Silva beaten on Vicarage Road return

No Mas!!!!!

I don't see anything at all in this Everton team.

I see no desire, I see no pace, I see no leadership qualities, I see no direction and we are completely rudderless.

How can we have gone so long since selling Lukaku and not having a decent striker worth their salt?

Tosun is a million miles out of his depth at £27 million (cheers Sam for that) has been a disastrous signing.

We are relying on DCL who just isn't good enough regardless of what the apologists want to keep saying, he's had two years around the first team now and his all round game doesn't get him involved enough to hurt teams.

Our midfield consists of nobodies, Gomes has become a poor imposter of the man we seen in November and looks abject.

Sigurdsson has died of death.

Davies tries and tries to give him his due but he doesn't possess any great outstanding trait to make a difference in this league.

Walcott, Lookman, Bernard are all just flatter to deceive players with no end product.

Gana we should have just took the money, put McCarthy in there and then spent the money on a striker.

Absolute joke of a season, worse than any under Martinez.

At least under Martinez at times we played some dazzling attacking football.

Just can't do that now. However I do fear that he may survive longer in the job that he deserves following Moshiri's comments this week.

This for me is no worse than what we saw under Koeman or the end of Martinez but it's on par and they lost their jobs for good reason.

I hope it wont take relegation before those in charge see what's going on.

It's all been said but the heart and soul of this club is being torn to pieces by poor management, sub-standard players and a clueless board.

The killer for me overall is that lack of leadership from the very top to very bottom, but having no one on that pitch who grabs the game and players by the scruff of the neck and says play just flippin' play, things will not improve.

But I'm off for a pizza and beer with the wife so bring on the next game .

Two months minimum of us trying to unsettle and recruit the newly installed and unproven Huddersfield boss before we bring in Barry Fry on an 18 month deal.

You can give time providing there are some positive signs or green shoots of recovery but this is becoming beyond repair at Everton now.

As long as we remain in the Premier League, all is well for Moshiri's investment...

I think we will be relegated, I really do.

Since the World Cup Pickford has been erratic at best and his lack of commanding in his area coupled with those big errors in December is starting to fuck me off.

How anyone can possibly defend Silva is beyond me. His record in English football is simply appalling.

For those who bang on about his solitary Greek league win. My left gonad could win the Greek league with Olympiacos (who've won the thing 18 out of the last 20 seasons!).

He may try hard but he simply isn't a manger that is up to this level. I don't think he's even up to the Championship. Please Moshiri, eat humble pie and get rid of this imposter. We're not going to get relegated so spend the time to get someone who knows what he's doing.

Clearly Moshiri can't make a good footballing decision and even Brands is starting to spin bullshit that patronises veteran match going Everton fans who know a load of bollocks when they see it.

I'm not usually a big fan of sacking managers willie nilly but he has to go.

Benitez for me please with substantial backing

Not that makes any difference because this Everton team won't be laying a glove on the Shite.

If you were running a business and you wanted to compete with the very best, you get in someone with experience running a top company. You don't get in someone who runs the local corner shop.

The club needs a shake up from top to bottom and to do that you need a highly respected manager who knows what it takes to achieve success because they have done it before.

These people are few and far between, will need a lot of convincing and a big war chest so Moshiri will no doubt end up with another wannabe, hence why bother sacking Silva.

I give stick and flack rightly so to our disgracefully underperforming millionaire players.

If any Everton fan thinks it's ok to tolerate this shite on a weekly basis every season then please send me those rose tinted specs.

All in all, the quality on show amply demonstrated why there is a 12 point gap between the 6th & 7th placed teams in the Premiership...

They'll get beat at Cardiff as well. Currently, they're better than us. They have more character and will out work us.

It seems that the gaggle of shithouses that have arrived at the club over the last 3 seasons are going to see off another manager. The away form over the last 3 seasons tells you everything you need to know about the dressing room. It will take some manager to come in and face this down.

As the mistakes stack up, instead of looking up I increasingly think we need to worry about looking down. If it was any other club you'd be looking at the potty transfers and the revolving door managerial appointments and thinking, "There's trouble brewing there."

We are getting it wrong. Badly wrong.

4 wins in 15 games.

9 points from the relegation zone.

8 defeats in 10 games.

2 clean sheets since late November.

No win all season against a team in the top half of the league.

Knocked out of the FA Cup by Millwall.

Knocked out of the Carabao Cup at home to lowly Southampton.

I see absolutely nothing at all to take as a positive from this season so far and in my eyes the team and management ARE currently completely useless.

I said 2 months ago Well struggle to 40 points and I don't see where the next win is coming from.

The demise and lack of belief this season, in my view is far worse than under Smith and on par with Walker. I'd love to know what happens pre match pep talk and at half time. Everton got the slumberland out again the second half.

I'm sick to the back teeth and Everton is sadly the Bain of life nowadays, and is the nap to most certainly dampen the spirit.

Maybe it can't get any worse and as it's gone so bad it can by some miracle get better..

The club in my view now is in disrepute and is in breech of trading standards. Seriously in a football note this club in view of the first team, the last 4 years and capped by this season, is in terminal decline and core rot is setting in.

To lose with hour and having tried your best is no shame but the team is playing like a bunch of strangers and misfits. It's a screwed up feature film, mega budget, where the cast don't talk, don't signal and don't bloody care.

In all my years, this feels like there is no sign of a revival. Who would come to Everton?

Sad days when EFC is on par with Huddersfield, and in fairness, they could have beaten us twice this season.

Have a good evening TWRs, the agony goes on in to 30 years, and the abyss of football mediocrity is in my view well set at GP.

I don't want to see the manager sacked, but it will take some miracles to see out the next month, RS and the rest.

Praying the worst doesn't happen in May, that is we don't get relegated as this form is cast iron relegation form and that the RS don't come first in the EPL.

At least TW is real entertainment, made by genuine Evertonians who care and care more than EFC, knows.

If this persists, and lets be honest with 2 always & the shite at home it most likely will, he's getting sacked after Newcastle away.

It's actually 4 wins in 16 league matches.

