Smashing Keane finish seals solid victory at Portman Road

Calvert-Lewin failed with 3 one-on-ones….. Pickford had no save to make until 80th minute.

What a pleasure.

Glad football is on grass in the money dominated era. On paper, we should be 10th in the Championship, on spending.

What a massive debt of gratitude we owe Dyche for his solid and strong resoluteness and sticking to his very challenging task. The injury problems and off-field absolute shambles; he has had to be the face of Everton – the entire Club.

May the new era of TFG provide him with much better support. I will be interested to see what he can do with better quality and depth of resources in his squad.

Thought it was a good performance. Calvert-Lewin had a good all round game, apart from his finishing, obviously. The midfield played well.

All-in-all, a good day. UTFT

For all the good Calvert-Lewin does playing as a lone striker, his main job is to tuck away chances, but he continues to fluff his lines with guilt-edge opportunities. Keane showed him how it's done today.

I will have a moan about our lack of energy from the 80th minute onwards again. Ipswich made 5 subs before we made any. Same players looked spent (McNeil, Doucoure and Harrison) on 70 minutes but, not for the first time, he takes our most creative adn dangerous player off.

We're gonna pick up more injuries if he doesn't start rotating players a little, or at least bring a couple off at the 75-minute mark for fresh legs. Where was legs Lindstrom today?

Credit to Keane for the goal, it was another quality finish with his feet. I am not his biggest fan, but he can strike fairly impressively for a big centre-back. Not sure Dom could have scored that.

Let's look upwards so we can enjoy the last season at Goodison.

I would rather him be a lazy bastard in the mould of a Berbatov and stick away the good chances he often gets in games.
Goals are priceless in football, work rate with no end product equals... headless chicken in my book.

He still shoots like a 12-year-old as well.

That was Jack Harrison's best performance for me. He held the ball up, his distribution was better and he tracked back.

Keane smashed that ball in, great goal. Ndiaye is turning out to be a good addition.

Without going over the top, good team selection, tactics and performance next week against Fulham will give us another win to elevate our position in the Premier League.

With you on that.

Let the workhorses in midfield concentrate on grafting. If we had a striker who could change direction rather than play only the way he's facing, we'd be right up the table.

'I used to like Ipswich but not any more!!
You could say I'm an ex-tractor fan'

Barry, I'm surprised to see you endorsing that nonsense. We cannot have luxury players, and Barry, you know that as much as I do.

In our situation we need Calvert-Lewin to cover at right-back if necessary. I was going to say goalie, but we seem fine there!!

Thought we controlled the game throughout. Most relaxed I've felt watching an Everton game in a long time... sin alcohol to boot.

The strikers you mention scored goals with the help of top-class team-mates supplying chances. So did Calvert-Lewin when he had James Rodriguez and Richarlison with him in 2020-21.

If he stayed between the width of the posts in our current team, we would not be able to get the ball up the pitch and Calvert-Lewin would, with some justification, be criticised for indolence.

As for the players I mentioned, two of them (Lineker and Shearer) won next to fuck-all between them in the English league despite their goal-scoring prowess.

Lukaku rarely worked his socks off but he scored more goals and I remember listening to Wayne Rooney talking about how he was asked to just stay up front for a period, and although he started scoring more goals, he thought his overall contribution to his team was nowhere near the same.

That's 8 points from the last four games with plenty of points to pick up from the next up-and-coming fixtures before the derby should really see us move comfortably in mid-table.

I thought all the lads played well and restricting Ipswich to one shot on goal was a major achievement.

Bit nervous for the last 15 minutes as legs tired and we dropped deeper but Ipswich were not good enough to trouble us.

Problem is, if he was a prolific finisher, he wouldn't be playing for Everton. We have no money. So Calvert-Lewin is what we have to make do with.

Personally, I will take him. Yeah, it drives me crazy that he can’t do a striker’s most important job, but he is so vital to everything else we do that he is pretty much irreplaceable.

But if he could learn to chip the keeper on those breakaways… Oh my.

But I can't wait to move on from the gravel-voiced, ginger-haired destroyer of the Beautiful Game.

If only he could score goals, what a centre-forward he would be!

Looking forward to the next game now. Which makes a nice change.

Calvert-Lewin is playing the way he always played and does work hard in training and on the pitch. Probably a lot harder than Beto. Because of the state of the club, he wasn't developed properly as a striker. The Everton centre-forward role is traditionally a defining role at Everton adding to the pressure.

What Ancelotti did was to come up with a solution to bypass weaknesses in Calvert-Lewin's game with getting in for the one-touch scoring.

