One Mistake away from Victory

I'd say you pretty much captured the game itself as I saw it. As to breakfast, you made the correct choice for health; "They" are not going after meat and eggs for nothing. The "Healthy" stuff is being left alone and pushed... but that's another story.

We are not the only team who have found it difficult to put Forest away. They have the resilience to stay in games even when being outplayed. Hence they are unbeaten at home since September. That includes a recent 1-1 draw against Man City.

We face a similar sort of challenge this week against Brentford who have lost only four matches this season. They are draw specialists with eleven so far. It will be another really tough game for us. We need to make it difficult for them. Hopefully Fulham will undermine their confidence tonight.

Agreed on Keane and Tark. I was impressed. Keane really is much better positionally than Coady.

Regarding Onana, of course he's inconsistent. I'd be astonished if he wasn't. He's 21. He has played fewer than 90 professional games, fewer than 60 at top level, and he's had five managers and multiple roles to fill in that time. I think we have a superstar in the making, but much patience will be required.

Agreed also on Godfrey. He's not a left back and he's not game-sharp after the long layoff, so his positioning was sometimes horrible, but I thought he did well overall.

Re Doucoure's mistake, I saw an interesting analysis on NBC that showed he wasn't 100% at fault. When he got the ball, both Iwobi and Gana ran forward between defenders, and neither stopped to make themselves readily available. And there was an opponent between Duke and a potential layoff pass, so he had to try to squeeze the ball through. It was admittedly foolish and poorly done, but his teammates didn't help. Jim is absolutely right, the current midfield is a turnover disaster. IMO Iwobi needs to be moved centrally, and he too must be more careful with the ball.

Personally I was delighted with yesterday's performance if disappointed by the result. We were committed, passionate, confident on the ball (sometimes too confident, right, Duke and Keane???) and played maximum hard every minute. No dithering on the ball, no hesitance and looking around on defense, no lack of forward commitment. Performances like that will keep us up.

If we can just eliminate some of the mistakes.

The kids are fantastic fanatics, and my young godson is the one who is keeping up the family tradition right now.

As you know Danny, I’m a little bit torn at the minute, but I sense better times (I’m a lunatic- hopefully I’m not a jinx) and being back amongst the travelling blue army, is something that I need to begin to do on a more regular basis once again, because being amongst the fanatical Evertonians, has always been special 💙

Just as others can’t see us staying up I cannot ser us going down and I lopk forward to you teporting why we didn’t. UTFT!!!!!

Rob, glad to accept honoury membership of the gang. You'll probably be shaking your head at me, as I'm prone to the odd walking tour. I'll try not to bring a guide book.

Tony, Ajax would be fantastic. I've visited their training ground and watched the youth teams train.

Get back on the road Tony, you don't need me to tell you you'd love it.

Let's get over the line again and then reset.

Country Road before we march down the Fulham Road. We can do this Everton.

I haven't been to matches since Covid because I'm in the highly vulnerable group but, before the pandemic, it did used to annoy me how opposition fans always chant the same stuff, especially away. Council houses, unemployment etc

Watch Boys from the Blackstuff and you will know these are serious generational subjects and not to be trivialised in a stupid chant.

But Danny, I know what you mean about some of these fans from certain clubs taking a weird fascination in us. Leicester fans have been similar. I think they sense that we're one of the old guard that they want to overhaul.

Did you go to Alkmaar in 2007?

Also, you mentioned Florence, a city I have run marathons in and really like but reportedly our fans got really badly treated there when we played them in 2008...

I love reports of the whole day out, be it home or away, so well done.

I also am heartened by our battling performance. I think Dyche is succeeding in instilling more resolve and better habits in our team.

As for Doucoure's lapse, it's just like Gana's last week. I'm afraid that our players just lack a bit of quality and as the manager keeps going on about those "small details", it is those things that separate wins from draws etc.

Now let's beat Brentford.

Thank god we never lost on Sunday but I read something in the Echo last night about how many goals we have already conceded during Dyche's short period which have stemmed from our own mistakes.

I do believe hard work covers a multitude of sins against most teams, though, so this is finally giving me a little bit of belief in this team.

I don't post on TW very often but do try and follow most of the threads so it was good to make your acquaintance. I agree with your general view of the game and share your general outlook on our current predicament.

It's clear to me the players are slowly re-gaining confidence – and at least had sustained forward momentum from the start – duly rewarded with the penalty... but the nerves are still apparent – particularly when we found ourselves a goal up each time.

I commented at the time we seemed to lack the will or confidence to continue pushing on and killing games off – ultimately paying the price with the usual unforced error in our own half.

I felt sorry for Doucoure - whatever else he isn't -he clearly shows the passion and effort we need to get us through this- he just needs to calm down at bit.

I sense Dyche is in their heads now and belief is creeping back – I just pray the decision to leave Frank at the tiller after the debacles at Bournemouth won't come back to haunt us. I'm convinced had Dyche been appointed then, our results just after the break would have been different and we would have fought clear by now. Still… might have, could have etc.

I remain optimistic we will scrape clear of this if we continue to grow the belief required – staying calm, in and out of possession, now will be a real challenge for the players who are clearly still on edge.

Your observations about their crowd, Danny, were spot on – a real throwback to a different era. Walking back to the car amongst them, and overhearing their chatter, I was struck by how concerned they are at their own predicament. They are clearly still very worried they remain in a relegation battle and I took some heart at that.

