Resilient All-Blacks steal a draw at Brighton from the jaws of defeat

Mitoma will tear O'Brien a new one.

Never saw that coming: Giants at the back...

Branthwaite left back!

At least one positive is McNeil being benched.

Come on, Harrison, claim a place here!

Please say it ain't gonna happen!!!!

Not sure I’d play two centre backs against them. Especially one just returning from long lay off. Easing him back… ?

Mykolenko is either injured or being sold.

This could be a master stroke from Moyes. Talk about inviting pressure.

As much as I think Patterson is average he deserved to stay in the team, he has done nothing wrong to get dropped.

Moyes had an opportunity today to play 5 at the back with 2 wingbacks and chose to go ultra defensive. We all knew Jake was going to play right back today.

Let's see how this game pans out.

I was fancying us to get something out of the game, but I don't like that line-up too much.

Theres too many coming back from injuries and playing out of position for my liking.

Not the greatest shock in the world

We never got told anything about Mykolenko being injured, maybe he's ill who knows, maybe he's been flogged but I doubt it.

Patterson clearly will never be fancied by any Everton manager.

Am also a little surprised he hasn't gone with McNeil, it may be the case this is his last game, and possibly Iroegbunam.

Defend this shit, don't attack us

I wonder why he's gone this way? Maybe Garner really didn't want to go to full-back.

I also think left-back in a back four is a role with different expectations than the left centre-back. I'm not sure we will find Branthwaite any more likely to overlap or cross regularly than Mykolenko, so that choice seems strange unless Mykolenko and Aznou are both unavailable.

I think calling all of the chosen back four ‘lumbering' is too harsh but Moyes definitely seems to be trying to win the game by doughtily defending corners and set-pieces and hoping that overwhelming height and strength at the opposite end will gain sufficient reward.

Not really watched much of Brighton this season so I don't know if they remain nifty and nimble or whether some of that attacking verve has become dulled by the passage of time.

All games seem in the balance this season. We can definitely win this. Come on, you immense Blues!

Look on the bright side, we've got 2 right backs on the bench (one of the keepers must also have the mystery injury that is going around) and three if you think Rohl has played there but neither of our two left backs or any juniors.

Mr Moyes has certainly sprung one here.

I don't have the first clue about this formation, but I am always half-full, rather than half-empty in my views on our prospects, especially before the match has even started.

Like everyone else, I whinge and moan if/when it isn't working out or we make stupid mistakes. COYB!

I feel for Patterson, he's not the future but he's been steady in the last couple of games and, in a 3, he is a decent wing back.

Jarrad Branthwaite at left-back is strange... but he's quick, got a good left foot, and maybe with coming back from a long time out, there's a bit less physicality at left-back?

But I always say, where there's a negative, you can find a positive: No Mykolenko, finally... brilliant result! He is the worst left back in the Premier League.

Good midfield though and Harrison Armstrong will benefit hugely playing alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. I still fancy a result here for us.

Haven't you written before, telling us with unchallengable perspicacity that "Moyes sees them every day of the week" -- and therefore his selection cannot be questioned?

Welcome to the world the rest of us occupy...

Fingers crossed it somehow works and we win, we had a good run of wins with 4CB’s under Ancellotti so you never know. Will watch with interest, hope we aren’t all cursing a strange selection after the game (too early to whinge now, surely?).

Get ready for a backs to the wall, low possession approach from our boys.In other words like most of our away performances.

Good to see Branthwaite and KDH playing again.

This will be tough as Brighton are playing well.

I just prefer to see the argument countered rather than commenting on the mood or tendencies of posters on the thread.

This was always going ton be a tricky one, but we can bring the 3 points home.

Come on blue boys.

I'm not averse to questioning his calls Michael, I just object to the overwhelming levels of cryarsing levelled at him, when we've had 6-9 players out, and are still in touching distance of the euro spots. Particularly after the last decade, and the state of the squad in the summer. As every week passes it seems the players we bought havent' immediately tanked Tosun Walcott style., we picked up the best loan, the best player, an excellent forward, and two exciting youth players. Nobody now mentions that of course...

I didn’t see that starting line-up in any of my ‘what’s Moyes going to do’ thoughts!

I see the much-maligned Anjishnu failed to post his usual pre-match piece that includes the predicted line-up. I wonder if this means something anything?

Maybe he had this one predicted and thought "Nah, no one is gonna believe four centre-backs!"

In respect to this particular selection, I don't know what he has in mind, but it is different (which is one of the criticisms often made of him - never changes anything) and he is not playing a few players (for whatever reason) who are frequently criticised on this site for not being good enough, including McNeil, Patterson and Mykolenko.

Suck it and see!

Alliser Thorne: Do you know what leadership means, Lord Snow? It means that the person in charge gets second-guessed by every clever little twat with a mouth. (or keyboard)

We've been absolutely shite for the last few years, looking over our shoulder, watching the results of other teams as much as our own.

We're 5 points off the Champions League in the last week of January. Not one of us thinks relegation is a possibility. That's a massive step in the right direction.

We're probably going to Europe next season regardless. Which one of you wouldn't have bitten someone's arm off for that last season?

Give some bloody credit where it's due.

Again, that is on the ad hominem side of a discussion or critique.

Getting spanked at home on numerous occasions is progress is it? We are doing a lot better than last season, agreed. But it doesn't make everything in the garden rosy.

Dyche didn't get us 5 points off the Champions League after half the season was done.

Yes, "doing a lot better than last season" is progress. In fact, it's the very definition of progress.

You don't have to be a happy clapper, nor does anyone have to be a moaning sod before the game has even kicked off.

But that doesn't mean people who express different views to you should be criticized. At the end of the day we all want our team to do well and win as often as possible.

But that line-up today isn't exactly a confidence filler.

The top of the league is weak this year. Moyes isn't Ancelotti

Rather than the cock-eyed fantasy that we're doing no better than the previous season when we came close to relegation and were staring down the barrel of a gun at this stage of the season.

At least we've been consistent.

Get Gana off as he doesn't get forward in support enough and stop playing Armstrong in support of Barry and maybe put Alcaraz in that role

That is one off, one on. And maybe consider Ndiaye on the right but I'll bet Armstrong is the one off and Dibling will come on on the right. Garner and Dewsbury-Hall need somebody else to help out in midfield.

I know someone who will be delighted with that.

We won here last season playing that puerile football — we had one shot on target throughout the game, the penalty taken by Ndiaye, maybe we can do the same today?

What a dreadful way to play football though, no wonder fans are continuing to be sickened by it.

It does my head in!!!

If we're so short, go out and buy some fucking full-backs!!!

Who the fuck even does that?

Who would want to join this shit show?

Not sure what for?

No, not Davey.

A khasi set up from the manager first half.

This manager holds us back. Especially the more creative and younger players.

Tyler has to face his marker, either he does how to know that or not will determine if he is very good winger or not... The boy has to grow some balls!!

What a difference when we decided to attack.

A lot will accept the dire first half performance because we got a point.

It is dour, boring, "don't take a risk" football and a lot of us accept it as we are not fighting relegation.

He's built up a strong mentality with the squad. It would have been a terrific assist if Dewsbury-Hall had scored from Barry's lovely little ball to lay it all on a plate. Shame, great save from the goalie. We surely would have won it if that had gone in.

Well done, chaps.

Great start to the second half, our keeper wellies it out for a goal kick and their keeper kicks that out for a throw-in. And then I think it was Keane who looked to move with their scorer but then changed his mind and I didn't see a lot wrong with their disallowed goal but good to see a Linesman not waiting to be told.

I hope we practice more at passing and moving through the week and a little less with the swords or whatever is causing all these mystery injuries.

But that is fucking Moyes all over. So typical, so negative. Start with a point, and 'winning' it back with a late late goal that the fans will love will keep the Moyes lovers loving him.

Well, I fucken hate him. I can't even watch or listen to him any more...

Not a great game of football, but Moyes actually used all 5 of his allowed substitutions and it paid off.

Good strike by O'Brien and great follow-up by Beto. Our centre-forwards are actually doing all the scoring -- time for the likes of Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz, Gueye etc to step up and contribute.

Patterson had a good cameo, he caused Brighton a lot of problems although the equalising goal came from a Garner cross. Iroegbunam looked rusty and got lucky that his giveaways did not result in a goal.

Well done, Moyes and the boys for showing resilience. A point away is not to be sneezed at.

Playing 4 centre-backs? Ridiculous. Patterson earned the right. O'Brien earned the right to stay centre-back.

Stick with players playing well. Brighton are good but they were there for the taking.

I walked away and missed it. Fuckin Moyes.

A bit harsh in my opinion.

We deserved a draw with our 2nd half performance, even the pundits agreed.

I'm more than happy to take that point. Although I'm not sure I'd have been quite so easily pleased if I'd gone all the way down there to witness that.

Moyes, that.

For some of us who want to go out to win the game, then it's 2 points lost against a team with 1 win in 11 matches.

We get an away point and are now in 8th place and you would think we got hammered.

Keep serving that up, Moyes — happy with a point, no matter how we contrive to get it, except to prove to most of football that you are a less than average manager.

Strange that the players lots of fans don't like or want have earned us the points in the last few games.

