When you're down at the bottom, you just don't get the breaks

I expect some improvement on last week.

Tough one but probably the best line-up we got.
COYB!!

I reckon Norwich and Watford will go down, I have not been looking at the other teams below us, Leeds or Brentford are the ones to keep an eye on.

Need to try and grind a result out today, even a point, easier said than done, but possible.

I always prefer points on the table rather than games in hand, but the likes of Brentford and Leeds are currently in freefall and remain in striking distance of one single win.

If that could come today, that would be a huge fillup.

Eager to see how a trio of Allan, Doucouré and Van de Beek work together.

What a mad world.

Let's forget that and have a good game to enjoy.

No mean feat to get this team to seemingly buy into that plan.

With City's quality you'd still make them favourites, but the fact that we have a plan gives us a chance.

Keep thinking the approach feels a bit Mourinho-ish? Early on at Chelsea he used to love finding a way in the big games.

More of the same please.

No KITAP1. No fear. No inferiority complex. We have been the better team.

City turning back time and again. Only 1-2 they have found dangerous positions between the lines. Foden's brilliant take down to get beyond Kenny the only time they've really got in behind us. Corners well defended.

Holgate looking solid with good distribution. Allan having a stormer. Doucoure looks good in this set up. Richy mostly holding up the ball well. Give Gordon the room and the right ball and he will burn off his full-back.

Given the opposition and who they have on the pitch, never mind who they can call on from the bench, we've kept them very quiet.

Can we go again for another 45 minutes?

Delighted with the performance. Hopeful of the result.

And would somebody ask this inconsistent Ref why he has given a yellow card albeit he seems better than those we usually get.

Needs replaced.

Frank did what he could ditching Gbamin and dropping Gomes but still too many weaklings in this squad.

They could only have decided it was on the sleeve line. It's a shocking decision. That's a handball under every possible variation of the rule that there has ever been. Ever.

On to Spurs away. You never know!

City clearly the better team in the 2nd half. Won it with a fortunate goal, not from craft.

Disappointing result, but an encouraging performance going forward.

Play to the level of the 3 home games under Lampard and we will be fine.

And he should have given it. About 38 thousand people saw it. How didn't he?

To paraphrase what they say, "Where there's brass, there's muck; and the more brass, the more muck!" Says it all about the Premier League and VAR.

An offside given before the penalty. Man City could not believe their luck. Took the goalkeeper forever to find the spot for the freekick. Ref wasn't giving the offside, VAR decided he had to. Something wrong there.

If an Everton player did the same thing, it would be a penalty, it's just another way the league makes sure the strongest teams stay up the top.

Everton must now complain long and loud to all and sundry about this rather than their usual fear of doing or saying anything to rock a corrupt and inefficient system. It has to stop NOW!

Today was cruel. We played well.

Info picked from another site. Still a blatant penality though.

The offside was in the ensuing play, which is why the game was stopped and Ederson was sent over to our left wing to take the free kick after the review.

We watched VAR. They didn't check offside, they checked where it hit the arm.

Don't let them off the hook. It would be rewriting what they just did to us.

Premier league has tried to clarify the position being about the handball with no reference to offside.

Premier League clarify that the VAR team didn't think there was conclusive evidence that the ball hit Rodri more in the red area of the arm than the green. Nothing to do with offside pic.twitter.com/h6QhS6SEaW

— Simon Bajkowski (@spbajko) February 26, 2022

I know you are right. Wrong info from another site.

I'm not picking a fight and thought we got fucked, but that's not what they are reporting over here.

They went back to Richarlison's run just prior to the handball, and judged him offside. Ergo, the play, is null after that as it was seconds later and well within the build-up period.

That's the report. I don't like it, but that's what they're saying and it does make some degree of sense.

From my view, Richarlison – if he was offside??? – was barely offside and it didn't warrant the play coming back. In fact, the left-back for City I thought played him onside.

We lay down too often and I think we should bitch to the high heavens and make our case continually.

It seems that they didn't judge whether it was handball or not. They judged whether the ref had made a clear and obvious error.

If he gives the penalty, they would have confirmed it. Because he didn't, they stuck with him.

And yet you have a ref who must have seen it as everyone else did. And presumably let it go to VAR – he indicated as much on the pitch as we surrounded him before the game had even stopped.

Again, I suspect we're going to be narrowly on the wrong side of a dividing line in history. They'll review what happened there and conclude that it should have been a penalty and make adjustments.

We watch what VAR watch. They didn't review the run from Richarlison.

City I think put the pressure on us after the hour or so... but no disgrace: we fought well, played well. If we play like that against the teams round about us, then we should be able to get the points we need to get out of trouble.

I thought Allan and Van de Beek and Doucouré were excellent and Pickford was superb. All the team played with spirit and for long periods, stopped City in their tracks.

What really pisses me off totally is the arrogant bastards we have for referees. This feller took the biscuit for sheer pomposity, poor decisions and plain corruption, or incompetence... maybe both!

It is that man's profession, his specialist job to get those decisions right. This one was an easy decision, no debate in the studio or from anyone that it was clearly handball.

Investigation needed.

On the penalty, if his arm isn't out, he cannot control the ball like he does so should be given. If an attacker did that just before putting the ball in the net, you'd expect it to be chalked off.

The manager now has to channel that feeling of injustice and add the real positives demonstrated in the overall performance. If he can, and injuries don't derail us, then consistent application should get us enough points to survive.

The ref was more confused than Keane. He wasn't going to give the penalty, then under protest went to VAR, who came up with an offside. Then the Ref gave the offside freekick from the wrong place. It was a definite penalty and VAR and the Ref went to lengths to not give it.

Completely fed up. I need a drink.

Ernie – I'm telling you what NBC said the reasoning was for the VAR decision, and they said that explanation came from the Premier League. To be clear, I think we got fucked.

I don't think it works that way if you are offside when the ball is played. Personally, from what they showed on Sky after looking at the penalty shout, I thought he was onside.

Whether Richarlison was offside in the build-up to the handball was not investigated as we on TV see what angles they used to make a decision. At no point do they use an offside to make the decision.

Of course, the ball can be seen to hit noticeably lower than where they say the line is, but that's corruption for you.

We were robbed.

Second half, you could see them tiring and we were dropping deeper and deeper and starting to get happy to just clear the ball at every chance. As opposed to the first half when we were brave in getting on the ball when we could.

I was calling for subs – I think the delay in changes was the one bit Frank got wrong but I could also understand his nervousness in changing players who were being very accountable defensively, for players who might not have the same level of accountability.

Goal is a monumental fook up. Yes, he's wrong-footed by the deflection but surely you adapt better than that terrible effort?

Disappointing end but positives at least.

And then there was VAR which has contrived to make a decision no-one agrees with. There aren't many opportunities in a game to get it so wrong that everyone knows it. That's an impressive level of cock up.

