Blues dig out a dramatic point from another dreadful display

And when are they going to get rid of that stupid recording Grand Old Team it makes you feel down. not give you inspiration.

45 minutes to man up & wake up! We're so slow zzzz

Fingers crossed for the Saints tomorrow. Write off Sunday. Start fretting again even more next week. Are the gods finally deciding to give us a reasonable share of their attention?

Lot of character to score late too.

Obviously played awful.

Grind out more points now.

Better option to play Richarlison left and Rondon through the middle from the start at the moment.

When we pressed with a little bit more force and ambition in the last 15 minutes Leicester started to turn the ball over, but it was way too easy for them up to that point. Gray was poor with and without the ball and was always five yards off where he should have been when pressing, while Allan and Delph have to be cautious when committing as they lack any recovery pace at all - so our press was token at best.

Iwobi was bright and energetic, and in the last half-hour Gordon showed up and displayed some extraordinary close control and clever direct running. Relief is the abiding emotion I have, and I imagine Richarlison might feel the same way. As should Coleman, who had such a glorious chance to equalise and cocked it up royally by basically tackling himself! The fact we managed to somehow score from our next attack really takes the spotlight off him, but make no mistake it was a nosebleed of epic proportions.

Our passing out of defence was tentative and woeful all game, and the long clearance by Pickford (who played very well) ended up being our most regular out-ball. We got away with it today but I wouldn't be surprised to see Keane back for our next home game against Chelsea.

Lampard has had time to work with the squad now, and he had better have a better game plan for Sunday or else we could get battered. Perhaps Richarlison wide, Rondon up top 5-3-2 with wing backs, to counter being over run.

Let's hope Southampton beat Burnley tomorrow.

Burnley's easier run in and having better strikers may finally put an end to that embarrassing, pathetic Grand Old Team song and the Danny La Rue wannabe that has spearheaded our demise.

Two dreadful misses by Richarlison. Ossie reckoned that he was thinking about his celebration when he missed the first. Rondon needs to start if we are to rely on Pickford's big punts up-field. No-one else got near them.

I thought that Gray may have pulled something out of his hat against his old club but he was poor today, continually slowing it down before cutting inside and either running into a crowd or shooting wildly over the bar.

Iwobi and Gordon deserve credit for their energy and attempts to make something happen.

Gordon looked much better in the latter stages and Iwobi stuck to the task all night. Nice to see Dele play a part in something constructive.

Leicester are a better team than us so 1 point is not a bad result. Goal difference could prove critical so I'm expecting 4-5-1 for the next game. Not sure about Chelsea who blow hot and cold.

We got lucky but deserved it due to Leicester time-wasting.

For 75 minutes we gave them so much respect, and just bent over. No tackles, no intensity, and no bottle – and that was home under the lights. Fucking cowards.

Fake jogging, when did that become a thing? Jogging for a ball you've no intention of remotely get.

10 minutes they had a go, and guess what – we rock them back, get the crowd up and create chances.

Don't understand people having a pop at Richarlison. He's the only bit of quality we've got. If anyone is getting us out of the shit tip, it's him. When he's gone, we will be a poorer team for it.

If you want to have a pop, point the finger at Moshiri, the recruitment team, the many managers, and his shithouse teammates. He's going places, the rest aren't.

On the pitch, some notes and thoughts:

- Iwobi was excellent again, imho.
- Richarlison is not a target man. We simply cannot pass it out from the back so we need a target man! Rondon now a must if no Calvert-Lewin.
- Gray's better from the bench against tired legs.
- Mina is a scary dude.
- Seamus has gone, but still gives his all (could have cost us at both ends)

If we play like that against Liverpool, we will get absolutely mullered. For me, I'd experiment against them with kids and benchwarmers. We can at least say they beat the “sub team”, and you never know that could fluke a point like we did at Chelsea. My new team for Sunday:

Begovic
Holgate Keane Branthwaite Godfrey
Dobbin Dele Doucouré Van de Beek Gordon
Rondon

He should start against Liverpool. I'd consider giving Dele a start too.

Overall, a point was a good result considering how poorly we started. It was men against boys for the opening 15 minutes. Just looked at the Richarlison sitter again. How did he miss?!? It was easier to score. I'd have put that away and I ain't played Sunday league in 10 years…

To lay a glove on teams in the Premier League now, you have to be pacey and sorry but Rondon cannot do it. Don't you wonder why Calvert-Lewin has been missing most games and Frank doesn't start him? You are playing with a man short!

Also, those having a go at Seamus imo are wrong. He was excellent, saved us early doors with tracking back and a superb tackle where he injured himself, and was very clever on the ball all game. Got caught out only once.

For the derby, I would go backs-to-the-wall, hard work and just stop them where we can and look for a set-piece opportunity. Sad but that's where we are…

Better effort in the second half when Rondon came on, he knows the art. Precious point in the end. But totally outplayed for long periods of the game. Surprised Leicester didn't create more clear chances.

Frank, in selecting Delph, played right into Leciester's training ground preparation: Delph being targeted, Van de Beek should have started.

Leciester were able to push their defensive line up, compacting and supporting their midfield. Bringing Rondon on stopped Leciester doing this and provided more space in midfield.

Bringing Dele Alli on changed the p!ay that Leciester had prepared for. A goal resulted. Rondon to the rescue!

Getting a point out of this game was an achievement and gave Everton a valuable point.

If they're key men, it shows how poor we are. We haven't had a decent run of results all season and I don't expect to see one now. It's a matter of whose worse between us and Burnley.

I'd have also brought Doucouré on to add more energy because I thought we were really lacking in this department tonight; I was just delighted that the two subs helped get us a point in the end tonight.

Now for Sunday... We lack guile, we lack craft, but somehow we've got to find a team that can at least try and match Liverpool's energy, and that's got to mean using all three subs, whilst also taking Mykolenko out the firing line for this one, because his positional sense seems tailor-made for Salah.

I'm going for the latter.

I don't think it will matter which fucking players are on the pitch for the derby, I just can not see it ending well – I for one am dreading it.

Lampford is turning out to be a naive disappointment of a manager whose tactics are limited and hard to understand and although Rondon was a good sub, Alli did little to impress in the 30 minutes he was on the field and he looked knackered after 10 of those minutes but he did have hand in the goal doing well to get his centre across, and Frank failed to use the third sub again, can't he count!!

All-in-all, a very poor performance by Everton who played like there was nothing to play for with a half-hearted attitude that makes me wonder: Do any of them really care or understand how serious our predicament is?

It seems like I have used that sentence before recently… does anyone care inside the club as much as us fans? It is heartbreaking looking at the players who represent our immediate future and, until the last 10 minutes, didn't look like they had any real fight in them.

So sad looking at them and, all around me, the fans' faces seemed to acknowledge how poor we were. This squad has drained a lot of life and belief out of many lifelong Bluenoses and young fans who have had nothing to celebrate after following them loyally for well over 20 years.

And yet we are still in with a chance of staying up – simply because there are possibly three worse teams than us in the Premier League.

Dele did well and was instrumental in the goal. I was amazed that Frank thought Seamus was so good. Perhaps I missed something during the first half but I saw him fuck things up several times. Richarlison was dreadful – who would be mad enough to buy him?

I am coming back home this weekend and unfortunately will be watching the match with my Red in-laws. They are very circumspect regarding my affiliations. I expect a hiding but hope that somehow we can grind out a draw, denting their ambitions… but Frank needs to sort his head out.

We are far too open and without a proper Number 9, we simply won't score. Bench Gray, play Rondon, bypass midfield and get bodies in their box.

Still amazed we're in this situation. Had we even just drawn against them, we'd be well clear!

How many times do Everton managers, including Lampard, have to play Richarlison in the centre-forward position before they realise he cannot play in that position.

His strength is his willingness to chase and create unusual chances. Hence Richarlsion's two dreadful misses that even Rondon might have scored because Rondon is a natural centre-forward, just like Dobbin. Dobbin, who scored 3 hat-tricks in pre-season, does not even make the bench now.

