Dreadful start sees fightback become a whitewash

On days like this (or come to think of it every day), don't you wake up and thank whoever you believe in that you are an Evertonian. It is a privilege that we have and so few understand. COYB.

Decent bench!

Quality squad.
Plenty of options there if Gibson is fit to come off the bench.

Ossie is in his preferred position (for me) these days - potentially coming off the bench to make an impact with 20 mins to go.

Besic and Eto’o could make debuts if we need them.
Hopefully both come on with us 3-0 up in injury time.
Come on you Mighty Blues.

(Still think we may need a keeper and a CB with the number of games we’ll have to play this season).

We need to show that last season was not one off in tearms of playing well against big teams. Go Everton, be brave and don’t respect them too much!

I can see Besic coming on in this one. We can’t allow Fabregas freedom to dictate. I would also love to see Gibson play a part. We miss his passing range.

Disappointed again to see our new acquisitions still doing bench-warming service. The hoopla on here all through the summer was about bringing in new players... yet, for the third match into the new season, those new signings will likely be limited to playing only a minor role, coming on late (if at all) in the second half.

If getting new players in was so important, and judging by the concerns of fans expressed on here, it was front and centre, day-in & day-out for the last three months, yet the biggest game of the season so far... and still we are relying on the old guard to get us through the first hour. I just don’t get it.

I know I shouldn’t say anything before the game... and I hope it’s not something we will be talking about at 7:30 this evening, but it just bugs the hell outta me.

The sooner Martinez realizes Distin isn’t upto it this season, the better.

Not just that, Michael, but also the promise of blooding some of our youngsters yet, last week, Martinez was happy to put two centre backs on the bench and no strikers when he could have had one of our young strikers on the bench.

And as for the start to this game, my god!! Martinez, tactical genius — my arse, he’s totally tactically naïve as he so clearly showed against Leicester and so appallingly against Arsenal last week!!

Anyone know when our pre-season ends?

Now let’s see what we are made of. This will test our mental strength and ability to compete with top teams.

If Arsenal can come back from 2-0 down, we must surely do so at home if we have any top 4 ambitions.

Conceding 6 goals so far in less than 3 games... and we sell a young centre half??????

Never mind Distin — compared to Jagielka, yet again he is having a stormer.

"The sooner Martinez realizes Distin isn’t upto it this season, the better."

If you ask me, Phil Jagielka, the so called captain, is by far the defensive weak link so far this season. Yes, Distin is knocking on and has always had a defensive cock up in his make up but Jagielka’s performances thus far have been nothing short of shocking.

Bollocks. Ok, they’re both shite.

5 goals conceded. Absolute wank. How can you expect to be taken seriously? What a joke. Lukaku looks absolute shite.

Bring Moyes back as defensive coach!!! FFS!!!!

9 goals conceded in 3 games (so far). Moyes’’s defensive disciplines instilled in our back four and midfield now completed eroded and we have become an expensively assembled Wigan Mk 2. Still, I’m sure that cretin in charge will win us over by outgushing Kenwright and saying how "PHENOMENAL" we were and what a "PHENOMENAL" team Chelsea are and what a "PHENOMENAL" game it was to watch which is the main thing!!!

To go from the having one of the BEST defences last year to conceding 9 in 3 game (so far) - fucking shite.
WE have become Wigan at that back!

Stones should be on, jag should be benched, and another centre half acquired.

McCarthy- unforgivable for his role in their 3rd goal.
Lukaku...............can you please show up? Lean something from Eto, in the few mins he had he was 10 times the player Lukaku was today.

SERIOUS issues with our central defence need to be addressed

Humiliating!!!

It’s getting fucking worse. How embarassing. Can’t take much more of this!

3 games played, conceded 10. Crap.

Just over 48 hours of the transfer window left. Any clues which positions we may need to reinforce?

And 2 goals in the first 3 mins is appalling. Sort it out.

(And please don’t say it was a ’phenomenal’, ’incredible’ etc. From an Evertonian’s point-of-view, it was not.)

Wigan 3 - 6 Chelsea

Disgraceful defending..................... 10 goals conceded in 3 games — there is a stat that speaks for itself.

Stones must start next game. Jagielka is not in any kind of form and must be dropped. I also don’t want to hear any sickeninglly sweet positivity from Martinez because the defending negates any good that came from that game. Also worrying performances from Baines, Mccarthy and Distin. Lukaku was shite as well

That was ludicrous. There are positives to take from that performance, but that defending was beyond awful.

With you John Daley. Nine played well, but the central defensive pairing were dreadful. Their judgement of situations is appalling. Stones must come in.

I’m afraid since Jags needs a rest at least.

Two poor central defenders. A truly Wigan like show. Honeymoon over. Some silence needed from the coach.

Wow!!! That was awful and to concede 6 goals at home is embarrassing but Jagielka was terrible!!! This is the season where RM shows us how good he is and so far he’s not living up to expectation.

One-season wonder and doesn’t know how to defend with his teams!!! We look like conceding every time from a corner, free kick or open play — it was just too much!!!

McCarthy was shagged after the 3rd goal but he still kept him on, McGeady... say no more!!!

Well we’ve stopped throwing away comfortable leads......

Not so long ago we had a manager who hated attacking, now we have one who hates defending. Who’d be an Everton fan?

I think many fans are being a bit over-the-top. No, it isn’t nice to concede six goals on your home turf, but every break that was going went to Chelsea apart from the offside in the first half when Costa was onside. How many teams do you think would have the bottle to react in the way that Everton did during the game — not just once but time and again. The game could have just as easily have ended 6-6 as 6-3.

I am sticking my neck on the line and saying this team this season will put a trophy in the cabinet. I have witnessed many Everton defeats at Goodison and some proper hidings; today’s game wasn’t one of those where the team didn’t perform. I agree with Jags letting the side down but I can’t say I thought Distin had a poor match. Mirallas and Naismith were outstanding for the Blues.

Rick - you can’t claim ’9 played well’ when we let in 6 goals at home. Not all the goals were down to the centre-backs. We have a broader problem in that the full backs and their supporting midfielders allow far too many balls to get into the box too. Not just today but last week when both goals were crosses from the right and Leicester when their 2nd should have been stopped before it reached the penalty area.

This defensive patheticness needs to be sorted out by Martinez but whether he sees it only time will tell.

I am speechless after watching that match - incredibly naive, at one point of time, it appeared that if Chelsea crossed the halfway line, they were going to score. Embarrassing defending... and, my God, Besic! I was one of hundreds on this site screaming for Besic to start and what does he do? Beyond unbelievable!

Sorry to say this but Jags and Distin are both finished as premier league defenders. And so is Howard - the difference in class between Howard and Courtois was night and day.

Just when we think that the attack is sorted out, the defence begins to unravel. You gotta love being an Evertonian!

Stones and Alcaraz to start the next game for me, we got to rebuild from the back.

Fantastic game. Strangely I don’t feel the same deflated feeling I normally do after a loss, but that’s probably the alcohol and adrenaline still pumping.

The good that I’m hoping can come out of this game is the unquestionable fact that we have a real weakness in the centre of our defence. We need to make concentrate all our efforts on finding a solid centre back as Distin and Jagielka, despite being fabulous servants for the club, are looking past it. I was concerned about our forward line, but the signings of Eto’o and Lukaku have remedied that, now we need to take a long hard look at where it is going wrong at the back!

The late goals were more a product of the game being played at a frenetic pace with passions running high, but the first two were diabolical and showed a real lack of organization and decision making, especially by Jagielka for the first.

I’m not looking to blame all our woes on Jagielka, he has been superb for us over the years, but for me the World Cup proved that time has caught up with him and he just doesn’t have the sharpness of hind or aerial ability to be considered to top class defender. Still a useful player, but we need a leader (I hate to say it, but a John Terry character) who will command the defence. We just seem to be all over the shop when teams come at us with pace and we lack organization when defending set pieces.