Snide little prick.

We deserved a draw, probably even more for that second half performance, although I suppose we got lucky with that offside goal.

As another poster highlighted, its a poor Premier League this season and, on that basis, with a less negative approach, we could be in with a chance of something special.

It's there and it's within touching distance and it's going to bypass us because we're too scared to reach out because we have a point before a ball is kicked. An opportunity like this might not repeat itself for another 10 years...

We could even qualify for The Best Of The Rest final.

I rest my case.

Let's know our place and not try.

Please Fuck Off now, Moyes.

Set a low bar and acheving that is deemed successful because we haven't been relegated. I'm hoping these new owners can change the whole pysche at the club.

Moyes achieved his remit last season and should have been thanked and then replaced so the new era could begin.>So far, TFG haven't displayed what I thought they would be.

Irony mate 👍

Yes, of course it is a squad game, and it's also a 90-minute game... doesn't the first half count?

As for using all the subs, I don't think he used one until we went a goal down. We've all seen that before, it's one of his traits, along with keeping that point we started with at all costs.

One of the subs got that valuable goal, and we might have had two — imagine the screams if Barry had missed the sitter he set up for Dewsbury-Hall — we'd be up to over 150 posts by now!

And then you begin to realise why those bastards across the park rub their hands, snigger with joy, and then sing a song about thirty fucking years.

And I've said it a million times, just go and buy some players, get the numbers up. Some will work out, but it also creates competition for places. Nobody should be guaranteed a start.

But what I would be doing if was running this place is working towards a transition now based on what we have, and what we need.

Moyes is Mr Safety First, always has been, and he's the ultimate glass ceiling manager when he could actually be so much more. Fortune, as they say, favours the brave.

Sick of watching this Turkish Delight.

A hide behind the couch man, our Davey.

And I know certain Blues hate or won't even give Patterson any credit whatsoever but we looked a better team when he came on.

Roll the fucking dice now and we might be surprised cos the Premier League is so tight. Fucking Villa, who were below us not a couple of seasons ago, have done exactly that. And Forest challenged for Champions League places. And still would be if their owner wasn't such a twat.

Wait until the summer and it's rinse and repeat. Spend all summer speculating who we need, drawn out transfers, end up with half of what we wanted.

Meanwhile, everyone else also moves forward and we're static. It's been the same for 30 years now. We're bored to fucking tears of it, Everton. Do something!

I am more concerned with the hierarchy than I am with Moyes. Where are the full-backs and goalscorers that have obviously been needed for years?

I know Moyes's team selections can be quite questionable but let's give the man a bit of support and belief. It was interesting that our fantastic away support was singing his name today before the equalizer went in.

Credit to Nathan Patterson -- he's been derided, with some posters constantly saying he's very poor, but he came on to the pitch very, very late in the game but with the perfect attitude. Hopefully he stays fit and gets his reward in the summer, representing his country in the World Cup.

Who was missing today, besides Grealish and Mykolenko? A squad without depth but still people are happy with TFG.

Good question! I like Ariola but he seems to be having a blip this season at Bournemouth... and after seeing what Brentford did to us at the HDS, Keith Andrews.

l would also take a punt on Xabi Alonso. Whoever it is needs to fundamentally change our football philosophy... l could not take another manager who plays one up front. Is it too much to ask for high tempo fast attacking football?

Goalkeeper Fraser Barnsley has just helped Marine to the last 8 of the FA Trophy with 2 saves in a penalty shootout.

Thank fuck I'm 56 and seen the 80s, we really have been served up a dog shit sandwich for 30-plus years.

One particular shithouse and his right-hand man convinced us 7th place equalled success.

I think Patterson needs to be given a start at right-back. O'Brien is probably a better defender but Patterson is definitely a better footballing right-back.

The constant whingeing from some on here gets boring. It says more about the moaning poster than it does about Everton though.

I bet he hates that Board game -- Risk!

TFG have been very underwhelming so far. I don't want to start another cycle of projects with the promise of "This time next season it"ll be better". Frustrated.

I'd be delighted if he went to the World Cup.

Everton Football Club -- not the fans -- turn up at that shithole and are beaten before they get on the pitch, against a club (forget the idea team) who'd spent more seasons in the lower leagues than the top division.

That was until the Russian was “allowed” to throw money at it. We haven't won there since November 1994. This is the rotten mentality that pervades Everton Football Club.

Can David Moyes keep enough good players happy and integrate them into a tight competitive squad?

If he can, he could as you say, be so much more, although I'm aware he needs those extra players. I often wonder if he's got the personality to keep a much bigger squad of quality players happy.

For this to happen, then first we have got to spend some money.

Hope you are right!

Just picking up points made about Braiden Graham this morning being lightweight and he'd get kicked off the park in the Premier League...

Summerville of West Ham is 5'-8", a 9st 9lb when he's wet, and Chelsea can't sniff him. Scored another great goal. Get the Braiden in the squad.

Moyes did not turn up to just not lose. Mykolenko was injured so he selected Branthwaite. He preferred O'Brien at right back, and we've won plenty with him playing there.

He's safety first and cagey, yeah, and has one of the best away records in the Premier League this year. Get over it.

He offers way more with the ball the O'Brien, he's not made any massive mistakes, (O'Brien at fault today, losing his man for the goal.) If that was Patterson, he'd be getting slaughtered.

Some people won't have Moyes no matter what, so he's not going to win them over anyway, whatever selections or subs he makes, even if forced to make some strange ones.

How many said Grealish won't be missed???

Think back 12 months, 24 months, 36 months... we are annual survivors.

This is progress, steady ship, new ground. Leave Moyes alone. When it's the right time, then you can all have the young, foreign, dynamic manager certain posters crave.

We are still cooking. I wish Gana's shot would have went in against Leeds and Dewsbury-Hall scored the sitter today. Fine margins.

If you're happy with that, then fine. I'm not. This is Everton Football Club.

We move on.

This did make me smile -- Jason Hewly @53: 'We're probably going to Europe next season regardless'. WAG outing shopping in Milan?

If West Ham go down (and as I write this, they have already blown the lead at Chelsea), Summerville would be my first choice of a player to pursue from the relegated clubs. He is electric.

But if you gave him 40 points and a fully fit squad at the start of the season and no injuries, he'd finish 10th. That's Moyes.

Prove me wrong...

That would be funny as fuck, to be fair.

Just show some courage, for fuck's sake, and try and win the game instead of waiting for something to happen. We had to go a goal behind before we showed any intent, I think that's what pisses fans off.

It's really surprised me that he settled in London as I always thought he was a Smalltown Boy.

Timings of those subs — two bleedin' minutes to go? Desperation time did you mean — mind you I wanted Patterson on from the start.

Peter (@119), I was thinking about you when I saw the Marine score come up on the TV — did our goalie save a couple of penalties in the last round for Marine?

I wouldn't mind betting, Peter, that you get a lot more enjoyment watching Marine this season than watching Everton — pure honest endeavour from one team and some very poor performances from the millionaire professionals.

Probably passed over younger heads though.

I agree, Patterson deserved to keep the shirt but O'Brien didn't let us down. Mitoma was kept quiet for most of the game.

Moyes was slow with the subs as usual. Putting Paterson on was due to Branthwaite being goosed and not some master stroke.

No idea what's wrong with Mykolenko but, let's face it, he wasn't missed. Aznou not even on the bench, so left-back options very limited.

Some great posts on here tonight. I particularly like the one "We only got the draw as we scored the same amount of goals"...

The "Alonso next manager" shout was also great.

Someone claiming Tarkowski was offside. You would swear people are happier grumbling.

A boring game but a last-minute goal is a thing of beauty, as close to a win as it comes.

Tough to pick a MotM, Garner for his all-around effort.

Yes, slightly unrealistic and slightly tongue-in-cheek but Keith Andrews l definitely would take a punt on.

Who would you go for? Or would you rather be out of both cups in January and bored to sobs watching archaic tactics but safe again every season?

I forgot to reply to Peter M, who sounds like he has had a brilliant day away from the razzmatazz of the Premier League….

Singing "We Shall Not Be Moved", Peter?

Keith Andews, why the fuck are we punting? We need stability and a rebuild, not a double fucking 6.

There were 2 minutes of normal time when he came on = desperation time. Two of the other subs, Tim Iroegbunam and Tyler Dibling, added nothing to the performance.

Charly Alcaraz made some difference in the few minutes he was given. He will most probably play on the wing next week... if he's here!

Also, I would've liked to have seen Dibling start on the right with Armstrong, as good as he is, playing in the middle and Gana remaining on the bench. I know Dibling hasn't shown much, but we needed true wingers on the pitch.

Certainly I would've liked to have seen the subs 10 minutes earlier and Rohl instead of Iroebugnam.

I'm souring a bit on Moyes, but still think he should get another season for stability's sake. We've seen what happens when you chop and change the manager too quickly.

Sign good players in the summer, keep the manager, see what happens next year. It's not always pretty right now, but I'll maintain it's still far better than the past few seasons, which is good enough for me.

l can't quite fathom why we have so many fans who enjoy being spoonfed joyless shite and never winning a trophy for over a generation -- and we're to be grateful for it, to boot!

7th is the new 1st.

