Koeman says display against Arsenal should set the standard

Monday awaits.

We are still short on a bit of class up front and still too many long hoofs upfield for me but if we show the same passion and desire the football will improve as will the confidence.

I think Jimmy Mac deserves to be singled out for some praise after the way he has been treated, starting with the Sissoko transfer debacle and Moshiri's pathetic comments afterwards attempting to save face. Moving on to be dropped for Gueye then mistreated by Ireland with his injury and then getting jeered at home against Swansea.

That lad has give nothing but 100% every time he has wore the royal blue shirt, granted he may not have the most technical ability but his sheer tenacity and work rate definitely brings something to the midfield.

I definitely don't want to see McCarthy leave the club at least until our squad is packed with quality and we are at a level above!

Well done, Jimmy Mac – great performance!!

I never knew anything about Enner Valencis, but I've always advocated letting the younger players get a spot or two. Not because I necessarily think they are better, or will turn things around. Valencia worked his socks off, and I'd like to think that set a tune for the established players to realize they have no safe spots in the team.

Unfortunately, I feel Koeman will always rely on weary experience before he deigns to touch youthful will-to-do with a VERY long pole...

I do hope he stays obviously. If we are able to pick a defensive midfield from him, Gueye, Barry and Schneiderlin for the next 18 months, that is European qualification quality.

But he was absolutely great last night in terms of doing the hard work and setting the tone to redeem the match. If that is his standard then he is a good Blue and aok in my book (which is the equivalent to 10 MotMs as everyone knows).

The reason McCarthy wants out in January is because he's not in Koeman's plan. But, after Koeman's praise after his performance last night, which is the McCarthy we know, and who is now injury free, hopefully it'll open his eyes.

It worries me that not only are we just about capable of such showings with a vastly better paid and pricier team than Moyes ever had, but that Koeman takes such a throwback as his new gold standard. We have basically gone nowhere since around 2009.

Football all over the Prem has moved on since 2009.

The perennial strugglers like Watford, Stoke, West Brom etc have all consolidated with the new found wealth.

We unfortunately have regressed under the Martinez experiment.

It will take some time and rebuilding. (Taking note that Howard, Jags and Baines are now veterans with of course Howard, Hibbo, Ossie moving on together with Tim, Arteta, Pienaar, Distin and Fellaini.)

However, this is Everton, so I'm not going to get too optimistic just yet, well not until we string together a decent run.

How better to build a good run than with a win over Liverpool!

One swallow doesn't make a summer and all that, but beat the RS on Monday and I think everyone will be back behind Koeman again.

The manager helped by finally being honest about himself and admitting he was underperforming too. For me, the earlier stages of this season are now water under the bridge.

January will not bring in a whole new bunch of better players, but we may be able to get in one, maybe two, influential "winners".

It's not just about bringing players in. Ross Barkley is a prodigious talent. He has lost his way for sure, but we need to fend off the reported interest from the likes of Spurs. When Barkley does eventually overcome his obvious lack of confidence, it really does need to be in an Everton shirt.

Things are looking so much more encouraging than they did on Monday morning. I was dreading playing the Shite, now I cant wait.

Yeah, I know, One swallow 'n all that, but, some of us are now looking forward to games again. That's a massive step in the right direction.

This is the McCarthy from season 1 – injury free, and long may it continue, because he has this in his locker.

Did anyone else notice the great leap Calvert-Lewin. Head and shoulders above the Arsenal defence. Here's hoping Unsy had found us a gem.

They'll have to run like that for the next 5 months before I start praising some of the lazy bastards who have been playing at 70% effort for the last two and a half seasons.

Merry Xmas.

The game we've got on Monday night has a tendency to expose everything that's wrong with our squad rather that what's good. I'm talking about the ability to raise your performance when it really, really matters and deal with the pressure of the occasion. I know we can. Here's hoping that we do though.

