Dewsbury-Hall inspires a fantastic comeback at The Cottage

The lad was never gonna start.

UNBELIEVABLE 🥱

Moyes would get a job on the oil rigs -- he bores that much.

A nice balanced, attack-minded team with plenty on the bench.

No kidding. Aznou now not even on the bench after daring to put in a good performance off the bench the other week.

We could have Pele and Moyes would argue Tony Hibbert brings more overall quality

Rohl looked much more effective, especially with the ball.

Only 1 goalie on the bench!

I would say that Hibbert was an infinitely better right-back than Pele could ever be.

I'll take smash and grabs all the way to a European place. There is more than one way to skin a cat….

Why do people get so obsessed with watching nice flowing attacking football? That only exists in a handful of leagues and teams around the whole world.

If you go down the pyramids in any country, watch Sunday league, watch school kids or even just recreational games at a local park, the football is shit, disjointed and not too pretty!! That's what the game is all about!

It's about going to war for 90 minutes and finishing on top! Not looking good doing it. I love turgid, scrappy, dogged games. I love being the worst team and winning….

That's why football is so great. If you look up and down the country on any given weekend, through all 5 leagues of the pyramid, I would say the shitter team wins around 30% of the time. No other sport is like this to my knowledge.

You can be the shitter team in a football match and win 30% of the time. It's great!

If it's needed, will he put his hands up and make early changes?

I never expected Moyes to bring in new players, he is always safety first. I just thought he should have continued with Patterson.

Preferring Keane to O'Brien in the middle has not ended well of late.

He's a unit, he's fast and is to dangerous wingers. Most teams outlet is a quality forward player and Jake shuts most of them down.

Also, it's clear what Moyes's plan has always been. He demands his team be fitter than everyone else, he makes the lads run miles and miles in training and demands elite fitness from every player.

So we keep the games close, get to half-time, get to around 60-70 minutes at 0-0 then bank on being the fitter team and nicking results when the other team tires.

This is why we always claw ourselves back into games when we go a goal down and the play gets skewed, we are fitter at the back end of the game. And if we score earlier, then it's a bonus for the gameplay. Fitness is key to making Davey's team.

I suspect Jarrad Branthwaite is being eased back in with Moyes believing he can still rely on the others. He seemed to feel a twinge in his back after one aerial contest last week.

I hope the manager has got it right. Three points today could be a springboard to a proper improvement this season.

Come on, you cockney crushing Blues!

Reminded me of our defending when Silva was manager.

Same old story!

Why the fuck does Keane have to play!… he wasn't good enough 6 years ago!

Everton making of their own downfall.

Fulham are here for the taking.

A two-line considered view?

Brainless Moyes cannot see Tarkowski and O'Brien are the best centre-back partnership -- or is too stubborn to change it.

It looks like we have a 30% chance of turning this around then, mate!

Gana wandering aimlessly, back four static, except for Mykolenko who can't stay in position. Barry back to his woeful worst.

Changes?

Moyes, watching that from high at the back of the stand, will be tearing out what little hair he has left.

But will he make any changes for the second half? If he does, I imagine they will be defensive.

Tarkowski and Keane could be subbed, move O'Brien central alongside Branthwaite and bring on Patterson. Ndiaye has looked better on the left but Gana shows nothing and perhaps Rohl or Alcaraz to replace Gana.

If Moyes's luck holds, we might get out of this with a draw.

(Sometimes, just sometimes. I also wonder if David Moyes is actually just Sean Dyche in disguise?)

Full-backs offering nothing.

Some people are "glass half-empty" -- even on the best of days!

Always one good, one bad.🤔

Mykolenko -- you totally redeemed yourself!

It works more often than not…. People do realize that, with playing attacking football, also comes the much bigger risk of conceding.

Fulham could have been over the horizon. We've got out of gaol today but deservedly so after the 2nd-half display.

Then Mykolenko with a "pinpoint" pass puts the equalizer on a plate for Dewsbury-Hall and his reward is to be subbed. Then their goalie punches it into his own net and after all the wrestling that has gone on at all corners VAR suddenly wants to get involved when there was obviously nothing foul to see.

But then Garner got a yellow for a second slide tackle while Castagne got away with fouling Armstrong three times when he was getting past him in the first half.

Still, three very welcome points as Moyes's away legend goes marching on.

When we won in 1885, there were lots of comeback wins. Nobody gave a toss about all those substandard first halves.

George looks tasty, but why start Armstrong and play him out of position? But delighted with the result.

But, no matter, a win is a win and we can all celebrate that. I still think the line-up could have been stronger though.

Yhose first halves are reliant on pure luck and l'm not convinced that's good planning because probability dictates it won't last.

Can't we start a game for once on the front foot? We've shown there we can sustain pressure.

Imagine if we started games well?

Pleased with the win, of course

Also someone once quoted Napoleon on here as saying “I'd rather have a lucky general than a good general!”

How miserable must life be if you can't even enjoy a Toffees win!! Crikey. I pray for you.

Nice to score two goals and Big Jake O'Brien really doing well in the opponent's box these days.

Well done, Blues!!!

If you think those regular first halves we put in are part of a plan, then you're fucking naive.

As long as all the lads stay locked in and do their jobs, then we get the job done. Also, we have been unlucky not to get more from previous games by playing this way. If Gana's late shot went in against Leeds a couple weeks ago instead of hitting the post, we would be rocking!!

Another away win in a season we all worried about our home form before the move into a new ground.

Well done, lads. UTFT.

Well done blues. Very happy.

3 points were never in doubt. UTFT

Would you rather be checking how West Ham, Nottm Forest and Burnley are getting on?

Or how Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea are doing??

l agree, rope-a-dope is a good analogy... but you can't use it every match.

Moyes and "rope a dope"?

What silverware will that get us and what results has it got Moyes at the "Big Boys"?

The buzz when George got the ball was superb -- Dewsbury-Hall, Garner, Gueye all looking to get it to him asap. They know he's quality.

Got to bring Jarrad Branthwaite back in.

Sooooo 🤷‍♂️

The tactic is clearly keep it tight, stay in the game, and we will pick them off in the second half when it opens up. That is standard away tactic for donkeys.

It might be shit to watch, but it's effective at the moment.

My headline would have been "Garner inspires a good come back by the Blues" -- what another brilliant performance by our midfielder giving a great captain's show up and down the field, winning tackles and setting up attack after attack.

I'm glad he signed that contract and, with the England manager watching, he has done himself a lot of good there.

I saw an image of Marco Silva just before half-time, after their player had just nearly scored one of the goals of the season... Instead of applauding such a fantastic shot, he threw his arms up and pulled a little face.

I thought to myself, he's worried, he's looking like he thinks they haven't taken enough of an advantage that their first-half superiority deserved, so it will be interesting to hear his after-match interview.

I don't normally go in for that type of stuff but I liked Silva and thought he was thrown under the bus by Marcel Brands. Maybe he hasn't got the strongest mentality because I saw a similar face a few times towards the end of his reign as our manager.

We did get stronger; I was disappointed that we were making subs just as I thought we were turning the screw but the kid from Chelsea was lively and I'm delighted for the travelling fans.

We could have been 3 down at half-time mate. Far from "as tight as a camel's arse" in the first half.

