Cech repels fine Everton attacks to steal the points

Davies will get sent off and Sigurdsson will watch the game pass him by.

In which parallel universe?

Courageous.

We now have a Martinez back as manager and a team of expensive crocks and no-marks.

Forget top four, top seven and settle for top half. If we are lucky.

Sigurdsson has played okay in the few games we have played this season; great to see Davies get his chance as captain; and great to have a manager who will get the best out of the players.

Whether we win, draw or lose, they need our support – not stupid comments.

COYB

I realise there's still another half to go but do you think this team is playing like losers so far?

This is a forum for people to produce their opinions on the game. If you don't like the comment, address it – rather than coming off with inane nonsense like your above quote.

As for the game... Curate's Egg. Some good, some poor. A couple of big misses from Calvert-Lewin in what appears to be a 4-4-2 with Sigurdsson alongside him.

This game is here to be won... Arsenal are having the customary Europa League hangover. Bernard on... let's go for it.

If Walcott's eye gets any bigger, then get Lookman on too.

Green shoots appearing that Silva brings something different. That'll do for me – for now.

Got a bit desperate towards the end of the half. Hopefully we can get back on the front foot and put pressure on this Arsenal defence.

They're all playing well and hopefully they can keep it up. Richarlison is our best hope – he can seemingly turn their defenders at will and has fired off a few decent efforts.

Digne's yellow card for a failed lunge on their player reminds me how much the game has changed in recent years, almost a complete non-event. If a red is coming, it'll probably be for him, knowing our luck.

The lines blur at times but it's a 4-2-3-1 for sure. But you've probably spotted why the 4-2-3-1 is really just an update on the 4-4-2, especially when played by a team with a lot of energy.

I get the feeling that Mr Kenrick doesn't like Calvert-Lewin in the slightest, judging by his comments so far!!

Derek, I can vent with the best of them but I normally wait until after the game has been played. I hope that first half brought you some cheer because it was very solid if not spectacular. Everton's losers marginally on top.

With a better touch from Calvert-Lewin and Walcott, we could be ahead.

The defence looks so much more solid than last week, because the team is defending as one, rather than as separate entities.

An impressive return to the side for Michael Keane. Tom Davies tidier in his work. Sigurdson influential. Richarlison is the magic dust. We can get something from this.

Pity about the co-commentary of Jim Beglin. It really sticks in his throat to offer any praise anything about Everton, doesn't it?

Will be interesting to see what they do with Walcott's eye. Had that happen to me in a game once and couldn't see anything coming from my left side. Drove me crazy and I ended up coming off.

We really are an embarrassing club. No real striker in place since Lukaku left us. You reap what you sow in this game.

I look across the park and just a sad situation for us.

Everton could do with getting some of this Summers signings on the pitch asap to improve quality. This season could well turn out to be another frustrating one.

Spend loads of money and still can't do the basics of putting the ball in the net and doing basic defending.

Today we have been turned over by a poor Arsenal team, let's be honest about it, and I feel already this is going to be just as predictable and boring a season as last.

It's okay banging on about returning players but who the hell scores the goals?

Everyone in the country knows we need(ed) a striker – barring the owner and several managers!! Sigurdsson, Calvert-Lewin, Davies, Tosun, Kenny, Schneiderlin etc etc wouldn't get a game in a Championship team – disgrace to the shirt.

We've spent millions and millions and are still one of the worst teams to watch!

I'm going to stop watching as we are beyond a joke – why on earth did we chase Silva? Joke of a manager and will be gone by November.

It will take a couple of windows to rectify this. A quality centre-forward required as well as a quality creative midfielder.

The best and busiest Arsenal player today has been Cech. Overall, we haven't been that bad and generally positive...

The first goal they had was quality and we couldn't do much about it. The 2nd... well... the quicker VAR comes in, the better.

2-0 flatters the Arse. Oh, and btw, Richarlison is ace!

Same old garbage, season after season.

Charitable we are!

Might have been different if Dominic Bellend Barlow-Lewin had taken a simple first-half chance — how the hell is he still starting games after we have pissed away so much money?

I keep thinking we can challenge for top 8 but really we should be hoping just to stay in the Premier League.

2-0 completely flatters Arsenal but the records will only show they've accrued 3 more points at our expense.

Quality is the difference but is that really a surprise to anyone? Lacazette scored a goal of pure class and the second was a total offside missed by the linesman, though a chance brought about by more quality from Ozil.

Other than that – this Everton side, for all the naysayers, played football today that was far more competent than the shite we've only just forgotten last season. Corners and chances were not taken today but we created plenty of them, which I'll take.

ps: Perhaps people should wait a bit before calling for Bernard constantly - he is clearly not at full fitness and will take a bit of time to adapt to the Premier League. He should be decent though, just in a little while.

Sums up a lot of Everton fans – happy with mediocre at best... Really gets my goat!

Speaking of goats, can we sign Shaun Goater for £30 million still? We've signed every other useless player for £30 million, so why stop?

In the end, it comes down to quality. We can't make the final pass, can't finish the chances we get. Whereas, when we make defensive mistakes, they have someone like Lacazette with the quality to put one in the top corner.

New striking coach needed as Calvert-Lewin and Tosun don't look like scoring at all. Missing a top-class striker. It will be next season now before that changes.

Frustrated as fuck...

People are raving because we create a few chances against a shocking Arsenal defence that even some unpronounceable Ukrainian bunch hit two past on Thursday, big wow!!

We have spent shit loads of money — are we not expected to play Arsenal and create a couple of good chances? What are we? The Dog and Duck?

I'm disgusted that we are still picking players that are nowhere near Premier League standard despite having so much money to spend.

As for accepting mediocrity – I will for now if I don't have to accept pure shite, which I was watching this time last season.

Call such fans realists but rebuilding the side will take time. I am not sure what to call your type of fan. Histrionic maybe?

Tom Davies is not a captain or indeed a guaranteed starter. The lad had a reasonable game. But captaincy is not simply about energy.

More positive this week than after last week's feeble effort! The lack of goals and lack of clean sheets is a very dangerous combination!

These habits are hard to break! Great for Davies personally to be captain but does really say a lot about the senior players that Silva picked him as captain!

Lack of winners all over the pitch with a lot of players who have been in relegated or near relegated sides: Gueye with Villa, Zouma with Stoke, Pickford with Sunderland, Keane with Burnley, Sigurdsson with Swansea, Sneiderlin with Southampton! Winning or losing becomes a habit and we are lacking any winners!

Add to this a load of kids: Davies, Kenny, Holgate, Calvert-Lewin (not good enough!)

Patience is needed but worrying times! Even the manager is realistically a regular loser in the Premier League!

They didn't even need Ozil who was crap, and Silva doesn't escape criticism with his starting line-up and his too-late substitutions.

I've sat in the Lower Gwladys for years watching really poor Everton players and Everton teams (Mikel Madar, Bakayoko etc etc) but can honestly say I really enjoyed it as at least those players tried and could pass a ball 5 yards.

I've now got to watch multi millionaires not give a toss about Everton and can't pass a ball to each other from 5 yards away. My point is we have blown millions on very very poor players who aren't even bothered.

Mark my words, this current manager will be gone by November. Instead of spending £40 million on players – why didn't we do it with a proven manager that can structure the club properly??!?

For me the key is now consistency. Stop chopping and changing, and play the same 11 for a few games in a row. The only question mark is Calvert-Lewin but the lad has speed and battles. Until we get someone else in, he may as well get a run.

Good captains performance from Davis and a few positive signs.

If we continue to improve, I can see us finishing mid-table which would be okay for Silva's first season.

Football looking lots better than last season under Big Sam and Koeman though.

COYB

We have a striker who is really low on confidence and lacks pace (Tosun), one striker who simply does not score enough at all (Calvert-Lewin), and one striker who is never ever good enough to play at the Premier League level (Niasse) and it shows. Who decided that was sufficient firepower to be going into a new season? We also look marshmallow soft at the back and we are shipping on average 2 goals a game with no clean sheets.

I am really starting to worry that Silva may be Martinez Mk II and I hope I am wrong, but it really isn't looking too clever at the moment.

Joke of a manager — after 6 games!!? Let's get some realism into our thinking before making totally crass statements.

There's only so long you can keep saying it's early days.

We have had a rather friendly fixture list and we have frittered away too many points already with some seriously tough away games on the horizon and our home form is looking creaky to say the least.

Usually a new manager has a honeymoon period but Silva has started very very sloppily especially if you include a poor pre-season.

Waiting on these injured players is all well and good but the fact remains we still can't do the basics well and the goal looks the size of a letterbox for most of our attacking players, they just always seem to lack confidence in front of goal and Calvert-Lewin looks as likely to score as a man in a chastity belt walking around a convent.

We are heading for an autumn like last again, discontent and unrest.

We need to beat Fulham AND Leicester (away from home so how?) before the next international break.

ps: Our away form is despicably bad!!

We also set records every time we play anyone – West Ham's first win this season, Arsenal's first clean sheet – all these things aren't coincidental!

And yes, what has Silva ever done or won to warrant us head hunting him? Farcical!!!

I am for one and will continue to be as long as there is an Everton and as long as I am mentis compos and breathing.

Yes, football is a results game and that is another defeat.

Does it naturally follow that all was shite and we are doomed? Not from what I saw today.

We were at least their equal in the first half. We were totally dominant for the first 15 minutes after the interval. Arsenal's first came totally against the run of play. A stonking finish from a quality striker.

When you suffer a second 3 minutes later it's hugely deflating, all the more so when it should have been ruled out for offside. I called it live before seeing a replay: the goalscorer was clearly offside, but the FIFA rated linesman didn't see it.

For the last 30 minutes we showed very little of what we had displayed in the first hour. That said, we still finished strongly and a case can be made that their MotM was their goalkeeper. As I write this, he is the player chosen to give the post-match interview and the importance of his performance is being discussed.

Yes, as always, there are things to improve. But there were lots of positives for me, even so.

Was Pickford seriously worked as much as Cech? No. Neither Kenny nor Digne were burnt or seriously exposed by speedy opponents. I thought Keane was outstanding, putting his head on everything – all the more impressive considering the injury he is returning from.

Gueye and Davies not only competed well in midfield, they also showed some guile and telling passes. Did Tom overhit a couple of passes? Yes. Did he also look more like his old self in his breakthrough season, having confidence on the ball to side step players and play in some lovely slipped passes? Yes.

Was Sigurdsson more involved and showed some of his ability? Yes. Did Richarlison continue to show he has something about him to trouble any defence? Yes.

Calvert-Lewin's and Walcott's touch at critical times cost us, both they also contributed good moments.

But for the 3 minute spell for the two goals, the whole team played as one and looked so much more solid defensively than last week. The midfield were very incisive at times. There is pace in the attack.

Overall, plenty to be encouraged by today. But I have no doubts that plenty on TW will not share my optimism.

Realistically, we are still shite!

People talk about better attacking football but none scored today and just one each against the mighty Huddersfield and West Ham at Goodison Park!!!

We still carry the punch of a glass of water.

I'm all for giving Silva time but he needs to start showing results. As I said usually there's a honeymoon period for a new manager but it's not even got off the ground yet for Silva.

Which proven manager are you talking about?

I'm very frustrated, as you can probably tell, and only want the best after enduring years of purgatory.

After spending the money we have recently, we are no better than 20 years ago and that's one of the main things that matter to me.

