Bellew spirit sadly lacking at the Lane

Were Watford equipped to go and win at Arsenal last month??

For Christ's sake, it's that negative small club mentality that has held us back for years, we are 7th with umpteen international players in the team...

His selection smacks of bending to Spurs rather than trying to play to our strengths.

Midfield looks cluttered, Rom already isolated. Concern writ large across my brow.

Everton are lucky that it's only one-nil at half-time. I know Spurs are a very decent side but do we have to have this continuance of Moyes, Martinez approach at these elite grounds? It hasn't worked for years, if not decades, yet we persist in thinking we can keep it tight and nick one. Keeping it tight is okay but, with no attacking intent or idea, it just plays into the hands of the opponents.

I should know better than to think that Everton can actually play football at clubs they believe are light years ahead of them.

There was a slight improvement when they both came on; overall most were poor today, but Joel Robles, Funes Mori and Ashley Williams are shocking most of the time and at least two if not all three need replacing.

Koeman must take much of the blame: the initial selection of Barry was incomprehensible against a midfield as powerful and mobile as Tottenham's.

That game was indeed a marker and we're a million miles away. The result was secondary, what was so depressing was the underlying, gutless mentality. I expect no different next season because we will be unable to attract the necessary quality and the likes of Lukaku will, rightly, be off.

This season is now officially over as far as I'm concerned.

Missed Holgate at the back for me with the centre-backs looking weak. Just mark Kane and Alli, for god's sake!

We've had to be patient for decades, us Evertonians; sadly we are gonna have to for a while longer.

Playing Barry neutered Gana, and Schneiderlin. Williams and Funes Mori were exposed, players (except Robles, culpable for the first 2) maybe get a pass today from me as that one's on Koeman.

4 centre midfielders, no width, everyone on top of each other. Gana had a shocker but was playing a very odd role somewhere on the right. Can't blame a guy for failing when you set him up to fail.

Fair enough, you got it fairly obviously wrong, Ronald, but then watching it happen for 70 minutes without doing anything was pathetic.

Sad seeing Baines so, so finished. Others just had bad days. I watched Funes Mori for 90 minutes and couldn't figure out which is his weaker foot. Williams's brain let him down – he's dumb beyond dumb. Unnecessary risks in distribution from Robles. Seamus was isolated in defence but terrible in attack.

Barkley the only bright spark. Took responsibility and tried to make things happen despite the lack of width around him.

No More Excuses!

Nothing against Barry, but he was off the pace today and the fact Kane stuck in two... both goals shouldn't have happened. Poor goalkeeping and lack of defence being aware, and the third gift to Alli, who couldn't believe his luck, with the defence going to sleep.

How many times over the years have we gifted Spurs, and this shows this team, mentally and tactically, has a long way to go.

Start with a Jimmy Mc the next two games as they will both be tough slugging matches. Shame we don't have Bellews spirit, but at least they stuck in the two chances they had.

Reality check but for me new two new centre-backs for next season, and a goalkeeper, and let's hope they learn the art of communication in this defence. Dissappointing... and so now for the next game.

We start playing too late and commiting men when the game is beyond us. We were totally outplayed today fitness wise and technically and to me the losing mentality in these types of games still exists..

Swansea can go to Anfield and win 3-2, who in their right mind could say we will go to Anfield and produce anything other than the dross we have witnessed there for nearly 20 years!?? Watford win 2-1 at Arsenal last month!!

I suggest this club looks soon into appointing a sports psychologist to address the ongoing inferiority complex that seems to have dogged us for many many years in these types of fixtures. Nothing changes, we never get the unexpected surprise..

Football and sport is unpredictable, it brings about great surprises, but sadly it's always the same supporting Everton..

Each year you can bet your life on no Merseyside derby win and us to fail in the same away games, year-in & year out.

We lost, grow up. The team and the manager will learn from this and hopefully we will not witness this starting eleven again. No width from Koeman and we paid the price. Roll up your sleeves lads and win the next five games, all will be forgiven.

Very disappointing but expected result. We need more fire power to scare the opposition and get them worried about defending – not ripping us apart.

If we where ever going to do Spurs at WHL this was it, but how many times have we said that prior to playing the RedShote?

Every Everton manager when playing one of the top teams tries (and fails) to combat what they are going to do by changing what we have been doing successfully, this not only knocks us off our stride but plays into the opposition's hands.

Why would you change a winning formula? Because you are an Everton manager – that's why!!!!!!

All back four need replacing and the manager needs to know what his best midfield is and play them long enough to build a working/playing relationship.

Pissed off, gripe over, and onwards to next week.

It was like going back to the last three seasons.

Away to Spurs and we played exactly as I thought we would: pack the midfield, hope for a breakaway, go 2-0 down before tactics and personnel were changed and ultimately lose... it was all so depressing.

Barry, Baines and even Coleman are not good enough for top 4 ambitions.

But at least we can be thankful it's not as bad as last season... or is it?

Compare our neighbours attitude to these type of games or indeed any of the six clubs above us, they often eek out positive results even when they haven't necessarily deserved them.

Until the Luvvies at the club realise that it's unnacceptable for Evertonians to abjectly accept defeat at the 'big' venues, we are doomed to endure more displays like today's utterly predictable events that eat away at the core of the club and undermine much of the hope and hype that sometimes consumes us.

Nobody is expecting miracles but, as we all age a little more, there is no sign that the club is geared to winning important matches and that is more than a little annoying.

The problem lies in the team selection. Tom wasn't sure of his role; Mirallas or Lookman should've started. Barry is cover for Morgan and not a partner. Centre-backs very poor. Holgate and a new signing is the way to go.

If we'd lost 3-2 having a go, fair enough, but this negative mindset is something Koeman has to change when playing the sides above us. Bad day for Koeman today. Hopefully lesson learnt for the away games to come.

A shocking decision to play Barry and I couldn't see what the shape of the side was. As others have said, the scoreline flattered us. A terrible performance but only what we've come to expect when we go anywhere near the top 6 sides away.

Mistakes for all three goals. Rom isolated again – one chance, one goal. Poor selection with Barry now too slow for a game against a pacy, incisive midfield

This game shows the gap between us and top six, shows us what we need. Bad day's work from manager and players. At least we've tightened our grip on seventh with one better goal difference!

There is no doubt that Lukaku looks isolated and he does seem to find more space when Valencia has come on in recent games. We definitely need to be more offensive in these games, Spurs dominated from beginning to end and the score line flattered us.

Many said before the game a draw would be a great result but we didn't ever look like getting anything from the game – too negative by half. Yes, there were individual mistakes but we need to learn and learn fast that you need to be more proactive in games. Especially as we have more top 6 teams still to play away.

Much of it is indeed in the mind; if Moshiri is serious about turning us into winners then he must ensure we toughen up to an absolutely massive extent.

I am afraid that the selection today was so bizarre that it causes me to wonder again about the manager's capacity to do what is required. And I do not care if I am told that this is knee-jerk stuff. We were utterly appalling.

Unfortunately a number of players were off their game today: Schneiderlin, Gana, Davies, Williams... If one has a poor game, we can maybe cover them but, when a number of players have a poor game all at the same time, any team would be struggling.

Today's defeat, although disappointing, is not all doom and gloom as some will make out; we have shown improvements in the last 2 months and we're streets ahead of were we where last season, so we'll go again next weekend against WBA and show that Goodison Park is a fortress once again.

A good run of late shouldn't hide the fact our centre-backs are poor and suit a back three based on their skillsets. The evidence was all to see against Bournemouth for example.

