Brands calms fans while players reject Ferguson criticism

Plus who the hell is Fabian "Big Bollocks" Delph to have a pop at fans on twitter.

It's starting to bubble over now. At least the players know now that they are being called out, if they don't like it to put it bluntly then they can "fuck off".

And of course no Schneiderlin.

"cannot keep the ball." Does this mean they lack the ability to keep the ball? Or that they are not allowed to keep the ball? If the former, then surely you can blame them for lacking skill. If the latter, then why is passing sideways all they did in the second half?

"They are playing bad football." Who is playing bad football? Everyone other than the person arguing wit Dunc? Define bad football. We went long ball against Chelsea and won. We went fairly direct first half and had three shots on goal. We "passed" second half and were awful. So is the speaker defining long ball as "good" and passing as "bad football?" If so, who is this person? I would guess Jordan Pickford.

They weren't just shite in the second half but were crap in the first also it's just that the reds kids actually woke up to the fact how inept we were.

I'm not saying Ancelotti got it right but any player who thinks they “gave it everything” on Sunday doesn't deserve to be at the club.

I have always been against any booing or protest at the game.
That's changed.

I would like to see all our fans wave the white hankies on Saturday.
A sign of cowardice to let them know how we feel about their lack of effort.

Kieran, its very vague isn't it. Strange quotes from no name and in a very cryptic manner.

What this report tells me is that the Senior players who answered Fergusion back, are sitting on their legal lucrative contracts and do not give a toss.

Well done to the fans who demonstrated outside the gate, aleast Brands came out to talk to them.

I have came across reports that Sigurdsson offered them cake. I hope this is untrue. Marie Antoinette was guillotine for that and so should Sigurrdsson if he did. It's bad enough his Mirror interview, but that would be a step too far.

Tactics? You're senior, professional footballers, paid millions. Pull your fucking socks up and give everything on the pitch. Every fucking game.

I'm sick of 80% of these losers. Their demeanour, their attitude, their lack of commitment. The other 20% are the ‘kids' of the team. They nearly always give everything.

Accept the fact (senior players), you were out-thought and out-fought by a bunch of kids. Not tactics. Not the set-up. You acted like cowards. You got the deserved result.

Pretty much every player over the age of 27 can fuck right off. Coleman excepted. Throw that over-rated prick of a keeper in to.

Duncan Ferguson is a fan, first and foremost, says so himself. He left the ground in a rage, so I'm told. I can see why. It must of taken every ounce of self-control not to have twatted the pricks there and then!

Yo, senior players...yeah you, fuuuuuuuck off

I was as disappointed as other fans with Sundays performance but they are all we have at present. Moving players on is going to take three or more transfer windows to get the players the manager wants. We have to get behind the team starting Saturday. The club is not safe from the drop. Sunday is over. Time to move on.

Are they all really that thick up top?

I said a while ago that I think we have a really stupid bunch of players and this last week has just backed up my claim.

All they had to do on Sunday was turn up, work their socks off (it was a friggin local derby after all), forget about tactics or the technical side of it, just turn up against a bunch of Liverpool kids and get the job done, record our first win at Anfield in 20 years and one or more has made themselves a local hero amongst fans.

But no.

Jesus they couldn't even get a bloody replay!

Instead all it's done is drive a massive even bigger wedge in the already fractured relationship between players and fans and this week has been awful for every Evertonian.

They really are either that thick, or they just don't give a shit, or both!

Expect a few to be shipped out before the end of this month with hopefully some replacements.

Too much is made of this tactics nonsense and I will say it again, these players are reading social media fans whining about tactics and formations they haven't a clue about and it resonates.

The players feel confident the fans either agree or will be on their side if the manager should be hung out to dry. They get away with murder and I am glad they are being questioned in numbers publicly.

Its not just our players it happens everywhere. Soon as Koeman was out the door they praised the fact "training was much better" then Silva "wasn't being clear with his messages"

The more I type the more clear it becomes how horrible they are and also look at the fan like he/she is nothing too.

I doubt very much that Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Walcott etc would be sufficiently bothered to even try to defend themselves.

The club has to do something before the game against Brighton. Something to acknowledge that Sunday was simply unacceptable. I also think Ancelotti has to stamp down some authority. Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin should not be in the 18.

I have to say that I have never hated a group of Everton players more than this lot. They have thrown several managers under the bus. They will not be able to do that with Ancelotti. If performances are not up to scratch, the finger of blame should be pointed squarely at the players.

I agree. These players read shite online and think they get the feel of how fans are responding. They should try it on here. They'd be broken in an hour!

That might be an excuse against another Premier League side but it won't wash against a bunch of kids. Are we seriously being asked to believe that a side of highly experienced Prem players (including internationals) would blame this on tactics?! You don't stand like statues in set positions just because a manager might (might) have told you to play in a particular way. You don't stand off, you attack the ball and the player.

We have recruited failures from other big teams and you automatically assume that they were not given a fair chance or just not able to get game time etc ( but lets not forget Siggy was found out at Spurs).

OR

Maybe they weren't good enough because they were lazy, lacking in effort, take zero pride in their performance, chasing the ££££££ or simply they just don't care as they are already millionaires.

In any job, in any walk of life you get workers who are bad apples, lazy, disingenuous, uninterested and just after getting paid for doing the bare minimum whilst they also drag everyone down to their level. We have more than a few players like this at Everton FC.

The culture of the club on the playing side is all wrong, Ancelotti, Unsworth and Jeffers need to build a culture and get on the same page. Just look at the Liverpool youngsters you could sense the immense pride they felt in being given the opportunity to wear that shirt at Anfield. Whereas our team looked like they wanted to be anywhere but on a football pitch. We genuinely do at the moment have a large group of players who have no love for the club, no respect for the shirt or for us fans.

If that is right, and I sincerely hope not, his will be the shortest reign in our history as, whatever we may say, it's the players who rule the roost and can say 'yes' or 'no' to any manager inflicted upon them.

Suggestions of mass sackings - even the England goalkeeper was on some ' transfer' lists this morning - are sheer nonsense which grossly over-generous contracts will militate against. Only Everton, with the most generous backer in the land, could land itself in this mire. Gawd help us !

We should all be 100% behind Carlo ( mistake in tactics or not) and Dunc. This guy has managed pretty much all the best players in the world over the last 20 years yet it's his fault that players can't pass 5 yards, can't tackle, can't track back, miss sitters and lose to a bunch of kids!! The mind boggles!?

Carlo needs full support from the fans at the game so these players who are ducking responsibility and stealing a fortune are held to account!

This is no nobody they are dealing with here it's a powerhouse of World football ! Let's hope the cowards are rooted out quickly and I for one will be behind Carlo all the way!

One thing I do agree with the deadbeats on is the tactics were all wrong. Ancelotti bottled it big time. Klopp schooled Carlo to such an extent, it appeared as if Marco Silva was still in charge.

Lots of work to be done. Virtually impossible shifting out the deadwood Koeman and Allardyce lumbered us with. Selling Tosun, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Walcott, Pickford, Delph etc would take a miracle. In all seriousness, we couldn't even give these jokers away.

I don't believe for one second that Ancelotti is the right fit for Everton but he's here now and he looks lost. Like Koeman, Ancelotti has come for the money and doesn't give a fuck about this club. If Ancelotti had anything about him, that horrific starting eleven on Sunday would not have occurred. It was obvious, almost a cast-iron certainty, what would happen.

Season over in January again and the fans starting to turn. God help any of these fuckers at the weekend if they think they can coast through the Brighton game... but, then again, is anyone really that arsed anymore?

Every player who took to the pitch on Sunday at Anfield should be fined a week's wages and that money shared out amongst the fans who went to the game and had to endure that shite. If I was one of those players, I would've already offered it.

A player we were all told was a captain and leader of men, turned out to be a poorly disciplined gobshite.

"behaviour and mental capacity/fortitude of any potential player." This is something RM went on about and Brands has also talked a lot about the "personality profile" of players. The problem is, the template we seem to be using for recruitment is Aiden McGeady. Overweight, over paid, over rated, lazy as anything, capable of a moment of skill once every few months.

Nail on head. I thought we were getting a Gareth Barry type but you're absolutely right

The Only way to put a halt to this Eastenders type shit show is to do Brighton good and proper.

Coyb👌

It just goes to show you cant build on sand.

We need a clearout of the rotten element and need to rebuild the spine of the side starting with signing an appropriate replacement for Gueye.

A top class CB wouldnt go amiss either because Keane is a busted flush.

A goalscoring mid would be a bonus too.

Simple but so true Brent they could have taken a teamtalk from the remaining chuckle brother and should have still won.

Danny I don't mind anyone in any walk of life defending themselves but Delph said 'you'll be asking me for a photo', as in I am someone and you are not. Its snobbery and arrogance to speak like that to any fan.

STEPHEN #31 spot on mate and I said same thing on these boards on Sunday night, this is not Carlo's team he has inherited ABSOLUTE shite so I don't get the anti-ancelotti posts either mate.

