Calvert-Lewin out of next two games

No one questioned his commitment until this season….the season in which he's been badly injured, didn't have a proper pre-season (due to England) and also had a broken toe.

Realistically he's been rushed back too soon….he's probably shown too much commitment for the cause to help out but he's just not been right and it's shown.

So we question his commitment… any chance his performances are related to the injuries? No surprise, Sherlock.

So he does a GQ magazine whilst injured… so what??? Better than drinking, playing video games, beating his wife or doing stuff that one of our other players is alleged to have done.

Are we expecting him to rehab 24/7 ‘to show commitment'?

The guy's been injured, he's been pretty poor since coming back, he's obviously not 100% and it's clearly impacting him psychologically as well.

But he's half-decent so we'll turn on him like we did with Stones and Lukaku.

He's our best source of goals (when fully fit) – I hope he can drown out the noise and stays and gets back to his best with us. But I also bet he won't forget the way we spoke about him when he needed support.

Fitness, and reliability.

Likewise with soft tissue injuries.

This adds to the general malaise of EFC.

One season has gone to his head thinking he's Billy Big Bollocks. He'll soon be falling flat on his feet at a bigger club.

Don’t you understand he’s had a serious injury that’s he’s not recovered from. Clearly his body has been overcompensating leading to other niggling injuries.

What’s he done that’s caused so much hatred from you? Basically being injured and playing when not fully recovered?

Nobody knows what this kind of injury will do to him long-term but for a player who's game is predominantly about jumping high and athletism, I can't imagine that the injury won't be aggravated at some stage once again.

He's replaceable for the actual skill set he possesses, it's just about getting the right amount for him and doing it early enough in summer.

I actually do hope we see Calvert-Lewin in an Everton shirt again, if for nothing else, then it means we will be playing in the Premier League.

As a counterpoint, after umpteen managers in as many years, disastrous DoF appointments, enormous financial losses, bizarre pivots in strategy and direction – after all of this, do so many Evertonians not at least understand why Calvert-Lewin (and/or his agent) might like to get the hell out of here?

Disclaimer: I did get a few low-end jokes in on Calvert-Lewin – not for his fashion, although that was the punchline, but for his really bad timing in making an appearance while the team was struggling.

He's young and deserves to make a mistake but I was still a bit bothered about James tweeting from 10,000 feet as the team struggled and he was the temporary target of my ire.

They need another Aubameyang or (even harder to find) Van Persie (wouldn't we all).

I like Frank, but has he the bollocks to just play a fit, proper striker up front in Rondon or Dobbin, or will he bottle it and shoehorn our best player into the position and not get the best out of him?

Rondon for me because of his experience.

What happend to "Nil Satis Nisi Optimum"? It's been replaced by Bang Average is the New Everton.

Similarly, for instance. Some no-mark sloth who spends their days on a well-worn sofa scratching them and shouting 'I want only the best!' would not be my go-to person for advice on quality.

Issues with his toe, and quad muscle, 2 weeks recoveries turned into months, due to start then pulling out just before a game... nah, too many people sticking up for him when he's let the whole club down.

A motivated and committed Calvert-Lewin all season and we wouldn't be in this mess. When we needed him most, he downed tools.

Fingers in ears, head up arse, Lalalalalalal. You can take the poster off your wall now, son.

Just watched a yard dog centre-half for Burnley do something Calvert-Lewin could only dream of doing. Control a ball 25 yards out then curl it in to the top corner. He has never done that in all the years he has been playing for us. That's one of the reasons I don't rate him.

Posters turning on each other here for "ignoring reality" or "being too negative" are striking examples of, in psychology terms, transference and displacement.
These internecine quarrels are a perhaps an inevitable byproduct of a long and difficult period in which to be an Evertonian.

Objectively and somewhat obviously, both sides are very much in the wrong here. Neither side of the argument can win because it's an inherently flawed argument to begin with. Unless Kenwright or Moshiri or Koeman are on here under a pseudonym then it's fairly clear. None of us are responsible for what has happened to our once great football club.

Thus nobody here should assign blame to a fellow poster for what has sadly transpired. Turning on each other or losing ones rag are excellent real world examples of defense mechanisms in operation - examples my second year psych student niece is gleefully using in an assessment she is doing for her course - but they don't stand up to intellectual scrutiny.

