Best performance of the season sees Everton's biggest win over cheating Chelsea since 1987!

Now we have to put up a good fight to get back up there! Moyes is causing more trouble than the ginger nutcase in America.

It's crap.

Most Premier League teams have elite forward players who pray on mistakes and open spaces…. We keep it tight and nick goals which is good enough to get teams in the top 8-ish places in the Premier League.

As opposed to Angeball etc that is arguably more exciting but less effective… I'm fine with how we play and enjoy stifling opposing players.

With a couple of elite forwards of our own, our style would be even more effective. UTFT… in my opinion, the first objective in a game of football is not to concede. Scoring a goal comes second.

21/03/2026 : 18:01:34

Beto shocking

A big heart goes a long way around these parts and the lad gets my vote.

Fuckin' love it!

Keep it going, boys! COYB

We could be so much better though if we had a midfielder to drive forward and break the lines. Winning is great but we aren't great to watch.

That said, what a pass and what a finish.

Get Branthwaite on now!

Barry probably would have fallen over and not even touched the ball, he's beyond useless.

Be interesting to see if Moyes does the usual and brings him on around 60-70', and what reaction he gets. Imagine it will not be good.

That's the best half of football I've seen at home.

Not a high bar but I thought we played on the front foot and got plenty of players in the final third.

He's the last thing we need.

Special shout out to Pickford,he made crucial saves at vital times and McNeil has been excellent recently.

I wasn't impressed with the line up when I first saw it, how wrong can you be?

It's almost 3:30 am here -- I'm the Philippines -- but I feel the need to celebrate with a few Red Horses.

For me that's one of our best performances of the season and a thoroughly deserved win.

All 11 starting players were outstanding and Chelsea weren't just beaten, they were outclassed!

Lovely to watch.

Hope their season crumbles big time.

Sin meido!

Also Sin Reporto -- I lost the last third of my match report and will have to rework it -- the first time in ages I've ever rewatched an Everton game.

Moyesie had a dream to build a football team.
Never felt more like singing the blues.

Everton, Everton

Well done to Moyes, his staff and all the team.

Garner outstanding yet again, who's this Palmer fella? Could not be happier with that, gonna spend the rest of the day celebrating.

Should have left Beto on to possibly get the hat-trick or body check Cuco the Clown into the middle of next week, but that's a minor quibble.

We were basically home and dry by then anyway. Looking forward to a bunch of 9s in the player ratings... 😎

Garner completely outshone Palmer, and maybe Beto can be a No 9, his best display by far.

Onwards and upwards.

Get in, Blues!!!

What a performance, and can we just take a moment to accept now that Moyes has done the best job of any manager since Martinez's first season.

It might be mental, that, but -- from where this club was 14 months ago under Dyche, dying on its feet -- he's done a fine job.

Made an old blue happy.

Credit to the manager, he set them up to press high, get into the final third with more players than we have done all season.
He got his rewards.

Villa 4th but sinking like a stone.

The times, they are a-changin'!

Going back was a big mistake.

And although Beto is limited as a footballer, if you give him the Beto ball, he'll more than likely put it away.

Plus defenders know they've been in a game.

Can't see any complaints coming about the manager in this thread. He's giving his critics exactly what they want by sending his team out to win.

Fair play to him.

Bottom line is what our team did together.

May sitting back and only playing the 2nd half against a mediocre Liverpool be firmly consigned to the past.

With the right attitude, we can beat anyone on any weekend.

I said I was quietly confident today, didn't expect such a comprehensive hiding for them. We earned it, through hard work, good football, and togetherness that will take us a long way.

If that Chelsea team had half our spirit, we wouldn't have got near them.

Another vital save at a vital time from Pickford who keeps coming up with the goods.

I thought Keane and Tarkowski were solid and kept them to very little clear chances, like men vs boys most of the game.

Beto looks like he's worked on his hold-up play, he's still not amazing but he's improving and the attack looks better balanced with him over Barry.

Gana, Garner and Dewsbury-Hall is working in midfield and they now look to have a great understanding.

Jimmy is now exuding class, his effort, his passing, his desire to join defence and attack, his pass for Beto was a beauty. Ndiaye's goal was the icing.

The one thing that pleases me is our mentality, we bullied them, they didn't like it. We knew they didn't like it, so we bullied them more. We didn't let up, didn't sit back, didn't allow them to get any real foothold in the game.

Blueprint for the derby?

Hate to see Liverpool win anything, but if they won the Champions League and it gave us a Champions League spot, a tiny bit of payback!!

An absolute treat to watch.

UTFT

Hope all TWers are doing well and are happy-happy after that performance and more importantly effort.

No thanks.

What a fucking feeling! I love this club!

Beto had his best game in a blue shirt by far, he looked a proper striker and bullied them all game, a dominant striker display and something he has been building towards since his return to the starting lineup.

Garner showed why he deserves his England call-up, a beautiful assist for the first and instrumental throughout. I think we tied him down at just the right time, he's miles better than some of the competition in that England midfield.

Such a happy toffee, did we last score 3 against Chelsea with the ‘prefect hat-trick' from Naismith?

This team is mostly young with a lot of potential, I know we've said it before but I'm optimistic and even hopeful that we can make something of this run-in and the future looks bright if we can keep hold of our talent.

They showed character throughout and took their chances well. Not often they score three against a top-six team and keep a clean sheet.

Garner is the most improved player in the Premier League this season and fully deserves his call-up. What a tremendous through ball to Beto for that first goal and the set up by Gana for the second was also great.

One more thing, Ndiaye has to be the bargain of the century!

I hope that humble pie tastes as delicious as that performance. (I'm sure it does, we all want Everton to win and play a bit of footy).

Cheers all!

He wants to win and he wants to be an Evertonian, that will depend on the final games of the season but, either way, we should get a good price if we decide to sell.

Keep up the good work, you Blues.

It's possible, I'd rather finish 6th above sloths RS, Villa 5th and Villa win the Europa League.

6th becomes the Champions League spot!

Hahaha.

David Moyes master class.

If Moyes goes for it, and plays similar as today in the next 7 games, we could get there.

I'm one of his biggest critics but not today. That's how an Everton team should play.

They would be better, keeping their hands in their pockets and playing with themselves.