The worrying thing for me with the players blaming tactics is it shows we have a group of players who unwilling to be accountable for their own short comings or poor performances. Its always someone else's fault obviously. When they cross the white line they alone are responsible for their own performance not the manager.

Its worrying.

100% agree! Whilst accepting nobody is beyond criticism we must have patience and faith in one of the best manager ever!! We have to show we are behind him and not allow these players to throw him under the bus! Otherwise where do we go next ?!

I'm perversely looking forward to Don Carlo sorting some of these charlatans out!!

Great post.
Something that has baffled me for a long time, the lack of research on men you are spending tens of millions of pounds on. Surely we should have a team who talk to coaches, players, managers, training and stadium staff etc who have worked with the player in question. That would give you an insight to the players character (or lack of).

This, along with the same team looking at figures reflecting players' performance in all aspects of the game – running figures, tackling figures – both when winning and, more importantly, when losing.

Said it when we Had the other Managers, this core of players will still be here and nothing will change after the bedding in period, too many players who are stealing a living and do not care less as long as they are picking up their salery.

I do feel for Coleman and Baines, lost a little of their speed, but give it their all, even though they are on a downward career path, they never give less than 100%.

Time to start looking closer to home either through our academy or the championship.

God knows what reception Schniderlin will get if Ancellotti is mad. or cruel...enough to play him.

My biggest wish is that one of the worst defeats in the clubs history, might end up being one of the best things to happen to us because let's face it this club has been in no mans land for years, a place where “there is always next week” has even become “Next year” but hopefully this is going to change forever now.

Trust me, what else was in that text I dare not put on here, but it does sound very alarming.

Niall #48, yes I can see your point about it being cathartic, maybe this will be a watershed moment that nobody can ignore. The players are finally getting the blame that they have deserved for some time and Ancelotti will have no doubts about the character of some of the players. I suppose it's better that CA see this now rather than a few months down the line.

I've seen the Delph tweet, no excuse for that. Will be very disappointed if he pulls on a blue shirt again. Fair play to the fans who turned up at FF, it's about time that somebody finally told them exactly how it is and how as fans we suffer much more than the players. Glad that Brands went out and actually listened to them. Saturday will be interesting to say the least. Hopefully out of the ashes etc

I honestly never want to see Delph, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson and Walcott in an Everton shirt again and would prefer some of our u23 players to be drafted into the squad instead, they cannot be any worse than what we have got.

As soon as Jonjo Kenny can be brought back from his loan I would also get rid of Sidebe.

Digne needs to be dropped to give him a kick in the arse.

This is a crucial transfer window for us along with the summer. Once again Brands biggest job will be to offload the freeloaders left at the club and bring in some quality players with some character.

We have several mediocre older players who were given bumper contracts to come to Everton.

I think the players showed real motivation and commitment against Chelsea, but they were outrun against Liverpool U11s.

Senior internationals with big contracts and even bigger egos are going to struggle to deal with this kind of embarrassment. I think they got into a downward spiral as they realised their limitations.

But still, we don't have the players for 3 at the back. Dunc knew that.

I have to be honest I find a protest long overdue and I am proud a group of very loyal followers (that is also 100% true) have gone to lengths like never before to ask the right questions.

The players have had their telling off from big Dunc and the fans. They are not beyond criticism but are allowed their opinion. We are not privy to what tactics or style was being implemented but with lack of heart and desire it doesn't matter but all were not working at all well.

Saturday brings another chapter!

Perhaps then the board will listen to the fans.

We have no pace or quality in midfield. The defence we can work on and Richarlison and CL can gives us the goals.

It maybe get to 40pts and yet again rebuild.

Absolutely disgusting excuse for the sh*te we saw on Sunday.

Funny how its only ever poor teams who complain about tactics, there not playing netball were players can only occupy certain areas.

Football is a simple game creative players create, strikers strike and defenders spot danger read play and defend. Poor tactics is a excuse used by poor players in a struggling team.

These “protests” should've happened 20 years ago against the elephant in the room.

Three days after one of the worst moments in the club's history, and with no sign of the anger and outrage from fans subsiding, we have had no official comment from the club.

So today we have discovered that a group of fans turned up at Finch Farm in the last 24 hours to vent their feelings, and who can blame them? Couple that with (allegedly) Fabian Delph getting involved with fans on social media, it's been a bad couple of days for the club.

It seems everyone wants to put the boot in at the moment, particularly members of the national media, who can sense a bloodfest. Contrast then, the reaction from the club itself. While I understand the club cannot come out and name individual players — although virtually everyone connected with the club had real visible evidence as to those largely responsible for the disgraceful display — I feel once again, the club has totally underestimated the depth of feelings of the fans.

Our erstwhile Chairman, happy to steal the limelight when called upon, goes into hiding when another crisis looms. I decided to check out the senior management/directors bios on the club's official website, and guess whose stellar CV was the longest in length, nearly double in content of his peer group?

Wow, take a peek if you have time, such literary gems as "his goodbye from Coronation St, launched another stage of a brilliant career", then more about Bill's showbiz background, his company Bill Kenwright Productions, is now the 'most prolific production company in the world', not sure a certain Cameron Mackintosh would agree with that.

And finally, at last some football content, well a one-liner anyway, "Bill became Chairman in 2004, and 12 months later, Everton returned to European football after a 10 year-absence, when they qualified for the Champions League."

Nothing, unsurprisingly, about the club's 25 years plus wait for a trophy under the same regime, or the numerous and embarrassing failed ground moves, "Kirkby is the only option on the table, folks."

For a football-related bio, it was almost entirely devoted to Bill's theatrical career, and there lies the problem: weak leadership right at the very top of our organisation.

Could our Director of Marketing and Communications, Richard Kenyon, not have issued a statement after Sunday simply saying, 'We are as desperate as the fans to bring success to this football club, we are already looking at strengthening the squad for next season; we will continue to work alongside Carlo to achieve this goal'.

Instead, stony silence... nothing to give the long-suffering fans some re-assurance that the club is on the right tracks for the future.

Then we get to Denise Barrett-Baxendale, our day-to-day CEO, han-picked by Bill for a simple cosy internal appointment (we don't want to rock the boat with any outsiders). Another guilty member of the club's hierarchy who stands accused of 'total lack of leadership' skills, by doing simply nothing.

I don't have an agenda against Barrett-Baxendale, I've never met her, but prior to her appointment, should not the question have been asked, "Have we appointed the best CEO from a sports and football background available to us?"

Why must we appoint from within? It shows a real lack of professionalism, there had to be a whole host of brilliant candidates from the corporate sector.

The bios of most of the senior management team nearly all read 'a long time Evertonian' – quite frankly, I don't care if they have lived on Mars for the last 10 years, I want someone who's an industry leader, not someone who gives me a warm cosy feeling inside.

I've kind of digressed somewhat from my original point, but there is so much that is not right at Everton at the moment… until the 'old guard' are removed, we will continue to falter.

The players who took to the field the other day badly let our club down.

But,

I'm disgusted by the behaviour of these ‘fans'.

What kind of word do we live in where a gang of idiots can turn up to a football club and threaten their way into a forum with one of the most powerful men within the organisation?

A disgrace. This is perhaps our lowest point.

Here's a quick reminder of how wonderful our self appointed saviour is from one of the best posts ever on TW. Enjoy
https://www.ToffeeWeb.com/season/10-11/comment/fan/16215.html

The threats are probably the work of someone on twitter or facebook but just like everyone of us on here they deserved answers as to how players who earn fortunes struggle to do basics on a football pitch.

Are you The Joe Parkinson? Your comments sound a lot like what that Joe would probably say if these jokers were his team mates

From what I've heard, threats were made to smash up players and their cars and threats of bringing 200 people to Finch Farm in order to do this. More than ‘venting anger'. If an incident like that occurs then it will be a national disgrace

If you think this is a way forward for or club then we are in worse trouble as a club and its support than I even imagined.

What ‘answers' do people want? Are players going to come out and say ‘I couldn't be arsed' or ‘I was shit scared of a teenager'. Of course they're not.

Brands doesn't need to come out and say that we've got recruitment of players wrong since 2016... everyone knows this already.

The response, which is what I personally am looking for, rather than an answer, will be evident in the results and performances in the next few games. Ancelotti deserves at least this much and not to have his players and staff threatened by a gang of reptiles.

Sigurdsson's comments are "Well, we're not happy we lost but we will try and rectify it." So, in other words, "Well, we lost 1-0, that's not too bad" and therein lies the problem: none of these over-paid middle-aged seniors are hungry for success.

They're getting paid well and, if they stay injury-free, they will have a nice nest-egg on retirement. The only way people running this club will get it is if the fans stay away until they do.

Who's betting that this has all been leaked by management so the blame is now firmly going to be placed on the players. Kinda canny by Ancelotti and his staff if that's the case.

I don't know Barrett Baxendale either but I do know she should never have been appointed and seems to have no accountability whatsoever for anything that goes on in the Club/ business.

What a holy mess.

KENWRIGHT

Who knows if Ancelotti is the answer, time will tell but I suspect he won't get the time due to pressure cooker that is Everton.
I for one would not be surprised if he walked away such is the poisoned chalice of managing our club.

