Sloppiness and stupidity in abundance

I thought they looked potentially a good partnership in the derby cameo.

Has the penny finally dropped with him? I want to see him taking the full back on full of confidence and getting his crosses in he has the ability do it and I want to see it being the norm, every week . It will win us games.

Both Gomes and Richarlison looked far better than they have in recent weeks, coming on from the bench in the Derby last week.

Hopefully the 'rest' has galvanised them into being more productive and influential as both have been peripheral in games for many weeks.

Fixtures like this are always tricky, but in truth, if we have any sort of ambition, we should be winning more games against this type of opposition – both home and away, but particular away – than we do. And that's been a case for a good few seasons now.

Well done Iain Jones, great word play there.

Pickfords kicking has become increasingly poor and I know the conditions may not help but that's when he needs to make better decisions and stop chipping the ball 30 yards to a full back who's being closed down with the ball.

More often than not he's kicking it straight out for a throw in or the full back will loose possession in dangerous areas.

Poor conditions should give the advantage to the attacking team buy we simply keep putting ourselves under pressure needlessly.

It's the simple things that we repeatedly get wrong that could make a huge difference. Same with free kicks. We close ourselves down, get in each others way and there's never anyone near the back post.

Sorry, rant over. Come on Everton!

How he never received as much as a yellow card, however, is another matter.

Confidence is so etheral and it has been absent for 3 months for Everton, but everyone is showing for the ball and passing and moving well.

Wonderful combo down the left between Bernard and Digne, GREAT header from DC-L.

Gomes good strength driving into the home side's area to create the goal for Richarlison.

Sound game management from here will see us home as Newcastle don't score many, but have to go in search of goals. The way we are playing, there could be more goals in this for us.

Also Lookman on for either wideman

My clear answer to an earlier question is YES we need a new keeper.

What's the opposite of tactical?

I see he’s still in charge

Yes we got a bore draw against our neighbours - well done

Silva always gets beat when he goes 2 goals up, the man is clueless, he did the same at Watford - sooner we get rid the better but we aren’t are we, we are going to keep him and be mediocre again next year

We're controlling the game and he pulls off Rich (who finally scored too!) for a defender who hasn't played in weeks.

Terrible, terrible, negative sub.

Marco lost this game, make no mistake about it. Killed two and a half games of brilliant, positive momentum with one substitution.

Dumb ass! Unforgivable.

That’s our SEVENTH defeat since Boxing Day and again to a bottom half team.

We are simply ebbing into nonexistent territory with this once proud club now and someone needs to come in and make huge decisions.

Next season we will be in a desperate scrap to stay up, looking at the fixtures ahead even this season will be a battle because we ain’t winning any of the next three let’s be honest, we can’t beat anybody of any remote talent.

Just another embarrassment in a long line of them this season.

Worst season since 2003/04 without a shadow of a doubt.

Silva finally stmbles upon our best midfield.. and we have a great first half.

The home team have their inevitable 10 minutes of possession and what does our manager do.. panics and goes defensive with 20 minutes to go.. and completely messes up our formation and shape in doing so.

We are going nowhere with this guy.

How much longer can we watch this spineless bollox ?

It was thirty minutes! He subbed I think at the 64th minute - thirty fucking minutes with added time left to play.

What the fuck??!!

Abject.

Totally in command at half-time. Total capitulation in the second.

Weekend joy torpedoed again in 45 minutes.

Give the kid Virginia a go or Stek, he did play in Koemans early period when there was solidarity.

Pickford looks nervous, anxious and it’s rubbing off on the rest.

A rudderless second half where we gave them the initiative, then more so when he swapped a striker for defender.

That game sums up our season and our manager for me.

He is clearly out of his depth at our club

Shame, nothing but Shame and seemingly eternal shame for us blues

I don’t see how Silva will be able to keep his job come May after this car crash of a season ends.

Marco motivates by crossing his arms.

Marco is fucking making braindead subs!

Why sub?

Because Marco, the book tells you a goal up on the road you need to protect the lead! Sheep mentality! Dipshit fuckaboutery.

You just pissed on my weekend Marco you fucking moron.

Schniederlin was the man to bring on, to shore things up, not that clown Mina whose an absolute liability, hunted down at great expense by Silva himself.

He must be the worst signing for that kind of money any club has ever made, what a joke.

I'm happy with the first hour. Disappointed with the last half hour.
Good signs for me in the performance in first hour, we are on the right tracks imho.
Let down by individual performances.

I enjoyed watching us until Bernard should have squared it for Richarlson and then I thought we just became what the headline says, sloppy, careless and very fucking stupid.

Pickford, I suppose he's young for a keeper, but he was very erratic.

Bernard, so much quality, but too many wrong decisions.

Richarlson, looks like he's getting stronger but like his compatriot, just so wasteful at times.

Silva, I've just watched the best football from an Everton side in years, but your team lost and you contributed massively towards their downfall today.

Calvert-Lewin, very good, Gueye, very good, Digne, very good, Gomes, very good, and some of our attacking play was also very, very good.

I don't want Europe, I want us to have a good settled summer, but it's still disappointing to lose, especially to a team that we were far superior to at times today, but credit to Newcastle, because after years of upheaval they look to be regaining some spirit.

The mentality of the players is summed up when the likes of Pickford last week after the derby said that they wanted to give something back to the fans — they bloody drew the match, did not win it!!!

The club is a joke and won't change until players, coaches, director of football and directors accept nothing less than success and not like it is at the moment with mediocrity being acceptable.

Mina, Keane, and Zouma did what they usually do when put under pressure. All three need to go.

Silva's substitutions as bad as you can possibly get!

Give Moyes the job until summer and let him work on securing a platform and building a solid foundation for a new manager in 2019-20.

Definitely. The football we played for the first hour was outstanding.

Silva made a bad substitution and we have a goalkeeper who needs to refocus. Today was a real shame but I still see a proper Everton side coming through with this manager. Again, let's hold our nerve.

I'm not going to bother with the top 8. But these are the points total based on the same results from last year in the 8 remaining fixtures. That puts us 15th.

The last time we were that low was 15 years ago when they all went on holiday with 5 games to go, lost the lot.

Much as I would like stability, he has to go. Something is rotten.

Pickford needs dropping and given a good kick up the arse and told to stop believing the hype; if that doesn't work, get shut.

Half of that team are not good enough for our club. But would clubs take 'em off us considering the massive wages they are on? I know I wouldn't buy 'em because they are shit.

So four home games left in the season — we will be lucky to get 40 points, we are that bad. Get shut of Silva before it's too late or he will blow any money Moshiri gives him. His tactics are shite and his motivational skills are zero. Please, Moshiri, put us out of our fucking misery and sack the bastard.

As for our gormless manager, he needs to go now. I was not one of the Everton supporters shouting for joy over a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park last weekend. I and many others demand more.

Today has to be the lowest point in our season so far, by far. It goes from one ridiculous situation to another. Moshiri is a clown when it comes to football. Kenwright is a parasite sucking the life out of the club. Anyone ready for some more nonsensical stadium news next week? Bet you any money it's coming...

Sack Marco Silva now before he shames us any more. I can't bear to look at him any more. I can't stand watching Everton any more. It's a fucking disgrace.

Silva is going nowhere, mate. I just used the word 'mate', apologies it's not natural for me... I digress.

He's not getting the sack. We have to hope the Good Silva manages moving forward, and not the Colin Ferrell nitwit who makes braindead decisions!

My God, I am absolutely pissed. My fucking 9-year-old and my 18-year-old were both like, "What the fuck?" when that sub was made. Unbelievable. You can't make this shit up!

His substitutions today made no sense at all, removing an attacker for a defender then bringing on two attackers to get back into the game was simply panicking.

They say a cat has 9 lives but it seems Silva is allowed more chances than that to try and prove himself; if upper management believe that he is the future of Everton, new ground or not, we are in trouble.

How?

He's blaming the referee in his interview. Jesus Marco!

I can't take this.

This team is a reflection of its introspective, uninspiring, poor decision-making manager.

Silva's Watford blew a 2 goal lead against us at Goodison under Unsy – he has form.

Please don't bring Moyes back. I like him as a bloke and thank him for what he did but the game has moved on. I'd go for the bloke in the other dugout today.

Better than what we are witnessing under Marco Silva, though.

This can't be allowed to carry on, if we persist with this manager we will go down next season, I've backed Silva but I just can't see it improving any more.

We cannot allow this club to fester into yet another season next time and cast it off as “transition”. It cannot be allowed to continue.

Forget getting Simeone or Tuchel — they will NOT come here.

After the 'euphoria' of a draw on Sunday, normal service resumed.

Newcastle were raging so it doesn't take a brain surgeon to know what to expect in the second half.

Silva has form with tactical naivety in closing games out and today just added to his incompetence.

I expected a draw today but expected it to be hard as Newcastle still needed points, however, at 2-0 and hoping Silva had learned something since our 17-day holiday, never ever expected us to throw the game.

I have no doubt the expert tacticians will be on over the weekend together with the resident optimists but maybe they might have to keep a low profile rather than explain that shite.

I wouldn't let Moyes hold the fucking corner flag. Although I disagree with all this "get a new manager" stuff, I do understand the thinking behind it.

But do me a favour, forget the Moyes shit — he is yesterday's man. . . and was never that good anyway!!

It really is getting to the crunch part where we have to decide if the manager is going to cut the mustard. I hope I am wrong but I just can't see it.

Genuine question: What would you have done differently re decision-making?

Defense looked suspicious from the get-go! Clumsy and clueless. Silva should have shored up the defense at half-time to pick up runners. Throwing in Mina without reorganizing had 4 defenders ball watching.

Lucky at the penalty and no red card. Disappointing game!

Other than Zouma (a finished article), age and (youthful) inexperience is damaging us in defence. And some of them just aren't good enough.

Gomes and Gueye had a good consistent game; everyone else was erratic.

We've got talent, but too many poor decisions were made by good players and no ability to manage the game once ahead.

Poor!

I feel you sometimes learn more in defeat, but others will feel that this is one defeat too many, especially with the manager being the man most responsible for today's loss.

I will focus on the positives, because I didn't know where the goals were going to come from, and yet some of the attacking play was as good as I've seen for years today. But I can understand the negative, because I didn't feel there was any real need to change our formation with so long left on the clock.

