Personally if Coleman was going to play, why not try Kenny at left back - he sure as hell couldn't be any worse than Martina.

A slightly perplexing setup for the off!

Coleman picked to start, foolish gamble of a desperate man.
Sigurdsson and Rooney on same team after saying they cannot play on same team.
Tosun on bench after only two games. What message does that give to the player?
Only one recognised winger. Limiting options to right hand side.

If we lose tonight, then I believe that we are in big trouble. Look at Swansea beating Liverpool and Arsenal, this team under this leadership and management up until now could not aspire to that. Tonight is or real benchmark. We can compete with Leicester or we are competing with the Strugglers and at that level I would fear for us based on performances to date.

Big Sam needs to do one. Unsworth had more about him than this twerp.

Great to see Seamus back, but surely not in the starting line up?

The team looks totally unbalanced to me.

Even if we do win (and I sincerely hope we do) Allardyce will have us camped in our own half. Do it away but not at home, totally negative. Pay him off at the end of the season, and Steve Walsh.

Leicester are all about Vardy's pace in attack but I think this team will sit a bit deeper to nullify that.

We will be all about quick passing out to Theo Walcott. Niasse can get on the end of one of his low crosses. Also, Sigurdsson and Rooney will be attacking the 18 yard line waiting to bury any loose ball or reversed cross.

I think we will win this one and play well .

Tosun needs consistent gametime to get settled and he's already being sat for Niasse, who's far better off the bench anyway?

Can Rooney and Sigi play together?

Are we ever going to put some faith in a striker we sign?

It might all turn out great but it feels like there's no plan. We're just throwing players onto the pitch and hoping for the best.

Garbutt should be at least on the bench as should Lookman.

Does anyone else think Allardyce has been told he's out at the end of the season and he's playing games, because this selection is bizarre?

Is Seamus ready? New striker on bench... No sign of Lookman again.

Worried.

Other than that, as good a lineup as can be expected and finally the tosspot Schneiderlin is dropped. Still, would rather Baningime on bench in his stead but we can't have it all. Keane with it all to prove.

If Coleman wasn't ready to play he wouldn't be fucking selected - Seamus Coleman is no mug.

Here's hoping he comes through unscathed. 2-0 to the good so far.

Could be 4-0 to Everton at the interval.

What a difference it makes when the team's most talented players - Rooney, Sigurdsson and Walcott - all play well and in harmony, even though Rooney played the best defence-splitting ball for Leicester close to half time.

Very nice to see Seamus linking up so well with Theo already. Two very tidy finishes. Niasse showing he will never be top drawer, but still very game.

High pressing and closing down right on the edge of the visitor's penalty area is causing them problems and rewarding us.

And...many of the pre-match posts in this thread are looking a tad silly, doncha think..?

Coleman and Theo linking up well.

Shame Niasse hasn't got his shooting boots on.I expect to see Tosun on in the second half and maybe Kenny replacing Seamus

But all going well at the moment. COYB

That was a very enjoyable half of football. The boys are hunting in packs and harassing the Leicester players every time they are in possession. It's been a joy to watch. Martina has also been very good and deserves some praise. Was it his tackle that led to the first goal?
Every player is getting the ball forward quickly, and more often than not, it's actually going to a teammate!!

Hopefully more of the same this half.

It is entirely to do with risking further injury. Do I know more than the medical staff? No.

Can I think of many precedents for players recovering from serious injury starting a game with so little match practice? No

Can I think of precedents of re-occuring injury because our wise medical staff and management cleared players too early? Yes

If he wasn't fit enough to play he wouldn't be on the fucking pitch, most likely won't play 90 mins given his time out.

Great stuff! Coleman back!! Walcott MotM!!!

Up the fuckin' Blues!

Leicester were gone by that stage, but the goal gave them a huge lift. Everton, so long without a win, tightened up and wobbled for 10-15 minutes, but saw the game out well in the end.

Lots of good performances. I think we can put to bed that Coleman is unlikely to return as fine a player as he was before his double fracture.

But for Theo's brace, Seamus was MotM.

Get in, Seamu,s we've missed you and how good are you???

Coleman was just fucking fantastic. Absolutely the best player on the pitch and an inspiration. It was a heroic display and his inclusion was fully justified. You can bet that was the happiest he has been in the last 10 months and clearly his leg is fully healed. Your post at 32 was way OTT. You were wrong and should just happily admit it.

Welcome back, Seamus. You are a fucking legend!

Seamus magnificent, Theo absolute class. What a great transfer window - Walcott the signing of the month, Seamus the "like a new signing" of the month.

COYB!

But enough of that; Coleman showed what a top class attacking asset he is, and of course Walcott was also superb. Pace is devastating; maybe we should give Usain Bolt a trial after all.

Why is a £27m striker on the bench.

He was bought to solve the striker shortage and warms the bench.

Will he start Saturday?

Tonight would have been a good game to show what he can do, but no, Allardyce replaces Niasse with Dom, priceless.

Lookman going nowhere 2 days ago. Can we believe anything Allardyce says???

What do want, jam on it?

You can't criticise the team selection when we played with such energy and commitment – and won!!

You need to calm down.

Your post is bordering on the offensive.

You're both right, I'm going to sit in a dark room for 5 mins.

Joys of being an Evertonian...

Coleman was absolutely immense on his return from that horrible injury and Walcott already looking like a bargain.

