The Scripts Write Themselves

The whole midfield needs to step up also. Schneiderlin and Gomes were woeful tonight.

The formation is not working. Calvert-Lewin for all his hard work doesn't score goals. Would Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd, etc put up with it? No. So why do we?

Go 4-4-2. Put Keane and Iwobi up front and go a little more direct. Gomes had a shocker as well. Can't believe he stayed on the pitch. When he's like that, he is a luxury we can't afford. Sigurdsson is being accommodated in the No 10 role, so he needs to create. If not, get him off and change things.

If you can't score against Palace and Villa then you are in the shit. Time to give the fresh blood a go.

I, on the other hand, need have no restraints on my thoughts. Starting with manager Silva, I could not but think his game plan is a combination of Bobby Brown Shoes with his emphasis on possession rather than shots at goal, and Big Sam's of long balls to the wing then bang it over.

Problem with Bobby's method is it makes for slow attacks and allows opponents time enough to retreat en masse.

Sam's method requires fast and accurate crossers of the ball to above-average strikers, neither of which we have.

Pickford
Digne Keane Mina Coleman
Davies Gomes
Richarlison Bernard Iwobi
Kean

It's time, after dropping points against bottom of the league, to mix it up.

And for anyone coming on here saying Bernard can't play the 10, what the hell does it matter? We never play down the middle anyhow! So just give our most creative, technically gifted player a go in what should be an influential position on the pitch, and see what happens.

What we're doing currently isn't working anyhow. And what's worse, it's getting boring and predictable.

Time to change it up Marco. And here's my prediction. Just like last Christmas it'll take Marco 4-5 games to make the adjustments some of us see in the here and now.

Marco's learned and adjusted before, but my God he takes his sweet time about it!

Final point - Iwobi was on the left tonight, and Richarlison on the right. I want them both on the opposite sides so they can cut in and actually take a shot [SHOCKER] instead of these limp-dick crosses we're subject to time, and time again!

I wholeheartedly disagree. 4-4-2 with DCL and Kean is an awful formation for us. People saying it worked tonight are living in cloud cuckoo land.

Moise Kean needs space. He needs to be in the open, getting on the ball, and attacking. With DCL out there tonight, things were entirely too congested for me. We need someone feeding Kean into space. Playing two up top mitigates and removes the available space for this young phenom to ply his trade.

This idea of two up front like the second half doesn't work. The biggest problem tonight was Sneiderlinn and Gomes. Both were shocking. Davies should have been the first sub on. To put on Walcott as well. Silva never learns.

It has been clear for at least a year now that Sneiderlinn and Walcott are useless and clueless. The team Jamie has picked in post No 6 has to be tried. Silva's management isn't all bad but he just can't see the problem areas.

This idea of sending all the big men up and packing the penalty area rarely works and relies on a lot of luck. Why not try a short corner for example or a quick free kick. Something different.

The players need to use there heads a bit too. Far too predictable when attacking. A sad sorry state of affairs. I believe we have enough quality players to be doing much better. They just need better direction from the management.

The same obvious issues in games 1 & 2 and evident in the same style of fixture last season were there for all to see. Many chose to ignore it as pre-season, fitness, blah. Guardiola and Klopp wouldn't, like it or not that's the standard.

Apparently this coach is all about details and yet he has ignored the failings from games like this and presented us with another carbon copy of games we should win yet fail to do so. We have wasted 3 of the first 6 games. It was not unrealistic to expect 7, perhaps 9 points from these games.

His insistence on playing individuals who are out of form is bewildering, his lack of decisive action through the game is costing the team.

This was the first game since Millwall with any modicum of expectation on it and we blew it. You can talk up the last 10 games of last season all you like, which elements had merit but there was zero pressure on us to win them.

The mindset from Silva was evident on the pitch, we simply didn't work hard enough off the ball. A poor Championship side out-worked us, just like Millwall.

Silva has to stop repeating the same mistakes, he's had plenty of money to fund his style of player, 8th is unacceptable with the budget he's had.

My God, his first touches today made Rom look like Messi. His bricklayer's skills lost the ball three times in the middle of the pitch, and the third sent Villa off to start the progression that ended with the first goal. And he didn't make one decent pass the whole day. Not one. He turned every opening Digne gave him into trash. So of course you want to give him more responsibility? No thank you!

Lyndon, Gomes looked thoroughly fit to me. He was moving through the midfield beautifully – twice ghosted past the whole Villa mid to get to the top of the arc – and sprinted back several times to win the ball defensively. He simply made every bad decision and pass it was possible to make. Refusing to shoot, giving the ball away, fouling in the worst possible positions... it was his brain that was unfit, not his body.

Hate to just moan but we have to be honest, I spoke to a mate today about how 4th spot was available to anyone, including us; wow, how wrong could I be.

Nothing has changed from last season, we are a top 8 side, no more no less.

Gomes was so poor tonight its untrue, Carragher on sky hit the nail on its head in saying "That's not Andre Gomes, it's his brother or something", he was really that bad.

A real worry for us is that Gomes was poor, but almost equally as poor, or at least as ineffective was Sigurdsson AGAIN. He is a big player for us, and he is not ever close to firing, he's ineffective in every aspect of his game. Richarlison is another, he is huffing and puffing, working hard but looks like he hasn't yet sparked.

Everton without them 3 (Sigurdsson, Gomes, and Richarlison) are simply average.

Silva has to get Iwobi involved from the start the next game, ideally Kean too, but after watching him again tonight he is not even close to being fit enough for 90 mins, he was blowing after 10. Iwobi is Premier League proven and he looked it, he's big, strong, quick and has an eye for goal, he simply has to start from now.

The back line was okay, but the villa 1st goal was carbon copy of the Troy Deeney chance last week that Pickford saved with his face, it may be a weak point in our defence and something we need to address.

The midfield is the most worrying though, we look shocking, Gomes played the worst game of his life, Schneiderlin is just Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson continued his pre-season form that has come into the start of our season, top this with Delph and Gbamin injuries and I wonder what would need to happen for Davies to be called upon, because if that's all not enough then nothing ever will be so he might as well pack up his Luis Vuitton bags now.

Simply gutting performance, really brought us all back to reality that there is still a lot of work to be done, Europa League would be an achievement (as well as progress) whether it's through the league or a cup, and we have to hope that our young players grow together.

Walcott coming on in our last 2 outings also remind us where we are at so again, we are still trying to grow and it will take time, gutting to lose tonight but I suppose it was always going to happen, Villa no wins in 3 years or something and luckily for them the Blues came into town

Bernard behind a striker next week for me with Iwobi in and Sigurdsson out.

