Brilliant start leads to a massive backs-to-the-wall defensive victory

What is the problem?

Keane clearly a Dyche boy?

Seems a complete waste cutting short a productive loan at Sunderland for the fella.

My - "It couldn't be a conspiracy" could it ? keeps providing more evidence today at Bournemouth. Good on Bournemouth, they are still attacking even though they are only a goal up !! Take note Everton.

If we all thought today was a must win game, WELL IT IS NOW !!! Phil Billing has 6 goals in recent games. Nearly a third of our goals scored.

Please EFC win this. You must.

It's because Moshiri said "if they want a striker we get a striker." Nothing in there about the striker being good or experienced.

https://www.vipleague.st/everton-vs-brentford-1-live-streaming

We aren't winning away games and we are looking at needing at least four more wins plus a handful of draws.

I guess Mina is either not fully fit or Dyche is not integrating him too much as he will likely be away. Best defender here... and a corner threat etc.

* did a post disappear?

not sure if it's been sucked into the fetid sump that is the Lineker/MOTD "controversy"... or maybe a valid technical reason.

In sympathy with Gary.

But now that's four clear chances created in 20 minutes. Not bad.

Can you IMAGINE being 2 or 3 up and just comfortably enjoying the last 15/20 minutes?!?!?!

Var crap yet again. Ref gave goal. Not an obvious error. For Rodri it's not a handball.

8 out of 10 for 1st half. Need at least a 9/10 for the 3 points in 2nd half. Subs to play an important part as we will surely get leggy last 20 minutes.

COYBs YOu CAN Do THIS !!

A lot of up field pressing while Brentford seem to have little idea up front despite having some promising positions.

While taking nothing away from Gray, I thought at times we really needed a big, central striker and again I thought VAR was wrong as Gray did not seem to raise either arm for the disallowed goal so therefore no intent but hey, why stop the lousy refereeing now. Hopefully, we'll keep this up in the second half, so far, so good.

Dyche, on the other hand has come in with his eyes open and probably beasts the hell out of them.

It definitely comes off his chest. There's no other change of ball direction.

I guess it could have brushed an arm somewhere? But they can't definitively see that on either angle. If you can't see it, you can't give it.

Basically. That's bullshit.

Keep it up blues, get an early goal second half to ease the pressure on our hearts please.

The VAR decision was extremely dodgy, I've seen them given and if it had been a sky darling against a lower team it would have been allowed, no doubt about it. I can't see a hand hit the ball?

Should be 3-4 up, Onana and Iwobi's misses were unbelievable. Still, lots of positives to take from that. If Dyche's interview soundbites are to be believed after Forest then this is where we need to see the new Everton, not shitting ourselves the second something doesn't go our way. COYB.

But I don't believe they could show contact.

that's about it. They were like depressed zombies by comparison, and they have now been awakened, it's night and day.

Coleman booked ffs.

Decision time, Sean.Stuff the midfield or push their defensive line back.

McNeil hero. Poor from Picks there.

Well played Gray !!

COYBS !!!!!!

Leeds level, Leicester losing and probably sacking Rodgers tomorrow,, Forest losing.

Well done boys - job done today.

Rolling your sleeves up and working hard only gets you so far.

I just wish we could score a couple so we can relax, can't remember the last time I wasn't chewing my nails and smoking like a trooper.

That second half was too stressful, I thought it was going to be another Forest but a lot more agony.

Huge 3 points against a good side.

Massive love to Dwight McNeil, he's become my favourite player.

Played 7, won 3, drawn 1, lost 3 = 10 points

Four more wins from 11 games needed now

I'm knackered now. What a battle 2nd half but should have had it wrapped up by then.

Played as a team and won as a team.

Massive win.

What did Dyche tell them at half-time as we came out and just sat back, no energetic high pressing and we just let them back into the game. They could have equalized in the first minute of the second half except for Pickford's thigh.

Great result but questions as to what happened after half-time have to be asked as they must have spent most of the time in our half and we let them!

Enjoy your drinks tonight fellow Toffees. I know I will.

I agree with Lee though 447, Dyche should have changed things a lot earlier.

He was like this at Burnley so we'd better get used to it, unfortunately.

Never thought I'd say it but Michael Keane has been outstanding the last couple of games.

I was debating whether to go the match today or watch a stream, wish I'd turned up, intense game.

We badly needed that before the next few games.

10 points from 6 games, having played Arsenal twice and Liverpool away, is bloody amazing results from the manager given how bad we are and playing without a striker.

Truth is we wouldn't have seen that more than once or twice a season under Lampard if he stayed for years - another world. The soul is back, just in time...