That was the oldest team we have sent out this season. The average age was over 29.

I think how we played today is easier against a side like them who think they are better. It's the teams who sit in, and ask us to break them down where we find it harder. That's a problem all teams have, and quality is what usually wins you them games, or a moment of brilliance.

I didn't want Moyes but I can appreciate how far he's taken us in a short space of time; as a manager, you are judged on results and your record.

It felt like a proper Everton performance -- which I've not thought, even in other wins.

Front foot aggression, right in your face football. That sets the crowd off and the players then react to the crowd.

More of the same, please!

There's the European performance spots, likely to be awarded to the PL this year, meaning 5 CL places.
If villa and or RS win their European competitions, therefore qualify for CL and finish outside the top 4, say 5 &6th, the EPS CL spot would go to 7th in the PL.

As I say all ifs and buts. I'd rather finish above RS and any European football!!!

Mark @ 47

Tarkowski reminds me of John Terry in the stuff he does when no need... and, like John Terry, he gets away with it.
He has been very lucky on at least four occasions this season. One of these days, he will be off (if he keeps it up).

Instead, he still has many, many critics!

They looked a proper outfit, that has been assembled for comparative buttons. I wonder if Chelsea have kept a receipt for the £1.5B splurge on absolute dross?

Crowd played its part, the energy from Beto, Dewsbury-Hall, Garner, Gana and Ndiaye was superb.

Moyes will still have his critics, I am sure. But he is taking this team forward, and this one fan is 100% behind him.

Turning this club without massive money, to where fans think it should be, is one of the biggest and hardest in the game.

More of the same please.

Illi did his bit. Everton did their bit... fuck off Chelsea! Ha.
No matter. I'd lose a fiver all day, every day, for a show like that! UTFT

Just saying!!!

We played very well, we played exactly the type of football, that Darren H has been saying we have slowly begun to show we are capable of, and it was an absolute pleasure to be inside a very happy and loud stadium tonight.

The last time I can remember the Chelsea fans emptying out so early was during the FA Cup quarter-final when Lukaku scored two. As loud as Goodison could be, I thought Bramley-Moore Dock was equally as loud tonight. Possibly even louder at times!

Yes, what a scandal the whole thing is. At the same time, the bastards very nearly sent us out of business on a misdemeanour.

Fast, aggressive front-foot football sets the crowd off. The players react to the crowd and go more aggressive in the tackle. The crowd goes even louder.

Rather us finish 6th above the RS and villa win the Europa giving us CL and the RS conference or Europa on merit with no deduction. I don't see it coming off. I think we will finish above this Chelsea team.

All I will say is this team, this manager is giving us some hope, something to aspire to, instead of survival. I've a son who only knows us fighting relegation. I told him, "We'll beat these today." He said, "No chance!"

He's looking up, looking at Chelsea, the RS, European football, he's excited for what might happen. It might not, but it's giving belief to fans who deserve it!

Chelsea that eh?

Brilliant result. Didn't see the match as I was travelling but I feared Chelsea getting their Champions League bid back on track against us.

Everton winning, the Shite losing and sunshine

There probably have been better weekends but...

Brilliant for your lad, mate, hope and optimism. The fanatical kids who have followed us through thin and thin deserve it.

I have just watched the highlights and even found the time to listen to the views of David Moyes, and surprisingly found myself agreeing with everything he said, for once!

The later kick-off gave the fans time to have a few beers in the sunshine, and those beers will have been enjoyed a lot more because of Liverpool's result earlier today.

The mood was set, we started well, playing on the front foot, and although Chelsea came into the game, I think once we got that first goal, with the fans right behind the players, there was always only going to be one outcome.

You could really feel the noise inside the stadium tonight and it was beautiful.

Fans that stayed gave them dog's abuse at the final whistle. The manager is out of his depth.

They probably are and are dying for the return of their beloved Sean, because I'm convinced some of our fan base love fighting relegation.

Good luck to them but it's not what I want or thousands of others, but you lot continue to call the manager.

Yes, I'm not his biggest fan but the man has galvanised our club, and anyone who disagrees doesn't know what they are talking about.

A Moyes masterclass tonight and this is one Evertonian who is going to sleep like a baby tonight.

Thanks for a wonderful weekend, boys.

Big shout to those who have received a lot of (often justified) criticism the past few years, especially Keane, McNeil and Beto. And to Pickford for a huge save yet again — if he doesn't make it, that match is turned on its head — after the criticism of last week.

But hats off to every player today, just magnificent.

As for next season, no way the RS is winning the Champions League with how they're playing, but not out of the question we get in anyway.

And with Beto playing as he is, it feels more at this moment that we'd sell Barry instead of Beto in the summer, especially if Barry remains unsettled. But we'll leave those questions for later.

Nothing like finding hope in Everton again.

More surprising was Beto, not just the goals -- that can happen -- but the fact he produced a first-rate all-round striker performance. I never knew he had it in him.

Yes it took a while but finally we are starting to see the fruits of Moyes labour.

He's game, his hold-up play and passing could be way better, but when they play it down the sides, it opens up opportunities.

Ndiaye's finish as well. Just brilliant off the left. Postage stamp into the top corner.

I don't know why we do it, but we are on the front foot early at home and pass it back. We should put more crosses and passes into the opposition penalty area to pressurise them. We did that after half time and it worked well.

James Garner has always had the ability he has shown with Everton, he had it at Man Utd, then a very good season with Forest, I think the year they were promoted, and he carried in improving with Everton.

A bad back injury kept him out for a while but his ability has always been there and in different positions, including the outstanding game he had at right-back against Bournemouth to keep us up.

Beto is a mystery but he has just had four games on the run where he has shown the ability to hold onto the ball better and battle away throughout the game giving the opposition little rest… will he keep this up?

Well he had a spell last season where the goals added up when the ball was played in front of him on the floor instead up in the air, when he had to try and out-jump two centre-backs.

A few more goals could keep him here or increase his resale value.

I think they are beginning to to believe

Great performance from the entire team. I thought Tim Iroegbunam was very unlucky getting dropped but you can't argue with the result.

As good as Garner is at full-back he is our best midfielder and shouldn't be displaced. The through ball to Beto was a thing of beauty. Ndiaye's goal was unstoppable and the icing on the cake.

