Sean Dyche at his press conference ahead of Peterborough cup tie

Or am I missing something something here..? Hehe 😉

Do we have any clue what has happened to Chermiti; I thought he was nearing a return to the squad and was on the bench against Forest (Wasn't he?)

A small part of me is pleased that TFG have not reacted to fan pressure and rushed a decision - that kind of thinking has plagued us for the last 8 years. Hopefully they'll be working to a strategy and a plan with candidates in mind.

Win, lose or draw, the FA result shouldn't enter the equation.

So how much does TFG gamble with Dyche to reinforce the squad for the second half of the season? And who of any quality would come?

Interesting times...

Are you thinking "last ever cup tie"? I hope not.

But "last ever 3rd Round FA Cup tie to be held at Goodison Park"? — I believe that to be a correct statement!

Looks like it could be Beto up top on Thursday. Chermiti will be out for weeks, Calvert-Lewin has reported an ankle injury today, but Broja does have a chance.

Any other good news for us, Rob, on the forward line? … Only kidding mate.

However, I have to say just skim reading, it looks like an 'error'.

Yet, your statement is correct.

My apologies.

The Post Match presser

Give Roman Dixon a shout with Patterson ahead of him on the right.

Wait, how ironic would that be if Dyche started trying new stuff now?

If he (SD) is still here next week I will be shocked.

Jay if he is still here on Friday I’ll be amazed.

If he is here next Monday then he will be here for the Villa game imo.

Funny you should say that Edward, very early in the season Sherif and Beto scored 3 in 10 minutes when they were partnered together up front versus Tranmere for the U21’s.

He really doesn't take responsibility for anything. He is just the adoption of they/them pronouns to describe the club away from being Koeman 2.0 in that regard.

I pulled up the Chelsea goal the other day on YouTube just to groove on that moment again.

When asked who was to blame for lack of goals he clearly states "I take accountability for Everything" - I also Hope that was clear enough.

The hot seat just got white hot. Sounds like the people who wanted him to see the season out are having second thoughts and have spelled out to him what he needs to do - "We need to win more games I know the industry I'm in"

We have three homes games on the bounce. He needs to win them all.

Good Luck SD

There’s so much unwarranted rudeness about his which is disgusting. Even if we stop the clock right now, we’re not in the bottom 3.

We are a really self entitled lot aren’t we.

7/1 Keane to score in 90 minutes or 20/1 first goal.

Like the look of the 7/1.

By whatever means this squad needs at least a couple of additions in January, they should be the choice of a new manager.
Please no more failed cast offs from other clubs, it just continues the death spiral.
Recruitment is key, we’ve been getting it wrong for years. Scout better and raise the bar Everton.

Unfortunately I don‘t know how that translates to this weeks game, which should (on paper) be a comfortable win. TFG may have made their minds up already and Friday’s the day but I fear we‘ll win and then he‘ll still be in charge for Villa and we‘d have lost half of January.

If we don‘t change the style for the league matches I don‘t see where the goals, and hence points, are going to come from. We still have half a season so no need to panic but its the lack of attacking intent thats the worry.

He does seem to be a bit of a dead man walking.

3 trips to the homeland and back in 10 days. I won't be hanging around after the night matches as with my son being away, I've got to get back for the dog and work of course!!

I'm sure I will be joined by others like the West Country Blues and Mark the Murph.

With Tottenham being a 2pm Sunday kick off, I can stay around after.

Hope to see some of you there at one of them.

Come on Everton. The FA Cup and some much needed points.

Obviously anything that is abusive towards any person, isn't welcome, but people are allowed to give their opinions on those who are responsible for first team affairs.

We're not currently in the bottom 3, but for how long will that be the case and it's in no way a thing to be celebrated, unless that's the position we occupy after the final game has been played.

If Kendall or Royle had have uttered it was the 'like this before I got here' mantra so often we'd have a few less trophies in the cabinet and would probably have suffered relegation a few times in the last few decades. I don't insist that we win trophies but I do think - even accounting for the current squad - that we could play something slightly better than nine behind the ball on the edge of our own box for long periods.

I desperately want him to win his games because it means our team have won too.

BUT !!! Respect is a two way thing and because he felt unsackable he has hardly shown any great humility or respect to the fans. Has he ?

I highlighted the quote "I take accountability for everything" because until now he hasnt really done that has he, mate ?

I think he has been told in no uncertain terms that he is accountable for everything. Thats not something he can fudge anymore.

Still. Good luck SD

So the noise about him is understandable.

I now feel more nervous and fearful than in the last two previous horrible Januarys.

The squad is better than the tune he gets out of them.