Since beating Brighton on November 3rd we have beaten Cardiff, Burnley, Bournemouth and Huddersfield.

I myself saw this as a transition period.. Silva (whether he'll be a success or not, who knows) took over a team as another poster pointed out has been stitched together by the results of three quick fire sacking and appointments of managers.. when we were flying up till Pickford's stupid error..I didn't get too high even tho I was enjoying it.. now when things aren't going too well.. I'm not going to get too down.. even though I'm not enjoying it.

Watford are a good side above us in the league and we were away. We probably should have got something from the match.. with hitting the woodwork twice.

Fair enough they've also got a new manager, but they've got a stable team that know each other well- we haven't that.

As for the talent of the team. Confidence is massive, two wins in a row alot can change. Look at United, alot of their supporters were saying the same about their team. They're not now that's for sure.

He's had two windows, 1st was a success I think, brought in quality. 2nd window he couldn't do anything because of the previous bad buys. Too much going on wages on too many players not even in the picture.. again not his fault.

Again my gripe with him is zonal marking, badly needs to get a good/ better defensive coach in to sort that out.. And my 2nd in him continuing to play Walcott, who is so poor and has been for ages..I did agree with you on that point.

I hope he can turn it around, only time will tell. Remember United were very very close to sacking Ferguson, and the supporters wanted him gone a good bit before that.

The preseason results weren't great p, if we are honest all the home games we've won in the league, have been quite lucky.

Burnley away was a fluke, at a time Burnley were in the gutter, but they had the guts to fight their way out.

This malaise is killing the life out of Everton, and it's Silva, whose the manager now, but he's in an impossible situation, inheriting a cobbled up BBsKlog botch job.

I just don't see how Farhad despite his words of back up this week, for Silva, will be able to bank roll any spending, this summer.

As who will buy at any price most of our current first team squad? There's very good individuals but as a team and cohesive units goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack, in my view the team plays now with no belief and game plan.

It's in my view worst than previous dark times in the last 30 years, and magnified by the money spent. A fortune spent and worse than we were, three years ago... The madness of playing a system these platpyers don't understand or can't cope with must stop. Playing to individual strengths is fine, but this must be harnessed as a team. It's frightening how far we lag behind, in terms of playing any match to a cohesive system.

As every Evertonian knows, shit happens, in life, but at Everton, the stench of failure and hopelessness, and sadly in terms of match play, predictability has made us a laughing stock.

We are all thick skinned and die yards, and bleed blue blood, but being rational and factual, and backed by the performance, stats, and level and style of play, this is dire and worse..

The truth hurts, but we face it and will cope. But we need a break this month.

Did I see any positives in the early part of the season?

Let me talk you through my assessment early on.

I thought the first month of the season could best be described as frustrating bordering on mediocre.

The draws with Wolves and Bournemouth in August were slightly disappointing but I could at least see a promising attack.

September was a poor month for me with poor results against Huddersfield, West Ham and an average Arsenal side, the win against Fulham the only bright spot.

October was better despite starting with a falling Cup exit at home to a poor Southampton team under cobweb head Mark Hughes.

Wins against Leicester and Palace brought positivity but the defeat at Old Trafford when they were wanting Mourinho sacked and were in turmoil themselves was the reality check that we were still a long way off being a top six team.

November was the most positive month for me and had me going into the derby with some hope.

We all know what happened at the start of December and Jordan Pickfords season defining cock up has seen a quite humongous pin stuck in the balloon you could almost hear the gas just coming out.

We have had an appalling run of form ever since and lost to some bang ordinary teams, the season finally bottoming out in a horrible match at the Den in the FA Cup.

I can't honestly say I have ever been madly positive at any stage of this season because I knew from past experiences that we were always one damaging defeat away from a confidence crisis (knowing how mentally fragile we are) and it happened in the derby at Anfield of all places.

With regards to Silva?

When he got the job I was on the fence but willing to give him time, I thought at the very least he might bring about an exciting attacking team but I've been greatly disappointed on that front and defensively we have been every bit as poor as we were warned we would be under him.

Do I want him sacked?

I'm honestly not bothered to be honest, don't particularly want him sacked but at the same time I have no real affinity or faith in him to desperately want to keep him here.

The same lack of bonding and affinity with our players is there also though.

One time when we had Rooney the first time around or fan favourites like Cahill, Arteta, Bainesey of years ago, the thought of selling them would have given sleepless nights.

I couldn't care less who we sold or who we keep anymore and that's about the best way I can sum up my feelings on all things Everton right now.

We never replaced him, and DCL and Tosun positional sense and anticipation of crosses, is on par with school boy football.

What's the point in delivering decent dead balls and genuinely making no plan to position and where to move and attack the ball ( in attacking positions, in the opponents box,) and what's killing us, this season from any dead ball, into our box, by our GK and the rest of the team ( especially the CBs)

JP, needs to take stock, and get back to basics and stick to it. Tactically we are giving away possession now, from his perceived free kicks. No one is perfect but it's become a trait of late, and more we loose the ball, it goes out, or we concede. But at least he has heart.

This is only a slide, on the mega slide of decline, that Everton is producing. It's time for the board to take proper note of what's happening to Everton, and take note now, as next season, praying that we've stayed up, is the biggest.

For me BMD, is also becoming pyrrhic vision.

No-one is the answer.You sack Silva and all his staff ( inc. Ferguson ) and you tell the players to get themselves out of the mess they have got themselves in.

I can't be a prisoner of Everton's past, and what it meant and will always mean, but this era, is for me, the worst.

God help us, in a few weeks, time.

But hard work and belief, and spirit is needed more than ever.

You'd think Big Dunc, would use his life experiences, on and off the field to try and instill some fire and passion, into this squad.

Still, Bob Hope, and No Hope, but hope eternal for Evertonians.

The fact is the club didn't replace him, and whilst DCL, has potential that all it is, in my opinion.

For me his positional play on dead balls etc is not what is expected. Unfair to compare to Dixie, and yes times are different, but on being clinical, when presented with a chance, I'd say he is ok, but not in my book a reliable proven finisher.

