10-man Blues eke out a draw for a vital point

Some massive games to come: Us vs Leics, Forest vs S'ton, Leeds vs Leics. All the bottom teams still to play each other so a lot can change.

For me, right now, the main thing is just getting points. I'd take 7 draws till season end in a heart beat. Looks like 34 will likely be enough to stay up, maybe even 33 depending on GD.

Forest look fckd given remaining fixtures and I still think S'ton are down despite yesterdays surprise result.. Between us, Leeds and Leics imo.

Mason Holgate also comes in, with Ben Godfrey and Neal Maupay dropping to the bench.

Everton XI: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Iwobi, Garner, Gueye, McNeil, Gray, Calvert-Lewin.

4411 ? With Gray dropping in behind Calvert-Lewin?

Got a feeling it's a Gray Day today , COYBLUES!

Good opportunity for Holgate and DCL, provided they are fit and sharp.

Need to show the bottle and intensity missing last week. COYB

it's not like we've got any big omissions on the bench for that 9th substitute place.

I guess going up against Olise/Eze/Ayew that is pacey and skillful attack so Holgate, I guess, must be seen to offer greater defensive stability.

I went to a friend's funeral on Thursday. We've known her 26 years and she died of cancer 3 weeks' back at 53.

Relegation would be sad and I've dreaded it since 1994 but this week has put things into a bit of perspective in terms of Everton and life.

We need points, it's that simple. It's not safe to keep relying on a fast-diminishing number of games to "pick up" possible wins or draws later. We had that countdown several times from Lampard over weeks last season and look how it turned out.

Saints last night were unfortunate but showed what can happen when you battle now.

It's the Holgate/Keane combo that scares me

Thankfully Leeds lost again today so we have another good chance to get some points on the board and move up.

I also think we'll win our last game at home to Bournemouth as they'll be safe with heads on the beach and nothing to play for. Assuming that's right, we need I reckon 4 points from the next 6 games to be ok. Need to obv avoid losing to Leicester as well.

Hopefully won't leave it to the last game mind!

Hard to see why Patterson isn't preferred.

Need to get off to a good positive start and not get into a defensive shell.

What a fucking dreadful team we have.

There's not a footballing brain cell between them.

It's not like they're "good at defending". Being good at defending includes winning the ball and doing something with it. And as soon as we get the ball we're two players (at least) down.

Early on we were lucky when a cross went in and two Palace players failed to get any sort of touch without defenders giving either much to think about.

And where's the Pink, just as I was getting used to it.

Given it's Simms or Maupay as back-up, it's not a great alternative. A workmanlike half, did okay, not enough presence in centre-midfield, Gana off his game.

Keane looks like an accident waiting to happen, been caught flat-footed a couple of times. Iwobi's strike was excellent and a couple of good balls from him going forward but he cannot close a man down to save his life.

Gray still not doing enough for me… but let's hope we can get a couple! COYB!

My God, we've been poor – Championship-standard – but what would you expect when we buy Championship-standard players and sell our best players???

Guests in the house.

As such, we've gained a point on our rivals Leeds and Forest, in an away game against a form team. I'll take that. This is a good day.

Shit football like, but who cares about that at this point.

Gray, a greedy featherweight. Say no more about Holgate.

What was Pickford doing? Holgate was the easier ball, instead tried to find Gray ahead of him.

Bad decision from Pickford, bad decision from Holgate and I thought he got the ball... but it was still a red waiting to happen and it's not like it was worthwhile keeping him on for his outstanding contribution. In amongst the cock-ups, Dyche will have to own that one.

If I were Pattison I'd be looking for another club. Leave these idiots with an array of centre backs to choose from.

Great to see Calvert-Lewin back. He wasn't involved much but did more than any other striker has offered.

Our quality is so poor it's barely worth dissecting where the game went wrong or right. They are just the talentless group that we see.

Eekamouse is a rather fun reggae artist.

that was poor again. palace were in 1st gear, and we have so little quality. and worst is we have so little energy, so little fight. only a couple of times did we look energetic, after Iwobi's strike in the 1st half for about 5 minutes, and after DCLs chance for about 5 minutes in the second half.

Looks like Leeds might be the ones we need to overhaul. Heartfelt thanks to our red shite cousins for doing us another favour today.

Well done to the lads who fought with 10 men.
DCL getting 90mins is a Plus although way too isolated.
Trying to eek out a positive.
Got to get something from Newcastle and beat Leicester now.

There are no magic combinations for Dyche. Presumably he didn't play Patterson because of defensive doubts against the likes of Eze, Ayew and Olise.

I'm more minded to credit Dyche for the point than criticise the selection of one flawed player over another flawed player.

Questionable to keep Holgate on as many were predicting the red but it hasn't really changed the game. Keeping Holgate on, rubbish as he was - may even have helped get us a point. Who knows how it plays out if Patterson or Godfrey (always terrible at RB) comes on at half time for example.

It's a point to keep us in with a chance, Doucoure is back next game, DCL must be getting sharper (and nearly scored a very good goal) and hopefully Coleman will be back soon too.

Not the win we really needed but not a disaster either.

Absolute huge week.

But - it's Holgate so slate him.

Holgate's red seemed to come about by the Ref giving out yellows earlier in the game for very minor offences but that said it was a poor ball out by Pickford that led to it.

And I still don't understand the two poorest players from last week coming on as subs, certainly Godfrey who was very poor before Patterson while Maupay did little to judge him on. Indeed, Keane was playing more in Godfrey's position than Godfrey did. So now we may have a striker we now need a midfield/

Under the Old lady's lights and the crowd on Thursday I think we can beat the Barcodes. Gordon will be getting dogs abuse.

I still believe we'll be safe with 36 points... beat Newcastle, a point at Leicester & Wolves and a win against Bournemouth on the final day.

We need a minimum of two wins and two draws from our last six matches to stand a fighting chance. Thursday is another opportunity at home.

Dyche will have to try and find a way for us to be more potent in attack, Gray today was poor and offered very little threat, his starting place must be in jeopardy.

Beat Bournemouth on the final day? They've thrashed us twice this season. Also last time we played them at Goodison on the final day, they were relegated but still beat us 3-1.

Away point for a recovery from the last two is not the preferred outcome but Leeds and Leics aren't steady at all. I still think we'll get an unexpected result or two. Onana and Doucoure left a huge adjustment and it's a bit unfair on Garner to compare.

Not going down damnit.

You know we're rubbish, I know we're rubbish and every man and his dog knows we're rubbish, but what is it that you get by constantly reminding us how bad we are and how we're never going to win again this season and therefore how we're never going to stay up?

