Criminal incompetence in front of goal costs Everton dear

Cannon and Dobbin in with a big chance here?

New lad understandably not in squad, though I'm surprised at Danjuma only on the bench.

Merson has us down for relegation – he really does hate us!!
Here we go!!

Is Dyche trying to get the sack?

Any optimism is drained looking at that team.

The doom-mongers are already among us!

Let's get behind the team and manager.

And only one goalie on the subs bench. Plenty of youth there on that bench.

KITAP1 – we knew what to expect, but I'll take 3 points any which way. Important we don't lose today and repeat last season's slow start.

Praying…

We are again asking to be relegated, we need to be getting something from teams like Fulham who are not the best in the Premier League.

It's a hope and a prayer once more.

New season – same old problems eh! I know, gotta keep positive, afterall we won some stuff in the 80s – why are we whinging?

It may not be pretty and there may not be big scores but we will at least compete.

Sticking with my earlier 2-1.

He's not up to it and we've had all summer to rectify this situation. And now they're gonna make us watch this shit all over again.

Crap forward, limited creativity and dodgy centre halves. Thank god its Fulham.

As for Branthwaite, Dobbin, Cannon
we all know Dyche wont budge from picking anyone other than those he favours.
Im racking my brain here. Has he brought through any home grown players ?
Did he at Burnley ?

Anyway new season. New Hope

COYB xxxx

Personally I'd like to see Dobbin and Branthwaite start - but both may get minutes as the game progresses. Cannon, too.

Fulham fans will, I am sure, be bemoaning the absence of Mitrovic, Adarabioyo, Pereira and Palhinha - and asking why conservative Silva is sticking with Ream rather than going with new signing Bassey.

Expecting a 2 nil win.

Long shot maybe but it all seems strange. Personally as much as I love DCL, his injuries are so frustrating and I would take Beto over him. He is probably the most like for like replacement of the player profiles we have been linked with. Let's see.

Maybe SD is making some sort of statement with that line up? I also wanted Brainthwaite in from the start. Still, we can do this, let's bring some positivity - COYB!!!

For a club that can’t sign a fucking player to save its life, you’d have thought we might take great delight in a loanee coming back after such a successful spell. No. Let’s completely deflate everyone and go for the same tried tested and failed players.

Every shot has been poor, so nothing has changed.

Two terrific passes by Onana to release Duke and Alex for chances.

Thanks for the iceberg photos. Looks like a great trip.

Also it maintains a little more pressure on Thelwell to bring in another goal scorer.

Get Danjuma down the middle and he would've buried those.

We're playing well though.

Wishful thinking but I believe that kind of signing would truly propel us.

Waiting on DCL to ever be truly fit is like waiting for Lord Lucan to show up.

The Keane goal decision was correct btw.

No goal.

Goal.

Pity about that early miss by Doucoure thwarted by the keepers bootlace.

Still up for grabs but needing to score first against this bunch.

And the disallowed goal should have been given as their keeper firstly collided with his own player and then Tarkowski who hadn't left the ground. Either use VAR or scrap it entirely.

Based on what I'm seeing at the Women's World Cup we can expect VAR to be even worse this season. They seem to be rewriting the rulebook. I don't know what fouls, handballs and offsides are any more.

A strange half generally. We look hopeless when we have to move or keep the ball but, surprisingly, we've had all the cutting edge and created good opportunities. Unfortunately we just don't have goalscorers, which is less surprising.

Iwobi looking great.

What happened to Pledge #1 for you referees to always protect the goalie?

Watch Tarkowski – he is clearly backing into Leno.

Maupay is well blamed for his own misses, but not others'.

It's been a goal for decades. Now it isn't.

But I feel like I say that kind of thing a lot lately.

Which means, of course, we're in big trouble.

But I still predict Maupay to score.

We should have been ahead with all those chances.

Maupay still couldn't finish his dinner.

This is ours for the taking though - we can beat this lot - COYB!!!

Calvert-Lewin still rebooting after his factory reset.