It never stops amazing me how many high balls they manage to run under. Keane had a complete Weston for their first goal. Not one of them seem capable of judging the flight of the ball. Having a goalie with shit for brains hardly helps.

We have some very good young players but they all look a bit frail. is that just youth and size and strength will come with time?

I can't write Siva off yet because he hasn't had enough time to get rid of some very overpaid wasters. If we do have money to spend this summer, I would suggest we buy older, more athletic players and give our youngsters time to develop. One thing is certain: Mr Brands has his work cut out to get rid of the likes of Sandro, Mirallas et al.

The bigger question is how we can self-destruct to such an extent; even at HT I knew this wasn't over because these players tend to get careless and lose their heads.

We all liked what we saw for 45 minutes. This is the Everton we want and this 45 minutes showed signs of progress. The question now is what is the real Everton? The slick passing one we saw for 45 minutes or the panic-driven shambles we saw in the last 30 minutes? I need to know that before I call for Silva's head.

And Sigurdsson — talk about anonymous.

I think you agree, but there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell we were ever winning that game after the 64th minute.

If it wasn't then, they'd have scored eventually.

Mina hasn't played in how long, Rich FINALLY gets a goal, and you swap those two??

I can't remember being so upset about a managerial “performance” as the one we just witnessed.

Offside on the third? How about the fact you personally put your squad in that position – a position of failure!

What is FAR more important is the fact that he must make the defence completely nervous. Anyone who has ever played defence at any level knows how difficult it is to play in front of someone who is a bag of nerves.

He has to step down for the next game. Any team who give up three goals in 30 minutes must have goalie problems.

Also, Mina is looking like one more awful signing. Our five-foot postman would do better than him.

Maybe by May we will all be under no illusions Silva is not strong enough mentally or tactically to manage a Premier League club.

With the utmost respect – and I think you know that – you're wrong.

Everyone questioned that sub. And even if it came off, I'd still be saying it was utterly stupid!

More unprofessionalism from all concerned at EFC. And if Pickford is wired up right, then I need to book myself into the asylum! Joe Hart Mk 2.

He shouldn’t even be Everton’s number 1!!!!!!

Shoite from top to bottom.

My view is that his substitution gave them even more initiative.

Who's to blame? For all these managers to fall into this trap it must be deep-rooted in the club. The club needs a good clean out from top to bottom from Silva, Dunc and all other hangers-on.

Look at Watford, sacked Silva — did it affect them? No, because they have strong Staff at the club

Our new motto: Everton — we're here to let you down.

I’ll answer for Paul.

Davies or Scneiderlin in for a tiring Gomes. Possibly Lookman in for Bernard late.

That’s it. That’s all we needed to get three points.

We were in complete control of the game even after conceding.

This manager is incompetent and should be relieved of his duty. I know people are saying we shouldn't keep changing managers but we have to until we find one worthy of our club.

I also know it's not my money that pays them off so it's easy for me to say, but do we want success or just want to make up the numbers?

Benitez said we were a small club — do we ever do anything to prove him wrong?

We DRAW 0-0 against the RS and celebrate like we've won the Champions League!

I feel too sick and too angry to say what I really feel about him, and two or three players as well.

New manager, coaches, playing system and training methods. New professional mentality. (God, do I really have to say this?)

The only way to get rid of the scum bankrupting us is free transfers.

Clear them out now and maybe, in 5 years time, we will see the shoots of recovery and a proper football club because what exists at the moment is a travesty to professional sport.

Thanks, Kenwright.

If Marco is sacked, I think it's today where you can look to that finally tipped the glass over.

You can't expect to climb the table when your general is making awful decisions.

Thank you, TW, for allowing me to vent. I'll be off now and leave it to the more knowledgeable contributors.

Off to grab my torch and pitchfork.

I can’t fathom being an away supporter today.

Travel one end of your country to another to be let down like that.

I’d be more livid than I already am!

My apologies to all those fans. You were let down massively today.

I agree, I wouldn't have gone with three centre halves. It throws the sense of responsibility out of kilter for me when done as a change of starting system.

Keane was struggling badly in the latter stages; maybe a like-for-like Mina for Keane would have been better suited.

You got to hand it to Newcastle, they cut through our zonal with good runners. Just watch the game again, Everton had slick attacking play and an unsettled zonal defense.

Also if Rafa didn't have the RS connection, would he be the right manager for EFC?

If every game to the end of the season is "our cup final" then today's capitulation is especially significant. It, together with so much other material gathered over a season, provides powerful and compelling evidence that Silva is just not up to the job.

We need an organiser and motivator who is tactically astute. Moyes fitted that description when he came. He is not now the man for the job, but surely to goodness there are other talented (preferably home grown) men who can actually manage and make us competitive again and restore some pride.

Absolutely fucken pointless — yet they do it, week after week.

I think Moyes would have, I think Benítez would have, I think the bloke at Wolves would have. In fact I honestly think many other managers in the prem would have secured three points against Liverpool last weekend.

Same with today. Same circumstances, different manager and we win the game.

How many more games are we likely to win when we can't even see the game through at 2-0 against a poor team?

What was it some of you have said? "We might even have enough points already (33 points)." Now we have final confirmation, if it were still needed, what an utterly cowardly set of players they are and a manager out of his depth, making shocking illogical decisions.

I'll say it again: even if we beat Burnley, we will not be safe going to Spurs. It's happening, folks, better start preparing for it.

Pickford is too highly strung and plays the game far too eccentric, he reminds me of David James in his Liverpool days.

Makes good saves but at the end of the day he’s a walking disaster zone with a disaster just around the corner.

I would ask one question: Since we bought Pickford, how have we performed?

He has only one attribute: he is a good shot-stopper but he lacks all the other qualities a modern goalkeeper needs.

1. Doesn't hold shots or crosses... too often parries back into play;

2. Doesn't command his 6-yard box, hence we are brutal at set pieces;

3. Can't pass the ball — how often does he either put a defender under pressure or kick the ball straight out of play?

4. Doesn't take responsibility; his rationale for the error at Anfield was not credible.

5. He is not a leader or organiser of the defence which is essential for all great keepers.

It is time he was dropped. After all, everybody else has been... so let's see if this gives us more stability.

He neutered our threat which had been down the sides all day, gave up that part of the pitch and invited an aerial bombing. In doing so, he left things to luck, aerial balls can go anywhere, winning the first ball is no guarantee.

He robbed us of what had controlled the game all day, he sent a message of cowardice. A strong word but the players he had on field could in no way execute that plan.

He left them on the hook with no way to respond when the equalizer went in. Truly abject management today, my pre-game post was damning that I thought last week was inspired by the occasion. Sadly I think so, not for me, this lad Marco.

He is not the guy to take this club forward. We will just slosh about in mid-table for however long he is here before Moshiri realises he has hired a dud. I fear it will be this time next year before the penny drops.

I think not. Can't think of any likely suitable alternatives, that are gettable, for the mediocre outfit that we are.

So we are still in transition, and any transition would be even harder next season, with another new manager, and another clear out. So I think we need to stick and give him more time, and opportunity, even though he does not deserve it,

If you get too concerned with 10 minutes left, pull Kenny for Mina and put Zouma right back, negate the long ball which had been left to right.

It's too difficult to watch somebody else build a new team.

He is tactically inept as his game management and subs prove. His players' confidence and performance are all over the place. Does he blame them? Do they blame him? Does anyone know what's going on?

We were good enough to win that match. It's not all bad with Silva but a lot of the time he makes stupid decisions.

Pickford though today was awful. But then Steklenberg is worse. Robles would have done better than that goalkeeping performance today.

At 2-1, I was still confident and Calvert-Lewin came close to making it 3-1. Then Silva brings Mina on and my heart sank, just knew what was about to happen. That sub seemed to lift Newcastle and so it proved.

After seeing some real positivity and a very good 60 mins today, I really worry that the team will go back into its shell and that will be that.

Pickford made some decent stops but his distribution and decision-making are awful. I would drop him, he needs bringing down to Earth and should have been dropped weeks ago.

As for Silva, I thought he had learned after the Cardiff and Liverpool games – clearly not after today. I am now thinking: Will it do more harm than good to keep him?

As for our defence, we have Holgate to come back and Feeney (who I think is a superb prospect and has a strong character) to come through. I also think we'll buy in that area because Zouma won't stay.

There are miles to go and there are obvious deficiencies and, like Tony Abrahams, I fully understand the anger of some. But for a miserable old git like me, to watch some of the stuff Bernard and Gomes produced today lifts my heart.

For Silva to be sacked, Moshiri will have to admit again he got it wrong (Koeman last time); this is profit vs embarrassment.

When the profit loss outweighs the embarrassment, then he'll go; that could be a way off. The club is selling season tickets easily enough and we'll probably still be in the Premier League next season (but not entirely sure about that one!).

It's further evidence of the ineptitude of this manager. He makes basic mistakes that, at the time, we can see it's nuts. What does this say about his ability to manage a team like Everton? He is not the answer to our problem and needs to be removed now!!!

I don't care about the fact that he managed the RS, 2005 anyone? He knows how to win. But I fear he has already kicked into touch any approach we might have made.

Look at the guy at Southampton, he's been there a few months but you can at least understand and see in evidence what he's trying to do. Does anyone actually know what Marco Silva is trying to do?

Trying to keep a settled team? No.

Trying to work on defensive deficiencies? No.

Learning from past mistakes? No.

Playing favourites? Yes.

Marco Silva was the mastermind of Newcastle's victory. He does not understand anything about football, he does not have a bit of talent, and his management is horrendous since he arrived. Please fire him now.

On the other hand, the players showed not having a bit of personality. They have no blood in their veins, they are cold as snow. Do we seriously want to get rid of Jagielka and Baines when the season ends? They are the leaders of the team and at least they have what the rest of the players do not have: personality. I would think about it before firing them.

Gerry @134, I agree completely, he should have been let go on loan or played, simple as. Morgan should have been on today to shore things up and his displays in previous two games when we had clean sheets earned him the right for some action today. Coleman was a loss and, in fairness to Kenny, he was thrown in at the last minute so no real mental preparation, forgive this display.