You should never chalk a bad performance down to "Oh well... they, Spurs are a good team" because that leads to another and another.

It was very poor today and Ronnie needs to step up and say so.

But Nistake No 1 must go to Koeman – playing Barry instead of McCarthy. So Everton were bound to play deep in the Everton half, especially as Barry can't run that far.

Mistake No 2 – Gueye for some unknown reason stopped running with Harry Kane, and allowed him all the space and time in the world to score.

Mistake No 3 – The Everton defence switched off, so when Robles passed to Schneiderlin, he was also switched off to the dangers around him, that allowed Harry Kane to score again.

Mistake No 4 – The Everton defence switched off again and allowed Alli in acres of space to clip the ball passed Robles from a free kick.

Spurs, in the 3rd season under Pochettino, are clearly ahead of us in their development and evolution. As Koeman mentioned in his presser during the week, Spurs plays as he wants Everton to play. If he can achieve that, count me in.

Their pressing game is cleaner, and more efficient and effective than our pressing game. Similarly, their own ability to retain and pass the ball when pressed themselves is also more effective.

For their three goals, we switched off and ballsed up. The second goal in particular was probably the very worst goal we have conceded all season.

After that, switching in Mirallas and McCarthy really gave us a lift. As poorly as we played for the majority of the game, we still weren't far off salvaging something from it.

As for performances, Robles had his poorest game of the season to date (but should not be dropped on the back of it). Coleman was dreadful, as poor a performance as I can recall from him. Barry not a great pick for this game. Schneiderlin and Gana not much better. Williams had some good moments, but also some awful ones. His two lazy fouls close to our box deep into injury time, which he laughed and smiled at, one led to the 3rd goal, the other bought Spurs time to run down the clock at 3-2.

Compare what we currently have at the club at centre back to Vertonghen's performance. THAT is the type of central defender we should look to recruit to move forward. Not some oik like Shawcross at Stoke.

Dave Abrahams above wrote it is hard to pick an Everton player who had a decent game. He is wrong. Ross Barkley was outstanding. Everton needed to play more through him and get him on the ball more. Because, even with Kane's 2 goals, Ross was as good as anyone on both teams today.

'Season now officially over' for you Tony Hill? Bye then! I'll continue watching and believing, ta verily.

I also thought his roll out was kami-kazi for the second. For me, the defining factors in those goals.

Not for the first time this season, Koeman showed himself to be a complete Frankie. His selection and formation laid bare all those claims of incredible "improvement".

It's one thing putting six past a Bournemouth side which was offering ten, but a completely different proposition to follow it up with a similar formation against a team who had something about them. If Koeman believes there has been massive improvement, why did he not stick with what has brought about the much vaunted "Improvement"?

I won't knock Barry, he has been a fantastic pro, but somebody please explain the fucking logic of putting him in against a high-energy Spurs team except to adopt the foetus position?

On the rare occasions we had a go, Spurs showed they were vulnerable, but the game was lost before a ball was kicked. Too much deference afforded by the boss.

Open your eyes. Frankies win nothing in this game.

I thought we looked better with natural width when Mirallas came on but at 2-0 it was far too late... we could have made a sub at 25 mins and took Barry off, whose backing off of Kane for his goal was shocking. Ridiculous throw-out and a sleeping defence for the second... and where the hell were the two centre-backs for their third?

Ross Barkley tried his hardest and was let down by his teammates today. Lukaku lethal again with next to no service.

Swansea win at Anfield against the odds, Watford at Arsenal against the odds, last season Bournemouth and Southampton win at Chelsea and relegated Newcastle win twice at Spurs (League Cup and Premier League), yet year in year out we fail to register a single victory at the same venues.

It doesn't matter who is our manager it just seems in our blueprint that we can't rock the boat. The Anfield derby in April is the most pointless match in the Premier League calendar as the outcome is already known.

The ball in the first half, outside boot to Rom, sweet.

Pull down in the box in the second half. Class, but no support.

Forced a corner in the first half out of nothing.

I for one would happily point out his flaws and he has deserved that criticism, but there's definitely a more resolute player there.

Funes Mori just doesn't cut it for me; a summer priority is a centre-back and a left-back.

Ronald should take massive blame for a back four. As I have already said, Holgate should have played with Schneiderlin in front of a back three. Rom should have had a partner.

Barry should not have played, period. Great servant, but now a carthorse. Not his fault though.

I am in complete agreement there, just thought that actually Robles played a bigger part in the mistakes for goals 1 & 2?

Dreadful again from Williams and Funes Mori, Robles indicating with his two errors that a goalkeeper is a priority; Baines totally switched off from the free kick and let Alli in to score. Gueye and Schneiderlin looked poor with Barry taking up the holding position in midfield and Lukaku starved of chances for long periods.

The summer should be spent scouring the globe for two able centre-halves and a decent keeper.

Jay, I would concur with your assesment of the game. We started poorly and they over-ran us, but you can expect that from a Spurs team, they do it every week. However, we were still in the game right to the end.

Unfortunately, I think Koeman got it wrong with his starting team selection. He tried to stifle them through the middle, but it failed. Barry is past it and we needed some pace to stretch the field to counter their high pressing game. We looked better after the substitutions and we started to pose some problems.

The normally effective Seamus had one of those days when his end product offered very little. On the other hand, Ross is starting to look really good under Koeman and is definitely maturing as a player, taking on more responsibility.

Two of the goals were very poor (the second and third). The second was down to a very poor decision by Robles and for the third, we were sleeping and no-one picked up Dele Alli.

So, not a great day at the office but not disaster. We just got it a bit wrong on the day. I have confidence that we can finish the season well and maybe Koeman may have learnt something from this somewhat negative team selection.

So if Koeman persists with a back 4, I suspect he will then why not play Holgate? The lad needs the minutes, the campaign is all but over is in no way inferior to Funes Mori.

Does Funes Mori get in on balance, ie, having a left foot?

My thoughts are now Koeman has a midfield he wants, he thinks a back 4 can be protected. Pre Schneiderlin, a back 5 help it stay solid?

We will in all probability win the next two and end up posting the same grumbles post-match at Mordor...

We never matched Spurs, they were light years in front of us. Much quicker, sharper, far, far better.

At half-time, it was clear to anyone that it wasn't working. So the new Barca manager decides to... not change it! Showed his poor side again today, did Koeman.

This side will beat the likes of Sunderland and Bournemouth but will struggle against sides such as Chelsea & Spurs and as we have seen, get comfortably beaten. Seventh is our natural spot, which is okay as it will likely get us Europe.

Baines is Mr Average at best. Also, how often does he pass it back, rather than forwards? So often. Kept doing it today and does it frequently at Goodison Park. We need a new left back.

Funes Mori & Williams... dumb & dumber? Both cannot pass and are only average at defending. Overall, that equals two players not good enough. Both need to leave.

Robles has been good. But probably a backup? He was shit today.

Barry shouldn't start unless we have injuries.

What annoyed me today is that Rom was isolated and, like against Chelsea away, we packed the midfield and were trying to scab a draw. But every time we went forward, it pinged back as there was hardly anyone forward, – another Koeman mistake.

Barca manager...??? 😃😃😃

All their goals came from our own making. Not closing down Kane for the first, suicide ball from Robles for the second, and the defence being asleep and unprepared for the third.

They outplayed us for most of the game but the scoreline shows how every result in the Premier League is down to "small margins". Spurs are a good side with the majority of their players being big, imposing, athletic, pacey players.

I'd say we're four players minimum away from being close to them.Summer window should see us look for two "footballing" centrebacks of the type Spurs have, a playmaker, and another striker.

