Canaries Catastrophe the ultimate Benitez Humiliation

A dreadful first half for Everton at Carrow Road made the second-half challenge ultimately impossible despite a brilliant Richarlison strike against the Premier League’s bottom club Norwich City.

Michael Kenrick 15/01/2022 520comments  |  Jump to last

Yerry Mina has started just six games this season as he has battled a series of soft-tissue injuries

A dreadful first half for Everton at Carrow Road made the second-half challenge ultimately impossible despite a brilliant Richarlison strike against the Premier League's bottom club Norwich City.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Yerry Mina return to the squad but only Calvert-Lewin starts, with Paterson and El Ghazi also on the bench, and Rondon, for some unknown reason, given another starting place in what seems a deliberate snook cocked by Benitez to piss off as many Evertonians as he possibly can.

Tom Davies remains sidelined in recovery after surgery, but there could be one positive coronavirus case in the squad. Dobbin Simms, Cannon and Onyango are no longer required, their path to first-team glory blocked by the new arrivals as Benitez looks to experience to secure a vital win this afternoon. They are instead playing for the U23s against Liverpool. Fortunately, Iwobi is away at Afcon, or you feel he would also have started today.

Allan plays no part in this one, possibly because of Covid, or the ongoing rumblings about his future at the club.

Article continues below video content


The home side kicked things off but Everton won the first free-kick for a foul on Gray, who curled it in deep and eventually Keane's shot was blocked, then he fouled a defender. Norwich then won a similar free-kick, headed clear.

Godfrey had to block Pukki's progress as there was little to choose between the sides in the early exchanges, with sloppy passing the prime feature. Keane gave away another free-kick, closer than the last, which was cleared.

Gray got a great forward run in before he was clipped, setting up a dangerous free-kick for the forward to take himself, hitting the wall. Seargent got away from Mykolenko setting up a shot on Pickford's goal from Melou.

A nothing Norwich attack saw a low cross needlessly turned in past Pickford by Michael Keane... shocking schoolboy football, what a horrendous mistake. But then, from a dreadful giveaway by Gordon, Norwich stormed forward, and Idah was strong enough to beat Mykolenko and poke it past Pickford... an utter disaster of a start for Everton.

Gordon was fouled wide right, Mykolenko delivered a decent ball in, headed behind for a corner. The first was scrambled behind by Krul, the second was short and cleared as Everton could not maintain the pressure.

Norwich won another corner that was cleared but could not construct any kind of attack, plying the ball back to Pickford. But The Blues got forward, Doucoure's shot blocked, then winning a corner. Mykolenko's shot didn't even reach the corner flag and Gray eventually beat himself by putting the ball out.

We've seen some horrific halves of incompetent football from Everton this season but this one may just be the very worst. Still a huge mountain for the Blues to climb in the second half.

No change from Benitez, presumably no need to change the gameplan? Keane, who was having a dreadful game, fouled Pukki for a yellow card. Keane then gave away a corner that went out to Melou who vollyed straight at Pickford.

Keane was spoken to for clambering all over Idah, giving up another free-kick. Gomes cleared with a dribble and was fouled by Sargent. Mykolenko tried to commit hair Kari with the most astounding backpass straight to Idah and was very thankful Godfrey saved his bacon. But another Norwich corner, forcing a save from Pickford.

Benitez had finally admitted he needed to do something: Rondon and Coleman off: Richarlison and Mina on. Everton won a free-kick wide right, Gordon taking it but far too many yellow shirts. Mykolenko and Rashica clashed heads, halting Everton's forward momentum.

Everton finally played a little but of football, Gray crossing in but to Gordon rather than Calvert-Lewin. From the corner, Mykoloenko kept it alive and although Krul punched it out, Richarlison produced a fantastic overhead kick to score for Everton.

The game opened up after this, with Norwich attacking in response to Everton's increased urgency and desire. Aarons made a dangerous challenge to block Calvert-Lewin. Gordon won a corner from the free-kick.

A decent free-kick from Gomes was headed down by Doucouré but off a defender and impossible for Calvert-Lewin to convert. Gordon was having a rare old tussle with Williams, and could not get past the Man Utd loanee.

Richarlison and Aarons kicked each other and needed treatment, further disrupting any rhythm Everton might have built, with just 12 minutes left to rescue this simmering catastrophe for Benitez and Everton.

Wnhen Everton did try to attack, though, it was just painfully slow and going nowhere, Norwich recovering possession. Gray did get forward and Godfrey rescued a layback for Gordon but he did nothing to beat the block by Giannoulis.

Godfrey tried a shot after a too-clever backheel. But Everton needed more pace and instead passed the ball around laboriously until Mykolenko lofted his poor cross behind.

Everton huffed and puffed with plenty of effort and desire but the quality was lacking and no real clear-cut chances had come as the game moved into 7 minutes of added time.

But those minutes ticked away relentlessly with no real throat on the Norwich goal and no respite for the worst humiliation yet for Rafa Benitez.

Scorers: Keane (og:16'), Idah (18'); Richarlison (60')

Norwich City: Krul, Aarons [Y:65'] (80' Giannoulis), Gibson, Hanley, Williams (77' Byram), Sorensen, Lees-Melou, Rashica, Pukki [Y:70'], Sargent [Y:51'] (87' Tzolis), Idah.
Subs not Used: Gunn, Dowell, Placheta, Cantwell, Kabak, Rowe.

Everton: Pickford, Coleman (54' Mina), Keane [Y:47'], Godfrey, Mykolenko, Gordon, Gomes, Doucouré, Gray, Rondon, Calvert-Lewin (54' Richarlison).
Subs not Used: Begovic, Kenny, Patterson, Holgate, Townsend, Gbamin, El Ghazi.

Referee: Andy Madley
VAR: John Brooks

Share article:

Reader Comments (520)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Peter Carpenter
1 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:01:42
Crikey, vaguely sensible line up!
Tony Twist
2 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:14:08
That must be 4-4-2 formation but, with this manager, you never know. Down to the manager if we don't win today, he never does the straight-forward… the mind boggles. Oh and I am liking the bench.

A crushing professional win today, don't take your foot off the gas, Blues, if you are fortunate to go ahead in the match.

Brian Wilkinson
3 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:14:59
Decent line-up that, 4 at the back and more bodies in midfield.

Makes sense to have had either Richarlison or Calvert-Lewin on the bench rather than both start, ease them back in.

Strange one Rondon still starting, but having Calvert-Lewin alongside him might and I say it cautiously just have the effect, one striker and easy to isolate, but with two playing, Rondon will give Calvert-Lewin that bit of extra space and likewise with Rondon.

It just might actually work this two strikers, time will tell.

Si Cooper
4 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:19:05
Going off the announced team sheets:

Looks like Allan is moving on.
Gordon keeps his place; that should please many. Rondon starting will equally displease.

Don't know how many on bench are not really 100%, but looks like some cavalry could be called upon if needed.

John Reynolds
5 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:19:51
Calvert-Lewin & Rondon up top. It'll be just like the old days of Sharpie & Gray.

Now, if Gordon & Gray can emulate Tricky Trev & Sheeds, we'll be in business.

Ashley Roberts
6 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:21:15
Allan missing does complicate the line-up but playing Rondon ahead of Richarlison or Townsend makes no sense to me. Surely you start Richarlison and when he runs out of steam you bring him off. If he is not fit then why is he on the bench?? I just don't get it.

It has to be 4-4-2 because, if not, I think we are going to be in trouble here. On paper and with our current squad, this should be a 3-pointer but tactics here will determine everything.

Brent Stephens
7 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:21:49
Yes looks like 4-4-2!
Dave Williams
8 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:22:10
I agree, Brian. Rondon will hopefully take some of the burden from Calvert-Lewin, enabling him to ease himself back in. It will be interesting to see if it works.

That apart the selection makes sense and doesn't involve five at the back.

Go boys!!

Ian Bennett
9 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:22:52
I reckon Allan is covid.
Kevin Prytherch
10 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:23:01
Personally, I would have gone for Holgate over Keane and Richarlison over Gray. I’d have probably gone with Dobbin over Rondon as well.

My worry is, the defence will sit too deep, Gray will play more as a winger than a midfielder and that will leave us with an imbalanced 3 in midfield that will be overrun again, with Mykolenko not getting enough protection.

It should be better than 5 at the back though.

Christy Ring
11 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:24:56
Thankfully four at the back, don't understand playing Rondon beside Calvert-Lewin, would be a better combination playing Dobbin, but not even in the squad, ridiculous. I'm guessing Allan must be the mystery player having a covid test today?
Terry Farrell
12 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:28:25
Playing with 10 to start then! Do me a favour
Si Cooper
13 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:29:52
Ian (9), that would make sense as well.
I hadn’t read anywhere that he was injured and with the recent rumour I am guilty of jumping to conclusions.
Alan J Thompson
14 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:30:41
Is going from three keepers to three right backs some sort of improvement? And somebody must be slipping somebody something to start Rondon and has any reason been given for no Allan or has he been named in the team without subs by mistake?
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

15 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:31:57
With Allan returning a positive CV-19 test and given who is match fit and available, that looks a more balanced line-up than of late.

Rondon lining up alongside Dom is a bit of a surprise, but that wouldn't be the case if Richy or even Townsend were 100% fit.

With more senior players reporting 'fit', the academy players now totally absent from the bench which also sees Patterson and El Ghazi in the match day squad.

Now let's see if the tactics and game play match up to a marginally more positive and pro-active line-up.

Losing this is not an option.

Brian Wilkinson
16 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:32:04
The only reasoning I can see Christy is with Rondon being a big forward, it will ease the burden on Calvert-Lewin, whereas with Dobbin I think Norwich would have doubled up and isolated Calvert-Lewin.

Surprisingly not a fan of Rondon so far, but with another striker alongside him, It could work.

Terry Farrell
17 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:33:53
It won't work
Alan J Thompson
18 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:35:22
Brian(#16); If it doesn't work against this lot then it will never work and I know which my money's on.
Darren Hind
19 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:37:25
I'm hoping for a much bolder showing from Rondon with a more mobile DCL shouldering the workload
Si Cooper
20 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:38:21
Must admit I’m having some trouble piecing a straight 442 from those players (main problem being Gomes and Doucoure as an effective unit if they have to cover too much ground in the centre of the park). Gordon as a wing-back on the right?
Gray, DCL and Rondon all interchanging?
Just hope it is something they have spent time on and everyone understands their role.
Christy Ring
21 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:39:27
Brian#16 Hope you're right Brian, but the pace of Dobbin beside DCL would keep the centrebacks busy, I know Richi is on the bench, but why he didn't make the squad and putting Patterson and Kenny on the bench is senseless.
Brian Williams
22 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:40:25
Had a good morning this morning and some sunshine to boot. Just watched an enjoyable game and a wonder goal from KDB. Feeling good, happy even.
Good old TW has soon sorted that out in 18 posts!
Consistency!
Danny O’Neill
23 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:42:57
With the police presence in Norwich and the away fan signs and pub segregation, you could be forgiven for thinking it was West Ham v Millwall 1980 rather than Norwich v Everton
Robert Tressell
24 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:45:23
Another new unexpected formation / set of personnel. You can never 2nd guess Benitez. Can't be easy for the players having to adjust from game to game.

Anyway, interesting also that Norwich have 3 centre forwards on the pitch + Rashica and Lees-Melou who have good goal returns in Germany and France.

They are going for it.

Ciarán McGlone
25 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:45:34
He makes a vaguely sensible selection choice but then can't help himself with Rondon.

I despair.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]

26 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:50:38
On another matter, I see that Sunday's North London derby is off with the PL accepting Arsenal's request to postpone.

They have one player infected with CV-19. They have players injured and a couple away at the CAF tournament.

CAF comes around every two years. There are always injuries for any football club. Yet one CV-19 positive player gives clubs the wriggle room to ask for games to be called off..?

This is wrong. Clubs are abusing the system in getting games called off and the PL is facilitating them.

We had a much more legitimate case to call off our game v Chelsea then many other postponed games, but we were obliged to play it.

Phil Smith
27 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:52:10
I see why he's gone 2 up top and put Gomes in the middle against Norwich. We simply have to win this one. Allan needed a rest. Gomes will come off for the new lad or Townsend at some point, just like Rondon (hopefully) or (more likely) DCL will come off for Richy. We all know what he's gonna do.

My only real issue is starting Coleman. For me, he shouldn't be starting any games anymore. Kenny, love him or not love him (how can you hate a true Blue), has provided 2 assists in his last 2 games. Offers more threat than our captain these days. He should be given a proper chance and run in the side.

Bobby Mallon
28 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:52:53
Jay wood @15 you wrote
Rondon lining up alongside Dom is a bit of a surprise, but that wouldn't be the case if Richie or even Townsend were 100% fit.
Well if not fully fit, they should not be on bench and those seats should go to Dobbin and Simms
Benn Chambers
29 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:54:09
Rondon starts again.

This fat lazy shit must have something on Benitez swear to god.

Doucoure more or less asks for a midfield 3 and he plays rondon. He’s just taking the piss now. Only saving grace is the bench.

Calling it now, overrun in the middle and under the cosh and 1-0 down within 15 mins.

Benitez Out!

Brian Williams
30 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:56:16
Jay#26.
Agreed. The only ONE reason for having a game postponed should be Covid, and there should be a set number of cases required for a postponement.
Colin Malone
31 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:56:51
If you ain't won in 8, you ain't scored yet for your club, play Everton. How many times have we seen it?
Neil Lawson
32 Posted 15/01/2022 at 14:59:06
Ultimately it doesn't really matter who he selects. It's how he sets them up and organises and motivates them. If his selected 11 cannot beat the team who are rock bottom and plainly the poorest team in the league, then he deserves every last bit of bile, shit and invective sent in his direction.
Alex Gray
33 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:16:10
Got to say in the opening 15 mins Gray has been absolutely outstanding!
Alex Gray
34 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:17:08
Also Keane is shite.
Ciarán McGlone
35 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:18:56
I think laughing is the only response.
Phil Smith
36 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:19:15
Mykalenko again looking a liability. Gets past him too easily again. Rondon his useless self.
Alex Gray
37 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:19:41
Ffs! That’s what I get for showing any form of optimism about these tossers.
Benn Chambers
38 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:21:31
Rondon and Coleman. Both are a joke. A fucking joke and he plays them every week.

Get this fat Spanish twat out this club at half time. It’s on him.

I’ve never hated a manager or an Everton team as much

Neil Lawson
39 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:22:44
566 mins since Norwich scored in the league.
FSW the master tactician.
Bile, shit and invective now due please towards this totally useless arrogant, stubborn tosser.
Danny Baily
40 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:23:06
Rafa out. Now. No more time.
Mike Hughes
41 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:26:12
I laughed out loud as well.
It was a manic laugh with Norwich not having scored since WW2 - but then we turn up.
I think it is a mad laughter as this club has drained all joy and hope and sanity out of me regarding their future.
I’ll probably start crying next.
FFS.
Joke. Shambles. Laughing stock.
All for £0.5 billion.
Tony Twist
42 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:27:23
Never mind taxi in the morning, sack him before the final whistle. Doesn't matter about if We get out of jail in this game, vital game and 2 - 0 down after 20 mins sackible offence.
Phil Smith
43 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:38:01
Gomes and Rondon off at the half for El Ghazi and Richy. Both useless here! Coleman giving the ball away every chance he gets. He's done. Get him off as well.
Ciarán McGlone
44 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:42:42
Not a single striker on the bench.

The is new level ineptness.

Danny Baily
45 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:43:59
Get him out at half time.

Worst thing is, it's probably too late now. We should have pulled the trigger after the Brighton match or earlier.

Kieran Kinsella
46 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:45:29
Mike Walker 2.0. HKIII had terrible players but Walker had some decent ones as does Rafa yet they both produce appalling outcomes.
Andy Mead
47 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:50:03
Doesn't get any worse than that for me. Gordon and Grey aside, that was pathetic. I can't take no more of this shite. I'm out as long as Benitez is in charge. Not wasting another second of my time as Everton bring me nothing but frustration.
Rob Hooton
48 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:50:05
Sack Benitez now and tell him to take Rondon with him, the fact he keeps persisting with him as a sackable offence alone without all the other shite he serves up.

Booooooooooooooo!

Ernie Baywood
49 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:50:59
I keep saying it. We're the worst team in the league and we are going down.

And the worst bit about it is that we're going down without a fight. I don't think we've even realised we're in trouble.

In years to come people will talk about this Everton as a case study in how to fk up.

Jerome Shields
50 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:54:16
The least said about the first half the better.
Alan J Thompson
51 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:55:41
Sorry but would somebody remind me who the three worse team are who will stop us being relegated?

The defence is just fannying around and while the first goal wasn't his fault, why do keepers try to stop a ball with an outstretched leg. Midfield is non-existent, Calvert-Lewin isn't fit never mind match fit and Rondon is not fit for anything. The only bright lights are Gray and Gordon.

This manager is incapable of getting anything to work, it's rubbish!

Gavin Johnson
52 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:56:15
I think we're going to go down unless we get Benitez out of the club. My heart sank when I saw the 4-4-2 formation. There's no need to play Rondon.

I also don't want to ever see Michael Keane play for us again. The guy is braindead. He's such a liability! I've lost count of how many goals we've conceded where's he's been culpable by going to sleep.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]

53 Posted 15/01/2022 at 15:57:31
Has a manager ever been sacked at half time?

Norwich, before today P 6 W 0 D 0 L 6 F 0 A 16 Pts 0

In 20 minutes they lead Everton 2-0.

Other than Gray and Gordon there aren't any positives from this performance. Again.

I watched City-Chelsea before our game today. He won't get an assist for it, but before de Bruyne's goal Foden chased down 4-5 players in Chelsea's half, including the 'keeper whose clearance under pressure from Foden was picked up by City which led to the winning goal.

There is absolutely no pressure on Norwich players by blue shirts anywhere on the park. They, by contrast, are hounding and harrassing us each time we are in possession.

Gomes and Doucoure are not competing or showing for the ball in midfield and yet again we are too easy to play through.

Lose this and even Farhad Moshiri, who is evidently standing by Benitez, must start to waiver.