I think Jagielka and Distin can both still do a good job, but they both need a partner who can control the game. I believe that in the future John Stones will be that player, but we need someone right now and we can’t expect a twenty year old to fulfil that role, he needs to be learning from an experienced player himself.

Who do we bring in?

I think it is deluded to say nine played well. McCarthy (our DM) at fault for two goals and yet again lots of holes closing down on our right, with both fullbacks horribly exposed all game. So there’s five. I don’t think Howard can be blamed for any of the goals particularly.

Attacking we looked good but half a team won’t win enough games.

I really do have this nagging worry which has persisted from Day One with Martinez - 10 goals in 3, the worst defence in the League so far, is truly Wiganesque.

Big test for Martinez over the next month or so.

Barry and McCarthy were knackered with 20 to go. Why no substitutions? 3 games in a row now we haven’t been able to defend, track runners and have been knackered with 20 to go.

Martinez, sort it out!!!

If he doesn’t realise that, in football you need to defend as well as attack, then as a manager he won’t last long!!

If I hear another phenomenal shit.. phenomenal... phenomenal... phenomenal... I will go nuts!!!

Oh yeah, get a new fitness coach — embarassing!

The way we play with that high line, we need to have defenders comfortable on the ball and have plenty of pace. We have neither.

I’m afraid what we have just witnessed will be the REAL Everton team. Jags is shite, Distin is getting on, bless him, I’d be happy to right this season off if he addresses the shite defenders we have and buy in quality ones. That way it’ll give them a season to adjust to the prem (if we buy outside of the BPL).

I’m afraid my love for Martinez is diminishing, quickly.

We’re below Man Utd.
That’s how bad things are.

Not an over-reaction.
A blind man in a darkened room with a bucket over his head can see that the defence is crap.

It’s not hindsight either.
People have been saying it on here for weeks.

It’s not poor squad but expectations have been heightened and we’re falling way short.

Last season’s defeat at Anfield will seem like a happy memory unless action is taken soon – in the form of a strengthened defence.

Some great attacking. Terrible defending. I won’t buy into the Jagielka and Distin witch hunt because you don’t concede 6 just down to your two CBs. They’re just the current default target. Defensively we’re not performing as a team. McCarthy, for the second week straight, got done and looks horribly out of fuel by the hour mark each week. The entire back line and midfield aren’t doing enough.

And you can’t blame anyone but Besic for the 6th. Confidence is great but you don’t do that in that position.

Over the top Patrick? We just got butt-fucked at home big-style!

Hey, at least we’re still better than Man Utd.

Apologies for the second post in quick succession, but I have to echo the words of Patrick Murphy (29). Yes, we were shown up defensively and it hurts to concede six at home, but I think we can hold our heads up high for the spirit we showed in trying to get something out of the game. Not many neutrals watching this game would be sniggering at us. In fact I’m sure we will have gained many admirers.

Yes, defeat hurts... and yes, we have a problem at the back, but I’m proud that we went for it and didn’t just batton down the hatches trying to keep the scoreline respectable. We believed we could get something out of the game, even against a well-organised Chelsea defence and we threw everything at them. Yes, it was naïve but we believed we could do it. I have no doubts that we will sort out the problems and will emerge from this a stronger unit!

As for Besic’s insane backheel (or whatever that was), it was his first touch and I’m sure nobody will be more distraught than him. I’m sure he has the strength of character to put this behind him and show what he can really do next time.

That is the worst Everton defending (first 5 mins and last 30) I’ve ever seen and I was at Highbury for that 7-0 embarrassment after we’d nothing (but pride) to play for. Shocking...

I’m with Patrick Murphy and Drew Shortis – a lot more to be positive about. The defence can be fixed. It’s not easy chasing a game and Chelsea will be relieved they played us now and not later in the season. Eto’o still has it, you could see that when he came on.

Sorry to all the TW knockers but this team is on the up.

Funniest thing in the game was the fact I was asking for Besic to come on with 20 mins to go and then he does that. You couldn’t make it up. Ha ha!

All the Lower Gwladys were singing from the same song sheet, Trevor.

Looking on the bright side, we’re only a point behind where we were last season and we have played two of the top four and not Cardiff and West Brom. I’m disappointed, but this season is only just getting started. I’m positive we will be up there again come the end of the season.

Great game. Ridiculous scoreline.

Let’s just look at what might have been.

Chelski – second goal offside. 2 goals scored via the post, including very unlucky (no bias) own goal.

Everton hit woodwork twice. Offside goal correctly disallowed.

Fantastic performance by The Blues (except for central defence and goalie). Can’t feel disappointed after the most exciting home defeat since............. Chelsea (as they were known in those days) winning 3-4 (from 4 shots at goal) back in the 80s.

Don’t forget Howard was VERY lucky to be on the field in the 1st half. How the linesman didn’t see the handling outside the D will remain a mystery.

Okay, now for some positives:

Eto’o! A brilliant acquisition... one touch – one goal, fabulous.
Naismith - wonderful footballer, and what every Everton player should aspire to be in attitude.
Barry pulled the strings in Pirlo-esque manner.

Martinez has the whole winter break to sort out the defence. We surely can’t do worse than Stones and Alcaraz.

Eight goals conceded against two teams in two consecutive home games, against whom we kept two clean sheets last season with the same defence. Baines is utterly flat at the moment — and where is this push up and look to the linesman coming from? If it’s a Finch Farm practice routine we’re in deep shit.

Terrible performance, where do I start?

Jagielka and Distin, sorry your time is up. If we have any money left, a central defender to play alongside Stones. McCarthy has looked distracted since the start of the season, he was dreadful today. If Man Utd will take you, James, then please go as you clearly have had your head turned.

Lukaku, garbage, Roberto was clearly joking when he suggested we would have paid a lot more for him, I think the Belgian coach had it right.

As for Howard, please decide you do want to join Cahill in the MLS. With the exception of his one save from Costa, he was shite. Slow off his line and made no effort with any of their goals. No idea who is available out there and our reserve goalkeeper is no better, maybe Ruddy?

As mentioned above, we have turned into Wigan.

Jags absolutely has to be ’rested’. I think he left something behind at the World Cup. We all know it wasn’t a great tournament for him – did it scar him mentally? He’s making terrible decisions. Some time with a sports psychologist might be an idea.

Lukaku? Well... what do you do? If Eto’o were fit, I’d say rest Rom. He’s just not at the races.

As for McGeady? Show-pony that needs to cross instead of running into brick walls.

Finally, Kev, I love you, but please, let Baines get back on free-kick duty.

I don’t remember us being compared to Preston North End every time we lost under Moyes but it appears to have become a habit to compare us to Wigan here now.

We played well. We scored 3 and it could have finished 6 each but they had a better defense than we did and there’s our problem.

We need defenders, especially CB’s. Get a couple of younger quicker CB’s and we’ll be a match for anyone. Don’t ask me who we should get because I have no idea. But I do know we have two days to get them.

Sort our fuckin defence and fitness out Bobby and we’ll look great.

Oh for 10 more Naismiths.

Stones has to start from here; Jags had a dreadful afternoon. He really picks the games not to turn up in. Could Duffy seriously have done any worse?

Some really good shifts put in by Coleman, Baines, Naismith, Mirallas and Eto’o was quality when he came on. At least the fitness issues have subsided.

Just to end my Martinez style ’taking the positives’ dialogue, Eto’o looked like a real handfull. If that’s how he plays when lacking match fitness, I’m really looking forwards to seeing him at full throttle.

Mirallas also had a good game and was unlucky not to beat Courtois, that would have been a real game changer! Naismith also put in a warrior like display to be proud of.

