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Tony Hill
1 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:02:56
A solid team.
Michael Lynch
2 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:13:15
So who covers Sidibe when he’s caught out of position? Siggi? Probably the only lineup we could have put out today but I fear we might be over run in midfield
Derek Knox
3 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:14:15
Good to see Anthony Gordon back on the bench again, hope he gets at least a cameo role when we are in a winning position. Would also lie to see Moise Kean in the second half too.
Conor McCourt
4 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:14:17
Looks a decent side and with Giroud up top then understandable he has preferred Keane.

Chelsea have most of their first team out so no better time to play them.
Christy Ring
5 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:18:51
I thought Delph would be on the bench as cover, unless he's injured again. Still can't believe Siggy keeps his place, let alone be Captain.
Ray Smith
6 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:24:23
Where’s the Everton pundit in the Sky sports studio again?

Same last week against United!

Ciarán McGlone
7 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:25:17
Ancelotti isn't a proponent of dropping players for performing poorly or indeed of players retaining their place if they shine.

Can't figure his team selections out to be honest.

Tony Hill
8 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:29:43
Yes, Christy@5, Sigurdsson's selection and captaincy are not justified on form and I would have kept Walcott in. He must, though, be due a decent game.
Ray Smith
11 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:39:49
20 minutes before kick-off it's all Man City on Sky!

Some build up!!!

Rudi Coote
12 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:41:28
Davies the weak link.
Ajay Gopal
13 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:44:54
Davies will be up for it. Seeing his buddies Calvert-Lewin and Holgate awarded with new contracts must fire him up to emulate them. Hope Gordon gets a chance to play, and Kean starts making an impact.
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

14 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:54:36
Not surprised to see Digne reinstalled at left back, as well as Leighton has played as cover.

Tom rewarded for a really strong performance last time out. Carlo springs a surprise by playing Bernard ahead of Walcott, given this very week he said the wee Brazilian was best suited for home games.

Interesting also that he has retained Keane ahead of Mina. A tweak for the Colombian so not risked, or not happy with his performances and Michael has done well when he has played?

Play as we did in the home game and we can break one vodoo on away grounds.

Alan J Thompson
15 Posted 08/03/2020 at 13:57:34
Ajay (#13); Didn't Davies get a new contract last season or the one before?
Dave Abrahams
16 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:01:50
I've just switched off “On the Waterfront” – a great film – to watch the Blues today. I've turned off Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger and Lee J Cobb to watch Pickford, Keane and Sigurdsson. I hope it's bleedin' worth it.
Ernie Baywood
17 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:16:35
Strange start. Can't keep the ball, passes soft and behind players. And the half-press that cost us the goal was ridiculous. Press or don't.

Hopefully the goal wakes them up.

Ian Lloyd
18 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:19:27
Looking like we have never ever played before! Could be 6-0 if we don't change this now!
Ciarán McGlone
19 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:21:40
Pathetic.
Steve Ferns
20 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:22:04
We look terrible in midfield. The whole team looks poor, but the midfield really needs to do more to get and retain the ball. This is looking like a drubbing.
Ian Lloyd
21 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:22:52
Absolute joke – need a clear out of about 10 first teamers – can't even control and pass a ball! What a disgrace!!
Ernie Baywood
22 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:22:57
I feel like picking up Davies and moving him 5 yards forward. Then picking up Gomes and moving him 5 yards back.

Amateur central midfielders don't play square to each other. Chelsea are just playing in the two gaps either side.

Gerry Ring
23 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:23:45
Our midfield is like a bloody sieve. No bite & no one to make a tackle. Barkley bossing it! We're miles off the pace! 😡😡
Pete Hughes
24 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:24:33
Game over after 20 mins, ffs!
Ciarán McGlone
25 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:25:23
Hopefully most of the midfield players starting for us today are replaced in the summer.

Gomes is the only one I'd keep... the rest are a crock of shite.

Darren Murphy
26 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:26:04
What a bunch of shite, don't even look like they play together.
Ian Flanagan
27 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:26:08
Is Sigurdsson playing?
Anish Dosani
28 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:27:02
This just shows how much we're missing a player like Gueye. Little or no energy in the middle to clean things up.
Danny Baily
29 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:28:57
Pickford's positioning for both goals was poor.
Pete Hughes
30 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:29:38
Don't know why we don't just play 19 home games... fucking waste of time traveling!!!!
Tom Roberts
31 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:32:15
Am I the only person who thinks Sidibe is one of the worst players to ever wear the royal blue jersey? He is constantly failing with 5-yard passes every time I watch him. He is a total embarrassment.
Rob Marsh
32 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:32:37
We've got a seriously slow defence.

Holgate was blown away by William and Keane versus anyone faster than my mother with her trolley, forget it!!!

Gerry Ring
33 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:34:35
Worrying how lethargic & slow Tom Davies looks! As for Sigurdsson, playing his usual anonymous game. Don’t get his automatic selection each week!!
Joe McMahon
34 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:38:01
I've just seen the score now. Is anyone really surprised?

Until somehow the shite can be shipped off (not gonna be easy), we ain't gonna achieve anything (just like the past 25 years then). Sigurdsson + Pickford + Keane = £100 million paid. That is a criminal offence.

Bill Fairfield
35 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:39:27
This is about as poor as it gets.
Ernie Baywood
36 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:44:48
This is abysmal.

Count the touches Keane has when he gets the ball. Never less than 3. Why the hell would we want him on the ball? Just give it to someone better. Which is everyone. It can't move this slowly.

Sidibe had better be ill or injured. Because he looks like he's checked out of the club.

Only pass on is backwards. Because no-one wants the ball.

James Fletcher
37 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:45:04
Sidibe has been utter shite but the rest haven't been much better. So very poor from everyone and the decision making has been shocking. The lack of desire to put the ball in the box is very concerning. Incisive through ball that could result in a dangerous cross and they'd rather play it backwards and pass back to our keeper. It's insane.
Phil Smith
38 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:46:05
Utter, utter shite. Worst 45 minutes of the season for me. Whole side is still in bed here. Awful across the board. Carlo out!
Denis Richardson
39 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:49:06
Bye bye Europe.
Steve Ferns
40 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:49:11
Carlo out?
Christy Ring
41 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:49:35
So poor, we definitely lack a defensive midfielder. With Gbamin injured, Sidibe can't defend, missed a tackle for the first, and ball watching again for the 2nd. Instead of sticking to Pedro, he's a liability. And is Sigurdsson playing?
Chris Williams
42 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:49:42
Overrun in midfield. Causes problems at both end of the field.
Bill Fairfield
43 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:52:11
Absolutely second rate... this could be embarrassing.
Phil Smith
44 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:53:49
Tongue firmly in cheek, Steve. Still this has been truly alarming. Calvert-Lewin, as good as he's been, will never be a top striker. Top strikers finish that. Kane just needs a chance. He misses too many easy chances.
Tony Hill
45 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:55:58
One of the worst halves of football I think I've ever seen from us. Our lack of the basics is astonishing. This Chelsea side is poor in defence and we can still be a threat if we gather ourselves.
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

46 Posted 08/03/2020 at 14:58:24
Chastising.

I can't understand blame being aportioned to Pickford for the goals. He has been excellent. Our best player.

The Mount goal was superbly executed. Our keeper was left totally exposed for Pedro's second. That resulted from no pressure on the ball from midfield allowing the through ball and Sleeping Sidibe - once again - allowing his man (Pedro) to run off him with a clear run on goal.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Carlo swaps out Sidibe for Baines because as well as his rank defending, he has misplaced 3-4 simple passes that has badly exposed us to the counter. Digne also looks ring-rusty.

In the midfield, I don't understand why Gerry Ring calls out Tom Davies. He is the one midfielder who is contesting the ball, showing for the ball and attempting to drive the team forward. Bernard and Siggy anonymous. Gomes not much better.

The entire midfield is neither protecting the defence or releasing Dom and Richy.

For the pounding we've taken, we should still only be a goal down. The pass from Richy wasn't great, but Dom HAS to score those sort of chances to convince the doubters.

It will be one helluva transformation if we salvage anything from this in the second half.

Ray Smith
47 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:00:22
Phil 38

Carlo out?

Are you being serious?

They are playing bad in the first half I agree.

But your comment is totally irrational.

Go and sit in a dark room during the second half 😎

Tony Twist
48 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:00:53
Carlo magnifico, my arse! Embarrassing. Sigurdsson shouldn't be on the pitch, along with Sidibe, as both are liabilities away from home. We are two men down before we even start and that is solely down to the man who picks the team.
Dave Abrahams
49 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:01:21
It's not a match – it's a massacre... and yet we could have gone off just one goal behind. Bad miss by Dominic, no excuses there.

How can a team make so many bad passes, week after week??? Three times in the first eight minutes to put Chelsea in good positions.

i doubt if one player is worth more than a five on that first-half performance, so they are all to blame, even Pickford, the good saves cancelled out by the first goal.

Can we keep the score down? Can the whole team put some pride and effort into the second half?

Ciarán McGlone
50 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:02:34
Tom Davies let Mount ghost past him for the goal... other than that, he's gave the ball away multiple times and also run straight into trouble. In short, he's been crap.
Phil Smith
51 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:06:42
Tongue firmly in cheek, Steve. Still this has been truly alarming. Calvert-Lewin, as good as he's been, will never be a top striker. Top strikers finish that. Kane just needs a chance. He misses too many easy chances, Dom.
Jim Bennings
52 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:08:14
It might well be better if the derby is played behind closed doors.

There is no Everton fan that can look forward to a derby game now.

Phil Smith
53 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:08:34
Still too slow from everyone! Shocking! Some of these lads need a rocket up their arse!
Steve Ferns
54 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:10:02
Digne just ran away and invited him to shoot. That was ridiculous.
Gerry Ring
55 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:11:08
Jay #46,

I wasn't calling out Davies, I was genuinely drawing attention to how cumbersome & lethargic he looks for one so young.

4-0 & Mina on the bench?? Looks like we're back to square 1!

Steve Ferns
56 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:13:35
This is the worst we've played in a long, long time.
Bill Fairfield
57 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:14:47
For fuck's sake — what a joke of a team... but what do you expect when a man who's been garbage all season gets the armband? Totally uninspiring.
Tony Hill
58 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:16:50
I'm giving up on any more talk of a revival of our club. We're a million miles away and will remain so – the idea that we're a few players off challenging for top 4 is a sick joke.

Cowardice runs through us. No wonder that we are routinely disregarded in the media.

Mike Hayes
59 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:20:58
Can anyone explain why Sigurdsson keeps getting picked AND gets the feckin armband??? 😡 £45M and we've had about 45p worth! Huge clear-out in summer – and he should be the first.
Tony Hill
60 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:23:18
The other worry, I'm afraid, is that we simply won't attract quality players in the summer. Why on earth would anyone want to join this shitshow?
Gerry Ring
61 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:23:32
Don't suppose there was a buy-back clause in James McCarthy's contract!

Forgive my harping on but, if he or Gueye was playing, those two Chelsea midfielders let out of the crèche for the game & Barkley wouldn't be swanning around like they are participating in a “non-contact” training session.

Mike Hayes
62 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:32:44
Tony Hill – had we played some decent football and not caved in like this shitshow, I would have expected Carlo to be a draw for decent players to come. Let's hope he can ship the shite out. Sigurdsson for me is worse than Schneiderlin ever was. I'm so hoping he's gone.
James Fletcher
63 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:35:17
Sigurdsson, Sidibe (thankfully an easy one) and Michael Keane need to be fucked off. Walcott too.
James Fletcher
64 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:38:41
There are better options in the crowd than we have playing for us.
Kevin Molloy
65 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:43:13
They've not been right from minute one. It's nothing to do with tactics or losing an early goal. Something has gone on in the camp this week. They have been as flat as fuck
Jim Bennings
66 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:46:54
I can't see where the next 4 points or so are coming from at the moment.

After the derby, it's three weeks with no game then at home to Leicester and away to Spurs (another nonevent of a fixture for Everton).

Tony Hill
67 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:49:28
Kevin @65, that had occurred to me as well, but it just makes it all the worse. A shocking lack of concern for the fans and for what the club should mean to the players, regardless of egos and spats. It's disgusting.
Bill Fairfield
68 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:50:58
Two questions for Carlo: what does he see in Sigurdsson? What inspirational qualities does he see in him to hand him the armband?
Steve Hogan
69 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:51:26
Some truly abysmal performances today. Sidebe the main culprit, anyone still think it's worth investing £12M on his buyout clause?

I'm sorry but can someone convince me Tom Davies will ever become an outstanding performer for Everton? I think Carlo needs to question his team selection today as well, Bernard was like a little boy lost from the first minute.

I hope him and his backroom team now know exactly who to let go in the summer.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]

70 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:53:07
Abysmal.

Thankfully Chelsea declared after going 4-0 up.

Very condemning that you lose 4-0 and the team's MotM is the goalkeeper.

And I'd swap Ross Barkley for any and everyone of our midfielders today.

Kunal Desai
71 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:53:47
Well, that was woeful. At least it puts to bed any chances of playing in Europe next season. To be honest, I'd prefer not to be in it with these players.

Give Gordon a run out now until the end of the season.

Tony Twist
72 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:54:47
Chelsea have only needed to turn up for the grand total of about 25 minutes out of 90 to handsomely win this game, which is just disgraceful. We have a side of prima donnas.