Our owner knows fuck all about football, the chairman is past it and the director of football has been disappointing in player recruitment to say the least.
Every single Everton fan has the right to ask what the fuck is going on.
We have signed players from clubs WHO KNEW they weren't good enough for them and paid over the top in transfer fee's and wages.
We have no chance of getting any significant cash back for the likes of Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Walcott, Tosun, Niasse.

Everton are a "nothing" football team and have been for the last 20 odd years, the result against our neighbours the other night proved that - a disgrace to the club, but why are we all surprised.

Everton have...
No leaders - cardinal sin in any football team.
No strikers.
Not one midfield creator.
Back four are a calamity waiting to happen every game.
Coaching, fitness and medical staff just not good enough.
No game plan between our academy and the first team.

We could all argue we have gone backwards since Moshiri bought the club, it just seems to be mistake after mistake - it has got to change from top to bottom.

Being serious though, I can understand the (almost) revolt that is going on, within the ranks, against (not all) underperforming millionaires, who basically don't give a toss about us, when things go pear-shaped.

They are cosseted by their lucrative contracts, and if they never played again (when are they going to start?) would they break sweat or be worried on our behalf?

I think NO, is the answer.

I totally admire people on ToffeeWeb for at long last standing up and realistically letting them know at source (Finch Farm) about who the REAL Everton are.

The only thing amidst all this, which I fear, is Carlo Ancelotti, may just walk away. At long last we have a man in charge, who is truly World Class, and he has come in to this shower of shite.

He doesn't deserve that, but neither do we the fans!

Let's hope there is an amicable out come to all this, starting with a win at home against Brighton.

Let's also hope that Mr Everton ( Blue Bill, is spit roasted, hung, drawn, quartered, pilloried and left in no uncertain terms that he is a persona non grata, at Everton Football Club!

Now what do I do with that bag of Everton Mints?

These players should shut the fuck up and take the criticism. It is deserved. Some senior players are playing well below their capability, they need to look at themselves and their mental and physical preparation and put it right.

Us fans are hurting and we ''are '' the club. Do not slag us off for caring, however it is articulated.

The players who feel unjustly singled out should answer critics on the pitch[ if they are lucky enough to be given another chance]. its the only way.

I can't believe only a few weeks ago we had turned a corner and now we've gone backwards. I just hope to god that we don't enter the last 4 or 5 games of the season still needing points for safety because this lot simply do not have the stomach

Unfortunately a lot of the rubbish or overpaid players as everyone knows are on large long term contracts. We simply can't give them away for love nor money. Even Niasse is still here and he was signed by Martinez! Thankfully his contract finally expires end of this season - 4.5 years earning 55k/week - on top of his £13m transfer fee. He'd have personally earned £13m in wages for his time here having done fk all. Thanks for that Roberto.

There are players still on loan like Sandro, Bolasie and Tarashaj, Besic before we even get to the likes of Tosun, Walcott, Schneidelein etc. We have about a dozen players on very high salaries who we can't get rid off and simply have to wait until most of their contracts run down. Seems as soon as Moshiri came in waving the cheque book all sense left the clubs transfer department.

Minor bonus, following players contracts run out in 6 months: Niasse, Stekelenburg, Martina, Tarashaj, Garbutt (yep he's also still here on £45k/week). Probably about £10m/year there. I'm guessing this will be the last contract any of these players ever have at a top flight club.

Sandro, Bolasie, Besic, Walcott, Schneiderlin all with us till June 2021...

Fingers crossed Ancellotti can bring in 2-3 quality players who also have the mental attitude to give it 100% every game.

By the way Oliver(110), a good proportion of your post was very true.

I recall the game against Chelsea under Big Dunc. The whole team got accolades, many people saying it was hard to choose a MOTM. I recall one game where many people said we'd finally discovered that Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson could operate very successfully together in the same team. Then, first two games under Ancelotti, positive outcomes and very positive responses from the supporters. Even the Man City game had positives.

Then the FA Cup Derby, ironically a competition that the big teams don't seem to take as seriously these days, the shit hits the fan big time. Even though the FA Cup is renowned for 'upsets'.

There's an old saying, which I believe a lot of people would do well to follow, especially with the world class manager we now have: Keep calm and carry on.

Glad to hear that. I think the fans where right to go to Finch Farm and Brands was right to come out to speak to them. It is right and sufficient to exchange views, without threats. I am confident that these fans conducted themselves correctly and got their message across.

We all have to be careful of mischief making and a few bad eggs jumping on the bandwagon.

I have never as a fan since the 1960s seen such a outburst from Everton fans. But it just shows how far the Internal Management and a lot of the players are out of sync with, what is required and acceptable as the correct conduct and performance effort required at a Premier League side.

They are in some proverbial Dreamland and need to wake up fast if they are to go anyway towards placating the Everton Fans. I also think that that second half has unleashed a pent up frustration build over the pass 20 years. Those players who showed their true colours and think they can get away with it , will regret their stupid arrogance inspired by a false security of contract.

Goodison on Saturday and for some time come, is going to be a unforgiving place.

In my opinion, the answers are no and no. Just like the setup in the academy, Kenwright putting his two penneth worth in.

These sound like people who are not interested in anything but the best interests of Everton FC, and that's why I'd find it hard for them to make threats like the ones mentioned in the txt Rob received today.

Winning the next five games won't make up for Sunday, although it might help, but if it helps to get rid of certain players, then that would be a much better result in the long term.

I have also seen this 'text' doing the rounds and it is clearly someone who has embellished the truth and circulated it on the internet and people are taking it as gospel.

The story about revolting against Ancellottis tactics is twisted as well. It was Ferguson who allegedly blocked them and between them they'd taken 11 points out the last 18 so where did this notion of bad football suddenly come from? Ferguson was a hero three games ago. There are a number of player who are simply a gang of shithouses who are stealing oxygen never mind a living.

Delph (to whom I have no allegiance) will like any sentient footballer know that Ferguson laying into them for lack of professional pride is really, really taking the biscuit for hypocrisy. The bloke as a mega-paid player endlessly took the piss out of the fans of every club he played for. He was beyond a joke, the very, very occasional match aside when he decided he'd deign us with actual effort. People like Delph will know this.

That's his history in a nutshell as a player, according to many inside the game who worked with him. He's a charlatan, as is the self-serving grubster who employed him and continues to "serve" as our chairman.

We need to be rid of all the charlatans.

I don't know Denise Barre-Baxendale, either. For that reason I can't pass an opinion on her capability, particularly as she hasn't long been in the job.

All I would say is I would have expected her to issue some sort of statement about Sunday's debacle.

I only watched first half, thank goodness I was traveling second half. No idea how bad we were that half (I thought we were bad enough first half!) I'm just shell-shocked - Walcott getting loads of stick - I actually thought he and Pickford were good first half (nobody else was).

Not just the two players above at fault; Holgate, Digne & Coleman were unbelievable bad at back, Mina was poor too. Richarlison didn't seem to be able to get in game, Sidibe was like Sidibe always is.

Anyway I haven't slept since Sunday – as I say, in shock. Literally don't know where we go from
here, I'm so down and in shock.

As for Ancelotti throwing towel in, don't be daft – he's been employed to sort this mess out, very experienced manager and being paid handsomely. I fully expect him to sort out this shower of shite who are supposed to be a team

Ancelotti now knows he can't trust at least some of the 'senior' players to take responsibility when it matters.

Somebody at the club cares enough to get this out in the open.

The fact that Ancelotti's here may force the board to take notice of what's been going on and back him. By that I don't mean money, I mean supporting him in dealing with these 'senior' players.

It's coming to a head. It's an opportunity to change the club's mindset. We have to be decisive and take it.

The other good thing is that someone on Twitter described Delph as Guardiola's Alan Harper. An insult to our much-loved utility man, but it made me laugh.

Last time I checked he was goal-a-game this season in Serie A for Lazio. No way in hell they would sell him.

Did Ancelotti stand on the side-lines applauding his players for doing what he wanted? No he was going mad. Why was he going mad? Surely because the players were not doing what he wanted them to do.

To use an example our beloved chairman can relate to, it's like the Director of a play. He can tell the actors how he wants the lines delivered, the way he wants the play performed, and other touches, but ultimately it's for the actors to deliver the lines, and they can deliver them in a way that the director did not want them to. They can perform so badly that he looks a terrible director.

This quote is very evident: "It's hard for individuals to help the team as they cannot keep the ball and play three or four passes to each other. They are playing bad football."

We see Coleman play to Mina, then to Holgate and then onto Digne. The ball is almost stopped each time it reaches the recipient. The action takes an age to get from one side of the pitch to the other. Absolutely no one coaches a team to do this. Sure, switch the play and if your players are not good enough to do it in one pass, then play it one-by-one, but zip the ball along. This is a good tactic against Liverpool. If you pass like Barcelona, quickly, side to side, you tire the opponent out, because we all know Liverpool like to press aggressively. They cannot keep doing this If you simply knock it around. But the ball has to stay in constant motion and it has to be hit firmly into feet, and the recipient needs to move, not wait for the ball. This is the easiest way to beat the press and retain the ball, because you should be able to find an angle to pass into midfield or attack.

