Everton end 2016 with frustration still in tow

Happy New Year everyone and hopefully the whole of Everton will wake up and give us what we deserve.

We are too slow and lack real quality. The first goal was a combination of mistakes by Jags and Barry, I guess many on here could have predicted that when they were selected. Why make so many changes to a winning team? It's not like we have quality players busting to get back in the team.

I think we need a reality check: we are not very good, our players are not very good (generally speaking), we are not playing as a team, we do not appear to try very hard, we are not fit enough.

The goalkeeping situation is a disgrace and should have been sorted in the summer. Neither of our goalkeepers are good enough for a Premier League team with aspirations of climbing the league. It's laughable that many on here thought that Joe Hart was not needed.

Relying on Lukaku as the lone striker is suicide as he may get injured or guess what just be in a poor run of form. Continually giving contract extensions to ageing players including ones who never actually play is a mystery. That mentality is what keeps us where we are because we accept mediocrity. We appear content to just survive in the Premier League.

As fans it only takes one win for us to start thinking we have turned the corner and we are not that bad. If we want to progress we have to accept that our so called stars are not good enough and guess what they need replacing by not only better quality players but also by winners as that is a trait we do not possess.

We need a major overhaul starting now in the January window. Don't hold your breath, though, as with Kenwright still in charge, there is still something fishy about the new ownership to me.

Sort or eliminate these and we'll be okay.

I accept it will take time to get us to consistent top-6 with European qualification, but equally I would expect to see improvements on the pitch NOW. We have the players to beat the likes of Hull, but our lack of effective organisation seems to be preventing it. Koeman keeps talking about pressing, but pressing is only one ingredient. To be effective, it has to be on the back of an effective system.

I am making myself be patient. You can't just drop Barry, Baines and Jagielka completely and replace them with eighteen year old kids. Koeman seems to be blooding kids in a way that won't destroy them. Are they able for more than he is giving them? I don't know, I don't see them in training day to day. For now, I will give the benefit.

If the transfer window can produce Schneiderlin then fair enough. Use him, Gueye and Davies more and keep fazing Barry out gradually. His experience on the pitch and around the squad, as well as Jagielka's, can still be a help.

In that time, we require at least six new first team players. I'm sure Koeman knows this. Barry, Baines and Jags have had their time now and need to be replaced. I would also move Williams on as well. The goalkeeper situation also needs to be addressed as at this level a top class goalkeeper is essential.

Our midfielders are too lightweight and lack creativity. Meanwhile Lukaku needs a strike partner. There is a lot to be done. I just hope Moshiri has deep pockets. It's a tall order we the teams above us have a transfer budget at least ten times bigger than ours!

And the gap between ourselves and the top five is wide indeed (I am less sure about Man Utd).

A good transfer window could change things, but without decent reinforcements we will continue to spin our wheels.

People can go on and on about Barkley but he has had countless opportunities and always fails to deliver. When did you come away from a game and think Barkley was Man of the Match? Yes he scored last night but for most of the game was anonymous, along with Lukaku.

Barry has been a good player but age is starting to catch up with him sadly, and last night Gueye had his worst game in a blue shirt but he is allowed an off night. Whether its Valencia, Mirallas, Lennon, Deulofeu or Bolasie this team lacks goals, add to that the fact Barkley rarely scores and there in lies the problem.

Too old and slow at the back, not creative enough up front and generally lack goals from forwards. Either Walsh and Koeman have to unearth some gems or Moshiri, you'd better get your mate Usmanov to join you as you will need hundreds of millions to put this club right.

On the pitch, we continue to demonstrate our inability to control games in any aspect, whether it be defence, midfield or attack. It was obvious last night the defence was sitting too deep to compensate for ageing legs, the midfield was therefore too stretched and the attack usually found themselves heavily outnumbered because our build up play was too slow.

Nevertheless, our points total of 27 at the halfway point in the season reflects some progress compared with last season. Our form in December of eight points from six games is an improvement on October and November when we took only five points from six games.

A positive is that the players are showing more spirit than in the last couple of seasons under Martinez but that will never compensate for our failure to control games.

This 3-year 'project' might have to be revisited though, it should be how to bridge the gap to 6th place. I cannot see in the next few years how Everton will finish above any of those sides, let alone have Champions League aspirations.

