Low-key affair in The Algarve ends in loss on penalties

Step up in class to the teams we have already played so will be interesting to see how we perform.

Be nice to lift some silverware, but for me it's important to get these games under our belt and get used to Silva's tactics before the season starts.

Not sure how they will line up, obviously a few absentees, I find the Walcott one the hardest to comprehend. How do you get injured without having played a game?

He hasn't appeared in any games to date; the others, I can only assume they are on the verge of transfer. Good to have Gana and Siggy back.

Did you get sorted?

For me it automatically sent the passcode to my email when I tried to log in.

No one is having a 'mare. Passing is crisp and accurate in the main. Players are holding their positions well and offering themselves for the ball.

Klaassen was onside for his disallowed goal. How Sandro needed his shot to go in.

Lacking that 'fairy dust' player who can see and make critical passes at key moments.

Wholesale changes at half-time, I'm guessing.

Robinson and Kenny played well and Besic was our best midfielder. Klaassen, Sandro and Vlasic pretty ineffective. Klaassen had the ball in the net but ruled offside. Sandro hit the post when he should have scored. Niasse was lively and had a good attempt saved.

Assuming the World Cup players are all available, I will be surprised if any of the eleven in the first half tonight will start at Wolves. They look like reserve team players at best.

Best player on the pitch for us by far, wanted the ball off the defenders, always looked for the forward pass and strong in the tackle, his coming on, along with Chelsea taking their foot off the gas kept the scoreline respectable that day, and all this even though his dad had just been shot!

I believe Besic could be the answer to one of our central midfield problems, especially with the help of Silva's coaching. Come on, Besic!

Possibly the worst way I could have spent my evening — at least the Irdning game had 22 goals...

Sure enough, he comes up to take the first penalty, and doesn't even hit the target.

Williams is still like a cart-horse – why did he play him?

Solid shape - even with Williams
Lille didn't get many chances
We look for forward passes often
Pressing and tackling
Higher tempo
Re-emergence of Mo Besic and Kevin Mirallas
Youth given a chance
No money spent means we can address the actual flaws

How Silva will decide who's going, perhaps will be after the Rennes, or Valencia game, but he's got his work cut out to make a solid team.

A mad few weeks ahead, let's see who arrives as well. Not good viewing for Saturday night... Solace in sinking the rest of my cans.

Is Besic the answer? No, but in the short term, he is our better option.

Holgate didn't play long enough

Perhaps tomorrow we shall see the true Everton.

Stekelenburg — 5 Backup nothing else.
Kenny — 7 Didn't do much wrong. Got up the line well.
Robinson — 5 Poor touch. Played back, lacks belief.
Williams — 6 Average
Pennington — 7 looked promising. Good prospect.
Besic — 8 standout but tired last 10 mins. Worth keeping
Connolly — 7 solid. Nothing spectacular.
Vlasic — 5 needs a loan. Don't see a player in him.
Klaassen — 6 bright touches but needs to get more involved
Sandro — 6 tried hard should have scored
Niasse — 7 Causes problems. Should have scored tonight. Least said about the penalty the better.

All-in-all, the only players worth persevering with are Besic, Pennington, Kenny and Niasse. Klaassen and Sandro, I just don't see them fitting in, Vlasic and Robinson also need loan moves to see if there is a player there or not.

Good exercise if nothing else to see who is up to wearing our shirt and who isn't.

Lots of opportunities to impress the new Manager, but only Besic really took advantage. Personally, I would not keep Niasse, but Silva seems to like him. On tonight's showing, we need a big clear-out.

Sandro, was very unlucky not to score when he the post. I'd like to him playing centrally tomorrow night.

I really want Klaassen and Sandro to be vying for places next season and both of them were unlucky tonight. It's not looking very promising but I think they should be looked at in the remaining pre season games. Especially over someone like Mirallas who has no future at the club.

Richarlison will be a risk, a costly risk. There is something broken with the coaching techniques at Everton, we just don't seem to have a team anymore, just individuals. Richarlison won't improve this failing.

What has really changed since last pre-season, football-wise?

It's all very well pressing high if you have the right fit players; we don't.

Klaassen: 1
Sandro: 2
Niasse: 5
Everyone else: a generous 6
Besic: 8

Sorry, Johann, you got this one wrong.

The fact Koeman said that he might find it hard to come to terms with the physical side of the English game, just before the start of last season, shows how poor our recruitment was last summer, and I just hope we can shift him out, which won't be easy considering how much money he's meant to be earning.

Wasn't a good game, which looked like it was played on a poor pitch, but at least our fitness looks like it's going to be a lot better this season. We lacked quality, but not competitiveness, which usually takes a bit longer at the start of pre-season, but maybe that shouldn't be a surprise, because it all looks a lot more serious, judging by the look on most of our players tonight.

