Ferguson keeps the reins for Man Utd clash

If we win then I think Duncan Ferguson should be a candidate for the job until at least the end of the season. He is our Simeone. COYB

We have no need to rush any appointment.

Give Duncan at least the next four games, depending on how they go, he could get plenty more.

Any appointment this week,/early next week will just kill the good mood and feel good factors going around just now.

See him sitting back in his chair with a big ol cohiba smirking away saying 'I love it when a plan comes together'

Anceloti is the slight favourite with the bookmakers and Talk Shite are getting indignant that we are actually intending to talk to him at all.

We are not too far off 6th. place & have a Carabao Cup quarter final next week so it makes sense to keep things stable. Duncan, John Ebbrell & Frannie Jeffers may surprise us all yet.

The doomsday scenario remains frighteningly plausible though. We're clearly sounding Ancelotti out, but when he inevitably turns us down, I could see the board acting as if they're out of options (because two whole targets didn't pan out) and turn to Moyes.

Have to just pray that Ferguson continues to produce results.

True but the last two games Utd have counter attacked effectively against two possession heavy teams. They can't play that way versus Everton so they'll have to change it up which could disrupt them

His selection of 4-4-2 to combat Chelsea was astute and effective against what is clearly a pretty effective opposition.

I'd have thought persevering with a successful manager who knows the club, players and the competition has got to be more sensible than desperately running off in all directions trying to find a manager somewhere in Europe or South America who's won some minor trophy in some minor league.

I'm reminded a bit of a music producer I worked with in Barbados who told me that, prior to being "discovered" by an American producer, all the locals thought Rihanna Fenty was just another local singer who had ideas above her station. Of course, after selling a quarter of a billion records, "everyone had always known" that she was going to be a huge success.

Just because it's under your nose doesn't mean it's not a diamond.

Even in the build up the players need not be told "we don't expect to get anything there blah blah". United are beatable.

Lets go and try to win. If that is the message and all the players are up for it, we have a better chance in everything we have to do.

If Sidibe and Walcott are as switched on as V Chelsea, that is where we can get at them.

The man has managed in the champions league for about 20 years. He usually manages household names.

I just can't see us wasting our time hearing these things from his agent?

Stranger things have happened but I doubt he is involved in the running as he would need drastic improvements that are unlikely to happen in January..

Orr we get beat and hey ho the announcement we all dread comes in...

Meanwhile the press still has us gussing and biting or fingers to the bone...

My team for the united game is what ever Dunc picks is good enough for me...

And to be honest I don't know what the hell to expect for Sunday!! I am kind of, ,,I dunno excited !!!

We could just as easily do them 2-0 we could be well beaten, we could get a credible draw, Saturdays events have kind of thrown me a bit to be honest and to some degree question what I thought I knew about the modern game/players etc, Ole may well not know what to expect either, lets hope he is unpleasantly surprised

Maybe it has been the monotony of Silvas predictable team selections,subs,style of play etc and the contrast in some of the players vs Chelsea and its only one game I know, but I am actually looking forward to us going to Old Trafford under Big Dunc

If we show as much commitment and again have everybody pulling in the same direction we can go there and win no probs

COYB

Link

Besides I think his appointment would undermine the Big man and turn him into little more than a cheerleader

Lets be patient and see how things unfold

In Ferguson I trust.

Now, we've all met people who can speak well. Sometimes we can see through them instantly, sometimes it takes a while, and a few we just have to acknowledge that they are impressive people. I'm enjoying watching Duncan Ferguson, he has certainly moved up in my estimation by a number of degrees.

There was plenty to admire last Saturday, but the moment that really struck me was when he substituted Tom Davies for Richarlison. Whatever the merits of the change (I thought they were sound), his focus was on Davies, not the guy coming off, who was a little petulant.

I'd like to see a bit more of him in charge, then decide who we want.

If we get the performance and passion of the Chelsea game, no one could complain.

I don't believe that Moshiri & Brands, like any sane individual, would consider a manager who hasn't managed for x years and has been sacked from his last four jobs due to non-achievement.