I said earlier today on the Newcastle vs Everton thread that this match might have more significance re Silva's future than people were realising after the previous two results. I viewed it as our first 'real' game in almost a month, and wondered if we were going to grow some balls and grab the game or revert to type. Well – a little like the current weather we blew hot and cold today. Great start and I felt quite uplifted but then those balls just retracted in that final 30 minutes – aided by some crass management decision making.

Christ knows – I certainly don't – but I guess we will just see this season out now with nothing but a smidgen of pride to play for. We aren't going down, the remaining results will have little bearing on the retention or otherwise of the current playing staff, but it must be crystal clear to Marco Silva that his immediate future rests on them.

Personally, I can't see him remaining but hope he does perform a miracle, but also would not be upset if he left on Monday...

Simply disappointed....

Again.

If we'd hung on at 2-0 or Richarlison scored his chance to make it 3-1 and we'd got 3 points then you'd say that's 7 points from 9, the manager has turned it around and we're only 3 points off 7th with the wind in our sails.

Instead, it's a highly demoralizing collapse that draws serious questions over Silva's future and probably puts an end to our chase for 7th.

I hate that football makes me feel how I'm feeling right now. Isn't it meant to be fun?!

I watched today with my 18-year-old niece. When the terrible decision to replace Richarlison with Mina was made, she said that we would likely only draw at best. I had to agree.

Silva is hopeless. Totally agree with Steve Buckley @145 on the changes that should have been made.

Then, later on, Davies should have been brought on in place of Richarlison to add more energy into the midfield, because that is where Everton lost the game. Bringing on Mina made Everton play deeper and into the hands of Newcastle.

You are right. We have had RS players before so who cares as you say, he wins. He said we were a small club; maybe we should have listened.

I have heard from posters who I respect, giving sound, well thought out defences of Silva. I think he is a fine coach. I think he has so much to offer. However, I think he is not the coach for us.

I believe he is caught between pragmatism and development, and he has lost. Sadly, I think he has nowhere to go after Everton.

He is done here, in my view, and I suspect he will go and show off his tactics in a minor league.

To know we had players on the pitch who had the mental resolve to control the game and keep the foot on the fucken throat of the opposition and equally a manager to trust them.

This win one, draw one, lose one form would test the patience of any fan base.

So, is it Silva or is it the players? As ever, everyone knows what the cheaper option is for change but the players, other than those signed this season, have now proved to be bog standard at best under a series of managers, all of them being bog standard too admittedly.

Next season is what really worries me though.

Thankfully the 17-day holiday they had seems to have got rid of the "fatigue" excuse.

Today was purely down to poor management and tactics and nobody on the pitch to take command and lead.

The manager is getting kudos for last weeks performance but, to me, it seemed the players put more effort into last week than usual and this was the difference. The game today completely changed after Everton's first sub was brought on and by bringing on more attackers it showed he had made a mistake.

I was always reminded that you learn from your mistakes; Silva keeps repeating them.

Seriously though, I felt as though not only did they take their collective 'foot off the gas', but the ridiculous substitutions were almost beyond belief, as has been mentioned by many fellow posters.

As if I needed convincing, this has further enhanced my belief that Silva is definitely not the man to take us forward. Post-match, he was blaming everyone but himself, rather than admit that he is the real cause of the score reversal, and ultimately the defeat.

With respect, Steve is a football / Everton geek. I hugely respect his in-depth analysis, but that's where it stops. It's one man's opinion at the end of the day.

I used to work in the Merchant Navy as a kid, my first ever chief cook came out with a phrase: "Bullshit baffles brains"...

Now I don't expect our players, well paid as they, are to hibernate. But, if a single one if them goes out tonight for a meal and some very expensive wine, I hope they reflect that they have fucking shamed every good away supporter who spent good money to support them.

They do not hurt as much as we do. They do not hurt at all. I suspect that Silva does. He should, because it is his fault.

But being a good shot-stopper alone is not good enough; his distribution has been erratic at best all season. Some of his decisions when not coming for the ball are baffling and really cannot help an already nervous defence.

I think he is too cocky and needs bringing down a peg or two. Dropping may just help him get his act together.

Have you really watched Pickford this season? He is the most nervous goalie we have EVER had and I am able to go back to Ted Sagar.

He makes the defence panic every time the ball is in the box. Good stopper but that's all. He would dominate 'Top five goalie mistakes of the season'.

Spot on, we needed 3 Gana Gueye type players in that midfield at 2-1.

They're both good calls Shniederlin and Davies, Davies would also have been a passer/carrier of the ball forward also relieving pressure.

For too long we are reactive instead of proactive and that’s why we never get anything right.

Say we keep Silva for the start of next season and the first 12-15 games again are just a familiar pattern of the last 12-15 games, draws, mainly defeats with the odd win against some shite side thrown in, for me that’s just wasting yet another season and then we hear the same excuses dragged out throughout the 2019/20 campaign of transition blah blah blah.

It’s not transition, it’s making the same mistakes time after time after time after time and expecting different results.

In hindsight Moshiri should have just kept Allardyce until the end of this season and told the fans whether we liked it or not that we needed an experienced man at the helm to steady this club and bring some kind of stability back.

The job last summer was far too big for the inexperienced Marco Silva to take on, he’s not a big enough personality or character to change things and make a big enough impression.

What we needed this season was a season of consolidation and finishing 7th or 8th with Sam
Allardyce football and then this summer start afresh with someone new once the club was firmly back on its feet after two successive top 8 finishes under Allardyce.

Instead of that we have watched a god awful season unfold with one catastrophic horror show after another, I thought it couldn’t get any lower than conceding three and losing at Millwall but today has surpassed even that such is the pathetic nature we threw that last 25 minutes in the bin.

Bollocks decisions from everyone from the board, to the manager to the players at this corrupted club.

Surely, after understanding the short comings, you adapt, tailor things to give your team a chance. You cannot expect to be here long-term if you cannot coax results in the short-term. This is his failing.

He repeatedly has sent them out to fail. The errors are clear and often repeated.

Last two wins: Cardiff & Huddersfield? Says a lot, I think.

There is a no-man's land in front of Pickford and I think he is hamstrung by zonal tactics. He is certainly capable of coming out and I have seen him do so... but I think it's a tactical issue that may be resolved with a good defender with the freedom to track runners.

I think it's the England manager that disparaged Pickford for Johan Cruyff tricks while praising his distribution. Particularly his accurate low kicks. Even Southall had Kevin Ratcliffe's speed and ability to beat runners to be effective

I am not saying we should get rid of him but he needs to learn that his performances are not good enough. The defensive looked a bag of nerves today for what seemed like the the umpteenth time this season. He needs to be dropped.

There's no easy answer where Pickford is concerned.

I can't stand him. He'd be up there in my most over-rated Premier League XI ever.

I suspect it is not to to be a panicking, undecided, unaware of his role, cocky, totally lacking in positional sense, scared of forwards, looking like he has never met his teammates, clog-wearing, self-important, jelly-handed fool.

He has played for England. So did the great Gordan Banks.... Fuck me.

Our defence is fragile enough with Silvas incompetent tactics without having to worry about Pickford behind them.

The only good thing about us being so bad this season is that we will no doubt finish mid/bottom half of the table and well clear of the Europa League position.

Can you imagine us in transitional fatigue playing in Estonia on a Thursday night, getting zonally hammered by FC Shithole?

Toon wanted it bad style and you'd expect them to come out in the second half steaming.

For me, Jordan Pickford's calamities aside, the substitution to bring off Charlie and replace with Mina, gave them a huge psychological boost.

Crap referees is the norm these days but the team must play to the whistle. Sick to the back teeth and again very difficult fixtures coming up and I don't see us realistically getting too many wins. Chelsea next week, is massive but is a chance to show some character but being honest this side has none and no game management skills whatsoever. A master class degree in chucking leads is what we have. Definitely miles behind the teams above us in all aspects, how long will it take, if ever to catch them up?

The disappointment and let down tonight is total. I think Silva is now on a very tough journey to the end of this season.

In my view, he needs to get Big Nev in to sort Pickford out; Pickford gets wound up too easily and takes the bait. Bad professional but he's young but needs to widen up and grow up.

Yep, seriously pissed off tonight and sadly it's become a regular feeling. Solace in the ale but seriously this no good for Evertonians and EFC.

Here's to a better week ahead for us. 🍺👍🍀

Even a sound defense is undone by a clown between the sticks.

It is not a matter of whether we can be seen to replace the keeper (and the manager, in my view) but whether we can afford not to? Both are out of their depth as long-term prospects.

However, the poor attempt at a catch followed by a silly attempt to impede the striker could have killed us there and then. Okay if we forgive Pickford for the flap and if Rondon had scored, then we simply lose a goal. The decision by Pickford to bring the froward down illustrates his poor judgement.

Pickford is an excellent shot-stopper but, despite this, he cost us the second goal with his poor parry-straight back in front of him. A goalkeeping no-no.

He was also at fault and we nearly conceded when he decided to come out as the defenders were dealing with a situation. The resulting shot almost crept in.

The lad is an emotional time bomb. Easily distracted and impetuous. the Geordies clearly got to him. He is a liability.

Anyone who plays footy at any level knows that if a shot or cross comes in and your keeper catches it. You all breathe a sigh of relief and you feel assured by the goalie. If he parries it wide or over the bar, you think okay, he made a save. If he bats it back into play, you all think what the fuck!

As our lads tired, the coach panicked and made the wrong choice. When the keeper kept fecking-up, the rest of the side went into meltdown. No bottle. Silva out, Pickford in the sales.

We were losing too many simple passes and not defending a lucky 2 goal lead.

Lookman on for Richarlison or Bernard again fresh legs to close down. We were defending a lead not chasing the game.

But Pickford... Without going overboard, Stekelenburg needs to bring his A-game and experience until the end of the season which may help Pickford realise he isn't undroppable and frankly isn't learning from his mistakes.

Richard Wright who ended up being a laughing stock made the best penalty save I’ve ever seen in 2002 at Sunderland and once kept six clean sheets on the bounce, did that mean he was an amazingly goalkeeper though?

No it didn’t.

