Everton 3 - 0 Crystal Palace

Everton secured a fine victory over a fractious and overly aggressive Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.

Frank Lampard is under increasing pressure to somehow show that he can get this team scoring goals. But his lineup was surprisingly unchanged from the one that failed to even fire blanks up at Newcastle in midweek. 

Palace kicked off. Gordon did well to track back and dispossess but Olise fell over to draw a foul with Gray not even touching him. A good ball forward saw Gray work his way inside but the ball did not reach Calvert-Lewin.  

Good work by Gordon down the right after a great feed from Pickford but his cross was ballooned over. Everton were getting forward but Gray yet again overhit his cross out of play.

Everton were getting some decent midfield possession but still playing it back rather than forward. They were pressing Palace who had not yet come forward. Gordon overlapped well but his better low cross into good space this time was spurned.

Gray won the ball back after Gordon lost it and he fired straight at Guita. Then the ball came back to Calvert-Lewin and he slotted home well after bullying his way past Gehe.

After the restart, Palace mounted their first attack, Mil shooting well over. A lot of good movement and play between Gordon and Calvert-Lewin was spoilt by a really lazy giveaway by Gana on the edge of the Palace area. 

Another fine move down the right with Gordon and Calvert-Lewin the ball found Gray but he could not strike the bouncing ball properly. 

Good distribution from Pickford to Iwobi stalled poorly with Gordon not advancing and eventually the ball came back to the keeper. Gueye fed Gordon for a tremendous strike that Guaita just finger-tipped over the bar. 

Edouard got past Tarkowski a bit too easily but Coleman was across to snuff out Zaha, who later had a snapshot that Pickford saved. Better play from Everton saw a decent cross in from Mykolenko but it was just too low to reach Calvert-Lewin.

Zaha won a free-kick off Onana, then a corner but Anderson’s header was easily gathered by Pickford. Eze than fouled Gordon, Gray with the free-kick to the far post, but Milivojevic and Coady tried to head the same ball. It was eventually resolved with an uncontested drop-ball for Palace.

Then Mykolenko and Ward collided and some nonsense ensued with another bizarre drop-ball in the centre-circle!  Everton were able to attack again, a decent cross in winning a corner off Andersen. Gray’s Corner was too low but he got another chance that dropped to Iwobi but his shot was well wide. 

Palace tried to build an attack but Zaha was flagged offside very early, and possibly wrongly. Why are some flagged straight away and others not? Ayew then went in on Gray and gave up a free kick but again Gray’s delivery was not accurate. 

But Everton were pressing well when they didn’t have the ball, seriously disrupting Palace’s attempts to play out. More good play down the left was taken backwards by Gana, Ayew then took out Onana but no card as the 3+ minutes of added time played out on a much better half from Everton in terms of playing the ball forward and putting in crosses. But the number of chances created was still very limited. 

Gordon kicked off the second half but it started a little scrappy with neither side imposing themselves, Onana getting another knock from Ayew. But Palace escaped the press and Zaha had to be tackled well by Coleman in the area, nothing coming from the Palace corner. 

But Palace put together a very dangerous attack, Coady doing very well to clear a cross behind, not into his own net. But a good break by Everton saw some strange events, Calvert-Lewin getting wiped out and the ref playing advantage, Iwobi unable to beat 3 men, but very competitive stuff. Andersen was next to go down, feeling Calvert-Lewin’s arm in his face.

Gray got to run forward with the ball but chose Calvert-Lewin who had to head to the corner flag and the chance was gone. Palace attacked and there was some committed defending by Everton to keep them out, Zaha getting heated over something.

Edouard got to run at the Everton defence and Onana gave them a free-kick that was curled in just over Pickford’s bar. Everton counter-attacked and Gordon finished off Mykolenko’s parried shot, but it was wrongly flagged offside. Some minutes later, the VAR finally decided it was indeed a valid goal. 

Some meaty charges saw all the handbags coming out and it took a while for the poor ref to calm things down. Zaha started it, leading with an elbow to take out Anthony Gordon, that initiated the mass brawl. But only yellow cards from the lenient referee.  

The fractious nature of the play continued with lively challenges all over the field as Lampard looked to manage the last phase of the game without yielding anything to the Palace, with Calvert-Lewin coming off under the watchful eye of Gareth Southgate. 

Mateta was very late on Garner and he got a yellow card. Maupay was thrown down by Andersen. McNeil went on a fine run, played an exquisite one-two backheeled to him by Iwobi, to finish perfectly under Guaita, a very nice goal to round things off!

Everton tried to play out the rest of time but Zaha tricked his way to a dangerous free-kick when Garner was adjudged to have fouled him. Eze lashed the free-kick high over the bar, much to the delight of Goodison Park, who had finally witnessed a proper spirited and attacking display from Everton. 

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski [Y:68’], Coady, Mykolenko, Iwobi, Gana (86’ Doucoure), Onana (79’ Garner), Gray, (73’ McNeil), Gordon (85’ Davies), Calvert-Lewin (79’ Maupay).

Subs: Begovic, Keane, Holgate, Rondon.

Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Andersen, Guehi [Y:68’], Mitchell, Milivojevic (62’ Schlupp [Y:68’]), Eze, Olise (62’ Mateta [Y:80’]), Ayew, Edouard, Zaha [Y:68’].

Subs: Johnstone, Tomkins, Hughes, Bowie, Balmer, Riedewald, Phillips.

Attendance: 38,939


Reader Comments (237)

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Kunal Desai
1 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:06:48
Rather than changing it up a bit he's gone with the same eleven again.
Jeff Armstrong
2 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:07:40
Imagination of a caravan site
Brian Hennessy
3 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:09:11
Ridiculous decision from Lampard not to make changes. I have no problem with the back four staying the same but seriously, Gordon and Gray out wide again with DCL isolated up front? I really hope I am wrong but looks like we are in for the same lack of goal threat again this afternoon.

DCL is now fit. McNeil can cross a ball. Grey and Gordon cant. It's not rocket science.

Michael Kenrick
4 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:09:35
Shades of Ancelotti?

I hope this doesn't signal that he's pretty much given up.

Phil Sammon
5 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:10:13
They are the best 11 players we have. I don’t know what people expect. Instead of announcing the team an hour before kick off it would be much more informative if Frank announced the team mentality for the day.
Iain Johnston
6 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:10:58
What's Gray got that I simply can't see?

The usual 451 home to Palace, sad... very sad.

Si Cooper
7 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:15:02
It was poor against Newcastle but there is room for much improvement with these players as some bed in and others take another step towards full fitness. Crowd could play a big part too.
Expect quite a bad-tempered, fractious affair where just keeping focus and working hard will pay dividends in the end. Even a couple of red cards on the cards?
Seamus is going to need a buddy or two to keep Zaha quiet.
UTFT!
Andy Walker
8 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:15:42
Really don’t understand how Gordon is justifying a starting place.
Fran Mitchell
9 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:17:00
No changes is a surprise.

Zaha and Eze Vs Coleman is a worry.

A much better performance is necessary.

Vinagre not even on bench? is he a dud?

Still confident we can get a win. DCL to start his comeback and a tight 1-0 will do for me.

Kunal Desai
10 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:17:00
There effectively playing 5 attackers with Eze and Olise out wide.
Andy Meighan
11 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:21:30
I desperately want Frank to succeed, but I'm afraid he's going to sack himself if he keeps playing woefully out of form players. It done for Gerrard at Villa and I'd hate to see him go the same way. But this basket case Moshiri is trigger happy and I'd bet he's already loading the gun. 1 0 either way. Not expecting a goal fest.
Kevin Prytherch
12 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:24:26
Now that DCL is back we need to play to his strengths, which are crosses.

If Gordon or Gray play, we need overlapping full backs to put crosses in. Mykolenko is not this type of player, and Coleman hasn’t got the legs to do it any more. It’s ok playing one of these with Patterson because he will make the overlapping runs, but without him we need McNeil playing.

Ciarán McGlone
13 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:25:47
Frank thinks like the titanic turned.

Took him ages to realise that 5 at the back was awful, still persists with a defensive tactics of inviting teams on, can't make a decisive substitution and doesn't appear to be able to tell when players need dropped.

At least one of that central midfield trio needed dropped.. possibly two, if he is persisting in playing Iwobi in an advanced role ( which a blind man could tell you he's shite at).

He'll make a couple of subs on 60 minutes when we're 1 goal down. Football management by numbers.

Matthew Williams
14 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:32:36
The side Lampard should pick but won't sadly...4-4-2

Begs

Holgate
Tarks
Coady
Vinegar

Gray
Duke
Garner
McNeil

D.C.L
Maupay

A draw sadly...at best today, methinks.

Will Mabon
15 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:35:39
"...it would be much more informative if Frank announced the team mentality for the day. "

Phil, I like that. Very relevant too.

Dave Williams
16 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:38:03
He has been with them all week to work on their game and sees them more than we do.
On paper it is our strongest team- let’s see if they can perform better.
Jeff Armstrong
17 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:40:34
Dave16, but on grass on Wednesday where the game is played, they where all a bit shit.
Will Mabon
18 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:43:07
Dave,

today's hope for improvement comes with the fact that Calvert-Lewin should be a little stronger and more up to speed. Beyond that, it really is just about mentality, it's all we can improve.

I also hope some sort of accommodation has been made on our right-hand side, in terms of defensive movement and positioning.

Matthew Williams
19 Posted 22/10/2022 at 14:51:59
Frank's rewarding failure it would seem!

Never a good sign.

Ben King
20 Posted 22/10/2022 at 15:17:56
Mathew #19,

What do you mean?

Ciarán McGlone
21 Posted 22/10/2022 at 15:37:04
At last, some joy.

Confident, combative and most importantly offensive.

Michael Lynch
22 Posted 22/10/2022 at 15:52:04
That's more like it!
George Cumiskey
23 Posted 22/10/2022 at 15:52:18
Gray has been poor again for me.
Ernie Baywood
24 Posted 22/10/2022 at 15:56:53
Better. But again we stopped some attacking impetus after we scored. Becoming a recurring theme.

Special mention for a referee who has completely lost the plot.

And one for our team. If the referee calls for a drop ball and says he's just going to give it to the opposition when we had the ball before the stoppage, tell him to get fucked and you'll contest the drop. We meekly surrendered the first one after the Coady/Milojevic clash. Palace didn't for either. I could see it happening, why couldn't they?

Want to see Dom bully Andersen. Get stuck right into him.

Alan J Thompson
25 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:00:47
I was a little bit iffy when I saw the line-up, two wingers and one striker, but we set about it with a higher press, putting Palace under pressure to play it out and it eventually led to the goal.

Gana is showing a lot more positivity and the crossing is a lot better and if we continue to play further up the field I can see Palace having to resort to the long ball game. Quite a difference with a recognized striker cum target man out there.

If there was one downside it was Pickford playing the arse when the Ref, who has had a good game so far, asked for the ball for a "drop ball" and Pickford stretched his arm with the ball and then dropped it, bloody pointless.

Keep up the good work on the high press and there's no reason we shouldn't take full points.

Paul Tran
26 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:16:03
Loving the Crosby chat. I grew up in Alexandra Road and also knew Barry Lenton.
Ernie Baywood
27 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:24:58
That is absolutely disgraceful for a linesman to think that's offside. What's he watching? Embarrassing for the game.
George Cumiskey
28 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:35:54
Should've brought on Garner... McNeil is too slow.
Ciarán McGlone
29 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:49:44
Enjoy your weekend fellow blues.

That was superb.

