Decisive breakthrough eludes Everton in another goalless draw

Make it the first job, Mr Friedkin, please.

Dyche finally removed Doucoure for Beto to play two big men up front but took off the only winger in Lindstrom, with McNeil switching to the right... where he cannot cross with his right foot: totally stupid tactical decision-making by Dyche.

Utterly dire, dreadful, pathetic crosses all game from the two full-backs in particular, what was the point of putting two big men up front without even punting it up to them at every opportunity?

This is a team and manager who have lost their way, devoid of quality and inspiration. Can another manager get something better out of this squad? I hope so, because, as it stands, I really fear for what is increasingly looking like we are in trouble.

My biggest concern is that his ineptitude will make him concerned about his next move and he'll sign an extension and we'll be stuck with this terrible player for longer.

Who's going to want to sign a non-scoring striker?

Another terrible result.

I have never, ever been so frustrated, so concerned about Everton unitl the last few months. We are a gonna if this continues/

He's going to strangle every game between now and his inevitable departure.

"It's another clean sheet and another point!"

Standards at this club are lower than a snake's belly.

How about no goals at home to 10-man Brentford, no goals at Southampton, no goals at home to striker-less Newcastle, no goals against an in-turmoil West Ham side?

How about 2 wins 12?

How about 7 wins since December last year?

How about not winning a game between December and April last season?

Our support was also atrocious, not one supportive song was sung during the entire game. The players need support otherwise their already shot confidence gets worse.

I know it's difficult to sing and encourage when they don't perform but c'mon – we are part of the problem.

I remember Pompey fans singing through the whole game of a big home defeat, who they were playing evades me now and while the support didn't do them much good that game, if we could muster a small semblance of support, our fortunes may improve a bit.

I've just seen Dyche at B&Q getting the wood and nails ready to board up the goal for December.

Support atrocious?

These fans go and follow this shit show everywhere in all weather and pay all kinds of extortionate prices to frankly watch zero entertainment. In no other walk of life would you pay to watch a shite film or watch a shite play in the theatre, time after time.

The fans come back, watch shite, and have been spoonfed shite and spin from the club, year-in & year-out — and you call the support 'atrocious'…

Do one, fella.

They turn up in droves only to watch a piss-poor performance, orchestrated by a piss-poor manager in pissing down rain and we're part of the problem... I don't think so, mate, the heart and soul is being ripped out of our club by a fucking charlatan of a manager.

He has better players on the bench but plays his tried and tested "Let's grab a point" formation.

I was there Jim and at every game. Where you?

You do one.

So we should all just sit there singing what exactly?

Spirit of the Blues?
Bang a drum, jingle a bell?

Do you think Dyche would think: "Hang on, boys, we should be playing more attacking football here"

I doubt it, lad.

The rest of what you say is true but we can help by giving them support, not abuse. Save the abuse for your posts on ToffeeWeb.

They need encouragement, not abuse. What happened to support through thick and thin? It's hard but it's needed.

With a bit of luck, the bloke in the away dugout will be our next manager.

For those of us who attend Goodison very regularly, it's become ever more difficult to muster the enthusiasm to chant songs in support of the team, as we've had less and less to get behind with each passing season.

The results have been poor for many seasons, but the quality of the players and style of play have declined rapidly, whereby only Ndiaye or Beto offer some sort of cult status among some supporters.

Many don't and never have liked the current manager; many are concerned that the death spiral we've been in shows no signs of abating.

They worry that so much damage has been done that it will take years to rebuild the team into a semblance of what Everton should be, and many are concerned, given the demographic of a large section of the regular attendees, that they might not be around to see such a transformation, if or when it does happen.

If the team needs the Goodison crowd in the latter part of this season, the fans will show their support for the Everton team, like they have done in the past few seasons, but to expect the crowd to act in similar fashion, week-in & week-out, for the whole season, is akin to asking for any current Everton player to be in with a shout for the Ballon d'Or.

I get that and what you say is true but you see how the players are lifted at our end-of-season relegation battles, wouldn't it be great if we could start that a little earlier?

I know it's very hard, as I keep saying, but we do and have helped to win points with our amazing support, just need to do it more often.

The full-backs are crap, the central-midfield couldn't pass water, the wingers don't want to play wide, and the strikers are duffers. The squad is shite.

We are a zombie club, with zombie players, boardroom and manager. Dyche is dead man walking, we can all see it. I don't think I've disliked a manager since Walter Smith.

He's clearly got no faith in Patterson at all. Ashley Young for 406, and isn't capable of getting up and down the pitch. Yes, he had a decentish game lately – but we were playing 10 men and he still didn't get on the pitch.