I know Silva has spoken against it but I'd like Richalison back uptop with Bernard behind, Iwobi one side and maybe Calvert-Lewin the other. Bernard could do well in Sigurdsson's role and Siggy won't be a big loss atm.

Richalison is working hard, he missed 2 sitters the last game but is usually a lot more clinical than Calvert-Lewin, and Kean didn't look fit enough yet. If he is, then Kean up top, Bernard behind, Richalison and Iwobi wide.

We need to start scoring as we won't win enough games trying to nick it all the time.

I didn't understand why Bernard was pulled. He was our only player who counter-attacked quickly when everyone else wanted to walk it or hoof it out of defence. I think that Schneiderlin, Gomes and Richarlison contributed very little and at least two of the three should have been yanked off early in the second half.

Surely Delph, Davies and Iwobi can do a better job next week provided Delph is fit.

50pts mid table form. Martinez got the sack for this shit...eventually. How long this episode of 'Eventually the penny drops' will run for is anybody's guess.

I meant to get up at 0430, had a 'light night' to help, slept through, woke up to see smiling Villa faces, turned it off and went back to bed.

I still haven't learned that, 'fool me once' thing...Meet the new boss, same as the old boss *chord* we wont get fooled again.

He has a great range of passes and he showed it a few times today, particularly the peach to Coleman that lead to Calvert-Lewin missing one of our best chances.

I think calling him clueless after today is unfair. There were a lot of players worse than Morgan today and yet he is once again the target.

Watching Sigurdsson reminds me of myself. A few years ago in an Over-35 league, I realized I was losing my touch and my confidence. So I hid in plain sight. I ran around pointlessly closing down anyone so it seemed like I was working hard but I tried to position myself so I never got the ball.

This is exactly what Sig does. He hassles centre-halves but never makes runs, gets into space, or demands the ball. I was an unpaid amateur in a fat bloke league but he's making millions for the same thing.

Martinez last two seasons we were poor but Lukaku scored half chances to make things look better than they were, but now we just toil away up front with a blunt sword.

Calvert-Lewin has scored 3 goals since last December, there comes a point when you can't keep blaming service and last night he missed the same kind of chance that he squandered last season away at Fulham, Palace and Watford.

Truth be told, since Martinez's first campaign in 2013-14, Everton have just been a nothing club, we are just ambling aimlessly through each season with no pattern or direction, rudderless with no ambition and always the same excuse of “let's be patient”.

I'm sick of being patient and watching the same shit each season.

1. It bewilders me how I've seen you back Siggy for three games, and he's been garbage in all three; yet you slag off our only goal scorer in Bernard, who has by far the most creative skill in the team? And no, he was not that bad this evening. Richarlison should have come off before him.

2. I realize you think Bernard behind the strikers is a bad idea. I disagree. We've gone round and round on that. But, Mike, we can not continue on the way we are. It's simply not working. We have the same misfiring players, and the same shortcomings with potency up top, yet every time I see you post on the subject, you think Siggy should stay in the lineup?

To the point at number 2, assuming you agree we need a change, what do you suggest? It can't be Sigurdsson at the 10, and Calvert-Lewin up top. Mike, with that combination, we're 4 points from 9 against pretty shite competition.

What's your answer to start playing like a team we have hope of cracking the Top 6? Cause it ain't workin', Mike!

Gomes is a big favourite and fans were desperate to see the 㿂M man nobody wanted, so be happy, like you all told the lad who was worried about the centre back situation when the deadline passed.

Talk about everything else but the real issue we have been victim of since Lukaku left. Blame the manager for Calvert-Lewin not being able to shoot like a natural striker. But most of all, just be happy like you all told the worried on deadline day. Be happy the manager has players that need time.

Pretend to know some of the subs are ready to go straight in even though Arsenal and Spurs have done the same with late signings.

Keep enjoying the board's repeat pattern of losing quality and bringing less in that are not that level yet. This way we can simply blame the manager and skirt around the real issues for a few more years.

Kean could become great but we needed a better, more experienced, ready-made forward to take the mantle off Calvert-Lewin who should never in a million years be the first choice going into another new season.

Basically we needed TWO centre-forwards and we end up with a lad more of a novice than Calvert-Lewin.

We took too long pissing about in the transfer market as usual and signed players that weren't ready to start the new season as usual again, it's always the same and nothing is learned.

Iwobi and Kean gave us more pace and movement, but the only time I saw us really streaming forward at pace before their introduction was when Sigurdson totally messed up a great opportunity, with Digne unmarked on the left.

If you miss chances like we did, then you don't deserve to win football matches. The teams who will get the top 4 spots would have converted all of those chances and won with a two- or three-goal margin.

Gomes looked like he was on drugs. Mina always has a ricket in him. Calvert-Lewin held it up well but needs 6 chances to score 1. Two goals conceded from promising positions. Richarlison and Sigurdsson were anonymous. We are always ineffectual away from home. Same old problems.

How on earth have Everton come to this (the No 9 shirt)? We have fans still banging on about Greame Sharp (that was over 30 years ago)! We are surrounded by fans of that lot, and more fun awaits when they win again today and sit top of the table with their sublime forward 3 scoring for fun.

We could not hand-pick better fixtures to start the season and I honestly believe that, if we don't enter November in the top 4/5, then we have no hope of European qualification through the league. Calvert-Lewin needs to be used as a back-up striker and I can't think of a worse 90 minutes than that of Andre Gomes last night.

Every season, the hope seeks to drain quicker and quicker. and bloody Lincoln are bang in form.

No matter who the manager has been, the pattern has been the same but you watch and wait to see how many it dawns on and how many skirt around the issue for a few more years.

Read Silva's delusional post-match comments and be truly scared. He actually says he couldn't see how we lost after creating so many chances.

Gomes was absolutely terrible. I lost count of the number of passes where he simply knocked the ball off the pitch.

Did anyone see that stat on Sky where it said I think we had bought 21 players in the last three years for over 㿀m. This doesn't say a lot for Steve Walsh or Brands.

All-in-all, let's just say it's the usual very unbalanced squad and that Zouma and Gueye have not been effectively replaced.

Given the relative weakness of the three teams we have played so far, this doesn't augur well for the season.

Silva Out!!!

The more things change, the more things stay the same.

We seem to play such ineffective football, that it slowly saps our enthusiasm out of us. Marco as much to blame as the players.

Reporter: "Is it not now evident that Everton need a striker that can score goals for the club?"
Silva: "We do not need a striker because we have enough overpaid and crappy players earning enough money not to care."
Reporter: "Everton has only scored one goal in 270 minutes of football, surely that is a problem for you?"
Silva: "We do not have a problem, we are all on good wages and contracts."
Reporter: "Surely you are worried about the fans' reaction to the poor performance?"
Silva: "We are not worried because we play lovely sideways football which gives all the teams we play enough time to get back and defend and I think that is fair. As for the fans, I really don't care as half of them can't afford a ticket to come to the game while me and the players get the same pay. Thank you."