Of course, we will still have serious problems to overcome but I do not think we will see again under Koeman's management the disgraceful lethargy and lack of direction that have been so depressing (as they were, of course, under Martinez).

As for McCarthy, he is the type of player every club needs. Gareth Barry is a class act, but his days are almost numbered. Having McCarthy and Gueye as a holding duo is a very high-energy unit. I like the idea. As Koeman says, sometimes its not just about the niceties. You have to get in people's faces too. When you physically upset a player like Ozil from minute one, he is reluctant to get involved, as we witnessed.

It is obvious that Koeman needs time. Calling for his head so early in his tenure is not warranted. It also takes time to convert a team to a high pressing game. It requires big physical demands. Even if the fitness is not there throughout the squad at the moment, we need to have players do what Valencia did, work his socks off for 70 minutes and come off. Better than playing 90 minutes and exiting with a dry shirt.

I would have been a bit suspicious of this game being the catalyst for our turnaround, had we walked all over the arse, scoring at will. As true to our form, we can never keep that kind of rhythm going.

But, what pleases me and gives me more encouragement that we can well kick on from this, was the manner of our victory. Normally a goal down to Arse very quickly becomes two, or three. But we took the game by the scruff of the neck and showed our mettle.

COYB!

There was an article a couple of seasons ago about misleading reputations in football and one of them was that McCarthy is a ball winner. At the time, he lost the vast majority of challenges he competed in. I haven't checked, but he hasn't changed in this respect, in my opinion. I wouldn't be sorry to see him go and think there are better options out there.

We need to lose this mentality that a player has a good game and suddenly they're gonna show it more regularly. Ask yourself, which of our players would get into the RS, Man Utd or Spurs teams, for example? If they aren't good enough for the teams that we aspire to be then we need to be ruthless and get shut. I'm talking about the likes of Lennon, Mirallas, Deulofeu, Cleverley, Funes Mori, McCarthy, Kone, Gibson.

A lot of fans don't really notice what the McCarthys and Carsleys of the football world do – I call them the Mr Muscles, as no one wants to do it as there's no recognition. If Mac and Gana can build on that display (and them two were key to the win) then we can turn the season round.

It's no coincidence that these two helped produce the most energetic performance of the season, against one of the top sides, without Barry slowing the midfield pace as usual

I think you need a reality check: Gana will be going to Africa for a month in January, Bolasie is out for the season and some of the squad you didn't mention: Jagielka Barry, Williams will need replacing and we are NOT Man City. So, unless you've got a spare 𧺬,000 to lend the board, I suggest you rethink that post... some people on here really are living in cloud cuckoo land.

I'm not saying we can get rid of them in January but we need to start to get rid of the deadwood and look at replacements. We spent the John Stones money and that's it.

If we're led to believe that Moshiri will do whatever it takes to make Everton successful then we can start by improving the playing squad. I don't know about you but I'd be seriously disappointed if the likes of Cleverley and Kone are still Everton players next summer.

I see Spurs are reported to be sniffing around Barkley who is reputably on 㿭k a week, no wonder players lose their edge when their getting so much money, it's not the real world is it.

I watched Barkley closely against Arsenal; as the game went on he got better in the attacking department but he's still a passenger when we are on the back foot. He made some half-hearted advances when Arsenal had the ball but I cant remember him actually tackling anyone. It's a big flaw in his game and he doesn't appear to try and correct this deficiency.

I have only seen the game once and I stand to be corrected on the above but that was my impression, which lets face it isn't a new criticism of him. It's a tough one, but I don't think he's the answer to our midfield playmaker need, I would be inclined to press the sell button before his value falls further.

I couldn't stand Osman coming back anywhere near our area and I feel the same about Ross; some players are a liability in defence and should stick to where they are most effective, and leave defending to those paid to do it. It's not like we don't have a back 4 and 2 defensive midfielders.