I just don't think we have the fitness to last a full game yet, but it will/should come.

I have to admit that the disallowed goal made me wonder if we were ever going to get a break.

Well done, Blues. Well done, every supporter lifting them at Goodison, Proud of you all.

Gueye and Doucoure stood out for me, they ran and battled and made vital interceptions. A lack of an out ball meant we would then lose it and they'd come back on us, but the players left their hearts out on the pitch. A massive win.

So many poor decisions by Onana, Doucoure and Gueye, constantly giving the ball away and putting us back under pressure. The back four were immense, bodies on the line for the whole of the second half.

Tom Davies comes on and looks knackered immediately and Maupay is dogshit, my blood pressure must be through the fucking roof!

Need a favour from Villa at West Ham tomorrow. Pass the booze, please!

Arsenal (W)

Liverpool (L)

Leeds ((W)

Aston Villa (L)

Arsenal (L)

Not Forest (D)

Brentford (W)

Stilll, pretty decent, But I would like us to be putting away more chances. We should have been at least 3-0 at half time – but some unbelievable goalkeeping from Rays and a very dubious handball decision by the VAR denied us the luxury of a relaxing win.

But all credit to the players for fighting tooth and nail for the win. Well done, blues!

How is it possible for a club, any fucking club, to have 4 central midfield players and yet not one of them can play football?

Just think about that. They are all millionaires because of their profession and yet not one of them can pass a ball properly, hold or shield the ball, control the ball or even win a header???

I was going to add that they don't score goals either but some of them have scored 1 goal.

Massive 3 points but last season's nerve-wracking end was nothing compared to this drawn-out one.

We're looking tough to beat at home. Let's hope it's enough to carry us up the table., I'm a happier blue tonight.

On the day we win and they lose, MotD choose to be silent for the first time in their history.

Without the stupid refereeing decision, it might have been 4-0 today.

I'm from Burnley and all my family and friends have complained for years about how stubborn Dyche can be and his refusal to make changes even when it's obvious that the game is slipping away.

I know this is very negative from me but that second half was ridiculously one-sided considering we were the home side.

Not always pretty but this is more than good enough for now.

We need to get something at Chelsea though.

A fair few teams in the mix now, and we're getting stronger. I know the complaints about our 2nd half performance, but look at the massive results Brentford have had this season? Credit where it's due! Brilliant

I see Cannon scored again today, did we keep the wrong striker?

And good news about the builder who fell through the ceiling of my local Indian restaurant, landing in the kitchen. Although motionless, he wasn't dead – he was just in a Korma.

I know – the chemist said the meds are en route…

I hear you. Perhaps he was scared of too much disruption. Half the team were knackered and could barely press or cover.

The antidote to this is to keep possession but we are a little limited here too when the pace is slower.

No easy answer yet. I hope as we improve it isn't all in the direction of previous "typical Dyche" but for now, it's about survival. We pulled it off today but it was sort of close...

Phew, it's another one down, but this is gonna be hard. Pleased for McNiel, he has taken so much flack. Enjoy a Saturday night blues!!

Lee, I do also see a fair bit of Burnley, their fans do want Everton to stay up, but they are certainly enjoying the football with Kompany. Hopefuly Everton will play Burnley next season!

I was just getting angrier and angrier as the second half progressed and I could just see them scoring a late equaliser as Leeds scored an even later winner!!

Thankfully, neither happened. On we go.

Anyone know who stayed up on the fewest goals scored?

Oh Everton,
You've got me singin' the blues.

But if Dyche's mental confidence coaching sticks, we're staying up.

Dwight McNeil was my MotM.

Brentford didn't really turn up in the first half, much better second but couldn't turn loads of possession into clear chances.

Still if we're going to lose, I'd much rather lose at Goodison than Oldham or Tranmere. The bonus is that Leeds are now well in the mire.

Same, I hate the OTT rearguard stuff. I don't know whether a detailed analysis has ever been done but it often seems to be little more effective in preventing conceding, than playing further forward with the ball.

It's an easy trap to fall into but is sometimes the only real option when a team is shagged out and not blessed with players that can hold the ball well. Btw, Gana was excellent in this area today, couple of mistakes aside.

You can take the long journey home satisfied that your team at least left some damaged underpants in their wake.

We still have to hope Garner and Calvert-Lewin can make a difference for us this season. Beyond that, I'm glad he's going with Keane over Coady, and that he figured out Gray needs to be on the pitch. Gana and Doucoure will continue to scare the daylights out of everyone when on the ball, but it's all we've got; if they can keep us up, neither will be playing next season.

