Silva frustrated by Probert decisions in loss to Watford

Time to make the decision. Give an interim manager this period without a game some time to sort the mess and make a plan to see the season out.

Brands then has to make his own choice without Moshiri being involved. The new manager and Brands need then to have a proper 3/5 year plan and continue ridding the club of it's appalling playing staff.

I'm just totally sick of the way this is going, his 'moment' must be gone.

Never mind paying stupid money for average players, spend it on a top manager; they are mercenaries as much as the players so just pay decent money for one.

We were second-best and lost because of it.

If Moyes comes in he gets a two year deal. Let's start again!

Brighton we lost and failed to score in.

Leicester at home, atrocious and fail to score in again.

Southampton outfought and beaten, a late consolation goal meaning nothing.

Millwall, a shite Championship team that we failed to outclass.

Watford, another game failed to score in.

All these teams have beaten us in the last six weeks, workmanlike average units and we have failed to score in most of them, that's how bad we currently are.

Surely this is the clearest example of our malaise, for there to be even any suggestion of a 'homecoming', for that 'baron of boring football' (who showed how much his "People's Club" gimmick meant, when Manchester United showed some moolah).

Not welcome back... ever.

Bit harsh on Moyes for me.

The football at times might have been boring but he had some dazzling football sides when the likes of Pienaar, Arteta, Yakubu, Cahill were here.

Moyes might have never won anything but at least this club had a bit of pride and identity back then, unlike this current mishmash of average foreign imports and expensive castoff reserves.

Silva is showing himself to be Martinez minus the good attack.

One example of how he can motivate a player who is in the depths of a bad run is -Arnautovic at West Ham last season, when Moyes took over the guy started scoring goals for fun.

Moyes also has the ability to organise a defence another quality we badly need right now. As for his untimely leaving, personally I don't blame him, how would you like to work with Kenwright's sewn up pockets for 10 yrs. That would drive anyone insane. He deserved his crack at the top. Where is the Arteta money ?

Don't want Moyes back! Fine, but we are in trouble. Sadly we need a manager who is going to organise and get results. If Silva can't get the team to defend or score goals. One outcome. I don't blame Silva as I think this squad is mid table at best. Problem is we have played teams around us and struggled. We can't buy so let's stick with silva till the end of the season. Nothing to lose now.

Really tired of Everton being average!!!!!

Absolute pathetic display once more. How we are defending set pieces is mesmerising. When the players see setpieces on the schedule they must be thinking that they've got the afternoon off. I literally turn to my Mrs when the other teams get a corner or a free kick within a sniff of our area and say “They'll score here.” My records not bad either.

I want a manager that's done stuff now, and knows what it takes. Or at least cares. Don't get me wrong I know a Pep or a Poch isn't going to happen. But fucking someone. Someone with balls. I must admit I like the Arteta and Cahill combo that's been suggested. Arteta must have learnt some things from Pep whilst Cahill can beat Brands up if they want to sign someone and he argues.

What's so pathetic about the Moyes suggestion?

At least we could defend, attack and win matches. Players played for the shirt and we always had a win in us at Goodison against the Sky Six.

Now it's dreadful football, dreadful results, no-one to score any goals and we'll lose all our Goodison games vs the top six

I'd take Moyes over Silva in a heartbeat.

I'm struggling to see any logical reason to keep this guy on. He's clearly incompetent and has been promoted beyond his abilities. Nothing against the guy, but with a record like his, only a fucking idiot would let him carry on in charge of a Premier League football club.

I don't give a flying one who sees the rest of the season out for us – Unsie, Allardyce, My Nan – just get this man out of our club.

He did a decent job at Middlesbrough, he's spent his whole career in English football so the risk would be minimal and I think most importantly I believe he'd have the respect of the players.

He seems in tune with how modern day footballers tick also and the requirements needed.

I'd rather try and coax him here than go down another route of dodgy foreigners with no real experience or personality.