I have to give my MotM to Beto, a couple of goals and an assist.

Did Barry deserve to be booed on tonight? As much as I think he is crap I don't think he deserves that. He also didn't hang around and was straight down the tunnel at the final whistle.

Hopefully we get shut during the summer but I doubt anyone would want him.

Moyes and the players deserve all the credit for the win tonight. The international break couldn't have come at a worse time.

Spot on.

Beto hasn't had that service for a long time, it's definitely the most productive service he can get.

Was impressed with the improvement in his hold up play as well.

Give the fans the same every home game and you've got your bear pit back.

I can’t fault Moyes in any way today, even the tightening up substitutes, I'm having that all day.

The way he allowed them to play today will do me.

The best atmosphere since the first game Brighton.

The best performance since that away game, 5-1, also v Brighton.

We fucking battered them. That could've been 5-0.

Not a bad performance but great to see Beto terrorising their defence. They shit their keks when he got the ball.

Mykolenko and McNeil also stepped up and showed they wouldn't be out of place in the opposition side.

We're not far off a fucking good side!
Salute David Moyes — you're winning me over! UTFT

The home crowd were fully involved, Chelsea fans quiet as mice, who would've believed that?

Barry got a bad reception when he came on, and was straight off the pitch when the final whistle came, the rest all celebrated for ages on the pitch. I think he may be out of here at the end of the season.

First brace at Hill Dickinson, 100th clean sheet for Pickford (shown on the big screens).

I'm sorry to put a bit of a downer on a great performance but I keep thinking of the poor guy we passed near the Titanic about 5:00 pm with the police giving him chest compressions!

Didn't look good. Hope he pulled through.

When you look at where we are in the Premier League compared with 16 months ago.

Credit to David Moyes and his team for making us so joyous on a Saturday night again, when did you see so many happy blues noses smiling?

James Garner proving why he deserved his England call up, but let’s give Beto a massive thumbs up.

He was brilliant tonight, this lad always give his best, the fans know it and he thoroughly deserved his MotM award. We need to keep him as he has shown that he can score when. we create opportunities

🙃

Sometimes, like last week, it doesn't get any just reward… but today we did.

Now sadly, just when we have a bit of momentum we have to stop.

But anyway, full marks to all concerned. Hard to find fault, though for whatever reasons Barry seems to have gone off (what bit of) the boil he had going.

With George 'cup tied', Moyes’s options for replacing MotM(?) Beto limited... even if the concept, however fleetingly, of George up the middle occurred to him.

Cue Guy Mitchell — I never felt more like singing the blues, etc, etc.

Chelsea avoided the punishments its crimes deserved. We dished out our own brand of punishment. It was glorious.

Tony A... delighted you went to the game.

The new stadium got its first signature win, with the next one to follow soon when we tear Liverpool a new one in a few weeks.

Moyes looks like he has finally decided to go for it, which is great to see in the declining days of his career.

And the finish from Beto for the first goal was world class. He is definitely better when he does not try to do too much with the ball – lovely chip and we were off and running.

Some brilliant finishing for the goals and Pickford made a great save to keep it at one-nil and while it made no difference I was a little surprised by some of the substitutions.

On a hat-trick, I'd have left Beto on but the starting striker by plan can have only 70 minutes and McNeil had done a lot of work when we didn't have possession. I wondered where Branthwaite was supposed to fit in.

A great result with an unexpected margin and let's hope it continues but I don't see any other games being this easy.

How long has it been since you could say, for this week we can walk among the top 8 with our heads held high?

If I may MK, a number of opinions from The Shed End.

Everton are managed by someone who plays to his squads strengths/opponents weaknesses and have a recruitment policy that is based on on-field success. We'll get absolutely pumped, and rightly so.

Is anyone really expecting us to get anything from this game?

I'm in the worst place ever !!!! Family party in Liverpool tonight. They are all Liverpool or Everton. It's gonna be horrendous

Gonna be a long 90 mins cant see us getting anything from the game

Damn you Pickford

Now Pickford comes up with a world class save. Every game against us he plays world class.

Genuinely one of the worst strikers in the league has scored twice against us, unbelievable

3-0 Thank you Blue Co. and all this against a hard working average team.

Think Barry's in need of a goal. Confidence is low. Can we help a guy out?

KDH must be laughing his head off. silently of course, top professional that he is.

embarrassing.

I can't stand these f**king players

I hate this team 😭

No more, I've had it.

I miss Potter

Everton were on front foot for every period of their play... KDH looked a different player than when he was with us... He had so much room when he got the ball instead of 40 passes around the back before it went forward, he looked decent.🙄 Compare that to our ball forward, only goes forward when opposition are in place ffs turned off before 3rd goal, just couldn't watch that dross any longer... Awful display again...

All of this nonsense will be forgotten when we put Port vale to the sword on penalties👊

It was great to be there, Mike, a very good team performance backed by tremendous fans, but as always I'm going to give out my little gripes now!

Last night, I said I agreed with everything Moyes said, but that was until he played down Europe by saying a Top 10 finish would mean real progress.

We have come 12th the last two seasons, David, and if you look at the club now, more relaxed and stable in every single way, then I know it's only words but, surely you should be talking the team up.

Talking about “up”,the amount of people who have praised Beto for his performance last night because he gave their defenders a hard time is quite high. He did this because he “stayed high” and played centre-forward for a lot of yesterday's game, so it was very perplexing (to me) to see Leighton Baines (I think) screaming at Beto to get back.

Stay up, Beto, we have already got nine outfield players behind the ball, so surely it's better that you stay up to chase the percentage clearance from a team under pressure, rather than us having nobody to contest that clearance, which immediately puts us right back under pressure.

We all see a different game, and we all have different beliefs about what we expect from Everton. Mine will never change because I want to see us being the very best once again.

And Pickfords’ double save - he’s like a cat playing with a toy. (Was it Peter Bonetti who was nicknamed “The Cat?”)

Now we look like worthy competitors for a European spot with 31 games played. Looking forward to two weeks of well-earnt praise for Moyes and the team on here until Brentford.

You can't say the players don't believe in Moyes, they are trying their hearts out for him and themselves.

We have a few tough games to come on paper, but the way our form is, we can win or hold our own against the best of them. Our subs bench is not looking bad either.