I'd just like to urge all the posters here to try and think a bit more before posting. The only place that really suffers is sadly this actual website itself. A few have recently noted the departure of regular voices and the falling number of comments across the site. An environment where people go to routinely lash out at others is very much an environment most of us would try to avoid in our physical, day to day lives. The online space is not so very much different.

We all care, and we're all hurting. But let's not damage this website or drive away any more of our wonderful userbase. Because our club has been seemingly ruined on and off the pitch does not mean we have to extend the same treatment to here, or indeed to each other.

Whatever will happen on the pitch will happen. For those who are not match going Blues we have no influence over events there whatsoever. The players shall not hear cheers or boos from those of us who are forced or choose to watch on a screen.

But we certainly have control over our actions and words on here. Let's make ToffeeWeb great again, that's entirely within all of our sphere of influence. Let's build ToffeeWeb back better.

Let's drop the misguided if entirely understandable in the circumstances blame game. For if our worst fears are realized, many Evertonians will need this site more than ever.

It was worth reposting mate. Totally agree

Just trying to be even handed Laurie (#31) and not cause any more needless division, god knows we have enough of it. Typical Derek Moore though if all I do is change what we're arguing about... !

I will take into account your feelings if I ever shamelessly play at being a peacemaker wannabe Freud on here again though.

Admittedly, that's as likely as us turning over the neighbours on Sunday!

I believe Burnley will get another 7 points but so will we, so that leaves us safe. 1 of those points is coming on Sunday at Anfield. Be positive, be strong, we are Everton!

I have to admit there are a couple of things I have posted on here over the years that I wish I hadn’t.

I'm one of those who has been posting less in recent weeks, simply because the relentless negativity drives me away. I log on ready to play, and I read garbage posts like #23 and just say, ah, fuck it, I'll go do something else.

If we do go down (and I still don't think so), I'll probably bail for quite a while just because I don't want to spend months reading pointless arguments about whose fault it is and who fucked up the worst and who lined their pockets or downed tools. It's boring. And depressing.

It has become harder and harder in recent years to find an online space that hasn't been taken over by keyboard warriors spewing insults from behind their laptops that they wouldn't dare deliver in person. TW has generally been one of those spaces. I hope the recent slippage is merely a symptom of our overall frustration with the club's performance and not a sign that the widespread perversion of social media has begun to poison this haven. I guess time will tell.

About a third of the board won't speak to me because I thought it was more important to be right than to be generous of spirit. I can't undo any of that sadly, but I can at least try and learn from it. Growth is life in many ways.

On the subject of Calvert-Lewin, if he really was looking for a move, then surely he would be desperate to play to do well and show potential suitors what he has in his locker.

I have seen the recent training video at Finch Farm and he looked fantastic. I think he has been unfortunate and, if anything his keeness to play, added to our desperate situation, has resulted in him coming back too soon, hence injury niggles.

We saw in Gbamin that quad injuries can be very complicated. It is frustrating for us but I believe that the lad is a good pro and has simply been unlucky.

Quite how the club allowed this to happen is a mind-blowing, but this is modern-day Everton and anything is possible, I don't think any other club in the league would've allowed him to do that.

It's all very sad and an insult to all the truly great players we've had down the years, little wonder we're in such a mess!

Until that changes, we will see what we seeing on here sometimes and in life in general. It is fine for example to hold your own view on Calvert-Lewin and express it – but it should be done in a calm, reasonable way that does not attack those who might think differently.

I can see both sides, to be fair. He is a decent player who has been hit by serious injuries this season, no doubt – but then he doesn't look particularly interested when he has been fit enough to play.

I think all the extra stuff outside of football hasn't helped either – it just doesn't look good to be focusing on things outside of the game when we are having such a bad season and he is meant to be 100% focusing on getting fit again. I'm not saying injured players should live like hermits but not sure modelling and doing fashion magazine photoshoots is wise.

I do also wonder if a deal has already been signed to move him on in summer and he is playing within himself somewhat, to avoid further injury which could scupper it? Just my take on it all though.

Was it 2 years ago, when they were both in New York, walking the streets, and Tom Davies was wearing what looked like either a dressing gown, or a smoking jacket?

Even the latest Tunnel Access video from the Leicester game shows Tom coming down the tunnel wearing again, what looks like a smoking jacket and a ridiculous pair of trousers. Take a look on the link, it's about 5:55 in. Not as bad as Calvert-Lewin, but skin crawling none the less……..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlFwOAU59nw

To have only Rondon as an alternative striker for a Premier League campaign is criminal.