Also, Gray failed to show up against his old team… surprise, surprise.

Mentioning homework again, Gray only really lasts for 70 minutes before he starts running out of steam and quality. Hence we needed to sub him.

We keep a clean sheet in the last game and you change the defence??? "I like your thinking," says Brendan Rogers.

You need to have better attacking options on that bench and you need to play three subs when you are down. Same team for Sunday and you might just become a legend for the wrong reasons.

Frank, have you actually looked at any of the games we have played so far this season to figure out our strengths and weaknesses 0 or are you just using the 'force'?

Available in charity shops only of course.

We really needed those 3 points and can only hope Southampton and Wolves do us a favour.

Richarlison, great non-stop effort, but he is no centre-forward. He needs someone up top with him.

If we are as open on Sunday as we were tonight, the goal difference will get a hammering.

Mina and Keane back in the middle on Sunday, 4-5-1.

Why did such a talented team as Leicester resort to time-wasting when we were there for the taking? I am pleased they did though and got their justice.

Agree with those regarding Richarlison as a Number 9, he is wasted and we rarely play well with him in that position. Rondon gave us a better shape and made a difference.

Dele looked okay to me, he found space a few times and used the ball well. Still doesn't look 100% fit but is getting better.

So, on to Mordor. Bring it on! UTFT!

It must be getting pretty close to being a fact?

Just don't do it, Frank. Try Rondon, try Alli, try Dobbin. Try anything but don't waste Richarlison by playing him in a position which manages to leave us two players short (left-wing and striker). Richarlison has always been more dangerous off the left – he's a nightmare to deal with when he links up.

Rondon did alright, I thought. His role in the goal is underrated. He was in a Number 9's position occupying a defender - sometimes that's enough. I certainly don't want to see Van Dijk given an easy time so he's a definite starter for me.

Good to see Alli used and looking interested. I actually didn't think anyone had a particularly bad game – just that we weren't really at the races as a team for much of the game.

It's a point gained and at least there was some fight.

Really under pressure now and I just hope that the gods shine down on us and results go our way because this team has turned down so many opportunities to get out of this mess, this being one of them. I think it is 2 vital points dropped not 1 point earned.

Low block required the next game with Holgate, Mina, Keane, Godfrey and if possible a midfield three of Allan, Doucouré and Delph. Load up the centre of the park so there isn't even room for Liverpool to breathe.

Holgate has cost us so many points against West Ham (foul, leading to free kick and goal, bad pass to Iwobi), Man City (he knocked the ball away from Keane and his clearance) and Burnley (his pass out from defence straight to a Burnley player lead directly to their second goal).

Holgate panics and unerringly passes out to the opposing players, bringing another attack onto our defence. I cannot believe Frank has him on the bench.

Might watch the Fly Fishing Championships on Sunday instead – appropriate as I've had a face like a brained trout all season thanks to those horror bags.

Anyway, I digress, I really expected a joined-up performance tonight after the Man Utd victory… sadly, that was not to be, and with Leicester scoring early, it was going to be an uphill struggle. Another goal for Leicester looked more likely than an equaliser for us. Thankfully, we levelled in extra time.

We are almost in that precarious position which I hate, in relying on other results to go our way, rather than get them under our own steam. Still hoping that we can survive!

At this stage of the season, there is nothing wrong in sitting tight, staying organised and hitting teams on the break. The first minute Coleman stopped a clear chance from an easy 1-2 and midfielder runner. Really basic stuff.

As soon as Leicester started to time-waste with about an hour to go, you sensed that we could get something as long as we don't make mistakes.

Every week, I read on here that Coleman is finished. He was my MotM tonight, from start to finish – there isn't another player that wants to win more than him.

God knows how we approach Sunday. I disagree with Tony, Mykolenko should play and man-mark Salah. I would also play a 6-man midfield and try to find Richarlison at every opportunity against their right back.

Come on, The Saints.

What did we do? All stood together, same as we always do. Easier to mark and created the usual scrum as the ball comes in.

Does no one on the coaching staff notice these things? There's enough of them. Or are they all just thick?

So to gilt edge a chance within the first minute for them and then concede only a few minutes after that was absolutely woeful on our part. The crowd was immediately and thoroughly removed as a factor and we gave them everything they wanted for most of the rest of the game. Time, space and the ball.

The response after going down that early was virtually and tellingly non-existent. Earlier in his tenure, Lampard's Everton would start with a cogent plan and then seem to suffer collective amnesia at the 15-minute mark or so. Obviously Lampard has been working on this and stressed sticking and believing in the game plan.

That was probably a big part of why we didn't fold altogether – but ironically it was also the absolute wrong approach today. Why? Because the game plan was dreadful and needed to be changed! But we played the rest of the half minus the ball as if we were mid-table and on level terms; it was bizarre.

Lampard would possibly argue he's been begging the players to remain calm, especially in the face of adversity. But how "calm" translates to an almost contemptuous lack of energy and urgency against a side playing very much within themselves is a circle only Lampard can square. It's beyond me.

Richarlison's first-half miss was almost comically awful, and really summed us and the team's first-half performance up in a few seconds.

The second half was marginally better, but perhaps only because we couldn't play any worse? The ground was so quiet throughout you could hear the individual pieces of abuse and occasional bursts of nonsense from the Foxes fans. ("You'll Never Be Champions of England" – do you want to tell them or should I?) Abuse that became ever more desperate and vitriolic as time wore on. Lampard's halftime instructions must have consisted of "Shoot on sight" as we peppered the Gwladys Street seats with truly dreadful attempts on goal.

Allan deserved to be hooked – he and Delph are a bizarre and painfully slow pairing – but his replacement was not much better.

Clearly Dele Alli is low on form and confidence, and struggling to find a role in this team. Until he played his part in the goal, it seemed his only contribution would be booting Maddison near the touchline (allowing the Foxes to waste even more time).

Rondon did his part, but it seemed as if Leicester had decided one was enough by that stage anyway. And realistically, they should have been almost over the hills and far away by then.

We didn't really show any urgency until stoppage time which was when our goal came. Richarlison did his best to miss what became the equalizer, with a miskicked scuffed deflected effort that somehow ended up going in. Goodison roared into full voice – 3 minutes before the end of the match.

We probably deserved something from the game as the Foxes were so half-arsed and cynical but it felt very much like a point gained rather than two squandered.

I thought Pickford was unusually calm and was noticeably organizing his defenders at set-pieces. Gordon tries hard but faded noticeably in the second half.

We had largely played through Iwobi – in the brief moments we had the ball, that is – within the first half but Dele's introduction seemed to turn Alex invisible. He was a passenger from then on.

Yerry Mina played like someone who doesn't fully trust his body. But we looked better than we have from corners at both ends of the ground with him out there. His encouraging of Richarlison when we had a corner or free kick was I think vital. He – alongside Pickford – are the only two players we have with any real leadership qualities. It should be noted neither of them are exactly Beckenbaueresque though.

Allan was dreadful and offered almost nothing. He played as if he has a transfer lined up he doesn't want to be queered by injury. The exclusion of Calvert-Lewin, Doucouré and Keane altogether I also found odd and has me concerned that Lampard has already lost a chunk of his dressing room.

A valuable point is just that, but I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again. We have neither the right manager in place nor players fit for purpose right now. If not for a truly dreadful three clubs below us, we would already be cast adrift IMO.

Even with that fact in our favour, it will likely come down to the wire or very close to it. Lampard not using his third substitution after 10 days off and with the toughest fixture of the season to come in a few days was alarmingly baffling.

Our away form is no secret and neither is Liverpool's quality. The place to leave it all out there was here and the time to do it was today. Perhaps further evidence of Frank's inexperience in relegation battles?

We'll probably just about get away with it this season, but to what end? It's painfully obvious how much this iteration of Everton is on borrowed time. Smart recruitment, improved off-field performance and accountability and a vast improvement from the manager need to happen because our borrowed time is running terrifyingly short. These are very very dark days indeed.