I feel angry at the club for spending eighteen months ignoring our goal scoring difficulties. To me it seems like corporate negligence but what can we do? Only the owner has the power to change things, and he doesn't seem interested any more.

it seems like corporate suicide. I can't think of another top level side that ever went this long with zero forward threat, or an attempt at it. Even teams with almost no money.

Worse is that we've bought other players through it all and left the real problem unaddressed. Lunacy.

Not slagging the lad, just stating an opinion. The fact that he is still at Everton and getting a game tells you all you need to know about the rancid, underwhelming idiots that make the decisions at Everton.
I could weep at the ineptitude. Relegation is coming and will be closer by 10pm next Monday.

We are now joint favourites with Leicester to fill the final slot. I know we talk about must win games, but that one really is must win, an imperative, a real 6 pointer. The rest of the run in is not kind, the most winnable is Bournemouth but they have a recent habit of handing us our backsides on a plate. Hopefully they will be on their hols by that point.

We'd have no excuses if we get relegated. This feels like a much bigger threat than last year, although one might say this season followed from that with a strong sense of inevitability. This might just be the worst Everton team I've seen in 55 years and there have been some poor ones in that time.

Big positive DCL back for the run in - he'll need more than crumbs though, more quality McNeil deliveries needed

As said many times on this forum, Holgate is always one mistimed lunge away from a red... can't tackle, can't pass... godspeed Coleman's recovery

6 massive games left - a result at Leicester just got even more critical - COYB!!!

I hope those in charge have planned accordingly, and not just hoped for a miracle.

Right, I'm off to take my meds now.

Fulham at home was the real disaster and beating Newcastle is no easy feat (they've lost 4 all season which is same as Man City). I don't blame Dyche as the majority of damage was done before he arrived. And the squad was weakened in January.

Good times.

I thought we v played well today against an in form side the only negative being Holgate who was the weak link throughout. If Paterson isn't fit then we should consider Iwobi or Mills at RB until Coleman recovers.

We need everyone in fine form and the fans behind the team against the Geordie's hopefully with Zonsna Doucoure and Coleman back.

Yes in isolation 0-0 away at an in-form team is a decent result. But you cannot look at in isolation you have to look at it in context of all the terrible results we have had all season long since Thelwell and co. took a weak squad and somehow made it even weaker. It's just a matter of which of the five really poor teams at the bottom are the worst of the worst. I think Soton are done. We can't score, Leeds can't defend, Notts Forest have built the largest squad of useless journeymen in history, and Leicester are basically relying on one good player to carry the team.

Christine, I agree that it's a point gained - Palace have looked red hot in their last couple of games. However, at this moment, looking at the table, I don't feel like taking many positives!

Goal difference will be of no hope, it's bad now...but God knows how many city will put past us.

Good point

So for Thursday, when hopefully we will have some of the big guns back, let's have a solid performance but let's try a little invention. I for one don't want to hear from the Manager, and certainly not from the so called Chairman. I would just like to see a little bit of quality, and a sensible game plan surely that's not asking too much ?

The same thing is happening with Dyche but we haven't got the games left for him to be picking these players. Bad management today, picking and then persevering with Holgate – Look at the comments on this thread before the game and the Live Forum at half-time.

Utterly predictable – and Dyche should know it – not watch it unfold before his eyes.

It was obvious that Holgate was a red card risk, and even with two possible alternatives on the bench, he still sat there and refused to make a sub!! Ridiculous management.

Ask any Burnley fan and they will tell you he loathes to make changes to either the line-up or the system unless it's forced on him through injury or suspension.

I felt okay at half-time and thought we could possibly nick something, Everton obviously let me down. Again.

If we don't beat Newcastle on Thursday, then I'm pretty certain it's curtains for us. I'm trying to be positive but it is getting harder and harder.

That is a big issue. Any time a manager is sacked, the inference is that someone else could do better with what he has.

So they come in and see Iwobi apparently like Pele in training.

Tom Davies knocks on the office door and asks "What can I work on to improve?" and they think he's being serious.

Michael Keane knocks on the office and asks "What can I work on to improve?" and they say "Michael, you're 30 years old, for fuck's sake!" and slam the door shut.

Then the first 11 they pick fail as always, so they think "Well, these subs can't be any worse," but then they are worse.

Then they think "Maybe there are some gems in the Academy" … and there aren't.

Then whatever scraps remain are sold off by Bill Kenwright each window and then the manager gets the sack.

The next game, they should improve and get a result. The Leicester game is going to determine a lot. They always fade after two results and in this game they can't afford to do that.

Hopefully Dyche can get Calvert-Lewin playing most of the match, and the return of Doucouré should help. But Dyche can't allow the pressure to drop.

Hardworking performance and a well-earned point.

Once again, I was floor watching when the 5 minutes added time was announced.

Tarkowski won just about everything. Gueye broke everything up.

Jordan Pickford kept us in it with at least two great saves.

Then the supporters. Absolutely non stop and relentless, particularly in the 2nd half. To the point it wound up the drum beating Italian Ultra wannabes.

Fantastic turnout and fantastic show of passion, Evertonians.

I gave a young lad next to me a big hug at the end. About 10 years old. He stood on his seat and never stopped.

I'll gather my thoughts and write tomorrow.

We are going to have a lower quality of squad next season, whichever division we're in, we're going to have less money to spend on new players, even if the mystical investment in the club arrives.

That's why it's imperative, despite our collective common sense, telling us otherwise, to believe that somehow we can manage to get the necessary points to stay up at least that will ensure we have an actual club to support for another twelve months.

Basically, we're up that well known creek, without a canoe never mind a paddle.

It still keeps us in there fighting with a home match up next. The must win matches are now transcending that cliche , four points minimum from the next two I think are essential.

The one thing I'd add regarding the minimal amount of hope I have is that I think the Leicester game is actually much bigger and more winnable than Newcastle. We still need draws in addition to winning one of the next two, but we're better suited to nick a 1-0 away win than have to play on the front foot at home. We then have to hope Leeds and Leicester do nothing the rest of the way, which is possible after they play each other this week.

Again, the Dyche decision to play Holgate was terrible. Either he doesn't like Patterson or doesn't trust him, which either way is concerning. But the Dyche tactics were sadly pretty good, so he gets credit there. Our best shot is winning 1-0 on a set piece, and all of our set pieces by McNeil and Gray were terrible today; Garner should be taking them. So if we can find those goals, build on the clean sheet today, Dyche ball could just allow us to hold on.

Obviously Coleman slots back in if healthy, but I hope Garner keeps his place if Doucoure comes back. I'd really like to see Gana sit, as I think he's a liability, but that assumes Davies or Onana are better in that deep-lying role, and I'm not sure that's the case. But Garner to me is clearly our best skilled central midfielder and needs to be on the pitch.

We've still got a shot, and so believe it's possible. Come on you blues!