There are also some players who are swinging the lead as well, Walcott being an obvious example, and has been for some time. Both Gomes, Richarlison and Sigurdsson are way below Premier League pace.

I am not surprised at the result. After two below par-performances that got results, Everton did what they have done for years, slackened off training in the week following. How many times after reasonable results, with the next match vital to win to progress up the table, have we got a performance like this? The whole fanbbase is motivated and knows the importance of pushing on, but not the Everton team.

The whole attitude at Finch Farm is totally wrong. They are producing nothing that advances Everton up the Premier League table. The personnel is relatively unchanged under five under-achieving managers. They are under better, longer-term contracts than the players. Brands and Silva has not been able to change things at Finch Farm and their regime will under-achieve if they don't tackle this central problem at Everton.

The old maxim is right: if you want to be a good player, you have to play for a good team. Everton is a graveyard for footballing careers. No wonder so many young players want out on loan and want away. Kean will be the next one.

I feel the same as you. Every season, I think this is our year... then realty kicks in. Should know better really, being a Blue.

First 20 minutes was tidy but no threat at all

After the goal we were a shambles and remained so until the final whistle.

We've not been near good enough in any of our league or preseason games. Maybe I've been over optimistic but I was expecting to be sitting on 9 points today. In actuality we could easily have been sitting with no points at all.

Our midfield was a disgrace and I have no sympathy for any of the players and management and any pathetic excuses they have and will come up with.
"In transition" "No preseason" " Only arrived" "Don't understand the system" etc etc.
The starting 11 have no excuses whatsoever.
Silva has no excuses whatsoever.

We need to get away from the only system/tactics we play as we've been thoroughly sussed out by even sub standard teams.
We have a chance against Lincoln to try some sort of plan B but somehow I doubt anything will change.

So we blunder on with possibles and maybes and hopefullys. Whilst spending a fortune doing so.

Having read others comments, the problem seems to be the system. I don't understand why they can't play the ball more into central positions but I think the reason they play it into wide positions is because they have more creativity there. I think they will beat Lincoln in the League Cup but will go out in an early round again.

If ever there was a team for the taking it was Villa last night, they were shitting themselves in the first 20 minutes and the game should have been up in that time. For their goal, I can only sympathise in that we had it easy, we're coasting in possession so we're not switched on when they get the free-kick. But it's their job so that is nowhere near good enough.

Once that goal went in Villa's confidence came flooding back and they were a different team, but we let that happen.

I feel for Calvert-Lewin, he's gets endless stick on this site but he never gives anything less than 100%. His problem is the 2nd phase of play. His hold up play is excellent, I can't think of many defenders that really dominate him, but once he's played brought someone into the play he disappears.

He needs to remember he has to be the furthest player up the centre of the pitch as much as possible. He needs to lay it off, spin and bust-a-gut to get back on the ball, but it doesn't happen. As in his chance last night, he's running on to a cut-back from Seamus like a midfielder, there's 3 or 4 players ahead of him. He should have scored and you can see the pressure he's under.

Our whole game is summed up in a brilliant bit of passing and movement in the first half. Starting from the right of the pitch, through Pickford, luring Villa up the pitch, break out on the left, play in Bernard, their midfield is nowhere, defenders have been turned and are desperately running back to their goal, and Bernard floats an easy cross over Richarlison's head and out for a goal kick. That is us all over: great on the ball until we hit the last third, then through a combination of bad decision-making and poor quality, there's no end product.

Besides the lack of goals, the other thing lacking is movement in particular Sigurdsson, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin. There are no balls to play as the three stand like statues. For all of Gylfi's occasional sublime touches, he doesn't do enough to influence games regularly.

We now have pace in the team but don't seem to know how to use it, instead reverting to death by a thousand passes before any threat vanishes before the penalty area. To sum it up, at one point Villa had a throw-in by their area within seconds it was in our area, minutes later the situation was reversed and the ball ended up back with Pickford.

Schneiderlin and Walcott shouldn't be near the first team, neither are good enough. Fair play to Seamus for coming over to the away support at the end as there was a fair amount of anger at what had been on show. Jota, Wesley and Grealish were way better than anyone we had on the pitch. Much work to be done.

Every manager should be made up to lose Zouma and not replace him.

Every manager should be delighted with 2 babys up front. One who is shit and needs time and one who needs time.

Most deluded fans on earth.

Theo Walcott Characteristics + Strengths
(Player has no significant strengths)

Weaknesses
Holding on to the ball – Very Weak
Aerial Duels – Weak
Offside awareness – Weak
Passing – Weak

Theo Walcott's Style of Play
Counter-attack threat
Likes to play short passes

The above is from Who Scored.com

It was great beating Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd last season when these clubs were in turmoil and there was nothing to play for but look what happened at Millwall in the FA Cup. A few good results last season had Evertonians in a state of memory loss. Forgetting what a waste of space Marco Silva really is.

Last night was typical Everton. Beaten by a newly promoted team with no points on the board but the charity known as EFC will always accommodate.

Marco Silva is as clueless and gormless as David Moyes ever was. The Portuguese Moyes just doesn't get it. He's not at Watford anymore. This SHITE is not acceptable here!!! Dominic Calvert-Lewin isn't a Premier League striker, FFS!! Schniderlin drags the team backwards. Tippy-tappy possession football doesn't work. Where is the pace in the side??

So... three games in and our season is over. Yes, I said it — OVER!!! All summer to find a goalscorer and what do we do? Fuck All is the answer! Please WTF is Schneiderlin doing in the starting eleven again?? Who thinks Walcott will come off the bench and rescue a game? It's mind-numbing....

One thing is an absolute certainty to happen next week: we will lose at Lincoln in the League Cup live on TV. It's what Everton do best and Morbid Marco will come out and talk utter shite about how well we played... blah, blah, blah.

A piss-taking Kopite texted me last night laughing. "Top of the League" he said, "ha ha ha. Never mind," he said, "your season now hinges on trying to get a draw with Liverpool." The trouble, is he was speaking the truth.

Anyone ready for some stadium news this week.

Kean and Iwobi have to start in the next Premier League game against Wolves. Yes, they will probably start against Lincoln, along with a few others from the bench, but the immediate turnaround has to be made after that inept performance yesterday; otherwise, it will be Silva's turn for the axe.

If any of them had a fraction of the belief in the shirt that the fans in general do, that at least would reflect during the 90 minutes.

I remember watching early on last night, when we were playing okayish and the travelling support were heard 'as if outnumbering the home support' and then thinking back towards the end.