Today's match is a training video for how a referee can influence the outcome of a well-contested game by shading decisions on fouls, contact and whether to show a yellow card or not.

Disgusted by the shameless manipulation of the Premier League, heartened by a decent show from the players and positive coaching.

I felt sorry for Keane because up to then he'd been strong in defence. I thought Richarlison was excellent, he held the ball up and covered acres.

After such a performance, albeit a defeat, you have to shake your head and wonder how we could have been so bad earlier in the season with practically the same set of players. It goes to show you the influence of good coachers, not necessarily from a tactical point of view, but more the ability to motivate and inspire.

Link

Not looking for what happened - looking to find what you want to have happened.

Two shots on target says it all. Should have started with Gray and Dele Alli. We need to start with 11 and leave Iwobi out. Lampard will take us down if he doesn't put attacking players first.

Leeds may save us as they look spent.

The point of VAR is to help the on-pitch referee. He should be telling them he couldn't see enough to make any decision, not guessing and challenging them to find a clear and obvious reason to overturn his decision. This is the reason why the conversation between the officials should be broadcast, as it is in other sports.

Pat #21

Dele Alli and Gray should have been on earlier in the second half. Surrendering the midfield like that to Man City was asking for trouble. Tottenham didn't and made them pay for their high defensive line.

Everton had the players but Frank delayed putting them on. Everyone knew what was going to happen at the beginning of the second half.

3 in midfield gives us a far better balance. Allan is twice the player in a midfield 3, Van de Beek has got an engine to rival Doucouré.

How have we dismissed Kenny for so long? Even Keane and Holgate did well for all the game except the goal. Unfortunately, Keane must be in double figures this season for mistakes leading to goals. Some of the comments of Holgate getting 0/10 are based on bias and not the actual game.

We invited pressure in the second half and the wingers didn't offer as much of an outlet as the first half. Overall though, apart from Pickford's double save, there wasn't that much from City.

Despite the loss, I'm confident we won't go down.

We gave our all today; we can't ask anymore than that.

Supporters at the game and more especially those watching from the comfort of their armchair now follow the usual hyper critical so-called “analysis” of the professional TV pundits who are plundering a luxurious living from the TV companies.

We hone in on certain players, replay every moment that suits our cause, highlighting what he should or should be not done etc – in this case, Michael Keane, conveniently abandoning all rational appreciation of the fact that the game is played by human beings. They are not robots.

As such, in a highly physical ball game played at some speed, they are susceptible to the vagaries of a ball striking a body part, ricocheting somewhere you would not want it to go, and, lo and behold, falling to an opponent who taps it in.

Michael Keane was instrumental in keeping immensely talented footballers at arm's length for almost the entire game, but to criticise him and highlight his being off-balance for a split second as “his mistake” causing the goal is beyond credibility.

Of course we are all entitled to express opinions about what we see at a football match but at least let it be a rational criticism and not let disappointment etc cloud that judgment to such an extent that players can at times be victimised or in some cases vilified.

We were the better team in the first half. They turned up the pressure in the second and you're only as strong as your weakest link.

Still, we showed a lot of fight. We just need that same commitment away. Encouraged by that performance, although we really need to start creating more. Hopefully having Gray back will help.

Leeds and Brentford are rapidly being sucked into the bottom 3. No need to panic yet…

Good spirit shown but that doesn't stop you getting relegated. We need points and not sob stories. One surprising thing from the match was the response for the possible penalty with about three Everton players surrounding the referee, we need much more of that.

Unlucky blues but every game now has to be that intensity, even then I don't think it will be enough.

Today, his and our team did us all proud and we clearly should have had a penalty. But there is much to admire, and surely things can only get better.

Not happy but much much better than I expected. Will buy my season ticket for next season next week and I look forward to more committed displays like today.

VAR reviewed a handball decision and incredibly didn't give it. We all know that if we were a goal up and City had the same claim, it would have been awarded.

Can we please stop debating the offside though because it wasn't a factor.

No complaints about any player today. We can definitely debate when Gray and Dele should have been introduced as we were getting penned in, but I don't think it was the most impactful event that lead to the outcome of the game.

If it was me, then I may have introduced Gray for Iwobi earlier and moved Gordon to the right. But that's just my opinion for the spirit of debate and I doubt I could have managed a better game than Frank today! :)

We had one player off balance trying to clear a ball awkwardly that went to a City player to score, and then we have someone who was not even at the ground make a dubious decision that denied Everton an opportunity for a point.

Hats off to Lampard and his coaches for the preparation of this game against one of Europe's top teams, that usually and all the hangers on, want them to do, and that is score for fun.
Congratulations to all the players for their desire and effort to show that they are a team who will work for each other. Let's take this to another level when we play away from home.

Even though some results never went our way, this display if kept up, should ease our relegation worries.

I feel very proud to have Frank associated with our club. His words were pure class considering he must have been raging.

Good on you, Frank.

The two players I thought were in the running for MotM were involved with the tight margins that change results: Richarlison worked his plums off tirelessly throughout the game but missed a good chance in the first half.

Then Michael Keane, not my favourite player, was having a very good game, even adding some aggression to his game before the ball seemed to spin away from him and he was unbalanced and City scored the goal we denied them for most of the second half.

Tiredness made us retreat backwards giving ground to City who got two lucky breaks with the goal and the very obvious penalty not being awarded, not our day.

Other teams are getting the points to escape the drop, some are still losing to give us hope but, unless we start getting some points, and decisions, it is getting more worrying with every week, especially if luck continues to look the other way where we are concerned.

With 4 gifted players competing for 3 starting places in both attack and midfield, there should be healthy competition with the ability to make adjustments during the game.

Play to the strengths of that midfield and attack and we will not end up being sucked down. Pull together and the team has the ability to do more than enough to stay up.

The City goalkeeper gets booked for kicking the ball away time-wasting, then he immediately does exactly the same thing following the card and nothing happens. This excuse of a referee needs investigating.

I didn't think we would get anything today, but how the fuck that stonewall handball wasn't given is just sickening, so disappointing.

Here's what I think: Spurs will beat us and the next three after that will determine if are good enough to stay up. Wolves and Newcastle at our place are absolute must-win games, Watford away, we must not get beaten. If that doesn't happen I fear the worst.

Just hearing the Leeds genius has left his post!

Richarlison, brilliant centre-forward play, he will always have more than 7 touches in a game, love him.

Townsend should have started or come on for Iwobi, who tries without success. He'll never be a winger while he has got a hole in his arse.

I can't remember anyone else being booked for just a few words to a linesman, as most players argue with the referee and linesmen every game without being booked, unless it is consistent.

Was it worse than what I thought?

From the Keane "penalty" at Brighton, Gylfi sat down "offside" against Man Utd, the 2 penalties not given vs Spurs (this season, and Dele's handball a couple of seasons ago) and City's today, the list goes on and on.