Doucoure, Onana, Gueye and Garner with Iwobi, DCL up top would be my pick first half v Skunks,

second half?

Onana & Garner need to play their A game for 90 minutes

Spot on and take a bow for staying positive. So much negativity can bring you down.

We defended well but lacked quality going forward, but we got a point, a seriously well earned point. So lets move on. Next game.

COYB

We have now scored less goals than anyone in the division 24 from 32 games and its obviously our achilles heel.

The game with Leicester could decide our fate, the problem is they will be favourite to get at least a draw.

Anything can happen we know that but its looking a bit grim, we need help from Leeds, Forest and throw in Leicester too.

Tarkowski stood out in the back four, the only one who did and watching Keane doesn't do my ageing ticker much good, still never aware, never anticipates the next phase of the game, two seconds behind the game but who else is there? Mina some would say, not me he'd make me as nervous as Keane does.

Garner did okay but faded in the second half, it's still early days with him, Owobi was Owobi a mixture of good and bad play and still waiting to make the first hard but fair tackle of his career, it won't hurt you lad honest. Gray was poor, McNeil had a decent game and tries to keep hold of the ball, I wish more players put the effort and tackles in that Gana does, he looks like he cares, the Ukrainian is still struggling and adds to the strain on my nervous system, Dominic wasn't great but puts some strain on the opposition and was only inches away from scoring a great goal and getting us those two extra points. Pickford played well apart from his distribution at times.

At the end of the day it could have worse and my nerves would have been torn to shreds if I had watched Liverpool struggling to help us at Anfield against the fabulous Notts Forest!! Count your blessings that one point was better than none and turn out to be very valuable.

For the build-up to the red card, Pickford was culpable. With ten minutes left, the score 0-0 and his team in a relegation fight attempting a long wide pass created an unnecessary risk. The interception by Ayew left Holgate out of position and chasing his man from behind.

I thought Garner played the best football we have seen from him so far, especially in the first half. He looked strong, agile, combative and showed an eye for a forward pass.

Overall the attack functioned more effectively than of late. Players have obviously been told to shoot on sight. On another day one of the efforts from Iwobi, McNeil or DCL might have taken a fortunate deflection.

We will know by 28th May if this was a vital point or a futile draw.

Barry 122, we want a draw, but if a team has to win I think it's Leicester, then we hope for a miracle win away against them to stay level or take them over on points.

I think Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Doucoure, Eze and Olise would all get in our side.

Only Pickford is definitely better than his Palace counterpart.

Thats why we're only picking up points slowly now. We have a rubbish set of players.

But Dyche is giving us a chance. we will keep picking up points and I fancy a win coming soon

But apparently our CEO is the best in the business so I guess I know nothing and should just be grateful that we have such a talented leadership at the Club.

I think wecare down, which is incredible given the fantastic and achieving board we have.

Grand Old Team!

Thanks for the good times, Bill. Don't ever show your face at Goodison again.

RIP, Everton FC.

Still, Forest and Leeds lose and we gain an away point and have Calvert-Lewin back in the team. In the Bottom 3 but by no means down and out with 6 games left.

Get a rest and refocus on the barcodes. Hopefully we can get the same result as this time last year. If Newcastle beat Spurs tomorrow you'd think it would make it a bit easier for us.

The so-called bounce teams like Villa got after changing coach was more like a hop in our case. I don't blame Dyche, what is he supposed to do? With two exceptions he has given the squad a chance to prove itself but for whatever reason they just can't do it. The lack of a fit striker has been discussed to death but the fact is we can't even create good chances nevermind finish them off.

I truly admire the optimism of my esteemed fellow Evertonians on this forum but whereas last year I could see us escaping, this year looks bleak. Three points are a must on Thursday, under the lights at Goodison anything can happen. There's no way this great arena of sport should ever have its final hours in the Championship. No way!!

While him, Onana and Gana played together, we seemed to have a high-energy midfield that, with sheer relentlessness and intense pressing would lead to us creating scoring chances, often by winning the ball in midfield. We have felt toothless the past three games without that energy and the lack of creativity in the attack... When you don't have creativity, at least you have to have energy, but that has been sorely missing...

Iwobi to me, is just running on empty in there, he seldom gets in the game, just prances around doing nothing. He was quite good under Lampard, now he's lost the plot totally...

Gana isn't his old self, but he really complement Douc and Onana well in central midfield allowing them to press high, before Doucs suspention. He's ok, but too slow nowadays and when Onana and Doucs are back I would play Garner as a deeplying midfielder instead with Doucs and Onana pressing higher up the pitch. I feel Garner is a much better passer and more mobile than Gana. I hope now with Doucs and Onana back we can generate more energy from midfield and take more control in games, pushing up the pitch, because the last three games, we have created very little attacking-wise.

We're not down yet, but I'm bracing myself for the worst because we were very poor today. I'm aghast at how many of our players that have poor decisionmaking, and poor technical ability to boot. I think most decisions today were atrocious, right from the off.. Maybe it's the pressure of the relegationbattle and nerves, but we really should be better in that department, it's a huge part of the game.

I'm bracing myself... As a defence-mechanism... I'm starting to think that maybe it isn't that bad getting relegated after all... We could get rid of the deadwood that has been haunting us too long. Sell some players and try to get some young prospects in instead. And along with them we could bet on our youngsters to make up the core of the team... Myko, Patterson, Branthwaite, Garner, Warrington, Onana (if he'll stay), Simms, Cannon (both have had great loans in the Championship), Mills and maybe some others... Sell Calvert-Lewin, Iwobi, Gray, Keane, Doucs, Mina, Maupay, Pickford and probably some more that I forgot on the top of my head, to generate funds to buy some young prospects... I don't know...

Sure, I would feel very disappointed if we were to be relegated for the first time since the 50's. I take huge pride in that fact... I'm very proud of that particular statistic, but what the hell, maybe it's best for the club... I'm bracing myself...

Sorry for the rant, just wanted to let of some steam...

The games are running out fast and please our win will come on Thursday against Newcastle. We can't keep saying "Next game", though, can we? That's all we have left at the moment, but Dom's back and Doucouré's back next week and maybe Coleman and Onana. We are totally relying on maybes and hope, aren't we?

If Sean Dyche picks the right players, I think we have a chance but these last 3 games I am not so sure he will.

I wanted Frank to succeed and I want Sean to as well but what is it they can't see that we see?

Fate and fortune will contrive but Everton must beat Leicester, Bournemouth, and Wolves.

The Toon can be beaten and it will take a special Goodison night to do this, but it is possible.

Rivals in the dog fight to avoid relegation
Leeds United fixtures
Leeds v Leicester; Leeds win, in order of fixtures, Bournemouth, City away - Leeds lose both games, Leeds, v Skunks, Leeds lose, West Ham away - Leeds lose, Leeds v Spurs- Leeds lose..