Ancellotti, in my view, will use us to get a better deal from Arsenal. Our interest in him has all the hallmarks of a rich owner looking for the 'big name' that is a poor fit/past his best. He is interesting nonetheless, though he would be a better candidate when we are settled in the top six and looking to go further.

Unlike virtually every other manager, Ferguson will have a residue of goodwill, regardless of results, for now at least. To me, he is a cheaper, more current and better version of Moyes. Makes more sense to keep him in temporary charge until he emerges as the obvious candidate or is palpably out of his depth.

As he says himself, he's been a coach a long time - and that is what it is all about nowadays. We have a DoF to identify the targets and negotiate the prices and contracts for the type of players the coach / manager says he wants for various positions.

The coach / manager picks the team, trains the team and sets the tactics on a game by game basis.

I think Duncan more than adequately showed he is capable of that last Saturday.

Let's see what pans out at Old Trafford.

If we get thumped (and I hope we don't) will everyone still want him as the new manager - seems he has a majority vote on TW right now.

You echo my thoughts Peter.

We all know about Duncan's media blackout as a player so very few know his thoughts about football, or even as an orator, full-stop. He's always praised as a speaker and funny guy at fans' events and the like.

Since returning as a coach and doing club videos, whilst remaining rare, he always comes across as clear, concise and very quick-witted. You would expect the latter as a son of Glasgow, living most of his adult life in Liverpool.

How he decluttered minds and emotions in such a short span of time;
how he made small but critical formation and tactical tweaks which the players could effectively apply;
how he managed the in-game substitutions and further tweaks;
how he orchestrated and galvanized the crowd simultaneously.

It was Messianic-like, transforming tens of thousands of doubters and sceptics into fully converted believers in the space of two hours.

It is a gift granted to but a few. It is something beyond the overwhelming number of us. The aura of great leadership.

The players must love his directness and clarity. There is no flannel. But there is a great deal of pragmatism, basic common sense and sound tactical reasons behind his few words.

A fine example of this was in one of his post-match interviews, when asked why he played two strikers together up front when it is so uncommon these days. No deep protracted justification from Dunc. Just a firm blue-eyed stare and two word question thrown back at the interviewer in reply:

"Why not?" Why not indeed.

I also noted like you how the substitution of Tom Davies for Richarlison played out. I liked all aspects of it. Richarlison was pissed at getting the hook, but not in a bad way. He wanted to stay on and fight alongside his team mates, rather than sit out the final 20 minutes. He to me appeared to continue to sulk whilst sat on the bench, but again, that's because he is a winner who was frustrated at not being in the thick of the action.

And as you say, Duncan was Howard Kendall-like in not being in the least concerned for the feelings of the subbed out player. His focus was on Davies who was joining the fray.

If Statler and Waldorf watching in the stands could not capture the mood, could not see or feel the events of the day beyond the final whistle when they gave Dunc the thumbs up and big smiles, if the Grim Reaper's name is still on the table for a possible return, then they are both dumber than dumb and playing a very dangerous game with the club's position and confidence still precarious and fragile.

A new manager is not coming in before Sunday at the very earliest. Even then, they would not be able to effectively prepare the team effectively for next Wednesday's vital LC quarter-final clash with Leicester.

The management should have already said Duncan will have the Leicester game - even possibly the Arsenal game. It's really poor management IMO that they haven't done so already.

I'd say give DF the United and Leicester games at least and just take the time to sound out decent options. The 3 points from Chelsea buys us time, even if we lose to untied. We then have another week till the next league game.