Sadly this season they are not. Obviously that is down primarily to injury and they have both been unlucky in that respect. By all accounts, Calvert-Lewin especially is someone who keeps himself in prime physical condition and works hard to stay in shape, so surely no blame can be attributed to him for this misfortune.

In terms of attitude, it is hard to say; it did seem like he was not busting a gut in recent appearances but whether that was down to injury fears or the manager's instructions to stay central, we can't really know. Maybe his head has been turned by a bigger club, though surely if that were true, he'd be fighting to prove worthy of a bigger contract?

It hasn't helped that Richarlison has struggled too in the centre-forward position that he has previously looked fairly competent in. His finishing at crucial moments has been awry and he seems to do better coming off the wing currently.

Rondon will undoubtedly get more game time over the next few weeks and in some ways it's a no-pressure hit for him as expectations on him (and perhaps the team) are so low in this tricky run. He always works hard and, if he is able to hold up the ball and help facilitate counter-attacks, then he may prove an asset.

But he was a warrior – something sadly missing from the present bunch of misfits. I saw him recently speaking at an Everton Legends show in Warrington. Still hugely charismatic and wearing his Everton heart on his sleeve, his winning spirit is what is missing from our present dressing room.

This situation around Calvert-Lewin is symptomatic of the club and the malaise in general that's fed down over the decades. It's nice and easy and cosy, no need to put in any effort, down tools whenever it suits you and it goes unnoticed. All traits stemmed down from a chairman who is an abject failure but many still respect and hold in high regard.

I imagine Calvert-Lewin will be up and running come August at a new club. Little effort and big reward as already seen over the years with players, and it's still happening and will continue to happen.

Everton is easy money.

I share your hope in a resumption of spirited but respectful debate in the near future.

Eddie (#38) - thanks, I do appreciate it.

Paul C (#40) - again you just get it. The way we feed our ego through the ubiquitous phone and device has not been properly studied, let alone understood. As a species, we are all too often off leaping before we look, and the smartphone era if anything appears to have accelerated that.

We're years and years from being able to properly quantify the effects of this digital age. I have a suspicion that an unwillingness to compromise and much shorter attention spans may well be a price we – as a species – have paid without ever being asked if we wished to pay it.

To everyone who read my post, may I thank you and apologize if it seemed excessive or otherwise indulgent. That was not my intent – although I understand lack of intent often provides limited mitigation. Let's just try to be as patient and kind as we can to each other until we get to the other side of this thing.

When we get there, normal service may resume again.

He can wear what he wants as far as I'm concerned because I'm more focused on hoping we get enough points from the remaining games to sneak over the line.

To your point on the blame game, I thought about this last night in Danny O'Neill mode while walking my dog and, after about 5 seconds, I realized the list is so long going back to Philip Carter that there's no point trying to narrow it down.

Yes, you're probably right, it probably does say more about me than Calvert-Lewin or Tom Davies, in that I wouldn't be seen dead in what they wear, as long as they do the business on the pitch. As I said, it doesn't bother me one bit, they can walk around wearing just a fig leaf for all I care.

Is it skin-crawling? Maybe not, as that would appear I'm contradicting myself when I say I'm not bothered what they wear.

What actions are you talking about, Trevor? The only thing they done wrong is have the temerity to get serious injuries after 4 seasons of being constantly fit and available. If they want to photo shoots in their spare time, or push their fashion sense then go for it. Honestly, they could play with a white mini skirt as long as they played well.

As for Geoff Lambert, when I read his posts I am reminded of Jack from Father Ted - ‘drink, feck, arse!'

Or how he and Tom have "badly damaged the morale of the club." Been talking to the players about it, have ye?

Or how you know how Peter Reid would have felt about it 40 years ago (or how he feels about it now, for that matter). Pal of yours, I presume?

Nah. None of the above.

It's YOU who feels insulted and whose morale is damaged. It's you who thinks it's still 1982 when clubs could forbid players' outside commercial activities. You wanna project your feelings onto the club as a whole? Sorry, not buying it.

Not one bad managerial hire, not one injury or arrest or absence, not one missed shot or defensive blunder, not one overhit cross or underhit corner or missed connection can be blamed on two young men posing for pictures in silly outfits. There are many, many reasons why this club is doing poorly. That ain't one of them.