The rest of the season will be a roller-coaster for sure, but we've got a shot. And I trust Dyche is the man for the job, whatever happens.

Gana was terrific today.

Dyche was the correct hire.

In previous games we've been worse after substitutions because of how dreadful our bench is. Maybe Dyche realises that a tired Coleman, Doucoure etc is still better than the shite on our bench.

If they had equalised then complain, but they didn't, and Pickford barely had to make a save, so appreciate the fantastic performance. If we had Brentford's bench, we'd have made 4-5 subs. But sadly our bench is an absolute embarrassment.

Also, do you honestly think that Dyche isn't aware of what Simms can or can't do? Do you not think that him and his coaches know how Simms can or can't effect a game? Or do you think he just can't see what you can? When in actual fact, you don't see what he sees each day in training, and you have no idea how Simms scores in all of Dyche's many tests and indicators.

Dyche got it right, and we won against a team that hadn't lost in 12 matches.

I agree. It's easy to say "make a sub" but none of the otpions would be an improvement except maybe Garner who is probably not match-fit.

Also we haven't beaten them in the league before today since they came up. As someone said earlier if this idiotic cretinous board would have sacked Lampard after Bournemouth, we wouldn't be in this mess.

But they didn't so we are. But we're fighting though and winning big home games without conceding. Great result.

It was vital, absolutely vital we won that today. If we can get something from next 3 games, our run-in is favourable. Coyb

Surviving this the way we did may help. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Dyche set out to attack in measured episodes. Just glad to see some competence really.

The Steve McMahon lookalike ref was unbelievably shite. The VAR was introduced to overturn clear and obvious errors by the ref and today and against Arsenal we had decisions go against us that were neither clear nor obvious. The only thing that was clear and obvious is that most of the VAR decisions go against us.

Great win, but you've got to admire the courage Brentford showed in attack: when they broke, they had 4 men in the box. Hopefully, one day, that'll be us.

A clear picture of the shit we're in, holding on for dear life at home against fucking Brentford just to stave off relegation.

some of the play in that first half was anything but what is usually attributed to a Dyche team – he's obviously not shackling them at all when they are capable.

Fitness, cohesion and belief will grow I think but it still has to be safety first for now. We've seen more attack since Dyche arrived than maybe the rest of the season under Lampard.

Fucking Brentford who, before today hadn't lost in twelve.

Andy#512. 😉

How do we make it so difficult for not only the players but for all supporters?

We should have had it wrapped up at half-time and 3-0 would have been a fair reflection on chances.

Still, at the end of the day, we can't complain, a win and a clean sheet and a little step towards survival. Just a pity Leeds drew and Bournemouth… well what can be said?

Chelsea next, who seem to be getting their act together, unfortunately. Still, with full blooded commitment and a bit of luck hopefully we can get something there.

Well done to everyone today, players, management and, as usual, supporters.

I just hope we survive, then we can jettison a number of these who are out of contract: Docuoure, Mina, Davies, Simms, and maybe offload those with just a year left: Gomes, Dele, Gbamin.

With the Kean and Richarlison money, that should put us in a position where we have the chance to make some sensible acquisitions. If we go down, the sale money will be swallowed up just paying bills.

Given that that is all that manners, some on here should keep their fingers in their pockets, not on the keyboard!

Let's just see what you make of his subs in a year or two's time. Or, just ask Burnley fans and every single one of them will point out that he's unbelievably stubborn with his selections and loathes to make changes.

Burnley fans would be crying out for Vydra to come on in place of Wood or Barnes, who were both offering nothing to the game but Dyche wouldn't budge.

But, you'll see for yourself as we go forward (hopefully in the Premier League).

We have a really crap team with nothing like the attacking quality of Brentford.

Next 3 are tough but I don't need to worry for another week.

Enjoy the weekend.

The midfield players Gana, Doucoure and McNeil were tireless and Gray did his bit upfront. Yes, our nerves are shredded but we are still standing.

I'm getting on a bit and can only manage four or five manic cheering efforts and that bleedin' VAR left me knackered for nothing!! Still, all's well that ends well – and it did today.

Great performance in the first half and done his bit in the second. Of course, Coleman'spositioning on the line saved the day for us.

Maybe Onana is being targeted after his Arsenal performance. There is a determination to spoil his play, which may be of value, creating space for someone else. Everton, if they could get a tune out of him, would have an additional threat. The opposition seems to think so.

Better timed subs by Dyche, at least he got a chance this week.