Besic will be sick but he may be the one to take Jagielka’s place.

Drew #41

I have to disagree slightly: I don’t think they were trying to keep the score respectable until the last 5 or 10 mins. I reckon they believed they could get something. Some teams will be looking at that and be worried about playing us.

Lots of bad play today but let’s not get too downhearted.

Even under the defensively sound Moyes, we still got crucified a few times: 6 against Arsenal, 7 away at Arsenal, 5 away at a poor Villa side, 4 at home to bloody Bolton... etc.

We do need to improve but we have also played some good stuff at times this season. Maybe it is ’second season syndrome’? But I still believe we will do very well under Martinez.

And I thought Eto’o looked really sharp today, even still had some pace.

Chin up, lads. Long way to go.

Wow!! Lots of highs and lows in that game. I was happy with the commitment after conceding the 2 early goals but we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

The thing that worries me now about Jags/Distin’s apparent decline, is how much is down to age and form, and how much is coaching and tactics.. 3 minutes into the game and conceding 2 goals you’ve got to say its the latter!

I don’t think we need to panic just yet, there were some positives. It was an entertaining game despite of the scoreline. I just hope that now we’re into bobby’s second season we don’t totally lose the defensive sensibilities of OFM and become a Wigan, albeit a better one! Who the plaudits will love but we’ll end up in mid-table.

Phil Jagielka trying to play Costa offside – fails that and 0-1 after 34 seconds. Then 0-2 two minutes later from an offside goal. 1 mistake and the match already being almost destroyed.

What to do then? Give up, sit back and loose 0-2, maybe 0-3? Or give it a real try, join the show, push forward and risk conceding more?

In the Moyes era, we would have continued in the same balanced system and the players would have mentally given up.

Today, we give it a real try, played some awesome attacking football at times. Scored 3 goals against a really good Chelsea.

To concede 6 goals is not good enough of course, but still personally I would rather see an Everton team go for it than limit the loss. This way, we learn more these matches as we can take both positives and negatives from the game.

The problem is not the back 4 it is the midfield.We have 2 defensive midfielders with widemen who do not track back to help. Wenger seen the problem in our midfield last week and brought on support to swamp them and this week Mourinho just pressured them to get to the back line and overpower them.

We do not have a creative midfielder and under this management we may not get them but they better smarten up because in the Europa league away goals can count double in some circumstances.

Scoring goals is great but, in the Premier League, good defences win games.

Naismith is in great form. Pity the same can’t be said of some of our stars.

Howard didn’t handle the ball outside the D, he handled it outside the penalty area. The D is not part of the penalty area, Ajay. Very lucky to stay on, Howard. He had a poor game today.

Very disappointed with the result today. The scoreline flatters Chelsea an awful lot but they took their chances and punished us.

After watching the game, I think we do need to get a replacement for Jagielka, he was dreadful. The heart is willing but he’s lost a yard of speed and his reactions are slowing too. He also looks very uncomfortable with playing a passing game. Lukaku was also atrocious, today. If he’s injured he needs a rest and rehabilitation to get fit because we can’t have him only 80% fit all season or we and him are going to suffer.

Another player who just is not good enough is unfortunately, McGeady. He gave the ball away so many times by trying to beat his 1st man and then just couldn’t be bothered to try and get the ball back immediately. Just put his head down and stopped running, he needs to be replaced.

On the plus side we did score 3 very good goals against, who I believe will win the league this year. But if we want to get champions league football this season, we are going to have to get our defence sorted out because if we don’t we will beat the poor, average and good teams but struggle against the very good teams.

I can’t think of any positive other than that we kept trying. The defensive display was worse than anything I can remember and that includes some bad ones, 2 hammerings by Arsenal in the last decade and 5-0 at home against the unmentionable ones in the ’80s. Chelsea looked like they would hit double figures if they wanted. Given some of Wigan’s results, this is very ominous

We may have defended poorly but I am proud of the way we took the game to them and there are so many positives — apart from the centre halves.

It could have been much worse...How the Officials couldnt see that Howard clearly handled outside the Area is a mystery..We would have had to put up with Robles- surely one of the worst back up Keepers ever- for the next three games..

Unbelievable! If I see the Jags - Distin partnership again I won’t waste my time watching! We should have sold Jags to Blackburn for £1.5M – not Duffy! Captain - what a joke we need to hand the armband to Barry or Baines. Stones must be shaking his head on the bench...

Something is not right with McCarthy hope the contract situation isn’t affecting him. Really hope they sort him out soon. Naismith is our star so far this season and McGeady/Mirallas had a good game. Howard needed to save that first shot from Costa. They weren’t all his fault but once again when we needed him to step up he disappeared. I think he used up all his saves in the Belgium game...

And now Bobby: Bringing Besic on in the 88th minute! It makes no sense! The Moyes effect on the defending has worn off I’m afraid and I agree with those calling for a defensive coach to be brought in.

If you had told me that we would score 7 goals in our first 3 games I would have guaranteed you we would be in 1st place.

The scary part is all this has happened without trips to Russia! I’m afraid winning the Europa is our only hope of CL football because the league is not going to be pretty for us.

I really hope we get someone like Vlaar in ...

And to everyone that was whining about Eto’o this week, please give him a chance to settle in — he will bring a lot to the team.

One helluva game! No need to apologize after such a game! (Except if you’re Besic – but I really hope the kid puts it behind him and shows the world what he can do).

A couple of incidents going slightly different would’ve changed the look of the game. But I guess that’s how football is.....

We need to spend some money, effort and time strengthening our aging defence.

I’m a new Evertonian and I had an idea of how it was going to be supporting the blues, but the Arsenal game and then this, it’s been an emotional roller-coaster so far. The drama, the tension, the heartbreak... phew...

The win when it comes (and it’s coming) will be that much more special... I share your heartbreak lads (and ladies)....but keep your chin up.... We’ll look back on this & laugh (well, maybe not, but we’ll definitely put this behind us). A whole season (plus Europa) awaits us!

Shite Defending again. Jags, Distin, and Baines were all poor in defence. What’s happening with our fitness levels. Our back four just faded as the match progressed. Okay, we were unlucky with two of the goals – an og off Coleman, a deflection of Distin, and what the fuck was Besic trying to do ???

On a positive note we didn’t give up. We showed some fight, but we need to sort out our defence. Drop Jags for Stones. Jags has been poor in all our games so far. They say the second season in charge is the hardest. Well RM has got his work cut out. I know it’s still early, and no need to hit the panic button just yet, but you can’t hide the disappointment. I’m still pissed off about the Arsenal result!!!

Long hard season in the making.

Honeymoon over for Martinez.

£28 million should have been spent on Bony, I believe he wouldn’t have cost that much.

And Shawcross, a man mountain of a defender who barks orders and wind headers.
Read no more than the report on the Man City v Stoke game today,

Jagielka and Distin, and I have said this for done time need putting out to grass now. Too slow, thought process is lagging and they are not commanding.

I don’t want a Mr Niceguy , I want a dirty physical twat who barks orders and wins battles.

Total shite.

Perhaps this result will see a reassessment of the incredible, phenomenal, fantastic Barry-McCarthy partnership?

Great attacks ruined by terrible defending. The decision making couldn’t have been worse and it looks like Jags hasn’t trained for months.

Got to get our defenders fit.

Absolutely shameful display.

How about we shove Moyes and Martinez into that transporter machine from "The Fly", and see what happens?

And Eto’o... he’s far from over... He’ll show them!!!

Offensively Everton were tremendous, Mirallas, McGeady, Naismith, Coleman, Eto'o can all come away from the game with pride, defensively what more can be said other than a horror show. Barry, Distin and Jags are ready to draw their pension, Stones needs to be fast tracked into the team and a left sided Centre Half acquired before the window slams shut.