How and when did Dyche throw the fans under the bus? What are you talking about - please be specific

Didn’t he criticise the fans for leaving the game early Ben, can’t remember which shit show it was.

Dyche has been totally clear, he needs to win games or he's gone. He's told everyone in not so many words.

As Colin has pointed out he's accepted responsibility, and he'll pay for that responsibility with his job if he doesn't turn it round right away. As I said on the other thread, I don't think he's been held to account for some time, well he's being held to account now.

Hope he pulls it off. We now know the outcome if he doesn't.

Can't help but feel that if he had thrown the fans under the bus... we'd still be hearing about it often enough on ToffeeWeb to know for sure and remember which shit show it was.

The 3 games won stat is awful, yet he doesn't even feel embarrassed about it. 2 goals in the last several games, again awful. Losing to Southampton, absolutely dreadful.

The last 10 minutes debacle against Bournemouth. 2-0 up and lose 2-3. No team should ever fall apart, the way we did that day.

He never has a Plan B, his subs are like for like 99% of the time. He has no idea how to change the pattern of a game.

Finally, why does he have to have TFG tell him he needs to win more games? He needs to go and TFG are hopefully speaking to the next manager already.

I read somewhere that they have said the manager they want to succeed him is currently employed, which would eliminate Potter or Moyes, and confirm their expectations of keeping Dyche until his contract runs out. Depending of course on results.

Dropping into the relegation zone will almost certainly trigger his demise. It has to. The risk of losing a crown jewel so publically, ahead of the fanfare of the new stadium is both financially and credibility-wise disastrous for them, never mind the club.

Failure is unacceptable, win or you go, the message to Dyche.

It was after the Brighton game when asked by MotD about some fans leaving before the end he said:

"It feels like reality at this football club. If you're not doing well, that's what happens."

A few days later, he then claimed he wasn't criticizing fans and said:

“I've never criticised the fans here, ever since I've been here. I was just making a valid point about the obvious reality.

“You're 2-0 down, you go 3-0 down, you've got 10 men in the Premier League – It's very difficult that scenario to get back from.

“So if you're a fan you're going to go ‘Well, should I get off early?' I wasn't criticising anyone. That's just a human thing, I would imagine."

The problem with that is his explanation dealt with fans of Premier League clubs in general. He didn't say anything specific about being an Everton fan in the scenario. Whereas in his initial comments, he singled out Everton by saying "It feels like reality at this football club"

If he had just said "it feels like reality," then his explanation makes sense but since he felt the need to say "at this club," he made it about Everton; therefore, his later explanation about how fans in general may leave a game in the Premier League if it looks like they are going to lose doesn't make any sense.

Watch this space.

Some folks here say he "blamed" the fans for leaving early. I didn't read it that way, although to be fair I didn't see his comments live, just read the transcript. I didn't consider it criticism – certainly not throwing the fans under the bus. But it may have come over differently on TV to some viewers than it did in print.

Oops, Kieran and his faster fingers beat me to it. Good keyboard quickness there, mate!

The pre-season complacency and resultant dreadful league start killed that and we never recovered. Dyche is to blame for that: unfit players, poor team selections, negative tactics and just dreadful management of games are his responsibility. So the buck should stop with him.

The ripples of complacency pre-season have become a resultant storm which we have been fighting against all season. His answer to it all has been to board up windows and fill sandbags, hunker down and wait the storm out. It didn't work at Burnley… and it isn't working here.

Can you honestly see Gordon wanting to come back?

What's the problem with that, it's true?

It's also true for lots of clubs.

If the truth offends you ,maybe that's your problem not his.

As for a Gordon swapwith Calvert-Lewin — for fuck's sake, at least make a rumour a tiny bit believable!

Now would be the best time, with the gap to the Villa game.

However, not enough responsibility to hand in his notice, admit the buck stops with him, and move on. No, he'll just sit it out and make Everton pay the full whack.

I'd be shocked if anything like that had leaked out from the Sphinx-like Friedkins. In the words of an old Mafia movie I saw a while back, "Dey don't say nuttin' to nobody."

Dyche singularly made it specifically about this club and their fans. Not a generalism. His later attempt to water down his comment as a generalism was damaged control.

He seems to have a fair amount of sympathy & support, not sure they're all Everton fans though.

I think I'd agree with Mike that these comments don't constitute throwing fans under the bus.

I actually resorted to Google after my comment #49 to Nigel and came up with comments Dyche made after Chelsea hit us for six last season and fans left early. He couldn't blame them was basically Dyche's reply.

I think Dyche is long enough in the game to know that fans will leave games early if their team is losing heavily and he simply accepts it as part of the rough and tumble of football management.

Everton U21s are currently 13th.

