like to see a squad something like this next year:

GK: *Butland / Stekelenburg / Robles

RB: Coleman / Holgate / Browning
RCB: Williams / L Kone / Jagielka
LCB: *Van Dijk / Funes Mori / Galloway
LB: Baines / *J Lukaku / Garbutt

CDM: Idrissa / Besic / McCarthy
CM: *Strootman / Barry / Cleverley

RW: *Cafu / Deulofeu / Lennon
CAM: Barkley / *Brahimi / Dowell
LW: Bolasie / *Depay / Mirallas

ST: Lukaku / *Gabbiadini / Calvert-Lewin

Although, I do think these might be moved on:

Mirallas
Lennon
Cleverley
McCarthy
Garbutt
Robles

Looking at it without them:

GK: *Butland / Stekelenburg / Hewelt

RB: Coleman / Holgate / Browning
RCB: Williams / *L Kone / Jagielka
LCB: *Van Dijk / Funes Mori / Galloway
LB: Baines / *J Lukaku / Oviedo

CDM: Idrissa / Besic / Walsh
CM: *Strootman / Barry / Davies

RW: *Cafu / Deulofeu / Tarashaj
CAM: Barkley / *Brahimi / Dowell
LW: Bolasie / *Depay / Henen

ST: Lukaku / Gabbiadini / Calvert-Lewin

Seems like they are all in la la land at the start of games and showing no real intensity for taking the game by the scruff of the neck and showing the opposition who's boss.

Okay, it doesn't always work like that but surely against teams like Burnley, Swansea and Bournemouth they should be out to dictate the game by showing more commitment to offence instead of slowly passing the ball around in their own half far too much.

Perhaps this squad are not good enough to do much else which is a sad indictment of how far they have come under the last 3 managers.

Did you take the time to read any of the article before you jumped in to criticise Seamus?

In case you missed it:

"The way things are going at the minute, we just want to get out there and put things right” Coleman told Evertontv. “We have to do this kind of interview — it is protocol — but at the end of the day, you can say all of the right things but you have to go out and do it on the pitch."

I would unhesitatingly make him captain.

Holgate deserves a go at right back and I'll be struggling to get behind Koeman if he continues to ignore youth.

10 fucking minutes would be an improvement at the moment.

Like the rest of the squad, they all need to take a hard look at themselves.

These contractual interviews are winding us all up. They must think, "Hey who do the fans like enough to forgive the bad form?" Or "Who hasn't been absolutely gash recently?"

Then the poor fecker gets wheeled out to talk the talk.

We really do need to see one hell of an effort on Sunday. I can put up with a player who is average as long as he gives everything he has to the cause, but I am sick of seeing guys strolling around when the ship is sinking.

Well said – we haven't performed at all. The first games of the season gave everyone false hope but it didn't take long to get back to the same old same old.

The real problem at the moment is the team's performance as a team is not getting the fans behind them but against them – causing the downward spiral we saw last season.

I hope for all our sake's Sunday is the turning point.

He must read TW and know he's going to get dog's abuse for being the point person this week.

Fuck it, it's my birthday this weekend and, although I can't be at Goodison Park, I will be settling in for a classic on Sunday afternoon.

If you are reading this, Seamus, please don't fuck up my weekend!

It's not surprising that they have come from probably the most honest (performance-wise), player we have.

Also, he cost us buttons and he is probably finding it depressing that the dross on the same teamsheet is earning the same as or far more than him.

" Where's my cd-ROM, KEVIN? ... Don't know, I've hidden it CLEVERLEY ... It'll be in one of the JAGS we're using for our trip to VALENCIA ... we'll stop off for a Ben & GERRY's... while listening to LENNON & McCartney... "
...OK, I'm going!

The players will know exactly what fans are saying. It will be a mistake to make Goodison too hostile to our own players and management, we don't want a situation where it's made even more difficult to recruit.

If so, whatever the rights and wrongs of that situation, could everyone at the club, particularly the manager, please have the decency to come up front, please.

Last night here we watched our adopted team, Toronto FC, get to the Canadian version of their FA Cup final 7-5 on aggregate over Montreal. In the first leg, TFC came back from 3-0 down to 3-2, last night they had to come back three times in a raging sleet storm before scoring twice in extra time to go through.

If Everton had shown the same absolute determination, guts and desire, as demonstrated by both these teams in this competition, they would be running away with the EPL.

And don't tell us there's no comparison between the two leagues, Toronto would have taken ANY Premier League team apart with this display.

Maybe Coleman is being groomed to be the next Captain by Koeman. This would explain Jag's silence.

Not having a dog in the MLS fight with Columbus out, I have enjoyed the play-offs. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed that game. It was end to end with physical play allowed (maybe too much) and neither team quitting.

Well done to Toronto; I'm looking forward to the final. Well done to the club and the excellent fans who didn't let cold rainy weather stop them from cheering on the squad.