Praying we get a result at OT so Moyes can sod off.

https://youtu.be/otif97IWJXI

What this club means to Dunc is written all over his face and whilst I know it's only one result and he may not be the long term answer, he deserves a few games, at least, to prove or disprove that. He gave us and the players a huge lift on Sat and hopefully that can give us some momentum.
Got tickets for Sunday and travelling down from Scotland for the game with my father in law who supports the Mancs. Praying for another bit of Dunc magic!! Was lucky enough to be there when Oviedo baby scored in Robertos days although nearly got killed for celebrating in the Manc end, the away end looked amazing that night, hopefully the same again on Sunday.
Personally I would take Ancelotti as he is a top class manager but I'm also intrigued by Gallardo but not sure if he speaks English. An absolute never to Moyes coming back, would rather see Dunc have the rest of the season.
Anyway, apologies for the ramble but great to get that proper Everton feeling back again, it's been missing for so long!!

Yes, last Saturday's result can, of course, be put down to the so-called 'halo effect'. But if he can continue to inspire the team like he did at the weekend, even if it's just for a few matches to get us up into the top half of the table, then why not? If nothing else it gives the Board more time to sound out credible alternatives. The last thing I reckon any of us want is then same panicked, knee-jerk reaction that saw Fat Sam take the reins last time we were in this predicament.

More of the same at Utd please, Mr Ferguson. You truly know what it means to be an Evertonian and I have no doubt that the lads in the dressing room will be under no illusions too.

Bring 'em on.

NSNO

There have been indications that he doesn't want to manage us permanently. Where has that been reported reliably?

Apparently peop!e who know him say he has matured a lot over the years.

I agree Jay that it is poor management not to give Big Dunc a clearer indication of his fixture plan for the week ahead.

It is of course the club making "a virtue out of a necessity".

But good luck Big Dunc, make us proud.

Quite frankly, I am impressed. As I said earlier. On Radio 5 the pundits who know him for years having played with him, says that the transformation in Duncan's character over the years is remarkable.

Anyone playing under him as manager is going to know the performance that is expected of him and immediately know if they fall short. I am now sure he will work with Brands in the loop. Any player who shirks his responsibilities or swings the lead is going to get nailed immediately.

Thank you, God.

It's the tonic that hopefully will become standard in view of what EFC, must deliver consistently.

I've not done a match bet yet but I'll be backing Everton to win.

Any one checked the fixed odds yet?

Duncan's seen so many different approaches and styles. If he's been a sponge over the last five years and picked up the strengths of these managers who have all done well in periods, and he can put that all into one package, with the best of each, well he would be the best manager in the league. It will certainly be interesting to see what he has learnt. Hopefully he has not picked up any bad habits.

It's a big game at Old Trafford on Sunday, followed by Leicester's visit next week. Let's just see how it goes.

Surely all will be up for a trip to Man Utd and, after losing in such harsh circumstances at the King Power, our boys, know that they can match Leicester on the pitch and are owed a result after being robbed down there.

Plenty of incentives for the team to go out and prove it wasn't a flash in the pan.

Man Utd knocked the pants off Man City, for me. They looked very good counter-attacking.

It's going to be very interesting how Dunc sets up the team against Man Utd. I think we're really going to see what Dunc is made of as a manager with the way he approaches this one, and how he handles in-game adjustments.

If we win, he has to be given more time.

If we lose, I honestly won't be bothered too much... IF we play with the passion and intensity we did against Chelsea. Dunc has restored my excitement and pride. If he continues that, and I've no reason to doubt he can, he'll have my support to continue on.

I honestly think Saturday may have been my single best Blue day. And that's saying something over 13 or so years. I haven't been that happy with Everton in a long, long time. So roll on, Duncan Ferguson, roll on.

There is a lot more to Duncan than we were aware of. He actually volunteered initially to join the backroom staff, eventually taking up a position on the lowest rung of the coaching ladder, gradually progressing through the ranks and getting his coaching badges. He seems to have quietly dedicated himself to learning his trade.

My visualisation of Duncan is at the back of the dugout, coming forward to move kitbags and prepare players to come on, showing quiet Loyalty and dedication to supporting the manager in charge.

What's more, he has experienced the highest of a footballer's life and the lows of the aftermath, but kept at his coaching role. He has probably gone through years of financial hardship before being declared bankrupt. What's more, he is still standing. Imagine the toughness it takes to work with players earning mega-money like you once did, who probably weren't as good as you were, and now be on a fraction of their wages? He only reacted once to fan flack to say his hands were tied.