Six - 6 - goals. Put it right Roberto.

Tommy#74.. I like your thinking!

If there is a better, more apposite, more lifetime summarising comment than the last five words of John at 28 then I'd like to know what it is. Spot on.

Awful defending what the hell has happened in preseason?? Superb going forward and I like what I saw of eto'o that header was sublime

"The problem is not the back 4 it is the midfield.We have 2 defensive midfielders with widemen who do not track back to help..."

No matter how disappointing the result, that is total bollocks. Mirallas was the teams hardest working player today. Whenever Pienaar and Osman play , although neither can ever be classed as being top of anyone's favourites list, they continually put the effort in and get up and down the pitch to assist the full back. That's not where today's game was lost.

Our defence was non existent. Jags was woeful, and Distin wasnt much better (although he tried bloody hard, it was probably age catching up with him).
We were up against the possible Premiership winners for 2014/15 and I thought our attackers did ok, particularly Naismith.

I also thought McGeady did well enough, but he tends to give the ball away when we are in promising positions. Mirallas starts well, but seems to fade as the game goes on. Howard was lucky not to be sent off for handling the ball out of his area, but we got away with it.

Quite honestly, I felt we had lost the game in the first 5 minutes (we looked half asleep rather than Chelsea looking sharp), and it was always an uphill struggle from then on.Martinez places too much emphasis on attack, (see our lineup against Palace at home in April).

He doesnt seem to give enough consideration to our defensive deficiencies, neither does he appear to be able to differentiate between a ball winning midfielder and a creative midfielder. Do we have such a thing as a creative midfielder, or is that supposed to be Barclay?
Roberto wants to play attractive, exciting and penetrative football (who doesnt, apart from Sam A ), but the EPL has all sorts of demands.
Chelsea may well win the Premiership this season, but tonight just served to show how far we have to travel in order to reach the level at which they are at.
Money, its a drag, take your hands off my stack, money, its a hit, its a no good bullshit (or something suchlike)---

Spot on Peter Laing. Going forward we are great (and going to get better with eto'o), defensively we are a shambles and basically it comes down to one player...... Jagielka. His timing, leadership, decision making, heading ability, passing, confidence, form, stature, fitness etc, etc, etc.....has gone right down the drain since his injury last season. The other three lads don't seem to know what to do as jags is all over the place. This must be really disconcerting to what is, essentially a very tight knit group.
I hope Roberto identifies this quickly as otherwise our season could be over by December. We don't have the luxury to carry a player so make the hard decisions now Roberto and drop him.

P.S. Despite his blunder, I liked the look of Besic.

As I said on 606 - never thought I’d see myself writing that! - it is the central defensive pairing that is our glaring fragile weakness and until it is changed there will be a score of 3/4/56/7s this I fear rollercoaster season.

So, we can talk about Macca this, Besic, this, Barry that, but our experienced central pairing (68 years young) are called defenders and need to read the game around them - ok nothing will compensate for Besic’s 1st touch although the typical sight of Jags chasing is becoming almost pitiful - and react accordingly in terms of covering, positioning, or whatever.

The 3rd goal is a classic case. Yep Macca got laced, Baines who was awful today is nowhere to be be seen, but when the ball comes across neither Jags or Distin are anywhere near the play and I’m sorry 2 or 3 seconds at this level is all it ought to take.

It’s clear to me that Jags ought to be dropped. But if Bobby does drop someone and he probably won’t it will not be Jags it will be Distin.

It should be Besic for Barry and Stones for Jags at Andy Irvine’s gaff on the 13th but I fear that it will; not be.

I’m still a big Bobby backer but he needs to earn his nice wage and make some big decisions these next 2 weeks and, quite frankly, grow some, and drop those 2 ’seasoned’ pros.

Two central defenders in the next 48 hours would be nice, wouldn’t it. Oh, and a creative mid please Bobby

OK, tough start but we should have more than 2 points in the bag and far fewer than 10 goals conceded.

Make no mistake this is a situation we are in right now. IF we lose to Irvine’s crew we really are in a lot of bother. But hopefully in say 2 months all will be steady, ship back on course, Jags wins defender of the month award for 2 months running, and I finally, finally, get to spend significant time with Pippa Middleton.

Anyone taking any positives away from that game or this season so far is deluded and needs to wake up. There is nothing, repeat NOTHING positive when you concede 6 goals at home and have 2 points, no wins and 10 goals conceded after your first 3 games.

We have one system and one shape which we play regardless — and this is what happens when it fails.

Time for a Plan B, Bobby... and a Plan D for DEFENCE!!!

I don't want to go back to Moyes's time and recall his tactics but in those days we would never NEVER have given 6. Six means you have utterly failed as a defensive unit. They don't know what they are doing.

Our attack clearly works as we have already scored 7 times in three matches. Eto'o looks good. But every time they attack, it's a goal or a very dangerous ball into the area and our players panic easily.

Colin Glassar, it isn't just down to Jagielka though is it? He isn't one of the full backs constantly letting crosses get to our six yard box or one of our midfielders letting the opposition run at our box unchallenged or one of our wingers not offering support to the full baks either.

The number of times are platers stepped forward trying to play offside (only to fail) makes me think that they are being instructed to play that way otherwise it could easily be stopped?

Good point, Harvey, though I remember the 7 conceded against arsenal. Who was in charge?

Anyone who thinks some of our attacking play and scoring 3 against Chelsea isn't a positive is deluded and needs to wake up.

I quite enjoyed the first half an hour of the second half until Ramires scored and it was like every one of our players was simultaneously kicked in the nuts.

We need to sort our fitness and concentration out.

Not to mention the six conceded against Arsenal

Over reaction as usual, no account taken of who we have been playing!

We were virtually dead after 3 mins, us having to chase the game after that was perfect for Chelsea. We have played a team that will finish Champions or 2nd, Arsenal last game, probable 3rd or 4th.

With the same defenders we had the 3rd best defensive record in the league, so you make of that what you like! We could have sat back in this game, and probably got beat 1-3 or 1-4, I think you need to decide which you would prefer.

This is the difference between us and your Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd, Spurs etc is they can go out and spend £30m-£60m + for 3 more players.

Where do you start after that? Plenty of positives and negatives to take from the game.

Starting with the negatives, I am starting to think that we need some reinforcements at centre-half. I have tried to ignore the naysayers on here dishing it out to Jags and Distin but they looked vulnerable again today. I hope it is simply a confidence issue and I am certain both players will play big parts this season; however, they are both ageing and inevitably will need replaceing. The irony is that Terry (a prick of note) was outstanding and Besic (who may be in the line for a start at centre-back) made a tit of himself with his first touch!

The team still looks unfit to me and steadfastly refuse to close down, allowing shots and crosses in like nobody’s business.

The positives are again our possession game. We had 62% of the ball against a very strong Chelsea side who, in fairness, finished all their chances and half chances superbly. Eto’o looked a class act. We never gave up.

Any thoughts on who we should get in at centre-back? I quite like the look of James Collins and Ashley Williams. Not young but centre-backs mature like fine wine.

In short, keep the faith.

Watch the game again, Chris, and look at Jagielka's positional play. He's 9 times out of 10 in the wrong place. He doesn't know whether to go forward or go deep. I love the lad but he's been shite since the end of last season.

I agree with your other points but Jags is the captain, ffs, and it's his job to organise the defence. Is he doing that? Is he fuck!! He looks scared and that must affect the other players.

Firstly, a wonderful attacking display in which we scored the best goals and Mirallas almost had another.
Chelsea were flattered by the scoreline and have a striker in Costa who will terrorise better defences than ours.
I think he will benefit this season from teams who don't know what he's got .
As for our defence, well Baines must take as much blame as Jags or Distin.
MaCarthy also screwed things up - as Martinez said afterwards, the whole team are responsible.