Because Everton has been in relegation mode playing from deep, with Calvert-Lewin injured and succumbing to the pressure of his role, the one-touch approach has not been followed since.

That said, the output overall was hugely encouraging. The press on the Ipswich back four put them under pressure, and there was a lot of movement off the ball when Everton regained possession.

If Dyche is consistent in setting this team up to retain possession instead of the usual “submission” of the ball after three or four passes, then there are many more points to be won this season.

Now we all know the BBC will try to show as little as possible anything good about Everton, but surely the two pieces of sublime “Cruyff-like” turns by Gueye after winning the ball, in the first half followed by a surging run, and then Calvert-Lewin in the second half, literally on the touchline, how he kept the ball in I'll never know, were worthy of a viewing.

That's the worst performance from a McKenna Ipswich team since he's been with us.

We had a last-minute injury crisis with our best defender this season, Jacob Greaves, injured at centre-back. Then two injuries at right-back, with our excellent Axel out, then Ben Johnson gets a late knock. So O'Shea goes out into that position. And we start with a League One pair of centre-backs.

But that is not an excuse for a very large no-show from so many players. Ipswich can't expect to get anything in this league with what 8 players giving a 5 out of 10 performance.

The 15-minute delay and then that no-show, combined with the missed Jack Clarke chance, and crucially swapping ends at kick-off – was that a Dyche plan?! – meant our normally excellent home atmosphere was virtually silent.

But credit to Everton, you had an ability to go into a structured deep two lines that was impenetrable, and you bossed the middle of the park. Doucouré the stand out player for me.

It wasn't a penalty. But you could also argue that it wasn't something VAR should be involved in.

We huffed and puffed but weren't going to ever score. It's a shame you didn't get to see a real McKenna team or a true Portman Road atmosphere.

It was funny that, on about 87 minutes, when I think you knew the 3 points were yours, the away end just went into a superb period of noise, which was by far the best we've seen in the Premier League – your local rivals were much more subdued.

I can see why Dyche frustrates, there was some serious slowing of the game, but you just had better players and he did set you up well. And actually you were quite speedy in transition which I wasn't expecting.

Calvert-Lewin should have had a hat-trick and, for the wages he's on, he should have done.

But I would conclude that you beat a Town side that simple didn't turn up. If we'd had the level of performance of Villa or Fulham, I think we'd be close to getting 3 points.

This Town TV channel is well worth a watch, with an ex player and discussion of the difference in level:

https://youtu.be/PhEDnXNWRqI?si=d38z6mTlLMInXDRT

Ipswich, on this showing, are going down but we're not out of the woods yet. Solid performance, and Ndiaye continues to affect games in a way that we haven't seen for years, but the wafer-thin squad is still a worry.

Get the takeover done and maybe we can strengthen the squad for the run-in.

Yes, he should be scoring one-on-ones but I'm glad we've got him. Sort out the midfield and he will score more goals. Until then, he will likely get into double figures – just – but be an integral part of our team until we are able to give him more support.

It strikes me that some on here have never forgiven him for wearing that skirt and just love the opportunity to criticise.

If we can pick up a couple of solid buys, with an eye on keeping us up, then fine but surely the real money should be saved for the summer?

I take Dave's "stick it up your arse" as shorthand angst for comments about Calvert-Lewin's work rate among despair at what he doesn't do.

Personally, I think his limited purple patch under Carlo was just that – a transient moment – zip all to do with tactics or better players. If his % of scoring to chances created remained the same, there might be a case… but I doubt it has.

Calvert-Lewin's inability to take the simplest of chances is costing us but he is the best option at the present time so we just have to suck it up. Don't have to be happy about it, mind.

Calvert-Lewin was great and occupied their defence all afternoon and looked very sharp, he should have some sessions with Keane on striking the ball. He seems to side foot it, but it's not placing the ball as it always seems to hit the keeper. If he put his foot through it then, 9 times out of 10, it would be past the keeper before he had time to react.

One day I sincerely hope that all Dom's efforts hit the net, and he takes the ball home. But in the meantime, we are onwards and upwards. UTFT!

Dom hits every shot low to the keeper's right when he is 1 v 1. All the keeper has to do is watch the tape before the game.

As you say, he should mix it up a bit. Chip, top left or right corner as he is getting predictable.

On that note, do Everton even have a specialist forwards' coach?

He would work really well with a strike partner but that's not likely to happen while Dyche is manager.

I will be sorry to see him leave.

Dom battles well but one on one's are clearly testing him, you would expect him to convert at least one yesterday, he has to work on that.