Marco Silva: 1.27 ppg, Win% = 34.6%, ppg x 38 = 48 points
Sam Allardyce: 1.42 ppg, Win% = 37.5%, ppg x 38 = 54 points
Ronald Koeman: 1.47 ppg, Win% = 40.4%, ppg x 38 = 56 points
Roberto Martinez: 1.44 ppg, Win% = 38%, ppg x 38 = 55 points
David Moyes: 1.50 ppg, Win% = 40.5% ppg x 38 = 57 points

Marco Silva: 33 points from 26 games
Sam Allardyce: 34 points from 24 games
Ronald Koeman: 69 points from 47 games
Roberto Martinez: 163 points from 113 games
David Moyes: 642 points from 427 games

* At Everton only

The answer lies nearer to home, Marco, look in the mirror for the real culprit.

Cardiff - Draw
H Liverpool - Lose
A Newcastle - Draw
H Chelsea - Lose
A West Ham - Lose
H Arsenal - Lose
A Fulham - Draw
H Man Utd - Lose
A Palace - Lose
H Burnley - Draw
A Spurs - Lose

Resign and do us all a favour Mr Silva. If I was as shite at my job, I'd be sacked without any payout or kiss my behind. Never thought we'd have a worse manager than Fat Sam. Mike Walker – all is forgiven!

Managers in and out like blue-arsed flies, not a glimpse of silverware in years, and now we're going too and fro about whether to bring down the axe again.

Worrying times again for us Blues; we can't defend for shit, we don't score enough goals and one of our most sort-after players can't get a run of games.

Surely Marco has to stop changing his team every game and try to get a bit of continuity!

I'm worried he's aware the job is too big.

He should have done with Lookman what Martinez done with Barkley and stuck with him all the time to see where he can get to.

Far too much faith in gobshites like Walcott, a man who has never fulfilled his promise and clearly never will, is keeping out a guy who half of Europe seems to show an interest in.

Calvert-Lewin in and out like a tampon, and replaced by another guy who knows he doesn't have the manager's trust.

Something has to change quickly.

I supported the appointment of Silva and, despite a few poor games along the way (Huddersfield and West Ham spring to mind), his set-ups appeared to work apart from lacking a decent centre-forward.

However, since the derby cock-up, the side has been in freefall and Silva appears clueless to fix it.

I'm seriously worried we'll be dragged into a relegation dog fight and I don't think we have the players to deal with that.

At the moment, I don't care who comes in; I just want Silva out of our club before it's too late.

Trouble is Lookman and Calvert-Lewin don't pull any trees up when they do start.

Walcott has been awful, no doubt about it, but really Lookman hasn't taken his chances when they've come along, he was appalling against Championship strugglers Millwall.

Calvert-Lewin for me will never be more than a late sub where, every now and then, he might grab the odd goal but a regular starter he isn't (Cue the Calvert-Lewin Fan Club, Darren Hind, attacking me from all angles).

The difference with Ross Barkley, in Martinez first season he was producing some match-winning performances and scoring and creating goals and in 2015-16 he was outstanding going forward with Lukaku and Deulofeu.

Lookman and Calvert-Lewin are nowhere at that standard.

I think people are also re-writing history with Moyes. He did some fantastic work for the club but, towards the end of his tenure, he was completely out of ideas. Add to that the utter lack of respect he gave us with the way he left.

No way would I have him back. He's gone on to do absolutely nothing with other clubs. Why can't we just look forward?

That said, he did do a good job as other posters have mentioned, his biggest achievement was the defense, something we could do with sorting right now.

Jose anyone?

I said it before; the Captain needs to be a leader and not a fucking kid. It's a disgrace that Davies has the armband. it needs to be earned and respected.

No other leading club (I say that with hope) in the country dismisses the armband like we do and the result is the lack of responsibility on the pitch.

Moyes is done, finished, a footballing joke. Southgate has achieved, as England manager, what anyone who has ever been remotely interested in football could have done. As a club manager, less.

I would keep Silva way before having either of those two. If Silva goes, his replacement must be fucking stellar. Otherwise, why bother.