Barry Thompson
30 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:56:15
Gonna be a great MotD for a change – superb win for the blues and a magnificent defeat for you know who. Bring it on.
Fran Mitchell
31 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:57:46
Brilliant performance all round, best under Lampard and a huge lift.

Onana, Iwobi, Gordon, and Calvert-Lewin were excellent. The defence was great, Coleman and Gordon working together to nullify Zaha was excellent. Mykolenko had his best performance in a while, and a beautiful goal from McNeil to highlight what potential he offers.

Brilliant. Well Done Frank.

MotM Iwobi, ran close by Onana.

Kieran Kinsella
32 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:58:40
A few positives: result and performance.
Fran Mitchell
33 Posted 22/10/2022 at 16:59:55
Aged like milk, that comment, eh George?
Barry Rathbone
34 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:01:34
These are the games we need to win to avoid the relegation scrap and, by Jiminy, we did!

Well done, Blues – terrific stuff.

Kevin Molloy
35 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:03:08
The bliss of watching competent centre-backs can only really be appreciated by Everton fans after five years of Michael Keane.
Sam Fitzsimmons
36 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:04:27
Great performance and great result. Onwards and upwards
John Pickles
37 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:07:40
Jeff Armstrong, Brian Hennessy, Andy Meighan, Ciarán McGlone. Can you hear me? Your comments took a hell of a beating!
George Cumiskey
38 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:08:19
Got any humble pie Fran ? 😜🤣
Michael Lynch
39 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:08:24
Best team performance for a long while. Can't believe I missed it because of the bloody train strike - after all the shite I've sat through so far this season!

I thought Onana was excellent, as was Iwobi. But I don't think it's possible to overestimate the difference that DCL makes to us when he's anything like match-fit. Totally different feel with him in the team

Danny Baily
40 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:09:02
Great result! A really important win.
Alan J Thompson
41 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:09:32
I was a bit worried when at the start of the second half everyone seemed to fall back into our half and abandon the high press and then Gana fell asleep again but after a few minutes they got it back as it was and Palace seemed to have little else. For once VAR was spot on with the Gordon goal and McNeil went on a lovely mazey run setting up the third.

It may not be European qualification football but it is what is needed against those down there with us and an improvement over the all fall back into our half and good to see somebody leading the line and the wingers cutting in when we come through the opposite wing.

Last week I couldn't find anyone good enough for MotM while this week seems to be too many to select an individual.
Oh, and finally, a good word for the Ref who I thought had a very good game not least as he didn't want to make it all about him.

Steve Brown
42 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:10:58
Great performance and result.

Iwobi and Coleman were superb, Onana strong and DCL led the line really well.

Mike Gaynes
43 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:12:03
I LOVED THAT GAME.

I loved being so completely wrong about advocating lineup changes.

I loved watching Gana and Onana put on the most dominant defensive midfield display I have seen in years from this club.

I loved watching Seamus frustrate Zaha for 90 minutes (Okay, he finally got beat in the 91st but he was still great) and Mykolenko block three shots (one with his nuts) and crack a great shot.

I loved having Dom back as Dom, full power. I loved McNeil's flash of class and Iwobi's backheel. I loved Coady and Tark eating people up at the back and Gordon knocking them around up the pitch, and I loved VAR saving his goal.

And I loved Frank getting the lineup, the tactics and the subs exactly right.

Plus, of course, I love Forest.

WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!

Kunal Desai
44 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:12:17
Well, that was a top performance. Iwobi and Coleman were brilliant.

Coleman kept Zaha in his back pocket. This is the level of performance required on a consistent basis.

Sean Roe
45 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:13:31
Aren't we supposed to wait until we are 2-0 down before we score 3 against Palace?

Great performance and further evidence that, although we are not up to the standards of the top teams, we are more than able to hold our own against those around us.

We will be fine this season.

Ciarán McGlone
46 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:17:28
John Pickles.

Who gives a fuck. We won.

Will Mabon
47 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:20:00
Kunal, Seamus of old. "He'll feel that in the morning".

Gordon played great position-wise though, really helped out down that side.

Oliver Molloy
48 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:23:01
Very important win and big three points especially with Forest winning.

Coleman used his experience and played well against Zaha, Gordon doing his bit also, let's keep it going.

Bill Gienapp
49 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:23:12
Just goes to show what a fine line there is. People were upset over previous managers constantly chopping and changing, and now people are angry over Lampard persisting with a settled starting XI.

Which isn't to say that changes shouldn't be considered if the team's on a poor run of form, or certain players aren't producing. But in this case, Lampard kept the faith and was handsomely rewarded. On a different day, he might not have been and the knives would be out.

Ajay Gopal
50 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:24:09
Wow, that was the most enjoyable, relaxed Everton football match for me in a long, long time.

And regarding my pre-game suggested line-up, Lampard may know a thing or two more than me about football after all.

Onana – what a player we have on our hands. Iwobi – who is this guy? When did we sign him? Gordon was enjoying his football, and what a bastard of a centre-back Tarkowski is! In fact, I can't think of a single average performance today.

So, so good to have Dom back. We played a very decent Crystal Palace team off the park. If we can do that most weeks, I am looking forward to the rest of the season.

Well played, Lampard, terrific stuff!

Steve Shave
51 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:24:25
Fab performance, quality goals and what a difference a fit Dom makes to the side.

I was annoyed for Gordon to have the shine taken off his goal with the ridiculous wait for it to be ratified but that is splitting hairs. They barely troubled us and we were excellent.

Liverpool lost too, I am out tonight to celebrate. COYB.

Graham Mockford
52 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:25:22
I think talk of relegation is for the birds. Even though the results have been patchy and we've looked at bit toothless at times it's clear we are significantly more resilient than in previous seasons.

A top-half finish is what I expect and would represent progress. A couple of more windows to bring more attacking options.

Never felt more like singing the Blues!

Will Mabon
53 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:25:26
Bill - the curse of the fickle mistress.
Pat Kelly
54 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:26:57
We’ve got to believe now we can play more on the front foot. No more parking the bus.
Christine Foster
55 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:29:01
Well, didn't see that coming, but so good to watch. It was alluded to during the week but the difference for me was the intensity, the urgency to make things happen. When they have it the team looks balanced, many, including myself, wanted to see changes to the line up because of the disjointed performances, but when they get it together they are a different team. We'll done Blues, I can go back to sleep happy!
Kim Vivian
56 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:29:43
I think the VAR did its proper job today. That goal was so obviously not offside, not even borderline, and pre the VAR, the offside call would have ruled it out. I don't know what the linesman was looking at but it wasn't the game.

Absolutely delighted this evening. Can't remember the last time I watched MotD but looking forward to this one. That second goal was superb. Not sure how many passes but from Pickford to the back of the Palace net with no Palace touch apart from the keeper. Lovely stuff we can produce when we try!

John Raftery
57 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:34:57
This was a ‘must win’ game to ease the pressure after three defeats. Delighted we got the result we needed and in convincing fashion.

There were good performances all around the team with Iwobi again producing the creativity we need when attacking. It was great to have DCL back and scoring the opener. Hopefully today puts to bed the notion his mind is elsewhere.

As for Lampard giving up? What rubbish!

Dave Cashen
58 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:40:31
I was really pissed off with Seamus all afternoon. I kept wondering Why was moving so awkwardly ?

Then somebody pointed out that he was playing with Zaha in his arse pocket - I'd forgotten about Zaha.

Ciaran post 46.

Brilliant response

Tony Hill
59 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:41:06
Fabulous. Thought they all did great. But that’s the weekly standard.
Tom Bowers
60 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:43:29
Well done Blues !!!

If ever we needed a performance like this it was today. That third goal was a delight to watch.

Kudos to Lamps. for having the guts to go with the same starting eleven after Wednesday's awful game.

Just hope we can push on from this.

Hard to pick out any one player for M.O.M as they all did well but the more I see Onana the more I am impressed.

Mike Gaynes
61 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:43:30
John #37, you beat me to it.

Will #53, have you had experience with that? ;-))

Tom #60, me too. Unfortunately we should probably expect to be without him for a game or two. That ankle probably looks like a balloon by now.

Brian Hennessy
62 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:48:03
Delighted to say I was wrong and Frank was right with the team selection.

A brilliant performance. Most enjoyable game I have watched from us in a long while. Coleman did his usual job on Zaha. Rest of the back four didn't give Palace a sniff.

Gana, Onana and Iwobi were excellent, Gordon and Gray put in a great effort. Man of the match for me was Calvert Lewin. He has obviously been working hard on his game while out of the team as some of his touches today were quite superb not least for his goal.

Enjoy the weekend fellow blues, a brilliant performance.

Will Mabon
63 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:50:19
Mike - 5th.
Ian Riley
64 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:51:19
4--5--1 is fine if you do what we did today:

Worked harder all round the pitch
Passing to team mates
Minimal mistakes

Today sets the bar.

Let's enjoy our weekend!!!

George Cumiskey
65 Posted 22/10/2022 at 17:53:38
I wonder what's happened to Annika she hasn't been on ToffeeWeb for ages, I thought her posts were always very incisive ?
Fran Mitchell
66 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:00:06
the move, starting with Pickford, to defence, to midfield, to overlapping fullback for Gordon's goal was absolutely sublime.

McNeil's goal was a beauty and sign of his skill. DCL's goal was a brilliant goal demonstrating the physical prowess and finishing ability of our no9. But Gordon's goal was something we haven't seen in ages. patient and progressive passing from one end of the pitch to the other. Absolute joy to watch.

Terry Farrell
67 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:04:18
Superb performance every player 8 or 9 our of 10 Dominic superb goal and gave their defence a torrid time. Bog off the people on here questioning him a few weeks ago. Super Frank is building love him. Oh and onana is special
John Keating
68 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:04:20
Great team performance and difficult to say who got MoM as everyone played their part

Funny reading the slagging for Lampard picking the team prior to kick off on the site.

This should be the minimum standard these players perform too and we really need to get 3 good results before the break

Well done to all today, players, management and fans

David Hallwood
69 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:07:55
Like everyone else I wanted a formation change with the 2 full backs and Gordon and Gray dropped to the bench, after the shitshow midweek.

But talk about Jekyll and Hyde, they were at it right from the off. Hard to pick a MoTM, I'd go for Iwobi or Coleman for taking Zaha right out of the game.

Jeff Armstrong
70 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:10:10
John 37 good point well made,
Mike 61 you wanted changes too.
Tony Everan
71 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:10:11
Just the tonic after the three impotent defeats.

Excellent win, won our battles all over the pitch. Much better passing too. I thought DCL made a big difference having a bit of presence up front challenging, winning balls and making life difficult for their defenders. Buys some time for the team and some space for the wingers. He took his goal well too.

Gordon was back to what he does best, focussed and committed, thought Zaha should have been sent off for his assault on him.

Iwobi did very well today, best player on the pitch ? The last goal was sublime, a great cameo from Dwight O’Neill.

Gives us a good confidence boost for Fulham, Patterson back too, things are looking up again.

Well done to the lads and the manager, great response.

Robert Tressell
72 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:11:08
We shouldn't be hugely surprised. DCL is a really good striker. Makes a difference. And we're good at home. Probably got carried away with the poor run.

Maybe we just need to let a lot of new players bed in a bit. It always was going to be an up and down season. If DCL can stay fit we have a decent side.

Graham Mockford
73 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:15:04
Seamus has had some shit on here and for sure he’s a player reaching the end of his career but you can see why Lampard rates him so highly. Not just as a player but as a man.