Michael Keane has really settled well just when we need him, he had a dip for sure, overlooked first by England, then by us as new talent emerged, but he played through injury which took a big edge off his manoeuvring and earned him some bad reviews on this site, so big wages or not he earned his wedge this weekend.

Ndayie is a joy to watch, and most everyone showed up well, 3 points away, and the efc choir in fine voice, great result.

One of his chances yesterday was only stopped by the keeper's trailing leg as part of a reaction save. Some days they just don't go in, and his other chances were as if he had too much time to think.

Keane's goal was the perfect example of taking your opportunity, and Dom could do well to watch that on replay a number of times. I am confident his luck will change with a little tweak of mindset: "Put yer laces through it, lad.” All in all, a much better performance all round and “great stuff again” from our travelling fans, thank you.

Nice to get an opposition perspective, thank you. Come the end of the season, I think we'll be comfortably safe, but I fear for you, Michael.

You'll have to put a stop to the dicking about at the back and strengthen central midfield to have a chance. Good luck, mate.

I'm glad we gave Philips a swerve. They even made Doucoure look good. At least they carry some threat upfront – Hutchinson looks like a handy player – but it looks like they need their best players back to have any chance.

Given the poorness of the opposition, it is harder to judge our performance but the guys who usually face the brickbats – Keane, Young, Harrison – all had better games, Gana bossed the midfield and Ndiaye looks like our best signing since, well god knows when. A proper player.

I still think we leave the subs too little, too late; it is so obvious we tire in the last quarter. Sure what we have on the bench is mostly sub-par but at a certain point, fresh legs trumps talent.

As for Calvert-Lewin, clearly he can't take a chance as well as Keane, but when the alternative is Beto, he stays in the team. Maybe Chermiti will come good...

Those twats are so up themselves, they think everyone wants to be them.

Good luck for the rest of the season – except when you play us.

Maybe some credit due to the goalkeepers? Don't get me wrong, I'm as disappointed as anyone Dom didn't score at least one of them, but we are creating opportunities. I can remember watching games where we barely had a sniff.

“Calvert-Lewin missed three one on ones”.

I know there was the one early on in the game, and the one with virtually the last kick of the game, but I don't recall another one?

Keane, who defensively, I've never been too keen on, had a great game. What a finisher he is. Pleased for him as he's clearly a sound bloke. Young also had a much-needed good game.

Dom, magnificent, apart from being unable to chip a keeper. If he could, a hat-trick awaited.

Ndiaye reminds me of Duncan McKenzie. High praise indeed. He gets me off my seat.

Let's keep this going, boys. Inching away from trouble and hopefully happier days.

Football is about confidence and it will come.

I also think that the Mmanager should be doing something on the training ground to improve this type of finishing which most clubs do, it's paying attention to detail.

Him and Keane have Mr Beaned themselves into being hard to drop. I never saw that coming but that's why I'm not a manager. Fair play to both. Excellent for the last month.

In a defend and nick a goal set up, finishing is not a coaching priority. I think this is the reason that Everton have been so dependent on outstanding strikes.

Fortunately, there are players in the squad with that innate ability and I include McNeil and Keane in that.

Doucoure is more box-to-box, but he can get in position and shoot.Tarkowski carrying a injury means he can't.

Ndiaye seems a useful player and what Everton have needed for some time.

All praise to Everton for consolidating after getting two goals ahead and Ipswich didn't get a shot on target until the 80th. minute.

Generally everyone played well and it would be harsh to point a critical finger at any one individual.

Hard to explain the freak meltdown they had against Bournemouth and obviously since the Villa game also we were all a little apprehensive this time after getting two goals ahead.

Let's all hope that the good run continues until we are well clear of the bottom echelons.

Well done to the players and well done to Dyche.

I respect your opinion that your lads didn't "turn up", but I thought most played with a fine spirit and great toughness, and nobody gave up. But whether it was lack of execution or simply lack of talent, you just didn't have the quality needed.

Thank you for the compliment on the traveling Blues... we are indeed proud of them.

Wishing you the best for the remainder of the season. The good news is that, with four teams still winless, anyone that can string two or three wins together can get themselves clear of the relegation zone pretty quickly. I hope it's you.

We've scored nine goals in eight games and last season there was only one club that scored less than us which would seem to suggest not missing our easiest chances is a priority, it is what the game is supposed to be about.

As Nunez and Hojlund have shown, you can spend £85M or £70M on a striker and it can still be a struggle to get out of double figures. Bournemouth may find that with £37M Evanilson. So our best chance is to develop a striker (like Broja or Chermiti) because buying ready-made is probably a non-starter.

For the one-on-ones when he is through on goal, a bit of a feint before he shoots would fool the keeper for some of the chances.