Fuck me, Southgate. Now that is special in its absurdity. Jim, you know better than that. Next thing it will be the dream team. Roberto and the fat man (Allardyce, not Unsworth). Never concede or score a goal. Imagine that double act at a press conference.

We are in desperate need of players with character and genuine fighting spirit. We need a few Roy Keane types to lay into the backsliders.

Silva gives the impression of being a misery guts who cannot motivate himself — let alone his team.

Yes, I can see the attraction of say Arteta but what a risk that would be. We could get the same change of fortune United have had but I doubt it knowing our luck.

Silva was a very poor choice, again by the majority shareholder, it is now time for Brands to really earn his money. Now is not the time to hide, Mr Brands.

Allan Stubbs it is then!

We are in danger of having an embarrassment become a laughing stock...or is it the other way round.

Strange days indeed.

He was sacked by Rotherham after 1 win from 14 games and then sacked by St Mirren 4 games into the Scottish Premier League season because he'd allegedly 'lost the dressing room'.

And in the 18 league games in charge of those teams, they conceded 46 goals. Hardly a ringing endorsement of his coaching and motivational skills.

Buck up your fucken ideas and get us some points. Stop this zonal marking at corners and free-kicks. Simples! Test the Meerkat later!

Maybe we should bring Moyes in alongside Silva with equal authority in the hope that the latter's pride forces him into resigning, Moyes can steady things whist we find the right man.

"Calvert-Lewin fan club"?

You make a bigger fool of yourself every time you expose your morbid obsession with this boy. You will not find a post from me claiming this guy is a top player. What you will find is a steady stream of reactions to your vindictiveness towards him.

Despite playing well last week, the boy wasn't selected. Silva opted for Richarlison, Tosun and Sigurdsson. All three stunk the house out yesterday; in fact, they have been stinking the place out for weeks... but they cost the club 𧴜M so they appeal to your not fanboy mentality. You give them a free pass.

Calvert-Lewin came on with about a quarter-of-an-hour left yesterday and you singled him out FIVE times on the Live Forum, that's once every three minutes... that simply isn't normal behaviour, it certainly isn't healthy criticism.

While the club is in free-fall with your poster boy heroes failing miserabley on a weekly basis, you have systematically battered away at the guy who cost the club ٟ.5M. There is hardly a day goes by without you doing it. You've even lied about his age in an attempt to make him more responsible.

There are four threads following yesterday's match and you have appeared on all of them to single him out. Did you actually witness the 75 minutes of shite that went on before he got on the pitch? Or was you simply focusing on the bench in the hope that your whipping boy came on?

Richarlison and Sigurdsson have been cheating Evertonians with their bone idleness and shithousery, but you choose to hammer the late sub. Fair comment or nasty scapegoatism?

Even handed criticism or lost-the-plot obsession?

Good footballing knowledge or empty-headed nonsense? "Calvert-Lewin fan club" or an intense dislike for the moronic hammering of young players?

There are many managers available at the moment who would improve Everton, Mourinho, Conte and Wenger to name but 3. I don't believe Moyes is the answer but I would have any of the three mentioned. The new manager would get the rest of the season to assess the team and along with Brands set up a team which can at least score goals and defend.

However, I do think he might have given a funny look at Jim Bennings's missus sometime in the past!

(BTW – I enjoy many of your posts, Jim.)

These people obviously know nothing about football and it shows in everything the club do.

The same mistakes are being made over and over again, abysmal managerial appointments, shocking scattergun player recruitment, bad apples whinging in the background despite being given chance after chance and failing, a total lack of decent coaching.

We've sold all our best players for a pittance to rivals and paid more for far inferior garbage. It reminds me of Brewster's millions and having to spend a fortune as quick as possible with no results expected.
Its shocking.

Silva has to go, he's not up to the job and never was, but we have to totally change the way the club operates from the top down before this shambles leads to disaster and it has to start now with no hiding behind a wall of silence as is the Kenwright way.

We will play out of our skin and beat the Red Shite at our place in a few weeks and all will be well, the hero of the day will be Bernard scoring in the last 5 minutes to win the game 2 -1- and then I woke up!