Most pleasing parts were Walcott & Coleman link up and our high pressing.

Seamus excelled considering it his first game back, surprised he left him on for ninety minutes, Niasse tried but should have been subbed earlier for Tosun.

We are only 34 points behind City now.

A moment of madness from Rooney, what on earth was he thinking. Looking forward to MotD for the first time this season.

Not how I roll, prefer to leave that to certain other TW blowhards. Like my good friend Oliver Molloy.

Credit to the players, they did most of the things we've been missing from them for the past season or so. Pretty much every loose ball looked like it could be gathered up by a blue shirt. It's those types of things that add up to a winning team.

Feared for Seamus, but it really was his night. He single-handedly put a grin on my face.

He was so good to watch, just energy and drive and effective, made Walcott look way better by just being there.

To Walcott’s credit he played inside, similarly to Barkley at this time last year.

The pen was nonsense but Wayne was utterly stupid. The subs and change of tactics just invited them on and we were very very lucky. He took the two players off who could bring composure to a game slipping away from us.

They were ripe for the counter but failed to seize the moment.

I think the side had more legs and energy tonight, but just imagine if they’d scored?!

How wrong can one person be?,"Coleman starting is just plain reckless bordering on a complete failure of duty of care."
How wrong can one person be?,Turned on,BlueKfrog,1,22:20:32,,51.179.168.178,ok,11143,01/31/2018 22:20:32,Glavesy1,reader,, 895679,36194,toffeeweb,31/01/2018,Brian Hennessy,equestrianpr@gmail.com,Sam Allardyce on Ademola Lookman's decision to join RB Leipzig: "It's one of the most unusual situations I've been in. It was his choice. He was adamant he wanted Germany. We tried to persuade him not to. But his stubbornness got him his way.

Up until Rooney's lack of pace caught him up and he stupidly gave a penalty away, we should have been 4 or 5 up.

That is the best we have played all season and although it's only 1 game it looks like Sam having had the last 10 days to work with the lads and Seamus return has paid huge dividends.

Our future skipper brilliant on his comeback.

An added bonus was Martina didn't get the widely predicted ripping.

I did hear on the grapevine earlier in the week they aren't too impressed by what they have been seeing from Tosun in training, but hey, let's just wait and see what develops over the coming games but it's strange playing big money for a striker only to bench him after three games?

Good win tonight though, much much better in the work ethic department!

Love it when a plan comes together... now where's me cigar?

Him and Walcott were outstanding in a game which, after a nervy first 15 minutes, we dominated.

We should have been 4 up at half-time and only the idiocy of Rooney giving that pen away spoilt the night. A far better display and a well deserved 3 points.

Coleman, wow. To play like that with so much energy, lack of fear and skill after 10 months or so out, I will say it again, wow! He'll be aching the morrow!

Walcott was excellent too, added composure and class not seen very often recently. 2 games, an assist and 2 goals!

As for Niasse, maybe I see things, rightly or wrongly, a bit different to other Evertonians. I thought he had a really good game tonight. The 'sitter' he missed came at him really quick, and for a change we had a striker in a dangerous position in the box offering an option. His control let him down for the his second 'sitter' of the night, a chance made purely by himself, his speed, energy and enthusiasm. He really is an outlet. He is a pain in the arse to the opposition defenders and keeper, chases so much and causes panic resulting in the opposition putting the ball out or losing possession. He won quite a few headers and you always felt he was a threat! He is an outlet!

I don't want to go through the whole team tonight, but that is the thing, we looked like a team. I was unsure with the line-up before the game, but it shows what I know. The much maligned Martina (unfairly maligned in my book) was excellent tonight too.

I actually enjoyed a game of football!!!!????!!!!

Coleman was extraordinary, Walcott is a truly class act and got stuck in apart from his goals – the threat from them together could be very considerable. I thought Gueye was outstanding and a word for Martina who played well and made a goal-saving clearance at a crucial time.

Oh and a word for the hoofball dinosaur criminal too, perhaps? Maybe not.

I have admired and supported Seamus since he was at Sligo. He is a top man and a top player. His inclusion and performance tonight gave me huge enjoyment. To be honest, I was anxious for him but I trust the coaching team to do what is best for him.

Obviously results will show if he is making the right moves but today was a move in the right direction against a talented Foxes side who started the first 20 minutes well.

Seamus was a big influence as was Keane early on whilst Niasse never stopped running although Walcott could have played closer to him for the long high balls.

Once they weathered the early pressure they got a reward for keeping their discipline and knocked Leicester out of their stride.

Going to be very difficult at the Emirates on Saturday but if they can win 3 or 4 more games including the RS game then perhaps the season won't have been a complete debacle of poor performances.

Not sure what Davies was supposed to be doing (nor did he) but couldn't understand why Rooney and Sigurdsson went off and Tom was kept on. Then we had to watch Schneiderlin and Williams come on to defend a score that hadn't looked in doubt until then.

Good result but we should have been 4 up before the penalty.

I tell you who you should apologise to: Seamus Coleman, for insulting his intelligence on his decision to play tonight, and you could add the medical team as well.

And if you look up the word 'reckless' as you suggested you might find you eat your words with your silly comments!

Seamus Coleman will be our Captain soon.

He brought Rooney off because he was Leicester's most dangerous player.