We're not so much sleepwalking to disaster as driving full speed at it in a supercar. This club needs to change, and it needs to do it as a matter of urgency.

Rondon – Ox in the Box for the winner.
Should have been on from the start.
Gray really disappointing, as was Allan.

If we can't get points on the board, I fear Watford as well as Burnley.

I like Richarlison. he always gives his best. And he scored some spectacular goals (diving header/ bicycle kick). But he really needs to work on the finishing (or composure) when it counts. We can't keep missing those chances if we want to stay up.

A very lucky goal has saved us from a real devastating home defeat with some horrible fixtures in front of us. Richarlison did get the goal via a lucky break but he should be embarrassed with that header late in the game. He is a fully-fledged Brazilian international, for fuck's sake!

So now we have to rely on other results again and not only Southamptonton and Wolves to do us a favour but also Watford.

Every man behind the ball on Sunday and I'll be behind the couch.

Could work in our favour, knowing what we have to do results wise, to Burnley's.

After that first-half performance, which was even more embarrassing than meeting the lads in The Oak, only to find they do not accept card payment over the bar, and no cash in wallet, had to go cap in hand.

That could be a massive point we picked up tonight; we will know more after the Burnley game later today.

Keep Iwobi in the middle of the park, he always plays better down the middle, than out wide.

Watching training videos, although it only looks like a couple of minutes, I am sure they practice putting these types of crosses in all the time. This is the manager's responsibility to tell the player where he wants him to play, and I believe the majority of supporters who have watched him since he was bought will agree he is at his best on the left-hand side.

I am keeping an open mind on Lampard, he has had this squad for over 2 months but the same failings keep popping up: players are good one week and the next they are poor, he can't seem to get a balance in the team.

The passing to other players unless they just play around the back is not good and trying to go forward, pass to a player closely marked.

Today, both teams missed good chances but Everton's were the easier. We can't afford to miss chances like this as there is not long left, and pressure causes mistakes when you are struggling.

1) Four big lads at back plus Doucoure, Alli, and Rondon gives us a fighting chance at set-pieces (albeit can't recall us scoring from them).

2) Only 2 of these considered “first choice” by Frank… play the subs to give us at least an excuse when we get battered.

3) The only other options are Coleman (legs gone) and Kenny (debatably worse than Holgate).

On the goal, I read some criticism earlier, but looking at it again, he does the basics right. Okay, not the cleanest strike but he does what you are taught from a young age. Take the chance early, hit the target and shoot across the goal aiming for the corner as the keeper should be covering near post.

We salvaged something. We're on course to get the 4 points I wanted by Sunday, just the hard way! Anyone who hasn't got the stomach, give me a shout and I will take your place.

After that, Frank then does one over his former club (see you there), then Leicester, Watford, Brentford and Palace.

Right now, I don't care how we do it, just do it.

By the Arsenal match, I want to be relaxed enough to go early at half-time and get that half-time drink off that lady in the Upper Bullens that she has denied me all season!!

I think the issue is (and I realised it again last night) that we can't. It's an inevitable hoof from Pickford or a centre-back. Against 2 big centre-backs, he hasn't got a hope. If he's played there it needs to be next to another big fella.

I'd actually go a front 3 of Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Rondon and accept this is how we need to play for now. However, not against Liverpool as toe-to-toe in 4-3-3 would be disastrous.

Just re-watched the highlights. Some of those missed chances were criminal. Gray went close. That would have been a screamer.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic with that or some may say negative, but I think it's most realistic.

I don't see us winning another away game, maybe a point at Watford that's it.

Who knows whether it will be enough to stay up, I can see it being more in Burnley's hands than ours given the two teams fixtures remaining.

For me, it all comes down to missed chances and playing Richarlison as centre forward. I know he scored at the end (more luck than judgement though IMO) but the chances he misses at CF when he plays there are criminal at times. This has been true in other games too as well as last night. We should have really won by a goal or two last night with the chances we had and be revelling in a much needed win.

He is just not a striker and not clinical enough - especially for this team where he might only get 1 or 2 chances a game. He is much better on the left wing in general too in terms of the team shape/his overall effectiveness.

Until Lampard starts playing another actual striker when DCL is out, then we will keep missing key chances to score that cost us in games. If he doesn't fancy Rondon so much, he must give Dobbin a go who knows how to score.

The other thing which I think has hampered us all season is the huge break inbetween games we seem to have at times. It would have been much better to play fairly soon after the Utd win when confidence was high and the team were in a rhythm. Not much anyone can do about that though!

Was saying on the way home last night to my mates, for whatever reason DCL was un-available, be it an injury or attitude, but had he been available, then surely he would have played, so why didn't Frank go like for like from the start and play Rondon? Richarlison simply cannot play the centre forward role, he was totally isolated when balls were being pumped up to him, and if he did win a header then he was chasing his own flick on. Frank brings Rondon on, and his first header won creates a chance for Richarlison. Like him or hate him, Rondon can be a nuisance if nothing else. Should Rondon start on Sunday? I don't know, but Virgin Van Dick has to be kept occupied somehow, and maybe Rondon can do that. A front three of Gordon, Rondon and Richarlison, leaving Rondon up front throughout the match, with Richarlison and Gordon covering back when the RS are on the attack.

Dare we be as brave as what Leicester did last night, and leave three up front when defending a corner? They had three players on the halfway line, one each almost hogging each touchline, and one on the centre spot, when we had corners. This of course, means we had to keep at least three players back to mark them. Would make the penalty area a little congested, and less chance of the RS divers falling over when breathed upon.

Anyway, I'm still confident of avoiding the Big R. Chelsea will rollover for Frank, and victories against Palace, Brentford and Watford, along with a draw at Leicester and we can all go to Arsenal in a relaxed mood. 🤞🤞🤞🤞

I have been calling for Rondon to start for about 5 or 6 weeks now. Frank seemingly doesn't rate him. He should definitely start him at Anfield.

If he plays Richarlison up front, Van Dijk will stomp on him in the first 5 minutes. Rondon has been round the block a few times – he will keep Van Dijk occupied and I reckon he would score.

I commend you for your optimism – depending on tonight's result it could go all the way to the wire.

James @82, it's usually my bad planning or bad luck. I always seem to be that person who finally gets to the front of the queue as they stop serving. No negotiation, no sympathy, no drink.

Big game for us tonight. I think I'm more nervous about Burnley v Southampton.

Yet without Dele chasing down Pickford's long ball, battling for control of the ball, getting to the goaline + firing in that cross, we end up with no points.

Something to consider.

But Rondon looks like he wants to play and he's also prepared to fight, and probably because this is something he does naturally.

It's costing us dearly up front but he sees things differently to most on here. I'll trust him to get it right for Sunday. To beat them would be my cup final this season. At this stage, those 3 points would so vital, as good as a cup! UTFT

If we play Allan and Delph on Sunday, we will take a hiding. Get another game into Mina, bring Van de Beek back in, and give Dele Alli some minutes. Watford, Palace and Brentford are the target games, anything from the other 4 games will be a bonus.

Let's just fall across the line and then start the rebuild.

Like a lot of posters, I'd like to see Richarlison move over to the Left wing; but I think that since DCL got injured, it was either Richarlison, or an unfit Rondon take the CF spot from early on in the season. As for the injuries we've had, it's by far the worst injury crisis of the Premier Div, a big reason in our demise; but recruitment over the last five or so years, of unsuitable players, is unbelievably poor.

Where we are now? Well, I believe Rondon got an unfair assessment from a lot of posters in here. I think he was played when patently unfit. He is to me, the best option we have as a CF and we should use him as such. Richarlison is a marked man and takes a battering off opposition teams: but I think he's partially brought this on himself by going down as though he's been pole axed, at the slightest touch. Get him out on the wing and take some of the weight off his shoulders.

Anyway, back to last night, I went for a jeff Hurst when the 5 mins of extra time sign went up and decided to wait for my mates by the Upper Bullens tea bar. Hearing the massive roar, I just felt relief that we'd got another precious point that might just save us from relegation.

