Once More Unto the Breach, Dear Friends

I have no doubt the Goodison faithful will do their part against Nottingham (until the first misplaced pass at least) but what hope do we have for the future? Even if we do survive we are still deep in the shit. Probably deeper than even now.

I will be hoping and praying for an Everton win but this won't change the fact that beating the drop or not this club is facing annihilation unless a miracle happens on and off the pitch.

We are being circled by sharks and the vultures are hovering above us while the band play, Nearer, my god, to thee… Godspeed to all those who are at the ground tomorrow I hope your faith and passion is repaid in kind by these shirkers and misfits who disgraced our shirt on Monday night.

I don't know how much more I can take of this as the future looks so bleak but hey ho, this is the life we've chosen. COYB!!!!

Arguments can be made either way but I just don't see how we can afford to drop yet more home points when we have Liverpool and Arsenal to play.

But, you just never know in football. As much as I dislike Dyche, I along with the rest of you will be fully behind the team on Sunday. Just like we always do.

After the shock of Monday night, the manager, players and supporters have to rally for Sunday.

We can only take care of ourselves.

I don't won't want to dwell on Monday. There are still points to play for and a Derby, where anything can happen.

Bella Ciao

"The first thing we do is, let's kill all the lawyers"

Colin @ 1, and others; If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined

Allez St Domingo Phoenix !

So ——— Up the Blues !!!

I read an article yesterday that suggested that " within Goodison!" Dyche's position remains safe until season end, not because there is no alternative but because if it were not for the 10 point deduction we would be comfortably mid table.

There is a very strange irony in that position. If we were mid table and went 15 games with one lucky win and playing horribly, he would have been sacked, and justifiably so, 5 games ago.

If he does have any credit in the bank repayment is long overdue. If we lose on Sunday it's time to recover the debt.

Nothing will change, and I fear we'll get beat by Luton at their place.

I also don't see us beating Forest, or anyone in fact. We can't score goals which is pretty fundamental really.

It will be down to the fans once again to carry the team.

We ARE

"more than 80,000 terms – a third of the English vocabulary– are of French origin"

"Some 40 per cent of the 15,000 words in Shakespeare's works were of French origin. The same percentage can be found in the current English version of the Bible."

And another 40% of the 'English' language is German! Then we have Latin and Greek to throw in the pot as well.

On saying that the difference between us luton and forest is barely measurable so if the gods are with us we will survive if not we're done

We must stay calm, and grind results out. Use our home advantage in the three home games to ensure we have points in the bag and survive this season.

My tannoy song for the final home game. “ things can only get better “.

The previous 2 seasons, I always thought we'd survive but this season there just seems to be a whiff of relegation about us and the fixture gods haven't been that kind to us in the sense that we have a load of high stakes games left against teams who all have something to play for still. No Palace at home still to come, just relegation rivals or title chasers.

It's ironic because on the pitch we've actually accumulated more points than the previous 2 by this stage of where we are at but there has been nothing, absolutely nothing since Christmas to suggest that these players are actually capable of winning games of football or that the manager knows how to effect an outcome.

We can't score and our previously solid back unit has become anything but.

Unforced errors in every part of the pitch, a seeming inability to pass to a teammate or keep hold of the ball and too many players who wilt at the first sign of adversity.

I'll be there on Sunday and I will shout myself hoarse for the cause but deep down I know that a win will be an unexpected result.

The difference to the Battle of Agincourt, is Henry V had his English Archers - the best in the world, to do the damage that needed to be done, to win against the French. Plus the fact, Henry was a charismatic leader of men and a great tactician.

Our would be heroes are playing more like the Radio 4 Archers. As some one, once said, I wouldn't trust them to sit the right way, on a toilet never mind win a football match, that they can't afford to lose.

He will pick.
Pickford, Godfrey, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Young, Garner, Gueye, McNeill, Doucoure and Beto / DCL if he's fit.

He should pick,
Pickford, Garner, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Harrison, Gueye, Onana, Danjuma, Gomes and Chermitti / DCL if fit.

Personally after last Monday I'd drop Onana but needs must. Beto can come on late as a wrecking ball if we need one. Doucoure late on too, if we need to press them at the back. McNeill is goosed. Stop their wingers at all costs.

Without stating the obvious the Forest Match will be like our season defining result. Lose, everyone will become more demoralised, we will slip down the table, possibly with no chance of climbing back up.

A draw will be a temporary stay of execution, and leave us either dependent on other negative results going for us (not a good policy). Even a win may just be a temporary lift, unless we can harvest more points on the run-in. To achieve that they will have to start not only playing as a team but also that it means so much !

That should be enough to see us safe.

Unlikely many will say but not impossible either.

I was always taught that the longbowmen of the English Army were actually Welsh.

