Telling you what we all know after going through the last 7 days

We continue to bottle important games.

Optimism in the face of stark reality borders on the edge of delusion.

Hard to know why they have played so poorly in some games against teams such as the Barcodes and we really never know what to expect from one game to the next. Leeds up next and they had a good win over the Foxes so they may be feeling good to complete a double over Everton – I hope not!

We need a big turnaround and it would be nice to do it at Elland Road with Richarlison scoring again but our optimism always seems to fall on deaf ears.

The signing of King can't be bad but they needed some back-up after Tosun went and this guy may have been second choice after Zirksee went to Parma.

It all comes down to midfield though and, whilst Everton have plenty of options, it just seems – no matter who plays – they cannot become a tightly knit unit. Certainly they should have protected at least a point against the Barcodes.

Another defeat will just plant us in mid-table... where we probably belong.

More important than King signing is, as Tom says above, the midfield function. Allan and Gbamin start training on Monday all being well. Their return to fitness could be a real game-changer for our season.

Also, lessons learnt from Newcastle last Saturday. If James Rodriguez is playing, there needs to be some bite, toughness and aggression in midfield to counterbalance him or our midfield gets overrun and our whole organisation breaks down.

We need to win battles then let the genius of James Rodriguez's left foot do the damage. Win the battles and chances will be created to win matches. We must be aggressive, competitive and patient; we have the players to win games.

There's still reasons to be optimistic, even though Leeds tomorrow will be a real test... but I am expecting a lot better from us. A win there could well kickstart our push.

You're wrong.

Negativity, I prefer "realism" when talking facts, is an equal bedfellow to optimism.

Identifying flaws is the prelude to finding answers – otherwise, people would still be trying to attach really long feathery wings to their arms in an effort to fly.

I recently watched the Brighton versus Tottenham game and was really impressed with the way the Brighton Manager, Graham Potter, has the team playing. Despite only winning 1-0, they gave Tottenham a football lesson.

I would like to see Graham Potter given a chance at Everton as he has the ability to take Everton further than the present set up.

I rate our chances of top four as zero. This club is going absolutely nowhere.

ps: I expect we are due for an update on the fictional new ground soon.

It is, Martin, why we get up in the morning. Have a good day, everyone.
COYB

There's no new stadium, there's no new stadium, there's no new stadium, there's no new stadium, there's no new stadium, there's no new stadium, there's no new stadium, there's no new stadium.

It just goes on and on. If you're so adamant there's no new stadium, show us the proof, other than your constant fucking drivel of "There's no new stadium"

And don't come out with all the shit about Kings Dock, Destination Kirkby or Walton hall park, because we all know they never materialised... but, at the same time, it's not evidence that Bramley-Moore Dock is not going happen.

So, until the club announce either way if the stadium is going ahead or not, SHUT THE FUCK UP!!

There is no need to be nasty to Jonathan because you will not get invited to his street party... he is going to throw a big party when Ancelotti is fired and the new stadium doesn't get built and you never know – there may be free drinks.

But telling him to shut up is a waste of time; it's his opinion and, whether we like it or not, it's better to ignore it, as you will keep getting responses.

Do you feel that you are in a minority being able to identify flaws (you certainly are not) and, in identifying them, what do you, as a mere fan who can do sweet fuck-all, propose to do about them – other than whingeing on TW? You call that realism?

Interesting read. The thing that sticks out to me is where we have improved: Away at Spurs, Leicester and Wolves. Three theoretically difficult games. While we have lost points in three theoretically easier games: Saints, Newcastle, West Ham. So can we read anything into that...

Do we have "big-time" Charlies who only show up when it matters?
Do we have arrogant players who think they can just show up and win against lesser opponents?
Are we just inconsistent and it happens our bad days fell on days when we played the weak?
Is Carlo adept at setting out his stall to get results against the best and inept at dominating the weak?

I don't know the answers but I think we will have a clearer idea by the season's end.

The negatively is unreal, the constant moaning about this, that and the other. I've apologised to some posters in the past for probably going overboard on them, but trust me, there won't be one here.

So, if I'm banned, nice knowing you all and have a happy life.

