Smash and grab in the 94th minute wins it for dogged Blues

Where is Alcaraz?

Dyche Mk 2.

Wish he'd use some squad players — how on earth do we know whether to buy Alcaraz if he doesn't play?!

Dyche-like selection…

Obviously they've not made a decision yet on him…

Harrison is a Moyes type of player while Alcaraz isn't I'm afraid.

He can do what he likes and no one is going to stop him — and Everton won't even complain!

We're away to a top team that breaks quickly. Alcaraz is still settling in. The team selection is spot on for me.

The Forest centre-backs can put their slippers on instead of their studs today. Hope he proves me wrong but I would rather have Chermiti start.

Options off the bench for the last 60, just hope we are still in the game.

Maybe coming off the bench will motivate him!

Where's the proper Number 10, Moyes?

I think you're being a tad optimistic if you think Moyes will make changes after the first 30 minutes!

Unbelievable. The two worst players start and finish the game. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Hopefully the pressing is sufficiently high and energetic to make it so uncomfortable for them that they can't get into their stride.

A day to try fighting fire with fire.
UT🔥T!

Does Moyes owe them money or something?

At least The Blues are well involved — must be ahead on possession and passes?

Yes, 43% - 57%

Passes: 193 - 258... quite a difference.

Harrison has become non-existent, Gana is having a stinker and while Broja occasionally shows he may be a better footballer than Beto, he hasn't got Beto's presence.

Half-time changes please, Mr Moyes.

Get Chermiti on, for fuck's sake.

Take our most skillful player and leave our least skillful player on.

I'll watch it back later to comment in more detail.

Resilience, dogged defending, hopeless attacking... until the very end. And a brilliant finish.

David Moyes at his best?

You wrote to me earlier:

“Andy # 9.

Unbelievable. The two worst players start and finish the game. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.“

I think it’s your lack of judgment that’s ‘unbelievable’.

A great win, a great performance from the team and the team was superbly set up by Moyes.

Harrison and Doucoure… who would be a manager?

Well done, Dwight McNeil, for the assist... a good performance all round.

Fine performance by Harrison.

Gamewinner to Doucoure.

Makes a difference getting a goal at the death, rather than conceding one.

Two defeats in what 14 games. One of them to the league winners.

Thank you for turning the club around.

Things will get better under his leadership, I'm sure.

Doucoure was really poor for 94 minutes. His best work was when he was anonymous.

But he's there because he gets up and down. That and that alone.

Harrison had an uncharacteristically good game after a very characteristic first 20 or so minutes.

We were the better team. The win is deserved, even if it really didn't look like we would score.

Dominated and Fully Deserved. Beer will taste Good. COYB.

Everton were the more likely team to score as game went on — and Wood didn't get a sniff. Well done, Blues.

It's rare that they make those kind of mistakes and Nuno will be livid.

Fair play to Moyes.

Had you told somebody who knew nothing about the game that one of those sides had only just broken away from a relegation fight and the other was riding in the Premier League's top 4, I doubt they could have told you which was what based on that game.

Roll on the 4 points from the "Top 4" while being unlucky against the probable Champions brigade… and what price Moyes for at least one more year?

But the best of all was watching the traveling Blues go insane right behind the goal. They so deserved that.

We won and should celebrate the 3 points.

Doucoure did not a lot during the game, so I guess he gets picked again next game.

All played well!

Happy for Doucoure, who is better than many on here give him credit for, and Garner and Ndiaye did well today. Broja put in a good effort too though I'd rather see what Chermiti is capable of given that, unlike the Albanian, he will definitely be with us next season.

Thoroughly deserved from start to finish – a real team performance.

Nice to see Broja getting back to fitness – maybe we'll take him on loan again next season? McNeil too. Good footballer.

Harrison and Doucoure might be limited but they work hard and contribute to the defensive effort. And of course today's goal.

The much-maligned Mykolenko has been fantastic since Moyes came back.

Then two changes — we brought a have-a-go striker on and took a gentle giant off and gave the Forest defence something to think about and defend. We improved further when Charly came on and he started holding the ball and setting passes up, did he deserve a penalty for that barge on him?

Then McNeil came on and made the pass that gave us the win we deserved with the usual Doucoure performance doing the unusual and scoring the winner with a controlled shot into the Forest net.

Forest offered little with Pickford having a quiet afternoon and Forest showing the poor quality of this season's Premier League in 3rd place but showing nothing to write home about today.

Well done, Blues — now give us another performance like that next week v Man City and finish the season with three great home performances to celebrate the Old Lady's farewell in style.