Being wildly inaccurate or abusing players in a post would be over the top but what on earth is over the top about posters giving their heartfelt views on what they have just witnessed? Some of the comments included today's game as a reflection of what we as Blues have had to witness for nearly two decades, which is fair enough, isn't it?

No team takes Everton lightly, which is why we don't get many easy wins and bugger all return for our travels to the big clubs.

As usual, we never started playing until the game had gone. Oh to be a blue. On a plus side, we are all disappointed at losing at the lane because it has ended our good run. Well, c'mon blues let's just go and get on another good run.

I went into today fairly relaxed about the result. Not that I didn't want to win; that's a given. However, I was also intrigued in using today as a real measure of our recent progress. Like many, the outcome is that we are still headbutting the proverbial glass ceiling.

I agree with the comments above; Barry starting was a mistake and played into their hands. Too slow for their dynamic midfield and he is notorious for giving away stupid free-kicks; not what you want at the best of times – let alone to a team that are deadly from them.

Baines was poor and really looked like a shadow of the player he was. We have a past-his-best Williams who was never that great anyway and Funes Mori continues to flatter to deceive.

The lack of defensive investment through the Martinez years is biting us and is what we clearly need to address as a priority, in my opinion.

Can that striker be somebody who can shoot with both feet from outside the box? Preferably on target. We don't have anyone capable at the moment.

Every team above Everton in the last 3 decades has taken us lightly.

Today, we were shown no respect, nor should we be. Spurs looked at that line-up, pressured us in front of our 18-yard box, and punished us for picking Barry, a clearly targeted player.

Those teams attack us from the start, bulldoze us and then canter to a finish. That's not respect. That's winning; we should step up and do the same.

Martinez for all his faults, countless, in many ways at least had a go against the big boys.

In a match today that mattered little if we lost it, Koeman should have been more assertive – what did we have to lose?

It will be the same at Man Utd and at Bigstand FC, but one suspects Koeman will be just as conservative with similar outcomes.

Some were getting carried away about our midfield after the Sunderland game and suggested this game would be a better barometer. Not terrible... but much room for improvement.

So, to be honest, we were literally played off the field until the subs were made. Williams was a disaster along with Barry; Funes Mori was asking for trouble with his tackling, but Davies and Lukaku never gave up and Mirallas made a difference.

I don't think any of us expected to come away with anything today but to make a gift of the points as we did was an insult.

We set up for a draw and could've got one but for basic errors. Not the end of the world, though.

Overall, we got what we deserved: zilch.

Failure to win both these upcoming home games however will mean 7th it is, which is obviously better than the last two debacles but there still needs to be extensive work in the summer to shake up the top clubs and match Moshiri's ambitions.

I still think there's a big exodus in summer: Kone, Barry, Cleverley, Lennon, Jagielka, and probably a few we don't expect out the door, like Funes Mori even, he's not good enough, Williams needs a better man next to him or simply just replace him.

Baines too – I think the search for a younger left-back needs to start soon; great servant he's been but he's just not firing at the level he could in his pomp.

Lot of work still needs doing.

I'm sick to death of going up against the likes of Spurs with a packed midfield sent out to just try to break up the opposition's constant attacks. What a shock that when we actually sent another player up top he was the one who played a ball to ROM's feet and we got a goal, on our first shot of the match. Pathetic.

It's a nominal back 5. Splitting the centre-backs is all well and good. It forces the team back as the midfielder needs to pick the ball up often with his back to goal. It encourages a press, lots of small passes especially.

I'd agree it should push Baines and Coleman up but nowhere near as far as in a conventional back 3 set-up.

This means the two alongside Rom have to funnel back, isolation for the big man ensues.

For me, it's neither one thing or the other. With a regular back 3 spreading the play is a more natural side-effect, passes less risky, full-backs are forced upfield. The team is further up the pitch. We can press more without having to cover bigger distances. Rom less isolated.

Until we get better centre-backs, conventional back 3 for me.

Goaile out; two centre-halves out; Barry finished; midfield still very unbalanced; Gana great at tackling and pressing... poor going forward.

The only width we have of late is Coleman, whose crossing is poor, to say the least. We definitely need a quality wide man who can put dangerous balls into the box as well as put in a shift!

Hopefully Lukaku will stay and we can build around him we are not too far off a decent team!

I also think Ashley Williams needs to join Barry and Jags on the veterans bench. His thinking and legs are both too slow for any top team.

I also said before the game that we should have Holgate and Seamus overloading the right as Davies was their weak link but we went with a flat back 4 and sat back instead and that for me was poor.
So no kudos to Koeman today.

That is to say: accept that, short of something startling occurring, we will do what we have been doing now for 20 or 30 years and finish somewhere in the second tier of the Premier League with the odd cup run. I do not think that is going to change in truth. There is no sign of the serious investment or mental strength needed to haul ourselves higher.

No shame in that but not very thrilling either. Some peace of mind in resigning oneself to it though.

Barry was awful, closely followed by Schneiderlin and Baines while Davies had an off day. Barkley was lost in that he was not given a strict role. How much better did we play when he was moved back into midfield and actually ran it while the rest just fiddled.

Blaming Robles for the goals is just plain silly. Any goalkeeper should expect to be given better cover. Kane from 30-35 yards out could have put it where he did or in the top far corner. Gana let him go, others didn't pick him up and Barry, as he did on other occasions, turned his back on him and put a leg in the air, and that's a professional?

It cried out for a wide man up front to force Spurs into deploying an additional defender, not just the two and occasionally three that they had for most of the game, but also to reduce their numerical superiority going forward and to stretch them and allow Lukaku more room.

Not many come out with much, if any, credit but the biggest problem today may have more to do with those not on the pitch than those who were.

I'd also try Jagielka and Holgate because I'm not convinced with Williams & Funes Mori. The 3 goals could have been avoided.

What's happening with Garbutt, isn't he back at the club? Baines is past it and needs to be dropped.

I really hope we don't set up like this again this season, the best form of defence is attack, Ronald;, please remember that when we go to Anfield!

Davies looked lost playing that far forward, don't like that Koeman has started playing him as the most advanced midfielder recently, not his game.

Barry's inclusion as everyone has mentioned was a mistake.

Criticism of Funes Mori and Williams; I'm not a fan of Funes Mori but the 2nd and 3rd goals were both squarely down to really poor play from Morgan Schniederlin, he was sleeping.

Barkley the standout player.

It was obvious in our last Premier League defeat in the Liverpool game before Christmas when Barry replaced the injured McCarthy at half-time that the energy had totally dissolved from our performance and the pendulum swung the way of Liverpool as the game passed Barry by.

It seems we haven't learned.

I think Holgate needs to come back into the side. We need to go back to a defensive 3.

Robles made a big mistake putting Schneiderlin under pressure; in saying that, Schneiderlin should have been aware he was being closed down, the ball should have been given back to Robles.

Regards Kane's first goal, he could have been closed down quicker but no keeper would have stopped that rocket, in my opinion.

The manager's selection of Barry did us no favours on the day and, although I described his team selection as cautious in an earlier post, other than what others had been saying that it was negative, I would now agree it was indeed a negative team selection.

Lots of work to be done on the recruiting front if we are to seriously ever challenge for the Champions League places. Too many players under par today and we got what we deserved.

How come it is always the way with Everton? It used to be Neville that was our aged experienced player who would be chosen all the time even when he stunk the gaff out. Now unfortunately it's Barry who has done well for the club but is way past his sell by date.