Whatever happens, I hope to the gods that there is a bloody great revolution in this club of ours, to ensure that never again, are we in such a mess as we are now.

And that starts with binning our Chairman; and sorting out our Board to get men and women in who know how to run a football club!

I'm not sure Rondon is going to get much change physically from the big Dutch donkey and whoever's with him though. Maybe thinking give Dobbin a go and hope he has enough pace to get past the high line too. What's to lose?

With their easier run in, with Weghorst, Cornet better defenders and possibly keeper Burnley are going to run us to the end. Anfield will be humiliation (again) and Arsenal away last day (last win there was Joe Royle, that name again). Gunners could also be needing win for 4th place.

In a nutshell I seriously feel that our time is up. The squad is absolutely pitiful, and injuries have taken their toll.

A special mention for Messrs Kenwright, Moshiri, Koeman and Walsh. I'm not spiritual, but they can all Go To Hell!

I think that Walsh had a great record with Leicester and the players he got for them, and I heard there were several players who he wanted at Everton: but was knocked back by Koeman and Kenwright and maybe Moshiri too. As for him (Moshiri) my view is that we'd have been in an even worse mess without his money coming into the club.
I think Koeman was a distrastous choice by Moshiri, who's made some poor choices, but without him, we'd not have a stadium at the Bramley Moore...no matter which division we end up in!

If I was picking the team for Sunday it would be 4 4 1 1

Pickford
Coleman, Mina, Godfrey, Mykolenko
Gordon, Allan, Delph, Richarlison
Alli,
Rondon.

No use trying to finesse it against them - fight fire with fire.

Of course they are a very good side, in form, and with better individuals all over the pitch - but they probably need a win more than we need a point. If we set up properly and continue to be focused, well-organised and competitive all over the pitch then it won't be the cakewalk that others are predicting. Strange things can happen. Luck will play a part. If we can get to half-time without conceding then it could be very interesting indeed.

Whilst there might be some truth in that. Players like Gomes and Delph after a good game become targets. As a matter of fact if one Everton Midfielder is targeted they fold like a deck of cards.

Rodgers would have been pleased with the Everton line out , being relevent to his training ground work. Add to that a after a break Everton after their prolonged stay at the Finch Farm Holiday camp. I am surprised that anything else would have been expected. 'After the break 'performances have had that attitude for years.

Getting a point is a bonus.

I agree.

It's not' after a break' – there will be space in midfield. , Rondon may lead the attack, preventing Liverpool's support play.

A load of words there to describe why Rondon should play on Sunday and why he should have had a lot more game time since Lampard became manager, Rondon will upset the Liverpool defence and create space for others and maybe get a chance himself.

Allan and Delph were very good versus United because United were slow all over the field, Leicester, last night were speedy from defence to attack and those two, together, simply couldn't cope with speed that Leicester used, Liverpool will be faster and more lethal than Leicester so I would leave one of the two out, Delph would be my selection with Doucoure and one from de Beek or Iwobi, Iwobi wasn't bad last night but there were many traces of the old Iwobi last night and we can do without that fella but his energy would be useful if the new Iwobi turns up, but we must pack the midfield and conserve our energy because it will be a very long ninety minutes but we can frustrate Liverpool as long as we don't try and attack too much or without any real purpose like last night and leave ourselves open for them to break out, especially from any corners we might get or attacking without leaving sensible cover.

Big Sam did this twice at Anfield, horrible to watch but got a 1-1 draw in the league and lost 2-1 in the cup from a Pickford cock up at a corner when we could have even have snatched a win.

This has been a season of the utmost misery whilst for the RS absolutely
the opposite. RS score goals for fun and Everton get outplayed almost every game.

We hope before every game that they can put in a good defensive shift but they fail every time so why should the next game be any different except that RS are in destructive mode and breathing fire.

Towards the end of every season you get a few crazy results here and there but it never happens to Everton-right !!

If we put out 11 defenders and forget about scoring we would still lose this game. It's not about our shaky back four but the whole team who just can't seem to play as a tight unit in the middle of the park as shown against the Foxes and many other games.

The basics, marking, tackling and passing are way substandard and way behind all the other teams. When Everton try to pass the ball out from the back as seems to be the norm these days they are woefully slow and just invite trouble.

Expecting a miracle on Sunday just to get a point but it won't happen.

At least the players kept plugging away. The effort was always there. It was all too frantic though and the lack of quality and composure continues to haunt us. Tonight we were outclassed in the opening stages by a team with fast, agile, skilful opponents playing to a defined pattern and within a clear structure. After such a poor start out team did well, first to stay in the game defensively, and then claw their way into it as an attacking force as the game wore on.

Oh, and by the way, Stuart Attwell is the referee, and Jon Moss is fourth official, with Darren England on VAR.

Our 'winnable' games don't come until the last week of the season and I fear that we will be ensconced in the bottom three by that stage and our lilly livered players wont have the mental capacity to cope in the must win games. The pressure will simply overwhelm them.

If Burnley take 4 points from their next two home games and we are as expected hammered by the RS on Sunday, then come the end of the weekend we will be in the bottom 3 at Anfield (so Everton), with Chelsea to play next. Not good.

I keep thinking about sublime moments such as Iwobi's error and Keanes sending off at West Ham and the comical last goal and loss of a lead at Bunley and cant help but think they will go down in the annals of history as turning points that defined our relegation. These events combined with the farcical and chaotic ownership, money wasting, disorganised nature of the whole operation, revolving management door and deluded Chairman with his stupid comments about the Everton way will all align and combine to put the final nail in our coffin.

An awful feeling pervades me. Not even thinking about the expected slaughter on Sunday afternoon, now wheres the Jack Daniels??

There is always a chance that we could win but that is unlikely.

So we should instead try to make ourselves as hard to beat as possible.

A draw would be an excellent result.

A defeat not so much obviously but a slender defeat is not a terrible result given that both Everton and Burnley currently have -19 goal difference.

What we must avoid at all costs is a heavy defeat like against Spurs.

Personally, I would play a very deep, unambitious 433 / 451/ 4411 of.

Pickford
Coleman
Mykolenko
Keane
Mina
Allan
Doucoure
Delph
Richarlison
Gordon
Rondon

And I would instruct the players to foul, waste time, moan, disrupt play etc from minute 1. Safety first, long ball, play for set pieces and knock downs / 2nd balls.

I want this to be an awful footballing spectacle which becomes increasingly frustrating for the RS players, manager and crowd.

Who knows, we might just sneak it with a header from a corner.

Hope I am wrong.

If we replicate Athletico Madrid that's fine with me. My worry though is the ability of the players to execute. Utd went there with 7 defenders and or defensive mids with a similar plan. They didn't execute well and essentially defended poorly for 90 minutes and conceded 4 goals. I fear that if we go defensive we may suffer a similar fate but if we are more adventurous we might lose 6-2 instead of 4-0. I'm not feeling optimistic. We need a Wayne Clarke moment when we stopped their steamroller of consecutive wins in the 80s.

Yesterday, he let us all down with his concentration because you don't need to be a Number 9 to tap that ball in or get a head on that perfect unchallenged ball. He has let us down a lot with his scoring opportunities this season and needs 3 chances at least. Let's hope that changes soon.

We can only try and be very organized and disciplined against these bastards on Sunday and play for a point plus dent their hopes. No use trying to venture forward too often as we will get slaughtered. Goal difference could be crucial as we once again look to other teams to do us Favours.

We may all need to have a look at Fulham right now and our former manager Marco Silva. He was doing nothing with us and we, in our demand for immediate success, quality football and results etc called for him to go.

I'm not saying he is going to light the world up but he has had Fulham playing nice football and scoring lots of goals (40 for Mitrovic) in a division we are scared may be too good for us should we be relegated.

My point being is that we need to allow Frank Lampard time to find his way and learn the trade. He's a very intelligent guy with great knowledge of the game and a clear winner's mentality. It's not his fault the club's a mess and if it's not a big enough job for him with these shit players we have then he's also got to deal with The dickheads in control of the club plus the hangers-on at the club.