These players, and especially the Manager, do not deserve that loyalty, and I feel sorry for the fans spending a large portion of their hard earned cash to do it every other game will start to question, is it worth it?

I'm pretty sure that unless things dramatically improve Silva's days are numbered, and he will yet again receive compensation for failure! Unbelievable but sadly true.

I personally don't think last night was as bad as being made out and the clear problem is that the 2 players we rely on heavily to make the difference (Sigurdsson and Richarlison) are both woefully out of form and, until Kean gets up to speed we will struggle to win games.

Last night, we got a preview of how the centre-halves will cope with cute and pacey strikers, having looked like colossuses against Deeney and Benteke.

The manager is getting pilloried for his midfield selection due to no pace or dynamism there, yet Davies was the only real solution and what would have been the reaction had he started ahead of Gomes?

As much as some wanted Tom on, how many games has his introduction won? Marco instead used his subs on Iwobi, Kean and Walcott and would have been vindicated had the latter not missed a sitter.

Gbamin's injury is a huge blow as we need to compensate for Gueye's dynamism. Hopefully the League Cup will give a chance for some of the new faces get up to speed so we will have better options for Wolves.

For all the predictability of our play, we should have won it, were it not for our proverbial poor finishing. We've all been very magnanimous with Calvert-Lewin over time, but surely he should now be dropped and Kean given a start.

Walcott seems to have lost his touch for good and I wonder what's the point of playing him at all.

I agree, mate. What can Silva do. All these posters slagging Silva are reactive comments, hasty, hindsight feelings. Nobody complained about the line-up and why would we?

Why pretend we know who is ready. Arsenal and Spurs both have big signings benched in their first 2 games and Silva gets slagged for leaving a not-yet-ready baby striker on the bench.

Delusion is reaching new levels for us and the ignorance to what the club have left him with is another hindrance.

2 years back, Lukaku left and not enough fans are capable of being realistic or sticking with the principle that is a major issue for us.

All ready to shit on another manager left with less quality than the previous season. The signings may do well down the line but we needed signings that didn't need time and got signings that need loads of time.

A repeat pattern Moshiri and Brands get love for.

DCL miss was atrocious, he had yards all around him, he had all the time in the world to weigh up ALL his option, had time to take a fucking touch even, and then pass the ball into the side of the net, simple,But no

Instead as usual he tamely and blindly "pushes" the ball "towards" the general direction of the goal in his usual never score but get it on target fashion,,(with Rom it was just in the net no questions asked)

If he had scored we would have won that game, I am convinced of it, this is a constant and I don't give fuck what age he is, how hard he tries etc, he has (thanks to criminal neglect on the part of the board in not replacing Rom) had the opportunities and time other guys his age could only DREAM off and has failed (constantly) to find the net with any regularity end of story, I have lost count of times he has done this

I said on this forum last season that I now "expect" him to miss when he gets a chance and was lambasted for it

We now have to hope that Kean (an unknown quantity) can be prolific or we are fucked again this season, DCL is championship, bottom of the PL player at best, No other Top 8 side would have him at their club (let along first choice) and we have been short changed (yet again) by our board in not providing a PROVEN goals-scorer

NSNO needs to chagne to MOSP, (more of the same please) I am fucking sick of this shit with this club,constantly digging for some shade of a silver linings amongst the sea of apathy and 3 decades of failure-

If i had a penny for every time i felt like i did last nite followiing this club !!

THEO FUCKING WALCOTT enough said

How many games Kean need to get ready? 38 ?

First two games one was away and other at home to a tough team, so fair enough to start him from bench, but not against newly promoted side Villa. Ronaldo and Messi as baby strikers were monsters.

Against bottom ten teams from last season, 4-4-2 is the way to go with both Calvert-Lewin and Kean or Tosun and Kean, like Arsenal with Auba and Laca.

I absolutely love how managers "protect" their younger starts. [sarcasm alert]

They say, "We need to bring him into the game gradually, and introduce him to the Premier League. He's young, he needs to be managed properly."

So here's what happens:

Marco - "Moise, strip down and get ready. Come here.

"Okay, kid, here's the thing. I completely fucked up. I didn't read the game, I started Morgan when I should have realized after 3 minutes he's not suited to stop the way Villa's set up today, I don't have the balls to pull Sigurdsson, Richarlson and Gomes are havin' a mare, so here's what I need you to do.

"We're down 1-0 to a bunch of promoted ass-clowns. I need you to get in there and score, and save my bacon. No pressure, kid! We're easing you into the league! Now go be our savior! No pressure buddy!

"Oh, and by the way, I'm sticking DCL up top, too, so you have literally zero room to manoeuvre.

"Good luck!"

Just start the kid up top, on his own, and let the talent flow naturally Marco. Stop being a dim-wit.

Just keep changing it until that genius who can make the centre-half players faster and turn the poor Calvert-Lewin into a natural goal machine arrives.

I say poor because aswell as being not good enough it's not fair on the lad either. I need Moshiri and Brands to define Ambition for me because I cannot see it at all.

This is just a market for talent breeding and babysitting for future profits. That is sensible from Moshiri to be fair, he's a businessman with a lovely little smile... but it's shit for me who craves us to be big again.

No mention of Calvert-Lewin's absolute sitter. At least Digne's was from outside the box.

There's no doubt I think Kean can create things for himself whereas I've never thought Calvert-Lewin could, so he is very reliant on the style of system we play.

So, even when Kean starts, he will largely suffer because we are predictable. The ball to our centre forward has to be so precise we simply playing percentages so low we aren't going to get any luck because we just cross, cross, cross and don't create positions to shoot from.

We don't play through Sigurdsson, we play around him. I'm less concerned about the personnel per se and more worried we do not have any variations on our attacking patterns.

Tyrone Ming's a bog standard centre-back looked like he had a cigar out last night, he just gained confidence from the ball repeatedly crossed into the box and he had the easiest night of his career.

Not once did we go down the middle/side of the centre-halves challenging their ability on the floor on the turn.

Silva has a lot to chew on.

Richarlison appears untouchable for some reason when he's been terrible so far this season along with Sigurdsson, all they do is score a few now and then, no real attributes to be effective and both should be dropped. Mina? What a joke footballer he is and won't ever be good enough for this league,

As for Calvert-Lewin, well just another example of how bad Silva is as a manager to continue to play him when he's absolutely useless and can't score or do anything but run around. Silva out, not the man for us he's proved that.

Won one, drawn one, lost one against three teams that I think we need to be beating.

Silva is showing touching faith in Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Richarlison & Calvert-Lewin. He clearly thinks they will come good at any moment.

Clear problems in the first three games. An isolated striker who isn't a goalscorer. The two goalscorers woefully out of form. A physically and mentally brittle midfield. An unprotected, vulnerable defence.