Well done to SA and the team.
Excellent winning team selection (see earlier comments on this thread for how smart some people really are when it comes to EFC).

Sam’s first transfer window yields a match-winning brace against a team above us in the league and PL champions the season before last.

Still, the glass half-empty, anti-SA, Victor Meldrew miseries will find something to whinge about.

Darren Hind, Steve Brown, Peter Gorman - where are you? Sulking somewhere because we won? Only sing when we’re losing?

Get behind the Mighty Blues!!!

And really do look up the meaning of 'reckless' (a comment btw, aimed at the club not the player before you get further outraged). You may even learn something.

Mike Hughes - care to explain that rather bizarre namedrop?

Well done to him.

Wayne decent till his brain seizure, then hopeless. Tom and Siggy very poor.

And Pickford very worrying handling (though conditions were awful).
We were the better team and deserved the win. There was even some noise in the ground for the first time in weeks (months)?

I don't think so!

Seamus you say? I'll send him an invite next time I'm over

I thought it was Everton's best performance of the season (maybe the only really good one) until Leicester got that stupid penalty and MotD didn't show what happened clearly, although the referee seemed to be telling Rooney what he had done.

At last, an attacking performance and one that merited a bigger and clearer margin. Keep it up Blues, just nine more points needed.

I don't rate him, don't care for much for him but I will enjoy our victory and when he gets it right, like tonight, think well done, Sam. The time for humble pie is some way off.

Rooney was frustrated after the penalty and maybe you're right, he needed to come off, but to say he was 'Leicester's most dangerous player' will not get much support from those who went to a waterlogged Goodison tonight.

Allardyce has had 10 straight days to impose some sort of difference at Finch Farm before this evening and it shows with fairly good improvement. That said, there's lots more serious work required there to put a basis down for next season, but will Allardyce be bothered given the length of his contract?

If he isn't it points to further short-sightedness by whoever amongst Kenwright, Moshiri and Walsh is responsible for recruitment.

There was a lot of good performances tonight Keane and Martina doing well, Gueye superb and Oumar gets chances every time he plays. The best was the two lads on the right, Walcott is a breath of fresh air with him always looking to get in the box. Bolasie should take a leaf out of his book when he plays next. What can you say about Seamus though an absolutely lung busting performance after 10 months out superb.

Seamus should take on the club captaincy for next season as this will probably be Jags last season. In one performance gives you hope from the dire stuff we've watched all season. Well done tonight our best team performance of the season, we have to produce more consistently between now and end of the season.

You can shove that bollocks right up yer hoop.

It was good to see a bit of character all round tonight. It's still a salvage job for this season but Seamus and Theo look very promising.

Glass half-full for me given the shambolic backdrop to what Allardyce inherited. I think we'll get a result against the Arse as well.

That suggests to me that i) the players want to play for the manager (a big doubt before tonight) and ii) there is a plan or model which Allardyce is trying to put into place and which can just be discerned in outline. A plan which will eventually have us playing fast, competitive and, yes, attractive football. The caricature of him presented by the majority on here is false.

I have no doubt there will be further setbacks, very possibly on Saturday, but I do hope that this manager is given a serious chance at our club. What some of us find difficult to accept is that he has been totally written off by many (not merely criticised for bad performances), and had been written off before he started. I repeat my view that he has a great deal to offer this club and that the mood should be supportive.

Oumar could, should have at least 3.. could have been 6 -5. Its-a big game Saturday, but perhaps we can do the Gunners

Scary were time goes and our last away win at Highbury. Draws at the Emirates, and time to break the duck.

Still say Niasse is better coming off the bench than starting a game, scuffed 2 great chances but hurried and made their defence panic at times.

A soon as the penalty went in we lost our flow and sheer panic set in for a while, probs got screams of wtf when Schnids and Williams came on but they steadied the ship and the panic eased off.

Still say Davies looks nothing like the player he was last season, time is on his side so not too worried just yet.

Overall I thought we played a lot better with more zip going forward than we have for a long time, but on tonight’s evidence, we look good with Coleman and Walcott linking up nicely.

I'm thrilled with a win, and was happy with the pressing and tempo in large spells. But surely everyone can see that it wasn't underpinned by any great plan? The selections and gameplan don't seem to have any relationship to past performances. We do things sometimes, then we ditch it and do something else.

Who is confident that the next selection will show any learnings from the game? Not me, I suspect it will just be a collection of players thrown on the pitch and then we hope for the best.

Sam should, if he does nothing else give the captaincy to Seamus Coleman because he embodies what an Everton captain should be as he leads by example. If confidence spreads throughout the team in the coming weeks, we might just sneak a EL spot but for now the three points won against Leicester are most welcome.

In between we did well, a more mobile team, that pressed well and played a higher tempo. Something that really helps the crowd get into it.

I believe the substitutions were the point which altered things. The defensive nature fed the anxiety in the team and crowd alike. Sam removed the two best passers when one would have sufficed. Leicester were already over extended and we had them on the break, yet Williams and Schniederlin offered us nothing other than sitting in.

We just booted the ball back to Leicester.

I was thankful to Davies pissboiling at the end pointing out 10 yards at the referee for almost 90seconds.

Again a free swing at a questionable Arsenal defence Saturday, will Sam get us to turn up?

Tosun was the victim of negative substitutions. Sigurdsson performed well and should be ahead of Rooney in position selection. Walcott, the advocate of playing higher up the pitch, benifited with two goals (well done!).