All of the above Checked by VAR and all going against us, despite evidence and discussion to the contrary. We need to start rocking the boat, otherwise it'll be relegation if we're not careful.

Sick of the nicey nicey People's Club bollocks. Time to go all "Alex Ferguson" on the refs and FA until we start to get things going our way!

That a penalty wasn't awarded is an absolute travesty of justice. Fucking stinks!

We deserved something out of that game.

Speaks volumes that within weeks a young determined manager with his own choice of coaches can visibly transpose such qualities and fitness into a squad. Let's hope it continues.

There's been referee bias to Sky-babe teams ever since they bought in, but today's VAR decision was seriously worse than erroneous.

And I thought our Michael had a good game notwithstanding his momentary imbalance that presented the very nimble and skilful Foden with his chance. It's what I call bad luck, not bad play.

Midfield looked far better with Donny and Doucoure doing well and Allan had a tremendous game. Iwobi also played very well and what a great double save from Pickford!

I know Keane and Holgate are error-prone but I'd put their goal to bad luck with the deflection wrong-footing Keane – no-one's fault.

It was a shame Dele couldn't get into the game as we need to see if he still has something to offer or not.

Huge shame we didn't get a point but, if Frank can get us to play like this both home and away, we should stay up – is that a big “if”?

What does "stand up to these decisions" actually mean?

Once the onfield ref and the VAR team have made their decision, that is unfortunately it. We can't change it even when, as today it was manifestly wrong.

Today, we nearly got a draw, perhaps that would have been unfair on City who bossed the game, but Keane's stuck in treacle moment and the VAR fiasco made me feel we were unlucky.

We showed spirit and fight, we need to show this spirit and fight away from Goodison against lesser opposition and grind out some draws on opposition territory.

The result wasn't fair to our effort, but was probably a fair reflection of the game's balance.

I thought we tired because we had tried to compete with City. I also think we have now got a manager, who his going to try his very best to change the players' mindsets.

Lampard definitely fills me with a lot of confidence, and I think our players will definitely benefit from him, given time. This is how I felt about Michael Keane today, despite his mistake, and just hope the players take a lot of confidence out of today's game.

Michael Keane was very unlucky, wrong-footed by the bounce. Still some here can't wait to have a go. He did well overall.

Some VAR officials are either incompetent or corrupt. Either way, it needs to be sorted out. We need to highlight this, not too obviously though.

Be nice to hear Lampard or any manager or pundit say occasionally "No I don't think the VAR official cheated or is useless, I think they just made a mistake."

He's not saying it but he is saying it.

Nowt will get said, it will get buried underneath "Abramovich this, Abramovich that." Cheating fucking VAR disgraceful decision. I'm seething.

Anyone who doesn't think there is corruption amongst these so called professional referees must at least be disturbed by their standard of officiating?

This is how I understood Lampard's take on today, and he didn't hold back on naming who he thought was responsible for making such a horrible decision either.

We need a bit of luck. A suprise result in the last two would have been a big step toward safety. There's still hope, but with each week it's fading.

At least today we showed fight and a desire to play. Corrupt refs aside, that was a point today against one of top 3 teams in the world.

Otherwise, it's a loss, obviously, but not not like Leeds shipping tonnes of goals or Brentford who have hopefully run out of steam. Nature of defeat means the players won't be on a down going into the next match.

It was inevitable that we would tire, City pass their opponents to exhaustion. Tired bodies make crucial mistakes, unfortunately for Michael Keane who played well.

I don't like to harp on about referees, but the performance by Tierney had me suspicious long before the non-penalty. City got every 50:50 decision, and the decisions to award yellow cards were totally inconsistent. His display spoke more of corruption than incompetence.

Obviously it'll not overturn the event but it might prevent another one happening so easily. You never know, we might actually get a penalty...

We did it years ago under Moyes over the supposed diving of Andy Johnson and it actually did appear to make a change. It costs us nothing so it's worth doing it, what's the worst that can happen? Get our media team to put a video of all controversial decisions since VAR was introduced.

I just hope this mistake doesn't knock Michael Keane's confidence, because although Man City played without a centre-forward, I thought his starting position was as good as I've ever seen it, and this will always be the most important position on the football pitch imo!

Just seen it on Match of the Day. The pundits can't believe a penalty wasn't given, and neither can I. It stinks.

We matched them virtually the whole game. I thought the Ref, who seemed to be okay to start off, letting the game flow, got worse and worse and some of the decisions all in City's favour, were at best poor!

The penalty claim, which was witnessed by thousands and even VAR felt something was amiss. The ref never even went to the screen, but gave an offside... What?

We are in a fight, but let's do exactly that. They play like they did today and we'll win more than we lose.

Good atmosphere today and the midfield l thought excellent along with Pickford, Richarlison and Gordon. We all know our weaknesses. Looking forward now to seeing Patterson and Mykolenko on Thursday.

Everton Football Club were the biggest voice when it come to corruption that was the breakaway European Super League, and by god they're paying the price. The people in charge of this game have to be suspended.

The earlier results were bad enough. Then the VAR decision after a much better display from us than expected.

What are these officials looking at? Any of the top 3-4 would have been given a penalty.

It's just happened in the boxing as well with Catterall seemingly getting robbed of the decision v Taylor.

I am beginning to hate weekends.

This result in my view is a positive in view of the way Everton battled and didn't lie down and die for City.

City and Pep, know they were lucky.

If the first half chances were taken, I reckon today, bearing Everton kept the same approach for 96 minutes, Everton would have won.

The lasting for me is the City goal. I've spent many hours as many do on TW, but the goal today, told a story.

Same old, and so next season, Everton must start with at least one new good centre-back, from within the club, or bought, to support Mina or Branthwaite.

10 tonne weights and 60-second response players can't be carried for eternity for any team in football, at any level.

Over to Kavanagh, another shitty arse who is swayed by the “stars” on the pitch. He is an A1 coward for not giving that penalty, he's got Pep on his mind. He's thinking,

"I live in Manchester, what should I do?"

The sweat is flowing off his forehead, "Err... I'll go with Paul on the pitch, his call, not mine."

Kavanagh and Tierney should be banished to a Sunday league for the rest of their careers after those performances tonight.

In all fairness, Keane was okay today, as were most of them, even Iwobi.

Holgate always gets me biting the guy in front's seat back, he is so casual, he is a bit of a liability. I wouldn't mind if he had anything to back it up, but not for me I'm afraid.

If we continue to play like that we'll be okay imo.

In fact, City took the piss out of him all afternoon, just as soon as they realised he would book Everton players simply for tackling hard. In added time, they were just laughing at him as they rolled around wasting time.

One of them wasn't even on the pitch while he got treatment and Tierney stopped the game. He even booked Alli while Ederson faked injury in the last minute.