Pickford is in the same category as Wright, for every good thing he does there’s an absolute bellend moment not far away and Pickford doesn’t possess a good football brain, like a lot at Everton.

I still haven’t forgiven him for that wankers moment that cost us the derby at Castle Greyskull I’m December, probably never will!

"Fuckaboutary" I'm having that one my friend.

Class...

If the Mina sub today works he looks like a tactical genius. Unfortunately, we all saw what happened.

Still lots of positives in the first hour for me though, in the form of some excellent attacking play.

Dare I ask for some (more) patience?

Yes, Pickford's decision making and form has dipped, but I don't want to throw the baby out with the water. He is an exceptional shot stopper and will recover.

Okay, maybe a spell on the bench might calm down some of his "antics", but I hope not too much, that fire inside makes him what he is.

Words like clown are being directed at Pickford and most of our fury, but the rest of the team isn't any better.

Why is it If a forward misses a glaring open goal we'll call him tit and a few minutes later he'll score a goal and we'll love him and forget his misses. We don't give goalkeepers any slack at all. He caused the penalty and saved the penalty, but we hate him?

Against Everton, it's easy to predict where the Achilles heel is. A zonal defense with defenders not picking up runners, an inexperienced goalie and wingbacks pushing high and tiring out.

Newcastle played a good counter with midfield joining strikers upfront with one touches. At times there were 5-6 players upfront. Everton were not picking them up. Give Silva time and he can sort it out. He fixed our midfield and with he Everton manager who was livid with the match officials over the non-offside decision for the deciding goal.

Have a look at the run-in, even with 37 points I can't see where the points are coming from (except for Fulham).

We will probably be just above the relegation zone at end, but the potential is still there for a disaster.

I agree with Coleman, he was injured. But why Schniederlin and Walcott?

You all may think they are shit but the team works better as a unit with them. But the fucking twat changes it and we got what we deserved.

Michael Keane, is not good enough, and that's who Newcastle, tried to unsettle in the second half. I think Bernard's wrong choice, then Richarlson's Poor touch were what cost us today, but Silva, has just opened up a can of worms, because once Mina came on, it felt just like the Millwall game once again.

Not only was what he did for the penalty and the 2nd goal outrageously stupid but, more importantly, he lost control of the defence. They had no faith in him by the time the 2nd goal went in.

It was incredible watching a professional footballer who has played in a world cup finals lose their head so badly. His antics cost us this one.

Silva does what Silva does, not just for us but for his previous teams. I don't think Silva has shown that he and his team are improving.

Roll on to the Chelsea match and the" we could really do with the Goodison "battle cry" request from coach to motivate these mentally fragile players so that hopefully we can hold out for a draw.

"Tactical naivety"

Pack it in lads for fucks sake.

I've got nothing but respect for the away support, especially at times like this, well done.

Except for a few players, we've got problems everywhere, it's not just Pickford.

We'll still be fragile without him.

You're a fucking joy.

All those people in November 2017 getting carried away with Unsworths 3-2 win over Watford at Goodison need just to look back at the shocking game management by the Hornets manager at the time, ahem... step forward, Mr Silva.

Watford were 2-0 up at Goodison that day but their inability to manage the game reminds me exactly of what I've witnessed at Everton this season, spine of a jellyfish.

I could live to be 100 but I'll never have the answer as to why Moshiri was so determined at bringing this fella to the club, on the evidence of what exactly?

I could even understand the desperation of bringing Allardyce in temporally to steady the sinking ship, a seasoned experienced troubleshooter.

The constant pursuit of Marco Silva, however, will forever baffle me.

Let's hope he develops and can come in if/when Pickford does go or has to be replaced.

I keep saying it but we would have been better off keeping Joel Robles, and if we were going to spend £30 million on a keeper (when we did) it should have been Kasper Schmeichel (imo).

"Rob Marsh #193

Your a fucking joy "

I'll just substitute with this:

"Rob Marsh #193

Your a fucking realist "

This is what 45 years of supporting our beloved club has done to me. All optimism crushed.

Time to either modify tactics or get a new defensive coaching staff. Managers rarely make tactical changes without input from the coaching staff. I long for the intelligence of Gareth Barry

It's looking like Marco is just another clueless mercenary who's tricked our gormless owner out of a few million quid.

I still think Moshiri will give him until Xmas but I'd have Arteta and Peter Reid lined up in case Allegri turns us down.

Turn it in.

Our football the first half was City-like and I don't think there could have been a complaint if we were 4-0 up at half time.

The second half they started to throw the kitchen sink at us and we started to buckle.

I hate to say it but Kenny had his worst game for us since he joined the first team squad and Pickford is such a bag of nerves he must make his teammates concerned every time the ball comes into the area.

Forget the penalty save – if he hadn't cocked it up in the first place, it wouldn't have been a penalty.

I didn't have a problem with him bringing Mina on because we were leading but coming under pressure and Richy was no help whatsoever to Kenny. Gomes was tiring too but was still linking up okay with Sigurdsson and Bernard.

The third goal is the most blatant cockup by officials this season. A blind man could see there were about 5 Newcastle players offside so the game should have ended 2-2 which I am sure many of us would have accepted before the game.

One thing is for certain, though: Pickford is not the keeper to take us onward and upward.

He is not a novice or a callow youth. He needs to stand up and tell his teammates he was poor and maybe the fans too.

With Silva, he was at fault for eroding the good work we'd achieved up to that point. He is too concerned with what he needs to do next. Too concerned with restarting play. Just be a goalkeeper and convince the lads in front of you that you're calm and in control.

Part of the reason for the capitulation was the defence placed no trust in Pickford. He got lucky with the pen, got lucky with the long ball Rondon lobbed past him. He should do much better for the first goal & second goal. This sets the tone for the players' panic for the third.

Paul Gerrard is feeling good about himself today.

You're not allowed to be a realist on here, if so you get pulled up.

I thought realistically prior to the Huddersfield away game we'd only beat Wolves and Burnley at home. I was accused of waving the white flag. Dropped 3 points against Wolves, got one against the RS.

Time will tell regarding the rest...
Anyway be prepared, my friend.

Exactly.
Not rocket science mate is it.

We all want Everton, back in amongst the kings of England, I’m aware you will never go nowhere if you can’t defend, but some of the football today was a pleasure to watch, and it’s not that often I’ve been able to say that watching Everton, since I was a teenager in the mid-eighties, so I’m prepared to give Silva, more time, because it’s not as if I haven’t had to wait that long, being an Evertonian.

Nothing will change regardless of the money he spends or the players he has because he can’t make game changing decisions, his substitutions are poor and he’s failing dismally to solve any of the problems that have ruined this season so far.

I’ve wanted to be patient with this manager but I think at some point over the coming months we just need to accept its yet another fucked up appointment and then start again (yet again).

I was worried after the first derby game when he said his clanger didn't bother him as he was mentally strong enough to cope. Well, Jordan, you weren't and you've never recovered soft lad.

We need someone to give these arrogant kids a belt in the snout to bring them down a peg or two. Fucking millennials. They're all the same.

John G, for fuck's sake, why can't you just go with the flow!?

There's only Fulham I've got moderate confidence about and that could go against us. Have a look at the run in.

We can't be complacent on this. Silva is correct about each game now being a cup final, even more so after today.

If it's flowing in the right direction, count me in.

If it's not...

Man City were in control, then conceded a goal. Instead of panicking, replacing a striker with a 2nd class defender and handing the initiative to his opponent,s that idiot Guardiola replaced Sterling with Sane, kept the same formation.

He won the game but clearly doesn't have a clue. Can't see him winning any trophies any time soon.

More shocked to realise West Brom have shown more ambition than our own club who always seem to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted when it comes to obviously incapable managers.

Such a small club. Such a sad decline.

Does anyone know of a club that repeatedly sacked managers after 30 games then went on to be successful?

I watched the Match via IPTV on the Canadian Channel TSN 5, and I couldn't believe that we could play so well in the first half, and then almost completely the opposite in the second half. Mind you, Pickford must hold some of the blame, but Silva is the Manager and must take full responsibility for his decisions with substitutions.

The two guys in the studio, Steve Caldwell and the other (who's name escapes me for the moment) analysing the debacle stated "£280M has been spent on players and there is little to show for it. They have some outstanding individuals but they rarely play as a coherent team."

Admittedly it was not all down to Silva, but why oh why was Moshiri so keen to get him installed. It defies all logic to me, and can only see yet another appointment before too long. Let's hope, with Brands now on the Board, it is the right one.

Stability is clearly a preferred option... however, procrastinating with a dud is a matter of infinite hope.

There is no kernel of hope with this manager.

Keep the faith, our day will come.
We shall not be moved once again somewhere in the future.

I thought we looked shaky against Cardiff and only really got a grip of the game in the last 10 mins. Had they have scored first or scored each time we scored that could have been a totally different result.

The derby, to put it simply, we got away with that one big time, they should have sorted us out in the first half alone. They played very poorly, and we played our hearts out to hang on for a draw with the Goodison Park home support putting the wind in our sails. Had that game have been at Anfield???

I'm not in the least bit surprised by today's result, we're a boxer with a glass jaw that shatters every time he takes a punch.

There was a wave of optimism after those two games, but underlying problems were still there to be seen by anyone willing to look.

Some call it pessimism to think like this; I call it realism.

More likely, I guess is that today will trigger a repeat of the “unexplainable” loss of form that followed the last-minute comedy antics of England's No 1 in the Anfield derby - and have most of us hoping (make that praying) that Cardiff don't go on a good run.

After the previous two results, I seriously considered renewing my season ticket. Although I have until the 4th April, after today's performance I won't be renewing. >Why should I waste my money watching a team devoid of character and passion?

My round trip to Goodison Park is 535 miles, 4 hours minimum each way. I've done it for more years than I care to remember. Enough is enough.

Silva is out of his depth and I can't see us progressing with the current regime.

Once a Blue, always a Blue... but I'll watch from my armchair in future.

I was optimistic when Harry replaced Carey but optimism has been bludgeoned out of me over the years.

I am more realistic now and unlike some don't expect us to win every game 10-0. However, it appears if you think we might not win every game, you are some sort of non-Evertonian. Shame really when you can't have an opinion after all these years.

I wouldn’t worry, you won’t be the only one that will not renew the season ticket next season.