Kieran Byrne
55 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:00:57
For such a defensive manager, you’d think he could sort out the back line, which is the worst in the league ffs
Keane& Coleman are done, it’s embarrassing that he keeps picking them it’s like playing with 9 men.
Bring on Mina for Keane, Richy for that pylon Condom to start. its fucking Norwich ffs
Bill Gall
56 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:01:13
Now matter how you look at it this manager is a disaster, 4/5 defenders at the back and they score from a breakaway. It is a real low of where Everton are when you consider if the score stays the same they are only 6 points ahead of Norwich and even the commentators are talking about bringing Everton into the relegation fight.If you want a manager to help you against a relegation Fight Benitez is not the one you want, he has already proved with Newcastle he is not up for it.
Kieran Kinsella
57 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:02:02
Only positives under Rafa have been Covid tests
Bill Fairfield
58 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:04:54
Only one word for it PATHETIC
Phil Smith
60 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:22:14
That's 2 of the 3 liabilities off and hey presto. Back in it.

Now get Gomes off. He stank out the midfield today.

Dave Abrahams
61 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:23:59
It still seems that the centre of midfield is the main problem and these two subs won’t change that, sad to say Keane is still on the pitch and when he’s bad he mentally goes to pieces and by the sound of it he’s gone from very poor to atrocious, it also sounds like he is not the only poor player today, a lot of them don’t seem to realise the very serious plight we are in as the games trickle away.
Alex Gray
62 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:55:08
So much for the second half of the season being better eh?
James Head
63 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:56:28
Keane costs us at least one goal a game, bench the fkn liability before we get relegated, he's a useless weak c**t
Steve Brown
65 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:57:14
That was Norwich's first goal in 9½ hours of football.
Neil Lawson
68 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:57:21
Shameful.
Sack the fraud NOW.
Not tomorrow, not Monday.
NOW.
Ernie Baywood
69 Posted 15/01/2022 at 16:59:33
So logic says he goes now, right?

Fans don't want him. Players fall out with him. And he's overseeing one of the worst runs of form in Premier League history.

What's the case for the defence?

Joe McMahon
70 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:00:54
You get what you deserve, top many happy clappers love the teary one.

The People's Club are failing its own people. Bill has stuck around too long, the club is an image of him. The football and managers have been pitiful on the whole under his leadership. Several clubs have overtaken us now. New stadium (15 years too late) awful team

Benitez is past it and we should have stuck with Marco Silva. Richie will be off to play CL football.

Simon Smith
71 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:01:55
This is as bad as it has been. Not a hint of positivity in the club. Rotten to the core.
We will finish bottom if we continue as we are. No confidence and very little quality. Depressing
Phil Smith
72 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:02:20
Derby off the bottom of the Championship! Unbelievable. He can obviously steer a side away from the bottom of a league. Get their manager in now!
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

73 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:02:34
No guile. No craft. No intelligence.

This team is not set up to win football matches. But it is set up to lose them.

Some keep arguing 'we can't afford to keep changing managers.'

Invert that. It is increasingly looking like we can't afford NOT to change this manager.

'Position untenable' just tightened a notch. The warning klaxon sirens are being wound up.

This is bad now. REAL bad.

Colin Malone
74 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:05:15
If you ain't won in 8, you ain't scored yet for your club, play Everton. How many times have we seen it?
Fucking told you.
Ajay Gopal
75 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:05:16
Horrible, horrible, horrible. There is no way that Benitez stays as Everton manager after this performance. The only question is ‘Who’? I say we get in Wayne Rooney. Derby are in complete meltdown sadly, and with the administrators not allowing any investment at all, Rooney is in a helpless situation. Get him in - NOW!
Ciarán McGlone
76 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:05:21
I hope this is the moment when those supporters who continue to say that Benitez needs time - finally wake the fuck up.
Tony Hill
77 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:05:50
No defending Benitez, starting with Rondon was beyond stupid.

The players don't care, of course, and are wretched.

We're terrible all round and this is a reckoning after many years.

A very low point: I would go so far as to say that the result today was one of the worst in our history.

I assume the manager will now be sacked but I do not think that any replacement will save us. I think we are going to be relegated because we have nothing about us, nothing at all. No courage, no intelligence, no technique. Meanwhile, Newcastle will improve and others at the bottom have some fight about them.

Goodnight Goodison.

Andy Crooks
78 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:05:54
I said earlier in the season hat Norwich are the worst team I have ever seen in the Premier League. Not any more. If Benitez is not sacked immediately he will relegate us. Soon it will be too late. There is not a team worse than us in the Premier league.
Pat Kelly
79 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:06:27
There isn't a team in the PL that wouldn't have sacked Benitez by now. Sad state of affairs when we seem unable to sack the manager dragging us down.
Brian Wilkinson
80 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:06:40
Well I’ve tried to give him a chance, but cannot defend that, I can only assume he is looking for a pay off and has been for a while, I can offer absolutely nothing in the managers defence after that.

Give it to Ferguson for now to try and get some results in the bag, bin off Keane, Rondon and when he is back Iwobi as well, Rondon had his chance today with support but just not good enough.

Getting dangerous now making Mike Walker look half decent.

Phillip Warrington
82 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:07:46
We just got easily beaten by the bottom team in the Premier League and what is worse – it's their first goals in the Premier League in 9 hours of play.
Simon Dalzell
83 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:07:57
Surely that has to be the last straw. Playing Rondon today alongside DCL is a sacking offence alone, with a fit Richarlison sat on the bench. At the latest a half time switch. This clown must go now.
Christy Ring
84 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:08:18
No point waiting any longer, sack him now. His tactics, team selection and substitutions are a total disgrace. Sadly he should have gone before he got rid of Digne, who's starting for Villa this evening, especially as our new left back looks out of his depth.
George McKane
85 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:08:27
I normally post about the joy and pleasure of going to the game - - Benitez - - and his selections and tactics - - and several - - yes several players - - are knocking any pleasure I have of being an Evertonian out of me - - BUT - - I am a strong character stronger than Benitez and many many of these so called "players" - - Keane has been a nightmare for months - -no changes - - Rondon selected ahead of Richarlison - - this man seems to want to annoy us - - of course like many I will be at Goodison next Saturday - - and I will not boo - - I don't do that at the game - - but we have to somehow tell these idiots supposedly running The Club - - I wouldn't allow Fashiri to make the tea - - that we are at breaking point - - they are stretching our loyalties - - killing our dreams - - in their distant no link, no belief, no passion,in OUR CLUB - - here's my bit of advice to most of the Management and Players - - GET THE FUCK OUT OF OUR CLUB - - you are ruining it - - FUCK BMD - - let's see something on the Fucking pitch - - YOU IDIOTS.
Ian Hollingworth
88 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:08:30
He has to go now. It's not knee-jerk reactions anymore – it's a necessity.
Jamie Crowley
89 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:08:39
Go Home!!!

Why don't you go home????

You're a fucking Gobshite!

Why don't you go home???!!!!!

Mark Andrews
90 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:09:18
Week in week out we surrender the middle of the park. Gomes has never recovered from that injury and can't even pick a pass anymore. Doucoure played out of position and is anonymous. Does Michael Keane have some kind of disability? DCL was anonymous.
BENITEZ OUT!
He'll take us down, this is humiliating.
Ray Robinson
91 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:10:16
I don't rush to sack managers but he has to go now! Baffling team selections.
Ed Prytherch
92 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:10:29
I have no confidence that we will beat anyone in the Premier League as long as Benitez is in charge. The longer he stays, the more damage he inflicts on the club. He should GO NOW.
Johan Elmgren
93 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:10:55
Time to swallow your pride Moshiri, and admit you were wrong!

FSW out now!!

Roger Helm
94 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:11:10
The club is shot. A new manager, a new board, new coaches, new backroom staff, most of a new squad is needed.

I can’t be bothered any more. If they can’t give an arse, why should I? Life is too short to be made miserable any more. I’m not renewing the season ticket anyway as I will probably emigrate next year.

At least rugby league starts soon. I’m off now, I may or may not be back next season. All the best to everyone anyway, adios.

George Cumiskey
95 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:13:31
Can anyone actually see us winning another game?
Mike Hayes
96 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:13:56
Half a billion to go to the championship - good luck building a new stadium down there 😡
Alan J Thompson
99 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:14:46
Why did it take seven minutes to make the substitutions, why not at half time? And what a difference it makes when you have mobile forwards rather than some bloke with his own bus stop! And the defence looked so much better when Godfrey was moved to full back and Mina again looks our best central defender.What takes this idiot manager so long to see the bleedin' obvious!

And another almost perfect display of bloody awful refereeing and officiating. Several Norwich players should have been booked and a couple red carded.
Players flattened from behind, particularly Gordon, with no effort to play the ball at all and several sliding tackles again with no intention of playing the ball.

This manager, only because it is his title not his ability, needs to be sent packing ASAP and who cares who takes over as they can't be any worse.

Jerome Shields
101 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:15:12
Errors in defence. Doucoure and Gomes ornaments in midfield. Reminded me of the Sheffield United game last season.
Mike Oates
102 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:15:36
Doesnt matter who's in charge, that defence is not even Championship level. Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Kenny need to go asap. Mykolenko needs to raise his game to another level just to be a Premier League player.

I'm even lost whether Godfrey is a centre-half, just too small. To a man, the distribution from that lot is absolutely appalling.

Doucoure is nowhere near the player we saw 6 months ago, granted it possibly due to a 2 man centre midfield, but the lad is a bag of nerves everytime he receives the ball.

Thought Gordon looked lightweight today, knocked off the ball too easily and strange enough didn't have the pace to take it past any defenders. Calvert-Lewin looks as though he can't believe what he's seeing.

Gomes and Richarlison the only players who earned their money today, not even Gray, who had a poor game by his recent standards.

Blame Benitez by all means, but he's got nothing to work with, a totally defunct defence and midfield, recipe for relegation.

Gary Mortimer
103 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:15:44
Benitez's teams all play the same way. Kick the ball and hope that it ends up in their net. No noticeable tactics at all. 6 months he's had and our defenders continually play as if they are making their debut and are not sure what they are supposed to do!!!

6 points out of 36.

Over a whole season that would equate to about 20 points.

And yet there are some on here who think he should be given more time.

Daniel A Johnson
104 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:16:57
9 defeats in 12 games most against lower table teams. This is the year we get relegated and whoever appointed Rafa should be sacked for negligence
Tony Williams
105 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:17:18
We will have the best ground in the Championship.
Neil Copeland
107 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:17:49
Unbelievable, I was prepared to give Benitez the benefit but we just get worse by the game. Difficult to see any other solution than to make yet another managerial change.

Really not sure about Duncan but he can’t be any worse surely?

George Cumiskey
108 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:17:58
Rafa only using two subs ? Tactical genius !
Ajay Gopal
109 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:18:17
Before the game, I thought that is a decent team.

Then I went through the team sheet once more and there it was – Rondon! What the Fuck! Keane and Godfrey as our centre-back pairing must be the weakest in the Premier League.

And Mykolenko – oh dear, I so want him to succeed, because we can't afford failure in that position but he was poor today. Coleman is finished, Calvert-Lewinwas pretty anonymous because of lack of service. Doucoure and Gomes make a poor midfield duo.

Gray, I think gave up midway through the second half. Gordon keeps trying but the linesman on that side was incompetent. Godfrey did better when he came on the right side. The side looks totally confused and disorganised.

Benitez did not work out – Everton are in a relegation battle, make no mistake about that, and the sooner he makes the necessary changes, the better for Moshiri and his investment.

Ernie Baywood
110 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:18:24
4am in Australia. I'd like to think that when I get up again in a few hours we'll have made the right decision. But we won't.

How the hell did people on here support him getting rid of one of our better players when we're this bad?

The really worrying thing is that the club backed Benitez in that. That tells me he's not going anywhere.

And I think we'll drop this year. Moshiri got this so, so wrong. It was never going to work.

Ed Prytherch
111 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:18:31
Benitez has seen an opportunity to get back at all of the Everton fans who hate him and get paid handsomely for doing it. Moshiri is an idiot.
Paul Birmingham
112 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:19:26
Shocking display, playing like a beaten team before they get on the park.
No leadership on the pitch and not starting with the best players available.

In a very bad decline and the Everton board need to take immediate action.

No professionalism, no pride, no guts and no shape.

Where’s the next win in the League coming from?

John Keating
114 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:20:28
He has to go tonight.
There can be no more excuses.
Some of the players are just showing no commitment, no passion, just going through the motions.
We should not forget that the stink is throughout the Club not just the manager and players.
Those who thought we wouldn't get involved in a relegation fight are probably reassessing those thoughts tonight. We really are abysmal, fully fit squad or not.
Once the losing mindset sets in it's difficult to get out.
The manager is obviously unable to motivate the players, and he's not the first.
I'd get the bus to drop him off at Goodison tonight but have a taxi to meet him there
Dale Self
115 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:20:56
I’ll let this get to fever pitch and then will come in to take my share for suppoting Bentez as long as I did. Mea Maxima Culpa
Brian Williams
116 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:21:20
Firstly: Individual errors for both their goals. Keane reactions far too slow to get a decent contact on the cross and then Seamus gives the ball away in THEIR third of the pitch and seconds later, goal number two for them.
Have to admit I stopped watching after that as I knew exactly what would happen.
Secondly: Surely Moshiri's not relying on a parachute payment to help fund the stadium build?
Dan Johnson
117 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:21:45
Once again we are out numbered in midfield, I don’t know where Rondon was supposed to play, just a total mess, what now ??
Christine Foster
119 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:22:10
The Tipping Point. When you go beyond the reason to believe anymore. Benitez cannot and should not survive this. Make no mistake, unless the change is made we will be relegated. Tactics, line ups, team selection, shape all down to the manager. On paper we should be light years above where we are but we are persisting with Benitez plan which, today was absurd. Mina should have started, so too Richarlison. No way back for Keane or Coleman, both now liabilities, Gordon poor, DCL too, the malaise is spreading inside the team. I doubt Moshiri has any choice. We are in a worse place rhan even when Allardyce was brought in.
Ed Prytherch
120 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:22:48
Mykolenko is not good enough to polish Lucas Digne's boots.
Steve Brown
121 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:23:02
You know what? I am almost curious to see what the Rafa supporters will offer as excuses now? Surely they accept now that he must be sacked.

Let's just look at today rather than all 9 of the defeats in the last 12 games.

He picked Rondon, he played Doucoure and Gomes as a two in central midfield, he didn't make any substitutions after the worst first-half performance I have seen. Each of them is an absolute howler, but he would never accept that as he really thinks he knows better. And don't get me started about selling Digne when we are in such a precarious position.

He must go today.

Joe McMahon
122 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:23:06
Agreed George, and when we are losing to the bottom club. Keane and Coleman in defence is for playing a division (if not 2) lower.
Paul Tran
123 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:24:07
If he hadn't been through so many managers, he'd have sacked him by now.

Time he went through one more.

Peter Neilson
124 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:25:45
Gradually then suddenly as Hemingway wrote. Decades of mismanagement reached its zenith with an out dated manager. The question isn’t who would replace him, it’s who will. There isn’t the faintest glimmer of hope as things stand. Good luck to those who can find them, let me know what you’re drinking.
Ian Edwards
125 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:26:21
We won't have the best ground in the championship. A 52,000 stadium is unambitious and isn't worth the move. We could put an extra couple of tiers on the park end for that.
Paul Swan
126 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:26:24
No argument no debate just get this useless bastard sacked with immediate effect. The owner needs to fuck right off as well. I would rather see the club fold than watch it die a slow painful death under these arseholes
Anthony Murphy
127 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:26:43
I think Moshiri has walked away tbh
Danilo Andon
128 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:26:47
Keane must be the worse footballer I've seen in an Everton shirt!!!
Not sure if he's even a Championship player.
And he's on the pitch! Enough said
Daniel A Johnson
129 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:27:05
If you want proof of how badly EFC is being run by Moshiri look no further than the appointment of Rafa Benitez it shows a spectacular lack of judgement
James Head
130 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:27:07
Firstly on the manger for his team selection then on Keane the gift that keeps on giving for giving them a goal start, sack them both, did you ever think you could feel hatred towards your own players, no me neither but I despise some of these c***!
Andy Walker
131 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:27:10
Unfortunately we have a billionaire in charge that knows very little about football. We should have got Moyes back last year, but Moshiri overruled Kenwright.

There is no hope when the guy with all the money hasn’t a footballing clue. Sack Benitez by all means, it will make sod all difference. Moshiri genuinely believed he’d assembled a world class squad when he hired Carlo. What a job Carlo did btw, although as Carlo said, we were better without the ball and he wasn’t a magician. No doubt Moshiri didn’t want to hear Carlo’s assessment as he couldn’t bear to admit he’d spaffed £500 mill down the bog. Carlo leaves and Moshiri hires the next man in the misguided belief he can get a tune out of a very poor squad.

Moshiri you were and are wrong. Sell up and go.

Ian Edwards
132 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:27:39
Are there any Rafa supporters?? Surely not.
Barry Rathbone
133 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:27:44
As soon as we sent the diggers in at Bramley Moore the curse went into overdrive. Ignoring calamitous decline as per those nailed financialy (as we are now) by new footy stadia was delusion of the highest order. I'm going out on a limb here but I suspect a european spot is unlikely now 😂😂
Brent Stephens
134 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:28:25
Moshiri needs some profession, external advice. A successful businessman but not a football guru.
Ian Edwards
135 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:29:07
Are there any Rafa supporters?? Surely not.
Barry Hesketh
136 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:30:13
I didn't bother with today's game, because I feared the best we would do is snatch a point, but as always even that meagre objective was beyond the team. I can't comment on the performance, however, a team which is short on goals and hasn't scored since November, and has conceded goals for fun, shouldn't be turning over Everton. But the fact that Rondon started with Richy on the bench means that the manager is putting out understrength teams week after week, and to my mind he is writing the longest suicide note in footballing history. Villa next week, if they play like they did at Old Trafford will probably comfortably beat Everton at Goodison, then what? Wait for the next defeat and the next one after that?

Losing games to your fellow strugglers is a sure fire way to be on the road to ruin, even a gutsy few draws against those sides around us would help but we can't even do that. What's next? God knows but the longer the Spaniard remains in his job the more pain we'll have to endure.

Daniel A Johnson
137 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:30:18
Moshiri is just another Randy Lerner he doesn’t even attend matches now he’s distancing himself from the club
Alan McGuffog
138 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:31:08
Don't worry Tony...by the time the ground is completed we shan't be playing in the Championship.
I have been an " apologist" for Benitez up till now...no longer. He must go...and please God a lot more go with him.
There isn't a worse side in the division and, as I fear, if we go down it will be as a result of thirty years of inertia and complacency.
The ONLY decent thing about this club is its fan base.
R.I.P.
Anthony Murphy
139 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:31:16
The lad Mykolenko should never have been put in this position - awful decision making given where we find ourselves. Our only left back with no prem experience in a struggling side.
Jeff Armstrong
140 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:31:16
“Sell up Moshiri “ Where’s the queue of buyers?
Danny Baily
141 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:32:37
OUT. NOW.
Steve Shave
142 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:33:25
I wouldn't say I was a Benitez supporter/defender, I have called for patience in the past. Not now, I never thought I would feel worse than I did under Allardyce, Koeman and Martinez at their worst but I do today. Just go Rafa, now please.

