Everton vs Southampton

Very welcome news.

His energy will be vital as we try to galvanize the troops for a second-half-of-the-season recovery.

He needs to score more himself.

All that matters for this season is Premier League survival. Next season will take care of itself.

Our strike force is woefully inadequate. If there were any chance at all he could be available on loan, I would try for Lukaku. He knows us; he's proven; he knows where the net is; and we wouldn't go down with him in the middle.

Given the money that has been splurged, whatever he would cost is a comparative drop in the ocean.

We badly need him back. I would play him upfield closer to Calvert-Lewin and put an additional midfielder in.

I think he has been very poor since the World Cup and made things chaotic with his failure to tackle and giving the ball away so easily.

But, nonetheless, he is basically the only creative outlet we have other than Gray's occasional wonder strikes.

He definitely needs to be told to attack and be positive because somewhere deep down there is a good player there.

I may have heard these words before with many a player we've had. Bruce Rioch and Trevor Ross spring to mind.

Clearly not a lot going on transfer-wise but it's what he doesn't say that gives me hope. I expect one or two in and one or two out.

I'm giving him the benefit at the moment!

Hopefully this is just a ploy to throw a wrench into Southampton's preparation.

I agree, Iwobi needs to play a free role in our team, just like his uncle (Jay Jay Okocha) did with Bolton back then.

I hope we can survive this big hurdle… we can and we shall!

Anyway, despite his form having dipped, he remains one of our few players who is brave enough to pass forwards.

I watched Lampard's presser this afternoon and was quite surprised at how upbeat he seemed, laughing and joking and he had got a little present for Alistair McGowan (BBC).

I wonder if we might hear of a couple of good transfers very soon?

I also think it's indicative of how far we have fallen and how low our expectations are now when I read this thread and how excited people are that he is back.

Yes, these last 12 months he's been a lot better, but in terms of output and goals or chances created, it isn't that many folks – we really need to up our expectations.

As per some of the comments above, after the World Cup break, he has been poor. Yes, energetic and runs around a lot… but effective – no.

My only real problem concerning Iwobi is that, too often, he breaks rank, chasing the ball with his boundless energy, but then never really puts a tackle in. I think this then exposes the rest of the team, who are not really set up to press because of our defenders playing very deep?

A team caught between two stools? Maybe it's not really Iwobi's fault.

I hope he's fit but I hope he isn't rushed back in desperation.

Where we are now he is probably only creative player we have. Maybe Anthony if he can find his form and mojo. Demarai Gray on his day is a threat.

The problem is what do they have to aim for?

Step forward Dominic. Take the mantle.

With us being camped in our own half for 90% of most games, the last thing we need is our players making fouls anywhere within 35 yards of our goal.

Sometimes I think he is trying so hard to impress and produce the goods his efforts are fantastic but are unfocused. You could say that the manager and his coaches should be all over this and try to bottle his energy and drive. They need to instil some positional discipline into him. Get into his head about the role he needs to play and the zones that are his responsibility.

Maybe they have though and it's a bit hard to get through to him - once the game starts it's all the instructions and midweek work are forgotten.

He went from looking abject and awful, into somebody who you began to realize had come through at Wenger's, Arsenal, but this Everton team, don't really pass and move, and probably play less than 5 give and goes between them every week.

We simply need to start playing as a team.

Lampard mentioned some weeks back that he needed more striking power, and said that we would be looking to strengthen in that area, and I thought that during the 6 weeks the season was suspended because of the World Cup, that Lampard and Thelwell would be talking to potential targets and have a couple of deals sorted and ready to go on day 1 of the window being open. But we are nearly halfway through the window and still no sign of any new arrivals. Could it be that Moshiri is reluctant to let Lampard spend any more money in case it all goes pear shaped and he might need to weld the axe again.

"Could it be that Moshiri is reluctant to let Lampard spend any more money in case it all goes pear shaped and he might need to weld the axe again."