Duncan has got to the Caretaker Manager role the hard way and seems to be determined to keep himself focused at the job in hand as he has done for years, with all he has observed and learnt. He really has transformed himself.

I'm on the same page as Jay 43 on this. Only time and a run of games will tell whether we're right.

There are no obvious candidates out there. Ancellotti, fine, but despite his many successes, he hasn't stuck around long anywhere in recent years. Remember Ancelotti got the boot from Chelsea after being beaten by Moyes's Everton at Goodison? But Moysie back, no thanks.

Nobody knows for sure who's drawing up the shortlist or making the final decision on the new manager. It would behove everyone at Everton to take a deep breath and allow themselves the time and space to get this right. Give Dunc a run to the end of the season (or at least the year). State it publicly and let's see how we go. It will hardly be worse than it was under Marco surely.

I loved the comparison to Rihanna earlier. Who knows, Dunc may turn out to be our Only Boy (in the world).

Have a feeling though we will get something Sunday, then all the good work will be undone, if we bring in a new Manager For the cup game.

Let Dunc have the cup game, then and only then bring in a new Manager, if needed.

Rebuilding yourself and climbing up from the bottom takes both courage and humility, and you can't fool the people around you when you're doing it. The way the players responded to him last weekend was informative -- clearly he has their respect. And what you've written has given my brain some food for consideration as well.

Thank you.

Your presentation of the obstacles he's had to overcome to get to where he is now is compelling and only adds to my affection for Dunc whatever happens over the next while.

Why not focus on surrounding Duncan with the very best coaches and other backroom staff and let the big man lead the troops?

I would be keen to see someone like Lee Carsley join Dunc and who knows, maybe by May 2020 we will have a nice dilemma on our hands.

I have never been motivated by money (what a fucking saint I am). So I get how much Silva was hurt. When you have all the money you need, it is your reputation that counts.

I have revised my view of Duncan Ferguson, the Everton manager. His joy was uplifting, so uplifting.

One game at a time, please – it's the only way, you know it makes sense.

Most worryingly, Kenwright still appears to be advocating the ludicrous prospect of the Moyes returning. Yet this is no more ludicrous than Moshiri allowing Kenwright, the man with a record of 20 years of failure, to still have a position of influence at the Club.

Yep, 20 years of failure and still in place. What a joke.

And yet, rather than take a beat to see if maybe – just maybe – we captured lightning in a bottle here, he'd sooner throw it all away, and for what? So he can agitate for David freakin' Moyes to return? It's lunacy!

Before Saturday, most comments on Ferguson on here were to the effect of 'get rid', 'does anyone have a clue about what he actually does', or 'wondering why our forwards are so poor, just saying like' ( can't bear that 'just saying like'). Now he walks on water on a par with a real Everton legend, Big Bob. I get it, things were so dire, we needed some sunshine and we got it. Just like back in the day some people hero-worshipped him and Lordy declared him to be a 'legend' at a time when things were dire and we needed some sunshine.

I hope with all the hope that I might have that we batter United this weekend and Leicester after that and Arsenal after that. If that were to happen, if non-legend Ferguson pulls that off, then thinking things through thoroughly, I might begin to think of him as a possible gaffer. But not on 97 minutes. Geez, we even have one poster on this thread pleading the case to put the ginger turncoat in the hot seat with the 97-minute wonder as his number two. That might just be the most absurd suggestion of the post-Silva period, sorry days. If Ginger had the slightest drop of dignity, decency, and self-realization he would not give a second thought to coming back to the club he let down so badly.

One thung seems certain is most on here don't want Moyes back... I'm all for big Dunc to have a few more games..

I would not even want Moyes back as a defensive coach or number two never mind a 2nd chance of being number one in our proud club

I hope he can have a similar effect on Sunday, I keep reading in various places that Duncan is not keen on being permanent Manager, but who do you believe?

If that is the case I suppose Ancelotti would be a statement, but I still would like Gallardo or Duncan.

