A later start than I wanted, as the remaining dog does like to sleep in. I met a couple of fellow Blues who sat next to me on the train when they got on. They had travelled from Milton Keyes and Northampton respectively. It sounded like a complex operation in comparison to my journey from Euston. Respect.
I eventually got into the city centre in good time. The Northwestern was packed, so I headed straight to Goodison Park. I visited the Heritage Society in St Luke's and picked up a nice marble plaque with a blue Liver Bird on it. The Bird is Blue!!
No coat, so me and my chips got drenched. I done my good deed and handed a portion to a lad sitting on the street shivering and wet. I went into the ground early for a change. Not many around. I watched the warm-ups and did observe that Brentford's was a lot more energetic than ours.
For the first half an hour of the match, we played okay, but it quickly descended into a drab match between two poor teams. It had an inevitability about it.
We had our chances and their keeper made a few decent saves. Pickford was more commanding and actually came out of the 18-yard box on more than one occasion. When Norgaard caught him, I didn't know if it was a red card at the time as it was down the Gwladys Street end. But, I knew he was hurt, and he's not one to stay down.
I didn't watch the highlights as I wouldn't want to put myself through that again, but I've seen photos. The player may have been going for the ball in a 50-50 but, if you go in studs up, catch someone on the knee, there's only going to be one outcome. Where I was sat was right behind the monitor, so I was watching the Ref and knew what was coming.
I was sat right next to the very noisy Brenford supporters in the Paddock. At half-time, I ventured down for a drink. No queue. Bonus, so I walked straight to the front. Wrong. The steward smiled at me and pointed me to the queue. It didn't take long and it's better organised than other parts of the ground.
I looked around at some of the memorabilia in the concourse and spotted one about Derek Temple. I was speaking to his son online, who was there yesterday.
Ironically, going down to 10 men seemed to galvanise Brentford. What does Thomas Frank do? He throws on two more strikers. Can you imagine?!!
If Patterson and Dixon are fit, I don't understand why the manager isn't using them. They would provide more forward momentum on the right side.
Branthwaite had a few moments, but then so did the rest of the team, but you see the class in him. He's rarely beaten in the air or on the ground.
Ashley Young deserves credit. One our best performers at 39 years of age. Not for the first time recently.
Mykolenko seems scared of going past the half-way line. I like him and he's a good defender. As some of us have discussed, I think he would be suited to playing in a back 3, but I doubt the current manager would set up like that.
Where was the midfield? That was the shout from the increasingly frustrating supporters around me. I could understand it; we had no real shape.
Ndiaye is probably the only player to come out of that with any credit. He tried, he pressed, but he had nowhere to go in front of him.
Calvert-Lewin looks like he's running his contract down. I don't know where he will go. If he stays in the Premier League, maybe Newcastle, but he's already apparently had negotiations with them and they didn't like his wage demands. Maybe he'll go abroad. I can't see him as an Everton player next season.
We are shot shy. The amount of times we got through, we turned backwards or sideways too often. There were a few occasions when McNeil was in. He's got a really good left foot, but instead of shooting, he passed to someone else. Chance gone.
Those deep corners and free kicks are predictable. Literally into their keeper's hands. Change it, please.
I didn't hang around afterwards. The journey home was okay. Surrounded by Brentford supporters, but on my table, I met up again with the Everton fans I'd met in the morning. As I always sit in the same coach, they said they're going to look out for me in future.
A few Evertonians travelling to Crewe were near us. One of them was battered. He crashed into his seat and cracked his head on the panelling, legs spread out on the aisle. I was a bit concerned, but I saw his hand move and he eventually woke up. I hope his mates got him home okay.
On we go. As it stands I don't have a ticket for Man Utd, but if anyone can't make it, or doesn't fancy it, let me know. Either way, I'm up for Wolves.
I hate being negative, but that was a tough watch. The manager is losing the supporters and it's getting more vocal.
Reader Comments (21)
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2 Posted 26/11/2024 at 03:33:01
From the relative comfort of 12,000 miles away, even the 3 minute 'highlights' on Optus didn't look great.
3 Posted 26/11/2024 at 09:57:10
However, I don't agree with their views on the red card. That was a red card all day long. Anywhere else on the pitch and it's not called into doubt. Whether the player was going for the ball or not, is irrelevant, it was a dangerous challenge, and could have put Pickford out for months.
I read some comments on the post-match threads on Sunday that certain posters said it wasn't a red card and would be upset if it was one of our players was sent off for similar. I disagree, if one of ours puts in a challenge like that, then they deserve be sent off.
And that for me, that was the only worthwhile talking point of the whole match!!
4 Posted 26/11/2024 at 10:29:06
The extent of the ‘highlights' of the match from an Everton perspective were one of the most disappointing I can remember for a long time from an Everton home game against a beatable team.
As Dyche himself allluded to, no devil moments in the box led to no real chances of note.
Do something about it then, Mr Dyche, try something different because no goals in 3 games warrants trying something different, does it not?
That is why you are paid the big bucks as manager.
Before any of the Dychists say that it's the players, they are crap, that may well be the case but there are options to try something different.
That is the most frustrating thing for me about Sean Dyche, his refusal to try something different tactically.