You go through all those points but the record book will state Arsenal
away lost 0-2.

So for all your points made, the result was the same as last season’s annihilation and we are meant to be happy because we gave a far from vintage Arsenal a few things to worry about?

That’s why Kopites laugh at our losers mentality.

That is me keeping a lid on it. I see only failure with this team and manager. Roll on the next game!

We have spent £30 million on pure bang average players so why not spend £30 million on a proven manager?

Mina and Coleman coming in might help at the back.

Next game can't come quickly enough. Absolute must-win. I still think we've got enough about us to stay clear of danger this season.

Our academy players – Davies, Calvert-Lewin and Kenny – are Championship players. Not good enough for the Premier League. And Lookman gets no chance.

Silva is blind. What's his record in England? Why was he chosen? Get Richarlison to centre-forward and Lookmann to the wing. Tosun to the bench and sell him to Turkey next transfer window.

I’m just out of Emirates where I annually watch Everton and I thought it was one of our best performances there since early Martinez.

The only difference between the teams was a top class finish from a £50m striker and then individual mistake/missed offside.

We need a striker and a dominant central midfielder.

Better times are coming. I see the signs!

Lacazette is a case in point. We tried very hard to sign him, but he wouldn't come. This is the level of striker we need, but they simply will not come. So either we sign the level below, who are not as good, or have flaws to their game, or we gamble on youngsters.

I thought it was a good team performance today. Much better than against Arsenal last season. We are improving. We need Mina in to lead that defence and we need a top striker to lead the line. Add in Gomes and you've got a side that will climb the table.

Can't help but feel we missed a trick not going for Marcelo Bielsa, a proven manager with worldly experiences and seems to command respect wherever he is.

I'll give Silva time but I'm worried his overall lack of experience might be the same downfall as it was for Martinez and he might not have the options in his Arsenal to really change the dynamic at this flailing club.

First half very impressive but no finishing. Second half we go one down and just fold. No passion, fight or belief and that is the scary thing. Their first goal was a peach their second well offside.

Cech voted MotM, so that says something.

Sigurdsson needs dropping and Bernard should play in his position.

I said before the West Ham game was a must-win and a few thought I was stupid, well Fulham is definitely a must-win as we can't keep making excuses for this run.

Silva has to play to our strengths – we are still trying to play a system the players are not suited too. Unless we start to keep clean sheets, we will find ourselves in deep shit... even this early in the season.

Wenger was done, Arsenal fans have wanted shut for years... remember Howard Kendall Mk 2 and Mk 3???

I would have gone for Hughton or Howe but we have to give Silva time

Well summarized. Been deflated by Everton for going on 3 decades but expecting Silva to turn this around in a half-a-dozen games is a tad ridiculous.

Positives for sure from today and, over a couple of more transfer windows, we'll likely see more consistency, balance and more attacking quality and threat. We were undone with a quality strike and a hungover linesman.

More intensity in the final 20 would have been good but they ran themselves ragged and performed at a level above the dismal showing vs West Ham. Amazing away support as always in contrast to a half-empty Emirates for the final 15.

Worst post of the lot in my view, Ian, 35 - and I've marked your words Ian. If Silva is gone by November I'll post on here that Ian Lloyd should pick our next manager because he's so prescient; and if instead we're clearly getting our act together by then, perhaps you'll come on and admit you were wrong.

Every decent side (except Guardiola's, who just buys the best and most expensive players in the world) starts building from the back.

ps: I hope never to see BA (Bad Attitude) Lookman in a blue shirt again in response to the post above.

And the Captain today is a kid out of his depth in the Premier League. Is anyone at the Club taking this serious?

For someone who is given to claiming not to be arsed any more, you don't half love to vent negatively about the club, pretty much on a daily basis.

Yes. We lost, Jim. Very observant. Try to engage in the discussion, rather than dumb it down.

Answer the question in my post. Does it naturally follow that all was shite and we are doomed?

You and others are given to pinning lazy labels on fellow supporters as happy clappers, too easily appeased, passive recipients of the mediocre, ad nauseum.

WRONG! I want a TROPHY winning team, arrogantly sweeping all before us, home and away, regardless of the opposition.

I do not expect Silva and Brands can possibly deliver that NOW, immediately. It is a process.

I (and based on this thread alone) and others, unlike yourself, are more tolerant and patient than others are prepared to be.

We are definitely down on the anticipated points tally we could reasonably have expected given our opening fixtures. Disappointed as I am by that, I remain positive because I can see a method, a strategy, being applied.

Is it working 100% yet? Evidently not.

But I won't be jumping on your misery bus in condemnation just yet, ta very much.

To throw back at what everyone used to say to me about Bielsa: outside of South America, what's he won? And even South America was 20 years ago.

So no, Bielsa is in the Championship because his relationship took a beating. He's onto his 60s now and his tactics looked creaky, and his energy dimmed.

I'm made up he's rediscovered his mojo but no-one could have predicted it. He was a manager in decline.

Some will say we are shite, others will try and look at it more objectively. I've seen us play a lot worse and win, but it's a results business and, because we never won, then that's enough for some people.

If we can't realise it's going to take time then the pressure is just going to grow on both the players and the manager, and that's the last thing we need right now.

Not one of those players I mentioned would get into a top 8 side but they are the first on our team sheet! I'd rather play the Under-23 players – at least they might be bothered.

If you believe there were good signs there then that's entirely your right. I was just merely expressing an opinion (albeit a very frustrated one).

When you read out the names on the Arsenal team-sheet, the gap in quality is all too apparent. Given the players on the pitch today, I was happy enough with their effort and work today as one could be with no points.

People still call our youngsters Championship quality but I thought Kenny was very good and Davies much, much better than last year. Calvert-Lewin a disappointment but then Tosun has also been to date so his exclusion wasn't a great shock.

As Jim says, year-in & year-out, it's the same pathetic outcome, it's gone on for decades. Being an Everton fan is now embarrassing and has been for a good while. What do we actually achieve as a club???

But I just can't see it at the moment!!

We had a good first half but we didn't turn it into a lead... so, the moment they scored, our fragile bubble was burst. The second goal was a mile offside and drained whatever confidence we had left and the game came to its inevitable conclusion. Everton lose again. We had some decent chances in the first half but we didn't take them so, once again, the pressure was on the defence to keep a clean sheet which just isn't on.

I'll bet if we had played with their forwards and they had played with ours, we would have won today. That was the difference. We have to get a striker from somewhere because scoring builds confidence. If we don't then the best we can hope for is the usual mid-table, no silverware season, as every other season.

BTW Mina and Gomes missing again. Every summer, we buy a bunch of players we don't see until October. Why do we do this?

We were the better team up until the goal. But we did not “fold” or “capitulate” as certain people continue to say. They got a second that was clear as day to be offside. We then continued to have chances although we had to be careful because they shifted to a counter-attack game to try to catch us out. If we just threw everyone forward, those same posters who say we capitulated would then say how naive Silva was.

Cech made save after save while Calvert-Lewin continued to show that he is not in any capacity a Premier League striker at this point in his career. I don't care if he becomes one — all that matters is right now he is not. Silva and Brands will address that position as theycontinue to overhaul this squad.

I also don't understand when people say Silva needs to change the tactics to play to our strengths. What exactly does that mean? We were far better than them but missed chances. We pressed them into mistakes and turning over the ball throughout the first half and into the second. We were the threat, not them. There was nothing wrong with the game plan or the tactics.

Chelsea weren't able to score against West Ham today. Nothing is guaranteed week to week. We went to Arsenal and were beaten by a sublime strike after being the better team but with the lesser quality up top. That cost us the win and that alone.

There were some positives today but Silva has a massive task and an increasingly restless fan base. How long can we be patient? My patience is up now. I didn't think Silva was a good appointment and nothing I've seen yet has changed my opinion, unfortunately.

Great to have an opinion, and great to put your point of view but let's try and be a little bit positive here and get behind the team.

It's correct that we need at least one top class striker – doesn't every team. The fact is we don't. We therefore have to play a system that suits what we have.

I was most encouraged by today considering the absolute crap the players and management have shown from the opening Wolves game - including pre-season.

We could sign Messi and Ronaldo and still be in our present league position. Until we get our defensive system and play sorted we are a hopeless case.

We have had one of the easiest Premier League openings for years and are still to keep a clean sheet. That is disgraceful and the scary thing is that it appears to be the manager's norm.

As for Everton in the Community, it is really Liverpool taxpayers in the Community — they pay for it all. It's a con in the Community. No doubt it does do good work but any professional care organisation would do good or better work if was bankrolled by the taxpayer.

This is particularly true of finding strikers who can hit the ground running. At the time we signed him, Tosun had a good rep in Europe. This weekend, I read (again) rumours of a January bid for Bas Dost. All of them risks that might/might not work out.

We were better today and showed some effort and attacking play but these aren't kids from a local park. They are multi-millionaire footballers representing Everton FC and we want to see winning football. Anything less is not good enough.

We have too many players who are not good enough for our football club. Different managers have given numerous chances to the same underperforming players. It isn't good enough for me anyway.

Yes, I understand the obvious frustration of some Blues fans but, to me, we deserved something from that game. Arsenal won with a very good goal and one that was patently offside; once they are awarded, all goals count.

Unfortunately, we obviously need a quality striker but he will arrive sooner or later, give Brands and Silva time. I will; and we will improve.

Just a couple of disappointments today for me were Calvert-Lewin and Sigurdsson, not for lack of effort but for not getting hold of the ball properly. Apart from that, there were good performances from most of the rest. I think we will get better and better as the season rolls on, but again I completely recognise the frustration in some of our fans.

Liverpool - 18 years (27 Sep 1999)
Chelsea - 7 years (19 Feb 2011)
City - 7 years (20 Dec 2010)
Spurs - 11 years (14 Aug 2007)
Man utd - 4 years (4 Dec 2013)

No it doesn't.

This Arsenal team isn't the Invincibles. They're average. We're not Dagenham and Redbridge in an FA Cup tie. We are EFC. People say Davies had a good game. Did he? By what measure?

There is something seriously wrong here at this club and I've never been able to put my finger on it!

Now we have “millions” to spend it seems to be getting even worse – every other club who have had Money to spend and also top six aspirations have done it. lt looks like we never will have the capability to get there !?

Plenty to be encouraged about?

What — not having anyone decent who can convert chances into goals?

Having a very average pedestrian midfield who offer nothing defensively or offensively?

Having players who, when conceding the 1st goal, throw the towel in – because, be fair, that's what we did today.

Yes, the 2nd goal was offside but do you honestly think that shower of gutless bastards had the belief that we could get something out of the game after Lacazette scored? No. They just sulk and feel sorry for themselves...

This is going to be a long road ahead for Silva and I actually feel for him because any manager inheriting a squad with the likes of Davies, Keane, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Kenny, Gueye, Lookman, Niasse, and Calvert-Lewin would struggle. Those 9 players are at best Championship material. Yet most of them are first-choice or match day squad players. Only at Everton, hey?

Koeman and his staff set this club back 3 seasons so don't expect Silva to rectify it in one window. I doubt even the greatest coaches in football would get a tune out of the 9 I've mentioned. Added to them an aging trio of Baines, Coleman and Jagielka – magnificent servants, by the way – and you can see why we're struggling.

Fasten your seat belts because the ride has only just begun...

So today Silva sends his team out to play quick pressing football and were by far the better side for 55 minutes. Then they scored a great goal and a minute later were awarded a goal that everybody clearly says was offside.

