David Moyes laments dour Everton display against Burnley

Wingers more focussed on helping own full back than terrorising theirs. Isolated forwards. Half hearted press.

And yes we looked scrappy and disjointed as tho never played together because that team hadn’t. Too many with too few minutes on pitch.

So yes it was dour Davey, and you definitely played your part in that.

Errrr

Surely if you stop a shot with your hand, whilst inside the penalty area, it is a penalty; Leeds away?

Having said all that, our second string in the final third were simply not good enough. A number of them are clearly not match fit.

McNeil appears to have lost his touch and pace completely. Dibbling looked spent after 80 minutes. Alcaraz and Iroegbunam giving the ball away cheaply on numerous occassions.

I had it down as a 1-1 before the game, but was overly-optimistic. After the match, Moyes said "You wouldn't want to watch much of that," which did make me laugh.

McNeil and pace in the same sentence?

McNeil has only ever had one asset in football: a good left foot. I'll give him his dues, he can strike a good ball... but he's the most one-footed footballer I have ever seen.

I don't think I've seen him pass a ball with his right foot, never seen him head a ball, and he's incredibly slow, let's be honest.

Once Moyes the above, all of what he said prior was made redundant.

It was clear he had set out for a draw. Watching Dibling, he was instructing him on the sideline. Dibling always looking for what Moyes wanted him to do. In the second half he clearly didnt dare stray too far forward.

Hence the managers praise.

Another to add to the hundreds of dreadful Everton performances in the PL. Not the worst away I've seen which was Coventry 0 0 Everton 23/10/97.

Both sides had efforts at least.

I don't know how old you are but one of Everton's all-time greats had all of McNeil's traits -- the difference is, Kevin Sheedy played in our greatest team ever.

Everton are only just better than about 6 or 8 clubs in the Premier League... simple. We have a very small squad and an average manager. We have quality but not enough sadly so injuries and suspensions will catch us out.

We need about £200M and 2 windows to sort this lot out; McNeil is not to blame. Moyes is the problem: he's scared of the top teams and always on easy street.

He gave Coleman £55k a week after he only played 3 games last season and 7 the season before.

Moyes has never won a trophy for Everton, and never will. If we don't win anything, we'll never attract good players. We'll forever languish between mid-table and the relegation zone.

We cannot even beat teams like Burnley, and we'll get nothing at Forest on Tuesday. That'll be 1 point from the last 4 games. Thanks, Moyes, for a great Christmas.

Moyes has been managing in the Premier League for most of his very long career. Under him, Everton finished 4th... their highest placed finish in the Premier League.

He also took West Ham to their highest placed finish in the Premier League and then won a European trophy for them.

Is he an elite manager? No!

Is he a great manager? No!

But 'below average'... For fuck's sake!

Our recruiters knew in the summer that it was an Afcon winter and the bench at Burnley shows how much they let us down. Injuries also have a hand in this but squad depth should also take them into account. We have too many positions without adequate back-up. We have to juggle a player or two, pushing them out of position.

Nor is a safety-first gaffer a difference maker in such circumstances, but Moyes is not doing as badly as some say.

He needs backing and at least two new players in this window, but we all know the potential pitfalls of shopping in January. But it is beyond essential that we need a new striker and right-back.

How could anyone have watched Jake O'Brien at Burnley and come to the conclusion that right-back is sorted until the summer? But some have. Anyone who thinks that we do not need a new striker is stark-raving mad.

But hey, don't worry, we have a long-term plan, apparently, but no one has read it and no one knows what it is, other than hopeful speculation from our few TFG cheerleaders rattling their pom-poms.

The only remnants of a plan that I have seen is to dampen all expectations for the next window unless, LOL, we come across someone who fits in with our 'exceptional' recruiting.

Sheedy help us, one and all.

Fans slagged off Dyche, but Dyche had to sell players like Onana and Gordon and pulled in £90M+.

Moyes has not had to sell anyone and has us in a poor situation -- remember Wolves in the Carabao Cup.

Well, wait till you see are team in the FA Cup after these 3 league games -- he might as well get Baines back.

I go every game home and away and all I can see is backs-to-the-wall stuff. If we had Sharp and Gray up front, it would not matter -- there's no service... a blind man can see that.

Wait till you see the team sheet against Sunderland in the cup... Oh My Gawd.

That could be the end of Moyes -- he is a dinosaur.

Thanks for your amazing support Mark, Rob and the rest, Neil C.

The 3,000 tend to be more on the bright side, Mark, I think, do you think that you are in a majority or minority, mate, with your take on Moyes?

Please don't mention Sheedy and McNeil in the same sentence, lad.

One was an absolute magician of a footballer, and the other is just a very ordinary one.

Time for him to move on from us now -- he's ran his race here.

Secondly, I don't like the man, but I think Moyes's record would suggest he wasn't below average. What he is is very limited. He's good at what he does but what he does isn't very good. He'll never win anything of note because he can't adapt and won't give certain players a chance to shine.

What he is very good at is keeping unambitious owners happy. In the world where money is king, he'll get you top-half prize money but no more than that. I'm beginning to think that's all Friedkin wants.

Everton have never bought a player for 50 mill yet so until you upgrade your buying system you get average players simple.

The stadium has sort of held us back on transfers over the last 3 or 4 seasons but now there making big money its only early and buying dibbling for 40 mill is a good start for someone his ageshiws a bit of intent.

Also getting Grealish in for a year might attract a better type of player seen him there I get it but Moyes has let himself down with numbers.

As I said giving Coleman 55 grand a week contract was miss management there poor decisions can't happen.

N'DAIYE is on 1/2 mill less than him but as I said Everton fans keep going in hope other teams know there going buy the top players.