I'm not sure how much has been spent this season but jumping two places is not much progress.

Everyone from Jordan to Davie a 10 from me 😀. A real performance result. And yes, at last, at-home entertainment.. we can do it!

Well done, everyone! I'm still bouncing... This stadium can and will work!!!!

Also the crowd for their fantastic support and creating a wall of noise.

You mean like fans complaining all the time, even after a 3-0 win?

I have seen all the league and cup wins at Goodison, Ray Wilson and Roger Hunt parading the World Cup round Goodison, and you can include the Bayern game, but our fans last night were as good as any of those nights.

A big thank you to the 1878 Group who arranged welcoming the team coach, which my grandson went to, and for their display of flags. I think with a lot of fans getting there early to greet the coach, then have a few beers, that might have helped the noise inside the stadium. Also, the feeling we had been punished for our misdemeanour while Chelsea walked away almost scot free helped fire up the crowd.

But none of that would have mattered if the team hadn't put on a magnificent show from Minute 1 to the last kick of the game. That was Beto's best game by a country mile -- he bullied both their centre-backs all the game. The back 4 were brilliant, restricting Chelsea to very little, Pickford pulling off yet another memorable save.

But Garner, Dewsbury-Hall and Gana ran the whole show, and our 36-year-old Gana made a brilliant interception and sprinted 50 yards to lay on a perfect pass for Beto to kill the game.

James Garner again showed why he was called up for England -- how Dewsbury-Hall wasn't also called up was a mystery. I have been asking for more goals from Ndiaye, who is a brilliant footballer and yesterday he delivered.

David Moyes deserves all the credit in the world for how he has transformed this team, and for his many doubters on here, I would ask if I had said that Everton would be in touching distance of a Champions League place, I can imagine your replies. That is back-to-back games against 2 teams in the top 5 and in both games we were the better side.

The difference going the game now to when Dyche, Lampard and Benitez were in charge is like night and day. You could almost taste the excitement and optimism of the fans an hour before kick-off.

We may not make Champions League, we may not qualify for Europe at all, but this team is growing by the week and, with a couple of additions, who knows what this club can achieve?

The Brentford and Liverpool games will be huge! Teams above and below will lose games; the way the season's going, there's no reason to lose faith if we drop points.

Garner's game has gone to another level, he's now doing what Gana used to, 2nd in league for tackles and interceptions as well as being our best passer, great crosser, odd goal, and dead ball delivery.

People say we need to replace Gana… we already have!!!

The manager said that “for Everton to even be in the mix for Europe is unbelievable.”

That was him “trying to be more positive than I would normally be.”

[Please fix the edit button!!!]

Where have you seen that?

He's having a pound each way with that comment.

Best day watching Everton for a long time!

That's why there's only 116 comments on a 3-0 win against Chelsea!!!

If it was a 3-0 loss, it would be 316!!

Please fix the edit button!!!

The Edit Button has been fixed for a few days now...

Can you tell us what device you were using?

Garner MotM and well played Beto. Beto 1st choice ahead of Barry is a must!

We were at the races from the start, putting them on the back foot and unsettling them. Most of the players were in their favoured (natural) positions (except Jake O'Brien).

We were playing to Beto's strengths. A through ball for him to run onto instead of expecting him to hold it and bring others in or hoofing it up to him without support.

We saw a classic 3rd goal, when the penny finally dropped with Iliman Ndiaye.

Whilst vulnerable at corners and crosses, we defended superbly, even when Jordan Pickford flapped at one, then pulling off a world class save, and Beto putting them in instead of clearing it.

No one in the defence did anything stupid, especially in our own area. Although Tarkowski's jab could have thrown a spanner in the works. Pickford was mainly exceptional.

Beto took his chances and looked a better player. We took advantage of a team in freefall. The referee was outstanding and unbiased.

I'm not a Moyes fan. However, I cannot see who else could get a song from this depleted and relegation heavy squad.
It's baffling to think of where we are with who we have.
Yesterday was a pleasure. One rarely seen.

Let us hope that we don't resort to type after 3 weeks' rest. COYB

The 'Edit' icon is still under the first word on the first line of text and is inaccessible.

Prodding it leads to the dictionary definition of the word its hiding under.

I am on an Android Asus Rog 5 using Google Chrome.

Don't know if it's just me still. Hope this helps. 👍

I doubt we'll have loads to spend in the Summer... So another year for Gana? Maybe not every game, but when needed.

He is still playing well and still worth his place. He would also gives the youngsters a bit of breathing space to develop.

Everybody is a fan of winning -- and Moyes when we win.

Hope I haven't missed anyone out.

Allows the money to go where it's needed.

Not everyone, unfortunately.

Okay, he got a few boos when he came on, but what did he expect after what he showed and said about the fans? Especially as he didn't tell the full truth about his mates celebrating after Arsenal scored.

Own up and admit you made a massive boo-boo.

There don't seem to be many easy games in the Premier League for many teams, this season though, so if we can carry on this momentum, which is probably being helped by having a few weekends off because we have been knocked out of the FA Cup, then we might even qualify for the Champions League!

We're coming into form and playing with energy and conviction at exactly the right point of the season when those above are tired and struggling. We shouldn't fear anyone home or away for the remaining games.

After 31 games, we are where we deserve to be and coming into some form just when it counts. Massive improvement over recent years -- even last season, when Moyes's arrival marked a massive improvement over what had gone before.

I don't have a Samsung but I hadn't checked on my iPhone, where I see there is a text overlay problem.

The critics have been on the Dyche 2.0 line, which was valid. Perhaps it is time to give Moyes the Carlo type 1A moniker?

He has resisted selecting some players with speed that many thought were required to find some productive possession. Now, it seems he has found his preferred lineup with a switch if needed at full-back.

He is figuring out how to release Beto and get that massive force to produce. It looks like a system that gives the players enough forward action to buy into responsibilities on defence.

Carlo got that from reputation partly, whereas Moyes has likely faced some doubts. That phase seems to have passed. I saw players enjoying kicking the shit out of higher paid talent the Everton way. That is no small thing.

Also, the togetherness seen in the goal celebrations, there was an assured vibe apparent, unlike some of the 'Thank God that went in' we have seen in the past.