That's what makes it all so depressing.

And this is whilst we've gone in a year from relegation contenders to having the best away record in the league?

I'm not sure people are loving watching the first half, but when you've just lost your best player, and have two just back from Afcon, and another two just returning from long term injury, there is a thing called 'making allowances and seeing the bigger picture.

Like the fact we are now starting to recruit well, but that it can't all be done at once. But that, after another Summer window, we may well have the makings of a decent squad, if we get in the full-backs we need.

I can have my concerns and frustrations about his selection but I can also be happy with a 97th-minute equaliser because of his changes and be 9th in the table.

How high in the table do you expect us to be at this stage of the season?

I asked you in the Live Forum to name me a manager who could replace Moyes. You never replied, so I'm asking you again: name me a manager that realistically we could attract who'd do as good a job as Moyes has done in 12 months?

I've got news for you: there isn't one. Yes, the football has been dire at times but we've ground results out. I will say this, though, on a different note: Patterson did not deserve to be dropped today and if Moyes thinks O'Brien is a better right-back, then he's mistaken.

If Branthwaite plays in his normal position today we win that game because he would have anticipated the cross.

Well, let's see... we spunked points against Wolves at home due to selection, stubborness and tactics; we spunked points at home against Leeds due to selection, stubborness and tactics; and we spunked points today against a struggling Brighton side today due to selection, stubborness and tactics...

6 points + 34 = 40 -- that would put us 5th in theory

We'll ignore the changing of the side after the terrific Forest away win for the home game against Brentford to shoehorn Keane back in the side and the dropping of Rohl who'd had his best game (l like Keane btw).

To sum up, we have a decent set of players (forwards apart) who should be at least where they are in the table but they're being held back. Again, it's about having the gumption to reach out and grab what's on offer -- and we're not.

So again please enjoy the joyless shite that dithering dour Dave forces us to choke on.

Who would do a better job with this current squad? Glasner? Irola? Potter? All this or recent years flavour of the month?

We all want to be playing attractive winning football but a lot of us realise our limitations and the fact that it will take time. I hated watching us in the 1st half today but I see improvement in the overall wider picture.

Sorry, Andy, l came off the Live Forum soon after the whistle but l've already said on this thread that l like the football Keith Andrew's Brentford play.

But l will tell you now Moyes outstayed his welcome by 5 years prior to him shitting all over us to gush all over Sir Alex Ferguson and l never wanted him back.

Football has moved on and l don't like him or his football teams.

What other Premier League team do you think we should be playing in the style of right now, (a year after flirting with relegation) and how high should we be in the table now for you to be happy?

The less they pay to watch the shite Moyes serves up every week, the more they apologise for it.

You keep parroting that we have the best away record in the Premier League.

We don't.

It's not outrageous to suggest we can't make a splash at the right end of the table for once!

Have I missed something this month? Who? What? Where? When?

Moyes still went there and beat them the other week, though. And we’re a point behind Newcastle.

The more money I pay Darren, the less I want to watch us. I’m aware that football is a results business, but I’d love to see a little bit of innovation, a lot more drive, and just a little bit of speed of thought, to give me a feeling that makes me really want to go the game.

for the sort of football which money has killed forever. Once in a while

there’s game that reminds you what the game should be. In most

games now you can tell six passes away that the ball will be passed

back to the goalkeeper.

I have to be careful, there are some who dislike my going off on a tangent, away from Everton. But I felt the fact that an Everton player made such a huge contribution with saves for Marine (as in previous rounds, Dave) justified my post.

I went on the coach with my son, and his sons aged 9 and 11, so all day I was thinking about being on coaches to FA Cup ties at a similar age following the Blues in the second half of the 1960s, with all the joy and torment that went with those journeys. “We shall not be moved” was never far away from my thoughts, Tony.

At the end of the game, before the penalties, a boy in front of me became very agitated as he found out Beto had scored, of course I enjoyed the moment too.

What I did witness at the game at Tamworth was a magnificent effort from Marine’s players. They have been ravaged by injuries, players being pulled back from loans (including the excellent Idon Samuels-Smith from Everton), part-timers against full-timers, the wounded and the exhausted seeing out the draw.

I’m not sure millionaires would have done it.

Sorry we can’t go from battling it out with Ipswich to playing like PSG within one season. Who should we have got in instead of Moyes to be competing to your desired level Tony?

ok

I would be surprised if most fans weren't pragmatic enough to realise that it could go either way if we replaced him. But for me its so hard not to be be fatigued by Moyes and his approach. It might not be as bad as Dycheball, but its still feckin boring.

Enlighten me with this improved, good recruitent we're doing, who are these players and when did we sign them?

It doesn't matter quoting facts to the anti-Moyes brigade. If we qualify for Europe it won't matter either. They'll still be here, frothing at the mouth, mumbling something about happy clappers, first to post when Moyes doesn't pick their preferred eleven. Led on (with pitchforks at the ready) by the ever redoubtable Michael Kenrick.

ToffeeWeb that.

players?

Jack Grealish. best loan we've ever had?

KDH signing of the summer window?

Rohl. finding his feet

Barry. a one in two goal return if you count his unfairly disallowed goals

Aznou. we can all see the potential.

Dibling. ditto

plus being responsible for a major upturn in form in Garner, Keane O'Brien

The top clubs don't spend fortunes signing the very best players they can find for nothing.

If you expect us to play like Arsenal you need Arsenal players.

When we can field a team of top class players to match the top few teams, then you can expect us to play good open football.

At the start of the reason the squad was in a right old mess, theres some very short memories on here.

I’ve witnessed loads of seasons of Moyes teams before, and that’s why Peter Mills, earlier post resonated with me.

I knew “we shall not be moved” wouldn’t have been far from Peter’s thoughts because he’s a genuine Evertonian, who was brought up on cup football.

What’s cup football, asked David? Fuck that, I’m here to bring stability, not entertain the people, and anyone who knows anything about football, shouldn’t expect me to play exciting football anyway, because I’ve never had the money, thank god.

I don’t expect miracles, but having a desired level of just expecting to watch players who really want to play, isn’t too much to ask Philip?

As for Aznou, Rohl and Dibling your man Moyesy doesn't see the potential does he? how often do they get picked?

I'd agree in as much we need a young vibrant coach who's going to get us on the front foot from the first whistle, the trouble is who would our board go for.

Brighton don't seem to have too much trouble or Brentford or Bournemouth but id say at this time we are better than the 3 of them.

Moyes has done a great job in just under a year and look at West ham without him.

Is he the future long term most definitely not but let's not get too down on him because in the short term hes done a remarkable job.

Level with City on last six form, 8th in the table. Where the fuck do you expect us to be?

the referee in each of his disallowed goals said it was a goal, so yes for my purposes I am saying we have signed a player averaging a goal every two games. I think you can make that case. Everyone hates VAR. how many of Lineker's goals would have been disallowed back in the day? or Rooney's.

We can all see the potential in Aznou, fuckin brilliant that one.

Ditto Dibling? The kid looks like he’s waiting for the jury to return.

Grealish was a better loan player than Lukaku. Seriously?

KDH, is the signing of the summer? I know he cost a lot more money but the kid, who scored two for Liverpool tonight, has looked the best player in the league, when I’ve watched him.

Barry’s disallowed goals? I shouldn’t laugh at goals that have been taken away from our centre forward, but it hasn’t stopped me smiling though.🙈

I’ve had a hard week Kevin, so thanks for that very positive list. Laughter is definitely the best medicine 👍

Yes, I think Aznou is going to be a good player. he's had an excellent pedigree, showed good signs against Sunderland in the cup. What, are you convinced he's a dud just cos he's not got past Myko?

and yes, Grealish is a much better player than Rom, the flat track bully. Who'd score a boatload against Bournemouth and then disappear for a month.

Before his injury yes I think KDH was looking a better signing pound for pound than any Liverpool player.

Why is it so funny to say Barry is a one in two striker if the referee on the day was happy with the goal? it obviously won't count towards his official total, but is evidence of his quality. It shows that according to the rules of five years ago or whenever he'd have been given the goal. it shows what he's capable of, and what we have on our hands.

Get behind the boys and stop whingeing, COYB

It's all subjective, each to their own... but like I said the other week, reading some of your latest stuff gives me a real feeling of sensationalism, Kevin.

If Man City win tomorrow, they will have 12 points from their last 6 games, which will be 3 more than Everton.

Nobody is setting the world alight, that very welcome last minute equaliser today probably moved Everton up about three places.

If we had taken maximum points from our last two home games against teams in the Bottom 6, we probably would have been sitting comfortably in 6th place.

ToffeeWeb miserablists? Nah. Can't bring themselves to celebrate a decent result.

Moyes more to blame for those shocking figures than the player,

Having read through all the posts so far, I am now under the impression we have the first manager in the land. Who has worked miracles with the players he has available and the canny signings made last summer.

Totally ignoring some of the dire football currently being served up by said genius. Numerous beatings at home by the powerhouses that are Spurs, Newcastle and Brentford. Not to mention the stunning efforts made to secure magnificent draws with Wolves and Leeds.

This, apparently, is excusable tho, due to the loss of our star player through injury and 2 further players being absent at AFCON. Not to mention the ridiculously small squad our genius is forced to deal with.