I'm made up with the 3 points but let's be realistic on the first-half performance: It was the worst performance from an Everton back 4 I've seen for a long time.

Or will it be Newcastle and Brentford again???

I like a moan but for fuck's sake, we won away again... who cares how?

I said I thought he must be watching Garner and also thought that Garner must have a very good chance of getting himself into the England World Cup squad for this summer's tournament.

He disagreed with me but then said that you could get 14/1 on Garner going to the World Cup on Sky Bet, which I thought was a very good price.

The only thing that stopped me having a few quid on this bet was the chance that any player could get injured at any time but I should have definitely had a little bet on him though because I'll be very, very surprised if he's not in the next England squad.

Armstrong has the needed desire to play for our shirt.

Fresh legs against Bournemouth will be key, I think.

And Branthwaite still to come back full-time.

Hopefully you were there, mate, because it was great to see all the smiling faces in the away end towards the end of the game.

George on the wing and that new attacking left-back... what's his name again?

Mightily pleased with that result.

I'm not sure how many fans would take the same offer.

After resting Branthwaite today, he should start on Tuesday night, and I would love to see O'Brien partner him, with Patterson at fullback.

But then again... it's Moyes we're talking about!

For the first time in a long time, I actually wanted to go myself today, Brent, so once again I'm delighted for the travelling blue army.

Then we just sat on our hands for the next 40 minutes. So it seemed to me like Moyes tried to be adventurous first half but the players quit after 5 minutes then he told them second half same game plan but actually do it for 45.

Quite a lot of our fans would accept that, I reckon.

Everton Football Club have gone shot shy over the last decades.

First through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, before popping up at the other end to help create our equaliser!

A good team effort and some impressive pressing in the second half, to pin Fulham back and grab the win.

I should've sourced and paid a divorce lawyer and gone the fucking game! I won't even get a fucking shag out of it either, fucking menopausal shite!

UTF away T.

The same old anti-Moyes posters still can't give credit for the win -- there's always "We won... but..."

That and when I look at the table and see where those modern managers' clubs are -- they are all below us with the only exception being Keith Andrews of Brentford -- and I doubt if he would be a popular replacement for Moyes.

I was not at the game but listened to it live -- can someone explain to me how Fulham appeared to totally dominate us in midfield in the first half and could have had more goals and yet we came out in the second half and totally dominated them with the same team?

We then went on to win the game with the changes made. Is that the manager or the players?

Let's see where we are after our next run of 5/6 games before we start boasting about our position in relation to other managers.

But I would love to be proved wrong and we continue to storm up the table. It will be interesting to see how we fare against the likes of an in-form Bournemouth, followed by Man Utd.

After the Burnley game, it's Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool. If we are still above all the 'modern' managers then, hats off to Moyes!

We are a different side when the shackles come off.

I know you're not a fan, but I agree. I'm not pro- or anti-Moyes but it's a results business.

Our biggest problem is we have an issue adapting to BMD. What is encouraging is that we seem to have more players available and I know everyone had an idea as to who should be picked but, at the end of the day, only one person has to take the credit or the criticism for the results.

We all think we know better but it's easy to be a manager on the ditch. Look at this site over the past week where Mykolenko was the new whipping boy, then he creates the goal for Dewsbury-Hall.

Just saying we need balance -- not constantly trying to prove our opinions of manager and players is the only valid one.

Well done, Moyes and all the team. Let's win at home for a change on Tuesday.

Dewsbury-Hall proving to be a great signing.

O'Brien and Branthwaite in the middle, Armstrong taking Gueye's position, with George and Dibling out wide (Ndiaye looks like he could use a rest).

Add a proper striker and this might be the makings of a team for the next 3-5 years. Let's try it for a few games.

Unfortunately you could be right. We've been downtrodden for so long that anything other than a relegation battle is greeted with relish and perceived as success.

Do these new owners want to see us win trophies and be playing in Europe, challenging for titles? Or are they content to take the riches the new stadium and the Premier League bring? Only time will tell.

Great result today... so, if we can keep going on the pitch, maybe they'll match most of the fans' ambition with some serious investment in the squad. A big summer transfer window ahead.

I was always taught it's a sign of a good team that can win games when they are not at their best. Well, we've won quite a few now when we haven't played great, started well or just been off it a little.

Imagine if they do start putting it all together from the start for a full 90 minutes!! But no teams do it every game for 90 minutes; we are moving in the right direction, showing a big of grit today.

I thought Dewsbury-Hall was immense today, bravery on the ball, tireless up and down the pitch, leading and encouraging others, assisting and scoring.

Others have spoke of Garner as a future captain, but I see this lad being someone who could be captain.

That would seem to be the case. From what I heard, we dominated the first 10 minutes, presumably with front foot football... Why did we ease off on pressure?

Did the fact that Moyes was not on the sideline make a difference because they certainly came out much more aggressive in the second half, probably after getting a bollocking at half-time.

I am not sure how we are retrieving games from the jaws of defeat but hats off to the lads for turning it around. Just hoping Branthwaite starts on Tuesday as well as Patterson and George.

I would also like to see Armstrong instead of Gana. We have no idea how an attack-minded team might fare since we are always set up not to lose and maybe sneak a smash-and-grab raid.

In Dewsbury-Hall and Garner, we have two gems and I hope they both stick around for many years to come.

I was just wondering, with the lack of signings in January, do we think The Friedkin Group may be looking at what happens between now and the end of the season to see who they might give the purse strings to for the future?

We were outnumbered and overrun in central midfield for me; I've seen it happen a few times this season.

The Premier League is definitely more physical this season and there is more focus on transition and creating chances than ball possession. Teams are looking to win rather than draw and are not focused on playing a certain way.

There's only 10 points between 6th and 16th and most teams are taking points off each other. Very few are going on long runs and, with a win or two, teams can move up 4/5 places.

Brentford have just deservedly beaten the Barcodes and they were most people's relegation pick at the start of the season.

Europe is there for the taking but you've got to go for it. Our problem is at home -- we show no initiative and the same approach as in away matches just doesn't work.

We might be awkward with O'Brien at right-back but not 1 person can claim with certainty that we would be 8th on 37 points if Patterson played everytime O'Brien has!! Same with Aznou.

These players are not going to win us matches; O'Brien and Mykolenko might keep us in games... like today.

We are in touching distance of Chelsea and Liverpool, who've spent 100s & 100s of millions.

We should always want to do better, be better, get higher... but where we are is excellent -- the injuries, Afcon, suspensions and still we are in an excellent position.

I'm really positive for the end of the season!

You done the right thing, you've got a favour in the bank.

I'm delighted with that win. Fulham can give anyone a game, but we are a better team when the handbrake comes off.

We have been dreadful at home for the last 3 months so, if we can sort that, we can deffo finish in the European spots.

Some arguing on the Live Forum today; we all have different opinions and that's okay... Anyway, a great away win again and the away support was awesome again! UTFT

Yes, I thought that was telling that they were willing to give George the ball but they seem less enthusiastic to pass to Dibling.

Anyway, that was a decent away win at a tough place, I just hope we can sort the home results.

Patterson might be more pleasing on the eye, but whether there is any or more tangible output is debatable.

She wants me away; that's okay. UTTT

What I'm trying to understand is what changed.

Yes, teams have good spells in a game but, from what I heard, and as you said, we were outnumbered and overrun in midfield.