Harrison, a very good performance; and Doucoure, the winner.

Great win and fantastic support once again, can't fault one performance really. Pickford had fuck all to do.

I thought Jarrad set the tone for his game by flattening Jota in the first moments. He was dominant throughout.

They never gave up, kept belief and got a well earned victory!

UTFTs!

I may need a couple of pints to contemplate how he is getting improvement in the players' confidence. The spacing of the back four and midfield positioning is key.

Getting this run while rotating Ndiaye and Alcaraz instead of playing them together is not a result of good fortune. I have a feeling Moyes is better at communicating the assignments and how the adopted system will evolve as different players are used. Alcaraz dropping deep has me confused though.

“… maybe it is going to be my last months at this club. I love this club and I try to do well.”

I don't think Broja deserves another game for us as he seems reluctant to stretch himself-an earlier poster mentioned that his past injuries may inhibit his efforts and that seems a reasonable assumption.

I would much prefer to see Chermiti given a run of games as he is our player and the last few games could be useful for his development. In fact I would play Doucoure up front ahead of Broja. Well done lads.

Absolutely made up for those who travelled and will have had a great away-day.

We were by far the better team, better chances, had full control of the game.

Paul @56, good to see you pop up. I'll ring you.

Curt @57, enjoy those pints. It will be a different squad next season, as a few have said, despite the dreadful first half of the season, there is the basis of a decent team there.

Enjoy the win blues. For those harbouring lingering any doubts over relegation until mathematically assured, only Ipswich can catch us now. If they win all of their 7 remaining matches and we lose all of our 6.

The reality is, we've been safe for weeks.

We bossed that game from start to finish and were in total control. If we had lost, it would've been a travesty!

The only reasons we didn't win convincingly is that we are weak in firepower and we don't play Alcaraz at 10 from the start.

When we get Ndiaye, Alcaraz and McNeil (for his dead ball delivery) in the starting eleven plus a decent finisher (the big signing of the summer), it will be us hunting the Champions League places, not that over-achieving team from scabland! Hear them singing the sign on song? I hope they fall like a stone and miss out on Uefa.

One of the most satisfying away victories I've seen for a while – I just wish I had been there!

UTFT

First half we suffered from an ineffective Broja and an unfit Ndiaye.

Second half with Beto and Alcaraz we looked like a proper team and proved we can go toe to toe with some of the better sides.

He was referencing the Lord Of The Rings trilogy which he alleges he wrote.

BUT, today they did the business (although Doucoure was still mostly poor apart from the goal) and deserve their day in the sun.

Hindsight is easy but Moyes got it right in the end. I thought we bossed the whole game.

If that was Harrison and Doucoure playing for a contract then I think they've done their chances no harm at all, and given our squad for next season they may well be crucial.

My MOTM was Branthwaite again but I'm delighted with Mykos performance and Tarkowski was a captain from start to finish.

I love O'Brien to death but we need a good right back. O'Brien is a very good CH for the future.

And please God,look after Idrissa Gana Guaye and don't let him grow old. He is our glue.

UTFT

I'm a very happy Blue this weekend, even though I missed out on a ticket.

Same old, same old. No better than Dyche.

I'm just getting the moans in on the City thread before anyone else. Can you move it over during the week please, Michael.

And as for the headline – it was the same on the BBC. So 58% possession, 1,3 v 0,5 xG, 29 v 9 touches inside the box, 7 corners to 1, double the number of crosses and 75 v 24 on the momentum score in our favour (yeah, a new one on me) – I do not call that a Smash and Grab. That was a comprehensive victory that means Southampton and Leicester can't catch us and Ipswich need to win all their remaining 7 games if they are to finish above us.

Beer? Nah – something bubbly. Thank you Mr Moyes and the whole squad.

I think he was signalling that the goal gets him another contract to sign!

Would you offer him one?

I didn't want to see Harrison and Doucoure start, but they both played well enough to deserve their spot (with the usual mistakes, Duke getting the goal earns him a pass!).

We've a solid team, with the makings of a good one if we can keep our best players and replace those leaving with upgrades.

Great to see McNeil back, what a pass – I thought he'd fluffed it at first but it was slide rule. Happy.

Get Doucoure resigned, and keep that other useless player Harrison.

2) Get off Doucoure's and Harrison's backs. Yes, neither is Messi, but they work their socks off, love the club and – as with Doucoure in particularly – regularly make a difference. Let's appreciate them and replace them rather than being knobs about it.

Even though he scored the winner, I still wouldn't keep him at the club, and Harrison as well. But he's deffo gotta keep Alcaraz who was very impressive when he came on.