Also, what a smack in the face for McCarthy who possibly expects to be on the bench when Idrissa and Morgan are fit but to be behind Barry?

The result may have been the same regardless of which eleven were chosen but why on earth do we have to almost tie a bow on it when playing at the Lane or other such venues?

I suppose Phil Kirkbride has it about right when he says:

Forget the grandstand finish when Everton belatedly decided to have a go. The brutal truth, and the real narrative, of this five-goal encounter at White Hart Lane was not a valiant defeat but that, for an hour or maybe more, it was undeniably one-sided.

For a tortuously long amount of time, the Blues were being taught a lesson – one they may well have feared was coming here – and though they mounted a late rally, they were never really in with a shout.

The scoreline may say that in the end, Everton scored twice against the meanest defence in the Premier League and that only one goal separated the sides at full-time but, in reality, there was a gulf in class on show. And however much progress this side have made under Ronald Koeman – and it's plenty – today was a timely reminder that there remains significant work still to do if they are to join Spurs as an elite side in this division.

Long Way To Go

Haven't seen a defender play as well as Vertonghen for a long time. Massive in defence and good running forward. Our defenders were poor in comparison. Watched Citeh just and Stones looked brilliant, I'd love to have seen him and Holgate at Everton rather than our current donkeys.

Gareth Barry getting a bit of a hammering, but the above statement could apply equally to Schneiderlin on today's performance. He looked like he was struggling to run through raptor spunk from 20 minutes on. The older player represents a bit of an easy target, yet his younger, vastly more expensive, midfield partner, looked every bit as immobile (apart from one solitary sprint toward the half-way line late on).

He should also be apportioned his share of the blame for the second goal instead of it all falling on the shoulders of Robles. He moved back toward the keeper for the thrown ball out, only to panic upon receiving it when he realised he didn't have time to turn.

"I Thought the big difference between the 2 sides was Kane and Alli who were always hunting the ball down as opposed to Barkley and Lukaku who were always "waiting" for the ball."

There was one moment where Ross 'hunted the ball down' about 3 times in 20 seconds deep in the Spurs half and won a corner out of nothing. He was on the move (both forwards and backwards) and looking to get on the ball every time Everton had possession. Lukaku was also chasing everything he could, as best he could, with two alert centre-halves double-teaming him.

I don't think the difference lay in the quality or work-rate of those two players in comparison to Kane and Dele Alli. The Spurs duo had plentiful support throughout the whole game, with team-mates in close proximity and pushing forward at every opportunity, whereas Barkley and Lukaku were often the only blue shirts in the opposition half. Gana and Davies (to give them their due) at least tried to get up in support on occasion but could barely hold onto the ball for more than a couple of seconds.

Totally agree. I said it when the team was announced: Barry is too slow and brings nothing to the team.As you rightly point out, the turning point against Liverpool was when he replaced Macca. I still can't understand what Koeman was thinking.

Pochettino must have been smiling when he saw Barry starting because he's a big admirer of McCarthy.

I'm still not sure on Gana as in I can clearly see he get's about, does a lot of good graft but does he offer more than Jimmy Mac with the ball?? I'm not so sure; Kante is a much better passer than Gueye and I think his constant pressing all over the pitch leaves the midfield unbalanced. I don't know who he compliment's in the middle??

I'm looking forward to seeing what Koeman does with Besic and if he can find the right blend with being able to defend and attack.

On a side note, I still think we are too nice to play against!

Barkley was not "waiting for the ball" as you have put it. He was the only one who tried to make things happen. Apart from his goal what did Alli do? I wasn't impressed by his constant falling over. The GB Diving team should maybe take a look at him.

We had nothing to fear today, or any day, for that matter. But we seem to play with fear in too many of these big games.

Not how I put it at all. Maybe read it again, Gordon, seeing as though I was arguing against that very statement.

Instead, we effectively had 5 central midfield players getting in each other's way. Shambles!

Saying that, put it down to experience and move on!

I actually thought Williams did okay under the circumstances. The defence has looked decent when the team have been set up properly. Koeman got it drastically wrong.

Mirallas should have been in the starting eleven to give Spurs something to think about in defence. That should have been the only change from last week. Hopefully Koeman will not repeat today's errors in selection and tactics for our next away game against opponents who play in a similar style and with the same levels of energy.

You may have a point about support because Spurs play a very high line and get more players forward in support whereas Ronald seems to have no faith in some of our players and does not play the risk game.

He goes on about the need to press, but that's unlikely to work much if you've got the wrong formation. Why was Barry in? Why wasn't Holgate in?

Koeman handed the initiative to Spurs the moment he picked that side. Having two DM's is bad enough but THREE! Especially when one of them is Barry. Potchettino must have been dancing in the dressing room the moment he was handed our team sheet.

What is this idea that managers have about persisting with these antique players? Moyes did it with Neville until he made one mistake too many. Now Koeman is doing it with Barry. Maybe today's performance will make him see that Barry is over the hill.

We have to play to our strengths and not try to accommodate the opposition's. A more attacking side could have gotten a result there today. But our tactics left Lukaku totally isolated and, as soon as we went behind, it was over.

Koeman fell into the same trap as OFM's. Not having enough faith in his players. It's performances like today that will make up Lukaku's mind about where he should be next season and I doubt he'll think it will be Everton.

To bring him back after a 9-game undefeated streak was madness – especially against Spurs, with their energetic midfield. Koeman bottled it.

However, there is clearly something deeper in the psychology of the team. Numerous times over the last few years we've come to a big game with it all to play for on the back of a good run and played awful with no energy – I can't explain it. Bitterly disappointing day.

The difference being, for that encounter, we were in a relegation battle and Arsenal were about to be crowned Champions; therefore, Howard's tactics, although wrong, were perhaps understandable. Today's tactics were not!

Robles, until the ridiculous roll out that dissected Williams and Schneiderlin and neither reacted quickly enough to a bad keeper error. He dropped them in it bigtime.

Coleman, I have to say this was by far the worst game I have seen Coleman play for a long time, error strewn and poor positioning, poor crosses.. he just didn't get his act together.

Baines, a lack of awareness and not paying attention to the free kick cost us the Ali goal. He was looking elsewhere the replay clearly shows it.

Williams, oh please he just about had me shouting at the TV... slow, so very slow... looked as though he wasn't bothered at all, laughing? So infurating.

Five across the middle... only Barkley showed up... Barry sadly history... Schneiderlin looked lost and no support, Gana running and tackling everything that moved, Davies was a boy among men today.

Lukaku on his own virtually all day until the last 15 mins when changes were made... what a difference they made the urgency and desire returned. But by far too late.

When on song, Everton are a joy to watch; when asked to play a game a certain way they just don't have the ability to do so. Koeman got it wrong in the set up, he should have changed it at half-time... everyone could see it wasn't working.

It's a long time since I found myself shouting at the telly... so angry at that performance.

It was a shame to see Bainsey and Barry struggle so badly as they've both been great servants to the club. Funes Mori proved to me, once again, that he doesn't have the skill or temperament to be an Everton player.

The only bright spot was Ross who looks like he's now prepared to step up and carry the team. He even gave Bainsey a bollicking for yet another shite pass and gave an earful to one or two others.

I wasn't surprised by the result but the effort was woeful. I hope Ronald has it sorted by the next game.

The fault lies fairly and squarely at Koeman's door. If this was a one-off error, fine, but it's happened before. It's almost as if he has no memory.

Barkley is frustrating, needs to pass the ball a lot quicker, think he had an okay game but there were a few moves where he kept the ball and did not pass the ball out wide to Baines, we lost momentum and the ball went back to the defence. It happens too many times; we need to play a bit more direct when attacking and stop turning back and playing back to defence.