Did Silva make changes, or did our midfield drop off, and what can we do to prevent it?

Enjoy Tuesday.

UTT

Mystic Meg Brownie points for this on the pre-match thread:

Mykolenko comes in for Keane and Branthwaite goes to centre-back (or maybe just replaces Jarrad if they still worry about his recovery).

Otherwise, as you lie. Though maybe with one fewer goalie on the bench...

We only conceded one goal again; apart from 5 or 6 games, that's the story of the season so far. That's the reason Moyes keeps picking the same defensive players; why change it?

Hands up who thought we would be 8th after 25 games?

A slice of that humble pie when you've finished with it please. Absolutely clueless.

8th tonight and chasing Europe, but I'm utterly convinced there's still plenty on here that would have Bully Boy back tomorrow... unreal, absolutely unreal.

The players must have got a good bollocking at half-time.

Mykolenko pushed higher up the pitch in the 2nd half. Armstrong switched to right mid and stopped their marauding left-back, and Dewsbury-Hall played slightly deeper.

This made the midfield more congested 2nd half. Also, Fulham didn't need to score a 2nd and wanted to try and hit us on the break.

We got lucky today. Both centre-backs didn't play well. Fulham's midfielders were running off the shoulder of their striker and causing us issues in the first half. On another day, they score 3.

I was made up only going in at half-time 1 down.

Mykolenko had a sweet and sour game. Scores an own-goal, makes a fantastic block on the line to prevent a certain goal, then goes upfield to get an assist with a measured pass.

We are showing resilience which is fantastic. George looks promising, we are only a couple of decent players away from being a good team.

Garner again my MotM. He is turning in consistently good performances.

I'm convinced you want us to lose every game so you can turn around and say "I told you so".

Your anti-Moyes agenda is absolutely embarrassing, but I want you to name me a manager who's going to transform our club? Oh, I'll tell you now... there isn't one. Moyes has transformed our club; you might not like that but it's true.

The last few seasons have been horrendous, the worry of whether or not we are not going to be a Premier League side has absolutely sickened me.

So please, Annika, lay off the manager -- he's been a revelation and you Dyche accolytes might not like that but, by God, it's the truth.

Been a great weekend: my daughter-in-law got a new job she craved, The toffees won, and I got my bet up today. Hoping for the quad tomorrow... c'mon City.

The days of the three hard-boiled eggs are now lost in the mists of time.

The love-in for him at times is excruciating, and the difference between him and Moyes is chalk and cheese. Yes, by god, he gets it wrong at times and the football isn't the best... but he gets results and we have him and him only to thank for that.

I know where I'd rather be tonight than this time last year, and believe me, I never want to visit that place again.

Sorry for my rant tonight, guys and girls, but I've had quite a few.

One more thing: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for me has been the signing of the season, he makes us tick so much.

Listen, I'm not Moyes's biggest fan, but he's here now and he's doing a decent job. Okay, we've been a bit uneasy on the eye but we are immeasurably better to watch than under Dyche.

We can scream all we want for better players but we've got what we've got. I'm okay with this approach away from home but we really do need to improve the home performances and results.

Funny how two of The Trinity say little
or nothing when live. Too aloof?

Could get fact-checked on emotion!

Yaaaaay! (Not in lecturing dictionary)

Good explanation, although I think you are hard on Mykolenko re the own-goal and therefore labelling it sweet and sour. From what I understand, he had a very good game.

If one wanted to be critical, one could easily say Jordan should push it around the post rather than back out into play.

Mike Gaynes, being a bit mischievous there.

Yesterday has gone, Moyes is the manager now, and when he does get us playing on the front foot, then we look a much better team.

Tuesday night is a massive game now, another 3 points and then a little break for the players, and with us having only another 12 games in the final 3 months of the season, then we should definitely be fresh enough to finish the season strongly.

Sorry to go off on a tangent but this is one weekend I'm never going to forget for a while.

I've watched loads of matches and all their fans are moaning like fuck, the same as us. We should be proud of where we are, especially after the 5 or so years of serious heart-failure football and one calamity after another.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I saw it anyway. Just one of those goals that you put down to bad luck, once Michael Keane never cleared the initial danger, because he was nowhere near aggressive enough.

Man Utd and Chelsea have put the best runs together lately (both have been better than Arsenal) and Man Utd's last four consecutive victories have really propelled them up the Premier League table.

There will definitely be fans from a lot of clubs talking about where they would have been if they'd just won a few of the games they might have expected to win, so the best thing we can do is start hitting a real bit of form now!

However, sitting 2 points behind them, European qualification is a must. So, now at the business end of the season, the remaining fixtures take on more significance.

Anything else is a missed opportunity and not progress.

We believe in the spirit of Rotterdam. I seriously hope that is not lost on the players and manager.

Lampard came in with two over the same period; Dyche not much better. The progress is undeniable.

Get the fans behind the team with some aggression and intent, especially in the first half.

Most home games this season have been poor and it's been reflected in the atmosphere becoming so flat. I can't really knock Moyes for his away form.

It's simple, mate. Start off at a fast pace, throw a few tackles in, and the crowd buy in straight away.

It's been silent on a few occasions this season.

As always in football, what is required is a reaction to the opponent's tactics, mate.

The team would have been booed off at half-time, and would have been much more self-conscious about playing the game they did.

I always thought it was "let the opposition worry about us"?

For the first 10 minutes... I thought we worried them.

The same approach just doesn't work at home. There's a massive opportunity this season and, if we can improve our home form, then Europe is possible.

Personally I feel that's why there is still negativity towards Moyes -- most match going fans go the home games, not the away ones, and it hasn't been great. Rightly or wrongly, feelings are skewed by personal experience at BMD and there is frustration.

In fact, it's been bloody awful!

I imagine Mystic Meg wished she had it as easy as I did!

I expect that he will turn home games into wins too, it's all a matter of balance and it's coming!

I don't like Moyes, that's true, but don't make any mention of your, and some others', obvious infatuation with him.

Results have improved and I have acknowledged that quite often. But we have also taken several large beatings and our home form has been awful. If you are content with that, good on you; I am not.

As a steadying influence, our Davie has done a very good job. But it would be nice to see us play on the front foot now and again, instead of adopting our usual, defensive set-up from the kick-off.

It's not my job to name a new manager, we allegedly have a world class recruitment team for that.

Moyes has been a revelation? Did you think that when Spurs, Newcastle and Brentford were thrashing us on our own patch?

Unless I now have to submit all my posts through you first, I will continue to post my opinions and, if you don't like them, don't bother reading them if they offend you so much.

We've seen the difference Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall make, I'm sure Ndiaye will also start to make his presence felt again.

The lack of patience is just very strange, it just feels like people want him out. I've watched a decade of utter tripe.... this is the best it's been by a country mile.

You'd never think so coming on here.

Garner has valid credentials in various positions but excellence in none, yet. He has mega talented others to get past for selection, but who knows?

Another dour away win today (very welcome as it is though) but I hope against hope that, in our next match, Moyes picks players to for once make the opposition really worry rather than merely fret about us.

What's left of the season is ripe for experimentation to develop into a way better team next season surely.

Or is this beyond our manager's ability, still?

And Freidkin's ambition?

Put Declan Rice and prime Lukaku in that team and we're nailed on Champions League.