5 Posted 26/11/2024 at 10:31:14
My reasoning is that the ball was played into the danger area and the Brentford player was simply attacking the ball to score a goal, and I don't believe there was any malice intended, whatsoever.
If it had happened in the middle of the pitch, then I might have agreed it was stupid and the player deserved to be sent off, but the only way to score a goal when a cross comes in, is by getting on the front foot and attacking the ball.
It spoiled the game, I knew it would. I knew we would struggle playing against 10 men because we are limited, but what I didn't account for was our lack of intelligence and a complete lack of desire.
I know you don't show much intelligence, preferring to go the match without a coat, when the weather forecast had been predicting all week that it was going to be pissing down, Danny, but the time, money and effort, you and countless other Evertonians go through just to get to Goodison deserves so much better.
6 Posted 26/11/2024 at 10:41:39
Studs up, knee high, reckless. "The ball was there to be won" could be used to excuse virtually every other sending-off in midfield.
I assume it's because it's against a goalie that people view it differently but usually goalies get more protection, not less.
7 Posted 26/11/2024 at 10:57:01
8 Posted 26/11/2024 at 10:58:26
Someone going for the ball like that in the middle of the park is different for so many reasons imo, with the most obvious one being that you are no good to nobody on your back in this area of the pitch.
It doesn’t matter, we all see a different game, but why put the ball in the danger area if your player has got a chance of being sent off for attacking the ball?
His studs were up, but I think once your foot leaves the ground this is usually the case, especially if you’re trying to get there first and Nick the ball away from your opponent, and especially if getting there first, results in a goal.
Pickford was lucky not getting hurt, but I also thought that the Brentford captain was very unlucky, receiving a red card, and until they finally come out and tell us that the game has now become a non contact sport, I will always hold such views.
Maybe I’m old fashioned, but that’s simply the way I see it mate.
I’m Tony Abrahams, Rob, but something has gone wrong and I don’t have the skills to fix it mate!
9 Posted 26/11/2024 at 11:00:51
10 Posted 26/11/2024 at 11:02:50
Tony, get Dave to fix it for you! On second thoughts forget that, get your 1-year-old grandson to fix it! 😂😂😂😂
11 Posted 26/11/2024 at 11:05:22
Nigel, I think we do have decent players. Not world beaters or likely to challenge at the top, but the manager could try something different and use them properly.
I tried listening to his post-match interview on the official website. I switched off after a minute. Maybe I was still a bit raw.
We'll keep going, it's all we know. I'll check the weather forecast!!
12 Posted 26/11/2024 at 11:07:38
It would make a cracking television programme watching Dave trying to fix anything, Rob!!!
13 Posted 26/11/2024 at 17:39:47
My own opinion is straight leg, studded foot up, forward momentum with Pickford stationary with boots gripping the ground, potential broken leg? Sorry but red card every time for me.
You can't go for the ball like that wherever you are on the pitch and being in a scoring position doesn't give that right? A tragedy really because we don't have the guile to score against a team that defends well, even with 10 men.
14 Posted 26/11/2024 at 17:43:06
Tony, I think, if that had been Souness or McDermott “back in the day”, or perhaps Jimmy Case on Nulty, we'd be screaming for a red.
I too think the game has gone soft but it was studs up into Pickford's knee. He didn't get the ball. It was a red.
15 Posted 26/11/2024 at 17:55:55
Did the ref ask for a VAR review? I don't think so. It's a downside of VAR that it can pick up on decisions that a typical ref and assistants wouldn't pick up?
16 Posted 26/11/2024 at 18:02:03
It is intended to pick up incidents inside the box that the ref misses.
You could also argue that, if VAR existed back then, we would've beat Liverpool 3-2 at Maine Road and gone to Wembley. But personally, I prefer football pre-VAR.
17 Posted 26/11/2024 at 18:16:35
You are correct there, I'm a bit awkward at fixing things so, if you've something that isn't broke, send it to me and I'll soon fuck it up for you!
18 Posted 26/11/2024 at 18:41:22
Only joking by the way. 👩❤️👨👩❤️👨
19 Posted 26/11/2024 at 18:47:00
No intent in the challenge, 50/50 ball with a goal-scoring opportunity. If that was a red, then Pickford on Van Dijk should definitely have been red. Neither should have been red IMO.
We would have been incandescent if that had been say Calvert-Lewin. (Unlikely I know given his goal proximity record, but you know what I'm saying.)
Christ, even Son on Gomes was rescinded.
Having said all that, at least it helped us hang on for a draw!
20 Posted 26/11/2024 at 18:52:19
21 Posted 27/11/2024 at 00:24:15
And in my honest opinion Pickford should have been sent off against Van Dijk – I still can't believe he got away with that.
There, I've said it! (But I will never say that out loud to a Kopite).
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1 Posted 25/11/2024 at 16:22:45
The word ‘drab' perfectly captures the current mood around the old ground. After we failed to score in the first quarter of an hour, the game had 0-0 written all over it. The red card made that even more likely.
I think the mood will change one way or the other in the next month. I'm hoping the team and fans will rise to the challenge of playing some of the bigger clubs. If they don't, we all know the club will be under severe pressure going into the New Year.