Everton thinking of buying Sidibe and renewing Baines's contract, that is the problem right there, it's always amateur hour at Everton.

Alan J Thompson
73 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:55:45
Other than Frank Lampard, can anyone put a case for giving some youngsters a run or are we just working out who might not be here next season?
Eric Paul
74 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:56:19
Be careful what you say about Tom Davies, Steve, I suggested a loan to the Championship last week and got a somewhat negative response. I've changed my mind – I think he would struggle in the Championship. I hope to be proved wrong.
Michael Lynch
75 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:56:35
If we were a dog, we'd be put down.

That was as bad a performance as I've seen from any Premier League team this season, not just Everton. Chelsea were a delight to watch (I suppose) but we made them look like peak Barcelona by being so unutterably shit.

Jim Bennings
76 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:56:40
Pathetic.

When you watch our players sometimes you question how they actually made it as Premier League football players and some of these frauds masquerading as big internationals (I don’t need to name names really do I?).

Compare the disjointed pathetic disinterested shite from our lot to that of never say die attitudes of the likes of Burnley, Wolves, Sheffield United.

Their players actually want to play for those clubs, our players just talk a good game but really they are all sitting quite comfortably on big fat contracts.

I feel for Ancelotti because nothing will change in the summer, it’ll just be more recruits that underperform and don’t care enough, more “supposed to be this and that’s “ and more journeymen castoffs or kids that never look good enough despite the hype.

It’s just this club through and through, we are rotten to the core.

Danny Baily
77 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:57:54
Just not good enough to compete with the likes of Chelsea.

The three points we need will have to come from Villa or Bournemouth.

Eric Paul
78 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:58:06
Even Tom, Jay?!!!
Kevin Dyer
79 Posted 08/03/2020 at 15:58:36
The whole team was garbage today. Gomes, after his encouraging return, looking well off the pace and vulnerable in a midfield two. Davies seems short of confidence, maybe he realizes Ancelotti doesn't rate him?

Sidibe - pass on him, I'd much rather have Kenny in tbh, at least he tries hard. Pickford, a couple of good saves but beaten twice from range, not the answer long-term but we have more pressing concerns.

No idea why Carlo Ancelotti is persisting with Sigurdsson on the left; he's well off form and out of position also, he's invisible. Bernard should have played left-midfield.

I think these games should be showing Carlo who has a future going forward.

Ajay Gopal
80 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:00:39
I am in shock! Never expected this kind of capitulation in my worst nightmares. Did anyone come out with any credit? This is as bad as any performance I have seen by Everton. Nothing to look forward to for the rest of the season. No wonder they call us 'Neverton'. :-(
Joe McMahon
81 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:01:32
The club needs it's biggest shake-up in their entire history. Off the top of my head, Davies needs to be loaned to a Championship club or just sold, Unsworth needs to leave his cosy number and prove himself at Wigan, or anywhere he can commute from Chorley.

Lampard is a winner, his team played for him today, and I'll say it again, Pickford, Micheal Keane and Sigurdsson cost us £100 million big ones. The next game against Liverpool is frightening.

George Cumiskey
82 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:02:37
Gylfi Sigurdsson – captain of Everton... shows how low we've sunk!
Dave Lynch
83 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:03:46
Abject.
Michael Lynch
84 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:04:42
Worries me for next season as well. There were so many weak links there that it's hard to imagine Carlo being able to buy enough players to make the difference. We need to replace at least half of the squad, probably more.

Ronnie Goodlass on Radio Merseyside saying much the same thing now.

Rob Marsh
85 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:05:19
There's only Richarlison I'd definitely keep, the rest of them are a sliding scale of crapness.

I wonder how big the contract was for Holgate? He was exposed today.

Calvert-Lewin can score the odd spectacular but, as we saw today and at Arsenal, he'll miss most of the chances he should score... I wonder how big his new contract was?

I think there's a fair bit of warmth towards Gomes after coming back from his injury but, in the cold light of day, he was a sideways crab today.

Kean looked lively for his short time on the pitch.

The rest of them????

Don Carlo, I'm just not sure he's aware just how much mediocrity there is in this team.

John Keating
86 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:05:45
I think the headline sums it up perfectly. Abysmal embarrassment and not one player, possibly Pickford the exception, comes out with any credit whatsoever.

We are so slow and ponderous, it is quite unbelievable. No passion or fight.

I think Ancelotti could and should have changed it as soon as he saw us being overrun in midfield but he just stuck with it.

Pointless pointing anyone specific out as all outfield players were a disgrace.

George Cumiskey
87 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:06:10
Roy Kean tearing us apart and rightly so.
Kieran Kinsella
88 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:06:37
Too many jokers on ToffeeWeb with short memories. We won a couple of games and people thought Champions League. One joker who loves the young boys coming on here daily bigging up Tom and Co despite their failings.

Gomes? Yes great to see him back but he was always hit and miss before so why would we expect him to be world class weekly after a serious injury?

People, including one notorious bore, slated Baines after Arsenal and said we needed Digne back. Now suddenly Baines should've kept his place.

A few facts for you: most of these players have been middling or crap under four managers, various formations and tactics. Losing today, therefore, is no shock if you've actually been paying attention.

Brian Williams
89 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:06:40
It's simple really, too many of our players just aren't good enough. That shouldn't excuse what sometimes looks like lack of desire and effort though.

You simply can't afford to have a weak point when you play the better teams and we had several. Sidibé, Sigurdsson, Davies and Bernard were all weak points today. That's four (at least) out of eleven.

We lacked ideas, effort and intensity right from the kick-off and got taught a lesson by the likes of Mount and Gilmour to name a couple.

I'll finish with what I started. Too many players just aren't good enough.

Steve Brown
90 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:06:42
Well, at least Carlo can now make a list of who he wants to keep next season: 1) Richarlison, 2) Calvert-Lewin, 3) Holgate, 4) Er....
Phillip Warrington
91 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:06:57
Surely Beni Baningime is worth a game before Sigurdsson? He couldn't do any worse. Maybe you could say keep him for his set-pieces but they have been shit this season as well.

Just another day when Everton kick themselves in the head, just when you think it might happen, it turns to shit because we are now behind in points and our goal difference is heading in the negative double-digit range.

Michael Lynch
92 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:07:24
Also, our passing was incompetent throughout. Awful awful stuff.
Martin Berry
93 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:07:53
The difference between the Chelsea's squad of players and Evertons is vast by comparison, they will become a major force and I predict Premier League winners in the next few years.

The good thing to come out of this is that Carlo now has a good idea of what needs to be done and who to clear out. I think it's going to be an interesting summer in the transfer window but can Farhad dig deep again and Marcel clear out the deadwood?

Rick Tarleton
94 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:08:41
Nil satisfaction, nil optimism.
John Cook
95 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:09:00
That backbone of a team you're talking about has a distinct yellow streak down it, Carlo lad.
Steve Brown
96 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:09:05
I honestly thought we would come out firing after a half-time bollocking. More fool me.
Mike Oates
97 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:10:01
Ancelotti must know after today that his “We are only 3 players away from challenging for Top 4 next year” is an absolute joke of a statement.

He must know that Sidibé, Davies, Sigurdsson, Bernard, and add on Coleman, Baines, Delph, Iwobi, Walcott, are nowhere near good enough, nowhere near.

He's got at best regulars – Pickford, Holgate, Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. Gomes was shown up today as not quick enough against the best midfielders, he needs legs around him, he needs energy around him. We are totally unsure about Gbamin yet and maybe never will be as it was a real massive injury.

It's not 3-4 players we need but once again as every few years, a major clear-out and refurbishment. It's a 3-year job, but hey, we said that in 2015, 2017, 2019 – No, it's a bloody 9-year job!!! I hope Moshiri stays.

David Donnellan
98 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:13:30
Not one player comes out with any credit after that. That was an horrific performance.

For me, we lost it in midfield. Neither Gomes or Davies are defensive midfielders. Gomes is a calm creative deep lying midfield player (although he was poor today). Davies is neither defensive or attacking. It's like he is just there. I always want to see homegrown talent do well, but he just doesn't look good enough for that level.

The whole team were piss poor!

Pat Kelly
99 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:13:52
Overrated, overpaid. And that's just the manager. Couldn't get a tune out of a juke box.
Si Cooper
100 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:15:56
Absolutely shambolic.
Oliver Molloy
101 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:17:45
Today's performance shows us all exactly the size of the task Ancelotti has on his hands.
Dick Fearon
102 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:18:18
If I was awarded points for today's game.

Pickford: 6. For his very good saves.
Sidibe and Digne: 3 each for effort.
Holgate and Keane: 3 each.
Davies and Richarlison: 2 each.
Gomes, Sigurdson and Calvert-Lewin: 0 points for their absolute crap.

Anyone connected with coaching and selecting this mob of useless gets deserve a good kicking.

John Boon
103 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:18:27
Tom Roberts (31).

I cannot respond to every post but you represent 99.999% of Evertonians in saying that Sidibe is the worst full-back and the worst individual signing we have made in the last year or so. And that says a lot.

I usually try to avoid being critical of specific Everton players but he is NOT yet an Everton player and I sincerely hope he never is. Unfortunately, today he had ten accomplices who all helped him to continue his dreadful form. Awful game!!!

I am flying home from Canada with two sons specifically for the derby. Unfortunately, the fares are non-refundable. Perhaps I can pick up an award for extreme bravery in the face of danger or Idiot of the Month award. I usually sign off with CYOB but today it has to be HELP.

Gareth Evans
104 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:21:10
3 players out there today should never put the shirt on ever again:

Sidibé – a complete liability of a right-back;
Sigurdsson – Mr anonymous; and
Theo "is my hair okay?" Walcott – just what exactly does he do/offer??

I felt so sorry for Tom Davies today, he was 1 man against the whole Chelsea midfield. Gomes made some nice passes but his lack of mobility was glaringly obvious today.

Bernard (good footballer that he is) just isn't robust enough for the Premier League. The defence had no chance today as Chelsea just kept scything through at will. I think we would have been better trying 3 centre-backs today, or even Mason in midfield. God help us against Liverpool if we play like that.

Over to you Carlo, this is where you earn your money...…...

Ernie Baywood
105 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:23:11
Wrong tactics, picked the wrong players, we're a few quality players short already.

But even then, what was that performance about? Passing the ball to the opposition. Slow. Lazy. Uninterested.

It doesn't take much to at least compete. It doesn't take much to be ready for the ball so it doesn't bounce off you or roll under your foot. It doesn't take much to make a forward run and ask for the ball.

That was just rotten to the core.

Eric Paul
106 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:25:48
Pat @99,

Have a look at his cv.

Anthony Jones
107 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:27:44
Oh well, I think I will follow Wolves for the rest of the season.
Liam Reilly
108 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:31:25
If there's one positive to come from this, it's that Ancellotti's now knows that his comments about just needing 2 or 3 quality players to challenge for the top 4 needs a reality check.

This is a gutless team of mercenaries who are happy to take home their absurd paychecks and couldn't give a shit about the supporters.

To me, we need to play the kids; I'm sure we wouldn't want to be anywhere near Europe with that side.

Paul Birmingham
109 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:32:02
The worst thing today is that the players didn't have the belief, fight and desire. May be this week they've been using up the tea bags remaining from Marco Silva time.

Too pedestrian, last, slow, shocking. No pride in the shirt, and I'm sure Carlo Ancelotti will now see the reality of the task he has. Bearing in mind Chelsea played Liverpool, they looked 10 times fitter and faster and passionate.

There's a stack of players whom I'm not sure we can give away, let alone sell. Stinking, rotten performance and God help us next week versus Liverpool. Chelsea with a few kids in their team, looked like a decent team.

I can't understand why the players played the way, they did today. Hopefully Carlo and Dunc will be showing the riot act to this squad. Hopefully, they'll be named and shamed at Finch Farm, and will be not getting a locker for next season.

A massive job to pick the starting line up for next week. Can an upset, happen? Based on today's performance, it sadly won't happen.


Raymond Fox
110 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:35:08
Over-reaction on here as usual. Yes, we played badly and we are short of a few top-quality players, but we know that to be the case.

It's a bad day at the office, we have had a decent run of results of late, we should know by now that, when we play the top few clubs there's a chance we are going to get shown up.

There's always the river!

Ian Riley
111 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:38:08
I am missing something here? Which 4 are we talking about top or bottom of the league. I wish managers would cut the crap out and be honest. We cannot compete with the top six. Sadly four to five players must go and players that have actually won trophies are brought in.

This club is full of players who have won nothing and play like that. How many have a cup medal, let alone a league winners medal? Sorry, but the fact is Silva would have got us in this position in the Premier League. Unless we hand Carlo £200 million in the summer and clear out the average, nothing will change. The team is weak in every area. The spine is poor. Giving five-year deals for what? Average on big salaries.

I'm bored like many with the inept, lazy, can't-be-arsed style of play. However, I do think there is something more than that. Everton are simply a mid-table club. Nothing more and nothing less. Today, we showed and embarrassed our manager. This goes beyond him. This is something that has been going on for decades.

Darryl Ritchie
112 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:40:27
We are definitely not as good as a lot us thought we were. Champions League? Not going to happen without a lot of new players and a lot more money.

But I believe if we played Chelsea again next week, we might not win but the game wouldn't be the embarrassment this one was.

For the time being, we are a mid-table club, with mid-table players. Maybe we have a top-level manager. Time will tell.