But the usual suspects come on with the usual comments of this side is shite and are clueless. To try and turn by-and-large average players into a team that can play a more attacking style that we have all craved, will take a lot longer than 3 months.

Have we such short memories that we forget the dross we have watched under Allardyce that brilliant defensive coach whose team got mauled last season by Arsenal. Or better still the now Dutch manager whose Everton side was equally mauled by Arsenal.

Yes, there are things Silva needs to fix, 2 weeks ago it was some posters moaning about zonal marking from corners, well today we looked very comfortable from corners, as we have in the last 2 games. I don't think he needs to be reminded that we haven't kept a clean sheet this season, again something he has spoken about.

So I am not saying everything in the garden is rosy it blatantly isn't, but he has done enough to convince me that when he gets more time with this group and can get Mina and Gomes fit then we will start to see victories in a style we will all like.

I am sure he has seen enough of his 2 main strikers to know they are not good enough but until Jan and possibly the summer he cant do much about that. Those questions about lack of quality strikers need to be asked of our previous 2 managers.

No.

This is a team in transition. We still have a lot of average players. These things very rarely (if ever) change overnight. I want to see that the team is going in the right direction. I thought (and others agree) there were signs of that today.

Does that mean we are happy with the result? No! Does it mean we are happy with mediocrity? Of course it doesn't. It means we want to see our club back at the top but understand this will take some time and patience.

Team in transition? For how long?

Are some pleased with the improvement in performance and effort over last year? Yes.

Are some pleased to have lost today? no

Are some pleased to have not won away to Arsenal in 21 years? No.

Does being pleased with the first equate to accepting mediocrity? No

ps: Davies had a good game measured against the other 21 players on the pitch. Not measured against Dixie Dean scoring his 60th goal. Again, it is all relative.

Fans of other teams used to like us, now they don't see Everton as having a purpose, and an away match at Goodison Park is a trip to a Victorian Museum. We are still left with the Like of Baines and Jaqs in the Squad, why it's not as if they were Giggs, Scholes and Ferdinand, it's pathetic.

As painful as £200 million rolls off the tongue, that is not considered a king's ransom in today's game.

As for how long for? A year? Two years? Ask City or RS fans, neither Klopp nor Guardiola hit the ground running. The former's still not won anything but has been given time to mold his team; and what he inherited was a whole lot more coherent than the mess Silva was given.

Too many people on this site (and in this country) want instant success these days.

Arsenal most likely won't finish in the top 4.

We played even with Arsenal in the 1st half but couldn't finish our chances. The 2nd half we were 2nd best.

6 points from 6 games is not a good sign.

I don't see us finishing in the top half of the league. Our squad just isn't good enough.

Our striking options are as bad this season as I can remember.

Start Bernard and Mina next weekend and let's beat Fulham

Is wanting a better return than 1 win in 6 matches now regarded as a supporter wanting instant success? We are 4 points off the bottom 3 and 12 points off the top. We have got 4 points out of Southampton, West Ham and Huddersfield at home. I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that people would think that return is unacceptable whether we have a new manager or not.

Quite how we are in another season with Calvert-Lewin starting up front, I will never know. The lad wouldn't get a kick at any other Premier League side. Our strikers are the worst in the league bar none, which is unacceptable given the money we have spent. Embarrassing.

We definitely seemed to be an improvement from what I could gather, to the last couple of dire displays but, as Ronnie Goodlass said a couple of times in the first half, if you get an opportunity, you have to capitalise on it!

It's almost unbelievable that the amount of money the Club has spent over the last few windows, that we still basically do not have a striker!

Although Marco Silva was not my personal choice, I don't think we should be demanding his sacking, or exit at this early stage, but I do think he as the Manager, has to get the players more committed to the cause.

I know it's early days, but our points total to date, and our upcoming fixtures do not augur well for the period up to Xmas.

Today was about putting the ball in the net. Overall, probably our best half (first) all season. We can moan which players shouldn't play, must play, not good enough. We have what we have. Today we moved the ball quickly and decisively. Yes, lessons to be learnt but there was improvement from last week.

Today, we saw two clubs in transition. First goal was crucial and it proved. Biggest factor today for me was we carried on to the 94th minute. We gave all till the end. That shows they are playing for the management team. We will play a lot worse and get three points. It's what drives us mad with this game.

We have too many players who can be good once every 5 or 6 games. Schneiderlin is a case in point. Klopp has spent less on players like Salah than we have wasted on some of our flops. I'd take some of their flops like Origi, Ings or Sturridge over Tosun, Walcott and Sigurdsson.

I'm gonna stop commenting for a bit because what is the point? We're all disappointed and want some success but it just seems futile. It's the hope that kills you.

For the idiots above criticising Sigurdsson, did you not see that it was his incisive passes that opened-up the Gunners on several occasions?Calvert-Lewin should have either scored or passed in the first few minutes, but his touch isn't the best, but given time he will improve.

Walcott always tries too hard against his old team and seemed to lose his way once he had a little bump in the eye. He is a bit of a big girl's blouse.

However Keane showed great bravery clashing with Cech, and apart from the Lacazette cracker, we were good at the back.

The wingbacks are getting caught out, so surely we can reign them in a little, but on the whole we showed promise.

Stick with the manager, get behind the players; good times are just around the corner.

Gana Gueye, is another. He doesn't run with the ball enough, which is definitely one of his strengths, especially because passing the ball seems to be his weakest quality.

Turning on Silva is absolutely ridiculous, he's been here 3 months, he needs time, and a few more transfer windows. The football he's trying to play, with the players he inherited, deserves credit, and time.

I like Digne, but he needs to concentrate more on defending than bombing forward, and being caught out of position.

Fulham is a big game, but give Silva time.

The thing is for either the manager to play to his players' strengths or the players to conform to the managers' plans and sacrifice their own opinions. Everyone must know their job. playing a system that requires a Lukaku is not the way.

Tosun definitely needed taking out the firing line, although personally I would have actually started him and replaced him after 45 minutes if he hadn't performed.

Next week, we need to see Sigurdsson dropped. £45 million of not really much. This guy should be in his prime controlling and dictating games plus scoring goals. His contribution this season does not justify him starting games. Bernard has to start behind the striker.

Oh and just to show how different people see things and have opinions, I thought giving young Tom the armband today was brilliant.

Worried about lack of characters and leaders – Marco probably is too given he's picked out a 20-year-old to captain the team today – but I guess he wanted to give the lad a boost psychologically.

I was in agreement that Rooney should go, but selling your top scorer two seasons on the trot is going to have an impact. Tosun, Calvert-Lewin and Niasse simply not enough at this level.

Brands must be scouring the globe as we speak looking for a striker. We clearly lacked a bit of quality up front, but Richarlison impressed again.

I'm confident in Silva after today – he'll get it sorted

So a lot of positives and a very fragile team and maybe a bit of lack of winning mentality.

Two things I would like to comment on.

1. I don't get why our players are quietly accepting such a blatant offside goal as Arsenal's second goal. We should have the whole team screaming, spitting, mobbing the ref, the linesman and the fourth official. Not that they would have changed the decision. But you are putting something in the bank for the next big decision. We are far too nice. I don't want us to complain to the ref for every single throw-in but, for these big decisions, we should do a bit more. In fact, Arsenal complained more to the ref over an unimportant offside not given than we did after the robbery at their second goal.

2. In many ways, I think that Gana and Davies did well. But when it comes to an important pass, they are just not good enough. Ganas long range passing is not his key competence. And the number of times Davies is making a key pass behind the intended receiver is remarkable. It is a little lack of football intelligence to miss those passes. That's where the big difference is between a player like Davies and the top central midfielders at Man City, Spurs and Arsenal or a player like Gareth Barry. I think it is really a shame because they did a lot of good work. But at least one of the two central midfielders need this ability.

However, compared to the awful football we played last season, it is much more pleasing to the eye what we see this season. But football is a results business and we will have a week of negative posts on TW.

There are clear weaknesses holding us back but in theory, 3 out of the 4 were addressed in the last transfer window;

● We still don't have a stable centre-back pairing and the defence badly needs a leader. Mina was signed for that purpose. Must admit I was assuming he might be playing by now but he needs to do so asap.

● Central midfield lacks quality. Gana does what Gana does, but Davies is at best Championship quality at this point and the other options are no better. I assume that's why we bought Gomes. Hopefully he does not prove to be a James McCarthy

● We lack ingenuity at Number 10. Sigurdsson is okay but disadvantaged by a price tag that suggests he is more than what he is. I hope Bernard can play this role when fully match sharp. I think he'd be better there than right wing.

● We lack a goalscoring striker. That gap hasn't been plugged. To be fair, that's because it is hugely difficult and not that many teams actually have one and certainly not at our level. I think our best hope is to play a system whereby our current front 3 can share the burden, similar to Liverpool and Chelsea. I think Walcott and Richarlison would be capable of this. I am a lot less convinced about Calvert-Lewin, at least at this stage.

I feel we need Lookman to succeed more than we seem to be implying in terms of how we are managing him. I wouldn't personally exclude Tosun entirely – there's a semblance of a striker there – but we need to forget about bang average players like Niasse if we expect to go anywhere.

It's worrying that until today, we have had 'easy' games and yet are still lower mid-table.

It's a shame to have had the money Moshiri has put in, which has been significant in size, especially compared to the laughable budgets of the past, and yet to be operating where we are, which is actually below where we were when we had peanuts.

Did I ever mention I'm a master of understatement?

I can't remember a more offensive performance at Arsenal in recent history. They had one amazing quality finish and a blatant offside goal; otherwise, were they the better team?

We invest in a clinical finisher and watch the points rack up. But Marco already knows this. Probably best to put Richarlison up front for now.

New manager or not 1 win out of 6 matches is rubbish. Now hopefully silva will come good for us but considering the 6 games we have had so far this season the return has been crap.

Lukaku (68/133) better than one in two appearances
Ferguson (60/162) slightly below one in two appearances
Cahill (56/210) circa one in four appearances
Campbell (45/125) circa one in three
Osman (44/295) circa one in five

Not a great record given Cahill, Ferguson and Osman were playing together on many occasions. the next 2 in the list are Unsworth and Baines who predominately scored their goals from the penalty spot. There have been others strikers such as Yakubu, Saha, Rooney and Radzinski with 25 goals or more but none of those played more than 80 league games for the club.

Everton perhaps more than most other clubs are almost totally defined by a single goalscorer or lack thereof, where are the midfield men who aid and abett the strikers? Arteta scored 27 in 166 PL games, Fellaini 25 in 80.

Until we are able to buy and hold onto a proper striker who finds the net regularly we will always be also rans in the Premier League and continue to fail at the venues of the elite.

if the current Everton, don't find a striker to rely on for 10 to 15 goals this season either from our current crop or in January we may find ourselves in a battle at the wrong end of the table. Patience is in short supply from many, myself included, but the overall pattern at Goodison hasn't altered for nigh on a quarter-of-a-century, change of owner or not, changes of manager or not.

Goalscorer is a big problem but, for the first time for many years, I feel unnatural feelings of optimism. If a few more could feel that way, it might even rub off on the team.

An instinctive striker is needed – someone who can bury a chance without having to think about it. Midfield needs improving and some players need dropping permanently. Tom Davies would be a much better player if he did more thinking and less running about like a blue-arsed fly, ie, slow his game down a tad.

