Simultaneously a Point Gained and Two Dropped

It's all speculation now, but how could any of our supposed targets fit in to play in this formation?

His after-match quote said it all: "Disappointed we couldn't hold on and we played well."

Really??!?!?! Brentford should have had five… fucking wake up, Frank!!

- If Onana was not injured, Frank's blind faith in Davies cost us the 2 points.

- For those who have been critical of Holgate, be careful what you wish for because what Keane brought (or a lack thereof) yesterday was excruciating and a lot worse (fingers crossed that Frank will start Seamus on that Right Centre Back position of the 3)

2) This game showed why Gray's career was stalled: any detailed scouting report would point out his sub-par decision-making and monotonous 1-on-1 moves. He lost the ball every time he tried to be fancy (should he choose to shoot with his left foot, he might not have scored on that shot but definitely better than fooling around with the ball so long that a defender recovered to clear it for corner).

I don't buy what the commentators phrased as trying to be a "Perfectionist". When he played direct without the need to make an extra decision, the result was brilliant (see all the goals he scored for us so far).

One thing that is disappointing is Lampard's choice and timing of substitutions he seems to be reactionary than proactive and he needs to learn fast to take the initiative and make things happen on the pitch before action on the pitch dictates his choice.

Watching the highlights, I instantly thought that Mykolenko should have stabbed that ball back inside to Gordon with his heel, instead of shooting whilst getting forced away from the goal.

It's easy watching from the sidelines, and with Mykolenko being a more defensive minded player, rather than a natural attacker, it shows me that you need the right players to make any system work cohesively?

This throws up another conundrum, about whether Lampard should only be trying to develop his system once he's got all the pieces in place,? Quite a few posters don't seem very happy with our manager, once again.

My own feelings are well known, and centre around a lying bastard who actually told us other clubs often ask what would Everton have done but fails to add any credulity to this story when you consider how long it's been since we actually existed to compete, never mind actually won something.

On game management, Benitez and a few more before him were hopeless at. Maybe his backroom can help him.

As far as I'm concerned, we still need another striker and a creative central midfielder (are they really so hard to find?).

At present, I think this team will struggle to reach 40 points even with the inclusion of Maupay who does give us something extra but not enough to make a big difference.

Broja looks unlikely now, Conor Gallagher probably always was a pipe dream and Brereton Diaz will likely go to Spain but a move for any of these three should have been priority starting today.

Selling Gordon now can't be done either, it's too late.

The 㿨 million on offer is worthless once the window shuts.

Huge few days.

4 games in and we've lost 3 centre-backs to injury. Luck (see last paragraph).

The interesting point about how well we kept the Chelsea barrage of corners ineffective was Holgate's introduction after the unfortunate injury to Godfrey. He seemed to constantly clear at the front post to prevent the flick on. And he done that job effectively.

I can see what the manager is trying to do, I'm just not sure he's got the right tools to do implement it yet. And the substitutions; they seem to be strange (total loss of balance against Forest), forced, or late. I guess I've covered 3 obvious bases with that equally obvious statement!!

By the sounds of it, we could have or should have lost. But we didn't. And if we've somehow stumbled on luck, then I'll take that. It's one of the factors in football and let's face it, we've not had much over the years. From what I've heard the fans' reaction was good. That tells me something.

So as I watched, I listened to Everton Radio for commentary. As the game went on, I have to say I thought we were playing well, the number of mistakes were fewer than last season, and we created chances and generally did okay pressing high and shutting down play.

We rode our luck too, it seemed to be one of those days when, no matter what, they would not score, but in true Everton tradition, we couldn't hold out, sat back and let them come at us.

All-in-all, if I was asked before the game, would I take the point, I would have. But it's the hope that gets you!

Many good things to take from it but, whilst it's an improvement on last season, it's still a work in progress with at least a couple more players needed.

But on waking this morning, signed in to TW and was surprised to see the level of negativity bordering on abuse to the game and manager. We are far better than last year, but still way short of where we would like to be...

This season is one of few expectations from me other than improvement; why? Because we had fallen so far last season, it's going to be a few seasons before we change the bulk of personnel and build a full squad again. Till then, dig in, folks.

Last season, Lampard said that the style of football we were having to play was not what he wanted, but with the circumstances we were in, he felt like he had no choice. So I didn't expect that we would start this season with the same 5-2-3 formation that he employed last season.