It’s ridiculous to ask fans to commit to another season of mediocrity when the current one hasn’t even finished.

Seamus is either the kind of person who, if you were marooned in a far-off place, you'd want with you to keep your spirits up... or he's getting involved in that thing called 'spin' the club seems to be doing a lot of lately.

As much as I respect Seamus I'm sure it's the latter. Doubtless one of the senior pros will be rolled out this week to announce how they'll be giving it their all / getting back on track / 8 cup finals to go (insert tired old cliche of your choice).

Just listened to a clip of Silva's post-match interview. Seems to be blaming the ref for allowing the 3rd goal – no mention of the missed Penalty, Pickford's comedy goalkeeping or his own ludicrous substitutions though (unless I missed them).

Pickford – will he improve, is he good enough long-term?

Coleman – is he on the way out, have we a good enough replacement?

Zouma – will he stay, can we afford him?

Keane – is he the answer?

Gomes – will he stay, can we afford him?

Mina – what have we bought?

Gana – surely he'll go?

Striker – can we find one down the back of the sofa?

Silva, can we lose him down the back of the sofa?

Don't give me all this shit that we can't sack Silva. Big clubs make big decisions; it's all about winning now. Silva won't win us jack shit.

They were all over us before that 3rd goal went in, it doesn't change the fact that we collapsed yet again and also the saved penalty would have made it 3 goals anyway. They were on their way to stuffing us anyway.

That crowd at EFC HQ will well and truly have their bumper book of spin tactics out now in some dark corner, working their magic...

Pickford has been woeful and, as other contributors identify, being a shot-stopper only is nowhere near the mark at the level we seek.

I don't just want the bath water emptied, it is the babies who have no guile, leadership or professional pride that should go too. Sadly that is most of the team and the coaching staff and the manager...

Are you putting us in the same bracket as City and Chelsea? With untold millions to spend?

You could throw in Real Madrid and Del Bosque who they sacked after winning a treble.

Maybe I am being naïve, but I believe if enough express their discontent, alarm bells will surely sound in the Upper Echelons. I think too many Clubs like ours do take the fans for granted but, without us, where would they be?

If Silva is replaced before the Season 2019-20, most would probably regret not renewing — if, and only if, we get a decent replacement in his stead.

Paul, I agree. The only way out of it, imo, is to choose a manager and give him a bit of time. Madness to advocate repeatedly sacking managers after 30 games.

Highly unlikely they'll throw all the babies away with the bath water, it would cost too much. I really don't know which way it will go with Silva but, for what it's worth, I'd call him a taxi.

Pickford's current form is just that, current form. He didn't do too badly in the World Cup, in fact, in that tournament, he appeared to have all the qualities of a top-rank goalkeeper. His lack of command lately has alarmed me, there's a touch of Howard's Tourette thing going on. I think we should try a new goalkeeping coach with him.

He hasn't lost everything overnight, bench him and keep him for the next manager.

Charisma man...

Which makes the second half all the harder to swallow... I mean, just what the hell happened there...?

Ahh! Marco happened... all becomes clear!!

Unless miracles happen, and pennies from Heaven, for the life in me. I can't see the landscape changing.

The manner and style of defeat today, was not a surprise, and sadly, as often before, the squad doesn't learn.

I don't see many victories this side of May and beating Cardiff & Huddersfield, says a lot about the level 5jis squad is at.

Some good play in the first half but all under mined by very piss-poor, descision making by the manager, aside to the volatile temperament of JP.

It was a nap after they scored, that they'd win the game, and the 3 rd goal, we didn't get would have seen the Toon, off.

Next week, is crucial in context of the season, and If we don't make Goodison a colleseum, bring back last weeks atmosphere and the cup game of three years ago, when we done Chelsea, 2-0, then it's hard to see how the team will manage.

Incredible how this turned out to be another bad away day, from such a good position. Lack of professionalism, and care, in my view, and no leaders on the pitch. What next v Chelsea, and will our coaches and staff admit their failings today, other than blame the crap officials?

It stinks, and the stench is becoming dangerous, and as the scientist suggest the ozone layer is eroding. Fair to say, Evertonians, devout and dedicated, are truly getting pissed off, and that's being polite.

I'm an optimist but my thimble of hope is realistically now less than half full. It's become too predictable, that is, the mediocrity is now default. Sad but true..

Two-game unbeaten run comes to an end in typical fashion.

No matter how much money we give him in the summ, he will always come up short defensively. We have suffered far too many humiliations already under Silva to think he will ever put things right consistently.

Remember, Stekelenburg saved two penalties against Man City last season.

We need a goalkeeper who will build a cohesive defensive unit. Pickford currently is incapable of doing this.

Unbelievable- certainly Pickford is unconvincing at anything other than shot stopping but to concede three after being two up and playing well has to raise serious questions.

Very disappointing.

Next time I plan a trip to England, it's when Everton are having a great season.

Silva needs to go though.

Anyone feeling confident we'll get a 0-0?

But our defensive shape in the 2nd half was terrible, 4 defenders around one Newcastle player!

Look at the defending of all the Newcastle goals – awful, they don't deserve to be in the Premier League.
Championship players at best, and the manager too!

This manager is so inept, as I've been saying for ages, that I just knew he'd find a way to fuck it up with some crazy subs in the second half, and the predictable twat didn't disappoint me.

Sometimes you just know these things, as if they are written on big letters, across the sky. Silva has panic and ineptitude written all over him. He has no idea how to protect a lead. We went from being comfortable in the game, even at 2-1, to being a total shambles at the back — all caused by that one word, Silva.

If Moshiri doesn't have the intelligence to see he's made yet another managerial cock-up by appointing another relegation manager then the man shouldn't be anywhere near a premier league football team, or should have himself committed to an asylum for the chronically insane.

Why did he EVER think Silva was the man to take us forward? Instead he's taken us a few big steps backwards and if he's allowed another transfer window I can see us firmly entrenched in the relegation dogfight next season.

He should be sacked now so we have time to appoint a real manager before the summer. The one we have is certainly not a real one, just a poor cardboard cutout of the last incumbent from the Iberian Peninsula, our old friend Roberto.

I'm sick of seeing him standing there, arms crossed, while his team gets ripped to shreds before his eyes, with no idea what to do to try to put things right.

Enough is enough!!!

I don't know what's greater, the need to win the Premier League or the need to be in the Champions League places for next season, it might just be the latter.

I can't see that game against Chelski being goalless, I doubt there will be the same kind of derby atmosphere this time, the fans will have had enough after the result today.

Strangely this could be worse than an away game like today, with our fans sitting there in total silence or the opposite and letting the team know what they really think.

I'll bet you ask the players, if they could they'd have this one moved to field near a bridge named Stamford.

Our friends across Stanley Park had the good sense to realise that the likes of Hodgson & Rogers we're not going to deliver and (whatever you think about him) did their research and appointed Klopp.

The shrewd Daniel Levy at Spurs have done the same with Pochettino.

Man City? – enough said.

Point is – can you envisage a situation where ANY club with serious ambition would appoint Silva? .... or someone with his CV?

There'll be a lot that will laugh at that one on here, but it's a reasonable suggestion.

He's no mug that's for sure and would probably pass the first test laid down by the club of keeping us up.

It's what he'd do with the money that would concern many, but can he be any worse than Silva?

Good shout. How about Rafa, his family still live in Merseyside and he hasn't signed a new contract yet!!!

Respect to you and anybody else who travels so far for each home game.

He will keep us mid-table for years if that's what we want. Not for me!

I'm glad someone else has had the courage to mention that name, I very nearly did myself.

Why not? He's a winner if he and we can get over being a small club?

Maybe he meant we're a small club internationally; if so, I'll let him have that one!

Houghton is a good coach and motivator. Our last three managers Silva, Sam and Koeman couldn't motivate a brazzer.

I challenge anyone to come up with a manager with a proven Premier League record with trophies in his cabinet who would come to work for us. He still has his house in Caldy and his kids are still at school on the Wirral and his wife still does lots of charity work there.

We could do a lot worse than the rather rotund Iberian table technician.

There's a lot of talk about Jordan, and I think people are taking their eye off the ball.

Did Jordan have a good game? No. But Jordan Pickford is not the reason we lost today.

We lost because a manager made a substitution that completely changed the set-up and dynamic of a team in control of the game. He negated a threat out wide, set us up to defend with the addition of a player who'd not played in weeks, and it completely backfired. It was, without question, one of the worst managerial adjustments I've ever seen. Ever!

Why in the world do you make that substitution? It still pisses me off, it's inexplicable, and you can't slap any amount of lipstick on that pig to change my opinion.

And any deflection of the root cause of the loss – which again was the substitution – is just a distraction to identifying why we actually lost.

Our manager put in a player who'd not played in weeks, destroyed our ability to keep an inferior team at bay by setting us up to defend, while removing from the game an option to keep the opposition at bay.

This game was lost, 100%, by Marco Silva. Not Jordan Pickford, or any other player.

And it royally pisses me off to see him come out to the media and whine like a child about the refereeing without any introspective analysis of what he possibly could have done better! Blaming everyone else around you is a rs trait, not an Everton trait!

Shame Marco! Shame!

Well, that's me pissed off again! Fucking hell, I need a damn vacation. Can't afford that, think I'll just start having a few cocktails!

I can't ever, ever remember being so bent out of shape about a managerial decision. It's a fucking game. Hell, I don't even mind losing if we play well and are set up correctly. Today should have never, ever, in a million years, been anything less than three points and it's maddening because to my eyes it's all down to a manager not using the brain God gave him to be able to read the game!

I said on the Live Forum, if I, the seriously football-challenged American mind, can see this and immediately state, "This sub is a HUGE mistake", how in the world can a man who's supposed to be a football guru make said mistake? It's just mind-blowingly stupid!

I feel fucked over by our manager today. Seriously! It's a God damned game FFS and it's royally pissed me off because some dude we call "manager" just fucking pissed away a result because he's too fucking braindead to realize what's going on right in front of his face!

AHHHHH!

You put me to shame. I stopped getting up in the middle of the night to watch us in Roberto's last season.

I always watch the full replay on Optus – win, lose, or draw – but I don't think I will be watching this one. I am giving myself a break.