I'm afraid that Calvert-Lewin will never make it as he is not clinical enough for the Premier League. With his lack of credentials, I have always had misgivings about Marco Silva but he should be given a chance to prove himself — but only up to the point where the future of EFC in the Premier League is on the line.

Every game should be a "must-win" game for Everton Football Club.

Whilst not happy with our poor away record, I suspect we are in the majority rather than the minority but would like some stats to confirm if true.

ps: That's the second offside goal for Aubameyang in consecutive games against us – is this a record?

* 29% win rate in the Premier League (from 48 games).
* 2 wins in last 17 Premier League games managed.
* No clean sheets in his last 18 Premier League games managed.
* 91 goals conceded in 48 Premier League games managed.

Dire statistics. The only way he'll gain my full trust as a supporter is by winning games. Simple as that. Blind faith is not my thing.

However, his record at Hull and Watford does not inspire confidence and that's putting it politely.

We are totally dependent on Moshiri continuing to fund this debacle and goodness only knows what would happen if he was to jump ship – stranger things have happened!!!

It's almost 70 years since we were last relegated but I fear that, if this poor run continues and a change of manager is deferred beyond the end of October, then a plunge through the trap door into the Championship may well be difficult to avoid.

👏🏻 Agreed

Tom Davies was the best on show from both sides in the middle of the park. He is growing and played his best game for a long time.

Note that Tosun and Schneiderlin were a little cliche in the subs warm-ups … Not impressed with Tosun at all in terms of effort and closing down. Gilfi was doing more work in the last 10 minutes than Tosun.

Rather pleased with our performance and afterwards all the Arsenal players were all over the Everton players shaking hands and spending time with each other in the middle of the pitch. Lots of respect gained for ourselves tonight. I feel so much better watching that team performance.

Peter Cech was MotM, he changed the game for them.

For me, the results have been poor but the performances have at times been encouraging. Long way to go of course and ultimately it will be the results only that matter but I was there today and left feeling optimistic.

I thought Tom had a fine game as did Gana and the midfield was let down by Sigurdsson who, yet again, tried but does not appear to be the creator we so badly need. Even his set pieces are poor and I would replace him with Bernard as quickly as possible.

Richarlison looked dangerous throughout and the defence looked far more solid to me primarily because the centre-midfield closed the gaping gaps we have been seeing.

All told, I thought it was comfortably our best performance of the season but obviously not very comforting because we lost.

Kenny must keep his place if he continues to play like this and Digne looks like he has been here for years. Some promising signs today but Sigurdsson's place must come under threat – he has nice touches but I just can't see him ever running a game and he is too peripheral for me.

Not a good start by Silva but he needs time to establish his pattern on the team and six games is way too early to have a go. I'm taking on a new guy at work next week and will give him six months to settle in and show what he can do – surely Silva deserves the same at least?

Having said that, Silva's Premier League record is indeed abysmal. I think he can produce a decent attacking team, and buying Richarlison was a master-stroke, but I doubt if we'll ever finish as high under him as we did under Moyes, Bobby Brown-shoes, Koeman, or even Allardyce.

Talking of Big Sam, he'd have been fucking slaughtered if he'd overseen this start to the season. I'm glad he's gone, he was wrong for us, but he didn't deserve the vitriol handed out to him for doing a decent job in difficult circumstances.

To me, it just shows how far our standards have slipped as a club. We get beat 2-0 by a bang average Arsenal team and some of our fans seem to be impressed.

As much as I like seeing youngsters coming through the ranks, Kenny, Calvert-Lewin and Davies are not good enough at this present time and we will continue to suffer as long as they are playing. Who knows... in a couple of seasons, things may be different. But will they be any better in the Championship? Because the garbage we have in our squad will take us there sooner or later.

the attitudes of some players need to change rapidly, along with results, or we will be in another dogfight at season's end. The squad is that bad. No matter what we have paid for certain players – Tosun, Sigurdsson and Schniederlin – if they don't pull their fingers out, they must be fucked off out of our club because they are stinking the club out.

A win and 3 points is a must next week. Talk about putting yourselves under pressure.

I fear now he's been branded as ‘shite' by many and will be constantly criticised however he plays!

It's a shame.

Plenty of potshots still at Allardyce who got us to 8th position from way below that, where's Silva going to finish? 7th? Not looking nailed on is it at the moment!

I'm not pinning the blame on Silva either, any manager of ours is limited by the quality of players he has at his disposal.

I have nothing against Calvert-Lewin. Actually that's not true, I think he dives too much, but he does work hard. However, he's not up to it.

I'd have Tosun in ahead of him even if he hadn't scored for six months. He has more ability and seems quite confident in his own ability. I said at the start of the season that Calvert-Lewin and Davies should have been sent out on loan.

Digne and Richarlison are two plus points. We have problems everywhere but we'll probably get enough points to finish mid-table and then see how we are next season. Great isn't it?

Oh, Walcott can be effective but he's so limited technically it's bemusing the career he's had and money he's made.

In the last five completed seasons the list of home league defeats by the big six against non elite teams is as follows.

Arsenal FIVE to Aston Villa, Swansea(2), West Ham and Watford last being in January 2016.

Chelsea SEVEN to Sunderland, Palace (2), Southampton,Bournemouth(2) The last being against Bournemouth in January this year.

Liverpool SEVEN to Southampton, Villa, Palace (3), West Ham and Swansea, the last against Palace in April 2017.

Manchester City THREE to Stoke, West Ham and Leicester City*. The last occuring in February 2016.

Manchester United TEN to WBA(3),Everton, Newcastle, Sunderland, Swansea, Southampton(2) and Norwich. The most recent to WBA in April 2018.

Spurs NINE to West Ham, Newcastle (3), WBA, Stoke, Villa, Leicester* and Southampton. The most recent against Southampton in May 2016

*Leicester City were champions elect when they won at those grounds.

Davies and Richarlison made a difference. Keane played better than expected. I will find it interesting to look at the stats to see how we improved.

The first goal was just too easy. Call it a defensive error, indecision, or whatever but it stems from the same poor understanding of the situation and being unable to read the game and deal with it.

We were being outnumbered and unable to see what was happening because we had had a couple of minutes good play and thought we were bossing them. Wrong.

They play how we should play. Stay solid and counter-attack. We're as solid as a chocolate teacup. What's wrong with a defender being ruthless and just knowing when to defend? 'If in doubt, kick it out', I was always instructed. Again, I think a back 3 or 5 is needed.

Further fuel for the anti-Silva and shouts of more time needed from his backers. I never wanted him but, despite a few disappointing results and goals conceded, it's the best football we have played for a while.

I never wanted him but realistically all of my other preferences have gone elsewhere so I'll keep hoping for improved results because who would we turn too?

Next 3 Premier League games are against Fulham, Foxes, Palace. 3 losses and Silva's gone, big Sam will be laughing louder and Unsworth will probably get another crack at it. Scary thought... so it's time to back the players and manager with great vocal support in the games.

EFC

I can now see why Zouma has been overlooked at Chelsea now for some time. He's quite poor. He has some outstanding physical attributes by his reading of the game is generally well below standard and I put him at fault for both goals today. For the first, he was effectively spare and could have stepped forward towards the play and shut out Lacazette. He backed away and allowed the free shot. For the second his poor play led to their break away.

On the evidence of what I've seen so far this season, I'd be tempted to pair Keane and Mina initially, with Holgate going to right back.

I just don't see Kenny becoming a faultless Premier League performer. He does some things very well and he does others poorly. Positionally he is always found wanting for me and he looks on the edge of a goal-costing mistake all the time. I'd like to see him loaned out to another club where he can be tested to see if he can develop and mature.

Davies had a decent game and Gana was outstanding at intercepting play and making some decent tackles. It's then his passing that was quite poor. He needs someone to take the ball off his toe when we win it back. Hopefully Gomes can be that guy.

There are improvements pretty much all over the pitch, but, for me, there are two key areas where we are still lacking quality. First is up front – we don't have a striker with the combination of pace, aggression and predatory instinct that the top teams have. We've got Calvert-Lewin who lacks the instinct and Tosun who lacks the pace. Needs sorting.

The other issue is in central midfield where, for all their passion and effort, neither Gana nor Tom can pass to the level required. I lost count of the number of sloppy passes from those two where we lost possession and either an attacking move broke down or we were immediately put under pressure.

One of the old managers from across the park (Paisley perhaps) said that a midfield needs a buzzer, a cruncher, and a spreader. Perhaps Gomes will be our spreader because we bloody well need one.

I believe both of these types of players will be found but only when the right players become available... but I'm confident that Brands will find them.

It matters.

Saying that there is huge promise from the team and better times are surely ahead.

As far as improvements go, Bernard is too good to be left out and neither centre-forward looks threatening enough. Richarlison is so good, I would move him central and have Bernard on the left and Walcott on the right.

It's too early in the day for Richarlison to be there, but he is a tough cookie and would handle it. I am thinking now it is the best option. I think it gives proper quality across the front three, opposing defences would struggle to cope against them.

Someone should be held responsible for the fact we sold Lukaku last summer yet we are in what, September 2018 and still, still starting with Calvert-Lewin as striker!

Someone needs to be held responsible as to why we have three strikers at the club, Tosun, Calvert-Lewin and Niasse and they are all bang average... in fact 'average' is being kind.

Richarlison is clearly going to be used as a wide man (today was the perfect chance to shunt him into the middle, chance missed) so we are stuck with the three stoogies up front.

Walcott is very hit-and-miss in front of goal, not reliable enough.

The major concern would be if Richarlison has a similar switch off to the one he had last season at Watford, where November onwards saw him look totally disinterested, that's the last thing we need because, for me, he's about our only hope for a regular goals source.

Utter skank dragon we are at times, so much money spent yet still so many glaring problems nowhere near being rectified.

Koeman and soft arse Walsh wasted too much money in 2017 and too much time invested in chasing Giroud as Lukaku's replacement, rather than moving heaven and earth for Vardy or someone with that type of goalscoring prowess and mobility.

We have a terrible record at their ground. We lost (again), does that justify the hyperbole? Their keeper was MotM against us at their ground – last time that happened? We lost by a combined 10-3 last season so unless we get blown out 5-0 at GP we have done better.

Our players bust a gut and played with spirit. We took it to them at times. Their goal came against the run of play, the 2nd was a mess by us but two blatant offsides missed, dreadful decision that killed the game.

Gana was immense. Our attack had pace and intent. The defence was solid. Our shape was good. Davies played well. Calvert-Lewin is raw and his decision-making needs to improve but he has potential. Kenny had a good game.

These lads can potentially grow into outstanding players, for us, if they are encouraged and given a chance by the fans. Silva sees this. Or we can say they are all crap, Championship players at best and dump them. Let's spend a shit-ton of cash on foreign replacements, who needs home-grown players?

Sounesss and Carragher gave fair assessments. We lack a finished article top centre-forward up top. And a dominant centre-half. Mina should address the latter. The former is a potential major problem. If we carry on misfiring, we'll need to make a big decision in January and nail down a quality striker, easier said than done though.

It's uncanny how we buy players who miss chunks of a season when they arrive. The sooner Mina and Gomes are available, then we'll see what this squad can do.

No cutting edge cost us today against a very average Arsenal team compared to recent years. Bernard must surely be starting games soon, else what's the point?

Compared to recent years, a decent shift in the first half, but lack of passion and fight and belief in the second half spoilt by piss-poor officials for the their second goal.