Maupay is so bad at getting goals that I would rather have seen Demarai Gray at centre-forward. Bid or no bid, he is an Everton player and we didn't play our strongest team today.

Toodlepip.

2:00 stoppage left.

A

FUCKING

STRIKER

Dyche won't last till Christmas with decisions like that.

I'd argue at least two experienced striker's are imperative.

Three points lost. This one's on Dyche.

All a bit boring really.

Can't score goals... always going to be a problem.

I do think we were robbed, but if Michael Keane is your biggest threat (and he absolutely is) then you don't really deserve anything.

Buckle up.

Sit and wait on a man who will never play 10 games on the spin in Calvert-Lewin then you are asking for relegation this season.

Dyche needs to step up and explain in acceptable words of one syllable why Calvert-Lewin could not even be on the bench and why he keeps picking a player who has scored one goal in a year.

The improvement is that Sean has taught them how to create chances which is more than Frank did. But if you waste double digits of scoring opportunities, then you're going to lose. And none of these players have a better than 1 in 10 success rate when shooting.

That apart. Garner needs to improve his crossing; he hits the first man too often when he could get the ball in to one of our profligate finishers.

The effort was there tactically; I think Sean did the best with our available players but, if you can't score, you're going to struggle.

ps: Kenwright out, Moshiri out!

The amount of chances today takes the piss that the ball is not in the back of their net.

I thought we played very well but, if this forward line issue is not addressed, we are fucked.

Firstly for playing Maupay and I don't know what he said at halftime but it must have been just go out and we'll beat these because we certainly didn't put enough effort into that second half.

Oh, now that it's two seasons, any news of us getting a fit striker worthy of the name?

The long ball game is history.

Playing Maupay is inexcusable.

Sign a bloody forward, the the love of god.

Sit and wait on a man who will never play 10 games on the spin in Calvert-Lewin, then you are asking for relegation this season.

Goddamnit we actually stuck it to them and – to me – were far the better team. Holy Shit, really. We could've had 4-5 goals any other day and with Calvert-Lewin in there.

Oh, not to mention, Atwell the tiny cunt stole that fucking goal! And off the bar, and what the hell was Doucouré doing for his first chance!? I'm frustrated! 🤬😆😎🙃🍄🍻🤮💦🇨🇦

Doucoure should've passed to Garner for an easy goal, the ref should never have penalised Tarkowski for Keane's goal.

Not getting capable and ready strikers before this game is criminal, but not on Dyche.

Three points thrown away. A robbery by Fulham.

The “I blame Dyche” thing doesn't wash with me simply because I've been hearing it about managers for 10 years. One failed custodian being the manager who beat us today.

If ever four words hacked me off more, I'm sick of hearing them this last two years.

I just don't get it with this club. The massively glaring error of an out and out striker baffles me.

Get the fkin Yak back!!!!

Exactly. We played well, had a perfectly good goal chalked off, and we just...didn't...finish.

Maupay can not play again for Everton. That sounds harsh but it's true. Bless him he runs his socks off, but he's simply not good enough. He's had ample, ample time to prove his worth and actually fucking score. He's done the sum of nothing. Everton can't continue with a non-existent striker.

Maupay must be replaced. And it doesn't matter by who - Cheti Cheti Bang Bang, Danjuma, Dobbin, whomever. Any of them statistically will be more productive than Maupay.

We look a decent side, but we are impotent. Dyche must recognize this and replace Maupay.

Commentator said he didn’t play as his kid was born overnight

The Fulham winner should have been their consolation in a heavy defeat.

Hopefully Dobbin starts the next game along with either DCL or Chermiti. Danjuma doesn't look fit.

Dyche can however stop picking Maupay, who is useless, and pick Cannon who is an instinctive goalscorer.

Danjume will not score the goals we need. We better sign a proven striker or we are in the dogfight again.

Honest question.

What worries me is the Everton history of not scoring. Thats bigger than the 60s and 80s people are obsessed about.

The other thing that worries me is out current manager was sacked by Burnley. Let that sink in.