Unfortunately, it is the manager who is most responsible for the 3 games full of errors.
It is he who is setting them up to defend in a certain way and it is not working.
Dropping the 2 centre backs won't fix it, Alcaraz and Stones would have been ass-fucked as well, and we'd all have been calling for the return of our old dependables.
At most I would bring in Stones alongside Distin (who was the better of the two)and hope that the Frenchman's experience can help young Stones settle in.
McGeady gave the ball away too often, and Eto'o showed us just how raw and unfinished a talent Lukaku is.
We have to be patient with our young players (McCarthy is still a kid too) and I'm sure we will smash plenty of goals in and rack up the points.

Let's take the positives and hope for defensive improvement!

All in all a pretty depressing start to the season after the positives of last season and the positive transfer window. I'm not quite as depressed as I should be after conceding 6 goals at home! Not as bad as I felt last week.

It's vitally important the the normal cliche of ' learning lessons' is followed and the defence is now prioritised! Maybe Stones and Alcaraz need a run in the side? They can't do any worse than Jagielka and Distin although I agree I don't think they should be thrown on the scrap heap.

Need some good news soon - come on blues!

Ray mate - 95: ’over reaction as usual, no account taken of who we have been playing!’ ... With the same defenders we had the 3rd best defensive record in the league, so you make of that what you like!’

(1) We have beaten Chelsea four out of five times before today at The Old Lady, we had no need to fear them, we should not have conceded 6 goals at home to anyone never mind the czar’s side.

(2) I’m getting a little sick of this 3rd best defenssive record from last season thing because that was then and this is now and it is no justification for what is happening before our eyes and what we must do. (I also think that Stones’s top-notch performances might have had a hand in that stat along with with Jags’s injuries.)

Using stats as you do, Ray, we now have the worst defence in the Premier League and we will not change until it is changed.

Raymond, I don't think it's an overreaction. I think people are calling it as they see it.

Every time Everton clawed their way back into the game the defensive fragility and nervousness was their to see which resulted in our downfall. As nice as they are, Jags and Distin are culpable for the collapse, Barry and McCarthy are holding midfield players and also have to shoulder the blame but with 10 goals conceded urgent remedial action is required on the back four and I am praying that there is enough money left in the transfer pot to find a left sided centre-back before Monday.

You can drop Jags and Distin, even buy in two more centre-backs, but if you ask players to play in a way that is totally alien to them, especially two centre-backs both way past 30, then they will look and play uncomfortably.

Have Jags and Distin suddenly turned to shit? Have they fuck – they are struggling due to the way Martinez is trying to make them play. The seeds of it were beginning to show last season and they have been in full blossom for the last 3 games, not just today’s!!

Everton cannot expect to win things (or even matches) this season without a defense than can defend. Jagielka looks as though he is half sleep as well as half a yard off the pace. So far this season, Everton have conceded 10 goals, nearly 3 goals a game. If Duffy can be sold for £1.5 million to Blackburn, what price Jagielka?

There were positives...

Our commitment to win after continually getting close was fantastic.

Eto'o is going to be an excellent signing. Naismith was superb today. I actually thought we outplayed Chelsea from about 70 to 75 minutes. Going forward we look excellent.

I agree with some posters above. Jags simply can not continue as our first choice CB. Stones, despite being error prone as a younger player, is far and away a better choice than Jags.

That was the worst CB performance I've seen in my time watching Everton. Phil Jagielka was horrendous today. He's not the same player since his injury and it's time Roberto stop playing the part of David Moyes and do what must be done and bench Jags.

Roberto must shoulder the blame for poor substitutions last week and poor team selection in choosing Jags to start today. If he persists with his "favorites" than Roberto Moyesinez will rightly be blamed for poor results.

Paul you were on 606? Can't wait to hear the podcast later. :0)

With the benefit of hindsight, maybe we should have got Lescott back on a free — he's younger than Jags and Distin?!

Who would you buy at cb peter?

We outplayed Chelsea FOR 70-75 minutes... not from... typo sorry

Terrific going forward today. Ignoring what happened at the other end as it was just demorallising. Besic will always remember his first touch, as will Eto. One was sublime and one ridiculous, just like our performance at each end of the park.

I think Jagielka hasn't recovered physically but especially mentally from the World Cup fiasco.

Distin is at an age where the ball has to be in front of him...a ball behind and his body just won't do what his braIn wants.

We need to get a central defender in and give Jags a rest. Stones in for Distin.

I don't agree with comments that we are all of a sudden "doing a Wigan". This is the same defence that was the third most miserly last season.

"I don't want to go back to Moyes's time and recall his tactics but in those days we would never NEVER have given 6"

Do you want to go back and check that stat before making such declarations?

Remember the prophetic words of Dave Whelan ! Roberto will take us to places we could only dream of. What he failed to add was "in our worst nightmares".
He has to shoulder blame for the appalling fitness levels which manifested themselves with the sort of pre-season preparation that defied belief.
My real concern however is how he sees a game of football. Wiganesque has been coined elsewhere but sums up what is served up precisely. Good to watch going forward but at the expense of a defence that has all the solidity of an unset jelly. We have two defensive midfielders in McCarthy and Barry who run until they drop. In Barry's case this was not long into second half when he just could not close down at all. At this time 50-60 mins he should have been replaced. McCarthy ran his guts out as usual but was caught out later for pace . I would not be too harsh on him as there was no help from anyone in this area. Roberto obviously does not see this as a problem and why bring on Besic after 88 minutes ??? In my opinion the Europa League will serve as a waste of time when trying to keep out of bottom 6 will be a much bigger task if we continue with style of play.
We urgently need players of calibre in goal, central defence and midfield and a manager who knows how to set up a team and manage it correctly for the 90 mins. To see Roberto smiling as he left the pitch for me is unpalatable and I do not believe he is the right man to take our club forward. Nice chap but ability wise massively overrated.
Please prove me wrong.

I think dominating Chelsea for 60-70 mins, having them almost completely fail to cope with us as we went forward and scoring three goals which could easily have been more means we can take plenty of positives from that game.

I understand being upset about losing but coming on here and recording your nonsense for posterity isn't the best reaction. We made Chelsea look second rate in comparison to ourselves for most of that match, it just goes to show you shouldn't give one of the best teams in Europe a 2-0 headstart, it's always going to be tricky after that.

Obviously we need to defend better but it's the same set up that was one of the meanest defences in the Premier League last season. We will smash plenty of teams out of sight if we play the way we did tonight throughout the season.

I was, mate — at around minute 1:50!

Stones and Galloway are our future cb pairing at least give Stonesy the chance now. He reminds me of Bobby Moore.

Roberto should ask BK to give him a shed load of money and buy Krool from Newcastle and Shawcross from Stoke. It won’t happen but I honestly think they are the type of players we need. Howard is no longer good enough for the PL as he doesn’t save points for Everton, not that I’m blaming him for today’s goals. I said before we kicked a ball in earnest we needed a new centre-half and now its an imperative not a choice.

Simon Davis, I will keep your post until May.

There's a guy at Swansea not getting a game who's worth a look - Kyle Bartley 6 ft 4 and no nonsense

Jamie I actually don’t think that we did outplay Chelsea for 70/75 minutes although there were spells when we did.

In the first half in particular, they were very happy to let us have the ball – very happy – and we did some nice stuff with it but we/Bobby were comprehensively outplayed/outhought by Chelsea/Jose.

A very very professional Chelsea performance in all respects, and I bet Jose is murdering them on the chara back home about conceding 3. You watch: Costa, Player of the Year awards.

I have to confess Simon (#113) that that smile after the final whistle from Bobby grated with me too and then post match he says how great it was to watch Chelsea from the sidelines!