It's not all gloom but deffo the next three matches are gonna be important.

Let's hope Mina is able to play this week.

To all the people who are impressed with Davies, I would ask in a few years do you honestly see him bossing a game from midfield on a regular basis? Do you see him being a player who could take the game by the scruff of the neck at Anfield or Old Trafford etc?

Held responsible how?

Did you fail to see Koeman and Walsh get sacked? Did you not see Elstone depart the club? Are you not aware that we have a new manager and new Director of a Football in Brands?

Can we assume, therefore, that Lookman (also on the bench) has no future at EFC – and will be off in January?

Perhaps those ITK could update us?

What disturbs me is it wasn't even marginal. It was clear daylight offside, by a yard and a half. He was looking straight at it and still couldn't get it right.

VAR can't come soon enough, Arsenal will probably object to its introduction!

Moshiri must be wondering how serious things are if we don't start to get sorted this season. We should be starting to make a few waves this season but we aren't even making so much a ripple yet.

I don't think he's going to be having a massive queue any time soon with Champions League clubs beckoning, he's had one good game in 18 months — take a chill pill.

Maybe you need to have another look at him, take into account his age and how he can improve. He's only just turned 20. He plays in one of the hardest positions on the pitch.

And now you are advising others to 'take a chill pill'..?

Delicious unintentional comic irony.

Davies did not look out of place at all and had a decent game, with one or two errant moments. His biggest challenge will be to find consistency.

That’s because I’ve been left untreated by Everton, my symptoms remain.

The second half was obviously disappointing. However, to put it into perspective, it was a world class goal – the first one. A really good goal. And the second was clearly offside. So even without us scoring, it should have been 1-0 away to The Arse.

Going into the game, I thought we would lose. But I was still bitterly disappointed because I felt we created chances in the game. And for large part's of the match, we handled them reasonably well. It felt a whole lot better than it did against West Ham.

If we had gone down 1- 0 to that first goal, it wouldn't have felt so bad. But a very poor decision allowed a second. Their heads went up and ours down. But I am relieved that we didn't capitulate.

The major difference between us and them was our finishing and a poor refereeing decision – not that we played appallingly. Before the game, we were expected to lose, possibly by a big margin. We were expected to lose but potentially score against a team that have been regularly conceding. And we didn't score.

Therein lies the problem. We were passing the ball with confidence and creating chances. We just didn't finish them. On occasion, the final ball into the box could have been better. But, in my view, we should have been 2-0 up at the break.

Added to this, Petr Cech had a really good game. For me, he was their best player. That says a lot when you're talking about this fixture. Am I right in thinking we had around 9 corners in the first half? Away to Arsenal? Their keeper was their best player. It's easy to say they didn't play well.

So there were many positives from this game for me. (It's all relative.) The one negative is our lack of a decent striker. And that's not going to change anytime soon. Yes, Richarlison, Walcott, Sigurdsson, and perhaps Bernard and even Mina and Gomes (when they eventually play), may weigh in with some goals over the season. But we need someone putting these chances away. Possibly the likes of Deeney, Vardy, Zaha or Grey.

Is that likely to happen in the next window. Unlikely I would say.

Let's not forget we have a new regime in place. The summer transfer window was interrupted by the World Cup and transfer fees went through the roof. At the risk of repeating myself, Brands was quite specific. 3 seasons - not one.

Things will turn around. We just need to manage expectations in the meantime. As the RS have found out, over many years, spending a lot doesn't guarantee anything.

So today turned out better than I thought it would. But am I still disappointed? Yes, of course I am. However, I'm not as depressed as I was a week ago.

At the start of the season, I thought a top half finish and a run in a cup would be a good first season with all the changes and disruption. Some have got carried away though, raising their expectations.

No wonder a lot of fans are so frustrated and upset. Setting yourselves up to be disappointed, I'm afraid.

To do that, we have to hope and pray we can get McCarthy and Beningame back in place of Ghana and Davies.

Get our settled back line for me as Coleman, Keane, Mina and Digni.

Richarlison looks our only hope in attack at the moment, Walcott is hit and miss.

Be interesting to see what Bernard and Gomes bring to the team when up to speed.

Today we had a go, poor passing and finishing in parts cost us big time.

He's tall, but does not jump. Against the giant physical defenders of the Premier League he will be far less effective in the air.

He is very, very slow. Maybe the slowest striker I have ever seen.

He has the touch of a rapist. His second touch is nearly always a tackle. Sporting accommodated this by trying to set him up so he hits first time shots. He scores a lot of tap ins and simple finishes.

He's also quite old now, almost 30. He's never been snapped up by a team in a big league, unless you count Wolfsburg, because he is such a limited footballer. Did I say he's utter dogshit?

What are his qualities? Genuine question.

Does he seem to be a player with genuine pace?

Does he seem to be a player with an instinct to run past the striker and put the ball in the net?

Does he seem the type of player who can spread the ball around the pitch with his range of passing?

Does he seem the type of player who can read dangerous situations in front of the back four and consistently cut out danger?

Does he seem the type of player who can thread through balls to break down a stubborn defence?

In say 2 or 3 years time what role do you see him playing in our midfield. I'm 77 years old and have been watching Everton since 1948 so I would like to think I can spot a player but please educate me on what I'm not seeing Davies do at this moment in time.

I can't say I've seen anything of him really but he sounds like a shit brand of Hoover.

Right now, I'd take any guy with a proven Premier League track record of just pinching a few goals and putting his arse in defenders' faces.

I think it's reasonable to conclude, given your numerous scattergun posts since your first post way back at 32 (posted four and a half hours ago) - "Really who's arsed anymore?" - that your original post in this thread was a porkie then?

He may well get into the England squad... loads of average Premier League players do.

I don't blame Silva for the tactics or the shite squad he inherited. We looked good for a lot of the match and with a decent striker should have won.

But this Arsenal team is the worst I've seen for 20 years. It was farcical the way they were playing it around the back and we eventually kept getting the ball and then stoking it wise it fluffing it.

I do blame Silva for playing Calvert-Lewin up front this guy is never going to make it he is either falling over or not quite getting to the ball or miss controlling it. He adds nothing and nothing sticks to him.

Bernard should have started. I do think, as soon as the first goal went in, we were going to lose there was not one bit of me that thought we would come back. I was saying it to the boy when they scored their shitty second goal.

That is something which was apparent last week as well, so there is something weak about us – probably confidence. We desperately need a decent centre-forward. Nothing else counts now in January. All 3 of the current incumbents can go

These players are beyond coaching and won't get any better!

He's a more defensive player. I haven't seen the stats for him this season, but he's usually in the top 3, for ground covered. He doesn't stop running. His stamina is immense. His strength of character and will to win are the qualities that will underpin him.

That Lyon game at Goodison was a case in point for this. Davies was having a shocker and his passing was particularly poor with many going astray. A lesser player would have hid. Not Davies. He demands the ball and he keeps going. He gets the ball because others do hide. And this is why he had the armband. He's a leader.

His passing needs work. But it can be developed. Too often he looks for a more ambitious pass, when he can play a safer ball. But he's not one to play to the numbers. He's got a good touch, and can carry the ball much better than most other players who play so deep.

I don't see many flaws in his game. His passing is below par, but that is mainly down to being over ambitious. If he was trained into being a crab, he could pass all game long without giving it away. He lacks ability to hit a long pass though, and I doubt that will ever be improved.

He seems to lack power and that filters through to his shooting, which is poor. He's never scored many goals, and he will score less as he gets older and becomes more defensively minded. He is able to read the game well, and to intercept, to tackle and unlike Gueye he can carry the ball himself. He lacks a bit of strength, but he's only a boy, he's got a lot more development to do.

He's got the perfect manager for him now. You saw a bit of that on the sideline on TV. Silva and Davies having a long discussion during a stoppage and trying to make adjustments. The lad is academically gifted and this can help in that regard. He should be able to make these adjustments himself in time, but for now, he has a manager who will micromanage him, telling him where he should be with every step on the pitch.

To procure and buy a really top quality striker in January will be very difficult.

Any ideas? (Apart from Das Boot!)

Only time will tell what level of player he will become but, in my opinion, if Tom Davies is still a regular in the Everton team in 3 or 4 years time, then I can't see us being in any different a position as we are now.

2010-2013 app 66 goals 45
2012-2016 app 85 goals 36
2016 to now app 63 goals 63.

He went 45 games on the trot scoring with just one touch of the ball without having to take an additional touch.

I await Strachs stats from you Steve to no doubt match his stats.

At 6ft 5 he probably doesn’t need to jump Steve.

Are you sure we are talking about the same player.

We are going to struggle as a team until we have a striker who can score 20+ goals a season. My ratings:

Pickford 7 – not much he could've done about either goal, good distribution.

Kenny 8 – linked up play well. Solid at the back.

Zouma 6 – he's quick but I think he's not the finished article. A little clumsy.

Keane 8 – looked solid throughout

Digne 7 – mobile and probably has the edge over Baines.

Gueye 6 – lost possession too many times

Davies 6 – average

Wallcot 7 – lots of space to move into and should have scored.

Richarlison 7 – if we were going to score you sensed it was going to come from him. Drifted in and out of the game.

Sigurdsson 6 – quiet

Calvert-Lewin 5 – poor for me, wasted a great early chance.

Subs:

Tosun 6 – one shot on target.

Bernard 4 – did nothing.

A quick check on Google tells me the Emirates opened in July 2006. So that's 12 league games and one FA cup, 13 games in total, we've played at the Emirates and not won once. I never even saw us win at Highbury, except for the FA cup semi-final against Southampton. So I reckon I've been to Arsenal away about 25 times and not won one.

As for the match today. The first half we could and probably should have been out of sight. Calvert-Lewin in the first few minutes either has to chip Cech or square for Richarlison. The ball squared from the right by I think Walcott, looked a tap in for Calvert-Lewin. Richarlison also had a couple of decent shots saved by Cech. His first one, the one Cech palmed away to his left for a corner, could he have carried on into the box before shooting? Easier said than done sitting in the stands I know, but it seems we are being let down by the final ball or final decision all the time.

Oh to bring Lukaku back!!

As for the second goal, was it offside? Impossible to tell from the opposite end, but various texts received tell me it was. Had that been disallowed, we could have had a bit more fight to grab an equaliser but that second goal clearly deflated us.

Davies wasn't at fault and he will get better.

Drop Sigurdsson deeper and play Bernard behind Tosun.

Keane and Zouma not bad either... All-in-all, positive for me but we were all disappointed not to punish a flat Arsenal.

Now that feeling has died down a bit, let's move forward and get some points and momentum going.

As for Bas Dost, you haven't seen him play. Watch Sporting, make your own mind up. Their games can be seen here: Link.

Let me know if you still think he's all that.

That was the youngest Everton side since Wimbledon at home on 27 February 1999.

There have only been 9 times in the whole of the Premier League that Everton have sent out a younger team than today and 8 of those were in the 1998-99 season (Walter Smith's first with teenagers Ball, Dunne, Jeffers, and Cadamarteri) and the other one in the previous season under Howard Kendall Mk III.

3 20-year-olds and a 21-year-old, Walcott the oldest and still 6 months away from being 30 does have the implication that there is room for learning.

So where were you on 20 January 1996? Can you go back there every time we play Arsenal? Superstition is just that, but we will try anything these days.

Previous win, when we last won the league.

They were even worse and, I feel, finally put to bed any thoughts that he'll ever make it at Premier League level.