The thing about 3 or 4 passes is that once we get into midfield, it was often Sigurdsson with his back to goal and he simply went backwards. He hit more passes to Pickford than to Walcott, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin combined. That tells you everything. This is a guy who can turn James Maddison and take a touch and score from 30 yards. Yet, he cannot receive the ball back to goal and turn an attacker and find a pass? Sigurdsson has plenty of space in these various moments and should be aware of what is around him and where he can turn to, and who he can pass to. Gomes does it all the time.

The players were scared and played like cowards. As for the fans confronting Brands, I note it is widely reported to be amicable. I would bet that they all appreciate Brands doing it. Surely though, having happened the day after the game, the fans would have known the players would not be reporting for training?

Yes, I don't think Ancelotti is beyond blame for Sunday. He's the manager. The only thing he seems to have changed from Duncan's approach is removing the intensity, and making us slow and predictable in our build up play.
This is not an I told you so, this is just the way Ancelotti likes to play at a default level it seems, he doesn't think it's ‘playing football' to hit a direct ball to the centre forward.
He is basically the exact wrong profile of coach/manager we need right now.
It not his fault. It's the pure ego and naivety of our owner, Moshiri.
I know, Ferguson didn't want the permanent gig. But, I'm sure he could have been convinced to do it until May.
And I'm convinced he would have grown in confidence within the role.
We need a motivator, an absolute lunatic, who understands what it's like to underperform as a player for Everton.
Who has a point to prove. Who will take absolutely no shit.
We don't need a laissez-faire, cosmopolitan, aristocrat of the game.
It's just not the right fit. He'll get nothing out of these players.

We may be at a turning point, if we can move a good proportion of our utter shite out the door, and bring in 6 or 7 good ones... This all has to happen miraculously quickly though, and all the new players have to settle and be brilliant, and Carlo has to be given time to mould his new team into playing possession-based, slick football without him losing the crowd and people getting generally miffed off.

Is any of this going to happen?
That Christmas buzz feels like a long time ago

You'd also like to think that the players would give respect to someone like Ferguson, but judging on how some of them deflected blame. I doubt they respect anyone and they'll blame tactics, no matter who's coaching them.

Don Alexander, do as Gordon Adie says and get a grip man! Even if you dislike Duncan Ferguson you should be thankful for the job he did as caretaker manager. Who are you to call him a charlatan?! The big mans a highly qualified coach who more than proved his worth. Playing Holgate in midfield was a masterstroke, as was being brave enough to completely change the teams formation to a 4-4-2.

2, 3, 4, 5, of them, whatever it takes to encourage les autres. Send them home, leave them at home, no need to come to Finch Farm or Goodison. Actually dig your garden for all we care, the cheque will still be in the bank...like we have a choice not to pay you.

But we do have a choice not to look at your money grabbing grids - fuck off...still here? Release the hounds.

Regardless. Ancelotti is here now. He's our man for the long term and we need to back him.

As you say we need to back Ancelotti and having Ferguson learning and working closely beside him. it should make it very easy to appoint him when Carlo eventually leaves.

Any team we picked should have been able to perform much better than we actually did. It's the players who have got the last 4/5 managers sacked. It's only right the spotlight is on the players this time. It is the players who have let us all down.

He's probably seen just about enough now to give him a good idea of where to start. How anybody on here can expect immediate complete success baffles me.

He will put together a strategy with others on board and work towards that plan. If some players or staff want to work against the plan - they get no game time. Come to think of it, UK contractual law must "surely" have a right of dismissal - forced sale - to get rid of those white-anting the process???? If not. the UK employment law must need an overhaul.

Duncs spell was a fairy tale ride, all excitement and high energy. But there is only so long that can last. Inevitably the high would come down. We have nothing to point to that suggests that beyond geeing the lads up for a few games he has the tactical knowledge to be successful in the longer term

Carlo has a track record second to none, but he won't have often worked with players if this level. It has been said before that he doesn't coach a great amount in terms of fitness, because he takes it as a given that players understand their responsibility. It would seem that there is a Disparity between how he sees things and how some of the senior players see things as they blame the set up. I am minded to agree with the coach, as the set up didn't make them miss passes and show terrible ball control.
If I were Siggy or Morgan or Walcott and I watched that game back again I would be ashamed to see how poorly my footballing ability compared to those young lads. Or even lallana, a player who has been out injured and doesn't feature often. He looked comfortable in possession and string on the ball

Time will tell regarding Carlo. But he has to get time to see if he can do the job

Time has to be called on our senior players who don't understand that they are being scrutinised on the back of their own performances as individuals. We are not so dumb that we are unable to see a formation that doesn't work, but in this case, the tactic and formation is harder to judge, as the execution of basics was so poor.
Nothing wrong with passing out from the back, we have 2 ex Barca players, one World Cup medal holding right back, one right back who has been played under Bobby and Silva who both played out and a young defender who is credited as being good on the ball. Pickford has long been lauded for his footwork. There is no reason to not be able way.

And I can't condone these comments which some think may be humorous about firms. gangs, cutters and knives. It is not that long ago that a young child was shot and killed by such people who have no place in any civilized community.

It goes to show how far gossip goes for a lot of people and hard evidence means nothing. We see it in all the talk about the club, pure Kenwright gossip or "my source said".

This gossip and guessing and judging shows you would rather side with Directors of football with no affinity to the club and players that stroll around v Kids rather than back Evertonians that Really care about the team and the club.

The gossips are shameless not the fans asking questions.

We have to back the manager and his coaches, we can't really back the players but the sniping and hostility will take GP back to booing and negativity. And that will see us back in the shit.

The players don't give a toss what happens to Everton. They're filthy rich and will look forward to a nice pay check regardless.

I don't advocate playing the kids - that would be a complete disaster.

I back good man managers to bring the team together and heal their differences. What would you and your work team do if it all went pear shaped? What would you expect your boss to do? Unite them on something, anything, to turn that problem around.

Like they say, when the shit hits the fan, stop throwing shit. It's disgusting.

Paul A Smith
Tony Marsh
Jay Wood
John P MacFarlane
Steve Ferns
Darren Hind

That is the spine of my team for Saturday.
I would like a free role behind the front two please, Le Tissier style.

Let's all stick together and back the manager and his staff. After Sunday's debacle, we can't go any lower so let's be part of a positive blue future.

Onward Evertonians. 💙

I am quite confident we all know they make more than a tradesman, doctor, nurse, fireman, so why the suprise?

As if anyone lets the newspaper know the true figure. People scare me.

Sigurdsson £45m - £110 p/w
Pickford £30m - £75 p/w
Bolasie £27.5m - £50 p/w
Keane £ 25m - £60 p/w
Schneiderlin £ 24m - £110 p/w
Tosun £20m - £70 p/w
Walcott £20m - £90 p/w
Sandro £5m - £100 p/w

1) Did Ancelotti play the wrong tactics or did the players ignore the tactics when they lost composure? - I am sure that Carlo told the defence to play a deep line as this is essential against Liverpool. As Steve F @ 150 explains, I doubt he instructed the defence to play diagional passes along the back line or short passes into a pressured and under-paced midfield. That was an innovation our hopeless squad came up with all by themselves and why he was exploding on the touch-line

2) Is Ancelotti definitely the wrong man for the job already? - I know it is un-nerving to us Evertonians to actually have a top manager in post who has won more as a player and manager than we have as a club, but given that he has been in the role for 19 DAYS we might want to with-hold judgement a bit longer. He probably hasn't even unpacked his favourite mug and the picture of his wife yet.

3) Did our fabled "Everton 7 Fans" threaten to get a firm down to 'get into the the players and their cars will be smashed in'? Probably the tale got embellished in the retelling over a few pints. Fair play to the fans for wanting to go down there and get their point across, as until we do the club will never listen.

The reason you might not want to believe the facts is that you probably don't consider many of the chances against Everton under Ferguson to be chances. I don't want to be critical of Ferguson. He was a novice in his first spell as manager in the most difficult of circumstances and to that end he did a great job. There was no way he should have been considered a candidate for the long term though, and we are un much safer hands with Ancelotti and Ferguson is well placed now to learn from him, so let's hope he is a sponge and soaks up all that know-how.

Me thinks you have left a 'K' out of each one. 😭

1. The best case scenario, is the result (or lack thereof) against Liverpool youth and the fan backlash thereafter, stings their professional pride and they come storming out against Brighton and run them off the pitch...I'm not holding out much hope for this.

2. My worry is, that a sub-sect of senior players are going to persist with the 'it's the tactics not us' line, then they can' put in a performance against Brighton, for fear of disproving their own statement.

In this case what does Ancelotti do? The ideal scenario would be to drop (permanently) Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Delph etc, and temporarily drop Digne (for a kick up the ass). Unfortunately we just don't have the strength in depth to do this.