Abject first half performance. You can tell its bigger than Rafa of course but I cannot for the life of me remember in the last few years (apart from the Big Dunc games) when we played well and with passion for 90 minutes! That shocks me. We are Everton and we are a joke of a club, embarrassing.

I have been very grateful for the money Moshiri put up but he could not have run this club more calamitously if he tried! Mistake after mistake after mistake. It's easy for me to say sitting on my sofa but he should have got in a top, top DOF from the start, no expense spared (Rangnick, Monchi) and let them have full control. He had to meddle didn't he, he had to leave Bill in with the wolves, he had to be swayed time and time again by people, he has been weak and very far from blame.

I'm not going to single out players, the defence in general was appalling, a joke.

Benn Chambers
143 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:33:40
TELL ME ANOTHER MANAGER WHO KEEPS HIS JOB WITH 1 WIN 13????

We’re a fucking laughing stock.

Enough is enough.

Get that scum bag out this club and moshiri, you can fuck off with him.

If we could sack the players, we would. We can’t so the buck stops with the manager and the Board. Both are an embarrassment. Both are hell bent on taking us down it would seem.

Starting Rondon is inexcusable. Not having 5 in the middle is inexcusable. Playing that fucking big lanky dope Michale Keane, is inexcusable. He’s a bag of nerves. Playing Coleman who’s been finished since his injury is inexcusable, also a liability. Gomes can’t operate in a 2 man midfield and has been finished since his injury. Doucoure anonymous whilst being hindered by Rafa’s laughable tactics and set up.

Enough is enough. Get that rat out this club tonight before it’s to late to salvage anything.

Give us a fighting chance at least. A manager that will play players in proper positions. With a system that suits. Not some stubborn shit dinosaur who has zero emotion. How could anyone play for him. He’s a shambles.

You know what to do Everton. Do it tonight because the worst team in the league just turned us over and we have tough 6 pointers coming up thick and fast and we’re running out of time and games.

I’ve never been more fearful of relegation ever. I'm convinced it going to happen. It’s a certainty if that fat Spanish waiter stays at the club.

Fans need to mobilise and to whatever is needed. Protest at the ground. The training ground. Say it loud BENITEZ OUT!!!!!!! And Moshiri can fuck off with him!!!!!

Pete Jeffries
144 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:35:02
Youve got to feel really sorry for our fans in the away end yet again

No manager has ever survived such a shocking run of form in the PL

All the above comments ring true week in week out - tactics- substitutions and worse the man's stubborness

He never apologises for his mistakes - nor acknowledges the fans support - a total lack of respect for anyone else's opinions

Surely we can do better without him otherwise were doomed

Andrew Bentley
145 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:35:29
I want Rafa gone but I worry the board won’t act as they’ve gone all in with him this season. And they’ve just backed him in the transfer window.

I fear that they will let this run on for a good few weeks yet hoping that he’ll turn it around. By which time our fate will be sealed. Feel sorry for the 2 new young lads coming into this shite

Gerry Quinn
146 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:36:45
I dearly want Rafa as Manager...
Gerry Quinn
147 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:37:04
...of the RS!
Graham Mockford
148 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:37:25
TalkSport reporting he’s getting sacked tonight
Marc Hints
149 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:38:13
Well there is a talksport breaking news he could be sacked tonight
Anthony Jones
150 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:39:03
Gray was a master stroke, but Digne out and Mykolenko in was not helpful, and Rondon isn't good enough but continues to play.

Benitez seems to be a negative micromanager.

Cannot see him leading us to top 10, let alone top 6.

Charles Brewer
151 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:39:05
Keane is a very decent player who goes to pieces psychologically when things go bad. A half decent manager would have done for him what Ancelotti did for Pickford - namely drop him, get him sorted out mentally with the pressure off and bring him back when he's recovered, which he certainly can.

Coleman has been playing on borrowed time for the past 3 seasons and the timebank manager has just called in the loan; he should retire from first team football immediately.

Doucouré and DCL both need considerable match practice to get to the top of their games, and that will only come with time; meanwhile they should be playing no more than 60 minutes.

Rondon should never wear an Everton shirt again. While there are players like Dobbin and Stubbs just waiting to play Rondon should not even be considered.

And if that was the best team that could be put out, just how bad are Patterson and El Ghazi if they weren't better than what was actually on display...

Ashley Roberts
152 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:39:33
Benitez stubbornness will take us down. He needs to go now!! As I mentioned before kick off, if Richi is fit he has to start. Only when he tires do you think about subbing him. Playing Rondon just made no sense and not having another Center forward on the bench are school boy errors. Only making 2 substitutions also shows he just does not have a clue how to change things up during the game. Mikilenko looked out of his depth and definitely is not a first team player yet. Braithwaite was not even on the bench!! Time is up, we need a change and quickly otherwise this will end in tears.
Frank Crewe
153 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:39:59
Just who do you want as manager?

Martinez. Young up and comer. In over his head.
Koeman. Spent millions on rubbish players.
Fat Sam. Grizzled owl arse. Staved off relegation but nobody liked him.
Silva. Another up and comer. Spent most of his time staring at the grass instead of the match.
Ancelotti. "Elite" manager who took the piss along with the clibs money.

So now it's supposedly Rafa's turn for the Everton elbow. So who is next? Newcastle ended up with Eddie Howe. I doubt given the current circumstances we can do any better. Because the moment the going gets tough on past history they would be shown the door as well and no doubt the better managers know it so will steer well clear.

We have to stop sacking managers. It's tough and it's hard to bear. But we have half a season to go. Our better players are coming back and maybe we can still get some in during this window. So lets not panic.

Danny Baily
154 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:40:27
Silver lining is that Rafa is on his way by the looks of it. About time.
Brent Stephens
155 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:40:27
As I understand it, we've accommodated Benitez by getting rid of the DoF, by ditching the whole concept of a DoF, by allowing Benitez sole discretion at bringing players in and in getting rid of Digne.

Moshiri needs serious professional advice.

Tony Everan
156 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:41:23
Madness playing Rondon and having a midfield twofold Gomes and Doucoure. I’m totally fed up with thinking wtf before any game starts.

A complete joke of a performance in the first half, one of the worst I have seen from us in fifty years in the context of the extremely limited team we were up against. Truly depressing stuff.

Worse still we created little, we didn’t really stress out the Norwich defence too much in the entire game. The game plan was non existent.

We are in a relegation battle and in relegation form.

If we keep playing Keane and Coleman were are going to struggle more. We need to sign a combative tenacious central midfielder tomorrow

Most of all Benitez is doing my head in, I want stability, I want incremental progress. Why is he doing his best to self harm the club with his nonsense team selections ?

Ed Fitzgerald
157 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:41:25
Lost the fans, Lost the players, Lost the nearly all matches - sack him now
Mark Ryan
158 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:41:48
Chris Boyd sums up the game on Sky Sports. He says " Rondon ? worst performance of a player I've seen in a long time. He said we were shite but not in so many words. Sack him now !!!
Steve Brown
159 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:42:38
Looks like another text has gone to Jim White!
Ron Marr
160 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:42:40
He needs to go now so his replacement has time to bring in players before the window closes.

Jamie Crowley
161 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:43:08
The Soccer gods are seeking revenge and justice. They are ensuring we go down and sticking it to our owner for hiring a red and shitting all over the fanbase.

A change HAS to be made now.

Bring in Dunc. The Club needs it soul back, because our owner sold it to the devil.

I want this club to be BLUE again and not run by a piece of shit red. His appointment was the most embarrassing, asinine thing I've seen possibly ever.

FUCKING SACK HIM!

Mick O'Malley
162 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:43:30
I’ve been banging the drum from the very first day, This man is not suited to be Everton manager, I just couldn’t have an ex RS,sorry if that makes me a “bitter blue” but I’ve never been happy with an ex kopite in charge, Fuckoff Benitez get out of our club! Jamie Crowley above, absolutely agree, you were also against it from day one, no way a vile kopite loser could work as manager
Jeff Armstrong
163 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:43:56
Talksport not called talkshite for nothing.

Unless Jim White knows better

Andy Walker
164 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:44:38
Spot in Brent, exactly what I was thinking. Moshiri is a joke.
Dave Abrahams
165 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:45:54
Well I obviously couldn’t defend Mr. Benitez after that performance, even though I didn’t see it, small mercies eh, but if he goes, which is possible this weekend with Moshiri allegedly in Liverpool, then we will still have the same players to be managed by a different manager and they have to take as much blame as the manager, would Norwich have won without their inapitude?
James Head
166 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:48:01
If Keane's a very decent player then Stevie Wonder is a keen bird watcher, he cant win a header and panics with the ball at his feet, is shockingly slow and cant read the game, he is in fact fuckin' useless. Put him in a taxi with the arrogant Spanish pendejo.
Jamie Crowley
167 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:49:06
Mick O'Malley spot on!

Me, too! Never wanted the guy, hated the hiring, was embarrassed and disgusted.

Was then chided by many on TW - give him a chance they say.

WHY??? He's coached "them", insulted us while doing so, and it just REEKS of ZERO self-worth and pride to hire this shitbag.

Great post, agree 100%, time is up!

Mark Ryan
168 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:49:47
If there us ANYBODY on here that still wants Benitez put your hand up. I'd wager there is not one person now. This is worse than Mike Walker and Fat Sam put together. Abject management !!
Christy Ring
169 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:50:00
He's talking in his interview about winning the games in hand after losing to the bottom team NORWICH unbelievable. Boyd couldn't believe how poor Rondon was in the first 45 min's, the man is too stubborn to change it, and why only two subs used again. We all know Doucoure and Gomes are a disaster in a two man midfield, he's clueless and going to get us relegated if Moshiri doesn't act now.
Graham Mockford
170 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:51:14
The Bobble who is a very reliable source saying emergency Board meeting convened tonight and he will be sacked tonight
Colin Malone
171 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:51:19
Missed Alann today big time.
Alec Gaston
172 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:51:27
FFP means we probably can’t afford to sack him
Eddie Dunn
174 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:52:14
Rafa's problems are partly self-inflicted. He is so stubborn, he plays 5 at the back, things go awry, he keeps it 5 at the back. We were crying out for another midfielder to get control of the game.

Starting Rondon was another idiotic blunder. Townsend was the player I would have brought on. We spent most of the second half launching it long or giving it to wingers who passed too late. We hardly worked Krul.

I noticed that only 6 or 7 players went to the away fans. Seems like the others were either too scared or couldn't give a monkeys.

Rafa should have been sacked ages ago. I hope he goes as his intransigence will not get wins and we will be relegated by him.

Barry Rathbone
175 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:52:37
Frank Crewe 153

With you, Frank. I'm all for riding it out for good or bad this state of affairs has been ongoing for years despite trying every type of manager. In all honesty it's a miracle we haven't done a Villa or Newcastle and gone down previously maybe our luck has finally run out. I also agree that decent managers won't look favourably at this job.

Tony Twist
176 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:53:31
I think we have to go back to basics until the end of the season and try and stay out of trouble with the power of the heart of the club, use big dunc, try and get Rooney and get Alan Irvine in as coach / assistant manager and of course the backing of the crowd to get results on the back of emotion as solving the problem by bringing in a progressive young manager would be doomed to fail. Sort the board out in the summer. We are hemorrhaging as a club at the moment and we have to stabilise and live to fight another day. It literally is the last roll of the dice.
Johan Elmgren
177 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:53:39
Mike #102, those player-deficinancies you're describing are often the symptoms of a poor manager who's got no clue what he's doing...

FSW out now!!

Steve Brown
178 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:54:40
Jamie, you were right from the start.

He took the job because he was desperate, we hired him because he was the only manager willing to take the job with nil funds. Predictably, it has been a disaster.

It isn’t a surprise that some supported him - what surprised me is how long they continued to support him when performances and results were self evidently atrocious.

Barry Rathbone
179 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:55:55
Mark Ryan 168

I'll put my hand up. I reckon it's madness to keep booting managers as soon as it gets sticky.

Steve Griffiths
180 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:55:55
Jamie, it certainly ranks up there alongside appointing Fat Sam IMO. I was prepared to give him the Jan window. However, he has to go now after that. We have to unite the club and get the Goodison crowd behind this gutless set of players, in order to stave off relegation which is a real possibility. The ONLY person able to do that is Big Dunc. I haven’t wanted him previously as I’ve always thought he was part of the problem & I wouldn’t be surprised if he has been beavering away in the background causing upset etc. (No loyalty in football). Now is the time for him to step up & sink or hopefully swim.
Craig Walker
181 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:56:20
I was prepared to give Benitez a chance. It started promising but how many times does that happen? Hope leads to despair with this club. His stubbornness and continuation of playing Rondon are his biggest mistakes. I don’t care if he’s an ex RS. He’s well paid to make decisions and he’s made the same mistakes repeatedly. One thing I would say though, there are some very poor players in our squad who need showing the exit door. I’m not even gonna waste all our time in listing them. I don’t know where we go from here. I love Duncan but his enthusiasm would only be a stop-gap appointment. We need a root and branch overhaul. I’d keep Richarlison, Gray (the one positive from the manager), some of the youngsters, Pickford and DCL. The rest are not at the level we aspire to be. We were awful in 1994 but we had players with character and a good attitude. We have mercenaries now who care about their social media presence. Love this club but hate it at times too.
Barry Hesketh
182 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:58:38
Dave @165
We are reaching the point of no return are we not? I would sell my own granny for three points if it were possible, so from that perspective I have no allegience to Mr Benitez whatsoever. There has been a pattern to our play from the minute the opening whistle sounded at Villa Park, it's been missing in action, it's mostly just hope that an individual such as Gray, Richarlison et al will produce a moment of magic and we somehow keep the opposition out.

We can't keep conceding two or more goals and expect to come away with victories, and it's all about the midfield, two in the middle is asking for trouble, particularly when the defenders have forgotten how to defend.

Hand on heart I can't see a Benitez team winning a game of football anytime soon, if there is a change of manager it might at least spark something, not guaranteed of course, but we can't continue with this current form for too much longer as it will end in relegation, partly because the fans as a unit won't rally behing this manager and that is a major factor in making the decision to change managers right now and not at some future point, when it becomes too late.

Brent Stephens
183 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:58:41
Great tackle by Digne - not. Another yellow.
Ray Roche
184 Posted 15/01/2022 at 17:59:35
All this shite about ‘Big Dunc’ and passion….he sits on his fuckin’ arse doing nothing every game.
Why isn’t he ranting at players on the touch line?
. I wonder if he’s that quiet in the dressing room?
Kieran Kinsella
185 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:00:46
Graham

I don’t see The Bobble having tweeted about Rafa getting sacked. That’s a fake Bobble account with 300 followers.

Michael Lynch
186 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:01:25
Problem is we sack Rafa now, he’s already started the process of dismantling the set-up. Brands gone, his own coaching staff in, Digne sold, a kid in to replace seamus, a less than impressive left back making our back four look even worse etc

We have a very poor squad but it would look a whole lot better with a decent three in midfield.

What a fuck up of a season so far

Ian Edwards
187 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:02:38
The only thing that would be worse would be bringing in Rooney. He has the IQ of a goldfish.
Clive Mitchell
188 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:02:49
Notice people who went saying the first half was the worst of the season. If it was worse than Wolves it must have been one of the worst in history.

We are a very poor side. We've trailed in 15 of the 19 PL games we've played this season. It was time to change the manager after Brentford because it was clear he wouldn't cut it. By delaying we've lost two of our best 7 players in Digne and Allan (assuming he's on his way). There's probably just enough quality in the squad to survive if we get rid of Benitez now. If we wait we're toast.

Soren Moyer
189 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:03:48
Tepid. Lacklustre. Toothless. Gutless. Pathetic. Disheartening. Grim.
The way we are being set up and playing we will get battered by NCU, TWICE away and at home! Make no mistake. We are in real trouble unless we replace the FSW. We should hire someone like Lucien Favre on a short time contract till end of the season and take it from there. Survival is a must!

Also, how the hell he could laugh when we were down 2-0 already after 20 minutes!!!

Tepid. Lacklustre. Toothless. Gutless. Pathetic. Disheartening. Grim.

Steve Oshaugh
190 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:03:50
I couldn't care less that he managed them when he was appointed my only concern was that he was probably yesterdays man and wasn't actually a very good manager anymore. I gave him the benefit of the doubt more in hope than anything given how many managers we've been going through. The absolute turning point for me was the Brighton match. I'm done with him... truly terrible and baffling football decisions compounding our situation. I fully expected and predicted a loss today... genuinely couldn't see a way we could win. Playing Rondon in any situation is unforgiveable now... playing a 2 man midfield( unless you go 4231) with our players is unforgiveable. Just sack him and move on... to whom I don't know
Jeff Armstrong
191 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:04:31
Brent, get your point but Myklenko was poor today.
Ajay Gopal
192 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:05:09
Up in this thread, I proposed Wayne Rooney as our new manager. Then just looked up the Championship scores. Derby, with their 21 point deduction, no money to pay player salaries, administrators not allowing Rooney to make any player additions, have won again and are off the bottom of the Championship table and 8 points from safety. I doubt that Rooney would walk away from this challenge because it would be nothing short of a miracle if Derby were to survive.

So, praying that Everton survive in the PL this year, if I were Moshiri, I would sound out Wayne to be our new boss from next season.

In the meantime, I would like to offer some names:

Sam Allardyce - don't laugh, but he can do a job again
Steve Bruce - actually, I think he can help us survive
Nuno - was out of his depth at Spurs, but he could steer us to safety
Ferguson helped by Phil Neville, Stubbs, Cahill, etc

Any other suggestions?

Tony Hill
193 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:06:09
Barry @175, quite right. Benitez will go, I suspect, but I just think we've run out of good fortune in terms of our top level status. We got away with it twice in the 90s but not now, I'm afraid.

A very badly run club and no-one could complain if we sink. I spotted Sheffield Wednesday in my run down of the fixtures today, they're floundering in the lower divisions. What gives us a golden pass to stay in the posh seats?