I hate saying it but look at Rashford, and how, he's come on and seems to have turned the corner, but he's in a team playing with confidence and making decent chances.

Final point, yes I agree the forwards, in this team
, are living of crumbs of chances on a good day. It's a right mess now with the Everton first team.

What a joke. That is exactly what is wrong with this joke of a club. Ex-players. Unsworth, Ferguson, Jeffers, Ebbrell etc... Shit players and proving themselves to be shit coaches; absolutely laughable. They stole a living out of our club.

And what's the biggest denominator in all this?? Big Billy Kenwright. He can't resist an ex-player or two, can he? Teary-eyed prick... no wonder we lurch from bad season to bad season.

Nah, Brands will be spinning through his virtual rollerdex and looking for contenders.

I speculate only a lack a suitable alternatives will see Silva stay beyond the summer.

As fanciful as it sounds I'm going to circle back to Simeone. Yes yes why would he come. Blah! Blah!

We need a proven winner, that's were the money needs to go. Spend as much on him as you would a top rate player.

He has kudos and the right sense of self and would fit well with the mentality of the fanbase. Basically he is a massive shithouse, no bad thing.

I think he'd be able to help persuade players to play for the club too.

Whilst it's fanciful, he's been at Atletico for ages, surely he wants a change? I think if a massive club wanted him he would have went by now.

But I'm so desperate I'll say anything to convince myself we'd have a shot of landing him.

The team needs time to gel and Silva needs time to make that happen. I'd rather be watching this than the type of football we were playing last season.

The club is in a right mess, and I don't know, if or who can fix it. If MB, is the person, then, this will be his biggest ever salvage job.

Talk about miracles, Everton needs a few the next few weeks.

Indeed, we all have our own ideas but who has the answers.

Goodnight, NSNO.

Point being, Brands will have his favourites but will we be any better off with these wishy-washy knobs in charge? We need a Roy Keane type (lol) or a Diego Simeone type manager with a captain in his own image on the field, not some Northern European pot-smoking idealistic analyst!

No... they're both shit as well. Wouldn't add a single thing to what we've currently got!

No use adding names randomly thinking they're any better than the crap we've already got. How are they doing at their current clubs anyway?

No point in making any change now, whether Silva turns it around or not. I'm sure Brands is looking for options either way, he would be naive not to.

He doesn't come across to be naive to me. Brands will turn out to be our best recent signing.

I agree.

I don't want Cocu or de Boer or any other pot shots from weaker leagues.

Cocu seems another very dull personality much like de Boer.

I want someone that can be clear and understandable, someone straight talking and not another spin doctor or snake oil salesmen.

Simeone would be mine... but no chance I'd reckon. Unless he wanted a move and all the top jobs were taken. And if he wanted the Premier League to be his next port of call.

Wasn't there something that he came looking for us last year? Probably rubbish though.

Lose to Cardiff, and we are in deep shit. With the home games we have left, I'm starting to really worry.

Who's yours?

It's impossible to motivate these players. We need to treat the root cause before we replace the manager.

It is, in my view, utterly ludicrous to ask a critic of the coach to name a replacement. How on earth would I or Jim, or anyone outside the incestuous world of Premier League football know that?

I believe he should go because they are not playing for him. I do not mean they are not trying; I just think they have no faith in him and see him as on death row.

I think he is a decent coach but inherited too many players who are as about set in their ways as me. This needs to be ripped up and started again. I don't know who the good guys in this squad are, but I believe that there are malign influences in this team who are earning too much to be run out if town.

The coach carries the can, perhaps rightly so. However, I reckon there will be some very highly paid players who will be out tonight enjoying some expensive wine and having a laugh.

They should, if they have an ounce of integrity, be hanging their fucking heads in shame. How they perform affects the weekend of many of us. Not them, they do not hurt... they do not give a flying fuck.

Early in the season the midfielders where all over the opposition like a rash. Creating chances and looking like we had some sort of plan.

Fast forward a couple of months and the midfield have stopped working as hard. We pass sideways and backwards in possession and don't play the ball through the middle. The goalie passes to Keane or Zouma then 30 seconds later rushes a clearance upfield, what type of tactic is that? it just doesn't work.

Not signing a striker in January even on loan could be his downfall. We didn't create much today but when we did Cenk was either offside or overpowered by the very average Marriapa.

I can't see where the next win is coming from. Brands surely must have a replacement lined up.

I disagree, in this particular game. I think, if we are criticising the current coach, we need to offer a preferred replacement. I offer you Diego Simeone.

Short term, I think Wenger could be persuaded. I just can't see Silva making it through until the end of the season.

Consider this. I believe that, for the combined wages of Sandro and Schneiderlin, we could have a pretty decent coach.

What does that say about the corporate governance at our club? Sorry, by the way, for using that toxic phrase.

I am not one for changing management after a few games, but this streak is too long, and it doesn't look like changing. All the positive work from early in the season looks to be undone and the players have lost their confidence.

I don't agree that we have a poor team. There is quality in there, despite current form. Sigurdsson, Richarlison, Gomes, Bernard, Pickford, Digne are all good players, and the young lads are good too, even if they are not world champions that some people expect them to be.

Silva has lost what momentum he had created, and doesn't seem like he has the skills to get back to where we were before Christmas. Fair play, he did try to change things, and it was exciting for a while. Perhaps given time he could turn it around, but managers don't get time at the top level.

Cut our losses, try again. Except this time at least we have a DOF trying to create a culture at the club. Next coach shouldn't be looking at shipping out the players the last one bought to bring in a different style of play.

It's more like another Silva-esq move in the shape of Eddie Howe.

Moshiri might be a successful business but he spouts nearly as much shit as Bull Bill.

The point is though to many top foreign bosses there's only three clubs worth looking at in the North West of England these days and you have just mentioned the managers at those clubs.

It's hard to see Simeone buying into the idea of joining a mid to bottom ranked club, asking him to give up the Champions League and a cushy life in Madrid, the country of his mother tongue language, the weather etc to come and join Everton.