Most of this team has been fighting relegation for the last few seasons. Anyone who isn't giving credit where it's due is denying reality.

I think that is a stretch. We are very weak at full back and in both wide positions and generally lack pace. Teams like that, even with those two added, don't tend to be Champions League teams.

It's now 'what a difference a half-time break makes!!!"

That new left-back wasn't even on the bench today! LOL

We stated the first 10 minutes on the front foot and that was obviously the game plan put in place by David Moyes. The players dropped off the intensity level needed and Fulham took over as we dropped deeper, led by Corporal Tarkowski.

Based on Dewsbury-Hall's post-match interview, the players got a deserved set of “stern words” at half-time, probably in a Glaswegian accent.

I criticise the manager when he deserves it -- playing 4 centre-backs and 2 centre-midfielders parked in front of them at Brighton as an example. But, the terrible first half was on the players this time around.

What I don't want is to go back to his previous stint when we were constantly the nearly men. I think his inherent defence-first attitude will always hold us back.

In his previous stint, it was lack of funds, glass ceiling, knife to a gunfight excuses. Given his record since leaving, I can't see this time around being any better.

Let's be honest here, he isn't exactly a serial trophy winner, is he? Credit where it's due and he has done a good job improving the team in general and our league position. But I think this is as good as it gets.

I have read quite a few posts mentioning how West Ham would take him back in a heartbeat. But I haven't seen one West Ham fan site suggesting they should have kept him.

But I will be the first to hold my hands up if he goes on to prove me wrong and not only qualifies us for Europe regularly, but adds some trophies to our cabinet.

The whole point is that some people see a 2nd Half performance that shows improvement - with exactly the same 11 and conclude that it's Moyes's (over?) cautious starting approach that has us chasing the result.

They conclude that he then modifies the over-cautiousness somewhat and (mostly), Hey Presto, we appear to be playing better.

That conclusion thus reached, it then encourages them to wonder... What would happen if Moyes were to apply that slightly less over-cautiousness from the start?*

Or, as I put it -- take the handbrake off.

* Nobody is calling for an all-out Keegan-esque - you score 4 and we'll score 5 slugfest. (Well... maybe one a season, just for the hell of it!)

Moyes has shown plenty of times that:

1) When it suits him, he can let the handbrake off a couple of clicks;

2) But his default mode is handbrake pulled up full on.

This also has the downside of seriously annoying people when they look at the Premier League Table, then do a mental tally of 5, 6, 7, 8 (?) points gone begging.

Yes -- we know it's a Work In Progress.
Yes - we know we're (re)building.

But what happened to one of the key rules of (re) building?

Do it Right -- Do it Once.

Bad habits are too easy to fall into... plucky little Everton, knives to gunfights, etc, etc.

Good Habits are all the better for constant repetition.

Get in the habit of doing it right from the off -- not just when you get caught out taking the easy back-foot option.

This is why I whinge about Moyes... Others may agree -- or not.

We're not carving a piece of wood. This is high-level sport. We seem to be turning a virtue into a problem.

We have all bemoaned for 50 years Liverpool's capacity to secure last-minute wins, and win when they're not playing well.

We start it, and instead of saying 'finally!' people are saying, 'yes, but why did we need the last minute winner?'

While I totally appreciate the vast improvement over Dycheball, I also feel without being greedy or over-optimistic, that we have lost possible points in matches through over-cautious team selections and late substitutions.

Yes, it is a results business, but no matter how much it is sugar-coated, it is, or should be about entertainment too. Fans are paying a lot of money pro-rata to watch these days, especially those who travel to watch every game, and deserve to be treated to a decent performance.

Moyes goes into games with a "Don't lose" mindset. But when we go behind, we suddenly find ourselves having to chase the point we had to begin with. Once again, we could and probably should have been beaten out of sight. But we weren't.

The players have to accept their share of the blame too for that first half. Once the Fulham goal went in, they panicked and looked a complete shambles for the rest of the half.

It doesn't help that Tarkowski was once again showing all the leadership qualities of a Keir Starmer -- he was as bad as bad gets during that spell. Half-time gave us the chance to re-group and talk about getting back into it.

I thought we were excellent in the second half. After watching Barry try to do the work alone in the first half, our press became co-ordinated. Barry went, Ndiaye went, Armstrong went, Dewsbury-Hall went... Go! Go!! Go!!! We pressed as a unit and we were fantastic at it.

Fulham were struggling to breathe You have to be prepared to break ranks to press as well as we did in the 2nd half yesterday. It's a lot easier to do this when you are chasing a game. It takes a bit more courage to do it from the off.

I see the usual suspects are on bleating -- again. That not every Evertonian is worshiping at the alter of St David -- again... That's because he acted like a twat -- again!

But here's the thing: If he was to send his troops out from the off looking to force errors rather than stupidly relying on his own defenders to avoid making any, he would be getting far more support than he gets now.

It wasn't just a game of two halves on the pitch yesterday. The mood of genuine anger felt among travelling blues at half-time had turned to one of complete joy by the end.

Nobody is expecting Moyes to abandon all caution and send his troops recklessly into attack... or to suddenly morph into some sort of innovative free-thinker. We all know he is vastly experienced at the basics, but if he could somehow muster a tiny sense of adventure to add to his skills...

If he could send his players out with the sole purpose of winning, I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of Blues would follow him over a cliff.

If Moyes can't kick on through the glass ceiling, which no longer exists due to a lack of funds, then it is down to the board to find the right person at that point.

Getting hung up on spell one shouldn't matter. No one was going through Silva's record at Estoril or Allardyce's record at Notts County. It is here and now that counts.

Enjoy it for what it is and judge at the end of the season the progress made.

Good summary and, as I only listened to the game, it seem a good summary of what I heard.

What it doesn't explain is, from the commentary I heard, we did start out with an attackers mindset which lasted 10 minutes which appears to contradict your premise.

What changed before Fulham's goal to cause us to lose the initiative and allow Fulham to completely control the game for the rest of the first half?

I think getting anywhere in the top half of the Premier League will earn us a lot more money than winning that poor grade European trophy.

If we win one of our own cup competitions, I think we go into one of the better European competitions... that's if we have a real go at winning one of them.

We countered well before we went behind. Jake was very unlucky with a header which came back off the post and young Armstrong could and maybe should have given us the lead.

The second half, we had a totally different mentality. We played with an aggression and purpose that had been missing in the first half.

Don't get me wrong. We did leave ourselves vulnerable to the counter-attack and Fulham could well have scored... But once we got on the front foot, we were always the team more likely to win it.

"Tarkowski was once again showing all the leadership qualities of a Keir Starmer" I'm glad I'm not the only one that see's this.

Fully agree with your Moyes observations, Darren, and how he sets the team up. I suppose we all know Moyes too much, that is the frustrating part.

I've made no secret I'm no fan of his and the last couple of games have highlighted why the football, tactics and team choices have been abysmal despite the results.

We are just awful to watch for the most part.

Some are happy to be avoiding a relegation fight, so will accept any playing style and mid-table finishes.

Some look to be entertained at the game. Watch the front-foot football that improves us as a team when we do it.

He his, like most of us, a contradiction, prepared to stand up to angry Evertonians in an airport after they had just witnessed an absolutely embarrassing capitulation in Lisbon, but never really prepared to go and stand up to the big boys where it really matters, away from the comfort of having a passionate home crowd backing him.