We should have had that match sown up at half-time. Not taking chances cost us dear again. For all the good crossing we did against West Ham, we couldn't cross it at all today.

And I actually thought Davies played very well today and looked like a future captain. Early days, although I'm totally behind a local lad to be the captain. There is no point being the better team and still losing, however.

Last week we were shit and we lost. This week we were good and we lost. We are not scoring, which is the worry.

Gloom-mongers need to relax. We were annihilated home and away by these last season and this was a massive improvement. Next week has to be a win though. Chin up, lads!

I am sure there are other strikers out there we could go for, I just cannot come up with many options who we could bring in.

Any other posters or yourself, Steve, know what other strikers are out there we could bring in???

Although disappointing to lose, there is no disgrace in feeling hard done by to a 1-0 loss at Arsenal. (The second goal was a mile offside and should not have been allowed.)

Their goal showed everything that we are missing. Someone who can score goals consistently.

If there is one fault you can lay at Everton, it is that we have players that can't score – especially when we are on top.

I was pleasantly surprised by Davies and Gana today. I thought they both showed well. Pity Sigurdsson couldn't complement them.

With the addition of a top goalscorer and midfield dynamo, I think we'll be set to challenge the top 6.

On the other hand, failure to address these 2 key positions will leave us mid-table.

Great, you will say. Let him get on the end of stuff. But Sporting are a possession side and other sides sit deep and they work it slowly up the pitch to him. He gets on the end of crosses. He does no link up at all.

In Europe, teams attack Sporting. They don't sit back. So, he's completely anonymous. He's so slow he can't get on the end of any through passes or balls over the top. It's all crosses or drag backs.

So if he played for Everton, he simply wouldn't get a chance. He wouldn't touch the ball, and we'd be playing with 10 men as he doesn't do anything else.

As for me suggesting an alternative, what do I know. I wanted Kasper Dolberg. I'll put my faith in Brands.

Schneiderlin, Gueye and Sigurdsson won't improve and that midfield simply lacks the quality to perform at the top level. It lacks creativity, passing quality and athleticism.

I really think that Sigurdsson gets a pass from fans while the youngsters get hammered. Perhaps his £45 million price tag blinds us, but I could count on one hand the number of truly excellent performances he has put in for us and still have a few fingers to spare.

Firstly, we're away to a good team, so no team will be open and gung-ho, and for me Tom kept it simple, filled the gaps kept things tight; in general kept things ticking over.

Do people seriously expect 50-yard lung-bursting runs? Have a look to see how the RS setup; the midfield in general just tidy up and give to the front 3 or the full-backs, none of them are silky skills 15-goals-a-season players.

If anything I'm more concerned with Sigurdsson, who offers very little in his favoured position.

But lay off Tom, he's 20 years old and will be a great modern midfielder

If you judge that performance without any pre-conceived ideas about Gylfi, or Davies or whoever your whipping boy is, you would have to see a team that was doing well. Loads of pressure, good shape, attacking intent. We forced Arsenal into mistake after mistake.

Ultimately it came down to quality at both ends. We had the chances and couldn't score. They got a half-chance through a defensive error and finished brilliantly. Arsenal can attract that kind of forward, we can't. It's not even necessarily a money thing, unless we suddenly find obscene (by Premier League standards) coin.

And that's not accepting mediocrity, it's acknowledging reality.

No-one is "raving" or "happy" about that result. If you're about to type that sentiment (and plenty have on here) then maybe consider whether you really need to refute a view that isn't being offered. Football is about results – we get it. But we're all entitled to air and discuss our opinions. If the only opinion you've got is that a win is good and a loss bad then you're not offering much to the discussion.

Joe's a poster I've a ton of respect for. He sees the game, pulls no punches, and calls it like it is.

I, on the other hand, crave open football and give managers like Martinez, and now that Joe's pointed it out, possibly Silva (?), a shit ton of rope and defend them to the hilt. It's the kind of football I crave to be successful, and it's enjoyable, in the main, to watch.

In my microcosmic TW world, when I start disagreeing with Joe Clitherow, bad shit happens to the Club.

I thought we played well. It was definably an "unlucky" type of day. There's areas of improvement needed to be sure, but I feel Silva is trying – trying – to address it all and come up with a winning formula that doesn't equate to shite play.

We need some wins. As far as I'm concerned we need to see some posts in the future from Joe stating he likes what he sees.

Otherwise, I'm jumping in a time machine to 2015 and it is Martinez Mk II all over again.

I'm keeping the faith. More play like we saw today while finishing our chances and we'll be fine.

I think Joe has kick-started my second-guessing!

Final thought - we'll be ruing the day Tom Davies is plying his trade for Man Utd, wishing he were still wearing Blue. Captain? Maybe. Good young player? Absolutely in my opinion. We throw this kid into a skillet and fry him up for breakfast. He's going to be a good player. My God please show a little patience with this kid!

Their opening goal was pure quality, a fabulous strike. The kind of strike that a single one of you could see any of our strikers take. Until that point we were universally viewed by commentators and the like as the better team.

On the other side of the spectrum we had Calvert-Lewin wasting a simple chance in the opening minutes. What a difference that would have made. Minutes later he missed another tap in, but was spared the blushes with the offside flag being raised. After that he was absolutely useless.

But Richarlison was always attacking, Gilfy was able to play some balls in behind, Walcott was getting in behind their defense. Cech was making saves while we were taking it to them for most of the opening 60 minutes.

What happened to the "zonal marking will be our downfall" rants, by the way? Every corner today was easily dealt with. Seems like they are working out that system. People posting on here that our defense is weak and easily cut through clearly we're not watching the game or had preconceived notions.

Nobody wants to lose. I'm sick to death of it. But that performance will only improve the team. With a competent striker we take the lead and could have possibly ran away with that game as their home support turned on them. But we are in the early stages of a complete revamp of the club from top to bottom, including the playing staff.

Seeing how Richarlison is on the ball after being missing for the past three of six games, I could easily see him moving to the center and Bernard coming into the first 11. I'm not judging anything until January, but realistically not until next season.

We went to Arsenal to win the game, and we tried to do that and were the better team most of the game, but lacked that individual quality up top.

M&M can only address at one time what they see as the most important of the elephants in the dressing room.

But it still has to be said – andex-Capt Pip said it – since 2016 we've spent £350M and no decent striker(s).

It must be about priorities, defenders etc then. Maybe in time it'll come good.. but I think we know where the next lot of cash – if there is any – needs spunking.

A proper Midfield Unit, not a collection of Individuals... oh and maybe a decent striker.

Will, like them over the road, it lead to Silva attacking more to rely on the back less? Can we outscore the opposition? As yet, no. So, as much as I see improvement and the credit that comes with it, you cannot ignore some serious issues.

Managers shouldn't get time – they should earn it. Results ensure you get time to implement your vision. Improvement should be measured over smaller chunks to stop the train coming off the rails. Martinez was given so much time, he derailed it almost single-handed.

A strong DoF should ensure the manager knows he has to balance his style with results. 1 win in 6 is not acceptable, it sets a tone, eats at confidence, and puts additional pressure on fixtures supporter see as winnable.

You cannot excuse, or ignore failings because if we cannot win any of the next three, with a visit to Man Utd to follow we could be 1 win in 10 and are like to stay bottom half. At that point, style often becomes a luxury.

For me, Silva needs to apply a defensive solution, quickly to show he can balance style and results. Tricky times ahead for the fella.

It started with great expectations, new Manager, more positive attacking style of football and the promise of a return to former days of glory for this great club. But here we are, 6 games in, and the same pattern of play is already emerging.

Same old story, I am afraid. It all seems so hopeless. We need help and really quickly as well.

Well, Man City won the league with Man Utd second. Chelsea qualified for the Champions League in third and Spurs came 4th. Tough luck for Liverpool missing out on the Champions League this season. But Watford in 6th and Huddersfield 7th, both going into Europe. Alright, that's great.

West Brom in 10th, so we know they're safe for another year in the Premier League. Arsenal 12th, ouch. No European competition for them. Leicester in 17th, flirting with relegation, uh oh. But unfortunately West Ham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace were all relegated as they sat 18-20th. Tough luck, I wonder who Zaha was sold to since he was never gonna spend a year in the Championship. At least Stoke and Swansea know that they're safe.

Talk about sheep, and they wonder why nobody wants to come to Everton. And why is it nearly always players who come through the club, those who were Evertonians before becoming players?

Pickford: 7 – No chance with either goal. Great save in the first half and not much else to do. Better distribution.

Kenny: 7 – Could maybe have given Lacazette less room for the first? Very solid otherwise despite Arsenal targeting him with their expensive forwards.

Keane: 7 – last season, I wrote Keane off as a fundamentally flawed centre-back. He may yet prove me wrong. Seldom beaten, brave and won most of his duels.

Zouma: 6 – superb physical presence but made one or two slips, one of which led to the second goal. Will be interesting to see who gives way for Mina.

Digne: 7 – pretty impressed by him. Fast, gritty, superb touch at times. Maybe out of position occasionally and his crossing was poo,r unlike previously.

Gueye: 8 – from my vantage point, he was our MotM. Made countless tackles and interceptions and passed the ball much better. Even made one or two runs. He's not a playmaker but disrupted their play and pressed relentlessly.

Davies: 7 – A better game from him though still some of his passing, even the simple stuff, was inaccurate at times and slowed us down. Seemed to form a good partnership with Gueye but neither is a great passer which is problematic.

Sigurdsson: 6 – Harsh perhaps. He worked hard and yet didn't have enough effect on the game. Having a player here who can beat a man (Bernard?) might make a big difference.

Walcott: 6 – worked hard and got into some good positions. Missed a decent chance and faded in the second half it seemed.

Richarlison: 8 – Another impressive showing. Made chances for himself and only the finish was missing. Let's hope the team improved enough to help us keep this gem.

Calvert-Lewin: 6 – I wanted him to start and he kept their defense stretched at times but fluffed his lines and fell over too much. He's got some of the raw tools but at this level you've got to be more clinical in a team with top 6 aspirations.

Subs:

Tosun: 6 – did very little of note. Confidence in need of a boost perhaps.

Bernard: 7 – Sharp on the ball and created a decent opening for Siggurdsson. Looking forward to his first start.

Overall, despite the result, it was the best I've seen us play against Arsenal for a while. How often do we go there and create more chances than them?

The striker problem is an issue. I really don't want to play Richarlison out of his favorite left-wing spot (where he's been excellent) but so far Tosun, Calvert-Lewin and Niasse have really not cut the mustard. It will be a serious concern to Silva and it's hard to get top strikers at any time – let alone the January transfer window. At some point, I'd be curious to see Lookman and Walcott on the flanks with Richarlison through the middle. We can't keep missing chances.

Indicative of our fortune that in consecutive weeks we have conceded superb top corner finishes from Yarmolenko and Lacazette. I noticed the former missed an open goal from 5 yards out against Chelsea. There's some better results coming our way. I hope.

The team will come good, the manager is just getting started and some of his signings haven't even played, yet we get all this negativity.

I despair at some comments when there is a total over-reaction. When we hammer Fulham and Southampton we will see what reaction we get then from the doom-and-gloom merchants.

I don't think we will be hammering Fulham or Southampton to be realistic.

Fulham will put everyone behind the ball like Huddersfield did a few weeks ago and we didn't have a scooby doo how to break it down, and Southampton have given us two really tough games at Goodison this year and hardly been outplayed by us.