The fact that our performances are so random indicates that they are out of control. It is looking increasingly like we will have a different manager next season.

By the way, Benítez isn't a winner. Gerrard did it for him.

Sadly though, he is light-years ahead of our current tactical genius.

No more bouncing baby managers like Roberto and Silva, no more cynical hacks like Koeman and Allardyce. No more managers who have suffered relegation.

A manager of a top 5 club in England, Spain, Italy or Germany, with experience of playing regularly in Europe. And I know plenty will say we will never attract a manager like that, but football is all about money. Pay enough and you'll get a top manager.

At the very least someone (Brands?) has to take Silva to one side for a short, sharp word.

Only Everton could lose a 2-goal advantage in that manner, no other club, however shit they are, could have managed it!!

I cannot see how, after that fucking farce, that Silva can survive and still be the Manager of Everton Football Club??? Even writing the words makes it wrong...

I have just read the Sport Headlines and he's stilll here!!!

For fuck's sake, I cannot take anymore — please, please, please, sack Silva now!!!!!

The transfer window will be impossibly tough. So many to offload at absurd salary levels.

No money to buy the best even if they would come as the new stadium soaks up more and more capital.

A manager who is defined for me by the way we lost at Newcastle, ie, a mixture of poor decision making as examples by the bizarre Mina sub.

A manager who cannot organise a defence to save his job but hangs on because the owner has already made so many terrible judgements that nobody within the club can bear the stress of trying to get it right a fourth time.

A goalkeeper who has moments of brilliance exceeded by unprofessional arrogance and an innate inability to focus and remain steady and controlled throughout a game but is unchallenged and under zero pressure.

A club so besotted with its new stadium which gradually gets less enticing as the months and years roll by that its lost its own focus on what really matters, the team .

A Director of Football who is much heralded but faces a nightmare job of getting rid of a dozen players and nowhere near enough financial support to make good the dire mistakes of the last four years. And, significantly for me, hasn't so far convinced in terms of purchases like Mina and Richarlison at significant cost whilst others on loan are due to return to their clubs with only one, Zouma, really worth an effort to sign.

It's doom and lots of gloom and I hate the way this club manages to crush hopes with such ruthless efficiency but I can't see a way out of this without another rebuilding process over five years and that's bloody depressing. Hope I'm wrong. If you've any actual evidence that I'm not, please say so, I need cheering up.

The problem we've got is that we pay a fortune for a manager to work with the quality that we have. His job is to do something that returns at least what should be expected. Hopefully more.

He's not doing that. He's not really doing anything. You could write a computer program that could manage like Silva. Consistent formation at the start then bring on attackers for defenders if losing and defenders for attackers if winning.

Get shut and improve the management situation. It's an easy fix.

Brands can continue with his aim of improving the playing stock.

W365 D27 L1

The one defeat was at home to Sheff Utd in April 1975 (2-0: 2-3)

Routine defending for the first goal and Pickford should save it.

Pickford is solely at fault for the second, do you think Silva wants him to parry it straight to their striker?

Third is blatantly offside, managers fault too?

By all means, question the subs but if it works it's the right decision and you can see why a manager would make it. They were pumping it long all day so you can see the logic in bringing a 7-foot defender on. Yes, maybe it didn't work but mainly because of an idiotic keeper and shit officiating.

Does my head in blaming the manager for everything. I'm not a huge Silva fan but he was let down badly yesterday by week idiotic bottlers. They've been doing it for over 2 years now regardless of who's been in charge.

I can't see Chelsea selling Zouma in their current situation.

The best we could hope for is another loan.

Describe one example – just one – of his "horrific display of defending"?

Silly comment.

Lineker looked beside himself with joy and even included an interview with Benitez to prolong his erection!

To his credit, he did say the winner was offside, although 6 players did make it pretty conclusive! The standard of Premier League refereeing is very poor; VAR can't come soon enough.

Yesterday was like that joke: A bloke is bemoaning his bad luck, he's lost his job, house has been repossessed, his wife and kids have left him and "to top it all, Everton lost!" I can't believe what's happening to me... they were 2-0 up at half time!

Ed @291, I think that “snakes & ladders” definitely sums up yesterday's game.

i don't normally listen/read anything Allardyce has to say, but he said that Everton, should have kept his goalkeeping coach on, and he might just have a point.

Silva mystified me with that substitution yesterday, I honestly think he's suddenly trying to make an example of his boy Richarlison but, with 8 games to go, what's the point in getting rid of a manager whose team are going to finish somewhere around the mid-table mark?

If I focus on the positives, I see a man that will give us a team that will play some very good attacking football, and if I focus on the negatives, then I know that this is not enough, because you have to be able to defend to win football matches.

They say it's those who learn the quickest are the ones that get on the furthest, so it would be very interesting to know what Marcel Brands is thinking right now?

I am no great fan of Silva, but I was prepared to give him time, and I know a lot of the problems are entirely of his own making, but the fact is, he is the manager, and the buck stops with him.

I can't in all honesty see him doing anything different, should he somehow have a future at the club. I just hope and pray Moshiri and the Board take an objective look at the bigger picture, and not jump to knee-jerk bargain-basement options, but go for a proper Manager to take us where we all want our Club to be.

At the end of the day, it is the fans who hurt the most, and we are the only ones paying for these turgid (for the most part) displays of football.

The real question is: Who is responsible for this? Well, there is no doubt in my mind that the manager is entirely culpable. Yes, it is the players who have made mistakes but the fact that they do it so regularly suggests that they are not being drilled in defensive duties.

They are not bad players. Look at how the defence eventually crumbled when Martinez had the reigns. He took a good solid defence and profited initially with good results with a defensive unit that knew what it was doing. Fast-forward 7 or 8 months and that good defensive unit was shipping goals for fun and continued to do so due entirely to neglect of defensive training.

It cost Martinez his job and will do the same for Silva. You just don't continually make these mistakes if you know exactly what you're doing. Moyes, for all his faults, had one of the best defensive units in the Premier League and that defence was built on lower league players and cast-off goalies.

There is absolutely no point in having a good first half like we did yesterday and collapsing in the second half. A decent defence wouldn't have allowed that to happen. Certainly not to let the opposition score 3 times, regardless if the 3rd was offside or not.

All the optimism felt after the last 2 games has been blown out of the water. Silva complaining about officials is just trying to deflect attention from the fact that his team are so awful at defending. As it stands, most Everton fans have seen through that.

I was not necessarily a fan of Silva yet wanted to give him a fair crack of the whip but he keeps making the same mistakes that keeps costing us games. How can you not put emphasis on defending? He obviously doesn't. All good managers – well, all those that win things – build from the back.

You don't win anything if you can't defend. That doesn't have to be a boring team to watch but you do have to do the basics right and we obviously don't do that. Will it change? Well... doubtful.

We saw with Martinez that he didn't do anything to stop the shambolic amount of careless goals conceded, and now we are seeing something similar. The team doesn't need to go into defensive mode, they just need to know what they are doing and need to be well drilled. They don't know either of those things and my patience is slowly eroding, as is many of the fans'.

It's just negligent of Silva now. Yes, he hasn't got the players he wants but that doesn't stop his team from being defensively strong. He just doesn't pay any attention to it and it is costing us dearly. Instead of bleating about the officials, he should be apologising to all the fans who made the journey to the northeast to watch that shocking collapse. We are going nowhere with this kind of shoddy coaching.

We should have their striker marked by Keane or Zouma, leaving the other two to close down runners. Instead, we mark the space / zone – even if there is no-one likely to run near it.

The two midfielders don't need to be chasing balls down in the attacking corners. They should be marking other attackers and midfielders, intercepting passes and finding space to receive the ball.

Again, players need to understand this and do this automatically and forget the manager's pre-game instructions at times. The manager needs to understand this and trust his players. So they're all to blame for the failings and applauded for the goals and positive play. But, in the end, managers get the boot.

So, before that happens, he needs to make positive subs. Richarlison may have started to give the ball away and became less effective but we needed to keep numbers in midfield to close down.

I wanted different subs at different times but, in the end, I don't know how that would have played out... but we do know how Silva did.

I like the good stuff: the first hour, apart from Pickford. I'm prepared to give Silva another 9 months but Pickford has become the new Joe Heart. Good promising goalkeeper who needs to stop the flaps.

Stekelenburg in for the next few games... and a new goalkeeper in summer.

Marco is a manager with limited ability. We've seen this same decision made time and time again. He started it away to Chelsea where I was told on here that he was a tactical genius for bringing on Jagielka to nullify Hazard (sounds silly now; it did then too).

Newcastle lump a ball forward and it drops to a midfielder. Their midfielder. Because we're short in that department. But we've got an extra defender to watch the shot.

It's so basic. We've been the better team, yet we're going to sit back and try to hold on for 20 minutes. Most commentators refer to that as "inviting pressure".

The icing on the cake is that it doesn't even work. We've shown, time and time again, that we can't play with three at the back. Look at the three! Mina, Keane and Zouma is not how you play that formation. No-one would choose to play them as a three.

I can accept that most managers know better than me, regardless of results. But not this guy. He's completely bereft when it comes to tactics. He knows nothing at all.

Defenders when you're ahead. Attackers when you're behind. That's genuinely his plan; it's the sum total of what we've seen from him. How can anyone defend that?

Newcastle had to go Route One because we are a better footballing side. We've got to give him time to bring his own players and get shut of the deadwood from the previous two managers.

Harry Catterick: 46.5% win rate (2 titles, FA Cup, 2 Charity Shields);
Colin Harvey: 42.4% win rate (Charity shield)
David Moyes: 42.1% win rate (No silverware).
Roberto Martinez: 42.9% win rate (No silverware);
Ronald Koeman: 41.4% win rate (No silverware).
Joe Royle: 39% win rate (FA Cup, Charity Shield).
Marco Silva: 35% win rate to date (?????)

I could go on with the statistics but they prove nothing.

The reality is this. We need to overhaul a squad full of average players, journeymen and kids who are not good enough to step up and become the best in their respective positions.

Does continually changing the boss improve our chances? Personally, I don't think it does. All managers will want three things to take the job: time, money and their own backroom staff.