And don't be fooled by Guardiola, the master of cheating, although his one-time apprentice, Arteta, is rapidly catching up.

He'd be banned from going anywhere near them for months and then would be terrified of giving anything against them for the foreseeable. Why are we so fucking compliant and nice? We continually get shafted with barely a whimper.

Then when the decision comes through it says "no penalty", no mention of "no penalty, offside".

Only one who mentioned offside was Pep after the game.

Well and truly shafted yet again.

Have a feeling Boreham Wood will be on the receiving end of this.

'Just made a mad dash from Goodison. All I can say is that I was lost for words... which is not a good place for a commentator to be. So sorry for Everton, who were terrific. Best Goodison atmosphere for ages... and they deserved bettter.'

Well, indeed. People at his level recognising that there's something not right here. It's an outrage.

Everton should pursue this matter and make some noises about it because that was corruption at its worst. Too many L's appearing on our form table and we need a positive putting in there. Spurs are a good team and Kane is fantastic but we just need to get something from that game.

Can't fault them yesterday though, as they played their hearts out.

The NBC game commentators, who had been outraged at the no-call and were mystified by the delay, got the word right after the final whistle, as both benches did. The commentators were sheepish and apologetic. And the reporter interviewing Pep after the game still hadn't been told it was offside. He found out from Pep and was shocked.

The communication after the play was as poor as the ref's work on the day, but the fact is that Richarlison was a half-step offside and VAR got it right.

I wasn't at the game today but watched it in a post-rugby shit pub with no sound on the commentary etc. What I don't understand about this 'offside' scenario is that there were no TV replays of the alleged lead-up to the incident. Zero.

I find this rather odd. In fact, I'd go further and say I've never seen anything like this where – if, as you say, the player was offside – it wasn't then shown on a TV replay so that everyone was clear about the rationale of the decision.

Here in the UK on our er... longstanding flagship programme, Match of the Day, there was absolutely no mention of anything about offside. If it was – as you suggest – such a clear and obvious thing, I'm a bit surprised Lampard would come out punching in the way he did.

Be that as it may be, the Premier League official statement said it wasn't given as missing the handball wasn't a “clear and obvious” error.

Nothing about the offside – that was their official explanation. So why does that contradict what the ref was allegedly told?

ps: According to BBC MotD the penalty claim was overturned due to insufficient proof. No mention of offside.

No offside shown or given in the play up to or right after the handball. VAR statement with explanation after the game that the penalty was not given due to the incident being judged as not being handball, including why it was considered so. No mention of offside.

I wonder how the VAR official could relay the offside point to the ref, then straight after the game, "forget" the offside element and state that the decision was due to consideration of the technicalities of the handball???

As to the benches being told – Lampard was interviewed after the game and made no mention of offside.

I can't find any VAR shots/stills of an offside. I'd like to see some, with the lines officially imposed by the VAR team, if you have a link? All replays I've watched do not show Richarlison being "clearly" offside.

1) The Richarlison offside was not looked at by VAR (and from what I've seen, he wasn't anyway).

2) The decision was shown as "Decision No Penalty. No handball by Rodrigo". If the decision was offside, it would have said that.

3) Play was halted when an Everton player was offside in the ensuing action after the handball. Play was restarted in that position and the ref was gesturing Ederson over to that side of the pitch.

4) The referee confirmed that it was purely a decision on the handball.

5) The Premier League have since confirmed that the decision was based on the handball call and not an offside.

Why does it bother me that people are peddling this? Because it rewrites history. There was something between incompetence, corruption and a complete process failure tonight and we copped it. Don't let them off the hook.

As Ernie says, potential offside for Richarlison was not even considered by VAR. I also don't think that Richarlison was offside.

Look, if Everton turn up with that attitude and effort all season, we will have no problem. Problem is, we don't know which team will turn up away from home.

NBC had a shot that did look like Richarlison was offside but where they erred is they assumed this was the reason for no penalty and presented it as fact when the Premier League have since confirmed it was based purely on match-fixing and not offside-related.

That is eight goals that we have conceded this season that were directly a result of his errors. The sooner we get Ben Godfrey back the better.

The VAR decision appears to me to be corrupt.

Have to agree. Holgate mindlessly let it deflect off him, Keane reacted like a geriatric. Doesn't matter what they did right, the Chuckle Brothers cost us the game

Not the best centre-back pairing by any stretch of the imagination, but I am struggling to think who else we could have had with the injury situation as it is.

Mina brings that touch of class and assuredness, but he is more injured than available, Godfrey should be back soon, Branthwaite can stake a decent claim but needs experience, but will Frankie Goes to Hollywood drop both Stan and Ollie Chuckles?

Honestly mate, I'd put Tosun and Rondon back there. At least when they screw up we can say “they're not centre-backs” whereas, with the Chuckle Brothers, we say “they're centre-backs but we have to accept they'll give away one or more goals per game”.

And I thought the rule had been changed or reinterpreted so that you are only offside if you actually touch the ball or interfere with play – and haven't we all been there to be over-ruled on the argument that being offside is interfering?

If nothing else, all the Officials concerned should now be demoted to either the lowest levels of League football, non-League, or just dismissed for, at best, incompetence. But whatever, there needs to be a wholesale inquiry into the appalling standard of refereeing in England.

Perhaps a start maybe four linesmen or assistant persons who are consulted before VAR and, if true, are from somewhere not geographically close to either team's base.

Does it even itself out over a season? Behave yourself.

I, myself am originally from Dundee, although I have lived down here for donkey's ages, but have supported Everton since the days of my boyhood hero, Alex Young. Having said that, I am not a referee or ever have been, but something needs to be done across the board about the poor (corrupt) standard of refereeing.

Furthermore, it seems to be worse in the Premier League, where they have the 'dubious benefit of VAR' too. Where surely decisions are more important with so much at stake for the lower clubs who could get relegated via improper decisions, wrongly sending them through the trapdoor.

Let's hope we are not one of them!

I thought all officials were asked if they had a preference, association, or supported any team – which then basically ruled them out of those teams' games. Hence questioning why Mike Deane gets games for a team where his sons(?) are season ticket holders.

Geography would just be a double indemnity given honesty seems an almost rare commodity in these affluent days.

I had Leeds down as a must-win. Looking at the remaining fixtures, we might expect to beat Watford, Palace and Brentford (we could potentially add Newcastle to that list but they are flying at the moment).

I've been wearing the sandwich board since those missed opportunities at home to Brighton and away at Norwich. There just aren't enough opportunities left for my liking.

My point was that there's far too much pressure on the aforementioned matches. We really need to pick up a few unexpected points, and it's worrying that that's not happening.

We're all squabbling about VAR when the comet is hurtling toward us.