The same for Harrison. Surely he could have been worth a go on the left and put some delivery to the two strikers we had for the first time in ages. But no; persevere with Dwight and secure that clean sheet against 10-man Brentford.

This side will be Bottom 3 over Christmas. The takeover cannot come soon enough.

Dyche Out.

I think it was Arsenal tonking them 5-1 at Fratton Park and if I remember correctly they were even applauding the Arsenal players. It's a different world just celebrating being happy in the division. For yo yo clubs like Portsmouth every game in the top flight is celebrated like a CL final.

Not the same here we demand trophies and it's burden very few clubs carry

Thank you, yes it was Arsenal. I think they were singing 'we want six' too.

You're right, our expectations are a lot higher, which does make it more difficult. Not sure about demanding trophies any more!

Unfortunately, we have a bit more work to do to get back to the heady heights of expecting a trophy! We can dream though and sometimes they can come true. :)

"These are our demands"

Python's Spanish inquisition sketch.

To have lost once in 7 is not too shabby. World beaters Pep's Man City have injury problems but a rather better and deeper squad and they have lost 5 on the trot!

If we had half-decent finishing ability in our team, how many games would we have won? A lot!

With a limited squad with a lack of proper Premier League finishers, good managers organise teams to be tight defensively. That Dyche has done. It is why we are not in the relegation zone, I believe.

I don't know if Chermiti or Broja can do their job to their job description – ie, goalscorer – but, if they can, we could well be in for much better times ahead. COYB. UTFT.

You name any other Premier League club that their supporters turn up come rain or shine when the team have been playing rubbish for the last x amount of seasons.

The same supporters who often sell out their ticket allocation for the away games, and watch the same get it up field quickly and fire it into the goal area hoping someone can get onto it.

Every manager in the Premier League is fully aware of how Everton are going to play, and yes, on the odd occasions, it works.

Free kicks and corners are always the same; there is no variation and we all know it, so shouldn't the manager try something new on occasions that may get the supporters off their seats?

The supporters are human and can see that, no matter how much they cheer and try to encourage the players, it is a waste of time when we have a manager who is satisfied if he can keep the point he started with at kick-off.

So, Andrew, you are now starting to see it creep into supporters who have been knocked down often and have got back up in the hope it will change, but it's not, so they are starting to feel "Why should I care when I have to pay to watch overpaid professionals, including the manager, not doing what they are paid to do, and that is to entertain?"

Today, we played against a good middle-of-the-league team who, when they were reduced to 10 men, quickly changed their formation to compensate and started to bring in fresh players when they could.

Everton played the same game with no variations and that is a what upset some supporters into being quieter.

I did see most of the first half and thought there was a glaring lack of pace in defence. Even blaming Keane who was not playing, instead of Tarkowski who was.

I did not get to see the team sheet, but know that Dyche would not play Keane with Braithwaite, so a lapse on my part.

Dyche's forward plan of inverted wingers and a broad attacker, defence in mind, and hopng someone can get the right connection for a shot, was not working. A lot of lost possession and lost momentum resulting in attacks fizzling out.

McNeil's idea of a set piece is giving the ball back to the goalkeeper. Pickford brought off crucial saves, even enduring dangerous play on the last one. The Brentford player was rightly sent off.

I suspected that this would not end well in the second half. To paraphrase Moyes, 'no knives to the gunfight'. Brentford sitting back to defend their point and Dyche's only tactical change being substitutions 20 minutes before the end.

Up to then, it was going to be the same defensive setup and forward setup, getting nowhere. Dyche waiting for Brentford to ebb out of the game and Brentford not wanting to take part in the game.

Dyche was not thinking of just maintaining tactics, he feared losing the point he had. He doubled down in not providing or encouraging forward support.

Better to keep the point, rather than get caught on the counter by 10 men Brentford. Not worth risking his £5M salary for that. He said as much in his after-match comments.

We were quiet the whole game, from the moment the ref blew his whistle at kick-off all the way through to the end.

Fred 19 mentioned what we can do to lift the team, we have done it in several relegation-threatened endings to the season, we just need to do it more often.

We have a stadium that is perfect to create an atmosphere to gee up the players and petrify the opposition; it's our duty to create that atmosphere and use it to help the team.

I get the fact that sometimes the team and manager maybe don't seem to deserve it and we get frustrated and show it by screaming abuse or remaining silent but it clearly doesn't work. Less whip and more encouragement.

It only takes a second to score a goal. Brentford players must have gained encouragement at the sight of the Park End emptying rapidly. Their supporters certainly did.

Our crowd really only respond when it's a big game against one of the top teams or it's a do-or-die relegation battle. When it's lower table opposition, we all just sit there waiting for something to happen.

It's the same at most Premier League clubs. The noisiest it gets is pre-match and at half-time with the infernal racket over the loudspeakers.