Also, anyone think we are not crossing balls often enough? All I see is we are trying to always play it from side to side, in and around the box.

I would have started with McCarthy and Mirallas instead of Barry and Davies respectively. Barkley was our best player today. Concerned about what Redknapp has been spouting today about him leaving at the end of the season.

Redknapp is a former red and doesn't have much time for Everton FC, he says he 'believes' that Ross won't sign a new contract and will leave the club – some people believe in Santa Claus and various other stuff – it doesn't mean they are right. Of course Redknapp wouldn't have an agenda would he? Like hoping that Ross moves to White Hart Lane?

That strikes me as a defensive mind set that hopes to hold on for a nil-nil or get a goal from a dead ball or a counter-attack. Once we went one down, we were chasing the game without the attacking players to support the attack.

Davies is a young, talented player, but a box-to-box player he is not. Negative tactics and we paid the price, Spurs were two goals better on the day and the result flattered us.

Teams who have a scorer in there win more games. Look at the trophies Utd won with Paul Scholes. Look how many trophies Frankie Lampard won. Along with two top centre-halves to enable us to take the next step.

And please put a replacement for Funes Mori near the top of our shopping list.

Why was Gana and Davies pushed so far forward in the first half leaving HMS Barry and Schneiderlin isolated? Has Bainsey been told not to pass the halfway line?

What goes on in Seamus's head? Why the fuck was Williams smiling after giving away a free-kick from which they scored? Answers Ronald, answers.

Too many shit performances from most of them to get too angry about.

I think we do need two new centre-halves next season but nearly everyone on this site was happy in August when we signed Williams and we have been far more secure at the back this season than last. I appreciate he has his limitations as a defender but he has qualities also.

It struck me that if Rooney is going to be available then Man Utd would probably let him go to get rid of his massive salary so the fee would probably very little. Would a player's salary affect us adversely under FFP?

9 games unbeaten with Barry a bit-part player... he comes back in and we play for an hour like we did under Martinez. He goes off and we play half-decent.

I have been supportive of Koeman, but I think he got it well wrong today and showed too much respect to Spurs at the detriment of our own game! Why play both Barry and Schneiderlin? Surely 3 across the back at the expense of Barry would have been more effective?

We had no real outlets and I was perplexed as to why we waited so long for changes! Spurs scored 3 goals that were the result of mistake and our own ineptitude, our 2 goals were pretty good clean strikes! Saying that, they were the much better team and I thought the score flattered us!

Anyways, 1 loss in 10... hey ho!

We had three players over 30 who all looked it too – the sooner we can do without them, the better. Much as it pains me to say that about Baines but he can no longer run past an opponent and the days of him putting decent crosses into the box are long gone.

Robles shouldn't be blamed – the first goal was eeerily like some that Tim used to concede when the flight of the ball seems to be lost when poised to save it but Joel made a number of good saves too.

Ross was good and kept going well but Gana was out of position and should have been alongside Morgan in CM.

Hopefully Ronald sees how he got it wrong and will be better able to plan for another team who know how to press and who are quicker in their play albeit less physically strong. If we get a win at the RS then this defeat will have been worthwhile.

6 very achievable points in next two games with 2 clean sheets puts us back on track! I'm not ready to write the defence off quite yet!

A lot of players are just swanning around at the moment and Schneiderlin is a prime culprit. We obviously are not now going to avoid the dreaded Europa League next season so that will be bye bye to the top four yet again.

Looking critically at today's team, prior to kick-off, who would get a starting place in a Chelsea or Man City team? If we are honest, there is one – Lukaku. The youngsters, Davies in this case, have the world at his feet but would not get into a "top team" – yet. The rest? Even at the top of their game would struggle for a place on the bench.

Work in progress...

The commentator then says Gana has made more tackles blah blah stats. Worse than that, Robles has now given Koeman a reason to drop him and replace him with an inferior goalie in Stekelenburg. Then we will start to leak goals again. Just wait and see who is in goal next game...

Totally agree with that comment regarding Williams. He absolutely infuriated me when I saw him smiling after he had messed up. He is a pure average defender and was found out by the guile of Kane and Alli.

He was bought on the back of a top Euros performance for Wales. I seem to remember Jeff Hendrick and Shane Long doing it for ROI, but managers seem to forget that these performances over 2 or 3 weeks don't mirror consistency over a Premier League season.

You can turn defences inside out, or score goals for pleasure over a three-week period in international tournaments, but can you do it for 9 months?

We are okay beating the likes of Sunderland, Bournemouth, Palace etc. Come up against anyone above us away and we get shown up for what we are. A bang average side.

I'm sick of it and while we have managers and boards who think it's okay to tread water in the Premier League, this mentality will prevail. Koeman has changed nothing and I doubt he will. His team selection today stunk. No shape, no pattern... fuck all.

And we started playing with 15 minutes left and yet he comes out and says we showed great character? Like fuck we did. It was awful and the result flattered us. I'll bet I'm not the only Evertonian dreading the derby because I know exactly what will happen...

A few days ago, I read Koeman's article about ambition and if you don't have it, well, just stop life. Good read, except it was all total fucking bollox; any ambition he had went straight out the window at about 12:30 when he handed in the team sheet.

Also, for those questioning why Williams was having a giggling fit, well you will also notice Barry attempting to back track and help out. Shocking really, any professional athlete would piss themselves watching that.

Yes, for a large portion of the game we were 2nd best. Overall, the team and many individual performances were poor... and yet, we were still in the game at the death and came close to salvaging something.

We are clearly a work in progress. So unlike many, I'm not quite ready to throw myself under a bus or off a cliff in despondency.

And for those who asked, yes! Ross had an outstanding game. If you did not see how he played and what he did, you will never 'get' or truly acknowledge what Ross Barkley offers.

As Colin Glassar mentions also, he really barked his annoyance at the senior pro and captain, Leighton Baines, for a poor pass.

I've never seen Ross do that before. For me, it is another sign he is 'growing up' and into the role Koeman demands of him: to be a 'player' – possibly even 'the' player – for Everton.

"Get 㾻 million for him while we can, 'cos he is destined to see his career out at WBA or Sunderland."

Yeah, right...

They'll be no shortage of top clubs willing to cough up serious cash if his contract with us isn't extended, I've no doubts.

The things that cost us the game were a lack of concentration, and certain players' inability to play a properly weighted pass, or pass at all. If Funes Mori is so poor at passing the ball then it beggars belief that he is earning his living from this sport.

Williams is unfortunately becoming a liability. The defence sit too deep because he is too slow on the turn, we have to play Schneiderlin in front of the centre-backs to protect them, and our wing backs are letting us down.

Baines, is doing his best, but now rarely gets to the bye line to put in crosses. Coleman is a great trier, but makes positional errors and his passing and particularly his crossing are wayward.

Little mistakes lead to missing goal scoring opportunities (over-hit or under-hit passes) and lack of pace (Barry, Williams and now Baines) lead to free kicks and missed tackles. Williams was wrestling with all and sundry, a strict ref could have given an early penalty and later he smiled after he gave a silly free kick away near the end, which negated our very late surge. He had also given the needless free kick away, from which Alli scored.

Vertonghen and an Alderweireld carrying a knock, are a tier up from our centre backs. We will need a good summer to bring in more quality.

If he had started McCarthy and Mirallas it could have been so different. He also has to drop Baines, who was so poor today, and Williams.

Centre Backs – we have some options.

