Watford vs Everton

I expect us to lose tomorrow as Watford will be mad keen to win against Silva. Cardiff is then anyone’s guess given the current circumstances there.

The Watford fans will be laying into Richie as much as they will Silva and I just hope he has the mental fortitude to be galvanised by it rather than becoming even more impetuous.

I'm seeing a draw written on this one – so long as we can find the net, because I can't see us keeping a clean sheet against their inevitable aggression.

I'd like to see us keep the same side as on Wednesday with the only change being Lookman for Walcott. But I think he'll bring Richarlison back and possibly the ponderous Sigurrdson. I hope not because, even though we didn't really threaten Man City we looked more fluent without them two. As soon as Sigurrdson came on on Wednesday, he slowed the game down.

Also, I can imagine Richarlison getting kicked from pillar to post tomorrow and retaliating so best to leave him on the bench I'm going for a score draw because we sure won't keep a clean sheet.

A lot may also depend on the referee and playing him right. We cannot afford to keep giving away cheap free-kicks in wide positions. No doubt Watford will be looking for these and expect to see the likes of Deulofeu and Peryra going to ground easily. Our vulnerability from set pieces is obviously well known.

I hate the oft used ‘must win' phrase, especially in a season that has so little left to play for, but this is undoubtedly a big match for Silva's future. I think the seeds of Moshiri's admiration for him were set when his Watford turned up at Goodison and played us off the park (we were very fortunate to escape with a draw). Hopefully his Everton might do the same at Watford.

There will also be the added spice to the occasion of Silva returning to the ground where he is so fondly remembered (ahem), intimated by that class act, Troy 'Gargoyle' Deeney, "Leave him alone, let us kick the shit out of them" is his battle cry.

Just a closing thought: have Deulofeu or Cleverley ever scored against us? I think you know where I'm coming from on that one!

The main thing missing on Wednesday was more quality with the final ball and making the correct decision.

On a side note, could you imagine Deeney saying that before playing Everton with Southall, Watson, Parkinson, Horne, Ferguson... He wouldn't have made it out of the tunnel! COYB!

One thing that is certain is we all know we will concede a set-piece, at least one.

I just don't see a good enough amount of match-winning quality in our team at present to convince me we can win tomorrow.

Hard working performance against Man City but one of very little threat or attacking intent.

The reality is our performance level of hard work will drop tomorrow because it's “only Watford” and that's where we lose the game.

We need three in the middle to compete; otherwise, I see a defeat on the cards.

Expect us to win 5-0, lose 5-0 or draw 0-0.

We know Deulofeu will whip the ball into the box as it's a always been a real strength in his game.

We know Watford have big characters and players with vocal leadership qualities that will ruffle our feathers and if we don't defend on high balls they will punish us.

We need to grow out of our timid little shell and start manning up, I'm sick of rallying calls on the Monday after we lose, I want someone pointing the finger and laying the blame on specific areas. Watford have a straight-talking character in Troy Deeney, that's what we need here in a Blue shirt, not just little timid lambs beating around the bush.

Man-up and show me you can get the wrong things right — starting tomorrow.

Deeney is certainly good value -the media love his outbursts. I reckon that the only guy who would really give him a whack is Jonjoe Kenny. Shocking and symptomatic of our lack of aggression that I am struggling to think of a tough guy in our ranks.

Behave and don't be a snowflake.

It's banter mate, I'd love one of our players to say something similar before the Merseyside derby in March but actually back it up!

In years gone by, there would never have been any characters in football or any sport if every word they spoke was reported.

If I was in the Everton team and read that today I'd be thinking “Right, bring it on, boys”.

Lyndon's team looks as if it will start, however, if fit I'd play Lookman rather than Bernard.

Our “improvement” on Wednesday from the last few months wouldn't register on the Richter scale so it's all relative.

Deeney is right, I wish we had someone with his bottle; they will kick shit out of us.

Praying for a draw; expect to lose...

Win the battle, because this is what this game looks like it's going to be, then introduce the players with a bit more flair when things calm down and the players legs begin to get tired?