There are still potentially 8 or 9 clubs in this scrap and we are as well equipped now as any of them to scramble clear.
Keep the faith, Danny, and my grandson and I are looking forward to seeing you at Goodison on Saturday.

Yes, I did go to Alkmaar. One of the coldest nights I've ever experienced at a football match. It was absolutely freezing.

As for Florence, you're right, the treatment of us was appalling, culminating in being met by a long line of police outside after the game with water cannons. I don't really think they needed to give us a soaking, as it had been pouring down all night and we were soaked right through!

UTFT

He's just the type of player for a relegation battle and would have covered for Calvert-Lewin and allowed us to play 4-5-1 with a proper target man. Not one for the future but we could give him back.

What were the board doing? How did they let Nottingham Forest, one of our rivals, out-manoeuvre us? Not rocket science!!

The weather is usually nice, bit of a holiday atmosphere like family days out, no real pressure on and – like Europe – always lots of bevvy and laughs!

As with the other targets, it looks as though we didn't have the financial clout to get it over the line.

Mark (19) needs help in either helping him past half-time and back to Horsham or helping him drink all that beer and dancing back to Horsham.

As you say, it was lashing down and everyone was taking shelter. A little window in the wall opened, and there was an Italian gentleman selling plastic cagoules. A very long queue formed. I was standing near the back, and a guy wandered past wearing his new raincoat and carrying a few more.

Someone asked him how much they were, and he went into a fume; “A rip-off. 15 euros each. Bastards. And I got one too many, you can have it for 12 if you want”. The deal was done and the purchaser went off, happy with his bargain.

It turned out they actually only cost 3 euros each! I'm not advocating ripping off fellow supporters but it did make me laugh that the spirit of Del Boy was alive on a pretty grim night.

I read Martin O'Neill's book while on holidays in the Algarve in early February. Cloughie's first words to his players on arrival at the City Ground were not to complicate things, pass the ball to one of your own players and then make an angle to receive the ball back.

We are making silly mistakes due to a lack of quality and are being punished. If Garner cannot push himself into contention for a start given the lack of quality in mid-field, full of players who give the ball away far too easily, then he must go down as another poor purchase by the DOF.

Patterson must be close to a return but, given how Seamus is performing, I find it hard to believe that the manager could consider dropping him at present.

Brentford have not been beaten in the League since the New Year and, just like Arsenal when they came to Goodison, they are due a beating.

With the way the railways are run these days, you must be checking timetables constantly as trains seem to be cancelled at the drop of a hat, well certainly in the north they are.

While it's a rarity for me to go to an away game these days (an age thing), I always marvel at how many youngsters I see going to Goodison every week. I sit with my 13-year-old grandson and have quite a few youngsters around us in the Upper Bullens.

I am lucky I have seen us win League trophies on numerous occasions, cups, and had an enjoyable time in Rotterdam when we lifted the Cup-Winners Cup. But these youngsters have seen no success, and the younger ones have only witnessed relegation battles.

Yet they are there every week passionately supporting the team, just a pity that, in my opinion, they are having to watch one of the worst Everton teams I have seen in my lifetime.

I hope, in the not-too-distant future, these youngsters can see Everton again winning trophies, it will take time for that to happen but if any group of supporters deserve success, it's our brilliant fans.

All I have heard from the media over the last 10 or more years is how wonderful Newcastle supporters are because of how long they have gone without a trophy and their fans still turn up in their numbers.

Maybe the media would look at our supporters who for years have filled the away end at grounds – irrespective of where or what time the games have taken place.

I have to disagree with you on Michael Keane though.

When we scored early it was noticeable that we dropped deeper a symptom of Keane’s game but more importantly he loses concentration in key moments and could have done a lot better for both goals.

The first one he lets Yhe player play the ball and then run in behind him for the return.

The second one although Doucoure was at fault for the turnover he still had to get through defenders and Keane didn’t even attempt to block the shot, something Coady has been good at.

Other than that great read of the “Adventures of Danny O’Neill”.

Peter Mills, great story! I should have seen the punch line coming but it gave me a good laugh.

I write because I like sharing my Everton experience.

Some great European recollections from John, Rob and Peter. Hopefully more to come soon when we get through this.

Jim, see you and your Grandson at the next one.

Thank you all, glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully the next one will be talking about a victory. We can beat Brentford at home.

I had a coffee and it was cold within 50 seconds.

Some night, and many fine Everton tours, home and away, over the years, but that was the coldest football match ! Ive been to, but at that time of the year., it was colder than expected, so the Kloggs told us.

After the game it was an Ajax, friend, giving a lift back to the Dam, and and early hours flight back to Liverpool.

But a good game and result.

John Keating, weekends for decades, were the Ordinary, and Summer Holidays, were the preseason tours.

Finest days, and more memorises to be made soon by Evertonians.

Let’s get this season, secured, I really hope but I think, this is the tightest of Seasons ever.

UTFTs!

Paul K, we are turning the corner but haven't turned it and hit the home straight. I'll give you that. But we can and will.

Great memories, Paul B. You've got me dreaming and planning.

Thanks for the mention by the way. There were another 13 lads stranded at Crewe by the train cancellation, who ordered 2 x 7 passenger seating taxis. I got very lucky and filled the last available seat. Funnily enough it cost us £30 each from Crewe to the City Ground. I have claimed a £37.20 refund for the train ticket. So, turned out well and huge thanks to those fellow blues.

Anyway, onto Saturday and starting to feel more confident with the ongoing improvements in team performance.

UTFT!