Sherif has 1 goal in 5 appearances

Ebere seems not to have played at all this season.

Small chance of Omari Benjamin against Peterborough perhaps. He has 5 in 10 at U21 level from the left wing or striker position.

Charlie Whitaker has 7 in 9 from attacking midfield but I suspect he is less likely.

Armstrong and Dixon remain the likely candidates from the academy by a mile. I'd like to see them start – along with Lindstrom and O'Brien.

Not sure who will play up front if Calvert-Lewin, Chermiti and Broja are injured and Beto is in Italy.

Maybe those who have wanted to see Keane as a striker will get their wish…

To be honest, I'll have to dig for it but it stuck in my brain so I'll backtrack and dig again... lol

It was more of a question on my part because I couldn't think of anything else that could possibly be construed as him throwing the fans under the bus, as it were.

It would have helped if I had put a question mark at the end, I guess. Still sticking with the 'shit-show' bit though.

Beto isn't in Italy. Dyche mentioned in his presser that he trained with the team.

Think about it. Why even post it? Gordon in a straight swap for Calvert-Lewin. Mind you, your source is impeccable: ‘an old Sunderland mate of mine'. This is an attempt to crack a joke right?

Colin Crooks (@24): So the gist of this post is that we should always trust what comes out of Dyche's mouth: ‘He clearly states "I take accountability for everything" ~ I also hope that was clear enough'.

You clearly have a deep expertise in source analysis. But then there is also the old adage: never take words at face value. Gullible, naïve, bless, are words that spring to mind. How did that ‘peace in our time' thing work out?

Ben King (@25):

‘The guy has saved us 2 seasons in a row and deserves some respect'.

Some good thoughtful analysis there, Ben. Could I just tweak it a little, if you don't mind: Last season, Dyche saved us from himself. That is, after the worst longest run of dreadful results in living memory that Dyche was directly responsible for, we managed to get some wins in April. Dyche saved us from himself.

Oh, wait, that's what I've been doing all day! Argh...

If he was just referring to Everton, he was right and it's still the truth.

Not anyone's version of the truth, just "the truth" as I personally witness every home game if we're losing by more than a goal with time running out.

Not an insult, just a fact!

You're right, he was having a dig at Everton fans in particular then.

However, the big takeaway from me was that only 16 players trained. A while back, it seemed like players would bust a gut for him; it doesn't look like that's the case anymore.

If Gordon is coming back, then let's hope he doesn't get injured playing for Newcastle tonight. Jesus wept!

No, just stating a fact.

He was asked "Does it feel disillusioning to see empty seats etc?"

He replied, "No, no it's just the reality at this club if you're not doing well."

It's true.

He mentioned today about his 'game plan', that's the problem in my opinion, he never changed his formation and tactics since the start of the season.

Listening to Vinny O'Connor on Sky yesterday, he named our full-backs, midfield and wingers, and the chances they created in the last 10 games, and you could count them on one hand. I'm not a fan of Carragher, but he's completely correct: we don't have a game plan.

He won't drop Doucoure, or Mykolenko, keeps Ndiaye on the left, our most creative player, tracking back, and just changing Calvert-Lewin with Broja, without support… unbelievable.

He brought Armstrong on against Bournemouth; he'd only played 2 minutes all season. He had to play Dixon against Spurs earlier in the season; an accomplished performance under the circumstances but he hasn't been seen since.

Dyche is sadly dragging us down!

Well I can dream, can't I?

Paul, he genuinely is an old friend of mine. Yeah, over the top. You take care.

I do wonder if Allardyce rang him and warned of the perils of upsetting the locals because it's not a battle individuals ever win. Boards, managers, chairmen – Evertonians have seen them all off and Dyche is just the next in line.

It is a results business and circumstances don't figure. When the going gets sticky, that irrational mantra of "yeh, the squad is poor but we still want good results and front foot togger" is prolific.

What a crazy situation.

However, I don't get too worked up about anything a player or manager says in interviews because they're almost always a charade. Do we ever really learn anything?

That's why I love Keegan's famous rant so much. Because it was so genuine.

I hope we smash Posh because I'm an Evertonian, even if that means suffering Dyche's football for longer. I just doubt it'll happen.

I have huge empathy coming from my despair of the last 2 games. He knows his time is up, and he knows he's made mistakes, he has got the players to do better than what he's doing, but they aren't all available, or performing.

It does start from the back and we were shocked at the start of the season against Brighton and Bournemouth. And he retreated.

He isn't going to be our manager next season… unless – no, he just isn't. So let's please get behind the bloke, who is just trying not to lose. We don't have to be so angry after 40 years of failure, we are still in the same place, Silva was hounded out, and yet I always remember that 4-0 win against Man Utd as a "We are back" moment. But zero time given; that's life, hey.