If Silva is to turn this around, then he's got to change a few things quickly. Zonal first, closing the gaps and making us hard to play against is second, and getting the crowd onside is number three.

Do the first two things and the third will follow, and maybe then people might be prepared to give the manager more time?

Lookman doesn't really produce for us either, does he? I agree on Walcott, his crossing is shocking and he's been running down blind alleys his whole career.

As for Lookman, I get the feeling a lot of managers don't really trust him, and that there are possibly some application/attitude issues behind the scenes. I can't back that up but it does appear that way in my view.

Coyb!!

I suggest Kenny and Davies but who else?

I wish we had some hard cases and big characters in our squad that relished a good bruising brawl... exactly why I knew we'd crumble at Millwall under shitty conditions.

Plus, Sigurdsson doesn't deserve a starting spot, for me.

1 – The pact direct goal threat (Richarlison and Walcott)

2 – The tricky creative type (Bernard And Lookman).

For balance in the team, I feel we have to play one of each: either Richarlison or Walcott, and either Bernard or Lookman.

You think he's a hardman because he spouts shite like that!! He's nothing but a blagger who only says what he says to try and scare people, the typical school-ground bully. Stand up to him and show him for what he is... SHIT!

Like the other Portuguese fellow, my way or no way, which causes unrest at every club you both manage.

We're scraping the barrel when we start saying we want a thug like Troy Deeney in our team. FFS, he did 10 months for his significant role in battering 3 young students outside a Birmingham nightclub, didn't he?

We've had tough hard men that didn't have to resort to his level of "Gobshitery".

Now I know Kurt Zouma looks like a giant, and I'm sure he can take care of himself, and I certainly wouldn't like to be up against him, but is he the hard man in question we need against Deeney, or is he the all soft and wouldn't hurt a fly type, a bit like John Coffey in the film The Green Mile?

Keane too timid and confidence always comes across as very fragile.

Mina again like Zouma, big strapping guy but seems like a laughy jokey type of personality rather than a real nutter.

I think he is laughy and jokey with our squad but he is a complete nutter with the opponents. He is somewhat of a liability and wants to nutt opposition players. He is also strong in the challenge.

In saying that, I had high hopes for him in his early appearances. He seemed to rally the troops and encourage them. He was full of confidence. Then he got caught ball watching once too often.

I'm happy to be proved wrong of course.

I found that interesting. Not sure it'll actually happen, but if pundits out there are starting to take notice of our slide, surely the heat will get turned up if Silva doesn't manage a few wins.

If I were Silva, I'd be encouraging just such a course of action to shake some of our players out of their comfort zones.

In Alan Balls biography he describes his idea of retribution against Peter Storey the talentless animal that somehow kept Howard Kendall out of the England team. He said they played Arsenal on the Saturday and Storey went over the top, gashing Bally's shin which required stitches.

On the Tuesday Everton played Arsenal again in a Cup replay and the trainer told Bally that he wouldn't be able to play, Bally blew his top and TOLD him in no uncertain terms that HE was not going to stop him playing. As the game got going Bally waited for Storey getting the ball; as soon as he did, he wiped him out.

Oh for the days of excitement and value for money instead of excrement and waste of money.

If Everton play a 4-4-2 system, they could hit Watford on the break and have Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin picking up any through balls. Gueye and McCarthy would be my 2 players in midfield to give Everton a more solid defensive shield to protect Keane and Zouma. The full-backs should be Kenny and Digne. I would play Davies on the right and Bernard on the left because these two players are full of running.

So tomorrow Everton should abandon all attempts to play pretty football and grind out a result.

That would sum us up perfectly.

Love it!!

🤣

Given our improvement on Wednesday, like Lyndon, I would play only two of those five and stick with the same three in midfield, assuming they are all fit. I hope we prove hard to beat and can snatch a goal at some stage.

Bernard might be little and struggling to get 90 minutes under his belt but at least he's narky enough to be a darned nuisance, unlike Walcott.

They are all decent players I think, capable of influencing games and I'm particularly hopeful that Lookman and Bernard will become key assets for us but the lack of end-product is very concerning. You can have all the nice touches in the world but, as an attacker, you need to be scoring or creating goals.