Dyche really didn't have any option to not start Maupay today.

But next week will be very telling. He has to either go with Dobbin, or get Danjuma or Chermiti up to fitness quickly.

If he starts Maupay next week, then throw rotten fruit at him.

Ratings:

Pickford - largely untroubled and he was almost playing like a sweeper most of the game.

Keane - he was out of position for their goal, but his distribution was spot on. And his ‘goal’ really should have stood. Real bad decision by the referee to blow his whistle instead of letting VAR decide.

Tarkowski - he was terrific and was involved in a lot of goal mouth action, should have scored with his header

Young - he looked solid but I thought he had a quiet game

Patterson- he was getting skinned early on in the game, but he and Garner then struck up a good partnership I thought and pegged back the excellent Robinson.

Garner - he is a genuinely exciting footballer and we are very lucky to have him at Everton

Onana - he will become a top midfielder, no doubt about it.

Iwobi - terrific performance, created a lot of chances, but he should be putting away some chances himself

Doucoure - what a terrific athlete he is. His constant running put Fulham under pressure

Gana - I didn’t notice him much

Maupay - one has to feel sorry for him, he is trying so hard, but it is just not happening for him at Everton.

Dobbin - he looked lively when he came on and nearly got an assist I think?

Danjuma - even though he was later flagged offside, he should have put away his one on one.

All in all, very disappointing, but if we can just get Calvert Lewis and maybe Dele Alli fit, and bring in 1-2 reinforcements, I actually think we should do okay, (And no, I have not been smoking or drinking)

Because the LF is not a safe space.

We’ve known for two seasons now and four transfer windows.

Every time I see that clip “we will sign a striker” I could scream!

We all know we have depleted our already under par squad for the past three seasons and not got bodies in. AND STILL!!! Regardless of P&S/FFP it is not acceptable - where is the planning and strategy?!! Work within our means - sign free players/journeymen/cadavers any - bloody- player is better than Maupay !!

What did the useless duo in charge expect? (I can’t even say their name anymore). It’s absolute insanity - Those two make Gerald Ratner look like Steve Jobs! They are running our club into the ground.

I’m actually staggered we didn’t sign a forward in time for today - it was so blatantly obvious what we needed. We literally forfeited points starting Maupay. This waiting until the end of the window to sign anybody is a suicidal strategy which soft lad (our master negotiator) has mastered over the years when we can ill afford dropping points.

Was Dyche trying to prove a point too? Well that’s shocking also as Maupay and Keane shouldn’t be anywhere near that starting 11.

Yes it’s one game but whose sick and tired of trawling social media looking for a glimpse of a rumour we will sign anybody? Who predicted that starting line up we could have played until the flood lights came on and still never scored.

We we unlucky? Yes.
Were there some positives? Yes
Were there improvements? Yes

But before I’m criticised from people saying it’s only the first game in. I’m raging because the result and outcome was so bloody predictable because we knew we needed a striker today. Had we done that we would have only needed another 37 points to safety! That’s down to Waldorf and Statler!

It’s absolutely bloody draining supporting this club.

simple - goalscorer needed.

This said, we also have a midfield that are almost always unable to chip in.

We played well. 20 chances created shows that. Maupay let every single person in that stadium down.

We played well. 20 chances created shows that. Maupay let every single person in that stadium down.

What next you may ask ?

Maupay tried hard but just cannot score and probably never will when it matters.

That early chance and then Doucoure a few minutes later probably set the tone and let Fulham off the hook.

Why do we play games at Goodison anyway, we won't win many if we can't beat average Fulham.

Maupay couldn’t not hit a cows arse with a shovel and Keane is the cows arse.

Dyche got exactly what he deserved today - fuck all, cheers Sean.

Please just cancel Maupays contract and let him go. At least that way Dyche can’t be tempted to play him.

Beggars belief how many times this club has played without a recognised striker over the years, going right back to Moyes’ days.