I think the thing that irks some is that there seem to be some folks who are relentlessly negative about everything: the stadium, the manager, the players, the owner, the city planning committee, the flood risk at Bramley-Moore Dock. Sometimes it feels a bit like the bloke with the umbrella in the Sahara insisting it will rain... yeah one day it will but why not try to enjoy the sunshine in the interim?

You seem to me like a proper fan, committed, passionate, optimistic but pragmatic. I haven't seen anything you've said that crosses the line. We need balance on here from folks like you who have endured the Everton journey, home and away, year after year.

Stay, man, stay and give us your positive vibes!

That is why it is so irrational being negative about Everton; as fans, there is absolutely nothing we can do to influence things.

I am disappointed when Everton play badly but not negative and I look forward in the belief that the club is being run very well now (it is) and in every respect improving. As I say, negativity is an illness that nobody should carry, it is a vexation to the spirit to see it displayed on here, a supporters forum, is it not ironic?

Rob, I completely agree – it is poison in the heart of the site.

The memories of Paul Ferry, Brady/Brody et al warm the cockles of my frozen heart.

Whether that is a reflection of a person's negativity in their everyday life I know not. Perhaps it's solely all things Everton that gets them down and they are as happy as Larry.

If it's annoying a lad like Rob, something is not right. That post from him is totally out of character. In general, a "glass half-full" personality beats a "glass half-empty" one every single time.

I still say Carlo doesn't really understand or maybe doesn't care about the ineptitude he's surrounded by. Let's hope he is enough to turn this club around. Although that normally happens starting from the top. Ask any Arsenal fan what happened when David Dein left...

Whatever happened to Brady/Brody and his Colchester scouting reports on Luke Garbutt?

Highlights our current status really well. There is fear factor at the club still to be overcome - but that will be easier to do with better players.

We all know about the limitations of Pickford, Mina, Coleman, Davies, Gomes, Sigurdsson, Iwobi and others. These are regular first team players who are often considered shit. Until these players are replaced with absolute top quality, we will struggle to make progress.

Rob, leaving the site is just providing more ammunition for the negativity provided by some supporters. There are a number of supporters on here who agree with you and like the articles you write.

It's okay to let off steam now and again; what is not okay is to allow these people – who mostly write to annoy other true supporters like yourself – to stop doing something you believe in, and that is your support of Everton.

You have been on this site long enough to know who they are... so, when you see their names, even if they include you, just ignore them and read on.

There are people on this site, and I am not going to name them, who deliberately want to annoy people, and the more people like yourself who stop giving their opinions makes them happier. As the movies said... "Carry On".

Martin, that was an equally brilliant description mate, “optimism drives development” – it was worth suffering at sea to learn that mate!

Take a cue from Martin whose positive spin on things now extends to lies about the new stadium: "we have all approvals necessary to build a new ground" – except the most important one, Martin. Planning Permission.

However, Rob, I have you down on my naughty list as posting far too much on here about Liverpool at times. But perhaps that's just me being overly negative.

"We continue to bottle important games"

That is a fact. If it wasn't, we would have at least one trophy since the days of "Big Joe" to illustrate otherwise.

Kieran Kinsella,

May I suggest the relentless excuse mongering of those trying to convince the more critical to enrol in the "optimist" brigade is equally tiresome?

Not that either camp worry me I say it as I see it and encourage everyone to do the same.

If I responded as I want to to many posts (especially on the live forum), I'd be banned for life.

Barry, that is absolute nonsense. Every game is important.

That's a lovely post. Does that mean ignore the crap, like you do? Or morons who post crap like you do?

If you're not sure, then that post is... and you are...

Just joking! The fact I didn't ignore you're post says it's not crap.

After your post #13, however, the site will bill you for the costs of recovering the digital version of Jonathan's mortal remains.

I look at the pre-match threads in disbelief sometimes. People who have spent the week triumphantly claiming we have a world class manager, who has used his pulling powers to sign world class players to add to the players he has improved beyond recognition, suddenly make a dive for the back of the couch.

The very mention of a match (even against poor opponents) and all that empty bravado evaporates... Those threads are all still up there for anyone who cares to check them out.

"We got out work cut out today"
"We are going to struggle without (insert your own)"
"This ref'll give us nothing"
"This lot haven't scored for 12 years, I bet they get a hatfull today..."