Anyway, should bench Jagielka and make Coleman or Williams skipper imo.

Go and get big Sam. I would rather have a manager who can motivate or tell the players home truths. Moyes has his critics but for motivating his players and effort he demanded 100%. Koeman needs to get angry with his players.

When a player comes out and talks about players playing for 90 minutes, this raises more questions over the management team and impact over the team.

Seamus as captain; Holgate for Jags, and Davies for anybody in midfield. Also, a ferret down Koeman's trousers when he is on the touchline.

I'd just say in the interview that we are shit and hope Koeman and Walsh have a January plan.

Or a meal in Southport and invite Sheedy and Keown.

All our so called players have great contracts, agents & monthly salaries, are going nowhere unless – for very similar money – it's called player power - regardless of any quality hyped up team manager.

It is longer a sport but a money "earning" exercise – you do not play for the club but the manager; if he does not rate you... tough, you're on your way – hence "performances" that to any real blue are basically pathetic, unreal, unable to accept & basically for all far too long, we just deserve much much better!!

In my humble opinion, any team can only play as well as you let it play; most, if not all our team seems to have forgotten this basic fact, or are not too bothered!!!!

COYB – for Christ's sake!

Er... when was that, Seamus, because I certainly can't remember. Sunderland... maybe in the 2nd half. That's about the last time I remember us playing well... or possibly Boro 1st half and that's debatable.

You and your mates owe us... Big time. Unfortunately, nothing will change come Sunday because it'll be more or less the same tired players playing the same tired miserable system.

And mark my word, one of your teammates will be wheeled out next week trotting out the same shite.

Put the effort in, play for the shirt, and watch how the crowd changes. The fans will be up for it for the first 15 minutes, so come on, you Blues – it's up to you to react.

I would like to ask Mr Coleman why, in the last two seasons, this particular set of players have not deserved to not only get paid but have not been fit to wear the Everton shirt. Could you answer that, Mr Coleman?

Just think – the Newcastle fans can piss themselves laughing at us as we pass them by on our way to the Championship!
Big Sam? My God... how the mighty have fallen.

Before we learn to perform for 90 minutes, we need to learn to perform collectively as a team for even a 10-minute spell... we're fucking awful.

This repetitive mea culpa bullshit is getting beyond boring, beyond insulting. So just give it up, guys, spare us the bullshit – do your talking on the pitch... and maybe, just maybe, we will forgive you.

Big Sam!!! Wtf!

What kind of success has Big Sam had in football, apart from his head dominating a huge portion of my telly?

Between Big Sam, Super Kev. Dazzling Geri, Rampant Ross, honestly, sometimes supporting Everton is like living in the twilight zone!

People naturally pick on Jags and Barry but the problem is elsewhere. Four new starting players apparently not enough??

If any of this shower took a swing at each other, they'd fucking miss!

If we could sign a top creative midfielder, I am sure our performances would be transformed. How long have we been saying this, for over two years at least!

Surely its obvious to Koeman, maybe they can't get the better midfielders to come, who knows!

Midfield is the engine of a team, currently we have no engine to go anywhere.

Someone has to speak to the media. This week it's Coleman. He's told us it's protocol and, as it would be detrimental to go through the team and say who's been playing shit, or to blame the manager, this is as good as it gets. What the fuck do you want him to say?

So we get about half of the posts telling us that "it's his turn to be wheeled out" or "shut up and win on Sunday".

FUCK ME.

As for the people saying Coleman should be captain, I'm not saying he isn't good captain material, but in my opinion, the best teams have about four or five captains (leaders) on the pitch anyway.

I think what people are confusing on here is the need for more leaders on the pitch and that isn't something that needs an armband passing round every week, they should exist already in different guises.

If only we could, eh... I don't expect anything special from this shower!

I think putting Barkley as Number 10 is giving him too much protection. Just like Man Utd putting Pogba further up to lessen his responsibilities we put Barkley up to hide the fact he doesn't want to tackle and control the game. And with that arse, he'd have some weight behind him. Barkley has to be put in the deep end and take control of matches instead of getting the ball and running blindly with it. He hasn't a clue what's around him. Mirallas and Deulofeu are also so disappointing.

That illusive creative midfielder. I'd take any of 5 Man Utd players that can't even get a game. We just don't have that many players that are actually comfortable with the ball. I liked seeing how pissed off Koeman was in the weekend, best interview he's done.

Anyway, they went round the course together and in doing so, my mate asked him what the big differences were between managing Preston North End and Everton.

Moyes had acquired a certain notoriety just before leaving Preston for having dragged his centr- forward John Macken (he went on to play for Man City) over a bar in a preseason "difference of opinion" on what constituted un/professional behaviour, cementing his hard man image.

Moyes apparently shrugged and said things were way different in the Premier League cos, if he even tried to bollock ANY Everton player, they just told him to phone their agent! That was at least 12 years ago and all I ever recall from Moyes's interviews was his constant bigging up of the team regardless of the result. It did, and does, my head in.