Not many managers would use 4 CB's across there entire backline it has to be said. But we should all be extremely grateful as we currently sit 9th in the table and are comfortably avoiding another relegation dogfight.

This, of course, excuses the totally shite, dull, football being regularly served up by our genius.

But who could replace Moyes and do a better job? Apparently no one according to our vociferous Moyes supporters.

So, once our genius has improved the squad next summer, we can expect a further improvement and a big push for a European spot, according to some. Allowing us to bore the pants off of supporters across Europe with our stunning defensive performances.

If people want to praise Moyes regardless of result, or performance, good on you. Just as it's reasonable for some people to expect at least a modicum of attacking intent and be critical of piss poor performances. Even if those performances only last for 45 minutes.

But according to some, we should only ever be gushing in our praise of the Moyesiah

I'm just going with starts.

'Get him out! Put Harvey in! This is utter shit!'

I remember Howard Kendall getting interviewed after we won the title on the pitch, he said, "This hasn't happened overnight, you know. It took 4 years to build this."

And most of those 4 years were filled with frustrating nearly games and hard watches. But we knew back then that you don't just judge someone after 6 months or 1 year; you give them time to build something.

Last summer's investment was promising (Dewsbury-Hall in particular). Keep doing that year on year and we'll be in a position to compete.

I celebrated the equaliser, it's funny I have a 12-year-old daughter, who starts doing handstands because she thinks that her 15-second handstands actually bring Everton some luck.

If I'm being honest, I often get more enjoyment watching her determination to walk on her hands for Everton because she believes it brings us a goal.

I'll happily take the point, but I do worry about being called miserable, even though a lot of Everton's latest performances have bored the life out of me.

Apart from the fact that he's just scored 4 in 5 games. Right after a very lean period. Pretty much the definition of an “improved” performance.

Try harder.

Will he improve? I doubt it. He is too set in his style of play... but why do we have to go behind for him to make changes?

This was a good point earned today but, like the Leeds game, I think we threw away the other 2 points.

Not my opinion. An irrefutable fact.

Official records, eh? They have this terrible habit of ramming apologism right back down the throats of those who spout it.

But, guess what? I'm a happy Evertonian tonight -- just like the 3,000 away fans who were going mad celebrating with Beto earlier.

Recent form is important in football. 4 goals in 5 games suggests a player in form. Which renders your stats meaningless. I'm sorry you don't understand that.

I prefer to support Everton in a way that encourages their players to better themselves. Maybe one day you'll find enlightenment. That or fuck off, I don't really care tbh.

Darren's upset his boy Calvert-Lewin fluffed his lines with his usual dreadful finishing against us last week when he was all excited to tell us how he was the best thing since sliced bread.

The problem Everton have, is we are a bog standard team with bogstandard players. Apart from Pickford, how many of our players would get a game in the Top 4 or 5 clubs.

Some would say Branthwaite, but he has been a sicknote in the last two seasons.

I think Pickford is a very good keeper, but no other club, that we know of, has ever been interested.

You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Everton need a better class of player to compete at the top table.

"ToffeeWeb miserablists? Nah. Can't bring themselves to celebrate a decent result."

Sometimes, it ain't what you do -- it's the way you do it.

This is The Moyes Paradox writ large -- the whole difference between the Moyesistas and the Moyes Out Brigade.

You get 1 point for a draw, 3 points for a win... and then there's Goal Difference -- which can be worth a point.

But you don't get any points for 'Artistic Impression' or entertainment* - for which I'm sure Moyes is eternally grateful.

* Back in the day, for both the fans and the players, there used to be rewards for Artistic Impression / Entertainment... They called it 'Crowd Bonus.'

The more 'entertaining' the team was, the more people would turn up to be 'entertained' -- and the more money the players would get... and the happier the fans would be.
Cause and effect: 'better' football... more happier fans

But with sell out crowds, waiting lists, and all the players overdosed on millions, no one seems to give a fuck any more.

Not even in the Squad? Who cares, the money still goes in the bank.

But with sell out crowds, waiting lists, with all the players... and the managers... overdosing on millions, what's a few extra quid for entertaining the crowd?

'Who cares about how the game looks to the great unwashed, the 'sans culottes' on the sidelines... the 12th man, my arse, they're all ungrateful twats anyway, whinging about 'Poor football' -- what the fuck do they know?

I know a crap 1st half when I see one -- just like the one on Monday...and others!

I know a jammy last-minute escape when I see one too!

They were 2 points behind us and 2 places behind us in 12th going into the game, and 12 points clear of the Bottom 3.

If that's struggling, then what were we doing under Dyche? Drowning and about to go under for the third time?

"How high in the table do you expect us to be at this stage of the season?"

Well we couda, wouda, shoulda, been higher, or lower considering results that have gone for / against us.

Once again, we have to go behind before we show anything in attack and most of that was long balls out the back from Pickford and Co.

The Beto and Patterson subs were so late, they can't be anything other than out of desperation, not some genius tactical move.

I don't remember anyone on here calling the Dycheball relegation scraps exciting?

I'll make sure to pass it on to the Friedkins.

Just wondering because you don't debate, you criticize anyone's opinion you don't agree with. Followed, generally, by a little abuse.

The second half was better but from a very low baseline, and it made me wonder what holds Moyes back? This is his last big job and I have always thought the best managers gamble when there is a game to be won.

Playing 4 centre-backs in a low block and parking 2 defensive midfielders in front against a team below us in the league is utterly negative. Particularly, since Brighton have not won a home game since November.

When Moyes changed tactics yesterday, as in the Leeds game, we looked a team who can be a match for most teams. It's your last big gig Moyesie, take chances and be more progressive.

By the way, how crap must Dibling and McNeil be in training that the manager selected young Harrison to play on the right?

"Sometimes it ain't what you do - it's the way you do it."

Yup.

And sometimes all that matters is getting it done.

I agree with John #216. At this point, this team is as average as it gets. Talent, pace, depth... adequate at best. Good enough to stay well clear of relegation danger for the first time in five seasons. Not nearly good enough to play entertaining, stylish-looking football.

I will be thrilled to see us play that kind of football again after all these years of grinding. But it won't be this season. Or next, in my opinion. There is still a lot of rebuilding still to be completed. And a lot more grinding ahead of us.

Or the defenders of the world class analytics and industry-leading of the dividend divers TFG. It doesn't matter that we are playing centre-backs at full-back, look at how many Toyotas they have sold in the States.

That 97th-minute equaliser was brilliant, but took away the opportunity of reading why everything was just awesome and we must not deviate from the genius “long-term plan”.

Sure we will hear more about it next week.

And I would remind you that it's not the Toyota guys' responsibility to find good players, just to provide the funds for them. Finding and signing 'em is up to Moyes, Kinnear, Smith et al. And where they play on the pitch is entirely up to Moyes.

'Smalltown Boy' was on everywhere on the soundtrack for the Watford final, mate. It was released the same month and in the car there and going home it was on the radio all the time, and in the alehouses around Covent Garden and Cambridge Circus. I love the song for its own merits but the memories it brings.

Top post Dave A - 148. Brilliant news Pete - 119. Made up for you and the Mariners. Has the QF draw been made, mate?

Enough is enough. Reality has to sink in at some point surely.

Lukaku's impact on us was 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 times - take your pick - higher than Grealish. I do like Jack but Kevin's Holy Moyes of Lourdes yawn now colours his view of our players. Given our needs in August, I would have taken Romelu on loan ahead of Jack in a heartbeat.

Don't rewrite history Mr Molloy to suit your Teresa Moyes of Lourdes agenda. I was at that match. Everyone wanted Moyes sacked. The Winslow post-match was seething. It was awkward. We loved Howard Kendall but he was doing shite.

'But we knew back then', look at the attendance, for fuck's sake.

Were you there, Kevin? Did you seek opinions? Your post is a travesty of reality.

And then the League Cup. No one expected it, lad, though we hoped.

And then Stoke (A). Were you there Kevin? If not, don't comment on a period and pretend to speak for us.

So, perhaps you're going back to New Year's Eve 1983 with Teresa Ignatius of Antioch Moyes and me with David Moyes!

Kendall in his prime (1984-87) was 10 times the manager Moyes has ever been.

If you are going to quote somebody else, then use the whole quote. You must have a brain so read it again in context -- or did AI type this for you and has anyone explained to you that we weren't the team in blue and white yesterday? Great!

I get tired of those celebrating that we are not in a relegation fight and see it as the mediocrity that has haunted our club for so long. Kenwright used to budget for an 11th-place finish and guess who almost always got that for him?

Although it has to be said that Moyes, this time around, has done better than most of his predecessors, albeit only one was any good and he got out just over halfway through before moving on to one of the world's great clubs... and then arguably one of, if not the best national team of all time.

As for who the next manager will be, nearly every club in the Premier League has changed managers in the last 2 or 3 years -- and who named Carrick at United or the bloke at Villa, they are out there.

As for the "Tarkowski offside", please let us know what differences you saw (you did watch?) between his position and the one that saw the blue and white team's disallowed goal.

A few years ago, a £15M player would have been an average player; now, a £30M player is an average type of player. This is the price range we are shopping in.