Hopefully with some games to come against top clubs, the crowd and players will rise to the occasion. We need to. Nothing will be gained by griping about the manager or booing the players.

Actually Dyche did make a change at the start of the second half. He did what many fans had suggested by switching Ndiaye into the middle and McNeil to the left. Both full backs pushed high when we were in possession.

It didn't improve us. Arguably it made things worse with little pace in wide areas and an obvious lack of quality in the key moments.

Six home league matches, we've won one against Crystal Palace, failed to score against Newcastle and Brighton, got a bit lucky with a draw against Fulham, probably unlucky to lose to Bournemouth.

A couple of poor results away from home, although a couple of points won in recent games. We only have the single victory away at Ipswich to show from the away games.

No single performance this season has been greater than we might have expected, and some have been worse than we may have expected. Yet here we are again, being accused of showing a lack of support.

I also think the adverse weather forecasts, which affected some public transport, may have influenced some folks to leave early today, although the performance certainly didn't encourage people to stay to the bitter end.

Friedkin can bring in Claudio Ranieri's dad, or whoever, without any doubt that it was right to let the grass man go and find some new grass.

Two things crucified our development to "top club" status – Heysel and Kenwright.

Heysel was an abomination, to put it mildly, in mere football terms but Kenwright, to put it mildly, was a cancer repeatedly finding new vigour to redevelop and infect us all.

With Moyes, we "enjoyed" just a few pragmatic years based on his very limited success, caused by crippling Kenwright budget constraints, to actually win anything.

Evidence now abounds that, for many many years, the football industry regarded Kenwright as a joke, made way worse by his sucking up to Moshiri 8 years ago, and thereafter. Some of us bafflingly showed faith in the shyster however. Many didn't and said so, and their number increases as the horrible future now before us all becomes daily apparent.

Winning a trophy? You're having a laugh – unless Dyche goes on "I'm A Celebrity" maybe.

The club was, and for years to come is, ruined by their gross ineptitude as so-called Toffees.

Would I be right? If not, what rank hypocrisy. You have no leg to stand on fella or can I call you Mr Quiet-nose?

The only thing the MotD team talked about was the red card, otherwise nada. I guess that says it all – we are currently without doubt the worst football team to watch in the Premier League, and has been the case for a while. Three games on the trot without a goal and frankly every game we hope to score rather than expect. We have so little threat in attack.

Scratching out draws here and there will at least keep us treading water for now but some significant change is badly needed. Either on the playing staff or manager, or both.

The takeover really cannot come soon enough. Whether it's the manager, the players, or both, something needs to change.

McNeil isn't a Number 10… he gets caught in no-man's land and doesn't know whether to ‘stick' or ‘twist'.

Mykelenko can't cross a road… his final ball is shocking for a modern-day full-back.

Right, this is controversial but I feel for Calvert-Lewin or any striker that plays under Dyche. He is on his own up front… we are launching the ball 50 yards up to him and nobody anticipates that actually he might win the flick-on… so what is he meant to do, seriously?

Yes, he has missed a few chances, and yes, chances are more valuable to Everton as we don't create many, but Haaland misses his fair few and some are absolute shockers.

We are missing Garner's energy and Harrison I am on the fence about. He constantly runs up avenues but defensively he does a job. Doucoure hasn't been the same since he signed his last contract.

Gueye shows his limitations. The team puts him in those positions to expose them… he can't pass and he can't shoot but he is the only one who gets in those positions. And anyone who thinks Ndaiye is the answer is deluded… he isn't going to save us.

But I think this could be the season we go down unfortunately… there is nothing on the pitch that is telling me otherwise.

An email on Friday from Everton, asking me if I want to pay for my hospitality season ticket for the new stadium early, with an incentive to win a signed photo of the Everton first team if I do, suggests the club are slightly worried as well….

[My first ever post so be gentle, ha ha!]

Unfortunately the players know it too and are just going through the motions, most are bang average at best, and Mr Motivator Dyche is sucking the life out of them, which is doing the same to the Goodison faithful.

So the games coming up will be a tough watch, and expectations are low. I always want Everton to play to win, Dyche doesn't deliver that but the players can.

Perhaps if some of the players are starting to wake up and get angry, then it might have a positive effect. We haven't had a leader on the pitch for years, maybe those types of players don't exist in the modern game. I can imagine what some non-league skippers would be telling Calvert-Lewin as another shot rolls into the keeper's gloves.

What was that bit about Pickford shouting? Has that been reported?

I hope Beto gets a start at Man Utd, he puts in a shift and nuisance factor alone, he's shown commitment to the cause.

Numbing and what's been said on this and other threads, says it all. I think that the serial number on the bullet case has been made. But we live in hope and the promised day hopefully isn't too far away now.