Paul Tran
113 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:42:24
It's all about what we haven't bought. Where's the hard bastard midfielder with skill? Where's the character? It's a squad full of half-decent to good players who collectively go missing. I think Carlo's right about three players, but, for once, they've got to be ones that make a difference.
Tony Heron
114 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:43:54
Well it's all been said, that was truly embarrassing. But I wonder if the players feel the same? They're supposed to be professionals, so I would hope they are ashamed of their individual performances.

What I can't understand is that they have all had to work their way through the ranks to arrive as "top" players. So how did they do that if they can't tackle, pass to a team-mate, shoot straight, or control a football? What do they do in training during the week?

Ross Barkley (who was very good today, and the booing, what's that about?) said that the training at Chelsea was so much better than when he was at Everton, and he had learnt so much more. I've always felt when I've watched the Everton training on YouTube, albeit a brief snapshot, that there seemed a very relaxed attitude with players generally having a laugh rather than working on basic skills.

The difference in technical ability between the 2 teams today was massive. We also need a strong leader on the pitch to give these divas (divvies?) a kick up the backside when needed, which is often!

Duncan Adams
115 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:45:39
I don't think Carlo can wait until the summer to sort out that midfield. Too many one-paced ‘technical' players with very little offensive or defensive output.
Joe McMahon
116 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:46:21
Getting Everton to the Champions League is a task as big as getting Sheffield United or Burnley there. Oh, hang on – they are nearer than we are. The derby next week will be enough to make grown men cry. The rot started about 2009, when Moyes had out-stayed his tenure.
Liam Reilly
117 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:47:55
A lot of comments about the side not being good defensively and without the ball. You don't need to be good defensively if you can keep the friggin ball.

Chelsea bossed the middle with 2 kids and Ross Barkley. Jesus Wept.

Rob Dolby
118 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:48:12
Awful display. Only Pickford and Richarlison come out of it with any credit for me.

Ancelotti is undoubtedly a great manager, he isn't a miracle worker.

Trust our luck: FFP comes just as we have a great manager, a billionaire backer, and squad full of pretty average players.

Darren Hind
119 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:49:30
Ancelotti will get away with murder again. Not by me, he won't.

It was embarrassing the way the Chelsea midfield overran ours with a man extra. It isn't enough that their midfield players are better and more mobile than ours, Carlo decides to give them a numerical advantage too.

That's Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea who have all beaten us since he arrived... Moyes, Martinez Koeman, Allardyce and Silva could all manage that much.

He got it badly wrong today. Anybody claiming otherwise watched a different game from me.

It's not long since Duncan Ferguson battered this group of Chelsea players with less options than Carlo had today.

George McKane
120 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:52:07
This is not a blame message but we - - all of us fans, players and manager - - have to take a very hard look at ourselves - - we haven't had a decent run - - we have got away with a few - - and that's fine - - but you cannot fool yourself - - my comments are not aimed at getting rid of everyone but here are a few of my thoughts:
- Pickford - - I would look for a new goalie
- Sidibe and Keane - - dreadful readers of the game - - bad passers - - always a liability - - potential giveaways continuously
- Walcott - - absolutely finished - - terrible ball in today when much easier pass was on for a goal
- Davies -- has energy and little else it seems
- DCL - - work in progress still - - misses too many - - this week and last and against CP
- Richarlison - - big + - - keeps working - - big asset
- Holgate - - good asset
- Digne and Mina - - could and should be better
- Gomes - - needs players around him - - early days after injury
- Schneiderlin/Delph - - not good enough
- Moise Kean - - looks like he should do it - - when - - patience needed

- - Sigurdsson - - finished - - must not play again this season

Ancelotti and Ferguson - - need to fire up the team - - need time - - biggest problem at EFC - - and everyone knows - - is mental strength and awareness - - bravery and courage - - pace and passion

Big job - - of course we are behind them but it can be tough being an Evertonian.

Jamie Crowley
121 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:55:08
They were asleep off the bus and never woke up.

That was embarrassing.

Colin Wordsworth
122 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:58:09
Gareth at 104, about time someone stated the obvious...

Bernard. lovely touch, probably lovely man, but no pace, power or purpose and is not strong enough for the premier league. Should never be a starter, an impact sub when the opposition get tired at best. At £120k a week, just not worth it.

As for Sigurdsson....

Winston Williamson
123 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:58:13
We get even a whiff of moving up the table and we bottle it, again.

It’s an embarrassing trait this club have.

And if i’m really honest, I’ve come to the point where I don’t believe we’ll win these games or move up the table when we get a chance to.

This club don’t inspire belief, ever!

George Cumiskey
124 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:58:33
It really makes you think it isn't a fallacy that Siggi keeps getting picked because it's in his contract, because why is he always in the team when he's absolutely crap ?.
Eric Paul
125 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:58:59
Ancelotti must be shitting himself at the thought of not getting away with murder with mr Hind. For fuck sake it’s one game the shite got fucked 3-0 by a relegation side last week, it happens. We are a couple of quality midfielders away from being a good side
Paul Birmingham
126 Posted 08/03/2020 at 16:59:03
There's levels of professionalism across football at all levels. Today, Everton showed that there's light-years between us and the so-called top five clubs.

How much war kitty is granted and permitted this summer is key but to get any reasonable chance of luring a couple of centre-backs, and a dynamic midfield playmaker / captain, remains to be seen.

From the ashes of this defeat, it will be vital to try and stop the rot and upset the odds vs Liverpool.

Scary as the lethargy and pedestrian, slumberland tempo today must be a massive concern for the management team.

Yet again the supporters are let down by another humiliating performance.

4-0... it could have been 8-1.

Mick Conalty
127 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:06:07
Carlo, you stated that you are not here for the money???? Making Sigurdsson CAPTAIN when you can see that he is total shite, tells me different.
Mike Powell
128 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:07:45
Embarrassing, midfield is woeful. How does Sigurdsson still get a game? And don't start me on Davies, he is a Sunday league player at best.

You shouldn't dislike your own players but am starting to despise some of ours.

George Cumiskey
129 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:07:49
The 4-0 scoreline doesn't truly reflect the game — it should've been a lot more... LOL!
Kenny Smith
130 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:09:28
We've just proved Gary Neville is exactly right. We bottle it even at the thought of playing the so-called top six at away.

The spine of the team is second-rate, as is the width, to be honest. A clear-out is desperately needed but we can't keep wasting money hand over fist.

If we fall foul of FFP, we can only blame ourselves for buying average players who simply haven't done it for us.

Dave Williams
131 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:15:36
A dreadful performance with no-one coming out of it with any credit.

They were all over us from the kick-off. Our passing was woeful, our energy and fight were non-existent, no teamwork, poor reading of what was going on.

I have supported Tom Davies but he had a poor game today, not helped by Andre Gomes clearly not fit for this type of match and Bernard and Sigurdsson not contributing anything. Quite why Sigurdsson continues to be selected is beyond me and if someone can explain, I would be grateful.

The game was lost because of a midfield which could not defend, could not create, and had zero energy or fight.

Surely Beni is worth a try? God help us next game!

Derek Taylor
132 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:19:15
Maybe Carlo's lost the players?

Well, we can only hope cos on today's performance they are all crap!

Dave Williams
133 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:20:57
I should add that’s the best I have seen Barkley play for years. Embarrassing how he was taking the proverbial towards the end.
Peter Mills
134 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:22:35
A disgraceful performance, an insult to all of us but an absolute kick in the balls to those who travelled.

Less “On the Waterfront”; more “Apocalypse Now”.

Bill Fairfield
135 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:22:58
Wonder which player will be trotted out to apologise for this shite???

Well don't bother — we've heard it all before.

Robert Tressell
136 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:23:34
Unfortunately the last 3 games have exposed where we are. We do shit ourselves against big teams. We do get nothing out of Bernard away. We do get nothing at all out of Sigurdsson. We're crying out for quality and energy in midfield.
Derek Taylor
137 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:24:41
The best £15M they've ever spent, Dave!
Mike Price
138 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:24:50
Giving Calvert-Lewin that inflated contract after a very short purple patch is classic Everton. He still had over 2 years on his previous deal. Another anchor weighing us down for the next 5 years. He wouldn't get in Liverpool's 3rd team.
Darren Hind
139 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:27:28
Eric Paul,

Ancelotti won't be shitting himself about anything at all. He has too many people like you apologising for him and making foolish statements about it only being one game. We have been beaten by all four of the teams I mentioned. These were not narrow defeats.

He doesn't have too high a bar, because you and many like you will overlook all those poor managerial performances because he used to win things with other clubs.

Simon Dalzell
140 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:28:40
I know I've banged on about it, but not buying anybody in January is a travesty. Gomes and Gbamin injured and absolutely nothing in midfield. There was 5 months left of the season, so surely we HAD to buy then. At least a midfielder.

For the first time ever, I went out early to my regular Sunday job, and missed the last 15 mins. I was surprised it was only 4 when I got back. Virtually the whole team is pathetic, gutless, clueless, etc.

Max Murphy
141 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:28:45
People keep saying "We've had a good run of results..." under Ancelotti – can someone remind me of our victories? Was it Crystal Palace and Watford? Ground-breaking!

We've dropped 8 out of possible 9 points in the last 3 games. After Liverpool, it will be 11 points dropped out of 12.

I don't give a shite about Carlo's CV. I just wished we'd retained Duncan Ferguson instead of wasting money on this charlatan.

Ajay Gopal
142 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:30:23
Only Richarlison and Pickford, and perhaps Holgate and Keane come out with any credit. The rest were so poor, it beggars belief. This performance was so bad, I just don't know where we go from here?

We don't have any player that we have returning from injury or suspension, who could give some hope. Desperate times.

Derek Taylor
143 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:32:11
Only Brands is to blame. He's failed to get rid of the crap – just added to it!
Jim Bennings
144 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:32:15
Dave,

To be fair to Barkley, he'd waltz into this Everton side right now and I was never his biggest fan but we've had nothing like him at the club since, someone that carries the ball and can actually shoot.

Our midfielders are a pure embarrassment, do any of them ever take a shot?

When you look at the team Martinez had in 2015-16, most of that midfield walks into this one Deulofeu over Walcott every time. McCarthy (fit) and Barry over Davies, Schneiderlin and Delph every time.

Lennon would give Bernard a run for his money, Bernard could be a good player but at times you can see exactly why we landed him on a free transfer.

We are basically a shit team.

Eric Paul
145 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:33:21
So who would you have, Darren? And it was one game, however foolish you think it was. The other games you mention are historic games just like his wins.
Mike Kehoe
146 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:33:23
Red shite, red shite – you are next.
Clive Rogers
147 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:39:26
Our two young players with the new contracts were poor today. Calvert-Lewin never in it and missed another sitter while Holgate looked sluggish and was trying to wrestle everyone rather than going for the ball, which led to Giroud's goal.
Paul Abel
148 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:39:33
I am sure I will get a lot of abuse for trying to not catastrophize this result. We played two similarly situated teams in the last two games - Man Utd and Arsenal. In the Arsenal game, we had 17 shots to Arsenal's 9, of which 5 were on target against 4 for Arsenal. In the United game, similar situation, with 16 shots against United's 14, and each had 5 on target. Although we got fewer points than our shots and XG predicted, we at least held our own. To me, that says Everton are now competitive with the stronger teams.

The awfulness of this game was how little we created – 3 shots of which one was on target, while allowing Chelsea 17 shots – 11 of which were on target.

But it is the same team this week that performed so much better in prior weeks. Something just didn't work this week.

Tony Hill
149 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:39:50
The lack of basic technique and energy/intelligence from the players today was horrible to watch. Regardless of tactics. It happens time and again and has happened under every recent manager. Everton have a special way of being shit and it has become habitual away from home.

I don't see a way out of it because the dead weight of incompetence in the playing staff is too great and there are too many structural obstacles to turn it around in the foreseeable future.

Soren Moyer
150 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:44:40
Tom Davis a talent!!!? I'd get rid ASAP. Actually, I'd get rid of the whole bunch barring Richarlison!!!
George Cumiskey
151 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:45:02
I wonder how the new ground is shaping up, I'm sure we'll hear something very soon.
Jim Bennings
152 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:45:58
Tony 150,

It's because we are not nasty or 'arl-arse enough, that's why we are a soft touch and have been (away from home especially) for years.

I was challenged lately when I said we need more 'arl-arses in the team, especially in defence. Someone said you just need better players but sometimes, as Sheff Utd have shown and other less glossy teams, you just need players that want to dig in and do some dirty work.

None of our players like doing the dirty work, we don't work hard enough off the ball when not in possession.

We are going nowhere with this crop of players.

Paul Tran
153 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:50:24
All season I've been hearing how bad these players are. Definitely going down, etc, etc. Silva rightly sacked and I thought it was a coup bringing in Carlo.

Since he's arrived, we've had one of the best records in the league. We have a patchwork quilt of a squad, with very few, if any, leaders, a big quality gap in central midfield and a host of players who I think would be pretty good if we had some strong characters around them. We haven't played well very often, but have been organised enough to beat a few teams below us. And guess what, when we come up against the better sides, we fall short.

Today wasn't about tactics. It was about the cowardly mindset of players who lack the mental strength to sort themselves out, who constantly hide in the absence of their own leadership and someone to lead them on the pitch. It was about the unwillingness to do the basics, the unwillingness to drag themselves out of first gear.