It seems to me that the crowd need to let the players know that they'll not have their crap attitude because, if that's all we're ever gonna get given, what's the point?

To paraphrase Elvis:

"A lot less conversation, a lot more action please,
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me,
A lot more bite and a lot less bark."

"Toronto would have taken ANY Premier League team apart with this display."

I had no idea that Canada grows psychedelic mushrooms that potent. Dude, you are in orbit somewhere.

Best laugh of the day... and I needed one. Thanks.

Lee (#70), great comment about leadership, and that every good team needs multiple, vocal leaders. And we don't have them.

If Walsh was behind Williams's signing and that's the best he could come up with, then he's an idiot. Apart from maybe Coleman or Barry, we haven't one person in this squad who deserves the Captaincy.

The ultimate, secure three-year-deal, has-been. We should never have signed him in the first place. An ageing reject whose USP is ineffectiveness.

All this talk about him being a grafter and great at helping out in defence is pure fallacy. Don't believe the hype. Just watch him next time. He gives up past the halfway line when we are under pressure and is totally impotent going in the other direction.

He'd be out of his depth at Sunderland or Hull and players like him will never help us get back to where we belong. He's the epitome of our acceptance of mediocrity right now.

What would happen if he refused? Get fined? God forbid, they might lose some money. I want the talkin' to stop. I want the players to stop talking. Do you get it? Stop talking. Get fined.

I don't care if he gets fined. Stop giving interviews. Refuse. "We don't want to give these interviews" says Seamus? Well, fucking stop then.

These sorts of comments are irritating, I know. But I searched out a quotation from the autobiography of Aussie cricket captain, Ricky Ponting:

“I'm not sure outsiders appreciate how taxing it can be giving press interviews or talking at functions, especially when there is a controversy buzzing about, when you're required to say something interesting without giving anything away, where one innocent but poorly chosen phrase can suddenly become the lead sports story on the evening news.”

The trouble is that the thirst for information (and we all have it) means that modern players and managers are constantly called upon to comment, when they have little constructive or interesting to say. As a result, much of what they spout ends up being vacuous, content-free and often annoying.

It is one reason I have started avoiding the post-match interviews. And in fairness to Seamus, on this occasion he actually gives us the heads-up before he starts his spiel.

We can't have it both ways, can we? The club is trying to get a grip on the 21st Century, better late than never, I suppose, but some supporters would seem to be happier to travel back in time to the '50s, '60s, '70s or '80s dependent on age.

I love the history and the stories etc from the past but I don't want to be stuck there in 2016 — and I do want Everton FC to be a competitive club in this century — which unfortunately means we have to sacrifice some of the things we hold dear and, it could be argued, those are the very things that hold us back too.

I believe my eyes when I see him pressure crosses better than anyone else at the club, track opposing wingers all the way back to the end line, and work relentlessly to close down.

I've never seen him "walking aimlessly." Hell, for a 7- or 8-game stretch early in 2016, he was our best player, no contest. Remember how many times Roberto pulled him off in the late minutes only to immediately surrender a goal right through his spot?

He also offers more in attack than you say. The finish against Spurs last March was perfect, pure top-corner class. The turn at the top of the arc against the Barcodes was a perfectly placed shot.

The goals against West Ham, Villa and I think Carlisle were all examples of making penetrating runs into the box and finishing chances – which we don't see from Mirallas or Deulofeu. He had exactly the same strike rate as the "attacking" Mirallas last season... 6 in 30.

And this was all just 8-10 months ago. I don't think he's turned into an "ageing reject" in that short time. He just hasn't played much since Bolasie arrived.

He may not be a star, but I think he has tremendous value off the bench and should stay in the squad.

As Ian Mac said in Sexy Beast

"Gentleman (the team)

"Your all cunts.

"They're taking the piss out of us and I'm fuckin' sick of the back teef of it!"

It may be that Seamus himself has been slacking or paralysed by events and bad coaching but he is a man on his own, a gathered person who has the capacity both to improve himself dramatically and, with that, to improve the team. Appointing him captain would trigger that, or may do, and given our dreadful becalming why should we not try?

Williams is another option; had he been appointed when he arrived, I would have been delighted... but he's not been great for a few games, not great at all, nor does he have Coleman's more established credentials at Everton. (If he were to be appointed, I would nonetheless be very pleased.)

Captaincy in football is not a triviality, it sets the tone and the tempo and the character of a side; we have Jagielka or Barry, a pair of ageing, erratically competent bores without a hint of leadership charisma. No shock, then, that we're uninspired.

When it comes to our leader on the field, it is time for some long overdue risk-taking. I would love that same approach to go right through our dim, sentimental, indolent club.

Er... because he's not. Which is why so many people want to see the back of him and there's groans every time he makes the first 11.

Just another useless, non-contributor who helps make us one of the softest, least threatening teams in the league right now.