I think that could be a factor, as could fear of a larger bill with possible relegation. But it could also be there is no money to spend. Brian Williams posted on here last week he'd heard we have to sell to buy.

I can't believe that fans still think we have money. It's clear we don't. FFP rules, ridiculous wage costs vs income, stadium investment, oh and the killer - our Sugar Daddy Usmanov being sanctioned. Look at our spending since the start of last season - it's minimal. We had to sell Richarlison in June to ensure FFP didn't hit us.

Wake up and smell the coffee blues. We are broke and that's just another in a long line of issues

Kenwright and Moyes, produced a plucky little Everton team, that were renowned for punching above their weight, even though they usually came around what you would expect for a club that usually had around the 7/8th highest wage bill, and if it's true that Everton's net spend is around £160 million over the last five seasons, then it's not the the operations we have been doing in the transfer market, that have killed our finances?

I expect Everton will be sold sooner, rather than later, but maybe I'm just an eternal optimist?

Song of the Wandering Aengus (William Butler Yates 1899)

It's the clearest future deadwood situation you could ever see. Whoever sanctions this sort of deal is the root of all evil at this football club.

If you're a Waterboys fan or music fan in general, they did an entire album of WB poems set to music and Wandering Aengus was particularly good

https://youtu.be/BYb-qOKKC0E

But let me guess, Tony — your account's been hacked!

Revenge? They're over doing it a bit. They already stole Arteta for pennies.

Channelling my pedantic Danny O'...it is "W.B. Yeats"

An extraordinary poet.

(Perhaps you account was hacked?)

This is the issue, our financial losses for the past 3 years: https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/29/everton-lose-more-than-100m-for-third-successive-year-but-avoid-sanctions

Transfer spend, wage bill, manager payoffs, poor monetisation all accrue to the situation we find ourselves in. Usmanov and the commercial deals where his money was being laundered through the club and propping up some of our prior spending have all gone now.

We either need loans, free agents, or signings on the drip. That's why we take an age to sign anyone as we can't afford to structure deals that mean the buying club accept quickly.

Everton have been the least effective team in the Prem. for quite a while and many teams must be licking their lips at the prospect of playing them.

It is a sad state of affairs watching them struggle and one can only pray that a turnaround happens soon.

Luckily Leeds lost today and there is the chance that West Ham and Bournemouth could lose also but that won't mean diddly if Everton lose again.

Soton did well against a City side that didn't really seem interested in the Mickey Mouse cup but they still look a confident bunch which will be sure to test this lukewarm Everton squad..

C.O.Y.B.

But if he plays in midfield then that typically means we're going to try to play some kind of joined up football that we're no good at.

I'd still prefer us to find a playing identity that fits the players we have. That's either backs to the wall and hit on the break through Gray, Gordon, DCL. Or its two up front with pace on the wings and go for pressure. Neither need anything more than a functional holding midfield that is hard to beat, wins the ball and lets others play the football.

Iwobi is between two stools for us. Not good enough to set us up to play football. Not responsible enough to play in a different style.

I'd consider him at right wing back or as a replacement winger if we go backs to the wall but nothing more.

He's emblomatic of the level of player we've brought to the club. Very, very average. Regardless of whether I actually like his endeavour and character.

Pickford
Mina Coady Tarkowski
Iwobi Onana Gana Price McNeil
DCL Simms

Grey Franks

Pickford
Coleman Coady tarkowski Mykolenko
Onana Gana Doucoure
Gordon DCL Gray

…..0-2, Franks last game. Too little, too late.

A rousing welcome, a solid win, then Bill and Denise getting the guitars out and singing Kumbaya to the crowd as they unveil Warren Buffet as the new owner and reveal we've bought Bayern Munich as our feeder club.

Thank you very much for posting WB Yeats wonderful poem, really enjoyed reading it after years, though my reference was more a figure of speech, probably stored in distance recesses I had forgotten.

But I think Yeats's poem below may be even appreciated by Michael in Everton's present situation.

