Time for the manager to stand up and be counted

I would much sooner everyone wake up to the piss weak frauds masquerading as players that have not been arsed turning up for how many managers now?

That last half-hour of yesterday was a complete disgrace and how those players can hold their head up I don't know, absolute zero effort in front of their own fans.

As per usual it will be the manager that loses his job whilst these jokers get paid lavish wages and big extended contracts.

I can't be bothered with the way the current regime is heading.

The sad thing about it is that you could have posted this after the first pre-season game at Bury. A bloody awful performance and we wondered that night what was going on. Little did I think we'd still be wondering 7 bloody months later!!!

No right-minded supporter expected us to finish top 4 but I do think we expected to see more than we have done, certainly basic stuff like passing and moving, well we shouldn't even talk about that.

Players do need to be held accountable but ultimately it is down to the manager and so far he has failed miserably.

Everything is relative. Yes, we played a bit better than last season before the derby but, let's be honest, we were still crap. Since the derby, we have been an absolute embarrassment.

The clock is ticking...

Our management has had months to address this, why the hell isn't the Goodison hierarchy asking any questions.

City will be merciless and again they scored another goal inside a minute.

Surely the players' professional pride will kick in for Wednesday night? There's nowhere to hide and outside of Huddersfield we are on par with the most feeble and abject teams in recent times.

The lack of heart and care is killing the crowd and at this rate Everton are gonna be in a right mess that will worsen over time, as no good players would want to come to Everton.

Silva needs inspiration and wisdom, and must accept that the book of training techniques and tactics in use at Finch Farm, is not working.

If only these players would give a dam for Everton.

Simeone sooner or later surely wants to try his luck in the UK and we are the only ones left he could come to providing Man Utd stick with Ole. Now that would be a good call from Moshiri and/or Brands. Stranger things have happened!!

Now, either they were wrong or we haven't got the right manager? I would suggest both..

The signs were there, the way sides sliced right through us in transition was very worrying.

With the ball we did look partly competent. Without the ball Silva has destroyed the confidence of his team to defend, individually and as a collective.

The gaps in the whole team are huge, when we lose the ball the team should collapse towards the middle shutting the distance between each other quickly, closing the passing lanes open to the opposition and slowing them down. The result, forcing them down the side to allow Everton to regain a compact shape again.

As Silva has ignored the fact the team can't play that way yet, we concede cheap free kicks if not good goal scoring chances when we are strung out. Keane on Saturday was a great example.

Sadly he hasn't boxed clever or been savvy enough to implement his vision in chunks. He has over extended the team and their confidence is rock bottom.

People cite the Derby for many reasons as a good performance and yes elements of that are true. We also were lucky in the first 20 having coughed the ball up 2/3 times they didn't score in transition as I've described above.

It was an example of a good performance with the glaring flaw, just ignored.

As we've been punished repeatedly for our defensive inadequacy it has naturally affected the offensive parts of the team.

Silva in recent times as he's become desperate has swapped attacking players with few positives, not realising the team are scared of their own shadow, the problem is the defending.

I thought the back three at Burnley was the light bulb moment for him. Throttle back a bit on the high flying full backs and give us a base to work from.

It gave the squad more security and a compact look. It would certainly fit the defenders we have. His decision since not to use it has been the last straw really.

He has three games in my estimation to save himself. He needs points in all of them, and absolutely cannot be embarrassed in the derby. A heavy defeat and it's all over.

This is obviously true of zonal marking but also of the joke of a tactic where the central defenders stand by the goal line for goal kicks. What this is supposed to achieve, god only knows, presumably keeping possession.

It has become obvious that we are gaining nothing and the defenders are uncomfortable with it when they have to pass the ball with the opposition bearing down on them. But still he persists...

If he can't see this or has only one way to play, then it's time to go – likely he will get himself sacked.

So, do our glorious leaders stick with Marco and give him a wad of cash to spend over summer or do they punt him and find the next gentleman for the hot seat.

In my mind, Marco bought some decent players – and in that, I don't think we have bad squad – but, if he's not going to change his tactics or show some sign of learning, he could have a squad of world beaters and still fuck it up.

So, in writing this, I just made up my mind: there's not enough objective evidence to keep Marco as the Everton manager, so he should go come summer, unless we have a miraculous last third of the season... which seems unlikely.

The shouts from the crowd are comical. Everyone calling out Walcott as though he's the only one out of form. The players are all looking around for answers. How is it possible to concede so many similar goals from 6 yards out... and central to our goal.

At least Martinez knew his job first and foremost was instilling confidence runs through the team and no matter who was on the pitch the style remained the same. It seems as though the fans couldn't be patient enough for tippy-tappy football. He built a foundation just like Moyes did.

The biggest mistake, without doubt, that was made was that when Martinez was sacked we ripped It all up to start again with a completely different style and system. What we should of done was to continue with the same type of football but of course with someone that's aware that defensive solidity is not just about possession.