The 'handball' needs an explanation. Did they call it on the left arm? Because it definitely didn't hit that arm. Did they think it hit the right arm? Because the video didn't show that clearly either. And when they played them both at the same time it looked like it just came straight off his left tit.

Did they take a probabilistic view after the footage being inconclusive? Because that would be an abuse of the system.

Then there was Onana's shirt literally being pulled off at a corner (one of many). They didn't fancy zooming into that footage.

The VAR is failing and it is going to end up sending someone down. Whoever makes those kind of decisions against us needs to know we'll make them very accountable for their guesswork. Make them think twice before they screw us.

Ernie, it would be interesting to hear what Gray had to say about it. On the slow motion, it looked like it came off his chest. There was not a clear and obvious handball on the replays.

Great result – deserved after the first-half performance and the fastest Everton winning goal ever at Goodison? True, anyone?

I'm ageing very quickly watching this every week!!!!

Instead of saying what we should have done, how about what we have done, and that is beat a team that has not been beaten in their last 12 games, and we picked up 3 points that got us out of the relegation zone.

And on the plus side, we have a manager that is installing confidence in his players and the only future he looks at is the next game.

The biggest set back in football. Killing the game.

Under 10 seconds I think 🤔. But as we only won 5-2, I guess it didn't count as the winner.

We must pick up points in the next two games though, shame Chelsea have started playing again.

I think that goal by Howard was 14 seconds. I was in the Park End that day, and another lad let me share his crate to stand on. Imagine that nowadays!

For survival, Everton have to beat Brentford and improve on previous match performances, where they fell short. Fortunately, they did improve in some of the necessary areas.

Many of the posters are aware of the shortcomings and observe and comment on the needs for improvement. They are happy that the improvements have resulted in this result.

But they are aware where more improvement is needed and the need for Dyche to manage players who fall short in their performances, which could cost much-needed points in future games.

We all thought the same thing after the win against the Gooners but we just seem to struggle hot and cold.

However, after the nearly win against Forest and this one, surely they can creep to safety somehow.

So pleased for Dwight McNeil, he may just prove more useful than Anthony Gordon.

George McKane... enjoy "la dolce vitae" although the city of Liverpool will certainly be that little bit less colourful.

With Brentford unbeaten in 12, it was hard to see that coming. 2nd half was not good for my health. But great to see a proper fighting performance again. Doucoure was excellent.

I've been very critical of Gana, but he only really made one dodgy mistake today and I thought he was brilliant. I almost feel optimistic. Amen.

"How the fack are we gonna get rid of 'im!"
"It's gotta be darn the ground."
"I reckon 10 minutes of 'were fackin' shit' on a loop directed at the boxes."

Leicester are suprising me: for a team with some class players, their results are really poor.

Unfortunately I think it will go right to the end of the season before we can stop fretting about relegation.

After a very nervous 2nd half I seriously think life expectancy as an evertonian will be short or a cardiology referral will be required.

To Jerome's point 535, we can be both ecstatic about the result and proud of our boys, while lamenting how far we've fallen and how far we have to go to get back to respectability.

Great effort, and a precious hard earned 3 points, and a clean sheet.

Spirit and belief, and some better composure in the box, and it could have been, less pressured in the second half.

But good to be able to look down from a slightly higher position.

Now to build on this unbeaten run, applaud the great long range strikes - Gray, Seamus and McNeil, long may they continue.

George, The Very Best for your move to Italy, you've brought light, hope and banter to this TW forum for years, and to Goodison and away grounds, and it's not arriverderci.

I'm sure you'll be able to compose one of your fine ditties, to commemorate your Everton adventures and surely new great adventures in Italy.

UTFTs!

I have no wish to reignite the Iwobi debate, but this strange player continues to be important. Note his line-breaking first time pass for the goal, his excellent cross leading to the Onana miss, and his instinctive effort which was very well saved by their keeper.

Then note his really poor second-half – though there was a fine pass for Gray which put him in.

Anyway, the crowd roused itself at a crucial time and saw us through. We must not underestimate how vital our contribution is: we did it against Villa and then we just stopped, with fatal consequences. We do that a lot and we mustn't.

Unfortunately its not open,

St Anthonys is to me, like Everton FC..

It maybe mad.

But just saying.

McNeil was MoM. I have always rated the guy when he was at Burnley so I am pleased to see him winning people over. I thought Onana and Iwobi were poor again. I would love to see Garner get a chance.

A great defensive display against a team who threw everything and the kitchen sink at us in the second half. Credit to Frank and his team but more credit to our lot.

Also, I enjoyed James McFadden's commentary on Optus Sport. He can talk football that lad.