I'm hoping this is the Leeds collapse, but last season they done the same, but saved themselves in the last couple of games, getting some against all odd victories.

That's me hoping that Leeds, Leicester and also Forest will win less of their remaining games than Everton. Looking at their respective fixtures, they're tougher than Everton's.

The pressure now is massive, every game a Cup Final, but beating the Skunks would be a boost, to set up for Leicester.

Hopefully the whole squad will be up for it.

UTFTs!

UTFTs

I just can't see us winning 3 of our last 6 but same applies to those around us, so 35 and we may survive - just.

If I could get a message to Sean Dych it would be to make the players arrive by coach on Thursday night, and this would help to make Goodison, which is already going to be full of passion, roasting hot.

Next week is the pivotal week now ! If we got anything from Newcastle which isn't inconceivable at home with players coming back. .
Leeds vs Leicester which any permutations are not bad for us ! It's what we do that will count. We are overdue a result now surely.
1-0 against Newcastle
Leicester lose to Leeds.
We win or draw there and could be in our hands

The squad is poor. And we spent the January window trying to appoint a manager renowned for keeping it tight when our issue was goals scored rather than goals against. It never made any sense.

We either had to sign a forward or we would go down. So we signed a defensive minded coach. We've shown a bit more resilience but what we needed was aggression and bravery. And it's not like that's some genius take on the situation - it was obvious to anyone and everyone except our leadership.

I blame Dyche about as much as I blame Maupay. Neither are what we needed, and neither are able to be what we need.

We're just hoping for a miracle now. Any team is beatable on a certain day - we're going to need the fans and players to step up like never before and do something almost superhuman. Go and beat teams that are much, much better than us. It could happen.

We'll have a full strength midfield on Thursday night, arguably the 'best' midfield we've had for a while now. Probably Seamus too, It'll make a big difference.

Surprisingly, the outcome is not as fearful to me somehow, as it was last season. Because unless radical changes are made, starting in the boardroom, then this same scenario will unfold again a year from now.

I find myself wondering will it actually take relegation before we are finally rid of the charletons, namely Kenwright, Baxendale &Co, who have led us to this sorry situation, once and for all.

The whole structure of EFC needs rethinking and rearranging before we can move forward into the new age at Bramley Moor.

That deluded Narcissist Emporer Kenwright fiddles while Goodison burns!

So come on you blue boys, a battle Royal to the finish, starting on Thursday against Newcastle. Nothing short of that will do.

Passion. Zero.

Commitment. Zero.

Team ethic. zero.

GUTS. Zero'

Shit house. 10 out of 10

We can do without cowards like you.

Fuck off.

Yes, we're a total shit show with very few redeeming features on and off the field.

So worry about bad news when it happens, the famous Fat Lady vocalist's taxi hasn't even pulled up outside the theatre, she's got to go inside, take her coat off, get changed and wait her cue to go on stage yet.

These are not normal times - the very opposite. Is there not a defender or defensively inclined player in the Academy to step in at FullBack, given the once(?) in a generation shit or bust situation we have here.

Stand in Square Pegs playing out of position only work in the short term (as they have no 'fullback dna' - however minimal - to fall back on) and then only when the team is functioning well enough to 'carry' them - which we're not.

No manager is perfect (he's better than the last 2) but honeymoons only last so long, yet Patterson is not good enough and Maupay is??

I still reckon that was not a second yellow card for Holgate. it looked like a decent attempt at a tackle - a foul maybe but not a yellow card.

2 red cards this season and both in the run-in. I question the officials' bias. probably made no diff to the final score, though???

He was pretty much running that defence on his own, back up by Pickford.

I wasn't convinced when we signed him, but I am a big fan.

A bit like Gueye in the midfield though, he needs others around him to step up.

We have only lost 2 games in the last 6, including away to Man U at Old Trafford. But, we only have 6 games left and need to WIN 3 to be guaranteed safety.

I advocated playing Godfrey against Fulham and Holgate against Palace - wrong! We need to be more progressive now to get the wins, therefore Patterson must play if Coleman is injured with Myko on the other wing.

We also need to vary the play more. It will be tempting to send long-balls to DCL and fight for the second ball. Nothing wrong with that, but we had success against Leeds and Brentford when our wide men got down the line and whipped in early crosses. DCL thrives on that service, so more of that please.

With DCL back and Doucoure returning next week, the team already looks stronger. Particularly if Onana and Coleman get fit. But, we need goals now so will need to take more chances in the remaning games.

I still think, and hope!, these results will come in. My worry is the Fulham game might have sent us down.

Who knows? I'm still trying to stay positive!!

UTFT!

It may be right about 3 wins guaranteeing safety. I am thinking 8 points may just scrape us over the line. Wins against Newcastle and Bournemouth at home, draws against Leicester and Wolves away. Maybe even a gritty bonus point against Brighton or Man City (who knows? we got an unlikely draw last time thanks to Gray's screamer. ) Any combination would do.

Easier said than done, it will take an almighty effort to get those results. With some very important players coming back though it is achievable.

It does now look that it's going down to the wire, maybe the last five minutes of the season when a goal in two or three games could keep a team up or send a team down.

Yesterday we created chances and didn't take them against an inform Palace team. A point gained. The league table doesn't lie. Are we good enough to stay up or basically has Frank lampard relegated us before Sean showed up? All I know is Sean has given us a chance of survival.

If the worst happens. Make up your mind about Sean dyche? Accept his style to get wins in the championship. An option is bring Martinez back to play football in a league season that will be nearly 60 matches including Cup fixtures. I know which manager I want to get us up as quickly as possible and yes it's Sean dyche.

Again we find ourselves in this position. It's draining and not one bit exciting! However it's not done and dusted by any means. Make goodison loud on Thursday. Cheer till your throat is sore. Drown out negativity and hopefully the players respond.

Frank had us on a path to a Derby style relegation. Dyche has given us a realistic prospect of avoiding the drop, even now with six games to go. It's not unthinkable that we pick up two wins from six, but it is very unlikely.

My hope is that the board have been preparing for this outcome since the break for the world cup. When I read DBB and co talk about us as a PL club it worries me; it's almost as though there's a purposeful ignorance of the most likely outcome at the end of the season. We will most likely not be a PL club after next month.

If the board have thought ahead, and if there are plans to sell high earners to rebalance the squad, we might just have something positive to play for next season, be it playoffs, promotion or a title. I certainly wouldn't enjoy another slog against the drop in the premier league.

See where you are coming from.The Pundits are just going through the motions,Analysis has gone to pot.They have preconceived notions of a teams place in the Premiership and the edited highlights are the best of the game.It just reflects the whole ethos of the Premier League.