The Second Coming, by W B Yeats.

Thank you very much again, Tony.

When I'm challenged to defend my support of Everton I'm always drawn to this:

Well applied, Yeats started as a Romantic poet and moved to be a Modernist poet. Few today can be as relevant.

There is a Museum at Kiltartan and there is the adjoining Coole Park Visitor Centre, an area my wife comes from, which gives a lot of context regarding the writing of these poems.

Is your wife from Sligo? Do you come to Ireland? I'm not too far away in Donegal most of the summer!

ps: Don't take the piss & tell me you're living here already!

Been down there maybe every other year and might be again but if you're ever coming back up the Sligo direction... let me know.

Well said.

We've still got to play Arsenal twice, Liverpool away, Man Utd away, Newcastle Utd at home, Spurs at home, Chelsea away, Man City at home as well as tricky away games at Brighton, Palace, Leicester and nasty looking home games against Fulham, Brentford, Villa etc etc.

Honestly, if we don't win today I think – even as early as January – our race is ran.

You just can't see this group of players scoring enough goals or digging out narrow hard-fought wins.

Good win this weekend - perhaps Ward-Prouse will get injured in the warm-up!

The fella on the ball looks rubbish as he can't pick out a target, but he's getting absolutely zero help from those in front of him.

3-5-2 is the first time we've properly countered at Man Utd and Man City. 4-3-3 just doesn't get the best out of Gray. The only problem is our wingbacks can't or won't get up and down the pitch.

There are still 57 points to play for after today so, yes, the game is important psychologically but it is not yet the apocalypse.

I can't recall this ref. Is he any good? Probably not.

Everton are likely to be ultra-conservative. Defensively orientated in tactics and deep as our players' inadequacies dictate. Really the midfield is crucial and Iowbi's role in it. Stuck on the right as he was in the last game to support one of Frank's bad ideas is no use as it leads to more exposure, which is Frank's Achilles Heel.

It appears to be related to an inability to get players forward and support as an offensive unit, partly as a result of some of the players not being up to the required recruitment. Something that NSNOW are trying to address at the root cause, and what many of us have been going on about until we are blue in the face.

I don't know where a massively improved contract for Iowbi came from, but someone who is involved in negotiations needs to get a grip on reality.

Pickford
Godfrey
Coady
Tarkowski
Gordon
Onana
Gana
Doucouré
Gray
Simms
Calvert-Lewin.

My line-up will not be popular with everyone, but here goes:

Pickford
Holgate Tarkowski Godfrey
Coleman Davies Gueye Doucouré Mykolenko
Calvert-Lewin Iwobi (if unfit, Gray).

Reasons:

1) Holgate is the best defender we have on the right side of a back three;
2) Davies has positional discipline, so play him as the holding midfielder and let Gueye and Doucouré get about the opposition;
3) Iwobi or Gray will connect the midfield and attack better.

This is far too tense a game to throw Simms into. Put him on the bench.

I predict that when we are losing at about 70 mins, Lampard – with hand on chin and looking dumbfounded – will make a like-for-like swap of one of our ''wingers'' without changing the formation that has failed us for the entire game… and nothing else.

After the match, he will bleat on about how well we played but Southampton were ''better between the lines'' and ''It's where we are at the moment.''

The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Over to you, Frank and Co.

There maybe some truth in the comment but isn't it the same for Fulham etc, clubs with smaller budgets and smaller wage bills? I don't quite buy the ‘inevitable relegation struggle'. It is normalising our performances as ones that are reasonably expected.

Is Frank saying that no manager or recruitment team on the planet could avoid a relegation battle with the resources at his disposal?

Throughout this turbulent week, many thoughts have turned to the necessity of returning to what has worked in the past and plays to our strengths. Back to the 4-5-1, becoming very hard to beat, getting the midfield balance right and grabbing important grafted wins by whatever means necessary.