We have to hope that the strength of will of Ancelotti, combined with backing from the board (on the basis that they must believe he is the way forward), overcomes the strength of will of the poison apples.

It is certainly an interesting time.

All those players listed above. Are they all yard dogs? Isn't it something more about the culture (or lack thereof) among the first team? I can't help but think it is. Plenty of bang average players do very well for themselves in football land, and some of those players are at excellent clubs. We seem to have an unerring talent for over paying for bang average players and making them worse.

I'd still back Ancelotti and his merry men to fix this.

And fair play to Brands for staring down the baying mob, flaming forces, pitch forks and all.

The Birmingham post wow, portugese press oh my word how do they know. Not even the Echo or the Post or something local know the true figures and somehow Bolasie and his agent told the Brummies how much he gets.

He has played in Bristol, London, Liverpool and Belgium but lets join in with Briminghams gossip.

What is happening to Evertonians and all this obsession. There is players from Martinez reign still here, if you know someone has a long term contract but isn't playing, he is a problem, regardless of guessed figures.

You lot still got Harry Kane on 90k like the press? The Athletic is now gospel to a few its outrageous.
No evidence, blag quotes and people are promoting it as gospel.

I want the old down to earth Everton back and its never happening is it? Social media, gossip and rumour are fans passion now.

You are obsessed with figures like Rainman. Promoting the Athletics words, talking the Esk up. Greg O'Keefe said. Like players tell Greg O'Keefe what they get?

I was bothered in the first place Steve. If you had the time to take in other posts in the first place you would have seen I said a waste of money for all these names you are talking about. Did you want to listen then? No. Happy to believe Walsh was some genius scout.

Its been you and others that have to wait 18 months to 2 years before you realise the player isn't up to it or what you thought and now he is on too much money. How pro active.

And then to back your overdue theory once these abilities dawn on you, you back yourself up with The Atheltic. What a joke. If you had the eyes to spot this when we sign them you wouldn't be beating yourself with anger at the wages laid out now.

You were all for Steve Walsh though wasn't you? See I knew and a few others did too, that if Schneiderlin wasn't good enough for Man Uniteds bench hes not good enough for us. That took ages to dawn on many and the same for Sigurdsson.

The man failed at Spurs 6 years ago and it was obvious if he came from Swansea to Everton for a big fee, we were getting ripped off.

I couldn't care who doesnt like the truth (and I took enough stick for these same points) but at least I had the balls to look at these expert decisons when they happen.

I've barely mentioned the Athletic but you have a dislike of O'Keefe, whilst as I know him personally, albeit we've not met for several years now, I trust what he says. I don't know why you find it so hard to believe that a man who has been in and our of Finch Farm and Goodison for the best part of 20 years will not have contacts on the admin staff or the coaching staff.

Journalism has taken a new turn in the days of the internet, and websites now report hearsay, when it was never publishable in the print media. If you don't want to listen to hearsay, then fair enough, but this very thread is all about hearsay.

. I recall Pienaar was doing fine for us but it didn't go well for him there. There are so many unknown factors that you can't compare.
However being 50 miles from Swansea and having a few mates who are season ticket holders there, I saw a fair bit of Sigurdsson. He was the standout player. His delivery from wide positions to Lorente was fantastic and he was also brilliant on his deadballs.
I was excited at his signing but we paid too much. His stock was high but that's not his fault.
I still think he could play at 10 with a big targetman and midfielders prepared to go box to box for him.
He has tried to cover and tackle, but he is simply too slow, but he has good skills and with other water-carriers, like Gana Gueye, he was fine.

We need consistency in an industry that demands instant results. As others have said, two games ago we were buoyant. Two games later we're sunk. The players will play best when they have a clear idea of how we play. Some are clearly not bothered, others are probably trying to fit a new system on top of several other approaches they've been coached.

We can fix our club but it will take time. As always.

Carlo is not the problem he is the solution!

"There was a stat that Duncan Ferguson's Everton conceded more chances in three games than Silva's Everton did in the previous 15"

and then when I query it's validity, you respond at #182

"The reason you might not want to believe the facts is that you probably don't consider many of the chances against Everton under Ferguson to be chances."

Sorry, Steve, that sounds a bit know-it all, does it not? Unsubstantiated data becomes fact because you say so?

I still don't believe it. I saw all Ferguson's matches in charge with my own eyes.

Sigurdsson was a bad buy because he was vastly over-priced (should have been £25-30m) and we already had slow, technically proficient number ten types (Rooney and Klaassen). What we desperately needed (and still need) is pace and energy in the middle.

Sigurdsson has not been the worst signing. He was good last year. But he is symptomatic of an unstructurerd, unbalanced recruitment drive with little value hunting. He cost too much and was given too high wages which means now that his form has fallen off a cliff we cannot get rid of him.

This is the reason we should be very wary of buying players in their later twenties on huge wages, James Rodriguez would be a no for me for the same reason.

You know him personally so what? There is people I have known all my life that I know are not 100% genuine.

How can you trust the words of someone that hasnt spoken to you in years and is trying to get a project off the ground with quotes from the Invisible man. Sounds gullible that Steve.

I will tell you I don't have a feeling of him either way Steve but I do have enough in my memory to see he talks as much shite as sense and I have told you this before.

Each to their own though I couldnt care if you want to listen to any reporter but talk nonsense with no evidence an I am coming back to protect the name of my club.

During the summer for example, on the very day the deal for Gueye was done there was an explosion of deals in the offing with Gbamin, Kean,Zaha and Doucoure. Nothing was announced as being complete and the excitement on TW was at fever point. What had happened? We had just given our best player by a country mile for years away for peanuts.

God knows why he didnt choose to call Greg Okeefe at The Athletic but if you don't fear gangsters coming through the waves or hooligans planting bombs in your speakers it might be worth a listen.

That's how low we've come.

I think the point is all this nonsense is blinding people from what's being played in front of them. Wouldn't it be nice to just enjoy watching the game, win lose or draw, rather than this soap opera every other day.

Idealistic, but there you have it. The club has lost its soul and it will take some time to find it.

I think everyone agrees Ancelotti has one hell of a job on his hands, and whilst most say that he has a fantastic reputation and so hope he will be able to put things right, I am very interested in how. As said before he came in, I do not think his skillset suits the task at hand. So, is there someone else with the skills to coach the team on his behalf? The Athletic then speak to James Horncastle of BT Sport, BBC, and ESPN, who is able to give details about the backroom team. For example, he quotes Davide Ancelotti's academic qualifications and that he achieved an exceptional score, graduating top of his class, when completing his Pro Licence.

You might not like the Athletic, but it's one of the better sources of football journalism out there, especially as the print media dies a slow death.

It wasn't the quality of our passing which lost us the game it was the lack of movement. Time and again our defenders were isolated in possession with options ether poor or non existent.

Every time we hire a new manager, we see the same names expressing "disbelief "at any criticism he faces. It doesnt matter who the manager is (just as long as he is an expensive import) He, seemingly is above reproach and can do NO wrong.

Duncan Ferguson inherited a far worse situation than Ancelotti. Yet in attempt to apologies for Ancelottis poor effort, These people want to dismiss his fantastic showing as unsustainable. . Bollox. The only way to succeed in this league is to play a high intensity game. You drop your intensity. You will be punished. Fergusons men had every right to be tired against Arsenal. it was during the seasons busiest period, against top teams. with the chances of rotation varying from slight to nil.

The only unsustainable thing I see is belief that we have to have a big name manager who has an impressive CV and therefore MUST be better qualified to run our club... And we must not question him -EVER

Are these people hoping that by persevering with this time honored pap, that the law of averages will kick in and they will break the habit of a lifetime by one day actually being proved right ?

Carlo said he wasnt even sitting down with Brands until after the Liverpool game to discuss the squad. The board need to listen to what Carlo says , not doubt him .

Carlo is a fresh pair of eyes with the one of the best CVs in football , he will tell it as it is , his appraisal and solutions will improve the club . Carlo will point out the boils , Brands and Moshiri must administer the red hot lance , without hesitation.

After Sunday's debacle Brands and the board will be left in no doubt whatsoever of our inadequacies. The bald truth is that Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin are a liability to our team at Centre Midfield. That's 65 million quids worth of players on a combined 200k per week. Our young lads, Tom Davies and Mason Holgate would be a far better bet for the moment in Centre midfield.

By hook or by crook Brands needs to buy a magic wand and move on Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin for the best £ he can get. We need to replace them with a more dynamic centre midfielder permanent and another on loan., until Gomes and Gbamin are up and running.

Our centre midfield problems are not going away. Urgent action is needed. It is guaranteed that Ancelotti will have clearly expressed that and will fully expect his recommendations to be actioned.

Whilst this is true about missing Gana, it is also true that we havent had a first choice midfield once this season

Yes, to your question.

If we were supporters of a championship or league 1 team we'd still be fanatical supporters, no chance of Europe or silverware realistically, but we'd go along to watch and for the most part enjoy football. I don't go out on a Sunday morning to watch my local Sunday men's team play because I expect them to be in Europe next year.