I just don’t understand why this club has an allergy to strikers. We should have at least 3 senior strikers on the books. Not one who spends more than half the time in the treatment room. We’ve needed another striker for the best part of 3 years now. Just ridiculous when you think about it.

And completely unsurprising without a proper striker

What a usual complete sh1tshow. As usual

Congrats to local team Leigh Leopards. They gave me more pride and joy today than the blood sucking leeches that run the sinking ship that is EFC have given in ten years.

Consequently, if the goal was "good" (I haven't seen it) VAR should have intervened - even though the ref had blown his whistle - so, we can only assume that the VAR ref's view agreed with the ref on the filed - rightly or wrongly.

Unless its a sell to buy, we aint bringing anyone of note.

None of them did well that’s my point yet they’ve done OK or better elsewhere. The chopping and changing of managers every year coupled with meddling owners, chairmen and agents means each one has inherited an imbalanced squad of misfits which has contributed to their various failings. Dyche known for using a target man has a dwarf, a permanently injured player and a couple of kids to choose from for what is a critical position. Why? Because we spent our last few quid paying off Frank and the board. Carlo had a half decent team undone by mentally weak defenders he inherited. Koeman had three expensive number 10s but saw us sell and not replace our striker. If we replace Dyche, who is capable of getting more from this team that was weak when he arrived and has been further weakened since?

But I think you're wrong when you say Dyche takes no risks. By playing Maupay, he is effectively playing with 10 men, and no strikers. 2 major risks.

When my club spends seven years spending money like a drunken sailor, in that time buying only one player who scores goals, then sells him without replacing him, I'm mightily pissed off.

That's why we lost, why we continue to struggle. That team needs a focal point up front and players who know where the goal is. We need two strikers and another club for Maupay.

Whenever Maupay was in a position to get a foot to the ball, he was almost always too close to the 'keeper, and he couldn't, or wouldn't, reach the ball in a way that would let him hit it with force, instead of weakly toeing it directly into the 'keeper's reach each time.

"Everton's 2.93xG is more than any side created in a PL game during the whole of last season without scoring."

Fucking incredulous I am.

Well maybe not...!

That was my inadvertent contribution to today's 'imcompetence'.

VAR couldn’t intervene because the goal was never scored - as the ref had already blown his whistle before the ball had gone in the net.

That’s why offside calls are left until the passage of play has ended, because once the ref blows - nothing else matters afterwards - the ball is dead.

If the ref had of waited for a few seconds until the ball was in the back of the net - then VAR could have taken a look. Because he blew - VAR had nothing to look at.

It was poor refereeing.

Yeah, the finishing sucked, and Maupay is awful, and Duke should have scored, and Patterson should have hit the empty net, and that's all true.

But this was an immaculate defensive effort UNTIL Garner blew off his responsibility to track the opposing winger. And he did it TWICE.

Patterson has every right to expect that when he has to track a runner angling to the middle, his midfielder will drop in behind him and keep the back door closed. And Garner didn't. He simply let Decordova-Reid run free and alone to the back post. For the goal and again a couple minutes later for the cross he missed, or it would have been 0-2.

Garner otherwise had a fine game but that lapse of awareness/effort is what cost us a point today.

I blame greedy Duke and, more so, Patterson for A) missing pretty much an open net and B) being caught completely out of position for their goal, which was, pretty much, their only real chance (apart from that miss hit shot from Jiminez).

If we sell Gray and don't buy someone else who can get us 10 league goals a season, then strap yourselves in, folks. Gonna be a long, bumpy ride. Expect the same outcome next week.

A perfectly fair goal criminally stolen by a clearly biased official who is dreadful on a good day.

Lev @ 238 and all others pointing out Dyche's dithering. YOU ARE ALL SPOT ON.
I used to get exasperated with Dilly Dally David Moyes. We always went behind before he saw what everyone in the ground and rest of the watching world could see.

Now we have Dilly Dally Dyche.
Halftime Maupay should have been hooked.
As good as Garner is likely to be he was at fault in the first half allowing fulhams flank players in unmarked and sadly is culpable for failure to track back for the goal.