But to wheel out Moyes, with a free reign, his backroom appointed by him.No, i will seriously consider what I do.

But I am hoping Duncan can get something Sun,Mid week and Sat and Boxing day.
5 points is ok given where we are.A Cup win, any how.
Go to City play really well, maybe get something and go to the RS play well don't get battered.Get them back at ours.
If Duncan come through, demonstrates tactical savvy,different ways of playing with the squad he has ???why not.

Such a tricky time on and off the pitch.

If its a top winner,new manager a role for Duncan then go with it.

But hope to god its not Moyes,a disaster.They will hear Moyes out,Moyes No.

The performance of Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin really impressed me versus Chelsea - they looked like the glue that held the team together to me.

The thought keeps on coming into my head that the players may very well want Duncan Ferguson to remain as their manager. If that is the case they will give United one hell of a game this weekend.

The Mancs will not be relishing this encounter despite their win against City. A Duncan Ferguson team will present them with a very different challenge.

Play it around all game, low intensity,no physicality they will kill us.
So its up to us.Big Dunc understands that.
We do have quality on the deck, but we need to knock them out of their comfort zone,so just mix it up force mistakes.
Maybe no pretty breaking it up,frustrating them.
But needs must and just sad we don't have an Andy Carol,Crouchy type.
Even the lad Keiffer Moore at Wigan.He plays in Euro's for Wales at a really high level.
£4 million ???cheap option to have him for minutes when we want to go play that way for half hour.Play him alongside DCL,Ricky floating about.What an aerial threat.

Not a purist way but its a results business at times,certainly away from home.

Its not rocket science.

Bloody Mary, pint of Guinness, and a pint of a fantastic small local Boston beer I can't remember the name of.

For me, Man U just gave the ball to Man City, they did indeed pack it in, but I thought their game plan was perfect, their counters just deadly, and they created a ton of chances on those breaks. Possession and number of passes meant nothing - they did exactly what they wanted to and played a game plan to perfection.

I hear what you're saying about Man City controlling the game. And don't forget Dave, I'm prone to being a bit dramatic. Throw in three drinks? You might have a point.

I was simply impressed at the execution of the Man U plan, and the deadliness of the Man U counter-attack.

We're going to have our hands full. What's really funny is we could have a game where no one wants the ball!

They have been trying to play tippy tappy possession football for a few seasons now and the blood and thunder approach will sap their energy quickly.

It was the same with Kippity at Mordor when he first came, but he got their fitness levels up and it's now playing dividends.

So Please all remember to cast your vote on the TW Moyes IN/OUT Poll :)
EVERY vote counts,This stuff leaks onto social media and will send a CLEAR message to the board Elites etc etc !!!

I have of course cast my NO vote and in fact I read the question THREE times just in case, I don't even do that with referendums !!

Utd away will be a stern test for him looking forward to see how he sets us up and applies himself.

I too have had to revise my attitude to Duncan, I knew people who attended the University of Dundee who to!d me about his time there and wasn't impressed with his 㿍, 000 per week wage at Everton when he joined. Even then he was considered a high risk transfer. I loved the wonderful FA goal against United, but disappoint by my perceived attitude to him, which on reflection was a difficult time at Everton. I have been one of the leaders on ToffeeWeb on attacks on Finch Farm, often asking what Big Dunc is doing. I now realised that emerging from the tuf and uncompromising world of the football backroom takes some character.

When Duncan was appointed to the role It did not even register with me, and I read nothing about him prior to the Goodison game or any ToffeeWeb thread that mentioned his name.

On the day of the game I expected some type of rebound, but got a Everton team moulded by a leader who knew exactly what was required, aware of all weaknesses and had all players willing following his instructions and highly motivated , apparently after half a day's preparation. Though it was a outstanding performance, I was concerned that the old guard (Kenwright &Co), which I considered Duncan to be part of, where getting the upper hand at Everton and Brands was getting isolated.