Michael Connelly
194 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:06:45
No first team coach should be given the power to decide who leaves. No wonder Brands resigned, as Benitez was effectively allowed to take over. This is Moshiri's doing. He might be giving us a new stadium, but he may also preside over us being relegated for the first time in 70 odd years, with the same squad that got 59 (yes, 59) points last season.

Benitez may go tonight, but Digne won't be coming back unfortunately. Mykolenko a second rate replacement by the looks of it.

Looks like Allan could be set for a move, and probably won't be allowed on the pitch for the next 2 weeks, while at the same time, we are losing games left, right and centre.

Ray Roche
195 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:07:39
Yes Ajay.

Stop snorting whatever it is you’re snorting.

Jeff Armstrong
196 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:08:00
Not arsed now when commentators call him Deenya
Christine Foster
197 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:08:54
Watching Everton under Benitez has taken the fun out of my life. He makes Big Sam look world class. I was up at 3.30am to watch a match that was as bad as any I can remember as a blue. The stupid thing is, the squad are individually not bad, some are past their sell by date but collectively as a unit they are dreadful. Tactics and team selection. Manager. His job, his failure. If the team cannot play the way he wants, stop persisting and play to our strengths. I would imagine Duncan Ferguson is checking his phone for any missed calls...
Craig Walker
198 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:09:02
I don’t understand the love for Brands. He was atrocious as well. Looked the part and gave Moise Kean’s mum a shirt. He is no great loss. We are too sentimental. I hate that lot across the park but they wouldn’t tolerate mediocrity let alone the likes of Keane, Iwobi, Delph, Tosun, Holgate etc. Klopp or Guardiola would struggle with that calibre of player. No leadership on the field. No commitment. Just well-paid journeymen bleeding our club. Brands is as bad as them.
Dale Self
199 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:10:05
Havent read above so apologies if I'm neglecting or deflecting but the Dark Ages Debriefing is as follows:

Benitez cannot be defended except on grounds of reducing Bill’s influence. He had to get some minimum results relative to his early talk and he has not done that. This cannot be blamed on injuries to the extent basic play and preparedness have deteriorated. He doesn’t kick balls to opponents in his own box but has created enough questionable setups and selections to possibly contributing to player pants wetting

Apologies to those ive pissed off by taking the other side of this. I actually thought he would be able to cover basics as we got rid. Instead we got rot. Sorry

-Your Retarded American English Football Friend

Jamie Crowley
200 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:10:34
Michael Lynch -

He absolutely has started to dismantle the side. Which is EXACTLY the reason we can't wait and let this rot and disintegration continue!

Relegation looms. Just heard a commentator on radio say he tips us to go down - and frankly it's a very, very real possibility if we allow Rafa to take us down his red-brick road!

He's just gotta go, come what may!

Christine Foster -

I watched the game at me pub! I'm pouring three drinks: one for me, one for you, and one for "Godfather" Dave Abrahams.

Might even pour a 4th for Harold Matthews, the Mage of Merseyside up in Blue heaven, who surely needs one as well!

And a 5th for Steve Ashcroft.

I'm going to need help walking later tonight.

It's beyond the beyonds now. The only solution is to have a couple of pops.

Tony Everan
201 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:10:49
Does Benitez want the sack? The team selections make me think that he does, he’ll probably receive a massive compensation payoff too. Then he sits pretty on his mountain of money and takes the Newcastle job in the summer.

It’s absolute madness that I’m even thinking it of course. But with the team selections, no visible game plan and weekly disorganisation on the pitch these unwanted thoughts are creeping into my brain and gaining credibility.

Brent Stephens
202 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:11:29
Craig, I don't think it's necessarily love for Brands but appreciation of what the role of DoF is all about. In deleting that role, Moshiri has put all the cards in Benitez's hands. Making it much more difficult to get rid of Benitez, and especially so soon after those structural changes.
Danny O’Neill
203 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:12:23
Angry. Gutted. Disappointed. Concerned.

More to follow as I'm still in a pub in Norwich with my brother.

At least mine is only a 6 hour round trip.

Those poor loyal Evertonians who made the trip from Merseyside.

They don't deserve us but I still can't bring myself to hate them.

Jeff Armstrong
204 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:13:18
Craig agreed, Brands allowed himself to be walked all over by Ancellotti, Benitez and Moshiri, they are ALL part of the problem, Directors, owner, DOF, manager and players the club is rotten from top to bottom.
Peter Neilson
205 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:14:00
Michael, Moshiri isn’t giving us a stadium. The club will be paying it back i.e. we will be paying it back. He’s a disaster for the club and was Kenwright’s dream.
Christy Ring
206 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:14:12
His team selection and tactics are abysmal, Boyd couldn't believe how poor Rondon was in the first 45min's, out he comes for the 2nd half, Dobbin did more in 10 min's against Hull, than Rondon did in 117min's, and he couldn't even make the bench, why have Patterson and Kenny on the bench? You can't defend the indefensible, how can anyone still want him here.
Craig Walker
207 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:14:16
Brent. I see that but what did Brands achieve? He then gets a place on our board. Would other top clubs do that? He should have gone when Ancelotti was here.
Anthony A Hughes
208 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:14:36
AJay, 6 months ago your recommendations would be laughed at. Now they seem simply sumptuous.

Stubborn bollocks out

Tom Harvey
209 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:15:31
Ajay Gopal @ 192

"Any other suggestions? "

Close your eyes and pretend it's not happening!

Brian Wilkinson
210 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:16:07
Ray@194, the reason Ferguson is not ranting on the touchline is because Benitez has told him not to be there on the touchline and to stay in his seat.
Rob Halligan
211 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:17:01
Out at 7.15 this morning. Got to Norwich at 2pm. Another 4 / 5 hour coach journey home to look forward too. The only thing I want from today is that fucking useless Spanish bastard sacked before we get home.

BENITEZ OUT RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!

Richard Nelson
212 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:17:42

looking on the bright side, as it stands, if we win our game in hand 5-0 ?..we can go above Villa..!
Brent Stephens
213 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:18:02
Craig, I suspect the problem for him was that he wasn't allowed to do his job without interference.
Raymond Fox
214 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:18:18
Why is anyone suprised, it had all the hallmarks for an Everton defeat, don't we allways lose these type of games.

Without players that are good enough we will always be firefighting. We have tried every manager on the planet, it makes no difference who we have, we end up struggling.

To be honest if I didnt know better I would think a curse has been placed on the club! It sure feels like it.

Jeff Armstrong
215 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:18:58
It’s not Ferguson’s place to rant on the touchline, he’s one part of a 3 or 4 back room coaching team.
Soren Moyer
216 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:19:10
And this is him laughing when we are down 2-0!

FJJ5-Li1-XMAADV56

Jamie Crowley
217 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:19:50
Ray @184 -

In Big Dunc's "pre-Carlo" cameo he was brilliant.

Took a completely dysfunctional club and won a few games, got the supporters back behind the Club in a way I've never seen in all of sport, and conducted himself in a manner that made me proud as fuck.

I'm 100% behind bringing in Dunc because he's exactly what this Club needs: an injection of passion and a visible reminder of how fucking great we really are. He'd be our pride restored and personified in a dark, dark time of need.

Mike Doyle
218 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:19:53
Rob #211 ] can you summarise the mood on the coach?
Dermot O'Brien
219 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:20:25
Siblings! Let us not be down-hearted. One total catastrophe like this is just the beginning!
This has to end now. Complete incompetence from all levels of our club.
Kunal Desai
220 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:20:44
I would urge every single ST holder/matchday goer to start hounding out Kenwright and Moshiri.
Ray Roche
221 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:20:48
Brian@210

Brian, do you know that for certain and where do you get information? Just asking.

Derek Moore
222 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:20:59
It's bang on seven am here where I am in New Zealand. And I write this from a quite curious perspective, I'm literally that intoxicated that I'm incapable of anger. I have not even felt the first flicker of anger; indeed at this stage the strongest emotion I have had is an absolutely overwhelming feeling of disappointment.

A mans affairs are generally his own business, but I don't feel bad confessing to the Blues on here that some awful news yesterday compelled me to have more than I should of early in the night. And it made me feel a little better and so I had a few more. And then I remembered the game was on so I should stay up to really change my mood and cheer an Everton victory on. (An increasingly rare event in this day and age as we are sadly well aware...!)

And then I watched...that. I just don't know what to say.

I just. I can't even describe.
Just diabolical really.

I really needed Everton to come through for me tonight, I wanted it after the the news I've had. Maybe more than a derby in some ways. More than a cup run.

Just to take me away and cheer me up for a little bit, just to make me feel better about something. To remind me of better and in many ways simpler times. I even allowed myself the luxury to think that defeat was unimaginable - I said as much in the match preview! - and so I could afford myself the luxury of watching at least some form of positive result, no matter how minor or miniscule. A nailed on point minimum. Minimum.

But here we are. I'm as full as a doctors wallet, as full a leprechaun on Saint Patricks day, as full as a centipedes sock drawer. I've got a no doubt upset and somewhat disappointed Mrs Moore to deal with in the verynear future. I've got a hangover in the post; so potentially hard it could liberate Tibet. And I've got a football team so unfailingly embarrassing that I don't understand why I can't fuck them off even now.

There's a lot to unpack from this mess really, but in any real crisis you've got to keep calm and simplify what you need to do to escape the emergency you're in. I'm bladdered lads, but hear me out.

The very first step to getting out of this crisis is to sack Benitez. NOW.

Jamie Crowley
223 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:21:11
Soren at 216 -

That makes my blood boil!!!!!

Fucking red c**t!!!! I'm fuming!

Jeff Armstrong
224 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:21:45
Jamie, Dunc won 1 out of 4
Anthony Dove
225 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:23:04
You can’t just judge this on purely team performance issues. The elephant in the room will always be Benitez. I can’t really understand why anyone would not have been horrified by his appointment. An Allardyce with a RS

background. Doesn’t come worse than that.

Even those who were prepared to tolerate him at the beginning must now see that the toxicity he causes will always be bubbling under the surface,even if results and/or performances were better.With the recent set of results the Club is in danger of drowning in that toxicity.

Don’t want to get involved in speculating on possible replacements but at the moment I would be happy to see a dead donkey in the dugout next week.

George McKane
226 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:23:48
Ian - - I knew Rooney - - do you - - whether for him or against - - one thing he has is a football brain and an Everton heart and soul - - all of which are seriously missing at Goodison at the moment - - I make theatre and I know many people with high IQ's (by the way whatever that measures) who haven't got a clue "on stage" - - you need "nous" (a Greek word for inner knowledge) and to be decisive - - anyone at Goodison have any of these traits - - I don't know for sure but it doesn't seem so - - another thing I don't know - - but can feel - - is that a "goldfish" could do a better job that this man.
Ray Roche
227 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:24:16
Jamie, we don’t’need to bring Dunc in”.
He’s here. And has been through several useless managers. Could he be part of the problem, the common denominator?
Rob Halligan
228 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:24:22
Mike, mostly anger, but would you believe there are still one or two who still think Benitez should remain. Un-fucking-believable!
Brent Stephens
229 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:24:34
Kunal #220 "I would urge every single ST holder/matchday goer to start hounding out Kenwright and Moshiri."

Nice to know you're behind us!

Anthony A Hughes
230 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:25:12
Better strike rate than Benitez then Jeff
Tony Hill
231 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:25:38
The real delusion is the easy view, taken by the opponents of the manager before he got his coat off, that Benitez is the cause of our decline. Anyway, it's all too late now.

We're a stupid, sentimental outfit and the rot set in when our ruthless bastard, Sir John Moores, lost his health. It's been a slow crash coming.

Jamie Crowley
232 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:25:49
Jeff - he lost 1 out of 4, no?

Glass half full or half empty?

Jason Li
233 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:26:59
If they brought in for Carlo a decent forward on the bench he wanted last January, we might have finished in the top 6. Remember that performance at Anfield and the joy.

Almost a year later, I can't believe we've lost to a team that scored two against us, and yet, I thought the team that won is a terrible team. That team that beat us today had nothing, apart from the gifts we gave.

Nearly every week either Keane or Coleman is involved in a goal scoring opportunity - for the other team. When do we stop this madness?

Today, we still played our backup striker for the most of the game when we had our best attacking player on the bench. (Well done Richarlison - you put your heart into it when you came on!)

A big if, but if the board decide to change the manager, I hope Ferguson takes over for the rest of the season as there is no-one available that can quickly galvanise and also know the strengths of each player. Right now it's about a manager who the squad will play for, not about manager names anymore.

Ian Edwards
234 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:27:00
226 George. Gibberish.
Jeff Armstrong
235 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:27:14
Dunc for the next few games, maybe Favre later, Potter seems to have a good footballing brain, positive football, is Galtieri available?

Jamie but he didn’t “win a few games” though did he, don’t get me wrong, I’d have him in short term, see how he does , anybody but Tapas tits.

Darren Hind
236 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:27:38
Dunc took over a team in free fall. He didnt lose a match and they were all against good quality opposition.

Get him in now before its too fucking late

Jamie Crowley
237 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:27:57
Ray -

Coy. You know what I mean. Bring him into the position of manager, not assistant manager.

Whatevs. If you disagree with bringing in (did it again) Big Dunc fine.

Just pick anybody other than Rafa!

My desire is for Mr. Ferguson. Opinion stated.

Peter Neilson
238 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:30:05
I’d take 1 in 4 wins over 1 in 13 any day.
George McKane
239 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:30:13
Ian - - Do you mean opinion or IQ. It's not gibberish - - it's my opinion as was yours about Rooney and Goldfish but I didn't call you - - but remembering your constant moaning on The LF - - Fuck Off with your Gibberish. OK.
Jamie Crowley
240 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:31:02
Actually Darren is right - it was only three games, no? And weren't we one win and two draws under Duncan?

Memory is shite... Either way I say put Dunc at the head of the class and let's get back to being Blue and some passion, please.

Derek Taylor
241 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:32:48
I suspect the Board are waiting for Derby County to be thrown out of the Championship before they light the fire under Benitez. 'Our Lad' has done a fabulous job at County -without any cash or support - and would breathe new life into our club which is at its lowest for years.

Accepting that such a move would strengthen Kenwright's position, the focus must now be on retaining Premier status rather than childish politics, so let us all hope Moshiri and his Paymaster will, just for once, do the right thing !


Christopher Timmins
242 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:33:16
He started Rondon, he started Keane. Just unbelievable really.

We have a host of very poor players, too many to mention, however, the manager is now just as big an issue as the playing staff.

Enough is now enough!

I doubt if any top manager would want to come to us so I suppose it’s either Ferguson or Rooney. Best of luck to them if they take the role.

By the way who found Moshiri ? Bill did!

Larry O'Hara
243 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:34:22
Is there a silver (not Silva) lining?Link
https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1482405119127953416?t=9qAzAaYf3aK6Pe1nkYDnBA&s=19
Barry Jones
244 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:34:28
Benitez persistence with Rondon is all about ego. He wants him to come good so that he can say " I told you he was a great player" and to achieve this of course, he has to play him. Sadly, this egotistical experiment is really costing as as we effectively play with ten men, and he will NEVER come good. This has to end, along with Benitez tenure.
Ian Edwards
245 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:34:30
Just stop these Rooney shouts. Some of our fans deserve all they get.
Clive Rogers
246 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:37:28
Mykolenko looks to be average at best defensively, and offers nothing at all going forward.
Tom Harvey
247 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:37:55
Benitez: "I need time"

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/premier-league/12516955/benitez-i-need-time

Pat Kelly
248 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:38:07
We need a reset to avoid relegation. Rafa isn't going to do it. He's been given chance after chance. We need someone in on Monday. Maybe Ferguson can instill some fight for survival until a replacement is found. And if Ferguson proves himself let him take over. Rafa never had the players or most of the fans onside and never will.
Ian Edwards
249 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:39:26
George 239. Your previous post was just prententious wordplay. It was pure cringe. Rooney is inarticulate, inexperienced as a Manager and also has dubious morals with his brothel visits. He sold us down the river when he went to Man Utd. He kissed the United badge when he scored against us. I don't want him anywhere near the club.
Barry Jones
250 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:39:35
Tom #247, He needs to do time.
Kunal Desai
251 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:40:03
Brent, i'm behind the long term success of this club and the interests of it staying in the league, Benitez, Kenwright and Moshiri are not part of it and never will be.
Barry Hesketh
252 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:40:57
Greg O'Keefe and David Ornstein for the Athletic report:
There is growing uncertainty over the future of Rafa Benitez as Everton manager following Saturday’s defeat at Norwich, The Athletic understands.

Sources close to the club suggest there is no way back from this and a good chance he will be sacked before the visit of Aston Villa next weekend.

Benitez’s Everton have won just one of their last 11 matches and suffered a 2-1 defeat to then-bottom of the table Norwich City on Saturday, increasing the pressure on the former Liverpool and Newcastle United manager.

Tom Harvey
253 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:41:35
Barry,

We the fans are the ones doing time.

Jeff Armstrong
254 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:42:34
Barry 252🙏🙏🙏🙏
Anthony A Hughes
255 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:43:29
Cold, hard, time the joys of following our club.

Stubborn bollocks out

Brent Stephens
257 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:43:52
Well, in a light-hearted moment I did predict that Boris Johnson would be appointed as our part-time manager. Given the precarious position he's now in, one never knows! At least we'd have a party!
Neil Copeland
258 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:45:26
Rooney may be one for the future but not yet.

Duncan is the most obvious, he would at least bring passion and would have the support 100% behind him which, as we saw against Arsenal, can make a huge difference. I think that the timing may also be good with Slippy up next - Dunc will want to put that gobshite squarely in his place.

Brent Stephens
259 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:47:03
At least the U23s drew away at the other lot today. Partly compensates for today and for losing to them at home in August.
Jeff Armstrong
260 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:47:40
I honestly believe he picks Rondon as a narsacistic “ fuck you” to us fans.
Ed Prytherch
261 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:50:53
Ray,
Duncan was sent to Coventry by Silva and again by Benitez. It was clear that he was involved by Sam and Carlo, I don't like Blue Bill but he has at least prevented those two charlatans from pushing Duncan overboard.
Tony Hill
262 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:52:29
Darren @236, would you give him a proper contract?

I am so depressed that I am inclined to go with your proposal and I would also go for the joint Rooney ticket too in some way if we could. He's got a fine football brain and George McKane is spot on.

It's a time for radical punts and wild surmises. Marshall Foch I have quoted on here before: "My centre is giving way, my right is retreating, excellent situation, I am attacking."

Even if that's apocryphal, it's wonderful.