And another thing, I know we are conceding from set pieces but we should be scoring more. The likes of Zouma, Keane and Mina are all massive and should all be hoping to get 4-6 goals a season if playing regularly. Especially with so-called set-piece specialist, Gylfi Sigurdsson. We need more aggression in the air in general!

Nah, didn't think so either.

You would want Jimmy Mac, Seamus, Jonjoe and young Tom though. And, for a wee little bonsai (Derek!!), Bernard has a bit of Jack Russell about him.

Never likely to happen though.

Walcott, like many have already discussed on here, is just not good enough, so I see zero point in playing him.

I would like to see 4-3-3 and something different:

Pickford
Kenny Zouma Mina Digne
Gomes Gueye Lookman
Bernard Sigurdsson Richarlison

Sigurdsson as a false nine would be interesting. He has very similar attributes to Firmino.

A few people have posited Sigurdsson as a false No 9. It's an interesting idea and though he does have the work rate and technique that Firmino has he certainly lacks the pace. Firmino is not rapid but he's quick enough to stretch defenses with his runs whereas Siggy is not. Still, I'd be up for seeing it given a shot, it does get a goal threat into the team up front and I think his playing at 10 is hampering us severely.

Lookman in central midfield is another interesting choice. I do think we could really use a ball carrying player in the middle but I'd probably opt for Bernard over Ademola as the Brazilian seems to have more work rate and game intelligence, he also makes twice as many tackles per game so I'd put Lookman back on the right wing and bring Bernard into the middle.

Being too expansive with our set up just gets us rolled over without causing any pain for the opposition. We need to win the battles all over the pitch with Watford, then win the war with our quality in the last 20 mins.

Our midfield needs to be compact tight and aggressive, fight Watford and font give them an inch. Forget the wide men until late in the game. Watford will tire and we can take advantage.

We will need the application and commitment of the other night though and I can see us getting a few against the Neanderthals.

Our formation and set piece defending needs to be spot on though and that is the main area of concern.

We certainly do not suit 4-2-3-1 and I thought our midfield looked far more effective in a 4-3-3 the other night.

In this game if Mina is fit and up for it I would go 3-5-2 to win the midfield battle and have some big defenders for the inevitable long balls over the top.

That would mean Pickford, Keane, Zouma, Mina, Kenny, Digne, Davies, Gomes, Gueye, with Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison up front.

Bring Sigurdsson on second half for Calvert-Lewin and have two false nines for the winner.

Jim #36, I'm with Tommy #39 on Mina. He has plenty of aggression to go with his talent, and he plays angry. Unfortunately, he is raw and will make more mistakes as he matures.

Kevin #29, that's the first time in a long time I've seen the words "Walcott" and "goal threat" in the same sentence. Or even on the same page.

When you can get sent off on the pitch for less now, why is he being allowed to get away with it? They talk about cleaning football up and setting a good example to kids, it is a joke.

See you on the Forum tomorrow.

Then again he may have already answered that charge and served any sanction.

We haven't got any quality.

For me we have to get some of the younger lads in the side, JJ Kenny is a must at right back, Davies has earned his start with his performance too v city, DCL or Lookman need to start along with Richalison in the side without Walcott.

Bernard also needs a run of games imo.

The betting is also saying its likely to be a close game, 6/4 Watford 2/1 Everton and 12/5 the draw.

The way we have been defending lately you'd have to fancy them to score, so we are going to have to score at least one if we are to get any points.

Calvert-Lewin is our best chance of a goal if you take minutes played into account, followed by Richarlison and Sigurdsson. I've left Bernard and Lookman out of minutes per goals due to lack of game time. I'd start with Lyndon's team but be inclined to play Jagielka instead of Keane if he is fit and Coleman instead of Kenny because of his experience.

My head's saying it looks like a draw or a Watford win, I'm afraid.

No Kidding. Dick Brody would want Luke Garbutt, Jim would refused to select anyone homegrown or under the age of 25; Bobby Mallon would just pick the entire under 18 team; and Tony Marsh... well, who knows who he would pick but he would slag them off all the same.

