Premier League — Matchweek 14

Wolves have appointed Lopetegui. I think he's a decent manager. It's going to be tough in the bottom half, it really is - maybe Forest aside.

Man City looks like taking Fulham even with 10 men.

I'm not sure why Unsworth went to Oldham, clearly a difficult task as their best players have all left and now heading out of FA Cup.

To think he's the same age as Brendan Rogers and Dunc is older. They really did hang around Everton far too long.

That Arsenal goal gave me a thought.

Yes, there was poor defending. Many of us get frustrated at not clearing the first defender at the front post. But it is clearly a tactic to try and get the flick at the front post.

Hitting it too high and central and the centre-backs are going to eat it up most of the time.

There was good discussion on the thread about the 5-0 obliteration of Manchester United. Graeme Sharp's front post header with Heath poised for the follow-on if needed. It's a tactic. Like many, it doesn't always come off.

Look at when we played Chelsea earlier this season. They were trying it but we deliberately had Mason Holgate on that job, which he did magnificently when he came on.

Arsenal showing what you can do with a bit of faith in a good manager. And he's got them playing for the badge again.

In our case, you could put the Galacticos in a blue shirt and it would be the same because, once they realise they're on Easy Street, the effort falls off a cliff. It's not the players' fault nor is it the manager's.

Everton Football Club is rotten to the core because of one man – Kenwright. The club is a soft touch on and off the pitch and once pros sniff that, they just pick up their pay cheques on water-tight contracts. Ask Rooney.

We'll never move forward with that fat fucking parasite sucking the life out of the place with all his hangers on and yes men. It's a family club etc etc. Oh just fuck off, you evil kopite bastard.

Arsenal absolutely brilliant. Recruited well, they have a togetherness and play some brilliant stuff.

Arsenal simply out played and outfought Chelsea.

Hard earned result by Arsenal. Showing another side to their game in digging in to grind out a result.

Can they sustain it? I don't know, but they must be enjoying the moment.

Lots and lots of desire. They all know what they're doing and their role.

Xhaka different player… why? Because he has purpose.

And once that confidence is up, you start enjoying it more and then things start go your way. Scorline flattered Chelsea

Villa 2 up against Maan Utd – what a second goal from a Lucas Digne free-kick – a Leighton Baines special!

New manager bounce working for Villa 2-0 up against Man Utd already.

Emery is a good manager who will make more of a talented Villa squad than Slippy G ever could. We really could have done with Villa keeping with him for a few more months.

16th as it stands. If Southampton win we're 17th. Progress my fucking arse

Bournemouth 15th.

Next league game and already a 6-pointer!!??

Nick @5.

Try telling that to the hordes when we eke out a win and Grand Ole Team belts out. Easily pleased, our lot.

Nick, I think you made a good point a few weeks back on the live forum. It's us the fans that are the real embarrassment to the club. We have let this manifest for 30 years, it's no coincidence.

What other club's supporters would allow that charlatan Kenwright empowerment for decades? None. Passive fanbase who have just accepted mediocrity and it's been embedded in our DNA without any fight to change it.

I wouldn't take the piss out of Gerrard too much, look at Rangers since he has left, lost to St Johnstone today.

Man Utd pull one back. Looked like offside to me when the cross came in. Shot from Shaw was going miles wide until a deflection wrong-footed Martinez and sent the ball into the opposite corner.

Relax, Nick, Southampton are losing!

Talk about taking your chances. One chance, one goal.

Now if Iwobi had done that yesterday at 0-0?

It's a tricky one, Kunai, and I'd be careful of straying into insulting the thousands who travel the country, week-in & week-out, as well as the hundreds of thousands who tune in.

Manchester United fans were and have been very vocal about the Glazers over the years. Newcastle fans hated Ashley. Even they may have marched with their pitchforks, but the reality is the owners will only sell when it's a good deal for them.

The irony about Newcastle is that, for a working class northern city, they are now controlled by an investment fund owned by the Saudi Government that is (I believe) overseen by the Crown Prince of the Saudi Royal Family.

Then again, we are owned by an Iranian Accountant with links to Russia who registers himself in Monaco.

Danny, and Kunai, you can moan and moan as much as you like until the cows come home, but it won't make a blind bit of difference.

If Kenwright wants to stay then he will stay. For me, he is holding out to cut the ribbon on the new stadium before he decides to call it a day.

If the ribbon on our new stadium is to be cut by a jinx, then I'm not sure I will ever attend a game at Bramley-Moore Dock.

I drive past on a regular basis, and you can feel the excitement beginning to grow at a similar rate to the stadium, but if Kenwright is allowed to open the stadium, we should start knocking it down, right away.

What an excellent job Howe is doing at Newcastle. Huge pressure on him to perform and he's still without two of his best players. He's transformed 2 or 3 of his team and they play an attacking game. Their owners have been shrewd too.

They've sold their souls, of course, and I can't bear their fans, but full credit to the manager.

Danny and Kunai, that was not a dig at you two by the way, but people in general who think moaning, protesting or whatever, against Kenwright, will get him out.