Having a interest in the Championship would be interesting, watching better competitive football, with real fans like Evertonians.The coverage is better and at least the Pundits are commenting on a level of Football that they could play at.

Ian#164

I agree Dyche would be best to manage Everton in the Championship for the same reasons ..But I do think there is still a twist in the tail to the season to come.Dyche did get the necessary result yesterday, Against Newcastle at Goidison we are still within the realms of a possible result.It is the Leicester game I still think will be crucial in this first part of the run in..

Derek 165. If we don't start winning (just 1 win in 9) then we will be down well before the final day.

Do you never have anything positive to say?

To be honest, I'm sick of the doom and gloom on here. Before the Palace game, would we not have been happy with a point away from home against a team who won their last 3 games?

And as for Holgate, he probably should have been replaced because of the yellow card. But all the talk about Patterson being our best full-back – when he last played, didn't he cost us 2 goals by his mistakes? Dyche watches him every day in training, so there's a reason he won't play him.

Doucouré is back, Dom is back, hopefully Seamus and Onana are back also, so let's look forward to a massive week. As Dave said, last season after the Burnley game, we were 5 points from safety.

NSNO.

Spirit of the Blues at full blast yesterday — more of the same and hopefully they'll respond on the pitch. UTFT!

I don't know if you watched MotD last night but, at the end, it was a complete shambles. No-one knew what to say and it was embarrassing. No worthy analysis about Everton's match at all, as per...

We have all known since the World Cup that this was going to be tough but it is beyond me why some are so keen to be able to say they were right all along.

The board prepared for relegation by employing Dyche. They accepted during the World Cup that employing Lampard wasn't the right choice.

Dyche has experience in promotion and that is the board's mindset. Also there is the parachute payments that interests them.

Yesterday, this time on a stream, I watched a well-organised patchwork quilt of a team eke out a dour draw against an in-form mid-table side.

Whatever your opinion of the players concerned, I'd argue that our slight resurgence was built on the physical presence of Doucoure & Onana. I'm hoping that their return, together with a genuine focal point up front, will enable us to eke out more points than three other teams.

Opportunities will come, whoever we're playing. This team can lose to anybody, has beaten the league leaders and drawn at The Etihad.

All to play for and in our hands.

Richarlison was sold on 30 June 2022, and what did Lampard do? He put all his eggs on Calvert-Lewin being fit to play the majority of games, despite him missing a huge chunk of the previous season.

When Calvert-Lewin broke down prior to the season starting, did Lampard think "My priority is to get the best two strikers we can get"? No; instead, he played Gordon or McNeil as our main striker and, when the penny finally dawned on Lampard that we had no striker, with only days left of the transfer window, he signed Neal Maupay.

So it's no wonder this team has struggled to score goals; as well as bringing Maupay in, he brought in Onana, Gana and Garner who were not known for their goal scoring, and he also brought in McNeil who looked hopeless till Dyche took over. These players were added to Iwobi and Gray who have never been regular scorers.

Getting back to yesterday, we certainly limited them to few goal-scoring opportunities but didn't look like we were going to score either. The plus was Calvert-Lewin coming through 90 minutes and Dyche said there were no ill effects after the game.

I thought both Keane and Tarkowski were excellent but we not only lack goals but also creativity in midfield. Hopefully, now Doucouré has completed his suspension, he will make a difference, as he is the only one from midfield who drives forward and joins the striker.

I see Hodgson made some nice comments after the game about hoping Everton stay up, and admitting his wife is an Everton fan. He also said "I have to be careful what I say but I think Sean is the right man for Everton." He said he thought Lampard was dealt a poor hand but also suggested his style didn't suit the players.

Trying to be realistic (ie without wearing my blue tinted glasses) I do still see us scraping over the line to safety. I predicted some while ago, when there were still about 10 or 11 matches to go, that we would end up 17th on 33 points.

With their respective run-ins I am seeing:

20th - So'ton on 28 pts after one win, one draw.

19th - Leics on 31 after 3 draws.

18th - Forest on 32 after one win, two draws.

----------(Massive GD advantage for Leeds)-------

17th - Leeds on 32 after 3 draws.

16th - Everton on 34 after two draws and one win.

W Ham and Bournemouth will probably be safe finishing on at least 33/34 or more given their current tally.

I think we will draw with Newcastle and Leics and win one of Wolves and Bournemouth. If we could pull off an extra win we might even find ourselves in the vertigo inducing position of 14th. I still see 33 as being (dangerously close to) safety but realistically think we will pick up more points than the teams around us.

How that would leave us for next season would remain to be seen with potential transfer embargoes, points deductions, fines, player outgoings and other shite but it is not a pretty outlook from my perspective, and we would likely be right back where we are now next year.

I do not really understand the ins and outs of parachute payments etc but it strikes me that possibly the best opportunity to rebuild the squad, from a financial standpoint, might be relegation to the championship?

If we were able to bounce back from the drop and with B Moore looking like being ready for '25/'26 that would see us moving there while back in the PL rather than possibly the season after the drop if that were to occur next season.

Addled brain this morning? Mine is.

But after the Burnley game, we were fourth from bottom, a point clear of Burnley. Not 5 points from safety. This situation is worse. A measure of realism might help soften the blow next month.

I desperately hope you are right in your prediction of us avoiding the drop. Regarding your point about the best opportunity to rebuild the squad with a drop down to the Championship, would be a disaster for this club. First as you say this independent body is still looking into if we have transgressed any financial regulations. Then we will have a mass exodus of players with both Pickford and DCL being the first to go and Iwobi is stalling on signing a new contract mind I don't see him going to be a downside.

But we wont have a lot to spend on rejuvinating the squad and will have to rely on loan deals and youngsters coming through. I am still haunted by the 19 years it took Leeds to get back to the top tier despite being a club used to winning titles in their past. Also the running costs for the new stadium will be a massive draw on resources, also it will be hard to expect supporters to pay Premier league prices for Championship football.
Even a new owner will be massively constrained about what he would be allowed to spend under the financial implications that will be with us for a while.

There are equally as shit teams down there with us

The Leicester game is vital if we could win that we would have a real chance and dent Leicesters hopes at the same time. Problem is they score far more than us, in fact everyone does.

I'd take 7 draws now, ok thats never going to happen but 7 pts whichever way we get them will be enough I feel.

On paper the game with Bournemouth at home is our best chance of 3 pts but on past performances we cant even be positive about that.

Our defence has not been a problem but we have been toothless in attack, with DCL back up front the hope is we can score some goals.

At this stage of the season, one or two teams near the bottom start picking up wins, either against less motivated teams (like we did last season against Palace, Newcastle and Leeds), or in "play-offs" against fellow strugglers.