Sometimes you get lucky and get a class player for less but generally you do not. Top players now are £60M and upwards and that's the problem, only a few clubs can afford to pay that kind of money.

Anyway, that's just an aside... Moyes is a negative manager doing well with limited resources but playing ugly football. As an Evertonian that grew up watching Harry Catterick's teams, today's Everton pale in comparison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsEYvksoMLE

1st Half; Moyes picks a starting 11 with an Ancelotti style 'Wall of 4' plus 2 dedicated minders sat in front, gives them the team talk, winds them up and sends them out -- which results in No shots -- not one, fuck all.

2nd Half; Moyes picks a starting 11 with an Ancelotti style 'Wall of 4' with maybe not so many minders sat in front, gives them the team talk winds them up and sends them out - which results in... to quote the BBC:

"However, Everton's response in the second half was impressive. They had seven shots after the break, four of them on target, and Brighton's opener came firmly against the run of play."

This wasn't a starting 11 rebuilt 18 months hence -- this was exactly the same shite 11 that played in the 1st half... only they weren't so shite.

The difference was Moyes: he and he alone sent them out in the 1st half with the handbrake (parking brake to you?) on... just like he did vs Leeds and other teams.

Just like he did in his first incarnation...

Just like he always does!

This is The Moyes Conundrum: Increasingly now in his later years, He can -- but most times he chooses not to.

So please explain why he is not part of the solution, but part of the Same 11, two different halves problem.

In the first half apparently It isn't what you do, but the way that you do it.

Yet in the 2nd half... with the same 11, when results differ, it appears, it is!!!

I need to move back to Crosby in the next 5 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsEYvksoMLE

They're world beaters when they win. Worth a fortune when someone comes sniffing... but when they don't perform, it is 100% on the manager.

In no other walk of life would employees get away with the blame game on the manager vs the players. "Nurse, yeah, I let the patients die because the doctor wasn't around." "Yep, didn't lay a brick this afternoon, because the foreman was in a planning meeting all day."

These are professional athletes for god sakes, not Under-5s.

Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Garner, Armstrong are the darlings when it is going right, but nothing said about their first-half performances. Does Man City only play 2nd half because Pep tells them too? Does he fairy cakes.

All are good enough to play a lot better than that. And all can play for more than 45 minutes. The team turned it around 2nd half vs Brighton, bar some poor defending for their goal, as they did vs Leeds.

The players and the manager both need to put in a full game display.

The 50-odd thousand who celebrated the equaliser against Leeds did so because they love their team and their club, but no amount of apologies will erase the fact that (not for the first time) they had sent Moyes down the tunnel at half-time with a crescendo of boos ringing in his ears.

These are genuine matchgoing fans. Those who pay to watch our games. The lifeblood of the club. They were sending a message that they will no longer accept this souless zombie anti-football.

I'm just glad those who don't go near a match and spend most of their days apologising for this shite on forums like this are not heard. Because, while those who want something in return for years of patience and loyalty are making it clear that this anti-football is unacceptable, this merry little band of happy clappers are sending sycophantic messages to their idol that it is!

Maybe Michael Kenrick should put up two match reports. They don't have to be different. They just need to have different titles so that people can differentiate between the two threads and choose which one they want to post on.

One could be for people who support Everton and want to post their honest opinion about where we should be looking to improve.

The other could be for the handful of posters who worship Moyes instead and want to spend most of their time happy clapping this souless, zombie-like anti-football on their iPads.

Don't understand why he brings in Keane. His lack of urgency clearly contributed to the first goal. Play a right-back at right-back and don't use a centre-back!

I would play O'Brien ahead of Keane all day!

Not one shot in the first 30 minutes, or was it in the first half? Moyes has no managerial skills. I can't bear to listen to him, and watching Everton has become so depressing I have to switch off.

If you're reading this, Moyes, walk away and take your nice fat pay-off -- before you turn the School of Science in the College of Calamity. SoC not CoC!

I often have conversations with Kevin, I've never met him but through these pages I often think we think and speak in a very similar way.

This differs when it comes to David Moyes because, although I can see what he offers, I think Kevin goes slightly overboard in his defence of our manager. I thought some of his observations were a little bit ridiculous and, when I told him this, he said he could see why I was being a bit gloomy.

Black humour is crass? But not where I come from, Philip.

Yeah, 12 months in, and he s got us joint 7th after years of struggle. What a fraud.

Lovely reading that post, I bet that coach you were on going to see Marine was a happy one going to the game and a much happier one coming home. I hope you and your family and friends get a few more trips like that this season.

You can't beat seeing honest-to-goodness performances from players who love playing, whether it is for plenty of money or a lot less — even for nothing — and seeing them giving their all.... that is missing from a lot of professional football these days and is seen too often at our club.

Everton will always be your club, Peter, but I can see you watching a lot more of Marine in the future. Best wishes as always.

We have struggled to beat teams at home in the Bottom 6 when it mattered and it could have really helped us push on. It would be nice to see us try and qualify for Europe but it would genuinely be a lot nicer to witness a little bit of excitement.

Do us a favour, Philip, when you pass on that expert advice to TFG. Don't forget to tell them that football is also supposed to be about entertaining people. Let them know how us Evertonians react when we are inside the ground, watching our team playing on the front foot.

The draw is at 3:15 pm, Monday.

How dare they be happy. They should've sat arms crossed, piss-faced and miserable because they don't like David Moyes from years ago and they especially don't like his away record this season because they're not playing like Brazil 1970 and winning every single game.

In the meantime I'll rewatch the highlights this morning, including the three or four opportunities we had to win the game in the second half of a closely fought contest, and then enjoy the rest of my day.

Good day to you, sir.

If that's an answer to my post, I was referring to the man, not the manager.

Fast-forward through the first half or you won't enjoy your breakfast.

Do you understand that? Your Theresa Saint Ignatius Loyola, Moyes is wearing thin, lad.

Tony took care of you.

Moyes in a report in today's press.

This lad wasn't always playing and yet someone (and we don t know who) thought it wise to pay a fairly large fee for him. He does not deserve a place in a fairly average team like Everton.

I have not watched our U21s or U18s but if we don't have young players who are better than Dibling coming through, then we are in a bad place.

John - yep, thin gruel in the first half, you're right. No arguments there. Wish Moyes had set up a more progressive line-up, but I'll take a 97th-minute away equaliser at Brighton.

We're 8th and still within a shout of Europe.

I have just looked at the highlights of yesterday's game and we could have had three. Dewsbury-Hall should have done better and we were unlucky when Tarkowski headed one corner that hit O'Brien just before it reached the goal. (I think Brighton scored within a couple of minutes?)

We obviously scored and Dewsbury-Hall had another shot go not far wide. On another day, we would have definitely been two goals down because I couldn't and still can't understand why Brighton's other goal was disallowed.

Against Villa, I saw a well-drilled Everton playing with what I thought was a very good system; but, since then, I haven't seen us playing as anything like a collective team.

The abject shite that was served up first half yesterday and against Leeds and Brentford is simply put garbage of the highest level in a professional sport.

"Sometimes you have to remember where your place is" is defeatist and an insult to the fans and club. I'd get rid of him now for that statement alone.

I was sick of him first time round, as the last 5 clubs he's managed have been.

It's his undoubted mentality with our club as well though for me mate.

I would have been happy before the game with a point, it's just the submissive football that proceeded it that I don't like.

Some may say "I'm not arsed how we play, we are in 8th!" Each to their own... It's not for me.

You just knew from the off it was keep it tight first half and hit them in the second. Nearly worked, too.

Tony, I think the football has changed.

We don't score a shed-load, and won't with a lot of these players. Collectively, the team is capable of 50 odd goals a season, but little more.

But they look more resolute in defending, do have a better style, and can come back from losing positions vs previous seasons. A low bar, I know, but we were never going to be Brazil 1970 in a season. When they score first, they invariably win.

I don't mind this group of players. I think they're giving everything they've got, and look better for the small amount of starust we have. The home form isn't good enough. But away from home, they look capable of picking up 1 point or 3. That's a decent base to work from.

I can see us gaining a European spot this season, which would be success as a first milestone under Moyes and TFG. It might not be a cup or a league trophy, but that's where this club is. Add in another 3 or 4 players of the bracket good enough to want to play European football, and we will be moving along nearer to what fans want to see.

This was the 2nd game in a row we have come out and played so lethargically in the first half but put in a much better performance in the second.

I don't think Dewsbury-Hall is match fit yet and I do wonder how much the Afcon took out of Gana and Ndiaye... Ndiaye especially contributed very little in the second half -- a repeat of his 2nd half performance against Leeds.

I also think Garner having to carry the midfield in the absence of Gana and Dewsbury-Hall may be taking its toll on him.

Seeing Moyes changed a lethargic Everton after 45 minutes against Leeds, I couldn't understand why he didn't apply the same thinking to yesterday. Maybe he thought he couldn't risk Patterson defensively against Mitoma and, with Mykolenko being out, he was only left with Branthwaite who is left-footed to play there.

For those talking about Aznou, despite the 10-minute cameo against Sunderland in the FA Cup, he has hardly played, so it would be a big ask to throw him into this game from the start.