A new era for Everton FC, looking to the now and the future. The next game counts.

https://www.everton.news/everton-star-spotted-fuming-at-sean-dyche-as-cracks-start-to-appear-at-goodison-park/

It would take a lot more than a signed photo of this team to persuade our poor supporters to hand over their money early!

Dyche annoys me with his gobblygook around games. It's not hard to confuse me and the modern game is beyond me but the things he says often make no sense and it all seems like a turd wrapped up in computer printout (yes, I remember when computers communicated via paper).

Secondly, yesterday. Night of the long shots. Long shots are a low-percentage option. Unless you have superlative players. It can be an approach to a packed defensive. But distant shot after distant shot hints at lack of planning. Lack of a diverse and varying plan. 27 shots is evidence in and of itself.

McNeil scores some crackers but misses just as many. It's not a plan. It's a finger crossed.

These are not great players and they are not well led. Indeed they are not enthused. Poorer teams will finish above us. We can only hope there are three poorer teams that do not. This is a squalid ambition for my precious club.

The lad sitting next to me picked up on that. I didn't myself at the time as I was asleep and he had to wake me up to let me know.

Losing the dressing room, would be if we had a string of defeats like what Man City are going through or players not putting effort in.

The players are still trying, maybe with the exception of Calvert-Lewin who looks well off the pace.

Jerome, Made me smile, slagging Keane off for lack of pace and he wasn't even playing.

As for the poor support shout. The fans react to the players more times than not. This current crop don't excite anyone. Lots of groans with misplaced passes didn't deserve much more.

Has anyone given a MotM out? Pickford for a save in the first half?

Bang on the money, George. I thought it was worth trying McNeil in the Number 10 role, as he lacks pace on the left, and offers little with Mykolenko offering nothing either.

But you're right, it's not a plan. A couple of strikes a season isn't a Number 10.

He is only weeks away from being able to agree a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club, yet despite this and his poor form, he is still first choice for Dyche.

Yesterday, there were a number of crosses into the box and he didn't get to any of them, yet Beto comes on and has 2 headers from crosses.

Now I don't think Beto is the long term answer but until Broja or Chermiti are fit he has got to be a better option than Calvert-Lewin.

But we had many players below par yesterday, while McNeil can produce a spectacular finish every now and again, when we're out of possession, he is woeful in his attempts to close down the opposition.

I expected more from Lindstrøm but he is no better or worse than Harrison who isn't good enough.

We can criticize all the players from time to time but our biggest problem is Dyche. I hate his pre- and post-match interviews, he talks about Everton as if he is removed from it, it's never 'us' or 'we'.

At every interview, he always tells the journalists this club is used to relegation battles, well only under him and Lampard, but he doesn't mention that.

Yes, it's a while since we competed for trophies and as fans we are not the club we once were, but we deserve better than the dross he and his team are serving up.

I have said a few times this and last season that, under Dyche, I have seen us play some of the worst football I have witnessed from an Everton side.

Not something I'd have thought possible earlier in the season, and probably a sad indictment of the standard of our team, but there you go.

There's no goals coming from anywhere; we are not conceding many but we can't put our chances away.
The midfield should be the driving force, but there's not enough coming from them.

We have 11 points from 12 games which, on face value, doesn't look too bad but we have a very difficult run of games coming up. Strangely we usually manage to play better against the best teams and gain a few points.

My biggest worry is our squad is full of loan players, others that will be out of contract come summer, some that are just not good enough, and players that are past their best. In other words… a mess.

What's happening with the sale of the club, can Friedkin back out at this late stage? I hope he's not going to delay to see what state we are in at Christmas.

I've watched Beto probably twice from the start and he really hasn't been much better… plus Beto's second touch is always a tackle which says everything.

It's the style of play and our inability to change is hurting us in my opinion.

Playing better opposition who dominate possession might help us in the next few games. We are poor when we control possession, like we did yesterday – we had 59.3% possession and didn't enjoy it.

The manager will set up a low block and tuck in the full-backs, aim to counter through long balls and quick transitions, and set-pieces. But we also have to be aggressive and on the front foot.

I thought Tarkowski was better than Branthwaite yesterday and he was giving quiet advice to Lindstrom about taking the full-back on the outside and getting the centre in, this by the way Tarkowski's hands were moving, no verbal.

Gerry (24), Yes I saw Pickford screaming and gesturing to the bench to do something (maybe make changes) not for the first time this season. He never offered himself as the one to be substituted early in the season when he made plenty of cock ups himself. He'd be better keeping his mouth shut on the pitch, over this, and doing his talking to Dyche off the field.

We're shit in possession and Brentford playing with 10 men gave us more of the ball which means we're even worse off.