He used to win at Man City; you could tell he hated Mancini, and this made him a lot more competitive. Just before we played at Old Trafford a few months ago, I sensed a different David Moyes than usual when he came out with his statement that he believed Man Utd had been way too trigger-happy when it came to sacking their managers.

This made me think that David had a point to prove, and this is how it turned out. A lot different from the Liverpool game when he declared he had never really enjoyed Merseyside derby games.

He's won the Europa Conference League before, so he knows it can be done by himself again. Another good thing about playing in Europe will probably be that we play more home games at a reasonable time on a Sunday, rather than all these fucking late-night kick-offs for a stadium that hasn't quite sorted out the logistics up to now!

What's the point of finishing in the European places if you don't want to then win that competition? Give me a trophy every day of the week over a high finish in the league.

It's 31 years and counting, some of our fans have never seen us lift a trophy, it's about time that was remedied.

If we want to be relevant again, we have to learn to deal with playing multiple games a week if we did get into Europe. I'm sure the squad would get added to if we did get there.

That Europa Conference League is very winnable and I for one would be delighted to win it. Players turned us down last summer because they want to play in Europe.

I would take a game v Waterloo Dock if it was in Europe mate.

Brann, Nuremburg etc -- lower teams on the European stage but great trips, especially Nuremburg.

Football is about so many things, but professional football especially is ultimately about being competitive and trying to win trophies.

It's been a long time, we haven't even been in Europe since before Covid, but looking at some of those European games John, I'd have taken Edinburgh Park over places like Bucharest.

Another thing I've learned about football is that you have got to take the rough with the smooth!

I just watched MotD and Garners interview. He admits that we should try and put pressure from first minutes not leaved it for 45 minutes.

Is that a players' issue or a manager issue???

Anybody going against orders would be hooked off sharpish.

Although James Garner suggested the same in his interview, I would suggest for the first 15 minutes we did start brightly. Yes, we lost a bit of confidence when they scored and we could have conceded another goal, but let's not forget that O'Brien hit the post and young Armstrong should have shot when he had the chance.

The 2nd half, whatever Moyes said had the desired effect: we moved the ball much quicker and got more players in the Fulham box. Great bit of play from Mykolenko to set up Dewsbury-Hall who is quickly becoming our most important player.

The downside for me is this was yet another game where Tarkowski gave suicide passes or just let players run in behind, no wonder he kicked the post in frustration when Smith Rowe ran behind him and probably should have scored.

There is a stat that, since Moyes returned, there are only 5 clubs who have amassed more points, but the critics will still complain he doesn't play a more attractive game.

I thought it was quite revealing that having to watch the game from the gantry, Moyes had Seamus alongside him and talking to him the whole game.

I am sure if Moyes is allowed to bring in the players he wants, we will improve again next season.

I said when he came back that the one thing I was sure of was that Moyes will leave this club in a better place than he inherited and everything he has done since has convinced me that this will happen.

Not spewing it in the early rounds of the FA Cup or League Cup so we can concentrate on finishing 8th to 10th.

He was my choice to come in last season. He is far from my choice if the club is to develop into one genuinely interested in winning a trophy.

Winning trophies has to come over the money. Fans have been brainwashed into thinking money is more important. It just isn't, as there is no guarantee it will turn into success later.

Back to the game. I think the first goal is really important to Moyes. If he gets it, then he can play with a bit more control and play efficiently on the counter as gaps open up.

An opening goal, and a couple on the counter and it's decreed an amazing performance and the manager is a genius.

If he losses it, he shuts up shop for a bit to ensure they're still in the game. Regroup and go again in the 2nd half.

Credit to him: he's won a couple coming from behind now, which we hadn't done in ages. The away form is very good. Fulham, like Palace at our place, failed to strike a knockout blow when they had the game for the taking. But the side is durable.

Home form is frustrating. But with better footballers in the side, I'd expect that to change. Slow aimless passing with no tempo or end-product has to be replaced by fast-flowing football that better players can offer.

Our away form since he came back is transformational and is at the level of a title challenger but the dilemma is how to play at home? Funnily enough, with most of the home fixtures we've still got, our away style may actually be beneficial for us at home and we may pick off a few of the so-called ‘big' teams who still have to come to us.

That's football. It's rare 1 team dominates from start to finish in the Premier League.

It feels like people are looking for any excuse to beat the manager even after a win. Arsenal are pissing the league with robotic football. It's not exciting or entertaining, if people want that, then go to the movies. I would take dour wins over unlucky losses all day.

Moyes Mk 2 looks to me like he has a point to prove. He is older and wiser. He knows his time is running out as a manager and wants to prove something.

The glass ceiling is still firmly in place, we won't be buying a £50M full-back to sit on the bench anytime soon. But we are more competitive. George for £20M looks a steal compared to Dibling for £40M and I have only seen George for 10 mins! That's how random the transfer market is.

Bringing in Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, re-signing Keane and Gana have helped.

He is openly critical of the lack of goals from forwards and has more or less rocketed Dibling in the last couple of days. To take the next step, we need to find more goals from all over the park. We just don't score enough.

Nice to enjoy another away win over the weekend.

That O'Brien header was given as a foul right after it happened. O'Brien did nothing wrong for the goal; I think it was a foul by Keane jumping on a defender's back that the foul was given for.

Yes, Tarkowski made a few mistakes like the rest of the back four in that first half. Keane's weak defence was the start of that goal. O'Brien was the worst of the back four throughout the game with Keane not far behind.

Dewsbury-Hall had a poor first half apart from a good cross that Beto was unable to convert. He had a good second half and Garner was the main man, like he has been all season in a variety of positions; he was very good for 97 minutes, particularly in that second half when he constantly defended opposition attacks and started many of Everton's.

By the way, who was the other fella on the balcony with Moyes and Seamus having a little chat now and again about the game? I was told months ago that Seamus will be part of the coaching staff next season with possibly Baines moving away from the club to another job.

There you go...

Fans pay to watch the match and hopefully see a win and be entertained... it's not as if they are getting in for free!

I was surprised to read it in the post two above mine.

Arsenal the robots are the Premier League's top goalscorers, btw.

I wonder if the person who wrote it spends their hard-earned money every week to travel the country watching the team?

Doubt it.

You can have that third-rate trophy for me. 100,000 fans going to watch the final? We took 25,000 to Rotterdam for a real European trophy.

I agree it's not all about money but moving up to the Top 4 in the Premier League eventually will bring in the players who want to play for a truly successful club with a manager who knows how to keep us there.

John (183),

The movies is not all it is cracked up to be these days and football is part of the entertainment business, always has been.

Well, that was until Sky and others got their greedy hands on it and the rules started fuckin' the game up. That along with the money it brought into football, not for us fans but for players and managers, especially the mediocre ones -- they've never had it so good.

I have to disagree with you; I think Keane has been far better than Tarkowski all season, and I wish Moyes would stop this nonsense at every goal kick between Tarkowski and Pickford.

For our winner, it reminded me of the old Leeds team: when they had corners, they put Jack Charlton on the goal line next to the keeper, far more effective than having 2 or 3 round the keeper.

Dave, Garner crossed for Barry in the first half -- not Beto.