It's relentless and it's fucking bollocks. All those players they claim Carlo has improved dramatically, suddenly become shit again on matchday. Only last Saturday did we get one moron claiming Carlo was responsible for the vast improvement in Davies before the game... only for him to single Davies out after it. The fact that he had played well meant nothing – still up there too.

Here's another thing: Anyone who criticises the manager for the Zombie Football we are served up is being "negative"... those who excuse it and even applaud it are being positive... Fuck off!

It gets better... Many of those who express outrage for the "negativity" of those who rightly criticise cowardly spoiling tactics, think it okay to murder the players... "They're shite"..."They're spineless"... "They're Championship at best" "They want fucking off"... "It's their fault, they let the manager down"

It's absolutely priceless. They will blame the club cat before the manager... And they think they are the positive posters???

Carlo Ancelotti seems a likeable man and, although his CV will not help him in the here and now, there is no doubting his pedigree. I don't think he would get a tiny fraction of the stick he gets on here if people were not pissed off by the sycophantic pap spouted about him.

There are several posters among the "indignant positives" who have really short memories. Posters who have thrown the white flag up. wanted us to lose all the games after Chrimbo because they didn't want Silva here. Posters who could barely hide their frustration when we didn't... People who have attacked previous managers in an almost frenzied manner. People who have openly prayed for us to lose semi-finals because they wanted the manager sacked.

They didn't think it was negative to bash away at the manager then... They just think it's negative to bash away at the manager now.

Total hypocrites. They fool nobody.

Willful ignorance is never sensible argument, e.g. if an Evertonian is asked to choose between beating Liverpool or Burnley or most any club they will choose Liverpool every day of the week. Ditto semifinals compared to midtable end of season games with nothing on them.

It is an unassailable fact that some games are more important than others and they are the ones we make a habit of bottling. You have no argument.

Interesting.

Do you give him stick for football reasons? Or because of your annoyance at the supporters who are supporting the manager?

Interesting.

Do you give him stick for football reasons?
Or because of your annoyance at the supporters who are supporting the manager? ,,michael.kenrick@gmail.com,1,18:30:41,,213.205.192.85,ok,23848,02/02/2021 18:30:41,Tomrichards2@outlook.com,reader,,,no 1127121,40418,toffeeweb,02/02/2021,David Currie,dcurrieclash@yahoo.com,"He only ever came for the money and had no love for the club, was a lazy sod as well.

Wasn't the win at Spurs our first away win at the Big six in something like 42 tries? I'd say being the opener, setting the tone for the season, that was a "big game".

Also in terms of momentum, the wins over Chelsea and Arsenal (albeit at home) snapped our losing streak and helped to spell the end for Frank.

Granted, we were poor against Man Utd in the cup. But equally well we were in other lesser "big" games such as on Saturday. For this season specifically, I would argue we aren't habitually bottling big games.

Let’s start a petition to keep Rob on TW. #saveourrob !

Colin was the ciggy guy. I believe he has since packed it up, which could explain a lot about our goal glut

Cos what we say about our team it`s all just idle chatter
Cos Carlo doesn't give a damn
It' really doesn`t matter.

There was a purple patch at the start with the intro of James and co but it was never a true gauge and certainly not a portent of genuine change as we see from our return to mid-table nothingness.

I think it was Shankly who coined the term "fizzy pop" teams to explain lesser lights exploding to the top of the table early on before predictably going flat, we are this seasons fizzy pop.

Additionally, we predictably failed in a domestic cup when Utd were being decried as poo and dropped points against equally poo teams when the chance to return to the top 4 was on offer.

We have been for decades and still are, on the whole, a bottling club.

Although it was a cup game United, were flying and went top of the league around this period, whilst Leicester, have also been around the top 4 all season.

Maybe you’re right, maybe they’re all shite, but none as bad as Newcastle though, who have took six points from Everton, which shows me, it’s more than just bottle that we lack, because I’d say losing twice to such poor opponents is unforgivable, and will bite us on the arse as much as losing any game.