One of Everton’s best signings and someone who can quite rightly be seen as an Everton great and there haven’t been too many in the last 30 years.

Jeff Armstrong
74 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:16:27
Will Patterson get back in next week after that performance from Seamus?
Steavey Buckley
75 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:17:38
Everton are a different team when they employ a proper focal point of the attack. Everton now need to sign 1 or 2 other strikers in the next transfer window to make sure of a decent season.
Christy Ring
76 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:18:15
Great win and well done Frank for sticking with your first 11. Coleman superb with Zaha in his pocket. He definitely answered his critics on ToffeeWeb, as did Gueye and Calvert-Lewin.
Tony Everan
77 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:19:10
#71 Mc not O’ …….I knew it didn’t look right.
Rick Tarleton
78 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:19:53
Delighted with my afternoon, not exactly Man City, but Everton fought for the win and thoroughly deserved it Delighted to see Calvert-Lewin on the scoring list. He does provide a focus which Everton need.
Great result and delighted with the result from the City Ground, as my friends with whom we are staying are reds.
COYB.
Mike Gaynes
79 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:20:23
Jeff #70, yes, I did, and as I said in post #43, I am SO happy about being SO wrong.

As my Catholic choir mates would put it, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

And as my fellow Jews would say, "dumb schmuck!"

Mal van Schaick
80 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:21:33
Great win. We’ve got the basics right at the back and at last we have created chances and scored goals, which is a marked improvement up front on the Newcastle game.

This is the benchmark for future games and if we become consistent enough top six is a possibility, but we have to keep performances up.

Martin Reppion
81 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:23:00
I think all the early negative clap trap on here, which I am reading for the first time AFTER the game explains why some people are football managers and other people are just fans with opinions.
How anyone can still think Pickford isn't the best goalkeeper we've had since Big Nev defeats me.
That anyone would have left out Gray or Mykolenko is a mystery.
We are a team in transition who have just lost three tough games. But we are also a side that on its day can compete with anyone.
Get off players' backs and support the Blues.
Andy Meighan
82 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:32:58
John 37. Hahaha. Nice one. In all fairness though I did say 1 0 either way. Hedging my bets as they say. No I'm absolutely delighted, after seeing the last 3 games I honestly didn't think that line up had it in them. Shows how much I know hey. The world is a better place when we win.
Stephen Smyth
83 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:35:02
We were everything that an Everton side should be..brave on the ball, combative and no lack of flair and craft..DCL and NcNeillls goals were tremendous..but my motm was Onana what a player he will become I thought Palace were dirty and some of their tackles could have easily have been red..ref was appalling
Trevor Peers
84 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:36:17
Well done Lads and Frankie Lampard!

The good times came back today with a determined display, against an alehouse Palace team who looked well up for a punch up.

Maybe some of us including me, got a bit carried away with the criticism after our recent losses, which was understandable after decades of of disappointment.

Today we bounced back in style, with a game we just had to win! Now we can look forward with a bit of optimism for a change. Iwobi and Gordon were outstanding, while Calvert-Lewin looked the part up front. Keep up the the good work lads !

Lampard seems to have a special connection with the crowd which is so important and something to relish.

Tony Hill
85 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:51:01
Yes, three very well-made goals and McNeil's was a thing of beauty.

What was particularly pleasing was to see our midfield working coherently and with strength.

Great to hear the support for Frank towards the end. It might have gone the other way but this fella has a tough mind and stuck fast.

We absolutely must not lose this momentum next week.

Tony Hill
86 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:56:09
Interesting how central Iwobi is to what we do best.
Joe McMahon
87 Posted 22/10/2022 at 18:58:03
Fantastic performance and result. As already said we cannot lose this momentum. The players were up for this with some great football. Alex Iwobi has made us all eat our words.

It's been a good football day, my wife is from Burnley and she's also grinning like a Cheshire Cat, after their result! Isn't it nice to have a win on a Saturday!

Kevin Molloy
88 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:04:43
to temper some of these effusions of joy, it's worth pointing out that Palace were a bag of shite, like. They reminded me a bit of us, some good players, but stuck in 'can't be arsed' mode.
Colin Metcalfe
89 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:10:41
Enjoyed that today I thought we were tremendous for the off and every player put a shift in today and as for that last goal it was a thing of beauty, no negative comments on here which makes such a refreshing change ! Have a good night ladies and gents
Geoff Lambert
90 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:11:33
John #37 Haha! funny that.
Brent Stephens
91 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:16:55
Kevin #88 "to temper some of these effusions of joy, it's worth pointing out that Palace were a bag of shite, like. They reminded me a bit of us, some good players, but stuck in 'can't be arsed' mode."

They weren't arsed? Maybe because we WERE more arsed than they were. They were a bag of poo because that's what we made them look like. Job well done. What were we saying about negativity on this site?

Raymond Fox
92 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:17:10
Well played Blue's just what the doctor ordered, its good for the confidence of the players, manager and of course us.

A little unfair to pick a MotM but I'm going to go for that man again Owobi, followed closely by Onana.

The defence kept a clean sheet once more, if we can keep them fit they will be our anchor.

I think it must have been big odds on us winning 3-0, I felt we would get a win today but that it would be a close game.

I dare say we will be last on MotD for maybe 4 minutes if we are lucky.

Even though we have scored 3 goals they will dwell on all the media darlings that also played today.

I cant stand that Lineker now, its time they got rid of him he's stealing money.

Brian Williams
93 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:17:20
The only negative from today was the most abysmal refereeing performance I can remember for a long time. Some of the decisions were mind boggling. Shite from start to finish but still didn't manage to stop us winning. UTFT.
Bill Gall
94 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:19:35
When voting for MoM my vote is the team. Individuals are normally chosen but it depends on the area of the pitch they are on and the oppositions tactics, and overall this was a solid team performance, as the players helped each other.

With all the negativity from the last game it was surprising that the manager picked the same team, but this shows that Lampard has faith in the players he chooses and his game plan. The one thing that did surprise me was his use of the Subs, not only did he use all 5, he made changes at the right time.

Anther observation was it is obvious why England has very little number of officials at the World cup as this latest referee brought in to the Premier, " I don't think he was in last season " some of his decisions were strange and at times I thought he didn't even know the rules of the game, and the linesman who gave the goal as offside was not in line with the last defender that would have shown Gordon was a couple of feet onside never mind by just a toenail.

With results from other games so far it is starting to look like a great weekend but has to be kept up, especially with our G/D that could come into play at the end of the season at either end of the table. '

Brendan McLaughlin
95 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:30:12
Didn't stop raining all day where I am. Tried to watch the match but the internet connection was shite so had to give up. I'm also suffering sober October.

Best Saturday in a long time!

Ian Edwards
96 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:31:36
Going to watch Match of the Day for the first time in ages!
Jeff Armstrong
97 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:33:17
Brian #93 correct, the ref was a joke and his assistant on the main stand side was worse, apart from the Gordon offside joke of a call he ignored countless tugs and pulls from Palace players, and how Andersen didn’t go in the book was beyond me, but again quick to book our lot at the slightest opportunity,

the bounce balls where ridiculous, he cocked ours up but got it right for theirs,that’s what got the crowd riled up.

Is there an agenda?

I’m starting to wonder that these dickheads have got there heads together and decided they just do not like Everton.

Tony Hill
98 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:34:39
I'm delighted for McNeil. I expect that to make a massive difference to his confidence. Imagine if he comes good. His close control in tight spaces may be the best in the team.
Mark Murphy
99 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:36:25
Palace were not shite until Zaha and that redshite realised they weren't getting an easy game from Seamus and started sulking.

We were robbed of more goals as that ref should have shown two reds! We played well from the start and fully deserved that win.

Don Alexander
100 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:36:27
What an enjoyable match that was!

Well done to the players and especially Frank and Kevin. They'll hopefully continue to work this new squad to emulate today's performance more frequently.

Martin Mason
101 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:38:56
I thought the ref had a good game in very difficult circumstances.
Jeff Armstrong
102 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:40:34
Martin, 101, what where the very difficult circumstances?
Rob Jones
103 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:44:48
Happy to see the negative bastards (including MK) getting shown up. Great result, great performance.

It would be nice if the "fans" on here showed a fraction of the spirit and loyalty that our attending fans show.

Brendan McLaughlin
104 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:58:25
Wow!

Everton beating Palace 3-0... not totally unexpected.

Don A posting without referencing Kenwright – unbelievable!

Jay Harris
105 Posted 22/10/2022 at 19:58:55
Everything we hoped for today apart from some of the baffling decisions by the officials.

My only negative is why we don't show that determination and commitment more often?

Onwards and upwards, only 3 points behind Liverpool but worryingly only 4 points above the relegation battle having played more games than most.

Martin Mason
106 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:01:15
Jeff, just a very high intensity game that needed some immediate decisions on complex issues. He got the penalty area collision decisions right and generally kept the game going well.
Tony Abrahams
107 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:02:10
I never went (again) but I was made up when I seen the score. Just watched the highlights, we scored some very good goals, and it also looked like we were a lot more compact in the middle of the park, which was an absolute necessity.

I've been watching some lower-league football, and although the standard isn't brilliant, I enjoy the honesty. It's very hard when I don't get to watch Everton play, so I'm just very glad that we got a very important three points🙏

Danny Baily
108 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:03:59
Love the video of Gana and Onana in the tunnel after the match.
Nick White
109 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:08:57
Brian #3 - my Dad and I were saying the same on they way to Goodison! But we agreed that Frank hopefully knew best. Thankfully he did!
Brent Stephens
110 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:11:57
Rob Halligan says what a great result. Puts to bed the negativity on this site. Rob says. Can't keep a good a man down. Rob says. Never. Rob says. Great post, Rob.
Jeff Armstrong
111 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:12:53
So Martin what did you make of his decision to give the ball back to Palace when we had possession and he stopped the game for a clash of heads? Surely it's a drop ball to us on the edge of their area?

He then gets it right 2 minutes later when he stops the game again when Palace have possession, he gives it back to them, basically he bottled it because we had the ball on the edge of their area, terrible refereeing.

He then fails to send off Zaha for an assault on Gordon, Zaha was riled as Seamus had just put him down on the touch line, he lost it and went for Gordon, red card all day long.

Ayew committed 6 fouls before being subbed, he should have been yellowed after 2.

The ref was awful.

Tony Hill
112 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:16:00
It worked moving Iwobi further forward today. We should stay with it since it creates more threat and gives us better balance and linkage.

Martin Mason
113 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:24:06
Jeff, we didn't have possession at the time of the collision. His decision was spot on.
Jeff Armstrong
114 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:27:13
Sorry, Martin, but we did, the ball came across from a corner and after a melee in the middle it came to Gordon on the edge of the box, at this point the blert in black blew his whistle.

I presume you think I'm correct about the other points.

Peter Mills
115 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:27:48
Grandson Charlie won 7-3 (scored 4). Grandson Sam won 6-4 (scored 1). Rs lost. We won. Marine won. Met a very happy Rob Halligan.

What a day.

Every Everton player played well, but Calvert-Lewin made such a difference up front. And a special mention for Seamus, I hope he is able to extract Zaha from his back pocket.

David Pugh
116 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:29:24
Martin 101,

Sorry mate but that referee had an absolute stinker of a game. I doubt I've ever seen such a dreadful performance from any official.

I will accept any criticism if anyone can prove otherwise. He was absolutely shocking.

Gary Hughes
117 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:30:58
Danny @108
Have you a link for the video in the tunnel?
Kim Vivian
118 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:31:16
I said before the game that Seamus will have to be at his best or Zaha will be travelling home with Seamus' scalp. Seems that Zaha left his own scalp in L4.