John Collins @170, yes, we all want to win trophies but Moyes has only been here 12 months and he inherited a side who for the previous few years had just managed to avoid relegation, so he will need time and money.

I hear a lot saying about winning trophies; I have supported Everton for over 71 years and in that time only 3 managers have won trophies, so can we stop making out that we were always competing to win trophies because we haven't.

I have sympathy with your view about European football affecting the league form negatively. It's doubtless a factor, but it's the chicken and egg situation: you need to be in Europe to attract the very top-class players.

The problem is, we can only spend a limited amount of money due to the rules and it probably won't be enough to buy more than one or at most two class players.

Winning that European trophy hasn't done West Ham much good this season. There's a very big barrier between getting from where we are now to having a side equal with say the usual Top 4.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly springs to mind watching The Blues!

David Moyes was here for almost 12 years last time and didn't win anything then.

That is his challenge -- he doesn't come with a clean slate and we all remember his last stint all too clearly.

Let's forget the 9 titles and the best side in Europe in the mid-80s and accept our place.

Mission accomplished, Chaz n Dave.

Certainly if we got a final nearer to home, I would expect a big following.

Football is a business and has been since the inception of the Premier League.

Arsenal leading goal scorers, still in all competitions playing a possession-based, risk-averse brand of football.

I don't go to the game thinking "Shall I be entertained?"

I go wanting my team to win.

We started well for a change, but then dropped off in intensity and Fulham's movement off the ball embarrassed us, they could have been out of sight at halftime.

Second half, after a rollicking, we played with intensity and in the end got our just desserts and we completely dominated the second half.

I think we lack the quality to completely dominate games, but we have a better bench now and there's no excuse for not freshening things up after 60 minutes.

Davey is better when backs to the wall; these newfound options for team selection, rotation and substitution are going to test him.

We will never agree over Keane and Tarkowski.

Keane is a safety-first defender who will give the ball mostly to the player nearest him and doesn't take responsibility when having the ball.

This season, Tarkowski is coming back from a hamstring injury and maybe came back too soon. Over the 3 years he has been here, he has been a rock in the defence, hardly missing a game in that time.

Keane has been here over 8 years and has been at best a poor defender, not robust enough, which he proved time and time again, including a few times this season.

Yes: Beto, not Barry!

I am a season ticket holder myself, so like me you won't have seen many victories at Hill Dickinson this season. I expect to be entertained as an absolute minimum, even if the results do not go our way. That has also rarely been the case this season.

As for our fantastic away supporters who travel round the country (and spend a lot of money doing it), they have been treated to 2 diabolical first half peformances in the last 2 away days. I am sure the discussion at half-time was not “Well, football is a business”, so let's park the tired cliches.

The supporters want performances, results and success -- you might not... but that's up to you.

As for Arsenal, I don't care about them as they are not my team.

Arsenal fans have been bleating about Arteta's safety-first approach for as long as he has been there.

I think some want to be entertained.

You are so sure it's the manager...

Yet:
1. We started on front foot;
2. We then generally lost control of midfield;
3. Half-time;
4. Same team came out in the second half totally on the front foot after a dressing down by the manager;
5. We go on to win game.

These facts don't support your definitive conclusion that it's down to the manager. For me, supported by the post-match admissions from Garner and Dewsbury-Hall, that there is a significant culpability in the players.

Balance -- not bias -- is what we need.

Pack it in, please.

I agree, he didn't win anything first time round and I think he has come back to try and do exactly that. I think we have to be realistic first time round he took over a club heading towards relegation, and on top of that had no money to spend.

He brought some great players to the club but had to sell them to keep the club afloat while still maintaining a 6th or 7th finish in the Premier League.

I don't know if he will win a trophy this time round but seeing how he has improved us from a club fighting relegation to one competing for Europe in 12 months is no mean feat.

Have we already forgotten the dire football we had to endure under Dyche? I see many of the Forest fans unhappy with his style of play.

Rangers have always been one of the best supported clubs in Europe since, and most probably before European football started in the 1950s. They also made more money from their football coupons in the fifties than most clubs anywher,e along with Warickshire County Cricket Club.

Even now, over the last 10 or more years they are supported by vast crowds home and away, especially in Europe, where they have hardly any chance of winning a trophy.

Not like their neighbours, who were the first British club to win the European Cup when it was a competition for Champions only.

Please explain?

Wouldn't it be great to be entertained?

I honestly go the game and hope for a win. It's the icing on the cake if we play well or are remotely entertaining in doing so.

Our away following don't all of a sudden want to be entertained. For the vast majority, it's a weekend jolly for an away day and laugh with mates. Our away record has been pretty dire for years... in fact this is the best away run since the Carlo days when the fans couldn't even attend.

Maybe I am just too cynical to expect entertainment from this group of players. The squad has 1 player in Ndiaye who is a throwback to an old school entertainer; the rest are functional modern athletes, albeit good footballers.

The entertainer gets coached out of these lads as soon as they hit the academies.

Keane has been much improved this season, but his name on the teamsheet still gives me palpitations.

I might not particularly like the style but it definitely does make us competitive.

Bar Arsenal, he thought that the levels of most Premier League teams are fairly similar and that all teams would have spells in the match where they were on top. Certainly the fact that teams are taking points off each other, backs that view up.

He was pleased with the first 10 minutes, and the second half performance, and recognised that they hung on when Fulham had more control in the first half. It wasn't for the lack of trying that they were under the cosh.

Only 2 Moyes signings in the starting line-up, and 1 was the difference. He's building a squad, he's not pissing money up the wall like others before him.

We may not win leagues and cups with Moyes but it's like players -- we are not in a position to get a Bellingham or Haaland right now and we are not in a position where a top elite world class manager will come either.

There shouldn't be any argument in my opinion, where we are to where he took over is excellent. People can talk about glass ceilings but we are not even near any ceiling yet. We are punching way above where we would be without Moyes right now.

You can have a Marco Silva if you like, play people off the park for 45 minutes and still get your pants pulled down with 10 minutes to go... but hey it was nice to watch for 45 minutes; no points.

# TEAM P W D L GD PTS
1 Arsenal 43 26 12 5 46 90
2 Man City 41 25 8 8 45 83
3 Aston Villa 43 24 9 10 18 81
4 Liverpool 42 22 10 10 23 76
5 Chelsea 42 22 9 11 23 75
6 Everton 44 18 14 12 8 68

The jury is still out on Barry. He did nothing to convince yesterday.

Armstrong is definitely one for the future. Thankfully George showed a few nice touches. It seems there are still doubts over Dibling's inclusion.

When fans put a downer on players, it is very hard to remove it from their collective psyche. Calvert-Lewin was a prime example. I was always a fan, even through his lean spells. Form is temporary, class is permanent. I'm delighted the lad is making people eat their words.

A great percentage of fans seem to target Michael Keane for errors made in the past. This season, he's been consistently one of our best performers, scoring important goals, as well as producing calm defensive displays.

A similar case could be made for Nathan Patterson. In recent appearances, he's looked sharp, both in defence and raiding down the right flank. Yet people seem to overlook his improvement and hark back to inconsistency of the past.

Tarkowski in contrast has not performed up to the standard expected of him of late. Mykolenko is unpredictable and inconsistent. O'Brien is definitely not a full-back, but alongside Branthwaite, they will no doubt be our central defensive partnership for the future.