It is all becoming a bit of a circus - it's just a little sad that we are the clowns.

There can be, and are on these pages, all kinds of theories, positive and negative, about how Everton are likely to perform under him. But nobody knows. Any appointment is a matter of risk taking, and this situation is no exception. The fact is, he's here, and for some time, and we need to get behind him, subject to the ongoing assessment of how the team performs. That's all there is to it.

But this outrage and disbelief expressed whenever legitimate criticism and comment is leveled is cringe worthy.

As too is the need to criticise Duncan Ferguson in order to deflect from Ancelottis errors of judgement. We had all this with Unsworth too.
The fact is - and it is a fact - These two ex players didnt get us into the relegation zone. They were the ones who got us out.

Matinez, Koeman and Silva all left us in free fall. If people cant bring themselves to say anything nice about the loyal servants who faced the fire and got us out of trouble. Why do they feel the need to say anything at all ?

My assumption was that a number of the midfield players were hiding in plain sight again (e.g. staying close to / the wrong side of an opponent to make receiving a pass from a team mate impossible). It's difficult to spot this when watching on TV but I'd be interested in hearing if any of the TW posters who were at the game spotted this? Being behind the goal they would have had a great view.

Take a look at Leicester City, their scouting,buying.???
We have been a mess on scouting, buying, ftom manager to players.

We cant just expect a bunch of players to immediately turn it around.
If we kept Duncan in post,his way they would have tired,as we saw at City.
New system again.
Oh Michael Kean,£28million on his way to the championship,nice pay day,back to Burnley,never play for England again.

Liverpool are solid,rock solid.Dont like to say it.
They sacked Brendan, hurt him and look what hes done since???
They did an up grade.Jurgen four,is it five years???
So the manager appointment,brilliant,us ???
Players,full backs ??Virgil,
For god sake look who they bought and he plays them in a team,a system.
No player bigger than the team.

We are just going to have to wait, see with Carletti, the club.
But it has to start now.
The Liverpool game was a huge disappointment.
Salvation opportunity,14 Mar at Goodison Park.Only a game a week we got.
Sort the team out,the method, the players.
Carletti has to keep us up first and thats not a given unless he get 5 in 7,8 out all bad apples.
Improves Moise Keane,Anthony Gordon gets on fire and does a Waynne Rooney for us.??
Gomes is playing by April, on training ground,Gbmin,two new signings in effect.
DCL is coached to a new level.
We Kenny back in the summer if we want.
Holgates improving week by week.

Loads to look forward to.

But we have to model it on the Shite.We got the manager,back room.

Nowt more to say.

Oh get Delph fit keep him fit.

It'll be interesting to see whether Ancelotti gets that application consistently, or whether he/the club chooses to sideline those who don't give it.

Rest assured if he picks those two as the 'engine room' again, I'll be joining the race to call him out on it.

Making quality, motivated signing in January is going to be extremely hard work, and so is motivating a group of players who are currently lacking any motivation to win games or succeed.

What have they got to play for? They're all being paid handsomely and have contracts in place, so what does a manager say to get them firing? Ancelotti may well be the man to get the best out of players, but I'd love to hear how he's going to get them interested.

1.Identify up and coming talent at a lower club
2. Drive down to Wolverhampton or Millwall or wherever to watch target, not once but ten to twenty times
3.canvas mutual acquaintances about target's character and personality.
4. Enter into negotiations with target's manager to prise target away from his club.

Present transfer policy:

1. Put feet up on desk
2.Google squads of bigger clubs to identify a player not good enough to be a starter
3. Phone player's agent to offer player more money to come and play for Everton.
4. Congratulate self on twenty minutes hard work.
5. Have a nap.

Is it really surprising our club is in the mess it is in?

One report is saying Carlos has to sell some underachievers to get the funds to bring in his preferred choices and has apparently named six players including Pickford.

True or not true it remains to be seen but one thing for sure it's going to take some decent results over the next few weeks to eradicate that foul performance at Analfield and even then it will be hard to forget unless by some miracle they can win the remaining derby game.

The 'present 'policy is the one I envisage adopted by DoFs at most clubs. Costs a fortune.

Can't stand the bloke ( Kenwright) but he knew a bloody sight more how to run a football club than the comedians he sold it to.

As to how it will all end up, check 'Ten years with Aston Villa ' by Andy Lerner.

BTW - BPB's stewardship was an utter Disgrace. Incompetence from a new owner doesn't negate the damage done previously.

My God, I hadn't realised that's the way Brands acts! Thanks for the inside info.

There can be a lot of confirmation bias, so that when some people have formed an opinion on someone or something, they'll lie in wait until an event occurs that happens to fit their opinion, then they'll pounce on that event in an attempt to justify their opinion. Happens all the time on ToffeeWeb, although that doesn't stop it being a great site.

I'd say no cheering when they run out onto the pitch. They don't deserve it.

It always happens that 'someone' cops the blame and it certainly won't be anyone associated with the new manager.

If this article is true, or even a shred of it is true, those senior players questioning the managers tactics - a manager with ridiculous pedigree and resume - need to go. And go immediately.

We need to trim all the bad influences out of the squad. You're either on board, or you aren't.

I, too, question some of the tactics. But to voice that and cause disarray inside a team, after the manager has been there only a few weeks? That's just a shitty, subversive, self-absorbed person. Get ‘em out and move on.

The silver lining about being knocked out of the FA Cup, is that Ancelotti now has basically an entire half season and all summer to tinker, experiment, and stamp his mark on the team.

There's going to be frustrating times ahead as he does that. There will be more than one game where “the setup is all wrong” and the like. Carlo is going to try a lot of different things in my opinion.

The real test will be come August when the new season kicks off, we've had months of Carlo, and a summer to make some changes.

Tough thing to say coming off THAT performance on the weekend, and Lord knows it was puke-inducing, but we need to exhibit some patience for a bit.

Take Brands this summer he signs two players in Delph and Gomes who are pretty much the same player positionally i.e. If ones out the best option is the other. Both have been beset by niggly injuries year on year. Yes you can have 3 or so of these players in a squad (Mina,Bernard) but in the exact same role is just a dereliction of care.

Clubs just see us coming

Over the years since that ' great uprising', there have been untold re-tellings of what actually took place. I wonder if there are any amongst us who took part or witnessed what happened ?

I think ToffeeWebs Dick Fearon was at that incident if I recall correctly

You need cover in that position, it's the pivotal role of a team, centre mid.

All the top teams have adequate cover for midfield, they make the most tackles, get tackled the most and generally do most of the donkey work... I'll rephrase that, most other teams midfielders do the donkey work, ours just stand around like fucking lemons.

Sadly it's not just us, player power these days has got out of control. So many managers get the bullet "because they've lost the dressing room", that would never happen in the past. The players run clubs these days, just look at Pogba. They have their agents on speed dial, ready to scuttle off at the first sign of trouble.

Gobshites indeed.

Show them clips of Sheff Utd performances this season, with a team made of players that predominantly came from the lower leagues. If they don't want to accept it, put them in the stiffs and let the U23s have a go. It won't happen of course because who's gonna buy a Gordon shirt?

The players are insulated from fans these days, so if the lads have to picket Finch Fan to be heard or bombard that tosspot Delph with tweets please go fill your boots and more power to you.

LMAO

Klopp's kids (average age was 22) couldn't believe how easy it was to go and push on Everton's defenders when they had the ball, and they must have been both shocked and delighted that Everton never changed things around.

That game has now gone, hopefully some of our players will also be gone soon, and until we get better players then let's hope those constantly playing out from the back tactics? (Usually after ten passes its our goalie just fucking launching it anyway) are also gone.

I was at the match too, Ian, and it was dire. It's only the Catterick incident which prevents it, with countless others, from being consigned to the crap match memory dust bin.

Friends who saw the incident said Catterick was jostled and it was no more than that. The tabloids escalated it into an attack of unprecedented proportions.

Brilliant as Alex was, nevertheless, he did tend to hide in away games

I was at the match on Sunday and the second half was dismal, but, to be honest, we've been crap for a while.

Ancelotti has a tough job to sort the squad out and it's going to take skill, money and (above all) time.

So, he's going to get my full-throated support while the players will have to work pretty hard to assuage the disdain I feel for many of them at the moment.

Despite all the Hysteria. I think by simply playing Davies instead of one of the bollards and possibly Kean instead of Walcott. The average age of our team may well have been as young as theirs

Just looking at Michael's match report. With the introduction of Kean and The Ox I calculate the average age of both the teams to be very close to 25 for about a third of the game.

I know they played most of the game with a younger team. but the difference in age over the piece was nowhere near the massive gulf the RS press would have everyone believe

You might laugh at their market values, which is the whole point of that website. Gomez accounts for 33% of their team market value (㿋m of 䀊m). Meanwhile, our team was purchased for 𧵼m and they valued it at 𧶥m.

Can we swap them for the cash, so we can start again please?

I have been thinking for a long time that this organization is rotten from the top to the bottom. It needs a complete and total overhaul. Just about everyone from all the offices through the entire player program and academy should be replaced. No one who works at Goodison should be spared a thorough and complete review. The board is no exception.