We sacked Bingham and got Gordon Lee. He came very close to winning the league. The form dropped and we sacked Lee.

We wanted Kendall sacked (some of us). He became the most successful manager in our history. We said "good riddance" to David Moyes. We got Bobby... then sacked him three seasons later.

Please stop with the ridiculous notion that we have world beaters waiting for the right manager to get the best out of them. "Get a manager with a proven record" is often spouted on this site. Plenty of clubs have gone down this route and failed: Van Gaal, Mourinho (Man U); Clough (Leeds); Villas-Boas (Spurs); Emery (PSG)

Managers with proven records tend to be in employment. Not waiting to jump at the chance of improving Everton.

It takes patience, money, time and luck to get a team to perform to the level we all crave. I don't know if Marco Silva has what it takes. I don't know if Farhad Moshiri can bring the investment required. I do know most of you don't have any patience. I do know I don't have another 30+ years.

I don't want to give Marco 11 years to be plucky little Everton but 35 games? really? Some of the attacking football is as good as I have ever seen. Some of the defending is the worst I have ever seen (and I've seen some piss-poor defending).

I am willing to give Marco another season. He will need the regime to back him 100%, some luck in the transfer market and to get the balance right between attack and defence.

Please stop with the nonsense that we should be challenging for top four/six, titles, cup wins. We should be better than West Ham, Leicester, Watford, Wolves etc. We have a long way to go to compete on and off the field with Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool.

I don't want to be sacking managers all the time, I want to give them time but surely, even after 35 games, you should be seeing signs that a manager is progressing. He should be able to win games like yesterday at a canter especially after a 2-goal lead.

Newcastle are rubbish and we embarrassingly collapsed when they started hoofing the ball forward, same as the Millwall game really. Just lumping balls into the box should be meat and drink to defenders who practice and know what they're doing whereas we look like we've never headed a ball away such is the panic.

We should be fighting for the upper reaches given the state of the club when Moyes left; as it is we are fighting for top half of a very poor league. Silva is looking like a Martinez Mk2 for me. Decent going forward but shockingly bad in defence. Yesterday should have been very comfortable but it wasn't a shock that we ended up losing.

I won't say it was inevitable; just that it wasn't surprising which speaks volumes for the managerial confidence I have in Silva. We have yet to think positively about a manager since Moyes left. Martinez and Silva from Wigan and Watford just doesn't suggest ambition really.

As for Allardyce, well least said the better. I thought Koeman would have been better but no homework from the board and Koeman is off playing golf every day when he should be doing his damndest to get the team functioning. That's ten problem over the last few years, no homework done on appointing managers or players and instated of challenging for the upper reaches like spurs we are scratching around mid-table just hoping for a top half finish.

Shocking appointments all round from the club since Moyes left. I don't know where we go from here but unless Silva does something extraordinary in the last few games this season such as showing that his teams can actually defend game after game then I can't see how this will end any different to Martinez.

I'm not usually one for stats, they can be used out of context.

"Craig (72) Everton have led 2-0 at half-time 393 times in our history (all competitions, all venues) – and we've lost only 1 of them!"

The above though is a stunner! It shows how badly our defense is playing.

You're absolutely correct it's not only the fault of Silva, the players must take a share of the blame also.

It's human error that wins and losses us games. If there was never any human error, every game would be a draw.

I believe why Silva is under so much pressure from the contributors to this website is that yesterday's game was not an isolated incident; when we concede, they look lost and there's a collapse every time. For whatever reason, this is happening... and we all have our opinions; it is the manager's job to put it right – he's failing to do it.

What's making things worse for him is that this squad has some talent; we're not Cardiff or Burnley – we should be further up the table. It's the expectancy and the fact that Everton supporters have changed of late, the benefit of the doubt doesn't seem to apply anymore.

There are very few examples of players not in the matchday squad commanding reasonable money in the transfer market. We have 8+ players to get off the books to allow the club to spend big again.

Kevin Mirallas, Sandro Ramirez, Morgan Schneiderlin, Cenk Tosun, Theo Walcott, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines, James McCarthy, Oumar Niasse, Muhamed Besic, Ashley Williams, Matthew Pennington, Cuco Martina, Nikola Vlasic, Yannick Bolasie and probably a number of youngsters.

I am not listing players I would get rid of or keep. Just highlighting the plight we are in and the generally held opinion on players we no longer want or need.

We have sold the best striker we have had for years, the best central defender we have had in years and one of the best midfielders we have had for a number of years. Only Sigurdsson has been an improvement on Barkley in my opinion. Keane, Zouma and Mina are not as good as John Stones. Lukaku is 10x the player we currently possess in the striker's role.
Could we have kept any player who wants to leave? Probably not.

We can't afford to and should not simply throw money at transfers. We need to build and grow or we will repeat the mistakes of recent seasons.
Perhaps Mr Brands best signing this summer would be a defensive coach to help Marco Silva rather than spending bucket loads of cash on 2nd rate players.

If only we could get back the transfer fees paid for the players we want to offload. Add them up — it will shock you. Work the amount of wages (until contracts expire) — it will make you feel ill.

Tighter control of power given to employees of the club (manager and his staff), more considered approach to signings and keep the young talent coming through are the only ways EFC will get back to a position where ambition can become more than pipedreams.

Even if Mina was the right sub, I still have an issue with the psychological message it sent: "Lads, you are 2-1 up with 15mins plus stoppage left and I don't think you boys can hang on."

Whilst we had hadn't a shot on target in the second half, we had gotten down the sides repeatedly, the stray pass or a poor decision had stymied us. The message it sent was let's play attack v defence for the last QUARTER of the game, don't bother with attack. So for me it was less about how we failed to cope defensively and more that the players dropped deep and offered no attacking threat, only belatedly attempting so after the third goal. By that time you cannot switch gears from a defensive shell to all our attack.

Quite amusingly as we flailed around looking shell shocked, with Mina on the pitch and behind, why having been undone by hoof ball didn't we sling him up front and chuck it in?

It was the psychology of the change that I did for us, we ceased to attack because that's what the players perceived whether Silva meant that or not.

It went from a game with two teams to game with only one team.

What Silva might – might – restore is an Everton of long ago, one which most on here will never have seen; the Everton of Tommy Ring, Roy Vernon, Tony Kay, Alex Young and, later, of Colin Harvey and Alan Ball.

Those players and their teams were gliding, elegant, almost ethereal, at least in my dreams they were.

I can sense as I write this that people will be offended by my blasphemously comparing those greats with what we currently have in front of us. But Bernard and Gomes (despite all their frailties), oh my word they are the sort of Everton men I want to see.

For the first time since 1970, some of our play this season has stirred the memories and has offered the (distant) prospect of seeing another pure Everton team; a type of team which our trophy winning 80s side never really was, despite its excellence. This is a slim, delicate hope I have, but I think it's there.

In the current climate even stretching back 10-15 years you need to find the man who can handle the expectations and still get results in the short term.

I've posted on the manager reaction thread we have never recruited a top-level manager, we source our coaches from middle-of-the-road clubs their profile fits ‘best up & coming' or ‘the next whoever'.

I know we've had rumours at points in the past of Clough & Robson but truly it's time for Everton to dig deep find the money and persuade a top, top guy, you know the one we think we cannot get, and get it done.

It's very much a Lottery too, and also a combination of getting the right players who 'gel' together, and have the Manager very much convincing them that they are as good or better than their opponents, or that 'winning mentality' a virtue that seems a million miles from Silva's repertoire.

Mind you that Nuno Espirito Santo has bucked the trend, or is seemingly doing, in his first season in the Prem, which is usually a matter of survival in a team's or Manager's inaugural year.

We all just hope that the Board, hold their hands up, admit they were wrong, compensate yet again another flop, and at least try and get it right next time.

Martinez tried this with a well-oiled defence and for a time it worked but the longer you leave it unchecked the worse it gets. Martinez completely destroyed any kind of defensive cohesiveness and we have struggled to get it back since. Silva appears to be neglecting it as much as Martinez. The defenders are not bad players, not world beaters but not bad. They just have no direction or shape and definitely no leaders like an Alan Ball or Brian Labone, players who would make sure that the team kept a shape and wouldn't buckle like they have done countless times over the last 5 years or so.

It's a moot point really as to whether this team can attack as fluently as you may suggest as if you can't deal with routine balls into the box without panicking and conceding goals then we will continue to lose games like yesterday. There was a lot good that happened for the first hour or so but all that was undone by the reluctance to be able to do the basics like defend and that definitely comes from Silvas lack of preparation in that department.

Nobody will remember the good first half only the capitulation in the 2nd. Martinez found to his cost that constantly conceding cheap goals has its effect on the team and after his first season the players never really performed at that level again. We just lurched from one disaster to another for 2 seasons until he was sacked and our better players just wanted to leave as they'd had enough of getting beat by inferior teams. I fear Silva is heading in the same direction unless he finally puts some emphasis on defending.

It's no surprise they look very cohesive and well oiled. They effectively had a year to practice.

I'll tell you that if he had to put together an ailing Wolves in the Premier League, where you are exposed at every turn, the result, in all likelihood, be different. As you say, you get what you pay for. And, simply put, we have skimped for far too long.

The 68-69 season for me was the greatest I've witnessed in terms of quality of football (we were like the current Man City), but in the following season those same fantastic footballers added further steel and bite, to win the league.

Ball, Harvey and Kendall were like Brazilians (especially Harvey), but they were also each as hard as nails, and they wouldn't take shit off any opponent. It's that hardness and mental toughness we need now.

Man Utd 2007, half-time 2-0; full-time 4-2.

How about him catching the ball? Challenging and taking high crosses? Commanding his area? Organising his defence? etc etc. If we'd played Joel Robles in goal this season, we would have been at least 7 or 8 points better off.

Pickford is dross, and a head-case. For me, he has no future at Goodison, and I wish he'd leave now, and take his boss with him.

In fact, it was the norm to win the league by winning at home and drawing away. Generally, that would get you there or thereabouts.

When they had gone there was a sense of despair. Not only at our demise but also in football generally. Playing international football was still seen as the pinnacle of the sport back then. We had very few post 79/80 season. During Kendal's early days we looked like a club in terminal decline, how wrong we were.