On looking more closer at Duncan helped by inciteful posts and articles on ToffeeWeb and hearing the opinion of those that have known him for years on Radio 5 and listened to his press conference I have now came up with a totally different attitude to Duncan.

Duncan will never say he wants the job, for him his peers, fans and the players have to acknowledge his fitnesses for the job. This is the high standard he has set himself at Everton Football Club. He has been placed as Caretaker Manager, because no-one else wanted the job and his focus is on the immediate job at hand.

His interview consists off Managing Everton against Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester in the bear pits of Goodison Park, Old Trafford, and maybe even Anfield.

Good Luck Duncan.

So, likely Dunc will be forced to make at least 2 changes - Baines and Bernard for Digne and Walcott?

Pickford
Sidibe Holgate Keane Baines
Bernard Siggy Schneiderlin Iwobi
Richy DCL

We will up against (from last weekend's lineup versus Man City)

De Gea
Wan Bissaka Lindelof Maguire Shaw
McTominay Fred James
Martial Rashford Lingard

Apart from De Gea and Rashford, I don't see any players outstandingly better than our XI. If Dunc can get the team to frustrate United and be patient and let the nervousness build around Old Trafford, then we can get Richy, DCL, Bernard, Iwobi to get at their Back 4 and create them problems.

A hard running and tackling game, is a lot different from what we have played for years, but maybe it was that basic, you might have missed it mate!

I would agree and they never looked fit enough for me under Silva, which is probably one of the reasons why we started conceding late goals.

I would agree and they never looked fit enough for me under Silva, which is probably one of the reasons why we started conceding late goals.

I'm willing to take the jail term instead of your missus!

Turned out it was 11 months.

Never saw a harder-working guy... with less talent.

Feel very down this morning with the result of our election, maybe the way you felt when your American Liar won your election, all I need now is for another Liar to get Moyes into the Everton managers seat and that will be the fuckin' end of me. Come on Jamie gis one of your ‘ buck me up' posts.

Everton to finally submit a planning application for BMD on Monday 23 December.

Link/

Another promised deadline in the process met, possibly to the chagrin of the doubters and sceptics.

To the doubters.....baaaah humbug!

The club have fucked up again. They're only supposed to release good news to conceal a disaster on the pitch. They can't get anything right 😁

Seems that they are finally planning to submit the planning application, after endless consultations and discussions with locals and businesses. Lets hope that it sails through the planning application and we can get on and build it. I think this just epitomizes the indecision within the club, I am sure with the extensive work they put into the original consultation they didnt need to delay by having a further consultation.

Who know's how we will get on against United but as long as Duncan can get the same effort and commitment out of the team then we will get what we deserve

Steve 59 good post mate but you had me in stitches when you mentioned what Duncan would have got from Silva

Liverpool have had six. Houllier, Benitez, Hodgson, Dogleash, Brenda and Klipperty.

These things never seem to get mentioned on talkSport do they? We're of as if we're Watford.

Yes you are right that since 2000 we have had 6 managers and so have the other lot, but we will be appointing our 5th manager inside 4 years all since Moshiri has been in charge. Also the managers you name for the other lot in the last 19 years have won a lot more than our group who collectively have won nothing. Because of their Champions league record they can attract the very best managers, were nobody seems to want this job.

Footballwise, everything Moshiri does goes pearshape. I think Arsenal put a curse on him when he moved his money north.

The club re-affirmed in November a previously stated timeline, set months ago, that a planning application would be submitted before the end of the year.

Today is December 13. The planning application will be submitted in 10 days time on December 23.

When else should they 'time' this announcement, Chris?

Red Shirts Good - Blue Shirts Bad, has been the accepted narrative for the media for decades, it's not going to alter any time soon.
But what annoys me more, is that some of our own supporters, regurgitate the very same mantra but incredibly, in a far more hard-hitting and viscious manner towards the Blues and in the most complimentary and deferrential way towards our city rivals.

One club on Merseyside can apparently do no wrong and the other is a basket case. Even if that might be true, do we need to re-inforce and amplify the media's stereoptypical outlook ourselves? Do we need to accept the idea that we deserve to be an also-ran, that should know its place?