Ndiaye is exactly what we have been missing for so long. Both he and McNeil are crucial to our creativity, goal scoring and team play.

Dom isn't a natural striker. Anyone who doesn't already know that and thinks he's just unlucky is wrong. He's a good player, an athletic player that puts the effort in.

Running with the ball is not his strong point, being on the end of passes and crosses is his game.

I'm not saying go out and spend £70M or £80M on another striker but to me there is an obvious need for at least one striker we have to work on his technique in certain situations.

If we can't manage that, then why should we believe that we can develop one of our other strikers?

And since it's clear from the rest of his all-around game and his physical durability that he works his socks off in training, it must simply be that he lacks that talent. No amount of "development" can deliver shooting power and accuracy if the natural ability simply isn't there. Beto lacks a shot as well.

Let's hope that Broja and Chermiti do have it.

It was surely Dom's inability to chip the keeper or go around him.

On the run, he is not able to do it.

I think you should be addressing that to Robert (#59) who raised the prospect of developing Broja and Chermiti or their like.

My point was the obvious, that Calvert-Lewin needs coaching and practice in situations where he is one-on-one with a goalkeeper and that perhaps it might start with him not being so square on as he nears the goalkeeper, he doesn't need to burst the net – just hit the net – and it might be a start to have options that sow a seed of doubt in the keepers mind which his current approach doesn't seem to do.

Whilst he can improve, there is a limit. To be honest, I think he's developed himself way beyond the level of his natural ability already through hard work and making the best of his physical attributes.

That's why I'm keen for us to develop players of greater talent. It'll be really interesting to Broja in a blue shirt once he's fit – which is hopefully soon now.

I assume we have taken Broja for a reason but do you think that is as Calvert-Lewin's replacement and this season or next as I can't see Broja being fit enough this season to see DC-L dropped for him.

And are you putting too much faith in our Academy? Ajax it ain't, unless you count Cannon's recent four-goal haul, Price's international hat-trick and Fulham's left-back…

There aren't too many getting past the first team bench for some years now, albeit I understand your remark to be more about old dogs and new tricks.

It's a very speculative signing and may not work out. But the options were very limited due to our dire financial position.

Personally I'm still quite excited to see him play and, if we can get him fit, I think he has the potential to become a better striker than Calvert-Lewin in time.

Certainly if we want a 20-goal-a-season striker now, we will have to develop him. Even with the Friedkins, there is no chance of signing ready made. This is because there are so few available and the cost is astronomical.

And you're right, I wasn't making any sort of point about our academy.

I share your views on Broja, although because of injuries, I haven't seen enough to make an informed judgement. I also think Chermiti might actually be the best of the 3, he has pace and good movement and looks a decent finisher.

Calvert-Lewin has largely played in a system which he has ploughed a lone role, and has been largely unchallenged for his position. Certainly so far, Beto has hardly proved as a challenger for Calvert-Lewin's position.

Certainly Ancelotti got the best out of Calvert-Lewin whose instruction of don't take a touch helped him, also not forgetting he had James and Richarlison to provide and help with the goal scoring.

Strikers are always judged by the amount of goals they score. Every time people compare strikers, the goal tally is usually the first port of call. While even Calvert-Lewins critics have to acknowledge how hard he works, unfortunately strikers live and die by their goals.

With Calvert-Lewin, there is the added distraction of being in the last 6 months of his contract. It doesn't look as if he and the club will reach an agreement on a new contract, so we may be forced to look at alternatives sooner rather than later.

I'm a fan of Dominic and appreciate all the hard work he does upfront, mostly on his own, but have to agree with you that strikers are judged on their goals as well as the graft they do and I would swap Dominic for Chris Wood of NottM Forest tomorrow if he was a lot younger than he is.

Wood also runs the legs off himself for his team and provides the goals as well, 19 in 39 games for Forest. Unfortunately, he 33 now, mind you we could see Dominic move for nothing at the end of the season.

Dom was far from the only striker to miss one v ones. But he does need to work on it, obviously.

Everton have also played that way at times.I often think it is a failing of promoted sides to give too much respect to Everton and let them play.But as you say injuries did play their part.

I suppose like hardened Evertonians who have gone through the angst of the relegation dogfight, too often, you have to have some belief in the positives where they occur.In the ups and down of the relegation zone being fourth of the bottom is a plus and sometimes the faith of fans can just give enough push as other teams fall past on the way down.

Yes keep the faith Ipswich are not a bad side.

I can appreciate how hard he works but don’t want him on my building site.

And for those who applaud him for helping out with the carpentry, electrics & soffit, I don’t want him to. I want him to be a good bloody plumber!