I cannot fathom out how he ever became a 㿅 million player this time last season, the same close season Mo Salah was bought for 㿒 million. It beggars belief... Koeman should never manage a club side again.

Without sounding all negative, we were the better side I feel over the 90 mins, especially the first half. Looking forward to what should be closer to the first 11 tomorrow.

Thing is he sees and plays a different game to others. He is a high tempo: pass, move, react. When people say banal things like the game passes him by, what is actually happening is he sees things that his team mates cannot see or think as quickly as him.

He is a fish out of water and maybe had to go. Maybe Silva is a top coach and can give him the platform to excel, but I don't think so. He unfortunately will have to move on.

I think you're right about Klaassen. I think all of us put him under the microscope because of the fee involved and his reputation before signing for Everton. He also wants to succeed, which in turn makes many of us give him the benefit of the doubt in the hope he can turn a corner.

It's a shame we can't do a deal with Ajax for their centre-back, Ligt. You'd think wages might be a stumbling block in Klaassen returning there but they've just paid a crazy 㾾M for Daley Blind, so you never know.

Steven (#44),

Yes, I agree, the footballing brain is there in Klaassen but he needs to play in a side that can accommodate those clever passes. Man City are the only side I could see him looking decent in the premier league. His problem is that he's not strong, fast and doesn't really dribble and beat a man, so his strengths are going to go unnoticed.

First of all, Besic has never really 'emerged', he has been here for 4 years ffs! Granted, injuries blah blah have curtailed his involvement but Mirallas? Plays one or two decent games against shite opposition under a new manager and you describe it as a 're-emergence'?

As for 'addressing the actual flaws'. Should it not be expected that your superhero, Silva, would have already done that? Given that you and your growing army of sycophants have constantly espoused that he knew he was getting the job since he was sacked by Watford?

Even if that was untrue, wouldn't an out of work 'super-coach' be expected to do his homework on any squad he may potentially take over, in order to gain an advantage on his future opponents?

My 11-year-old Grandson could have told him that Besic was average and Mirallas was a shithouse, if only Siva had asked him, during his long period of unemployment.

So, thus far, we have spent no money but we are rumoured to be splashing out circa 㿔M on Richarlison. After stating, on the live forum, that we are short of a goal scorer, you 'hoped' Richarlison would fill that gap. Well, a record of 5 in 38 would suggest, maybe not.

In short Steve, I really do not get where you are coming from, fella.

Nothing's working for him, and you could see it was never going to be easy for him to adapt to English football after just a few games in an Everton shirt.

He's got a great footballing brain, imo, but lacks in every other department; so, unless Guardiola comes in for him, I also hope the kid can go back to Amsterdam!

I agree with those stressing how good Besic was. On this showing, he should be kept. Overall, it was a poor game, but what does anyone expect at this stage?

Anyone?

Plus we could offload Schneiderlin... maybe get 㿀 mil, good business. Happy days.

I won't be so easily convinced — he's been rubbish for too long.

If he calms down a little, seems like a good squad player to have. Provided nobody in the Championship wants to give Everton a profit on him, of course.

Besic getting lots of positives, I've seen enough of him in the Prem-likely to give the ball away in dangerous areas or receive his marching orders, a limited footballer imo.

I would have a look at Walcott upfront when he recovers, supplying the strikers is an area that needs improving.

Last season, he got 5 yellows in 26 appearances – about right for a tackling midfielder.

https://www.premierleague.com/players/10451/Muhamed-Besic/stats

Robinson I have hope for; I've not seen much of him but, to bring him on, he needs to play and a loan is probably the best option for his development.

Sandro has got ability and works fairly hard but he needs more games to develop and he may not be suited to the Premier League.

Pennington reminds me of Shane Duffy, good defender with a good career ahead but not in the top 10 of the Premier League.

Connolly has potential but I'm not sure if he's a defender or a midfielder. Like Pennington, I wish him well but can't see him breaking through.

I know it's pre-season and the result is not that important but, considering the majority of those playing were presumably doing so to impress the manager, as being part of the future. There was little or no evidence of that throughout.

I was also unimpressed again with a lot of poor passing, and the propensity to pass back to the goalkeeper, sometimes from the halfway line.

No wonder Silva looked pissed-off when the camera was on him a couple of times during the match.

My son is involved in the community trust at Accrington Stanley, and I watch them reasonably often. John Coleman has them playing the right way, with pace and some one-touch football. I'm thinking Silva wants this approach, but sadly not many in the current squad are capable.

Thanks for calling me level-headed, Ed, I can't wait to show everyone that, mate!

I'm not sure it's the attitude of the players that's at fault? I simply believe there is a real lack of ability in most of that team last night.

Sadly, along with a few others, Klaassen has turned out to be an awful mistake, and the true damage done by Koeman and Walsh in the transfer market last season will haunt us for years to come.