Considering all these points, on current form, my back four would read: Patterson, O'Brien, Keane and Branthwaite.

What is holding me back from full future support is the lack of consistency. Yes, we are 8th presently but we have not had steady performances in both halves throughout the season.

Some of this could be explained by field leadership that is developing with Garner and/or Dewsbury-Hall. I am willing to admit we are indeed growing in Dave's system.

The progress is hard to define outside of outcomes, which have been at times a gift from the football gods. We are getting some breaks, like Raul's miss from 6 yards out that used to kill us.

I see it as a credit to Moyes that we stay in matches better and find ways to turn momentum into equalizers. Yesterday, we received some help from the Fulham goalkeeper. Otherwise, many of us would expect Moyes to take the point and praise it in the presser.

More likely, Moyes will not develop another system although the squad qualities have called for it. However, the players will improve in the dynamics of that system.

This is an intermediate stage for me and Moyes needs to show that he can be a bit more creative. In the meantime, I will show more respect for his methods as he obtains results that escape the expected.

We have got some good players in the squad now and they should all be featuring more as the season goes on. Rohl, Dibling, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Alcaraz, Patterson and McNeil should all be given frequent game time.

It's no good having these guys on the bench, week-in & week-out, never getting a chance to perform. They will just get disenchanted and leave.

Also, it would be good if he could play them in the right positions. Everyone is fit now apart from Grealish so there is no excuse.

Good win away from home again. I feel much more confident when we are playing away than when we play at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Moyes is definitely better at setting us up for a more defensive away game than a home match, although, having said that, we actually played as an attacking team in the second half yesterday.

Maybe things can change?

I am conflicted by the Europe issue, not Champions League (obviously) but the lesser competitions and especially the Conference. We don't remotely have the size of squad to be able to compete twice a week.

At times, we look knackered playing only once a week. And if we just got Conference, I'm not convinced that would be that much of an attraction to prospects nor would it fund remotely enough to attract them anyway. I think I'd prefer we tried harder in domestic cups.

While money isn't everything in football, it's most of it. You don't tend to get Champions League unless you are big spenders. We are in the bottom 3 over the last 5 years, even with £100M spent last summer.

You would need to be doing that pretty much every year to be a Champions League team and I don't think Friedkin's pockets are big enough. So maybe Moyes will have to do us.

Personally, I enjoy watching Arsenal more than Man City. Guardiola is a genius but his possession-based strategy almost single-handedly removed excitement from football for around 10 years.

Give me football where there is more action in the boxes, more tackles, crosses, corners etc, rather than 2 centre-backs and a central defensive midfielder passing the ball around slowly between themselves for 80% of the game.

Being relieved to avoid relegation? Content to be best of the rest? Are we that conditioned to just roll along each season making up the numbers and be thankful?

I don't; £42M -- I'd imagine you're talking about Dibbling?

The lad's got plenty of time to prove himself, first move for a young lad, miles from home, big step up to play for Everton.

Even if he doesn't quite cut it, we will still recoup a big fee for him. McNeil was £20M the other day!!!!

It's not Tosun or Rondon, Walcott or Gbamin, is it ?

Coupled with our non-existent full-backs, we move the ball out of the back too slowly. O'Brien does give the ball away from time to time but that's only because he's looking for forward passes!

I reckon the twin towers at the back would be rock solid.

O'Brien right back, and Armstrong out wide is a joke.
Start George at the weekend! But Mr Square pegs won't.

Credit where credit is due, of course. He's got us where we are. It's great. But stop this nonsense with unbalanced tactics.

I'll get my coat if we get Europe and he's persisted with the square pegs! 😆

No idea if he ends up like the players you mentioned.

I haven't seen him play yet...

I don't see anything to justify a £35M fee (before add-ons) for Dibling. Nor did I at the time. We were the only team chasing a shy introverted lad, who had shown some potential but no more than that.

There would be no queue to take him if we were to consider letting him go, there wasn't first time around. He'll likely have to go out on loan in his second season with us.

Too young at 19? George is same age, full of confidence.
No game time? I've seen nothing to justify inclusion.

Bournemouth will probably play two 19-year-olds (Kroupi and Rayan), total cost £35M, who both look the part.

I'm a paying customer and want to watch my team as much as possible. I listen to the Europa Conference League games on the radio every Thursday while at work and it would be great for it to be Everton I was listening to instead!

Plus why not take our name and brand and history on a tour to far-flung parts of the world? Also, the Premier League teams usually have a good shot at winning the bloody thing which then guarantees entry into the next tier of the competition.

Finishing 8th is going to give Conference League qualification this season! But we also have a shot at 5th to 7th... so let's fucking have it!!!!!

We survived the Premier League's tortures and corruptness, now we are back, motherfuckersssss….

All aboard the Toffee Express, nobody wants to plays us any more!!! Tin-pot Bournemouth can get the Moyes sausage next. When Dibling is playing against Karabag or Ferencvacious etc….

I recently watched Carlos Alcaraz and Aleksander Zverev play a 5 hour, 29 minutes semi-final in tennis without any bathroom breaks or time outs (or spitting). So I don't subscribe that pro footy players can't play multiple times per week. Lazy sods just want to have their cake and eat it too!

I just don't think he's a write-off! ... Yet! He's infuriating, and it seems like Moyes wants to throttle him, but some players just need more time than others.

We could have him for 4 years and he'd only be 23!!

We all don't know what's affecting the lad; could be the move up north, homesick, the training, the competition, the expectations at 19... you have to give them time!

It makes me laugh that statement about Moyes improving the club, because even Dyche improved us whilst he was here, until he decided he couldn't take us any further.

Maybe that's subjective, but I think I could put up a very strong argument in Dyche's favour, simply because I had never seen Everton so badly mismanaged in my lifetime at the time when he arrived at our club and the bar was set very low.

Anyone who honestly didn't expect improvement this season surprises me though (although I was definitely worried about the snail-paced speed of our recruitment this summer) because only for a points deduction, Everton haven't really been fighting relegation since 2023.

That said, Moyes is doing a good job (although results have quite often been better than performances), so hopefully TFG will give him a lot more money to spend in the summer, especially if he gets us playing European football next season.

I think the thing that is driving some of us round the bend is our home performances. I had thought that we were missing Goodison but I have had a rethink because there were plenty of times over the last few years when the Old Lady was very subdued. It's a conundrum.

I think the thing that is frustrating me at the moment is that, although I am not a Moyes fan, I do think he can play more expansive football with the players he now has available. That opinion is based on some of the football his teams produced in his first tenure.

I know we have been through a torrid few season but, somehow or other, we came through it. Every other team that found themselves in that situation has been relegated. We weren't and I think that is significant. I want to see us tap into whatever made that possible and get back to where we belong -- fighting for trophies.

Despite all those iconic matches at Goodison in recent seasons, eg, Palace, our home form has been poor for years.

The last time we were in the Top 10 home performing Premier League teams was in the 2019-20 season. And the last time we won 10 or more home games in a season was 2018-19.

Some fair observations. Talk about give a dog a bad name. Once the pile-on crowd has made up their mind (singular) about a player, there is no going back.

I also think a lot of non-match goers are far too easily lead by commentators. If the fella on the telly says we have gone with a back three, it becomes gospel, even when people who were there know otherwise.