If you are not on board, it kind of doesn't matter. The players are, and it looks like they have found a next gear while other so-called Euro candidates are struggling to find consistency.

Fuckin' Moyes... Take your ticket, ride the roller-coaster.

It was our best performance at home by far, Garner completely outshone Palmer.

West Ham and Spurs away. Brentford away, Palace away - no easy games, similar with Liverpool, City and Sunderland, to come at home, so I hope we don’t end up regretting some of the results we have achieved at home, come May.

Rumours of Chelsea players fighting in the changing rooms, I had a feeling that it was the right time to play them after I saw Rossenier, trying to give his sub instructions the other night, with his team 8-2 down,, and if he’s lost the changing room then that can only be good news in our quest for Europe, just as the confidence our players will have received from yesterday’s victory, will hopefully help spur us on🤞

Compare that with 72 points from Roberto's era and no Champions League spot...

Am using a Samsung Galaxy 10+ and if you turn your phone around to landscape rather than portrait, the Edit button works...I'll test it

It works, perhaps not the solution but a manageable option.

Chelsea still have to play Tottenham & Brighton.

Brentford have Man City, Liverpool, and Man Utd.

Liverpool have us, Villa, Man Utd, Chelsea, Brentford & Palace -- their bogey team.

Keep everyone fit and all them teams will take points off each other. We just need Beto to perform at that level consistently now till end of the season and who knows what could happen.

Would that mean six Champions League places?

The max could be 7, if both Aston Villa finished 6th or 7th & won the Europa League, and Liverpool won the Champions League and finished 6th or 7th.

Brentford and Chelsea -- both tough too.

Why do you feel the need, 100 posts in, to post this crap? The credit poured on Moyes has been flowing on this thread.

I suppose we might need a little black cloud on our sunny thread. Why not celebrate a win than post shite?

Kevin - 109 - give it up, for fuck's sake. What examples did you have in mind and let's see if they make up something proportionately significant, shall we?

With 'negativity' being defined not as moaning all the time, like on here, but 'claiming a top-half finish is progress',

Where did you read that Kevin?

You may be best reading it again...

I may be wrong. Over to you, John. ;)

The positive attitude of the team, tactics and manager made yesterday what it was. Keep that up in every game and most right-minded Blues will applaud them, even if we miss out on European football.

If we miss it by not really putting the effort or desire or trying to take on teams, then it's just a waste of all the good work done to this point.

Other than the top two, it’s Everton, Palace, Sunderland and then Brighton, who have conceded the least goals, so it’s (allegedly) the three bright young coaches and Moyes, with the best defensive records outside of the top two.

I’ve also missed out Emery, at Villa, who I definitely think is one of the best coaches in the league

Their back four is all over the place mate, inc the best centre half the world has ever seen.

No balance in front of them.

Any team that goes at them in numbers gets joy.

Imo, if we play with same aggression, while playing front foot football as we played yesterday, in the derby we will beat them.

You can look at it a few ways.

We might have played that way and been in CL spot now.

Or has the way we've been quite conservative, pragmatic, as people will call Moyes, put us in this position now to be challenging ?

Think it's been about balancing our strength without the ball, witch has worked away all season.

Looks like finally got the balance right at home, where we can still be solid without the ball, but commit to winning the game when we have the ball.

I smiled and instantly thought to myself, the smile on that driver’s face, makes me think the bastards must be getting beat. I checked my phone and I was right, but there was just something inside of me that felt it was going to be an Everton day yesterday, and I wasn’t disappointed for once!

The other three things that are becoming increasingly apparent to me are that:-

We have a great team spirit.
We are not afraid to get involved in the physical side of the game.
The manager has got the dressing room and that is a huge thing.

Having said all that, and having previously called “Moyes out”, I feel compelled to say - well done David Moyes.

Link

Look at the arm round the shoulder at the end. You can't buy that.

He’s always known how to defend, mate, if he can just let them play in a similar, forward-thinking way, for 7 games, we will be playing in Europe!

Sunderland (Southampton as the worst relegated/promoted side) and Palace were wins.

Liverpool, Brentford and West Ham draws

Man City and Spurs defeats.

Sunderland drop 2, Palace still in Europe, same again = 4.

Liverpool, yeah the devil will look after them, Brentford a real 6-pointer and West Ham we should win = 5.
City, all over by then for them maybe a point.

Leaves 10 in total = 58 points.
Last match of the season - Spurs away. 3 points to make it 61 = Europe and every chance seal their fate of 12 months in the Championship.

April and May are never dull being an Everton supporter.

I remember Mark Pembridge speaking on Radio Merseyside just before we were hit with the draconian points deduction and he was saying how it looked like the players were beginning to play with confidence for the first time since Ancelotti left.

That didn't last long but, two and a half years later and just at the right time, this definitely looks to be the case once again.

Moyes gets credit and Moyes gets stick but, if Moyes has really evolved and become a better manager, then it doesn't matter what he says publicly (dumbing down expectations), it's what he thinks privately that matters the most.

I've just seen a little clip of Billy Kenny talking about Everton. More specifically, Kendall's Everton. One thing you never really heard Howard say is that anyone was better than Everton Football Club.

Everton were magnificent, but Chelsea were dreadful. The Londoners backed their back 4 and keeper to deal with any issues, with little effort surprisingly coming from a front 6 of Pedro, Neto, Palmer, Fernandez, Lavia and Caicedo. Anyone that is backing that keeper needs their head testing. Whilst an expensively assembled side doesn’t have one leader in it.

Positionally this wasn't a great change to the Everton side. The back 4 largely stayed in their slots but, when they did break forward, there was room to exploit, as there was very little cover coming from Palmer, Caicedo, Lavia or Fernandez. The statement that “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard” has never been truer.

James Garner in contrast was everywhere. Picking the ball up from the defenders, quite often from a near full-back position, to then driving forward. Kept the ball very well, with 46 out of his 48 passes finding a blue.

The step up from this lad is absolutely unbelievable. Yes, he was scoring goals on loan in the Championship a couple of years ago, but this is something different. He seems totally comfortable with the physical side of things. Offers a good turn of speed to recover balls when we are opened up, and keeps the ball really well.

I remember Toffee TV giving pelters after one match early in his time. Weak. The statement was this was the biggest club Garner would ever play for. I kind of hope he's right.