Dychian philosophy does not lend itself well to games when you have the ball.

I happily missed the game yesterday, avoided the result and foolishly waited up to watch the highlights on MotD. What a thrill that was.

Having a load leaving next summer means any new manager and owner have quite a large wage bill to sign the players they want (even if the transfer kitty may be light). We don't have the likes of Tosun, Holgate, Gomes etc hanging around for several years picking up their salaries. We can have a clean sweep.

Key for me is TFG being decisive on the manager front as soon as they come in. Whoever they want for the next 2-3 years should be put in straight away to allow them to get a good look at the players we have now. Any they like they can offer new contracts or just say bye in May.

If they want Dyche (doubtful) then back him and if not, change straight away. Don't leave it to the summer just to save on half a year's pay. Doing this means inevitable panic buying.

We have quite a large wage bill so can attract decent players – transfer fees is another matter but there are loads available each year on ‘frees' and other clubs seem to find decent players for <£10M.

On another note. It's clear Dyche isn't going to play Patterson. I wonder if it's because of ability or that pre-season argument they had? Just seems bonkers he can't even get on the pitch for Young in the second half against 10-man Brentford.

Making just two subs after 72 minutes whilst playing against 10 men for the better part of an hour is frankly ridiculous. I looked at the other games yesterday and with the exceptions of Man City and Brentford (3 each) every team made 4 or 5 subs.

I don't understand why we don't bring on fresh legs more often and earlier. Even if we have a weak bench, the players there are better than those on the pitch when they've run out of gas. It's already cost us several points but nothing changes.

Calvert-Lewin is going to leave regardless and, apart from Gana, I wouldn't miss any of them.

The game was atrocious, marred by a stupid red card and Everton's attacking incompetence. I still get a thrill when I make the effort but, in recent years, the games I've seen have been dire.

Branthwaite and Pickford are Premier League players, few of the rest are worthy of that description. Calvert-Lewin has many attributes, but he is back to where he was pre-Ancelotti, where effort was reasonable but finishing was atrocious. His early flick was brilliantly saved; had it sneaked in the game and his confidence may well have been totally different.

It's all ifs and maybes with the current Everton team. The manager, a la Moyes, starts with a point and believes he has done a good job if he retains it.

It was good to be back at Goodison, but the day cost me the best part of £150 and in logical terms was a waste. I wonder at the faithful who turn up week after week for such meagre fare. They have the absolute right to make their dissatisfaction known.

A picture of someone in the heat of the action who's not that bothered.

We are going to have to find a decent amount of money in summer to fill the gaps though. I do think we will also have a different manager in the summer, he has run his course. Do I think Dyche is our biggest problem? No, I'm mainly blaming the players' abilities.

If we don't upgrade the quality of the team, the new manager will be in the same boat as our previous managers.

"So, Andrew (Grey), here, there and everywhere: I'm assuming that you tried to get a song started a few times without luck?

Would I be right? If not, what rank hypocrisy. You have no leg to stand on fella or can I call you Mr Quiet-nose?"

So Paul, I sit in the Upper Bullens, I have tried many times to get a song going, but most of us up there are scared of losing our dentures as the average age is about 75!

So yes you are wrong, no hypocrisy at all, still got both legs and you can call me anything you want if it makes you happy. :) (Where do you sit by the way?)

My sons and I travelled up from Devon and the South West for our last visit to the old lady. So glad we did and our stadium tour this morning was terrific. The sirens and Z -Cars on both days really stirred my emotions and memories of 60 years plus supporting.

However, my first visit to the back of the Gwladys Street (post standing) and a terrible view and a surprising lack of atmosphere. A palpable sense of nervousness and anxiety and a feeling of reluctant acceptance of the drab performance being served up.

A distinct absence of the chat and banter and comment I had grown up with. Happy to be there but so disappointed with what I saw. A true curate's egg. Dyche is a dead man walking. The sooner the better.

Changes should have been made at half-time against 10 men. A game that had to be won and should have been won by a manager who can not set up to win. Not sure Dyche can even spell the word. Certainly wouldn't recognise it if written down.

Our visit to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock this morning was exciting. Plans being made for our visit and being able to see the game without physical gymnastics. Just hope it's not against Plymouth.

We've given him money to spend on Beto, Ndiaye, O'Brien. He's got his men Tarkowski, Keane, McNeil from Burnley with him. We've given him Jack Harrison on loan twice.

We've got him a Belgian international in Mangala on loan and a Denmark international in Lindstrom. He's got a one-time England centre-forward playing up top. He's got experienced central midfield Senegalese international in Gana.

These are tools he has to work with and they are becoming predominantly his players, fewer and fewer are previous managers players. He's not getting the best out of them.