Can you believe that apparently the club may be looking at Marcelo Bielsa if Silva gets the "you're fired"?

Silva is right about the ref, Deeney 100% got away with not one but two very bookable challenges in the first 15 minutes. if Keane had been more crafty he could have had the arsehole sent off for the challenge on him - sliding in studs up, 100% booking.

Deeney was at it all match with the ref and having wee foot in here and there, with a right few Everton players, how it took the ref as long as it did to book the dickhead was just very poor refereeing.

I'm not making excuses or defending Silva for the result but at least let's be fair – the ref bottled it. I can't believe that challenge on Keane has not been shown on the biased Match of the Day, or nobody is even mentioning it. I bet if it had been an Everton player on Deeney it, would be all over the place!

Moshiri doesn't like or want Moyes so that's not going to happen thankfully, he would be a quick fix for this season alone but was a busted flush in his last season with us and we all got sick of his lack of ideas. He had the best team since 85-87 and bottled every big game we had.

We should have got Bielsa In 2014 but would he and Brands work together in the current format which is clearly going to stay?

Silva can't inspire and yet again at Everton the players have stopped playing for a manager.

It's embarrassing to watch and I hate it.

I can't see Rafa joining now. There's no money left so he'd be leaving the frying pan for the fire.

This circling of the drain will lead to relegation if we don't stop the rot.

The evidence is clear that Silva is deliberately stripping the players of their natural and accumulated skills and then trying to remake them into his preferred hybrid style.

As seen by so many good players going backwards the skill stripping part is well advanced. Sadly the re-making part is lagging well behind schedule.

Yes we will get a new manager spouting the same positives as most of the others who have come and gone. He will bring in his own coaches and no doubt all on a 3-year contract as that seems the norm now.

But he will inherit many who played under the last two or three managers and all failed to deliver. We will all believe the new man whoever he is will be able to somehow galvanize these under performing players into a team able to challenge the top 6. But as the months fly past and very little changes and after a bright spell we are still between 7th and 12th after having spent another 㿲-𧴜 million.

I am afraid I have lost all faith in this club ever winning anything in the next 10 years, and maybe even longer than that. Sadly I have inflicted the disease of supporting Everton to my sons and grandsons.

Get them in Monday morning and tell every single one of them that they are all playing for their footballing futures as not many will be signed for bigger clubs than ours. That, if nothing else, should get a reaction. We know they are shit but maybe they don't. That at least will give them no doubts about how all the fans feel.

These useless fuckers will take us down for certain – if not this season, it will be next season. A truly awful squad run by a truly awful coach.

Not just Deeney! They were at it all match. Although Richarlison was going down too easily I swear he took at least two elbows.

They were nastier and pressed harder. Problem was, if we did the same the ref blew, or so it seemed to me

Who is laughing behind the scenes?

Silva is a dead man walking and we need action now as a damage limitation exercise because it is getting worse with each passing week and we are already in freefall.

As to the criticism of our younger players – they are the only ones (other than Gana and to a lesser extent Digne) showing any real commitment to Everton (Zouma's commitment is to winning a place at Chelsea – he's said so). That is why Davies was made captain. It is a shocking indictment of our experienced players and big money signings who provide neither example or leadership.

He's a young man in a different country apparently learning his trade as well. They both should be judged equally and not under this "kids" moniker. They're both first-team footballers – let's not defend one and shaft the other.

But none of that is an excuse for the way we play. That's down to us, and if we can't ride out bad luck and bad officiating, then we have no chance of progressing.

I am not disagreeing with you particularly about the stick but the trouble is he has this big price tag hanging over him, same as Sigurdsson actually.

A pretty big hole knocked in 𧴜m for the two of them and most of us (certainly myself) are not seeing that value being brought to the party. They both have their moments but yesterday, apart from the lob which landed on top of the bar, I don't remember noticing Siggy at all. Richarlison gets noticed mainly for the wrong reasons but as I said we should be expecting more for 㿙/㿞m (I am unsure what the final figure ran out at).

That is what is adding weight to the criticism. That and his impetuous attitude.