Well played, Seamus.

Soren Moyer
119 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:33:10
Excellent performance and result with great tempo. No more un-necessary, boring sideways/ backwards passes. Fine balanced attacking footy where we were not exposed defensively.

Well done to Lampard and the gang.

Keep it coming please.

Kieran Kinsella
120 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:33:17
One of my nephews was there for his first ever visit to Goodison. I’ll have to make sure he gets a season ticket.
Bobby Mallon
121 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:33:46
Just, well done the whole team and management.

Oh and can someone ask Seamus to take Zaha out of his pocket before washing those shorts.

Jerome Shields
122 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:38:51
Great news.

Players taking responsibility and playing further up the pitch.

You wonder what the previous games were about...

Brent Stephens
123 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:43:42
Rob Halligan post xx totally agree. Seamus was superb today, as you say, Rob. And yes, as you say, Rob, the defence was again impressive as a unit.
David Pugh
124 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:44:08
I have to say that our central defensive pair of Tarkowski and Coady are absolutely immense. Something we've seriously been lacking for a while now.

No doubt Gareth Southgate will still pick Maguire and Dier for the World Cup, but I'll tell you this, at the moment I doubt there is a better defensive partnership than Tarkowski and Coady in the Premier League.

We need to get Coady signed up permanently ASAP. The fact that both are 29 years old means sweet FA. To have those two as our central defensive partnership for the next 3 or 4 years, I can see plenty of clean sheets coming our way.

Dave Abrahams
125 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:44:19
A much better performance and a good deserved win that was needed after three poor performances.

We went forward a lot more today and tried to score and test their keeper. Not surprisingly, it worked. We looked better, played better and the good mood of the crowd going to the game, helped by Liverpool's defeat, was carried on by Everton's display during the game.

It's not too much to ask that they show that intensity more often, particularly when we play away.

Tarkowski and Coady always play with that intensity, today the rest of the team followed their leadership.

Dave Abrahams
126 Posted 22/10/2022 at 20:57:52
Jeff (114),

Absolutely correct. Gordon should have stayed where he was and kept hold of the ball, instead he kicked it to the referee in the penalty area.

The two linesmen were unusual today as well, both waving their flags, one for an offside goal that wasn't offside and the other fella ignoring constant fouls against us, put up his flag immediately when Onana made a daft foul just outside our area in the second half.

Most referee's are as bad each other they just have different faces; today's was no different but you see them differently depending if you are at the game or watching the match on TV.

Sam Hoare
127 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:02:01
Great result. Superb performance. And to think there were people who wanted to drop Iwobi!

I think moving to what looked like a 4-2-3-1 helped a lot. And obviously the return of Calvert-Lewin. If he stays fit, we should be comfortable in mid table.

Gray was okay today but for me is the one who could be upgraded relatively easily. Especially his set-pieces.

Bring in Gakpo (or similar) for Gray with Patterson back to form (though Seamus was excellent today) and that first XI in that formation begins to look like it could be in top-half contention.

Stuart Sharp
128 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:12:36
Brilliant, high energy performance, comfortable win. Just love the centre-backs.

Can't normally be bothered moaning about the ref, but today was the worst I've seen for a long time. Absolutely shocking, the low point being the insane inconsistency after the head injuries.

Gordon has possession on the edge of their box... and they get a goal kick? Just baffling. How anyone on here can defend that is equally baffling. But we beat the ref and we stuffed Palace. Amen.

Roger Helm
129 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:13:09
Palace were quite poor and showed little attacking ambition but still we played very very well. Iwobi my MotM for non-stop effort and two assists. Anthony Gordon also continued well past 60 minutes. Onana seems more up to Premier League speed.

Solid defence, a clean sheet, all players doing well, a raucous Goodison Park, and Liverpool losing – a very good day. And England's rugby league team won as well.

Danny O’Neill
130 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:18:10
I unfortunately was only able to watch on a laptop in a bar, so I'll need to watch it back to get a more holistic view.

But what a performance. Intensity throughout. And sustained intensity and pressure from start to finish. Team unity. When there was a spat, the players grouping to support each other and Tarkowski laughing in the opposition's faces. Goading them.

Character. We showed real character. A few results shouldn't hide what is trying to be built here.

We wanted it today. You could see it on just about every inch of the grass covered by the players.

Seamus rolled back the years and was a stand out for me.

The centre backs led and others followed or were told.

Mykolenko - love the guy.

Gueye and Onana done their jobs. Be patient with Onana; he's 21 and still learning his trade but he's going to be great.

Iwobi absolutely worked his socks off and is a very skilful player. What a touch to set up McNeil.

Anthony Gordon looked back to showing the potential he can achieve. Gray, as always, was a thorn in the opposition's side.

And Dominic back. Stay fit lad. The way he rolled and bullied their player for the opener was impressive.

Comfortable win, making an opposition and manager that many admire look ordinary. Dare I say easy.

Well played blue boys. You get praise when you deserve it and you deserve it today.

Jonathan Oppenheimer
131 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:20:04
I had to take awhile away from TW to keep myself from wallowing in frustration, but it feels so good to be back.

This is a squad that needs time to gel. That desperately needed Calvert-Lewin back — and I'll never understand the Calvert-Lewin haters. That had to face adversity and is still learning to figure out how to play differently against top teams and average sides like today. That had to get Gordon back to his best and the midfield time to play together. And boy was it worth the wait.

We will continue to have setbacks. We'll continue to struggle at times to score, I fear, unless Gordon and Gray and Iwobi can be consistent scorers and polish their end product, crosses and shots.

I will continue to worry that Gana has a potentially big mistake in him every match to go along with hugely impressive defensive displays. Onana is still very young. And Mykolenko still has a lot to learn, but he's very much made me eat my words when I criticized him early on.

But holy hell: Alex Iwobi is a top Premier League player right now, relentless, great vision, assists all over the place — absolute class and MotM nearly every match.

Pickford got his mistake out of him last week and is a beast in the net. Nothing new to say about the Coady and Tarkowski pairing, but it's impressive to watch (will be interesting to see what we do with Holgate, Keane, Godfrey, Branthwaite, Mina).

And another shout to Dom, not least because we need him, but today he showed the kind of goal he's missing in his bag; if he continues that and adds in the headers, we've got an unexpectedly good season on our hands.

Lastly, Seamus continues to cement his legacy, on and off the pitch. If Patterson is one day anywhere near Coleman's top level, and he's showing a lot of promise, we're in good hands. It's all taking time, but patience will win the day.

Up the Toffees.

Roger Helm
132 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:23:19
Easy to criticise referees, especially when decisions don't go your way. Not so keen on that myself, perhaps because I spend so much time watching rugby.

Perhaps the quality may be better if so many thousands hadn't been driven out of the game at the lower levels because of the abuse they get, including physical assaults. I hear all lower levels of football in Liverpool last weekend was scrapped for this reason.

Nick White
133 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:28:06
Jonathan, great post!

Could pick from so many today but my MotM was Tarkowski. Absolutely immense and some fantastic passing too. What a bargain!

Rob Dolby
134 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:35:18
What a difference a win makes.

No mentions of the defenders playing too deep even though they did. No mention of Coleman's age or lack of pace.

Palace lost the midfield battle playing only 1 proper centre mid. Calvert-Lewin makes a massive difference.

The ref was out of his depth, if they all reffed like that, at least it would be consistent but having just watched the Man Utd game, both refs have totally different approaches to the game.

My MotM, Coleman, kept their danger man very quiet.

Never felt more like singing the blues.

Brian Wilkinson
135 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:35:58
Well done, Coleman, outstanding today, everyone stood up today and what a difference having a big Number 9 in the team makes.

Big well done to McNeil, long been the whipping boy after only a handful of games.

Bit of patience, Blues, don't be too eager to write Coleman and McNeil off just yet.

The ref is the worst I've seen in a long time. How Ayew stayed on the pitch without a red is unbelievable.
Two identical incidents of a clash of heads in the area; Palace get a drop ball, even though Gordon had the ball, when the game was stopped, then 5 mins later he gives Palace a drop ball! How the hell can you give two different decisions on them?

As for the linesman to give offside, wow… wasn't even close, for once the VAR came good.

Anyway let's keep this run going. Apart from the Spurs and Man Utd games, I think we have played decent all season, just lacking in the final third.

We simply have to keep Calvert-Lewin fit, he offers so much in the final third, just a pity we never had him from the start of the season.

Mike Keating
136 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:38:54
Look back at some of the early negative comments about the starting lineup
Humble Pie time I think.
Iwobi Motm for me
Stuart Sharp
137 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:42:43
In general, I agree Roger. Especially about grass roots etc. Don't get me started on that. I just think that it was maddening to give possession to Palace after the collision - they actually gained an advantage from the situation. And the 'let the game flow more' approach this season is fine by me if it's consistent, but it ain't.

Still, none of this detracts from the feeling I had when leaving the ground. Hasn't been like that for a while.

Paul McGinty
138 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:43:52
Shout out to Christopher Ward, apparently Evertons Global timekeeping partners. They were kind enough to pick up the tab for the blue fan base watching the game at The Turnmill in New York City.
Much jollification was had by all. Typically I watched from home so missed the liquid fueled celebrations.
For anyone visiting New York
, the pub is in lower Manhattan and show all our games.

Jeff Armstrong
139 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:44:05
Yes Mike # 136 we’ve already covered that!😏, mine was digested with a large dollop of cream🥧🍶
Paul Hughes
140 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:48:01
Just to join the referee debate. In my opinion it was one of the worst refereeing performances I have had the misfortune to see. He lost all authority with the bonkers inconsistency with the clashed-heads re-starts. He then lost control of the game several times, I lost count of the amount of yellow cards he waved around. The rest of the team of officials were equally bad. The ‘offside’ for Gordon’s goal wasn’t even close, and then - despite an interminable VAR decision, multiple substitutions, and a couple of longish injury stoppages - the 4th official only recorded 3 minutes of additional time. They all should be officiating Sunday League next week.
Fortunately it didn’t matter.
Ed Prytherch
141 Posted 22/10/2022 at 21:50:11
The high press from Gordon, Gray, DCL and Iwobi worked a treat. The Palace playmakers had no time on the ball and that is why they looked like crap. Great team performance.
Jonathan Oppenheimer
142 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:01:23
Regarding the refereeing, the actual calls he made today didn’t stand out as too terrible a display. I agree that Ayew should have been booked earlier for persistent infringement and it’s possible Zaha should’ve seen red though I saw only one replay very quickly — of course that’s where VAR would be the culprit and not the center ref. The drop ball to the keeper was probably wrong, but it’s done if the ref thinks he stopped the play while the ball was in the box, in which case possession doesn’t matter. All in all, though, his biggest mistake was not wanting to book anyone early, so the game got a bit unruly later on.

To all the referee critics, I’d echo not just how hard it is to do the job, but also how abuse at the lower levels knocks so many people out of the profession early on. Out here in the States we lose about 50% of young refs each year, despite good money for teenagers, because it’s not worth it to them. And now we have many of our games without 3 referees. I also wish we could stomp out the play acting among players when fouled (looking at Gordon and Onana), because it makes it very hard for referees to know when something has actually happened or not. I know players can take a beating, but they develop reputations that are hard to shed.

The criticism today should definitely go to that assistant, who was just off his game. You have to be incredibly sharp to get those calls right, and he missed an earlier one against Zaha in addition to the Gordon goal, both of which he should get right fairly easily at that level.

