Column 22comments | Jump to last This article may have been recategorised and is therefore no longer available at this URL. You can try to find the updated link in the article archive. Share article: Reader Comments (22) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Guy McEvoy 1 Posted 15/08/2016 at 16:45:07 Also had horrible problems getting into the Top Balcony. I was in the queue at 2:45, and got in the game at 3:08 (having missed our goal). Very Everton.As far as I can make out they've decided to remove the RFID chip from cards, so you have a bar code scanner instead. This will solve one problem of chips going in season tickets and no doubt save a bob or two on that. The nice thing about the old proximity thing was though was the speed. You touch it, the turnstile opens. With these scanners it does seem a little more picky to get it lined up. Yes, it may only take an extra second or two a person, but when you're shifting 1000 people through a turnstile, those 2 extra seconds per person add up to an extra half hour to squeeze people through. Did no-one think that through?In my opinion Everton have shot themselves in the foot by trying to fix something that wasn't broken. I'm reluctant to get to the ground at 2pm just to make sure I get in in time .Anyway, great report. For me, you don't give enough credit to Guyue who was my stand-out MOTM by a mile, which amazes me as I thought it was a dreadful signing at the time. We all see the game our own way though I will give you that Stekelenburg had me standing up applauding one of his instinctive saves, and (sad to say) I struggled to remember the last time I did that for a keeper at Goodison. Brent Stephens 2 Posted 15/08/2016 at 17:02:56 Gareth Barry rated only as 6!! And Gana ony 7!! Strewth Paul! Ellen West 3 Posted 15/08/2016 at 17:09:00 Great report. Can I ask that for future reports you include a crowd rating? I always like to hear how the fans inside Goodison reacted to the team. From the looks (sounds) of the half decent stream (these streams are getting better every season) it sounded like the fans were really up for it, especially in the first half, but became a lot more tense midway through the 2nd. So my rating would be 8. However, my bias is based on where the microphones are located. Hence, asking someone who attended the match to make a comment.Thanks Tony Abrahams 5 Posted 15/08/2016 at 17:38:55 Thanks for the report Paul, I also enjoyed the pace of the game for the first 60 minutes, as I'm sure did most of the crowd. But if Baines was carrying a knock then God help the rest of the team, because he was one of the few Everton players, who could still sprint at the end! Ray Roche 7 Posted 15/08/2016 at 18:19:56 I can't see the reason for marking Baines, who I thought stuck to his task well, with the totally ineffectual and useless Kone. He contributed nothing at all to the performance and if none of the younger lads or Shani, the Swiss lad, aren't better than that fraud then they should be moved on. The under 9's forward would have had as much effect as Kone. Christopher Timmins 8 Posted 15/08/2016 at 19:15:26 Paul, great to have your reports and ratings. Agree with most of your ratings at the weekend. Great to see the new boys doing well. Hopefully, in the fullness of time when the manager has his players playing his system that Goodison will once again be a place to be feared by visiting teams. Gordon White 9 Posted 15/08/2016 at 19:16:01 Good report thank you. Really enjoyed the first half. For me the difference in the second half was about our fitness levels, which RK had warned about. I think Baines played much better than Kone. Stekelenburg and Gueye played really well and stood out. I do think we need a top drawer alternative for when Lukaku is not available, or to join him up front? Hopefully Ross, Gerard, Kevin and Yannick will also be weighing in with goals. Can't wait for next game! COYB. Brent Stephens 10 Posted 15/08/2016 at 19:20:15 Ellen, I was at the match and the it was great to hear the crowd in full voice again. I would rate the fans 8/9 (and would rate the fan in seat N141 in Upper Bullens as 10). Eric Holland 11 Posted 15/08/2016 at 19:53:53 Was that you making all that noise Brent? Mike Powell 12 Posted 15/08/2016 at 19:54:04 I would give Gana an 8 and Deulofeu a 5 I thought he was