A good result against a good team and our performances over the last month or so really shows what a difference a well-suited manager can make. The sad reality is that Dyche is the first sensible appointment we have made since Silva and hopefully it's not too late.

Very tough little run of 3 games now and we very seldom pick up points from those fixtures. I'd probably take 3 points and more than that would be great.

We look solid at Goodison but picking up points away will be crucial.

Good point on defending the near and far post on corners. So many goals against Everton have been because of the absence of just that.

Dyche pays a lot of attention to data and detail – and it shows. Actually, Dyche is by luck the better choice over Potter and Howe. For Everton.

It's what was drilled into me as a right back for my school team as a 10 year old, and something I insisted on as a goalie in secondary school.

Nice to see it making a comeback after 50 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXd3rX_vmSY

We will be competitive in all our remaining games, we will win some, lose some, and draw one or two, but ultimately we will be safe. We will survive!

The West Ham video is not bad and the lad comes across as reasonable. West Ham are like us though in that they are a small club with limited resources and hence you'd expect them to be where they are.

I reckon we are absolutely where you'd expect us to be this season. We all blame the board but how much can the board really do to improve us significantly?

Brighton probably show that a well run club can do better but they have reached a resource-based ceiling I think. It's going to be a very exciting run-in and 12th down all look vulnerable.

As we walked past Satan's Pit back to our car yesterday, I couldn't help but tell happy-clappy tourists getting their selfies taken that there is a great song the locals sing — “Never felt more like singing the blues, when Everton win and Liverpool lose”.

Hard to gauge their reactions as my Swedish is as good as my Norwegian…

I have been really impressed by Dyche. Lots of great performers in blue yesterday.

A shout-out too for Tom Davies. It's not easy coming on in a tight game like that and getting up to speed straight away. He did it perfectly yesterday. He put in some good tackles and won a free kick to relieve the pressure.

My mate was up from Worcester for the match (a lifelong Evertonian who can't get to many games). He knew some of the lads through the TW Golf days anyway, but also got to meet George McKane before he departs for Italian soil.

I expected a bit more second half from us as most of the action was in their half. I never like these 1-0 leads as they are so precarious, one or two slips and 3 points have suddenly become 1 or none. Couldn't understand Demarai's goal being disallowed either, poor refereeing and the VAR are killing the game as we know it, and the inconsistency is almost a lottery; some give it and some don't.

Still, we managed to get to the final whistle with our slender lead intact, through a bit of luck and some resolute defending. Dyche is proving to be the tonic we needed for our gin, although criticism still has to be his timing of substitutes and the personnel he chooses.

Out of a bench of 9, he brings on Harpo and Skid Marx? What the fuck? Simms was warming up along with Garner and Holgate, then we see the Chuckle Brothers (Maupay and Davies) come into the fray… sorry, but I don't get it! They are both about as much use as go-faster stripes on a snail.

Dyche will need to start trusting the bench, as he handed over momentum to Brentford by not bringing on fresh legs.

Our midfield was blowing bubbles after 60 minutes.

I respect your views, but West Ham are like us and we are small club?

I'm not having that, Martin. They are similar to us in terms of the area they originate from and I like their fans in comparison to many other London clubs.

They have never won the league, have won 3 FA Cups and a European Cup Winners cup. Their last trophy being 1980.

They managed to steal a shiny new stadium practically for free to give the perception of being a big club, but you need binoculars and megaphones to see and be heard as you are that far away from the pitch in an athletics stadium.

They may be a small club that has bounced up and down tiers one and two over the years.

But we are not. We are Everton. It might be generational (I don't know your age, by the way), it might just me being delusional, but I set my comparisons and exceptions for Everton with that lot, Manchester United and Arsenal.

And forget Tottenham and Newcastle. Once we achieve success, those Sky luvvies will not know what has hit them.

The singing in the bars around Goodison yesterday almost filled me with tears. And that was a 1-0 win against Brentford in the midst of a relegation fight.

Imagine when we achieve success. The city will explode and you won't be able to see through the blue smoke.

St Anthony's is not open when there are no services but it is still a parish church and is open for mass, funerals etc.

Unfortunately it is closed during the day because of the activities of certain people using the church facilities for their own pleasure.

History gives you zero points and is thus a bit irrelevant now, would you not agree?

Everton has at times historically been a big club but size can only be based on financial power, cash flow, debt and in the end spending power. We were a big club until 1970 and we are now a small club by Premier League standards and, even with money behind us, it's money we can't spend because of FFP restrictions.