I know we wish every call were right and players do deserve to be protected, but we shouldn’t moan every single game about how poor English officials are. Referees make mistakes in every country, at every level, every game. That will never change. Nor will the endless debates about it.

Brian Hennessy
143 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:16:41
A few people using the benefit of hindsight to comment on some of us who gave our honest opinions on the team selection before the game. Surely that is part of what being a fan is all about? Looking at how our team has performed in previous games and giving our thoughts on who we think should be selected.

I'm sure many people were surprised/frustrated to see Frank picked the same team. Was he proved right with his selection? Absolutely. Was I looking for changes to the line-up before the game? Absolutely. Am I delighted I was wrong and Frank was right? You bet I am.

If you want to wait until the end of the game to point out who got the team selection right or wrong, knock yourself out.

Coming onto this great site before the games start to see what fellow fans think of the team selection is all part of the matchday experience. It would be pretty boring if we all waited until the game is over to give our opinions.

Lets all enjoy a great win.

Neil Copeland
144 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:22:42
Hi Jonathan, I hope you and the family are well. I would agree that the officials have a very difficult job and little time to make a decision.

But…the referee got some very straightforward decisions very wrong today. How were Palace awarded possession in both drop ball situations? The VAR decision for our a second goal took around 2 minutes, the melee late in the second half delayed play by another 2 minutes, there were 2 second half goals at 30 seconds each minimum and numerous subs yet only 3 minutes added time?

As you say, he lost control of the game early on when Ayew should have been given a yellow. Add to that the assistants poor performance and to me the overall performance of the officials was very poor.

As I stated at the beginning, the job of the officials is very difficult but they are performing in the best league in the world and need to be the best also - which they are not.

Jeff Armstrong
145 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:22:58
Brian #143, good post, if everyone kept their powder dry it would be a pretty boring site,, so I suppose those early posters fuel what follows, and like you I am made up to be proven wrong, the first thing I want is for this manager to succeed.
George Stuart
146 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:27:25
See what you can do if you have a striker !
Maybe two.
Maybe three.
Kieran Kinsella
147 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:43:01
Neil

I can only assume the offside took two minutes as they were saving the linesman’s blushes by pretending it was a close call? Or were they looking for some other excuse in the build up?

Neil Copeland
148 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:50:15
Kieran, hello mate. It was a bit odd because it wasn’t even close. I suppose we all make mistakes but the more officials that get involved, the worse it seems to get.
Will Mabon
149 Posted 22/10/2022 at 22:54:55
Watching it back, I think the "Offside" from the linesman was for Gordon in the previous phase of the attack, when he does look on the margin a bit as he steps forward. Can see it in replay from that left wing angle. Not relevant to the outcome though, which must be how God, er, VAR saw it.
Colin Malone
151 Posted 23/10/2022 at 00:27:28
No butterflies in my stomach now.
Without going into detail.
DCL. Took the weight off the midfielder. Nine out of ten.
Defence. Nine out of ten, with a special mention to Tarkowski, Fucking passion.

Anthony Gordon. Fucking shite. No Passion.

Ian Riley
152 Posted 23/10/2022 at 00:32:38
George I see your point but having one or four strikers means nothing without closing down and desire. Today that's what pleased me the most. We wanted it more against an inform palace side. That's what has been lacking and Frank on Monday needs to show the highlights of today to the squad. The players created chances due to closing down from the front giving the back four more cover.

As for the officials today? Overall a good game. The offside given was incorrect but that's why VAR was brought in for, thankfully. Such a difficult role as linesman or referee. Respect for them, most thankless job in the world. Hopefully the team can press on now. Mid table by the world cup break will be excellent. Some great football played today!!

Mike Gaynes
153 Posted 23/10/2022 at 00:48:14
Brent #110, I love the way you are channeling Rob H. from the Great Beyond. You are a terrific medium. (For an Extra Large.)
Mike Gaynes
154 Posted 23/10/2022 at 00:57:18
Couldn't agree more that the officiating crew had a weak outing, more the AR's than the center ref, but he is ultimately responsible. Keep an eye on the assignments for next week, and watch for the names Simon Hooper, Adrian Holmes, Matthew Wilkes. I'll bet my mortgage payment that all of them have the week off.

That offside call on Gordon was so bad that the Spanish-language commentators were laughing openly. How a professional misses an easy call that badly is beyond me.

Ed Prytherch
155 Posted 23/10/2022 at 03:01:21
Mike, I choose the Spanish commentary if available whenever Martin Tyler does the English feed. I don't speak Spanish but I love their enthusiasm.
Jonathan Oppenheimer
156 Posted 23/10/2022 at 03:21:56
Neil 144, good to connect again, hope you and the family are doing well. You, too, Kieran and Mike and the entire Toffee family.

My point generally is that when I think of referees as being particularly poor, I think of whether their bad day affected big moments in the match and thus the outcome. In this case that didn’t happen. The only call like that besides whether Zaha should’ve been sent off that I recall was actually Garner with a few minutes left where I think he nicked the ball and instead got a yellow and gave them a good shot on net. The drop ball issues are straight forward: team in possession when whistle is blown gets the ball, unless the ball is in the penalty area, in which case the keeper gets it — which the ref I think incorrectly judged to be the case on the first one. And as for time added, when a game is out of reach at 3-0 there is an understanding that they cut off several minutes of added time because no one wants to risk injury to keep playing.

So all in all, not a great showing. But there have been plenty of matches other than this one where I felt aggrieved at the end, and today I just felt like it was an average ref who didn’t manage the game well and an assistant who looked hungover from the night before.

Onward my friends.

Kieran Kinsella
157 Posted 23/10/2022 at 03:22:23
Mike/Ed

I have Peacock but not USA so I’ve been streaming games like todays but all the English language ones freeze constantly. I found this one site where this Chinese kid has the English commentary faintly in the background but talks over it loudly in Chinese. I don’t speak one word of Chinese but his stream never freezes. He also sometimes gets distracted and answers personal telephone calls while “commentating” or what sounds like his Mom interupts his broadcast. But all of that being said he is much better than that bloody melodramatic Peter Drury or Martin Tyler. I don’t think he’s an Everton fan as he doesn’t sound too happy when we score but so far we’ve never lost when I’ve watched his stream so he’s my new favorite

David Currie
158 Posted 23/10/2022 at 03:36:33
Great game and 3 Great goals.
Boys played with good energy and intensity, everyone played well and Iwobi the star player. Great to see Forest stuff those horrible Victims as well.
Barry Jones
159 Posted 23/10/2022 at 03:55:17
Iwobi was immense. Tarkowski is a beast. McNeil, fabulous goal.
Lester Yip
160 Posted 23/10/2022 at 04:22:16
It's a good sign that the team responded well to after recent defeat. It shows the players are still behind Lampard, unlike Stevie G who had lost the dressing room.

Iwobi with 2 assists and have been running and running both ends. My MOTM.

Gray, still choosing to go solo and shoot most of the time while a pass maybe a better choice.

I still feel DCL is under-serviced. The poor man has to win the ball back himself, pass to Iwobi, make a run and finally have an opportunity to shoot. Anyway, a great win. A winning streak must be close?

Alan J Thompson
161 Posted 23/10/2022 at 06:04:44
Will(#149) got it right as Gordon did wander a metre offside when the ball was nearer the other side of the ground and realizing where he was Gordon back tracked and at no time interfered with play. However, owing to all the messing around with the rules maybe the Linesman thought he should flag it and as it should, VAR reviewed the matter and deemed that the goal should stand on the basis that at the time of his offside position Gordon was not interfering with play or influencing the position and several passes were made before Gordon tapping in the loose ball.
Steve Shave
162 Posted 23/10/2022 at 07:39:40
Sam @127 I've been saying the same for a while now, if we can add Gapko to this team I think the squad is complete. He is a player who can play across the lines and carries enough threat he can play as a striker if needed. Joao Pedro would be my second choice. If we could ship Townsend for a small fee and let go of Yerry in the next window to make room that would work well for us.

An excellent performance yesterday, you have to laugh at the anti-frank boo boys, where are you now? Why do some of you have to have a toxic focal point? Get behind them and they do better, its not rocket science!

Good performances all over the pitch, with Patterson to come back too, I am excited. I would be over the moon with a mid-table finish and a continued rapport between the team, Frank and the fans. Let's not forget the depths from which we have had to claw ourselves from. COYB.

Danny O’Neill
163 Posted 23/10/2022 at 07:50:03
I'll check that out next time I'm in New York Paul @138. Hopefully January. I have a few favourites but they are more mid-Manhattan. A friend recommended the Dead Rabbit to me, which is great but doesn't show sport and gets very busy. I suspect a bit of a tourist magnet.

I watched back and although difficult with highlights as they can paint a different picture, it confirmed what I saw.

Lampard's comments at the end about Coady and Tarkowski having "revolutionised the dressing room". Very telling considering the lack of leadership we've demonstrated in recent seasons. It took two "newbies" to come in and do that. The pundits picking out their partnership and understanding and the potential of being considered for England even though Keown put a damp squid on Tarkowski. Good; I don't want him going anywhere!

Dominic rightfully praised for the first, but Iwobi's feet to make space and his pass to create the chance. His splitting pass in the build up for the 2nd and his cheeky touch to set up the 3rd; that was all about awareness - he wasn't even looking, he just knew. He was involved in all 3 goals.

The move for the 2nd was sublime. From keeper to centre backs (I know that freaks out many!!) through the midfield into the back of the net in the space of less than a minute. I haven't timed it, but it wasn't long.

McNeil made his own goal. Great feet and skill cutting in from the flank to beat a number of players. Clever lay off to Iwobi, but didn't stop and watch, followed up and got his and our reward.

Aside from the result and how well we played on the ball, it was the off the ball sheer hard work that impressed me yesterday. Mention for Anthony Gordon who seemed to be off sorts of late. He worked very hard yesterday. Great awareness and follow up for his goal and very nearly got one in the first half had it not been for a good save.

Final mention; I know he's more of a conventional full back and his lack of attacking nouse get's justifiably questioned, but Mykolenko in the box taking a shot that led to a goal!!

I'll be one of hundreds of thousands of happy global Evertonians who can go and watch the Sunday football with a smile on my face.

Spirit. There was plenty of that yesterday.

Laurie Hartley
164 Posted 23/10/2022 at 08:32:21
What a terrific performance after the disappointment of the Newcastle game. Well done all the players and the manager. I promise not to pick any more teams between now and the end of the season - or maybe I should ???

Up the Blues !!!

Derek Knox
165 Posted 22/10/2022 at 08:51:04
Working on the Danny yesterday so missed the game, but was pleasantly both surprised and elated at the goal updates. I have never liked these slender one-goal leads, for obvious reasons, and it seemed to be that for ages. I don't think many would have predicted that score, but I did go for a 3-2 win for us in the little group I share with on What's App.

The big question now is, have we turned the corner we thought we had negotiated three matches ago? Only time will tell, but that injection of belief and confidence gained yesterday, will go a long way to securing a result at Fulham.

Who I must hasten to add, have done reasonably well since promotion. Marco Silva has them playing attractive and effective Football. Maybe Steve Ferns was right all along! Hope there is a blip next Saturday though for him. (Silva, not Steve)

Terry Farrell
166 Posted 23/10/2022 at 08:54:02
Colin 151,

I thought Gordon played well today and showed lots of passion and tracked back a lot to cut Zaha's service.

If he can work on his crossing to put more of them in the danger zone for Dom, he will go to the next level. Give him a chance – he is still learning!