DcL looked a different class v Sporting.
Play him.
If he is gonna get crocked get crocked now with an OPEN WINDOW.

Putting in great performances with a score of chances will soon evaporate along with confidence if goals aren't scored and losses arise.

3 seasons. 5 windows. 0 goalscorers

And then we have to try to understand this gormless pile of bewildering shite from our solid and stubborn gaffer: "we’ve adapted to what we are and we showed that today".

We all appreciate Dyche's efforts last season, but that faith or thanks will soon evaporate if he continues to use Keane and Maupay - "goals will come his way", Dyche said a few minutes ago, like fecking when you footy genius?

"You get into areas and you think go on". Yeah, you do Dyche, and what happened next?

Can someone have a word with Onana, please, how often does he go missing and someone so tall should be getting on the end of multiple chances.

This match summed everything up since Lukaku left, and showed that we have swapped Silva for Dyche, and that will work well.

Thank the Lord that Luton, Sheff Utd and Bournemouth are in this league.

Well done, Everton, another season of being okay, flairs, and useless, non-committal members of the board.

Hope you're sleeping well on your sweet pile of money, Sharp and Barrett-Baxendale…

I understand that we have bought a striker in 3 years. People keep saying this window we need to get someone who can score goals (and I agree) but who is out theret hat can score us goals?

And we with nothing to spend unless we sell Branthwaite, who would get us the most money, showing on our books. I'm looking but don't see anyone.

How on earth can you say Onana will be great one day? Apart from a couple of good passes early on, he was anonymous, particularly in the second half. At one point with about 5 mins to go, he wasn't even watching the play.

This guy has to be one of the worst forwards this club has ever signed (and I'm just old enough to remember Joe Harper and Rod Belfit).

Without Mina and McNeil, today's team was weaker than the one that finished last season. Yes, they tried hard. Yes, they look fitter. But the lack of composure in front of goal remains intact.

The return of Coleman and McNeil would help but, on today's evidence we will again be looking for 3 teams worse than us in order to stay up.

I can see us resigning the seemingly unwanted Tom Davies before the window closes.

If anyone's responsible it's Patterson, and also Dyche for picking Keane, who was as much to blame as anyone; ball watching as their player hit the post, and standing 5 yards too far forward for the guy who crossed for their goal.

Patterson was having to run across to cover him.

I think his plan is to get goals from throughout the team. Think back to Brighton: we converted five arguably more difficult chances, faced many more shots too but won 5-1. The difference was execution.

That being said, obviously Maupay isn't good enough but I think he's using him for his running and all around play versus Cannon who can finish but doesn't contribute much else at this stage. And may not get into the positions Maupay does.

Or Dobbin who's fast and scores the odd great goal but didn't exactly blow away defenses two levels below last season.

I was very disappointed not to see Tom Cannon given an opportunity today, the boy can finish .

New season, same problem. 19 days to sort it out.

Maybe Dyche thought he'd get stick for missing the game for that reason?

I hate scapegoating and Maupay is set up to fail, but... he is utterly lamentable, truly, appallingly bad beyond belief. Bewildered, lost, inept and taking money he does not deserve.

He is Martinez in a blue shirt. The worst insult I can conjure up.
I think our next game is as important as any in many years.

'I've inherited a rag bag of an unbalanced squad. We've got one unfit striker, one ineffective one and some barely-tried youngsters. We haven't got much to spend, so my team puts in plenty of graft but is wondering who the fuck's going to score for us.'

Until we have a focal point up front and/or players who can score, that is what we are.

I don't think they are even on the ship but sipping brandy from a safe distance.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that means we're shite and we showed that today. Dyche seems to be acknowledging we're no better than last season and that's clear for everyone to see.

I wonder if he's on another £3M to keep us up. After today he'll probably be offered it. Suits him, I suppose…

But we weren't and Silva made 4 changes early to win the game and we made none. Once we are 1 down, surely it's shit or bust and we lose 2-0 or we draw 1-1 or win 2-1. Only 2 late substitutions is a joke when you can bring 5 on!