We buy lots of peripheral players, who are good on their day. We don't buy enough players who score goals, who are desperate to win, desperate to drag their colleagues into performing. Look at Man Utd. Drifting around mid-table. They bring in Fernandes, he makes tackles, oozes attitude, drives them on, scores goals. Players like that bring out the best in the inconsistent people around them. We don't have that and we desperately need it.

Carlo's the manager, so I blame him for the non-performance today. I'm not sure it was down to tactics. I think it was down to the players being on the pitch, but not present.

Kevin Latham
154 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:51:59
One of my biggest complaints about this side was all too obvious today, again. Where is the determination, the will to win? Who out of them thinks "I'm not having this, let's go at them and see how good they really are!"

It isn't about skill alone; it's also about belief and not accepting second best, which is our default setting. Until we bring in a player or two with that attitude, then we'll just carry on as we are and roll-over instead. The great old Joe Mercer used to say that you've got to play where it hurts them - but we bottle it time and again, our lack of spirit and will to win drives me up the wall.

I said on the Live Forum that I've seen better spirits on a Ghost Train ride at Blackpool. Until we change our attitude, then we'll be as mediocre as we have been and, while old timers like myself can remember glory days, what will the later generations recall? I'd better go for a lie down – and maybe dream about players who gave it all for the shirt and wouldn't accept second best, like Bally, Jimmy Gabriel, Bobby Collins, Tony Kay, Peter Reid, just to name a few. Everton must be the nicest side in the Premier League, the one who they all want to play. Why in the name of God can't we compete?

Phil Smith
155 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:54:27
Rick Tarleton (94) is right.

The difference between the performance we put in with Big Dunc and this was gargantuan. Polar opposite in fact.

I would drop 3 or 4 players for the derby (Gomes, Sigurdsson, Digne and Sidibé) and put 3 U23 players in the side/on the bench.

Brian Wilkinson
156 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:55:29
I got shot down a few months ago when I said Kenny at right-back next season, with "Talking rubbish, Sidibé will be our right-back".

Well, I hope we do not take the option up of signing him; Kenny is a far better right back.

Midfield is dreadful and pre-match I questioned what Baines has done wrong to be dropped. Beni Baningime has got to be a better option to Sigurdsson or Davies. Even Holgate pushed there and Mina reinstated might give us a better option.

We cannot carry on with that midfield.

Rob Marsh
157 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:55:57
Paul Birmingham #109,

I fully understand and agree with what you said about reading the players the riot act, but in the modern game all the players do is completely down tools and sulk if read the riot act.

Jose at Man Utd is a good example and there's plenty more. Modern managers/coaches are now wet nurses, who pick the team and tactics and if it's not working they get the sack, but you can't shout at the players!

Christy Ring
158 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:59:09
Sidibe and Sigurdsson shouldn't be anywhere near the squad for the Liverpool game. We're playing with 9 men. As I said before the game, how does Sigurdsson keep getting picked, let alone being Captain?? He should have been dropped after his performance and comments after the FA Cup game.

We were destroyed in midfield, with no-one to make a tackle. Barkley had so much time. I still can't believe we let McCarthy go for £2m, especially when we've no ball winner. Holgate or Baningime will have to start in midfield in the derby, or we'll be totally overrun, like today.

Andy Crooks
159 Posted 08/03/2020 at 17:59:49
I feel so sorry for the magnificent away support. Shit performance by players and coach.
Joe McMahon
160 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:00:30
Jim @145, also add Lukaku.
Chris Williams
161 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:03:35
Teams target Sidibe. Liverpool did at Anfield and will certainly do so next week.
Eric Paul
162 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:04:55
Phil @ 157

Who would you play at right-back if you dropped Sidibé?

Bill @151

They are a global brand like the Red Shite who will always get a helping hand to qualify for the Champions League, it's all about loot.

John McFarlane Snr
163 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:05:37
Hi all, I didn't have the 'pleasure'?? of watching the game but managed to hear the last half-hour on Radio 5 live. I'm as disappointed as anyone, but the result didn't surprise me. Obviously the quality of the performance was unacceptable, but the plain truth in my opinion, and apparently the opinion of the vast majority of posters on this thread, is the fact that we are simply not good enough.

The big difference to me is how we express our disappointment. I am not one who demands we play like Barcelona, because you can only play that way if you have that type of player, but I do expect that every player should give 100% to the cause.

I also believe that fans have the right to criticise but I find that some of the criticism is excessive and distasteful. I'm old enough to have learned that anything is possible in a game of football, and let's hope that next week we'll be celebrating a great performance and a memorable result. Hope springs eternal.

Jerome Shields
164 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:08:09
If Ancelotti thinks this side can get a Europa League place and challenge the top four next season, he needs to think again. The danger I see is that he falls into the complacency that has existed at the Club for years.

I do not like his persistence with the under-performing Sigurdsson, talking about a 1-year extension for Baines, and not seeing there are limits to the level that this squad can consistently perform at.

What we got today is a performance we have seen under different managers all too often. Gomes, Davies and Sigurdsson did not play anything like they where coached to. Chelsea were able to hold a high defensive line, confident that Everton attackers could not finish, completely nullifying the Everton attack in the process and pressurising the midfield into submission. They where able to provide extra support to their attack as a result, which was largely unchallenged entering the final third, pinning back Everton right and left, and pressurising the two full-backs.

How many times have we seen this, with poorly motivated performances to match? Little has changed and Ancelotti finds himself back on square one. He will have had all his assumptions and illusions regarding this squad shattered as he goes into training this week, as other managers have done.

Ancelotti has to be thinking in terms of fundamental root change and making clear that all players will have to justify their selection. Moshiri will have to take a hit on underperforming players.

A wholesale change in attitude is needed throughout the Club. If Ancelotti does not realise this, he could find himself under pressure next season.

At this rate, he will be lucky to finish 10th this season.


Jamie Crowley
165 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:10:48
Brian, some of us have been asking why the fuck we let Jonjoe Kenny out on loan in the first place!!
Steve Shave
166 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:12:22
What Paul Tran said.
George Cumiskey
167 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:13:07
John @165 how do you suppose we fans show our disapproval by quietly saying tut tut, I'm afraid most football fans will show a lot more passion after watching that shite.
Jimmy Hogan
168 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:13:38
I hate what it does to me when we capitulate so pathetically as we did today. Life hasn't been so kind to me over the last 10 years and Everton doing well is one of the few things that puts a smile on my face.

Thankfully, it's not the only thing that cheers me up and football should be kept in its proper perspective, but jeez, if I had a cat, it would be avoiding me right now.

Frank Kearns
169 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:16:15
When I was of working age, there was always the threat of being sacked for not doing my job properly – no excuses about having a bad day, or whatever bullshit these useless twats come up with. It was "Here's your cards... now fuck off" and no chance of compensation.

I hope Everton are stocking up on P45s. These gobshites spend more on a ridiculous haircut than most people earn, and did you see that photo of Calvert-Lewin and Tom Davies in New York?

Sums it all up, Davies walking around in his dressing gown and purple slippers – must have thought he was playing at home. Twat!! Strolling down Easy Street – pity he can't stroll around a football pitch, oh! Wait a minute... that's exactly what he does.

Dave Williams
170 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:25:25
Jim #145 can’t disagree with any of that. I am with those saying either or both of Beni and Holgate has to be moved into CM next game as otherwise we will be wide open at the back. We will need to play five across midfield against the RS so we can double up on them out wide and defend against those long cross- field balls from full back to full back. We have to field a team that will run all match, work and scrap, determined to stop them and beat them. Quite where Carlo finds eleven to do that I’m not sure but not many were on that pitch today! Baines and Digne together would be a good start.
Today just showed that we are nowhere near Europa League standard let alone CL. We need to focus on becoming a hard working team which does the basics ( passing, controlling and tackling) well before looking to Europe.
We will see over the summer just how good Carlo is.
Tony Hill
171 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:25:28
Jerome @165, I was suggesting last week that Ancelotti and Brands would deliver and that I was determined to lose my impatience with the rate of progress. But you're right: that performance tells us that the chance of working with these players, or with a boosted version of the side, towards success is deeply improbable.

It was pure Everton – and that tells us something about the club which is even more troubling.

Derek Knox
172 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:28:20
Can someone please explain to me: Why is it, if one player is having a nightmare, they virtually all follow suit?

What a disgrace of a midfield unit... and, as far as Sigurdsson's leadership qualities go, he should never be entrusted with the armband again. Having said that, I would be reluctant to play him at all in any capacity.

Alas, he was not alone. I have always had hopes for Tom Davies but, yet again, he proved today he is little better than Championship standard and that is being generous. Keane, as was Sidibé too, guilty of giving the ball away and ball-watching.

I don't know what it is about players getting new contracts at Everton, but both Holgate and Calvert-Lewin were both strangers to their team-mates and at times to football altogether. I blame Pickford for two of the goals that had a similarity about last week's from Bruno Fernandes about them.

The only saving grace for any of them was the performance of Anthony Gordon as sub, and Moise Kean who had little to feed off.

I would have posted earlier but have desisted from doing so as I was seething from another lack-lustre performance.

Phil Smith
173 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:29:17
Next game:

Pickford
Holgate Mina Keane Baines
Walcott Davies Baningime (he'll get stuck in at least) Richarlison
Kean Calvert-Lewin

Subs: Stekelenburg, Gordon, Adeniran, Sidibé, Iwobi Bernard, Digne.

Paul Smith
174 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:34:26
All it needed was a decent manager and we would improve. The players are good enough but have been poorly coached and motivated.

Something changed for me today, a breaking of my denial, I can see the truth, we have many poor players and need to get rid: Sigurdsson, Kean, Digne (gash all season), Schneiderlin, Sidibé, Delph, Walcott, Tosun, Bolasie, Niasse, Sandro, Davies, Iwobi... what a mess.

Phil Smith
175 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:34:36
10th is the best place finish we can hope for after that shower of a performance – and we'll be lucky to get that.
Bill Gall
176 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:42:10
When I see displays like today, I think of the saying "I should hide behind the chair so I don't get more pissed off." But then I thought: Why should I hide? I am not getting paid a fortune, like these players are getting for hiding behind their reputations when the going gets tough.

I was told from an early age to have pride in whatever job you do, don't shirk your responsibilities and earn the pay you are given. The performance from most of Everton players lacked any of what I expect from supposed professional footballers; if most supporters gave this performance in their place of employment, they would be fired.

Bill Fairfield
177 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:42:59
The manager must know for sure now he has inherited a squad that has a weak mentality.
Martin Mason
178 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:46:44
Easy for Chelsea, 4-3-3 with good wide forwards attacking Sidibe and Digne dissolving our midfield who had to cover. This is what Liverpool will do next week too if we don't figure out how to counter it.

Keane and Holgate were also pressured into playing badly today trying to cover the wide play to no avail as Chelsea were great through the centre too. Great performance which dramatically exposed our limitations.

Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin had no chance with our midfield and defence so overrun; a real wake up call.

Nicholas Ryan
179 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:51:48
Normal Service Resumed – as they say!
Patrick McFarlane
180 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:53:45
When we lost the last derby match in December, we had a grand total of 14 points from 15 fixtures. We now have 37 points from 29 games.

During Silva's spell we scored 16 and conceded 27; since then, we have scored 21 and conceded 19.

Put another way: we have, since Duncan took charge, taken 23 points from 14 games and Everton have played Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea both home and away and Man City at the Etihad since that derby match.

At the point of Silva's departure, I would have taken a 10th place finish to the season, in fact, I would have taken 17th. To say that Carlo isn't the right man for the job or that Silva would have achieved the same results is both premature and downright wrong.

Obviously nothing excuses the non-performance today, or the lack of desire or fight on display. Most of us knew that this squad has many faults and, until there are improvements made with additions to the squad we will remain mid-table.

We all hoped that we could achieve an improbable set of results a few weeks ago but, deep down, we also reasoned that we wouldn't.


John McFarlane Snr
181 Posted 08/03/2020 at 18:57:01
Hi George [168], No, I don't expect fans to express their disapproval by quietly saying tut tut, but I don't think that passion is heightened by expressing feelings in the 'colourful' way that some posters adopt.

I am not as passionate as I used to be, and if I used inappropriate language in my younger days, it would have been in the company of a few friends. The contents of these threads are broadcast worldwide and, with that in mind, I'm never tempted to use such language on this site.

Mike Jones
182 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:00:16
So, two scenarios:

Man City win only one of the next two games meaning Liverpool can win the league at Goodison Park or Man City lose both of their next two games and Liverpool are Champions before they come to Goodison Park and we have to give them the guard of honour.

Neither is an attractive proposition. Who wants to be an Evertonian this week!

Martin Mason
183 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:05:21
Patrick @181,

Well put!

Brian Harrison
184 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:06:11
I think today, for the first time, Ancelotti witnessed what most of us have seen on a regular basis for far too long. I am sure, deep down, he knows that the majority of this squad aren't good enough, and I am sure he and Brands will be working hard to get the right sort of players in the summer.

The amount of time and room we gave Chelsea was criminal; it seems we learnt nothing from our last away trip to Arsenal. You can't hold a high line if there is no pressure on the player with the ball, and just as we did when Aubamayang scored with no pressure on the man with the ball, we did exactly the same thing for Pedro's goal.

Every time Sidibé plays, I am just waiting for his mistake to cost us a goal and he didn't let me down again today. The midfield pairing of Gomes and Davies were overrun, just as they were in the first half against Man Utd last week.

