Richarlison Efforts in Vain as Everton Toss Away Vital Points

A real shame.

Worst group of absolute shitbags I've seen playing for the club, not one of them has a born football brain and you look at more than half of them and wonder how the hell they even made it as footballers.

I suppose when we do go down half of them will somehow con a move to Premier League clubs.

Someone will be insane enough to sign DCL, frankly forget £60 million I'd take offers of £20 million if anyone is nuts enough to offer that for such a limited skillset striker that can't dribble, can't shoot with power and does everything powderpuff.

He's utter shite and it's a total myth that he's all this and that.

Richie will go, at least he probably just about warrants a decent fee, he's a better player than Calvert Lewin but that's not saying much really.

The rest I'm not even arsed anout, Pickford is replaceable, the whole defence is pathetic anyway and our best defender by a country mile (Yerry Mina) is never fit.

The midfield is the worst I've seen since 1997/98 and apart from Anthony Gordon, and even he has no real end product despite the hard work, I'd just banish the lot of them if offer come in.

The whole club from top to bottom is a disgrace and it's nothing that any manager can come in and solve anymore.

This is the reason Carlo Ancelotti left because he seen what was coming towards the back end of last season, add to the fact he knew our financial restraints, nobody should blame him for leaving.

I don't even think the stadium will be finished when we go down, what's the point ?

We might as well just sell the land.

This club is dead and it's going the same way as a Sheffield Wednesday or a Sunderland now, it's staring us in the face.

Sad thing is it's been on the cards for a good few years since our bundling buffoon of an owner and his group of cardboard cutouts on the board have been here buts it's never been addressed by anyone at the club.

One of those games is completely unwinnable at Anfield, let's face it.

Arsenal away on the last day is close to the same.

We have won three football matches since September, taken just 2 away points sine August, yet fans think this Everton side will get enough points with 9 games left to somehow stay up?

It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.

We just look disjointed in midfield, prone to errors in defence, and lacking quality creativity up front.

All we can do is re-group, get injured and suspended players back into the squad asap, and work hard in training. Then it's up to the manager, his team selection and tactics.

Other teams around us still have difficult fixtures as well as Everton. It could go down to the last game? Who knows?

The same on the third. Awful botch by Godfrey. Kenny has to see him out on the dead ball line. Cross comes in for a totally unmarked finish. Why not mark you man? What the fuck are you doing unless your marking your man.

I read somewhere that it's one mistake is killing us. It isn't,it's multiple mistakes are leading to the goals. Multiple things above coughed up the goals.

It's kids football to continually have that much space free to finish in the box against a bang average team. We don't get it.

And Rick, Pickford is too error prone to play at any level of the game. We should have cashed in after his first season. The Joe Hart route beckons for him.

"Everton do not know how to win!"

The rest (including our top flight status) is history

Defeats like last night's against the other sides around us, has and possibly will cost us dearly as even draws in those games against Norwich, Brentford, Watford et al, would have given us enough points to make a fist of fighting off the dreaded drop as it is, we are looking odds on for relegation.

Of course nothing is a foregone conclusion, but sadly, it is very difficult to make a case for Everton getting enough points to ward off the drop.

But, the fact is, without some comical individual errors we would have picked up 2 points on the road over these last few days.

At 2 apiece, we were in the ascendancy and should have made more of our dominance but the last pass/shot just wasn't up to scratch. We've been far more competitive than in our previous away defeats.

We simply have to remain positive and support these players all the way. We can't just give up!

Burnley are nothing special and will drop points themselves during the run in. Same with Watford. If we can use the Old Lady to pick up 6 points from next 2 games then we're in with a good chance of survival.

United have been poor and Leicester have nothing to play for, they're comfortable in mid-table. We can still pull this off.

We are a very poor team with too many players not up to the standard required. Contrary to what is often said there is no shortage of effort or ‘spirit'. Every player last night gave everything on the pitch. Some of it was misguided, such as back four players running up the field with the ball when their priority should have been holding their defensive positions. Getting a draw last night was more important than a win and we should have played accordingly. For that failure Lampard is culpable.

Burnley are also a very poor team. Watford are as well but they look the best of the bottom four.

There is no composure at all and everything is panic stations, they need to take a step back and gain some positional sense all over the pitch and do the basics properly, play into space, don't let the ball bounce, use row Z and actually shoot.