We need a squad and they're doing their best. Come together.

I will also praise Broja who showed some nice touches and hold-up play while coming back to fitness so cut him some slack!

Harrison needs shooting practice or change codes to rugby as everything goes over the bar.

Gueye still amazing and pleased the Doucoure got a goal. Beto causes big problems for defenders every time he plays.

Everton have a lot of thinking to do in the summer: who stays, who goes.

Final word of praise for Magic Moyes who still has got stick from some ungrateful posters on here recently.

Certainly that 2-0 reverse is the lowest I've felt coming out of Goodison Park in many a year.

Nearly mathematically safe, able to plan for next season, and despite the undoubted turnover in players ahead – a good harmony in the dressing room.

Don't think we could of asked for much better on his return. Another weekend of green shoots…

I listened to Snods on the Everton membership site & you'd have thought they were watching a different game. The most pertinent remark from Snods was that Forest only seemed to be playing poorly because we were playing well.

This is the theme from most of the National press who give us fuck all praise!

Forest are a really good side, we stifled them though and I think Moyes really did a number on them. I can't wait for the summer, praying TFG are really going to back us.

Please email - weebarra1935@outlook.com

Don't get me wrong: I don't think he should get a new contract. He has limitations as a player which are pretty obvious to anyone who watches us but I've never seen him not give his all in a blue shirt and he's scored a lot of important goals for us.

He can leave our club with his head held high!

Great result. Well done to the team and manager. Let's focus on that.

e went to the very end trying to get a winner and never once looked like we sat back settling for a draw.

Good result and performance that.

He gets a lot of tedious stick; he is what he is and has scored some very important goals for the club.

Well done certainly and congratulations on a huge turnaround. But he needs to do a lot more next season before earning a moniker like that.

Let's see what he can produce next season before going overboard though. Moyes has done well; 'magic' he most certainly is not.

Excellent result today though and a top performance from the whole team.

A kopite neighbour is still convinced Ipswich will get maximum points and we'll only get 2 points, if we're lucky, from now till end of the season!!

Honestly, why are they so obsessed with us?? Answers on a postcard please.

Back to planet earth, Big Shout to our away support, each and every one of them! Enjoy the weekend!!

Definitely not a smash-and-grab performance. We were worthy winners.

We were in total control throughout and played well in both halves. Pickford was untroubled throughout and every player had a decent 90 minutes. A good performance from start to finish.

1. Doucoure has not been offered a new contract but Gueye has
2. Doucoure is currently on £130,000 per week = £6,800,000 per year.

It will be interesting too if Everton do offer him a contract but at say £75,000 per week and then see what he (or his agent) says. For those of us on normal wages, if you cannot live the rest of your life on £7,800,000 (a 2-year deal), then it is pretty strange.

Only Villa and even that with just 2 days in charge, and the width of a post at our former ground have denied Everton any points.

Whether with a team rebuild will push us even further, who knows? But from a manager saying he cannot get anymore from this team, for a new manager to then come in and pick up 21 points deserves all the praise and not once has Moyes said me or I, the first thing he does is deflect the praise from himself and says the players and fans deserve the credit.

Whether he is here for the longer term or not, he has given Everton its identity back, he has made it hard again for teams to come to Goodison Park.

How do you know exactly, Doucoure is on £130k a week?

People pluck these figures out of the air. Only the player, his agent, and the club know what his annual salary is. The rest is just mischievous conjecture.

Outplayed them and outsung them from start to finish. Got threatened by 2 forest fans on the way back to the car, told em to get back over the picket line and wind their neck in! All bluster and no action just like their team.

Smash and Grab? Really? We were very good today and 3 or 4-0 wouldn't have flattered us.

Harrison was poor in the first half but very good in the second, lots of credit to him.

Best away performance from the team and fans, an absolute privilege to be there.

Moyes is doing a brilliant job in my opinion and judging by the reaction of our brilliant support at the end I am not the only one that thinks that.

Well done, Blues, wonderful day out.

A class finish by Doucoure and an excellent performance from Harrison – if only he could shoot! A good display by all of the team.

Great away support as always – well done Blues.

I'm back home for City, so will hope to catch you and a few others around Goodison.

Jeff, I have no idea what it is, but we really get under their skin. Wait until we are actually challenging for something. They'll be crying all the way to their own self-appreciation society, of which Sky and the FA are signed up members.

Danny, it was fantastic today and saw Rob H on the way out of the ground. See you at The Harlech for the City game.

Massive credit to Moyes, the players and the incredible away support! UTFT!