I just can't see that one every getting off the ground to be honest and it must have already been explored by us surely, maybe even before Koeman took the reigns.

Right now I don't see a way out at Everton. The board appear to be clueless. The manager looks lost and the players not bothered. It's a perfect storm we find ourselves in but, summer is coming! Time to recharge our batteries and to face some painful truths.

I honestly believe Silva will be given until about October to prove himself or he'll be out (hopefully with his successor lined up) on his arse.

This summer promises to be seriously turbulent at Everton Football Club.

There's no way our board can sit on their hands once the season finishes and the one thing we don't want to hear in May is silence.

Major surgery and answers to the many questions are required.

Season ticket sales will be hit, maybe for the best as the board might start to think that fans aren't just willing to tolerate shite on a yearly basis anymore.

While us mugs keeps coming back why do the board need to worry?

No such thing as a sure thing when it comes to managers, as evidenced by the lack of accord on here as to who the next man might be.

All we can do and must do, is to get behind the team in the remaining games. Ahe away fans already do this, magnificent supporters to a man, the rest of us must follow their lead. We can bellyache all day long, it's not going to help in the long run. Getting behind them can help.

Let nobody be in any doubt, we are in a very bad way. Staying up is now the only priority that should concern us; the rest can be attended to and addressed if and when we do.

[I hope the sarcasm was evident.]

For me, the signs on his coaching and management skills are not good. Let's take yesterdays game as an example: he make changes bringing back into the team Sigurdsson, Tosun and Richarlison why?

Everybody agreed that the match against Man City was much better (apart from the result) and the team looked balanced, so why did he bring back an out-of-form Sigurdsson, Tosun and Richarlison? Walcott another player who is badly out of form, so why bring him on when we needed to up the pressure? And his substitution taking off Gomes to bring on Walcott, baffling?

Much has been said about his systems of play so I won't go over them, but if you look back at previous games you can see many examples of some baffling decisions. For me, all the signs are of a manager who is out of his depth at this level and struggles with the clubs big signings!

'Give him time' some say, 'the players are not his' others say, but surely a good coach can see what the players are capable of doing, we do have some good players and surely he could at least stop us conceding in every game?

Something needs to happen sooner rather than later, and no I have no idea who I would bring in? I'm just looking at the facts of what's happening now and this currant coach/manager is not showing us anything to say given time things will improve! I just hope I am wrong!

"It looks like a team with little organization in attack and defence and one that is filled by players that lack confidence in themselves and the manager. It makes their summer spending over 㿼 million highly questionable and no doubt why the ownership refused the persona non grata (which he will likely become at Goodison before long as well) any more funds.

Of those three signings Digne has been the most consistent and will be a unwelcome return to their team for the match. Mina has hardly settled and the Snake's Son has been inconsistent not helped by the lack of quality service. He has however definitely improved as a striker with his movement and accuracy and will have a point to prove (as I hope Gerard will). It is also amazing how Walcott continually gets a game ahead of Lookman. Let's hope this is the case for Saturday.

Another defeat for persona non grata would surely hasten his departure from these shores. Like his mentor, Mourinho, he is inflexible. He has played the same style of football at every team he has managed. Unable to defend using the basics and with a paper-soft core in midfield. And unlike Moaninho unable to cover those deficiencies with huge spending. Yes, his teams do play neat passing football at times but often with little end product.

Fingers crossed Javi is man enough and wise enough to change formation and make sure we get an iron grip in midfield. Gomes, Davies and Sigurdsson especially the former two should scare no-one."

So they certainly seem to have Silva sussed.

Please, Mr Moshiri, sack this clown Silva or he will destroy our club. The man is clueless. You only have to see him on the touchline to know that he knows he is out of his depth.

And please get a coach who can speak fucking English, for god's sake. This fella is a joke on every level. The players are taking the piss out of all the fans and taking the piss out of Silva and there's nothing he can do about it. How shit is that? Fuckers!!!

You can't argue with that Hornets Nest assessment of the manager and our players.

I go back again to what Jermaine Jenas said last weekend

“I don't know what Everton are anymore “

I just can't get those words out of my head because amongst all the pussyfooting around and media gobbledygook from our players past and present, those Jenas words are the truest spoken and have really hit home.

It wouldn't bother me so much if we were successful, like Leeds in the '70s, but to be shit and hated is even worse.

I will never forget the apathy with which I watched us during Sam's time, in particular the last, or second last, home game against Southampton. I almost felt sorry for the relegation-threatened Saints when Davies's effort was deflected into the net. If memory serves me right, we barely created a chance in that match.

So, please do not let us ever mention having Sam or little Sam at our great club again. I never want to feel what I felt for the first time in 45 years last year. Total apathy!

Moshiri turned to Allardyce to avoid relegation. He could do worse than appoint Moyes to restore stability and organisation into an abysmal defence. At least under Moyes the players attitude could not be faulted.

The current team are not bothered and that is disgraceful. Probably not a popular shout, especially for the dreamers demanding Simeone, but I'd rather Moyes than Benitez any day.

i believe Gana should have been sold based on if he is such a fine defensive midfielder why do we concede chances for fun, he doesn't protect are defence in anyway and also adds nothing going forward. He does very basic work that shouldn't be above any midfielder imo. Him looking good says more about the poor standard of player we have.

Silva has to go before Everton are relegated. Sooner than later, because a losing streak means relegation for certain.

I hate losing and maybe them imposters on the pitch and in charge should once in a while take a look at the Club badge and what it represents.

How does it feel to be a laughing stock, Mr Moshiri? I hope the stadium and the profit – if it happens – is worth it.

Hate to say it but I think Moyes is probably our best bet until the end of the season. He did a pretty good job at West Ham and was unluckly not to get the job full-time. At least he can organise a defense.

Failing that, we should go for proven Premier League experience in Rafa Benitez. He's hardly happy at Newcastle and is the calibre of manager we need (despite being an ex red). No time for sentiment now!