At the back we are all over the place and yet at the front we just hit a brick wall when we reach the final 3rd because we are too slow, don't use the width and just hold the ball too long.

Crossing has been awful for close to 6 years now, with the exception of Rodriguez last year. Corners and free kicks are pointless.

As someone posted previously, there is all that effort but at the end of the day we just lack the quality (and confidence), when strikers get a chance against us recently they generally hit the target (and score), when we do actually get a shot in (hardly ever), it's either weak as piss, over the bar or into the side netting.

It's all very worrying but the headless chicken approach isn't helping us.

SHAME ON YOU MOSHIRI, AND THE PLAYERS THAT HAVE ZERO FUCKING SPINE

Injuries and suspensions have cost us dearly. But I just wonder whether, despite all that, we should have been going with a more settled formation if not tactics...

Players have been finding themselves in a different position, often in a different formation, week in and week out. I wonder whether our players have the versatility to be able to cope with playing in constantly changing formations.

Another side not a million miles away plays the same formation every game, and that surely means players don't need to rethink, every game, where and how they individually are meant to be playing; all that becomes second nature.

But I do acknowledge the part injuries and suspensions have played in disrupting a settled approach.

We got the breaks last night, two penalties given and scored to put us in front. We were simply not good enough to see the game out after that. Every team that plays us, no matter how bad they are, feel that if they hang in there that the mistakes will happen and they can get something from the game.

Given the week that's in it, Koeman being reappointed as Dutch coach, Silva on the verge of promotion with high flying Fulham, Carlo on the verge of the Spanish title and a Champions League semi final and David Moyes in with a shout of bringing West Ham to the Europa League semi final, the book just has to stop with the players and with the individuals who signed them.

11 points from the last 22 games, we average 0.5 point per game over that period, more than half a season. The table does not lie and while we are by no means down and out it will take a major upturn in performances to save us now. Watford and Burnley have more winnable fixtures between now and the end of the season and should finish above us.

We will become a case study on how not to do things. Kenwright will regret his comment about other clubs wishing to copy the Everton way. There are very few clubs
with directors who are thinking what Everton would do in this situation unless of course to rule out a particular course of action.

I have read on here that Iwobi isn't good enough. I don't disagree but in his last three appearances, has put in the kind of performance we all hoped for. Kenny has never been good enough, Keane and Holgate always have a mistake in them and whoever made the decision to bring Alli and El Ghazi on board are culpable if the unthinkable happens. They may be decent players but we'll never know until they are selected to play.

All the talk of playing the youngsters could destroy them, not a great position to be in when we need them next season. We'll need to sell the likes of Pickford, Richarlison and DCL, and others, to stave off FFP sanctions. Someone needs to think very carefully about the contracts that are up. Mina is our best defender but can't set foot on a pitch without getting injured, Delph is another one. We have had an horrific season with injuries and needed a squad to help us. I never thought I'd say that I'm missing Tom Davies.

I'll be there on Saturday in my seat and end up hoarse getting behind the team. We have to believe. It isn't over yet, it is looking perilous but COYB! Wiping the smirks of RS faces will be as good as a trophy. Can someone slip something in the tea for Ronaldo, Fernandez and Pogba? They've been useless for weeks but, Welcome to Everton Football Club. Belief Blues, belief.

He's got the heading ability of a pigeon and his reading of the game is nonexistent.

Good defender's, Dave Watson, Alan Stubbs, Richard Gough, Davie Weir, thats what a defender is.

If Godfrey was tidier with the ball he may just pass as a defensive midfielder but he ain't.

It's just another example of modern day footballs clamour for athletism over actual technical ability.

The other thing that has killed us are the individual errors. They have been spread right across the team, so it is not even as if you can drop a single player.

We have actually played quite well at home against the better sides, therefore all hope is not lost. Focus on the home games, starting on Saturday. Five our remaining nine games are at Goodison and that is where our survival in the PL will be decided.

However, his finishing is woeful. He could not, as my late Father used to say, Hit a barn door with a cow's arse from 3 feet!

And each time he hits the post or scuffs the crossbar, look how many times there was a colleague perfectly placed for a tap in!

"The other thing that has killed us are the individual errors. They have been spread right across the team, so it is not even as if you can drop a single player."

