Everton vs Newcastle United

To give the “hopefully” outgoing manager some credit, I would have bitten someone's hand off if they offered us 8th back in the dark days of October 2017.

It will be a close game, we have slightly more quality than the Geordies and hopefully that will gain us a narrow win.

The Barcodes and Rafa are full of confidence at the moment, though, and, if any of our lads turn up wearing flip-flops... New-castle will stand on our sand-castle!

However, despite his protestations that we non-believers are in a small majority, he knows the truth is otherwise, and I wonder if he will be tempted to make 3 or 4 significant changes to show how progressive he can be? (Yeah, right!) Don't be surprised to see Baningime and Vlasic starting with maybe young Tom Davies also. If I am correct, it's only because he is a fraud and a charlatan (and a knob).

Whatever team plays, the crowd must make our feelings towards him crystal clear throughout the whole match.

Allardyce out asap.

Yes, Allardyce is a problem at Everton but, for me, he's just one of the many symptoms of a bigger problem that has been prominent at this club for many many years – which is the players getting off with an easy ride.

I still haven't forgotten the way the fuckers downed tools last season in the last six games... and the year before... and the year before that. I still haven't forgotten the endless shitbag jobs (even under Moyes) whenever a big game came about.

I'll blame Allardyce for team selection, like everyone will, of course, but there's a bigger problem going on at Everton and one which has gone on for way too bloody long – that's harbouring a loser's mentality.

We will chuck Allardyce in the summer but will Fonseca, Howe or whoever get the same treatment that say Martinez had, if they have a maiden season finishing 5th or 6th (very unlikely to be honest) but the fans abuse him if it quickly starts dropping off in the following months? It's worth posing the question now.

Can we accept finishing 8th next season if the football is more attractive going forward? Again, for example, like it was for at least half of Martinez tenure?

Are we willing to be patient, like we were with Moyes, who some will say robbed a living here for 11 years without any great success, while others may say it was a decade of great stability? Either way, he got that decade to leave his stamp on the club.

The new manager will make cock-ups, bad team selections, and will be slagged off intermittently throughout the season. There will be the good, the bad, and the ugly. At the moment, we just have the bad and the ugly, so 8th with a bit of good will be an improvement.

Above all, I want to see a seed planted. I want to see a passionate team, growing. I want to have hope for the future.

Position 7th – 𧵁M; 8th – 𧴴M; 9th – 𧴴M; 10th – 𧴮M.

"Thanks for the memories Sam but it's time to go"...!

After all, he'll get his contract paid up even if he gets the tin-tack!

Pickford
Baines
Keane
Jagielka
Coleman
Walcott
Klaassen
Davies (or Rooney – not both)
Vlasic
Niasse
Tosun

We have had many bad managers over the decades but I can't remember any having such a toxic effect on the atmosphere inside the ground.

Any "Lookman In, Allardyce Out" banners on display would do nicely.

Like our two favourite survey questions, I expect the result to be 0 - 0.....

Walcott and Calvert-Lewin on the flanks with Niasse and Tosun up front. Rooney to come on for the last half-hour if we need him.

That is the narrative believed and recited daily by many fans and local pundits. The reality is he took over a totally unbalanced squad which would have seen us at best engaged in a relegation battle until the final week of the season.

At worst, we might well be where Southampton are now, buried in the bottom three with Mark Hughes as manager. Sam has had one transfer window to strengthen the squad, making two signings which have addressed some of the obvious weaknesses.

Mid-table mediocrity is not something any fan aspires to but it is the best we could have hoped for with this squad, this season. It might well be the best we can hope for next season whoever is in charge. The key point for me is that mid-table is pretty much guaranteed under Sam.

Any new appointment this summer will be fraught with risk. With any of the names being bandied around, there is as much chance of us sinking down the table as there is of us climbing into the top six. But relegation battles can be exciting and excitement seems to be what many fans crave.

Don't know about Bolasie, But Schneiderlin did sort of put out a "Someone come get me" message a week or two ago.

If it means he'll try hard these last few games, putting himself on display, I'd rather he play them all if it means he'll be gone in the Summer.

Your first statement is stretching the truth somewhat. One game, and it wasn't as dominant display as the score suggested. Prior to that, there was very little on show of the attributes you list

This isn't in defence of Big Sam, but he can't be blamed for what went before. We were shit in every game except the West Ham one.

Whist it's pretty obvious Allardyce will be gone at the end of the season, for some that's not enough, they want to publicly abuse the guy right to the bitter end, pointless in my opinion. The problems where there long before he arrived.

What future manager watching the hatred bubbling over at Goodison will want to manage Everton? Very few, it's self-destructive and we'll get the manager we deserve — a Z-lister.

If he plays Vlasic and Klaassen and we lose, it's ours and the players' fault; if we win, then Sam will say being safe allowed him to play those players. And after the Southampton game, Sam will take the credit if we win, and have a little dig at the board and fans if we lose; it will not be Sams fault.

ps: Trevor, I would take a Z-lister over Sam.