awful. Brent Stephens 13 Posted 15/08/2016 at 19:57:01 Did my bit for the cause, Eric. Did my bit. Tony Draper 14 Posted 15/08/2016 at 21:41:53 Gana did just fine in his home debut. More than just fine, he shone in a role we really need. As has been said elsewhere, shades of Bracewell, a few more imposing tackles and maybe we are talking about a new Peter Reid (he'll have to lose some of that lightning pace though).I like him. John Austin 15 Posted 15/08/2016 at 21:43:12 Enjoyed the read Paul. Thanks. I too think you were a bit harsh on Barry. I thought he had a really good game - minimum of 8 for me with Gueye probably a 9. The crowd were really up for it in the first half. Good defensive tackles getting my part of the main stand out of their seats on a number of occasions. The atmosphere got tense as the second half progressed which I suppose was understandable. Fortunately there didn't appear to be a problem with turnstiles 11 and 12 of the main stand. I just walked straight in at 2.45. Danny Broderick 16 Posted 15/08/2016 at 22:12:20 Paul,I wasn't at the match, but I also think you are a bit harsh with your scores (based on what you write). For instance, you say Barry did pretty well, but mark him down on everyone else by giving him a 6. If someone does pretty well, they should be a 7 - a 6 is bang average. By the same token, you say Gueye was very impressive, then give him a 7 like most of the team. Surely he merits an 8 then?Just a bit of constructive criticism Paul. I read most of your match reports, especially when I am not at the match myself - thanks for taking the time to produce them, even if I don't always agree with the player ratings! Paul Ferry 17 Posted 16/08/2016 at 03:42:00 Player ratings are what I like best about Paul's reports. There's always posts about them.He tends to cluster the lads in the 6-8 bracket meaning that margins between decent, good, and very good are often thin - if Paul gives a 4 or 5 take notce, that was a really bad performance!Would like to see more 9s and 5s Paul. Use the full range mate. It's what ti's there for!For what it's worth.Stekelenburg 9 - McCarthy 7 - Funes Mori 7 - Jagielka 7 - Holgate 6 - Baines 5 - Barry 8 - Gueye 8 - Mirallas 7 - Barkley 7 - Deulofeu 6 didn't agree with or like any one of the three subs (taking Kev off mystified me) and quite frankly nobody, not Kone, Lennon, or Cleverley, made any significant impact on the game unless, needless to say, I missed it. Dave Abrahams 18 Posted 16/08/2016 at 16:07:07 Paul (17) how did you expect Cleverley to make a significant impact, he was only on for the last six minutes, Cleverley takes a lot of stick on ToffeeWeb, yet always shows for the ball and is not as bad as a lot of fans make out. Paul Ferry 19 Posted 16/08/2016 at 17:45:32 HI Dave (#18), that was partly my point mate. I was not criticizing Cleverley as such but the substitution with so little time to go with so little chance to make an impact. I like Cleverley for the record and he is busy but I suspect that he might fall down the pecking order over the next six months or so. Steven Jones 20 Posted 16/08/2016 at 22:24:02 Brent and Eric ... that is all we can contribute ... great big volume support - shouting the guys on ...I always started and contributed to singing and keeping the volumes up ... always come out of Goodison with a hoarse voice cheering the guys on ...Once lost a wife over it!!! versus Manu ... was in the Park end so got a bit vociferous!!! They were obnoxious as usual and got a bit aggressive which she didn't appreciate ... well hey ho! Brent Stephens 21 Posted 16/08/2016 at 23:34:23 Steven, some sacrifice for the cause! Phil Walling 22 Posted 17/08/2016 at 11:34:14 Great report, Paul, but sad to see your normal generosity with ratings chose the wrong game to 'curb your enthusiasm'.By any standard, Gueye was an 8! Paul Hay 23 Posted 17/08/2016 at 16:12:50 Thanks for the report Paul!Thought Gueye was worth at least 8 though. Impressed with Jags to be honest - with Williams alongside it will only benefit him.Keep the faith. Andy Crooks 24 Posted 19/08/2016 at 21:41:48 Welcome back, Paul, top report as usual. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads , placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' }); Find out how to browse ad-free and support ToffeeWeb © ToffeeWeb