I think one of the most important things that we Evertonians should accept and which would help a lot is to believe that, as a big club, we should be successful. As a smaller club, we should accept that success isn't something we should expect.

As a Premier League club, we are up there worldwide because of Sky income but, in Premier League terms, we are down in the weeds. Our fans are what a big club would pray for though.

We are subject to the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules. They might be one of the same, but we don't come under FFP.

I read today that we are still, somehow, ranked in the list of top 20 wealthiest football clubs in the world. I'm not sure how. Our match-day revenue and seasons ticket prices are a pittance in comparison to the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal. And we don't compete globally or on the marketing front with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United.

Manchester City rolled out the lawers and told Uefa to do one.

I know the likes of Paul the Esk appears way more educated than me, but the conspiracy theorist in me does often wonder: Are our board and owner using it as a smoke screen because they don't want to spend as opposed to being able to spend?

We may be behaving like a small club. But we are not a small club and I will never accept that.

That is straying into being sucked into Kenwright's and Moyes's "plucky little Everton" territory. Be happy with your lot and don't expect a lot. Turn up, be happy and go home.

Even though they won't.

I'd rather quote Sir John Moores. I do expect. I expect Everton to compete amongst the best. Of course they won't win everything, but we should be competing. That is my expectation.

It used to be open every day till around 4 pm. Every Saturday, people who went to Greaty market often called in to light a candle. We lived in Wilbraham House. I found it relaxing sitting there, when it was quiet.

Yes, you're right, the few spoil it for the rest of us.

Thanks for your reply, Dave.

I replied in case you thought the church was closed completely. You are correct. I find an empty church very relaxing and peaceful for getting your thoughts together.

Wilbraham House, I didn't live far away from there. Everton Brow and my church was St Mary of the Angels in Fox Street – better known as The Friary run by Franciscan Priests.

I went to Anfield and Goodison when St Anthony's had a great school football team with Jimmy Melia, Bobby Campbell and Connie Phillips in the 1950's.

One game between St Anthony's and St Sylvester's, there was about 8,000 estimated fans watching the game. Sorry to say your school lost, possibly you might have been there or even played!!

Nice posting to you, Colin.

Yes, I've heard of viewing the crypt in St Anthony's, view by appointment. They also held a beer festival in St. Anthony's not so long ago, last few years.

Bishop Tom Williams used to do a lot of funerals at St Anthony's, he was a local boy who attended the school as a boy. He might be retired now, he is a massive Evertonian.

I think my first ever footy match was for the Friary infants against St Anthony's in the school yard! I must have been 5 or 6.

I can only remember Miss Bishop the headmistress and Fr John – another local lad from the parish – shouting for us to get stuck in!

Not much Catholic compassion against local schools those days!!

I was never late for school in the Friary infants. I lived just across the road, 10 seconds away.

I remember playing football in the schoolyard, one goal was the wall of the back of the toilets, great games there from a very early age.

Miss Bishop and Father John are well remembered from my childhood. The Friary – what a school and what characters went to that school. I was sorry to leave it, and my mates, when I went to college, got even worse when I realised they played rugby and not football!!

I may have mentioned it before but my wife went to the Friary School and reminds me of the time the Nuns sent her on the playground on the roof and it was raining, and as she keeps telling me she was soaked right through – even her knickers were soaking. She said Miss Bishop taught the 5-year-olds.

The Irish priest has a group of kids on the altar, preparing them for their first Communion.

Priest: “Now, children, you must always remember that Jesus loves everybody”.

Small boy: “Except the Rangers, Father”.

Priest cracks up.

Only on ToffeeWeb could you go from praying in church in St. Anthony's to playing Toss in the Bullring!!

We now need to get points out of the next 4 games to keep moving away from the relegation zone.

"We were a big club until 1970."

You're probably older than me, but were we not the No 1 club in the mid-'80s, until our neighbours ruined us with the Heysel disaster?

Howard left, some of the first 11 left, because we couldn't show our class against other top teams in Europe.

For all those too young to remember, there was no group stages against lower-ranked teams, it was a straight shoot-out over two legs, home and away. We lost the momentum as a football club at the most crucial time in English football history, and somehow Tottenham, a team that hasn't won the league since 1961, for fuck's sake, are regarded as a 'big club'.

I reckon we are absolutely where you'd expect us to be this season. We all blame the board but how much can the board really do to improve us significantly?"

I often wonder why I fail to agree with you on so many occasions over the years, but to me your lack of aspiration or unwillingness to put responsibility on the board and owners of this club for our fall in standing, stands out.