But despite the criticism of Moyes, which yesterday he deserved, we are 8th in the Premier League and, if Fulham lose by 2 goals today, we will be 7th. A position all of our recent managers would have died for. Except for Ancelotti -- who got us in the Top 2 by Xmas, yet some on here criticised.

So, for those who are critical of a manager who, despite the crazy recruitment team, has managed to get this team into a Top 10 spot, I think he deserves a little credit.

I see there are reports we are after another untried youngster from Chelsea, I guess another who might come good in 2027.

There is a lad on loan at Accrington Stanley, Isaac Heath, plays on the right wing, who would me a lot more useful than Dibling is at the moment.

The lad has a bit of pace, works hard along with some skill, he has a few assists and a couple of goals with Accrington where he will be getting knocked from pilar to post while learning the game.

Dibling might turn his apparent potential into a good consistent player but Heath would have provided a lot more now.

There are some coming through now, if we can keep them, who should provide some excitement, skill, goals and assists in the near future while waiting for Dibling to start showing his worth.

If the season stopped now when we are 8th,and the European places went down to 7th, would they let us into the competition as 'joint 7th'?

I try to read all the posts before deciding to post myself.

You did post "It might sound daft but we only got a draw as we scored the same amount of goals." Well. it does sound daft: I agree with you.

Do you agree that we are on the shitty end of the stick for most decisions this season? Keane's hair pull, Gana slap, O'Brien's phantom 2 disallowed goals, Tarkowski's handball v Leeds, and more.

We get an equaliser with a player not interfering with play in an offside position for our 96th-minute equaliser.

I would take any goal scored, no matter how it's scored, legal or not. I am fed up of being the fall guys for the referees.

A last-minute equaliser is a thing of beauty and shouldn't be begrudging against your own team no matter how badly we played.

I don't remember too many articles in the Echo about Kevin Brocks backpass to enable us to get a draw after stinking the house out under Howard Kendall Mk 1.

As for your AI comment or suggestion I don't watch the games... Don't be daft.

Young Isaac -- and all our youth -- are too young to be considered to play in the Premier League by some.

Meanwhile, the Arsenal kid, Dowman, who made his Premier League debut aged 15, is making good progress.

As does Nwaneri -- they gave him his Premier League debut at 15 as well.

We are and have been for years the perfect guinea pigs for the interpretation of rules; big enough to get noticed but irrelevant enough not to matter.

l even seem to remember Derby County fielding an ineligible player against us (visa issue) who promptly scored the winner at Pride Park before being deported but the result stood.

Even Sunday league you would forfeit the points for playing a ringer... it won't change until we matter.

Fulham play Man Utd in a couple of hours, so it will soon change. Probably a United win, given the turnaround under Carrick. Then it's Fulham away.

But that's not what I asked you.

I'll be a bit more realistic, points and goals difference will change before the end of the session. You can quote me on that.

Although you could say we are 'post-12th' since 1 point divides us from Bournemouth in that position.

Steve, precisely! :-)

@162: "The best away record in the league" -- But only if you ignore the fact that the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Spurs have better.

@214: "Barry has scored 4 in 5" -- But only if you ignore the 21 games he didn't score, because Moyes's tactics meant he wasn't getting a sniff.

@244: "Moyes has got us joint 7th" -- But only if you ignore the fact that we are 8th.

Powerful, powerful arguments put forward by the Fanboy Three.

You appear to be new to this website but after 20+ (?) Years on here (correct me if I'm wrong MK) you get all the same comments.

We coulda won if Moyes had done X.

We shoulda won if Moyes had done Y.

We woulda won if Moyes had done Z.

And when we win?

Well, that was despite Moyes.

Thing is, I don't see many happy clappers. I'm behind Moyes but generally accept that he's a safety-first manager who is unlikely to change and has significant limitations.

He can be unbelievably frustrating but he also gets results. Better results than any manager we've had for a good while. Therefore, he's the right manager for us for now, and probably next season as well.

After that... who knows? Maybe the managerial legend that is Keith Andrews will think us worthy of consideration.

It's the furious anti-Moyesists who can't help going completely over the top, inventing conspiracy theories, winding themselves up, chucking negative comments around, and forgetting that they're actually meant to be Everton supporters! They're like Tories scrambling around for the evidence to try and sell Brexit as a good idea.

Philip Devlin and everyone else, well done for meeting them head-on. Certainly more entertaining than yesterday's first half.

Talking of conspiracy theories, I wonder whether a deal for Patterson has already been finalised for the summer? Moyes is therefore minimising his minutes on the pitch for fear he'll crock himself again. (I've got no evidence for this, but that doesn't really matter, does it?)

Thanks for at last using the full quote but you still don't seem to understand it; it's meant more as a comment on our performance and even between halves.

I do agree that there have been some dubious decisions which have little to do with yesterday's game and there seems to be little consistency in the interpretation of the rules from game to game, even with VAR.

I've seen plenty of examples worse than Tarkowski v Leeds but what do you expect when using a term like "natural position" when the position depends on intent and the play at the time?

It might well be that anything hitting an arm in the penalty area should be given as a penalty which may result in greater consistency, and maybe lower crosses (those last 4 words are meant as humorous, Rob).

As for the matter of offsides in this game, my question was what difference did you see between the decisions for our goal and their disallowed goal, and not every decision in every other game.

Nathan Patterson has done okay recently but I don't think he's ripped up any trees. He's had pretty limited opportunities but he has also played poorly in too many games to be clamoured for.

Jake O'Brien offers an actual goalscoring threat that Patterson never has done.

O'Brien was unlucky to be struck by Tarkowski's misdirected header but it might not have been going in anyway.

Their ‘offside' looked like payback for the decision that went against Harrison Armstrong; a player starting in an offside position and then merging enough with the attacking wave to be judged (erroneously) to be impeding defender(s) enough to cause a goal to be scored that otherwise wouldn't.

Tarkowski was well out of the action in the move where he had been offside, so not actually interfering at all.

Worth noting also that Ndiaye missed time during Afcon with a rolled ankle, and we all know how long that can take to heal, so fatigue may not be the only thing affecting his fitness.

Fair comment. I can see the logic of Phillip and Kevin but I disagree with them.

For an analogy, it's like that kid who wanted to make rockets and his Dad said “No, uncle Bobby Martinez tried something more adventurous, it didn't end well. Stay here, come and work in the mine with the rest of the family, job for life. Grass isn't greener.”

That kid in real life ran off and became a top NASA engineer while his Dad died prematurely working in the coal mine.

There is a logic to safety and predictability and security. But, if you remove hope from the equation and accept mediocrity is as good as it gets, then what's the point?

Why go to games year after year knowing Moyes has a self-imposed glass ceiling he will never seek to break?

Yet you are always first out the blocks getting aggressive with any poster who mildly questions the manager, throwing in trite cliches like “anti-Moyesists” and demonstrating all the traits and behaviours that you accuse others of. You sound furious, you are winding yourself up, and you sound paranoid.

The psychological term is 'projection', Jimmy, but it is treatable.

What conspiracy theories?

And by the way, we are now third-7th... otherwise known as 9th.

He hasn't got in to fights on the pitch with team mates, or been sent off for pulling someone's hair, but the lad is the whipping boy.

Keane should have been on the bench yesterday with O'Brien at centre-back and Patterson at full-back. But Moyes has a soft spot for Keane by the looks of it and Tarkowski can stink the gaff out and misplace passes but he's another undroppable.

I hate players playing out of position.

I prefer to take the "glass half-full" scenario.

We are 9th but joint 8th.

Anyone who reads my posts will know that I'm generally even handed as this is just a forum about football, there are far more important things in the world to be worried or aggressive about. Don't you think?

I find the amateur dramatics on here definitely more amusing than annoying, and the last thing I am is furious. But one thing, calling someone 'anti-Moyesist' is not aggressive, it's a description, an accurate one. Did I touch a nerve?

But if you think I'm 'furious' Steve, crack on mate. Good for you.

John (283) there's a conspiracy theory for you, Steve's post.

We didn't go to the moon.

What are you putting the blame on for your conspiracy theories?

Covid jab or 5G?

It would also be a shame if Patterson misses out on a World Cup place for lack of game time.

You're always capable of finding an outlet for your anger, no matter how positive anyone tries to be. Quite a feat.

Give it a go, Moyesie.

We have been at the wrong end of the table for too long, so in this respect, Moyes has made progress -- but the football will rarely be easy on the eye with this manager.

He is without doubt a "point is better than none" guy and has shown in every job he's had -- he will never change.
Basically, it is down to the owners to show if they have the ambition to move on and hire a manager or coach who will produce better football and players on the pitch.

Their plan? Probably to let Moyes steady the club and then change; so he probably has a few more windows to the end of his contract (although you can bet your life at some point this year Moyes will be looking to extend beyond 2027).

Is Dan Freidkin ruthless enough to go get Iraola -- a young manager who isn't intimated by the opposition and wants to win games playing good football, home and away, and who also encourages and offers young players chances??? How often does a top coach become available for nothing -- the perfect guy for me.

Everton would be a big step up for him in club stature and with a lot to prove -- this could be the perfect match.

Iraolo, 43, overall win percentage is currently 39.9% for Bournemouth and around about the same in 307 games with three clubs.