Same old inconsistent weaknesses very much present:- in losing and not maintaining possession and defensive organisation and some individual performances (I'm not looking forward to the Arsenal game).

Well, he has got the points tonight to fulfil his relegation promise and keep his contract and big wages going. Kept Moshiri's mooning smile going, as he thinks everything is going hunky dory.

The difference just playing one defensive midfielder, holding for a central two with license to attack, instead of two defensive mids! Add that to a genuinely excellent looking right flank now with Coleman and Walcott. I think that was the biggest single difference, and why we looked so much more threatening.

Even Martina wasn't bad. Pressed for the tackle to make the first goal, saved a goalbound shot late on.

Niasse...I've never seen a player with so many good qualities combined with so many bad qualities, and nothing that's just "ok".

Last fifteen minutes after stupid Rooney foul were tense. I don't think it was the substitutions, though, so much as just a general lack of confidence. The team retreated into its shell immediately after it became 2-1, before any changes were made. Substitutions actually calmed it down a little (mainly for slowing things down, rather than for the personnel changes).

All in all, though, exciting match and I came out feeling pretty positive.

Oh...and I got a starring role on Match of the Day with a nice close up of me clapping Seamus before the game, while looking pensive. :D

After all we have been through this season its great to feel great after a game. Its great not to have to read the endless deserved negativity about the team that wear OUR jerseys. One win doth not a winter make but this is one Evertonian that is going to bed to night hoping beyond hope that Sheamus' glorious comeback marks the beginning of our come back and the very beginning of the road to glory

Count me in the camp that absolutely thought Fat Sam was out of his mo-fo mind starting Seamus!

The rationale is simple. He's been out for over a year, our medical staff would clear someone just let out of the intensive care unit if they thought they'd improve the squad (ask James "hammy" McCarthy), and I fucking adore Seamus Coleman and don't want him to be hurt by being "rushed back".

So there ya have it.

We played well. Leicester a bit unlucky as they hit a crossbar, and then later in the game a crossbar-post two banger. But we thoroughly deserved the 3 points.

Roll on Saturday.

Oh, and continuing my confession, I'd have never signed Theo Walcott. And I'm clearly no judge of talent because the kid based on tonight's game is an exceedingly good footballer.

Coleman was superb and his link up play with Coleman was something we haven't seen since Baines/Pienar on the left. It almost made me forget that Allardyce is still our manager.

Despite an OK display Rooney must have had a brain freeze. He just cannot afford to do something that was ridiculous, to say the least. The last fifteen minutes were a complete turn around and we could have lost a game that we had sewn up.

Great to see Seamus back, like many others I was surprised to see him start, even more surprised that it looked like he had never been away!

Looks like there's a bit of a partnership starting on our right with Seamus and Theo!

Arsenal will be geed up with their new signings but having said that Swansea showed no fear, we should copy their attitude.

Sam abandoned what you have been constantly apologising for and made your claims that we don't have the players to play look really daft.

Leaving Schneiderlin on the bench and introducing a little energy was a big factor tonight out. Lets hope that particular penny has finally dropped.

Play with tempo and energy and try to win and you have half a chance. Play with ten behind the ball and you will not win.

Being a lover of the beautiful game, I'm delighted that the thousands of football-loving Evertonians who have been calling for this, have been proved right.

I don't know where Peter Gorman and Steve Brown are, but I would bet five years of my life they are in a much happier place tonight than they have been for months.

Sam now needs to abandon idea's of trying to please the "glass half-full" brigade with his spoiling tactics and realise that he as a far better chance of winning over the overwhelming majority by being a bit braver.

When a ToffeeWeb matchday thread is quiet, it generally means all is well with the world. Chances are more people are celebrating. Try to enjoy the performance. Everyone else seems to be...

It’s crazy isn’t it? We’re told week after week that we can’t try to play football, we have to be defensive and play for draws, even at home. Then he does what you and me and many others have been saying, bench Schneiderlin and play with a single holding midfielder. And what do you know, we are more dangerous and got 2 goals and a 3 points!!

Can all the Sam knockers and haters please give it a rest for once and let us all enjoy what was a really good game, performance and essential win. Thanks!

So he needs 10 days between matches, got it. Pretty sure that had nothing to do with finally dropping Schneiderlin after we all watched him stink the place up for the entire season. Does Sam not have a DVR, not watching the previous matches?

We’re hapoy with the result. Happy we didn’t line up with Gana and Schneiderlin in the middle. Happy that we didn’t set up to just defend. It’s all we’ve been asking for, to go out to try to win!

Well I'm glad to say the manager got his team selection and tactics absolutely right tonight because for me that was our best performance since we beat City 4-0 last season.

All I'm asking is that we stop the nitpicking criticism of the manager at least until the end of the season.

At least we can enjoy the moment.

The funny thing is neither Darren or myself were nitpicking the manager in our posts. We were actually calling out the fact that some people on here insisted we could not set a team out to go for the win. To quote Darren:

“Sam Abandoned what you have been constantly apologising for and made your claims that we don't have the players to play look really daft.”

The people calling for us to stop being so defensive haven’t been calling for Gilfy to be dropped. It’s actually been calls to put him in the middle. But hell, he did well as part of that front 3 tonight on the left but with a bit of a free role, so we’ll done. Absolutely helps having somebody with quality on the right, no doubt about that.