Leeds v Leicester is a big game - that probably defines who we are competing against for a relegation slot. Meanwhile Soton and Forest are both well capable of picking up points, judging from how hard they pushed Arsenal and the RS respectively this weekend.

We need to take four points from the Newcastle and Leicester games, otherwise I think we are close to doomed. Our big hope is if we can get back to the line-up that looked solid plus DCL up top. That means Onana and Coleman fit for all the remaining games.

I'm worried about Demi Gray though, he looks burned out and we don't really have any other options. Is it too late to put one of the U21s or even U18s on the bench? We might need something out of the ordinary to save us.

If we have to rely on Iwobi and Gray in a relegation battle I am a bit worried.

Apart from the new manager bounce where luckily for us, any other weekend of the season Arsenal would have battered us, Dyche's reign has been as poor as Lampards. Gray looks lost (played somewhere different every week), Holgate and Godfrey in ahead of Patterson, Iwobi (see Gray), use of Simms, Mykolenko. His system seems to rely on one player and that is Doucoure, a player who Frank realised his second touch is a tackle.

It's sad to see young players sat on bench when senoir players are so so poor. What must they think? what message does it send out to the others when they not only watch this but can't get a game. Evan Ferguson, or even Saliba at Arsenal if they were at Everton I would guarantee would be not be in this side.

I am tired of watching these performances every week, we are without doubt the worst side in the league. To see the teams around us going to Arsenal, Spurs with attacking options and winning is even more damning when we can't put a few passes together.

Patterson, Simms, Mills, Price are going to have to be used as options I'm afraid.

Then there were 5, us included. As Chris points out above, all have pretty similar form, a win ratio of about 10%. Continuation of that form is likely to see you go down without even winning another game. But it is possible, even likely that one or two of the 5 will also get a run of momentum and squeeze out a couple of wins. Can that be us?

Of course, all is possible. But to win you need to score and not only is our record on that front clear for all to see, you can't even say we've been unlucky. Mostly, we don't ever look like scoring. Some of our recent goals, like Coleman's, have almost been freaks. This is a worry. Simms' goal v Chelsea stands out in my mind for being a 'typical' goal, yet one we scarcely ever see.

My hunch is that Leicester are the most likely. They have two genuinely class outfield players in Maddison and Tielemans. True, the latter is sulking but he knows how to play. I see now why Dyche perseveres with Gray. He is not a goal scorer but along with McNeil, is about as good as we have and is at least capable of a 'worldie'. Maybe that is all we need, just once, then hold out. If we lose against them, then we just have to hope Leeds don't suddenly discover how to defend and we are saved by being narrowly the least bad of 4

I said the other day that I'm sure many posters get some sort of warped sense of satisfaction when we lose, and other teams in the relegation battle get a result. It's like Andy at # 173 says, they can't wait to say “I told you so”.

I came out of Selhurst Park yesterday thinking a point was a decent result, as did many I could hear, walking back to the coaches. People on our coach seemed satisfied with the point, even though we had dropped into the Bottom 3.

I got home last night around 11pm and looked on TW around the time the game would have finished. All you see is negativity, negativity, negativity. Granted, it's a precarious position we're in, but the ones who have given up are the ones who don't, or can't for whatever reason, go the game, while those who go to all the games can still see a way out.

Having Calvert-Lewin back will play a big part in us staying up. Despite what Ian says at #181, we still have winnable games left: West Ham, Leeds and Forest don't. Not saying we are going to win them, but I'd rather have our run-in than those three teams.

We will survive, we will get above Leeds and West Ham. Leeds will be the one to go, along with Forest and Southampton.

Our only hope is if Leeds and Forest are so poor we manage to stay up, but I really can't see it. They are better than us everywhere apart from our defence and keeper, but they have it in them to pull out a performance; we don't.

Brighton away, Leicester away, Man City… absolutely no chance. That leaves Wolves away and Newcastle at home guarenteed wins required.

I think it's too much to ask for this squad, and I can see Bournemouth running riot on the last day like they did here under Carlo. The writing's on the wall, I've made peace with it. Sorry for the negativity, I'm drained.

Dyche is beginning to worry me. In my opinion, the Fulham game was akin to Martinez's West Ham moment where I went from "He got it wrong" to "He doesn't know what he's doing", and it continued into the Palace game.

On the Live Forum, I and let's face it everyone else was posting, "Get Holgate off, he's a red card waiting to happen." Why couldn't Dyche see what we were seeing? He was getting skinned by Ayew, lost the flight of the ball numerous times and had to make up ground making a mistimed tackle inevitable.

I can only hope that this is a blip, and when we get Doucouré, Onana & Coleman back, go back to 4-3-3 this time with a fully fit Dom leading the line we can get enough points. It's the hope that kills you.

Who forecast Southampton drawing at Arsenal? Or us getting an away point with 10 men against the form team of the bottom half? More twists to come, I reckon.

All we can do as fans is give full noisy backing at every match. I hope the players have more faith than many TW posters.

If that team can do it against Arsenal, they can certainly do it against Newcastle and Bournemouth. They may not pull it off but this is no time for negativity or white-flag waving, that is exactly what our relegation rivals would love.

We go into it fighting for every ball and every blade of grass, full-on competitive, with our best players on the pitch and see where it gets us.

It can go either way, relegation or survival. There's no point in being resigned to either, because such resignation won't diminish disappointment if we go down, or relief if we stay up.

The only practical thing to do is to keep on supporting in the hope that we win each game as it comes.

If we beat Leicester, then everything will be okay. We wouldn't be in this mess if we would have got a striker.

In terms of going to games, it's difficult, unable to get tickets most of the time. However, if next season is in the Championship, how many would go under Dyche as a manager? Draw specialist.

Which we are – we do need to convert a couple of draws into wins though.

We finally have Calvert-Lewin back, together with Doucoure and Onana (hopefully). Claiming we are already relegated is not correct.

He may build solid, hard-to-beat teams but they achieve very little.

Saying that, if he keeps us up, then I'll doff my cap to him and he will deserve another 2 years in the job.

Personally, I can't see it... that's not negativity, it's being realistic. We are in a bad, bad place and all the positivity will not change that, that's the reality of the situation.

But we live in hope, a Pandora's box of a team.

As fans we can do no more than we are doing as we did yesterday. We can go down, I'd say that the odds don't favour us with the bookies saying that we will go down.

Faith and hope from the fans will do nothing. Realism and acceptance is required now.

He went on to say our forwards are incredible players and maybe their confidence has been knocked by our position in the league. But he is right: the goal record of our forwards is abysmal and it needs to change starting Thursday.

Never seen negativity win anything. Get/stay positive for the final run in and we should be able to avoid the drop!!