Think twice Bobby lad! I do agree with Col though (118) that your (Si) anti-Bobby-ranting-and-raving was well out of order sonny boy! Can you find a way of substituting Jags/Distin for Martinez and amend accordingly!?

I wouldn’t confuse the two scenarios of a side 2-0 up inviting us on with us ’downplaying’ because we clearly. demonstrably didn’t.

Every time we scored they went down the other end and scored

Those sugar-coating our season so far should get to the dentists quickly. This is a continuation of a lousy pre-season. I like to view my glass as half-full but the alarm bells ringing in the background are somewhat distracting.

Those 'taking positives' from a seemingly 'great' offensive display should have a word with themselves. That 'gung-ho' attack was purely a consequence of being in dire straits after only 3 minutes. We were forced to attack desperately to amend for a dreadful defensive team performance.

Results speak for themselves and conceding 10 in 3 (8 at GP !!!) is not too clever regardless of whether your name is Martinez, Moyes, Kendall or Walker.

According to Mourinho in his after-match comments, he didn't enjoy the game. He didn't like Chelsea's lack of balance or defensive display.

(cough) (splutter) (choke)

I've just posted an epic tome which was lost due the absolute righteousness of Everything I said.

What a fecking game - THAT is how football should be played. This Everton will be shown first on MOTD every single week. We will be chosen by Sky, BT Sport and every other channel that wants to pay to watch us score many a beauty.

The cocks who love a 1-0 with even the kit-man behind the ball can go and petition for the ginger lower league gobshite to get his job back.

I clapped my beautiful Blue men off that pitch today, it was excellent man. The best game in many a year. If you can't appreciate THIS Everton, I pity you.

I agree and think Shawcross would be a top player for us alongside Stones. The others would still get plenty of games. I think Jones and/or Smalling would be worth a bet if Manure want claw back some sheckels.

Baffling... that’s what these past three matches have been. What’s changed from last season, I wonder?

Whatever it is, the buck stops with RM: poor defensive organization, lack of fitness, persisting with fielding out-of-form players... RM needs to deliver some wins — and soon!

Paul
We played some of the best flowing attacking football I have seen from an EFC side in years. It was always going to be impossible after the 4th minute when we kicked off knowing that they had 2 goals from little or no effort. I was more than happy with the attacking intentions and if we were not chasing the game, we could easily have won today. Lady Luck was not with us. Not depressed but unhappy with that poor defending. Why? Because I know we are far better than that.

Kevin I think you and I are in a minority as it seems that the result is everything regardless of the performance. Remember the game with Blackpool a few seasons ago 5-3 to the Blues I don't remember anybody complaining about the entertainment level and obviously we won so that helped. Well to my mind today's game was similar to that Blackpool game but today we didn't get the breaks and lost to a far better team than Blackpool were and I'll say it again the grit and determination shown today was admirable; 2-0 down within three minutes would in most cases result in a team going through the motions with little belief in themselves but not so Everton today. I'm not saying there aren't reasons to be concerned but I am saying that Everton are a far better team than the results thus far have shown and once we get a win under our belts you will see teams destroyed by Everton at Goodison this season once we sort out the back four.

Why harp back to the mean defence of last season? They were poor today which is slightly more relevant. No coach should avoid scrutiny after conceding six at home and putting any sort of positive spin on that thumping is well, sorry, Wiganesque.

How many goals did Arsenal concede last season against the big teams and where did they end up in the league? Just saying.

"What a fecking game - THAT is how football should be played. This Everton will be shown first on MOTD every single week. We will be chosen by Sky, BT Sport and every other channel that wants to pay to watch us score many a beauty."

Absolute bollocks. You really think that's how to play football?

Patrick #129 -

Not having a go but, to some, it seems the performance is everything regardless of the result.

I agree that we're a far better team than results suggest.
But it's only the results that count.
There aren't points for artistic interpretation.

A counter argument to the great attacking display was the fact that we had to play that way out of desperation after only 3 minutes.

Where we are aligned is that we hope RM gets things right.
Quickly.

Jamie #132 - spot on.
I'd prefer being last on MoTD every week but with silverware in hand.

Came out the pub smiling. Certainly tops the 6-2 against Villa all those years ago.

I'm sold on Eto'o. He looks hungry and in fantastic shape. Sure its against his old club, but thumbs up for him. And Naismith is fast becoming a favourite.

I had to go out at 1-2 and couldn't believe my eyes when I got back with 3 mins of added time to go! Can't say too much til I've seen it all but I have seen the goals and they give away an awful lot. Thank heavens it wasn't Robles in goal because he would have been absolutely slaughtered.

OK Tim wasn't necessarily to blame but he didn't make much of a fist at trying to save them did he?

Besic made a very bad error before he had become accustomed to the game - he's young and will learn. I like Colin thought Jags looked almost scared going on to the pitch. He does not have any air of confidence at the moment and this will seep through to the other players especially with him being skipper.

Distin is shaky but how much of this is because his partner is playing so poorly at crucial times?

Roberto has to drop the mister nice-guy stuff now as he has serious work to do in sorting out the defence and centre midfield. The fitness thing bewilders me and I can only think it is deliberate so that we end the season strongly instead of fading like last season but this only works if we can pick up enough points in the first half of the season. We have a half decent squad now - use it and drop/rest the players who are letting us down! If Gibson is fit he must play!

Conceded 10 in 3 and 8 in 2 at home... These are very disturbing stats.. And these stats send a message out to other teams that defensively Everton are there for the taking.. To be honest , had we equalized to make it 2-2 OR 3-3 OR 4-4, I'm certain that Chelsea would have scored again.. Today chelsea opened us up , and they were not even going all out on attack!! I fear for us this season

Nais is a first pick at the moment. Took his goal coolly. That man never gives less than his best. Well done, again, lad.

Well said Brent! Naismith is a credit to the club shades of Cahill!

Along with our awful pre-season, don't forget the piss-poor end of last season, when we fucked-up at home to Palace and Man City. Our inability to defend had its roots back then.

Also, the worrying thing is, that not only can we not defend corners of free kicks, but nor can we defend little tippy-tappy triangles, or fairly slow direct running at the heart of the defence.

Now, I know other players contributed to these situations but the central defence and left back are most responsible for all of these various mistakes.

Finally, Mr Howard only managed one save today, with his left foot. Got done at his near post for Coleman's OG, and failed to touch two goals from Costa. He also should have been sent off for catching the ball outside of the box, and got himself booked in a row late on, and still pushed his head into a Chelsea player's head in front of the ref!

He is in the comfort zone, no pressure from the lanky Robles and not the intensity and concentration displayed for his beloved USA.

Nick Entwistle - 136: "Came out the pub smiling. Certainly tops the 6-2 against Villa all those years ago."

One word. Wow!

Major concern for me which has been manifest in the 3 opening games, is the obvious lack of conditioning of the majority of the Everton squad. A lot of the goals conceded are due to player error, but errors caused by tiredness and lack of fitness. Players taking the extra breather and standing off the attacking player, other players taking a breather and not tracking the runner, players not having that extra stride or run that cuts out an attack.

For me the major question for Martinez and the coaching staff is why the squad is not ready for the start of the season, totally unprofessional and unacceptable at this level.

In shock. Jagielka definitely MotM for Chelsea! Just seen Martinez on the news – sadly deluded. Some great things to see – Mirallas, Naismith, Samuel Eto’o. Not so much the non-existent defence, utter crap..

Jagielka needs to be shipped out: He is hopeless, and has been for a while. Besic debut was a nightmare. My Mrs says I have £28 million reasons NOT to be a blue! It might be trendy for me to blame Osman, but he wasn’t playing.

Rock-bottom tonight, although Tony Pulis is available.

We need to spend some money and fast. If we are paying Lukaku's fee over 5 years, then surely we have money still.