We are not and never have been a small club. Winning and losing goes in cycles to bigger clubs, finance too, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs and now Newcastle have all been bankrolled, but the difference is clear, its how the club is managed and always has been. Success has its foundations in ownership and aspiration, they are cornerstones. Aspire to mediocrity and thats what you will get. We had an owner without aspiration and financial acumen and that alone ensured the barren years of his tenure, something you only now appear to get despite the many years of denial and even with financial backing and change of ownership, the stuffs ups continue on a larger, costlier scale, because he was left in charge.
But to liken us against West Ham is more a measure of your expectations than mine,
You ask Evertonians to accept we are a small club and then we would all be happier..
Never.

West Ham have always been a team I look out for but, since being given a (free) stadium, I think their fans are disillusioned that they're a massive club. There is no comparison.

Badly mismanaged to put us in this current situation yet again. But I think this regime's grip is coming to an end. They can't even be bothered turning up to Goodison. Not that they are wanted.

The impasse between the supporters and the board is irreversible. They have cut their cloth, made their bed. The silence is deafening and there is no going back

It's our club, not theirs and we will back that team to the hilt. That is unconditional.

And beating us down over the years into thinking we are a small club with low expectation will never ever wash with me.

They obviously don't understand Everton or Evertonians.

Martin, you are right about the supporters so fair credit. They don't deserve us but they have us. Through thick and thin. Till death us depart. To hear the proud singing and rendition of "I guess why they call it the blues" in the Winslow yesterday was emotional and made me smile.

A long way to go, but we can get there.

More than ever all Evertonians, to focus on the priority requirement for this season, follow and support Everton, to try and win the next match, and through good form, get enough points to stay up.

UTFTs!

Big stakes, and that's from a very good old guard m8, who is an ST at West Ham. I trust he is telling me in what was a concerned, good faith.

I preferred Upton Park, and the atmosphere it brought, and match day experience, which I think and West Ham supporters know, is missing, from where they reside now.

Football is now all about the media...and money.

Your writing style, hurts, my brain.

So, tell me, what's a good writing style, and what's yours?

Not that I'm advocating players getting stick, quite the opposite, but it does seem strange to me how some players almost instantly get a free pass. Doucoure and Godfrey in particular seem to get lauded by most of the fanbase quite regularly, while the usual suspects have to play out of their skin to get equivalent recognition, or get slated.

For me, Doucoure, although it's good to see someone with athleticism in the side, is a key part of all our issues. Lack of possesion, creativity, silly fouls, a massive part of our problem – especially second half in just keeping the ball.

Onana not too dissimilar apart from one or two stand-out perfromances all season. Godfrey can't do any of the basics and is a problem at left-back and is nowhere near the level of Mykolenko.

To me, Tarkowski seems like one of the best centre-backs we've ever had. He blocks everything and is a leader, and the main reason in my opinion why we are scraping these wins, yet many seem to hold back praise on him also.

Yes, you can't beat reminiscing about the old days – it never goes out of style – especially when you recall all the happy days of long ago. Yesterday is the place to go to.

Looking back at Saturday mornings going along the sprawling Great Homer Street with the market at the beginning from Fox Street to all the dozens and dozens of shops, barrow boys and women, the street was alive and stayed that way until late at night.

The whole area was alive with Soho Street the same with London Road bustling with shops and pubs, not to mention all the picture houses around the area which told multiple stories and a lot them nothing to do with what was showing on screen.

Life seemed much livelier then and happier by far but maybe age has something to do with those feelings.

I used to have a personal race on a Saturday night, that I could get out of Goodison, and race back to the newsagents at the top of Rachel Street to wait for the Pink Echo... then over to Portland Gardens to watch Dr Who.

As a kid, I used to go to the original site of Paddy's market, I must have been little admittedly, and see the piles of everything on sheets on the cobblestones and struggling home with a bag full of King Edwards for the Sunday roast.

It never struck me as a hard place or harsh living. I suppose it was, these days when I get to go back to Greatie, now on the site of where we lived, in Virgil Street, opposite the Ffyffes Banana warehouse, I drink it in, look around at the familiar faces of people I don't know, but seem to know me... my tribe.

I'm back with my shawl on!! You could go on forever about those days but the old Paddy's Market was the place to go and see how life was lived in the Third World countries and watch “The Johnies” – foreign seamen buying loads of second-hand clothes to take home to their families.

Cilla Black's mam was one of the stall holders there. Across the road on Scottie was Thorn's Cafe where a steaming hot bowl of pea soup went down very well, followed by hot cake and custard if you were good!