Let's not scream for his head because we will end up back at square one looking for the messiah to help us out. He ain't out there.

Back to the talk of the derby and who we play in goal and up front well if we really want to cause a stir then play Bergovic in goal and Pickford can go up front just do Van Dickhead again. (Only when we are 2 up with 1 minute left of course.)

We are not a savvy team……and you're right, we need to learn to be one. Quickly. Just not sure we'll get an “anti-homer” ref at Mordor in the same way we do in every match at goodison.

There are certainly question marks over whether Lampard can organise a defensive display. But he needs to do it. Not just this game but away generally.

Too many losses, not enough draws is really killing us.

I believe the players are capable of a deep, boring defensive performance - because they did it routinely and successfully for Ancelotti.

So really it's up to Lampard.

If the team can nick perhaps two victories and eek out draws in other matches that may prove enough, the longer the club has matters in their own hands the better, but following the Burnley game we would have been happy with four points from the next two home games, six would have been better, but we didn't play well enough to earn that many points. As I've said before, If Everton matches or betters the results of Watford and Burnley in the run-in, we'll be fine, it won't be an easy ride and it would have been much easier had we a) beaten Burnley rather than Man United b) won last night.

I don't believe that anybody on the planet expects much for Everton from Sunday's game and it may have to be a case of damage limitiation and regroup for the Goodison encounter with Chelsea. As badly as we played last night there were enough chances created to have won the game.

There were murmurings of disquiet last night at Goodison and whilst it was understandable it wasn't at all helpful, we have to try and urge the players on in every game, but most importantly the players have to show more than they did in the first-half against Leicester.

Where there's life there's hope!

Nope. Now is not the time for experiments with emotion. The players need to know that performances are key, and that opportunities to start will be on the basis of form, effort and tactics.

I thought Alli did well last night, and he might be in the reckoning for a start against Liverpool, but nobody should be guaranteed a shirt until the end of the season. If ever.

Emotions are to the fore – and some on here are already looking back at things that have already happened as being telling nails in our eventual coffin. I hope the players and the coaching staff do not have such pessimism at the forefront of their minds.

It is all to play for, and the home game v Chelsea will be very winnable if performance levels are good.

Mykolenko is improving with every game. Do we stick with Delph and Allan or Allan and Doucouré? The latter for me.

We should thank our lucky stars that Leicester for whatever reason, then started to resort to time wasting, make no mistake, we were dead and buried had Leicester pushed on and continued to take the game to us.

For whatever reason nearly every single Everton player was off the boil, even Gordon, Mykolenko being one of the very few that showed up for the first half.

That was certainly the worst game I have seen Gray play, Allan as well.

The second half changed, once we brought Rondon on, he made their centre half work and freed up space for others.

Once again Iwobi ran his balls off,whatever stick Iwobi has endured,he is again one of the few that has rolled his sleeves up these last few weeks, looks like the penny has finally dropped of playing Iwobi in the middle, than out wide.

We have to start Rondon on Sunday, not even debatable, he will be a nuisance to their defence, and create space for other players.

If we play Richarlison as a loan striker, vvd may as well bring his flip flops and deck chair, it will be the easiest outing he has had all season, let Rondon lead the line and niggle vvd, that is our only hope in hell.

That last night could turn out to be a massive point, be thankful of it.

As for Lampard, I think it's more a matter of lets see what players we can sell/give away/retire and who we can bring in to start the rebuild. And let him have the chance of recruiting some replacement for some of the puddin's we have now.

All we've got now is the fit players in this current crop, so, I think we have to get on with it. We can't bring in another manager this season, so we've got to get behind who we've got.

Sorry, too emotional.

Granted he missed two chances... but he never went missing and saved the game for us.

Where did you get your coaching badges?

Why frustration over last night? We got a point and lucky with that!

The players will put a shift in Sunday.

Better days are ahead! Stay positive all!

Me ? I'd say they began in the late 1980s.

My worry is he's just set in his ways and he will play Iwobi. Robert's team is a very good defensive team. We got a right good draw at Chelsea. Me personally, I think we will win against the Red Shite.

All the vitriol directed at Benitez and there Frank sits below him as we all have turned into waiters looking for him to show us some signs of improvement. The claims that it is the players' fault entirely begs for some rephrase or retraction of the over-the-top criticism of Ancelotti and Benitez.

We will be in a mess with regard to this roster and our financial position for some time. Dyche has proven he can sustain a club in the Premier League with less than Frank has to work with.

The rather open style of play that Frank insists on is not well suited for our present roster and we can't turn it over in one or two windows. I would like us to stay up while we turn over the squad and Dyche provides a greater probability of that outcome than Lampard.

We haven't got the players to football us out of this. I worry we haven't the nasty bastards either. Come on Southampton, we actually did you a favour stealing Koeman!

I agree mick the players are not good enough. I am not closely qualified to question tactics or player selection but I see no improvement either end defensively or attacking.

Limited funds may see Frank jump ship anyway. He has ambition and knows the group currently will struggle next season. Our expectations over reality as fans are there to see. Our squad has neither the ability or bite to win matches on a consistent basis. A top manager wants top players. Reality, we are skint unless we sell with a new ground coming.

However, first thing first. Staying up is a must. How we stay up next season is another matter. All I know is being a fan of this club can be exhausting.

Beat Burnley and we're square.

Lampard should keep us up but narrowly. He should then stay on and develop us in the same way Arteta has developed Arsenal - with better football and by better coaching. No point chopping and changing managers again if Lampard does his job.

Anyway, come on Saints!!

Absolutely spot on. We are definitely slipping down the order within the Premier League but it's imperative that we stay in the league and being hard to beat will become a necessity.

Can Frank oversee this... well getting beat at Burnley when you are leading was really poor management.

I like the guy and he seems to like Everton but he needs to be able to put out a team who can grind out a draw, even when you are getting battered.

Just a thought, if Moshiri who knows nothing about football, hadn't been so pig-headed to appoint Benitez and given Howe the job he wanted, where would we be in the table now? Romeu has missed 2 sitters.

Rodgers knew what he was doing last night, why did he rest 7 players against Newcastle and play them last night?

As for Southampton, Hasenhuttl doesn't like us, and a personal friend of Shergar (Klopp) and was Cork not in an offside position, in front of the keeper? Our friend the VAR said No!

Derek at 137, Everton bought Schneiderlin from the Manc red shite.

Bobby thinks we will win on Sunday, I hope he is right and would love to know what he's been drinking. It will be all over after 20 minutes.

A little less Fraser, a little more Corporal Jones, please.

At the same time, and especially in the Burnley defeat and the likes of last nights game, it is awful mistakes that have cost us dearly along with terrible finishing. These are by the players Lampard has inherited and I don't know if any manager could get better out of these shower of shitbags.

Injuries have not helped but we are generally so poor that Iwobi and Rondon are being called to be starters in our team. Two of the worst players to ever put a blue shirt on. Iwobi may have a chance to change because he's young but he's not gonna dominate a midfield.

Burnley I think, have actually realized that Dyche had sort of accepted their status as overachievers and made a change for a more positive mindset. They have very strong battlers and we are seeing it now.

We are in deep shit but let's not start calling for another managerial change in the hope that these shit players are all of a sudden come up trumps.

Character. Heart. Personified.

I've said for about 3 weeks or so now, Leeds isn't out of this by a long shot.

Keep hope alive.

We could, quite easily, be in the relegation zone after May 8th. And yes, there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

But even if that is the landscape after the Leicester game, our final four games should see us rise above either Burnley or Leeds. If we're not above them, then the magic number will be near 39/40 points, and I don't see both Burnley and Leeds getting there frankly.

It's ugly right now. But the sun still shines, and it will until the Fat Lady sings.

I work with a Leeds fan who is very concerned by their run in.

It just shows that no game is predictable, even Sunday. If we score first, that would send them all loopy.