So let’s all just agree that we can and should send the team out to win. And that there is no reason to start Schneiderlin alongside Gana.

Was it an epiphany, or just a bit of time on the training ground? Either way, proof that this team can attack, especially when Seamus, surely our real captain, is back.

I enjoyed seeing us attack and win.

Great combination with Coleman and Theo . Sam deserves great credit getting Theo to sign .

Sam and the coaching team see all the players and have all the stats in training - they have good reason to pick Seamus from the off and it was the right decision from all aspects.

Good team selection Sam!

Talking of formation, David (#128). Did we play a front 3?

Once again you are talking rubbish but I realise it is your default position as a perennial glass half full, know-all whiner.

To correct you, I have never been an apologist for anything, certainly not for any single manager or “philosophy”.

My position was to give Sam Allardyce a chance as the EFC manager. End of story. Try getting behind the Mighty Blues. You might enjoy it.

Comprende? (Probably not... LOL).

I'll be back on here after the next match.

Mind you, even with hindsight I'll stand by my comments. There is absolutely no plan to anything we do.

No plan to managerial appointments, transfers, team selection, or gameplan. We lurch from one thing to the next. Some work, some don't. Doesn't matter, we'll lurch into something else next time.

I could handle our position and general performance level if I could see that we were aiming at something. I don't think we're aiming at anything.

So, yes, thrilled with the win as I always will be. But you don't judge anyone on 90 minutes. The problems haven't gone away - we just had one of the peaks that will inevitably accompany a series of troughs.

In future I am just reading the article and not bothering with comments from experts who are only on here before they are taken on as advisors to Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Well done, everyone connected with my club last night, best performance of the season and safe now to prepare for next season.

So the defeatist worst case scenario comments by many a poster before a ball was kicked were legitimate and anyone highlighting the folly of them can only do so with the benefit of hindsight?

As opposed to people like yourself whose explicit pre-match declarations and precognitive powers proved way wide of the mark.

Right. Got it.

That's how it works. I'll give you an example; not making any comment prior to the game, posting at halftime that the pre-game predictions are silly = hindsight.

Although the performance was good with a valuable three points, I'm not getting my expectations raised. I might do that after a trend of decent results is established.

My fear before the game come to fruition. Rooney playing in Davies's role, Davies playing in an advanced role, which Davies is clearly uncomfortable with.

Siggy and Tom, two square pegs in round holes why? To keep Rooney in the side.

There is a fundamental difference in, for example, the concerns you and others expressed about playing Coleman from the start, and the negative defeatist predictions as to how the game would play out, dripping with rancid vitriol.

It was a legitimate observation some made about Coleman and I thought Oliver Molloy unnecessarily worked himself up into a right lather with you over it last night.

But that wasn't what I (and others) were calling out about some pre-match posts.

The irony is that Sam Allardyce is accused of being a meek surrender monkey, playing for draws rather than wins, but many an early poster had conceded the game before a ball was even kicked.

The team was not just thrown together and told to get on with it without a plan (as Ernie is claiming). There was a very clear strategy in place last night for anyone with the wit to see it, which worked very well.

Leicester were in fine form. They had not lost or even conceded a PL goal in January before last night. We twatted them. 2-1 flattered them. Their only shot on target was Vardy's Rooney-gifted penalty. We now have a shout at overhauling both them and Burnley in the league.

No hindsight or precognitive powers claimed or required.

I hope to god you are right about him.

Regardless of the circumstances prior to any match, for me hope springs eternal.

The thousands of empty seats didn't materialize... despite expectations that the Goodison faithful would react to the dreadful fayre they were being forced to watch. A significant number obviously didn't get Darren's message that they should be staying home!

A "foolish gamble of a desperate man"?!? Let's think for a moment about that. So soon so soon?!?! It's been TEN MONTHS. Did you really think, Peter, that the medical and coaching staff would not have monitored with extreme care and caution every step of Coleman's recovery for the past THREE HUNDRED-ODD DAYS??? A foolish gamble, Neil?? Really???

And that they may have actually had good reason to be fully confident that he would do exactly as he did coming back and playing a full game?? Honestly, there's justifiable fear... but I think this goes well beyond.

I'm glad I went as they all did quite well. I see some of the haters are still peddling their wares but I suppose that will never change until Allardyce leaves and someone else comes in to hate.

I didn't know the team until just before the game and like many was surprised by Coleman starting. I thought he might come off the bench if possible last 20 minutes or so. But hey what do we know. The manager and staff see him every day. They were happy and so was he and we all got a treat to a great display from him.

Once the penalty went in we showed we are still "fragile" defensively when under pressure, hopefully Mangala starts at Arsenal and shores up that left side.

I thought the substitutions were spot on. Though I was hoping Schneiderlin would have been shown the door during the window I must admit he and Williams settled things down a bit.

A guy near us started screaming from kick off how shit we are and all that hoofball nonsense, halfway through the second half when he slagged a "hoofball" clearance it was pointed out it was Coleman who made it, well it shut the arsehole up for the rest of the game thankfully.

Some people are only happy when they're moaning and hating. No doubt they'll be waiting excitedly for Saturday night to continue their told you so's

I was / am very happy with the result and like you thought we deserved to win by a bigger margin, but I have to agree with Ernie, that for the first 20 minutes or so, there didn't seem to be any recognisable plan. As you said yourself, in an earlier post, we could have been 2-0 after the first 10 minutes.