But if Dyche is staying, let's be Everton, let's get behind the boys and make sure he gets our backing no matter what… cos, if we don't, we are part of the problem.

"It's not what you say, it's the way that you say it" – comes to mind, but it's all about perceived "truth" in the end. It was still a dig. Sorry.

Dyche for PM? 🤔

So we can bemoan the fact we have real weaknesses at full-back, but then, why did we spend nearly t£20M on a centre-back who has not kicked a ball?

Chermiti had toe surgery before the season started and hasn't even kicked a ball yet 5 months later.

Of course we all hoped we’d kick on from last season and repeat that type of goal regularly.

Sadly it hasn’t happened. In fact we have become worse. As Evertonians we do need to take responsibility: we undervalue our players so often it’s nuts: clearly Onana was more important than we credited him for. But we do this regularly: Lukaku attracted stick. We chased Gordon away. We don’t give DCL much credit. In the past we booed Barkley, Hibbo & Osman.

We’re a funny lot: the coach welcomes were incredible and played a massive part in keeping us up under Frank. But in general games we groan and moan and get annoyed and frustrated and put the players under pressure so a point it’s almost impossible to play with freedom.

Dyche saved us from an impossible situation: zero confidence, no striker and no functioning board - he kept us up.

Last season we lost 8 points and still finished in a comfortable position (and for those criticising the football last season you have short memories of just how tough it was under those incredible circumstances with the EPL clearly out to get us. Hardly any pens or decisions going our way etc).

This season, we have been sh1t. I make no bones about that. But we’ve had 2 or our more creative able players in Garner & Tim injured. We have 3 1 paced midfielders in Gana, Magala & Doucs - how can we be expansive with them?

Harrison has STUNK the place out.

Lindstrom has been completely ineffective.

DCL’s head is elsewhere (if he didn’t want to sign a new contract and if no one wanted to buy then we’re in a stalemate position).

Beto is crap but all we could afford. Broja & Chermiti have been injured (the former has played as soon as Dyche could get him in).

Myko has been even worse offensively than last season. JB has made numerous mistakes.

Some of the above is on the manager but some of it is just circumstance. The fact we as fans can’t critically analyse this and draw a reasoned conclusion is just sad.

When we were 2-0 against Bournemouth and lost that’s on the players on the pitch. Why couldn’t captain Tarks go down at 2-1 up and take a breather and bring the players in and tell them to sit? Why couldn’t Pickford or DCL do the same? They’re experienced enough.

Instead the truth is we blame everything on Dyche because his face doesn’t fit, we don’t like his style, his voice or him as a bloke.

The truth is much much more nuanced than that but it’s easier to blame the bald gravel voice fella that plays sh1t football

But when does it become non-accountable? He was accountable for not making the changes (against Bournemouth) when we could all see the midfield had ran out of legs at 2-0 up. Has he learned from that? Probably not… but, if he wants to stay in the game, he needs too.

He keeps on with Harrison even tho he dithers more than a soap extra. He believes in the lads and they keep on letting him, and us, down.

And honestly I was clamouring that we dug up Jimmy Savile as manager on Saturday at full-time, but obviously Jimmy Savile is a kopite so that weren't happening. So what have we got to lose just to say "Fuck it, let's get behind this shite a bit more"?

I know it didn't work out at Chelsea but, for me, their new owner jumped too quick, too many superstars with egos, he hadn't a chance… a bit like Moyes at Man Utd.

Worth a shout, I can't forget his time at Brighton.

If this season couldn't get any worse, it could well be a Skunks v RS Carabao Final. I would struggle to be happy with any outcome in that.

Although we might see more than two players in the opposition half, we might still be upset at being beaten every week.

Has he gone yet?

I might pop in more often if you can keep that level up.

Failure is failure no matter how you dress it up, no matter what mitigating circumstances there may be. Not many fans of a club of our size would be happy with what has happened in the last five years, not many would accept that a dozen or so first team players were so bad that they are unable to show any footballing skills at all, and are reduced to playing like a third tier side away to the best in the country, not just in one fixture, but in nearly every game that they participate in.

Speaking purely for myself, I'm quite aware of the limitations of the players, and don't expect a miraculous turn around in the way that we play, but I do wish to see some semblance of progression in the way we set about our fixtures, currently I can't bear to watch Everton on TV when they're away from home and find it increasingly difficult to get excited before a game at Goodison, even though I attend every first team game that Everton play there.