By all means, make our feelings known that we're not happy with Kenwright, but as I say, he won't go just because fans say so.

Given my links to the Villa side of the family, they were incensed at Doug Ellis having a stand named after him before he'd even passed away.

Let's hide those scissors. I think the tears would be sufficient to refill Bramley-Moore Dock.

A few more managers under pressure. Moyes has spent and is on the same points as Everton. Could West Ham create history by sacking him twice?

If they do, after 11 years at one club (we know the one), that will be sacked 5 times. Please no – one day they'll take him back, Kenwright fucking would!

Next up.

I need no explanation for my dislike of Lucifer's children. Its ingrained.

But a close second is Tottenham.

I have no explanation for that.

Guess I'm going to enjoy this one!

I think Frank is fast forgetting his winning roots and is turning into a very Everton man. Even his politics are wavering and turning him into a socialist (okay, no bad thing).

Joe @29, yeah get that ginger loser back for another 11 years. I'll put it as succinctly as possible: Fuck off, Bill!

Eric Dier… dire by name and dire by nature. Another shite centre-half guaranteed to start at the World Cup.

Brian @31, it may be sooner than you think. This is what a West Hm fan posted on the BBC website after today's result:

"I think it's time for Moyes to go, how can you spend over a 𧴜m to serve up the same dour football, too defensive, slow on the attack, no fluidity, the players can't seem to string 5 passes together and totally devoid in front of goal! We have regressed badly this season, negative and slow all across the pitch."

Looks like Hassenhutl has been sacked, though nothing official announced.

We talk about Gray and Gordon trying to win it on their own.

Kane just done that and took what could have been a goal from the runner coming in at the far post.

If you're stretching, best to leave it and listen to the shout from behind.

Just flicked over in the hope of Spurs winning and I caught glimpse of a fit looking blonde Bird on the RS bench.

WTF?

We talk about Gray and Gordon trying to win it on their own.

Kane just done that and took what could have been a goal from the runner coming in at the far post.

If you're stretching, best to leave it and listen to the shout from behind.

Classic take the chance early. Don't think about it.

Shows the difference Iwobi had more room to score and missed Kane with first time shot and less room scores

Bill, Kane is one of the best goalscorers in the world. Iwobi is an attacking midfielder, who is improving but finishing is not his game.

But no avoiding, when it comes to referees, Liverpool get a heck of a lot of decisions in their favour compared ti other clubs.

So now it's ok to push players over in the box but outside the same push is seen as a foul? The level of inconsistency and incompetence is mind boggling.

Your right Colin a push is a foul, unless they give penalties they will keep doing it. Pundits say it was not enough of a push, who cares, if he pushed the player down it should be an automatic penalty.

Colin, the shove by Trent Arnold outside the box was less of a shove than the one inside the box, yet the free kick was given and the penalty not. That was a penalty all day long, and we all know, down the other end that's given.

By the way, some early breaking news… Liverpool draw Porto in the first knockout stages of the Champions League.

Watching that game it was obvious Spurs would be hard pushed to score with the defensive attitude, at home, that they had, it too Conte over sixty minutes to make the subs that changed the game, they started pressing Liverpool and as Leeds and Forest proved in recent weeks Liverpool are in serious trouble when teams press them, Spurs battered them in those last twenty five minutes but couldn't get the equaliser or some close decisions that decide matches, the Spurs manager didn't help them either with his defensive methods for the first sixty minutes of the game and Dier of course with that ridiculous header.

Football is all about taking your chances. I've just seen Salah punishing a Tottenham mistake, and remembered how Onana, couldn't do the same at Spurs a few weeks ago, and although we didn't deserve nothing yesterday, Iwobi definitely should have put us into the lead.

I always said that we should have got Arteta before we got Ancelotti and just before Mikel went off to Arsenal.

He's proving that he's learned a good trade under Pep at City and the thing with Arteta, he's a very intelligent man, knows how the game needa playing plus has that bit of a streetwise mentality.

Jim #48, Arteta wouldn't have lasted here. As recently as this past summer he was considered all but sacked at Arsenal. Everton wouldn't have given him the three years he has had there. Too much desperation involved.

Tony #46, are you kidding, mate? Salah has over 200 top-level goals. Onana has one. Repeat, one. I can't believe people are criticizing him for not finishing that chance with poise and aplomb. It's like asking your plumber to rewire your breaker box. Just because they're both professionals doesn't mean they have the same skill set.

Mike @49,

I think Tony's point was about taking your chances, not comparing players, and Everton are definitely not taking the few chances they get – hence one of the reasons we are struggling.

Fergie had Brian Kidd, McLaren Queroz etc and it's tempting to think them learning off the master, they must be the real deal.

Same with arteta but he's bucking the trend and good luck to him. I'm all for the Gunners, Toon, Man City, Spurs all battling it out for the Top 4 in any order.

That's sometimes the problem with ToffeeWeb, Ian, mate!

Come on Mike, get with it mate, although maybe it's my fault because I also didn't mention Demarai Gray's chance. 👍

Those Geordie maggots are flying Brian, which just shows you how valuable hard work is in this league.