After we got the first goal, you could see the confidence pour into us and drain out of Leicester. We didn't appear to be in any sort of trouble until the penalty fiasco, then the panic started until the subs were made and we got ourselves together again.

Why Rooney was kept on after the 70-minute mark was a question I bet many were asking, he was well gone. I am amazed at the favourable way he is treated by the media, still a handicap to Everton the further he comes back on the pitch.

ht.

Then Seamus goes out there and is probably one of the best players on the park, and plays the full 90!

Everyone's an expert, the club knows nothing.

I don't want to go on like a broken record Michael, so I'll try to be brief and make this my last post on the matter.

Jamie Crowley sums up the sentiment pretty well in post 119.

Personally, I was less concerned with Coleman having his leg snapped than incurring another injury due to lack of match practice which happens. Has happened in my own experience in fact. Our club has form for 'rushing' players like this as do others.

I called the decision reckless because that was and still is how I see it; reckless as in, paying no regard to the danger or ignoring the risk. A mere opinion, which is totally irrelevant to Coleman's fantastic performance or the end result. Unless anyone cares to argue there is no risk of injury in a league as robust as the Prem, be my guest.

I thought it unfair to ask a player like Coleman to peform at personal risk of injury hence described it a lack of duty of care. I don't want to see our best player further sidelined because he is not the type to turn down the team. Like a good boxer, sometimes players need protection from themselves.

I was a bit perplexed that some found this so controversial but many a post on TW seems to be a response to something not actually written or conceived.

Now regardless, I am off to catch some match highlights. All the best.

Say what you want about Ferguson, he bullied top names. Maybe not enough but enough evidence to make this claim. It's no coincidence Coleman has missed the last 5 derbies at Anfield.

Goodison must be really hard for a player to settle in. Where is the support? Listen to Swansea and Palace fans. 2-1 up whining and booing at subs. Get a grip.

When our support is good, you can't separate it from the best. Let's hear some fight and support from the stands.

It's all about opinion you know.

I was there last night and what you describe is miles away from what I experienced, I suppose it all depends on what part of the ground you are in.

I did NOT send a message. I simply stated I would not be surprised if there was a couple of thousand empty seats due to the poor fayre that has been served up (after praising the faithful for their wonderful loyalty).

Anyone who wants to question how many empty seats there was need only subtract last nights attendance from capacity. Anyone disputing a fall need only compare last nights attendance to the previous game.

A break in fixtures to sharpen the appetite. Two new signings, The return of Seamus, The away team taking up their allocation. A reported lengthy waiting list for Season tickets are all reasons to hope for an increase or at least a match on the last attendance.

And for further clarity...I would hardly suggest others should stay away from a game I attended myself.

At the end of the day who really cares whether I was right, wrong, partially right or even partially wrong?

Mike Hughes

You have apologised/ praised and accepted the performances.

Last time you came on calling others out was after the Swansea game when you were telling us how "The deaf could hear and the blind could see" and how we would all worship Sam and his "Beautiful best ever start"...but those nasty people who criticised BS didn't seem to listen did they mate. They wanted more for our club and still called it as they saw it – pug ugly anti football.

Now after all those games where a shot on target was so rare, that when one did materialise the crowd made mocking ironic cheers. You are back, Not to celebrate, but to turn a pleasant thread by calling out people who had rightly criticised the dross that had gone before. Unlike the rest of us you seemed unable to simply enjoy the win.

If this thread has turned into a bun fight its because some people have actively sought to make it so.

After one of those humiliations between your attempted gloats Sam openly declared we would become more boring.

So here's a little question for you; What do you suppose steered Sam away from his threat?

Was it A) Your unstinting support and criticism of other fans when they railed against his crime against football?

Or B) The crescendo of Boo's which would have been ringing in his ears for days after the West Brom game as thousands of football lovers left him in no doubt that they were not prepared to take anymore of the cowardly shite people like you have been letting him get away with.

"And lo the masses spoke" ... "And the infidel relented!"

300 down on seasons average crowd.
On a night with a monsoon forecast.

Monsoons... In Walton

I think it is more a case of him having 10 days with the squad to get some enthusiasm and motivation into the players.

The noticeable thing for me last night was the movement off the ball – something we haven't seen in a long time from the team.

Whether you put that down to Walcott's and Seamus's enthusiasm rubbing off or using only one defensive midfielder, or whether you give the manager credit for putting a rocket up the players arses, doesn't matter to me.

What matters is that we saw the best performance in a long time from a bunch of players we had written off – and long may it continue.

"...for the first twenty minutes or so there didn't seem to be any recognisable plan, and as you said yourself, in an earlier post, we could have been 2-0 [down] after the first ten minutes." (or 4-0 up, to complete the reference you made to my half time post).

There is a difference Dave between being slow out of the traps (a common theme by Everton this season, whoever the manager has been) and the claim the team had no plan. You are also too generous to Leicester in implying they dominated us for 20 minutes at the start.

They had 2 good chances in the opening 5 minutes. Thereafter, we settled. We had already had them at 6s and 7s, pressing high, forcing them to cough up the ball around their penalty area, before we scored. It was a plan that was rewarded with 2 goals (and it could have been more) before half time.

They weren't laying a glove on us until Rooney gifted them the penalty. Incidentally, the only shot on target the visitors had all game.