And just as Burnley are playing well, we ain't. But not playing well, we've still taken 7 points from the games against Man Utd, Leicester and Newcastle, which is amazing really.

I really thought Burnley wouldn't win tonight, so we really are on the rollercoaster ride from hell, right to the finish. You poor bastards.

If Villa beat Burnley, they are safe. But if not, their remaining matches, aside from Norwich, look really tough. COYB

You're correct about Sunday. We score first, and I think it will be a massive, massive thing. People overestimate the "first goal" often, but in this case I think if we can find a way to score first, they'll get very concerned, very quickly.

Look, smart money says they'll win. Let's be honest. There's very few objective people on earth who think Everton will come away from Mordor with anything.

But could you imagine if we pull the upset ('Merican speak...), help solidify our position from relegation, and destroy their chances at the League?

Sounds like an opportunity in the face of adversity to me!

Our goal difference will take a hiding on Sunday and we are hoping again for Wolves this time to do us a favour. Leeds are on an upward spiral, as are Burnley. But we don't need any favours, do we?

“The worst thing Everton can offer us now is hope.”

It is all to play for and you are already “at peace with the inevitable”? Why are so many of our fans such comfortable losers, tapping out when the pressure gets real?

How you can rate yourself as England team player with that performance? You were fucking shite.

No pressure, enjoy yourselves.

I was disappointed 70 years ago when we last were relegated. but I remember many enjoyable games in the Second Division. All Clubs have bad spells so just think on: "What goes round, comes round." COYB

The problem will be that, living in North America (Canada), it has taken years to get the Premier League on TV, and this season and for the next 3/4 years all Premier League games are available by subscription.

I don't believe that the Championship games will be available, so there will be an awful lot of supporters who live abroad that are going to be very disappointed.

Then we can put this relegation talk to bed and have a holiday. Really is as simple as that!!

It's not over, hope has been our saviour for decades.

How I long for a Top 10 finish! Those were the days!!!

Positive thoughts!!

Calls for Lampard to go are ridiculous and even worse for Dyche to be installed. Dyche is a very blunt down-to-earth hard-working northern Englishman who most of our squad would fail to understand and he would scare most of them to death. Even if he could rescue us, what then? We would be calling for his head next season and, once again, ignore the clear issue at the helm of the club.

Let Frank get on with it and do some long term planning for this club. He has average players at his disposal who are set in the easy-going Everton way and he's trying to coach them, even though most would leave us at the drop of a hat. They don't care, apart from the obvious ones like Coleman and Gordon.

What he can't do is be on the pitch making tackles for them or actually putting the ball in the back of the net for them. Most of them are thick and can't take instructions. How they got this far in the profession and earned fortunes is beyond belief.

The only hope we really have from here on is to beat the poorest teams we have left to play and hope results go our way.

In the meantime that gormless fucker in the Main Stand should be given hell at every opportunity for just hanging around pretending to be big time whilst the club has become a shambles.

These internecine quarrels are a perhaps an inevitable byproduct of a long and difficult period in which to be an Evertonian.

Objectively and somewhat obviously, both sides are very much in the wrong here. Neither side of the argument can win because it's an inherently flawed argument to begin with. Unless Kenwright or Moshiri or Koeman are on here under a pseudonym then it's fairly clear. None of us are responsible for what has happened to our once great football club.

Thus nobody here should assign blame to a fellow poster for what has sadly transpired. Turning on each other or losing ones rag are excellent real world examples of defense mechanisms in operation - examples my second year psych student niece is gleefully using in an assessment she is doing for her course - but they don't stand up to intellectual scrutiny.

I'd just like to urge all the posters here to try and think a bit more before posting. The only place that really suffers is sadly this actual website itself. A few have recently noted the departure of regular voices and the falling number of comments across the site. An environment where people go to routinely lash out at others is very much an environment most of us would try to avoid in our physical, day to day lives. The online space is not so very much different.

We all care, and we're all hurting. But let's not damage this website or drive away any more of our wonderful userbase. Because our club has been seemingly ruined on and off the pitch does not mean we have to extend the same treatment to here, or indeed to each other.

Whatever will happen on the pitch will happen. For those who are not match going Blues we have no influence over events there whatsoever. The players shall not hear cheers or boos from those of us who are forced or choose to watch on a screen.

But we certainly have control over our actions and words on here. Let's make ToffeeWeb great again, that's entirely within all of our sphere of influence. Let's build ToffeeWeb back better.

Let's drop the misguided if entirely understandable in the circumstances blame game. For if our worst fears are realized, many Evertonians will need this site more than ever.

Let's get behind them as a unit on TW, like the match attending fans do, so no fingers of blame can only be misdirected.

We had an off day against Leicester, for whatever reason. If ever we need all to be singing from the same sheet, it is Sunday. Whoever we are playing then!

We have other games we can win.

It's disheartening when other teams get points, but they are in the same position as ourselves, fighting for their lives, and unless Everton just die on their feet, then I expect a few more twists and turns before the season finishes.

However hard it is, I still think the only thing we can do is get behind the bastards, and hope they can get enough points to survive. I think we should be past playing the blame game anyway, but that's because I think that divide & conquer has been around at Everton for way to long, and has definitely contributed to us being in this current predicament right now.

We all have our own opinions and mine is that Everton had enough chances to score a few goals the other night. How many of those chances were created by good football?

Gordon robbed a Leicester player to put it on a plate for Richarlison, who also should have scored from a corner. Mina had a header from a set-piece. Richarlison had another chance off Rondon's flick-on that came from the boot of Pickford, as did our goal which Alli doing well to chase down and keep alive the play.

Gray also had a decent effort from a well-worked corner, but Everton never created much from trying to be intricate, and I think we should take a leaf out of Liverpool's book and go and try and play and force mistakes in the opposition's half.

I'm certain that's how we also threw away 3 points at Burnley, who just fought and scrapped to stay in the game, even though they would have known we were playing much better than them, and also that they just couldn't have out-footballed us.

"We have other games we can win."

I believe if we realistically want to retain Premiership status, that should read “We have other games we must win.”

Yes, I agree with what you're saying and we should've won against Leicester, especially the miss from Richarlison. What I was trying to say was I think Lampard wants to play nice football but at the moment that needs to be put on the back burner and we just become if you like 'Dogs of War' again, for every game. I only mentioned Liverpool as it's our next game.

Derek #182,
Yes, absolutely that's correct – they are must-win games.

I think he will be the manager of Everton in the Championship next season.

It does seem to be more a case of just for the sake of it, rather than having any real belief in what we are doing, imo, especially in the games where it's obvious that the opposition are so much more fluent than us when they have the ball.

Thanks. Yes we don't seem to have those players, especially the midfield that dictates play, we saw that in the first 20 minutes against Leicester when they had a lot of the ball.

The other thing I find odd is how many games we seem to start very slowly and it takes either a goal from the opposition or a half-time teamtalk to get them to play with more urgency.

Is that down to lack of confidence, do you think?

The selection in midfield is going to be critical for the reasons you have given.

It's become that simple.

Every other game if we pick up points, great. If we don't, it won't determine our fate.

Watford, Brentford, Palace.

Have you seen Burnley's fixtures? They could win most of them.

Great to have a loyal and pessimistic supporter like you, and you think Dyche is the answer.

I'd start Van de Beek on Sunday ahead of Allan, we need a playmaker in midfield, and play Richarlison on the left instead of Gray, with Rondon upfront.

I have. Here's the thing I keep saying. I don't see both of Burnley and Leeds taking 12 (Burnley) / 9 (Leeds) points from their last six games.

Villa will want to beat Burnley once, and will, to solidify their safety. I see Burnley picking up 9 points: Villa, Watford, Newcastle. Their key game is against Wolves in my opinion coming up next. Beat Wolves, and I could see them finishing on 39.

Leeds, frankly, are fucked. They have 9 max points out of Palace, Brentford, and Brighton. Lose any of those three and they finish on 39.

I don't see both of them doing that. Hence, if we get to 38, I think we'll be safe.