Midfield – we have options centrally and out wide. They may not be great but at least Ron can play with the dynamic.

Goalkeeper – Robles will do. This was a bad game for him but he's shown better.

Right Back – Seamus is better than today. Not a pressing concern this season, more for the summer.

Left Back – change needs to happen immediately. It's not nice watching this version of Leighton Baines. He's lost his pace to the extent that he can't get around the outside and now won't even try to. Every time you know he's coming inside or backwards and defensively he's a sitting duck when even average players run at him. Simply, he's offering nothing right now.

Have we got any left-back option to put Leighton out of his misery?

At present, Barkley would not start for a single club above us. Ross can have a 7/10 game and suddenly he's the best player in the world. Bit of perspective needed.

Other than that we're good. Middle is solid... that 2nd all important goal that we gifted them was maddening. With all that hard work we put in... I'm raging to be honest.

We're still building, and patience is required. If anyone thought we were going to go to WHL and play them off the park, you were sorely deluded – nobody has done that to them this season, not once.

I thought we were good at times today – we weathered the storm, and only conceded from a long range effort, and a goalkeeping error in rolling the ball out. Aside from that we were competitive against one of the best sides in the division – they're not second for nothing.

Koeman isn't going to get it right every week, no manager does. Have some patience, and some perspective – we're where we are in the Premier League because that's where we deserve to be, and given where we've come from since last season, I honestly think we're doing really well this season.

Remember where we've come from in a short space of time.

I take your point; however, I think this match has been a reality check. In all honesty, how many of the Everton side today would have got a place in the Spurs line-up? To be quite honest I don't think any...

We have had a really good run and without doubt, we are improving, but we are still a long way from challenging. I think that's been made obvious today.

I worry greatly when we play teams from the top six away from home and seeing as we have the Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd to come, that's ominous.

The mindset has to change when we play these sides, that's down to Koeman and his coaching staff. From minute one today, you could see what was coming, installing belief is one of Koemans biggest tasks.

Changing the mindset is absolutely right, but again, that takes time – it also takes an injection of new players – which again, takes time.

You can't expect Koeman and the coaches to suddenly change the way players play, or the way they think given the previous regime. That's just not realistic.

I absolutely get that it's unrealistic to expect us to go into the big games and dominate, but that's not what people here are asking for.

We're operating in this perverse situation where, when we go up against the best teams, we set up to offer little. How can that be logical? We're throwing games to avoid being badly beaten.

And we're doing it when we have a 'free swing'. We haven't got a team within 4 points of us. There's only one team in the league with a more secure position (Chelsea). Maybe if we'd had a go we would be looking at that top 6 now. As it is we are as 7th placed as 7th placed can be. It didn't really matter how we lost did it.

It cried out to be changed at half time... where was the guy who changed it after 30 mins early in the season?

I wrote on the Live Forum 'If he doesn't change this soon we'll concede again' – and we did.

Lukaku Vs Kane; On the face of it only one winner, but if they swapped shirts???

In the midfield we lost the battle collectively and individually, Barkley looked the best of a bad bunch – which then put the Defenders under pressure.

When the Midfield is narrow that leaves acres of space in front of Baines – a recipe for disaster. They have space to run at him if he sits back. If he pushes up a bit, they pass it round him. If he pushes up too far it's in behind or over the top, or both.

Coleman, when used properly, 'bullies' the opposition, but today, Alli (the worst kind of Premier League snide and diver; would fit in well with the RedShite) and Ben Davies doubled up on him. They were just a bit too big and too strong and too fast for him, when he did get past on the outside the crosses were hurried and poor...why didn't he cut in more – Poor Plan A – No Plan B.

Robles; unsighted a bit for the 1st and exposed for the 3rd and probably the 2nd too... on my feed Peter Schmeichel more or less exonerates him... I have to agree (I'm sure he's pleased I do) With the missing Mid Field putting pressure on the defence *shrugs – whatcha gonna do?

Banks and Shilton regularly got stuffed in the League while Tommy Lawrence aka The Flying Pig, set all sorts of records behind a tight defence.

Our 2 Goals; The simplistic view is – Once Koeman changed it we scored. Nah, once Spurs changed their midfield by taking off Dembele – Then we scored.

Down to you Ron – Poor Plan A and no Plan B... until it was too late. This isn't the first 'Dutch Moyes' Impression he's given either.

This "inferiority complex" if you like isn't something new when we play the better sides away from home, it's been deep routed for an age, that's what I mean when I say about breaking mindsets, that has got to be down to the coaching staff surely?

How many times have we played matches such as this over the years and we look like we are beaten in the opening salvos; why can't anyone see this? Our record in these games is embarrassing!

I thought Brendan Galloway was a decent prospect in central defence and a couple of other kids looked promising, eg, Pennington. Where is Dowell?

We're back where we belong in the current pecking order which is 7th – that's where we are right now, and where we deserve to be given what's gone before.

I don't think it's realistic to expect Koeman or his coaches to change things as quickly as people want them to – it's going to take time and patience, and those are things I wish supporters would take on board rather than simply laying into the manager when we lose a game.

The chief culprits for me though were the centre-backs. I've no idea where Funes Mori was and Williams was brainlessly ambling a metre or so from Morgan. I can only think that Williams had just stopped paying attention which is unforgivable. It wasn't the first or last time in the game either.

For the poor decisions that went before, if a defender is just paying attention, then Morgan plays a simple pass and the goal is spared.

Anyway, Everton, being the perverse team that they are, will now go and beat the Red Shite, Man Utd, and Arsenal and I'll look a bigger idiot than normal! I shall look forward to tucking in to copious portions of humble pie in that case!

I agree, we made mistakes that led to their goals. It was their 90 minutes of intensity forced it. Our lads couldn't keep up.

Koeman's fault? Barry's fault? After-the-Game-Expert talk.

I read every thread. In the build-up, we had that rare ToffeeWeb agreement; it was going to be tough to get anything from this game. So it proved.

Spurs are better than us right now. Anyone surprised? No-one is.

We lost 1 point to Man Utd and none to Arsenal. We're still in the hunt; while in a major transition.

Sucked losing the way we did, but here comes West Brom and here we go.

The starting lineup was a backward step and as many have said on this thread, there seemed to be no Plan B. I hope we don't go out at Anfield with the same defensively minded thought pattern.

As stated previously, on occasions, we should apply pressure from the get-go to these teams.

We never gave up.

But we shot ourselves in the foot today big time. Barry proved 100% today that he is finished. Like Jagielka, he has done well for us but it's time to move them on.

I am not overreacting heavily because it is our first defeat of the year in the league. And against a top side. But worrying signs were there.

Funes Mori – can not pass a ball to save his life and really does remind me of Sakho. Positioning also awful.

Williams – too hit and miss. Is it a case of he dosen't feel confident with Funes Mori. Or just getting on.

Back three worked well, we need to go back to that system, otherwise more goals like today will be conceded.

Robles – I like him, he has done well. But what the fuck is he doing for them 2 goals. Pure bone idol.

God help us in our next away game. We need to win the next two bigtime!

Both frequently had to go wide to cover for Coleman and Baines who had stinkers and got no help from four defensive midfielders who did anything but defend. In the second half, Coleman was pushed forward playing more in a wing position with Williams going to right back and Schneiderlin moving to central defence.

I don't see that Robles was at that much fault for the goals. It could be said that he could have been closer to his near post but he also had to be positioned if Kane crossed to the far post. The fault for that goal lies with Gana and Barry.