Up front Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison did very little except the chance that Richarlison created for Calvert-Lewin and he should have scored. Our wide players were anonymous; both Bernard and Sigurdsson did nothing offensively or defensively, just shows how poor our squad is when these 2 start games.

I am sure, like most, I am dreading our next home game. If the youngsters at Chelsea can do this to us, then heaven help us when our neighbours roll up.

So, although Ancelotti and Ferguson have been getting a tune of sorts out of this squad, they will between them need all their guile to instill their fighting spirit into these gutless players and have even the slightest hope of some sort of a result in just over a week's time.

Paul Hewitt
185 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:09:59
No way would I give Liverpool a guard of honour. I would just take a fine of the Premier League.
Jack Convery
186 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:10:44
How come Chelsea can bring youngsters in who take to the Premier League like ducks to water, whilst we can't? Liverpool kids ran our midfield ragged in the FA Cup and these did it to us today. Embarrassing.

Digne or Baines will have to play right back next week because Sidibé can't. To play Sidibé, we would have to go with 3 centre-halves and play Digne and Sidibe as wing backs and that would be too much of a change.

I don't envy Carlo picking a competitive XI for the derby at all after today.

Brian Harrison
187 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:14:02
Mike @183,

I suppose we can hope that the government on Monday decide all football games are to be played behind closed doors. That way, we wouldn't have to be there to see either of those 2 horrible scenarios you paint.

Even better, not only do the government ban fans from all games for the next month or so, they also ban large gatherings – so no celebration tour bus for our neighbours.

Jack Convery
188 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:15:48
Forgot to say –- two young players get bumper contracts and the team play like that today... coincidence?
Michael O'Malley
189 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:17:20
Frank @170. I totally agree about Davies and Calvert-Lewin, the pair of them looked like a couple of beauts and Davies's porno tache is absolutely embarrassing to go with his hair and rolled down socks. He was garbage today, along with the rest of them.
Joe McMahon
190 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:18:03
Jack @ 187, maybe the much praised, coveted, hyped Unsworth and his academy, in actual reality of producing quality for the first team, is a crock of shite?
Peter Hopkins
191 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:26:00
I'm sure it's been said before and possibly in one of the messages on this board but I'm going to say it again: Gylfi must have it in his contract that he starts — why else does he get in every week?

The team was totally unbalanced with three central midfielders and one wide man. As much as I dislike Walcott, he should have started to give the side balance.

We are not going to get top four – or top five as it is now, so we could even give Gordon a start.

It's either contractual or he is there for his set-pieces but a decent one from him is rarer than rocking-horse shit. I'm confident Ancelotti will get it right given time and money, but the deadwood has to go, starting with Gylfi.

Mike Jones
192 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:50:10
Have we any quotes from Ancelotti yet?
Martin Mason
193 Posted 08/03/2020 at 19:59:39
Our MotM? Jordan Pickford with 3 exceptional saves.
George Cumiskey
194 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:08:03
Peter @ 192 — definitely right!
Paul Tran
195 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:08:31
Chelsea don't bring loads of youngsters through. They buy and stockpile young players, send them out on loan, and the majority don't make it there.

Mount spent last season on loan at Derby. Abrahams was on loan at, I think, Villa. Both came back improved players. Quite similar to Holgate at WBA and Keeny at Schalke.

The difference with Chelsea's youngsters is that they come into a set-up that wins trophies and qualifies for the Champions League. Our youngsters often have to carry the team because our 'senior professionals' go missing on the pitch.

It's our 'senior professionals' that need changing, not the youngsters.

Frank Kearns
196 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:11:25
To everyone's relief, I've done an Everton and given up. I can't believe it's only taken 60 years.
Tony Abrahams
197 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:16:46
I should have known better, waking up all optimistic, especially because I know how poor we are in midfield. So what Darren says about giving better players the extra man was very poor tactics from Ancelotti.

We were shell-shocked from the off, with absolutely zero pace in midfield, or in the centre of our defence. What a pleasure that young Billy Casper Gilmour was to watch, even if I never enjoyed him as much as I should have done, because he was absolutely destroying my team.

I thought we were getting better, but this squad have never been able to play away from Goodison Park when the opposition are up for the fight. So I've again learned something I already knew, but I don't want to be down on my team, so I'm just going to take it on the chin, but no way am I letting these shitbags get me down.

George Cumiskey
198 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:19:23
John @ 182 – what you consider inappropriate language differs from what most other fans think is, and I advise you should refrain from reading the posts on ToffeeWeb if this type of comment upsets you.
Michael O'Malley
199 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:21:39
Young or old, still no excuse for under-hit passes and missed tackles. It's unbelievable that we mess up the easiest of passes, and the lack of ball retention is piss poor – every time the ball went forward, it came straight back, a very poor performance. Schneiderlin gets some stick but I'd have him in this side every day of the week.
Anthony A Hughes
200 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:37:59
I'm sick and tired of hearing the likes of Calvert-Lewin, Davies and Holgate being referred to as fucking kids. They're first-team footballers with over 400 appearances between them and should be judged as harshly as the experienced players.

Let's have it right: Holgate was awful today. He was all over the place and played a brainless stupid pass, something he does all too often, straight to a Chelsea player to give them the lead-up to the second goal.

No matter how many try to defend Davies, the lad is never going to be a top-class midfielder. He doesn't score goals; he doesn't create goals. What is his remit for being on the pitch?

Dave Williams
201 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:44:11
Paul Tran #196, last sentence – spot-on, mate. The so-called senior pros set a terrible example and are of no help whatsoever to the younger guys.

They really should be ashamed of themselves and I hope Carlo tells them as much.

Mike Connolly
202 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:46:21
Chelsea young players go out on loan and seem to come back better players.

Now if Holgate is anything to go by, hopefully Jonjoe Kenny will come back a good player and save money on signing Sidibé. The midfield was slow Sigurdsson, Davies and Gomes. However, the later should be excused. Would Davies be any better if he went on loan? Personally, I think he would struggle to get into a Championship side.

We hear about our great youngsters winning things. Where are they? Other Premier League teams seem to get the youngsters to settle into the team quickly. Well, this will test Carlo Ancelotti on his abilities with all the shite we have at the club. Fuck me, it's the derby next.

Mike Doyle
203 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:46:32
Paul Tran @196, I totally agree. Plus a few of Chelsea's youngsters are only playing because the transfer embargo has given them little choice... Credit where it's due, though, they did look good.
Tony Abrahams
204 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:47:21
You can see it clearly, Paul T, and as bad as Tom Davies played, (he was definitely shell-shocked) he would never try to hide, like Schneiderlin or Sigurdsson.

I said before the game that Stamford Bridge is a tight pitch but Everton's formation and lack of effort made it look like an Aussie rules pitch for Chelsea. Although hindsight is a wonderful thing, we needed more strength and more pace in the wider areas, and an extra body in midfield.

Football is about winning... so, for our next game, I'm picking my team early, and feel we will have no chance if we play 4-4-2 against Liverpool.

We have got no real energy in midfield, so I'd play our two forwards from today out wide, then it would be three across the middle of the park, and Moise Kean up-front.

I'm only thinking ahead because these “old arl-arses” need to be taken out for the good of the team. My other worry was that Holgate must have found out how much Calvert-Lewin is now earning, just before the game, although I will give him a second chance, because of who his partner was today.

Anthony A Hughes
205 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:47:48
Have to agree with George. Different times, different language, and a snowflake society which isn't necessarily for the better. People are offended and offended on behalf of other people far too easily now.
Andy Crooks
206 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:48:03
Michael @ 190, you hit the nail on the head. Today's humiliation had nothing to do with the coach's ineptitude or the players' lack of endeavour. It was Tom's moustache, his hair and rolled down socks.
Anthony A Hughes
207 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:50:49
Yes, Andy, and it wasn't the lack of any discernible football ability from Tom, was it? Ancellotti's such an amateur.
Andy Crooks
208 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:57:22
Anthony @ 201.

Yes, Holgate, Calvert-Lewin and Tom Davies should be judged the same as the rest. Unfortunately, they are not. They are judged more harshly – just take a look at the bile on this thread. Sidibe and Sigurdsson were as bad as I have seen in a long time.

Also, the coach was shit. To make the lamentable Sigurdsson captain was jaw-droppingly inept. I think Ancelotti will get the job done but he is not beyond criticism. Today he was very, very poor.

Eric Paul
209 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:58:18
For fuck's sake – we've been beaten by a top side, it happens. People are giving up supporting Everton and being offended by inappropriate language. You need to get into the real world!!!
Kevin O'Regan
210 Posted 08/03/2020 at 20:58:28
Disgraceful 'performance' and they should be ashamed of themselves, especially our 'captain'.

We must have the slowest midfield in all of Europe. But those who think Jonjoe Kenny is the answer to our problems are deluded. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and, in his case, there has been a big increase in his fan base on ToffeeWeb since he left on loan. Strange. His performances for Schalke are average, some good moments and some quite poor.

We need an awful lot more than Kenny to have a chance of Europe. We need a completely different mindset and midfield. And 10 players who are capable of scoring goals and chipping in.

This is one of the worst performances I have seen in a long time and I can't see how we get out of it with the attitudes on display today. Embarrassing and shameful.

John Pierce
211 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:15:03
Top to bottom, we were terrible. For those scapegoating Sidibé, the 5 tackles won and the only penetrating ball we played all day inside the full back to Walcott who hit the ball like a 5-year-old falling to connect with Kean for a tap-in.

Sure, the bar is low, but Coleman and Kenny are nowhere near capable of his passing range going forward. So yeah maybe we don't sign Sidibe because defensively he's poor but, for me, Kenny is not the answer either.

Brian Wilkinson
212 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:17:08
To be fair, Kevin, there was a big fan base for Kenny, before he even went out on loan.

Apart from the odd game, he put in some decent performances, but was dropped as soon as Coleman returned.

Whatever other problems we have in midfield, Yyou can hardly call anyone 'deluded' for wanting Kenny as right-back over Sidibé.

Anthony A Hughes
213 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:19:12
Chelsea aren't a top side; Liverpool and Man City are top sides. Chelsea are also-rans that are just better than the shit we are.
Dave Williams
214 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:24:10
Andy #209, well said, mate!!
Eric Paul
215 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:24:58
They're a top side that beat Liverpool!!!
Rob Marsh
216 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:37:28
Eric #216,

Whatever Chelsea are, they're so far ahead of us, it's frightening. And let's not forget the other top side up there: Leicester. They've got even more points than Chelsea and are even better?

John McFarlane Snr
217 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:38:16
Hi George [199] & Anthony [206], I will continue to read posts, and this will probably be the last time we will exchange views on this site, as it's plain that our standards do not correspond.

Hi Eric [210], although I didn't witness the game, it seems obvious that you are correct in stating that we were beaten by the better side. With regard to people threatening to stop watching Everton, I would say, "Your leaving will be no great loss". I'm not sure about getting into the real world, approaching 82 years of age I'm more likely to get into the next world.

Anthony A Hughes
218 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:38:18
Well said, Andy? Mmmm....?
Gavin Johnson
219 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:39:07
Lampard played with an extra man in midfield. Gomes and Davies aren't exactly high energy players either. It was obvious we were going to get a thrashing from the opening few minutes.

It's Ancelotti's call to pick the team. He clearly got it wrong today and didn't pick the correct starting 11. (Sigurdsson should not be on the left when you have Bernard or Iwobi.) He didn't change things quick enough either.

I switched the game off after the 4th goal went in. I'd seen enough. I feel sorry for the supporters who travelled down to London to watch that shite.

Anthony A Hughes
220 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:40:15
Very condescending, John, and you come across as having the moral high ground.
Derek Knox
221 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:44:28
Eric @210, while I agree with your opening statement in principle, yes, it does happen that we get beaten by a better side on the day.

I have said this many a time on here: I can reluctantly accept a defeat if the team has given their all, and ultimately been outplayed. However, I refuse to accept that today's performance was anything remotely resembling such a scenario.

They were awful all over the pitch, but the midfield and defence almost reached new lows for incompetence. These are professionals enjoying mind-blowing salaries, and yet they played like rank amateurs.

No, sorry... amateurs would have tried a lot harder than that and at least come off the field with some sort of credibility and their reputations tarnished but not obliterated.

Gregory Kelly
222 Posted 08/03/2020 at 21:55:45
The team were an embarrassing disgrace and so were some of our supporters.

I was at the edge of our support, beside the gap to the Chelsea fans in the lower shed. The language and behaviour of many of the Evertonians towards the Chelsea support was appalling.

It started almost as soon as the match and got steadily worse as the goals went in. Of course, the Chelsea fans responded but with nothing approaching the filth and bile from our lot. It beats me why it is (rightly) accepted as unacceptable to hurl racial abuse at a match yet apparently okay to call others by all kinds of sexualised insults – ‘paedos', rent boys etc.

I raised it with one of the Everton stewards outside, with the suggestion that a few Everton stewards in these conflict areas might be a start. ‘Happens every game' was the response. All the more reason to do something about it?

50 years an Evertonian, 40 of them travelling from Belfast, but no more away games for me.

ps: My flight back from Gatwick is 3 hours delayed.

Roger Helm
223 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:11:11
Easy to see why Ross left. Something is badly wrong with our club. Recruitment is rubbish – I can only think of Barry, Lukaku and Gueye who were good signings – and of the other decent players who come here, like Keane, Digne, Sigurdsson, Pickford, they just get worse.