I have railed against primitive, safety first football as much as you have. I hate it with all my heart, but we cant cry over spilt milk. Maybe we would have been higher if we had set out to win our games from the off But I'm not so sure. I think David @156 has a point.

This club has had a haunted look about it for decades. I wont go into the Kenwright era as its been done to death. We thought we were out of the mire when he sold up, but in our worst nightmares, we none of us could have expected what was to follow.

The entire club has been in the grip of fear - actually its been more like continuous terror. I still have nightmares about when our entire board wouldnt even come and support the manager. Those left to hold the fort - The manager. The crowd and the players. were terrified of having their part of this fine institution's extinction on their CV's.

I always knew we were watching good players, but the pressure under which they were working must have been unbearable - I could just about about cope in the stands.

I don't think for one minute Moyes walked into FF and said "Right boys. The handbrake is off". It's not in his nature, but by freeing them from the terror of relegation with his safety first approach. He has given them a sense of freedom. They can express themselves.

I never thought I would see the day when the guy I called "The tackling machine" would want more than to just snuff out the fire, but when I saw Gana's drive and determination to go straight for the jugular even though we were winning. I was out of my armchair, screaming. Driving him on. Ok it took a fuck up from the keeper to make it 2-0, but for me, it was the goal of the season Exhilarating.

In the words of KC and the sunshine band; Thats the way, I like it

Having belief does not guarantee success, mate; not having it guarantees failure.

I hope we play same as Saturday in the next 7 games, regardless of who is facing us.

I think that's taking the shine off a good performance tbh.

Didnt Caceido split the centre halfs for long periods of the game?

Agree 100% on James.

Player of the season up to now for me.

I enjoyed watching him play, but he did slow the game up and maybe the team relied on him to much, rather than going out and showing what they could do.

The last two performances have been excellent, hopefully we can keep it going.

As for Europe, if it happens OK, but we will need a bigger squad and more quality players. The bench on Saturday, did nt give you that much confidence.

And the team performance was magnificent. How long can Idrissa keep this up? The midfield were magnificent to watch for the whole game.

Illy's goal capped it all. And Beto's best game in blue.

Your right, what's gone is gone.
Frustrating though, this is the same group of players we were being told were doing great to not be involved in a relegation fight.

They can play, no doubt about that.
On Gana, did you ever watch him play a more forward role for PSG?

We caught them at the right time, and they caught us at our right time.

Confidence breeds confidence and whilst David Moyes will keep us all grounded, it’s a super asset to have.

7 tough games to go, anything is possible, all outcomes are plausible from a pretty much full strength squad.

We need all our strengths including the Hill Dickinson roar, for the first time we truly stood and pulled as one on the banks of the royal blue Mersey.

Moments shape history and this may be one we look back on. Some will remember Oxford away in the Kendall era.

Watching Spurs collapse again yesterday, it’s great to be looking up instead of down.

We have a chance of European football, let’s go and grab it with both hands.

Your right Moyes getting them away from relegation has lifted the fear and that allows players to play without fear and allows to express themselves more. But every good team has a solid defence and then build from there and thats exactly what Moyes is doing. KDH was saying this week that Moyes has given him more freedom than he has had before and has allowed him to roam wherever he wants and that trust is being re paid. Same with James Garner his improvement since Moyes arrived has been very noticeable, yes a lot of the credit goes to the player but don't under play the impact Moyes has had on him.

Michael Keane for me has been our best defender all season and under Moyes his all round game has improved, Mykolenko looks a better player. You have to put the basics in place to allow you to play a more expansive game which we are now doing.

Walking up to Hill Dickenson on Saturday you could feel the confidence in all our supporters, Moyes has now given us a belief that on our day we can beat anyone. Just played the Champions elect and were the better team, then followed that up against a top 4 side and again were by far the better side. So these arent one off games there is now a level of consistency. This has been achieved without possibly our best defender for most of the season, Gana and Ndaiye missing at the AFCON for 5 weeks and lately missing Grealish.

Thank you for your concern

Cos that's what we've had.

The years 2015 to 2021 might have been diasppointing. But, they weren’t “traumatic”.

I would describe Koeman's era as genuinely traumatic for the lunatic spending... but yes, not existential.

A lowering of standards, a lowering of expectations with way too many people quite happy to go along with the narrative of "plucky little Everton, punching above their weight".

Looking around the stadium on Saturday night, the crowd was loud, the roar at times was even louder, with smiling faces everywhere watching Everton playing in a stadium that is fit for kings.

The players looked more confident, it was spreading through the ground, so let's start aiming higher and let's start really believing again -- singing We Shall Not Be Moved!

A bit better than the one attached to a supermarket in Kirkby that the greatest Evertonian ever born wanted to take us to.

If we had continued to maintain that we were expected to reach cup finals every year whilst not having any money to spend, we would all have ended up in the loony bin with cognitive dissonance.

The seasons 2022-23 and 2023-24 were an existential threat to the club. If we'd been relegated then, the club would likely have gone bankrupt with the level of debt and no financing from the owner or lenders.

Clough said, "Sam, you just keep signing the fucking cheques and leave the football side to me."

I think Moyes should say that should Friedkin ever turn up at Finch Farm, as those who recruited Dibling, Aznou, Rohl and Barry shouldn't have anything to do with recruiting players.

I assume nobody is still delusional enough to think Moyes wanted any of these.

Moyes made a statement that he had final say on all players, in and out.

Rohl hasn't really played but there were a lot of people saying McNeil wasn't good enough not so long ago... and I don't think I would be alone in saying I have been quite impressed by the young German in a couple of our away victories.

It's the same with another that you haven't mentioned because Alcaraz is another who has blown hot and cold, possibly because he hasn't had a consistent run in the team afforded to others.

I agree with you about Barry, and the other kid Dibling has been the most disappointing because he hasn't really looked interested for whatever reason, except when he was playing in front of a natural full-back who has also been written off, even though I'm not sure we have lost when Nathan Patterson has played.

Darren has been on the money by claiming that we have got a lot of players who are better than they are given credit for. I'm not sure if I will be on the money as much as Darren when I suggest that the players I've mentioned might all be good enough in the long term but, unless a footballer is given a proper chance, then how will we ever find out?