Most of all you love Everton, team and club, home and away, you love to see them win and follow them win, lose or draw, you will always be there, you can’t now obviously, but the thing I know about you, but only you can agree with, is that when Everton lose I doubt if any Evertonian feels it more than you, but you never moan, scream or shout about it, like some do, including me, you just start planning for watching Everton’s next game, brilliant, you don’t need me to tell you that you are boss Blue. I look forward to your next post, hope it’s soon.

I thought you were trying to disagree then got to the end and realised you weren't

Southampton will get beaten tonight by Man Utd. Does that mean that they bottled it? Or is it just a case of the better team won and probably bookies favourite won?

Does Shankley have any other catch-phrases that you can quote to us Evertonians just to rub our noses further into the shite?

I can take Optimistic, Pessimistic and Realistic Blues on this fabulous site. I struggle with gobshite Shankley quotes having an indirect dig at the club. Fizzy Pop my arse!

If you don't understand the difference between losing games when not giving your all and losing games when going balls out for it, I can't help you.

This explains why your assertion of "my logic" is as incorrect as your spelling of "Shankly".

I think we've got a serious chance of doing unexpectedly well this season. It's still there for us, you know; it really is. We should concentrate on that.

A sign of lack of knowledge not any possession of it. Barry is a true great in football analysis in that he knows the psychology of players. Remember that, unlike Barry, these players actually know how to play football.

Barry@46, you didn't answer my question, all league games are 3 points for a win all cup games get you to the next round, how are any more important than others? More important to you perhaps but not in reality but you struggle with reality?

Midfield should improve with Allan. Gbamin is a unknown quantity, though he did look a useful footballer and was brought in to replace Gueye. Sigurdsson nor Gomes never would have that accolade. Pickford is apparently injured for the Leeds match. I expect his recovery will be slow.

To get into the top six, Everton needed an improvement on their away form. Ancelotti will have to rethink how Everton play at home. I am sure he is working on it, especially against teams tactically set up like West Ham and Newcastle.

So achieving a top-six finish will be an achievement this season. Everton have too many players who are not up to top four standard. After Brands has finally reduced the wages bill and moved out the deadwood, I expect there will more competition for places and some players will be looking out as the good times they have had will come to an end.

It will be a very different Everton this coming September. King is the start of this process that will continue right through the Summer transfer window.

Well thought out article, Phil.

You still seem to be indulging in willful ignorance via your refusal to accept some games are bigger than others. Can you clarify your position?

Is it your contention that taking 3 points from Liverpool would be no different to taking 3 points from Burnley in the minds of Evertonians?

I'm also not stupid (I hope), I know that beating Liverpool will bring a lot more joy to Evertonians than beating Burnley, or anyone else for that matter, but it's still only three points at the end of the day.

I hate Liverpool but I'd settle for never beating them again if it meant we started winning things, because my answer would be “fuck Liverpool” but that's probably because I understand those bastards as much as I understand Everton.

Thank you for your considered response and I agree that being regular trophy winners would mollify the shameful record against Liverpool. But the point I make is we are bottlers and have very little chance of doing either.

Since winning the FA Cup in 1995, our annual involvement in the 3 domestic competitions has given us 75 failed campaigns.

Prior to this season, not a single trophy crossed the Goodison threshold (yes, I know Man Utd were presented with the title here). It is an era that created the term "Everton that" to describe dismal failure at almost every big game. Wigan or Shrewsbury in the cup, Liverpool in the league or Newcastle when a top 4 position beckons – it matters not a jot. The common feature is – when faced with a rigorous challenge, we fold.

Moyes's European effort "going down fighting" plus his 4th place can be mentioned in dispatches alongside Martinez's record-breaking season but they are exceptions proving a rule. A rule that has predictably seen another tepid exit from one cup and a return to mid-table obscurity.

Our legendary manager opined about the Newcastle game that it was down to a "lack of spirit" seemingly surprised at the matter – he might want to do a bit more research.

Martin Mason @74,

Never had that tantrum thrown at me but, then again, most people painting themselves into a corner like you have enough intelligence to admit they were wrong.

Do calm down; spitting your dummy like a spoilt child is unbecoming.

I can understand how you use it as a comparison guide to see if we are 'progressing' or not. But for me, it is fundamentally flawed.

Content of the respective conditions as to when the games of last season were played to this season is relevant too, IMO.