On a wider note, Moshiri is being unfairly criticised in some quarters for not personally sanctioning another massive spending spree, when other senior figures at the club watched Koeman and Co waste hundreds of millions on clearly substandard players.

Unfortunately, Silva and Brands are now having to clear up the mess.

Moving on the 'journeymen' on substantial salaries will prove difficult.

What is Silva supposed to do? He knows as well as everybody he is working with deadwood but he has little choice but to give everybody an opportunity or just put them out on gardening leave until somebody calls to collect them.

He needs such as Besic and Mirallas to show some form even if it only brings in a potential buyer. Who knows, it may even give him food for thought. However, for Silva to come in for criticism after the abuse of the club by previous managers is a bit of a stretch even if some think their mother-in-law; grandfather; next door neighbour's cat could have given Silva advice before he landed here.

The guys been with us 4 years and has failed to make it under at least 3 managers. Can't say I see it. Unless Silva is the chosen one and can turn shit to gold.

Was hoping we could do a deal with Boro and swap him for Gibson to at least give us some depth at CB, especially a left footed one.

I am sure after today's game the hard conversations as Brands called it will take place. The most important hurdle that Silva has to overcome is the lack of goals in this squad. He has said he wants to play a 4-3-3 system and whichever front 6 he picks they don't have a good goals per game ratio. Yes he will want to play a more offensive game than either Koeman or Allardyce played, just not sure these players are capable of scoring enough goals.

Just thinking the legacy our last 2 managers have left us, Koeman has saddled us with Klassen who is way out of his depth in this league. Allardyce his actions towards Lookman preferring an unfit Bolasie and DCL instead forced the kid out of Goodison, no wonder he wants to go back to Leipzig. He proved he can play in a Champions league team and unlike a lot of our other forwards seems to have an eye for a goal.

I think, as some have already pointed out, Silvamore or less put out a second-tier side to gauge some of the fringe players or understudies. I have to say very few on show last night did themselves any favours in showing the gaffer they deserve consideration for a starting 11 in the Premier League.

Besic was the stand-out by absolute miles. I don't really see the reason for the negativity towards him by some. Of course, injury has played a role... but, when he's fit, he would be on the team sheet every week for me. Him and Coleman are the only two I ever see really giving their all for the jersey, or who would be worthy of the monicker 'dog of war'.

Aye, Mo is liable to pick up a yellow card but that's the kind of teeth we've lacked for too long. Gareth Barry was always getting booked but, like Mo, he broke up the opposition play. If it's a choice between a player making a crunching tackle and getting booked over a possible goal scoring opportunity, I'll take the prior all day long.

Mo is tehnically a top player, reads the game well, and has a range of passing nobody else in our deeper midfield role does. I'd have him over Morgan and Tom every day of the week.

As for this 'He ain't good enough for our club' or 'He isn't good enough for a top six club'... when it comes to players (linked transfers included... granted there are some who definitely need a loan spell or shipped out as they're just past it) — reality check, we're not a top 6 club. Far from it at present.

All this carry on about 'We're a big club' — the fact of the matter is, at present, we're not. Some people need to realise this and come off their high horses. We're a very prestigious club with a rich history, no question at all about that, but in the present day, that means very, very little. For players today, a so called 'big' club is one challenging at the top of domestic and european competion, history means jack.

If history gave us the clout to pull in the top players or the players that are 'good enough for our club', that rationale would suggest the top players should be looking at Aston Villa, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest too... not very likely, is it?

I'm proud of our history but it needs to stop being bandied about like a carrot of entitlement that we deserve the top players. Until we take that next step up and start competing at a higher level of competition, can we dial back the entitlement a bit? :)

Sorry, rant over... but that obviously grinds my gears, haha!

It'll be interesting to see who is fielded tonight against Porto. As some have rightly pointed out Silva has a bit of a cull to go through as last night's team most definitely wasnt a Premeir League lineup: Mo, Kevin and Oumar the only considerations for me.

Last nights ratings:

Besic, 8
Mirallas, 6.5
Niasse, 6.5
The rest, a very generous 5

I'm sure Silva has learned quite a bit lately and we'll probably see a number of changes through the doors before the season proper starts. I can imagine a good few loan exits happening.

Besic is an accident waiting to happen; he tries but not good enough. I think most of them will be shipped out.

I still think we have a nucleus of good players with hopefully a few still to come, what is frightening though, is that any injuries or suspensions, who, if any from last night's numbers, could be relied upon to deputise?

https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2018/7/22/17599688/everton-on-loan-henry-onyekuru-scores-first-galatasaray-goal-watch-video-nigeria-international

Mirallas could score 20 times in every one of them but the fact of the matter is he should have been shipped out long ago along with his poor attitude. He's not all of a sudden going to become the brilliant player a lot of us hoped he'd be.

Same goes for Besic – he should be a regular in a Championship team. Just watch, we keep him and he goes and gets injured and is out for 9 months.