Rich Evans
167 Posted 23/10/2022 at 08:54:17
John Pickles #37,

You cheeky monkey for calling out the experts on here, what were you thinking!?

Dave Abrahams
168 Posted 23/10/2022 at 08:59:23
Brian (143),

Very good post by a very honest man. Of course, plenty of us were shaking their heads with the team selection – especially after the complete non performance at Newcastle on Wednesday night.

Let's hope Frank continues to get more performances like today's out of this squad.

Danny O’Neill
169 Posted 23/10/2022 at 09:08:18
I don't know about turning the corner just yet, Derek. I think we're on a straight road knowing where we want to go, but we will hit a few speed bumps on the way.

Marching onto Putney Bridge.

Christine Foster
170 Posted 23/10/2022 at 09:12:54
Hey Bernie, hope you're well, mate. I'm afraid I could just about manage to stand up never mind do a jig, this covid thing wipes you out. I might be in for another long and difficult week!

Dave, after the Newcastle game, I was one calling for a formation and player change, so poor it was, but.. where did that performance come from? Is it tactical or motivational? Must have been a great win bonus!

I think Iwobi was given a free reign with this one, rather than stay covering Seamus... who, it has to be said, must have had 3 Weetabix for breakfast!

Can they keep that form together? Hope so...

Ian Hollingworth
171 Posted 23/10/2022 at 09:25:11
I, like most, wanted changes, nay demanded changes.

Frank didn't make them and the team repaid his faith in them with an excellent performance and 3 glorious goals.

We are getting better and there will be setbacks but boy was that an enjoyable watch.

UTFT

Paul Birmingham
172 Posted 23/10/2022 at 09:27:32
As good as it gets, and let's hope this is a catalyst for the next month, and the rest of the season.

Great effort and spirit, skill and fight. Before the game, I'm sure many feared Everton getting bullied, but they held their own and scrapped and looked after each other on the park.

Focusing on the game rather than the officials, a very happy day and night, beaming Evertonians in town last night to celebrate and rightfully so.

But now for Fulham, and in a similar vein over the last decade, Everton have gone down there in good form, and failed to show, other than the odd game.

Silva will want to make a point. But show the same mentality and who knows, football is a funny old game.

Hope eternal, UTFTs!

Danny O’Neill
173 Posted 23/10/2022 at 09:42:49
There is nothing wrong with opinions on what the team selection should be. I don't have issue with it.

I don't tend to get involved with it other than suggesting formations or where individual players might be better suited. I think. Call me out if otherwise.

It's all opinions and the only people that matter are those at the wheel and making the decisions. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with discussion and opinions amongst fans. We do it in the pub when the App or email notifications of the team come through.

The problem with football is that you can't predict it. That's why we're hooked.

We won. They got it right. Forget the selection. It was the attitude and desire.

Andy Meighan
174 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:01:49
Mike Keating. Looking back at the earlier comments about the starting line up humble pie time I think. Er wise after the event time I think for yours.
David Pugh
175 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:13:51
Don’t know if this has been mentioned elsewhere on this thread, but how Jordan Ayew got away with a yellow card, let alone a red, was a complete joke. I counted at least five challenges from him worthy of a yellow card, before he was finally substituted. Seems he carried on from where he left over last season. Remember that two footed lunge on Anthony Gordon right by the dugout minutes before he scored the palace second goal? As he walked round behind the Gwladys street goal, he was getting plenty of verbals from the fans in the lower Gwladys. One nasty player is Ayew.
Brian Harrison
176 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:19:43
Wow, I couldn't believe I was watching the same side that had struggled to have a shot on target in the last 2 games.

When I saw the team selection, I thought we would again struggle to create or score. But obviously Frank and his coaches have had a complete reset and changed completely from a very cautious approach, to a side who pressed higher up the pitch than ever before and even had midfield players running ahead of our forwards –something I have asked for, for a long time.

You could tell from the first couple of minutes that we intended to play front-foot football: from Palace's first goal-kick we had 3 players on the edge of their box and, only 3 or 4 yards behind them, we had Gana and Onana.

This surely has to be the template we have to adopt going forward; we showed that, against a decent Palace side, we could be very aggressive in attack and it didn't lessen our backline or leave them exposed.

All 3 goals were quality, Calvert-Lewin winning the ball back deep in their half and a quick ball from Iwobi and, in a flash, the finish was quality.

The 2nd goal was like watching Man City at their best – we moved it from Tarkowski to Coady to Coleman to Iwobi to Calvert-Lewin to I think Gordon onto Gray who rolled it to Onana, who was now our furthest attacker, who rolled it into our fullback Mykolenko to shoot, only for the keeper to save but Gordon was on hand to tap it in.

The 3rd goal, McNeil ghosts past 2 Palace defenders and plays the ball into the box for Iwobi to do a supreme back heel and McNeil finished the move, another great piece of football.

I have banged on for many months about our lack of goals and our lack of attacking intent, but yesterday Frank and his coaches showed a side to this group that has been lacking for months. A high line and not like the Man Utd and Spurs game where we retreated into our half before engaging the opposition.

Previously, midfield players were 10 yards away from our forwards; yesterday, they were running past our forwards which helped with our passing as we had more options in the final third.

I have to say I was there at Leicester last season and obviously the Palace game last season were both great victories but yesterday was a great performance. Let's hope that we now take this new attacking game into our next few games and banish any thought of another season battling relegation.

Peter Carpenter
177 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:20:43
I loved Coleman's performance against Zaha. Seamus has snuffed him out time after time in this fixture.

He knows exactly how to play him, gives him no time or space and manages to wind him up beautifully too.

Zaha nearly always loses his rag and gets a card. I don't think any full back in the league plays him better.

Michael Kenrick
178 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:28:09
Yesterday was a great performance, a great display of attacking football. A couple of exquisite flowing moves that brought lovey goals with fast accurate passing and great running off the ball.

This is exactly what we have been craving for god knows how long. And yet we have been criticised by some on here for having "unrealistic expectations" – how abhorrently negative can you get? Yet some people stand behind their disgusting predictions of defeat before each game.

Given the poor performances in terms of attacking football that preceded yesterday's excellent performance, it's understandable that posters offered possible solutions for fixing the problem.

Frank did the last thing anyone on here expected him to do – he stuck with the same line-up that had been so toothless against Newcastle, who really were no great shakes. So you have to ask: Why didn't we show even 20% of that attitude and desire on Wednesday?

We've all been watching football for an awful long time, and we get sucked in to the idea that an analysis of current form allows you to predict the outcome of the next game. But countless examples should show us that is far from the truth.

The best team in the country lost to a lousy pile of red shite last weekend, and this weekend, that pile of red shite lost to the team at the bottom of the Premier League!!! What sense does that make in terms of form and expectations? None at all.

Every game should be an opportunity for either team to secure a win – if they are the better team on the day. But even that simple formula does not always work.

Possibly the most puzzling trait on here for me is the extrapolation trap: some posters glom on to the last game and then extrapolate the result and performance to the next game, the next month, and even the entire run of games for the rest of the season! Surely watching football must have told you a thousand times that it just does not work like that!

I'm afraid it's the old cliche for me: One game at a time.

David Pugh
179 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:46:04
Hear, hear, Michael.

To quote Jimmy Greaves…….”It's a funny old game”.

Marc Hints
180 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:49:02
Barry #159

Amazing how I got slated on here when I published the stats of Tarkowski last year, and was told on here this would be a terrible signing. Got berated that he was at Burnley so that's why etc etc

Nice to see we now have an excellent Centre back.

Ray Roche
181 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:49:36
So, 82 year old Seamus is past and should never be wearing the shirt again? Once again had Zaha in his pocket. Must be galling for all the world class coaches on here who’ve been writing him off for years.
Danny O’Neill
182 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:51:14
You're only as good as your last game Michael and can only focus on the next one.

It's why league predictions in September and October always bemuse me, apart from some of the obvious ones.

The league usually settles at the end of December That's when you get an idea for where you will be challenging. It ends in May.

This year will obviously be different, but I don't get carried away at this stage of the season. As you say, we've all been watching football long enough to understand that.

David @175, totally agree. He got away with one just as he did last season. Nasty player. There's a difference between being hard and being a shithouse.

At least we stood up to Zaha's whining and bullied him back into submission. He's another one. Good talent but his constant complaining when he get's the slightest touch winds me up. Well done for getting in his face and taking him off his game and well done Seamus for marshalling him like an experienced Texas Sheriff.

Michael Kenrick
183 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:56:42
David,

I never really liked Greavsie and was spared watching him every week, thankfully, but he was right in that regard.

Brian's great description of each goal triggered another thought on yesterday's game. Perhaps someone can explain to me how you can have those three very fine passing moves leading to goals – along with three more shots on target and three others that were not too far away – yet some faceless 'expert' somewhere decides that Everton's 'Expected Goals' rated a paltry 1.45???

What utter fucking nonsense is that?

Brian Harrison
184 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:57:40
Michael 178

While you are absolutely right that each game can produce a totally different result than what was expected, it still doesnt mean that form guides can be thrown out the window for every game. the teams at the bottom are there because of their inability to win games on a regular basis and the teams at the top are there because they do win on a regular basis. I understand your thoughts that every game is a one off but generally the top 6 teams will 9 times out of 10 beat the bottom 6.
So while there has been and always will be upsets to the form guide I think they are a better indication of how a game will pan out so taking what has happened in the previous games are a good guide, and I don't agree that to use those guides as a prediction is a poor way to asses how a game will pan out.

Peter Carpenter
185 Posted 23/10/2022 at 10:58:23
You're right, Michael. We all need to be more level-headed and avoid lurching from one extreme to the other. We know what football is like.
Why, some articles on here even have the words 'ridiculous defeat' and 'dismal farce' in the titles!
(Only joking - hides behind sofa.)
Duncan McDine
186 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:00:23
Not the finest predictions from a lot of the pre-match professors (no names necessary), but you guys would have enjoyed the win as much as anyone. All 3 goals were just beautiful. Frank Lampard knows more about Premier League football than all of us lot combined, so let’s sit back and enjoy watching his team develop. It’s still a mile away from where he wants us to be, but the start of this season has been as promising as anything I’ve seen in a long while (including the 3 poor results leading up to the Palace win). Some of you may not agree of course, but that’s what makes TW interesting. UTFT
Danny O’Neill
187 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:08:56
I never really got to watch the Greaves programme as my dad wouldn't let me because it included St John.

Team and plan in progress. Let's enjoy the ride and accept the bumps along the way. We've been here before. Perseverance rather than panic will get us to the promised land.

Tony Sullivan
188 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:13:10
Peter Carpenter, no need to joke, I think you have said it how it is.
David Pugh
189 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:14:36
Duncan 186. Exactly right, it’s still miles away from where we want to be, maybe should be, because Frank inherited one hell of a mess. We were probably at our lowest we’ve been for years when he came in, but somehow he managed to keep us up, and get rid of the deadwood. He’s slowly steering the ship in the right direction, having signed some decent players for a change. Keep DCL fit, hopefully sign another forward in the January window, as we really do need another one to go alongside DCL and Maupay, and who knows, Danny may get his European trips after all next season. A long shot maybe, but to quote Jimmy Greaves again………”It’s a funny old game”
Steavey Buckley
190 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:25:23
I just hope the blues can repeat the same performance next week against Fulham, and not lurch back to the dreadful performances in the previous 3 games. But with Patterson expected to be fit next week, I just hope Frank Lampard makes substitutions when Everton players are showing signs they are not repeating the same good performances the previous week.
Michael Kenrick
191 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:30:06
From the tenor of so many posts, it is important for an awful lot of people to have the foreknowledge of how the next game will pan out. So much so that they come to believe exactly what you've described, Brian @184, that the outcome of the game can be predicted based on form. It's what fills our pre-match threads.