Gomes looked like he walked on water when he first arrived. Richarlison was dynamic and dangerous. Lookman full of flair and movement. Digne looked a class act. And so on and so on.

All of the players have regressed at alarming rates. Davies can barely make a straight pass. We are inept at corners, both defending and attacking.

Silva quite simply has to go. 11 games, 8 defeats. Just not possible.

We have a 2 week break, so time to get a new manager in, be it Unsworth or Moyes on a short-term basis or not, and time for them to remind the players how to play football. And at least some pride for the last 11 games, and hopefully get the players playing enough to derail our beloved neighbours' title challenge.

But Silva has to go. Spurs, before Poch, also had a seemingly never-ending revolving door of managers for seasons: Ramos, Sherwood, Villas-Boas.

We need stability, but that will only come with a competent manager at the helm.

Good players especially ones who score goals are at a premium and that is why they cost big money.

The problem comes with a poor coach not what players cost.

Probert represents refereeing in the Premier League which is so bad that no referees were invited to the last World Cup in Russia. In one of Everton's last games, the referee and the assistant could not see a blatant arm scoring a goal.

My post was a comment on Anthony's question about Richarlison specifically. I happened to bring up Siggy as a parallel case. We know good players, whatever their position, command a premium and goal scorers are thin on the ground relative to say midfielders.

My point was that Richy's price tag gives us a certain level of expectation and to my mind he is not living up to that. One doesn't have to look very far (maybe as little as a quarter of a mile) to identify midfielders and strikers who have far exceeded their expectations as determined by price alone.

I accept he has knocked a few in (9?) but we are such a mess right now I do not even bother looking a statistics any more. Richie didn't really pull up trees at Watford but our terribly astute manager, who we are finding more about each week, clearly saw something in him which made him worth the 㿙/㿞m, but as I said - and I know he plays for Brazil etc etc etc, but I am not really seeing it - yet. But then who am I? He could do with starting to act his age rather than a 14 year old pubescent teenager.

Anyway, that was my attempt to mitigate the criticism of Richarlison to Anthony. Perhaps if he had cost half as much the criticism might be a little more muted.

Big No to ginger Dave make 2 from me. A few suggesting Stubs, Gerard, Southgate, some dude from championship/ league one, etc, as replacement. Are you having a laugh?

.@Everton's day just goes from bad to worse...😬

After another @premierleague defeat away at @WatfordFC, Kurt Zouma was sent-off after the full-time whistle as he squared up to referee Lee Probert.

Here's what Marco Silva had to say: https://t.co/1E0idsAVRG pic.twitter.com/FNIso39eGD

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 9, 2019

● City Midweek 5 bookable offences some worse than Jag's red at Wolves, same Referee.
● Mason both Newcastle and Wolves – too many offences unpunished or not given.
● Second goal at Arsenal yards offside.
● The penalty at Man Utd.
● Our penalty same game, no 2nd yellow for Smalling.
● Jorgino at Chelsea on Sigurdsson should have been a straight red.
● Even after the second goal was shown on the big screen at Millwall, Oliver stilled booked players for dissent.
● Spurs: Calvert-Lewin's goal; at 2-0, who knows what might've happened? We were playing okay up to that point.
● The only ones I can think of for us is Walcott in the build-up to the 1st goal against Watford and Gomes penalty not given vs Bournemouth.

Yesterday Zouma walked up to the Ref' complained received a Yellow, as he walked away he pulled out the red card. Was that yellow his 2nd. Was he booked in normal time?

Even Fixtures Last to play before Xmas 1st to play in the new year. Wednesdays game because City are Successful meant 5 games in 15 days. Not excuses facts.

I know everyone is pissed off me included, But I think we should stick with Silva. Most of us were happy up to the derby.

Lots of names have been mentioned to take over. How about Unsworth to move up to 1st team coach, his kids have a winning mentality. It worked for Kendall with Harvey.

In Martinez 1st season Stubbsy was coaching the defence, it was only when he left that we started shipping goals. We could bring him back.