Reckon any of us could do his job with limitless funds available to throw at second raters like he has signed.

Also, doing this can be completely against managerial instruction, hence Ancelotti going mad.

Maybe they're not up to it because Sigurdsson rarely shows for the ball and, if he does get it, promptly gives it back!

This is like Martinez's first season when people on here were queueing up to tell me that our players 'couldn't pass the ball'.

Absolutely ridiculous.

On Sunday I was high up behind the goal and watched Mina going mental for someone to pass to, no one showed for him, it was a horrow show.

Holgate was strugging on the left being right footed and should have been moved central and Sidibe dropped back. Everyone around me noticed this, seems CA got this one wrong but that is not to absolve the 11 statues in blue - never felt so embarassed and they were shocking. One last thing for years now no one show's for throw-in's a sympton of ball-fear a new term for shithouses or proper parlance a lack of confidence in tight positions an inabilty to pass and move into space, recieve the ball beat a man and pass 5 yards to a mover/runner and go again.

Wtf are they being coached at FF.

Complete guess though.

At the level have been for years, the facts and figures, the stats, aren't good and the trophy cupboard bears testimony.

Let's get back to basics and shift up the performances and league position.

Get the basics right and perhaps the necessary stats will be good reading.

Carlo and Duncan will get the players, playing for each other as a team again, and this means getting the basics right.

Whatever reasons for Sunday's shit showing, it can't and won't happen again.

Watching Leeds and speaking to some Leeds lads, this week, they tell me, that's the way they've played consistently since Bielsa took over.

Hopefully within the next 12 months Everton will have consistency, pride and belief. That will be achieved by the players, proper players, playing for the shirt for 96 minutes every game, including preseason. Finding such players won't be easy but it will test Marcel and Carlos abilities in eyeing and signing such players.

Preseason the last few years has not inspired the sense of anticipation for the start of the season.

Hopefully Sunday's crap fest, is the catalyst for a new beginning and from the ashes of that defeat Everton will start fresh this Saturday.

Old Sheedy is on 15k a week.

I literally cannot believe my eyes.

Despicable mismanagement from EFC. No wonder all these academy graduates stay at he club achieveing absolutely nothing until their mid 20s.

I remember watching the old "History of Everton football club" by John Motson in the late 80s when we were excited about our new signings Pat Nevin, Cottee etc. Among other things, it was either Kendall or Harvey who said the "Everton way" involved hours of training where the ball was thrown at you from every which way and you had to control it and pass it on accurately in two touches. Simple, mind numbing no doubt but effective. Somehow with all the data and science now we've evidently forgotten about such simple concepts in training.

In football your supposed to know what your gonna do with the ball before you get the ball or win the ball.

On Sunday not only where the passes inside the 6 and 18 yard box, generally very poor, the players, were not verbally communicating, bar Mina, who looked well pissed off, and right so at his cowardly shirking team mates.

For me it's down to the coaching ground practice, and this raises, bigger general questions about Everton's playing style in general.

If any one has a stat for the team with the least attempts on goal from outside the box I'd be interested to see, where Everton are, not only this season and the past 5 seasons.

Also, for the TW stations, which defence has this season undertaken the most periods of play in their own half and inside 30 yards from their goal keepers line?

I'm likely miles off, but I'd say Everton must be in this category, at the lower end, if such data exists.

Confidence, hiding, shirking, scared, what the hell, happens at Finch Farm? Monday to Friday?

Some players train and shirk, and regardless of the achievements and spirit shows, which was a revelation under Duncan's time in charge, playing consistent attacking football and keeping shape, in my view has been missing for years, since Brown shoes first 6 months, in charge.

Then in 2014, the gradual decline started. Now we've almost run aground, the engines stopped, and now a retune and new start.

Hopefully Carlo, will be taking stock and we will see positive change, as the club, needs a big confidence boost against Brighton, and a win.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe my eyes deceived me, but Sigurdsson was turning like the Royal Iris, and Schneiderlin, was doing his best not to get involved imo, and Liverpool could not believe their luck, especially when Ancelloti never changed it.

I'm delighted we've got Ancellotti, over the moon, never thought it was possible that we could get such a big name and proven manager to Everton, but if it's true what Maldini said about him being able to manage any team, then a man as knowledgeable as Carlo, should have stuck with Duncan's tactics, until he'd had time to work with his team, especially after witnessing how poor they were at City on New Years Day?

My bad vibes are over, I'm taking the massive positives out of Sunday, and that is that player power is over at Finch-Farm, even if it gets a little bit worse over the coming few weeks, I personally feel it's nearing its end, now that the players have gone into “we don't give a fuck” mode, once to often, and even the fairest minded fans have had enough of them now.

I don't like hearing the team before a game, it's another of my lunatic ways, believing we will lose if I'm told it before I see it for myself, just before kick-off, but after a little thought I'm going to look before saturday's game, because I've had enough of certain players now, and I'd prefer not to watch them ever again in a blue shirt, if they are selected, simply because clever cheats win, but we've only got the cheats, who cheat us.

I don't expect to go now I'm thinking about it, because I think Ancellotti will play Walcott, who played the best away match of his Everton career on Sunday, (for about 40 mins) until the going got that little bit tougher.

Sigurdsson isn't a hiding type of player. He runs his ass off and never, ever hides. I think the issue with 2019-2020 Sigurdsson is that he's older. He's not quick enough to get himself into good positions. I can't fault his effort in his Everton career, but he's got to go. It was obvious from the very start of the season when he was playing terribly and Silva wouldn't drop him. He's just not as quick, ergo not as effective.

Schneiderlin is a different matter. I think he hides. I think he does it a lot. He just shouldn't be playing.

For all the immense amount of shit Davies gets, and yes, I am a huge fan of his, he never, ever hides. Nor did Holgate when introduced in midfield. Bernard and Rich don't. And again, another much maligned player, Iwobe, never hides either.

I think my new barometer for what our starting lineup is, is whether the person hides. In short, decapitate the hiding players from the lineup. Play the players that put in the effort and will take responsibility.

I hate the players right now, fucking hate them not because they got beat but because I don't think there arsed and that's not on.

And no I won't be getting behind them, I done that in the Anfield Road end last Sunday for 95 mins. I will stand in silence on the Gwladys Street as they come out and reserve my fucking judgement on the c**ts but will let them know if I feel there is a lack of effort or will to win. Defeat is always acceptable but surrender is never ever acceptable and should be called out.

If we win then I will simply think they have done there job and leave

It will take time to heal this but it's not the supporters or the new management who have caused it it's those pricks at FF, not all of them but enough of them

* Siggy's 'disappointed' comment
* Delph's social media swearing match
* Reports that some players resented Dunc sounding off at them post-match, denying the charge they had meekly surrendered the game and blaming instead the tactics
* Fans turning up at Finch Farm and meeting with Brands

The manager's selection and the tactics against the 'bours have been questioned, as has the commitment and ability of the players. For me, Tom Davies alone in the starting XI would have made a huge difference to how the game was played.

But what we don't know is how fit and able he was to participate. Duncan said in his four games Tom was playing with a knock. He has played with a bandaged knee. Carlo has used him more sparingly possibly because of that rather than risking a longer term injury.

Tom would have shown, fetched and carried time and again to facilitate the transition from defence to midfield to attack. I didn't need to be with the 8,000 Blues filling the Anfield end to 'see' (the TV view didn't show it) that increasingly the back four had no-one showing to collect the ball from them which resulted in me-to-you-to-him-to-them turnover of the ball.

If it's true that senior PL footballers are claiming they aren't capable of receiving, retaining and passing on the ball played up to them from their defenders, then they are not worthy of the name professional footballers.

Hell's teeth! I played midfield at a low level and I ALWAYS showed for the ball! Indeed, I made it very clear to defenders who wouldn't pass the ball to me if I was marked that is EXACTLY what I wanted! I backed myself to protect the ball, draw the opponent in and beat him with a turn or lay off.

Are some of our highly paid players claiming they aren't capable of the same???

The players and the fans need to embrace and accept under Carlo Ancelotti we WILL play out from the back. If indeed any players blamed the tactics, saying we can't play that way, then they have very short memories.

They had spells under Silva when they did it very effectively. The first three games under Carlo they did it very well against Burnley and Newcastle, more mixed against England's team of the decade in Man City as you would expect.

For some to be already dismissing Ancelotti as a bad fit for Everton strikes me as way too premature. The man has had four games in 15 days, barely time to train or prepare for each game.

Moshiri has given him a 4.5 year contract, the longest initial contract Everton has handed a new manager in the PL era.

The long-term investment then is in the manager, coinciding with (hopefully) the approval and building of the new stadium.

Moshiri himself recently said he expected to spend just 5% of his time overseeing Everton, not 90%. One of the reasons he has needed to be so heavily involved is due to his own successive poor managerial appointments on the football side.

Giving Carlo 4.5 years is Moshiri signalling he wants an experienced safe pair of hands steering the football side of things, leaving him free to focus on the commercial and financial arm of the club and business.