But we stay with what we believe in, or just love. And it feels like it could be turning. Either way, I am born and bred in Everton. I love where I am from. And I love my club. UTFT.

"Champions League, you're having a laugh" was the jibe poked by Everton fans towards their opponents as the visitors claimed a smash-and-grab in the Midlands.

Everton repelled everything that came their way from their opponents before hitting them with a sucker punch to claim all three points.

The Toffees backline defended resolutely and their stubbornness paid off with only their fourth win in 68 away games against a side in the top three.

When the headline says "Smash and grab in the 94th minute", I think you can safely conclude that it was referring to the goal (ie, not the whole game).

Forest at the time, and for the last 9 minutes of the game, apparently carried the greater threat of scoring, so it qualifies as a classic breakaway goal that was somewhat against the run of play.

We dominated possession, as I pointed out at half-time… but I'm not sure we were "controlling the game" — unless that simple measure is how you define 'control'? I don't think I do.

I don't know if there's any measure of this but the game was mostly helter-skelter stuff with very little flow, loads of error-strewn turnovers, and very poor quality in the final third. I don't think anyone was in control of anything.

Now if that was because (a) we defended resolutely for 97 minutes; and (b) we were utterly hopeless in their penalty area for 93 minutes — despite numerous corners and free-kicks that we totally wasted — then yes, okay, we controlled the game.

I don't know how you can say it should have been 0-3 — I only remember one decent shot in the whole game. And that was the goal. Which was brilliant.

But fine margins — the crucial pass seemed certain to be picked off by the sole forest defender... but somehow miraculously, it wasn't. And equally miraculous was Doucoure's finish. Somehow, he didn't mess it up!

Headline change:Everton get late winner after Complete Control Performance!!

We were by far the better side, well done Moyes and the players.

When you take the time to pen a report, you choose a headline as you see it.

I don't really care. A good report and we can enjoy Match of the Day tonight.

The Pink Echo Toffeegirl is dancing with her umbrella tonight.

Ndiaye was unfortunate not to score when Sels saved well. Alcaraz tried to be too clever and put an effort over the bar when a straightforward side foot would have done the job.

We did certainly waste numerous corners; however, we were comfortably the better team today and yes, 3 or 4-0 would not have flattered us. For all their effort, Forest never really looked like scoring and were outplayed.

Vs one shot in the first half dealt by Pickford. Two penalty shouts either way for Wood & Alcaraz.

In control in terms of possession and quality of chances I'd say.

Doesn't matter what his wage is. If he did a contract gesture every time he gave the ball away rather than when he scored a goal, then we'd see a more accurate reflection of where he's at.

The least he can do is contribute the occasional winner such as the one today for this club.

Fair play to him, previously and under dire circumstances he showed up. I will always applaud this man for giving his all. But he's a very limited footballer with outstanding physical attributes.

The conclusion is that we should move on and let his contract expire and sign a better player, at a better age for less wages. And thank him for his service. And that's it. No more than that is required.

"Shite game but you probably deserved the win."

Nuno Esporito “Everton were dominant today.”

Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer “no smash and grab at all.”

Whether they are one season wonders remains to be seen next time out.

Positive vibes. The times they are a changing

Beto is no Haaland but has been improving but Broja may need more playing time. Calvert-Lewin is a sick note and may be let go but I also think Chermiti should get more playing time in the remaining games.

We have quite a few able bodies for the midfield although Gana is now 35 and has a few to compete for his role these days.

It will be interesting to see who goes and who stays.

There's more than three stooge's on here who wouldn't compliment the man.

IMWT2

We were very good today and controlled the game and were at least 2 goals better!

Moyes has been superb. It has been a truly remarkable time. What a pleasure to have been wrong.

He still has things to offer.

That's what I call... support.

No ifs, buts nor maybes.

And if we lose our next match... slaughter the bastard!

It was Pickford’s easiest clean sheet of the season. The only criticism was that we should have scored more goals but it is always great to get a winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

It was an indication of how much we were in charge that Forest were the team wasting time at every opportunity in the last half hour.

Those points aside, what the goal showed was all the good things the manager has been able to get out of the players; playing on the front foot and being pro-active in putting pressure on defenders, and then plenty of players just waiting for that gain of possession and bombing forwards.

Watched the Man City - Crystal Palace game earlier. Everyone getting really hot and bothered by Edison's assist. I thought Tarkowski's ball and Ndiaye's control easily surpassed it. Only thing missing was the finish.