Bring in Shawcross and play Stones with him. We need someone to command our defence and bark out the orders. I think having a poor pre-season and Martinez being away on World Cup TV duty didn't help either.

Better than a bore draw any day of the week, amazing attitude from the players, two bolts out of the blue in first three minutes set the tone for the rest of the match and respect to the players for standing up to be counted until the Besic error almost at time.

As much as I love Distin he creaked horrendously today and Jags still making errors - major area for us to look at this season, and neither Alcararz or Duffy are / were the answer.

You win some, you lose some, a great game today and immensely proud of the way we pretty much dominated a team who will most likely finish top 2 this year.

We will be fine and we will start picking up points by the bagful moving forward. And as for Eto'o - pure class.

Tony (#142) — I completely agree with you.

We're a diverse bunch at Everton but I just don't get those who 'came out of the pub smiling' or 'clapped my beautiful blue men off the pitch (and further gushing comments)' when we just got stuffed.

Perhaps some people have got used to our mediocrity over the years (albeit with relatively sparse resources) and somehow a 3-6 spanking at home is acceptable.

Chelsea fans and kopites must be pissing themselves laughing at that reaction. Small club mentality or what?

Perhaps the same people will have a go – rightly or wrongly – at BK's seeming lack of financial backing and not see the irony.

I was looking for someone to lamp on the way home. And I certainly won't be watching or listening to MotD and the condescending comments about how 'plucky' Everton contributed to a thrilling game.

I may be a miserable get when we lose but I'd rather be that than someone who accepts (even applauds) losing – especially at home.

We are turning into Wigan! Roberto should not have done the punditry in the USA! Back four has been shambolic for ages...

At least there's an element of truth in the last one as we have shipped quite a few goals in our last dozen or so Premier League games.

I can see an early Xmas present on the horizon when a ginger-haired Scot marches into Goodison to rescue the club from certain relegation. Oh Davy Moyes' Davy Davy Moyes' Davy Moyes. It will be magic to return to the tried and tested methodology of his style of management; it won't take us forward but at least we'll be able to sleep at night.

None of this adventurous toe-to-toe nonsense; keep it tight and nick one well worth spending our hard-earned on.

Barry must become skipper now. Jags is not a leader. Get shot!

I didn't see the game as I'm on me arse in hospital but read some of the live comments and some of the comments above. It's depressing reading but we all knew that the Distin and Jags partnership has been shaky for a few years. I don't want to jump on the bandwagon at jags and kick him when things are not going his way but Father Time or lack of confidence has taken its toll on him.

Roberto should have sorted this out last season. Every team needs a foundation and that starts in defence. You get nowhere with a shaky defence and jags is clearly not the type of defender we need to lay the ball out if defence. Ive just seen the goals on tv. Today's problems were caused by lack of positional awareness and basic schoolboy errors. Reputations count for nothing in today's game. Would any of the top teams on this division allow this slide to happen. Get Stones in and play him instead of jags. He can't be any worse. We would surely destroy Stones"s confidence if we don't start him in the next game.

To those that suggested that Moyes could be our defensive coach I say get real and get over the fact he's gone. He might tighten the defence but the ball would spend forever in row fucking Z.

Mike Hughes was looking for 'someone to lamp' eh?

What's up? Couldn't yer find anyone small enough, hardcase?

Cock.

Kevin Tully
I'm not going to waste much time exchanging insults, Kevin.
('Cock' - I've never heard anyone from Liverpool come out with that.)
I was simply expressing my very different reaction to a defeat rather than glorifying in it as you were.

I may well be a 'cock' as you suggest.
But at least it's better than being a loser.
Night, night.
:)

Tell me, one of yous please, what Tim Howard does for us?

Is he really prem quality?

I say no.

No problem Mike - your clearly 'dead Scouse'

BTW - did you manage to find some poor kid to 'lamp?'

Time has caught up with Distin - he was pacing himself towards the end and he strolls whenever he can to conserve energy. The contrast with Terry – who still gives his all – was there for all to see.

Jags has perhaps had one injury too many and seems to have lost that bit of pace. He gets turned over when he is up against a top top striker. We saw it last season. His confidence seems shot as well. The World Cup seems not to have helped.

You can have one centre half at the back relying on his anticipation and experience but you cannot have two of them. Time to change one of them, and probably as well, to make judicious use of substitutes at the back so that these two will know that they aren't always expected to play 90 minutes.

I guess we don't have the cash to buy a ready made centre half so we will have to live with Stones and the odd error whilst he is on the learning curve.

Sean (#150), I hope it’s nothing too serious and you are as well as hell very very soon mate.

Kev Tully (#125), I’m one of your biggest fans on here but when you and Nick Entwhistle make me wince for the same reason, then I know something is wrong.

I would rather we drew that game 0-0 and it was the worst game of footie that I have ever seen than lose 3-6 at home whatever the nature of play, mate. I could never have left a boozer ’smiling’ after that pile of shite because my mind would be on the moronic shambles that is our central defence.

Okay, perhaps laughter in that sort of WTF way!

The problem wasn't any one player, it was the way they defended. You can't continuously try to play offside against a team with Diego Costa and Fabregas because you'll get murdered. And we did.

We're a cracking team but you have to look to the coaching and the manager for sending them out to play that way defensively against a team with such quality in movement. Suicidal defending as a team.

Sean #150 "I didn't see the game as I'm on me arse in hospital but read some of the live comments and some of the comments above... Today's problems were caused by lack of positional awareness and basic schoolboy errors."

Brave thing to say when you never saw it!

Paul Ferry, I'm with you on this. I'd take a 0-0 every day of the week over a 3-6 home defeat. I can't understand how anyone can leave a game in which we let in 6 goals at home either smiling or feeling any way other than livid.

You're right, James. It also doesn't help when one defender is trying to play offside, whilst the other is stood 5 yards behind playing everyone on. Jags and Distin were never on the same page today. The Matic goal was pathetic shithouse defending.

We need a CB who leads, who shouts, who wins the ball in the air, who occasionally leaves a knee in after winning said ball on his opponent. Not two Mr Nice Guys.

Eh up, PF – misquoting again I see! I was actually very, very proud of the way we approached that game. I was fecking gutted at the overall result – but myself, and a few thousand who stayed clapped the lads off after what was a great game.

I have sat, freezing my testicles off, watching dour, defensive, anti-football for 20 years now, so to witness Everton go for the win against ANYONE, no matter who they are, makes me proud.

It's the way forward. Watch us go this season. If I'm wrong at Christmas, I'll eat my frozen testes.

I Haven't read all the comments, but I have read most. Some of you are ranting on about how we never would have conceded six during Moyes's era? We lost 6-1 to Arsenal in 2009 at the Old Lady, Saha scored a consolation goal in the 90th minite when arsenal started fucking about. During Moysy's era, we would be scrapping 2-1 wins or 1-0 wins. Now we're a threat going forward but our defending has been amateur-ish at best.

I don't mean to boast, but Ironically I went on about how we needed a captain, yes an actual captain, after the Arsenal game. I also went on about how Jags needs to be benched, and I'm glad we can all finally agree to that. Except for Martinez, he seems blindsided by loyalty, we may need someone going to our games with a board saying bench jags, or ink it up on a shirt underneath the jersey and every time we concede, just take off the jersey to see the message. Do it enough times and the camera men should get it on tape.

Back to the massacre I witnessed. Chelski switched up a gear whenever the goal difference dropped under that 2-goal margin. Surprisingly enough, they started at lightning pace. Well no they didn't, I lied. They just passed through our defence like it wasn't there, and let's not kid ourselves, it was never there. It was blatant enough for a blind man to see that they scored every goal with such ease. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but they outplayed us and outclassed us.