These exceedingly trying few days reinforces my view that Moshiri will be backing the manager more than the players. To do otherwise potentially risks our very existence as a PL club.

Some claim Carlo Ancelotti is a fading force. That he 'lost' the players at his last two clubs. This ignores a body of evidence that suggests otherwise.

Even the Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness who pulled the trigger on Carlo Ancelotti's time at Bayern had no issues with the man himself, but with his backroom staff. Hoeness said:

"It definitely didn't work out with Ancelotti's backup staff. With Carlo, everything was fine, but there were arguments of some kind every day between Ancelotti's physios, medical staff and coaches."

Carlo Ancelotti waited a month or two before making any sort of public statement on his dismissal from the German champions, saying:

"I have a way of working that I do not change. It was demanded of me to do that, and I simply did not accept it. Whatever decision you make, if the club does not protect you, you're dead.

"If you sort out a player, he then goes to the club and is strengthened by them, then you lose face with him in front of the other players. You will not recover from that.”

In short, it's going to be Carlo's Way or the highway for a lot of players at Everton.

And I for one am ready to fully embrace it, accepting bumps in the road along the way.

The only constant Carlo Ancelotti kept from his early days was Giovanni Mauri. This was his close friend and fitness coach. Giovanni was the one who bared the brunt of the criticism at Bayern. The players weren't fit enough, well Mauri was the fitness coach. After Bayern, Mauri retired.

Mauri is actually an excellent fitness coach and now he is retired and it is no longer relevant as to how up to date he was, you can look back on his career and say that for him to work with 7 out of 8 of the Ballon d'Or winners shows that he knew a thing or two about keeping the world's best players fit enough to be consistently the best. If you're wondering who the one missing from the 8 was, well he never coached Messi. He did coach Cristiano Ronaldo Aveiro. Cristiano sad of the criticism that he did not train the players enough: "Too much water kills the plants!". And who are we to argue with a man who is a physical specimen and has been at the top for so long, when peers like Rooney have long been in decline.

Giovanni's own assistant was his son Francesco Mauri. And Ancelotti took Francesco to Napoli and now to Everton in his dad's old role of head of fitness. If indeed it was Giovanni who got out of date, then a new young fitness coach could address some of the criticism Carlo received, because much of it was to do with the intensity of the training and the fitness of the players.

I still would like to see a renowned technical coach come into the club to work with our players and sort them out. A man to be handpicked by Carlo, of course, even someone like Clement. But someone who is full of energy and ideas and can transmit that into the players.

Schneiderlin is probably the worst of all the many good players that have left Southampton over the last 20 years and he had to end up here.

Saturday's game against Brighton will be a nervous affair as I am sure quite a few players will be suffering a mental hangover and will be extra cautious not to make mistakes and incur the wrath of the Goodison faithful.

Of course it all depends on what has happened behind the scenes and what the starting eleven will be.

Many of the sides close to Everton in the table are much the same and will be difficult to beat as the bottom half of the table sorts itself out with each struggling team not wanting to drop into the bottom three by Easter.

On paper at least, the next few games give opportunities for points to be picked up and one hopes Carlo can get them back on track.

And Schniederlin does fucking hide, watch him fall over then try to get back on his feet as the shite score last Sunday.

Schneiderlin most definitely hides.

I can't count the number of times he passed the ball, then just waltzed over to a position where he couldn't receive it.

And for anyone saying he's a chess player, and was thinking one pass ahead, you're nuts.

I am not a big fan of slating our players and I don't know why Tom gets the abuse he has. However with Morgan the gloves are off. The man is a disgrace and in the past two seasons if you count the good games he has had, well I doubt you would make double figures

Oh dear.

Its time for him to go now. The club need to tell him it over and to find a new club for himself.

For instance we lose to a team we should have beaten, that happen to be our Neighbours, big dunc is an angry passionate die hard at the best of times, so quite obviously, he won't have liked this.

Surely he kicked off.

Then there is the players reaction. Delph alone. An online chat becomes public knowledge between Delph and fan.
Oh right, so that must mean Ferguson focused on senior players.
Coronation street drama is developing.

This player has surely said its not my fault, he wont accept any of the blame. He argues with fans.

Before you know it, a lovely story with not one legitimate voice.

Then to top off the reality of drama, Sigurdsson does an interview you can all see clearly, you know its him and his words but its not interesting enough.

The best stuff is the wild arguments of denial that nobody can see or prove.

What a cesspit of gossip.

Nick has just made me cringe with anger.
The Daily fucking star and 4 days later you want to quote that nonsense.

The Headline says Senior figures. Then the story says Senior players before going back to Senior figures.

Get a grip on your Kenwright obsession. That is dragging us down as much as Scheiderlin.
How can a grown man fall for a Daily Star rambling 4 or 5 days after the event. After they have gathered everyone elses rumours.

I am close to spewing this game its full of gluttons and empty rumours. I wanted Bramley Moore 60 thousand but I wish it was 10 000 now.

Team selection tomorrow will be interesting.
If Walcott is anywhere near the squad I think Ancelotti is heading for trouble.
And yes the manager has to take a lot of the blame for last week. And yes I didn't want him and he is the Italian Walter Smith.

Think about the background of certain authoritative figures and how in their previous jobs they would have had to enforce rules that would apply differently to an office than to a dressing room.

This effectively skipped the head of the football department. Said head was rumoured to be very upset that people below him were going to people above him, using let's call it "personal relationships". He told said person that this was his remit and that it was for him to deal with. He then had a meeting with Duncan Ferguson and told him to keep doing what he's doing.

Treat the above as unsubstantiated rumour.

The Masochistas

Steve just spell it out mate. Who is meant to have said what?

If this was a follower based site I would have numbers like One of the Kardashians for that tale.

They announced that a number of candidates had been interviewed and that none had ruled themselves out.

Unai Emery confirms he had a 3 hour interview with us, that he did not say no to the possibility of being our next manager and that Everton had already expressed an interest in him when he moved to PSG.

Link-role.html

I hope this passes Paul A Smith's rigorous quality control restraints as to what counts as legitimate gossip, news and post on TW.

A clear piece of the subject actually being quoted makes your sarcasm look shite. I clearly aimed the speculation at everything with no source but as usual, you come on here for your daily shot at being smart whilst missing the point.

However I have clear concerns if Carlo has come to this job with the hunger of a man who has had questions asked of him in both his previous roles. He seems to be struggling to inspire the players despite his legendary status and as Steve says he doesn't seem interested in modernising his coaching staff or addressing areas of previous concern.

I was even pleasantly surprised by Moyes at his unveiling when he spoke of how he needed to evolve and that he spent his time out studying the techniques and methods of clubs under the Red Bull banner and how he learned a lot and planned to be play a more dynamic, expansive style. Words mean nothing but they are an indication of mindset but of course the proof will be in the pudding.

Jay isn't worried about the suitability of Carlo because he has only been here 15 days and hasn't had enough time with the players and that's a very valid comment. He also places a lot of stock on how others regard him. I think what Jay doesn't take into enough consideration is the personality, respect and likeability of Carlo however your staff are a reflection of you and your professionalism. At City for example everything is strategic and tailored to supporting the players and their needs so that Guardiola can remain aloof.

Jay is right in that we have no choice but to embrace Carlo, bumps and all but I feel the players and fans need to feel we are in the presence of a Champion and not have to look at his CV to tell us that.

I was watching a re-run of the wire yesterday, the one were Mike, the man of Italian heritage, goes to see a fortune teller because he's been put under a bit of pressure, because he no longer knows how to do his job, and although it made me laugh, my obvious thoughts were I hope that doesn't happen to Ancellotti!

"...as usual, you come on here for your daily shot at being smart whilst missing the point."

Oh, the delicious irony and hypocrisy.

Unlike you Paul, I never take a sanctimonious, holier-then-thou and know-it-all attitude towards fellow TWers in my posts. You do.

I never claim to be the sole purveyor of the final, absolute and definitive word on all matters Evertonian. You do.

I never claim to be more insightful, more knowledgable or smarter than other Blues. You do.

I never cast myself in the role of the victim, claiming deeper insight than others are ever capable of, constantly self-promoting myself as always being proved right. You do.

You want a free hand to constantly bait and sneer at fellow Blues who views differ from your own for merely having the audacity for expressing such views on an open forum. But you go all pouty-lippy when even just mildly poked.

Personally, I find you contribute little or nothing of interest or originality on the core subject of TW: football.

The bulk of your posts are in the main tediously self-promoting, abusive to fellow Blues, elevating yourself as a wiser seer than all others on TW.

I embrace the very broad church of opinion that makes TW as vibrant as it is. You, by contrast, resent it.

Viva la diferencia.

Its so fucking laughable you using words like Superior, with your superior countdown conundrum posts full of careful grammar and self satisfaction.

I have had stick but you always manage to miss that and when I retaliate oh hes being superior.

Snobbery and double standards make me laugh. Oxford dictionary readers that stream Everton games and call the editors for back up are quite comical aswell.

Tat ta

Toodles!