Why we extended his contract is beyond me. We'd have been better keeping Ashley Young. He stayed fit and played at right back. Giving Coleman another contract was indefensible.

I doubt, if it happens, it will make any difference to the quality of the coaching staff. Baines doesn't seem to make any difference during the game; he sits there quietly saying nothing.

Mind you, the other two of Moyes's staff just seem to listen while Moyes rants away to himself — a bit like Pickford howling at the sky during the game.

I've been banging this drum about Coleman for 3 seasons that he has stole money.

One fan had a go at me last season when I asked, "Anyone seen Seamus?" And he said, "Leave him alone, he's good for Everton in the Community."

"Ha, ha," I said, "How many points does that get us on a Saturday night about 5 o'clock?"

The sad thing is, I don't think these owners are in for the long haul.

Now? He's pretty harmless, but it is time for both parties to move on.

Reading Dunc's autobiography reaffirmed for me that knowing when to move on from club stalwarts can make a big difference for all concerned.

A long time ago, we had a player called Mick Lyons and he thought he was Mr Everton; he was useless.

Howard Kendall blew him out... and we won everything.

You don't play 400-odd games for a club and score nearly 50 goals by being useless.

Not the most gifted player technically but he was not useless.

We'd probably agree that he wasn't the most accomplished footballer but how I wish some of the self-centred, money-oriented wastrels we have employed over the last 40 years had 10% of his attitude and heart.

His job was to stop goals going in, that's why he was useless.
His goals come from us being behind and we threw him up for 10 minutes to cause chaos. That was Mick Lyons.

Good post. Mick Lyons never ever had the attitude he was Mr Everton. If he hadn't been good enough to play for Everton, he'd have been in the Gwladys Street End supporting them, a good genuine fella and a better-than-average footballer and captain.

I think quite a few fans who saw him wouldn't mind him back now as a centre-back or striker. He did finish one season as our leading scorer, and was a battling player who knew he wasn't the best but gave his all in every game he played.

Oh, and I think he played for England U23s.

Was Dibling's signing thrust upon him by the ownership? He's looking like a £50M misfit to me.

I can only assume that McNeil is simply being put in the shop window in the hope of offloading him in January. Otherwise, his inclusion makes no sense.

I have it on good authority from German friends that Röhl is a decent player, but hopelessly injury-prone.

Speaking of which, I'm delighted that Calvert-Lewin is proving all of his doubters and detractors wrong at Leeds. If only we had him now.

I always defended him when Evertonians where pointing the finger. They had short memories of the unselfish service he gave the club. For me, his class was never in doubt. He should never have been allowed to leave.

Regardless of our depleted ranks, there was no need for Moyes's negative approach to relegation-threatened Burnley. We were fortunate in the end to come away with a point.

A similar selection and tactical deployment against Nottm Forest will effect a similar outcome. It's not rocket science.

A long time ago, we had a player called Mick Lyons and he thought he was Mr Everton; he was useless.

Howard Kendall blew him out... and we won everything.

Utter fucking bullshit, Mark, lad.

Mick Lyons, 'useless' for fuck's sake... and so, when he left, we won 'everything'. You're seriously deluded, lad, and maybe 22 years old,

No true blue on here would knock Mick Lyons, especially now. You tosser.

Can anyone imagine criticising previous Everton managers cos they hadn't won trophies with Everton? 'Frank Lampard, I just don't think he's capable of putting together a team that can win the league'. 'Dyche has had long enough, It's embarrassing how long it's been since we were winning things'.

No, the topics being spoken about were Leicester's run-in, the truly terrible footy, and how many points would be enough to survive this season. Moyes takes over, and suddenly it's 'yeah, but when's the last time we won at Anfield?'

It's a massive shame that he never won silverware with us.

Well said. Mick Lyons was one of the best headers of a ball in both boxes I have ever seen.

Mark Seers is indeed a tosser of the highest order.

So it all began... Mick Lyons, no truer blue.

Thanks for coming, Mick.

My favourite Lyons moment was that goal against Leeds when Norman Hunter nearly, but didn't, take his head off!

What a game that was!

So was I, and Mick Lyons was outstanding. As were the rest of the team. The Annie road was bouncing!

We were great that day.

One of my better decisions.

They have all come up with pretty much the same results, no trophies, and an average of 10th finish in the Premier League. The constant has been the overall quality of the players in the teams.

While I agree some managers will be more able to get the best out of what's available, hoping that another manager is going to turn carthorses into racehorses is a lost cause as far as I can see.

I keep sprouting the same conclusion, so apoligies for that, but I don't see what other conclusion there is to come to, all our managers were decent managers that proved it before and since.

What we have lacked in the past are good judges in recommending players, and others to finally sign them up.
I'm not suggesting they are easy tasks but we have been very poor in the past with the odd exception.

Surprised that young Mr. Steers slinked back on here and was able to drag himself away from his new smartphone controlled paper airplane kit.

We won 3-2 mate

Leeds were good then but we matched them and Lyons was fearless.

Mick's beaut of an own goal which earned him a kiss the next day off an Evertonian who had him in a sweep for the first goal!

The streaker who ran across Liverpool's penalty area and Ray Clemence was the only one in the stadium who didn't see her — he was concentrating so hard on the game at the other end of the pitch.

Nice, Mark (43), Mick Lyons was fearless in every game he played.

Nasty and Not Nice, Mark (32)... I think you went to Anfield more than Goodison by the sound of you.

10 minutes gone and Mick Lyons scored a whopper of an own goal. I was in the kop and we got dog's abuse off that lot.

Mick Lyons was an average defender at best but not saying he wasn't all heart. Lots of players give everything but the top line is Mick is remembered for going up front for the last 10 minutes or so.

We could probably use that tactic now but Moyes has no bottle.