It's such a shame we didn't take a gamble on Arteta and took one on Silva instead. He's obviously highly rated by one of the best managers in the game, knows the club, and is obviously living in the northwest. Unfortunately now I don't think we can gamble again.

The next few years are going to be pretty bleak until this stadium is built I'm afraid. I doubt we'll manage it as well as Spurs have. So we either get a good young manager who'll be happy to work with limited resources or a manager that's used to getting fuck-all transfer budget (either Davey or Rafa).

It's a shame it's come to this. We need a big clear out of dead wood players, coaching staff (yes you too Dunc!) and Bill! If we could get rid of Bill this season at least it hasn't been all lost... 😂

There is a lot said about Big Dunc every time we hit a bad patch. It's a great note of how fickle we are.

Personally I don't think his role is important enough. He has the required badges all the other coaches have and the irony of people calling out for passion and 'Moyes' in some quarters while Big Dunc is there, simply does not add up.

Too many people are caught in frustration and there are so many contradictive messages it is unreal. Regardless of what you may think of Ferguson the player, or the troubles he had, he fought for the club often enough to know he loves the club.

There is one man that does know the meaning of the badge and knows the fans' feelings but, straight away, the same fans who want passion want him gone – and, by the way, these people are all clueless as to what he does.

He works for the manager plain and simple. How often do you see Silva look to his opinion? And who is Silva's assistant? Does he know the "Everton way"? Did Martinez's iPad assistant know what our fans wanted?

Look at the board's methods and start there because it's less painful when you realise how stupid it has been. Then stick with what can be done to make us a unit again or keep rolling along with expert opinions and guidance from people basically clueless about Everton.

Away to Cardiff, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Spurs.

Home to top four and Burnley

Based on current performances, the best one could hope for is maybe some away draws and a home win against Burnley to be safe.

On Pickford, besides questioning his ability since the start of last season (and getting abused in TW), why is he the only person not to be dropped? Strange.

Also, why was Walcott brought on for Gomes when, for me, the obvious choice to maintain the shape would have been McCarthy??? Signs on the minute we changed shape we conceded a goal.

If Macca is fit enough for the bench, then surely he is worth a go. (Silva says he needs match practice, so how is he going to get it? We would also find out if he is capable of getting back to the form he had when he and Barry bossed midfield in Martinez's first season.)

If I could see anything like progress, I would be behind Silva; but I can't, and his inflexibility and inability to identify and address glaring massive problems suggests he is not the man.

When he is replaced the question is: Who? I know this will sound like heresy to those who wish for Simeone or Ancelotti but I feel the harsh reality of the clubs plight dictates a less fanciful approach. Eddie Howe has transformed a shit club into an established premier league outfit and I would support his appointment or Moyes as I don't think either is a risk. I favour Howe but he would be harder to get than Moyes at the moment.

Does anyone think Moyes would have spunked outrageous fortunes on the likes of Bolasie, Klaassen, Schneiderlin or Sigurdsson? He could spot talent and knew the qualities needed to gel players into a team. He did well with no money, often running on a deficit.

The expensive gobshites since could not run a bath let alone a football club. Forget Boys Pen Billy and teary reunions with swelling music, not a dry eye in the house. Since Joe Royle, he has been the only manager to put out committed organised effective teams.

With this background, who happened to hire Marco Silva? Oh yeah, Farhad Moshiri and Brands. The failure of this management was expected. But I did not think that Marco Silva's era was going to end so soon.

Time, please, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Only two teams in Premier League history have conceded more from set pieces than Marco Silva's Everton...

🥇 Marco Silva's Hull
🥈 Marco Silva's Watford

There is no argument left, this man is too stubborn to accept his faults and change them. It could be as simple as getting a high profile defensive coach in and making them assistant manager. Instead, he does nothing new and sends them on holiday.

For now, we are no better than previously non-league Bournemouth. The sooner we lose our obsession with the past, the better.

In fact, it might not be a bad idea to bring in Eddie Howe – an Evertonian and have him start again with our hungry young academy players.

However, Mo has a point when he suggests that whoever is to succeed the present rather hopeless incumbent should start by playing a good sample of our young players instead of the endless swopping around of Silva's 'top 16'.

Having identified and signed a goodly sample of the 'big-time no-marks' so favoured by the manager, it is doubtful if our seemingly revered Director of Football would support this move (and if nominated to find the next man in charge we can be sure it will be one of Brands' mates ) so expect more of very much the same selection.

My feeling is that from a football perspective, Moshiri's prolificacy (even if some of it has been his own money?) has landed Everton deep in the brown stuff from which there is no escape. Others with wealthy backers have travelled this way before us and now find themselves playing at Championship or even lower level.

Aston Villa's Randy Lerner was fond of saying 'however much you throw at it, you are only ever one bad manager away from disaster` and he soon became aware as to why his predecessor was happy to glory in the title `Deadly Doug! and was delighted to hand over the hot potato at a knock-down price !

Eddie Howe took over at Bournemouth 10 years ago when they were second from bottom of the 4th tier. He now has the club in the Premier League.

That is a far more impressive CV than most hungry young managers.

How can you be sure those long runs of defeats that Howe goes on don't follow him to a big club?

What about Dyche? Loads wanted him, he's had a bad season and is dismissed as a candidate now; how do we know Howe is not about to have a really bad run and go down with Bournemouth? Also, have a look at how much Howe's spent... it's a lot more than you'd think.

But Conte would be my preferred choice as he may stay around longer than Bielsa...

I'm just a supporter so have no in-depth knowledge of anyone who might be on a list of potential candidates, should a vacancy arise. But Eddie Howe always strikes me as impressive when I hear him speak, his track record is excellent, and he has experience in the Premier League. I would like to think he would be considered.

He comes here and the team isn't his. He also has the Goodison pressure cooker experience that he has never faced before. He could surprise us, but you have to have doubts.

He does come across very well when interviewed. He could step up at a club with better players and more potential.

He just doesn't convince me.

It is patently obvious that Everton has become a basket case and needs rescuing by a strong, experienced manager to steady the ship and start the process of building on a solid footing. Enough of these chancers that can't hack it at the top of the Premier League.