In this window, Lampard has added a few players but I still feel this squad is unbalanced. We have 6 centre-backs and another on loan, and 4 full-backs.

Lampard added Tarkowski and he played him in the middle and he looked very dependable and a good distributor of the ball, but he has since added Coady (another good defender).

But has pushed Tarkowski on the left and, because of his lack of pace, he looks very venerable, which is understandable considering he has played predominantly in the middle of a back 4 for Burnley.

When most sides play 3 at the back, which maybe Lampards idea but always quickly changes to 5, they play a holding midfield player. But not only do we not employ a defensive holding midfield player – we expect our 2 midfield players to cover far too much ground.

We have added a young 20-year-old midfield player in Onana who looks a very promising player, but to expect him to play in a 2-man midfield when he is new to this team and the pace of the Premier League is asking a lot; no wonder he told Lampard at half-time he didn't think he could last the full 90 minutes.

For some reason, it seems that Lampard has frozen Allan out the equation – who, until we get a better one, would be the ideal player to sit in midfield with Iwobi and Onana able to play further forward.

Then another player brought in is Dwight McNeil. I bet in his wildest dreams he never thought he would start his first few games for the club as a false Number 9.

I think this more than anything highlights my concern with Lampard, our biggest problem for certainly the last 18 months is lack of goals... yet, until Maupay was signed, we hadn't addressed that problem.

We lost Richarlison 8 weeks back which left us with Rondon, who Lampard hardly played last season, and Calvert-Lewin, who was coming back from a long injury, yet his priority was to sign even more defenders.

Lineker asked Ian Wright on MotD whether Everton should sell Gordon and rightly he said "No, looking at them, they are going to need all the help they will get."

This could go pear-shaped very quickly and, with a break for the World Cup coming in November, Lampard needs for his own sake to make sure we are not in the Bottom 3 at that time.

Let's remember – Lampard wasn't Moshiri's choice... so, if it looks bad in November, he will have no hesitation in pulling the plug on Lampard.

Finally, just to be clear, that's not what I want to happen. We want Lampard to be a success, so please, Frank, change to a 4-3-3 before it's too late.

"If Onana was not injured, Frank's blind faith in Davies cost us the 2 points".

Lyndon's report says "[Onana] had informed his manager at half-time that he didn't think he would be able to last the full 90 minutes."

Great going forward, and a good athlete - but ball-watching, rather than sensing the danger of the opposition.

"If Onana was not injured, Frank's blind faith in Davies cost us the 2 points".

This is taking the 'I hate Tom Davies' to another level; How was the goal Davies's fault?

What was obvious and is a continuation of last season is that 2 in midfield will get overrun by 3, so the substitution should've been Davies for McNeil, and then Onana for Allan, because the front 3 were offering nothing, and it should have been made around the 50- or 55-minute mark.

The defence looked shaky all game – even before the Holgate substitution. The commentator observed that the mid-field in front of the 3 consists of 23-, 21-, 20-, and 26-year-old players which is very inexperienced to protect the back 3. Gana or a fit Allan would probably help matters.

Gordon's goal and overall performance shows that Everton cannot afford to let him go at any price. His enthusiasm, as well as growing skills, cannot just be replaced at this stage of the season.

Holgate's injury may force Lampard to switch to a back 4 because another injury in the centre-back area could be disastrous for us. Next game, I would go 4-3-3:

Pickford
Coleman Coady Tarkowski Mykolenko
Iwobi Davies Onana
Gray Maupay Gordon
.
I would sit out Patterson for a few games to help him catch up and reflect on what he might do better.

With all the players we have let go (Richarlison, Alli, Gbamin, Simms, etc), and the injuries and unfit players – Doucoure, Gomes, Allan, Calvert-Lewin, Townsend, Godfrey, Mina, Holgate – the squad feels very light, especially in the midfield and forward areas.

Lampard needs all the support we as fans can give him, because this season is one of rebuilding (again). I see some encouraging signs, and with a fit squad, we should be okay. But, getting in 1-2 players – especially if we can get in someone experienced like Gana would help things immensely.

Also not convinced that Seamus would be better than Patterson. Seamus has his issues on the other end of the age spectrum. In a flat back four, Patterson may focus his defensive duties better. I think he will get better the more he plays.