You're not suggesting that we overlook what may be a case of incompetence or corruption and taking appropriate steps on the basis of league position, are you? Improvement on the pitch and scoreboard must get priority but not necessarily to the exclusion of other factors which might affect both of those.

I suppose what I'm saying is we're running out of time for our own bit of luck which turns things around. We need one of those decisions to go our way (it's happened, look at the Goodison derby last season).

It's not happening now though. That's what's disappointing.

The penalty not being given was typical of the refs favouring the bigger club. Whether they are totally corrupt, or afraid of the big name coaches, or under pressure from the Premier League to keep the status quo. Whichever it is, it is wrong. The VAR system encourages such thoughts.

In the rugby, the ref goes "upstairs" and we all watch on the big screen and hear the conversation. If this was the case in football, we would all know exactly who is deciding what. Clarity and accountability is what we need.

I was disgusted with City's players time-wasting – so much for all of the fawning over this wonderful team.

The extra man in midfield made a difference and I hope Frank continues with it against Spurs.

As for Keane, he had played okay until his clumsiness. However, his same clumsiness cost us an own-goal a few weeks ago – the lad is poorly coordinated for an elite athlete.

Still, I feel more confident after watching us and believe that we will dig our way out of this hole.

I don't know who Holgate thinks he is but he has an arrogance in defence that verges on suicidal defending, you can get away with that very rarely in the Premier League, and certainly not against the better sides.

Holgate – Room 101 awaits!

That's the problem. The ref doesn't have to make a decision like they used to. He can just let VAR come in. And VAR won't overrule (in theory) unless there's something clear and obvious.

Did Tierney claim to VAR that he thought it could have been sleeve? And VAR agreed that wasn't worth overruling as being a clear and obvious error?

So they've all got an 'out' that gets them off from making a decision.

In the meantime, we get a game that is less fair, less accurate, and more disrupted.

In theory, it could work, but it introduces too many problems. We'd be better off without it. I suspect Tierney gives that penalty without VAR.

Don't look at the table now, let's see where it is end of March.

I thought Allan was great, especially first half. Gordon continues to develop. Jonjoe Kenny had another good performance and I particularly liked Van de Beek's contribution. Despite the result, much to be positive; carry that into the Tottenham game.

Frustrating that it was a defensive cock-up straight from the school of 10-year-old defending. Planted like a tree, so no mobility or ability to adjust and just put a foot on it. I've been told off in the past for picking on the player, but he is costing us goals.

Anyway, I'll take the positives. Play with that ability and belief and we will be okay.

Once again, it's not VAR that is the problem. It is starstruck and incompetent officials who favour the Top 4. That is what needs to be addressed.

Frustrated but positive. No need to panic just yet, they have shown what they can do. Just do it consistently and we will pick up points.

The ref is to blame, not VAR. He's a coward and should be sacked.

In my view Holgate and Keane were both unfortunate and in part contributed to the goal, but we know that they are not a top class pairing. But in this game they had previously performed well and were unlucky to concede in this manner.

The Manager was right: mistakes happen and we should move on. However, I also feel that maybe Pickford could have dived and smothered the ball at Foden's feet. At the very least, we would have been given a free-kick. Just a thought.

How they didn't give that goes back to the incompetence of the people monitoring.

Scratched record. Make them accountable and have them explain their thought process live so all can hear. Have them explain themselves like in Rugby. That will focus the mind.

And just in general, improve the standard, which should include less recruiting of "groupies" akin to those who used to faint at the Beatles and scream at Take That.

If they're going to have VAR, don't be effing about whether the attacker was half a bloody inch offside, look if it was a goal or not and look if it's a penalty or not. And show it on the big screen in slow motion, like they do in Rugby League. There's no place to hide then, for either the Referee or the VAR man.

If they can do it on the telly, let's all see it at the match. That Referee was incompetent, or corrupt, or both.

VAR gives the referee and the man in the VAR room, a place to hide, or be corrupt, which is what I think happened yesterday... corruption.

As for the team, There are a couple of players in defence, who are letting us down with silly mistakes or clumsiness... or both. I'm sure Franky boy has them taped but he won't say owt, and that's fair enough. He'll want them replaced in the summer... assuming that current events don't leave us skint!

Play like this away from home, or against teams at home that we should beat, then that'll do. This season's remaining games, if we play like we did last night, should see us safe... hopefully!

Everton will get nothing because of their stance on the Super League last year. Newcastle will and have had numerous corrupt decisions go in their favour already, the brown envelopes are in full effect. Well said Frank and well done Ashley.

Hope City win nothing. Pep needs to go to Specsavers.

Leeds and Brentford will finish below us and also Burnley, Watford and Norwich are gone already.

However, football is secondary to Putin's atrocities in Ukraine – got a feeling that bastard is going to end up in a bad way.

So, just watched Liverpool get a dodgy handball penalty, hard cross, moving his hand away from the ball, Liverpool, penalty.

Dodgy dive outside the box, into the box, Liverpool? Penalty. Offside goal. Goal after fouling the keeper.

Two decent goals. But when you're committed to attack early on, you leave lots of space.

This space is for Everton not RS, so, penalties? Denied two nailed-on penalties in two consecutive games in critical timings.

Just saying.

Petition needed If someone can do it, to remove Chris Kavanagh from his job and investigate into his decision-making. Disgrace to football. Changes needed, Premier League need to get head of Referees to talk to fans and explain decisions, it cannot carry on that they are just protected.

Ashley Cole had every right to ask the referee and was told to go away then booked.

Best league in the world but unfortunately worst officials in the world.

Corruption – plain and simple.

Didn't mention the game or result, but it is after all just soccer.

In-depth analysis of Abramovich though... What's Chelsea worth? Pluck it out.

10 x Ogliarchs = Putin's singular $200 Billion wealth (reputedly). Money talks.

We were absolutely robbed, why wasn't Tierney told to go look at the monitor? He didn't because it was a total cop-out. Guardiola talking crap about it being offside, which VAR admitting it wasn't.

We didn't deserve to lose, the midfield were outstanding as was Richarlison. I couldn't fault any of the players, they gave everything. The goal was so unfortunate, a flick off Holgate's boot, which left Keane flat-footed. How some comments can criticise and blame both players is totally wrong; both players played well, and don't deserve the criticism.

If we play like this for the rest of the season, we should definitely be safe, especially if Calvert-Lewin is back and Richarlison returns to his best position on the left.

Lampard will probably get fined and suspended for telling the truth, and the FA will back the two corrupt officials. Why oh why don't they follow how professional the Rugby Union are, where the ref and the fourth official discuss and show any controversial incident, and everyone in the stadium can see and hear everything, and the decisions are always 100% correct.

Guardiola alluded to this, then Lampard said in his interview, that he asked the ref was Richarlison offside, and the ref said No.

VAR didn't get it right, Mike G, but it never will under its present guise, imo. Definitely not whilst we have got so many mediocre officials who are that poor and inconsistent that the feeling of an ulterior motive often comes into my mind when watching football.

