All that I asked for

Thought Zouma was excellent and earned a 7 while Richarlison did nothing for me and wouldnt get more than a 5.

The shape of the team in open play was much better. We looked less of a soft touch, harder to get past in midfield, which is something we must repeat in the games to come. The foul by Gueye, coming as it did just before half-time and just outside our area was stupid. The way we conceded from the resulting free kick was abject.

Well done to those supporters who stayed behind for a minute to applaud the team off the field. Overall, this was the nearest we have come to a 90-minute performance at Goodison Park in several months.

Fix the dead-ball goal leak and all is well? If this is a watershed moment (unlikely, Ferguson once said improvement doesn't happen in straight lines), then fair enough – let them build confidence once more without being booed. The Watford game will be interesting.

Optimisim!

I know City are unpopular with many because of their wealth, but I enjoy watching them. Some have commented that they didn't get out of 2nd gear last night; I disagree, I thought they had to dig deep to achieve their victory, it was a real title-winning performance. They defended well when they had to, and Fernandinho was excellent, breaking up play and fouling when necessary (he was fortunate the ref was lenient).

As you say, our young lads Davies, Kenny and Calvert-Lewin showed what they are capable of and City will have known they were in a game. If we can show the same effort in our next home game, we can get something from it. It would be nice if we could help ourselves a bit by not conceding silly free kicks, and our defenders heading the ball.

It's going to take a lot more of these kind of performances, coupled with actually winning a few matches before I can ever say its a must that Silva stays and is given the chance to continue the rebuild. But we saw something again last night.

He dropped Sigurdsson and Richarlison, and Coleman etc. We saw aggression! We saw a couple of local lads giving it some and I, for one, LOVED that – it was one of the standout things for me – feels so, so good and meaningful to see Kenny and Davies out there and playing so well...

Was he? Left his man for the first goal. Again.

Unhappy to lose. More than happy at the performance.

Not a criticism of last night, I didn't expect us to be flying forward, but this will change if we keep the same effort in every game, which should be the only thing we should be certain about... If only.

My MotM last night was Idrissa Guaye and that's very relieving as I was very concerned he'd sulk! We look much better with him in the side.

My main concern is Pickford and I think a lot of the defensive nerves could be eliminated with the addition of a commanding keeper!

Silva can have all the time Moshiri is prepared to give him. It'll just delay the inevitable.

Our next four home games are Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, then Man Utd. I can see us losing all of them. Our front 3 never threatened the goal at all. They wouldn't have scored if they had played till Xmas. They are just not good enough.

I know there is a saying "Keep the opposition fans quiet" but not surely the away fans?

"I'm going to Watford and I'll be very happy if Sílva starts with the same 11 as last night, with the possible exception of Richarlison in for Walcott."

And me.

There is absolutely nothing manly about the way he plays for Everton, he offered little last night, the same as the last few weeks, plays like a big soft girl and the referees are starting to treat him like one, just ignoring his trips to the floor for the ridiculous gestures they are: grow up, lad – you are making a fool of yourself.

Although Richarlison has been annoying us all, and Sigurdsson remains an enigma, the two of them have scored goals and none of the other buggers look remorely like doing so.

Walcott was excellent years ago when with a good Arsenal side but can only have an impact when chasing long balls one on one. He really cannot get past anyone when they are in front of him. Surely he will be let go at the season's end along with some others.

I question why some other players on the books have not made the advances expected when starting regulars are performing so abysmally. Vlasic and Baningime come to mind.

Can it really be that the whole squad is sub-standard or just the recent managers?

All I can say is thankfully they got some results before December – otherwise, they could be fighting a relegation battle.

Last night, for example our centre-halves and keeper repeatedly launched floated diagonals at ‘Walcott the Salmon', he failed to win any aerial duel; unsurprisingly, until early in the second half, in doing so he got destroyed by Laporte.

It's brain dead footy, the fella if he has any worthwhile playing time at Goodison left needs it in behind/over the top. He is asked to get the bye line and cross it? That's not him. Between centre-back & left-back coming right to left.

Is it Walcott or is he being tasked with something he cannot do?

He symbolizes the manager's need to play an expansive game with players ill suited to that style of play.

The effort was there last night to stop
a hammering and save some face, but it's another defeat only a week after Newcastle beat them.

City missed a bucket load of chances, Sane should have scored in the opening seconds, Agüero skewed his bicycle kick with the goal gaping. They hit the bar in the first half. We in turn flickered for seconds before turning back and Ederson fielded a back pass from Gana.

Maybe this will be Silva's bent for the remainder of the season. If he continues in the same expansive vein as before we'll ship a horrible amount of goals. Now under pressure to stop it all ending prematurely he may now shut it down & limp to the end of a really poor season.