Pride of Merseyside we used to sing loudly and proudly. Now some people seem to be ashamed to call themselves an Evertonian or if they do they tend to put in a caveat that acknowledges that we are not very good or do so in an apologetic manner.

Duncan showed us, even if it was for only one match, that Everton is far more than what is often portrayed in the media or what some of our more negative supporters would have us believe - we may not have covered ourselves in glory during the last 25 years, but we still have the same ambition as the supporters of the other major clubs in England and those ambitions shouldn't be a source of shame but rather one of inspiration.

Days like last Saturday will be fondly remembered for far longer than the words of pundits and journalists. With some luck, we'll have far more of those types of days in the future, that's the reason that most of us stay interested in the club and the more days we experience that are similar to last Saturday, the more chance we will have of seeing the dream scenario of an Everton captain hoisting a trophy aloft in the future.

Whatever happens in the future, Everton FC is our club and no matter how frustrated and disappointed it may make us feel, we should always retain our pride of being Evertonians. Duncan Ferguson gets it, but does every single Blue get it too?

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-stadium-bramley-moore-breaking-17415090

"We're doooomed, aye tells ye! We're awl gonna die (from boredom)!"

Footage of a training session ahead of the United game here:

Link

I appreciate it's a very limited sample to compare to the typical training sessions under Silva, which seemed to be largely based on big groups of players standing in a tight ciricle playing one-touch passes between them with two 'piggies in the middle' chasing to turn over the ball.

Here, we see Jeffers and Ebbrel leading more game-based exercises in which players receive and return passes 'marked' by those static metal-framed silhouettes.

In the 'game' play shown, Coleman and Mina can be seen participating, but if they are both up to speed for a full-blown PL game on Sunday is a different matter. And after last Saturday, why would Duncan drop Sidibe for Seamus any way?

Don't tell me we've ended up with Boris Johnson as our next manager???!!!

Link

First up, Theo out for 3 weeks, Schneiderlin out for 2 weeks.

Eek! Thin cover.

Just maybe he is exited by a project to make us into one of a four club super set of four.

Has he still got it if he takes us on with backing.Would he worl with Brands??Paul Clement??come with him ??
Where does that leave Duncan.

Are we allowed to think this way that he isn't just in it for the money????

What you think of Seamus playing with Sidibe playing in front of him, in Walcotts role?

Coleman, Mina and Delph completed light training. Digne also carrying a knock, but no decision taken yet on whether he can play on Sunday.

Resources beginning to look stretched continuing into the busiest playing month of the season.

Hard to identify all the players in the training video clip as they were all wrapped up well against the cold, but it appeared to me as though Banimgime, Adeniran and Markelo all took part in 1st team training (as did other academy players on the fringes of the 1st team).

The squad is definitely looking stretched in some areas, particularly central defence and midfield.

I believe the pub is rammed to the rafters for every game them bastards play!!

Let's hope his first appearance at old Trafford as a manager has a similar outcome, although a victory would be massive for us.

I really enjoy Duncan's clipped, uncluttered, direct responses to all and any questions. Acknowledges United are picking up, that Everton have a lousy record there, BUT! Still displaying his 'Why not?' philosophy: why can't we go there and win? That's what we will be aiming for.

Neatly swerved questions on what he knows about the name of the next manager, whilst saying he does have ambitions to be a manager 'in the future', that the Chelsea game showed him he can manage at this level, but that it was 'just one game'.

I played a trump card (no pun intended) this morn and decided to sleep in a bit. I woke at 8:30 and the first thing I see on the ‘ol IPad is Borris' victory, then another news blurb how Brexit is now fast-tracked.

It's weird, humanity. I'm old enough now to recognize trends that happen and have occurred before, that sweep seemingly around the globe. The peace movement of the 60s, the conservative wave of the 80s, and now this in 2016 to present - this odd wave of the “rebel” or “anti-government” mindset sweeping so many “civilized” countries.