I don't have a problem with it either. A few journos have been running the story from the angle that Everton fans will be offended by Deeney. From my perspective, he is clearly having a go at Silva, not the club. That is Silva's problem, not mine.

Managers don't trust Lookman? Well except for Aidy Boothroyd, Paul Simpson, Ralf Rangnick, and Ralph Hasenhüttl. Ralph played him while at RB Leipzig and Ralf wanted to buy him over the summer. But you are right.

Sam,

Lookman has started just 3 games in the EPL (started three Cup competition games and had a goal) and has been a sub 11 times. As a sub, he has played 30 minutes or more only three times and less than 20 minutes three times. His total minutes played is 519. He has an assist as a starter and would likely have more if he had anyone decent in the box to finish.

Walcott has started 21 times and has a whopping 3 goals and two assists in 1,748 minutes played. His minutes between goals is 583. Lookman hasn't even played 583 minutes yet! In fact, he is at less than half that number as a starter. The lack of production from that spot is down to two people, neither named Lookman, Walcott (isn't good enough) and Silva (for putting him in the starting 11).

David Graves,

I agree. Anyone with a prison sentence should never be part of the team. Wait, we have Duncan Disorderly so a prison sentence cannot legitimately be a disqualifying factor. Maybe we can go by the length of the sentence as the deciding factor.

Idrissa! ... fetch!!

I'm slightly over-egging this but remember when Beardsley came to us. He was so far ahead of the his teammates the stick he'd get for a sweet through ball only for nobody to read it.

Now Lookman is no Beardsley yet, but the echoes are there. The shimmies, body swerved and reading of the game.

If we don't get players in to help this lad, he will be off for a song and go onto to massive things. That's my prediction.

He is the player who excites me most, he often attracts 2/3 players to the ball. Meaning there is space somewhere. Not sure he is a No 10, but a player-maker from wide.

I really hope whoever coaches the club understands him and gets the best from him.

If we lose, they will be posting with increasing regularity on the Live Forum as the game enters the final stages. Then they will put up the 5 of the first ten posts in the after match thread proclaiming "I told you so."

But if we win, it will be like after the Huddersfield game... after a brief post, you'll need a sniffer dog to track them down.

John @81,

He's never needed a second invitation to do that. I just want him (or somebody) to hurt Deeney; I don't care how.

A goal would be nice from him though... He`s about due!

Youre onto him.
A bluffer of the highest degree.
An I will bully you (if you let me type)
Soon as it gets put back on him a sharp jib and a taking seconds follows sharply.

I've just opened a bottle of Mahatma. Now I've got cause to raise a glass. It may have taken about 5 years, but me and you are finally in agreement.

Let's call it quits while we're ahead.

I agree with your comments on Lookman, he is the player who excites me the most too. He is a player who will burst onto the scene in a season or two and we will have Man City dangling £80M for.

Lookman has a brain. One that can be used in the heat of battle and doesn't go into syntax error mode when under pressure. He is young and still makes mistakes; he needs still to listen, learn and improve aspects of his game.

Most of all, he needs some game time. It makes sense for the club to give him a run in the team ahead of Walcott.

I appreciate it's hard to find your best form without starting a run of games and I genuinely think Lookman has talent but nonetheless currently he is a (small) part of our ineffectual winger situation.

Most of our players look too nervous or just disinterested.

Bottom line? We both love the Blues unconditionally.

Enjoy your bevvy, lad. 👍

Who was more effective really?

I'm not sure Bernard has offered enough yet and has no end product to date, Walcott and Lookman are either bang out of form or just flatter to deceive.

Deulofeu was very inconsistent but he could be very devastating in equal effect and he struck up an immense rapport with Lukaku in that first half of 2015-16.

Lennon came in the side and worked his bollocks off and scored 6 goals in the second half of that season.

Our wingers now just look quite mediocre with no potential to score many or create much havoc in opponents areas.

Just try 3-4 a game for Walcott to run onto; ain't rocket science.

Slightly off piste. Interesting live debate on Sky midweek. Liam Rosenoir gave a new twist to the "Evertonians expect too much" argument by pointing out that this is a new team. Gana is our longest serving and take out Davies and Kenny – the rest came here last season or this season. Compare that to Man City, Liverpool, Spurs etc, so we shouldn't expect to hit the ground running.