Most of our points are likely to come on the road, a place we've in-fact played better this season but harvested a pitiful return.

I will be hugely surprised if we win more than three games with the games we have left.

As usual we have a ‘massive summer' to come. Pfft!

Half a shot on target is really a shocker (it was more a pass back), despite Davies and Kenny having excellent games. If this had happened under our last manager, this site would have exploded. Silva needs to go, this is relegation form.

The goals shipped in from dead ball situations are alarming.

Man City, of course have first-class cover for all their positions and even David Silva at 33 thinks and moves quicker than most in the Premier League.

I believe that any starting eleven Silva put out yesterday would have still left us with nothing. I agree Everton will be hard pressed to win another 3 games this season so let's get it over with.

You must have seen a different game than me.

I thought Zouma was outstanding and covered Keane's arse a few times and Gueye made a massive difference in midfield.

I have criticised our midfield setup all season but I thought Gomes, Davis and Gueye looked a good combination.

Agree with you about Bernard but at least he ran his heart out.

I thought Gueye got forward and passed forward quite a bit last night... in fact, he was the only Everton player to draw a save out of their keeper.

We also need a defensive coach who can show these CB fairies how to attack a ball in the air — what's Stubs up to? He'd laugh off a fractured skull and spit his teeth out in his opponents face before he'd be taken off.

Then we need a striker's coach, a poacher's coach if you will, What Bluenose was the best striker / poacher we've all witness grace the Goodison turf these last 50 years, anyone? I'll give you a clue, he was at the game last night and his name rhymes with blobby howler.

Howard looked better because of the defenders in front of him and because he was a brilliant shot stopper. I definitely don’t remember a commanding Howard.

Exhibit B
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym4amjqxvtY

My point being the guy was a loon and he wasn't scared to throw his face into anything, hence why he's so pretty.

It is very rare these days for fans to acknowledge the performance of opponents. Back in the 1960s it was commonplace when a visiting team had played well. I recall United fans applauding our team towards the end of a game at Old Trafford in August 1969. We won 2-0 and played United off the park.

I noted during last night’s game there was no booing of John Stones, a player who was not universally appreciated during his time with us but one who delivered over £40m profit on transfer fees. Who can blame these players for taking the opportunity to play for a top team competing for domestic and European titles? I still live in hope that one day in the not too distant future, top young players might see our club as offering similar opportunities.

I agree on Davies as MotM closely followed by Kenny who must surely now get a run of games. I, too, would play the same side at Watford but with Richarlison replacing Walcott. Richarlison has suffered with being played down the centre. Play him where he's most effective.

A word in defence of Pickford. Apparently, he's under instructions to stay on his line and leave the high balls to the centre-backs.

Like Paul I'm sceptical we'll see the same effort on Saturday but we live in hope. We really need something from that game.

Sigurdsson is not mobile enough and can become isolated and peripheral in games. I have often thought that he would be better played deeper in midfield, coming forward.

Gomes is seen by the opposition as the player in midfield to harry and mark. Again, he isn't mobile enough and is trying to play a defensive midfielder / playmaker role, ineffectively.

Gueye is told to stay deep. He did play better, because he didn't have to cover the right flank with Kenny on it.

The improvement in midfield is down to Davies and the fact that he is playing with Gueye in the side. Even with this, the midfield is too static. They should be operating as a midfield trio unit with interchanging play, getting turnovers, positioning to receive the pass, and attacking. Interestingly, Bernard has a high successful tackle rate per game.

In my opinion, Silva instructions in midfield are for Gueye to stay deep, protect the backline and get turnovers, pass to the carrying midfielders; for Gomes to stay deep, carry the ball, bring the wingers into play and support; for Sigurdsson to stay forward and position for on-target shots. Davies is given a free role supporting the midfield and attack.

Tosun works hard, but needs the ball played to his feet. With Richarlison and Walcott on the pitch together, this game is not going to happen. He is a different prospect when playing with Bernard and Lookman.

Again, Walcott had the lowest number of ball touches than any other Everton outfield player. He has earned this accolade in every game he played in, since way before Xmas,

In my opinion, there are the players in the squad to have a good team, but the coaching and organisation is deficient, preventing this being achieved.

Silva, if he gets the required points for safety, will definitely be Everton's Manager next season. Hopefully he will improve. I will be giving the Summer transfer window a miss. I refuse to increase my frustration. It will be a tug of war with Moshiri's wallet and regulations. Last-minute. com as usual, with loans out and not want back transfer shenanigans.

This question is, are Everton out of the basket case stage of the development plan?