Doucoure didn't just pretend to write a contract, he also made the ‘call me' sign. Whether he thinks he deserves a new contract or would just like to be offered something, it's not possible to say. I'm not his greatest fan (I'm not David) but, as a known quantity, I'd expect the club to have some interest in retaining him as a squad player with the right (for the club) deal. Maybe he should check his agent isn't effectively pricing him out of even being offered something?

Not sure why a break away goal in the 94th minute to secure all 3 points couldn't be described as a smash and grab – even if the majority of the game had been ‘under control'. Not for the first time, people are really letting personal animosity colour how they are reading pretty neutral words.

Admittedly a Forest set piece, but a set piece all the same.

Even soft lad Mr Richards and narky Shearer said along with Loiniker that it was no smash and grab by Everton but a well organised display, smash and grab, nooooo!

For a team with nothing to play for, we dominated that game from start to finish. The back four yet again were immense, with Jordan Pickford probably having his quietest game all season.

Garner and Gana Gueye bossed the midfield, and it was good to see Doucoure slam in the winner, ramming some of the stick back down the throats he was taking from one or two around us, and the more than one or two on here!

Will he get a new contract, who knows? But I would definitely give an extension to Gueye who was yet again, in my opinion, our best player on the day. Certainly in that second half we broke on the counter with purpose, and with a bit more clinical passing and finishing, 2 or 3-0 wouldn't have flattered us.

Fair play to the Forest fans who said the better team by far won the game. During that second half there was only one team trying to win, and it wasn't Forest.

Before the game, we bumped into Derek Mountfield, who was with his wife and some lad I know, in the pub we were in. Had a good chat with him for about 90 minutes. Hell of a nice guy who hates the RS as much as we all do!

Going by train means you can please yourself about what time train to catch back home. We had a few pints back near the station and we didn't leave until the 19:15 train. Finally got home about 22:50… Never knew a trip to Nottingham could so tiring!!

He was in open space, looked up and put the pass right behind the heels of the defender, where it's extremely difficult to react to (as we saw with Branthwaite a couple games ago). And it was perfectly weighted so Doucoure could one-time it.

No way you can convince me that wasn't fully intentional.

Premier League player salaries are public knowledge. You can find them on such websites as Spotrac (my go-to), Capology, Salary Sport (in dollars) and the encyclopedic Transfermarkt. All of those sources are used by news outlets worldwide.

Doucoure's salary is £130k/week.

We even managed to play a bit of decent footie helped by the fact that Forest barely pressed us and there was a lot of space in midfield. The better side on the day won, no question, although this wasn't a big contest.

My call to Doucoure would be: "We'll give you a 1-year extension but on what you are worth, around £60k per week, not the ludicrous £130k you have reamed us for. If you love the club that much, you'll take it, happy with how much you have had off us these past years. If not, off to Saudi and nowhere football for your £100k a week. But don't expect much more, even the Saudis aren't as stupid as us."

People do not "pluck these figures out of the air". You are wrong to claim that "Only the player, his agent, and the club know what his annual salary is". And you are also wrong to claim that Phil is indulging in "mischievous conjecture".

It's quite easy really. Drag those fingers of yours to your keyboard and open up a window and open Google. Then you need to type in something along the lines of "Premier League players salaries". Press on a likely looking link:
https://www.spotrac.com/ is a good one. And it won't take you long to discover that Doucoure does indeed pick up £130,000 each week of the year.

If you have nimble fingers, this might even take less time than the time it took you to write that inaccurate and cruddy post.

Jack was on a new level today, really good performance.
Doucoure does what he does, gets up and down and scores important goals. Great to see Dwight back and his pass was world class. If that would've been James, everyone would be talking about just that.

Completely dominant we were, and to have not won that game would've been a travesty.

Smash & grab? I can understand why some may say that as it was a goal at the death. But smash & grab to me summons up thoughts of defending all game with less possession than your opponent and grabbing a late, unlikely, and against the run of play goal.

It certainly wasn't that.

Onwards and upwards. UTFT.

And then the goal. Screamed and danced around my house like a child, the fitting ending to a dominant display.

As someone else alluded to on here, it felt like the true dawn of a new era. Like all the points we've gained under Moyes so far were almost like a new-manager bounce, but today it all came together and we can now fully believe in what might be possible these next couple of years.

So happy for McNeil, deserves to shine after all he's been through and all he's done for us.

For Doucoure, who is maddening, but then comes through at big moments and never stops working his socks off — and that smile.

For the team and the club to show that we're now a force to be reckoned with.