We must break our chains.

Colin Glassar
263 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:52:34
I don’t think we’ll get relegated and I don’t think the FSW will be sacked. My reasons?

1) we’ll scrape enough points to survive (probably end up 15-16th).
2) we don’t have the money to sack him.

This is all on Moshiri and his mentor Kenwright. 20 odd years of mismanagement and malaise have brought us to this death spiral and sooner or later if drastic measures aren’t taken we will, eventually, go down

Phil Smith
264 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:53:28
Digne playing very good here going forward, which is when he’s at his best. Benitez and Don Carlo clearly had him on a leash.
Peter Jansson
265 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:53:36
Rafa Benitez, this is looking bad.

It looks like we do not have a strategy and the team looks mentally weak. That is the managers fault.

I would be fine if we lost games, but played good and had bad luck. But seriously, we look like shit and it is getting worse.

We can not give Rafa much more time. But what manager would be the answer? I don't trust Moshiri to be the man to pick managers. He might be the worst managerpickers I have seen.

Shaun Laycock
266 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:54:09
Lampard anyone?
George McKane
267 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:54:13
Ian - - my last word with you - - fine if you disagree as much as you wish - - - no problem - - I haven't advocated Rooney as Manager anywhere by the way - - I mentioned your comment on IQ - - as for Brothel Visits and morals - - totally agree - - but be interesting to know the ins and outs of many footballers/stars et seq - - the stories about both Ghandi and ML King and their morals abound but take little away from their contribution to peace - - and we wont start on "the movies" and "pop stars" - - and just to make you cringe a bit more with pretentious wordplay - Hitler was a known vegetarian/teetotalling/tie wearing/non swearing/well mannered man - - so enough - - I have no argument with you or Rooney - - but my thoughts are still that a goldfish could do a bit better than our current Management and possible play better than some players - - goodnight Ian - - apologies for swearing - - your pretentious wordplaying cringe making fellow Evertonian George.
Peter Neilson
268 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:54:40
Moshiri needs to work through A-Z. Allardyce (ok not him) to Zidane, or reverse order. Can’t over estimate how shit Norwich have been this season. Benitez has gas lighted Moshiri and some supporters into believing that he is the saviour. There is absolutely no evidence of this either in what we’re seeing or in what he’s done previously in his career.
Chris James
269 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:54:40
If Benitez goes, which I'm genuinely not sure is the smartest option, then I think Duncan Ferguson has to be given a chance.

We need someone who understands the players we have and can put some fear and fire into them. I can't see what we could lose by giving him a run of at least 4-5 games.

Anthony A Hughes
270 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:55:03
Use the Digne money to fuck Benitez off
Mick O'Malley
271 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:55:28
Rooney doing a better job with his cobbled together squad of journey men and youth than Benitez is doing with a squad of international’s who cost millions
Johan Elmgren
272 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:56:29
Colin #263

1) I don't see were the points needed to avoid relegation will be coming from... If we can't beat an out of form bottom of the prem Norwich, who would we be able to beat?
2) It will be far much more costly to be relegated to the Championship.

FSW out now!!

Dave Williams
273 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:57:19
I can’t support him any longer after this. His continued selection of two in CM when we can all see that we need three is bad enough. His persistence with Rondon is bizarre. Coleman is fading so why persist with him? Why use only two substitutes? How has he not organised the defence yet?
At times like this the club needs unity. The board didn’t want Rafa but the owner did. The fans didn’t want him and he has never really tried to engage with the fans. There seems to be a mutual dislike in this regard which doesn’t hep our situation.
I can’t understand the calls for Rooney. Besides being an unsavoury character what has he done to warrant consideration? We need inspiration and someone willing to ditch the coasters and use one or two of the younger lads. Duncan as caretaker with someone experienced perhaps alongside him might just lift the players and fans. There is an awful lot at stake but plenty of games to play albeit our run in is very tough.
We need to unite our club, stop the anti- Everton campaign in the media and inject some life and enthusiasm into the team.
Quickly!!!
Christopher Timmins
274 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:57:54
Big Sam perhaps?
Christopher Timmins
275 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:57:55
Big Sam perhaps?
John Atkins
276 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:59:38
Hmmmm Digne’s error there for Man U second goal
Kieran Byrne
277 Posted 15/01/2022 at 18:59:48
He’s got to be gone now, it’s like a bad marriage, better to end it than prolong the agony it’s not going to change no matter what..Wish when this happens it’s also announced that a new CEO & chairman are also incoming but it’s a big wish.
We are a bi-polar rockin roller of a footy club.
If Dunc takes over make it for this season & next at least, we need to get back the Everton DNA, I think we have decent players but today a few worried me about their lack of fight which I hadn’t seen before, think more than a few are fed up.
Jeff Armstrong
278 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:00:44
Johan, good points, reality check, 19 more points for a team in free fall is a big ask
Mark Ryan
279 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:02:29
I'd be more disappointed if we hired Rooney than if we kept Benitez and that's saying something. I'd happily swap Benitez with Howe right now. Let the Geordies have him. At least Howe wants to play football.
Ian Riley
280 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:04:34
The next manager must be given time and relagation will not be their fault. Just a couple of names:
Graham potter
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney should be considered on the work ethic, organisation, and consistency Derby have shown under the circumstances.

How the manager can convince the owner to continue is beyond me. How are we back to square one AGAIN???


Peter Jansson
281 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:04:48
Actually, I am up for Duncan Ferguson for the rest of the season and see how it goes.

Digne, by the way, I think was a good sale. He was spiralling downwards pretty quickly.

What you can be sure of with Duncan is that he will at least try his best and he cares for the club long term. How he really is as a manger I don't know. There is a risk that he will wear players out if he is too roothless. It is worth a try for half a season.

Kieran Kinsella
282 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:05:06
If we sack him we have an ex manager who deserves another go. The guy every one of our recent failed managers has been compared unfavorably too. Seemingly he was the best of the lot compared with the last five. Mike Walker.
Joe McMahon
283 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:05:37
I don't know who I want as manager. But I'd like some research and thought going into the next appointment. Wolves are a good model.
Barry Hesketh
285 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:07:48
If Everton does decide to sack Benitez they may well choose to go for Duncan as full-time manager, as I don't believe it will be much use to us to make him a stop-gap one in the current situation. If Duncan was to turn the offer of a full-time position down, he too should leave alongside the Spaniard.

Bobby Mallon
286 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:08:57
Against Chelsea, we got a glimpse of how the young players can help us climb that table. They are our future, they need to be played. They are up for the fight. JJK should play right back with Patterson as understudy. Godfrey, Branthwait centre backs Mykolenko left back. Doucourér, Allan Gordon 3 midfielders. Richy DCL Gray up top. Never play Rondon ever. It’s bad enough us fans knowing he’s crap, but Chris Boyd to call him out on sky is really bad.
Tony Hill
287 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:08:58
Shaun @266, I think that's a very fair shout indeed but I doubt many will agree.

Scott Parker, the RS at Blackpool, Cooper at Notts Forest, Jesse Marsch, Eamonn Holmes from the morning telly thing. Is there anyone in Kazakhstan? Names, names, names.

Colin Glassar
288 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:09:35
Johan, this is Everton. We’ll probably beat a few of the teams above us but continue to struggle against teams below us.

Everton over the last decade have shown no fight, no strategy, no desire, no urgency etc… This is the culmination of the Kenwright/Moshiri experiment. Any other new owner would’ve got rid of the fat fuck from day one but no, our brainless billionaire has stuck with him and this is the logical outcome.

The players know they are under no pressure as we are a “family club”. Managers will come and go and these tossers will happily watch their bank accounts grow bigger by the day with zero effort and even less pride.

Bobby Mallon
289 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:10:12
Mark Robbins from Coventry
Derek Taylor
290 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:11:25
For all this talk of 'clearing out the hutch' and ridding the club of all ex players, Moshiri's wide world wonders have all been total flops. Granted Moyes set a Premier standard of ' seventhish' ( which so many mocked as failure ) but having cocked a snook at bringing him back I hope it has been noticed that only ex - Everton players have ever brought us glory.

So why not Wayne or Duncan ?

Jeff Armstrong
291 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:11:39
Dunc short term for points on the board, Kovac, Favre, maybe later, if we get safe🙏
Kieran Kinsella
292 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:13:37
Tony

Good shout on Eamon Holmes. He’s been looking for a fresh start after falling out with Schofield

Pat Kelly
293 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:14:10
Rafa may have ordered Ferguson to sit down. But I think it's now time he stood up and took over. Who else is going to get to grips with what we've got as quickly as he can.
Danny Baily
294 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:14:39
Bobby, we were lucky against Chelsea. We only had two opportunities and dispatched one. At the other end, Chelsea were unlucky not to get a hat full.

We've been rubbish since the first international break, and we're getting what we deserve for not sacking Benitez sooner.

Oliver Molloy
295 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:15:06
One game from the sack.
In my opinion Benitez future now rests on the Villa game and coming up against his former captain who all Evertonians despise and one Lucas Digne!
Given the mess of a club we are, the absolute shite squad we have I was 50-50 with Benitez but today's result has made me fucking sick.
As fans we are up against two stubborn bastards in Moshiri and Benitez.
Rondon should never pull an Everton jersey on him again.
Ian Edwards
296 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:15:17
The Bobble says he will be going.
Tony Hill
297 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:17:00
Yes, though Schofield/Willoughby as the Clough/Taylor de nos jours should not be ruled out, Kieran.
Kieran Kinsella
298 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:17:20
Good. He sucks
Ciarán McGlone
299 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:17:35
I see people on this thread are still advocating keeping Benitez, proving that age old adage that you can lead a horse to water but not tell them to wise to fuck up.
Ed Prytherch
300 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:18:52
Ray Roche and some others like to post that Duncan only won one game when he was caretaker manager. The fact is under Duncan we beat Chelsea, drew with ManU and Arsenal and lost on penalties to Leicester.
Ray may think that is a poor record but IMo it was outstanding given our record prior to him taking charge.
There were reports that he turned down an opportunity to join Carlo as an assistant coach at Real Madrid.
He should definitely be given another opportunity to lift us out of the mire.
Johan Elmgren
301 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:19:01
Yeah, Colin, probably, but 19 points is very hard to assemble if you keep on losing to teams below us... and on top of that you give those chasers the 3 points on stake in the game...

I agree the problem lies in the boardroom, with a clueless owner pulling the strings, but in the dressingroom and on the pitch, the players need an influx of energy right now... some energy to make us fight for those 19 needed points... and that can only be provided by a appointing a new manager.

FSW out now!

Colin Glassar
302 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:19:05
Jimmy the kit man or Doris the tea lady would be a better option than Benitez right now.
Barry Jones
303 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:20:09
Scott Parker would be good but the seems happier in the south.
Peter Neilson
304 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:21:27
I’d take Sherlock Holmes.
Kieran Kinsella
305 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:23:05
Thomas Frank
Tony Hill
306 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:23:13
Bobby@289, why do you say that? I know about Kovac but nothing about Robbins.
Jeff Armstrong
307 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:23:14
Colin 302, I’m fucking sick of the tea lady getting dragged into it😂
Tony Hill
308 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:25:11
PS of course I see now it's the Man United Robins but why is he any good as a manager for us?
Michael Boardman
309 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:25:42
Does Duncan want the job? He didn't seem keen on it last time. Is it a pressure thing with him (can see him sparking Klopp et al if they run down the touchline and there's no-one left to stop him
Peter Jansson
310 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:25:48
I don't know what is wrong with Rafa. But why he is playing Rondon game after game? Does he have a deathwish? Rondon clearly is not good enough. It is like playing with 10 men. And he is doing it game after game. How is he ever going to do it good with Rondon playing all the time?

Does Rafa not learn?
Does Rafa not see that Rondon is not good enough?
What is the problem here?

This issue alone should send Rafa out the door.

Michael Boardman
311 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:28:10
Doris the tea lady is on her way to Villa - she's not happy with the Gordon Ramsay-esque criticism of her work (from an outside influence).
Jeff Armstrong
312 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:28:29
Peter 310, I refer you to my post 260
Peter Jansson
313 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:30:09
Jeff
"I honestly believe he picks Rondon as a narsacistic “ fuck you” to us fans."

If you are right he should have been fired already.

Iakovos Iasonidis
314 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:30:19
Along with Benitez we must get rid half of the team. Not realistic but necessary. Next year if we still play in the premiership I wish I could only see the ones who actually give a fuck. We are full of "nice" guys with no balls and no spine. Enough is enough! I want benitez to go but I equally blame the players. These fuckers are a bunch of manager-killers! Not even guardiola could be saved managing this abomination.
Derek Knox
315 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:30:37
Peter @ 304, Even Old Folks Homes would be better than this yard dog !
Mike Kehoe
316 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:30:37
Absolute dogshit football, every bit a dreadful as Allardyce and Koeman, with a former redshite manager at the wheel taking us down. Enough, get shut and put Dunc in charge, we could not possibly be worse and at least have a blue in charge.
This is humiliating. How can a multimillionaire be so utterly hapless?
John Keating
317 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:31:22
Benitez should go tonight.
However, it doesn't matter who replaces him the rot in this Club is well and truly set in, major surgery is needed from top to bottom, inside and out.
The problem, major problem, is can we maintain PL status while this happens

We are in freefall with no leadership either on or off the pitch, the players have no pride in the shirt or themselves, apart from the odd few.

Paul Hewitt
318 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:32:29
SSN. Everton having emergency Board meeting tonight.
Andrew Keatley
319 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:32:34
Ian Edwards (various, and generally) - Your dismissal of the fine Evertonian George McKay is almost as embarrassing as the performance at Carrow Road today. As far as I can tell George brings great intellect, insight, romance and courtesy onto these pages - what do you actually bring other than pessimism, misery and disrespect?

Time for Benitez to go. I’ve been one who has given him patience, the benefit of the doubt, and a modicum of belief that he might be the manager to end the apathy and abject performances (team and individual) that have been often and widespread over the last 6 seasons. It is clear to me now that he is no longer showing enough signs that he is that manager. Time to find the next manager of Everton Football Club, now.

Jim Bennings
320 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:32:40
Villa will twat us next Saturday regardless of who our manager is.

They are everything that we are not, in every single position on the football pitch.

I think we should all brace ourselves for that trip to St James Park on Tuesday February 8th because I honestly believe for both clubs a defeat could well signal the demise for relegation.

Newcastle v Everton

Our biggest game since the 2009 FA Cup Final.

Gavin Johnson
321 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:32:45
Dunc til the summer and if he doesn't get it full time, give it to Rooney in the summer if he keeps Derby up. Keeping Derby up with no money and a 21 point deduction pisses all over Gerrard winning a Scottish title.
John Keating
322 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:33:04
Emergency Board meeting.
He'll be gone tonight

Thing is the fucking Board need going too !!!

Oliver Molloy
323 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:33:38
Emergency board meeting tonight apparently - wonder what Sharp will say !
Peter Neilson
324 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:33:41
Next manager is whoever Joorabchian and Usmanov agree upon.
Peter Jansson
325 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:34:03
Iakovos, actually I think we should stop whine about getting rid of players. I am not worried about having players we want to get rid of, I am worried about our ability to find new good players.

We need to get classy players in, but who? We can get rid of players, no problem, but who should we get in? That is the big question.

Kenny Smith
326 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:34:24
TalkSPORT and Sky Sports News reporting on an emergency board meeting tonight. Months too late, disgraceful appointment !!
Jeff Armstrong
327 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:34:47
Mike 316 he’s a business man trying and failing to be a football man, completely out of his depth.
SSN saying board meeting ongoing!
Jim Bennings
328 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:36:24
Rooney would be a disaster appointment.

It's more Kenwright-esque in-house shite.

The old "he gets Everton" shite really does my head in.

Gets what exactly?

One fuckin Cup Final in 25 years?

Everton need gutting from top to bottom and I'd love to see the back of Moshiri and Kenwright who have taken this club to a new kind of laughing stock, but sadly that will not happen will it.

Michael Boardman
329 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:38:00
Iakovos #314. Spot on - no snidey bastards in the refs face, despite the persistent fouling, and the captain letting Richarlison get a telling off, for example, says it all. I like the the Ukrainian lad though, think there's a nasty streak there already
Colin Glassar
330 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:38:08
Allardyce, Benitez how much lower can we go? King Kenny next? Does this club have no shame?
Gerry Clarke
331 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:38:42
Sky now reporting Everton board are having an emergency meeting this evening.
Paul Kelly
332 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:39:22
Wow. What can I say that hasn't already been said? What a effing shambles.

Anyone who thinks he shouldn't be sacked after that, please, please, please tell me how you have so much faith in this charlatan? How bad as it got to get?

The fella isn't fit to rub carotene oil on Mike Walkers perma-tan. I thought things were bad then, they were, but never thought we'd be relegated (a lot younger and naive I'll admit) but now, with this incumbent in charge (Not for much longer, hopefully) I can't see any other outcome.

Truly depressing, and you got to feel for the travelling faithful after that. Ironically, my last visit to carrow road was when we lost 3-0 on Mike Walkers return match. Plus nearly got arrested in the Old Swan with me mates once we got of the coach for no other reason than being there. Let us go once me mate offered them a leftover sandwich he didn't eat, as we pissed ourselves laughing at the gesture

Truly depressing return journey, so sympathy for the best away fans in the league.

Rafa out!

I

Pat Kelly
333 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:40:23
I guess we're not getting Longstaff after all
Robert Tressell
334 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:40:45
Wow. Bad result. I've been urging patience throughout the season but we put out a decent side today, with people back from injury. It was another weird First XI but still a lot better than a very gung ho but low quality Norwich side with 3 centre forwards.

There's no consistency in formation, tactics or personnel from one game to the next.

What is going on?

Why can apparently no manager seem to motivate any energy out of this lot. It's been years since the fitness and effort and desire has been there.

Benitez has been given a bum deal at this club but, after a promising start, he's making it so much harder for himself.

Maybe it is time for a change.

Michael Boardman
336 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:41:38
We're getting Santos (Nuno?)
Anthony A Hughes
337 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:42:09
Emergency board meeting, just fuck off the lot of you clueless gobshites
Bill Gall
338 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:42:18
Surely the owner and board can’t still believe that Benitez is the only one who can manage Everton? Even Norwich sacked their manager to get them out of the relegation zone, whereas we have hired one to put us in the relegation zone.

We constantly ridicule the players but the majority of them were with the club last season. This manager has one of the worst records for a manager in the Premier League that have got relegated. There are no more excuses and, as well as the poor results, Benitez is starting to drive the fans away from the game.