Remarkably, Frank still has a chance to prove himself as adaptable and to put out an effective team (like he did at Man City). Even though he has fallen short, I am, for reasons unknown to me, still willing him on to succeed and come good. I just can't help liking the guy; but at the same time, realities of results have to be recognised and acted upon if necessary.

So come on, Frank, get us the win, COYBlues, do it for Frank and the Fans. Time to leave it all out there and turn a corner.

Amazingly, we have only scored 14 league goals this season as a result.

Jerome says that Frank's Achilles Heel is the inability to get the team forward and support as an offensive unit. With whom, Jerome? Where quality and creativity tells the most in football is in the attacking third. We have sold off these players from our squad because we wanted to cash in on them or cut their wages from the bill.

The idea that we should now not offer a new contract to the only creative player left in the squad – Iwobi – beggars belief. Of those 14 goals, he has contributed 1 goal and 5 assists.

Talk about a masochism strategy. The manager is not doing a great job at all, but not to sign a productive forward in the summer was criminal.

Pack the midfield
Be aggressive
Don't pass it around our own 18-yard box
Push Onana up and use him as a target man
Don't sit too deep and get caught

Can't you give your miserably negative narrative a rest for just one day, perhaps and, er, what's the saying? Oh yea...

Get behind the team.

We can beat them today.

I know he isn't reading or listening to me, but just play the formation that best suits the players you have available Frank.

I know I'm stating the obvious. I just hope it's obvious to the manager.

Let's go and do this Everton. Work hard and believe. You owe us more than one.

Contrary to Michael/Danny B, maybe if you have a negative view for the day and say we might lose and big up the opposition, we might win….lol.

It's worth a try and I'll try anything at the moment.

Watched Villa Leeds last night - Leeds were much the better team and Villa weren't much but they have attacking threat and get up the pitch quickly…which makes a massive difference. Goals win games

Come on you Blues!

However, I'm not going to get into formations and personnel. The main thing is intensity and work rate and will to win.

We should have enough and I expect a 2-0 win.

Thanks Alan Stubbs - you're a legend.

I'm going for a narrow win but a win all the same. UTFT!

We cannot afford to, we simply have to get something out of the game, we need the points and we will get them.

I fancy us anyway, but more so now with the sit-in after the game. If anyone can turn it back on the fans, it is Bill. It happened last seson against Arsenal and we got a 2-1 win.
I fully expect we will get a win today, then Bill will have all the media ready to jump in and say, "Look at those fans, they get a win and still they are not happy, turning on the board." The fans will be made out to be the ones in the wrong.

Now before anyone jumps in, no, I do not want the team to lose today, we have to get something out of this game, we have to, simple as that.

Full backing for the team from the 1st minute, right up until the final whistle, then I cannot speak for anyone else, but I will be sat with the fans after full-time, doing my bit.

3 points please Everton.

That's today's theme optimism, brilliant, without optimism we've got nothing, come on you Blue Boys up and at them, roaring them on to a vital win.

Danny (88), As Michael Kenrick asks you “Can't you take a fuckin' day off, especially today?” Put your Blue scarf on, Danny, try smiling and take your scarf and that smile to the match. You might find you've got a bigger smile on at the end of the game like most of us.

Then you can join the protest if you feel like it. Smile Danny what's the use of crying!!

George McKane, used to write the most brilliant inspirational words, mixed in with life, humour, his past, his love for Everton, and all things blue, but the better he wrote, the worse we played, and George unfortunately, wrote many magnificent posts!

I prefer ToffeeWeb, when everyone is negative before the game, and eating humble pie after it. What will we get today against bottom of the league Southampton is anyone's guess, but alls we can do is get behind the team, and hope that they respond.

Apologies Danny (88), just noticed your post @ (92), tried to amend it but too late.

Sorry mate, I hope, no cancel that, I know we will both be smiling at 5:00 pm!!

UTFT!

I just hope we can get Gray into a more central roll, rather than stuck on the wing, he proved what a threat is he is when he ran at the City defence, and he has the ability to finish as we have seen.