For Harrison, who is quite limited, but showed some quality today. And on and on…

I'm in the camp that we'd be lucky to grab Broja on a loan for another year and hope he stays healthy. He shows in glimpses that he has more natural ability than Calvert-Lewin or Beto, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him bag 12-15 goals if healthy and fit, with a few better players around him.

Today's complete performance, whatever the headlines say, was the best we've looked in a long time given the quality we have. Thank you, as always, to the away fans for making us all proud.

Come on, Michael Kenrick — Smash and Grab? We all saw your rant about Moyes returning but stop being a grumpy old git.

I would bet the last £100 in my bank account that Doucoure and Harrison won't be at the club next season. I might even bet it that they won't be in next week's line up.

Well done for both for turning in a performance yesterday, though. No-one doubts their effort, just their ability.

He's looked a player to me and was certainly more of a threat the last time he came on? I hope we at least give him a chance.

Broja on loan may be a decent shout but that will depend I think on who we bring in for other positions and what formation we intend to play.

Kieran, see my post at 104 which sums up the day. A great performance from the team and fans, as Danny O always says, imagine the reaction to us winning something!

Great win yesterday and no way was it a smash and grab, we were in total control. It feels good to actually see an Everton team playing football and actually looking to score.

Two or three quality signings in the summer and we can look forward to a good new season.

I was at Goodison at Christmas time and saw Nottingham Forest beat us 2-0. The football was as bad as I've ever seen. Dire, awful, boring and every other negative adjective there is.

Yesterday was completely different. Nine of those same players started yesterday's game, and yet it was chalk and cheese in terms of performance and outcome. We were the better team and the win against a Champions League chasing side totally deserved.

As others have said, this was no ‘smash and grab' raid. A headline praising the Moyes game plan would have been more honest and accurate. But then, that wouldn't be ToffeeWeb!

We were certainly up for this one! Well done, David Moyes and the team.

I didn't think he could do half of what he has done; we play football now and go until the last whistle. Just think what he could do with a decent forward and allowed to play Alcaraz from the start.

Once again, I didn't think much of Beto and Broja and I hope to fuck we don't sign him. It's a joy to watch Everton again competing.

I thought he played good yesterday, he led the line very well, he's a better fooballer than Beto or Calvert-Lewin — only his injury record lets him down for me.

I think you'd lose that bet! 🥴

I watched the full match this morning. It's a bit different to being there, but you can spot different things. So, here goes.

Firstly, a good all-around performance throughout the team, winning in the sweetest way possible and deservedly so. Well done, players; well done, manager. Although I do wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been another hard fought point, but let's not dwell on that.

Enough has been said, so I'll go through the players.

Pickford wasn't kept busy, but was there when needed. His positional play was very good, meaning he didn't have to do the spectacular.

O'Brien continues to impress. We are really blessed in that area, but do need a right-back. Good going forward, he was good at getting into threatening positions. Has anyone else noticed the tactic of him always being on the keeper for corners?

Branthwaite oozes potential and class. Defying his young years with more to come. Probably Man of the Match?

Mykolenko had a great game. Still a bit hesitant going forward, but defensively, he was solid and seems a popular figure with his teammates. If he can maintain consistency, it makes left-back less of a priority.

Jimmy Garner and Gana Gueye bossed the midfield, doing the fetch-and-carry work. We need to clone Idrissa. He's so important to us. Birkenhead Garner has an eye for a forward pass, even when played deeper.

Tarkowski is our general and leads by example. Those young pretenders to the thrown will learn a lot from him. I do worry for the mascots when he does the 3 knees to chest thing coming onto the pitch. One day, he's going to land on them. When Forest did attack, there was an impregnable blue wall. In one incident, both our skipper and Branthwaite blocked the same ball.

Ndiaye continues to excite. He's been an absolute gem this season, even during the miserable times. You always feel something will happen when he gets the ball.

The much-berated Jack Harrison had one of his best games. I've actually given him Man of the Match once this season. I can't remember if it was Palace or Brentford. Mark Murphy probably knows. It wasn't just his customary work rate, he came close with an effort, put in some good crosses and there was a cute reverse pass to Garner that led to a rather tame shot.

Doucoure was Doucoure. Complete marmite. A bit like Beto, who, in fairness, gave the Forest defence something different to think about. There is something likeable about both of them. They are like liquorice all sorts. You don't know what you're going to get. Some things you like, others you can't stand.

On Doucoure, I wonder if his goal celebration was a signal? He seemed to make some sort of signing gesture on the palm of his hand. Maybe I'm reading too much into that.

And credit to both Doucoure and Harrison for staying committed and not switching off despite the uncertainty around their Everton futures beyond the end of next month.