The sad thing is that the people who matter don't seem to care about ruining their supporters’ week. I was one who was included in saying we should keep him and see what happens, but there just doesn't seem to be any change at all, same dreary passing around from the back allowing the opposition to get back in numbers.

We no longer afford that old expression, "We are to good to go down" – we are prime candidates to go down. There has to be a change to stop the rot and unfortunately that change now has to be at the manager level. He is constantly proving that he is lost at the Premier League level.

Jeff Armstrong
339 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:42:55
Jim 328, for that to happen, we need a new owner… not going to happen, unfortunately.
Barry Hesketh
340 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:42:59
The next club statement will be as follows:

Following the negativity of the fanbase and Everton being a family club it is with great regret that we have decided to dismiss the current tea lady, we wish Josie all the best for the future and have decided to replace her with a modern drink dispenser.

nb: It was also decided to extend the current manager's contract to 2031 as we all realise that it will take a great deal of time for him to adapt to our club and the owner has promised to support him for as long as it takes.

Iain Jones
341 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:43:11
Emergency meeting tonight according to SPN. Has to be a change! No one can say we have made any progress! Quite simply we are going down if things don’t change.
Gavin Johnson
342 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:43:36
Jim, we've only ever had any modicum of success with a former Everton players at the helm going all the way back to Catterick. For me, Rooney proves he is capable of taking the job if he does the gigaton task of keeping Derby up.

I also hate to admit it but we should have brought Moyes back after we sacked Koeman. I think that boats sailed now he's comfortable at West Ham. So as much as most of us dislike BK, we'd almost certainly be in a better position now if Bill had got his way and had Moyes back. It really pains me to say that too.

Peter Jansson
343 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:44:37
But Nuno Santos was a disaster at Spurs.

He worked well with many Portuguese players at Wolves. I do not think he is the right man for us...

Derek Knox
344 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:46:10
Pat K @333, No Longstaff, but we will be short-staffed in the Managerial Department !
Brent Stephens
345 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:46:34
Re the calculations above that we need 19 points to survive.

If we have the same results in the outstanding (unfortunate adjective) games as in the corresponding games already played, we get 13 points.

Plus whatever comes from two games, home and away, against both Newcastle and Leicester. Get 6 points from 12 in those 2 games - total 19.

Phew, we're safe. We can afford to remain poo.


Tony Twist
346 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:47:01
I can't believe that Everton, even with the clowns that run the club, would consider keeping the manager and seeing how he gets on against Villa. We will be obliterated by Villa, we need points now not conceding the game against Villa then wasting the international break just thinking of who we could get in to manage our demise. Plus if Benitez is in charge at the time of the Villa match the reaction from the crowd will be brutal. The club is clueless and an embarrassment.
Brian Wilkinson
347 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:47:09
Ray, I do not know for sure, but early in the start of the season it was put out that Raffa was not happy with Dunc being on the touchline, only what I heard from various outlets, would hate to be put in the dock and swear to it, but I can only say what was said and that was Raffa wanted to be the only one on the touchline in the Everton area.

As regards to Dunc, I would say over the last 5 seasons, the one bright spot was Duncan and the crowd all together as one when he took temporary charge.

I think short term and fans on board, Dunc could at least get some points to get us away from our slide.

Was one of the ones saying we need to give the manager time, with players back from injury and players coming in, me personally I think he has lost the dressing room.

Cannot leave it much longer before we decide one way or the other, what we do need is the fans together, and that will not happen under Benitez, even some of us who wanted more time for him, Well it is just not happening.

Michael Fox
348 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:47:19
Lads don't be too hard on the players. They are just doing exactly what we want, getting the FSW out of our club.
Jeff Armstrong
349 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:48:36
Fair point about most of this squad got to 59 points last season, and even then they where underperforming, it really is about managing and motivation from the manager, the players are gobshites but that’s a given in this day and age, they also need motivation and management.
Colin Glassar
350 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:49:16
Sack the manager by all means but who, realistically, do we get? Who could possibly motivate this bunch of brainless gobshites to do even the basics like a) pass to a teammate or b) show some fight and passion?

While we have the likes of Keane, Coleman (lost it completely), Gomes, Iwobi, Rondon etc… this team is going nowhere. They don’t have the skills or mindset to be premiership players. You watch other teams who play with pace and desire and compare them to our shower and it makes you want to cry.

This isn’t just a managerial problem, this is an existential crisis. We have no identity and no quick way to solve this.

Peter Neilson
351 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:49:17
No Longstaff. And I thought the day couldn’t get any worse.
Michael Boardman
352 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:50:08
Michael #348 - any chance you can get your car out and take us back to 1985?
Brent Stephens
353 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:50:27
Tony #346 "if Benitez is in charge at the time of the Villa match the reaction from the crowd will be brutal."

Yes, regardless of whether or not one wants Benitez gone, that toxity at Goodison would NOT be good for the players during a game.

Ian Edwards
354 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:51:55
Andrew 319. Everton are 6th from bottom and have been crap for ages. What do you expect apart from misery and pessimism. As for disrespect..respect had to be earned.
Daniel A Johnson
355 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:53:17
Some twitter feeds trending that Benitez has gone
John Keating
356 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:53:50
He has to go
But, look at the shower of arseholes making the decision!
Not one of the would get on as a sub for George Henry Lee in the Business House League.
It's the whole Board who should get a mini bus with the Manager
Oliver Molloy
357 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:54:17
Martinez back for another go !
Peter Jansson
358 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:54:30
If we are to get a manager from outside I actually think Graham Potter would be a good choice.

He has a good trackrecord working with nothing. He is good at several things, one very interesting factor with him is that he is good at building up players from the bottom.

That is exactly what we need, someone that can build up our players mentally.

When Potter as In Östersund they bought cheep players, players that were problem players, but with potential. Players, that falled of for different reasons. And they did brilliant. Östersund is maybe the only away team that has ever got a standing ovation in Istanbul after winning against Galatasaray 3-0.

If I am to pick one manager, that is not a caretaker manager, I pick Graham Potter. Can we convince him to come?

Terence Connell
359 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:54:30
We haven’t seen the last of Rafa. We’ll be playing Newcastle next season in the championship with him in charge of Newcastle. He’ll probably get them promoted next season whilst we languish in the Championship with some other no hoper in charge. Very depressing. Other than players returning from injury and gradual improvement I can’t see any other positive scenario. I can’t see anyone can save us.
Tony Twist
360 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:55:03
It would have to be Dunc temporary in charge but the board has to act quickly to establish a full time replacement. Like everybody knows, however, there is no-one on the board who has knowledge of football, how on earth are they going to choose the correct replacement.
Roy Johnstone
361 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:56:01
I've said this twice recently and I hate myself for it. Hodgson. I see no evidence of any defensive coaching or setting up the midfield with someone to mop up in front of the back line. 4-1-4-1 Moyes style. What I'd give for a young Lee Carsley. Mykolenko looks out of his depth.
Pat Kelly
362 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:57:24
In the interest of saving time, 'Ferguson out'
Ray Smith
363 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:57:52
I was prepared to give Rafa the benefit of the doubt.
However, enough is enough.
Give the job to Dunc as an interim/permanent manager.
He wears his heart on his sleeve, and gets a response through his infectious enthusiasm, and commitment to the cause.
As an interim manager he was dancing up and down the touch line. Since then he sits in his seat passive, with no apparent contribution.

We need to give ourselves breathing space, before appointing another journeyman manager.

Board meeting this evening! What board meets on a Saturday evening?

Bye bye Rafa, welcome back Big Dunc 😃😃😃

Iakovos Iasonidis
364 Posted 15/01/2022 at 19:58:25
Peter Jansson 325 being a "good" lad should not be our priority when buying a player. give me a dunc or rooney type of character instead a keane or gomes, or whoever wears our shirt nowdays. Players with ambition and character. When a player have balls he plays above his ability, when not he plays for Everton. I am sick of it and believe me there are a lot of hidden gems with balls AND ability who would do fine job for us. The biggest problem of the team is the rotten mentality we have. You may believe whatever you want but me personally I want half of the team out.

Bill Fairfield
365 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:00:53
What a laughing stock we’ve become under Moshiri’s ownership. A complete basket case of a club. Just don’t see a future under this owner, whoever is the manager
Michael Boardman
366 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:01:36
Peter #358 - would take Potter in a heartbeat...would have done in the summer. He also managed an equivalent League 1 side (as you state Ostersund) to beat Arsenal fair and square That man is destined for the top, but unlikely to go near Everton now - may have done in the summer though
John Boon
367 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:03:45
Just watched Digne demonstrate just what we have missed since Benitez decided that he and he alone knows what is best for Everton. We got rid of one of the few players who had the "BALLS" to tell Benitez the truth."He should do the right thing and resign."

I am one of those who has probably been patient for too long, but as a long time supporter from the last time we were relegated we HAVE to do something. The only problem is that since Moyes left we have proved to be disasterous at selecting the right man.I have to compliment all those honest posters who have suggestions as to who could be next. Personally I haven't got a clue We will probably be the team to choose a woman to be the first female manager in Football couldn't do any worse that what we have had over the past eight years.

Darren Hind
368 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:04:43
Pat 362

You have just made a grumpy arl bastard quite literally laugh out loud.

The absurdity of our beloved club summed up in a single sentence

Christine Foster
369 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:05:49
John, pick me! I'll do it!
Jim Bennings
370 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:06:03
It begs the question why the board backed Benitez with money to bring in the Ukrainian lad and Patterson when they must have had a clear idea that a decision on the boss would need making.

Once again this whole mess stinks of Moshiri and Kenwrights fingerprints.

Christy Ring
371 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:07:02
How can anyone question Dunc's record as manager, beat Chelsea, drew with Arsenal & United. I wouldn't be disappointed if he took charge, but hopefully Benitez will be sacked at meeting tonight. My own choice would be Lampard.
Jay Evans
372 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:07:32
I'm hearing he's gone and Ferguson caretaker until the end of the season.

Can anyone confirm please?

Colin Glassar
373 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:07:50
Twitter world is reporting Rafa is a gonner!
Brent Stephens
374 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:07:54
Rafa to be gone. Duncan to be interim manager.

Dead cat bounce as we initially get 12 points from the next four games (Villa, Newcastle, Leeds and Southampton) before reverting to type and eking out 6 points for survival from the remaining games (starting with City home and Spurs away).

Oliver Molloy
375 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:09:33
Ferguson in charge of the team would certainly be interesting against Gerrard!
Michael Boardman
376 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:10:13
I'm not
Colin Glassar
377 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:10:15
#RafaOut is trending...
Tony Everan
378 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:10:54
We most needed / need a quality central midfield enforcer. Instead, ..

We have had a left back circus, a right back for up to £16m who cant yet get in ahead over the sadly declining Coleman, and a winger allegedly signed by our esteemed owner.

We have a manager playing our ageing, declining right back as left wing back one week as a CB the next, back to right back today. I’m not blaming Seamus here at all, the club should have long sorted his replacement.

We’re playing a midfield two week after week that gets overrun, today it was madness with the too slow Gomes and after Doucoure has said he works best in a three. It’s an absolute nonsense of a strategy. A complete misunderstanding of the players at his disposal and their capabilities.

Also madness playing Rondon when we have Richarlison on the bench. Get our best players on the pitch ! Get the game won then rest them ! FFS.

Madness leaving our best CB Mina on the bench.

We could have played a 433 today and destroyed Norwich. Benitez chose not to, it’s got him the sack tonight.

I think the term is falling on your own sword. This certainly applies to him.

Ian Edwards
379 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:14:36
Phil McNulty suggesting that Everton will go back for Martinez. I'd support that.
Larry O'Hara
381 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:15:12
Lampard an interesting one: thought he had a bad deal at Chelsea and Tuchel has now ground to a halt. Lampard tries to get his teams to play football and brings on young players…
Jamie Crowley
382 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:16:04
Hopefully these rumors are true.

Dunc on a 2 year contract. But if you think that's nuts, then caretaker.

Just get the FSW out.

Nuno
Lampard (loved the way his Chelsea played)
Farve or however you spell it


I think it's time for Duncan to step up and have a go of it.

Michael Boardman
383 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:17:43
We will see - I think (not agree) Benitez to stay for Villa game. Santos to follow that if deemed needed
Jamie Crowley
384 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:20:10
Larry -

Yes. Imagine a Coach at Everton who actually went for it and played connected, offensive-minded stuff that actually is exciting to watch!

Anywho my limited experience with born and bred Blues is they'd crucify Lampard for not being able to defend, so I'm not sure it's a fit.

But personally I'd love to see Frank appointed.

Paul Johnson
386 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:20:26
Some people are having a laugh – Duncan Ferguson is a good Evertonian but aren't we all.

To be fair, we are fucked all round coz the same gobshite Kenwright is still here.

Fucking depressed…

Pat Kelly
387 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:20:41
I said some time ago Rafa's arrogance and stubbornness in continually playing Rondon would get him sacked. I think Rafa knew that. Everyone else could see it.
Soren Moyer
388 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:25:09
Knowing the Everton board, they'll sack Benitez and give the job to Rondon!

Just get Favre for the rest of the season. At least we will win more than 1 game in 12!!

Danny Baily
389 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:25:41
Let's hope Twitter is right. If we're going down, I don't want it to be with a RS legend at the helm.
Barry Hesketh
391 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:26:14
McNulty expanded a little more on the possiblity of a Martinez return:

If Benitez does go, there are still people at Everton who hold a candle for Roberto Martinez. Hard to say anything with any real confidence about such a dysfunctional club & board that has got so much wrong. Would sum it up if they went back to the first manager Moshiri sacked.

I can't see the return of Roberto, but I can see the board not having a ready made alternative because they are so far adrift of the fans sentiments that they probably thought Benitez would at least be here until May.


Don Alexander
392 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:26:25
Getting rid of Benitez is like lancing a boil but doing nothing about the tumour in the club. Minor relief perhaps, but the cancer remains.
Will Mabon
393 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:29:40
Imagine the board deciding Benitez should stay. That would be endorsing this shite, or showing faith in his "Plans". I'd be surprised.

John @ 367. Digne was excellent today, every bit as good as earlier in his time with us. I think that says plenty about recent managers.

As to him making a mistake for the second goal as suggested above (Brent, was it?), I think you'll find the mistake was by Sanson.

John Keating
394 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:38:20
Jamie @382,

Giving Dunc a 2-year contract might work out more expensive than bringing in a new manager.

For sure we'd have to buy a new assistant coach's seat as Dunc's arse has been sitting in it so long it's got a big dent in it.

Will Mabon
395 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:38:43
Sorry if it wasn't you, Brent - I can't find it now and edit function not working.
Simon Smith
399 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:41:16
Don. Minor relief sounds great after the season we have endured. I'll take that all day long.
Barry Hesketh
400 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:41:21
Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand was linked with the Everton job a month ago but he said he was super happy with the job he had, currently he is 3-1 favourite to replace Benitez if the Spaniard is sacked.
Brent Stephens
401 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:43:49
Will, no problem. I did say I thought Digne was culpable in one of the goals.
Alex Gray
402 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:45:20
The rags already touting Roberto Martinez.
Andy Crooks
403 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:50:23
Ian, @ 379, are you serious? You would actually support the return of Relegation Roberto. Why? He was utterly shit first time round.

He would have relegated us and fucked off just like he did at Wigan. We already have a coach who can do that.

Honest to God, I'd keep Benitez rather than have that dud back.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]

404 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:50:39
It is curious - almost perverse - how Moshiri has stuck by Benitez given his track record with Everton managers.

I think it is due to what Paul Tran describes: "If he hadn't been through so many managers, he'd have sacked him by now."

Martinez, sacked even though he reached two domestic cup semi-finals and although poor in the league, still comfortably mid-table.

Koeman, a decent 7th placed finish in his one full season. Dismissed after 9 games into his second scoring, averaging a point a game as Benitez is after 19 games.

Allardyce, ugly as fuck football, but still gleaned 34 points from 24 games and got us to 8th.

Silva, dismissed 15 games into his 2nd season averaging like Benitez a point a game.

Benitez has to go. There should be no way back from this current run of one win in 13, 6 points from 39. Today's defeat to the woeful Canaries.

Who replaces him will get resolved. There are scores of candidates who would leap at the chance of managing a Premier League club.

The big negative is, having seen off Marcel Brands the one football man on the board, the people who will be choosing our next manager are Farhad Moshiri and Ben Kenwright. I hardly think Graeme Sharp will have many names in his Filofax or on speed dialling he could suggest.

I'll throw a name into the hat. Abel Ferreira, 43-year-old Portuguese coach of Brazilian side Palmeiras.

In just over 12 months he has won the South American equivalent of the Champions League, the Libertadores, twice, plus the Brazilian cup. All without signing one single player, just good coaching.

On the touchline he is like a young Mourinho and Conte. On speed. Goodison would love him. Watch out for him and Palmeiras at the club World Championship next month.

Brazilian league only starts in April. His contract expires in June this year. He is gettable.

Jeff Armstrong
405 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:51:40
Roberto Martinez, joke manager, part-time with Belgium and still talks shite. He was on Amazon over Christmas and was still spouting “projects”, “phenomenal” shite all over the place, no clue about tactics or players, absolute charlatan.

Why do some supporters go back to shite we have already sacked? Silva for fuck's sake... Bobby Brown-Shoes – tosser... Moyes – give it a rest.

Try and think elsewhere and have a look around, have you ever heard of Howard Kendall, Mk 2 & 3 disaster? Never re-employ; it never, ever works. Give me an example in football.

Tony Everan
406 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:52:41
Benitez has been sacked by @Everton, severance pay reported to be around £5 million, the only stumbling block is his tips.

Jay, an interesting proposition. The club needs a shot in the arm, something completely different.

Tom Harvey
407 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:55:53
Sky have Benitez at 1/18 for the sack with an emergency meeting tonight.

These are troubled times for our club and I have to say I doubt whoever they bring in (or promote) can stop this slide to oblivion.

My faith in our Kalashnikov-wielding owner, Mr Usmanov, to pick the right man is sub zero.

Andy Crooks
408 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:57:53
Jeff, absolutely spot on. God almighty, Martinez? No, no, please no.
Paul Hewitt
409 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:58:25
It's got to be Dunc till the end of the season. Ferguson knows these players and by all accounts he's very respected by them.
David Pearl
410 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:59:10
In the last couple of games, I thought I could sense some kind of turnaround but that is just impossible if Keane and Coleman keep making such awful errors.