I have to say I was surprised at Lampards press conference going on about a lot were saying he would be the first manager sacked this season, I can assure him the reason he hasn't, isn't because he has improved the team. Also all this nonsense about after last season we couldnt realistically expect to be in a different position to what we are. So if we have another year fighting relegation this season then expect us to be

in the same position next year, and he is OUR manager. But for now all I want is 3 points today and get away from the relegation zone.

Please Frank, dispense with the 433 and get Gray playing beside DCL.

Your bedside manner with these malcontents is so much better than mine! Although you did misquote me, that is actually what I wanted to say.

ps: Go to the U18s thread for a link to the kids' game kicking off at 11:00 am – I know how you like a technology challenge!

Does anyone know of a site similar to ToffeeWeb that has a Live Forum, a forum where the reader can get an accurate account of the match? Where all the players aren't ‘shite', the apparently none existent defenders aren't shite, where, (if we had a forward) he'd be shite, all to a backing track of ‘Kenwright out', ‘Lampard out', ‘Moshiri out', ‘the tea lady out'!
Just knowledgeable supporters giving honest and accurate feedback to supporters who can't get to the match today (I'm in Germany right now!) without the shite blanket? Last week almost consecutive posts declared Iwobi having a good game and being, yes, shite.
Hope you can help.👍🏻
COYB

Might pop into the bookies to see if they will give me odds on an accumulator, team announced at 2pm followed by wtf is that line up hitting ToffeeWeb before2.05pm, with the second leg going on ffs this is shite Everton after the first minute, followed by this team team is going down after 10 mins, I have a sneaky feeling we will go to 1 all, before running out 3-1 winners so last leg of my accumulator, will be ripping into the team, followed by eating humble pie afterwards.

If only bookies would give such odds.

Anyway I feel positive today, for those unfortunate not being able to go, have faith, it might get a bit Rocky, but we will come good today, we simply have to.

And, annoyed as I am with the running of the club, the fans who demanded Lampard be given the job need to take a look at themselves. He's useless.

COYB. Kenwright Out.

I thought you were going to finish that post with

"Without your kecks on"

This is not our last chance. Theres 60 points still to play for, but if we want a relaxing spring, we really do need to start putting points on the board.

Tip of the day; Have a couple of stiff ones before this one.

COYFBB

Apologies to Tony Abrahams for not expanding on my post and giving a precise scoreline, scorers, time of goals and what type of celebration to expect from each player.

Yes, the usual suspects! The usual suspects were instrumental in me being banned from the Live Forum!

It was the owner/Board who appointed him and even if we had all wanted somebody else they would still have gone ahead with their choice. I'm not saying that people didn't give their opinions at the time before Frank was appointed, but that's all it was the opinion of some fans that appointing him was a good move, and I think at the time, the removal of Benitez was far more important than the concern of who may replace him.

Anyway for good or bad, Frank is our manager today, and if he fails, somebody else will replace him, I look forward to the opportunity to put my x on the ballot for the new manager, but somehow, like all the previous times, I'm not expecting the club to send me or any other fan a ballot paper to help the club decide whom they appoint.

There's going to be six very nervous teams and supporters today, the results could turn out to be very good or very bad.
I can't see Iwobi being fully fit but their making the right noises.

I've got everythying crossed for us to get lucky for a change because we havn't had much in years.

Let's hope the team pick out their targets better than the protest group.

Altogether now... "Super Frankie Lampard".

Ian E, you talk enough shite as it is mate!

It's not a compliment.

Making a statement like that hours before kick off in a vital match to save their own failed faces?

Safety. Reluctantly agreed? They didn't want to face reality. Malicious and threatening correspondence? Well, get real and accept when you fail and do what is the right thing to do.

Targeted physical aggression? Strong and unfounded claim. Most of what I have read has talked about a sit down protest after the match.

And the last paragraph. Blaming supporters again. Those supporters that follow passionately and saved their bacon last season.

Fuming.