Pundits can argue he got Everton safe, it just shows how bad those teams results below us were if we can somehow still be 9th, a horrible season that cannot end soon enough for me.

One day, this move will pay off... not sure when, though.

Give Walcott, Bolasie & Tosun a break... Vlasic, Klaassen, Niasse & Calvert-Lewin are due a start.

Pickford
Coleman Jagielka(c) Keane Baines
Rooney Gueye Klaassen
Vlasic
Calvert-Lewin Niasse

Subs: Robles, Funes Mori, Schneiderlin, Davies, Bolasie, Walcott, Tosun

If you want to vent and shout at someone do it against the opposition.

Schneiderlen should not be given another chance. He offers nothing other than standing in between the defenders playing 10-yard danger balls against his own teammates.

I'm not convinced by Baningime but admittedly not seen a lot of him. He's a bit too laid back and doesn't have Gana or Davies in your face pesky enthusiasm to win balls back.

If a defensive midfielder cannot defend, ie tackle, track, close down or hassle the opposition then he better be a bloody good passer. Schnides hasn't and can not.

Newcastle have a similar player but who can pass. Shelvy (?) is their go-to man at every opportunity. He takes charge and pings the ball around like McIlroy.

We need to shut that danger out. I would tell Rooney or Davies to sit on him. Mark him out of the game with an advanced midfielder. Then we can push up marking player's further forward ready to pounce. Jagielka to stay deep to mop up any other hopeful punts from their defenders.

This will not happen and we'll all be talking about what a good player Shelvy is. He'll be afforded so much time on the ball he'll be compared to Pirlo and only their poor finishing will keep us in the game.

I'm still hopeful for a win. But please no Williams, no Schneiderlin and don't let Shelvy dictate play. That's when players on the pitch need to use their football intelligence and take action no matter what the manager may have instructed before the game.

Lately though, I am feeling a bit more optimistic about getting Fonseca and Brands on board.

Like many, I don't feel Sam & his team are right for Everton, but he can not be held accountable for a dreadful first half of the season, the limp attempt at the Carabou Cup and the truly dreadful showing in the Europa League - Problems much more deep rooted & truly embarrassing for this great club.

In my ideal world, everyone would go, playing and coaching staff, except Unsy for the U23s, and Pickford, Coleman, Tosun, Davies, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Lookman, Vlasic in the squad. Some (Davies, Calvert-Lewin, Baningime, Kenny) need to go out on loan, the rest sold or retired.

As for Monday night's game, we'll probably lose.

Brian (#31), I hope the golden handshake happens whether it goes tits up or not.

We have one of the best youth systems in the country, as proved by national winning teams; we just need someone to take these players to the next level and not ship them out on loan and then forget about them.

Moshi has the cash and the business know how to go forward, now he needs to appoint a footballing overseer, separate from the manager, to run the club as a true footballing club. I am not saying this happens and we win the Premier League but at least hopefully we can enjoy watching the teams play and through a proper footballing structure give the young and upcoming footballers a reason to stay.

At least if we are not winning trophies, the players are becoming better players to me that is success. If a player can say I was proud and became a better player by playing for Everton, then that is what leads to success.

He has brought in 2 players both of which seem like decent acquisitions and again credit is due.

He has also at least to some extent had a hand in shifting out some of the dross (Mirallas, Besic).

And as many have said already, cannot be held accountable for the complete mess that he walked into. Yes, we beat West Ham 4-0 but they missed a penalty at 2-0 and were the better team until that miss knocked the stuffing out of them.

I, like many others I suggest, would have taken safety at almost any cost rather than nice football and relegation. Sam has brought some stability to a rapidly sinking ship.

However, Evertonians rightly expect better for next season and Sam will not give us that. We need a new forward-looking manager with the right back up at DOF and the most senior levels within the club. It looks like Elstone is on his way and it was being rumoured a month or so ago that Kenwright was going to step down also; if we add Steve Walsh to that, I think it will go a long way in sorting out the deeper issues.

So, 10 games into the new season and playing much the same way with a manager who has no Premier League experience, what will be the response from the fans if the results are poor?

https://www.buildlineup.com/shared/5adcf073138c092e24ab296b

Come on, share your inside information with us!

You must have some to be so sure that all the coaching staff, with the exception of Unsworth, should be sacked.

I hope not, don't doubt she has lot's of ability, but this the wrong time in the club's history to appoint a person with no visible experience in managing a Premier League club.

We are even more likely to become a charity with a football club attached.

Benitez. We have endured the dreadful sight of Sammy Lee in the dugout, so getting beyond our prejudices is possible. As things stand, we are at risk of becoming "a little team" so I for one, would not be unhappy to see Benitez at the helm.

If the Magpies turn us over tomorrow, as is quite possible, maybe the spotlight will point towards him.

Allardyce has 3 draws and 5 losses (and abysmal game plans) against the top 6 teams. He is clearly not the manager to take Everton to the next level and should be gone asap. I was reading on whoscored.com that Everton make 73 long ball passes per game with an effective rate of 18%. This just insanity, you need the ball to score, 4 out of every 5 long balls go to the opposition.