I've been a regular at Goodison for over five decades, and this last few years have been torturous for us all, but we keep turning up to watch the same rubbish week after week. I'd prefer to see this as the positive that it is, rather than subscribe to the constant complaints that Evertonians are somehow a strange breed and are far too demanding and over critical of the players and staff in comparison to other fans at other clubs.

At what point is it alright for fans to complain or show dissatisfaction with a manager or the team, or should we all just act like a 40k cheer-leading squad regardless of the level of performance given by the players and the manager.

Did you perhaps mean "some"?

Every "professional" football employee, player or otherwise, wants the best possible contract, regardless of performance.

In my opinion the wider world of football agents and "not-quite" players have for decades zeroed in on Everton as a chump club repeatedly given to issuing lavish contracts, regardless of performance.

We call it "dead wood" and have done for decades and yet, right now, the dead forest has expanded right into our current squad and, for all I know, into our next one and the one after that.

The poison is that deep. I see no grounds for optimism, under Dyche's management or anyone else's.

Friedkin has had many months to assess what his latest "acquisition" can render to him but thus far, probably massively financially hamstrung by the hideous incompetence of Moshiri and his chosen bozo as he is, his silence is still deafening.

Billionaire yes, but successful football entrepreneur in the Premier League with a basket case of a club?

Hmm?

It’s a perfect storm, stick with Dyche and hope that the turgid football will keep us up, or bring in a new face with 19 games to do something different and move us out of the danger zone. Both options with max pressure applied as the games begin to run out.

TFG need to decide soon which way we are all going, lose on Thursday (which normally would be unthinkable, but I am a bit worried) and Dyche may be a goner. Win comfortably and with style and probably Dyche will have some more time for digging in.

Probably the lack of available candidates is the determining factor, if Dyche gets to the end of January with any upturn in results then likely we are stuck with him to the bitter end.

What a mess. One thing I do agree with is that Dyche is unlikely to fold under the pressure, he’ll keep doing it his way until the final whistle on the last day.

After years and I do mean years of put downs of fans from the management of our club one can be forgiven if not seeing this as another one. Thats how it was perceived, not just by me I might add. If he meant it happens in football generally no problem, he is right, it does, but he made the point of it being this club in particular.

Splitting hairs perhaps? Not debating the fact people walked out Brian, never was, just the take on it by our manager. Thats my opinion. You can have yours.. its called debate.

BTW, it was exactly reported as such in the media:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1937360/Everton-news-Sean-Dyche-Brighton-Premier-League

Or Toffeetv..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2o3Kl0-j6c

Even the interview on FB was viewed as a direct dig at the fans..

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=481329734661502

He's had a few unfortunate injuries and such to deal with but all managers do and the results and performances have been unacceptable, even with this limited bunch.

A win against Peterborough would be irrelevant other than as some respite and confidence building for the players. If he is still in charge for Villa and Tottenham then he surely will need to win at least one of those to stay the hand of TFG who I'm sure would prefer not to act while their feet are only just under the table.

The only answer is the optimism and inspiration a change will bring about which should be enough to see us safely through this season but it will at least get the crowd back on board.

Nothing about Everton’s failings over the last 5 years is binary - it was a perfect storm of global events, a pandemic, PSR and financial mismanagement, executive leadership failure, DoF and managerial failings, disgraceful playing standards and general incompetence at most levels of the club.

One constituency who are NOT to blame are the fans. If anyone thinks fan opinion has been a major factor in decisions made within the club in recent years they are in cloud cuckoo land.

No-one at the club has played any notice of the fans since 2020, unless it was to find an easy scapegoat for their own massive failings.

And if the fans who paid their money decide to leave the game early, it is entirely their choice and, frankly, who can blame them?

All we want is inspiration, commitment, hard-work, some simple pride and basic, minimum standards. That isn’t too much to ask.

"And if the fans who paid their money decide to leave the game early, it is entirely their choice and, frankly, who can blame them?"

Basically what Sean Dyche said.

Last season, he was the only person representing the club’s point of view week in and week out as we battled 2 PSR investigations. But I do recognise his words seem to be triggering some of our supporters.

The issue for me has always been the performances and results produced on the pitch. Up until December 2023, the manager was doing a very efficient job but 2024 was more challenging.

Christine, not getting my knickers in a twist at all.

Just merely opposing your opinion and quoting facts.

Many different people can have many different opinions but the facts are the facts.

Dyche was talking about, among others, me!

He was right, when we're shite and when we're getting beaten with time running out lots leave early.

I leave early because doing so allows me to minimize the negatives of the day by getting a quick dart and reducing travel time from Goodison to home by about half an hour. Cutting my losses if you like.

It means I don't have to sit stewing and angry in heavy traffic and prolonging the pain!

Thousands of others do it for what reasons I can only assume.