If we did somehow win both, I doubt it would convince anyone anything other than we already know, we can be ourselves when we face lesser lights but put us against a top 6 side and there's more chance of seeing Lord Lucan than an Everton win.

I’m not slagging the lad off but if he was put up for sale now - no one in the top 6 would be in for him

Davies will be a decent midfielder and he'll have a decent career in the top flight... but, from what I've seen, there's little evidence to indicate he'll be a regular starter in a team that is genuinely challenging for the title.

Most of all, we are trying to play some decent football and we saw a pressing game yesterday that Martinez, Koeman and Allardyce all failed to achieve.

It's obvious we need a much better centre-forward than we have and I think Silva & Moshiri will address this, if not in January, certainly in the summer.

Despite the defeat yesterday, I enjoyed the game (as much as is possible when we lose). I'm looking forward to seeing what Mina and Gomes can add.

Yet, when a new manager comes in, it is important for all new players to start pre-season to be climatised to the club. Most of the new players have either been suspended, injured or not match fit, as Everton approach October. That is no way to run a football club that wants to go places.

But as business driven as football has become its still a sport, 2 teams against one another that brings immeasurable passion, joy, and despair to us fans.

So, Sam, to bring us decent, unspectacular points to be comfortable mid-table or take a risk trying to bring enjoyment and glory. I'm glad Sam has gone, Silva is not top quality but I still feel better for taking that chance. Relegation would probably make me think again, but honestly, if Sam had stayed, I think I would have stayed away.

Anyway, I'm encouraged by the team play, the combinations starting to develop and the chances we are creating. Davies and Sigurdsson both played some excellent through balls (never seen Schnides play 1) but our midfield is still lacking the architect.

Calvert-Lewin has got to shoot more, one touch and fire, I just don't understand what he was thinking but better movement and pressing than Tosun (who's a better finisher) but I'd start Calvert-Lewin again. I think Niasse would have bagged that and that's the problem. We can all see Niasse is a rather uncoordinated striker but, given half a chance, he shoots.

Walcott has blown hot and cold all his career, hat-trick one week, injured or amateurish the next 7. I would 'rest his eye' and drop him.

Watching Bernard he's no flying winger. Quick acceleration but not particularly a fast runner and looks unfit. I like him though, he could be the Number 10 presuming his basic fitness improves.

I think playing 3 at the back, same wing-backs helps keep our width whilst bringing Ric more central to better link play and be in a more dangerous position with licence to find space.

Sigurdsson drops back and keep Calvert-Lewin as main striker. Holgate returning with Keane and Zouma.

In summary, I can see many positives from last season despite the lack of points on the board. Hopefully keep improving and points will soon start to mount. If we can slowly build momentum and go on a good run around Christmas, it may be a Happy New Year to us all!

It does my head in signing players that are injured from the start. Did we get a discount because him and Gomes were injured???

The making of Tom Davies – the Everton teenager with a style all his own

I'm all for supporting Tom. He probably didn't help his cause by scoring against City in the 4-0 win. Raised expectations very quickly, as did Lookman.

Some of you lot really need to get a grip. This "must have things instantly or I'm throwing my entitled toys out of my entitled pram" histrionics is hilarious.

People saying we have spent loads so we should automatically be in the top 4? Nonsense. As if the other top teams haven't spent anything to improve their squads? Liverpool: £70M on a defender, £70M on a keeper. Chelsea £70M on a keeper, etc.

We have a whole new regime at the club now, from top to bottom. This summer we shipped out a large number of the weaker players to slash the wage bill, and we brought in a few new players in the positions that were needed. Yes, it would be lovely to have a star striker, but those saying we should go out and sign all these top names seem to overlook one glaring fact – they won't come to us!!!
Saying we lack ambition by not signing them is nonsense. We could approach them, and they will just laugh, saying they want £300k+ per week and regular Champions League football.

It's not like picking something from an Argos catalogue, and going and buying it. It's a two-way thing, and the other players need to want to join us.

The team is playing better football than last season. We are attacking with more threat, although we do need to tighten up at the back. We have a few players to come in from injury before we can see the real state of the team.

Hopefully sign a couple more in January to plug holes, and give the team 6 months to really bed in the structure and tactics and we will see better results. You guys having a fit because we aren't top after 6 games of a new manager are a joke and an embarrassment to the club.

As someone else said, supporters "support" their team, not rip it apart at every chance. Try cheering them for a change, instead of throwing abuse. Who knows, they may respond with more confidence!

These lads are rated as the cream of the UK's young talent but they are boys trying to make their way in a man's world. Did any of the more savage critics ever play football at senior level when they were only 19-21 years old? It's not easy when your teammates are playing well so how hard must it be at the moment?

I recall Jimmy Gabriel saying how he used to look after the young lads on the pitch and he would sort out any opposing player who tried to bully them – we have no-one to do this in this current squad so the lads are on their own.

Don't try to justify it by referring to how much they earn – it is a tough task for them at the moment and they have every right to expect true support from their own fans.

As James says, they might play better if they feel encouraged!

At the moment, we seem to be making things difficult for ourselves. We don't need the officials making things even more difficult with their incompetent performances and decisions against us.

Had that offside been against any of the so-called "big six", the flag would have been up before the ball hit the back of the net.

We haven't got a striker who can score goals. Until we find a striker, we will lose more often than we win. I fully expect us to finish mid-table this season, though probably well clear of any relegation struggle, as we're unlikely to pick up a goalscorer in January. We need to offload Calvert-Lewin, Tosun and Niasse next summer and pick up at least two strikers with proven goalscoring records at a high level. I hope Brands is working on it right now.

Personally, I'm not too concerned about the defence right now – we've made signings and with Silva's style of pushing both full-backs up into the opposition half, we're going to concede a lot of goals. That's only a problem if we're not scoring a lot more goals.

All of our youngsters have potential to move on to better things given time, but is the white heat of the Premier League the best thing for the individual players? Particularly at a club that is trying to change direction (again!).

Mental strength is required by all players no matter what is happening around the club or ground from supporters, if any player can't cope or is unable to perform in that atmosphere, then I would advise they find an alternative profession.

Whomever turns out for Everton is a performer and is there to provide entertainment and gain positive results for the paying fans, they should not be treated like a family member who should be given special dispensation because they are local lads, nor should they be so heavily berated for isolated bad performances.

It will take probably three years to build a team to compete at the higher end of the league, and who knows – all or some of the current young crop may play a significant part in that progress, but be warned the road is fraught with danger and as usual Evertonians patience will be tested on that journey, no need to fall out with each other as our football life is tough enough as it is.

Don't blame the young players, don't blame the fans, blame the people who own and run the club, they decide policy and hire the staff, the buck stops with them.

Yeah the second was offside, but the game was dead & buried even at 1-0. We have zero goal threat from the centre-forward position, and essentially have no focal point for our attacks. Calvert-Lewin is not a centre-forward, in fact I'm not sure anyone knows what he is, not even him. Tosun the same, he just doesn't offer enough to change games.

My fear was and still is, that we've hired Martinez Mk II. Silva's teams do nothing defensively and rely on goalscoring, which correct me if I'm wrong, relies heavily on having a goalscorer in your team. See above.

What are we now, 10th? I haven't even bothered to look at the table such is my interest in it these days, but I would wager we're already around the position we'll finish in this season.

Nihil autem est satis mediocris.

We've seen improvement from last season in the first 3 games of this season with the exact same players apart from Richarlison. He then got banned and we've continued with the same team bar Zouma and Digne and regressed but injuries and that suspension haven't helped.

We've then improved massively away at a top 6 team so to me there are signs we are getting better with still not much change in the starting XI. I think we need to continue with Davies because the alternative is Schniederlin. Gueye needs to be left to do what he does best – he's not top of the tackling charts for nothing. I'd like to see Bernard given a chance at Number 10. It's going to be a good while until we see Gomes so there's not much else we can do.

Silva alluded to the probability of getting a new striker during his postmatch comments. As you stated this will prove difficult in Jan and likely have to wait until the summer and I'm sure Brands is working to find out who is available/suitable. I also suspect they maybe on the look out for a commanding midfielder (depending how Gomes shapes up) similar to Doucoure type he had at Watford.

Personally I was encouraged by the performance at Arsenal... we took the game to them...but its clear were over reliant on Richarlison and struggle without him..Bernard will make a positive difference when fully match fit and we may well see more of him at the next home game ( as well as the lesser spotted Mina!) There is more to come, yes we lost and compared to our usual performances against the Arse it wasn't too bad.

Just one thing that niggles me a bit is the lack of protest at their 2nd goal...if that was any of the top 4 (and Man Utd)... their teams would have been right on that ref. >Even Silvas post-match comments about that scandalous decision was very muted.

Klopp, Mourinho, et al would have been frothing at the mouth and I know that whatever was said would not have changed that decision but you have to highlight it at least as a game-changing decision (even the MotD pundits didn't really say that much about it except it was offside).

I am heartened by the way we are now creating chances, which we simply weren't doing for much of last season.

Calvert-Lewin is work in progress but his movement up top gave Davies the chance to put him in for that early chance and the forward line closed down the Arsenal defence with a high press.

The team look okay to me and, once we have the rub of the green, some of these chances will be put away.

We have patiently welcomed manager after manager positively and given them time to build a winning team. Each one of them demands at least a 3 transfer windows to rebuild and at the end of each charlatan's reign we have nothing to show for it, rather we have been going backwards each time to be frank. The league position does lie in my opinion.

I would argue Everton fans are the most loyal supporters in every sense of the word given what we have had to put up with. I understand the frustration. True fans venting on ToffeeWeb is the least they deserve!

The same linesman was supremely eagle-eyed in the first half when he flagged Calvert-Lewin.

Not sure what Everton in the Community had to do with on the pitch outcomes but can't let your misinformed comment stand.

EitC is not given any funding. Each programme has to be bid for, competitively, from a wide range of funding providers. These include the Premier League and National government neither renowned for giving money away easily. Performance against promises made is rigorously assessed. No bang, no buck is the rule.

EitC is able to lever extra contributions from a range of performers, guests, etc. because of the EFC link. In addition the club supports activities which raise additional funding.

If you want to get a real feel for what/how it does what it does why not volunteer? If you can't manage that, pop in and talk to those who benefit. They'll put you straight.

Finally, to my knowledge, the city council funding of one staff member for two weekly sessions, reduced to one and then zero, is the limit of its involvement. I say that without criticism.

Gordon @259 - where is that footage?

I wonder did he comment on the challenge on Digne by Torreira? Surely that was a 2nd yellow...

If one did look at Tom as an individual, I appreciate Steve and others thinks he has big potential but, right at this moment, we also have to deal with the here and now. His physical pluses are that he has a lot of energy but minuses are that he is fairly slow and seems to lack strength. The latter might come with age, but the former won't. Technically his passing leaves a lot to be desired. Again that might be worked on.

Personally I think he lacks the touch and finesse of Barkely on a good day, and probably his raw talent, but against that, he fights and never gives up. I think his attributes certainly make him more a defensive than offensive midfielder.

I'd agree it is way too early to throw a 20-year-old in the bin but at the same time, it's only fair to ask whether he delivers the quality we need right now, in the context of other available players and combinations. Personally, I think not, for the time being. He is a good back-up as it stands. Hopefully, he will turn into something better.

In regards to Dost being slow, one thing you cannot dismiss is he gets on the end of a cross or pass, his goal ratio speaks for that.