Do we have any Welshmen in our team that can fire in long range shots on goal?

If we get our set pieces right and draw cheap free kicks, thats where we can hurt Forest, we have to take advantage of it and make them count.

Forest will come at us, for me I would pack the midfield and try at every opportunity to try and get the ball high up their end of the pitch and see if we can get some free kicks, thats our best chance of getting the three points.

These three home games will give us an idea of what the future holds, one game at a time I know but next week is a huge week.

The chelsea game has gone, the last three Months have gone, all that matters now is the players somehow putting in a weeks work over 3 matches, get that right and the present and future will be a lot healthier, we simply cannot lay down next week.

We lack the Welsh spirit at the present time. No Southall, Ratcliffe, Van Den Hauwe, Horn, Pembridge types in the team whatsoever sadly. All of them would walk into the present side.

Failure to do so will undoubtedly show that Dyche has lost the dressing room and that everyone has downed tools.

The recent sunshine break produced nothing other than him giving one of the younger players reportedly a sharp slap around the head. Seems it wasn't taken very well by quite a few who were present.

Some one needs to slap him if we perform the way we did at Chelsea.

His team, his tactics, his methods.

Put up or shut up now Sean. Do the right thing and pass the reins to Leighton for the last few games if we get shafted once again. Am sure he has the tactical acumen to improve things having been a cultured and elegant player in his heyday.

Football is not such a hard game as Jimmy Armfield / Shanks often remarked - pass and move pass and move make space for others and you have done your job. Work rate will often be enough to overcome superior opponents.

Dropping your head in a game as we have seen so much of lately is the cowards way out. Do you want it or don't you care.

Next results will answer the question.

It might actually be enough against Forest. They'll come at us and I expect us to weather it and win. Mainly because we do have a better group of players - this lot aren't as bad as they look... if they're played to their strengths and full of confidence.

I still think we'll stay up. Then I want him sacked immediately.

Players must stand up and be counted. If things aren't working just keep running, keep working hard.

And if Gueye isn't fit PLAY LEWIS WARRINGTON.
We need someone in there who is prepaed to run all day!

Dyche's 'into the breach 'has to be back to Dycheball, which it added to stupidity with a ill judged against Chelsea.He didn't even select players with pace to suit.

Dycheball is dependent on fine margin and getting the run of the ball to score. It is also dependent on the thrills and spills of the other teams that are in the relegation dogfight.

He can't be so stupid as to employ the same tactics as against Forest as he did against Chelsea.It may even be good he got the answer he did get at Chelsea, to such stupidity.The players need to put the effort in.

I expect a 1-0 at best or a 1-1 anything else will cause enragement of gigantic proportions.The kick in the arse at Chelsea, could end up a operation this time.

We have players with no pace so cant run past the opposition. We have players with limited ball skills so cant trick their way past the opposition and we have players that cant pass their way around the opposition so we resort to huff and puff football with the goalie as playmaker being fed with a diet of back passes from players too timid to try something other than pass off responsibility.

I watched Real Madrid a few days ago forced to defend by Man City and resorting to long balls to relieve pressure. Their attackers were facing and running the right way ready to attack and threaten.

Ours face our goal and run away from the opposition goal.

Our attackers are auxiliary midfielders, our midfielders are auxiliary defenders and our defenders are focussed on passing the ball to the goalie so he can kick the ball into the attacking third where our players have vacated the goal area and are waiting to get it and pass it backwards in some imitation of football. Around and around we go until someone passes it backwards and we start the slow laborious show again.

I still think we can escape but we have to change the balance and have a least 3 players facing the opposition goal and running forward.

That's the Spirit ! Though technically a Liqueur !

Mange Tout mate ! :-)

The players now need to raise their game above their natural level. We are in what might be regarded as a mini-tournament involving the five teams at the bottom. Twenty three of our thirty five points have come from nine clean sheets. The key in these games will be to battle hard to keep a clean sheet. Do that and we can hope to find a moment when we score with a set piece or a slice of luck.

Those big wins against Newcastle and Chelsea were achieved in the second half. In both games our share of possession and passes was very much in the minority. We hung in there through stubborn defence and seized the moments when opposition errors gave us a chance to score.

More than likely that will be the case in these games. It will be important for the crowd to stick with the players in what will probably be a tough first half. Groans of frustration will only encourage our opponents.

We will stay up I'm reasonably confident about that.

If we do go down with the fixtures we have left -you can get 9/2 that happening- we will truly deserve to.

Say we do stay up, it seems extremely likely that the squad will be even weaker than this one next season. If you then sack Dyche, who are you going to get, Jesus, because they are going to have to produce one mighty miracle if we are to stay in this division again!

We've also lost plenty.