Only scoring goals wins matches. We don't score enough of them.

West Ham have won 2 in their last 5
Leeds have won 1 in their last 5
Leicester have won 1 in their last 5.

We haven't won for 6 games.

Last season, many folk commented what a difference the fans made. So how come positivity is pointless now? Again, I'm not saying I'm confident, but all this talk of acceptance is bollocks.

Everton 0 Newcastle 2
Leicester City 4 Everton 0
Brighton 3 Everton 0
Everton 0 Man City 3
Wolves 2 Everton 0
Everton 0 Bournemouth 2

Everton relegated with its lowest goal tally in its entire history.

I'm being a tad sarcastic, however, I'm also realistic enough to know that those results are very possible, but fortunately we won't know until the games are actually played out.

We can beat Newcastle at Goodison on Thursday.

We can beat Leicester.

We can beat Brighton.

We can get a point against City.

We will beat Bournemouth.

I walked out of Selhurst Park yesterday surrounded by a lot of Everton supporters who felt positive about the result, if not the performance.

No game is a given either way. But throwing the towel in? No, thank you.

We could have a nuclear holocaust and, when the dust settles, Holgate will still be sitting on the Everton bench with a baseball hat on back to front chewing gum like a demented speed freak and Tom fucking Davies sitting next to him going on about saving the planet by recycling chopsticks.

We're Everton, aren't we?

I sometimes sense that you get some perverse satisfaction about talking us down at every possible turn but…

Leicester have 3 points from their last 5 games and 3 points from their last 10 games.

Guess what? We also have 3 points from our last 5 games too but we have 10 points from the last 10 games.

Leeds have 3 points from their last 5 games and 10 points from their last 10 too.

I'd say that Leicester may have the best chance of moving away simply because they play both Leeds and us and they score more goals than both of us… but we don't concede as many as either them or Leeds.

So, if we can keep it tight at the back, get Onana and Doucouré back in a functioning 3-man midfield, and can keep Calvert-Lewin fit, we might just be able to nick a couple of games 1-0. We might also be capable of eking out a few more 0-0 games too.

We are still very much in with a shot.

I'm not going to bother looking at quotes because I know that was your repeated position

Get a latte ol chap, this goes on a while but you be sure and get on that -120 maaaaan.

Given how well-respected he is within the game, I'm sure he could save his beloved club from sliding into the Mersey.

I don't know if you have met either Chris or Dave. Both are very wise, balanced and measured Evertonians and followers of the beautiful game. If you haven't met them, I'd recommend it.

Maybe you can give us the much anticipated "Told you so" next month? Meanwhile, many thousands are clinging to hope and belief that you won't be able to.

Call me what you want. I have thick skin.

Anyone who thinks they are safe and out of the equation needs to think again. They are down there because, like all the others, they are shite.

Which is, despite being an Evertonian, that Everton will definitely be relegated.

It may happen, but it is easy to repeat the same tune for every Everton manager and team as you have done for years. If they fail, you are right; if they survive, you are relieved and we were lucky.

Well, we'll say no more.

Newcastle game looking daunting while the draw at home to Spurs looks like another 2 pts dropped.

Apologies if that doesn't suit the happy clappers… but we are 18th, not 3rd.

Just bring it up a level and get off the schoolyard stuff.

In all fairness, Ian, Dave is very knowledgable and always writes interesting and constructive comments, unlike some.

Some of the daft fuckers on here think we will easily stay up.

Newcastle will twat us.

Get a life, people, cos you're not clever and not at all funny and perhaps you should give football a miss as a way to find happiness.

People can quote all the stats they want and I am always an optimistic person but this just feels different this season. I will still give 100% support but it feels hopeless. 😞 I hope I am wrong!

Ian Edwards, you actually took the time to type these words:

"You have failed to grasp the importance of winning games"
God almighty, you actually fucking wrote that patronising, self-satisfied piece of shit.

There are no happy clappers on here, just concerned Evertonians hoping for the best… and relentless bores like you.

Just as well we didn't go for Eddie Howe, or get Moyes back.

Also, for Rob Halligan - dinosaurs ruled the earth during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, roughly from 252 million years ago to 66 million years ago, 186 million years. I'll take that as an indication that whatever they were up to dinosaurs (like Carlo Ancelotti) got something very right.

Leeds fans on their boards are also saying Leeds 'are down'. Funny lot, football fans.

Leicester won. West Ham are winning. I hope that explains it easily enough for you.

Tell me, what do you do as a supporter to differentiate yourself from the Happy Clappers?

It is that your rhetoric directly implies an intent to hurt and so we give it to you in return. We could work our way out of this kind of discourse.

Newcastle are on fire and I fully expect a few to write our chances off on Thursday, however under the Goodison lights, Calvert-Lewin a bit sharper, and Doucoure coming back into the team, possibly Onana, then I certainly give Everton a fighting chance.

We will not make it easy for Newcastle that's for sure and reckon it will be one of those nights when Goodison is rocking.

Have a bit more faith in your team, if we can get right behind the team from the off, rally the players.

Fulham was different flat atmosphere for large parts, this one though I expect Goodison to be rocking, even before kick off.

"Grasping the importance of winning" was priceless. You are also patronising and rude to people.

I asked what you do as a supporter to differentiate you from the great Clapper unwashed? Can you answer, please?

The team need all the advantages that they can muster and I can't understand the logic of this decision.

Football's a strange game, the unexpected often happens. It is certainly not too late for us to escape. I don't think anyone is saying that, although they might – not unreasonably – be dealing with probabilities on the basis of their own eyes.

I actually have some sympathy with Ian's position. Earlier in the season, that might have been a point gained and of course it's better than nothing. But I doubt we can stay up without at least one win, maybe even two, and we are demonstrably not good at doing that right now, not least because we struggle to score, and time is definitely not our side, the clock is ticking down.

That was another chance missed. If nothing else, we could do with a lucky break. Maybe that would lift the team and bring a little more confidence to what looks like a largely shell-shocked side at the moment.

All three going down this season.

First and foremost, we need to keep another clean sheet and take it from there. Easier said than done, I know, but in the last 13 months, we have beaten Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal – all by 1-0 when many predicted a dire outcome.

One big effort on Thursday and a result will be absolutely massive, we have to target this and the Leicester game.

4 points minimum from those two games will save us, I reckon.

I'm actually predicting a draw. That's the first of our 6 points from my post above.

A win would have been better than a draw, hence my comment on statement of the blindingly obvious. A point though was also far better than a defeat against an in-form Palace side away from home.

We may stay up because of the single points won against good sides. If you win and then lose in two games you get zero points. If you draw twice then you get two incredibly valuable points.

Not losing is as important as winning when you're down. I hope for all of the great Everton fans that we stay up. Meanwhile, we kick the can down the road to the next must-win game.