Not since Moyes's day have we put out a fit, strong, combative, motivated team. Why can't we do what Burnley, Wolves and Sheffield United are doing?

Finegan John
224 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:13:02
Sorry to say this about a young lad, but Tom Davies is not a Premier League player and won't ever be. No pace, lethargic at best... and falls asleep in games. For his age, he should be flying about the park.
Conor McCourt
225 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:17:26
Patrick 181- This tireless harping back to the previous regime in defence of Carlo reminds me of the same posters defending Brands this summer by contrasting him with Walsh.

Marco Silva lost his job due to clearly losing the squad and had us in a precarious position, he underperformed. Why are you comparing someone who clearly failed this season to highlight Carlo's perceived success?

If you are bringing the hapless Silva into the argument why don't you mention how with virtually the same squad we were hammering Man Utd 4-0 at Goodison and getting a deserved point at Stamford Bridge last season and in the process producing a standard much greater than anything served up under Carlo so far.

Some believe our manager should be held to some sort of account in defeat as in victory. When we were beating badly out of form teams at the time like Burnley, Newcastle, Brighton and Palace, we were being told what a world-class manager we had despite some of those teams wasting guilt-edged chances and some mediocre performances. He got plenty of kudos. When we produce performances like Liverpool, Man City and today then it's all due to our shit players and Carlo is working out his squad.

Carlo himself is talking up the chances of Champions League qualification next season so he clearly believes in the majority of them. Most of our players were awful today but Lampard attacked the spaces behind our two-man midfield, targeted Sidibe, and put Giroud onto Holgate. Even one of their goals involved Pedro's pace alienating Keane. He ruthlessly exposed us, winning the tactical battle and the technical differences in how they are coached is patently obvious with a clear identity for all to see.

Chelsea's midfield today were their reserves yet they were hungry, dynamic, controlled the game and made us look slow and stale, as all of the better teams have done in large parts under the current regime regardless of the quality of player.

Carlo is a tactical coach similar to Mourinho and Emery. His concern is entirely centred on the opposition rather than building our own ethos and, unfortunately, we are unlikely to perform with the swagger and panache that Chelsea did – no matter how many players we sign.

There is no doubt the lack of effort, fight and spirit shown today is down solely to the players and is certainly an aberration under Carlo's watch but the lack of technical control is the norm. He preaches balance yet we have conceded 13 goals in our last 6 due to inviting pressure onto a non-Italian defence.

It's surprising how many absolving our maestro were the ones foolishly predicting 9 or more points from these 4 games because we now have a winner.

Carlo is talking about qualifying for the Champions League tomorrow by playing the football of yesterday. We may improve from Silva due to Carlo's wiliness in outmanoeuvring similar and lower quality teams but the elite have, and will continue to have, nothing to fear from us.

Mike Doyle
226 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:21:03
Sympathies to Rob Halligan and the other TW posters who make these trips on a regular basis. If there's any justice, you'll get your reward in the next life.

Dave Williams
227 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:31:05
Anthony #219... any problem with that?

I'm not taking sides but just agreeing with what Andy said.

Gavin Johnson
228 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:31:13
Anthony #214. Chelsea are a top side. They're only fighting for 4th place because of their transfer embargo. They will be challenging for the title again next season.

It also amazes me just how many good young players they've brought through from their academy this season. Players who would incidentally walk into our side. Billy Gilmour is the latest one.

I've said on other threads, that while it was nice to win some U23 trophies, the main focus should always be getting players ready for the first team squad. I'm not sure that's always been the case with our academy. Hopefully Brands's restructure will see us produce as many quality U23 prospects as Chelsea.

Anthony A Hughes
229 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:36:02
No problem, Dave; if you want to agree with, what in my opinion is wrong, that's your choice. The so-called young players do get an easy ride on here. But then that's my opinion, isn't it?
Ernie Baywood
230 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:36:37
We're so mid-table.

The last few months have been almost interesting but we're back to the sleepwalk now. Familiar feeling.

Roll on May.

Gerry Ring
231 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:40:24
What Everton need more than anything now are top class talent scouts who can find talented players early, like we did in the old days. Forget about bringing in other clubs' rejects, like Walcott & Schneiderlin, for mad money, as we've been doing. Take a leaf from Klopp's book and find them before others do.
Anthony A Hughes
232 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:42:02
You think Chelsea are a top side, Gavin? I don't. We made them look much better than what they are. Bayern Munich showed them for what they are. And do you really believe they'll make up 30 points on the redshite and challenge for the title next season?
Dave Williams
233 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:42:47
Anthony, I have never denied anyone the right to their opinion, ever. You have yours and quite right too. It doesn't coincide with Andy's and mine does.

You think you're right and I don't... but that's the point of this site, isn't it? Exchanging views which may be polar opposites but, at the end of the day, we are all on the same side... or at least most of us are!

Gavin Johnson
234 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:47:50
Hopefully Ancelotti and Brands bring in 3 quality players this summer and I'm talking about £100m on a centre-back, centre-midfielder and right-midfielder who all hit the ground running.

After today's showing, I'm unsure that I agree with Ancelotti's assessment that we can challenge for Champions League football. I do, however, believe that we will challenge the season after, because we'll then offload the likes of Walcott, Tosun, Bolasie, Sandro and Schneiderlin – who will all, if I'm not mistaken, be out of contract.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]

235 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:50:18
Always one to try and take the positives out of a game, at least today's performance gave us real game-time experience of practicing the new fancy kick-off routine Carlo has introduced in the last couple of games.
Jerome Shields
236 Posted 08/03/2020 at 22:50:46
Tony #172,

The concern I have with this game was that most ToffeeWeb posters, with their long experience, could see the writing on the wall prior to the game, but Ancelotti seems to have got sucked in by the Finch Farm bullshiters.

After their defeat at Goodison Park, it was obvious that Chelsea would up the ante and be determined to take Everton on. Ancelotti, you would have thought, would have set up the team in a defensive formation, with an emphasis on counter-attack.

Keane and Mina at centre-back, with Sidibé and Digne instructed to say safe and deep (something I admit they are not great at); Holgate in a defensive midfield role, in the absence of anything else, to break up central attacking play; and Walcott & Iowbi haring down the wings.

Gomes and Davies in midfield (not great but, with Holgate in position, it would have had them play more forward and out of harm's way), with Sigurdsson dropped, because of consistent under-performance. Bernard as a sub; according to Ancelotti, he is not a suitable away player. Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin concentrating on the high press.

What we got from Ancelotti was a formation with two barn doors wide open, an outnumbered midfield and dysfunctional final-third play, which allowed Chelsea's defensive line to push into midfield. Coupled with this, we got an unmotivated Everton team, a by-product of Finch Farm on an intermittent and regular basis, so much so we are all able to recognise similar performances to today's over years.

It is the 'rotten to the core' syndrome we have witnessed at Everton for years, which has undermined successive managers. Ancelotti has to get this rooted out or he will end up like the rest.

The only good things that came from today were the performance of Kean and Gordon. Pickford did play well, but inevitably fluffed his lines at stages, as he does every game.

John Reynolds
237 Posted 09/03/2020 at 00:37:32
Games like this happen to most teams once a season or so. It was our turn today. A serious reality check for Carlo Ancelotti.

He's seeing some of these players as they performed under the past two or three managers.

That's a good thing, and will be unacceptable to him. We need this level of clarity. Soon, the wheat will be separated from the chaff. Do not despair.

Darren Hind
238 Posted 09/03/2020 at 05:53:29
Paul T 195, Andy Crooks 208 and Conor 225

Get paid.

Jerome @ 236

Is this a bad time to point out that The "Finch Farm Bullshitters" hammered Frank Lampards Chelsea a few weeks ago? And that, when Carlo was calling the shots, we were humiliated?

You suggest the Finch Farm culture (something you have no knowledege of) has undermined a succession of Everton managers; I would point out that all known evidence and fact would suggest it is the other way around.

While managers from outside have been paid ludicrous wages to squander fortunes on substandard players, only to get us in deep shit, it is always somebody from within the ranks who steps forward to get us out of it and... still you apologise for the mercenaries.

My first reaction when I see the likes of you, or a few others on here who are always pointing an accusing finger at Finch Farm, is to challenge one of you to put up a detailed article informing us of the poor Finch Farm practices which have so marred our performances down the years.

My second reaction is to not bother issuing the challenge because (A) I know you don't have any idea whatsoever about what goes on there, and (B) I suspect you know your claims will be shredded by people who are prepared to give the matter a little more thought.

Bob Parrington
239 Posted 09/03/2020 at 06:40:50
Perhaps this is the wake-up call that was needed to avoid further complacency. Although I like people who are emotional, it is still necessary to be realistic when planning.

Almost everybody on TW knows certain players need to go and new players need to come in to replace them and that the new players need to be fast, strong (physically and mentally). We do have a nucleus for the team rebuild. It is on the shoulders of Brands and Ancelotti to sort this out for next season.

Alan J Thompson
240 Posted 09/03/2020 at 06:43:47
Somebody asked why, when one midfield player has a bad day, do all our midfield? And I think the answer lies in not having players of the calibre of Tony Kay, Dennis Stevens, Bobby Collins, Paul Bracewell and others who had the ability to put more into their game to cover for and lift others.

Today, the game may be faster and players given specific, dare I say individual, roles and if they don't perform then the whole plan falls apart. How many games is it now that Ancelotti has called over one of his midfield to tell him to pass on what looks like positional instructions to another player?

At one stage, we were worried about escaping relegation and would have settled just for getting through the season and, but for soundbites about qualifying for Europe, we might have just let Mr Ancelotti have this season as a warm-up for the job ahead. However, the decline in effort from several games ago and players being picked regardless of form (or lack of replacements?) has again given rise to the frustration of another false dawn.

Tony Abrahams
241 Posted 09/03/2020 at 07:10:05
Can it run deeper than Finch Farm? I'm reading Roy Keane saying his daughter or grandma is stronger than Adam Llanna, the same Adam Llanna that looked like he was on steroids when Everton lost at Anfield a couple of months ago.

We must be touching over a combined 70 years since our team won at Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal, so that's 70 games without one victory, and so many different people must have been involved in these failures.

Who convinced Moshiri so quickly that he didn't expect his new expensive toy to win at these bigger teams, a man who has spent over £250 million, surely must expect a hell of a lot more?

It runs deep because, without Goodison Park, Everton would possibly be in the bottom six every season. Maybe they wouldn't even be in the big league anymore, and this is the biggest crime of all.

I still expect to beat Liverpool a week today, even though we couldn't beat their combined second/third team the other month, and this can only be down to one thing. We have mostly a team of shithouses and scaredy-cats; until we inherit players with real character, then it's only Goodison Park that's keeping us in the big league, imho.

Alan McCulloch
242 Posted 09/03/2020 at 08:39:41
The reason we lost and had no spirit or fight or competitiveness is very very simple. Shame. Why shame? Shame because we are wearing a salmon pink insipid-looking kit. A kit that is embarrassing to wear, a kit that is confidence-draining, and kit that inspires the opposition to take the piss.

I know our original kit was black and pink stripes but whoever thought this kit was a good idea needs shooting. So stop the speculation and analysis, get rid of the pink.

Jerome Shields
243 Posted 09/03/2020 at 08:45:23
Darren #238,

Thank you for your comments. Haven't time to get back to you just now, but will when possible.

Michael O'Malley
246 Posted 09/03/2020 at 09:27:54
How can anyone say that we beat Chelsea with same players not so long ago but lost yesterday? Have you seen our away record, especially at Stamford Bridge?

You can't compare our home performances with the away ones and, if it wasn't for poor finishing at Goodison, they would have beaten us there as well – they had umpteen shots on goal and had us pinned back for long periods.

Dave Abrahams
247 Posted 09/03/2020 at 09:38:41
Michael (@246), anyone who disagrees with your post should have a look at the extended highlights of that home game with Chelsea, they were much the better team and should have won that game with the many chances they had.

Ferguson got the crowd up for that game and the crowd was the main reason we won that game.

Away from Goodison, it is patently obvious, and has been for many years, we are a very different one to the team that plays at home. One reason is we have possibly the best away supporters in the league, they go year after year and in their hearts they believe they will see a good performance, even though their heads tell them differently.

Things will get better, not just yet, not with too many uninterested and mentally weak players.

Mike Oates
248 Posted 09/03/2020 at 09:44:47
I think Carlo was totally done by his tactics yesterday. A 4-4-2 vs a 4-5-1 system always put a huge workload of the central two of the 4-4-2 system. They need to be agile, quick, tenacious, commanding, strong to take on the 3 midfield of the opposition.

We had Gomes and Davies, who are not quick, agile, commanding, strong, but are slow both on the turn and on the straight and, in Davies, one of the worst passers in the Premier League. They were up against Barkley, Mount and Gilmour who just totally overwhelmed them completely, quicker in thought, pace, movement, you name it they had it and we didn't.

Our wide two in Sigurdsson and Bernard could offer no support to their full-backs in managing Pedro and Willian, both who have pace and control which bamboozled our defence. And Giroud had our two centre-halves in his pocket. Many thanks!!! to his missus, who I believe has cost us a wasted 3 years since we lost Lukaku.

What could Ancelotti have done differently? I really don't know with a squad devoid of any midfield pace – even Iwobi is slow! I think his only possible action was to play Calvert-Lewin as a lone striker, with Richarlison and Walcott both quick wide players, and play Gomes, Iwobi, and Davies (if Delph is injured?) as a midfield 3 – at least to get bodies in there to deny space.