I thought, "Hang on, the season hasn't started yet." But, after today's game and the atrocious misses, I tend to think he might well be right.

In the first 15 minutes of the Newcastle vs Villa game there were four good chances of which three were converted. It's clear for all to see we are stuffed without at least one tried and tested goalscorer as Calvert-Lewin will be AWOL for most of the season.

I still cannot fathom how the ref did not give us the Keane goal – unbelievable!

3 points thrown away when every point will be vital this season.

Dyche sees them every day in training but Branthwaite and Calvert-Lewin have to start games.

Dyche is working with real constraints and he has my backing because what we need this season is to stay up. But, sadly, "adapting" to "what we are" might not be enough.

I see real conflict between Dyche and Moshiri/Kenwright not too far down the road if things continue as they are off the pitch.

If we "adapted" to "what we are" in the upper echelons we would sink some time soon.

Never in my lifetime, I think, have we needed such fundamental changes wherever we choose to look: downstairs, upstairs, strikers, investment, negotiating contracts, nailing down the defence and so on and so on.

Not the most heartening of times to be blue, Paul, as much as I am deeply grateful that I am.

Wee Maupay tried hard in this game, but it is plain for all to see he just has zero confidence – strikers need to take their chances but you know Patterson's miss was fucking criminal. We had opportunities, didn't take them, and in my opinion, had a goal ruled out incorrectly.

Never good to lose the first game of the season at home, it sort of paints a picture of what may be ahead!

For my own mental health, I have a new approach this season- expect nothing and everything else will be a bonus!
Despite a decent performance another weekend of misery for Evertonains.

Strikers, strikers, strikers, strikers... end of story.

As I think Gordon Strachan(?) said of Southampton's Claus Lundekvam (a defender) when he finally scored after years and years, as he always came up for dead ball situations, at some point he'd have to be in a position that the ball had to bounce off him and into the oppositions goal...

I'm afraid that's how I see Maupay's role in the PL...

However, there are strikers out there on frees and strikers out there on loan that, importantly, are better than Maupay. We don't have anything up front and, even if Calvert-Lewin is fit, we can't expect him to play 90 minutes every game of the season.

And as sure as night follows day, he ain't going to stay for the whole season in any case.

Dyche should have dug his heels in and demanded money for a half-decent striker or resigned on a point of lack of strikers.

The immediate forward thinking would be to put Branthwaite next to Tarkowski and give him a signal that he will play games here.

The future thinking, presumably is to bring in and/or develop players like Onana, Chermiti, even the likes of Garner and McNeil are relatively young players.

I'm a bit more lenient towards Thelwell, because he's paying for the wastefulness of the previous genius, who wrote cheques for £20-25M while forgetting to buy players who score goals.

A big if, but I think a half-decent striker would make a huge difference to this team.

The Board members are so irrelevant by this point for the fans, that I never thought to check if they were actually there...

Oops! I forgot about many old beloved cartoons in the same way, they just slipped off my mind in time... I how Bill Kenwright can be similarly lubed for my distancing comfort! ;D

Age 30, an accomplished right-back and a Portuguese International. We cannot rely on Patterson and Seamus all season.

As for a centre-forward immediately available on a free at Aldi – Morelos, who must be better than Maupay, surely.

And do us a favour – don't pick Maupay again.

Yeh, Maupay runs into the right positions – but so could I. The huge difference is young Tom doesn't shit himself and panic when he runs into the right positions and the ball arrives to him. It's called 'composure' – Maupay couldnt spell it.

And Keane is finished – even as a donkey. Play Branthwaite.

Get out, Kenwright!

The over simplistic one's merely looking at our lack of a striker are valid to a certain extent but two out of three of our absolute gilt edged chances today fell to a midfielder and a defender.

Doucoure should have buried his chance as should Patterson. I know Maupay should have scored too but you can't just cry "striker" and ignore the fact that had the other two scored their very very scoreable chances the game's won.

We'll have a new striker in, in time for Villa away if all goes well with no hiccups (famous last words I know).

