Well, we really out-ridiculoused ourselves this time

I doubt my friends and I are alone in just being fed up of this same old script. Everton always find a way to ruin you. We should be used to it by now, though somehow we're not.

Everton 2 - 2 Newcastle United

Well it should have been a thoroughly enjoyable evening. It was for the most part but then Everton suck you back in a way only they know how. Drawing 2-2 from being 2-0 in the 93rd minute of 94, the two goals being the only two shots on target the visitors had all game, really takes some doing, even for Everton. We've seen a lot of nonsense over the years but this season really takes some doing.

The evening had gone smoothly up until then. Gaz picked me up from work and then grabbed Dan and Alfie on route. The beer went down smoothly in the pub, as did the free hot dogs. Despite the disappointing showing at the London Stadium we were all optimistic our depleted lads could be their depleted team. On we marched to Goodison confidently and the way we began the game, it was with good reason. It began at a high tempo with both teams getting stuck in, but we had the edge. We were getting on the ball more, dictating play and creating openings. The crowd were in good voice and on around 25 minutes Moise Kean drove at goal from distance but Martin Dubravka saved.

You sensed something was in the offing and it was on the half hour mark when Bernard lofted a lovely ball in to Moise Kean who controlled, took it inside onto his right foot and brought the house down when his shot went through Dubravka and into the centre of the net. Everyone delighted for the lad and he celebrated in style…less of the silly handshakes with Dominic though please! The half time cider with Gary went down a treat.

We were coasting quite frankly. More motivated? More quality? Less depleted? Less tired? Buoyed by an expectant and believing home crowd? Take your pick but we slaughtered Newcastle United. We were all over them for nearly all of this game. Dominic Calvert-Lewin took his goal ever so well. I doubt he'd have scored that 10 games or so ago. His first time left foot finish was delightful. At 2-0 on 54 minutes you could only see one result.

More goals should have followed. Dominic's sweeping drive was well saved. Bernard very nearly scored when he cut inside and shot, and Mason Holgate twice came close from corner kicks. Yerry Mina also missed an unbelievable chance when well teed up by Theo Walcott.

We were home and dry. Newcastle United didn't even really believe they could get anything out of the game when, deep into injury time, we got ourselves into a bit of a muddle and gave away an unnecessary corner kick, which resulted in the ball acrobatically put into the net by Florain Lejeune.

Though everyone around me seemed to know better I was honestly unconcerned. I mean, though I had no official clock in front of me I figured it must have been the 93rd minute at least. We had a restart. All we had to do was bury the ball deep into their corner flag and that would be that.

Alas, Everton are a constant disappointment, and even this seemingly menial task they are incapable of. At the restart the ball was given back to Fabian Delph. My preferred option would have been for he to roll it back to Jordan Pickford. He was very accurate in finding the stands all game and one more time would have been perfect. Instead Fabian lofted it diagonally though nowhere near the corner or the touchline. The ball remained in play. Newcastle United instantly regained possession, and Tom Davies, though I don't recall exactly what happened, gave away a free kick on the half way line. We all dropped back. We're now in the 95th minute. Why are we even still playing? How has this nightmare unfolded? Newcastle United even played the ball short in the first instance, and then lofted it into the box. It all seems to happen in slow motion but the ball is eventually bundled goalwards by Florian Lejeune. Being behind it in the Gwladys Street, I thought we'd got away with it as Jordan Pickford saved on what seemed to be the goal line. However the referee signalled for a goal and Newcastle United players ran off towards their supporters in delirium. Having seen a photo of the goal, I'm dumbfounded as to why Jordan is about a yard inside his own goal when it goes over the line. I'm also befuddled as to why the full time whistle hadn't gone. It was the 95th minute of 94 for heavens sake.

I doubt my friends and I are alone in just being fed up of this same old script. Everton always find a way to ruin you. We should be used to it by now, though somehow we're not.

It's no excuse for the player's surrender, but am I alone in being continually mystified by Carlos' substitutions? I'm happy to have a manager of his pedigree. I like the way he carries himself and I'm behind him. I'm not professing to know more about football than he, but am I alone in wondering why we are having constantly unnecessary reshuffles late in games? Was it really necessary to put Oumar Niasse on the pitch? Would another centre back then not have been a better idea? Or Anthony Gordon perhaps? It's not the first time, he's done this in every game so far I think. He's still getting to know his players, but the changes don't seem logical to me.

I also read this beauty from Carlo on Twitter from his post-match press conference:

“The players are really sad for this moment. I said to them I lost the Champions League after winning 3-0, these things happen.”

We know Carlo. We bloody know.

Player ratings:

Pickford: Nothing to do until the end but then he couldn't do it. Poor distribution throughout. 4

Digne: Not bad in the main, though his poor clearance was a factor which lead to Newcastle United coming back in. 5

Holgate: Very good throughout but may have nightmares about conceding that late corner when it probably wasn't necessary. 7

Mina: Very good mostly. 7

Sidibe: Did OK. 6

Schneiderlin: Mopped up pretty well. 6

Delph: Mostly quite good, but what that ball was from the restart I just don't know. 6

Bernard: Was outstanding in the time he was on the field and deserved to be on the winning team. My man of the match. 8

Walcott: Played well on the right and also did well when played through the middle. Come to think of it, I don't know why he's never been given a run there. 7

Kean: Once he'd scored that goal it was as if a weight had been lifted off him and all of a sudden he was confident, taking players on and playing with freedom. Hopefully the big positive of the evening can be the awakening of Moise. 8

Calvert-Lewin: Lead the line superbly and got his rewards with his goal. Deserved to win the game. 8

Substitutes:

Coleman (for Kean): Held his position well. 6

Davies (for Bernard): I'm not privy to his instructions of course but there was too much fancy stuff for me when he should have been more no nonsense. His ball to Lucas wasn't the easiest for our left back, which ultimately resulted in Newcastle United's first goal. He then also gave away a free kick for our second goal. I'm a big fan of Tom's but his lack of maturity really showed here. 5

Niasse (for Walcott): How he has survived all this time at Everton is quite the debacle. A very poor player not fit for purpose at Everton. 4

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