The ref who never gave the penalty from the comfort of his studio will give a penalty for a very similar incident whilst officiating out on the pitch before the season ends in 11 weeks. This is something I'm certain of, and when he does, watch the Liverpudlian media pounce.

It wasn't offside but a free-kick was given? Why? Surely with the game having been stopped, it's a drop ball. It was a penalty for all to see but wasn't given. Just total incompetence all around.

The boys showed spirit yesterday and deserved something out of that. New White Hart Lane next Monday and I'll be in the crowd. Carry that spirit forward, Blues, and you'll get something. Then we build momentum in March.

It's sad to say, but such is the way of how the officials work, they owe us one, so we'll probably get a soft decision through instruction. It's not how it should be, but often how it works.

Just be consistent and make the right calls, especially now they have the technology. Don't fear it; embrace it.

Regardless, as Danny @155 says, we have to start picking up some unexpected points sooner rather than later. I saw enough in this game to convince me that is not the forlorn hope that it appeared to be not so long ago.

Our team was full of fight today against one of the world's best club teams. Allan for my money was the best player on the pitch –- he played like a man possessed, ably assisted by Van de Beek and Doucouré. That midfield, if we can keep it fit, will lead us out of trouble. I also thought Dele Alli played well when he came on.

Also a special mention for Richarlison – he played his heart out.

It was also heartening to see Ashley Cole having a go at the officials at the end of the game.

I think what happened on the managerial scene in the past 12 months knocked the stuffing out of our players but I think this team has rediscovered the will to fight.

Other crowds get more credit, (they have always been so desperate for credit!) but once Evertonians get behind their team, everything changes.

Now we have just got to beat Boreham Wood, and hopefully get a decent quarter-final draw, whilst our confidence hopefully begins to grow.

I just watched the game, having been working yesterday. I thought the midfield looked good, with Doucoure back Allen seemed much more comfortable. Kenny had another good game and Gordon was excellent until he tired and faded.

Little threat up front so the ball just kept coming back.

No comment on the ‘penalty' as I think it has all been said!

To blame Holgate and Keane is just not on for yesterday's defeat. City had us under the cosh for much of the 2nd half. It was always going to be that there would be one bobbling ball and/or a player off-balance that would create a tap-in for one of the most lethal players in the Premier League.

I cannot get on their backs for that goal yesterday. They were giving everything against the best.

Those saying Mina would have made the difference should look back at his last game when he gave nearly every pass to the other team.

We know we need a better back line but yesterday was one hell of an effort against a team looking to bounce back from an unexpected defeat.
COYB.

This prick in Stockley Park will cost Everton millions of pounds in Premier League position. Worst-case scenario, he could cost us our right to be in the Premier League.

What happens to this prick?

The more you think about it (I know some people don't even need to think about it), then it's clear that Kavanagh has cheated Everton, because if he took that long to make his “decision”, then why didn't he just send his mate to the monitor?????

I don't think anyone could have done much better than Holgate and Keane yesterday, except in that crucial awful moment, and agree that it's sometimes better to just concentrate on the positives.

We played like that at Old Trafford... then what happened?

We played like that against Arsenal... then what happened?

We played like that against Leeds...

The reason we are in this mess is because these players are so inconsistent.

Just popped into my local high street (Uxbridge) and genuinely forgot that righteous self appreciating bunch were in town. The perils of living at the end of the M40 with 2 train stations having direct 20-minute access to Wembley.

Going to have to put up with them later and no doubt get myself into a few debates. Wish me luck as I'm a singleton.

The weekend that keeps giving.

Let's paint Uxbridge Royal Blue in April.

This is pure stupidity in my opinion. This has to stop.

Some people say that the teams over a season will get some benefits and have some against them but some get more than most. It shouldn't go back to the referee when someone else is paid to arbitrate.

Take the set-up, for instance, the number of defensive players totalled eight... fucking eight! No wonder their goalie had fuck-all to do.

Why not go into the game with a balanced side... five defensive players and five attacking players? Why not attack teams instead of inviting them on? This shite has been going on at our club since Bobby Bullshit!... we need to be braver and play our best players from the off and attack teams with a balanced side.

So for me it's Allan or Doucoure... not both! We need offensive players too in our midfield to start. I'd rather ship goals and have a go, than lose 1-0 without laying a glove on our opponents!

And the endless back passes to Pickford still frustrate the fuck out of me!

So be braver, Blues, a balanced team that at least gives it a fucking go would be a really welcoming change... it may be the making of us!

We should have attacked City more, you say? And got a spanking? The blueprint to play against City is there to be seen, and we played it brilliantly.

Also, Allan or Doucoure? Ermm... have you seen our midfield when it was just Allan? Yesterday was the first time we have had a coherent midfield, and Allan was brilliant, and that is because Allan needs another runner with him; together they make a good midfield. Alone, they leave too much space and are easily dominated.

You'd have rather been 'braver' and lost 6-0? Really? You'd rather we played like Leeds?

Who are these offensive midfielders you are thinking of, Matthew?

With the players we currently have, I thought that was our best 3 and we should have got a point.

Tottenham next Monday. I will be in the crowd and full of optimism based on yesterday and, what I'm seeing Lampard and his backroom staff trying to install into the squad in terms of mentality.

Seven defensive players plus Iwobi (hopeless), we seem obsessed with playing only defensive players in our midfield and I am fucking sick and tired of it... one only from now on, please!

Jeez, no wonder we're in the shit... we never learn... whoever our opponents are (even City), attack them – still the best form of defense in footy.

Attack the best form of defence? Yes. But an easy statement to make.

Against a team like Man City, you risk being massively exposed. It's a balance and we almost got it right yesterday.

Personally, I don't think Iwobi was too bad yesterday. All down to opinion, but did you judge him on yesterday or just your pre-judged opinion? Genuine question.

"Best league in the world but unfortunately worst officials in the world."

Spot on there mate !

"So for me, it's Allan or Doucouré... not both!"

For me, it's precisely because we had both, alongside Van de Beek, that we played so well in midfield (for a change). That middle three was superb yesterday. Suicide to go "brave" against a team like Man City.

If we stay up, Lampard and his team are going to deliver for us. As others have said, Cole's reaction was everything we've been lacking in terms of attacking the smug establishment view of Everton's rightful place. That fella's made a big difference already.

A wounding outcome to the game but massively encouraging overall. I'm going to whisper this but, even if we did go down, I have changed my view of our longer term fate and I would now expect us to bounce right back with Lampard and still to be a force afterwards. But we're going to stay up.

That first half was proper, proper Everton. Two or three astute additions and we'll be well on our way.

It was typified by an incident in the 1st half. The ball broke kindly to (I think) Sterling on their left wing and the break seemed on but Kenny came all the way over from our left wing and kicked the ball out from Sterling's feet.