Moyes, 62, overall win percentage in 1180 games is 38.6%

If we are to progress, we need to find a manager young enough to instill a new culture of football at the club -- that means giving him time and backing him with money to change things.

Nothing ever guaranteed... but Iraola could be that very man!

We nearly did... but just at the last minute "Phenomenal 1" (as the rocket was known) had to pass sideways to avoid a loss of propulsion... or was it possession?

Ah yes... the VAR sits on a grassy knoll waiting to shoot us down at every opportunity... and Huawei have hacked the dressing room, passing info on to the opposition.

You do know it's your post that is textbook anger projection, don't you? Hope you didn't damage anything when Beto scored yesterday.

Another poster who needs breathing exercises.

Thank heavens we have at last a competent manager.

It's neither the Covid jab nor 5G that's to blame this time, John. It's exactly what Nigel 'man of the people' Farage pinpointed last week. It's all because of those damned Turkish barber shops on the high street! If we could only get them shut down then not just Everton but the entire country would take a turn for the better.

We might even qualify for Europe again. Though apparently Nige doesn't like Europe.

I love the idiotic attempt to apologise for Moyes's fuck-witted tactic of leaving a young striker isolated for half a season by pretending he has played 20 games less than he actually has.

I'm pissing myself laughing at attempts to portray Moyes in a better light with ridiculous claims that are simply not true. Perhaps the record keepers should be contacted. They're bound to listen, surely?

I wonder if everyone else is enjoying the wisdom of TW's new village idiot as much as I am?

Be a good midfield?

The difference is he made subs that he was never going to do in the first half, that's it, simple.

My point is that I think Moyes has been a good appointment for the here and now. It was Moshiri, not Martinez, who nearly took us down and into administration. So a bit of 'steady as she goes' from the owners and the coach in response has not felt like the end of the world to me.

But I would like to see us appoint a manager who plays a more attacking game when Moyes's contract expires.

I was sparring with a guy a couple of years ago, a bit like you -- he'd try to come swinging at me but miss every time, his wife had left him and he was an angry, lonely alcoholic, but somehow me repeatedly smacking him round the head twice a week made him feel better.

You should definitely give it a go.

19-year-old winger. Scouting report cites great speed and skills, ability to shoot from distance. Lost in the crowd at Chelsea, hasn't played since a sub appearance against Barca last November. Reportedly Benfica were in for him also, so it'll make Moyes feel good to beat out Mou.

And El Bobble reports that Everton have told Preston that Armstrong won't return to them. Needed here after Grealish injury.

Looks like done deal, medical tomorrow.

Shows you though the level we bought Dibbling at was sky high.

Not saying he won't turn in to a top player, obviously potential there, but 20m for George seems better value to me.

Only thing I point out is that's 2 players George & Rohl that will be bought out of next year's transfer kitty both loan with obligation to buy.

Are we looking at a player leaving if we want spare funds in the summer ?

And yes, it seems clear we want to do all our actual cash outlay in the summer window. Suspect we will have more room then under PSR/SCR restrictions.

Philip #307, when did you see George play?

We can all see he's not performing, but think Moyes would like 4 wide players in his squad, even if only for cover, and George is still young and raw so it's not a certain that he will hit the ground running, but if he's running it's an upgrade on mcneil !

Clips on YouTube are mostly youth side games, but hes tricky, way more direct than grealish or Dibbling.

These loan to buys will come out of next years PSR/SCR does that mean we are already spending next summers cash, was my point.

Rohl was loan to buy

George loan to buy

There Mustn't have been any wiggle room left in this year's PSR.

Hahahahah

Sounds like you’ve just been tasered there Philip, unless you was thinking about the game in April, before he was linked with us in the summer, when he came on as a 91st minute sub?

Hahahaha

It’s great having talented young players with loads of pedigree and plenty of potential, but the only way for kids to truly learn, is by playing regular football, so I’m hoping Aznou, gets a loan move before the window closes tomorrow.

If these young players are for the future then great, we also need players for next week too.

If they think he's better than Dibbling and going to Start in front of him, shouldn't we have got him in the summer ?

Have we bought a 20m teenager to replace a 45m teenager in the team or to be his understudy?

I'm all for these young developing players 100% but you need to give them time and opportunity's to make mistakes, not something you get on TW that often !

An excuse for every dire performance, or awful line ups.

Let's face it, there are always going to be differences in opinion regarding our safety first manager. But why does it always have to descend into personal abuse, or name calling?

I don't like Moyes at all but appreciate what he has achieved in a short time. But I also believe he will never take us any further than where we currently are. One trophy in his entire career is hardly the record of a serial trophy winner is it?

To me, people who criticize Moyes are no less of an Evertonian than supporters who back him regardless

So, Michael's post math reports & comments seem a logical place.

But I'll pull out a few pieces.

Firstly, black kits. Not keen on the one we wore yesterday, but I was a fan of the Black Watch kit a few season's back. The 3rd kit is not really needed, just an opportunity for the clubs for a bit of sales & marketing.

First & 2nd kits are a requirement. Forgods sake though Everton, don't sway too far from traditional Royal Blue & white. The possible only discusion there is 60s style blue socks or the later adopted white ones. Just remember the furour around the Lineker whiite "bib" kit. And that awful One to One kit that wasn't even Royal Blue.

As for aways, amber blue amber all day for me for the 2nd kit.

And change the kit manufacturer & shirt sponsor Everton. I've personally always liked the thought of Adidas, but do like Hummel. There are a few other less known German manufacturers such as Errea too.

Okay. Eventually got in to watch the remainder of the first half; one of the dullest games I've seen since Dyche. Awful from both teams.

The 2nd was a big improvement, again from both teams & was a decent match to watch.

Nothing too say about the back 4 other than it played a lot of the game made up of 4 centre backs.

Gana Guye was eratic until he went off. Illiman Ndaye our best player until he too ŵas hooked. Dibbling again struggled and was ineffective. I don't like to say this type of thing about players, but gives the impression he can't wait for the last game of the season.

Which, brings me onto our strikers. It didn't quite come off for Barry,, but he's had a decent scoring run of late. Toils, tussels & always full of effort & running. Keep going, many have seen your potential from the onset. Then not forgetting our very own ultimate star of the show with the very late winner to snatch a deserved draw. Step for Beto the unpredictable.

Last mention for Alcaraz. I like him, but he can't keep on feeding off scraps of playing minutes. It obviously looks as if he'not Moyes' type. Okay, we got him for a good price at £15m. But he only signed for 2 seasons it will be a combination of him sumbmitting a.transfer request or the club wanting to cash in before he enters his last one. Hopefully not until the summer as he can stilll play an imortant role in us achieving European qualification.

Final word to the obvious. The traveling 3,000. When the goal went in, I wasn't sure if the Ammex wouldn have a roof left on that away end. It wentabsolutely besrerk. I was mobbed by a gang of teenegers as they clambered over me doing, my now more modest middle aged man celebrations. I almost felt beaten up but receved more than a few man hugs!!

Thing is, I feel it should be me inspiring them given the great sides I witnessed win 2 league titles, the FA Cup & the club's first European trophy. But it is the other way around. The dedication & passion of those young blues, who have seen us lift not even a Lidl home brand baked been tin is something to see.

Spirit, foever.

yes, the huge improvements of the last 12 months have been instantly banked with barely a word of praise. on the contrary to listen to the vibe in here, you would think the manager had been taking us in the opposite direction, not to the European spots. It's quite amazing. We've gone from a midfield with the passing skills of Doucoure and Harrison to having Grealish and KDH backed up by Garner and Ndiaye, and people are complaining that the football has been shite and the manager needs to go. Having said that, this is the internet, and it's footy. People are always going to complain, what irks me is campaigns to try and send him on his way when he's barely been here a year, and there is still so much to do.

One poster tells us we are going to qualify for Europe then the next breath tells us he's a realist. You couldn't make it up.

Brian tells us we criticised Ancelotti when we were second. No I think it was when we finished sandwiched between two relegation squads one of which star player was Jack Harrison who fed the unbelievable goal machine that is Patrick Bamford despite the riches the Italian was afforded.

Jimmy tells us that Martinez nearly got us relegated even though he had us in a position where we aren't sure to finish any higher than under our latest tactical genius whom apparently is doing so incredibly well.

I would love to know where some get their optimism from? Before the turn of the year one wise sage was confident of 12 points against the also rans. We won one of those games yet I seen he still expects us to qualify.

Others said we would fly up the table when we got our players back well we took 2 miserly points against two bottom half teams.

We have the likes of Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley coming up where we need a lot of points as soon it will be the sky 6 and we know how that goes under this manager.

It seems those table watching don't know what they are looking at. Judging us by the performances of those like Palace, Forest, Spurs and Newcastle who are fighting on the European front is misleading and the latter will surely to come good when at the business end.

We have to make up 3 points to get ahead of fucking Brentford. Sunderland are unbelievably going to be ahead of us after tomorrow night. Bournemouth have sold all their best players over the last 6 months yet amazingly are still on our coat tails while some said when we played Fulham it was the poorest team we have faced yet we aren't even ahead of them.