Most Evertonians were delighted with the fixture list when it came out last season. 'On paper' it offered us a chance to get off to a flyer. Instead, we got (in the exact order played) the following:

A Palace d 0-0
H Watford w 1-0
A Villa l 0-2
H Wolves w 3-2
A B'mouth l 1-3
H Sheff Utd l 0-2
H Man City l 1-3
A Burnley l 0-1
H WHU w 2-0
A Brighton l 2-3
H Spurs d 1-1
A S'ton w 2-1
H Norwich l 0-2
A Leicester l 1-2
A Liverpool l 2-5

The axe fell on Silva following the latest Anfield debacle with his PL record for the season reading:

P 15 W 4 D 2 L 9 F 16 A 27 Pts 14 GD -11

We were going one way with Silva. And it wasn't up.

This season we have got some outstanding results against better teams. Some dreadful ones against lesser teams. As such, it is hard to draw the direct conclusions you attempt in your season to season comparison. We should be better off but for some dreadful lapses.

For example, comparing Everton results against the Sky Six - City, United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and 't'other lot - based on results played between these clubs only, in that mini-league table it reads:

L'pool P 7 Pts 15
Spurs P 7 Pts 10
EVERTON P 5 Pts 10
City P 5 Pts 8
Arsenal P 7 Pts 7
United P 7 Pts 7
Chelsea P 6 Pts 2

Let's hope the team has learnt from the Newcastle game that they need to be 'on it' from the off against ALL opposition. If that happens, there is no reason not to believe we can have as good a second half to the season as the first.

Taking yours and mine it shows an interesting set of numbers. 4 points of our improvement are against the Sky 6. Are our problems are against the less favoured teams. Back to Kieran's reply about playing well against big teams and coasting with the rest.

Typical Everton! Aargh!

Delighted to see your tantrum has subsided but I'll let Tony @ 73 answer in case you have another paddy with me.

" I know that beating Liverpool will bring a lot more joy to Evertonians than beating Burnley, or anyone else for that matter"

Seems it is more important to beat Liverpool rather than the blades irrespective of the 3 points . who knew?

Not you apparently.

Evertonians were dancing in the streets, but I was privately cursing my team, and especially our manager Moyes, (shows how long ago it was) for not absolutely destroying a very poor Liverpool side that day, because we simply eased off.

So whilst beating Liverpool is nice, it’s not the be all and end all, unless we happen to show them no fucking respect whatsoever, and only then will it be worth more than 3 points to me.

I think Ancellotti used the word spirit Barry, because he was saying the reason we have been on a good run ourselves, is because of the spirit the players have been showing, so let’s just hope they show some tonight🤞

But we got the 3 points so why be pissed off about not killing them?

(rhetorical question)

Answer: Because it was Liverpool.

It means more to rub their noses in the dirt than, say, Burnley. The circumstances around that game are different making for a bigger, or more accurately, a more important game.

It is avoidance of reality to try and pretend all league games are the same because of the 3 points as the boy Mason seems to think.

And as for the cups interest grows the further a club goes because opportunity for silverware increases, ergo, the games become more important.

Unfortunately, our record since '95 can be characterised as bottlers in chief in these bigger, more important, games and until resolved the Purgatory will continue.

Another variable this season is home and away results. We've just completed 4 away wins on the spin for the first time in the Premier League, but have not won in the Premier League at Goodison Park since October, at least when no crowd was present.

Many teams have had shock defeats at home this season, not just us, and I think there are more away wins than home wins in total this season, so it's a trend, but we seem to be an exaggerated case relatively.

It's not a case of just being bottlers, I suspect, or we'd be bottling away games too.

In his Leeds presser, Carlo was asked why the discrepancy between Everton's home form against their away form.

He laughed and turned the question around to the reporter. 'What do you think?' And the reporter supplied his own answer. The absence of home fans.

In expanding, Carlo also noted, like you, how our last home league wins came with a boisterous 2000 Everton fans in the stadium.

Not only is this the first time in Everton's Premier League history that we have won 4 consecutive away games. It's also the first time in 35 years since we have done so under Howard Kendall during the 1985 Championship year.

Astonishing, really.

Ahhhhh but...