I can't believe that Barkley was again the scapegoat, him and Mirallas were the only two players to come out of it with any credit. Watch the game again and see how many great through balls he did; compare that with how many of the other players couldn't find a blue shirt.

Well, roll on the transfer window – let's get fresh legs in there.

As for the young bucks, well I'm yet to see anything of the promise people see in Davies. His touch is as poor as his positional sense, his passes that don't go backward or sideways either go astray or put the recipient in trouble. If people like him because of his energy, I'd say that simply isn't enough at this level. Calvert-Lewin shows a little promise but it's early days for the young lad.

As for Koeman, what is his plan, what is his style? He leaves me cold and uninspired, it appears his players feel the same. He's looking like a man who's ambition massively outstrips his ability as a coach.

The football we play is dour and horrific to watch. I suppose we can look to see what Walsh and the club have planned for the winter window but I don't feel good about the progress of this current "project". It was Hull we were playing. Hull. A Championship team earmarked to go straight back down.

Hoping for a Happy New Year.

And yes, the foul was dodgy, but probably more than half of Premier League referees would have called it. Baines did have his hand on the shoulder, and the falldown was persuasive.

Ian #4, the goalkeeping situation is far from a "disgrace"... neither Stekelenburg nor Robles is brilliant, but we weren't going to pry away Butland or Schmeichel or one of the other top young keepers last summer.

And you're welcome to your opinion that Hart at 𧴦k/week would have been the answer, but I'd say the skeptics have been vindicated. Torino are 15th out of 20 defensively in Serie A, and Hart's current body of work can be viewed on YouTube in the December 19 game against Napoli.

Yet another early goal conceded, so all teams we play are going to press at the start and we still don't learn, press Everton and they will just pass it across the back four and make a mistake, so the opposition press us until we play it across the back four until we make a mistake (cheers for that Martinez). Lukaku is most dangerous if you allow him to run at you down the middle, so they push him out wide – and he goes.

This was not just last night, this is week in week out, this team needs a massive clear out but more importantly we still need to look at who is dishing out contracts after Baines and Barry are rewarded for playing shit with new contracts – it beggars belief!!!!

We need at least 5 players in January – and that is at the start, not panic buys at the end – just to sustain our 7th place. Without this, we are going one way, and that is down – the table that is – and not to the Championship.

I love jags but he is clearly struggling. Why drop anyone who played at Leicester? As far as our youngsters go, there is some criticism of Koeman not giving youngsters a chance – he has and I for one would love to see it continue.

And on that point, why don't we give Holgate more time? I for one think he's top quality and is clearly a player who can cope and excel at the top level.

Happy New Year to all Toffees.

I do hope that, in the FA Cup he puts out a strong team and does not use it as an opportunity to rest his main players. There are two reasons why he must do this:

Firstly because the FA Cup is our only hope of anything this season and needs to be given a high priority and secondly and much more selfishly, myself two sons, and two grandsons are making the 300-mile round trip to cheer on Everton against our nearest team (Leicester) and for the younger grandson, it'll be his first trip to Goodison.

Speaking about his ruthless streak (I've mentioned this before many times) he will walk over anyone (players, chairman) who gets in his way or will walk, according to them, hence the Barkley rumours.

He wants to win at any cost and that could mean ripping apart this squad in the very short term.

This squad has had its day unfortunately and now needs major surgery. We should back Koeman and let him get on with doing things his way.

I think this window might show us if these rumours really are true, Ian.

So three signings for me would be a start to getting a big improvement.

Admittedly he wasn't so effective against Hull but he should of come on at half time, not when the pressure was on to deliver just as we went 2-1 down. He's got the makings of being a top player, don't destroy him before he's fucking started!

I do share the opinion of Ralph (#30) to be honest and will be amazed if we get higher than 8th place this year.

I just want to see more structure and an identifiable system as at times I cannot fathom what we're about. I drove back to London after the Hull game in a daze – to scrape a draw there? I was pleased for Ross with his goal and a great delayed pass from Leighton Baines but at times we were simply pitiful – and it's very rare that I put criticism of our team in writing.

I don't pretend to have the answers and it's needless adding to the frustrations felt here but, whatever is happening on the field, we simply have to get behind the boys like we did at the Arsenal game far more consistently.

Happy New Year to all of you and your families. Stay healthy and above all...

Keep the faith.