Silva should be relieved now so that any new manager can audition for the job, show the style he wants to play and show he's got the players playing for him. First choice would be dependant on our chairman and owners recognising what style that is that fits. I'd like that to be Arteta... but I'm not sure the fan base would like any tippy-tappy shit again. We need an identity. What are we?

You are right about that. Certain players like Walcott have become hate figures and all I hear by me at the match is: “Fuckin get him off and get Lookman on.”

Nobody actually noticing that in the games Lookman has played he just disappears up his own arse and plays with a face like a smacked jacksy.

People go on about being knowledgeable but then say things like

“Get Calvert-Lewin running in behind.”

Has anyone thought that maybe Calvert-Lewin just isn't the brightest footballer and he isn't learning?

I find it hard to believe the management and coaches haven't tried telling Calvert-Lewin to get in behind but what can you do once a player sets foot on the pitch and does basically shit all?

A lack of physical strength. Great Everton teams have always had steel combined with skill. Those teams had individuals who could look after themselves and the rest of their team mates, on and off the pitch.

A lack of fitness. We fade in games.

A lack of speed. Players put in the miles, but not at speed. This is means one of our attacking threats – Pickford's long range distribution – is negated because by the time he has got the ball, opponents have their defensive shape sorted. Also, it explains why our build-up play is so ponderous.

A goalkeeper glued to his line. You don't have to be huge – Big Nev was only 6ft-1in and what about Nigel Martyn? – but a keeper who comes for the ball has height advantage by virtue of being able to use his hands in the penalty area. We concede goals in the six yard box because the crosses are not cleared out. If defenders are not able to do it (because of zonal marking?) the keeper should step up and out to take charge of the situation. Far too many goals scored from within the 6-yard box.

Too much emphasis on match stats – I am convinced many players are more bothered about their pass accuracy percentage than winning the game, or some other stat (Gana and number of tackles, Gylffi and kilometres covered, for example) which means a lot to that individual, but does not directly benefit the team.

Lack of nous. Keep giving away free kicks 30 yards out week in, week out, is unforgiveable. It has led to most of the defeats this season. Surely the manager and coaching staff must point this out... so why aren't the players doing something about it?

As a good few of those free-kicks happened in the last 20 minutes, is that linked to the fitness and physical strength issues I mentioned earlier in this post?

City will be merciless and again they scored another goal inside a minute, yesterday.

Surely the players professional pride will kick in for Wednesday night? There's nowhere to hide and outside of Huddersfield we are on par with the most feeble and abject teams in recent times.

The lack of heart and care is killing the crowd and at this rate Everton are gonna be in a right mess that will worsen over time, as no good players would want to come to Everton.

Silva needs inspiration and wisdom, and must accept that the book of training techniques and tactics in use at Finch Farm, is not working.

If only these players would give a dam for Everton.

Motivation = Performance x Ability. In the current form there's possibly less than 4 players, who show any trait of trying on a consistent basis.

The buck stops with the manager and the first team manager and first team coaches at Everton. If they can't motivate the players then this raises obvious questions about respect for these coaches and the manager.

The body language on the pitch suggests the players have no belief, and lack as many have been saying on TW for months now, no guts, desire, backbone and belief in the cause.

Wednesday night is gonna be massive for Silva and this squad.

Spot on with the assessment over Pickford.

The guy is a great shot stopper but then so too was Tim Howard but both men have one annoying trait in common, they don't come off their line.

Pickford seems psychologically damaged by the Anfield mistake (regardless what he says about not being bothered, it's evident in his all-round game since, his confidence isn't there).

Neville Southall was never troubled with confidence, you could have just imagine him catching that Anfield fuck up from Pickford with one hand and rolling it down his arm taking the piss out of the Kop.

I never wanted to bring it up but perhaps the issues over Pickfords lack of height in goal are now becoming more prominent, he seems unsure of coming for high balls.

I rate Pickford, but if he is a glue-to-the-line keeper, at £30m value, it is up to the manager and coaching staff to work around it.

Week-in & week-out we play with 2 ineffective wide men. Bernard has skill but he has no end product, not enough assists and no goals. Theo is marginally more productive but is still ineffective. Both are hounded out of the ball and end up giving it away cheaply.

The midfield set up has to change or we will be overrun in most matches. Most teams will enjoy playing against us because they know if they nullify the wide men, we can be picked off. At the same time rendering us toothless and with no attacking threat.

Davies's introduction to the midfield in place of Siggurdson showed an improvement. I like Siggurdson, there is more chance of getting a goal than Bernard and Walcott put together, but he needs to be a bit deeper and much more disciplined in getting forward when the time is right. I would include him in the team instead of Bernard and would include Richarlison or Lookman instead of Walcott. Either of those two are better.