Alcaraz is a joy to watch. Whether driving forward or picking out a blue shirt, he's another one who gets the crowd buzzing. Why the manager won't play them together is only known to him, but that's for another debate. It worked yesterday due to the balance in the team.

Hopefully we will gradually start to see more of McNeil. He is a very good footballer. It wasn't just the defence-splitting pass yesterday, it was his pressing to win possession back in the first instance. And he wears traditional black boots. That's important to me!!

On Forest, they have some good players. Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White have impressed throughout the season and Chris Woods is having one those seasons where if it hits his arse without him looking, it goes in. But they will be busy with European football of some flavour next season.

We, and I, often give the officials a lot of stick, but I thought the ref handled that one well.

Great to hear the travelling blue army in good voice as always. I love Spirit of The Blues ringing out, especially at away matches. I also loved hearing Forever Everton. A lasting memory from childhood was my dad playing that with the speakers next to the open window, sometime in the late '70s.

Also, the Ndiaye song has to be the best player song in years. I do keep asking, does anyone remember the "Everton oh we love Everton" chant to the tune of Allouette (French song in school)? We used to mostly sing it on the coaches in the '80s. A bit lengthy, but always good.

I'm not sure about the anthem thing, whether that is a purpose-written one or Forest, like Mull of Kintyre. If we do, I'd like to see I Guess That's Why They Call It (Us!) The Blues before the siren and Z-Cars.

As Neil says, a lot to be optimistic about. Christ, I'm optimistic in the darkest of times. The core of players were never as bad as the earlier part of the season suggested. Let's enjoy the rest of the season and summer, when we will add to what we already have.

Chicago calling once we end this dreadful season on a positive.

There was only one MotM and it was (like it's been most weeks) Gana Gueye; forget his age, give him a new contract. Nobody in our other midfielders come close to him.

I thought Broja held the ball up well and had a decent game. I think we need to get Chelsea to extend his loan period.

The back 4 are really solid. I said in the posts earlier in the week, Branthwaite must be kept at all costs. I disagree with most about needing a new right-back; O'Brien has been brilliant there since he came in, and even against speedy wingers, he is always in control.

So, in our last 3 games, we have played the Top 3 in the Premier League: lost narrowly and unluckily to Liverpool; drew with Arsenal; and deservedly beat Forest.

Yes, I know one swallow and all that… but, considering our front 4 aren't blessed with goals, to get the results we have over the last few months is remarkable.

I don't know why Alcaraz isn't starting in place of Doucoure. Yes, Doucoure covers a lot of ground but Alcaraz looks a more complete player.

There is no invention in anything we do — especially on corners. It's virtually the same routine on every corner that produces not even a header on target. No near-post flick-ons, everything to the far post.

I think its an absolute waste having our tallest player standing next to the keeper as a blocker – surely Ndiaye or Harrison should be used in that role.

We don't ever have anybody making a run from just inside the box to meet the cross; instead, everybody is jumping from a standing position.

Maybe with McNeil back, he can add more quality to the delivery than either Harrison or Garner can.

I completely agree about Broja, I thought he held the ball up well yesterday. I'd take him for next season if we could arrange another loan. If he could stay fit, I reckon he'd be an asset.

It was great to see us commiting players forward yesterday. Alcaraz has to be signed for next season. I thought Mykolenko did well as well.

We have to improve our set pieces and shooting from around the area. Good to see Dwight back. Good finish by Doucoure, but I honestly don't want him to be offered a new contract, especially at hundred grand plus a week

I don't think even McNeil can make any difference if he's asked to keep putting long balls to the same area with every corner. As you say where's the variation, seven corners yesterday and every bleedin ‘ one the same.

As you say @163, Doucoure is not the answer although yesterday's goal made him MotM for some fans on another website. A few on here said he made many fans eat their words on how they spoke about him before the game when the reality was that he had another poor game.

Give him the due credit he deserves for a well taken and calmly delivered goal but please don't try and tell me he had a good game. He was the same as he's been for most games this season, full of energy but erratic with his tackles and passing and getting in other players' way as well as his own.

He's been well described on here by another poster as a school ground footballer running all over the place following the ball with no method to his game.

Mind you, he'll play the rest of the season's games if he's fit because of his energy!

Where's the variation, seven corners yesterday and every bleedin' one the same.

The corners are awful, I agree, but they are not all the same, Dave.

Yesterday, we did have some delivered in low with a flat trajectory that would normally cause trouble unless the defender gets a head on it first — which is what happened yesterday.