I've watched a lot of talented players in a blue shirt. Many of them haven't been effective enough. That's my fear with this team. Not helped by a conservative manager who hopes his favourites come good while persisting with a formation almost designed to be ineffective.

I bet Silva can't wait to get Delph on the pitch. The team desperately needs a bit of canny nous. It desperately needs the direct pace of Kean & Iwobi on from the start. It needs Sigurdsson dropping to the bench to allow the much-fabled 'Silva formation' to have a go.

It needs Silva to notice and react when his 'tried & trusted' aren't delivering. He's been given options. It's time he started using them.

With regards to Scneiderlin, I know from your posts that you really dislike him but I feel that he does a certain job and is an important cog in protecting the back four especially with Gueye gone, Delph and Gbamin injured and our inability to get Doucoure.

I don't think the manager particularly rates him but he trusts Davies to perform that role far less.

Had we started with Gomes and Davies I believe we would have had more trouble with McGinn and Grealish as neither have the nous or discipline to play that role especially in an away game where the opposition are really good at finding little pockets in front of the back line.

Keane
Richarlison Davies Iwobi
Michael Caine
Digne Mina Keane Coleman
Sylvester Stallone

Subs:
Bernard
Russell Osman
Pele
Some Polish prisoners of war

Welcome back, Tony Marsh. Three games into the season and the end of the world is nigh. So it is an absolute certainty that we will lose at Lincoln. Well, why don't you visit Ladbrokes and put your money where your mouth is?

So this SHITE is unacceptable. Tell me how not to accept it? Tell me what your plans are?

The same failings against poor sides have been evident from Day One. You can't view each season in isolation.

You can list the games easily, a one-dimensional tactical mind. Is there a Plan B? Because I've not seen it. He picks players who are out of form and lets them flounder. There's no point having a squad if you just reinforce your preferences. That's not competition.

If you just ignore the signs and take nothing from each game, you get drift, not progression; that's exactly what we've got.

It's absolutely not knee-jerk, framing the argument over 3 games is disingenuous, it just suits the agenda of “playing the poster”.

I think we agree in the main, but I'd slightly tweak you argument.

I actually think Silva's a good coach. After Christmas we played superb. A bit hyperbole there, as I'm wont to do, but we were, indeed, pretty damn good.

What does my head in (love that phrase), is the time it takes him to adjust. Both from a macro and micro position.

Micro - his substitutions and changes in-game are simply too damn slow. He also persists on giving his set up for each game too long to succeed if things aren't working.

Macro - over the course of games, he persists with playing out of form players, who clearly need a rocket shot up their ass to play to their ability. Richarlison up top last season is an excellent example. We waited about 3 games too long for him to move Calvert-Lewin into the striker position. When he did that, it changed our fortunes. Fast forward to present day, Calvert-Lewinisn't as effective, nor is Sigurdsson nor Richarlison, and he's continually playing them and not pulling them out of any game.

There's a coach there. And he does indeed change. He's done it with the example above, adjusting his zonal marking, etc. It just takes him so damn long to make the change.

If he were listening to me, and Lord knows he's not, he'd go with my lineup above [earlier in the thread], and he'd start to play down the middle more when attacking, instead of insisting his players kick it out wide for our point of attack, and mix it up a bit as we go forward.

Calvert-Lewin, Sigurdsson, and Richarlison are all very good players. But when you're not playing your best, there's nothing more motivational than splinters in your ass.

But hindsight and a keyboard make me a genius, so ya, there's that.

(Joking!)

"I don't go on forums because I don't like them as they are full of meaningless posts"... says Jimmy... in perhaps the ultimate meaningless post!

The eternal optimists can shoot me down if they want, please feel free, but I'm making the claim that Everton are no further down the line than the season they sacked Martinez.

We have spent buckets of cash in the last three years yet we are no better now than when Martinez threw a team together with mainly loan signings, in fact we are nowhere near the team we were in his first season.

Silva has done no better in all honesty than Koeman in his first campaign, and Koeman went down the drain quicker than liquid shit.

Allardyce was a Moshiri troubleshooter and a waste of time.

But the reality is, we are no better than we were back in 2015, that was a poor season but still saw two domestic Cup Semi Finals.

Money is continually spent at Everton to merely stand still now.

Thank god Tony Marsh was able to come on boo-hooing and put me right.

"Money is continually spent at Everton to merely stand still now."

There you may have unwittingly stumbled onto the reality. Check last Esk article.

Why not put up an article with evidence supporting your viewpoint. I think you might have a point; why not make it in detail?

Have we spent badly? Is Silva the wrong man? Is Brands. Are we mentally weak? There is a lot to be said and debated but not in the tone of some of the stuff on this site in the last couple of hours.

Anyone attempting to play the ball forward last night was met with static and surrounded players and so we reverted to sideways passes. There's not enough movement.

I have read countless defences on here of some of our underperforming players. Schneiderlin for instance. He does fuck all, but he does a good job as the midfield pivot. He occupies a space apparently. He is key to the shape of the team.

Our front 6 should all be dropped for the next game, with the exception maybe of Bernard, who started brightly and at least had a go. He faded as the team faded. Maybe Gomes should retain his place also, not because of his performance, but because he is a quality player who had a bad night while trying to do the right things.

What did Richarlison, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson and Calvert-Lewin do to merit inclusion in the team next week?

It's not enough to have the same guaranteed starters every week. They should all be playing for their places. If their standards drop, they should be out of the team.

I think the problem is that Man City and Liverpool have pulled away with Spurs and maybe Arsenal this year the closest to them. After that, you've got Man Utd, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester and West Ham who've all chopped and changed managers and spent heavily. That group plus Wolves are even Stevens. Win a couple and you're 5th; lose a few you're 10th. It's musical chairs.

There won't be a lot in it at the end of the season but someone will be happy with 5th and someone probably fired for 10th. The challenge is somehow breaking from that group.

All I say is that, after having seen 3 games this season, I believe that we are no better than we were under managers we've eventually sacked... and again, it is a perfectly valid opinion. He doesn't need to make his point in detail and neither do I unless I could see a point in doing so.

I have sympathy with your point, we do keep playing badly underperforming players which is crazy. Liverpool play a pretty pure 4-3-3 with wide forwards that cut in, full-backs that overlap, and centre and box-to-box midfielders that drive forward. Silva wants to play it too but doesn't have the players.

Sigurdsson doesn't fit into 4-3-3, Calvert-Lewin isn't a 4-3-3 centre-forward (Aguero is). As I say, he has no real system and the awful systems he plays seem to be designed to fit in unsuitable players.

I desperately hope that he gets us through this phase we are in, as Kendal did when I classed him as the worst manager in the UK. We have a good defence but that isn't good enough in itself.