Valid point, with the next one being, if we change the manager, we're back to Square One.

Also right about Silva. So we get rid of him and all his coaching staff. We then need to get another manager, with another shed load of coaching staff. Give them a few months to put their ideas into practice, they don't work, get rid etc etc etc. Silva needs time, providing he dumps this bloody zonal marking lark.

Feeney is still there, I think. Who else?

Darren #79, I wasn't praising Deeney, just wishing we had someone like him in terms of leadership, a captain whose teammates would follow him through a brick wall. We lack that. I hated John Terry more than any player I've watched in the last 15 years, considered him a cheat and a shit, but his mates would have fallen on grenades if he said so.

John #80 and Tony #85, amen. Nobody on this club makes me sit forward on my chair like that kid does.

Rob, I think it's time to give up on the faint hope that Silva will ever install an effective system of defending dead balls. His past record seems to indicate that he simply doesn't know how.

I think Feeney might be too "old school" for Silva. Seems decent but I don't know if he is enough of a "ball player" to suit Silva's approach. He might be one to flog to Burnley or Cardiff where the arts of heading and tough tackling are still revered.

So I pulled it out and gave it a whirl.

Seems we are destined to draw the game 2-2. We will dominate play and score a couple pretty goals.

But we are going to commit two brain dead fouls in stoppage time of each half, and concede on the following free kick from two set pieces.

Oh well. At least we will be “the better side”.

Nah, I don't truly believe that, but it sure feels like it too often!

Just send a self-addressed, stamped envelope, with payment for $200 made out to "Crowley Futures R Us" to the following address. . . .

He could use some praise. He fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

I'll be here all week, try the veal.

Lev, that's an oldie here in the US... we have a endless variety of ways to describe ugly people, probably because we have an endless supply of ugly people.

I think Davies can play on the right; I remember him being Everton's best player imo, when he played this position at Old Trafford, early last season, and I just think that we need all our hardest working players out on the pitch tomorrow.

You don't want Sigurdsson to play; you might have a point but, if he does play, I hope it's not as a Number Ten, because I think the formation Silva used the other night, gave us a lot more balance, than we've had for ages.

The old square pegs in round holes must have been used by one of our “old” managers, but that's what happens when things go wrong, because people start accusing you of everything?!!

My sentiments indeed.

We'd have a strong midfield with passion and drive, if we played Davies on the right, and bring in McCarthy, it would give Deeney something to think about.

"Paul Cherrington @62, simply embarrassing."

I think Paul's point is that within the context of this era, it is surprising if Deeney gets away with it. I imagine if Joey Barton said something similar he would be hauled before the FA for bringing the game into disrepute. It isn't a matter of whether WE think what he says is OK or not, it is just surprising that if you take of your shirt, post something iffy on Social media 10 years ago, or in anyway query a refereeing decisions you get the book thrown at you. So it would seem to follow that the FA would get up in arms about Deeney's comments too.

I'd argue that Delo, in my 10+ years watching, was the best winger (Americanism, just go with it) Everton have had.

When he finally got his shit together, that kid was dangerous as hell, and I was always so impressed with the way he could snap off a lightning-quick cross into a ridiculously dangerous position. He was a blast to watch in my opinion.

And yes, before someone comes on and starts pissing all over my corn flakes, I fully realize that wasn't always the case. Captain Stepover had a lot to work out before he morphed into that deadly threat out wide.

But when he put it all together that season and was on his game, I for one loved watching that kid play.

But he is made of glass.

I hope he comes back soon, and if he does, I'm also Interested to see if Silva, can get a bit more out of him, because if he can, he could become a very important player for us again, especially if he could add a little bit of craft, onto his excellent workrate?

Maybe Jonjoe Kenny can galvanise the pseuds who get selected. Here's hoping.

"Everyone deserves a second chance"

Tell that to Tony Kay...

From The Telegraph

"In February 2012 he found out his father was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus and the following evening Deeney went out in Birmingham city centre where he got into trouble. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison, serving two after showing remorse. His father died that summer, a short time before Deeney went to jail.