For me, that notion goes completely against the fundamental intent and purpose of playing the game. It works directly against and eats away at the spontaneity and competitiveness and uncertainty that are the very heart and essence of the game.

Unless you can watch at least the start of each game with some belief that today, we are going perform, play well, and win – then honestly, what's the fucking point? That's why any prediction – but especially the negative nellies who say we are going to lose – are abhorrent to me.

It's facile to look at current form, table position, and predict the result. Anyone can do it. No-one gets it right – except by sheer fluke.

But at least someone has got it well figured out – the bookies – which is sadly ironic for me when you look at a supposed working-man's sport to see so many punters sucked into this con-trick and throwing away their hard-earned... Meanwhile, they look to the government, demanding the next handout.

Yes, it's a funny old world...

Raymond Fox
192 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:34:29
Michael 178,

I see you're still having dig, your argument that we have the same chance of success whoever we play or wherever we play is nonsense.
Sure we always have a chance of winning any game, but it's not the same chance.

If you don't want us to give our genuine thoughts on our chances of a result if we think we might struggle, that's okay.
Next time we play Man City on their ground, do we say I think we will win instead of it might be difficult to get a favourable result?

By the way, I forecast we would win yesterday along with everyone else as far as I know. They are only opinions they don't change anything.

Barry Rathbone
193 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:41:31
Although personally in favour of a non-knee jerk match to match analysis and the conclusions derived, the angst and pure dogma it produces is fabulous entertainment.

Irrationality is fundamental to footy fandom the game exists on myth and legend; logic and rational decision-making are at the same level as that expounded by disciples of ISIS and other mad cults.

We need more vehement disagreement and people offering each other "out" because it reflects the match-going experience. When people post on here clearly under the influence of something, it's a joy.

Andy Crooks
194 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:51:27
Why the same players who were awful against Newcastle but were superb yesterday defies analysis. However, it confirms that we are entitled to expect more before every game and allowed to gripe when we are let down.

The idea that supporters are negative if they question team selection and must repent if proven wrong is ludicrous. Support unreservedly at the match, vent on ToffeeWeb.

Kevin Molloy
195 Posted 23/10/2022 at 11:54:17
Andy

I think the difference between the two performances comes down to getting that first goal early on. Forces the other team to make the running, they leave gaps, are more tired quicker, and so make mistakes.

One aspect where Everton will have suffered over the last few years is that so many of their games they were not able to coast at any point. Imagine how many games where a good team can start taking it easy at 65 minutes, we've been able to do that maybe once or twice. a season.

Dave Abrahams
196 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:08:07
David (189),

I don't think for one moment that Frank Lampard came in and managed to keep us up. You and the rest of us kept Everton up, we were the ones who made the players perform with the magnificent support before games on the streets outside Goodison Park, at Finch Farm then inside the grounds when the matches began.

Frank never gave them the spirit that kept us up – we did, the very young, the teenagers, middle-aged and pensioners urged these players to strive that bit extra and sweat a lot more.

Frank learned to love the crowd, knows how responsible we were in getting that extra out of them and created the absolutely wonderful atmosphere throughout the last few weeks and games of the season.

Without that support and atmosphere there is no way we would have seen the Premier League football we are watching this season. That support played a big part in the win yesterday as well.

Andrew Clare
197 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:13:14
Dave # 196, Absolutely correct. Our incredible support gave our players the extra spur to keep us up.
Brian Harrison
198 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:37:51
Michael 191

The reason we are on this site is because its our love for our club and our desire to do well. But that shouldnt blinker on how we asses how the team is performing, and as you yourself have described on many occasions pretty abysmally at times. So while every poster wants us to win every game we play, to point out some of their believed deficiencies is not negative but actually positive as they are saying we have belief this player or team can do better.

I would also suggest that most of us go to the game and back the players to the hilt but that doesn't stop us offering criticism after or before the game kicks off. In all the years of going the game I have never booed at the game or left early another pet hate of mine. I wonder if the people who regularly leave early do they do the same when they go to the theatre, get up 10 minutes before the end and leave to catch a bus or train home.

Finally not sure of your comment at the end of your post Michael is very fitting, were you say they are waiting for the next Government hand out, dont know why you made that comment.

Barry Jones
199 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:40:37
Marc #180.

I've always rated Tarkowski. Not only is he a class player, he's as hard as nails. We are not a team that can be intimidated anymore, with him, Coady and Onana and Gana.

As well as Seamus played yesterday, I feel that we miss Patterson. He gives us an extra attacking dimension that we have missed since he's been out.

Rob Jones
200 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:45:23
Brian, he's probably a Tory...
Raymond Fox
201 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:52:06
It was a great heart warming performance from all the team yesterday, a big confidence boost for all concerned.

Only good can come from the game and we have now 3 games which are all winnable.

The Fulham game is probably the most difficult as they are on a roll but we will see.

Danny O’Neill
202 Posted 23/10/2022 at 12:54:44
Reading the comments above. Same players, same team, same manager. But a different mentality.

Played without fear and on the front foot. Learned their lesson of the past few games even though there was some tough opposition in those; not including Newcastle in that.

The challenge is can they sustain that level and achieve consistency?

Absolutely, Dave Abrahams. And that support will also respond to what it sees. I can't vouch as I couldn't be there yesterday, but it sounded like the crowd responded to the effort I saw and they were seeing.

Pete Clarke
203 Posted 23/10/2022 at 13:02:50
I was definitely one of us who thought Frank had to change it up but I didn't think it would be with the same line-up. It just shows that there is a good team in there but it's being consistent that makes that team good.

Iwobi was immense with his quick feet and energy. Just about the best transformation I've seen in a modern player. Gordon's early hesitation in attacking the defense was worrying but he had a good game, especially tracking back. Getting a tap-in shows he's got an instinct for goal which is only good for us.

Very difficult to pick a Man of the Match so I'll just give them all a 9 for effort alone and making a good weekend for us Blues.

Every opposition throws up different challenges but, with that kind of energy and passion, then we should be climbing that Premier League table. Having a focal point up front allowed us to play the way we did.

On the subject of the referees, I agree that the standards are not great. I also firmly believe that a lot of players are shamefully playacting and making it harder for refs to control games. This is a topic that needs to be discussed and eradicated from the game.

Players who are diving around and rolling in agony when it's proved there's been no contact should be sent off and banned as it's disrupting an already VAR-induced sport... just a pet hate of mine.

Special mention to Seamus who, despite his weary legs, is still giving everything. I think he's enjoying having Tarkowski and Coady next to him as they are all of the same old school breed of toughness.

Bill Watson
204 Posted 23/10/2022 at 13:23:34
Iwobi was just immense!

Like most of us, I'm totally amazed in that, in less than 12 months, he's gone from being a player that shouldn't have been anywhere near the first team to one that's virtually the first name on the team sheet.

He's now one of the best, if not the best, midfield players in the Premier League. It won't be long before Man City are sniffing around!

John Pickles
205 Posted 23/10/2022 at 13:30:18
As mine was the first comment viewed critical towards posters complaining about the team selection, I would just like to add a couple of points.

Firstly, if you are scathing towards the manager's selection and its ability to create chances when the team runs out comfortably winners, then I think you open yourselves up to a bit of ribbing.

Secondly, and more importantly, as with a lot of my posts, my main attempt was to add a little humour to the site. I maybe should have added that my comment should have been read with a Norwegian accent. If necessary, google Bjørge Lillelien.

Barry Jones
206 Posted 23/10/2022 at 13:52:33
I think it's time to move on Keane and Mina. Hopefully, Holgate and Godfrey can look and learn. Also, they both have the versatility to play in a back three if we revert to that at times.

Southgate was watching. For me there is no doubt that he should take Calvert-Lewin, Tarkowski and Coady to the World Cup.

Steve Brown
207 Posted 23/10/2022 at 14:04:43
Dave A is right.

In our hour of peril, the crowd rediscovered its love of the club and the impact it can have on the team. Imagine if the crowd's passion was matched by the performance and intensity of the team?

We could really be on to something.

Danny O’Neill
208 Posted 23/10/2022 at 14:09:05
I keep saying it and I'm not getting overly emotional but when (not if) we win something again, football won't know what's hit it.

Nothing staged. Nothing false for the Sky cameras.

Just pure outpouring of love, desire and passion that has been passed down for generations.

Paul Hewitt
209 Posted 23/10/2022 at 14:09:23
Bill @204.

Iwobi might be good for us. But he's nowhere near the level for Man City. Never will be.

David Pugh
210 Posted 23/10/2022 at 14:14:17
Paul, I think there may be a hint of sarcasm in Bill’s post.
Si Cooper
211 Posted 23/10/2022 at 14:31:26
I think where there is less guesswork in predicting the outcomes of games is when people can accurately assess which / how many players can have a genuine, unforced off-day before the whole team tends to fall apart.

We need pretty much everyone to be on song for the manager's plans to become reality, and even then we need to hope we aren't simply up against better players playing their best.

The posts I just don't really understand are the team sheet ones. It's not a democracy so what anyone other than the manager has picked is irrelevant (and proves absolutely zilch).

Similar to the formation ones; it is how the players find space off the ball, deny the opposition soft options, etc that makes the difference, not a simple series of numbers written down.

Kieran Kinsella
212 Posted 23/10/2022 at 17:14:40
Si

None of the comments matter in real terms. The line-ups and formations are just a bit of fun. People pretending they're 8 years old again and playing make-believe as to how they'd get a better outcome.

In fairness, some have pretty well argued points but yes of course it's meaningless in real terms.

Andy Crooks
213 Posted 23/10/2022 at 17:32:58
Kieran, we need to block our minds to what is meaningless. Because, in real terms, caring about what a bunch of obscenely paid lads do on a Saturday afternoon is insane. We do it, though.

I couldn't sleep the last few games of last season, and that is nuts, but true. So, I think our emotional investment entitles us to, now and again, be ridiculous.

Kieran Kinsella
214 Posted 23/10/2022 at 17:41:16
Andy,

I totally agree, mate.

Jonathan Oppenheimer
215 Posted 23/10/2022 at 19:56:15
Andy and Kieran, I'd just add in that it's not insane or meaningless at all — well maybe a little insane, and I did have to teach my now 6-year-old an Everton loss shouldn't ruin his day because he cried years back after a loss after he saw how worked up I got.

Caring as much as we all do is because as humans we're deeply tribal and often insanely competitive. Everton is our tribe and we all lost a bit of sleep worrying about being knocked down a notch last season, because it meant we were losers on the pitch.

It pained us that much to be losing and to have our identity be one of such pitiful football. It was natural to feel that way, and then also to recapture ownership and leadership of the club and lead us to non-relegation glory, as others have posted above.

And along the way, all the hilarious and passionate and insightful and often banal banter on TW or at Goodison or in our living rooms is part and parcel of membership in the tribe. (Or at least I tell myself all this to justify how Everton makes me feel and how much time it occupies in my life and mind.)

Danny O’Neill
216 Posted 23/10/2022 at 20:23:03
Never meaningless. Never without meaning. Your 6-year-old will see success, Jonathan.

I'm treading a thin line here, but Everton means more to me than just about everything in life. Just about. Family first obviously.

But Everton are family. They've been with me from the cradle and since I can remember. They'll be with me to the grave.

Once we get that 10th league title.