Yet the training and the training methods come from the manager and his staff. It's his fault that he cannot get the team putting two passes together or construct cohesive structured attacking football.

It's his fault he cannot be flexible with in-game management and swing momentum in our favour mid-game. You train players all week to produce on the pitch at weekends. What you do on the training pitch should be reflected in the actual game itself. It's quite apparent we never work on any kind of movement with the ball.

I'll say it again, a prime example: Jack Harrison at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa. Never a world beater but a far far more attacking player there than he is here, which is now a player devoid of any kind of self-belief.

Dyche is very lucky there is no one around to sack him.

If you work for a company that starts struggling and they are given a set timeframe to improve things and fail to reach that target, then the manager will come under question.

The players find it hard to retain the ball, mostly can't shoot straight, can't pass to one another… and that's his fault? Have you seen them training? I don't think is because of lack of practice. Most of them are grown men and highly paid footballers, they are the basics that good players should have.

Somebody mentioned why did he not use more subs. They must not have looked at what the options were.

I'm just surprised that Russell Martin is still in charge of Southampton.

Just as there's someone around to oversee the continued work on the new stadium and oversee the club operating on a daily basis.

I suppose that sacking the current boss, isn't the real issue, it's who chooses his replacement? How would TFG feel about any replacement made? How do we sell the club to any possible contenders whilst the takeover is still up in the air?

I think Leicester City have been incredibly harsh by sacking Cooper, he's only been there since July, I suppose having managed the Foxes rivals Nottm Forest, he was treated with suspicion by the Leicester fans?

I didn't know that Cooper had links with our neighbours, he was manager of their u18s and youth sides about 10 years ago. Now I've found that out, serves him right he got sacked!

Again, it comes from the manager.

If you work for a company, you await the training, the instructions from the people at the top

It was only when Jurgen Klopp walked into Liverpool that they had their standards shook up and a level had to be reached to play for them.

They had been winging it for too long with the likes of Hodgson, Dalglish returning in 2011 etc etc.

Standards are set by those above.

There is too much money at stake for the stakeholders, either present or future, not to have contingency plans in place to replace a vital member of the team such as the manager of the football club.

Both Moshiri and TFG both have an inherent interest in protecting Everton's top-flight status, whether that be their own investments or their intention to buy a Premier League football club.

The only reason Dyche is still here is that there are 3 clubs below us. Sure, they don't want to pay compensation out but they will if there is any danger of us getting relegated.

What would they do if Dyche were to suddenly walk of his own volition? Wishful thinking I know.

The team are bereft of confidence, fight and self-belief – that comes from the manager.

It's down to the player each time they take the field, what do you want him to do? Hold thier hands show them where the goal is? How to pass?

They are not kids, they are getting paid thousands, they are supposed to be Premier League players. As I've said before, maybe it's just that they are not good enough.

I've never ever seen an example of the home goalkeeper being the first recipient of a pass in a game. Do you think that was Dwight's idea?

That set the tone for the game and in my opinion was Dyche putting up a big two-fingered Fuck You to us, the fans.

It's not the full-backs who decide they're not going to overlap. It's not the midfielders who decide they're going to turn and recycle rather than penetrate, and it's certainly not Calvert-Lewin who says to his team mates, "Okay, lads, I'm happy to chase around up top on my own."

The manager sets the tone, the style, the tactics and the mood. And he's overly defensive. When they went down to 10 men, he should've seized the moment. But he didn't.

Dyche must go, get Jose or Potter asap. Sounds mad but I would get Wazza in, he's done well with lower-level teams. Our team is decent and we don't have any confidence issues, just bad management. He understands what we want to see every week! He was the best centre-forward England has ever produced and we should jump at the chance!

At half-time yesterday that stupid twat should have put Keane on for a back 3 and Beto up top with or without Calvert-Lewin.

Have a fucking go!!!!! 5-10,000 young blues disappointed by their “heroes” every other week and my heart bleeds for them. I used to be that kid, now 30+ years later, we are still shite!!!

I'd take Jose, Conte, Moyes, boring football all day. This isn't an entertainment industry, it's elite competitive sports and we need fucking goals and points!!!

I've been a Dyche supporter and I'm grateful for what he's done. I would buy him a drink and thank him if I ever met the fella, but right now he has to go.

The only club football stadium in England to host a World Cup semi-final, graced by Pele and Eusebio, and her final swan song is this load of bollocks. It's sad as fuck and unforgivable to not have a bloody go yesterday. Really, really disgusting.

I'd much rather he went there, however, than leave the temptation open for TFG to bring him back.

I'm actually not sure what's more depressing, carrying on with Dyche or bringing Moyes back. If Moyes comes back, I think I might actually call it a day – only so much a man can take and life's too short.