The standard we should be aiming at, in no particular order: Ancelotti, Simeone, Conte, Jardim, Zidane, Mourhino, Wenger, Benitez etc — all of whom would be a significant improvement and one at least of whom I am sure we could persuade to come.

Common denominator? They have won nothing between them; oh, but throw in the old chestnut "If he had money, what could he do?"

Well, Moyes spent a lot less than Howe yet his teams were always around the top 6 /7, so tell me how, by appointing any of these people, are we moving the club forward???

Last time I looked, both these managers' teams were below Everton... but, of course, they would be in the top 4 if they had spent what Silva had spent.

Never underestimate the ego of the football manager who believes he can/will be the one to turn Everton around. They will think Moshiri has made some poor decisions and are now right in appointing him.

I hope it's not Cocu either, his football is zonal, it wouldn't work in the Premier League where you need to close down players quickly.

Conte is the best match for Everton; a great motivator, genuine passion, and an understanding of how modern midfields ‘rotate and defend'. Defending is not merely the job of the back three or four.

Simeone – what planet are you on?

Conte – trying to resolve his contract. If you forget he's unrealistic it's going to cost 㿊-40m just to pay off Conte and Chelsea to appoint him. He's Madrid-bound in the summer once the contract dispute is sorted.

Jardim – love him but remember Silva did what he couldn't at Sporting and was his successor. Also, he got sacked by Monaco after taking them from 2nd to bottom. You want to sack Silva for less! He's no way leaving Monaco having just gone back.

Zidane – is that even serious?

Mourhino – see Conte.

Wenger – Going to be DoF at PSG; he would never come here.

Benitez – could go down this season, yet that's good enough for you? He's down 7/8 places on last season. Just imagine if he came and lost three in a row, he'd be crucified. Imagine him in the derby. He'd be accused of throwing it.

The list starts with Cocu and ends with Cocu.

I have seen quite a bit of Burnley (my wife's from there), they are awful to watch, it's like the days of Moyes playing for 1-0s all over again.

I don't give a shit about the RS connection if we can finally get a proven manager to move us forward. I've read reports that he'll be off this summer if Mike Ashley isn't bought out.

In some respects, a younger Portuguese version of David Moyes – and, like Moyes, it appears he has never won a trophy as a coach.

I wonder if this is the sort of coach/manager we should be looking at?

I am just amazed he's still at Newcastle given the backing he's had. It's bizarre.

Silva has presided over a similar decline without having accrued a first season Premier League best points haul and 2 semi-finals in the domestic cup competitions.

Apathy is growing and, if Moshiri is to prevent the nightmare scenario of becoming embroiled in a relegation dog fight, then he needs to act fast. The shortlist needs to contain winners – Mourinho and Benitez should be on it.

I think Silva inherited a poor squad, thrown together over the previous 2 years, by a bad manager, and an even worse director of football.

I think Silva and Brands have signed some good players, but without strength in depth or a real centre-forward. Silva's team have suffered over the last two months.

They have lacked direction, with only two regular players having played more than two seasons for Everton, and it's really showing right now. We did show promise, but the team lacked a cutting edge and, because the zonal marking has been a shambles, then the confidence has evaporated both on and off the pitch.

Let's see what a 17-day break brings? Hopefully it can refresh everyone, the defence can tighten up, but even if it does, we will still lack quality at the top end of the pitch. I don't know why, but I still think Silva can turn this round and become a good Everton manager, but maybe I just don't want to see another Everton manager sacked.

Rafa and Mourinho would be the two big names, but out of the two I've been really impressed with Benitez who has done an amazing job in the face of adversity managing Newcastle. I think Mourinho would have spat his dummy out and walked a long time ago working with Ashley and Co.

It's going to be interesting to see where Mourinho goes for his next job. After losing the dressing room at Chelsea and Man Utd, I'm not sure he'd be the man to galvanise ours.

Benitez wouldn't stand a chance and I for one wouldn't want him after his stupid 'small club' comments.

The outstanding candidates, as unsexy as it is, are Dyche and Howe.

I have been a fan of Bielsa in the past and he is the old master but, as Steve Ferns said, he's probably a bit long in the tooth. He also demands total control and I don't think that fits with our setup these days.

I personally would leave the thing up to Brands. If he thinks Silva can do the job after another window or two, then persevering with him is in the best interests of the club, both financially and from the point of view of stability.

Perhaps this depressing run of form will motivate a few of our ‘stars' to move on to pastures new.

I agree, most of those coaches are out of reach. Having said that wasn't Koeman the 7th best paid manager at us in the world at the time. If we're paying big wages then I'd say we'd have shot at some pretty big names.

Certainly Brands will be tasked with drawing up a bigger shortlist than one. Cocu would be an especially risky choice given his limited experience and the plight of Dutch coaches in the Premier League lately.

If Silva does not rectify this run of form soon then he will have lost my confidence. It will be hard for Brands to stick by him if we are as awful at the end of the season as we are now. Perhaps Sarri might be looking for a new job...

There is a consensus that Cocu would be the obvious choice for Brands – I agree. However, the thought of us plummeting further down the table and bringing in Cocu to work with the players we currently have fills me with dread. I would much rather give Silva the summer to take stock and go again next season rather than take what would be a huge gamble with Cocu.

I get why we have doubts about Silva (I do too) but my concern is the next appointment given the rag bag of players put together by five different managers.

I have long championed Dyche. He was my 1st choice before we brought in Big Sam. Now that we've brought in another a young manager in the shape of Silva, I really think we should aim as high as we can and bring in an established elite manager, if at all possible, if we finish in the bottom half this season.

For stabilities sake, I think Silva could still be given the summer and beginning of next season to improve things despite a bottom-half finish, but it would depend on how we have been losing games.

If we finish 11th or 12th, my big concern would be if he's drilled the team to defend better from set-pieces. If not, he's not going to improve the team for next season and he will have to go.

In which case, Sam #179, might be right in suggesting Sarri might be available. I don't think we could get Conte, so that would leave Rafa and Mourinho and out of the two it would be Benitez hands down for me.