Taking my shawl off now, Christine, and starting, slowly, to get ready to go for a few pints in The Soveriegn Cross. (Ned Kelly's) in Victoria Street and ready for some banter with a few Liverpudlians over the weekend footy.

Even that's not the same with too many characters gone up or below and having a good laugh wherever they finished up. Make yourself a nice cup of tea now, Christine, and take your mind back to the lovely Liverpool you knew… or cross Liverpool out and insert Everton instead!!

I used to make lemonade from sherbert powder and sell a glass to The Johnnies and then walk with them to Paddy's for a shilling towards my match money,/ cinema, baths. It felt safe and good and “work”.

What a tremendous wondrous childhood. Memories.

Sorry you had to dash off quickly.

I do hope that is not your last trip to the Grand Old Lady and we meet again.

Stay in touch.

I've got a nice comfortable cardigan on talking to George, that sherbert powder made into lemonade. We used to buy them in certain shops, they were advertised in the shops as penny vantasses, delicious, sherbert and water.

You conned those poor Johnies, George, but I bet they enjoyed them so no need for contrition!!

If some think we're a small club, what does that make Spurs, Newcastle, West Ham, Wolves, etc etc etc? Teams that have won sweet fuck-all for donkey's years.

In fact, out of the four aforementioned clubs, Spurs were the last club to win anything, the League Cup in 2008.

We are still the fourth most successful in terms of League Championships, we've spent more years in the top flight than any other club, the list goes on and on, and everyone knows our history.

Some may well say it's all we do, live in the past, but let me tell you, at least we've got a history to live on! The likes of Spurs, Newcastle etc, barely have a history, and they won't be winning anything in the future any time soon either.

Spurs have won the league twice, the last being 62 years ago. They even list hospital charity cup wins in their honours list!!

There won't be a person alive on this planet who will remember the last time Newcastle won the league title, a massive 96 years ago! Their last major domestic trophy was 1955, their last trophy of note was 1970.

Newcastle have a banner at St James's Park with “One City, One Club” written on it. For a city the size of Newcastle, to only have one club, their honours list is a total embarrassment.

No way are either Spurs or Newcastle a bigger club than us, and in about 18 months time, we will have a bigger stadium than Newcastle.

Get this season over and done with, with survival of course, a complete clear out at the top, an overhaul of the playing squad (may take a year or two though), get the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock finished, and watch the Phoenix rise from the flames!

So I'll ask again, if we're a small club, what does that make Spurs, Newcastle, West Ham, Wolves, etc?

I was nodding in agreement till you got to the "Newcastle won't win anything soon" claim. I'm afraid they are now fully paid-up members of the buying silverware club – it won't be long.

In case more evidence is needed, those who think we're small should consider why so many coaches and players feel compelled to reference their time at Everton in interviews. Seems like we wouldn't even come up in the conversation if we are not a big club.

We also have the record of the most seasons spent there too, and our record attendance of 78,000 is only beaten by one or two clubs. So how anyone can describe us as a small club is baffling.

When Man Utd spent years in the doldrums, including relegation, I never regarded them as anything but one of the English League's elite.

I was born in 1964 so probably a little younger than some on here but the year '64 brings me to another story.

I live in Perth now and was at The Greek Hellenic Club this morning where the company I work for are doing a small job. Whilst I was there chatting to our workers, the President of the club came out for a chat.

He heard my accent and asked was I Blue or Red to which I replied Blue. “I'm a blue also“ he said, "and have been since 1964."

Turns out that this old guy played against Everton when we did an Australian tour that year and he fondly remembers meeting lots of the players after the game and fell in love with our club.

I'm 59 but this guy made me feel very young and also very happy. He was playing against Everton whilst I was still floating around in my mam's belly.

I read the full story of that tour once I got home and it's a great read.

Mick, 4th in terms of English league titles.

Manchester City catching us up, but all being well, we get that 10th one soon at Bramley-Moore Dock.

PS.. just come across this link to The Rotunda, it's history..what a great little read about a forgotten landmark ..

http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Liverpool/RotundaLiverpool.htm

This century, we've been pretty limited but I'd have Seamus up there with Baines, Cahill, Jagielka, Pienaar, Howard and Osman as the best.

And to think at one point they all played in the same side.

I saw some comments about Thewell's acquisitions so far. I think they're pretty good in the sense of right character for the team at a right price. Tark, Coady, McNeil, Maupay. Yes, Maupay. He might be limited but I like his grittiness and work rate. As long as he keeps getting into the box and trying, once scored, it will flow. I'm worried about DCL. It takes so long to recover. I wish he stays committed and like to see him play again.

We had a pretty good record against Chelsea. Bring it on!