Why did they do this on match day hours before kick off? How does that help the team?

Self preservation, not one consideration for the club and it's loyal following that will be there today and has already bought up all the tickets for Arsenal at home.

I wanted to and will focus on the team today. God knows what is going through their's and Lampard's heads right now.

Ridiculous demonstration of amateur behaviour. I have to keep reading it back to believe it is true. And then get even angrier each time I do.

Not everyone's favourite, but at least Marcel Brands had the balls to face fans directly.

Sorry for the rant. Come on boys. We can do this. Just focus on the match and ignore Billy Boys Circus going on around you.

Tony 141. I'm the voice of reason!

A good win today will be massive. A loss could see Moshiri eat his words. Frank has to set up to dominate midfield and win the battles. No stupid mistakes, find a goal and win the game.

How sad that they are prepared to use us the fans as their excuse, it just sums up how useless they are.

Absolute wankers… and it will probably just make the atmosphere more toxic.

Deflect the spotlight from their ridiculous performance onto the fans by conjuring a threat that was never going to materialise.

"It is a profoundly sad day for Everton and Evertonians."

Not as sad as when Gobshite took the reins and started to destroy the club.

As for your Allardyce shouts, you have got to be joking, he is finished.

Boy's Pen Bill has banned season-ticket holders and ex-players for criticising the club and him. Gues he knew he couldn't face the fans. He really is a shithouse lying fecker.

"Everton's board of directors will not attend Saturday's home Premier League game against Southampton because of a "real and credible threat to their safety".

The club said the directors were advised not to attend Goodison Park following "malicious and unacceptably threatening correspondence".

This club has turned on its supporters, first we were responsible for the hiring and sacking of managers and now a real and credible threat to the safety of anybody in the hierarchy of Everton FC.

So I take it we the fans have now become the scapegoats for everything that goes wrong? Thanks, Everton FC, for your loyal support of your fans.

It's a stupid tactic for a protest that's telegraphed to Southampton a game plan of "frustrate the crowd". A march to the ground would have been a much better idea.

Two things need to happen immediately: Kenwright needs to step away from the club in a human sacrifice kind of way to detoxify the fan reaction, and the fans need to calm the fuck down.

I've made my views quite clear. We are in a relegation battle due to the incompetence of the Manager and the focus should be on his performance. Protests against the Board should be after safety has been achieved/end of season.

If we lose today it is the fault of Lampard. Not Graeme Sharp.

The protest groups are totally naive and I condemn them totally for taking attention away from the failing Manager.

Eenie, Meenie, Minie or the Dickhead who picked them in the first place?

They can't hide forever! Come out, come out, wherever you are, and face the music.

Allardyce?

Done an almost Moyes job at Bolton, having them punching above their weight. Credit for that.

Sacked at least 5 times and resigned about the same amount.

Got West Brom relegated.

Alleged corruption and scandal, lasting one game with England before he got sussed.

Possibly the most recycled and overrated manager of a generation of English managers.

No thanks.

I said that the Everton board have done something that I would normally associate with Liverpudlians and that is to play the victim.

Sharp has said nothing for years, and he's just doing what he has always done since he stopped putting on the Royal Blue Jersey, imo.

I think he should break rank and attend today, but he's never been one to rock the boat, and I personally think both him and our board are letting the great supporters of Everton down today, even though they were going to be the people who were in the line of fire.

The only thing left of the People's Club is the very loyal and long-suffering supporters who have never deserted our club. Imagine none of us had ever gone the Palace game, or all decided to leave at half-time because we didn't want to see our club suffer?

We need to be careful as the comments from the Board leave us open to scrutiny – FA, Premier League etc waiting to make an example of us (again).

But this smacks off lousy leadership and I can't see how it helps the club one little bit

Just maybe it might be the sign that some of the leaders are on their way out …

I can't see a way back from the position - what's their next step ?

I would say both. But we are heading directly towards an iceburg. Instead of protesting to the owners of the Ship we should be speaking urgently to the Man at the steering wheel.