Another incident – Iwobi pressed from our right wing near the edge of their box, chased and harried their player right until the left side near the half-way line – then, when Man City switched flanks, ran all the way back to our right side to help out Coleman near our box. He must have covered 150 yards in that lung bursting run.

If they can keep up that intensity for the rest of the season, we should be okay.

You were doing well then until you said "whisper it quietly"... don't friggin whisper it at all!!! It would be the end of us. Play and apply ourselves like that it won't be even an issue. Coyb

I hope they don't get a new-manager bounce.

Yes, the form table, depending on how far you look back, still makes dreadful reading.

1 win and 3 points in 4 PL games under Frank.
1 win and 3 points in the last 7 PL games.
2 wins, 2 draws, 13 defeats and just 8 points from 51 in the last 17 PL games.

Relegation form, indisputably.

BUT! There is clear evidence to me under Frank, as was the case yesterday, that there is greater energy and purpose in the team than was the case under Benitez.

There was no fear. No inferiority complex by Everton facing City yesterday.

Their winning goal came from luck, not craft.

We were denied a stonewall penalty.

We won't be playing teams the quality of City every week. We gave the best pressing and possession team possibly on the planet a game yesterday.

The new coaching setup has quickly instilled a more aggressive and purposeful playing style, as well as lifting shattered confidence.

The post-match reactions and comments of first Ashley Cole and then the manager himself clearly signal a winning mentality of two men fighting their team's corner with passion.

Sensible comments by Lampard yesterday, about not being too wrapped up in the league position in the next 2-3 weeks. He is aware that results may contrive to see us fall into the bottom three.

But equally he knows the way the team is starting to perform, together with the 14 remaining fixtures, we have more than enough to climb the table.

I for one agree with him.

They're in serious trouble whoever they get in.

Seriously though, managers have a tough time as soon as the results go belly-up, no matter how many good things you did before.

Everton's defence hasn't been much better than Leeds's but they are in a bigger freefall than us and have really struggled with the loss of Bamford and having to play Ayling in the centre-back role.

Spurs away next in the league, which ''Everton'' will turn up?

Allan and Doucouré are completely different players. Allan breaks up play, Doucouré is box-to-box. Our midfield three yesterday against City were the best combination I've seen this season.

Allan for me was Man of the Match, how many times did he dispossess De Bruyne, and in their half?

Apart from the shambolic penalty decision, the amount of cynical fouls that City players got away with, and always do, including two from behind on Richarlison, and not a notion of a card from Tierney, was abysmal.

Well, we beat them soundly because we were a cohesive team. But now, some on here are saying that we beat them only because they're shite!! Maybe they've become shitter partly through the hammering we gave them, which could have damaged their confidence.

Similarly for Brentford, who we trounced because we were an efficient unit.

We lost to City through bad luck and very bad officiating. Very bad officiating in the Barcodes and Saints games as well, and it bloody well hinders us.

Three home games under Lampard, all very good performances, possibly the return of Fortress Goodison and the start of a different approach to our game. 7 goals, 2 conceded.

No doubt Liverpool keep beating teams with their high pressing only because those teams are shite? No, they do it because they've become an efficient unit. Just like we might well be starting to be.

The game hopefully has started to show the correct direction for the future by the manager and his coaches. Without going over previous comments, I just agree with what has been said about the players and the penalty fiasco.

The best comment I thought came from Jim Beglin, who never seems to be on Everton's side. The talk about the arm and where the sleeve ends, he said, "How can you judge it if a player has a long sleeve shirt on?" End of argument.

For quite a while, this is the first time Everton have lost and my weekend was not ruined. It's amazing what commitment and effort can do.

4-5-1 / 4-3-3 is the way to go with either Richarlison or Calvert-Lewin up top.

If we can repeat the performance levels of yesterday until the end of the season, we will be fine and we might just win the FA Cup.

Lampard is making a positive difference!

Link

Leeds United 0 - 1 Newcastle United
Aston Villa 3 - 3 Leeds United
Everton 3 - 0 Leeds United
Leeds United 2 - 4 Manchester United
Liverpool 6 - 0 Leeds United
Leeds United 0 - 4 Tottenham Hotspur

Assuming they're all fit:

Begovic
Patterson Holgate Branthwaite Mykolenko
Alli Onyango Gomes
El Ghazi Dobbin Gray

So, I will go with Gary's team except for Townsend and Rondon instead of Alli and El Ghazi.

Begovic
Patterson Holgate Branthwaite Mykolenko
Townsend Gomes Onyango
Dobbin Rondon Gray

Ajays team should have enough though with a few of those players pressing for a starting place on a regular basis. Mykolenko may not be up for it given the situation at home.

I know Keane and Holgate have had a good bashing and in some games rightly so, but yesterday was not one of those games, absolutely no way can you blame Keane for that freakish deflection, it is on a par with Pickford diving full stretch to make a save, only for a deflection to take it another direction.

Overall every single player did their job, like I said weeks ago, I hope we manage to sign Van de Beek, covers every blade of grass, can tackle, pick a pass out, chase back and makes our midfield so much better.

We are heading in the right direction, cartwheel practice taking place as I speak.

"I would expect the Cup game to be very physical and Boreham Wood will give it everything."

Even the Kitchen Sink, but being in the Plumbing Game, I hope you will be there to sort any problems out! :-)

I don't blame Holgate or Keane for the goal. Keane however is naturally slow footed and was unable to adjust to what happened. Other players might have done.

I'm still going with bias/corruption for the VAR decision. There is a shot from behind the ref's point of view, from a sort of left midfield perspective. He leans to try to look past a player but he cannot see the contact at all let alone judge where it hit on the arm.

The same of course cannot be said for Kavanagh. Disgraceful.

Stan @ 213 - good post.

Whilst genuinely taking nothing away from his performance, it was a catastrophic mistake imo, and ended up giving Foden, one of the easiest goals he will score this season.

It's gone, there is nothing to dwell on but the positives, especially because our defence gave us a very good platform yesterday.

Sure a meet up is in the pipeline.

Begovic
Patterson, Keane, Branthwaite, Kenny (or Mykolenko, if he feels up to it).
Townsend, Gomes, Onyango, Gray
Rondon, Dobbin.

For the Boreham Wood game we should start with our strongest side possible and, hopefully, if we establish a comfortable lead we can make up to (I think) five substitutions. On too many occasions we've struggled against, so called, lesser sides and ended up chasing the game.

Just on the Video Assistant Referee, Kavanagh: I believe he comes from... Greater Manchester!!

However, as diasppointed as I am when I even think about the game, I get more annoyed when I think back to the start of the season, when we made a far bigger mistake than any against Man City.

Why on earth did we appoint Benitez? He is responsible for the situation we are in today.