But yes, Burnley has the "easier" run in.

Watford beat us 5-2 at our place, and we've been looking steadily worse since then; Palace have beaten us 3-1 in the league and 4-0 in the cup this season, and Brentford beat us 1-0 at their place. The only glimmer of hope is that we beat Brentford in the cup at home.

I admire some people's optimism, but there's very little evidence to support it. I just hope you're right and I'm wrong.

If we lose to any of Watford, Brentford, or Palace, we deserve to go down. I see that as simple truth.

We can't win away from home so that just leaves our home fixtures, and it shows how poor we have been as all 3 teams below us have beaten us.

We are fighting against relegation because we are one of the poorest teams in the Premier League. We have missed opportunities to be clear of the position we are in because of poor management, lack of discipline and fight in the squad, and yes injuries,

I still believe we will stay up, but it is going to take a lot more fight and determination in the players, and better game management from the manager that we have not seen so far.

Yes, I appreciate that we are generally garbage but we may just turn it on at the next game. To me, as a supporter, I will give it my all to try and roar the team to victory in the hope that the players respond. The time for an inquisition is once the final Premier League placings have been decided. Other than for debating reasons, there is little point until then.

Every game is winnable, all teams have an off day and a very good day at some point. You never know, perhaps Sunday will be that day.

UTFT

We've had our fair share of bad luck, with injuries and VAR and how the fixtures have fallen at times but, over the course of the season, I think we're one of the worst three in the Premier League.

I said a while back that, since Lampard took over, it's been like he's singing Ten Green Bottles. After every defeat, he's said "ten games to go... nine games to go… eight games to go" etc. Well, we're running out of bottles now.

I think the team are trying hard, but they're frightened, they're confused, and their ill-equipped to deal with what's facing them. If I was in charge, I'd bring in some of the players who haven't been central to the position we're in. Start Rondon, start Dele, start Van de Beek, even start El Ghazi. They might be carrying less baggage then the likes of Gordon, Gray and Iwobi.

I have a horrible feeling it may come down to something as painful as goal difference and, if it does so, then it may be to our detriment.

I rather hate Moshiri and Kenwright et al for putting us in this position. It's intensely stressful. Though maybe in some perverse way, that is what football fans crave?! Mostly at this point in previous seasons, I'm losing interest in the Premier League as we drift to another mid-table disappointment.

Personally I really don't want us to go down – who the hell does!!! But if it does happen, then getting depressed and shouting at the forums about 'blame' isn't going to do fuck all.

The biggest issue is the debt and the stadium. Moshiri will need to 'continue Plan A' and hope we come straight back up, or he'll have to look for a buyer on the cheap who can take over the project now and accept his loses.

Unfortunately I think he'll try Plan A, and we will see no fundamental change for the Championship (other than maybe yet another new manager) and I think that should be a No from all of us. If we go down, this board needs to go. All of it. Not just Kenwright but Moshiri too. The club will survive and we will be back.

How many times have we seen doomed clubs get poor luck, decisions go against them or absurd or freakish goals go against them... we see it every season. Those desperate for a bit of luck always seem to get the wrong end of the stick. So far that's not happened to us, which, with my crazy logic tells me the door is open.

Anfield. Game plan? Do the opposite of what they expect. Get physical. Stop the midfield playing. Dish out what Dick the Dyke loves to do to us. Let Salah and Moana know they are being marked.

They will target Seamus so make sure he always has cover... play Rondon and Dobbin on the bench and use him. Doucoure and Allan in the middle of the park with Van de Beek, Mina and Keane.

But most of all, energy and closing down. Physical midfield, compact but deep, stop the through-balls from the full-backs. We can do this because no one is expecting us to. Least of all, them.

Like I have said many times before, expect the unexpected from Everton, never cease to surprise us.

We have been in this position before, always found a way out, no one gave us a cat in hells chance, when we were near the bottom, when Royle took over and had a Goodison derby, Liverpool are on fire, but all the pressure is on them, if we can frustrate them, you just never know… Sigurdsson leveller in the game there… Jagielka screamer… last season – it can be done.

To frustrate and niggle them, we have to start with Rondon in attack, give Pickford someone to aim for.

As for the three games in question later on, best looking at one game at a time, I would rather be in Everton's position a point clear and a game in hand, than Burnley's.

It is still in our own hands, one final push, an unlikely hero stepping up, a Horne, a Farrelly… could it be Rondon, Iwobi, Delph.

Keep the faith, Blues.

Are you forgetting Burnley have been in the Bottom 3 for most of the season and he's been sacked by them!

What makes you think he can improve us? He couldn't organise Burnley's defence, what makes you think he could improve ours?

Give your head a wobble.

Benitez put us in this position, Benitez played and flogged Rondon to death when he arrived.

And absolutely no to Dyche. Burnley put in their best performance of the season last night cos they let the handbrake off and went for it, none of the defensive shite and thuggish football that was the norm under Dyche.

I certainly don't want to watch that shit again, the shit that the kopite subjected us to.

If we go down, it's fuck-all to do with Lampard – the damage was done a long time before he got here. He will get my 100% support as long as he is here. No more changing managers, it has got us nowhere.

We don't have a divine right to be in the Premier League and if we go down, I'll accept it and be back next season for more.

Chris Corn above, I haven't got any coaching badges but what I have got is 50 years ofwatching Everton and, as far as I'm concerned, they were 2 absolute sitters what he missed – inexcusable for a Brazilian international, the team's talisman.

Many congratulations to the Wales Under-18 lads: first Centenary shield since '81... remember the name, folks... Josh Williams — I've already emailed the club about him!

Frank Lampard needs to be in charge next season. In his first full season at Chelsea, he finished fourth and got to the FA Cup final. In his second season he was top at Christmas before a mini collapse saw Chelsea lose 5 from 8 games, I think it was, before getting the bullet. His team did go on to win the champions league that season as well. So it's clear that Frank can organise and set up a winning team, providing he has quality players to choose from. If we go down, then it is no way his fault, it's the players that he inherited who are to blame.

Perhaps the post reads wrong, it is just an interpretation of what I think will happen if we fail to survive.

I think we have looked like a team caught between two stations for a long time now, and the only time we have looked solid was when Ancellotti got us playing very deep but compact, which incidentally was how we played against Man City, in what was probably the team's best display under Lampard?

Whilst some press, others stay deep, and this is creating division, and loads of space for the opposition to play, and it's also making it look like we haven't been properly coached in having a real game plan, but this has been going on for years now imo.

Unpopular view, but I think Benitez would have done okay with a fit Calvert-Lewin and Mina plus Sigurdsson being available.

The consistent theme here is that our players aren't very good. But hopefully Lampard and coaching staff can remind these average / poor players how to pick up points away.

Benitez has to be the worst manager in our entire history. Absolute shit show of a choice of manager.

Lampard is consistently showing his overall inexperience of being in the bottom half of the table. Likeable guy. Good coach. Not what we really needed for the 2nd half of this season. After this season, he may well be a relative success here. Whatever league we're in...

These players are spineless, gutless and just plain shit. That defence is the worst we've had since the '90s and even the players from the '90s had more heart and determination.

The midfield is slow, weak, consistently show an inability to pass and find their own players and most can't shoot.

The forwards play for themselves instead of supporting each other.

The blame for everything above is the Chairman, owner and board. In that order. We have a substandard board and this is reflected on the pitch. Everton FC once had standards. Once had an identity. Once had a heart and soul. The only good thing about this club is us!

Fucking nobhead of a club

Ancelotti is a very wily old Italian but the thing that I couldn't understand about him, Robert, was why he didn't adopt the same tactics at Goodison as he adopted away from home? If he did, we might have even got in the Champions League, and that would have been some feat with most of these players, and is still something to try and make Frank Lampard understand before it's too late.

Given the odds of that type of brilliance arriving in our transfer moves, having someone who can reinstall stability in defence is a crucial aspect of our survival.