A lot of posters on this site forget that we were routinely rubbish one season then challenging for the title the next. The highs were high and the lows were desperate (although we never really feared relegation)

The major difference from then and now is money. We were still a big hitter in transfer fees and wages. We still had the kudos of being one of English football's elite clubs. Very few players were not born somewhere on these shores. Nowadays we are competing with "a second tier" of clubs in our division. Modern players don't care about history or fan base. They care about wages and CL footy. They drive exotic cars, live in mansions and don't need a retirement plan.

We need to stick to a plan to get us back to the top. We need stability, luck, steady improvement and bucket loads of cash. I'm not sure if Farhad Moshiri has the connections willing to pour money into the playing staff. He does have the business sense to get us into a stadium that will be attractive to investors though.

Bingham was treading water, Lee had a good go but never replaced my heroes with better players. Kendal flirted with the sack by popular demand. Since then only Moyes was given the chance to build a way of playing. Unfortunately we were skint at the wrong time in football history. We fell behind while others flourished. Bobby took the helm brought some elegance back to our play but left us anything but "phenomenal". Ronald looked a good steady bet, a great player with connections around Europe. The problem was he never really wanted to be here.

On to Silva. As I said earlier he needs at least one more season. At least another summer transfer window. I hope he can be a Kendal Mk1. at least a Lee or even a Moyes circa 2003-2008.

Steady improvement rather than a one season wonder is what I want. Players who are the envy of other clubs. Evertonians need heroes, we need a Ball, Latchford, Arteta, Young or a Vernon.
What we have right now is mediocre with occasional glimpses of what we crave. Changing manager and backroom staff with what we have right now would be a big mistake in my eyes.

I do see "a way", a thought process that has a longer term future to bring the good times back with the current custodians. I pray I'm right.

I tend to agree with most of your comments.

I have lived through the good times and bad times since 1964 as a 13-year-old.

I am not an advocate of replacing managers just because things are not going according to perceived perception.

The point of my post is this: Darren Moore was sacked by WBA sitting 4th in the Championship, however he only won 4 of his last 12 matches, that's one more than Silva.

WBA were/are a yo-yo club, but if they get shot of their manager, are the lunatics running the asylum? It's irrelevant that it's the championship, the principle is the same. Look out Marco, I really think your time is up.

As a secondary point, is Marcel Brands all he is made out to be? He's certainly dodging the flack at the moment. Kenwright is also quiet of late.

Ever since Moyes and his conditioning coaches left, we have been physically weak and psychologically fragile, so the best and cheapest solution I think is not to sack Silva (more money down the drain and we would replace him with who? Moshiri's appointments thus far haven't exactly been successful) is for the club to insist he accepts help with strength and conditioning coaches, psychologists and a good defensive coach.

Other sports have specialists in these areas so why shouldn't we?

Only problem with your post is that you are talking ‘logic’!!!

I was pretty happy at half-time and still comfortable even after their first... and then a defensive sub! Arrrrgh!

It's international week! It's bound to happen! And it did. Is this a thing?

I plan to be watching Everton play Chelsea as part of a somewhat reduced Premier League slate, while other teams battle it out in the FA Cup Quarterfinals.

I watched their third goal and thought, oooo... that looks offside. I'll wait for the replay. Efffing Sky showed the replay from Pickford's end. Impossible to tell. Why do they hate us?

I had to go to my actual telecom provider. Interesting stato fact: the number of Newcastle players in offside positions (5) exactly matched the number of blue shirts surrounding their two players for their first goal. Actually, it was more like six blue shirts but who's counting?

The one glaring example is the 3rd goal where he runs into his own defender, Digne, because the twat didn't know where he was supposed to be!!!

Watch the goal, look at Mina, and tell me who is at fault. He is racing back into the position he should have been in!!!

There are players out on loan who, it appears, are obviously not required by this manager, one we've signed but seem to have little chance of seeing in an Everton shirt, and some youngsters in whom this manager seems to have little faith but continually says they are an important part of the future.

And then there are, we hope, those players whose services may be brought in, permanently or otherwise. Is this not why we have, primarily, a DoF to ensure some continuity?

Does that reflect the actions of a Premier League manager?

I know he threw an extra defender on in Mina but that is not the same as actually making sure he has a well-drilled, organised defence or pattern of play to change too. That sub looked like he just chucked Mina on and crossed his fingers. As others have mentioned, his continued insistence on pushing both full-backs up all the time at the same time is killing us.

I also agree with other posters' comments re us not having a decent defensive unit since Moyes left and the club still reeling from Martinez dismantling that to focus only on attacking play. We must get a solid defence again and start to keep it tight at the back. That is where good teams are built from and where games are won (or lost... as we found out). It is telling that, for me, we still only look half-decent at the back with the Moyes old guard of Jagielka, Coleman and Baines around. How can this be after Moyes being gone for years and years?!

You can be as attacking and easy on the eye as you like – if you cannot defend and cannot stop other teams scoring, then it is all for nothing. I really thought a corner had been turned in the last few games as we had kept a clean sheet in both, but it seems not.

I am also getting worried about Pickford too – I thought he was looking a bit shaky anyway but he certainly does now! Interesting that Burnley have picked up a bit now they have benched Joe Hart... Is it time we tried another keeper to see if it helps us too?

We had something to build on. We had beaten and drawn with Man City, beaten Arsenal at home, drawn with Man Utd home and away, were closer to Liverpool than we are now, competed with Spurs in both games. Chelski were the only team who took us apart that season. We finished 7th. That is what competing with the top 6 looks like. Nothing like what we have done since.

The cash windfall should have been used simply to replace Lukaku and strengthen obvious areas of weakness.

Instead, players and managers were brought in without any apparent plan at over the odds prices. With the exception of Digne, none of the other signings in this period have justified the fee or strengthened the squad. We paid twice the price for each of Pickford, Keane, Mina, Richarlison, Walcott, Tosun, Klaassen and Sigurdsson.

I would have just bought Vardy and then used the likes of McCarthy, Davies, Lookman, Dowell and the younger players much more than they have been used. I doubt we would be in the position we are now and younger players would have gained valuable experience.

And we would still have cash in the bank for sensible investment in the transfer windows.That is building for the future.

What a waste of time the last 2 years have been.

Instead, Silva decides not to, but brings on Mina, who is not match fit. Next, Silva, brings on Lookman not to stop the opposition but stand around on the left wing.

Result, 2-3. It's like watching someone stealing your wallet from your back-pocket but can't do anything about it, no matter, how frustrating watching the person do it.

Our bloke made a stupid tactical error which a quality manager (Rafa) spotted and exploited.

Actually, by 4:15 on Saturday most commentators on the TW live forum had spotted it too. Silva then compounded the problem by bringing on Walcott – effectively reducing us to 10 men for the closing stages.

If only Ken Buckley was still contributing. Newcastle away could have provoked a “From My Seat” classic.

Painful as it is to admit, we should take a look at our loveable friends across the park. Having realised that appointing the likes of Hodgson and Rogers was not going to make them title contenders, they did their research and got someone who could.

Two of our most recent three managers have presided over teams that have been relegated. Can you see any of the Sky 5 considering anyone with that on their CV?

For me, the highs are the manner in which we can play some wonderful football. It's such a departure from the absolute ass that was on display under Sam.

Another high for me, are the derbies. Hear this one out... Of course, I realize we only got a single point from both games, and experienced one of the worst losses I've ever seen. But both games Marco got the players up for it, had his tactics spot on, and we went right at them.

In my opinion, we played the better football on both occasions, and how many years did we lament not having a go at them? I thought we played great both games. Lady Luck just decided to shit on us in December.

The lows. The lows without getting nit-picky. I won't expand too much on these, they've a tendency to turn my mood sour.

The League Cup exit to Southampton. Like 7 changes to the starting line-up? Taking a chance at silverware for granted should never be on the menu until you've actually won something.

Yesterday. That substitution still pisses me off beyond belief. Three points tossed away by our manager, in my opinion. And the cowardly manner that it was done is unforgivable.

I don't know if he'll stay or go at season's end. I've said it before, this season's Everton makes me certifiably schizophrenic. I love us one weekend, freaking want to go postal the next.

Silva has his good points, and some ugly ones. One thing is for certain, yesterday did not help his cause in my mind.

I hope for an evolution of Marco Silva, that he has learned, and won't repeat these brutal mistakes like Southampton and yesterday. Because some of the football on offer this season has been very good. It's the ray of hope I'm clinging to.

And it's the hope that kills ya.

The fact that we went to pot I don't blame the manager or his substitution.

I do think the manager is getting us better despite results and some rotten performances and bad decisions on and off the pitch.

I wish he had an older statesman helping him, akin to Mike Phelan.

Your glass half-full is refreshing. That's one angle I never considered. Probably because I blame Silva, and was ready to tar and feather him yesterday. But hey, details. I need more of your outlook to be honest.

And I think Mike Phelan is the bomb. Someone like him would really help Marco. And that 'someone' is not Big Dunc!

In American Football, coaches throw in a flag to dispute a play and the play is review. We need that in the Premier League.

The manner of the performances between now and the end of May will tell us and Brands – who I hope Moshiri is finally leaving football related matters to – if he needs to stick or twist.

I think he'll stick, try to get a decent window done, and reassess when the clocks go back... after that, who can tell?

A few good 3-point results would help too.

Just goes to show what I have always thought – many fans never gave Allardyce a chance; they would have wanted him out if he had won every game 10-0. One thing I do know – this season would have been much better and less of a total write-off if Big Sam were still in charge.

Moaning about the offside 3rd goal is pointless too. Yes, it was offside, obviously, but, even if that were given, we would still have thrown away a 2-goal lead and drawn a game we should have won. It still would have been 1 point and not 3.

Why should Silva not get any blame either and get the luxury of consistent poor results with what is probably going to be our worst Premier League finish for many years? Again, people couldn't wait to get Allardyce out and he at least won some games and got us higher up the table.

I think that many fans just get sucked into this foreign coach craze where anyone with a foreign name and from abroad is automatically considered amazing. Why else would people even have entertained letting a serial loser like Silva near out team? I know there is the style of play argument but, as we are seeing now and we saw under Martinez, playing more attacking football is pointless if you cannot defend and you lose most weeks.