Same on Maupay. Any hope before the game, is wiped out with someone that makes Stuey Barlow look clinical. We know he can't finish, so why bother? I'd rather just blood Cannon. Yeah, he might not run around or tackle back - but he might just put that round thing in between the sticks.

Total inept recruitment to be in this situation with zero goal threat for yet another season. Watching a game waiting to go behind - and then knowing its another defeat.

Here's to getting stuffed at villa, and losing 6 pointers vs Wolves & Sheffield United...

Fix it now or we are going to struggle to stay in the League again.

Good luck to Thelwell bringing in a half-decent striker on loan or as a free agent. His hands have been tied by the incompetence of Moshiri, Keenwright and the highly paid buffoons and charlatans who've been running us. Although God knows why Thelwell signed Maupay. Staggering.

Pretty flat atmosphere around Goodison today but good applause for Jimmy Martin. I hope he takes Kenwright's seat for future home games.

We might be lucky to find 3 worse teams but we are definitely the worst run club. Dyche's post match comments are confusing at best but sounds like something Kenwright would say.

Help. I can't take it any more.

It is a results business so we are disappointed, but if you look at the performance, the chances created, the relatively low chances they created basically with the same line-up of players plus Young, it shouldn't be a confidence killer.

Another day, this would have been 4-0. This is the Premier League and if you don't take your chance, especially Everton, who are notorious for not creating chances the danger of losing 1-0 will always be there.

We should take heart from the number of chances created and hope that either Danjuma, Calvert-Lewin or Chermiti come in and turn the chances into goals.

I won't tear into Maupay. He tries, he gives his all, but he just doesn't have the quality to lead an Everton attack.

"1 game. Bottom of the Table"

Not quite; there's a couple even worse off than us: Luton (1-4), Aston Villa (1-5)

At least we have the excitement of final match survival to look forward to.....

This is where we are now, thanks to Kenwright, slowly turning into Sunderland.

First 606 caller, Kieran, a toffee, ripping into Dyche, claims that we are a "laughing stock", and if we are he certainly is not helping.

He needs to start taking a gamble now and then instead of his ultra-cautious approach, what better time to do it in the first home game of the season against a pretty average Fulham side with a buoyant home crowd.

He would earn a lot more respect by giving Branthwaite the start which for me puts Tarkowski into his natural right-sided position in defence, up top, any of the aforementioned would surely do no worse than Maupay.

For me, Dyche has been loyal, stoic, and pretty unimaginative in his selections today.

As for DCL. It's not a 'factory reset' he needs. He should be shut down. The sooner we get a proper centre-forward in the better.

Seemed to have the best chances and a legit goal chalked off although it is concerning their goal came from defenders dozing. No goal threat and unaware defenders isn't a good combo.

Another turgid season to come by the looks although endeavour seems to have increased and with a bit of luck we might get 6th from bottom.

We cannot go into another season without addressing our striker problems.

3 points dropped today, sort it, Everton, before the window closes.

I like Dyche a lot and he has got us better organised and creating but his insistence on playing Maupay is going to be the end of him. You can't fault the lad for running and effort but the chances he missed today would have been put away by any journeyman striker.

On another day, we would have won with the chances created but we need a striker to make sure the victories will come, or we will have more days like this.

A 10- or 12-point deduction will kill us, no way are we getting 50 points with 10 deductible and staying up with this squad.

Lousy finishing from Maupay, Doucoure, Danjuma and Patterson - plus a very, very unlucky call on the Keane goal were our undoing. Not the manager's selection, formation or tactics.

Those complaining about the selection of Keane seem to ignore the fact he had a pretty good game. Whilst I wanted Branthwaite to start, I can't pretend Keane was awful. He wasn't.

Based on the performances, I'd have said the mistake Dyche made today was to accommodate the unnecessary Gueye in midfield – at the expense of either Dobbin or Cannon. Danjuma didn't look fit, so you can see why he only got a few minutes.