This squad isn't capable of counter attacking because, as you point out, we have no pace. And your right that it's not going to be tricky or creative football that gets us goals (or just 'goal').

But it certainly won't be through all out defence and treating the ball like it's an unnecessary distraction. You might get a few go your way but it's putting the game out of your own hands.

There are plenty of ways to compete in a football match. We just need to try one. If that's long ball then great. Long ball football can be very effective and thrilling to watch. But we don't play long ball. We play 'kick it away and then chase the opposition'.

A pragmatist would have some kind of approach to working within the limitations of our squad. I'm yet to see it from our current manager.

I'm convinced that before Everton managers get the gig, they have to sign a pledge to play anti-football.
Its not just the Koeman's, the Rafa's and the Big Sams. Even Carlo Ancelotti did it. This has long since been the Everton way. Our young fans must scratch their heads in disbelief when their Dads and Uncle's talk about the School of science.

Dyche is doing what it says on his tin. He has inherited a worst team than all his predecessors. Even his contract is based around "survival"

Those grumbling about our fans having to drag this team over the line need to consider the alternative. We have a future to fight for. We will still be here long after these players and Dyche are gone. Anybody not up for it should just make his excuses and do one

Unfortunately, right now. My ambition only stretches as far as survival in the hope that somewhere in the not too distant future, a man with the balls and nouse will come into this circus. Blow the fucker up and start again

We are needed more than ever on Sunday.

On a lighter note, I feel like offering up my two Rhodesian Ridgebacks to start.

The girl would follow the Ref around the pitch constantly whispering in his ear.

The boy, Rorke, named after Rorke's drift (they are a southern African breed), is an imposing character and nothing would get past him.

Back to reality. Whoever is privileged enough to take to that field on Sunday, just turn up and pay us back for what we witnessed on Monday.

That will leave us with a grand total of 7 established first-team players in the squad. That is some reset, and all we can do is survive to the end of the season and take it from there.

We can't afford to sack Dyche this season and we won't do it. So we need the Goodison Roar.

Well, in his cringe-personified press conference Dyche did claim that “15 games ago I was deemed to be the Messiah”.

Link

I'd take almost anyone over this bellend right now.

I was very fortunate to be in the company for a few weeks of a former top manager. His main job was not tactics or team selection. His main job was getting a knock on the door discussing contracts and more money.

The whole thing needs a total revamp!

I had hoped the players may have been judiciously pacing themselves and had something left for a 10-game furry. Seen nothing but mental and physical fatigue since that 3-week gap.

Very hard to see where the needed spark / second-wind will come from. Perhaps the manager can get the handful of performances we need by employing only fringe players for the games we least expect to get any points for / when the opponent isn't a survival rival, horrific as that may be for the sacrificial lambs.

Forest are obviously one of those we need to be pushing ourselves up as we are pushing them down. Still, as this season has been going, living more in hope than expectation. COYB!!!

With a lesser squad and the massive deluge of shite including a massive points deduction and the endless negativity around the (lack of) suitable ownership that is Sean Dyche's lot.

That he has this underperformimg squad above the drop zone as I type, despite the 8 points deducted through no fault of the manager.

Trying to look objectively, he has done a bloody good job and continues to do so I believe. Can he make a silk purse from a sow's ear? No, I don't think he can. I don't believe he has lost the dressing room. I think the players were shell-shocked when Pickford passed too near Cole Palmer and it was 3-0 down all too quickly.

That terrible result and showing must be learnt from and bounced back from quickly certainly.

A bouncing Goodison on Sunday will certainly help. 3 massive points will help settle a lot of angst and get us believing again. COYB.

"He has done a bloody good job and continues to do so I believe".

Jesus wept. One win since the middle of December, teetering on the edge of relegation, but it's okay everyone, breathe easy, "he has done a bloody good job".

Phew, thanks Peter for reminding me of that.

Besides this, the bowmen at Agincourt included a substantial number of Welshmen who were famed for their prowess. What is more, the English word for bow comes from the Welsh bwa. Just saying.

A couple of somewhat harsh responses to your post I believe. But never mind as your opinion strikes me as being very valid.

The fact that Dyche seems not to be able to juggle his troops to everyone's satisfaction is a managerial hazard he will expect and I can be as critical of him in this respect as much as the next man. What we all need to reflect on before uttering such criticism is the absolutely crap hand he was dealt when taking this job.

It hasn't improved since either due to finances and points reductions. I feel sorry for the guy and wonder how, every now and again, he manages to get some sort of tune from his charges. In the circumstances, he is doing a good job – particularly when you consider the points we have lost thanks to Masters & Co.

He is, for better or worse, our manager and should remain so for the foreseeable future. No more big names, and bigger salaries to boot, required thank you. The future, when our position improves, may be a different story, however.