Our frailty in confidence is still there for all to see, demonstrated by how the team played for 10 minutes following their penalty. A more confident side would have shrugged it off and carried on playing as they had been.

The substitutions of Schneiderlin and Calvert-Lewin for Sigurdsson and Rooney might have come a tad earlier. They were not out and out defensive moves as some try to portray it as we retained two central attackers and the considerable threat of Walcott.

A case could have been made to sub out Davies rather than Sigurdsson, but possibly Sam had one eye on the Arsenal game at the weekend. The Williams substitution for Niasse was so close to the end as to make no difference, but some in this thread post about it as if it came 20 minutes from the final whistle rather than the 2 minutes it actually was.

And as I keep telling you, Dave – and I'm genuinely surprised at someone of your vintage and knowledge of Everton and, as a betting man, someone able to read 'form' – we were not and are not in danger of relegation.

Stop looking at Everton in isolation. Check on the form of other teams. Look at the remaining fixtures of ALL the clubs below us: the majority of ALL their fixtures are against other clubs below us.

Conclusion: all will drop points against each other, making the task of overhauling Everton as you and others fear an even more unlikely one.

I'm still anticipating teams with as few as 35-37 points this season will avoid the drop, let alone the mythical 40 points worriers hanker for. And 7th is not beyond Everton, rather than worry about finishing 18th, 19th or 20th.

I still think we are better served with Niasse coming off the bench but got to love his sheer tenacity. I would like to see Cenk start against Arsenal and keep the rest of the team the same.

Hopefully, Mangala will provide some much needed left hand cover, but I would have him on the bench to start with.

I thought the game was really enjoyable and probably our best all round performance of the season to date. As Darren highlights above I sincerely hope Sam has learned the lesson that we expect an Everton team to play half decent football and he continues with the more positive approach.

I know. It has turned into a completion for experts to prove they know better than each other and a lifelong professional at the top level rather than a genuine debate about the welfare of the club.

Seamus was unbelievably good showing fitness, commitment and an absolute determination to win and last the whole game.

Martina had an excellent game as did Keane and Walcott.

Rooney continues to concern me – capable of delivering a brilliant pass but he has a propensity to pass straight to the opposition when not under much pressure which I find curious in a player of his experience and ability. At the moment he may just about be worth his place but he is someone who we need to replace if we are to develop the team. It's sad to see how his game has deteriorated.

I thought Sam did a good job last night and it will be interesting to see if we can turn in a good performance on Saturday.

Jay Harris – spot on. There is actually a lot of people above fan level and some very good footballers that really rate Allardyce.

If we were signing a player today and had the same views as they have about Allardyce they would say the professionals know better.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ex-newcastle-manager-sam-allardyce-141

As for all the stats you produce Jay, it hearten me that you think we have no chance of going down, then I see them perform and believe my own eyes,

After the cup game versus Liverpool I was encouraged by that performance and of course last nights game has confirmed that belief we will be completely out of trouble earlier than I thought, but Jay this is Everton and the few minutes after the penalty showed how frail and all over the place we become in a matter of minutes.

However you might be glad to know I have stopped lighting candles to preserve our premier league status: saving a few bob there!!!!!!

He's been out for over a year. — No, sorry, fake news. He was injured in March 2017. He plays again in January 2018. So under a year. I know Jamie is a yank, but really, that's not a valid excuse for spouting such an egregious "alternative fact".

Continuing... "Our medical staff would clear someone just let out of the intensive care unit" — for gawd's sake, what utter hyperbolic nonsense. Listen to yourself!

I don't want him to be hurt by being "rushed back". — He's not being "rushed back", FFS. He's been in recovery for TEN MONTHS!!!

He's now fit and able to play a full Premier League game. Accept you are both wrong and stop talking utter and complete nonsense!!!

"you might be glad to know I have stopped lighting candles to preserve our premier league status: saving a few bob there!!!!!!"

And there's me thinking you were a well-to-do with electricity in your house, Dave... ;-)

If you don't get that the point, is entirely to do with the risk of exposure to the Premier League without match fitness, I can't say any more.

Not in the lekky metre, mind!

There is a major difference between breaking a leg and hamstrings, ligaments injuries regards rehab etc etc.

Both of you obviously know better than the player himself, our medical team AND the surgeon who carried out the operation on Seamus who has been closely involved in the player's recovery.

Seamus Coleman wanted to play against Liverpool in the cup but was told no way – that's how ready Seamus Coleman is, that's showed a duty of care from the club. I wouldn't be surprised if Coleman doesn't play against Arsenal and wouldn't be surprised if he does.

Last night was the perfect game to introduce Coleman back into the team and if you two can not see that I would like to know when the fuck would you put Seamus back in the team.

He could have broke his leg again last night, that's football!

"What matters is we saw the best performances in a long time from a bunch of players we had written off."

WE??? What you really mean Jay is YOU had written them off.

You and a few others have bought into Allardyce's claims that we are not good enough to play any other way than the cowardly negative manner he has made a living from. You have adopted this truly bizarre stand point where, in order to defend one truly awful manager, you will write off a whole squad of international players... and anyone who doesn't follow suit is "negative" and should really spend time "getting behind the team" – A team full of players you so readily and regularly write off... Do you see an irony ?