Barry was pulling the strings and doing all the dirty work. Mccarthy is suppose to do all the running, yet he got ran over by chelski. Lukaku still looks like a 2.8m striker; cant create for others, cant link up play, cant jump, cant track back. Mirallas scored a beauty and we would have more crosses flying in only if there was some-one to be at the end of it. Eto was a great super sub, he's our most impactful player on the bench. Baines and Pienaar are bonnie and Clyde, they're non existent without each other. Mcgeedy is still better than Atsu or osman on the wing, he has only played 6 months in our league, give him another six and he'll be a changed man. Mirallas was dreadful first season, and I was lashing him out at that time just as some of you are to mcgeedy. Coleman was fierce, and had a vale of resilience in him; similar to the arsenal game. I liked that and I nominate him for captain. If we didn't have naismith in our team, I would question our forwards mobility. He's doing his job, better than any-one else in our team. Only saw a few minutes of Besic, bit he seemed shattered by the 5-3 score and putting him on when he was not really needed. Especially when Mccarthy was outpaced twice after the 65th minute, and Besic probably felt he wouldn't have let that happen. If Howard's playing until 2018, he better take his "attributes" elsewhere. Distin played better than Jags, but that still doesn't say much. He still has more pace than Jags and way better aerially.

Overall, It was a good game of footy to watch for the neutrals and Chelski fans, but for us, our fortress was put up into flames. We put up a fight, yes, but we were throwing punches while they were dealing knock-outs. They conserved their energy every time they were 2 goals up. When that changed, they passed through our defence with such ease and precision, each time. I think they went easy on us, because when they wanted to score, they did so without a glimpse of struggle.

Misquoting! Me! Never ever, KT! I actually like your chipper-than-chipper-chipperness; always have... and anyone who can be chipper after that deserves a chipper medal! But you’re a smart lad KT and you like the rest – almost all – of us, must have been looking at that defence in utter disbelief.

I was thinking of you the other week, KT, and meant to ask; did you lad get the grades to get into Warnock University?

Sorry... sorry – Warwick?

Exactly Kevin. I'm not sat here ecstatic with the performance or result but the players deserve credit for their attitude. At times we were breathtaking in our attacking play – we had a very good side absolutely bricking it.

Unfortunately it was lost in the first 5 minutes. Even then I always thought that we would get something out of the game such was our intensity and attacking threat... Unfortunately Chelsea are just a bit too good to lose from two up (last week shows where we are at in comparison).

But fine margins... Mirallas's saved effort was so close to being a Goal of the Season contender and would have completely changed the game.

I'm completely with Kevin Tully on the beauty of that game and the entertainment value.

Problem was Everton were on the losing end...

Ditch Jags and stop the horrific defensive errors and I'd take a game like that all day long.

I said to my son at the end, "I know we're losing, but if a neutral [American] watched this and they still don't like soccer, they never will."

Stones for Jags. Sums it up for me in a nutshell.

Thanks, Paul.

Brent, I've seen the goals a few times on TV. Now I know it's not the same as being there live or watching live TV but surely you will have to agree that it was rank defending for some of the goals.

Reality is: Conceded 10 goals in 3 games; ageing central defence breached by through passes. Problem has been around for years with only one of the four under 30.

All transfer talk is about forwards and wingers, why nothing on 20 something experienced centre half.

We let go Duffy without a replacement. All successful teams are built from back. McCarthy is papering over the cracks. Why has nobody seen this?

I don’t think I have been that angry at a performance for a long time. Firstly we let in 6 goals at home and 2 before I had even sat down. Not good enough

Secondly, it reminded me just how far we are off those top clubs. Yes we played better football, and kept the ball more. However, look at the score: 6-3! They have world class players that take their chances! We have very good players who don’t always! Sorry to whine on here because I hate it but I am gutted today.

Few positives: Naismith, Coleman, Baines, Mirallas and Eto’o. Also we showed some fight. For me, it doesn’t matter how well you play – if you let in 6 goals at home, you deserve to lose.

Colin #85......

"ps: Despite his blunder, I liked the look of Besic"

Liked the look of him?? What exactly caught your eye? His tattoos?? Haircut??

Apart from making himself look a bit of a twat, what else did he do that you "liked the look" of??? All those on here who have been talking him up like he's the new messiah may have to show a bit more patience.

We're very quick on here to call it a battering. It wasn't, 3-6 flattered them massively.

We went toe to toe against a big lad, landed some good shots but got caught by a stronger opponent.

There are only two teams in this league of that ability... I still think we'll knock seven shades out of most teams.

Ernie; from 3-6 England vs Hungary in 1953 to 3-6 at home, even allowing for 61 years Inflation, is still having your arse handed to you in a bucket. There is only so much lippy that pig (of an overall performance) will take.

To lay the foundations for the one true vision of the post-Moyes Catalan New Jerusalem will take some time at this rate

Special mention for Eto'o. Scored a great goal and is all round play was excellent. Looked like he has been training with us for weeks.

If he plays like that every time he will win a fair few games for us.

Si,

So level headed! Spot on sans Roberto starting his tried and trued...

As I've said, Roberto needs to make the big decision and bench Jags, he's been awful.

As you so aptly pointed out, there's reason – ample reason – to be positive.

Paul, btw-

You've officially have an "American Scouser" accent.

You've been State-side a bit too long friend. :0)

Over in Thailand and awoke to read all the posts! Kevin Tully, you have made my day once again, I too had years of watching OFM bore my bollocks off. As for talk of bringing him back or Pulis – give over!

Roberto has let some key coaches move on, Stubbsy being one who has the experience and nous to sort out a defence. Not sure I would bring in Weir, but prefer an ex-player with knowledge of our club like Big Dunc than taking a punt on a coach who will take time to bed in.

Big decisions looming for Roberto, defensively he has his doubters but get behind him and the players he decides to go with after the international break. Oh, and come on Spurs, do us a favour for once today at The Lane against the RS!

Ha ha, Jamie, cheers mate – it's been 14 years in Chicago, it's a mixture of Capone and Crosby now, mate.

Naismith, a true blue, ran himself ragged for us. I'm proud to have him in the team I love!

Thank god Howard wasn't sent off, I couldn't bear to watch Robles for the rest of the game against that yellow tide through my fingers...

I'm sure things will sort themselves out soon – we DO have a good manager. I think we're all disappointed as we all were so positive this season was going to be "The One". Still early days and things can change, keep the faith and COYB!

Ajay #49:

"Eto'o! A brilliant acquisition... one touch – one goal, fabulous.

Naismith - wonderful footballer, and what every Everton player should aspire to be in attitude.

Barry pulled the strings in Pirlo-esque manner."

Yes, yes and... no. Barry was very poor yesterday. He had no answer to the quick passing of Fabregas, Ramires and Matic. They made him look his age.

Si Cooper (#174) — you beautiful voice of reason!

Nice one Paul. Capone and Crosby. Love it. Clever stuff for a Sunday morning.

Nice one Paul. Capone and Crosby. Love it. Clever stuff for a Sunday morning.

Sean #169 rank defending it was, mate. The rankest rank ever.

Summing up:

• Spectacular game, exciting too.
• Typical Martinez.
• Hire Moyes as assistant manager (defence!)
• Referee not able to cope, made quite a few mistakes (Howard?, offsides...)
• Spectacular goals from both sides and bad luck too (Coleman own goal)
• Costa, great player but plenty of gamesmanship, arrogance and provocation (not as bad as Suarez, though).
• LFC, the dark side. lucky AGAIN and above us. Bought another "gifted player" – Balotelli.
• Everton will do much better with their comebacks, both in matches and end of season.
• I hope we don't trip up with lower teams this season.
• I'm praying that we finish higher in the league and have some good cup runs too.

Ah well, we can and hopefully will do better... I apologise for any repetitions! I'll get my coat......