As for rolling it out to Schneiderlin, I wasn't sure if Schneiderlin called for it but he had two options. Put his foot on the ball as the Spurs player was behind him or return it to Robles. Instead he played a suicide two-yard ball to Williams who had a Spurs player on him and then two with Schneiderlin's man.

Someone else asked if we expected to go to WHL and outplay Spurs. Maybe not... but I did expect to see a team named and playing as though they wanted to.

Having said that, like others, I thought Barkley had a good game and is a very different player to Dele Alli who I found narky and irritating.

I think Barry is done (as a starter). I think 3 of the back 4 need replacing (and Seamus needs to practice his crossing).

But we will finish 7th this year and get into the Europa League. This is progress and will hopefully allow us to add a couple more of the pieces in the jigsaw over the summer.

I finally thought that we were in a position to actually give it a go down there. You don't need to be kamikaze about going forward but you have to show intent and not just when you're 2-0 down.

Having effectively 4 DMs is taking a massive step backwards. I know Davies and Schneiderlin can get forward but essentially they are primarily DMs. I am massively disappointed.

If you don't give yourself a chance then we are never going to overtake the so called top 6. The side was just not balanced. Thought we had finally overcome putting square pegs into round holes, evidently not.

Koeman really needs to take lessons from this and make sure he learns those lessons. To go with that formation and to get beat like that just shows we are not ready to be mentioned in the same breath as the top 6. Very poor.

Spurs didn't play well? Is that why they're unbeaten at home all season, and second in the league?

Come off it, mate!

You could always go against them man-for-man, a la Stoke, and get done 4-0, I suppose.

We were shit last season, and too open – Koeman has addressed that and rightly so. Now be patient!

We have the 5th best home record just below Arsenal and Burnley. I was amazed at the amount of people who thought we could have won on Sunday and that's not me being negative for the sake of it.

I just felt looking at our results lately that, yes, we are playing very well at home but away from home we have struggled quite with teams in the top half of the table.

I think we did very well to get two goals back and maybe the score flattered us a bit but it did highlight again how our back 4 struggle when teams with pace run at us.

Up until yesterday, Spurs had only conceded 5 goals at WHL and so despite our defensive set up we ended up scoring 2.

West Brom at home is a big game that we need to win and not just draw. Them losing at home to Palace was a huge boost to us on Sat as it gives us some breathing space.

By the way, should we qualify for the Europa League in 7th place, we will have a knot of early summer qualifying matches.

Then of course the real clincher, Robles made a bad decision and Morgan compounded it after really being put in a bad position. Koeman can put these things right and one hopes soon so that the team can get back to good results.

The excuses for this "temporary" state of evolution tend to still be going a decade later – Anfield will tell.

From the way they played I'm not sure the team thought they could win on Sunday, there was no real spark in what could have been a defining game in our season.

We've got 6 home games left, all of which we will be favorites for (WBA, Hull, Burnley, Leicester and Watford) bar Chelsea. So we could get 15 points there.

Our away games are going to be a bit of a nightmare (Liverpool, Man Utd, West Ham, Swansea and Arsenal) especially given we don't really seem to have an effective game plan away from home. So - I reckon, all in, we'll be lucky to get 20 points from our remaining games.

If we've got any Top 6 aspirations we've got to do what we've failed to do for decades, which is beat the Top 6 in their own back yard. We had an opportunity to do that on Sunday and reverted to type, and will have a few more opportunities coming up which I doubt we'll take either and that's what separates us from the best.

WBA have got a torrid remaining schedule, of which I think they might be lucky to get 15 points, which also makes this weekend's game huge.

Win that and I think we're nailed on for 7th, the strong possibility of Europa League football and hopefully new faces coming into the club that could turn us into Top 4 contenders next season, which is a mammoth task.

For that reason alone, Europa League qualification is probably a must just in view of making us a more attractive proposition to players who could be on our recruitment list. That and keeping hold of Lukaku, which for me, is now a must.

It was a tactical error that wasn't isolated, it's happened before. I hope it's not repeated again, otherwise I will be concerned about Koeman's tactical nouse (I know, I'm only a punter, whilst he's a millionaire manager who was a great player, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get things wrong). If it were an isolated mistake, that would be fine, but it wasn't. That's my issue, and makes the defeat frustrating.

I believe we need to approach every game to win, regardless of the opposition. We do have the players to defeat the likes of Spurs at WHL, but we need to get the tactics right. If we don't take this attitude, then I don't believe we'll challenge for anything. Yesterday did not show a winning mentality.

Barry looks good on the ball and still offers something but generally his defending is abysmal, either giving away cheap fouls in dangerous areas, or finding a way to add to his considerable tally of bookings.

I'm not saying we would have won the game with the line-up that finished the game but I'm sure we would have given Spurs a tougher game. Lukaku's goal was the first real shot on target.

Norwich City also have a return of 14 points but from only 24 games. Villa, Newcastle, West Ham and Swansea have a better return against the elite away from home than Everton in this period.

West Brom and Southampton have the best records outside of the top six on those grounds with both sides amassing 21 points, the Saints from only 27 trips.

It comes as no surprise to see that the clubs with the best records at those away grounds include, Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool and Man Utd with each of those clubs taking 34 points or more. Surprisingly Spurs have only taken 18 points away from home against the elite.

It could be argued as some have said that the big teams don't take Everton as lightly as some of their other visitors or it could be argued that smaller clubs than Everton do not have an inbuilt inferiority complex.

Whatever the reason, it is Everton's lack of points taken at those venues and more importantly the abject performances that usually accompany those results that makes it easier for the pundits and media to dismiss Everton when they are discussing the merits of each of the European contenders.

At home, we are a match for most teams but our away form in general, and particularly at the richer clubs, is our undoing. I'm not going to pretend that there is an easy solution but surely we could expect to see the team compete every now and again when they travel to those places?

The problem yesterday was there was no-one in front of them and they were obviously instructed to be defensive-minded, nullifying their main strength which is going forward.

I was hoping for a 3-5-2 with Holgate and Coleman pushing high on Ben Davies, who imo is their weakest link in the absence of Danny Rose, but instead, we allowed Davies and Walker to push forward and keep us pinned back.

Despite the superiority of Spurs, I was most concerned with the sloppiness for their goals – all of which could have been prevented.

Stan (#195), I'm in agreement possibly with an stronger point of view.

Koeman's selections and formations have been a repeat feature of his tenure. He has himself admitted this by having to act upon it early in games, WBA and Bournemouth noteable examples. Seen as both a strength, to change things is good and a weakness, why get it so wrong in the first place?

Whilst tactical flexibility is something we've desperately needed in our manager, that doesn't stem to getting it so wrong it is the root of the performance. I have little patience for such big errors.

He has admittedly given us a glimpse of a better team but then the bar was fairly low.

I wonder if the big, powerful midfield he's assembled is to Band-Aid the obvious weakness at the back. Now if thats the case then okay, but its clear surgery is required. But it been said that the players look more comfortable and I think we look more exciting as a 3-5-2?

What concerns me the most is a back 4, the root of most of his folly, exposes each one to their weaknesses. I now reluctantly have to include the full backs, I've been a little sentimental towards them.

Baines is done; even in a 5 he stuggles. Coleman could survive in a 5 but in a 4 is continually exposed for lack of awareness. Fuck I wouldn't cross a road with the lad!

I have to say even on games we've won the evidence is there, the opponent hasn't been good enough to exploit it. Even when they did, Bournemouth home, it was swept away with the euphoria of hitting 6.

So is Koeman experimenting with 7th very close to being sewn up? You'd think if so then Holgate gets a go in a 4 surely?