Considering we took 7 points from the uplift Jacks signing gave us I really don't know why many are so confident except for looking at the table which deviates from 8th to 14th week to week.

The top 6 are gone, Newcastle will finish 7th and we need a return of around 26 points to claim 8th and hope Spurs don't click on late who we play last game.

I'd love to know where the optimism comes from, I understand hope but what are they watching that gives them this confidence

Conor #322, to answer your question, the optimism comes from the unmistakable improvement we are seeing in the club’s boardroom and the club’s finances and the club’s performance on the pitch. Incremental improvements, perhaps, but clear and obvious when compared to the last few seasons under Moshiri.

And most of all, perhaps, the optimism comes from not seeing the point of being fucking miserable and pessimistic all the time. Is being pleased with the improvements really so hard to understand?

But I certainly wouldn't call some of our recent performances improved. But maybe some people want to see something more attractive than constant defensive masterclasses?

Which is why it can be hard to constantly read all about the massive fucking improvements from our happy clappers

Nevertheless …Phillip @ 305 I wish you had left that lad out of your 10 rounder with Darren. Just as a matter of interest how is he travelling these days?

With regards to the boardroom, I assume the names Moshiri, Ingles, Barrett-Baxendale and Sharp still ring a bell with you. As far as I'm concerned their replacements could be Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo and still be an improvement, but based on their resumes alone (if not yet evidence), I do believe Friedkin, Watts, Kinnear and Chong will be vastly superior custodians of our club. Tell me you disagree and would rather have the old gang back.

On the pitch, we are significantly improved. Certainly not attractive, but irrefutably better results. On 2 February 2025 we had 21 points in 22 games, 16th in the table. Today we have 34 in 24, good for 7 places higher. Am I a "happy clapper" about that? You bet I am. Why aren't you?

Results have been better after 4 seasons that saw 2 PSR points deductions, zero net investment in the squad and relegation battles. David Moyes has done well to steady the ship, and with more support from TFG and ambition himself, it could have been a lot better. However, I don’t think recruitment has improved at all.

In terms of the boardroom effectiveness, I have seen nothing substantial beyond debt restructure against a nice new fixed asset (the stadium). The parent company bought the women’s team and Goodison Park for £45 million, before taking £43 million out via a dividend payment.

If anyone would like to make the case for why Everton should be paying such a huge dividend given the state of the P&L and weaknesses in the squad, I am all ears.

The baseline should be improvement in standards, ambition, performances and outcomes across the club, and on that basis the progress is not impressive. Let’s wait until TFG gave actually delivered something before praising them.

Really?

I’ve seen TFG save the club from a financial death spiral and likely administration (777, anyone?), consolidate and and stabilize its finances, rebuild its executive structure, and complete the massive stadium project, the "fixed asset" which was by no means assured of completion under Mosh or 777.

TFG has also secured new founding partner agreements with tiny little marketing nobodies like Budweiser, Pepsi and Aramark. The club is projecting a 50% increase in commercial revenue that will serve to raise our PSR/SCR ceiling for signing players. Also, while we don't know specifics, it seems the women's team and Goodison transactions (pulled off through loopholes that no longer exist) are also considered revenue generators and SCR enhancers. I guess we'll find out for sure in the summer.

Plus, of course, Friedkin hired the manager most of us didn’t want, who has nicely enhanced our results on the pitch and ended our yearly cycle of relegation panic.

In my book that's a nice list of "deliveries" but you're welcome to disagree.

I can't speak to the dividend -- don't know much about how it impacts the club's bottom line, maybe you do -- but I'd say that on balance Friedkin has earned a bit of faith from us fans. More than a bit, in fact. Overall I choose to view us as headed in the right direction. You apparently view things differently.

There were other suitors Mike, TSF, just happened to be the ones who were lucky enough to get the club, at an incredible knockdown price (imo) but will they ever give us a feeling that makes us say, we are lucky to have them?

Everton football club, haven’t really been in a relegation scrap since the last game of the season against Bournemouth in 2023, but you still get a lot of people saying we have been fighting relegation for years.

You criticise the manager, you are just being negative and not a proper fan? My own view is that I could say exactly the same thing about anyone who got taken in by Bill Kenwright, but I don’t think this is entirely true either.

I belonged to a boxing club in a former life

Anybody who "smacked people around the head" in the ring would be seen as a complete fanny. Anybody who took advantage of a drunk would be seen as a complete Frankie Howard. He would have lasted about 5 minutes before he was thrown out on his arse.

Phil Devlin may be new here, but if he wants to avoid being laughed out of the place, he needs to calm himself down. This site is populated by hard nosed scousers, many settled in different parts of the world. Triumphant claims of dishing out limp wristed batterings to a drunk. Phoney claims about seeing a player when he clearly hasnt and trying to trump facts with carefully selected stats wont get him past the girl in reception.

Nor will side-splitting comments about people wearing red shirts and even funnier ones calling people Donald Trump. Scousers like their humour to be funny

Many companies restructure their debt periodically basis their fixed assets. TFG have been able to securitize short-term debt to long-term loans using the completed stadium as security, while Moshiri had to largely account for it as capex cost while he scrambled for loans to keep the club in operation.

The increased commercial revenue was already hard-wired into the business case for the stadium. Increasing commercial revenue from corporate hospitality, F&B partner agreements, events management, merchandising and increased capacity is the reason the stadium was funded in the first place. If the Commercial and Partnerships Senior Leadership cannot execute on that then they should not be in their jobs.

In relation to the dividend payment of £43 million taken out the club in December, a usual frame of reference is the net LOSS of £53.2 million published in our last financial accounts for season 2023/24. As I said, if anyone would like to make the case for why Everton should be paying such a huge dividend given the state of the P&L and weaknesses in the squad, I am all ears.

So overall, no I do not think that TFG have delivered anything substantial since they took over the club beyond restructuring the debt. Hopefully, the new executive leadership under Kinnear will deliver something substantive over the next 3 years, but they will need to be held to higher account than you and others are currently holding them.

Brother Ryan was headmaster 1987–1991, he was fucking nuts.

Sadistic bastards the lot of them!

On the Moyes topic, this isn’t me coming out as a Moysesist, I can’t make up my mind to be truthful, but at the final whistle on Saturday his red hair song was ringing round the away end. Very loud. Not unanimously but certainly the majority.

Brother Ryan was a Christian Brothers psychopath at St Marys Crosby mate.

Nor does your sidekick, Professor Trump.

A bit of friendly advice: get yourself a mental health wellness app, go for a walk, maybe squeeze in a bit of yoga. Or just keep headbutting your keyboard. It’s a beautiful world out there, Darren.

Laurie@326 he got his life back together then got sent down for a kidnapping. I did try my best.

Mark, all those Christian brothers were certifiable based on my schooldays. I was at St Marys like Paul, and sounds like you were at De La Salle?

I don't have to scour your posts, Everyone can see the comments I mention on this very thread. You do have the intelligence to understand that ?

Your first three posts as a "Newbie" (Hehe) on this website were all directed at me. I had never heard of you until You came in gobbing to me. I ignored you at first but you kept coming looking for me. Well you found me.

Run along sunshine.

So popped over to TW for fun.

On transfer day, I am excited by the Chelsea lad if Moyes plays him this season! But understand some kid coming in and an older player gets dropped makes training ground squabbles possible. But in the end Manager is his job title.

I suggest the online Holy Trinity midfield focus on possible fun of Transfer Day.

Back to policies. Grrr.

Enjoy your day.

Any more news on transfers. Was thinking about Everton !

I spend years in silly squabbles on here under the guise of debate and sure they can be resurrected by some saddo...Would be fun if that happened. I talked some shite. (Still do!)

Back to work now and may well take 6 months off from posting on here until at least one of you is transferred to Accrington Stanley Reserves.

Results?

At 65 no idea now!

For what’s it’s worth, I doubt we’ll see any last minute deals, don’t think that’s the TFG way. Hope I’m wrong.

I wonder if Moyes will have the guts to start George against Fulham.

Oh and I’m putting myself forward as Colin Harvey of the three.

I’m thinking Christian brothers and de la Salle brothers are possibly the same??

I can put your three cowardly unprovoked attacks up there if you want. The ones where you don't even mention football. But I'm already feeling kinda bad about exposing your idiotic claim about seeing our latest signing play.

The worst type of liars are those who think everyone else is as stupid as they are.

You've been on here a week and you have already been bollocked by five different posters for looking for arguments without even mentioning football. You've been mocked by posters after being caught telling idiotic porkies, and you have had your crackpot exposed.

And you think it hasn't gone well for me???

I'd also appreciate your explaining to me the pertinence of the club's loss two years ago under previous ownership. It strikes me more as now-irrelevant history than a "usual frame of reference" but I'm always open to being educated.

Good to see you have learned some manners and are now trying to keep your posts footy related.

And stop obsessing about me.

Lesson learnt.

The stadium project was led as you know by Colin Chong, who joined the club in 2016. 11 years.

The one thing I would say for TFG is that they had the good sense to just let them get on with the job they had been hired to do -- launch the stadium.

And how is a net loss of £53M in our last published accounts not relevant to the payment of a £43M dividend in our current financials?! It is a financial indicator of the trend in the P&L.

Honestly Mike, stop digging.