Deeney's “colourful past” is well-documented – “listen, all the bad things, all my dirty washing is already out there. I've already spoken about it,” he says – while he maintains that going to prison himself was “the best thing that ever happened to me because I was ‘a little dick'.”"

Personally, the context and his acceptance of fault makes me give him the benefit of the doubt.

A different era; wouldn't've happened now. I sadly never had the pleasure to see him play, he was just a bit before my time.

Then I thought about the length of time he's been out and maybe just for once, that Everton are doing the right thing for the player and hopefully it won't be long before we see him again? Especially if he reproduces the form he showed during his first season in a blue shirt.

Maybe Macca has been playing but they have been sending him out in a series of disguises so Eire don't call him up the minute they find he is off crutches.

It's also the sound of my various body parts hitting the floor with laughter at the description of Deulofeu as a "deadly threat."

Ten top youth players aged 14-16 killed in a fire at Flamengo's youth academy.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/flamengo/story/3769738/flamengo-training-centre-fire-in-rio-de-janeiro-kills-10-people

Brazilian football youth dormitories are infamous for their poor living conditions, but Flamengo just completed a major expansion and upgrade.

Now I am a hypocrite, and I would love it if one of our lads came out with similar fighting talk ahead of our trip to Vicarage Road but so far Richarlison hasn't said, "Hey you can tell those mofo's that they gonna get their fuckin toes tickled as I flip on my back and squeal as I win us another free kick."
However, if big Dunc went to the Echo and said what Deeney said, he would deffo be on a charge.

I abhor the lack of care and respect victims of violence receive compared to the perpetrators. Deeney served time quite rightly, but let's not cheapen the crime with some good old-fashioned fight talk.

I like the challenge; I hope like the majority of Evertonians our players do also and give the cheeky bastard a fuckin good kicking, maybe I'm out of order but I remember chants of "Die, you bastard, die!" ringing out when Marwood, McMahon etc were stretched off. I was joining in; they lived.

I honestly can't believe some of the over the top offended reactions on here. Some people appear to be made of glass ffs.

Not on in the UK. Supposed to be on Sportsnet Now+ but almost impossible to logon onto this app and blood expensive. Not on any channels in Canada!

Would I be better off just listening to Everton commentary!

If talking the utterly cretinous bilge that this fuckwit has talked makes him, somehow, be the type of guy we need, then, I suggest that I should be at Marco's side at his next presser because I can talk more shite than Troy and, when he starts to play walking football, like our back four, by the way I can out-talk and out-walk him.

Also, while I am on, a just back from the pub, rant, can any tell me when Lookman, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Keane, Mina – in fact, the whole fucking lot of them – will start being the players I believe they can be, the fine players they have sometimes been, and stop being a useless, timid, scared pack if cunts.

I think you have actually improved my team with that tweak. Bernard could definitely be an option in the middle. Very similar to the two Silvas at Man City.

I don't think Sigurdsson is actually that slow, I remember him causing us no end of problems when he was playing for Swansea up front against us. Definitely worth a try when you look at the other options available.

Over the last few years only Burnley has a worse away record isn't it?

I can't quite remember but its got to be in the region of 10 wins and 50 losses (I can't remember the figure for draws) over the last 3 seasons or so. And if we go behind, that's it. I mean, just look at it.

Lets face it. There's a deep problem at the club in general. You can shuffle gaffers as many times as you like. There's something almost intrinsic and can't be sorted quickly. There's a character and mentality problem.

Pickford's comments after the Anfield derby were very revealing for me. "It's the Everton luck at Anfield." What is? Completely fucking up and handing them the points? There's a supine, loser mentality that's engrained in the place. It can't be eradicated overnight and I will be stunned if we start tomorrow.

I thought Silva had made a good fist of addressing this early on, with an almost New Everton quality to the performances at Man Utd, Chelsea and Anfield, both in terms of style of play and mentality. I knew we wouldn't get beat at Chelsea and had money on the win.