If a radio commentator says we started on the front foot (as opposed to countering very well), it becomes "fact" (201). All the evidence in the world won't make them go back on their opinion -- which, of course, was given to them by somebody else.

Talking about going back.

Did you watch the video I posted Darren?

You should; none of the things you described in the run up to Fulham's goal happened.

I thought the big fella had a really good game on Saturday. He had a massive influence on the result... but it was his exploits down the right which surprised me. He sent in a very nice cross which had the fans applauding.

Next time he got forward he really wrapped his foot around the ball to fizz in a world class cross. Ndiaye (who IMO should be sat down for a couple of weeks) should have just smashed it. The fact that he didnt, takes nothing away from the quality of the cross. We were then treated to a nice little 1-2 involving Jake.

The guy himself has told us that an awful lot of work has gone into his movement. His feet and his agility since being shifted to right back. That would suggest that the intention is for him to stay there.

There are countless examples of players being shifted to positions that are not natural to them and going on to have very accomplished careers. If Henry Higgins cant turn Eliza Doolittle into a high society lady, then why can’t coaches help change a determined professional to play in a different part of a defensive set-up? He already has the defensive side of the role.

Obviously a few good passages of play doesn't not a Danny McGrain make. But there were a couple of times when I thought "By george he's got it. I think he's got it!"

I can’t recall a player built like a basketball player who established himself as a full-back, but there is a first time for everything. Jake certainly has the right attitude and I am beginning to feel less troubled when he is named right back.

Davey Moyes is like the rain in Spain. He stays mainly in the plain.

I thought he was hugely instrumental in saving this club. But he is finished as a consistent defender and attempts by people like you to deny it make my toes curl.

I have watched the goal at least a dozen times. Your attempts to remove Tarkowski from the scene of the crime are typically toe curling.

Yes he mindlessly deserts his post and wonders outside the area as the attack develops, but by the time Keane dispossessed Iwobi, Tarkowski was goal side of the attacker. He should have cleared it into the crowd.

Oh and yes. He did end up a few feet away from our goal line. Nose in the mud. Appealing for a foul.

I don't care how many times you ask the question. I will not channge my answer. I know what I saw and I no longer care what you saw.

The conversation is over

Apparently he was a decent amateur boxer too, which means he will have a bit of grit about him.

Complete nonsense in your posts this morning. Ask Eliza if you need confirmation.

On that basis, I'm glad he's here. I'm sure we can manage his eventual transition to second choice smoothly.

St Joseph would struggle to maintain patience with you repeatedly asking the same question over different threads in the inane belief that you will get a different answer.

Glad to see you changed your mind on "the conversation is over "

I think the manager has quite rightly been worried about the complete lack of pace in the middle of our defence (maybe not so much of an issue away from home when we just naturally defend a lot deeper). This has really affected the balance of the team, especially when we have more of the ball.

I don't worry about him so much defensively but sometimes I just feel that the overall balance of the team hasn't been quite right at home. Now Grealish is out, this might change, and hopefully we will start attacking more down both sides.

Regarding your last paragraph, I think it is true to say that Everton supporters helped massively in those fights against relegation during the week before the game.

Hours before the match, those emotional welcomes when the coach arrived, the tumult of applause entering the pitch, the crescendo of noise throughout those games will never be forgotten by me and I'm sure many more Bluenoses.

I give myself a pat on the back for those days and nights; those who went to the away games as well can have two pats on the back.

There will be plenty of great times to come at Bramley-Moore Dock but those will be when we are battling for cups and titles — COYB.

Football is a business, the glass ceiling is firmly in place, and we should be grateful for being average to good.

As someone who has seen us win Leagues, Cups and European titles, what do you think of that as our level of ambition for the future?

The glass ceiling was constructed by Kenwright & Co many years ago. Brainwashed Evertonians into knowing our place, accepting 7th or 8th as a successful season.

The inferiority complex remains amongst some of our fans.

Giacinto Fachetti

I remember what my dad told me (God rest his soul) because I keep harping on about it - “We will be great again”. I not going to stop believing that.

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.

It's how you run the business that counts and John Moores had worked his way up through different businesses and had an eye and a brain for it.

Everton FC were a well run club under Moores until his and Harry Catterick's health declined and we declined with them except for a brief period when Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey revived it.

These new owners know how to run a business, they have proved that — they bought us for a very generous price and they can sell it for billions, which they will, if we are successful.

God willing, they will bring the good days back again but we all know it is starting from now and will take a few years — but they will come and prove Laurie's dad is right once again.

Good health and best wishes Laurie as always.

So I'm making it up am I?

Posts 36.39 +45 on the Fulham player ratings thread. Again post 233 on this thread.

Different threads. Different days Same inane attempt to brow beat me into denying the evidence of my own eyes. That just isn't happening.

You've been told (politely) "Goodnight". you've been told (politely) that the "conversation is over".

Now you are being told to do one. Go and gaslight somebody else.

The issue is you are incorrect. Do you still think Iwobi had the shot at goal that led to Fulham's goal?

I'm getting an image of Ben Turpin running around shouting at everyone...

I love this speech from John Moores: “Everton expects success. We've a very good crowd and our crowd are very loyal. But, of course, they pay money and they expect to see us do well. If we don't do well, then something should be done about it -- and something will be done about it.”

Standards.

Tarkowski went across but Keane and Mykolenko didn't shuffle across, creating a massive gap between the centre-backs for their forward to run into. The other issue was that Ndiaye did not follow the runner.

From that point on, it was a scramble that did not end well.

2 League winners and 5 FA Cups out of 66. 8 out of every 9 won by 5 clubs... and some on here think we have a divine right to be winning trophies. Worst thing was the European Super League was quashed as I wanted them 5 monied clubs out of our League so the rest of us could have a go.

Even the League Cup is becoming their preserve. 1 win in the last 13 from outside those 5 clubs.

Yes, we might bring a gun to a gun fight, but even if we did we have our hands tied behind our backs.

My guess is Arsenal and Man City will finish 10-15 points ahead of 3rd. That is the level of gap. Chelsea have now revived but look how Newcastle with the Saudi billions can't do anything.

Those wanting to see a return to regular trophies may as well dream of the days of William Ralph Dean scoring 60 in a season. They are both as likley.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

Remember three of them are owned by American billionaires as we are now. In fact our owner is wealthier than the RS principal owner.

If Friedkin can build up our commercial revenues over coming years to the same levels as Arsenal or Spurs, SCR will allow us to compete for the same quality of players in the open market. We're off to a good start with the club projecting a YOY increase of 50% this year.

Yes, we're still well down the hill looking up. But there's no reason we can't climb that same hill, given a few years time and proper business execution.

Indeed they have the 6th highest in that time behind Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd, Spurs and Man City.

I'm thinking of Klopp's era, yes obv the wheels have come off in the last year with a monster spend. Before that it was all done for peanuts.

As Henry Ford said - “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't — you're right”

Mike # 255 - about your 3rd paragraph. I can't buy into this theory that you have to spend big to get top players. The clever part is spotting them in the first place and then holding on to them in my opinion.

Semenyo - Bournemouth
Dunham - Wolves
Muemba - Brentford
Guehi - Crystal Palace

Semenyo cost £9M from Bristol,City!

Ability of the scouting and recruitment team seems to be the key to success for us -- certainly in the short term.