I used to always bring up the 'little club' comment and say I wouldn't want him near our club but, after opting for Koeman, Big Sam and Silva instead of him, I would now give Rafa the job if he wanted it. He's a level above the aforementioned managers.

He got the Chelsea job despite making derogatory comments about them, but he still had the strength of character to win the Uefa Cup despite resistance from a section of their supporters. However, I do concede he would be under immediate pressure to get it right at Everton if Brands gave him the job.

Bournemouth and Burnley have leaked 47 goals this season; only Huddersfield (48) and Fulham (58) have let more in. Conversely, Newcastle have scored 22; only Huddersfield (14) have scored fewer. Do we really think our disjointed, lackadaisical squad would do any better under their leadership? Is that the type of football we want?

Howe & Dyche seem to have built a reputation merely on keeping their average team's heads above water and Benitez on long-past glories. To me, they're no better qualified than wheeling out the horrific suggestions of Pulis, Pardew, Hughes, or (God help us) Moyes or Allardyce.

I couldn't agree more. Having read through most of the comments it seems the general consensus is that we cannot attract any top name successful managers. We could try some big-name has-beens like Mourinho or Benitez whose transfer requirements we couldn't meet but if not then we can fall back on midtable Premier League managers like Howe and Dyche.

It really is depressing that so many think trying for the best, like achieving anything better than 7th, is a waste of time. If we want to be "big" then we have to think big. Even if the answer is "no" at least ask the question. Or settle for another small-club manager who presently is doing no better than the failure we have!

I would take some stability right now (not Sam Allardyce — the worst football I've ever seen at Everton).

How about Rogers? He almost won the Premier League with them lot — and would have if it wasn't for Slippy G.

People keep saying Cocu. He hasn't got the players to perform in his method which is zonal – it means players need to be super athletes and physical. We have 11 wimps. Any manager will need his own players and Brands has been very poor so far: his remit was to get rid of dross. We still have it.

Conte would be the manager to get the best of the present lot, his style is flexible, he plays ‘game to game', his tactics change.

Having said that, the whole edifice needs changing especially at the top. As I've said Barrett-Baxendale shouldn't be anywhere near her present position – neither should the other hangers-on. A new manager won't change that. Everton fans should be protesting but they are far too subservient.

If it was up to me, Option One – I'd see out the season with Silva and reevaluate a few games into next season. Despite our current horror show, his signings have overall been good, and earlier on our performances were better than anything under Koeman or Allardyce. We have a young squad that feels like it might improve with time. But my backing of Silva is contingent on him doing a few things...

He needs to sign a striker.

Improve us from set pieces (offensively & especially defensively)

He needs to accept that playing by Sigurdsson, Walcott & Tosun he's effectively sending us out with just eight men – they contribute soooo little for vast tracts of the game. A team can sometimes cope with one 'luxury player' strolling around the pitch – not three.

And for me, that's the thing – Silva hasn't been great, and his stubborn refusal to change may be his undoing. But I put more blame on our players who accept losses with merely a shrug. Only Digne and Pickford seem genuinely pissed off walking off the pitch. Richarlison seems to give up within ten minutes of kickoff if a decision or two goes against him and he never gets out of his strop. Sigurdsson and Walcott can be anonymous for 87 minutes, but act like playing well for a five minute period somewhere in between means they've done their part. Luxury players.

Pickford feels like Howard, great shot stopper but always has a mistake in him. Keane reminds me of Yobo, can be good for ages, but every game seems to have a calamitous 5-minute period where you just cross your fingers and hope it doesn't result in a goal.

But now, to answer your question (sorry if I got a little diverted...)

If I was to pick a manager – I wouldn't be picking from any of the dinosaurs from the old Pardew, Pulis, Hodgson, Moyes etc. roundabout. We have a whole world to choose from, plenty of leagues with managers playing successful football. We won't get managers like Guardiola or Simeone, but would a mid-table Serie A or Primeira Liga manager come to us? Conceicao? Inzaghi? Rangnick?

Anyway, sorry about the long post, I got carried away..!

(TL;DR - Conceicao! 😜)

This is the whole reason for Brands. The manager changes: but the team philosophy doesn't. The manager will be brought in with the view that the squad that Brands has assembled is good enough for him to do what he wants. So forget the likes of Simeone, not that he would come for a 𧴜M budgett. The team doesn't suit his style of play and would need to be ripped up and started again.

Brands will continue to sign players who fit his vision. The manager most likely is his mate Phillip Cocu. He would work perfectly with Brands and no doubt the players Brands has purchased would suit his style of football. This is the new way things will happen from now on.

If we do appoint an Ancelotti type, then Brands is not likely to last much longer, as Moshiri will not be valuing him or his role.

This is a lot of our problem... those pesky other teams.

People on here dismiss us still being in 9th as a sign as to how poor the Premier League is. Yet how many quality players the sides going down got?

Barcelona just signed Kevin Prince Boateng. He wasn't good enough for Portsmouth 10 years ago, and I bet Huddersfield would consider themselves to be better than that. Consider Newcastle and Palace and how they would stack up against their equivalents in other leagues.

Which rules out the likes of Mourinho, Simeone and Conte. If they were ever real options.

Brands will need more options to present than just Cocu though. Perhaps the likes of Howe or Fonseca or Rodgers or even Farke (whose Norwich are highest scorers in the Championship) come to the top of the list.

We have Marcel Brands now as DoF, I would be really interested to know what goes on between manager and DoF over potential purchases. Being on the outside, I think Brands had a big say in the purchases of Mina (not impressed), Bernard (not impressed), Digne (good player) and Gomes (nice on the ball but I'm not sure the pace of the Premier League suits his style).
Richarlison, the top scorer, and Zouma, the best defender, are probably Marco Silva buys.

Maybe they did have a DoF at these clubs but how much influence did they have or were they glorified Scouts just like Walsh was at Leicester and Chelsea. I could never imagine Ferguson having a DoF or Mourhino and not sure who the DoF was at Chelsea when Conte was there.