But the dressing room cancer runs deep and it seems the Anfield knock back and a couole of bad results were all it took for the dressing room cancer to spread again. Let's be honest, there's problem personalities. There's loads of players just hanging about, nowhere near the first team, probably just going through the motions. Indifferent. They don't care. Dressing room cancer. By mid-season it seems to have affected the new signings and the whole starting 11.

To be even handed, as Silva seems to be operating on a self-imposed squad of about 18, then why should those out in the cold give a shit? But that kind of thing can spread. For example, to people like Mina who's grid when on the bench at Millwall and the cameras went on him screamed trouble to me.

Any team can put in an improved performance against the champions at home. Anyone can raise it for that. This kind of thing has been going on for seasons now. After a season of utter shite in Martinez's 2nd season (I think) I remember we found a performance against Man Utd at home in the spring. Won 3-0. Stones got a header from a corner. The whole thing was an fraudulent anomaly.

Its games like this and Wolves at home that are a better indicator of where we are at. I have very little confidence this side can win any games of football right now. I'd have taken a draw at Millwall beforehand. Just based on the players attitude and body language I knew it was trouble. Mentally and tactically they've been gone for weeks. At least Silva, 6 weeks too late mind, changed the system against Man City. It needed freshening up, the players were begging for it, so hopefully that will inject a bit more life into them. Although whether it will solve the chronic lack of goals & threat is debatable.

Anyway, we seem to need to score 2 goals to even think about getting a point at the moment as we are conceding far too many goals and have become very Bobby Brown Shoes without the ball. Keane's confidence has totally gone again. At different times, he's panicking and freezing. Either doing nothing through fear or just making a plain bad decision.

I hope I'm wrong but I just can't see us doing anything. They'll get done 3-1.

As someone mentioned before there is very poor coverage of the game tomorrow, NBC Gold is listed as one, but I don't think that anyone outside the US can get it. Although it may change a couple of hours before the game, Canada nearly always have at least one Channel (ie, Sportsnet/world/Ontario or TSN 1-5) but up to now, zilch!

Shows how popular we have become of late? Keep us posted Mike of Channels at your end if you don't mind, with a bit of tech wizardry you never know, cheers!

https://goonies.fandom.com/wiki/Sloth

You're fast asleep by now.

I just got back from "a night on the Brown". . . . Jamesons. . . .

I concur with everything you say.

Fantastic post

The game against City showed that a 4-5-1 is the way to go until we have the better forward player’s to play the attacking style Silva want’s.

Away from home against a decent Watford team I’d like to see him start the same shape as Wednesday but obviously drop Walcott a one nil and a clean sheet away from would be a massive result for us at the moment.

What a disgrace our club has become

All the talk about we can finish 8th and it's not so bad and all that

It's shameful to see Everton like this and the same shit week in week out listening to that Cretin Silva making excuses!

Moshiri will have to wield the axe if we take a heavy defeat today at Watford and I think that is what will happen

Watch this space!

This is a match that has everything written over it, revenge being at the heart of it, but it seems ridiculous when you look back, that so much clamour has been made over a man most want to see the back of, from either side.

Just checked again and there is hardly any coverage for this match, even Brighton v Burnley has 3 times more broadcasters than we do, I suppose that just about exemplifies how low and uninteresting (apart from Evertonians) we have become under Silva.

I can just imagine the live forum now being continually asked for 'link's, fingers crossed as usual, but more than just hope is needed.

Performance

Three points

No more half arsed "I'll be happy with .".

No.

The works. Let's see us perform and take the points.

That'll shove the toxic vomit back down the pumpkin headed brawlers craw.

COYB

I can't imagine why you would sack a manager and his entire backroom staff mid-season unless there was something to play for or lose.

If you care about money, it makes even less sense.

Better managers won't be available right now by default - better managers will still be competing for something.

So - what would we do ? Get David Moyes and hope we make some money back by climbing a few places ? I suppose it might be worth it at a stretch...

We don't want Unsworth back, we'll give him a nervous breakdown.

Around 8 o’clock the family received a WhatsApp message that, having put the children to bed, the son-in-law was watching the match having paused it for 20 minutes, and was incommunicado. So, later, while the lad was ecstatic at his team being 3-0 up in the 80th minute and heading for the top of the league we, including his wife in the same room as him, knew that the final score was 3-3.