I think we've played three teams I expect us to beat. Four points out of nine. I don't think that means were going to get relegated or that Silva merits the sack. Does that make me 'positive? Or should I come on here and call people 'doom-mongers' because they have a different view to me?

Or maybe we could have decent debates on here where people's views are considered, challenged and debated? And that challenge isn't met with 'freedom of speech', 'it's only my view', or some other cliched debating cop-out.

And I'm saying this as a veteran of belters on Twitter including; remoaner, lefty, Tory, centrist, Jock, English Bastard, bin-dipper, traitor, foreigner-lover, snowflake, anti-democracy, etc. All the people that come out with that stuff have one thing in common; they won't or can't debate.

I heard earlier Mourinho was being mentioned. Everyone last night is complaining how pedestrian we are and he's just made one of the most exciting clubs in world football look like pensioners. Perhaps we should play Baines at left-back because 10 years ago he was brilliant also.

Jim, we have actually spent practically nothing this summer and by the close of the window we are likely to be in profit if Tosun is sold.

We are standing still because we stood still in the summer. We lost two of our best players and so far the coach hasn't really been able to use many of his new signings. Does anyone really think he wants to be picking Schneiderlin and Walcott?

We look weaker than last season because at the minute we are.

It is what it is.

What's up with you lad? I thought this site was intended for irate Evertonians to vent their anger as much as you happy clappers want to clap. If you're happy about last night and last season's debacle, then good for you.

Just so you know, I would never put money on Everton to lose. Never have, never will. What kind of sicko do you think I am? You might do such things in your world but in mine, it's a big No-No.

Why don't you go and put everything you've got on Everton winning at Lincoln next week if that's the case? I mean, if you are so cock-sure we will win, then go for it.

I said before the game, Villa are strong in the centre of midfield and that is where we are weak. If we can see it, surely Marco can see it... or is he too arrogant to think that his system of play is the only one that worksZ?

We should have had a midfield 3 of Schneiderlin (only as Gbarmin was injured). Davies (Delph if he was fit). and Sigurdsson. with Richarlison, Iwobi and Kean upfront.

Calvert-Lewin, Gomes (on current form with his head up his arse) and Schneiderlin should be nowhere near first-choice selection.

Bernard flatters to deceive and Richarlison should be on the left, not the right.

It's about time we emphasised goals, not possession and passing. As someone said earlier, we resemble the Martinez project at its worst.

On the other hand, we are crying out for change, to see Kean, Iwobi, Sidibé and Davies start Of course you could argue after last night that including these 4 would be his strongest 11. Let'.s hope he gets it right.

The money wasted on managers and DOFs buying players has cost far more than it would cost to get a Costa or Werner.

Money talks and we let it talk when we thought relegation was looming. Chase the top sides and buys have to be shrewd

Dangerous game to play and no wonder Silva looked fed up in the pre season.

2 of his midfield buys out already and his best midfielder playing for Villa last night.

Shocking how anyone can blame tactics on blatent errors by players. I hope he plays Davies v Wolves so you can all see why he played Schneiderlin last night.

The problem seems to be supporting defenders, who are slow to cover and don't know what position to take up in defence, when they take up the supporting role

The midfield and forward play got progressively poorer as the game went on, but Iowbi and Kean looked useful.

Villa did look fitter than Everton and ultimately got the result they deserved.

If that "long post", er, post, was directed at me, I will try to be more brief.

As for the shambles of Friday night so much of it feels like the proverbial accident waiting to happen.

Calvert-Lewinis almost the creation of home season ticket holders who love his effort, his athletic contribution and team work commitment. Whilst the away core and quite a few here, for two seasons now, have pleaded to be heard on the subject of, yes you know what's coming, “goals”. It's never happening in enough numbers to matter and his missed chances have hurt us time after time after time. But he runs around, a great deal, and is genuine. That's all some want. Not me. Should have been sold for 㾻M in the window and a decent championship quality striker bought in, because yes, still not the quality we need but at a price likely to get twice or more the goal account of Calvert-Lewin.

I said Gomes horror show was worst I'd seen for a long time and got told “I must be very young then”! I'm not. Yes I've seen worse but it's all relative. Worse from an over hyped youngster, or over hyped returning hero. Worse from a few million quids worth of player out of his depth. But nope, it's rare to see such a 95-minute disaster of a performance from a 㿂m heroic figure returning back from a loan spell with the kind of welcome reserved for game changing truly top class midfield creativity. It was that bad. Hope to see him never do that again because we have seen him in magnificent form out shining everyone else. But then I recall a bad spell pre last Christmas. And I worry.

Midfield all awful. Digne not as strong as usual. Richarlison a huge disappointment. The setup leaving too many a bit deep. Need 4-3-3 and stop worrying about leaving out big names. Gylfi.

Meanwhile I see the almost inevitable arrival of more praise for the new stadium design and wow factor from Kevin Ratcliffe, as if by magic to remind us good times are nearly here. He's right, it's stunning and I love it. But after reading the Esk's latest expose of just how iffy our whole resurgence is. it's even more depressing to see a directionless team struggling to make a strong start against opposition we should be beating out of sight if top six is a genuine aim.

Winning is the only progress.

Gomes has many assets, but I'm not sure about his "engine", and his decision making is not of the highest.

I'd love to see some of the players we've spent over 𧴜 million on actually start games. I hope Kean turns out to be the next Henry. But the verb is "hope" not expect, as for Calvin-Lewin, he's got a lot of followers on Twitter, I'm sure he's good to his gran and loves animals, but a central striker he's not and never will be. Walcott remains as he's always been, very fast and an iffy finisher with not an ounce of football nous. Bernard is a skilful lightweight and Richarlison is great at flinging himself to the floor, but to be honest for a so-called Brazilian international, he isn't exactly setting the Premier League on fire. However, like Gomes and Bernard, Richarlison is a native Portuguese speaker, so the manager has a few people to talk to, as his English is unintelligible and gibberish.

I don't see us returning to Europe with this team and this coaching set-up. Another season of mediocrity awaits.

Our forwards got chances, they missed them.

Solution: Play forwards who can put the ball into the onion bag.

Iwobi, Kean and Richarlison have got to start as front three.

Bernard and Sigurdsson behind them.

Gomes as the holding midfielder and back four stays the same.

Okay we will concede 1 or 2 but that team will score 2 or 3.

On right hand side we have Walcott who doesn't play and who was out of form almost all of last season. We then have no ball winners in the middle at all.

Worrying.

I know he gets picked for England, how many good centre backs have England got, not many, one has been well over paid for recently.

I worry more about that position at Everton than I do over the strikers and midfielders, although I realise there are problems there as well.