Rondon was quite neat and tidy today and held the ball up well to bring Gray and Calvert-Lewin into the game... with Calvert-Lewin having another run out for fitness.

With Richarlison and Mina back, Rondon will be back on the bench for the next game. It's the defence that needs an overhaul and I would bring in Mina for sure and maybe have Godfrey left-back, and even consider Holgate at right-back. Jonjoe Kenny hasn't done too badly either when called upon.

Our manager needs to be able to rely on players, especially his defenders. Branthwaite needs to be given a chance now too. Once again, we use only 2 subs with Townsend and El Ghazi wasted.

After only our second loss of the season, I said I wanted shut of this manager but the fans are all toxic towards the club, players and each other so changing the manager may be the only option.

Not a lot of managers out there and I think Duncan would of be a very short term pantomime choice.

My choice, as previously stated, would be Slaven Bilic. Benitez can't have much longer but he has been given a lot of power and say over the last few months so the ball is in Moshiri's hands. If he pulls the plug, that's another £20 million payout.

Changing managers every year, another 5+ players every year... I guess the only plus point is we actually sold a player for a profit for once instead of having to loan him out till his contract ended.

Pretty shit this isn't it.

Anthony Murphy
411 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:59:14
The board can meet all they want, Moshiri will decide.
Tom Harvey
412 Posted 15/01/2022 at 20:59:55
Tony

What's your source?

Mike Keating
413 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:00:09
Moshiri won't admit he's wasted millions in compensation for crap managerial appointments following his immediate dismissal of the incumbent when he took over (based on the model he saw employed by other billionaire owners).

For all his faults and predictable detractors on here, Martinez got us to two semi-finals prior to getting the chop by a mega-rich amateur who knows fuck all about football and was no worse than the 5 who replaced him. The malaise comes from the top.

Gerry Clarke
414 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:00:44
Not Martinez please, I still have nightmares about the 3-3 horror show against Bournemouth never mind the 3-4 home defeat to Stoke, the defending was even worse than it is at the moment. That's before I think about his signings Kone, McGeady, Alcaraz and Niasse to name but a few.
Peter Carpenter
415 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:00:44
It's Jackie Weaver until the end of the season.
Tony Everan
416 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:01:02
Tom, it was a joke on Twitter …FSW ….. ‘tips’
Barry Hesketh
417 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:02:12
Anthony @411,

Maybe not even Moshiri decides, perhaps it's up to his boss? I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Benitez in the dugout next week.

Brent Stephens
418 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:02:31
Serious question: What do any of the touted names, apart from those currently at the club, know about our current squad?

Their individual qualities.
Their ability to play in various positions.
The collective strengths and weaknesses of various combinations of players.
Their personalities (so important for wanting to give 100%).

How long will it take for any such new manager to get up to speed with this squad (apart from the 5 minute Rondon watch)? And, in the meantime, how many precious points might be lost?

Jerome Shields
419 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:03:26
Gray and Gordon were successfully targeted to spoil their play and Gomes and Doucouré did not engage. They were peripheral all game. Keane was a liability and Coleman was not at the races. Amongst them, the new guy was a stranger in a strange land.

Sheffield United played exactly the same tactics last season but were better than Norwich. The forwards were confined to crumbs, not their strong point.

Moshiri has not a clue what to do. His only plan to sort the Club out was to employ a Manager to do so. This was never going to work. Benitez can not even improve performance so poor are the playets and Club. Ancelotti had the same problem , but went down the tactical way of not being dependent on poor players. Benitez has not done that so the results have drifted. .

No Manager will sort out basket case Everton. Moshiri has a tackle the structural problems that infect the Club from top to bottom.

Conor McCourt
420 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:04:29
Andy@408- I know it would be terrible. We would have to bear fifth place finishes, last sixteen in Europe and Cup Semi-Finals. I would rather the last three years of twelfth, tenth and fifteenth with the joyous football we have been so lucky to endure.
Gerry Western
421 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:05:54
Martinez did get us to two cup semi finals and achieved our highest points tally in the premier league. Managed to achieve this with a very limited budget. I still wonder what he might have achieved if he'd been given the sort of money his successors have squandered. Was desperate to sign VVD in the end he had to settle for Funes Mori as BK was reluctant to cough up the extra 1 million needed.
Soren Moyer
422 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:07:41
Phenomenal!!!! Didn't we pay him millions to fuck off!" No thanks.
Gavin Johnson
423 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:07:51
Jay #404 Don't know Abel Ferriera but I'd give Abel Ferrera the job over Rafa right now!
Peter Neilson
424 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:10:55
Brent I’m guessing that was either a rhetorical question or gallows humour? How could anyone know less about the squad and getting 100% than Benitez. How could anyone else achieve less than zero?
Colin Glassar
425 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:11:47
Richard Keys and Andy Gray for me. They know more about the beautiful game than bloody Moshiri will ever know!!

If not them two then Carra and rat boy. They both hate Everton even more than Rafa does so they might be able to shake things up a bit. Plus Billy bullshitter would hate them

Tony Twist
426 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:13:22
Dyche might be willing to jump ship from Burnley, god help us!
Kevin Prytherch
427 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:13:41
Benitez 1/20 to be the next manager sacked with skybet. 1/7 is the best price around. Bookies are fairly certain he’ll be gone next
Joe McMahon
428 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:13:49
Who ever it is, as long as Rondon, Coleman and Keane don't start, it's a start!
Joe Corgan
429 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:15:39
90min.com say it’s done “by mutual consent” but I have no idea whether that’s a reliable site for these kinds of things.

I can’t imagine how they would know ahead of BBC Sport, Sky Sports, TalkSPORT, etc.

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts
430 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:16:28
Yup, all BKs fault - because all the stories are he was the one saying no to RB and FM decided he was the man to have.

Is this as bad as MW 1994 or HK 1998?
Don't answer that - and just in case you need it
116 123 or 0151 708 8888 and calls are free and they are there 24 hours a day. And we really do feel like calling the Samaritans.

Jeff Armstrong
431 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:16:31
He’s a goner

Bilic touting himself

Kristian Boyce
432 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:19:29
As an announcement hasn't come out yet, the longer it takes the more likely he's a goner. Probably meeting with him now and preparing the press release.
Ian Edwards
433 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:19:43
Andy 403. Two semis and 72 pts. No transfer window from Moshiri. We can only dream of semis and 72 pts.
Gerry Western
434 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:21:35
At a guess I'd say to date we've forked out about half a billion because we sacked Martinez. Now that really is phenomenal.
Jeff Armstrong
435 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:21:45
433 Ian, still a shit manager though, snake oil salesman, never go back, you should know that, HK..
Anthony Murphy
436 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:22:15
If that 90mins story is true, then Dunc is taking over temporarily.
Peter Carpenter
437 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:23:35
They'll wait until he gets off the bus, surely. Put your foot down driver!
Peter Neilson
438 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:24:09
Definite no to Martinez. His end was toxic and I can't see what he's done since to earn another chance.

I really don't know why we seem to be the only club always linked to previous managers. Like a dog to it's vomit, fool to folly. Surely there are other candidates?

Tommy Coleman
439 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:24:12
He's sacked.

Ferguson for the rest of the season.
COYBs!

Ed Prytherch
440 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:24:32
Gerry #414 It is true that Martinez signed some poor players but a representative list should include Lukaku, Barry and Delboy.
Steve Guy
441 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:25:22
Duncan is the only logical choice. Another manager now will take three or four games to get to know the players and we’ll be a lost cause by then.
Ian Riley
442 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:25:40
Martinez done well from a sound defence left by Moyes in his first season!

Big Sam to save us and 're-evaluate in the summer!

Ed Prytherch
443 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:26:37
Tommy #439 Where did your hear or read that?
Great news if true.
Brian Murray
444 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:27:06
Let's have it right. There had been no big witch hunt to get rid of Benitez. He signed his own demise with the Rondon signing and not giving better young players a chance.

New manager has to quickly phase out Kean,e Coleman, Gomes somehow and get some fighting spirit. Potter for me but probably Dunc for the foreseeable.

Winston Williamson
445 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:27:52
Duncan until the end of the season and then Graham Potter is my pick, unless Duncan gets us on a superb run and he looks solid.
Gavin Johnson
446 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:27:56
Daily Express now reporting that he's agreed to go
Kristian Boyce
447 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:29:48
Express just reporting the 90 Min's announcement
Paul Hewitt
448 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:30:21
He's gone.
Luke Welch
449 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:32:52
Defo sounds like his gone
Dom Kearney
450 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:33:27
https://twitter.com/sportspeteo/status/1482462683333079045?s=21

This journalist saying he’s gone

Jeff Armstrong
451 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:33:28
Steve 441, agreed, we need to hit the ground running and DF is the only one (apart from us ) who could pick a team from this current shit show, he knows Rondon, Coleman, Keane, Godfrey,need to be dropped, anyone else would be trying to work it out, we don’t have time for that.
Tommy Coleman
452 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:33:51
Ed, only sport reporter's twitter feeds. Usually well connected.
Peter Carpenter
453 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:34:26
Getting swayed by the Lampard argument
Peter Neilson
454 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:34:46
Dalglish it is then.
Laurie Hartley
455 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:36:04
Brian # 347 - there is the crux of it :-

“Cannot leave it much longer before we decide one way or the other, what we do need is the fans together, and that will not happen under Benitez, even some of us who wanted more time for him, Well it is just not happening.”

Except for “not much longer” - he has to go now. We can figure out who has to replace him later while Ferguson looks after them at least for the short term.

Tony Everan
456 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:36:34
Liverpool Echo tweeted that he is gone and they’re well connected.
Paul Norman
457 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:37:04
Anyone else concerned that, from an FFP point of view, sacking him is financially difficult (I don’t know how it works!). Perhaps, instead of sacking him, we just publicly demote him, to ice-bath cleaner or something, and let whoever it is be our next manager.
Colin Glassar
458 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:37:30
Will he return the millions he’s taken in unearned wages? Adios Rafa.
Joe Corgan
459 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:37:42
Liverpool Echo reporting Pete O'Rourke's tweet as genuine. Decision made but announcement may wait until Monday.
Jeff Armstrong
460 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:39:05
Brian spot on, he engineered his own demise. Rondon, for fuck's sake... how he nailed himself to that useless twat says more about Benitez than Rondon.
John Raftery
461 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:39:48
We look like the new Sunderland. A series of short term managerial appointments. Each one sacked after a run of poor form to be replaced by another who provides a brief uplift before another decline, another sacking and so on.

Very sad and I fear for us if not this season then next. Which manager with intelligence, common sense and any sort of track record is going to jump at the chance of managing such an obviously dysfunctional club.

Brian Murray
462 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:40:23
I understand now is not the time for in-fighting until we secure the wins we need. I just wish for an announcement that Moshiri has bought out the rest of Kenwright's shares and he's done the decent thing and stepped down.
Brent Stephens
463 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:40:45
We could make Benitez Director of Football and appoint Brands as head coach. His ego would then lead him to resign.

I know, I know, contracts, contracts. And frustration of contract.

Jeff Armstrong
464 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:43:51
Well John, if this one keeps us up, so be it, should we stick with Rafa then?
Brian Murray
465 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:44:43
Still hard to believe someone of his experience could not see Rondon as past it and Keane not at the level we need. If the reason is pride and stubbornness because he signed him 3 times, well, that's putting us a club second to his ego.
Barry Rathbone
466 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:45:34
No bigger fan of Martinez than myself but he would be mad to come back here.

The cardinal sin of exposing Moyes limited ambitions with predominantly loanees in an unequalled first season made him a target for Moyes disciples. As soon as things went pear shaped BOOM!! they savaged him.

Their presence infests this parish still making his appointment potentially as divisive as Benitez. Can't have another appointment needing to win everything in sight to get a fair crack of the whip.

Stay away Bobby this fickle fanbase lacks the patience you would need.

Ed Prytherch
467 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:46:08
Jeff #460 Now tell us what you really think of the FSW.
Colin Glassar
468 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:47:06
Martinez went to Belgium. Koeman to Barcelona via Holland. Fat Sam to Dubai. Carlo to Real Madrid. What awaits Rafa? Papa John pizza on Bold st?

On a serious note, if none of these highly reputable managers could get a tune out of our misfits who can?

Sam Hoare
469 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:47:06
Sounds like he is gone. But not before getting rid of a very good left back.

Guess it will be Ferguson as interim (or Unsworth?). And then who knows? Lucien Favre, Niko Kovacs, Rooney? I can imagine Nuno Santo might feel like a safe bet for Moshiri. I’m not sure why on earth Graham Potter would come here.

Steavey Buckley
470 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:47:24
This is a bad day for the Blues. But blaming and sacking Benitez won't solve the problem of why Everton play so badly.

Everton have been playing generally badly since the 2014-15 season. Managers have come and gone but no manager has fixed the problem.

The players who play badly have been accumulated by previous managers. But why Coleman is still the first-choice right-back is a mystery.

Whoever is the next Everton manager will still have to deal with Everton players who get their managers sacked. Or, in Ancelotti's case, he did a 'runner' when faced with having the same players for another season.

Tony Abrahams
471 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:49:55
He's got to go, Tony, and with the Echo siding with Bill Kenwright in this horrible divisive period, then I imagine they should be some of the first people to know.

When "Sack the Board" was sung at the Liverpool game, that was the end of Brands. When "Sack the Board" was sung tonight, my first feelings were that will definitely be the end of Benitez.

He can't remain with so many bad results, but when are the real culprits going to be kicked out of Everton Football Club?

A club that has been a disgrace to its Latin motto ever since a certain actor kidded his way into owning it – a once-great institution of the English game.

Tony McNulty
472 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:55:18
Never a dull moment as an Everton fan, as we follow the latest episode in the soap opera.

Given we no longer have a DOF, if it's going to be Duncan, that's a hell of a responsibility to dump on a relatively inexperienced, albeit passionate manager.

He needs someone else, an experienced sounding board to be there to provide support. Not that we would get him, but I would have thought an Arsene Wenger type would be ideal.

Jeff Armstrong
473 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:55:39
Ed, I have reserved judgement on Benitez as I don't want to be changing manager every other season, but enough is enough.

If we want to preserve 68 years of top-flight football, which I think is worth a few cups here and there, then this balloon needs to go... tonight.

Ian Edwards
474 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:55:52
Who is Pete O'Rourke? I've never heard of him.
Declan O'Shaughnessy
475 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:55:55
Given that he's currently out of a job, personally I'd move for Niko Kovac.

Did a solid job at Bayern (or at least achieved the minimum demanded - a league title) and was doing pretty well at Monaco before getting the bullet. In his time at Monaco (only 18 months) he took them from relegation candidates to almost winning the league (and getting into the Champions League qualifiers) without spending money or signing many players. Sounds fucking perfect for us. The Guardian had a piece about him the other day - Link

John Boon
476 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:57:13
Paul (448) That is as much information as any Evertonian needs and can handle at this time..I just could not imagine the chaos if we had to look forward to Gerrard v Benitez for the next game.

Christine Foster (369) has nominated herself. Having read her posts in the past she would be a far more sensible appointmaent than half the "Dopes" already suggested by posters.Christine, IF you need an assistant I could be ready by Monday.Even my wife has often said that I seem to know more about everything than any other human being.

John Boon
477 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:57:14
Paul (448) That is as much information as any Evertonian needs and can handle at this time..I just could not imagine the chaos if we had to look forward to Gerrard v Benitez for the next game.

Christine Foster (369) has nominated herself. Having read her posts in the past she would be a far more sensible appointmaent than half the "Dopes" already suggested by posters.Christine, IF you need an assistant I could be ready by Monday.Even my wife has often said that I seem to know more about everything than any other human being.

Geoff Williams
478 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:58:50
He's sacked . announcement Monday
Brian Murray
479 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:59:23
No time for kopites full stop but I hope his family/ kids are left alone and no more abuse as they probably did. Just a wayward judgement of a fit for us if a manager in the mournho era who couldn’t adapt. Moshiri needs to stop listening and talking to that jock with the spotted tie on talk sport and let someone else pick the manager. Not the buffoon next to him either.
Brian Williams
480 Posted 15/01/2022 at 21:59:43
Tony. No love for the man you mention but HE was allegedly the one that really didn't want Benitez .......... had he got his way maybe we'd be saving ourselves another £5m or £6m payoff,unless reports of Benitez agreeing to leave are true.
Brian Murray
481 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:00:49
Brian Williams. That hardly wipes out 27 years of ineptitude mate.
Brian Williams
482 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:01:42
Didn't say it did Brian. I'm talking only about the Benitez situation.
Brian Murray
483 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:04:50
I know Brian I take your point. I’m just getting a bit nervous as a blue and want big change. Not just the manager
Jack Convery
484 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:06:01
Several outlets reporting he's agreed to go. Let the merry go round start again and when Moshiri decides the music stops and a new mug - sorry manager will be appointed.

No more new players then in January, as more money is spent on compensation to a sacked manager. Unless of course we sell either DCL / Richarlison to raise some dosh.

Next manager now has players brought in by several managers - what a sh*t show of a club we are.

Moshiri needs to get someone in as chairman to run the club and let them get on with it and keep his nose out of it. If not then he should sell up. Kenwright just needs to go.

The next manager appointment must be the right one, because the Old Lady is very tired and can't take much more. She is like someone who has fought too many battles and sees no light, at the end of the darkest of tunnels and just wants to go to sleep and never wake up. Very sad indeed.

Brian Williams
485 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:06:28
Me too Brian. I think a board made up of TW members couldn't do any worse, in fact I think we'd do a lot better mate.
Jeff Armstrong
486 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:06:31
Kenwright is a absolute arse, but he got it right about Benitez, wasn’t difficult though was it ?seeing 75% of Evertonians didn’t want him, still an absolute arse though.

Plays to the gallery.

Tony Abrahams
487 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:10:37
Because he knew he’d come in and try to upset the easy street apple cart, that is known locally as Everton Football club, is probably the biggest reason why Brian?

Fuck Liverpool, we might be in the same league as them when you look at the EPL table, but we are light years behind them, when it comes to hard nosed professionalism, and hard nosed pragmatism, and anyone showing such qualities, had better be careful, because the cosy club isn’t for disturbing it seems.

Will Mabon
488 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:12:06
This whole mega-payoff structure for proven failure needs engineering out of football contracts. it's an insult to everyone that funds it, i.e. every football fan that buys merchandise or pays to watch in any form.
David Pearl
489 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:12:38
https://youtu.be/nlYtLZLEj2k

This is my song about supporting The Blues, please take a listen and share if you like it. And don't if you don't.