Top managers know the style of play they want and the players to play that way, so why would you have somebody at the club telling you what players they were bringing in? Also if it goes pear shaped the man sacked isn't the DoF its the manager.

All the great managers didn't need their hand holding to tell them what style or what players they should buy. I could well imagine what Clough, Stein, Shankly, Paisley, Nicholson would have said to a chairman who even suggested such a move.

Brian, I think you just don't understand the role. Everton have 73 senior pros. How can Silva be in charge of all of them? Agents of each player ring most days to complain about why their player is not playing or is playing out of position or is not happy with this or with that. Agents ring trying to flog us players. Scouts are ringing to give updates and reports on players and teams. Analysts are ringing to discuss the last match. The under 23 coach wants to discuss moving a player up to the first team, or moving a player back down, and so on and so forth. I've not even started on the amount of work we need to do on transfers.

The manager does not have enough time to do what managers did back in the day. Clubs are ten times bigger, and there's more people, everywhere.

So the job split in two. You let the manager be more like a head coach. Just take the team for training, pick the side, prepare for the games and be focussed on that and that alone.

The Director of Football does all the recruitment stuff, handles the transfers and the scouts, coaching supervision for the age group teams, and handles all the players agents, contracts, finances, grievances etc.

A Director of Football is essential in the modern game. It's not an evil like it was viewed in the 90s. I don't subscribe to the theory that brands is Silva's boss. For me they are equals. Brands will certainly have a big say on performance evaluations of silva though, and a big say on who his successor should be. Those decisions are for Moshiri though.

I think people just don't realise how big things are now. And just because Man Utd don't have one, doesn't mean Mourinho was being an old fashioned manager. If he was, why was he moaning about not being bought the right players? Because Woodward did it all. Woodward handles all transfers. Nothing to do with Mourinho. He wanted it that way though. All the Portuguese do. Silva himself started off as a director of football at Estoril, before jumping in mid-season with the club in trouble (and turning it round so fast they won the league the same season, playing defensive football).

We already have Brands on record as saying players will not be bought unless they both agree.

In fairness the quality of player brought in has been better than what went before although it could hardly have been worse however the big deficiency is bringing in a decent striker.

None of that excuses Silva's inability to halt a crisis in form however.

Maybe we got crossed wires somewhere I do understand that a manager cant handle all that goes on at a football club. I fully agree that someone has to look after the off field business at the club and have absolutely no issues with that.
But as far as him having an influence on style of play and player purchases is way beyond the capability of most DOF. Clubs used to have the club secretary deal with off field issues, I don't know if you are old enough to remember Jim Greenwood was our secretary who did all the financial side of the club. There were no player agents in those days.

And yes you need someone to make sure the scouts are doing their jobs, and the DOF will handle players agents and contract issues. So I am well aware of what goes on at clubs, I just think that some have elevated the role of what a DOF does.

How he influences it in the long term is through the players that HE buys. He's the one who signs off on all of them. If he wants to play beautiful football, he refuses to sign Peter crouch as a striker or massive guys to play central midfield. He also ensures Moshiri hires a manager to fit the players they have.

If we get a silva replacement and he comes in and plays Allardyce football, then brands will pull him up and ask him what's going on. The manager is in control but the director of football reports back to the owner / board and gives his professional opinion as the one who understands football most.

I don't suppose we could ask their manager if he'd want to manage him here? No, that's right we've shown we can't attract top managers.

Team From To Record Win %
PSV 12 March 2012. 30 June 2012 75.00
PSV 1 July 2013 30 June 2018 65.45
Fenerbahçe 1 July 2018 28 October 2018 25.00

These stats would leave me worried. Good in the Dutch league but not so hot in Turkey. Why would he be any better in Premier League?

Just asking, as they say. Remember Frank de Boer...

He seems clueless when it comes to zonal marking. Just look at the Wolves game. Why was Richarlison marking the space next to the big Wolves striker who scored?

I've seen Distin make the comment that the defensive line is too far away from goal. Is this because Silva feels Pickford can't command his area like a taller goalkeeper?!

Whatever the case, I've given up Silva turning it around. At the same time, we can't keep changing managers so I'm now at the point of indifference. Something I've never been in my 30+ years supporting Everton.

It's not always about just money and it seems an unfair stick to beat the club with as we cannot know what approaches have been made and what haven't.

We pay very large salaries to managers but, even so, we are a decidedly mid-table club with no Champions League.

Now, please confirm the following:

Why do you want Simeone to come here?

What is it about his coaching that makes you confident that he can put Everton back on the path to success?

Why do you think he can replicate that here? How many players will he need to sign to be a success here?

How much money will that cost? Bearing in mind the 𧺬-𧾦m that the Stadium is going to cost, how much money will the club have to spend on players?

With Marcel Brands in place with a brief to sign young players and develop the youth Squad, what success has Simeone had in developing young players?

Does he have a preference for developing young players?

What is it about Simeone's preferred playing style that you like? How would that be received by the Everton faithful?

Do we have the players to play that?

If there is to be another period of "transition" as we look to change styles, once more, then how is Simeone likely to hold things together?

Do you really believe that he is the best man for the job, would have adequate funding to enact his vision, and has the skills to implement it with the resources available?

I don't follow other clubs to the extent that I could write much about his coaching, juniors or how much they pay for players but he seems to find players who are constantly wanted by others, or so the papers say. However, like ourselves he has to put up with noisy neighbours so will appreciate what fans want. From what little I know of his sides he seems to put emphasis on defence with the ability to break or counter-attack but given the differing standards of teams in La Liga he most probably has several plans, I don't watch Spanish, or any European football, that much.

Your comments give me the impression that you now want to pull to pieces my own lack of comprehensive knowledge of the man but may be you might like to give us your opinion on why you do or do not want him at Everton, rather than the standard, "he wouldn't come". After all, as you say, his representatives have expressed his possible interest before and at some stage all managers seem to want to prove themselves at what they may see as the best league in the world and which, at the moment, seems to have attracted some of the best coaches.