Moyes always goes for experience, it's part of his DNA. But can he change and start using more of his squad players? That's the bigger conundrum for me when I think about our manager. He's stood the test of time without ever being a genuine winner... but can he now evolve?

I sometimes read your stuff and think you are posting from the loony bin. One without any mirrors.

Every week, I see you on here bleating and whining about negativity on this website, but you are the one of the most negative posters on here.

I've seen you whine that the new owners have done nothing. I've seen you consistently hammer the players saying they are not good enough, I've seen you blame the stadium for poor home performances. I've even see you blame the crowd on more than one occasion for booing the shite served up to them. Let's be fair here. You would blame the tea lady if it meant deflecting criticism from St Davey.

There is a line between support, admiration and out-and-out fingers-in-the-ears sycophancy. Unfortunately for you, most on here will know you have long since crossed it.

I can see why you are so desperate to try to claim that there has been no difference in our recent games to the mindless ten behind the ball, big boot to the isolated striker, that fans have suffered for most of the season.

It's because these players are now exposing your claims that they are not good enough to play as the ramblings of a complete mug.

Eight goals going on fifteen in the last four games. Only a lick of paint prevented us winning at the home of the Champions elect. Those fans you criticised who (unlike you pay money to see their team) are now roaring their approval. Thats because of the change in attitude and mindset. Never mind the width. Try opening your eyes to the quality.

The stadium you blamed for our poor home games is roaring the team on, more than any other. The new owners you give no credit to, have backed the manager as far as rules allow. The "not-good-enough" players are being called up -- not to mention winning international tournaments. Hell, we are even working our way up to the MotD pecking order. People want to see our games.

Perhaps when Moyes does eventually get the boot, he will take you with him. You can have him all to yourself and you won't be dragged down by all these useless people at EFC.

Maybe you and others of a sycophantic nature can form your own club. You can form the most miserable glass-half-full group of positive thinkers in sport

Clough would have said that to any chairman of any club he managed because he knew and believed he was a great manager.

That's why he never got the England job — the people in charge at the FA were terrified of how he would manage England — he was never a 'Yes' man.

Can you imagine Moyes being like that — he was apologising for meeting Ferguson because he was wearing slacks and a tee-shirt, for fuck's sake! Ferguson was a working class man from Glasgow like himself!

With the squad he had at his disposal, I thought Ancelotti did great in his stint, and if he could get the right players in, it would've went in the right direction real quick!

Oh Moyes, I wish for him to do at least a little better than when he was here last time around. We're in good times, though.

Great job with a 10th-place finish with James, Richarlison, Allan, Digne, Mina, Coleman, Calvert-Lewin, Sigurdsson, Pickford?

Ancelotti did a woeful job at Everton.

14 more points required from a possible 21 to better him.

You are far to savvy to believe he sanctioned the £42M for Dibbling then gave him less than 3 hours football all season. Maybe because of the shambles of the money the recruitment team wasted, maybe Friedkin asked him to say he had input into all transfers.

Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish are Moyes signings, played every minute when fit. It's not in Moyes's DNA to buy players and not play them. He knows managers get very little time to build anything, so the thought of working for new owners he didn't particularly know, and his biggest summer signing would spend most of the season on the bench is ludicrous.

He said anything Kenwright wanted him to say first time around, so you could be right.

From my view, there are three possibilities:

1. The new owners, who are certainly not experts on footballer talent, shoved those players down Moyes's unwilling throat.

2. Moyes made some bad decisions (along with some very good ones) in approving player transactions.

3. Some players simply didn't step up.

For the record, I believe some combination of 2 and 3 is likely. I find it unlikely that any player Moyes objected to would have been forced upon him.

And I think that given the overall failure rate of player transfers (Kinnear claims it's 2/3, which seems hyperbolic, but certainly half would be plausible), flops like Dibling are to be expected.

Yes, a great win to be savoured but that is different to Philip @ (209) with “The finest performance in years” — A bit of an exaggeration there surely?

Better than the 2-0 v Liverpool the season before last at home? Or the 5-1 victory v Brighton away? -- Just two games off the top of my head.

Another few like that before the end of the season and I'll be "very satisfied".

Is it his fault that, since the late eighties, no one in power has had a clue how to keep us successful or return us there? We had constant revisiting of Howard Kendall as manager and a lot of shite from Peter Johnson about world class stadiums, winning the European Cup, and appointing managers with proven records both nationally and internationally, or whatever crap he came out with at the time.

Yet the entire '90s, with the exception of a brief period under Joe Royle and watching Andrei Kanchelskis, were shit.

Moyes immediately improved us and had us fighting it out for Champions League football in his first season. Got us there 2 years later against all odds and came closer than anyone to winning a trophy since Royle's FA Cup win.

We got worse after he left, despite a billionaire owner's backing. We've improved since he returned to the extent that we are currently just 3 points off 5th and Champions League football.

But, people have decided that Moyes is the problem? Yes, he has faults, as does every manager. But his faults don't seem to stop him doing better than every one of the more favoured by many, alternatives. Why is that?

No, he didn't. He qualified for a qualifier.

He's a fantastic if frustrating manager.

Just like every other Everton manager in the last god knows how many years.

His acolytes have him down as a winner.

A marked and obvious improvement since the players started playing football on the floor. And scoring more goals.

He has the best record as far as getting the furthest in any cup competition since we last won something.

He has the (joint) best record as far as league position since we last won the title.

Why do people hate him so much? It's not like anyone does any better. They don't even do as well as he does.

He once wore red
He now wears blue
Jimmy Jimmy Garner
A Toffee through and through

I'm not sure that many people hate Moyes, Grant, but when you give us a list of achievements, it doesn't exactly make for great reading with regard to the way the club has performed for a very long time now.

He's doing well if he gets us into Europe, then I think most people would put the word 'very' before 'well', so hopefully this ends up being the case come May.

I'm always happy with an Everton win, no matter how they achieve it. As to my prediction — which prediction was that?

I fully expected Everton to beat Chelsea after their performance at Arsenal and Chelsea's recent battering by a few teams.

One of my few gripes about our new stadium is that the scoreboard doesn't have a list of the subs, so I was both surprised and delighted to see Jarrad start warming up during the second half.

Or Dyche, Kendall Mk 2 & 3, Lampard, Benitez, or Smith either.