You might as well write that it gets dark at night, that is the level of the insight, analysis and wit that you churn out relentlessly.

"Only scoring goals wins matches"
"We haven't won in the last six games"

We know, we all know. Just, in the name of God, stop telling us.

You are right, you were right all along! We are Doomed!!!

Well, no shit, Sherlock! – we are not only poor in skill level but we seem to be mentally destroyed and run by donkeys.

It's not what we are, we know that, it's how we can break out of it.

We all know that the club is in crisis, on and off the pitch. I don't think there is a single Everton fan anywhere in the world who is satisfied with the status quo.

So it would be easy to come on here, like you do, and constantly criticise the ability, tactics, efforts etc and predict the absolute worst. But the absolute worst is not upon us yet – your posts notwithstanding of course...

I'm not sure I follow the middle part of your post nor that not losing is the most important thing. I'd sooner win 2 and lose the others than draw all but the Man City game (which realistically we likely will get nothing from).

I really do think winning at least a game or two is more important than not losing a couple right now. I don't think we'll survive without at least one win, unless 3 out of the other 4 totally collapse. Granted that is not impossible but not to be relied upon.

To be blunt, I've seen enough these past 2 years to know we don't have the talent in the team to win by outplaying opponents. I'd settle right now for a lucky break, a goal going in off someone's backside or an own goal come to that. 3 points, however they come.

I loved the style he brought and that he was a genius to discover how to turn an utterly limited centre-forward like Calvert-Lewin into a goal machine, and I thought he bought probably the most skilful player since Kanchelskis.

He made beating Liverpool in their midden look easy.

But the shit organisation and corruption both of the club and the Premier League and the break-in persuaded him that Madrid was a much better place. So he went and humiliated Liverpool all over again!

I love Carlo!

I don't remember anyone posting that 'we'd stay up easily', but thanks for the insults all the same.

Ian E, many thanks for your Shearer-like insights into how the game works. Given your Benitezesque taste for facts, let me offer one by way of return. We are not down yet and, as every gameweek proves, predicting all of the results is all but impossible.

At least there's consistency. The recruitment is as big a shitshow as the rest of the club.

I agree, Ancelotti was the best after Howard Kendall Mk 1.

Even a few are reminiscing fondly about the manager who lost to Liverpool's Youth team in the FA Cup and also lost about 7 home games in a row including to a dreadful Sheffield Utd with a goal from a schoolboy. Not to mention the mind-numbing tactics.

If having a go at me rather than critiquing the team and manager makes you feel better, then I'm glad I've been of help.

With the squad we have, it was always going to be grinding out a result. We would have to be real lucky to win. Everton are dependent on other teams slipping up and, because the points tally is so tight, getting a point can make a big difference.

What Everton are dependent on now are:

Not getting beat,
A lucky win,
Other teams slipping up,
Just enough of a boost from returning players.

Even with that, they could lose two games.

Actually, this squad, if they got a win, could give us a Fulham performance and get beat the next game.

We are a very poor team and no-one on here thinks otherwise. Only you feel the need to repeat it day after day after fucking day.

Anyway, last post I will address to you. If we are relegated, I look forward to your "I was right" lap of honour. Then on to your tedious nonsense that League One will be next…

It should read 1 Brighton team equals I Iwobi. Oops

Adrian, Nico Williams, Nat Phillips, Joe Gomez, James Milner. Lallana, Chirivella, Curtis Jones. Harvey Elliott, Divock Origi, Takumi.

Hardly a youth team, and some premier league experience in that line up, although admittedly we should have won. In fact that game should have been over at half time when we should have been 4-0 up. I guess the fact that DCL and Richarlison missed some sitters was Carlos fault!!

Another stat for you Ian, we won eleven away games in Carlos only full season, including Liverpool, Arsenal, spurs, with a draw at man Utd. Guess those stats are erased from your memory.

I'm unsure how it possible to lose something that we never had in the first place? How's that possible? We have a point more than we had prior to kick off so by any metric that's a gain.

It's not what any of us would have wanted of course but it's a point gained.

Spurs didn't turn up (as proved yesterday) and were making the same mistakes trying to play put from the back very poorly, and we didn't have a go until we went down to 10, Fulham were on the beach until we let them control the game (our own doing due to formation/tactics), and Palace were playing like it was the end of the season and were safe.

2 points from those games, I think we needed 6. Newcastle now is huge, the good thing is they may now feel like 4th is in the bag and hopefully we more than match them for effort and create a toxic atmosphere. No excuse now everyone is back.

It seems to me the pattern is set - other teams are picking up wins around us, while Southampton, Forest and Everton continue to flounder.

Where is a win going to come from? People on here, and I say this with the greatest respect, seem to apply blind faith every fixture - some above even saying they think we'll beat Newcastle. But why? On what basis? Newcastle are one of the best teams in the division, we're one of the absolute worst so what makes anyone think we'll suddenly pull off a feat like beating them is beyond me. And yes, we beat Arsenal, but that was new manager bounce and nothing more. A fluke. The games post have proved that.

My only hope is that with Doucoure, Onana and Coleman back in the team, we might sneak a draw here & there, but winning games? This team just does not know how to score, or win games - pretty fundamental and the table does not tell any lies.

Teams at the bottom need a spark, a player who can create something out of nothing - we do not have that player in our squad.

If we stay up, I'll be absolutely staggered.

We have to rely on Dyche to come up with a plan (better than the last few games), and we certainly need the missing players back.

Give up if you want to by all means, as I am sure you are as stressed as the rest of us.

I am not giving up no matter what anyone says.

If we don't survive, we'll have plenty of time to make all of the necessary arrangements.

Hope we beat Newcastle, so if anyone can put up a sensible case based on current form and desire then I am all ears. (the new manager bounce from the Arsenal game has disappeared)

Dont see us beating Leicester, so Thursday night is the one we need to take max points and then get a point from Monday. Would then leave us one win short of safety I reckon

Soton/Forest and either us or Leeds to drop.

Having a go at Carlo's style of play but, if I remember correctly, Ian wanted us to keep Sam fucking Allardyce, the man whose teams are absolutely boring to watch, a man sacked after 1 England game cos he was a fat greedy money grabbing bastard… to think we've had him and the Waiter as Manager, I found embarrassing,

No coincidence that the only time we've won at Liverpool this century was when Carlo was manager and we had James Rodriguez – someone who could put his foot on the ball and pick a pass, who came here because of Carlo. We played some great football the first half of that season until Van Dijk crocked James and the wheels came off.

That was definitely a point gained on Saturday, our away record is abysmal, 1 away win all season so, for me, that was a well-earned hard-won point, it's only because Leicester won that it seems it was an opportunity spurned.