No Let-Up in Everton's Derby Pain

Watching Coleman's perfect delivery simply skip off his foot to the keeper, seeing his through passes go directly to defenders, observing that shank of a free kick, no-one should still consider him a hope of anything. His effort, for a second straight game, was excellent. His production was catastrophic.

In fact, those last two sentences could apply to the whole team. Magnificent effort, no product.

Having now watched the 90-odd minutes, I can now safely say at least we are fighting now – which is the bare minimum this team should be doing.

It does look like on this evidence though that the Arsenal game was a fluke result in our season so far. Koeman still does not impress me in anyway shape or form – 2 wins in 13 games now? – but he will undoubtedly be given time. I still think he should be getting way more out of this team and there are still tricks he is missing but he's not going to change his outlook or 'style'. *sigh*

I fucking hate Liverpool from the jumped up twats who support them and the media love-in they get. FFS, Everton, just once in a while would be nice. You suck the life out of me and give nothing back.

That's me done with Barkley. To jump out of tackles in a derby is not acceptable. That was the reason for his booking by the way. Jumped out of a 50-50 then tried to atone.

I think things could change for us fairly quickly in the New Year. Perhaps I'm going senile.

Koeman calls for high intensity pressing football, so, we bring on Gareth Barry? We have a young lad in Davies who would have been ideal when McCarthy went off but where was he?

We haven't got one decent winger, in fact our best wide players are Coleman and Baines. The RS play real narrow up front so perfect for us to play 3 at the back with Baines and Coleman wing backs. We have to get someone alongside Lukaku and not leave him isolated.

Apart from Coleman, we are still a team of nice guys; the sooner we put a flare up these players arses the better.

The start of the season when we were playing well, guess what, there were some youngsters in the team... only to be replaced by so-called seasoned professionals.

End of last season, great hope in a team with some good youngsters topped up with some quality, couldn't go wrong. Wow – how wrong can you be? Look at the crap football we play now.

Recruitment – we have the so-called best but have we unearthed any gems? No, and by all accounts we are going after over-priced seasoned professionals who can't get games at their regular clubs in January.

Clubs must be rubbing their hands with glee: let's see what surplus players can we off load to Everton at a huge profit? The red gits next door will always be one step ahead, they actually blood any half-decent youth players. Why? Because young players show no fear.

And I hope we've already exchanged contracts with Spurs for Barkley...

The manner of the goal, Keystone Cops defending and Stan Laurel in goal, sums it up. I can't see this being any different to the last 2 years and one way or another it will be pastures new for most of this squad, as I struggle to see how they have made it as professional players.

Christmas hope and cheer to All Evertonians and have a good one and a happy and healthy 2017, and perhaps the rot might stop in 2017.

The most worrying thing this week has been the charity contracts given to Baines and Barry. When will we ever become ruthless, professional, progressive? Nothing ever changes.

Thanks Everton, for another great Christmas.

A joke, the bloody lot of it.

Woeful game and makes you wonder why you bother wasting your time.

McCarthy coming off didn't help, that's for sure, but I agree with John (#6) – Davies I believe would have been a better option than Barry.

Also, to play young Clavert-Lewin, who is an offensive player, all the poor lad did was try and defend.

Also, how on earth can Cleverley be on the bench in front of Davies???

A manager again bemoaning that we couldn't hold on for a draw, he should be saying that he and his players all need to improve and winning is everything. Moyes Mk II.

We are nowhere near a top 6 team at present and major changes need to be made to the first 11 over the next 2 windows to put us in a position to obtain European football at the end of the 2017-18 season.

It's going to take a lot of patience and good recruitment to reach the standard required to mount a top 6 bid and I wish the manager and Steve Walsh the best of luck in their efforts. I am happy to let them get on with their work but, if we arrive at Christmas 2017 with no significant improvement on the field of play, then questions will have to be asked.

With regards to the game last night we were second best from the half hour mark. McCarthy was a loss but lets face it he is struggling to put more than three games together for either country or club. Apart from the full backs, I reckon we need to improve in all other areas of the field, we need as many as 5 or 6 players and that is no small ask over two windows.

I think if we had been told we would take 4 points from our home games against Man Utd, Arsenal and Them we would have all regarded it as acceptable. Throw in the two points won against Spurs and Man City and we can see that our record of six points gained against the top six is about what we might have expected. The real failure has been drawing games against Swansea and Palace at home and losing to all three of Bournemouth, Burnley and Watford away. Just seven extra points from that lot would have seen us well above the mid table berth we currently occupy.

Barkley's free kick near the end was shocking. With both centre halves waiting for a cross into the area he chose to play a short pass before launching the return ball high into the Street End. You do wonder what goes on inside his head. His tackle on Henderson was disgraceful. Most referees would have sent him off.

God, they tried, ran their socks off. But even in the first 35 minutes when they were in control, the control was illusory, not a chance created. Just lots of huff and puff. Barkley ran and ran, but because he's a player who needs composure the running negated his skill, he was hurrying everything and therefore achieving little.

This style is not suiting Everton, it makes the crowd feel the players are giving their all, but it does little to win us matches. Probably only Arsenal of the top teams does not enjoy playing against headless chickens.