He can't keep playing a 4-4-2 with the current crop of midfield misfits we've got.

I think the players knew it from the first 5 mins that they weren't equipped for the game; Sigurdsson's post-match comments reflected that feeling.

Michael Lynch
249 Posted 09/03/2020 at 09:53:15
Weird really isn't it. Carlo is one of the greatest managers the world has ever seen, and yet I – and I'm sure many others – saw the team sheets and thought "We're going to get overwhelmed in midfield, and outpaced on the turn if we play a highish line".

I know as much about football as the next man – in other words, just a bit more than fuck all – but, if I saw that, what did Carlo see?

Brent Stephens
250 Posted 09/03/2020 at 10:01:02
Dave #247, Michael #246 - very fair comments.

As Dave says, "Michael (246), anyone who disagrees with your post should have a look at the extended highlights of that home game with Chelsea; they were much the better team and should have won that game with the many chances they had".

I despair at the quality of squad Carlo has at his disposal. He's going through a learning process with this squad, and he's also honest about where his strategy might not have been right on the day.

"Things will get better, not just yet, not with too many uninterested and mentally weak players", as Dave also says.

No wonder Ferguson shied away from the permanent job.

Patrick McFarlane
251 Posted 09/03/2020 at 10:06:51
Conor #225 I posted what I did because I haven't got an agenda for or against Carlo. I was merely pointing out where this team in this current season was before Silva was dismissed.

Football is a very emotional game, and the posts on TW often reflect that. I 'hate' Everton losing and I despise Everton not performing, but I also see that we are in a better league position now than we were before Christmas.

George Cumiskey
252 Posted 09/03/2020 at 10:14:31
Michael Lynch – spot-on, mate. I couldn't've put it any better myself.
Dave Williams
253 Posted 09/03/2020 at 10:22:30
Michael #249, precisely!!

Davies and Gomes looked so poor and slow because their wide midfield colleagues did not contribute at all, leaving them completely overrun by the quick pass and move from the three central midfielders of Chelsea. Likewise, our full-backs were pulled apart because their wide midfield colleagues did not contribute at all.

Add to that Keane and Holgate standing off Giroud and it is easy to blame the whole debacle on the manager making poor decisions and then failing to act quickly. It was crystal clear after 5 minutes what was happening and he needed to get someone – Iwobi maybe – to play between Gomes and Davies, both of whom could then sit deeper so that the Chelsea boys could not play around them.

Carlo has and will make mistakes but he must learn from them in time for next week. Defeat I can stomach but, if we lose, we must go down with a fight and let them know they have been in a game.

Rob Marsh
254 Posted 09/03/2020 at 12:50:49
Dave Williams # 253

Dave, Carlo Ancelotti is a man in his later years and with a wealth of knowledge and experience, we're paying a lot for this extra he has and yesterday we were short changed.

When Silva was being dogmatic and sticking with personnel and formations through a considerable losing streak, there were a great many who said we need a proven manager with experience instead of the 'up and coming' type. We've got the one we wanted and he's doing a 'Silva'.

Now, if Carlo Ancelotti could not see how immobile our midfield was just by looking at the team sheet then I'm worried, perhaps his mind is not as agile as it once was?

Combining this with my doubts about Brands, I'm starting to feel slightly uneasy.

Zahir Jaffer
256 Posted 09/03/2020 at 12:58:43
I can't believe he played Sigurdsson at left-mid. Is he okay?
Tom Bowers
257 Posted 09/03/2020 at 13:23:09
The problems are there for all to see and I am sure Carlo can't wait to turf some of these players into touch.

With 9 games left of another poor season, there only remains the miracle of beating Liverpool and, after yesterday's performance, Klopp could well be thinking of putting his 'B' team out again against us. Everton just cannot defend so what hope is there?

Carlo seemed to be turning things around, albeit slowly, but the last 3 games have us absolutely bemused.

Calvert-Lewin missed an easy chance in amateurish fashion which could have put Everton back in the game but alas proved he is not the long-term answer. A class supporting act for Richarlison is vital.

If the defensive side of things was solid then at least Everton could salvage points but 7 goals against in the capital and sloppy play for Man Utd's goal last week have shown what work needs to be done and they had better get it done by the next game otherwise Liverpool will pound us also.

Craig Walker
258 Posted 09/03/2020 at 13:23:39
The only positive I could take from that shambolic performance was that we might get a reaction for the derby game in front of the Goodison fans.

Whenever the press start talking about us in a favourable light then we will always revert to type and not turn up. There were problems all over the pitch again yesterday. We just couldn't get the ball off them and it looked like men against boys from the first minute.

I don't really follow Chelsea but I've seen more from their Gilmour in two matches against us and Liverpool than I've seen from Tom Davies in 4 years, or so. Sigurdsson has to go. Nowhere near good enough. Sidibe was awful yesterday. I prefer Baines over Digne. Keane is way too slow. I really like Gomes when he's on the ball and dictating play but he can also be anonymous, like he was yesterday. Bernard is too lightweight for the English game. Calvert-Lewin has improved enormously and I like the lad but he isn't a predatory goalscorer and is too wasteful. A top striker would have made it 2-1 with that chance. There's only Richarlison anywhere near the quality we need to get us a top 4 finish next season.

There is an awful lot of work for Carlo to do for next season. He needs to get what he has to work with fired up for next Monday, like Duncan did in his first few games.

Sam Hoare
259 Posted 09/03/2020 at 13:40:56
We have the slowest bunch of central midfielders in the league. You can't play 4-4-2 with them away against a decent passing team; certainly not if your wingers are going to stay wide. Poor performance but also poor tactics.

Crying out for a central midfielder with some pace and positional sense. Losing Gbamin all season was brutal, not replacing him was criminal.

Bill Gall
260 Posted 09/03/2020 at 14:31:40
This was the first game that I kept continually counting the players on each team as it looked as Everton had a player sent off and Chelsea had managed to sneak an extra player on. There was no pressure on any Chelsea player on the ball, and it seemed there was 2-3 players to pass too with no Everton player within yards of them. To me, it seemed that Everton had planned their strategy on a blackboard and couldn't figure it out on a grass pitch.

Ancelotti must be aware by now of the failings of some of his more pricey players, yet continues to play and get let down badly by them. The supporters understand we do not have a strong squad but I believe Ancelotti should be more ruthless and replace players who under perform quickly.

I seem to remember and other people may agree, Jose Mourino replaced 3 players at half time because of their poor play. It may have been difficult to pick out the 3 players who were playing bad on Sunday but it may have injected some sort of fight in the rest of them.

These supposed top-class international excuses for footballers should be fined, not paid, for the dismal performance they showed on Sunday, and the club should reimburse all those proud supporters who demonstrate what it takes, with expenses, delays, harassment from other supporters and officials that travel to all the away games that show up the players on the pitch for loyalty and commitment.

Showing videos and pictures of a new stadium and hiring a top class proven manager is great, but, it is the team that plays in the premier league on match day that is supposed to be the showpiece of the club that is seen worldwide, and if this display was a show in the West End it would be closed after 1 night.

We do not want to hear any excuses as they mean nothing; we want to see performances on the pitch that world wide supporters and home supporters can see that Everton are a club on the way up, not a yo-yo club, up and down.

Ancelotti is supposed to be a proven experience manager, and as such must realize that nice guys finish last, and prove that sometimes, being nice is not enough to have any sort of success at Everton.

Tom Bowers
261 Posted 09/03/2020 at 14:52:43
Everton are a team with no speed and very little good tackling.

The midfield is the biggest problem and I have always said that is where games are won or lost. Siggurdsson, Gomes and Davies run for 2 or 3 yards then swivel and go backwards with no idea how to release the ball early to the front runners.

Of course it may be the system they are playing too, as many teams do this, but Everton's players just cannot keep the ball long enough before getting the ball forward.

Hate to say it but Liverpool have speed throughout the team and use it to great effect, high-pressing dilatory opposition players who try to play keep-ball.

James Hughes
262 Posted 09/03/2020 at 14:59:11
Michael, #249,

I saw the midfield and saw Gilmour and Mount – not masses of experience – and Barkley. Whilst Pedro and Willan cannot be ignored, I thought we had enough there.

Peter Neilson
263 Posted 09/03/2020 at 15:46:19
In the first few minutes, it looked like we weren't up for it and so it proved. Like many others I left after the 4th goal, managed to catch an early train, highlight of the afternoon!

Sidibe had another poor game; Chelsea saw him as the weak link but to be fair to him he had no help from the likes of Bernard who in turn looks absolutely wasted if he doesn't play in the middle.

Gylfi as usual a complete passenger but the whole midfield was out-fought and out-played. Really disappointing performance.

Someone earlier in a thread said that a lot of our midfielders are really wide players or number tens forced into midfield and I agree, usually 50% of the midfield is made up like this.

As Man Utd have shown, signing the right midfielder can transform the team. I think we may have to wait for the summer and see who we can bring in but the European chance was probably blown at Arsenal.

Martin Berry
264 Posted 09/03/2020 at 16:53:29
Not enough speed or energy in the midfield; also, the work rate was not there as, when we had the ball, no-one was close wanting the ball but stood yards away.

Chelsea were in a different league from us and always had options and movement that we sadly lacked.

Carlo and Marcel have a mountain of problems to sort out in the summer window.

Darren Hind
265 Posted 09/03/2020 at 17:57:26
Michael O'Malley 246

The reason people can say we beat this Chelsea team a few short weeks ago is because it is and irrefutable fact.

Yes, there is a stark difference in our results at home and our results away, but there was an even greater difference in the way we approached the game.

Chelsea are a better team than us and it showed in both games, but under Ancelotti we were subservient; under Ferguson, we were defiant.

Under Ancelotti, we were outnumbered; under Ferguson, we were matching them up all over the park.

Under Ancelotti, we were lethargic; under Ferguson ,we were harrying and chasing for the whole game.

Under Ancelotti, we couldn't wait to get off the pitch; under Ferguson, we had climbed out from under them and didn't want the match to end.

I can accept the performances are different when we are at home than when we were away. But the contrast here was too great for Ancelotti to escape accountability. We were as bad as bad can be and it was on his watch.

Darren Hind
266 Posted 09/03/2020 at 18:20:12
Post 250 made me laugh

I stated a few months ago that I believed Ancelotti will not win anything with these players. This particular poster has cast it up on no less than four occasions. So it gave me a huge laugh to see the penny has finally dropped when he admits "I despair at the quality of squad Carlo has at his disposal."

Better late than never, I suppose... But then he comes out with this little gem: "No wonder Ferguson shied away from the permanent job". Absolute Bollocks. Ferguson repeatedly said he would take the helm as long as the club wanted him to.

His response when asked the question directly was simple. "Its a dream of mine to be Everton manager, but let's be realistic, my remit is to get a result. This is a fantastic club. Who wouldn't want to be the manager of Everton. I'm sure there will be many top managers up for this."

Shied away? My arse.

James Hughes
267 Posted 09/03/2020 at 18:30:58
Darren, I saw quite few posts online from the papers quoting Dunc saying he was not ready for the role. Get your arse out mate. :)

Also, Darren, I am going out now, so will not be about to debate, cheers!

Ray Robinson
268 Posted 09/03/2020 at 18:34:31
You're right, Darren, to hold Ancelotti accountable for that diabolical performance yesterday - even though as you also state, it is difficult to compare an away performance with a home one, particularly one backed by 35,000 passionate supporters. However, I feel that in this thread and several others that you have contributed to recently, you are subtly preparing the ground for a much more sustained attack on Ancelotti should things go even more tits up in the future.

My own take on the situation is that, whoever was in charge with this essentially spineless, leaderless and painfully slow set of players (some notable exceptions, of course) would struggle to get a string of performances out of them – and that includes Ferguson. After all, we were pretty flat in the Arsenal home game under Duncan.

I will reserve judgement on Ancelotti until he has had time to change things in the close season. No manager has wrung consistent performances out of this bunch.

Brian Williams
269 Posted 09/03/2020 at 18:39:49
At last someone seems to have put two and two together and realize we could have Pep himself managing us and it still wouldn't be THAT different.

We had the new manager bounce with Dunc and with Ancelotti to a certain extent but we've now seen this team (most of the present players anyway) fail under four (is it?) managers and the reason is as obvious as can be, they're just NOT good enough!

Brent Stephens
270 Posted 09/03/2020 at 18:46:21
Darren Hind, "Better late than never I suppose".

Not true. Been saying it for ages.

And have a look at just this one random example of what Ferguson said at the time:

Link

Just one quote from Duncan from that article: "I think in the future I'll look to progress to be a manager. Now I know I can do it in one game, but of course it was only one game."

"the future".

Darren Hind
271 Posted 09/03/2020 at 18:59:53
Ray

Nothing subtle about my a "preparation" I can tell you right now how I will comment on Ancelotti.

If he wins and we play well I will praise him and give him due credit as I have done so far in his reign.

However. If he isolates a right sided player out on the left and a left sided player out on the right and hangs a youngster out to dry by partnering him with a player coming back from injury who has about as much mobility as Long John Silver against three much more skillful and mobile players. I'll be screaming the house down.

I am happy to give him the full length of his contract, that does not mean I will refrain from hammering him when we have been hammered.