The BBC had another rumour about him coming back. Hope it's just his agent trying to get him a gig or journos with nothing better to write.

As for Rooney being our manager, Christ! Don't even know where to begin with that one.

There's a palpable apathy running through a lot of fans which is understandable given recent history. TFG really need to bring some optimism back. Bringing Moyes or Rooney back is, imo, the exact opposite of what the club needs.

Fresh blood, new ideas and a new beginning. We've been asleep the last 30 years, time to wake up.

That didn't happen.

Don't get me wrong: he never shuts up all game and he has the loudest, booming voice on the entire pitch (not difficult in our team of choirboys, granted) but he wasn't shouting at the bench. He wasn't shouting at anyone in particular, he was just shouting.

He does this most games. A decent cat but without doubt a sincere head-the-ball as well.

Nothing to see here. Move along please.

We've been shit before, my whole life actually, but there has been a connection with someone, somewhere. From Big Dunc, to Cahill and Moyes, to Seamus for a while and even Osman and Hibbert. The Stracq, Yakubu, Oviedo baby, Fellaini had everyone wearing wigs, Richarlison most recently…

I used to love Fellaini's celebrations when he scored just punching the hoardings and kicking stuff. Even when Ndiaye scores now, I get the feeling he can't wait to fuck off.

The amount of times I see him rolling his eyes in games and looking bemused at how shit we are worries me and I can't be the only one who's noticed it. He often looks around the pitch like “Fuck, this is shite!”

(He's completely right of course, but still worries me that Dyche's style will drive such a talented player with cult hero potential out.)

Right now, it's cold and depressing as fuck!! I need a Moyes or Wazza for romantic reasons too!!!! This isn't my beloved Everton!

We have two major issues – one is at the door of Dyche and the other isn't.

The first is the tactical set-up and in-game management. Dyche has one way of playing and is ultra-defensive. This is what frustrates us all as there is more that he could get out of these players.

You can't say that Guardiola, Arteta, Klopp, etc wouldn't get more out of them than Dyche does today. Look at the way we play: everything is played in front of teams, we are easy to defend against.

We never counter quickly, we don't press high or press as a team, and we don't get in behind defences and then cut back to on rushing midfielders. Watch the Premier League goals this weekend and you will see so many other teams doing this.

Dyche is set up for 0-0 and relies on set pieces. Last two seasons under Dyche, we scored a lot of our goals from set pieces; I'm struggling to remember any this season, and that's our problem.

Our offensive weapon with Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Calvert-Lewin is not working. When Plan A doesn't work there is no Plan B.

The second isn't his fault. This is all the door of the club and Moshiri and the state they have allowed our club to get into. 7 of the 13 players who got onto the field yesterday have contracts that expire next summer, with 2 more (Tarkowski and Mykolenko) whose contracts expire in 18 months. Pretty sure it's the same for Dyche as well?

This is a disaster for any club trying to battle relegation and needing players to give their all. Why do they care, they won't be here next season and are probably all talking to agents about their next gig. 7 players who don't want a serious injury as it will affect their chances of another payday from next summer.

We have 12 out of our squad in this position so this malaise is endemic through the club. You can feel players and manager going through the motions.

This combination is why things look so bleak this season and is why the takeover needs sorting ASAP as it can resolve the above quickly, both in terms of dealing with Dyche but also getting first team players signed that will be here for the long term.

He reminds me of Davey Thomas – I just wish we had a Big Bob in the middle and a manager who told him to hit the goal line and cross.

For fuck's sake, it even took him 25 minutes of the second half to “Go Brave” and throw two up front, something which should have been done at half-time.

And let's face it, I bet everyone was surprised when Beto came on to play alongside Calvert-Lewin, rather than replace him.

Another gripe with me, is our corners and free kicks. Every one is an in-swinger, right down throat of the goalkeeper. Yesterday was easy pickings for Flekken, he didn't have to jump for the majority of them, just stood there and said, "Thanks very much!"

Another thing that did me head in was when Brentford had a corner late in the second half. We had virtually everyone back defending it. Beto seemed to go bold and stood between the halfway line and the edge of the area.

Had we put two on the halfway line, they would certainly have had three, maybe four, back to mark them. Take out the keeper, the corner taker, and it would have left four or five Brentford players to attack the corner. Surely our nine could defend that??

Dyche has got no idea of how to be brave and try and win a game. As I said, he simply sets out not to lose it.

Defenders can mark up before the corner is taken but the more bodies in the box, the more the confusion about whose responsibility it is to mark an opponent (witness the finger-pointing when we concede).

And that's apart from the problem of whether a marker can actually track an opponent as he moves quickly around the box with all the bodies in there and with team mates blocking off the defender.