I have no problem whatsoever with the man making a truthful, correct statement about me.

If he was lying, or incorrect, I may feel differently.

I don't see the point in "was it a dig, wasn't it a dig" as only he knows.

I don't know how long it's been since you've been at Goodison but the "crowd" has changed A LOT.

Not without cause but Goodison is a very difficult crowd.

Look if someone wants to leave early for whatever reason its his prerogative and I have no issue with it and I have seen many many games were supporters of other clubs have left early if their team is losing.

I don't believe the crowd at Goodison has changed, I have been going to Goodison for 70 years, I have seen the cushion throwing in the 70s, not something I liked to see but the words of the best chairmen this club ever had said Evertonians will let you know when their not happy and its my job to make them happy. Pity that same sentiment isn't prevalent now. So I don't see any great difference from when I started going in the 50s fans come to be entertained and if there not being scousers they will let you know. Now if you cant handle that then don't play or manage Everton.

It's only a matter of time before he's gone now I'll wager.

Re the Goodison crowd - there appears to be more unrest now because, well, it's now. It feels like the crowd has changed for some people, which I guess is confirmation bias to some degree.

The crowd get restless because we're shit to watch. We don't score goals, we don't excite anyone, and we play dire football. It's really that simple. Everyone goes to the game expecting us to be shit, but hoping we won't be.

We are shit.

What annoys me is the way he talks like a modern politician. His mangerspeak and the repetition of his stock phrases. "On the grass, noise" etc.

I think he is a proud man and he is attempting to lead his group but he has criticised his players on various occasions but has (until now) been reluctant to accept responsibility himself.

He has been very stubborn from the start with players rewarded for poor performances by being picked every week.

Doucoure is a good example, stinking the place out with his awful passing.

There has clearly been a problem between him and Thirlwell as why would we buy Obrien to sit behind Keane on the bench?

I was calling for his head but actually don't see the point of putting Baines in the hot seat.

The problem we have is that Dyche knows he is out on his arse in the summer but still has a reputation to protect, but half of the squad are out of contract and will probably be gone next season.

I am relieved that Potter looks to be going to West Ham as I think his turgid football would be even more dull than Dyche's.

I don't see any alternative other than getting behind the lads in blue and hoping for the best, unless Moyes fancies it till the end of the season.

Agreed but to be fair to Young, he's been very good this season.

Posters with an agenda against Dyche because of the results and standard of football, fair enough.

Those with an agenda due to non-existent slights against the fans and comments about players need to have a look at themselves. Or better still, stop listening to him and stick to posting about the football instead.

I do not give a flying hoot what went on in the past, I care about now, I know for sure he knows our club inside out and he will get a tune out of this squad of players, anyone else is a huge risk to hit the ground running, we can focus on that in the Summer.

Anyway that’s my thoughts on the here and now situation.

I will even stick my neck out and say if Potter goes to West Ham, and Moyes to us, that Moyes will pick up more points than Potter.

If the Friedkins are minded to keep him on if we win then I'd be prepared to take the short term pain of another dreadful result. Either way we certainly won't win the FA with Dyche in charge.

I like everyone else hoped Dyche would be gone before Christmas, but the reality is a new incoming manager in the Summer was more likely, with the end of Dyche's contract.

If Dyche is replaced now, will TFG get the person they want or will they need an interim to the end of the season? It doesn't have quite the same effect. Equally, has Sean convinced the interim board that he can still do a job and to give him more time?

TFG have procrastinated too long already and that bodes ill for the future !

I'm sceptical as to whether he'd take over now and risk relegation on his CV - but who knows. We got Ancelotti after all...

Barry R will be delighted too (which is rarely seen on these pages)

Only if doughnuts is the other part!

Unless something dramatic happens, Dyche is here for that Villa game, but he's been put on notice and I think that's a good thing as he might have to try something tactically different.

Better late than never.

Personally I'm glad the Friedkins haven't jumped the gun this week, that was the sort of knee jerk response characterized by Moshiri, and that worked out well didn't it? It means they have a longer term strategy and another managerial target in mind, that can only be a good thing after the merry-go round of the last few years.

They've heard the mood music that stability and avoiding relegation are the watchwords and they're trying to play along. Good.

But being honest, it's likely to only be a temporary stay of execution for our current manager.

Potter's record in the Championship is much inferior to the likes of Steve Cooper - and he obviously bombed under pressure at Chelsea.

I think he's only highly regarded because he's associated with the successful Brighton project - but I'm not sure he really takes much credit for that success.

Our own squad is not the best but it's better than Dyche makes it look.

If he was appointed after being sacked by Roma we would have to be very worried about the future of the club.