Would United be where they are without Micky Philen and no doubt Fergy's major input? It's not all down to Solskjaer.

I certainly don't think that they are beyond constructive criticism but that is usually up to the coaching staff. Unfortunately this season, I am unsure what they are hearing from our present manager. They also need positive reinforcement when they play well. I fully understand the frustration of our loyal fans. I think a good coach could get far more out of Calvert-Lewin. His main problem is an inability to take chances that he gets. However, he is speedy, good in the air and appears to be able to handle the physical side of the game. Positional sense and shooting are major problems. Agreed on that they are vital needs but they can improve with the right guidance.

If that does not work, perhaps he could play midfield or defence. We should not just give up on him or any of our younger players. Rather work on their strengths and give them the confidence to go out to play in front what is an angry group of frustrated supporters. They are probably far more frustrated than anybody else.

Watford delivered on Troy Deeneys promise to kick the shit out of us. It wasn't just him – he was ably assisted by Holebas and Capoue. They never stopped all through the game. Dirty, sly, after the ball had gone follow throughs, knees into the thighs, and standing on players legs when getting up after a tumble.

Dragging us back by the shirt or arms at the slightest chance of a breakaway.

Deeney making a back for Zouma all through the game – no wonder Zouma lost his rag with that referee – he let Watford away with murder.

Zouma cares. Gomes cares. Two loan players.

Richarlison got kicked from pillar to post. I though he was going to drop one of them at one stage. And the referee let them get away with it.

I thought every single one of our players tried hard on Saturday – everyone of them, subs and all. I bet you they are all black and blue.

Our manager having the mickey taken out of him by their fans.

So what do we do – sack our manager. Not for me fellas.

The rest of the football world would just love us to do that – they don't like us at all. In fact, they would like to kick the shit out of us also. Let's not play into their hands. Time to fight.

We have to get behind the manager and the team. I am well cheesed off.

You're a very generous bloke, clearly!

It doesn't matter who Richarlison is up against, he's always moaning and throwing himself to the ground. He gets quite rightly booed by opposition fans every week for his antics and that makes him sulk even more.

It's embarrassing and I'm surprised that nobody within the club has pulled him to one side and explained how we do things at EFC.

Completely average footballer with a terrible attitude. 㿙 million. Unbelievable.

I couldn't remember Capoue's name this morning but I agree totally he got away with murder, as did their left back. The referee was a fucking joke and nothing gets mentioned either by our hierarchy; we need to come out and start highlighting this to the powers that be.

The last few games I've watched, we always seem to get fouled in our half as we break via a deliberate foul. Man City did it quite a few times before that ref finally booked someone. A deliberate foul is meant to be a straight booking – no matter where it happens – but teams are doing it all the time now.

Or am I getting my wires crossed here?

All about dedication and enthusiasm and understanding EFC.

Silva was brought in because Moshiri and his mates believe in his methods, they believe in his style of play. We all new what we were going to get with Silva. We all new about his defensive frailties, but maybe he hasn't had long enough to get the players he needs to make the system work. Look what happened when Klopp brought in Van Dijk and Allison. Before they arrived their defence was a shambles.

The media are circling as they are vultures who love their power. They celebrate when a manager gets sacked as it gives them their back pages.

As Laurie said, it's time to fight. If all the fans began to show the same passion and support then the players would respond.

Look at Cardiff, a tragedy has inspired them to 2 wins on the bounce. First time they have achieved that in the Premier League. Nothing has changed regarding their management, but they've all got fire in their bellies. They're playing for Sala. They have a cause.

I'm all for supporting the manager and roaring the team on. Sometimes it just takes one performance for everything to click.

Fuck the vultures. Hold your nerve and support the manager through a disastrous period. Let's see how he responds. We have nothing to lose this season. No genuine threat of relegation.

Most Fouled Premier League Players

That number doesn't include ones like the two committed on him by Capoue 47 minutes into the game on Saturday, when he made a back for him and then stood/stamped on his shin when he was getting up. Snides they are.

When Richarlison did react earlier in the season in the Bournemouth game against that snide of a player Smith he got a red card – by guess which referee?