Thanks to Brian Wilkinson for showing me how to upload this.

All the best blues... the grass 'is' greener

Brian Williams
490 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:14:30
Tony#487.
Especially if they steer us towards relegation mate.
David Pearl
491 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:15:48
Gary Megson..?
Soren Moyer
492 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:16:29
Gardenning leave then because of ffp!

Paolo Fonseca and Lucien Favre are both out of work. We were after Fonseca when he was at Shaktar. Remember?

Tony Abrahams
493 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:17:00
Of course Brian, but I’m certain it’s coming one day, unless changes are made at the top of our football club, but we all see things differently I’m aware.
Tom Bowers
494 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:17:56
It always seems, more often than not that this team come out totally unprepared mentally for the battle.
Teams seem to get to Everton early and we don't have one player who can steady the ship. Coleman has been a great player but is not a good captain.

Other teams seem to know Everton's frailties and that's what they exploit without any fear of what Everton can do.

Norwich did their homework and went after Everton's porous defending.

Rafa cannot get the unity needed to defend properly and must go.

Will Mabon
495 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:18:17
You made that, David?

Pretty good - bit of a background Lightning Seeds vibe.

Don Alexander
496 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:20:07
IF he's gone it'd be so like this owner/boardroom NOT to tell the world for 48 hours what it already knows because Jim White, dick-head extraordinaire, has Moshiri by the goolies and DEMANDS that Talkshite can be the only media platform to get every, erm, Everton "exclusive".

It's just so amateurish, as ever.

Jim White's next show is between 10am-1pm on Monday by the way, if anyone's currently in a coma.

John Keating
497 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:23:06
Christine to the end of the season then Rooney
Mind you if Christine does a good job, which I have no doubt she will, then a 2 year deal
Jeff Armstrong
498 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:23:36
Don, if that happens, there is no way back for us until Moshiri goes.
Gerry Morrison
499 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:24:05
Nice one David. I enjoyed that.
Carlos Nunes
500 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:24:52
I'll admit that I was a Benitez supporter as I felt he should have been given time to have most of the players back but after today he should be gone. There is no excuse to start Rondon today, he just absolutely brings nothing to the team and to wait so long to make a change is inexcusable. He could have gone with 3 in the midfield, and Gordon, Gray and DCL upfront. Terrible!
David Pearl
501 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:25:45
Yes Will, my first release in 20 years. Thanks for listening!
Stuart Sharp
502 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:28:27
The talk about Kenwright really does get tiring. Yes, we all know the club's problems are much greater than Benitez. And yes Kenwright has been a disaster. But right now we're in an emergency situation and that has to be the focus. To say other managers wouldn't do better with these players... what a load of arse. What other manager would set up to concede so much possession, home and away, and rely on counter attacks whoever we play? What other manager would make no subs at half time today, and only two all game? Who else on planet earth would play 5 at the back against Brighton with Coleman on the left? And not change it when it was failing so badly? The answer is the manager many fans desperately didn't want and Kenwright didn't want. A highly divisive appointment, and another one with PL relegation on his CV.

Get rid now. Worry about Kenwright later.

David Pearl
503 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:28:42
Thanks Gerry. Hard to get anyone to give it a listen.

Anyone else heard Gary Megson till end of season or is that a bad rumour?

John Raftery
504 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:29:22
Jack (484) ‘The next manager appointment must be the right one’. That sounds familiar. He will need to be a miracle worker. A few defeats, something not hard to imagine with the current squad, and some will be calling for his head.
Graham Fylde
505 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:34:20
David Pearl - really enjoyed that, well done lad. Kill that Gary Megson thing though, would ya?
Jerome Shields
506 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:34:22
As for Duncan he will only take on the job on a caretaker bases. How many Managers has he sat in the dugout with and watched them fail to make a impression on the Everton players and the Club? Some on this thread must think Duncan is stupid.

Martin Keown said Everton had to sit down and work out whether they wanted to survive in the Premier, get into the top six or top four.

The underlying truth is that( hijacked ) Everton strategic plan is determined by the ability and motivation of those that play for the Club and associated services, plus those that run the Club. They are all only interested in maintaining their position. . They only have the ability and motivation to achieve that.

Mid table will get them that. The threat of relegation will get rid of anyone who has different plans.

Jerome Shields
507 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:34:41
As for Duncan he will only take on the job on a caretaker bases. How many Managers has he sat in the dugout with and watched them fail to make a impression on the Everton players and the Club? Some on this thread must think Duncan is stupid.

Martin Keown said Everton had to sit down and work out whether they wanted to survive in the Premier, get into the top six or top four.

The underlying truth is that( hijacked ) Everton strategic plan is determined by the ability and motivation of those that play for the Club and associated services, plus those that run the Club. They are all only interested in maintaining their position. . They only have the ability and motivation to achieve that.

Mid table will get them that. The threat of relegation will get rid of anyone who has different plans.

Tony Abrahams
508 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:35:00
If he’s gone, he’s gone Don, and whilst thousands will be understandably relieved, I honestly can’t get my head around how unprofessional Everton have become, thinking Moshiri’s money was all’s they needed, whilst neglecting to carve out a real well thought out plan.
Mal van Schaick
509 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:38:26
Another manager, same old problem, shit fucking signings from previous managers, have left us in the lurch.

Questions lie firmly at the door of the board and the owner as to why this appointment was made in the first instance?

I’m getting to the point we’re I don’t care who the manager is any more, I just want results, a performance and some organised passion to keep us in the top flight and make some progress challenging for Europe and trophies.

Soren Moyer
510 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:39:11
David It will be Bruce lol.

Mal, This time was a combo of shitty players and weird formations by FSW.

David Pearl
511 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:42:02
Thanks Graham

Soren, The Megson rumour came from The Bobble on twitter...

David Pearl
512 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:42:20
Thanks Graham

Soren, The Megson rumour came from The Bobble on twitter...

Brendan McLaughlin
513 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:42:42
Jerome#507
So are you still "Back Benitez To Save Everton"?
Justin Doone
514 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:44:41
I will watch it back on tv before commenting on the game. I think the majority agree the spine of our team isn't good enough. CD and CM. Why has this not been addressed?

Once you have a strong spine, the rest of the defense need to be solid and defensively sound.

Then it's the midfield, the engine room of any team. It makes an average team good and a good team great. This hasn't changed in my lifetime.

Sadly, we have an owner and board that have made mistake after mistake on managerial appointments and recruitment policies.

Digne was worth far more to us than £25M. Allan likewise and yet talk of him being loaned away is unbelievable. Neither solve our issues unless a couple of players are already lined up.

I don’t know what or how Rafa is expecting the team to play but I'm sure it's more than what they are giving. We have been pathetic in the opening 20 minute's of every game for months now and we appear to be getting worse.

We need our next manager lined up. The short lists should have been ready from his decisive appointment.

1 game left in January vs Villa. Let it be Rafas final bullet dodging chance. A convincing win, performance and way forward.

I say this because the board need time, Rafa has brought in some good attacking players, perhaps the strongest forward line up we have had for decades.

Can he, would he dare save his job by going all out attack?

No. All I can see is more mistakes by the board unless there is a magic wand playing "G.Sharpe".

Jeff Armstrong
515 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:47:52
Ralph Basnett
516 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:52:03
I have literally spent hours reading all sites waiting for the axe to fall and have never waited so much, not even for Fat Sam!!!!!!

Just put us out of our misery.

Ralph Basnett
517 Posted 15/01/2022 at 22:52:22
I have literally spent hours reading all sites waiting for the axe to fall and have never waited so much, not even for Fat Sam!!!!!!

Just put us out of our misery.

Tom Harvey
518 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:05:47
Tom Harvey
519 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:05:49
Colin Glassar @ 468

Hello Colin,

Papa John Pizza, nice one!

"On a serious note, if none of these highly reputable managers could get a tune out of our misfits who can?"

The lack of drive, energy or attack from the team, especially first halfs of games is what will send us down, they're being hustled everytime.

I doubt the club doctor mixing their sports drinks with methamphetamine would make any difference, there's lethargy that won't go away.

Tom Harvey
520 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:13:48
The Express are saying Benitez agrees to go and Slavin Bilic in.

F*** no, he looked hopeless at WBA when they went down.

George Stuart
521 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:22:40
Short version:
Every week I read, I can barely watch them now (good time supporter), Everton were making a reasonable fist of this game when inexplicably a central defender made a mistake leading to a goal. This error was compounded a short time later by another mistake as Everton conceded a second. Every fucking game. How difficult is that to spot ?
Also, give Duncan a shot, maybe with Unsie as assistant. Just to bounce ideas off. At least a losing side will get the mother of bollocking after a game.
Don Alexander
522 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:28:51
Jeezus, Slaven Bilic showed even less commitment to us than Ferguson as a player. Leopards and spots come to mind. The pair of them engineered any and every excuse to avoid playing whilst on mega salaries. No wonder the current crop are allegedly "respectful" of Drunken Duncan as someone above says, they would be wouldn't they?

Only Easy Street is Good Enough is the ethos throughout the club ever since Kenwright got his hooks in.

The next manager under our clowns is probably already contacting his accountant right now to plan how best to invest his pay-off when sacked.

John Boon
523 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:29:52
While we may be delighted that HE has gone, it is difficult to also accept that it will not be easy to change the harm that has already happened because of the appointment.
Jerome Shields
524 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:34:34
Brendan#513

Yes. Who do you suggest that can. Benitez gone will just be another chance gone to turn the Club around. It is that bad.

A Emegency Board Meeting calked by Kenwright is bullshit. Benitez has not gone yet , too early for a Moshiri/ Usmanov decision. They appointed Benitez.

Wait on a reply to Jimmy White's text

Will Mabon
525 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:35:03
Surely the Bilic thing is just misinformed bullshit? Every time there's a job going (at any club) there are immediate suggestions of wholly useless, unsuitable candidates.

I think there's a shady media agency somewhere that specializes in it.

Can you imagine the club announcing Bilic...

Brian Murray
526 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:37:45
No no no Bilic, disaster as a player nearly took us down disaster as a manager. Porter or stick with Dunc for now. At least he knows the gobshites already who need to go.
David Pearl
527 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:38:11
Will, could you imagine us announcing Rafael Beneathus?
Not a lot out there. I wanted Bilic last season so I'm not going to go against that now.
Justin Doone
528 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:47:08
We need a hands on (not like that! ) manager who can coach and get the best out of players.

The only sense I could make from appointing Rafa was his experience and general solid counter attacking play was not too dissimilar to Carlos. At last, some sort of planned continuity. Maybe on paper it was an easy choice but we all knew better.

Both Rafa and Brands are gone. Hopefully we can reassess what we have and how we want to play and reset the solid counter attacking mindset because we don’t have the players and we have 3 seasons to prove it.

We also don’t haven't the 'play it out from the back' squad or youth teams to implement that successfully.

We need a simple, high energy, get forward quickly, close everyone down, a bit of man to man marking on the front foot and run till you can run no more about us. This sound's simple.

But I end up with Bielsa?

Other options..

Lampard did pretty well in my opinion but with a very good squad of players. I don't think we have what he needs.

Scott Parker I think did a better job in terms of coaching and style of play. But his insistence to always play out from the back is what got Fulham relegated. Another Martinez / Silva.

Potter is probably a better balance of both, but every game I think he has a lot to learn. All 3 are too high risk for me.

They all except and accept repeated mistakes in order to play their version of the right way. Fools!

I'm worried we will end up with another expensive Premier league failure. AVB, de Boer, Martinez etc. or worse Sam, Ramon, Pelegrini, Nuno Santo.

I think short term contracts until they deserve longer. 12-18 month extensions etc. Rewarded well for winning silverware £10M-£20M, standard basic £2M.

Will Mabon
529 Posted 15/01/2022 at 23:58:48
David, you wanted Bilic?

You need to have a listen to your song!

I felt the same way when Benitez was announced.

Tough road ahead. Some of the names bandied above and elsewhere, whether in jest or not, are genuinely frightening. Owen Coyle, anyone?

Brendan McLaughlin
530 Posted 16/01/2022 at 00:16:25
WOW...Jerome#524
You're loyal to the guy...I'll give you that
Justin Doone
531 Posted 15/01/2022 at 00:20:43
One last manager name from me, Neil Warnock.

He has never really been positive about our club, he doesn't get us, he doesn't understand what it means to be an Evertonian.

That's way it make sense. He's got the experience to know and understand how badly managed we have been over the last decade and more.

He will play to our players strengths and won't be afraid to tell everyone what is and isn't acceptable. He could be the flint that helps light the fire!

It could be and has been much worse!

Ed Prytherch
532 Posted 15/01/2022 at 00:27:38
Our current players are good enough to avoid relegation and maybe finish mid table if they have a decent manager. I think that Duncan will be good enough for that. Lets be honest, we started with 10 men every time Rondon played. DCL and Richy up front, Gray and Gordon wide and we are a decent team on the attack. Duncan has to sort out central mid field and the back four and we will start winning again. We have only lost James and Lucas from the team that beat the shite last season.
Don Alexander
533 Posted 16/01/2022 at 00:49:15
I regret to say that so deep is the hole that Moshiri and Kenwright have dug for us whilst having the massive one at BMD filled with sand that I can't think of ANY manager on the planet who'll be able to get a professional, committed performance from what we've had for years in Finch Farm.

It's nearly full of lead-swinging layabouts of every age and position, with maybe a handful of exceptions all of whom I'd expect to now be in urgent discussion with their agents to get them out of our club asap.

Mega-buck salaries to "international" who-are-they players, or last-chance-saloon moderate players (who already stink FF out), or an Unsy sprog who looks like he might have something about him in a good team will be our unavoidable way "forward" under the current regime.

To expect any manager to re-set our calamity of a club in months is ridiculous. It'll take years and lots more money - and I'm no fan of Benitez by the way.

BMD? "Blind Man's Dalliance" certainly, given the way we're going.

Ashley Roberts
534 Posted 16/01/2022 at 02:32:26
How about Steve Clarke the current Scottish manager? He has managed to turn their fortune around with little to work with in terms of quality. So he should fit right in at Everton as we need some big changes in midfield and defence. He also speaks the same language as Duncan and so it could be a match in heaven.
I don’t see the board dismissing RB until they have a replacement lined up, so expect him to be in the dugout against Villa.
I feel sorry for Mykelenko as he looks totally out of his depth. Enough said I think about Rondon. I would play Branthwaite ahead of Mykelenko as he his bigger stronger and looks fairly composed on the ball for a young guy. Dobbin and Ayango should have been on the bench today. We had no midfielder to come on as well as no centre forward. Just such poor management and tactics. So Duncan and Clarke for me. No to Bolivian or potter.
Kieran Kinsella
535 Posted 16/01/2022 at 03:53:31
Ashley

I think Clarke has done well at Scotland but like the Denmark manager and Gareth Southgate he seems to be well well suited to international football which is a different dynamic than club football. His club record isn’t so great.

Laurie Hartley
536 Posted 16/01/2022 at 06:02:35
Well I put myself through the misery of watching the replay and thought we were worth a draw.

I will take some comfort from the fact that we have some good players. Richarlison has got blue blood running through his veins. Gray and Gordon are good players. Godfrey is getting back to his best.

Young Mykolenko made a couple of mistakes, one of which nearly gifted them a goal, but I think he is made of the right stuff and will turn out to be a good buy.

Let's hope Mina can stay fit and Patterson is up to it. There is a team in there somewhere. I would sell the farm for a crafty playmaker right now.


Gavin Johnson
537 Posted 16/01/2022 at 07:07:22
Not to mention Steve Clarke being another ex-RS. Highly respected coach and now respected international manager but abysmal record in club management. It happens a lot.

Look at Brian Kidd. Highly respected No 2. Did a lot in Fergie's early Man Utd success and people thought he'd take Blackburn places. But, the only place he took them was down to the Championship.

Jerome Shields
539 Posted 16/01/2022 at 10:47:22
Don #533

Unfortunately, you are right. Benitez has not been prepared to adjust his principles, or change to Ancelotti's much-slighted tactics of last season. This makes me think that he will still be backed by Moshiri and Usmanov.

They think of Everton's problems as being sorted out by the appointment of Benitez. We all know the problem needed addressing deeper within the Club and this is beyond Benitez's remit.

I expect Benitez to survive till the end of the season.

Darren Hind
540 Posted 16/01/2022 at 10:53:45
Derek @222,

Sounds like you're having a cunt of a time of it on and off the pitch.

Hold on tightly to that sense of humour lad, it'll serve you well... and remember what Scarlett O'Hara told you!

Christy Ring
541 Posted 16/01/2022 at 12:27:58
Jerome#539 So what you’re saying is you want us to be relegated. How can anyone support Benitez, he doesn’t know how to change, keeps playing Rondon, a two man midfield, back to 5 at the back, he’s clueless and full of his own importance. Jamie Redknapp who knows little about football, but have to agree with him, he says Benitez has a habit of causing chaos at clubs and always blaming everyone else. I was reading where Andre Kanchelskis son is a sports journalist in Ukraine and he couldn’t believe we bought Mykolenko, he thought he was bang average, sadly Digne went before Benitez.
Brian Murray
542 Posted 16/01/2022 at 12:43:01
Christy post 541. Apparently we looked and looked and looked again at Robertson when he was at hull but kenright ( despise that name ) wouldn’t pay what was asked. Same situation van dyke. This Ukrainian ( couldn’t be arsed trying to spell his name ) showed no awareness but like his mate in the middle. His back pass I doubt you would see that in the lower leagues. Digne no big loss if it was planned and looked at properly with a class replacement. Not the Everton way. Thanks again bill n co.
John Boon
543 Posted 16/01/2022 at 12:45:55
I also hope Benitez survives, even beyond this season. But on some remote island in the Pacific five thousand miles from Goodison. He could even start up a football team. Perhaps Rondon could be his first signing.
Justin Doone
544 Posted 16/01/2022 at 16:16:18
Duncan will have them more organised and up for the fight because he knows no other way.

Probably 4.4.2. keeping things simple. We need lot's of changes, from personel to tactics and board to academy.

But the priority and main priority is always the first team!

I'd like to an an extra man in central midfield, short term thin could be Holgate or Townsend.

Without a DOF or manager, what now happens with recruitment. Hopefully top quality signings have already been identified for a CB and CM.

Brendan McLaughlin
545 Posted 16/01/2022 at 21:25:45
Jerome #539
Unerringly inaccurate...😊

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads


© ToffeeWeb