I am trusting that Mike G will be proven correct and the owners will prove themselves to be competent and and in the short to medium term they will get it right.

Without hope there is not a lot else out there at the moment.

There can be no doubt that SD has lost the majority of supporters and therefore anxiety from the crowd will have an effect on the players.
What we need beteeen now and the end of the season is some inspiration and determination. IMO Dyche is incapable of this now and therefore change is needed urgently.

As for who we can all speculate who might be able to sort it out but there can be no doubt we need an experienced pair of hands in the short term.

I hate to say this as if the circumstances were different would have a different opinion but Moyes or Mourhino would be my picks on a 12 month rolling contract.

Sarri, Sarri, Sarri Paul

I listened to Dyche's press conference and, as always, he was eloquent and worked well with the media. (btw I have nothing against how he looks, his voice or anything else that can be thrown at some of us that don't think he is up to the job.)

When you listen to what he has to say he doesn't actually answer any questions directly though - prefering to say "I've always said" or "As I've said before" - the problem is he doesn't address the here and now.

When talking about why we aren't winning or scoring he seems devoid of ideas "we are constantly trying things" - yeah but I certainly don't see them on the pitch.

And this is multi-faceted as others have pointed out. He has almost certainly dealt with a whole heap of shite that we don't know about behind the scenes. He and others may well have been working all hours just to keep us afloat - and for that I admire and respect his commitment.

But he ALWAYS mentions it. "I think I've done bloody well..." & "As I've said before, the situation here was hard and worse than I expected "

That may be so - however you could have walked if you didn't like it. I'd argue he loves being able to have a hero complex and cannot understand why he receives criticism.

The bottom line, however, is not what happens off the pitch but rather what we, the fans, see on the pitch - and that is what I and others would argue that Dyche is way out of his depth.

It doesn't matter how much you have to deal with, you took the job, stayed in the job and get an incredibly generous salary for doing so.

We have seen investment in the team this year (although Thelwell has brought in players that Dyche simply won't use, what gives there?) - and yet our football has gone backwards. You have run out of ideas but continue to peddle the idea that you are the man to fix it.

In the interview yesterday he was asked whether the Peterborough game was a chance to move away from being defensive and be a bit more attacking. To illustrate a point I made earlier, he didn't answer that directly but rather said something like "We are always trying to be attacking, at the moment it isn't working but we keep trying to improve yadda yadda"

The point is, instead of saying "it's a great opportunity to be a bit more expressive against a team in the lower divisions, who themselves are in a battle - give the fans something to cheer about" etc - he chose to ignore the question and defend what he does in every game.

And that is the other issue I have with Dyche, he doesn't try to connect with the fans. HE is great - the fans can make their own mind up.

So will Dyche keep us up - possibly, but I think the risks are greater than change. He has a history of getting gradually worse and ultimately that could lead to our relegation.

Personally I wouldn't want to keep watching this awful display week in week out and still get relegated.

Now the one thing I will knock Moyes for is trying to get Baines and Fellaini on the cheap, he identified those two, but I doubt he said go in with low bids, that was down to Utd offering those bids, I draw the line at him buying a new pair of kecks though, when he visited Sir Alex.

Anyway all that has gone now, we have to look at what can be done now, who is the safest pair of hands, who knows how Everton work on a Day to Day basis, I,m trying hard to consider other options, and if the season was over, I would certainly be thinking about the longer term, but right now there is no better candidate than Moyes to steady the ship.

Love him or hate him, we need him to come in, let bygones be bygones and try and get us as a footballing side again, the players are there for sure.

Another thing you have to remember, when West Ham got to the Europa final, they had a nothing game a few Days before against one of the teams with us in the relegation scrap, May have been Leeds, he could have rested players, but he put a full strength team out and won the game that certainly helped us out.

Potter set to step in.

That’s one less manager taken out the equation.

I suspect we are stuck with the dinosaur until end of season.

I heard us being discussed on the Talkshite radio show today and Danny Murphy (a Chester lad with some blue mates) mentioned our strikers Dom, Beto and Broja forgetting Chermitti. Neither White nor Jordan corrected him.

Most media people and pundits just skim over games and have little background information.

On Dyche they concluded that he had done quite well under the circumstances and should get another PL job in future, having turned down Championship jobs in the belief that he was a PL manager.

This is why he bangs on about what a mess he inherited on every presser.

He has been preparing the ground for his next job since he started at Goodison.

That is one of the things that grates on me.

For all the crap he has inherited, he was part of the decision to spend £27 million on Beto.

£27 Million !

I suppose that was all Thelwell.

We'll probably fire Dyche in a weeks time and appoint (Sir) Gareth Southgate.