The message? It’s not just Everton who break hearts.

Incidentally, his take on Kieran Dowell so far is that he is talented but prone to giving the ball away in dangerous areas and drifting in and out of the game. Not much new there.

Deeney's comments are meaningless and boring. There's no place for wannabe hard men in today's game. The laws no longer allow for them. You can't even take the ball and then follow through on a player any more. Zouma more than matches Deeney physically.
The only thing our players need to be nervous about is set-pieces.
Watford will be looking for cheap free kicks anywhere near our box. Hopefully the ref won't be shite.

In this respect, if we don't start showing dramatically improving results very soon, I'd be surprised if Lookman was here beyond next season. The money would be just too tempting for a feeder club like Everton.

So 'll miss our 2-0 win. Typical.

Hope you’re right by the way!

I haven’t got a clue how this four year nightmare ends but I’ll look forward to the next season as I always do. Rainhill, where are you when most needed?

1-2 today.

When they first got together before any signings were made surely they must have looked at our strike force did they really believe that in Tosun, Niasse and Calvert-Lewin would be able to score the goals to help challenge the top 6.

We must have one of the worst attacks in the Premier league, Bernard yet to score a league goal, Walcott 1 goal since August. Lookman yet to score in the Premier League this season and just a handful of goals for Calvert-Lewin and Tosun.

It's players who give 100% each and every game, have a winners mentality and display an aggressive attitude in games, they are the ones that teams need. Oh, and add mouthy with it.

That's as far as you dare go, though; beyond that, you become a liability.

Like most of us, if you can put up with the crap we have witnessed and had placed before us, and still remained loyal to the cause, surely that is testimony to your allegiance, and would be an asset to the Company. It wasn't working in an Effluent Plant by any chance was it?

Ah well you can still go through the motions!

It has been some life following this club wouldn’t change it though!

Oh and best of luck mate with regards to the job!

I fear a demoralising 3-1 defeat.

I expect an excruciating 1-1 draw.

Unfortunately Fran I think you are optimistic to expect an excruciating 1-1 draw. A demoralising 3-1 defeat is more likely.

Bad times but hopefully a brighter future.

Deeney scores from a corner; we will huff and puff, the ref will give us nothing, and we will lose 1-0.

I hope:

We drop Walcott and play this team:

Pickford
Kenny Zouma Keane Digne
Richarlison Davies Gomes Gana Lookman
Sigurdsson

I like the false 9 idea that is being touted; something needs to change so give it a go.

Final score: Watford 1 Everton 2

He liked my response "sold Wayne Rooney to you lot for under value" but I still didn't get the promotion! Good luck to you!

At the end of it it confirmed how much of the game I hate now. Talk about watching pigs around a trough.

For ages now I turn commentary off when watching games and try and just watch a game. Wish I could turn off the commentators but still hear noise of the fans.

Hope my club silently score a couple today.

Pack midfield first half hit them on the counter.

Then we can use subs to keep the energy and closing down as players tire. No backing off. In the faces all game lead by the excellent Davies.

Well done boys!

We have no fight in us, Watford do, reckon they will win 3-1 with 2 soft goals from set pieces. Hope I’m wrong but if I’m right think the axe will be close to falling.

It's just me, mate.

And Neil Warnock (he of eight promotions, before you start sniggering), says he never signed players, only people; for him, character was what he looked for.

It seems to me that lack of leadership and strong character says a lot about Everton's current plight.

Very Good!

If you're quoting Diego Simeone I can only presume you have also read this excellent article on the Beeb.

Link

If you want a definition of the word 'driven', Simeone is it.

The man himself, or someone just like him, is EXACTLY what we need at Everton.

Don't forget also, 18 months ago David Prentice in a podcast on the Echo was adamant that Simeone's reps approached Everton (NOT the other way round...) about the 'project'.

If only.

THAT is the manager profile we desperately need at our club.

A man can only prove himself in adversity – a situation Marco Silva finds himself in at the moment.

For his, and our good, I wan't him to come out of the other side of this.

As Diego says – “In life, you have to believe.”