We need a game plan that plays to the strengths of our personnel, not one which is theoretical and totally unsuited to our better players. Koeman's job is to manage his resources, not make them play in a way that totally negates their strengths and virtues.

Liverpool were lucky again, but it's amazing how often they are lucky against us. "The harder I work, the luckier I get" and all that, but they also have more players who have the set of skills to change a game. Of the Everton players last night, I felt that only Coleman would automatically get in the Liverpool side.

I honestly can't see us beating them in the near future, they have more cross-country runners who are ideally suited to Klopp's style, and enough highly skilled players to create a moment that makes a difference. I'm very glad their Brazilian Number 10 was injured or I fear we'd have lost more heavily.

There was one incident on the halfway line which required a strong crunching, but fair challenge on one of theirs, which had he won, there was a good chance of a break.

What does he do? ...he jumps in the air to avoid any contact. Whilst his challenge on that maggot Henderson was terrible, there was no danger to Barkley of hurting himself.

That leg break looks like it's etched on his mind forever, and no amount of coaching is going to remove it.

Did our players ask Liverpool's for signed shirts afterwards? They just lay down and cowered in that second half. They should forfeit their wages this week, at the bare minimum.

Don't expect too many changes in January as I think new contracts for Baines and Barry coupled with the billionaire owner's interest-free loan should give us a clue that we are not going to be chucking money about anytime soon.

The second half was torture to watch. We got what we deserved but the muppet in charge thinks we did well.

Deluded.

So I hope the rumours about Schneiderlin are true; we need his legs in midfield. I suppose Van Dijk would be too much wishful thinking, because as sure as hell we need a decent centre-back. Come to think of it, we need a new team.

He feel on his arse, He fell on his arse, Steven Gerard, he fell on his arse,
26 years ago and he fell on his arse.

Us, because it is our ground and stewards? Or the pinkies as they came from their fans?

Barkley is not the answer and was hopeless. A sending off might have helped as he is more of a hindrance than anything. Sell him at the first opportunity.

What was going on with the substitution? Almost as bad as v west ham (last season). A half fit Enner, who was our only real threat, is better than a totally impotent Ross. Why not take off Ross and bring on not a young lad who doesn't play on the wing but an experienced Mirallas? Why not play Enner behind Lukaku, after all he's a forward not a winger.

I also agree about Barry, too slow and past it. How did he get a contract? Ridiculous with Mo Besic coming back and Tom Davies available who I agree should always be on the bench.

Neither Barry nor Cleverley (who should also be sold) should not even be on the bench never mind the starting 11. We need to use our strikers better and spend some money in the window.

On Koeman, I'm sure he's the right man but like Moyes might take time to realise his mistakes (see above) but I'll think we'll get there. I didn't even think we would get any more than 3 points from these games so I console myself with 4.

Spare a though for Idrissa, basically our only centre-midfield player for 45 minutes who can hold his head up

Large banners, a stand with a high timber content, and the projection of flares, is a potentially lethal combination.

I would take that a step further. The tackle on Henderson was a shithouse tackle. He spewed a 50-50 in the centre circle, heard the crowds reaction and did Henderson. If that was one of them on one of ours there would be uproar.

I know the area Barkley is from quite well. A rough part of Liverpool with good people. I don't think there would be many as timid as Ross that were brought up there.

"Not the Everton way" and all that gush will no doubt be forthcoming but isn't that mentality part of the problem? Top class sport is ruthless, EFC are not ruthless enough and certainly well short of top class. Hand on heart, can anyone really say anything positive about Koeman?

He doesn't enjoy what he does and it shows.

All though I do not agree with the Koeman Out brigade ,he is showing traits of our previous manager in that he does not seem to have a plan (b).

The defenses job is to stop the attacks and limit the shots at the keeper, without knowing the stats I believe our keeper only had one difficult save to make so they seemed to be doing their job. The only problem we have is there is nobody in front of the defense running into open spaces to relieve the pressure, and as they say if you hit a nail hard enough eventually it will go in.

We are going to have a major problem when Ghana goes to the Africa Cup as that only leaves us with Barry, McCarthy and Cleverley, so this transfer window will either make us or break us.

I was of the belief that this season would not be easy, as it would be the start of a team rebuilding , but never in my wildest dreams would it turn out to be as difficult as it is turning out to be.

The manager was aware that this season would be difficult, but I believe he is being let down with some of the players who he thought may provide stability during the transition. Do not expect too many transfers in January as, despite beliefs, I don't think he will be given that much, as Moshiri said. monopoly money to spend.

Batten down the hatches – it is going to be a long second half of the season.

Having said that, we have Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs away all to come yet, so that total may be optimistic!

Barkley is now a passenger and leaving him on for 90 mins but taking off Valencia was baffling. I don't hold any hope for the future of our club under Koeman, especially after his pathetic post-match comments.

We are just lacking that bit if quality in 3 or 4 positions, I'm not expecting much from the rest of the season in the League but maybe we will get a bit of luck in the FA Cup, lets hopes so.

I'm looking for us to spend the sort of money that is needed to raise our game in the next two windows and give us realistic hope of challenging the best.