Apart from the solitary cup win at West Ham, he never wins anything, but bigs up getting close.

As far as I am concerned, he has done his job. Saved us from relegation and moved us up the table.

But my concern is, if he is here long term again, we will end up with exactly the same record as his first stint in charge. Perennial top half of the table team, with no trophies.

Having said that, I would be absolutely ecstatic if he were to prove me totally wrong. But is he brave enough to keep the handbrake off, or will he revert to type?

All fair and perfectly valid points.

Colin Harvey
Howard again
Mike Walker
Joe Royle
Howard for a 3rd time
Walter Smith
David Moyes
Roberto Martinez
Ronald Koeman
Marco Silva
Carlo Ancellotti
Rafa Benitez
Frank Lampard
Sean Dyche plus a number of other temporary managers including Sam Allardyce.

Trophies - 1 Joe Royle
Lost Finals - 1 David Moyes
Lost Semi-Finals - 2 Colin Harvey; 2 - David Moyes; 2 - Roberto Martinez
European Competition - 1 Joe Royle, 4 - David Moyes; 1 - Roberto Martinez; 1 - Ronald Koeman

Not sure that David Moyes is the problem for our lack of success. He seems to have done quite well compared to all the others -- except for Big Joe. Perhaps we should get him back?

You're certainly entitled to your view that old dogs can't learn new tricks. Most of the time, they can't.

But I can't dismiss the possibility. I once made a good deal of money betting on George Foreman.

David is doing a good job now, but in 13 years, he has got to three semifinals, losing two, winning one, for a club, that used to exist to win trophies.

No wonder the standards have been allowed to drop, (Harvey wasn’t a good manager imo, but he also got to a final) especially when you consider that in his four European ventures, he has also failed to get past the last sixteen, and this is the biggest issue (again imo)

We have been through the mill and back, pushed from pillar to post, but unless we start demanding that the people who are running Everton football club, are striving to take us back to the club we have been before, then what is the point of our existence.

Moshiri, nearly killed us, what did he expect keeping on the curse? But the curse has now been lifted, and surely everyone inside Bramley-Moore, on Saturday night, could see the potential of the overall club?

If Moyes, gets us into Europe, then he deserves to lead the team into Europe. If Moyes gets us in the conference cup, then I’m certain he would have the belief to go and win that trophy because he has done it before.

It’s all about belief David, even if you don’t always see this enough when it comes to looking inside of yourself mate!

Maybe when Moyes' contract finishes next year Frank could step in and take over that rock solid defense and improve on it, unlike Martinez. Or maybe if we continue the way we are TFG might just give Moyes a three year contract extension by the end of this season.

His first words to me, before we mutually asked about each other and our families:

"Why can't we play like that every fuckin week, lad?"

I asked him about Garner; he said, "Yes, I like him... but he's a young player who has got to learn the game."

I asked him about a couple of others who I thought could be leaders but I think the key to James Garner really improving is because he has gained a lot more experience and he has looked a much better player because of it.

I have stolen your last three posts on here and cobbled them together into an article -- I hope you don't object.

It's not an article I could ever write but I think you put together a lot of interesting -- and no doubt provocative -- thoughts about where we are with the perennial question: David Moyes: Manager for the future or Temporary Placeholder?

ps: I'm moving a lot of the related discussion over there and closing this thread. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

It’s Heinz, the ketchup people. The official supplier of red sauce and mayo.

More revenue. More money we can spend under SCR.

I was having a bit of fun out of the fact we had dropped two places due to some results earlier in the day by taking the piss out Moyes but as I said the performance at Arsenal deserved a better result and Chelsea were going through a hard time so I really thought we would win which we did and nothing to do with that post but I was made up and envious of all you fans who witnessed and enjoyed that display.

I stick by my opinion that Chelsea were no big threat to stopping us from that victory and leave it at that and let you all carry on enjoying a brilliant day.

Did Moyes get 30m to replace DCL - Yes.

Did he squander it - Yes

Did he get the go ahead to spend 12m on a loan - Yes

Have we been a better team in the absence of that loan - Yes.

Has the injured loan player been replace by a better player who was already here - Yes

Did Moyes tell the football world he has final say on who comes and goes - Yes

Did his fanboys try to tell us that "Honest "Davey" was telling porkies on this occasion - Haha yes

Did Moyes inherited some very good players within a paper thin squad - Yes

Was he given 170m to boost that squad - Yes

Do the players he inherited keep out the players he bought out of the team - Yes

Is he the first manager to spend his first full season in a glorious new stadium - Yes

Were his bosses able to offer a financial stabiltiy his predecessors could only dream about - Yes

Did he sign Alcaraz, Dibbling, Barry, Aznou and Rohl - Yes

Do we need sniffer dogs to try to find out where they are - Yes

Did he spend around 25-26 games telling his players to hoof it to an isolated striker ? - Yes

Did this tactic fail - Hell yes

Was it roundly booed by the faithful - yes.

Do we have evidence of players getting together and putting this right for him - Yes

Did he avoid having to play the likes of Doucourie's and Harrison's as there was nobody else - Yes

Did he compromise our cup chances in pursuit of his holy grail (stabiilty) - Yes

Is he among the top six earners in the division - Yes.

Has he so far failed to get us into that bracket (top six) - Yes

Will he merely be achieving what he gets paid to do if he ever does get top six ? - yes

Is he able (unlike most of his peers) to refuse any player he doesnt want - yes.

has he been cheered from the rafters for achieving the some total of fuck all - Yes

Will he still be cheered from the rafters if he continues to achieve fuck all - Yes

Do his acolytes regularly run down the quality of our players to make him look good - yes.

Do top clubs give him a wide berth after his abject failure at Man United - Yes.

When I think of poor old disadvantaged Davey, I do wonder why the worlds rope,money and old swirl round my head.

What a hero

If you are bemused, I'll explain it again.

14 managers since HK went to Bibao and apart from

Joe Royle

Martinez on the back of Moyes' defensive legacy and the signing of Lukaku and Barry

Harvey on the back of Kendall's legacy

Koeman on the back of Moshiri's arrival

None of the rest have done anything.

But we have to say Moyes is not good enough. Well if he is not good enough - then what does it say about the rest and so why are we always getting useless managers?

That any clearer?