Laurie Hartley
217 Posted 23/10/2022 at 21:29:43
Rob Jones # 200 - are you travelling incognito? 😉
Jonathan Oppenheimer
218 Posted 23/10/2022 at 22:09:25
Danny, I greatly appreciate your optimism. I plan on seeing success, too, figure I got about 40-50 years left to make it happen.
Paul Hewitt
219 Posted 23/10/2022 at 22:09:58
Danny@216. I'm in my 50's and if I live to be 100 I doubt I would have seen us win our 10th title.
Paul Kernot
220 Posted 23/10/2022 at 22:24:07
Brilliant game but I'd have loved Myky's shot for the 2nd goal to have gone in. Would really have boosted his confidence to venture forward more I think.
Will Mabon
221 Posted 23/10/2022 at 22:45:00
Paul,

The esteemed Garth Crooks' Team of the Week includes Mykolenko. That will have him buzzing to above the clouds.

Paul Birmingham
222 Posted 23/10/2022 at 00:28:57
Paul,@209, and others, respectfully, I respect your views, but there’s no point in comparing Everton to City, today, on a par level over the last ten years.

City, are exceptional in their consistency’s,, the last 15 years, but are beatable, and Everton, and other Teams, beat them, when they work hard and execute their game plan, but Everton are changing for the better.

Over previous Centuries, go for it. Only one Winner! It ain’t Cit.

Iwobi had a great game, v Palace, has had very good start to this season, and as we all know on TW, football success and failure is built over seasons, and moulded by managers, players, grit, belief, character, and transcending negativity.

All Evertonians, can, could, and are qualified to be cute, if they wished.

A great day, so what’s the works, worth on Iwobi? Why so negative?

I’m saving the poker..

Watch Everton, and yesterday and based on this season, literally, Alex Iwobi, is a reborn player, and the pulse of the Everton Squad.

The general negativity of late on TW, in a transition season, takes the pits, loads to play for and who knows, but writing off so early, in this season, is madness.

UTFTs!

“ Whats Our Name?”

Mike Gaynes
223 Posted 24/10/2022 at 02:17:39
Jonathan, good to see you post. When you're through teaching your little boy that an Everton loss shouldn't ruin his day, could you help me out with that?

But you of all people should hold out hope of seeing Everton at the top of the league. If the Vikes can lead the NFC Central, anything can happen, right?

Kieran Kinsella
224 Posted 24/10/2022 at 03:25:25
Good to see Jonathon Oppenheimer back. Top bloke. Lovely family but Mike what's all this “Vikes” and “NFC”? Is this some kind of colonial quasi sport like Aussie rules football or wrestling?

Please try to keep this forum on point to professional sports even violent ones with a weirdly shaped ball where men beat the crap out of each other without Legion of Doom shoulder pads like rugby.

Jonathan Oppenheimer
225 Posted 24/10/2022 at 03:39:09
Mike and Kieran, the sad part about raising an American kid is that you can't keep them from caring about the NFL, no matter how much I tell the kid it's a crap sport full of grotesque brain injuries for the rest of players' lives. It's the American way.

Fortunately he still loves playing the real version of football, but truth is he'd probably now take a Vikings game over Everton on a Sunday afternoon.

Too bad he's stuck with me, which means I maul him when we score a goal, he knows what to wear on match day, and we're going to Goodison before I ever step foot in US Bank stadium a few miles away.

Kieran Kinsella
226 Posted 24/10/2022 at 03:43:06
Jonathan

Haha tough love is the way to go

Mike Gaynes
227 Posted 24/10/2022 at 05:51:01
Jonathan, two generations ago it was easy to put a kid off the Vikings. You could just take him to a game at Met Stadium in December. I was an ABC sportscaster there in the Tommy Kramer years. The frostbite still bothers me on cold damp days.

Kieran, for many years you could have lorded over us the inferiority of the gridiron grunts, but no more. England has prostituted itself to the American game. Jonathan's son's Vikings beat the Saints this month in front of 60,639 at Spurs stadium -- barely short of the 61,812 they drew to play Everton.

Kim Vivian
228 Posted 24/10/2022 at 08:17:04
Immense day and everybody has pretty much summed it up in this thread.

However, somewhat off topic, but echoing Peter Clarke at 203, just on the subject of simulated 'career ending' injuries, I've said it before, but if it was to be obligatory in the event that an injury (or not) requires on field attention then the player should have to wait say a couple or three minutes before returning to the field of play.

Call it a treatment/assessment break or whatever but in the case of a genuine injury it may be quite necessary. A forced substitution would be immediate of course, but it may discourage some players from their simply amateur dramatics intended to waste time or worse in my opinion, get an opposition player carded when subjected to the slightest or imagined touch.

The human body is not as fragile as many professional footballers would make out (take 10 mins to watch some of the Rugby League World Cup even if you do't follow the game to see what I mean). The physical contact has been massively reduced in our game (football) in the last couple of decades and I get that the footballer's physiology and the nature of impacts can therefore be exacerbated and genuine bad injuries do occur, but to get back to my point, if they were forced to depart the pitch for a couple of minutes, maybe the simulation might drop off.

Lee Robinson
229 Posted 24/10/2022 at 11:20:52
Perfect performance really. I re-watched the whole thing again last night. The defence is exceptional, so comfortable on the ball, confident and moving it quickly which breeds confidence in the team. Light years from Godfrey and Keane passing bobbly slow balls to each other under pressure.

Iwobi I have to say with Onana absolutely ran the show. I can't speak highly enough of Iwobi, he controlled the game and tempo for me. I had slight concerns over Onana but on Saturday he showed the player he can potentially be, not only with his presence and tackling but he was everywhere and his passing was fantastic.

Calvert-Lewin lead the line brilliantly. I don't think people realise the impact it has when the ball does go up top it can be held up and bring other players in, instead of coming back everytime.

The substitutions were great and I have huge faith in McNeil, I think he will be a big player for us.

Things to improve on are crossing, we got more balls into the box but needs to be better quality and first time. I thought Gana was largely anonymous and slightly off it again. Hopefully he will get up to the pace which I'm sure he will be more of a benefit for this squad than not.

Surely Fulham can't win 3 Premier League games in a row. Good time to go and show them what we can do on Saturday.

Brian Murray
230 Posted 24/10/2022 at 11:45:45
Lee. Still reckon a midfield position at this moment is asking a bit much for Onana as it's so fierce in this league. It's his first season and intriguing to find out how good he's going to be.

Maybe push him bit further up. He's has a knack like Fellaini of getting into good positions. Just needs that first goal and watch him go, hopefully

Lee Robinson
231 Posted 24/10/2022 at 13:28:24
Brian, totally agree. And let's not forget he's only played a handful of games in a slower league in France. My concerns for him were more technical, and I couldn't see what the best version of him would be. Would he break up play, an engine, a box-to-box, or would he be used more forward, like Fellaini, as you say?

I thought on Saturday he showed good signs in all those areas and also showed some skill and sprayed some quality balls around as well as dropping back into left back to pick the ball up off the defence and fill in for Mykolenko.

He is pure potential at the moment and each game will be monumental for his improvement even when he doesn't play well. Having Iwobi next to him on this form and Gana will be benefitting him hugely. But I see a great player there hopefully in a few seasons.

Lester Yip
232 Posted 25/10/2022 at 23:11:19
I am very surprised how quickly Onana being able to adapt to Premier League. Gueye and he are still a tad slower when receiving and releasing the ball. But other areas such as tackling, getting into positions, forward runs, contesting for the ball etc, they look well.

Usually a player with his height could be a bit slower or less coordinated. But he's very good overall. His reach of his tackles must have caught a lot of players by surprise, eg he won the ball off Casemiro in the Man Utd game that lead to Iwobi's beauty.

I'd like to see Doucoure being match-fit again to compete for those starting spots.

Danny O’Neill
233 Posted 26/10/2022 at 08:34:20
Kim, I've long had the debate with Rugby following friends amidst the "kiss ball" jibe.

My tongue-in-cheek response was to label them as failed footballers who resorted to picking the ball up with their hands and running with it.

Yes, there is more direct contact and impact in Rugby. I don't dispute that.

But the nature of football is that a leg-on-leg impact is potentially way more dangerous than a coming together of the upper body.

I'm hugely over-simplifying there, but that's how I've always seen it.

I respect Rugby, especially the way they officiate the game, even if it confuses the hell out of me. For what is at face value a simple game, it is actually very complex in terms of rules. I just enjoy watching it, totally oblivious to what is going on!!

Then again, football has made a complete dog's ear of the offside rule. Even though they fortunately got it right on Saturday.

Kim Vivian
234 Posted 26/10/2022 at 10:22:23
Hi Danny.

My point really was about simulation and somehow reducing it by forcing a short "recovery period" or some such. We do get traumatic injuries in football for example Gomes which was not really an impact injury per se but injury caused by the body's own stresses exacerbating the strain on the joint caused by the first tackle and follow up - the ankle in his case. Indeed, having played a lot of both rugby and football (to decent but not particularly high standard) in a previous life, I have suffered worse injuries playing football.

In rugby the body is generally more "relaxed" on impact so absorbs punishment more easily. In football the nature of the game and physiology means that ones body is tense or stressed so can to all intents and purposes work against itself.

Anyway, I take your point 100% but refer back to my frustration at simulation. How do we deal with it?

Offside? Don't start me. Too much to contribute but on Saturday I was not remotely worried, bar blatant abuse, that the goal would have been disallowed. Fortunately VAR did it's proper job identifying a clear error. Not sure what the linesman or whatever he's called these days (still a linesman to me) was thinking, but maybe he's from SE25!

Danny O’Neill
235 Posted 26/10/2022 at 10:50:48
Well put, Kim.

On simulation, it's simple to me. but then I'm a simple person!

Punish it, don't just wave it away as the officials tend to do and tell the player to get up. If they are proven to simulate, then book them.

I do also think there is a place in football for the sin bin approach.

My blood boils when I hear Alan Shearer and others say "If you give that, you'd be giving them every week".

No. Once you start dishing out punishment for wrong-doing, be that simulation and shirt-pulling (pet hate), it would soon stop or become less frequent. So you wouldn't be giving them every week.

Consistency. That's all we want.

Paul Cherrington
236 Posted 26/10/2022 at 12:23:29
Bit late to the party but been busy this week up till now. Great result and performance at the weekend by the team. Loved seeing us looking so dangerous, competitive and confident.

Calvert-Lewin got a great goal and showed what a key player he is up front. Need to wrap him in cotton wool now! Iwobi awesome again, as was our defence. Gordon's best game in my opinion for a while too.

Although the fact the linesman thought his goal was offside is very worrying, seeing as it was so obviously not?! Can't see why he would raise his flag when Gordon was so clearly on. I know the standard of Premier League referees now is poor in general but are the officials really that bad?!

Kim Vivian
237 Posted 26/10/2022 at 12:54:09
Danny,

I think it's difficult to prove simulation if there has been on-field treatment, so carding is probably not the broad answer. Obvious diving, as opposed to simulated injury, to win penalties, free-kicks etc is different and works to some extent already. Cards are seen.

Obliging an "injured" player to leave the pitch for a couple of minutes recovery or assessment could work. I mean in the case of genuine injuries, that is often the case anyway – a short period of off-pitch treatment and then returning, or even a forced substitution.

Meantime, I'm looking forward to a further 3 points on Saturday evening.

Matthew Williams
238 Posted 26/10/2022 at 19:06:58
I'm so glad Lampard proved me wrong!

A great team performance all-round but why can't we show that level of commitment in our away games?


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