I called 4-3-3 with Van de Beek, Doucouré and Allan, and on Saturday it pretty much worked. If it hadn't have been for a dreadful mistake and shocking official decision, we'd have got a deserved point.

I did think - although it was a howler, I should also point out that Michael Keane did have a good game. Credit where due.

Jack @240, I reiterate Mark Ryan's comment. Get the game won then bring in fringe players. Don't risk chasing the game against a dogged team that are up for the night of their footballing lives.

We see it all the time with a deflected shot that goes in. The keeper moves one way, the direction in which the ball is travelling, until suddenly a deflection sends it the other way. The keeper has all his weight on the side the ball is travelling until the deflection completely throws him.

Even with the Man City goal, Pickford looked like he was starting to move to his left as the ball was travelling across the goal, so even the deflection threw him a little as he hurriedly tried to adjust his feet and move back to his right.

Try a three of Alli, Doucoure and Townsend instead, Gray and Gordon supporting Richarlison up top... balanced!

Be the fuck braver... as them penalty loving fuckers lift their ninth League Cup... jeez, whereas we show nothing but contempt for that competition... you couldn't make it up!.

Doucoure and Van de Beek certainly give us more movement in the midfield sector and I could see us playing with Alli as the third midfielder, particularly in situations where we go with either Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison but not both.

Alli is due a goal and no better place than White Hart Lane for him to get up and running!

My team for Thursday... 4-4-2:

Pickford
Patterson
Keane
Branthwaite
Mykolenko
Gray
Doucouré
Gordon
Townsend
Calvert-Lewin
Richarlison

Should see us through, methinks.

I think though, that Allan needs to go on an anger management course. You can't go on getting booked every game.

We have needed three in midfield all season to make us less of an easy touch. We have been far too open.

Finally we have three suitable players capable of making the team solid in and out of possession. Moreover, they are not purely defensive midfielders. I would keep all three of them in the team for the rest of the season, providing they can stay fit.

Another way of looking at it is that we've scored 7 in the last 7.

We have goals in us, even without our main striker being fully fit.

It's the concentration and mistakes at the back that are costing us.

I believe a manager picks a team – and I emphasise 'team' – to suit the opponents. Saturday, we were playing one of, if not the best team in Europe who have been scoring 2, 3 or 4 goals a game and the team Lampard put out proved it was the correct one to get a result from your opponents.

The next game, you may see a different opponent, so there may be a different team selection. The one thing I noticed and,like many others, I complained that our midfield in other games had no control and were usually struggling. Saturday was the strongest we have seen for a long time.

How can a midfield three of Doucoure, Van de Beek and Allan be regarded as defensive? Allan had a great game because he had legs around him which released him to go forward. In a two, he's half the player but with the immobile and error-prone Gomes, as has been proved time and again, it's an absolute disaster.

On Thursday, we need to start with our strongest side.

You say we had three defensive midfielders against City, our best midfield display this season. If we had played your choice, Doucoure, Alli and Townsend, that wouldn't be brave, we'd have been unbalanced and swamped, and we weren't playing an average team, we were playing the best: Man City.

I see you picked Calvert-Lewin for Thursday night, Lampard said last Friday, he's out for 7/10 days.

I'd mix it up, play our new full-backs, Branthwaite, Onyango, Dobbin and Rondon, but Allan, Richarlison and Doucoure should be rested, no disrespect to Boreham Wood, but we don't need to play our strongest side, especially when we're playing Spurs 4 days later.

I agree with you in principle but you can't just throw a bunch of kids in against a very good Boreham Wood side.

I would however give Patterson, Branthwaite and Mykolenko a run-out.

Midfield is difficult cos we don't have the numbers or the quality but, with Allan and Van de Beek both nursing knocks, I would play Doucouré for 45 minutes to get an edge in the game with Onyango and Gomes (surely he can show up in this game). Front 3 should include Dobbin and Tom Cannon should get some minutes.

Or maybe Leeds have made a panicked decision whereas we acted with due diligence? I'd rather us make the right managerial decision (which I think we have) than a poor managerial decision followed by potentially poor recruitment decisions during the end stage of the mid-season transfer window.

Begovic
Patterson
Kenny
Holgate
Branthwaite
Doucouré
Gomes
Iwobi
Townsend
Dobbin
Rondon

Onyango, Welch, Price and Whitaker on the bench maybe. Unlikely to see Cannon even on the bench.

ps: I assume Mykolenko won't feature much because of the situation in Ukraine. Kenny, credit to him, is doing a good job anyway.

Yes, I agree. It does seem that getting rid of Brands said that Moshiri was all behind Benitez. Only to suddenly change his mind. By which time – well he had no time.

Even though we are fighting relegation, this is a real chance of reaching the next round, so we should not waste it by putting too many of the young kids in. It's the FA Cup that is known for surprises – we don't want Everton to be one...

Everton players will have enough time before the next game to recover.

Lampard as a player won four FA Cups, so it's a competition he clearly likes. I'm sure he would love to win it this season although obviously avoiding relegation will be his first objective.

I also think he will start with a pretty decent team, get the game won after an hour, then make the permitted five substitutions. Five regular starters for five kids or squad players after an hour sounds good to me.

Sounds good to me and would earn a lot of kudos with the support, neutrals and most importantly, Mykolenko.

Forgot all about him.

I bet Frank, like the rest of us, is looking forward to a time when he doesn't have to weigh up who is better out of Rondon and Tosun.

We seem to be playing a different sport at times, old habits die hard at our club, an endless array of back passes, giving the ball away cheaply, poor set plays and delivery in general, no pot shots from range, an obsession with playing two holding midfielders... or more... fucking madness!

I just can't see any new decernable style to our play, whoever the Gaffer is, there's never a fast start or any surprises or joy to our game.

We also treat the League Cup with contempt every fucking season as our loveable neighbours pick up their ninth... sigh.

We'll beat Boreham Wood on Thursday, but it won't be pretty but then just lose with ease at Spurs next Monday... nowt will ever change here unless we go braver and take a fair few risks in our style of play 'cos as it stands currently folks...we are just boring, safe and soulless!

Anyway, more important that Leicester beat Burnley tonight. Though, I have to say that there's no way I can see City winning the Premier League title at the moment, they look toothless.

I share your frustrations. We share a city with a team that wins endless silverware versus our 27 years (and that was after a few years without nothing). But apathy surrounds the club; Kenwright still fawns over the '60s and tales of Ball, Royle and Kendall. Forget major trophies, that lot have won the league cup 9 times, we have never won it once.

The 27 years (including the Kenwright era) have seen us lose ambition and status and retain a terrible dated image that is not helped with Unsworth and Ferguson just hanging around for years.

But I do feel the appointment of Frank Lampard (and his coaching team) in the long run will be the best appointment we have made in the Premier League era, and that only happened after a fan protest (so no apathy or acceptance there).