Richarlison gets hammered by the media every week – unlike Zaha.

He is a good player: 10 goals from the wing and as a makeshift centre forward at 21 years of age. Two less than Sane, Sterling, and Hazard.

Martin 101 – I have got Optus also – those commentators were loving it. Away with them!

I have had it with them – anyone that isn't in a blue shirt is the enemy. But let's be careful that we don't succumb to the enemy within. I did momentarily after the Millwall game when I called for Silva's head but I quickly changed my mind when I realised that that is exactly what the jackals are wanting us to do.

Up the Blues... Grrrr.

It's difficult to comprehend some of the terrible officiating that's gone against us this season, which looks likely to have had a significant detrimental effect on our results. This is of course not an excuse for our poor performances, but it surely must have a cumulative effect on players unless they're all robots, which they aren't.

The whole thing at the moment, the repeated cheating, and the apparent biases from the authorities which do nothing to prevent this cheating, is putting me off watching the game, regardless of how well Everton are doing.

Regarding Richarlison, he is better than he has been showing for the last few games (hopefully), but he has to realise he is being targeted by every opposition team going out to wind him up. Some tackles are out of order but lots of them are next to nothing and he is making a meal out of them. Best to just pick himself up with a little smile at the aggressor, that will wind them up.

He is doing himself and Everton no favours with his childish actions; get on with the game, he'll get more respect from us, the opposing team and, more importantly, the referee. Maybe easier said than done but that is the only and best way to behave in my opinion.

We need 7 points from the remaining games, and to start afresh next season.

I have been utterly gobsmacked over the atrocious officiating this season. We have had the shit kicked out of us in so many games, and put up with horrendous decisions. Unless I'm missing something, this is bound to have an effect on players.

We were playing decently against top-6 sides, but had to endure dirty play and bad decisions in those games as well. I have this image in my mind of that terrible tackle on Sigurdsson in the Chelsea game, which went unpunished, as an example.

It strikes me that the cock-up in the Derby could well have been the straw that broke the camel's back. The players are not robots, and no amount of money they get paid can make them immune from the kind of shit that we're witnessing, the continual cheating and biases that are ruining the so-called beautiful game.

None of this is an excuse for poor performances, and Everton do appear to have problems right through the hierarchy that we'd all love to identify clearly and remedy, but progressing from this situation is not made easier by the shit that's happening in the modern game.

When Koeman came here, he said we were too nice. No doubt he was right in that. We do not go round kicking the shit out of other teams, it's never been the Everton way. We're not Angels by any means, no team is, but we don't do what many other teams, including top-6 sides, do habitually, which is cheat, foul and get in the face of officials. And ironically, the authorities appear biased towards those sides that commit all this shit, particularly the top-6. So not only are the authorities doing fuck-all about it, they're effectively encouraging it.

This whole thing is putting me off watching football, regardless of how well Everton play. Even the World Cup last summer was won by cheating. It's gone too far.

It seems that we'll never achieve better things unless we join in the circus of cheating and have officials biasing decisions in our favour. But if that happened, I for one would lose interest in Everton as well. I don't expect the Corinthian spirit of Brian Labone to prevail, that would be far too much to expect, but perhaps EFC could be more vocal in raising concerns about what's happening.

In this respect, Marco Silva was absolutely correct to raise questions about the referee on Saturday, and I believe we should all support what he's said there.

On the Richarlison issue, I agree that he goes down to easy and also that how he does it seems to only encourage other players to target him more. Much better to do it the old Tim Cahill way, where you would leave it a few minutes before getting your revenge on the player who fouled you with a poor tackle of your own. That seems to put a stop to it much quicker!!

I was there for the infamous Clive Thomas disallowed goal against Liverpool in the 70's and the Alan Hanson handball against us in the Milk Cup Final. There are other incidents I have witnessed as well.

We also missed out twice on qualifying for the Champions League under Moyes. I worked out on one season that we had lost 14 points on bad refereeing decisions and gained 2, a net loss of 12pts and we finished 5th about 8pts behind Arsenal.