What is it you want for him ? A free passage ? Its not going to happen.
If I stop watching the match tomorrow. There will still be tens of thousands of others who will not apologise for the sort of rubish we saw on Saturday.

My Mrs could have set the team up better than that

Mike Doyle
272 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:04:56
Hope Mr Brands & Co are making big plans for the fire sale to generate some funds for Carlo. Despite his big salary, our manager is already a wealthy man in his 60s and it's difficult to see him tolerate having to work with (most of) this squad for too long.

3 top players – preferably with a player like Reid, Gray, Southall, Cahill or Carsley who has that hate-to-lose mentality – would make a massive difference.

Darren Hind
273 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:14:27
Which bit of "It's a dream of mine to manage Everton" or "I'm here whenever they want me" or "Who wouldnt want to be manager of Everton" constitutes shying away?

He was told he was there as a stand-in – "My remit is to get a result". He was never offered the job... How the fuck could he shy away ?

Every word he utters tells you that, if he ever was offered the job, he would snatch Moshiri's hand off.

"Shied away" – what a snide statement.

Loving the back-tracking on Ancelotti's chances with this squad...

Brent Stephens
274 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:18:13
"the future".
Barry Jones
275 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:23:46
Marcel Brands seems to be escaping blame on here. Most of the current crop were brought in by him.

In the meantime, the only way to compete for the remainder of the games would be to switch to 3 at the back and then this can give us extra width and speed from the few quicker players that we have.

Sigurdsson must be left out. As well as being anonymous, he is dreadfully slow, and that is the reason he commits so many clumsy fouls. I would try something like the following:

Pickford
Holgate Keane Mina
Coleman Digne
Gomes Iwobi
Bernard Richarlison
Calvert Lewin

For next season, we need to get some players with pace, stamina and good decision-making, especially in midfield. Three homegrown talents that may not break the bank would be Dwight McNeil, David Brooks and James Ward-Prowse. Hopefully, Carlo can also pluck 4 or 5 gems from Serie A.

Ray Robinson
276 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:33:39
Darren, I certainly don't give him a "free passage" but I'm certainly willing to let him make more than the odd mistake this season until, by experimenting, he fathoms out for himself what we already know - that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear with this squad of players.

If he hasn't started to turn the ship by two full transfer windows from now, I'll certainly question the need for his contract to run to maturity. But I'm confident that he will.

I just don't think comparisons with Ferguson are meaningful. The euphoria gained with Duncan would have blown out eventually.

Ray Robinson
277 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:41:40
Barry, isn't Coleman out injured for several weeks? Good shout re Dwight McNeil but I do think he'd cost a fortune. And hasn't Brooks been out long-term with injury?
Chris Leyland
278 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:53:29
Darren, how about this one from Dunc after the draw with Man Utd?

“We need the best manager in the world to manage Everton Football Club and I've not got the right experience. I'm all for us bringing in a top manager and if I can be part of it, brilliant.”

Hardly a rallying call to say he was ready to take the job full time was it?

Darren Hind
279 Posted 09/03/2020 at 19:58:22
Ray we none of us get a say in Ancelotti's appointment. He has the gig. End of.

The squad isn't the greatest. I don't think anybody would argue to the contrary. But it is better than we saw yesterday.

If he has performed badly (and he had a proper Weston yesterday), I'd rather people said it than come out with daft arguments about where we were when Silva was in charge.
We are paying him £50M. We are surely entitled to set the bar a little higher than that.

Ferguson is relevant to the discussion because it was he who stopped the freefall. We were not in the bottom three when Ancelotti arrived, as so many seem to believe. He has moved us up a place or two and got us knocked out of the cup... I'm afraid that's all I've seen so far.

Chris

I`ve put up the quotes. They are as clear as daylight to anyone with a brain.

Any Statements made after the approach to Ancelotti cut no ice. None whatsoever. They are messages of support for a guy with vastly greater experience. Ferguson stepped in when we were in a relegation spot and in free fall at that. this place was awash with panic. It was a poison chalice. He was the one with the balls to pick it up.

The claim that he shied away from the job was a particularly snide one. I won't dignify it any further by continuing to discuss it.

Jeff Holt
280 Posted 09/03/2020 at 20:10:17
Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Davies, Walcott, Keane, Bernard – all Championship players at best.
Colin Malone
281 Posted 09/03/2020 at 20:29:33
Successful coaches never change a tried and trusted formation. Pep Guardiola, Klopp and Carlo. So it looks like 4-4-2 is here to stay. Apart from Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, no-one fits into that system.
Paul Hewitt
282 Posted 09/03/2020 at 20:51:17
Wow, I can't believe that some people are now questioning if Ancelotti is good enough. The manager with 3 Champions League wins, 17 major trophies. If he isn't the manager to turn it round, then who is?
Brian Wilkinson
283 Posted 09/03/2020 at 20:54:23
The difference with Carlo and our previous full-time managers were, they panicked and brought players in.

Tosun and Walcott panic buys by Sam, Klassen, Sandro, Niassee, Bolasie, Sigurdsson the list goes on.

Carlo has come in, evaluated the current squad, is trying to get a tune out of what he has.

Make no mistake, by the summer transfer window, expect top-quality players to be brought in, not just to make the numbers up, but to improve the team.

It is frustrating when Sigurdsson gets picked every week, so a bit of rotation would be nice.

I will judge Carlo when he has been able to bring players in.

Every previous a Manager has been given funds to bring in players, so it is only fair those doubting Carlo should at least give the manager time to build a team.

Michael Barrett
284 Posted 09/03/2020 at 21:20:19
Brian @283,

Nar, I don't see it, mate... there's no way we will be getting top pick of whatever talent is around at that time. We will be just buying more fuckin' mercenaries... and 2020 will be like 2017, 2018, 2019.

If you think you can ship the shite out, think again. These fuckers will dig their heels in... sad, sad days I am afraid.

Brian Wilkinson
285 Posted 09/03/2020 at 21:31:08
I said be another season before we can move a lot of these players on.

Next season will be a case of bringing a couple of players in.

All being well, we get the stadium build in progress and things will start slotting into place.

For me the season after will be where we can really get rid of the big earners who are sat on their contracts and start to try at least get a team assembled.

Brian Wilkinson
286 Posted 09/03/2020 at 21:33:38
What has damaged Everton is the big six have been allowed to spend, spend, spend, then the drawbridge was lifted with FFP, so any team with money will not be able to close the gap with a sugar daddy.
Gavin Johnson
287 Posted 09/03/2020 at 01:00:07
This argument from Darren is very familiar. Almost reminiscent of him pushing David Unsworth's name forward every time we had a bad result. While re-treading the usual familiar themes, Darren is correct this time (Unsworth was never a credible option for me) in stating that Ferguson's influence has been minimised by some TW'ers. Dunc did a fantastic job adopting a team that was 3rd from bottom and he's our next manager for me.

I also don't believe for one minute that Dunc shied away from taking the job. At the same, I do feel Dunc would be aware and canny enough to realise that working as a No 2 with someone like Ancelotti will mean he's going to be the heir apparent and a credible successor when Ancelotti eventually leaves. And I say 'eventually' because I don't envisage us ever sacking Carlo.

Of course, he got things wrong yesterday and he isn't beyond reproach but, when you get down to brass tacks, prior to yesterday, we were in the top 5 teams in many areas, including being 1st for scoring most goals from set-pieces. He's done exceptionally well and people talking about him being sacked and replacing him are quite frankly talking out of their arses.

If Dunc had taken the job full-time at Xmas, it wouldn't taken very long before people would be saying he's out of his depth after a few bad results. It was always a poisoned chalice. Of course, the successful internal appointment is what everyone wants. Especially those who grew up with football before the Premier League idealises when it was common to appoint from within the club. Having a manager who has won everything, and while expensive and costing millions in wages, who actually cares when you're getting the best in the game and who gives us the best chance of achieving initial success that can be built upon from within the club by appointing the Blue working alongside him to eventually succeed him.

Brian Wilkinson
288 Posted 10/03/2020 at 02:24:53
Gavin, do you think all those players we had on contracts and not able to move on might have also had something to do with not taking the job for now?

Make no mistake, Dunc will learn so much from Carlo and, when the time is right, I reckon Dunc will take the job, but certainly not for a few years yet.

Mal van Schaick
293 Posted 10/03/2020 at 10:13:07
If you look at that performance and those players then anyone with an ounce of football knowledge will tell you that achieving the top 4 is impossible. I'm hoping for 8 or 9 players out and decent quality players are recruited.

Brands needs to come up trumps in the summer or sack him.

Colin Malone
294 Posted 10/03/2020 at 11:14:51
As I've said, I have been watching young Joe Williams, who was the star player for the Under-23s, and is now doing a fine job for Wigan. In my opinion, he's a better midfielder than Sigurdsson and Davies. Why did Unsworth allow him to go to Wigan?
Steve Carse
295 Posted 10/03/2020 at 11:54:05
Gavin (290), I think Ancelotti will get us on the move from next season, but I'd have to question your statement that he has improved us in every attacking statistic. It depends on the yardstick you use.

The fact is that his 11 games in charge have yielded only one more goal and one more point than Silva achieved in the corresponding fixtures last season (with Silva's sides conceding 7 fewer).

Brian Harrison
296 Posted 10/03/2020 at 12:19:18
I hope that Carlo on his walkabouts in Liverpool, doesnt come across any of the negative posters from TW. He is by a country mile the most successful manager this club have ever appointed, and he has yet to buy 1 player, yet some are already on his back.

Some have mentioned what a sterling job Duncan Ferguson did, and quite rightly so, but on Ancelotti's appointment, Ferguson said "what a brilliant manager for me to learn from". There has also been mention of David Unsworth again, who said only the other week, "for the first time I am in awe standing alongside Carlo on the training ground".

I never saw either of Ferguson or Unsworth say any of those things when Koeman or Allardyce or Silva or Martinez came here. So surely if 2 lads who stepped in as caretaker managers are impressed, shouldn't the rest of us follow suit?

Turning this club around will take all of Ancelotti's skill and, with the help of his assistant Duncan Ferguson and his Under-23 coach, I believe he will turn things round. But it will take longer than one transfer window.

Conor McCourt
297 Posted 10/03/2020 at 12:34:34
Darren 289, it depends on what way you look at it. Under Martinez we had two poor league campaigns and, in the end, it was as toxic as any recent manager but every season we were fighting for something with our highest points total, a European quarter-final and 2 cup semi-finals all on a really tight budget in only 3 years.

He also overseen the development of an exciting young squad and when rightfully sacked he left the foundations of a brilliant nucleus with which Moshiri had every chance to build a great team with our new-found investment.

Contrast that to what has gone since both on the pitch and off it. For the stat lovers, we are apparently the most attractive team for the polar bear community since Roberto was dismissed. They love us because they get to see all our important matches in the season and still be able to hibernate for winter.

Darren, you are lucky because you have seen us as a great team when I only was a 6-year-old boy then, when we ruled the roost. Despite many ridiculing him, he gave me the best year I remember supporting this great club and many exciting memories that I haven't had since.

John G Davies
298 Posted 10/03/2020 at 13:07:40
Tactical cock up from Ancelotti v Chelsea. Plain to see from early on we were outnumbered in central midfield areas.
Gavin Johnson
307 Posted 10/03/2020 at 18:12:18
Brian #288 I agree, that Duncan will learn a lot under Ancelotti and he'll be the obvious successor. This used to be the custom when a successful manager departed his assistant would take over. I fully expect Ancelotti/Brands to have us challenging for the Champions league football by the time Ancelotti leaves. I don't think we'll really kick on for another 18 months or so, once we offload all the Steve Walsh deadwood.

Steve #295 I was referring to the statistic from Carragher interview with Ancelotti on Sky Sports where they went over Carlo's tactics. Unfortunately I haven't got a link but it was a really good interview and the numbers were amazing. Under Ancelotti we're one of the best teams in the league in a number of areas, and we were actually top of the league for scoring goals from set-pieces prior to last weekend. At the end of the day it's early doors and while we shouldn't be blindsided by Carlo's reputation and just accept Sundays performance we've come along way from the side that played under Silva this season.

Alan McCulloch
308 Posted 10/03/2020 at 21:03:34
Gbamin, where for art thou???
Mary Coleman
309 Posted 10/03/2020 at 21:16:13
We have played 14 Premier League games since Silva was sacked; we have lost a total of 3 of them. Carlo has worked miracles with this team. We must all get behind the manager.

Hopefully he can get the funds to bring some top players in. Ferguson saved our club, and has given me one of my all-time best Everton experiences vs Chelsea at home, he turned it round when we were on the floor game after game. Hopefully, by working and learning from Carlo, one day he'll be ready to step up. COYB

Paul Birmingham
310 Posted 10/03/2020 at 23:01:33
Brian@296, good summary and spot on. This will take 18 months at least and on the basis of getting in his own players.

That’s a challenge, but for now let’s get behind the club for the next game against the neighbours.

Hugh Jenkins
311 Posted 10/03/2020 at 23:24:03
Giving Sigurdsson the Captaincy may have been quite a shrewd move.

Often, if you have a "backslider" or shirker in an organisation, giving them bit of promotion and responsibility for others galvanises them and gives them a sense of self-worth. It can "make a man" of them.

Alternatively, you can find that there is no hope nor redemption for them, they are what they are and so it will remain.

I think Carlo now knows exactly where he stands with Sigurdsson and will rapidly be planning the player's route out of the team and out of the club.


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