Calvert-Lewin has been luckless with injuries and that is one reason why we are in this mess, in my view.

Not everything that happens is sinister.

Yea, we say it's alright for them to wear what they like to "express themselves"... but what if, for the sake of argument, it attracts the kind of negative comment we have seen posted here – only on the field, in the game, from opposing defenders???

Sledging by any other name.

What if merciless on-field banter from the opposition is having an effect on Calvert-Lewin's game? And it's a direct result of what he has been wearing to express himself, and it has so impacted his game that he has been next to useless (bar one assist) for Everton since he came back?

Or can't we even ask the question?

He does none of the above, and I don't give a shite how he dresses, just show you care, Dom.

If anyone's stupid enough to bid big money for him then snatch their hands off. Would anyone on here be happy if we were paying huge money this summer for a 25-year-old with his scoring record?

Even an inform Danny Ings would have been more effective. I still feel instead of all the Lukaku money being spent on Keane, Sigurdsson and Pickford, maybe should have offered a big sum for Vardy. 5 years ago, he was scoring a lot of goals, and yes from outside the 6-yard box too.

How quick we are to judge when we basically have no facts to back up our judgement.

How depressing it is to return to ToffeeWeb to witness it.

I believe that I may be one of the posters who communicate less frequently because of the negativity and character assassination that prevails on this site.

There's nothing wrong with criticism if it's constructive, for me it's sufficient to say, "I thought player 'X' had a poor game today" but I find it difficult to accept some of the descriptions of a player's performance, by some posters who have hardly kicked a ball in earnest.

It's also my belief that anyone who earns a living playing football can 'actually play football', maybe not to the level of top flight players, but better than the 'fantasy footballers' who deride them.

You religious sanctimonious god-fearing types always amuse me. never watch anything with priests or hymns in it. Especially that shite Mrs Brown's boys.

Calvert-Lewin is a big strong lad, and if a centre-half whispered "go on, hit me with your handbag" at him, the worst that could happen would be that he'd piss himself laughing at the bellend and take a few seconds to recover.

The only thing that might upset him would be the defender turning it into a racist comment as well, but that would lead to a massive ban for the defender. Probably be the same outcome if it was a homophobic comment (not that I'm suggesting Dominic is gay because of the way he dresses – but he strikes me as the kind of guy who wouldn't stand for homophobia on the pitch).

I hope he turns up to Goodison next week dressed in a leopard-skin thong and a pink fedora, just to wind up the bigots.

Sledging is only allowed in cricket in-between balls being bowled. Fielders are not allowed to “Sledge” once a bowler is in his run up to bowl. However, in football, sledging can occur at any time during a game, although I've never heard of it happening.

When I was playing, it happened all the time, just to try and wind your opponent up and get some sort of reaction from him etc.

I can well imagine Calvert-Lewin getting some nasty comments from defenders, just to try and put him off his game, and it's something I can well believe Pickford will receive on Sunday, and he is probably the one to react for something said to him.

My view is, in that tunnel shot he is a poor representation of the club at a professional football match; at his place of work. There is a time and a place for making a fashion statement. He looks like a clown. He's also well aware of the impression made on the match officials there.

We're all "Free" - but try going to work on Monday in a purple skirt. Or attend a funeral in a banana yellow jumpsuit.

Maybe catch you at Chelsea home next week.

Or the Early '80s and New Romantics? I will happily admit I thought I was as cool as Spandau Ballet at the time but probably looked liked like a dick to most other people.

The point being fashion changes and sometimes so do opinions. However, most people do not like being challenged by things outside of their comfort zone.

I do doubt that a few remarks on the pitch by opposing players would be anything new to either of them.

If any injured players had turned up to watch at Goodison in 1977 with yellow hair and covered in zips, safety pins and paper clips, it wouldn't have gone down so well. It's not that people have to comply with any sort of dress code, but at their place of work and as a representative of the club, it's sort of grown-up and respectful to do so.

As to Tom and Dom – I don't think Tom was setting any sort of trend there, he just looked comical. Calvert-Lewin is playing push-the-gender-boundaries as much as trying to be "Fashionable". We'll see if he ever turns up to watch a game in his skirt and with handbag, and how it's received.

But anyway, what would you think to them playing in a skirt?

Will, as long as they don't go back to those uncomfortable to wear / uncomfortable to look at incredibly tight and high riding shorts of the mid 80s!!!