Back to concentrating on the football now, but I do wonder if Frank Lampard was in such a chirpy mood yesterday (I'm just guessing because I only read this on Toffeeweb) because he knew nobody from the boardroom was going to be coming to today match. If we lose today, who from Everton is going to be prepared to sack him, without looking both downright pathetic and also absolutely stupid?

As for the directors not attending.
That is their decision.
The fans have been honest. Telling them that they intend to peacefully protest.

In contrast to the directors who have concocted an untruth about "real and credible threats" from an unnamed spokesman of the club. This reinforces the lies and deceit that this inept regime will go to, to hide their incompetence.
The statement is a plethora of malicious, spiteful and bitter verbal slur against Everton fans
Ie
What targeted physical aggression ? That has never been mentioned before.

The fans have been massively forgiving and restrained for years and years.

Caught out. This board and owner show true colours which are not Blue and White.

Ian, how about we pay you to fuck off!

You may be aware I wasn't convinced about Lampard's appointment. I'm still not.

I just can't see be beyond the neglect of how the club has been ran since we last won the league as the reason we are in the current situation.

15 managers, not including the caretaker ones. Same board member since 1989.

Are all of those managers wrong? Maybe some were ill judged appointments.

But they can't all be the root cause of our problems.

Natalie McNally was murdered in Lurgan on 18th December.
She was an Everton supporter and her photo will be on the big screen at today's game. I hope every blue will think of her family.

Fans need to drive the team on as they have never done before. We know where we stand. Alone, but together.
Come on you blues! We'll do it together.

If what we're hearing is true (i.e. threats of violence or sexual abuse, 'fans' shaking up our CEO's car outside the ground), it's absolutely pathetic, shameful and unforgivable.

That said, as a regular on this site and especially the live forum I am not entirely surprised. We're all frustrated with the current mailaise of course, but the volume and immediacy of the vitriol that gets thrown about is as depressing as it is relentless. If people are so damn unhappy, I genuinely wonder why they don't just leave the club and support someone else, or take up a different pursuit, I hear yoga is calming.

You don't like Kenwright or Moshiri? Tough fecking luck.
They're in charge, they've put millions (or hundreds of millions in Moshiri's case) of their own money and their professional reputations where their mouths are and actually had a go.

Are they doing a great job at present? Nope, not really.
Have we made a ton of bad appointments and signings? Abso-fecking-lutely.
Would they like the blues to be back to their heydays (the ones I recall anyway) in the 80s? In a heartbeat!
Does anything excuse the relentless diatribe or escalating to this sort of behaviour just because you buy a match-ticket or a shirt? No way in hell.

The reality is that Everton are no longer what we were. We don't need to abandon our history, but we do need to stop pretending we're still living in it. Right now we're a mid-table side at best in the most competitive league in the world, we're light years away from City, Arsenal and a fair way behind United, Spurs, Chelsea and our neighbours.

At present we are a club without a strong core vision, that is abundantly clear.
However, the last time we had something a bit more cohesive, in 'The People's Club' era under Moyes I recall that many of the same relentless moaners now weren't particularly happy then either - despite troubling the top 6 or 7 most years.

I truly hope that the faithful do actually get behind the team today and don't start the whistling and booing after a few misplaced passes or even if we go a goal down.

Also, if the news I've heard so far proves true, I personally hope they identify some of these idiots and throw criminal charges at them - may mean a few less negative idiots at Goodison.

I'll not be shocked to see stories of fighting between blues at the game today too

Look at the Patrick Vierra incident last season, when sensible Evertonians shued away the divi, and began to calm Vierra down, whilst walking him away.

My son got my Uncle's name up on the screen a few years ago on Boxing Day after his passing.