Ergo, grinding out points seems the only way to get something from the games. How desperately we need attackers to start taking their chances, if we are to turn draws to wins.

I live in Devon so I regularly see media interviews and other coverage of his games at Plymouth. More often than not, having read about Plymouth's performances and seen bits of footage, my comment to my wife and others is "Gone by Christmas".

It's all pretty joyless and miserable at Home Park too.

It says "I've missed, never mind 'cos I'm getting paid a small fortune every week." He has missed another sitter and doesn't give a toss. In fact he laughs to himself. It tells you that he can't wait 'till the end of his contract.

He should, with that sort of attitude not get anywhere near selection for any team before the end of the season. He has had his chances to sign but he hasn't. He has had his chances (too many in my view) to score goals to help us but he hasn't. He hasn't shown any drive or perceivable effort recently so give Beto/Broja a proper chance not just 10 minutes at the end. They might not shine but they are not going to be any worse than DCL. I've said before that he is a bad apple in the barrel and the rot is affecting the rest of the team.

Sean, listen for once, and do something.

In an ideal world we'd have got a £15-20 million offer from someone somewhere in June, in an even more ideal world we'd have sold him for £50 million in summer of 2021 when his stock was at its highest.

We've been far too loyal and far too patient with this contract issue.

He's not going to sign, we must have been aware he wasn't going to sign even in March this year, but still he's been the hub of our attack.

I haven't seen him play a game this season with the same aggression that he displayed against Liverpool in April.

That's my biggest gripe with him to be honest.

I can take he's not a natural finisher, will never be a predator in front of goal, it's not his fault he's continually be picked.

But what does my head in is there are so many games when I want to see him have even a half hour spell where's he's making life incredibly difficult for centre halves like he did to Van Djik last season.

Too often he's meek, he's half baked and it is starting to look obvious to the watching eye that picking a player whose mind is elsewhere now is not helping the team.

We play Man Utd next up. They're not in the best of form. We can expect 11 men camped behind the ball in our half, occasional foray forward after the ball lumped forward to Calvert-Lewin. 30% possession, letting them have all the play. Fernandes, given freedom of the park, will run the game as he always does against us.

Abject surrender to a team below par, who are not that good.
This is what Dyche has done to us. Lowered our expectations to a bare minimum, extinguished enthusiasm and hope. Percentage football, negative at every turn.

You are right, of course, and looking at it slightly differently than me. Whichever the case, the right way of looking at it is we agree that the current situation is not helping the team who need all the help they can get at the moment. I don't want us to start at BMD in the Championship but it is a real possibility if we continue as we are.

He obviously doesn't seem an attractive proposition to any other team either which does not surprise me if I am honest because no-one wants a striker who doesn't score goals.

What will happen to him, I don't know but he will probable end up somewhere on terms that are worse than his current contract. For that reason the offer, which we haven't been told has been withdrawn, leaves it open to him to take it up when he sees nothing that suits him elsewhere.

For that reason, in addition to not playing him any more, the contract offer should be withdrawn straight away. He has, unfortunately, chosen his bed and now must lie in it because we don't want, going forward, a player who doesn't want to play for us and he would then continue to affect team morale, which is never good.

What do you read into it? He seems pleased about something or other.

Blaming one player for that result due to that performance is bizarre as it has to be classed a collective failure (as they most usually are in team sports).

I've only seen the extended highlights so can't really tell the rhythm of the game and what lulls the manager might have allowed the team to simply plough on through rather than taking the opportunity to shake things up, but it wasn't a game (after the sending off) to stick to the same old same old.

Little practical difference between loss and draw when a bad reffing decision basically gives you control with 50 minutes remaining. 3 or 4 players should have been given 15 to 20 minutes to empty their tanks at the start of the second half.

I read praise for Young for a rock-solid performance but I thought Lewis-Potter exploited acres in behind him when he had us at sixes and seven on one occasion, and surely he is less able to stretch the opposition even if his crossing was decent.

You mention the top managers, it's no coincidence that those same managers want the very best players that they can get their hands on, who wouldn't?

I think I'm right in saying that we have a £100M profit on transfers in the last 5 seasons (check it, I'm not certain about that). It's no wonder we are struggling.

If you look at the bottom of the table now, most if not all are teams who have sold their best players in recent seasons.

Spot on as always. A true blue who also has the knowledge and experience to back up his comments. He is saying what so many of us can also see.

What is so worrying is that if we can see it, just what is Dyche watching?

My prediction is:

1. New owners mid-December
2. Dyche given the boot end of December, latest.
3. New Manager already lined up to take over in January, latest.
4. New striker bought in January window.

Dyche is already calling this out now as his get-out clause for his CV. ‘I could have worked wonders but we never bought a new striker'. Sadly it's a bent on the truth.