I'd say I actually run upstream with most political minds on TW. I'm more conservative than I am liberal to be sure, with some liberal leanings. But I was a member of our Republican Party here my entire life until 2016.

When Donald Trump won our Florida primary, the very next day I went to the county offices and withdrew myself from the Republican Party and became an independent. Why? I just don't like The Donald, don't like the way he approaches other human beings, his bombastic approach, etc.

Now you have your Borris and I don't blame you for being down. He's a manipulative showman, who lies frankly worse than Trump.

Our two countries are a mess, for me. So I can't cheer you up today, Dave. What I can say is that as long as there's reasonable people on both sides of the political divide, we can hope for the best.

And that's all I've got for ya Dave. A dark day for me, too.

Take refugee in Everton. Oh! And at Mass, too. ;0)

Things will get better.

Pickford
Sidibe Keane Holgate Baines
Bernard Davies Sigurdsson Iwobi
Calvert-Lewin Richarlison

I was thinking the same? Seamus hasn't the legs he had and Sidibe wants to get forward at every opportunity. What more Sidibe more incisive and flexible than Seamus in his support play. Has set up quite a few opportunities for forwards in recent games. Seamus and Sidebe would also tie up United on right flank.

I often think back to the days of the 'Everton Travel Club' ٟ-50p a week to travel home and away,[those were the days]. To explain my reason for posting at the moment, I agree that there appear to be present-day posters who seem to get their kicks from Everton's misfortunes, and lie low when things are going our way.

I think there are, to put it simply, two types of Evertonian on this site.

The first type are younger ones who've only ever experienced mediocre Everton sides. To them, Liverpool have been 'successful' even though they've never won the Premier League but by mere virtue of finishing consistently above us in the table. To such supporters, even Spurs are seen as successful!

The second type of Evertonian are older ones, like myself, who were brought up on the great Everton sides of the 60s when we dominated the football world through the sheer quality of our football in conjunction with three top trophies. In those days, Merseyside was the centre-of-mass of football, with Manchester a close second, and we were the top club on Merseyside. Of course, we were also dominant during the 80s, via the Kendal link to the 60s.

For the second type of Evertonian for whom being the best is 'in the blood' (in fact 'in the DNA'), even Liverpool's quantity of trophies historically cannot compete with our historical quality. Quality over quantity is always more memorable. They cannot compete historically with the quality of the 60s sides.

Now, the elite clubs in the modern era are City, Utd and Chelsea. In comparison, the likes of Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal are '2nd tier', clubs that have habitually been contenders without winning trophies apart from the occasional cup. Liverpool appear to be on the rise, but even if they win the PL and/or CL they'd have to do it repeatedly to be in the bracket of the 'three elites'. City in particular are the modern-era counterpart of our 69-70 title winning side.

Liverpool supporters have been very frustrated, and absolutely hate being told the above, and telling them is very enjoyable. They have no answer, apart from "you're shite", a true but crude statement that we already know but which isn't really an argument for their lack of modern-era trophies.

Posts on ToffeeWeb that overly praise Liverpool belong largely to the first category of Evertonian not used to success. They fail to capture context, and lack perspective. I always see them as pathetic and symptomatic of the losing mentality of Everton that's existed for nearly three decades.

If the Everton board have such thinking, god help us.

Putting him it a role that he hasn't played before would be a talk ask, whilst on the wing he is to some extent ready made. Man United concentrated a lot of attack on a perceived weak right flank.

Schniederlin will be first choice in defensive midfield, because he will do exactly what he is asked to do, as has been the case under four different Everton managers, hence his selection, much to ToffeeWebbers derision at times.

Just what the fuck were you drinking/"using" when you wrote that drivel Richard ?

Seriously ? "We can but hope !".

Please, do not include others in your delusions, if that's what you call hope then fine, but to implicate others is really taking the piss to boiling point.

There is a poll on this very website which might just hint that a return of the ginger turd is a prospect viewed as a tad less than hopeful by an overwhelming majority.

I sincerely hope that you were just being a cheeky scamp, now away with you !