I was watching Liverpool last night and yes they may be ahead of us in terms of quality but I don't see us being forever behind them but the difference is their players actually shoot on sight. They have a chance on goal and they run, run and run, not letting any defensive unit get organised. By the time midfielders get back into position, the ball is generally in the net.

Everton stop. We have a run forward and we stop allowing opposition to re adjust and get back into position. The way the game is played nowadays I don't understand why we consistent play backwards or sidewards. I would say we have two/three fantastic little wingers but they never collect the ball and run.

Chelsea's first goal yesterday, Dave overlaps and crosses the ball and Abraham puts it in the net. Coleman gets to the byline and clips the highest slowest ball possible. Allowing everyone to watch it and set themselves up. Low and behold it goes to back post to a player who is 5 foot tall and the ball is cleared.

I do think as fans we are very hard on our Everton. Maybe we where expecting 9 points by now. I was. But on the flip side this is the Premier league, Palace have just beat United away and every game is tough. What strikes me is we don't seem to adjust our tactics or squad depending on which team we are playing. I think we set up wrong against Villa, I said at half time we should of been 4-4-2 because DCL was completely alone and Villa make no doubt about it set themselves up with ten men behind the ball. The fact they scored two of their three shots on target says a lot to me. Again watching Liverpool last night they are set up to beat Arsenal. Hit their weak defence with quick attacking movement and use David Luiz's defensive frailties to their advantage.

I mean all is not lost here. We have seen good and bad so far this season. I think more bad and 1 goal in three games is worrying. But let's hope Gomes has had his worst game he will ever have and let's hope Silva and the coaching team give them all a good kicking this week. I do wish we went back to 4-4-2 for the majority of our games and also stopped all this playing from the back nonsense but the modern game isn't played like that.

Overall we definitely need to work on getting the ball forward quicker and taking our chances. I think it's time DCL took the bench but I probably wouldn't start Kean against Lincoln. Feel like that's the wrong game to start our new forward in. He thinks the Premier League is tough, wait till you get kicked to death by their centre backs.

The fact is we are playing poorly. Under Silva we played poorly last season until the last quarter. Piss poor to be honest.

There's a bit of groundhog day here. Pre-season we weren't at the races and we hear all the same excuses as last season. We're 3 games into the season and have all seen other teams, either playing against us or on the telly, and for some reason we seem so slow and lethargic, unfit.

I think we were all hoping looking at the fixture list. that we would get off to a flier. We've been lucky to get the 4 points we have.

We have a game midweek and I think Silva has to shake things up. Not just personnel wise but also tactically. He has stuck with non performing players for 3 games and continued with slow predictable tactics which even the promoted teams have sussed out.

We all wanted him to make extra efforts in Cup games this season, however, I'd sooner he use the Lincoln game to experiment. If it doesn't come off then fair enough but maybe it might. He has to send a signal to non-performing players that their starting positions are not set in stone. He has to show us that he can change and adapt.

Now is the time to turn our season around - yes even after 3 games - not leaving it late like last season.

Liverpool's wide men run, run and run. Everton stop.

''The difference is their players actually shoot on sight. They have a chance on goal and they run, run and run, not letting any defensive unit get organised. By the time midfielders get back into position, the ball is generally in the net.''

Even if that direct play breaks down or a shot is blocked there is still a chance that it can be picked up, and the attack continued. Our midfielders have to be on red alert for it.

Too right we have to be far more positive in attack, creating panic and disorganization in the opposition defence. At the moment we are ponderous and slow, organised defences can take care of us and Calvert-Lewin if and when the cross comes in.

There will be no improvement until we have more of that direct attacking play from out front three. I don't see the point in playing around until we can fire a super cross in, when we don't have a clinical goal-scoring striker to get on the end of it.

This also has an effect on our attacking play, because when we make a break from the back neither are quick enough to join the attack, which means that most of our goals we are reliant predominantly on the front 4. And therein lies the problem both Bernard and Calvert-Lewin are not regular goal scorers and both Richarlison and Sigurdsson are way off last seasons performances.

I believe Silva had all the first team squad in at 11.00am on Saturday morning, I don't think it was to tell them how pleased he was with their performance at Villa. Like everybody I don't know what goes on at Finch Farm but I wonder if the appointment of Luis Boa Morte as Silvas assistant has had any effect. When Silva first came my main concern was could he get a team to keep clean sheets, as even at Hull he had them playing attacking football. Well he has definitely proved he can manage a team to keep clean sheets but what has happened to our attacking play. I hope that Iwobi and Kean will turn things around in attack and make us a more potent force than we are at present. The team that finished last season that has pretty much started this season lacks goals that needs to change and quickly.

Keane will miss Zouma, like I think Everton's defence will. He has had a disappointing start back at Chelsea, like he did in the beginning at Everton but he was one of the main men in that defence last season.

I maybe wrong about Michael Keane, I hope I am, just haven't seen the improvement in his game that others have mentioned.

I fear our craftsman is particularly average.

We can moan about DCL, we can identify Siggy, or even blame Gomes, Bernard, Digne, Coleman the whole team. We pin our hope on new signings to come in a show that the problem is just so easily fixed like 'take out joe and and put in bob'.

The summer distracted us, we all play football manager in our heads, who to sign to make us great again.

All the while, we forgot that the man responsible for it all was widely regarded as useless until the last 10 games of the season.

He got a reprieve, but here we are again, same problems. We can look at players all we like, but the problem is the style.

Klopp arrived at that lot, and his style was immediately visible. It wasn't immediately successful, but it was visible.

Guardiola, Poccettino...they all
Immediately imprinted their ideas, they immediately showed 'what is to come', even if not all the personnel fitted the style.

Look at how Norwich play when they attack, do you think Pukki would have 5 goals in 3 playing in Silva's style? But Farke has imprinted his style in the way the tema play, and the players adapt to that.

The Everton players attack with ponderance, an absolute lack of intensity, few ideas. It seems like always waiting on the opposing side to make a mistake, rather than forcing the opposing side to make a mistake.

We are slow and pondering in possession. We are a team that is more dangerous on the counter attack, but we are set up to control possession.

This is Silva. He's been in the job for 15 months now, so this is his style. Those waiting for him to suddenly develop a style of play that is not what it currently is are living with false hope. Good managers can imprint their style no matter the tools at his disposal.

Silva isn't necessarily a bad manager, but he is very average. This will mean he'll probably last the season, but I don't expect much improvement tbh. We'll probably get 8th. Maybe 7th. Maybe 11th.

We'll probably be miserable, or distinctly non-plussed most weekends.

But the difference between us and them is clear. The manager.

Changes will be made for the Mickey Mouse cup but the Wolves game will be another checkpoint for Silva.