Yes, this is our problem, isn't it – it isn't as if we have a significant pool of players who can step in and make a difference.

Exclude the U23 players (apart from possibly some minutes at the end of a game) – they had a decent game against the likes of Chorley pre-season (and I know they've developed somewhat since then) but that's a million miles away from playing Vardy, Salah, or Eriksen in the EPL.

Exclude those U23s and we're left with dregs to replace dregs.

To be fair he did lay off a couple of passes last night.

If it's not working Frank, change it! Drop players, try a different formation, but at least make it look like the players know what they have been instructed to do.

However, I wish sometimes they were greedier and actually shot at goal but just put there foot through it, head over the ball as I am sick of every shot flying over the bar, these are professional football players.

I suspect a big part of the problem for us is actually changing too many things when not forced to through injuries or susopensions. Unsettling.

I like Gordon, I knew we'd miss his defensive work the minute he left the pitch, but sometimes I want Anthony to be more clinical, although I'm aware that it's not easy playing in such a struggling team.

What a fiasco of a club.

50 years of support and I now hate the place.

From the owner and his 'dealings' to the phoney halfwits on the board down to the hapless players relegation will be richly deserved.

How not to run a football club, a model lesson, that is EFC.

Disgusted and ashamed.

What neutral would want us to stay up? Big spending Everton or gutsy Burnley?

But it's not done yet. From out of left field I backed Brighton to go down at 130/1. They have points on the board but on a brutal run and three away games in a row coming up. Newcastle also slipping back down.

They're a mere 75/1 now.

Dominic offered very little last night and should have substituted after the hour mark for Rondon who was ridiculously brought on with four minutes remaining but still nearly scored with his effort on goal, more than DCL had done all night and no other substitute was used, a common occurrence under Lampard.

We are not done yet but who or what is going to stop the decent into oblivion?

Whatever happens we the fans should not let the clubs mistakes be forgotten or brushed under the carpet. We are here due to an inept board, terrible recruitment and a meddling owner.
It must start with KENWRIGHT OUT

We need to bring in someone who knows how to make us hard to beat. Playing this suicidal 'open game' week after week has destroyed the team.

The constant mistakes are a direct result of constant team changes and the defence being completely exposed by lack of cover from the midfield.

The concept of the wide men or wingers protecting and helping the full backs is completely alien to a young manager who is completely out of his depth.

Lampard has failed miserably and we don't have any time left.

Any chance you can play on Saturday, lad?

What a player you were!

When's the last time we had anything apart from the odd win to cheer about? We can't live off passed glories. Those days are gone and they'll only return with rebuilding.

We'll probably have more to celebrate and get excited about every weekend in the Championship instead of hoping to hang on to the coattails of teams scrambling for European places whilst throwing hundreds of millions at the attempt. It's immoral.

I don't want a club that uses a business model that relies solely on being owned by a billionaire owner.

I'd rather start again, build a team of young players (local lads preferably) who want to play for us and would be proud to do so. I want a team and a club to be proud of.

Top flight football has moved on and we've been left behind.

I wonder why all of those Championship clubs care so much about getting promoted to the Premier League? Could it be for the Kudos, Money, fame, TV coverage?

Everton have spent so long in the top-flight, we are all guilty of taking it for granted; however, I can assure you that relegation will alter the fortunes of the club forever.

And the fans, particularly the kids who haven't yet started attending will take little or no notice of us. I only pay a passing interest in the Championship and rarely bother to watch the games live on TV.

If it happens it happens but it will have a profound effect on the club and its future. I'd much prefer to struggle on a few seasons in the Premier League for all of its faults than spend even one season in the Championship.

This isn't new either, it was just as hard to watch last season but we had a bit of quality in the final 3rd (Sigurdsson, James and Digne) and we KITAP1 most of the time away from home.

I've never known a bunch of players who can't pick a pass; they play it behind so the receiver needs to check back, they can't cross...

Why is it we give away corners consistently and we can't defend them? Everyone against us is on the money yet with time as space no one can put a ball in?

We concede the same goals every week. The amount of times someone cuts it back and there is a player there unmarked while Godfrey runs the other way, not one of them looking where the danger is.

This team will not pick enough points up ,I'm afraid.