I have lost count the number of crosses from Digne and Kenny that has gone into the box with no forward anticipating it, the amount of corners we have put into the box with hardly any competition to their defenders or goalkeeper.

You're right Bost is not blessed with pace, but he can sniff a chance a mile out and get himself into that position to put it into the back of the net. None of this extra touch, dribble, just pulls back the trigger and shoots.

I am far from saying this is who we should sign, simply with lack of options in January, it was a player I thought was worth a shout.

I have not heard of other options and would gladly share other posters opinions on other possibilities to fill the strikers roll.

There must be strikers out there that other posters have a view about, after all this is an opinion based forum, let's hear other options available, because the fact is we need a striker to two come in January, any ideas, posters? Who?

Twatter

You can clearly see the fist pump. 😡

Absolutely no doubt the Arsenal player would have got a yellow only for the fact he already had a yellow card.

Refs should issue a second card to a player regardless if already being on a yellow card or not if they deem it a yellow-card offence.

The real linesman was bound and gagged in the stadium somewhere, that was an Arsenal supporter in his kit.

I also moved a couple of posts to a new thread that talks about Silva's 'unMourinholike" propensities, specifcally with regard to the two fundamentals of the game: scoring goals and preventing goals.

Calvert-Lewin, Niasse and Tosun have all had their bash now and none are good enough — that's plain fact, so it's time to at least give Richarlison a shot at it.

If barn door Barlow-Lewin would have squared the ball yesterday or just shot then potentially at 0-1 to us it could be a different game especially given how disjointed Arsenal were for 45 minutes.

The big thing I've noticed with Calvert-Lewin is he never has any real conviction in his shooting or finishing, everything is hit like he's wearing slippers.

Anyway it's pointless (like the result) to talk about it any longer as it's just another fruitless trip to Arsenal and another away game without a victory, I really applaud our travelling fans these days because they rarely see an Everton win.

3 away victories in the last 31 away games we have had, how bad is that?

What's maybe even worse though is that the manager in charge of those 3 wins was none other than one Big Sam Allardyce, dear me!

If you click on 'Feedback' button at the top of the TW homepage and then follow the instructions provided MK and LL will post your article after a little while.

VAR has to arrive soon in the Premier League, the big clubs and the FA are complicit in making a mess of it when they trialled it last year; however, the only alternative is to leave major decisions in the hands of incompetent officials or worse still officials who may be competent but are biased either consciously or sub-consciously.

The last VAR discussion we had was early this month. I'm sure everyone agrees that VAR can't come quick enough after that fiasco but, if you feel the need to write an article, have at it!

How many away matches has our current boss been in charge of? Ask those who attend away matches, results apart, have they enjoyed watching the Blues this season away from Goodison, I'd be shocked if less than 90% of those faithful fans answered in the affirmative.

Try and forget the previous four years Jim and concentrate on this one, nobody can erase those games from the past; the current regime can only impact on what happens next. Give all of the current staff and players the chance to improve things if they don't then they will also become part of our history and we move on. Wallowing in negative results and performances from before the current managers time, serves little purpose, apart from giving us all a headache and feelings of nausea.

BTW, I'm not having a go at you personally as we all recognise that we have been short-changed when it comes to Everton in the last couple of decades and more, but without hope that things may improve in the future. We are all wasting our time following any sports team — never mind Everton FC.

We may have been getting forward more this season but that should be a given after slipping free of a Sam-sized straitjacket. For all the talk of improvements in our attacking play, frankly, it boils down to a couple of blokes with a bit of pace up top chasing balls knocked forward and the full-backs haring up the pitch before blowing chunks struggling to get back into position.

There's fuck all invention, creativity or a cute coaching master plan enabling us to now cut through stubborn defences that once stood firm and only leaked a bit of slash down their thigh when they laughed at the struggles of a leaden-footed striker trying to skip past them.

Walcott, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin will cause problems and force errors at times because they can't half shift when they want to, regardless of whether they subsequently capitalise on the chances their harrying coughs up. Sending them out to play on the counter-attack is the only approach that makes any sense to me given the make up of the squad Silva has at his disposal.

It's a tactic he has utilised elsewhere with some success so why he went into yesterdays game like Paulie from Rocky saying "I don't sweat you" to a superior opponent after being sparked out a week earlier by someone half his size is something of a mystery.

"We had some decent chances in the first half but we didn't take them so it once again the pressure was on the defence to keep a clean sheet which just isn't on"

Why isn't it on? They should be going into every game with the pressure of keeping a clean sheet paramount in their mind, regardless of whether or not impromptu clown school tryouts will be taking place in the opposition penalty box.

It's not like this defence is regularly being relied upon to save slapdash teammates in more advanced positions from the shame of having a face redder than Satan's ringer. They are shipping two goals a game regardless of the opposition, making rudimentary errors, look indecisive, disorganised and continually walk a fine line by pushing too far up the pitch when every single one of them lacks the pace to not have to worry about the receding chance of getting back and pulling off a last ditch recovery. They are as responsible for the team failing to pick up sufficient points as any forward squandering a goal scoring chance.

We have a manager without a clean sheet in his last 17 games in charge of two Premier League teams, talking about how he likes clean sheets even more than Cliff Richard likes clean sheets and, prior to the game, calling for his charges to start collecting clean sheets, yet what exactly did he change about his approach to bring a clean sheet any closer to reality? He swapped out Holgate for Keane and then lit up a stogie like Hannibal Smith?

As it stands at the moment all any opposition gaffer has to do is give the same motivational talk Leon gave Larry David and goals are likely to follow:

Link

Allardyce, for all his faults, was correct that the first thing a new coach should look to correct is a chronic leaky back line, otherwise you're wasting your time expending effort anywhere else on the pitch. The problem was that his short cut to becoming stingier was simply to bin off any and all adventure, allied to a history of never looking to move beyond a back to basics approach that should be no more than an initial building block.

To already be pinning our hopes of a half decent season on picking up a proper striker when the next transfer window comes around, and crossing our fingers that the defensive naivete on display thus far will naturally fade away once we're able to field new boy Mina, is providing the manager with an undeserved Get Out of Jail Free card.

I'm all for giving any Everton manager time to get his ideas across, allowing new players to bed in and not predicting Armageddon simply because of a few adverse results that occur in the interim, but conversely I cannot understand the urge to start blowing smoke up the guys arse straightaway, before even being given the faintest sniff of any tangible results following on from his training methods and in-game management.

The first thing Silva needs to show, to be the beneficiary of faith not of the fucking blind kind, is that he is capable of actually picking up three points from games in the Premier League, rather than being prematurely slapped on the back for simply making us less horrendous to watch and having a bit more of a go than a guy who kept his gun firmly holstered, especially when the trade-off is becoming an easy touch for any team looking to nudge their goals for column nearer toward being seen in a better light.

Personally we need to bring this in, certainly for offside or dubious goals or penalties.

Apologies for bringing Rugby League up but they use it solely for a try or interference, offside etc where the game has stopped anyway; it does not cover a bad tackle.

So, if used right, VAR has to come into the Premier League to review a goal if needed or a penalty review.

Just not sure why people are against having a goal or penalty reviewed?

I'm sure if the Fulham manager watches the link he'll be including it in his pre match talk. Silva really does have to show us he can win points and matches, he must earn his cornflakes.

Any post that includes a Curb your Enthusiasm link is worth a read and I agree with most of your sentiments. Silva does, however, need time if we want to develop a team, style and culture that is more than playing sterile football, and actually win something.

It was a young team yesterday and for an hour they did well. Their heads went after the second goal but it was still light years better than the maulings we got from Arsenal last season under the management of those defensive maestros, Allardyce and Koeman.

I haven't missed a match home and away in the last 5 seasons and have been going to Goodison Park every season since 1948 so I think I have supported the team.

I don't know anyone who was expecting us to win the Premier League this season or finish in the top 4.

However, I would expect – new manager or not – for us to be picking up more than 4 points out of Southampton, Huddersfield and West Ham at home.

I'm not asking for Silva to be sacked or anything like that; unless it goes terribly wrong, he needs to be given a couple of seasons. However, I'm also not going to blindly support him just because he is a new manager.

His return after 6 games is poor. Hopefully, it will improve over the course of the season but, at this moment in time, one win in 6 matches against the opposition we have faced is poor – new manager / players or not.

But I left the game nowhere near as depressed as after our more recent thrashings there, I think many others felt the same. Some seriously unrealistic expectations being shown, the team needs to be supported and allowed to gel. The mess of the past four years was never going to be cleared up in one summer.

I do think things will get better. Keane slotted back in and looked alright. If Mina can bring that big personality onto the pitch and dominate the back line then I think we'll see a different defence. The team lacks big personalities. Barca has too many. He'll love it here if we can improve and he can be the big personality. Also, the likes of Richarlison will become a bigger personality if he maintains standards or hopefully improves them.

Exercise some patience, preferably invest some hope and belief, and Silva will reward you with the best Everton we've seen at least since Martinez's first season, but with the ability to maintain those levels and surpass that points total.

I agree the number of points is disappointing and our performance against West Ham was terrible but it's going to take time to coach the players, get rid of the deadwood and get the new players into the team.

Right now, we are palpably on the cusp of a new and exciting era in our history. And, God willing, we will all live to witness it. But now, right now, patience is needed more than ever.

Lest we forget, in 1983, fans were signing petitions to have Howard Kendall sacked. And, arguably the most successful manager of them all, Sir Alex Ferguson, was allegedly a game away from the sack too. It was because they were both given time that they became the most successful mana gers in their respective club's history.

Of course time doesn't equal success. But it does give the manager and the club an opportunity. Steve Bruce later said (in so many words), that it was the patience of the club that facilitated the success.

Marco Silva needs time. And not just 6 games, nor for that matter a season, before fans start airing their natural frustrations. Borne out of the long wait and expectations that weigh heavy on such a big club in world football.

Clubs need patience and a long-term plan. Sound decisions are seldom made under intense pressure and for quick results.

And incidentally, during those halcyon days of the '80s, we employed zonal marking. And they were amazing days as I remember them.

COYBs

Re. Bob Latchford's pace, he won the 100-m in the BBC's Superstars teams in the 70s...

Everton v Ipswich!!!!

Likewise, people demanded a response from the dire West Ham match... but if someone dares point out the actual positives or signs of encouragement against Arsenal, they immediately get accused of "celebrating mediocrity".

Lot of Kafka logic on here.

Their first goal was a replica of the 2nd West Ham goal last week. The defender shunts the striker across the goal, then stops allowing the striker to curl it in. Last week it was a left-footed curler. Defenders should keep chasing the man until he's out of range, or tries to come inside.

He has the speed and control to play more effectively in a central role. He often offers so much, but he is inconsistent. I don't think he could be any more ineffective than either Tosun or Calvert-Lewin.

Who would you play wide right - I would play Bernard at No 10 instead of Siggy (who has ability but has kept his place for so long due to his pricetag rather than his performances) - maybe try Lookman?

At least we gave it a go and still have new players to come in who will improve us overall, in fact a new look side could take shape and look very capable, for me, I'd still go 4-4-2 to begin with...

Pickford
Coleman (Cpt) Mina Zouma Digne
Lookman Bernard Gomes Richarlison
Walcott Tosun

Subs: Stekelenburg, Keane, Baines, Gana, Sigurdsson, Dowell, Calvert-Lewin

Looks good to me folks!