I truly don't know with this fella, a stellar career in a hugely attacking side, a goalscorer supreme and 'snidey' defender. Didn't he play sweeper formost of his career? Am I wrong to expect more by now?

Jury's still out for me.

Not the game for Barry at all, against a very mobile Spurs midfield and worse still, it pushed our best defensive midfielder, Gana, too far up the pitch. This was really a mistake, the goals obviously came about through some classic clowning around reminiscent of the Martinez days but Spurs deserved more. Surely a mobile McCarthy higher up and an effective Gana further back would have made more sense?

Also I am finally coming round to the stance of those who say Lukaku is absolutely vital to Everton. I've not been a massive fan of his agent over the years but he really is one of the few things we have going for us.

As much as it annoys me how reliant we are on his goals, the fact remains we simply are. I've no idea who could replace him.

But yeah, as has been said; Koeman really ballsed this one up which is a concern.

We may not be as good as Spurs, but there's not much in it, and Koeman won't help matters if he chooses, time and again, a formation of fear and containment away from home, especially against the 'top' sides.

Something struck me today though and that was: Should we condemn ourselves so much on the basis of one result? A lot of points have been made about how we're well short of being at Spurs level etc etc...

So did Man City say that they're well short of being at Everton's level when we battered them four nil at Goodison? Spurs were a lot better than us yesterday but I have to say that we were woeful and a number of individual mistakes "gifted" them all three goals.

Had we played anywhere near the level we're well able to play at we could have come away with something from WHL. We just happened to pick THAT particular day to suffer from a poor team selection initially, and then a number of unforced, sloppy mistakes against a team who are on a great run playing at their home ground which has been their very own fortress this season.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "small margins"...

Dermot @205: I don't think many on TW want him sacked, and most reactions seem very reasonable to me. Koeman made a mistake, that's all, but it wasn't an isolated mistake, it was a repeat mistake, fairly predictable, and in many folks' opinion, avoidable. So it's entirely fair to raise this as an issue. Our manager isn't perfect.

Barry was good at start of year and has x amount of games – better start him;
Schneiderlin cost £25m – better start him;
Gana, Player of the season So far – better start him;
Davies, young and fans' favourite – better start him too!!!

This resulted in a non-formation with no width and players getting in each other's way!

Barca coming in for him 'because he is one of theirs'? Yeah, right – they said the same thing about Martinez. Koeman has a lot of learning to do and we'll have more days like yesterday while he learns.

The positives from yesterday? and they are not ones we can't answer. We can play to the level Spurs did yesterday and that is title challenging stuff. We just need to wait while the manager learns his lessons and do some more filtering out of the lamer elements in the squad.

Time to dig in and grit it out again; the Baggies game is a must-win now; we clearly have to show the resilience to bounce back from a bad game and put some daylight between us and those following.

Not many saying the manager should be sacked... just pointing out that he made a few fundamental mistakes. Let's face it, he had all week to put together a plan to get something from Spurs yesterday, a plan that – if any of us had known what it was before kick-off, would have said, "Don't think that will work" – and that's not relying on hindsight.

Looking at Sky Sports website here's the team line-up and marks
Everton: Robles (7), Holgate (7), Williams (7), Funes Mori (7), Coleman (7), Davies (9), Barry (8), Baines (7), Barkley (6), Mirallas (7), Lukaku (8).

BTW, anyone know how I can get tickets to the Juventus v Milan match this coming Friday?

It was primarily a defensive performance against Man City at Goodison Park; however, notice that alongside Barry there was only Davies as the other defensive midfielder, plus Mirallas was up top with Lukaku and at the back we had Holgate who has pace and is a good reader of the game. Similar tactics perhaps but not very similar performances or outcomes.

The Man City game gave our attacking play some options, the Spurs game did not. There were too many people trying to man the same position and that led to a lot of uncertainty and confusion which cost Everton the game.

I am a firm believer in the manager but he got it badly wrong yesterday, supplemented by three horrific errors for their goals – all of which were down to a lack of concentration and application.

Back to Finch Farm for a refresher course this week.

Had all the goals been due to outstanding play which we couldn't live with or have any chance of preventing then it could be classed as us being "blown away".

They weren't, and we weren't. We shot ourselves in the foot three times. Make one unenforced error less and it's two all.Small margins.

The Dutchman has been too pragmatic, and too defensive. Koeman has several times picked terrible formations which fail the players more than the other way around. That needs to change quickly if we are to continue a progression which has been there but erratic. Our back 4 are all shot, and as previously posted I'm certainly sad about the full backs.

Lots of recognition on the site that we need new blood at centre back. Little talk of new full backs and good suggestions at that. Normally I'm full of thoughts but have to say I'm stumped.

Suggestions what type of team we want given the way Koeman sets up?

The disdain, dislike, utter contempt they feel towards us just oozes out of every sentence as though we don't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as their elected top 6.

One last thing: It's even clearer on the telly that Funes Mori not only doesn't have a football brain, he's a lazy sod who could've at least tried to get back to intercept their second goal.

Preoccupied by the calamity that created it, I was eventually, like you, perplexed at the jogging Funes Mori 'shepherding' the ball into the goal.

Somewhat clinging to the small skillset he has, when he plays in a three, he just looks more secure. That goes for the rest of the defence.

No I just can't do it. He's terrible, I'd pick Krøldrup over him.

Spurs pressed brilliantly, both as individuals (Eriksen!!) and in packs. We tried, but more often than not as individuals. They move the ball and themselves too quickly for one-man pressing to work. they've had two and a half years to get where they are, we've had since the summer.

As for the goals, one point of view is that they were down to unforced errors: not closing Kane down quickly, stupid roll-out, and poor concentration. In the context of the game, perhaps those errors weren't all that unforced.

The press Spurs put on us had our players rattled in possession and when that happens you make poor decisions. Not sure who was putting the high press on Koeman though when he selected Barry ahead of McCarthy.

Shakes head... moves on.

First goal was due to no pressure whatsoever on the ball, Kane had all day to pick his spot.

The second – what can you say, bad decision by Robles, compounded by our players being half asleep.

That's two goals start, their third goal was a well worked goal, I've no complaints about that one.

We only started to play and get on the front foot when the game was virtually over.

You have no complaints over their third goal?

I suggest you watch it again and explain what Baines was doing???

Another thing is, he is quite good with long passes but awful when passing short. Weird skill.

Unless we can win away at the big boys gaffs on a regular basis,we won't win nowt... sadly.

Our second goal was a similar goal. Having said that, Baines did seem in dreamland and he's never impressed in a defenceive capacity, in my book.

I expect Everton to try and win every game, but when Koeman spouts about pressing and intensity, then brings in Barry away at one of our strongest rivals, I can understand the pessimissm. If he wants intensity, then the best exponent at the club is McCarthy, who leaves everything on the pitch.

Barry would struggle to press a doorbell if it was more then three feet away. Play him at home against the Burnleys and Sunderlands, but away at Spurs?

And Christine @ 128. Robles, until the ridiculous roll out that dissected Williams and Schneiderlin

Have you watched it? The ball went to Schneids and Williams was busy looking up the pitch; the ball had just kept coming back at us, so Robles, wisely, tried to keep possession, but in a carbon copy of the Howard/Osman cock up against Sunderland, Morgan (a professional footballer) failed to control and pass a simple ball played right to him.

Do they ever watch themselves on playbacks? If they do, they must cringe with embarrassment. God bless us... utterly inane.

Better players or better coaching? I'd say both, but more the players. Very few of ours would get in that Spurs side.