"I cant remember him actually tackling anyone."
It was Barkley's old fashioned tackle,adnittedly after he'd lost control of the ball, followed by two more in quick succession, that roused the crowd and got us back on track. Our performance, roared on by the crowd, picked up noticeably after that.

It may have been Baines and McCarthy who made the other tackles and it was after about 25-30 minutes.

Also, we have Lukaku, who almost never gets involved in tackling the opposition; you're putting a big onus on the other players to compensate.

Agreed.

Despite worthy contributions, Valencia, Jagielka & McCarthy are done at Everton.

Barkley's tackle was a thing to behold!!! Cannot remember the last time I saw that, probably because it hasn't happened. The triple leg break is to my mind why we don't see Ross get amongst it.

A better level is expected again on Monday, if the quality isn't there we will get riced. It's likely another pumped up performance will definitely see red cards – Funes Mori, McCarthy heading the line. But nice to hope again.

Could you please explain that assumption? Jags, yes. But McCarthy is only 26, and every player who gets stuck in as much as he does will get injured. My own view is that the change in attitude of the players is down to Macca: he's just come back from injury, was probably nervous about coming back into a side under pressure, and of a recurrence of the injury, then he ends up being fouled and not getting a free kick. This was the catalyst for his aggressive tackle on Coquellin (?) and from then on, the lads got stuck in. It was a Neville on Ronaldo moment.

The frenetic pace of the Premier League has left Barry and Jags looking pedestrian and the McCarthy of 3 years ago was one of the success stories of that record season.

As for Valencia; how many minutes has he played? He get's stuck in, works hard and gets into the right positions – he should have had a penalty to his name too. I really don't know why some on here are writing off players after a performance like that. WTF do they really want?

Valencia was and is a last minute body, who really wasn't part of the plan until the wheels started to come off. Jo matter how well he does he will go back to West Ham.

McCarthy has had 3 years at Everton, I will cede that injury may have hindered him. But its his attitude, in particular the performances for Ireland only to be followed up by bang average for his club. Ultimately he needs to have more 'skills to his set. He doesn't score nor assist. He will be replaced by someone who can. Schniederlin in all likelihood.

Jags has hit the wall. Loyal and steady that decline has been evident for 18 months, his knee injuries have become a defining factor.

A shame but he his not the player who can string together consecutive performances, Koeman has hinted as much. For a centre half you cannot play or captain a side when your place in the side is unsure.

Silencing the kop was enough for me to remember a decent player for a long time.

Sorry but they're done.

You say "McCarthy is not in the team for creativity, Barkley's the one who is trying to do that" and then go on to claim "I cant remember him [Barkley] actually tackling anyone. Its a big flaw in his game and he doesn't appear to try and correct this deficiency."

How come McCarthy is exonerated from imbuing zero attacking impetus into the side, whilst Barkley is seemingly expected to both attack and defend? If Barkley simply must, in your book, look to work on the weaker defensive side of his game, why is McCarthy given the blasé pass of "he's not in the team for creativity"?

If McCarthy is playing for his ball-winning ability then he needs to start doing it and consistently. I didn't see him doing much closing down against Watford. I really rated him when he first arrived but he's been awful for two seasons. I hope he proves me wrong in the derby though.

Pretty sure Koeman knocked how badly WE"D played at the start but then quickly how well WE'D played as a team to get back into it and go on to win it with the play and effort WE'D put in!!

Mentioned someone by name? (someone some folks maybe just don't like, for example?)... of course most managers, and especially savvy ones, just don't do this, do they? No timely words for anyone in particular are ever a good idea, yeah? Yeah, right lads.

Sensational – and after only 18 competitive games in charge. At last, I can see why we are paying him ٤m a year.

Talk about getting credit for speaking the bleedin' obvious...

Wonder how long it will take him to declare his next revelation (that we have been privy to since he took over): that Lukaku – and as a consequence, the whole team – also play better when we give him support and play two up front?