Of on a tangent now. He had a dog called Blue. For those who know, one of those Speke dogs that used to go out in the morning and roam the streets every day on its own. Street wise and knew it's Green Cross Code, so always came back safely for it's tea!! I worked with an Army colleague from Huyton who had previously worked in the then Ford's. He told me he used to sneak to the Orient on Eastern Avenue for "lunch". His lasting impression of Speke was "kids and dogs".

I digress. Well said Christine. Let's focus on the match and 3 points.

Hey Ian, we all put ourselves out here. Sometimes we get agreed with, other times we get shot down. Don't take it personally.

Maybe it's got that bad that they have chosen to take this stance for the good name of Everton FC? because who wants to see police officers down the sides and at the front and back of our directors box. I'd never thought of it this way before, maybe Evertonians have suddenly turned into lunatic savages on masse, overnight?

Does anyone really believe that there is a serious threat to the safety of the board if they attend the game?

They are simply manipulating some random social media posts to avoid facing the fan protest. It also allows them to claim they are victims. Ironic when you consider what the fans have suffered through their greed and stupidity.

Quite cowardly really.

I hope for 2 things today: a win and that the fans make us proud. I really do not want our fans, or a minority of them to become another stick in which the media can beat us.

This is just the start of them closing ranks, pulling up the drawbridge and completely ignoring any & all protests.

As an aside - I have a horrible feeling we'll get beat today.

To summarise your opinions over several years a) We should play two up front b) 4-4-2 is the best formation (with Reid and Bracewell in midfield c) Every manager is to blame, apart from Martinex and Allardyce d) fan protests are stoooopid e) Poor old Bill.

There's plenty of irresponsible pea brained foul mouthed moaning shits among them that the club would be better without.

Regrettably its what modern society commonly now has to put up with.

“ The protest groups are totally naive and I condemn them totally for taking attention away from the failing Manager.”

Piss off somewhere else for a few months you ignorant twat.

As for this board, they've basically declared war on the fans. The fans that would pay their last pound to watch the team they love. But who is actually surprised by this? They're a complete disgrace and are now showing their true colours.

Lampard Out!
Kenwright Out!

In that order based on the level of urgency.

A Board by the way,let's be honest here, who haven't put a penny in towards the building of the new ground and doubtful over the years they contributed to the cost of any transfer fees.

As you say, they are seeking to cover their incompetent arses by blaming "the fans" and calling in media support; it is a measure of Kenwright's shamelessness. He is an utter disgrace.

I will avoid the live forum today. Bullies win.

Sending the Manager out naked is not a option, NSNOW made sure of that.

'Tarscouseki' has hopefully disappeared of the face of the earth .Doubt is his real name ,a absolute plonker if ever there was one.

Given the racism and bile chucked at Jas Bal, it would not surprise me if they had received threats, be they genuine or internet blowhards. I blame them for many things, but I don't blame them for swerving the game.

You couldn't make this shit up.

Obviously there is a growing unpleasant atmosphere for the directors to contend with.
Imo they are wise to stay away.
Thus avoiding tempting an idiot into stupid behaviour.
It is a fact of life sadly.
In any other business they would be gone

As for Moshris sudden interjection.
Have FSG been on Talksport ?
The Glazers ?
Etc etc.
It seems very desperate and amateur.

I want the players to do something out of the ordinary today.
Play like they have done in rare moments, like a team. And win. They can. I hope they do

Given what we watched, my biggest regret was that we didn't stay in the pub. It was far more entertaining.

No bullying, people just pissed off with you and your posts. Wipe your tears little man.😢

A peaceful fan protest at the final whistle, to prove once again, we are decent,well behaved fans.

The media creating fake news via our shithouse chairman.

They have been certainly challenged. But to my knowledge no assaults or threats made. The Dutch fella was even big enough to front it and speak to the supporters, whilst collecting his £2m per year to maintain his silence, until he was the fall guy.

If there is any suggestion of threats of any sort of violence, particulalrly towards female members of the board, Merseyside Police will be obliged to record and investigate as there is a national gender based violence initiative or VAWG (Violence
Against Women and Girls) to those unfamiliar.