But the ones that drove me apoplectic were the ridiculous balloned bombshells coming down from a great height, usually well beyond the far post, one of these going straight out of play.

Not too surprising MotD didn't show a single one of our seven corners. Whereas Forset only had one — and they showed that in all its glory as McNeil galloped away having stolen the ball brilliantly from Murillo.

But every time I watch it, I can't believe his pass isn't intercepted by the Forest defender chasing back… How did he miss that?

Good job he did, mind, or the mood on here might be just a tad different!

I am going to put aside my prejudice against Moyes. The past is most definitely in the past for me now.

These players aren't the duds most of us thought they were just a few months ago and our new manager and his crew deserve a big chunk of the credit for that.

33% for Moyes and his crew
33% for the players and
34% for the fans

Up the Blues!!!

The mood might have been different, as in not as euphoric, but it wouldn't have been toxic nor even downbeat. I was on the Live Forum and even right at the end there was a clear absence of the usual “this is shite” comments that plagued the LF in the first half of the season.

Most, not all, thought we played well and I think, would have been disappointed with a draw, but not angry.

Good to see Jarrad using the dark arts and taking Jota out early doors 12th minute.

We are actually attacking in numbers at present, how long that lasts, who knows. I do think the Forest team are choking as they know it this close to Champions League glory.

The last few games are always the hardest. Good luck to them and I hope we can do the same next season.

Not sure why Beto is getting some stick. I thought he brought another problem to the table for the Forest defence to worry about and he fought and battled well as a target man.

Watch his touch when Alcaraz put him in on the edge of the box, when the defender left a leg in and brought him down.

The way he shifted it from his back foot to his front foot to get the ball into the box was an excellent bit of play. I'd keep him over Broja, that's for sure.

Be honest, not one of us expected Moyes to perform the way he has, it's been sensational. I can't understand the criticism of the man sometimes, I really can't.

I'm delighted he'll be leading us out at the new cathedral.

I like Beto. He works hard for the team. His team mates like him as do the supporters, certainly at away matches. Not the best, he is a bit of a cult figure.

I guess look at any bids on their merits. He's unconventional, a cult figure, that the fans and teammates like. But he's not a first-choice striker, and that could be an issue to him.

Apologies, Andy. Just looking at Doucoure stats, this season.

28 games.
3 goals.
1 assist.

For a so-called Number 10, that is very poor. We need a Number 10 who hangs off the shoulder of the centre-forward.

He seems to have the knack of scoring very few goals at the right time, but at 32+ I certainly wouldn't want to see him get an extension of any sort!

Thanks but Bye!

And well done to Raymond Fox who, as usual, put the pre-match odds up on TW. Those odds tempted me into a decent bet. Winnings not enough to pay entirely for my season ticket, but they easily covered half of the cost.

Moyes may struggle against the very top boys, but I believe these games against decent sides like Forest are right up his street.

Absolutely deserved.

Forest supporters this morning accepting we deserved it.

The common theme was they usually play teams who try to attack them so the solid defensive line has worked well for them.

But yesterday, Everton sussed it and countered the. They didn't know how to play against it.

I always like the insight other fans provide. Apart from the Satanic Cult.

Premier League football is all about hard work and it's only the teams at the very top that won't get away with hard work being enough.

Reading some of the comments, it sounds like Everton played really well in a similar fashion to the day Wayne Rooney scored at Leeds when Everton had just began to develop into a hard-working compact team where everyone knew their jobs.

You can't fault the result (I never watched) and you couldn't fault the performance against Liverpool, or the result against Arsenal, so this hopefully makes the Friedkin's realise that the team in general isn't that far away from the better teams, and they give us a bit of money than can hopefully be spent wisely.

I've said for a while that, if Forest can compete, then so can Everton, and I've also been saying that it all depends on what money is made available to improve a squad that will still have Jarrad Branthwaite playing for it next season.

Hopefully a big summer awaits in the transfer market.

Doucoure to the rescue!

Although the current squad and the manager have performed exceptionally well recently, we are still 3 players short of competing with the best.

The owners should be focused on next season. Hopefully lessons have been learned from the destruction caused by previous administrations.

I would like Delap from Ipswich if we can get him.

It was one of Doucoure's better performances, his 1 in 5 games where he keeps going and contributes in a positive way. But his 'signing' celebration is not warranted. He's never been a good premier league player despite several important goals.

Thanks for the memories but unless he accepts a huge pay decrease I'm hoping of a far better player to come in and turn us into winners, not keeping the aging scrapper. It is such a crucial position to find a top class and affordable player. The Duke is neither.