The absence of home fans is surely part of it, and erosion of home advantage is also part of it, as is less home pressure on referees.

But that's the same for all teams and doesn't fully explain the seeming exaggerated swing in our case.

We were one of a couple of teams only allowed to have 2,000 fans in so maybe an advantage then, and people who attended certainly felt so. The results seemed to bear it out.

Maybe we need to adopt the away tactics at home more, since it seems to work seeing as how the benefits of playing at home have been diminished?

It's not cowardly if it works in these exceptional circumstances.

Personally, I don't think there is a huge difference in how Carlo has set up the team at different times of the season, home or away, depending on available personnel.

Of the 4 home losses this season, only United took us to the cleaners IMO. Against Leeds, it was a basketball game in which post-match Holgate admitted the team didn't play to the manager's orders and got caught up in a slugfest with the opposition, losing out to a single goal as a result.

Home to WHU the circumstances should have been to our advantage as our previous game had been called off during the busy festive period whereas der 'ammers had played twice since we last played.

How we performed on the day you would think the exact opposite was the case. Extremely lethargic and sloppy across the park. WHU edged it in the dying minutes.

The Newcastle loss was just criminal. A case of players thinking they just needed to turn up to win. Not in this league. Ever. No matter what the form of the other team.

Carlo evidently got his message across based on last night's performance, because if we had played the 2nd half like we played v the barcodes, we'd have lost.

The six points lost v Newcastle is expensive. Four extra points - even just 2 from a couple of draws - could be telling in the final reckoning.

But if valuable lessons have been learnt from Saturday's loss, then there might be longer term benefits for our overall progression.

I hope Phil continues updating his data! It could get interesting.

We’re currently third in the ‘Away League Table’ and 12th in the ‘Home Table’, by some way the biggest disparity. Only Villa come close to that difference. It’s not a marginal difference. So why?And why is it more common against teams below us in the table?

I think Carlo changes his tactics every match, and several times in a match too, depending on who the opposition is, which is absolutely the way it should be. But I’m not sure why for example he changed personnel and formation from Leicester, a good team whom we very nearly beat, to Newcastle a poor team in poor form, unless he thought they would be easier to beat, with a more attacking set up. Wilson attacked us from out wide, which was a deliberate tactic according to Bruce, and he could have had 4 on another day. We were second best by an embarrassing margin that day.

Of course he may well have felt the need to rest and rotate players, but it has happened too often for me.

If home advantage has been so diluted, as it seems to have been across the League, why not accept that and use the successful tactics that work away from home, maybe up to a point? Maybe a different mindset, for the players and for Carlo perhaps?

Maybe not a great spectacle, but if it gives better home results than currently I’d be ok with that, although many may not, I accept.

On reflection, if we had beaten West Ham and Newcastle, we wouldn’t be having this discussion, I suspect. I think there was a fair unanimity in the expectation we would win both, pre match.

The fact that we did not win either, can be explained away, by this stuff is happening all over the PL in this singular season, which it is, every week. But this does not explain the abject performance in both games. This is what I find perplexing. How we can be committed, disciplined, controlled and successful away from home and capable of such poor performances at home?

Is it overstretched players, struggling with the schedule, or coming back after injuries? Why just at home?

Bottling it doesn’t adequately explain it, because we don’t seem to bottle it away, at least so far. Also, we don’t operate in a vacuum so You also have to give credit to WHU for a disciplined, Moyes performance, and Newcastle for a successful tactical approach which made them the better team on the day, with an attacker giving an excellent performance. But still

Maybe our success away is our equivalent of WHU and Newcastle beating us, and it is just how it is this season, and we need to adjust our expectations. Or we need to adjust our tactics, mindset etc to ignore ‘home’ and ‘away’ and just think ‘match’.

It’s a conundrum, and I’m probably overthinking it all. Too much time on my hands!

Now we have to rearrange 2 postponed home matches, which will need to be shoe horned into an already relentless schedule.City rearrangement means 4 matches in 10 days, or something like that.

It’s a unique challenge all teams are facing this season. Management and players alike.

I’m not so sure comparisons with any other season are very helpful., and in most cases the form book is out of the window, and results are hard to call. Fascinating really, if we were academics, and not Everton supporters.