Yes, Dyche is old school as fuck but go back and look at games where Burnley opened it up and there was a next level to his methods. I believe he would be pursuing that kind of strategy here rather than digging in like at Burnley.

Additionally, he would without doubt establish some strength in defence and, while we added to our quality, we would have that solid foundation to build on. This is similar reasoning as to why Martinez was able to flourish early on. He had Moyes's foundation to build upon.

I'm not suggesting Dyche for the long run but, if he came and developed a counter-attack and limited possession game that worked out, I would not immediately show him the door if he steadily improved our results.

He would be a good solution to what I see as a 2-3 year problem of getting past the business of moving most all of our roster now and adding new talent to what is kept. Sometimes you need the straight-forward approach until everyone is on the same frequency and I doubt we would be taken advantage of in transition after we lose possession which is our greatest flaw presently.

No offence taken from those who wish to resort to insults, I get it. But there are good reasons to advocate for Dyche if you seriously consider our current situation and how easy we are to destabilize when a good coach deploys their best eleven against us.

We can all look at what's happened (and what is still happening) to our club. In my view, the rot set in 20-odd years ago.

The one hope we had is when Moshiri invested. More detailed discussion another time; but I think we chased the Man City investors away, and Kenwright couldn't believe his luck when Moshiri wandered into his parlour.

Since then, we've spent haf a billion £££s and got little to show for it. We had Martinez, decent manager... little money. We got money and he was sacked and so it went on.

Two men were brought into the club to try and save a sinking ship. That was Sam Allardyce and Raphael Benitez. Both of these were unpopular (to say the least) with sections of our supporters, effectively poisoning the atmosphere while each man was at the club.

I think Moshiri went for those two men to try and bring some stability and for some foundations to eventually be built. Then I think he also, of his own choice. went for Frank Lampard, off his own bat, rather than have Kenwright wittering in his ear hole.

I think when he got Raphael Benitez, it was already too late to change much, as we had no money to bring in players. I think he spent £1½ million on Gray and Townsend who, in my view, were two of the best value for money buys we made in the last few years.

Sam Allardyce got us finishing 8th and was booed out of the club by a section of the fans. I think Benitez would have got us playing defensive but effective football, but I think the number of injuries we've had would scupper any manager's attempt to mould a team of our best players.

I think Frank Lampard is equally trying his best to mould a team out of a hotchpotch of players that are just not able to play football the way I think the vast majority of us would like it to be played.

So we're no doubt treading on thin ice, until the end of the season possibly. Who knows? I remember us going to Mordor with a team of reserves and beating them, I think it was 4-0, might have been 4-1. Anyway, I was in the Anfield Road end and it was unlooked for and absolutely fantastic.

Now we've got some decent players but too many in the team are not good enough. Well, we can't do much about that except cheer them on and see them fight for every ball and never give in until the game is over. Whether we win, draw or lose is pot-luck, with so many factors that can change a game.

The way I think is that, whether we stay up or get relegated, there must be a fundamental change in this bloody Board we've got and I hope that Mr Moshiri sets his mind to do just that. Not have a charlatan as a Chairman, nor an ex-footballer and an ex-Echo writer on the Board unless they've both got special skills and a Chairman who is an effective leader.

Then we might start building up the crumbling edifice from its foundations.

However, I do think there are serious questions over whether Frank should stay if we do go down. and the likes of Dyche and/or Nuno should be serious contenders to manage our immediate return from Championship if we do. I'd prefer a Chris Cooper like, but that's unlikely.

Primary decision should be based on youth development. Frank came with a reputation for it, but has really demonstrated the opposite. Branthwaite, Onyango, Simms, Dobbin, Patterson, et al not getting a sniff of anything under him really.

My team for the Championship would be:

Virginia (pickford will need to be sold, still have hopes for)
Patterson Godfrey Branthwaite Mykolenko
Iwobi Onyango Doucoure
Dobbin Simms Gordon

With Price, Warrington, Davies, Welsh, Mills et al in and around the first team. Big question on leaders, but talent there to get back up first go if we play swashbuckling like Fulham and Bournmouth have. That'd be my second characteristic in chosing manager alongside youth opportunity.

We've been terrible this season.

We've also managed 4 points in "never say die" way, with Iwobi's goal down a man against Newcastle, and Richarlison's goal at the death against Leicester.

I personally will hold to hope. Three wins from Watford, Brentford, and Palace and honestly who the hell knows what else? A jammy point against any of the other, more talented teams?

As others have said, anything can happen.

I don't like all the doom and gloom before the final whistle on the season has blown. When you're in a war – and we're in one not obviously in the literal sense, but in the soccer world with our current finances, I see no issue with using the term 'war' – you want players, managers, and yes fans, who will fight to the bitter end.

Don't give up yet. Fight until the end. Forget what your brain and eyes are telling you, just fucking dig in and see it out.

If you're at the game, get right behind those players and lift them. It's imperative.

My yelling from my couch or barstool won't make any difference. But you fine folks over there can indeed make a difference.

It's not over. Stop giving up. I'd argue to do so is decidedly not Blue and certainly not Scouse – that's a bold thing to say coming from me I realize, and I'll stand by it.

Stop the whining and the crying, the feeling sorry for yourself, it'll get you nowhere. Get down to the games and fucking lift the team. Do it for yourselves and for those of us who can't be there to make a difference.

As my late father might have said, "Knock it off. Stand up straight."

We'll do our roaring at the match if our players just fight for every ball, every tackle, and even every decision, get in the ref's face!

"In the following season, 2020/2021, Chelsea made five major acquisitions in the summer transfer window in Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Édouard Mendy. Chelsea initially started strongly, topping their Champions League group and the Premier League in early December. However, after a run of two wins in eight Premier League matches, Chelsea dropped to ninth and Lampard was dismissed on 25 January 2021.[228] His dismissal came just 24 hours after Chelsea's 3–1 win over Luton Town in the FA Cup.[229] On 26 January, German coach Thomas Tuchel was announced as his replacement."

"It was reported Lampard's departure was also influenced by disagreements with the club's transfer policy; Lampard is said to have requested the acquisitions of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Declan Rice, and James Tarkowski, with these moves being blocked by Chelsea's co-director Marina Granovskaia.[231] Lampard also reportedly fell out with or had limited communication with some players, causing former teammate and club advisor Petr ÄŒech to have to serve as an intermediary."

Doesn't sound too promising!

Talking to a Wolves fan. He looked at me and said "Relegation is out of the family. The club is out of the spotlight both here and abroad." He found when Wolves got promotion and stayed up, they became known again. "You are soon forgotten. You feel the club is alive and bigger due to the coverage in the Premier League."

My thoughts when told this was "What if it happens?" It really is possible now. Plan b? Has the club a manager in mind? Stick with Frank? The plan must involve getting back to the Premier League within the first year or two years at least. The longer you are down and out, the harder to get back.

Too many fans look at Everton through tinted glasses. I can be like this. Blinded by love for the club. Yes, that's good but manager after manager has led us here. Everton are a big club but not a big team. Sam, Silva, and others all fell to our calling. Our expectations over realism with the squad are wide apart.

To get out of the Championship, we may need a Dyche. A realist, tells it the way it is. Might not be to everybody's liking but getting back quickly is crucial. The Championship is a grind, week-in & week-out. Tough, rough and takes no prisoners. We will need a manager who knows what it takes to get back and quickly!

I hope to God my post will never have to be put into action but we must prepare – it's a possibility.

Appreciate there will be twists and turns, and I've changed my prediction more than my undies, but just going off the remaining fixtures, our dire away form, and lack of real progress in the keeping clean sheets and scoring goals stakes, I think it'll be too much with games running out.

I think it'll be decided on the last game of the season and my worry is that Arsenal are likely to need something to qualify for the Champions League. My other concern is goal difference which would be a horrible way to go down. On saying all that, I'll be changing my mind again if Wolves beat Burnley on Sunday. 😃

The most important commodity on the pitch is space. You win by creating it. You lose by conceding it.

Simplistic view, but for me it's about being compact in defence but expansive in attack. Space.