But at least he wasn't talking in the 3rd person

I wouldn't want him back personally, but can understand those who would...

For me he was part of the Axis of Mediocrity. First half of his tenure he did a job, and started to transform the squad. Last half, on much improved wages, he was fully bought into the "manage expectations" mantra. The final insult was stalling on his contract extension and leaving like he did.

I don't blame him - he'd have shown incredible lack of ambition turning that job down. I just hated the guard of honour given to him by the crowd.

I think whoever TFG bring in, it should be a fresh page - that's assuming of course that Mr. Dyche gets his P45 imminently.

Most sensible posts that I have read on this thread. Good work.

There is an alternative story to the one you tell about Moyes leaving, which is that Ferguson told Moyes the job would be his if he didn't renew his contract with Everton in order to save Man Utd having to pay compensation. Moyes was "stalling" at the time and giving various reasons for not yet re-signing.

Think this is one you can't blame on Bill Kenwright.

It's like still lamenting the end of a relationship that happened 12 years ago now. When a relationship ends, you go through a shitty period, then you process and move on. Some people would do well to apply the same principles to football.

This obsession with loyalty just stresses you out. These people, players and managers, are employees, they're not supporters like we are so why would they feel the same sense of love and loyalty we do?

You're in a committed, lifelong relationship with Everton, they're having a drunken bunk-up round the back of a multi-storey car park with Everton. It's not the same thing.

This is the club that paid Watford money for Silva but had done sweet Fanny Adams about the illegal approach for Dour Dave.

Moyes talks about the day Ferguson told him his new job

Sullivan was probably hoping Lopetegui would just walk away and therefore save the club a few million on compensation payments, but Lopetegui was having none of it, and stuck it out, albeit for only two days.

Maybe West Ham are a bit close to the knuckle re: PSR, and Sullivan was hoping against hope!! Should know by now that no manager will ever resign again.

Thanks for that. Basically backs up what I remembered rather than the "Bill Kenwright knew" version.

Bill Kenwright knew in the January he was taking the Man Utd job, asked Moyes to keep it hush hush, had 4 Months to look for a replacement, then (like with Rooney) put on the waterworks and came out with bullshit on both occasions.

Rob, I think, when they got wind of Everton pursuing Potter, they jumped in quick and sacked him to try and get Potter; otherwise, he would have been in charge for the cup game then gone.

They are a relegation squad who will push for the playoffs, and he's exactly the breath of fresh air now we have new owners.

And yet Moyes himself says differently.

We managed a total of 34 during Lampard's final 6 months Dyche's first 5 months, and a total of 40 last season.

Lampard had 20 games in his final season, his stats for them were W3, D6, L11. Dyche for 19 games this season stands at W3, D8, L8. Essentially 2 points better off.

It was our defence and 13 clean sheets which got us 15th last season as we conceded far less than those around us.

We've had Dyche now for 77 games, that's a 2 season total.
W17, D22, L38.

For me, under the current performance levels, I only see a further realistic 11 points. The man has to go.

Exactly right, it should be about whether he is the right man for the job now – not some sort of revenge because he ‘jilted' us for Man Utd.

Moyes deserves a send off in his last home match. He has rejuvenated this club, and leaves it in a much better position now than 11 years ago. Some will be angry, some sad, but I don't think anyone can deny he has improved us without money. We just need to make sure we beat West Ham, and confirm 6th, and bring in the right replacement quickly.

Then you look at how we have been since 2013, a shitfest.

But Dyche won't play youngsters. What's he doing at Everton if he can't play against Peterborough United???

Dyche the Dinosaur, also talking about the 61-year-old Moyes. Here we go backwards Dan Friedkin???

I've had enough of this. We need to lift the place.

That's another thing we've lost!

You could say that, I couldn't possibly comment...,

Two points: Firstly, whether Bill knew he was leaving, we'll never know, but he was offered a new contract, never gave an answer, and then joined Man Utd that summer, but had a deal with Ferguson since January, so he was tapped up, no compensation?

Secondly, Man Utd weren't the best team in Europe then, Fergie knew they were on a downward spiral. They had no leaders in midfield, the CEO Gill was finished also – it was a poison chalice.

Whilst some would welcome him back (for me only, if it happens, it's only as a stop-gap until the end of the season), I'm not sure TFG would know much about him other than his failure at Man Utd.

No doubt Moyes was brilliant at stabilising us back in the day, but would he still have the same enthusiasm and appetite now?

He'd be a short-term upgrade on Dyche assuming we got the Moyes of old, but where Dyche is limited by negativity, Moyes is limited by pragmatism and a little bit of fear; I think we need to move forward not backwards.

His "links" are 12 years ago.

They have made a wise appointment.