I see this as a far more balanced side and formation that will help give us the midfield strength we need to help us get better control of games.

When playing 3-4-3 with wingbacks, they are supposed to be high up the pitch when we attack, otherwise we lose the point of playing with wingbacks.

This will always create space behind them for the opponent to use in counter-attacks. When that happens, the centre-back on that side must run into that space when he sees the ball heading there, and then he must fulfil the tasks of a regular fullback. The back-three must be dynamic in these situations and move over towards the side the ball is heading to.

Aston Villa's first goal was an example of this. The ball came out to our left side and Coutinho (I think it was) got possession of the ball. Then Tarkowski, instead of rushing out putting pressure on the Villa player, stopped on the edge of our box, and let him advance in towards the center and then whip in a dangerous ball, which the other ex-redshite converted. A prime example of how to not defend the wide areas when playing 3-4-3.

It happended several times against Brentford as well, but luckily we weren't punished by them, but it was darn close. This must get better if we are to continue playing 3-4-3, and the outer centre-backs must understand that they are "deputising" as full-backs when countered upon.

Another thing I feel is worrying with the 3-4-3 is that, when defending, it turns to a 5-2-2-1 and we become very deep and yesterday we allowed Brentford to move the ball around in our half and ping in crosses at will. If you allow this, they will eventually score...

This must be fixed somehow, maybe that one of the forward-three join up the central midfielders so that we play something like 5-3-2 then, make it a little more crowded in front of our penalty box .

I do wonder if Lampard has the tactical nous to make the 3-4-3 work properly and can't stop thinking that we should revert to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 to be able to control the game better. I guess we'll find out as the season progresses...

Patterson would be better in a back 4 I think and Mykolenko even more so. Mykolenko is like a rabbit in the headlights sometimes when he's got the chance to cross or shoot.

It's crying out for a change now. Now we have Maupay, I'm hoping for 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1:

Pickford
Mykolenko
Tarkowski
Coady
Patterson
Onana
Iwobi
Davis, Allan or Warrington
Gray
Gordon
Maupay

A back 4 and midfield 3 frees up Gray and Gordon to get wider too. To supply Maupay. I'm looking forward to seeing if Maupay changes the dynamics.
I fear if we just put him in to this same 5-at-the-back system, we will just have the same results.

I would have put a central midfielder on to put more pressure on the Brentford players higher up the pitch, to try to avoid getting so deep... If it would have made a difference, I don't know, but that was my thought then...

Play one of the wingers as the left wingback. We can then play 3 in midfield!

Pickford
Tarkowski - Coady - Mykolenko
Patterson - Iwobi - Gana - Onana - Gordon
Maupay - Calvert-Lewin

Plenty of options then to bring on Doucouré for Onana; Allan or Davies for Gana; or Gordon up front if one of the strikers isn't working; or Vinagre on the left and put Gordon on the right. Square pegs in square holes.

Whether it is a back 4 of back 5 will make little difference if this is not addressed. If the centre-forward can't hold the ball or is not there to do so, the same lack of protection will arise. A player like Gueye may help but not even he could stem the tide resulting from the gaps allowed for the Brentford attack.

Everton's midfield are walk-through at the moment and three rather than two may help, as long as they are preventing gaps and protecting the defence.

When you are winning 1-0 away from home with 8 minutes to go... how do you not concentrate? For fuck's sake, someone failed in what they were supposed to do.

They were not good enough to do the job they were asked to do and should not be put in that position again. Simples.

Why do I say that?

Because we weren't abject, we didn't lose, and we actually took the lead.

They scored with their only shot of the match against Benitez. And this is with Frank able to wheel and deal much more than Benitez ever was.

Another aspect is that, if Brentford levels earlier in the game, we probably react and attack more in that second half, compared to how the game panned out, and thus don't concede as many chances as we did.

I agree the defence looked shaky, but then again 4 out of 5 defenders haven't played many games in an Everton shirt. Last season's backline had played many, many games together and hence would have better understanding between each other.

And on top of that, add a newly arrived 20-year-old starting his first Premier League game and a converted winger at the two central-midfield spots, and you might have some understanding as to why we conceded so many chances.

I think we played really well in that first half, something that bodes well for the future. The second half, we sat too deep, and pressed way too poorly. Because of that, we were punished...