The following season, that wonderful referee Jeff Winter did an alternative league that shows what would have happened if the correct decisions were given. The only team to lose out were Everton, who would have finished 4th instead we finished 5th again.

It also has an effect during the game when you realise that the referee is giving all the decisions to the opposition and your best players are getting no protection.

I know some fans will be up in arms about giving the players some extra time off having just lost to Watford. But I think its a good move. I know Clough would very often say to a player you are not playing next week take your wife and kids away for a few days. You usually get a reaction when players are expecting extra training and instead they get extra time off. A time for the manager and players to have some time away from one another to try and asses what has gone wrong since the derby game.

I would hope he does take them away, so they can between them come up with ways to put right what has been going wrong. Kendall used to take his team for a Chinese meal in Southport were players could say what they thought was wrong and it usually worked in improved performances.

I respect your point of view and agree Richarlison does milk it but I am sure if he did a Tim Cahill he wouldn't last the full 90 minutes.

Paul I also agree that we should be putting games to bed but we are not, but as a fan I think if we were getting a fair crack of the whip from the officials we would have a far better chance of turning things around.

How did Deeney get away with his pre match comments? I bet if he had been an Everton player he wouldn't have. The FA gave him, Capoue and Holebas open slates by not at least issuing a pre-match warning about violent conduct.

I know what you mean re the poor decisions not helping but I am a big believer in making your own luck. Silva should be coaching us to dominate games and be in a winning position so one poor decision in a game isn't so disastrous. If you rely on the refs to get you through, you will always be in lumber.

You are spot on with the Deeney thing though – I cannot believe he got away with that and nothing was really said about it by the media or FA. I bet if one of our players had said it, they would have reacted differently.

Everton are not allowed to get relegated – God just told me that and he is okay.

I would not trust any of the money people because they are just about money and always look sad.

EFC just need a Joe Royle and or a David Unsworth. Evertonians in charge – not some foreigner looking for millions who can't speak English – and who knows, next to nothing about EFC.

Dead simple. Get a Blue Nose(s) in charge – David Unsworth and Duncan Ferguson right there and ready and waiting. True Blues. Dedicated. They love EFC and understand what it is all about.

Most interesting insights into capitalism and the proletariat.

Even more interesting insights into what is needed to turn Everton around.

Dead simple this social history and football management lark, innit?

In the end, everyone has a price. It is one of the saddest truths.

There are some that do and some that don't.

The players these days are just cavalier. No more foreigners who just want to rob all of EFC's money for 3 years or less.

I'm not a racist – just been looking at historical facts in football management; we invented the game, so there is an inherent factor in there.

Everton could drive a person mental but I can't get out of it: Once a Blue, always a Blue – unless you are Wayne Rooney and his family.

I guess every clubs' fans think they get a rough deal but I do genuinely think we have had the bad rub of the green this season to add to our woes.

We are playing poorly and that is the main reason we are not getting the results we want. I don't lay all the blame at Silva's door though, far from it. We won't be a top six side until we can attract better players.

Going back to the officials, the levels of incompetence that many of them display is very disappointing. Are they sufficiently scrutinised after each game by the FA and penalised if their performance was poor? I don't know; they should be.

We have had some bad calls though, I cannot dispute that, unfortunately. As you say a lot of the performances refs and linesmen have put in this season across the whole Premier League has been often lacking.

I think in terms of scrutiny, it depends who the decision has gone against. If it goes for the favourite teams like Man City or Liverpool, I suspect it is conveniently ignored. If, on the other hand, it goes against such teams, I bet more is made of it behind closed doors. Look at how players from teams like Liverpool get away with obvious diving still, yet other teams (like us) get picked up on it.

As regards who is to blame for our current situation, I would have to say it is Silva's fault myself. I know what you are saying about the players but other managers like Moyes or Allardyce managed to get us playing as a team with desire, organisation and the chance of picking points up with less at their disposal.

He has to go for me as we will only continue losing with him in charge. He has already brought players in that he wanted for lots of money and not done anything with them.