We have to hope he doesn't succumb to injury. If so, the precarious situation we find ourselves in will become impossible to overcome, he simply offers so much all over the park.

I'm amazed at how he and Gordon just keep going when so many others are ready to throw the towel in. It can't be easy to persevere when you look around and witness teammates downing tools at the drop of a hat.

It was clear he was goosed going into the final 10-15 minutes, as his contribution began to wane so too did our hopes of getting anything from this fixture.

Defensively we are a shambles. Kenny had a disastrous night and Ben Godfrey, who has pace to burn, shows great tenacity in closing opponents down but sadly is found lacking in technical skills, his passing is quite poor and positional sense is questionable.

Perhaps his greatest weakness, however, is his lack of heading ability which is a must for any central defender. For that reason alone I doubt he will ever be able to perform that role effectively; however, I do believe he has role to play as a utility player – assuming of course he‘s prepared to accept that.

Whilst we need his prowess up top, it might allow Rondon, Dobbin or Dele Alli to go alongside Calvert-Lewin and add something different up top too. Richarlison could still get up on the attack at times too, so not massively different than his 4-2-3-1 position, just with more discipline to stay and work in the middle.

Maybe for Saturday:

Pickford
Godfrey Keane Branthwaite Mykolenko
Iwobi Allan Richarlison
Dobbin Calvert-Lewin Rondon

Long diagonals from Godfrey and Pickford towards Calvert-Lewin, Rondon and Richarlison ganging up on McGuire and whoever's is their right-back, with Dobbin looking for the flicks.

Be sad to see Gordon lose a place, but plenty of scope for him and Gray to come on later against tired legs maybe.

Ultimately, I just want to see something different tried, because keep doing the same = we are down.

Not to say I haven't missed something – it was hard enough to find what I did find amidst the search results, defaulting as they did to skirts and handbags features. He's been a busy boy in that world, and now lauded for his fashion fluency among other things.

Just the dynamic we need to commit to the battle, 'cos he is apparently comfortable enough in his own masculinity and identity.

May as well blame Kenwright, I guess.

Maybe Holgate could have also tried to do more, but I personally thought it was on Godfrey, along with a few other players, and again for the third goal, the biggest thing lacking is the concentration levels.

The better the concentration levels, the better the defender, is something that should be constantly getting drummed into these very young defenders, from both the manager and the goalkeeper, with my own thoughts being, that part of the problem could be the very erratic goalkeeper?

If we are relegated there will be a line of them walking away, but hoping to walk away with our blessing. Who could blame him, he at least put a shift in, it's a short career, he deserves premier league football etc.
If we are relegated it is down to them. If they want premier league football, play better. If they want European football, play better still.
If this collective pack of c**ts do a Martinez ( relegate us and fuck off to greener pastures) they should be held in contempt for the rest of their days.
Stand up and be men.

Frank should have brought Rondon on 4 games ago. If he doesn't start on Saturday I will loose all confidence in his ability as a manager.

Bollocks to massaging egos - pick the players who have the mental fortitude to dig in and play for each other and the shirt.

But once Joe Royle took charge and got the team organised properly the defence with the same players became one of the best in the business.

In 1994 there was nothing in midfield to stop the opposition from taking charge of a game. In 1995 Joe Royle turned the midfield into the 'Dogs of war'. Parkinson was a central defender with very limited ability. Joe Royle turned him into a ball winning midfielder.

Remember how bad Gary Ablett was against Wimbledon and then remember his great run and cross for Amokachi a year later in the Spurs Semi Final.

In 1994 the players confidence was shot in 1995 Joe Royle had the same players playing with confidence.

The right manager could do the same with this team.

It is not the players it is all on the manager to pick a sensible formation (451), stick to it, motivate the players and give them the confidence to go out there and perform to the best of their ability.

Some would say it was sooner, but we are genuinely at a defining moment. Having calmed and reflected, I don't think Wednesday was make or break. Lost and we are right in the mix (we are). Won and we are safe (we're not).

But (and this is the real last chance saloon), we still have it to play for.

Watford, Brentford, Leicester x 2 and Crystal Palace. Plenty of points to be had there.

Ignore United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

On paper, that's how you would look at it. Knowing Everton, they'll do something totally odd and 180 degrees to that but somehow still scrape through.