Three weeks ago you are telling all who listen that you are confidently expecting a top 5 finish, that we have a team of internationals, that Brands done an amazing window and that Chelsea Utd and maybe Arsenal were there for the taking.

Now after only 3 weeks in the shit has hit the fan and you realise the hole that Gana has left, that the wild predictions about the superiority of our squad are going to fall flat on your face, well it's time to blame the manager for your foolish prediction.

Who do you use to channel your wisdom? Klopp. Possibly pound for pound the best manager in world football who took over a squad who recently had come within a slip of a title but took three years to get the shit back challenging again.

Then you point to Farke and Norwich to show how it should be done. Yes I agree they press well and are full of energy, they are exciting and really naive at the same time. Who do they remind me of? Hull under a certain Marco Silva.

Suddenly now after 3 weeks you realise we have an average manager and you change your prediction of 5th to maybe 11th. Wow these three fixtures have really shaped your thinking.

Yes it should be clear to everyone the problem is Silva and not the players. By the way did you watch Spurs play at Villa Park. Pochettino who you mention as world class watched helplessly by for nearly 65 minutes as his team got pulverised by Villa.

At half time he tried a change in formation and press yet still were outplayed. What changed that game? He brought on Eriksen, nothing smart, nothing tactical, just a world class player that transformed the game. Suddenly Kane came alive as Eriksen starting picking balls up in deep areas knowing that if he made a run he would get the ball where he wanted. Kane a world class striker scores two and they get a very unjust victory.

If we had produced a 90 minutes that they did for 65 I hate to see what our fans would have reacted.

Like any fan at the start of seasons I always look to be positive, I mentioned that in my one and only post on this game. Football manager syndrome takes over and we all get caught up in the whole 'sign x, y and z to resolve problems'.

I have always said Gana would be irreplaceable. I was one of the Ines on here who thought absurd that we sold him so passively, while many in here called him a one trick pony and limited etc. I didn't predict 5th, I said 5th was (still is) possible and should be our target.

But all through last season, I have always been doubtful of our manager. And yes, I think player for player, we do have a good squad. But the performances for the last 14 month are with Silva have yet to show for me that he is applying any form of ' The first 3 games of this season have confirmed that.

So I will not enter stupid debates that try to blame specific players. Because the problem that I am seeing is the team as a whole, the way we are set up to play, added to a seeming lack of fitness and lack of energy on the pitch.

You pick out 1 game by Spurs to try and suggest what? That Silva is on his level and the only difference is Harry Kane? Really?

Só Spurs didn't get to the Champions League Final with a depleated squad? They haven't been the 3rd best team in the league for the last few years despite not spending money. You really think Spurs would be where they are with Silva?

I mentioned Klopp, Guardiola, and co because yes, they are the best managers in the league. Like when people talk about DCL, they compare him to Kane and Aguero. Which managers should I compare him to? Slaven Bilic? Fucking Steve Bruce?

My point is Silva has not imprinted his supposed style that so many allude to.

Bielsa, Howe, Dyche, Rodgers, a whole load of managers have a style. You watch the team and you can see that the manager is setting them up that way. The top managers you see it immediately.

As soon as Pocchetino arrived at Spurs, the difference was huge, and the players were the same. Same with Klopp, same with Guardiola, same with Farke, same with Bielsa, same with Conte, same with Sarri. You can see what the manager is trying to do and it doesn't take years and 6 transfer windows to do it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but you can see it.

With Silva I do not.

Cricket is the game!!!

Amazing result and innings by Ben Stokes.

I have red mates to whom I said, you need to give him time. This advice was also necessary the season before last, when many reds were calling for his head. And they thought they'd be buggered when they lost Coutinho.

How things change. I would not give any manager time without evidence that he could get the team to play, but with such evidence that's really all we can and should do. In Klopp's case, and in Silva's.

Three games in. Dearie me.

I was a little annoyed because you actually said you expected a top five finish and that we should finish an absolute minimum of fifteen points better than last season based on our winter nightmare.

I highlighted to you that we were much weaker without Gueye, defensively that Brands had left Marco with a very similar untried centre halve partnership and even though we have made improvements at the top end of the pitch it will take time for them to integrate.

You were very dismissive of my fears over the success of the transfer window and so within three weeks your implying that the manager is solely responsible I thought that strange. I respect that you defend our players.

I am not questioning Pochettinos management ability rather I used that example to show the difficulty in taking 9 points from what some refer to as cannon fodder and was just highlighting that a great like Pochettino had to rely on Eriksen to get anything from that game.

Just to be clear I understand your assessment on style and I fully understand your reservations about Silva. Do I honestly believe he could do the same at Spurs I don't think so but I'm not sure anyone else could.

But I believe this manager has been good for our club as I see improvements in players like many top coaches do. Gana became a really top player, defenders who had failed at other clubs showed improvements that I didn't see possible, and even players like Scneiderlin became quietly effective and changed a few people's minds.

He will be as frustrated by most at our start and our form will pick up soon once we get a bit of confidence and get the new players integrated.

Again apologies

Still, early days and we have all had our say but it is worry yet again after hearing about Gbamin's injury. Surely things will improve over the next few weeks with Iwobi and Kean settling in.

Personally I still say all our problems come down to our set up. We don't score because our forwards can't get near the goal. DCL simply gets marked out of the game so we end up huffing and puffing trying to get the fullbacks down the wings to chuck in crosses. 4-2-3-1 plainly isn't working so lets try something else.

As I have said many times I'm an advocate for 4-3-3. We now have Iwobi, Kean, Richarlison, Bernard, Walcott, and DCL. That's more than enough forwards with pace and power and movement to play three up front.

If Delph is fit he should go into a midfield three with Gomes and Sigurdsson and the back four should remain as is, although I would like to see Sidibe at some point. The fullbacks can provide the overlapping width without having to form a "partnership" with whatever wide player was in front of them. We can stop trying to recreate Baines/Pienaar.
Team for Lincoln City.

Pickford
Coleman/Sidibe - Mina - Keane - Digne
Sigurdsson - Gomes - Delph
Richarlison - Kean - Iwobi

Which teams didn't get at least a point away over the weekend? You've guessed it, Everton and Arsenal.

Doesn't life suck?

On Sunday, I had the radio on (our shit, poll-tax funded national propaganda organ was showing athletics and probably another fucking cookery programme) and heard one of the most exciting sporting events ever (6 weeks after the last one) with a bunch of Aussies trying their very best, a superhuman example of skill and concentration from Stokes and a heroic display from a speccie bloke who was the worst batsman in either team.

This game and this club had better get their act together or it will start to attract the same sort of crowds as the BBC's favourites, women's football and cricket and Sky will take its money somewhere that offers more excitement and interest.