I don't care how thick-skinned Allardyce is. He knows which side of his bread is buttered. A few more reactions like the one after the West Brom game would virtually guarantee he won't be here next season... and he knows it.

So it would appear you people who have repeatedly berated fans for not accepting the worst football being played anywhere in the country are now in a bit of a corner... and Sam's in there with you. The players you have consistently written off have just outplayed a team many regard as the best of the rest. Your claims have been laid bare.

The best thing about Wednesday's performance is, that this pathetic excuse can never be used again

I would love to have heard Big Sam's advice to Seamus before the game.

Big Sam – "Listen Seamus, We don't do this swashbuckling stuff with full backs imposing their will on the opposition anymore. We like to get everyone behind the ball because we are not good enough to attack. Just sit tight and give nothing away."

Seamus – "Step aside, fat boy, this is a team, a group, one body and you're about to find out who is the bollocks."

99% of Evertonians have not and will not ever meet Allardyce... They couldn't possible hate him. However, those who love the beautiful game are perfectly entitled to hate his approach to it...

Have you seen the direct quotes from Seamus?

“I found out a couple of days ago from the manager [that I was starting]. I had been preparing for that moment for the last 10 months. The manager said at half-time to give them a nod when I started to fatigue, but I just told him there was no way I was going to get tired.

“He told me to use my head and be sensible but I'd been waiting 10 months so there was no chance I was going to tire - although I did blow up a little bit at the end!"

Makes your original statement that the manager was "reckless bordering on a complete failure of duty of care" a little ill-informed doesn't it?

You are entitled to disagree by all means, but my opinion is only informed by precedents and personal experience. I don't know quite at what point it became so personal with you.

I, as well as thousands of others, have been delighted with Coleman's performance but I am not hell bent enough to say it won us the game. It was a big help, along with Allardyce's signing, Walcott being lethal in front of goal.

What won us the game effectively was Martina clearing off the line at 2-1. The luck before that of Ihenacho hitting the woodwork.

To suggest as Darren Hind does that this was some spiritual effort from Coleman to go beyond Allardyce's methods is like hearing a WWF commentator. It's so contradictive too.

The approach without Coleman will always be different. If you think Allardyce will be putting checks on Coleman's game to not go beyond a defence, I think you'll be badly mistaken. But when it doesn't happen, you will suggest Coleman is ignoring him anyway.

http://prowrestling.wikia.com/wiki/The_Undertaker

At no time did I state Coleman won us the game, never even come close to suggesting it. I said that the players proved all those really negative people who have insisted all season that they couldn't play, completely wrong.

I also said Allardyce's excuse for the tripe we have churned out has been knocked out of the park.

When I put up a make-believe conversation between Sam and Seamus, I assumed nobody would actually think the conversation took place. I certainly didn't expect to have to explain that

It was a piss-take to illustrate the huge conflict between Seamus's swashbuckling style and Sam's vow to make us even more boring.

I know we rode our luck with the woodwork being struck 2-3 times, but we too could have scored a few more. It was much more my type of game. I was actually pleased with the performance and the result. but it would appear some can't get their heads around the fact that people don't stop loving the club simply because they don't rate the manager.

I couldn't imagine Coleman in a parked bus formation against 14 teams in the league away and I can't imagine him sat back against most teams at home. He will be pegged back by quality opposition in a few games, like he has been under every other manager including Ireland's.

That to me makes it no different to any other game plan. But that is also me assuming. Maybe he will be bombing past Bellerin and Bailly next season and Allardyce is then guilty of being too naive.

To me, its just give the man a chance. I have always liked his football analysis and like every other manager that arrives here I keep an open mind due to the personnel they have and also what they have done in the past.

When I summarised Allardyce coming here I decided for my view that he has gained great results with players you wouldn't dream of having at Everton. He turned Bolton from a little FA Cup team to a team with a lot of quality.

The football he likes is direct. Mindset fans call it hoofball. I would look at the averages before I made that call. How many of our goals since he arrived have come from hoofball? If hoofball is smashing the ball from your own half in defence. Great.

Well to me, you can't win every game with poor players and the most obvious phase of this debate is Allardyce didn't have Coleman an Walcott together in these games so his excuse is bang-on true.

How about admitting that most of the other players played well and Sam now looks a mug for claiming they couldn't play?

What Sam didn't have, was Schneiderlin on the pitch after picking him repeatedly throughout the dreadful run when we could barely get a shot on target.

The penny finally dropped... so was Morgan, and suddenly there was energy and tempo.

Sam finally dropped the disinterested fella and suddenly there was light. Weird that.

Poor players put more effort in which has been demanded and we scraped a win.

He correctly pointed out Sam hadn't had the benefit of Coleman and Walcott in the side together.

It goes beyond 90 minutes.

Maybe the whole season was setup to lull Leicester into a false sense of security and then suddenly play a pressing game and emerge with a glorious 2-1 home win? Quite a masterplan that one.

Or maybe we'll just continue to lurch from one setup to the next. Different selections, different tactics.

My money is on the latter. I'm bold enough to make that prediction based on what I can see happening in front of me. Our club is completely directionless. A total shambles.

Or I could just come online after every game and take potshots at fellow fans. Every time we lose I'll criticise anyone who was positive before the game and say how obvious it was that the selection was wrong. When we win I'll take on the whingers who just don't have the footballing knowledge to understand that the selection was clearly going to work.

That'll make me feel important, won't it Jay?