Talking about Southampton, I haven't heard much from Matt "Saints are bigger than Everton" Le Tissier recently. He's become almost as invisible as Jared Kushner.

Style of play – Gets the best out of players
Stands up to the owner & chairman when they're wrong
Winning mentality – doesn't consider avoiding relegation a result
Attracts good players
Capable of building a team to play proper football

I for one would welcome him big time

All together now...

I see Allardyce is forming the same mind set as he did at West Ham as he admitted in his book. When he decided time was up, he thought it would be fun to wind up the supporters by constantly talking about next season. Just shows how little respect he has for fans. Maybe the people criticizing the survey saying it was disrespectful to Allardyce should do their home work and read what he said at West Ham.

He has started the same thing here, talking about next season, and maybe selling Lookman in the summer — all done to wind up the supporters. I mean how could anybody sell a young promising wide player, yet play Bolasie every week?

He knows most of the fans don't particularly like Schneiderlin so he plays him every week. He knows he will also pocket the best part of ٤ million whatever happens, and he knows that come next December a struggling club will be after his services. How sad an indictment is this that the same win-nothing anti-football managers can always find work.

Can someone please enlighten me as to his particular abilities?

More important than the result is the fact it's another game bringing this horrendous season to a close.

Moshiri is being reported as attending the game tonight. I would like him to do the decent thing and face to face inform Allardyce that he has succeeded in his remit of employment, thank him, and inform him that his tenure will cease at the end of the last game of the season.

As regards the team. I'd keep the back 4 from recent games. Play Baningime in a midfield 4 and give Tosun some support up top with either Niasse or Calvert-Lewin alongside him.

Pickford
Coleman Jagielka Keane Baines
Rooney Gueye Klaassen
Vlasic
Calvert-Lewin Niasse

Subs: Robles, Funes Mori, Schneiderlin, Davies, Bolasie, Walcott, Tosun.

We will see the same boring line up of players who on the majority aren't performing.

Pickford
Coleman Jagielka Keane Baines
Gueye Schneiderlin
Walcott Rooney Bolasie
Tosun

Whatever occurs at the end of the season we have a long difficult climb back to where we have been even in the relatively recent past and a virtually insurmountable climb to where we have been in the longer past and were we want to be again. I know Man City have done it but that sort of investment is a done dog I reckon.

I am really feeling that our time as a force in football is over. That is what this season has finally done to me. It just kills the hope. I shall remain an Evertonian for however much longer my God gives me and continue to hope for the best, but as a mere mortal I simply do not know what the answer is.

Anyway, I've gone 2-1 today although my head says this has 'draw' written all over it. COYB.

In far too many games this season, the team has come out looking as if they know they can't win and usually the opposition sense that from the off.

Would be nice to come out bright and take the game by the scruff of the neck instead of the usual 50 passes before getting into the opposite penalty area.

They have nothing to lose so go for it

Now, for the first time, I actually decide not to go. I don't even steam it. That's how much I dislike our style and commitment.

Let's hope this changes next season!

Not sure I could swallow having Benitez at our club. I watched them early in the season and thought they were bang on for relegation and it's only this late run that's got them out of it. However, I feel we are due a defeat tonight and this will play right into Big Sams hands as he makes up the excuses.

Walcott needs to show himself in a game like this as he's done nothing for a while.

Being an Evertonian for years, I have always wanted the team to go out with the right attitude, and preferably win, and if they get beaten by a better side, reluctantly, I will accept defeat, in the knowledge that at least they have done their best.

The chance that Schneiderlin will be playing instils me with disdain, and even more contempt for Allardyce, who keeps picking him, when it is obvious to all and sundry, that he is a square peg in a round hole.

A lot are saying basically this a nothing game with little to play for, obviously, the Europa spot is well beyond, but what about pride, and for all those fans who have travelled all over the country supporting them, in many cases undeservedly.

I'm going to Goodison tonight when I could be in town enjoying myself and finishing in Ned Kelly's winding my mates up over getting fucked tomorrow by Roma. Not much fun in life now, unless Samuel gets his P45 and his comics after the game or in the morning – better still half-time tonight would be fuckin' perfect.

"If you can keep your head when all around are losing theirs... the chances are you haven't understood the situation in the first place!"

Expect a dull encounter, with Sam playing his two defensive midfielders. Sam just wants to make his record look nice and safe and a point is a must but a win a bonus.

I have no idea who will win.

Do you know what I mean by 'fanatical'? Just crazy about Everton and football in general – it's "FIFA" this and "Panini stickers" that – he knows which player wears what boots and is great with his stats as well. I suppose we were all like that at 10. No FIFA for me though. It was Subbuteo for a gentlemen of my vintage. Anyway where was I ?

Oh yeah, my nephew.

He's not joining me tonight at the game.

When I asked him why, he gave the honest answer you would expect from a 10-year-old -

"It's boring."

I had no reply.

COYB!!