Anyway, I still can't see that this changes how our season is likely to unfold. Disappointing, of course, but we're still on to finish about 13th with 45 points.

You cannot score regularly in the Premier League when you are relying on a Doucoure (McNeil, Iwobi or any other person's) occasional 30-yard wonder goal. You need someone who can finish from 5 to 10 yards when he has the chance. He must ("they" would be too much to hope for ) be able to score from around one in three or four opportunities. Maupay is not that man.

Unless we can find a striker who can fulfill that role, we will spend this season as we have spent the last two seasons staring relegation in the face. I don't think it will be third time lucky and, if we get a points deduction in October, heaven help us.

The defensive organisation was non-existent. Patterson was out of position and Keane was too deep as usual with no purpose.

I agree fully with your comments. If Dyche persists with the woeful Maupay, we had better expect more days like this.

More and more games are passing Gana by. Get Garner in there and someone else on the wing.

We score 1 or 2 of them chances today and half these comments on here from certain people would be dramatically different without the performance being any different.

Yes, we know we need to put the chances away, but we wouldn't have made these chances last season. We wouldn't have been in the game at all.

One lapse of concentration in defence in this league and you are punished, but it doesn't make the rest of the performance bad!!

People coming on to just shout 'bottom of the league after 1 game', when we are not, or to berate Maupay or sack Dyche is just their regular winge.

People who see the whole match for what it was, was a decent performance with wasted opportunities and poor finishing.

Move on to the next one!!

We need Cannon or the new lad starting next week. Maupay isn't up to Premier League standard even though today was probably his best game for us.

The club hasn't come up with firepower since Lukaku but we nurtured Calvert-Lewin and despite his fitness frailties we seem to be no closer to a competent goal scorer, nevermind 2 or 3.

It's wholly on the board and the DoF for this incompetency.

We need more great "Evertonians" like you in these darkening times, Pat, solid as a rock folk who we can turn to in testing times.

If that is a top 4 team, that goal stands all day long. The VAR would have jumped in straight away, saying go and check the monitor.

I didn't see the match today, but my son and the various commentators suggest that the problem was in just one department – competent goalscoring. There were minor glitches elsewhere – which led to the Fulham goal for example – but the gross incompetence in front of the goal stood out like nothing else.

I cannot see how a superannuated, slower-than-10-years-ago narky sod like Vardy could do any worse than our current squad of useless players in front of goal. If he missed everything for an entire season, he'd be no worse than Maupay and the rest of them.

Vardy knows where the goal is and he's still cool and calm in front of goal and doesn't blow a fuse and go into instant panic mode in the penalty area.

£2.5 million and a reasonable pay level from other sources (getting rid of the pathetic, whining, poisonous waste of space that is Dele Alli would be a great start) would at least show some inclination to address the problem.

"Vardy would cost around £2.5 million (although I'm sure Bill could get that up to £10M)".

Unless Dyche is braver in games and change our system and trust in our youth players and make changes (through subs), we're just making up the numbers and our trophy drought will just continue.

Doesn't surprise me. Not saying Dyche is perfect by any means but the inevitable “sack the manager” after one game routine is misguided

We knew before the season it would be tough and no doubt if Everton or any team spurn chances like today, they can only blame themselves, and for the position they could find themselves in next May.

Time to take stock and keep going, play to the strengths of the team.

Hopefully some painful lessons learnt today by Everton and the referee's panel.

The referee should be fined for neglect of his responsibilities today. That was a stinking decision which cost Everton but Everton should have had the game sewn up by half-time.

The second half was hard work and it wasn't a surprise when Fulham scored but the squad have a resolve they never would have got under Lampard. Luck, and it will happen soon.

There's still time in this window to get some players in, and I firmly believe this season Everton will be safe before the final couple of months of this season.

UTFTs!

I don't care how many games we are the better team, or if we have most of the possession or the highest chances ever. If we don't score, we won't win (obviously).

Not being negative but this was a poor Fulham team today, we were at home and couldn't score. Not getting a striker in before now (purchase or loan) is a dereliction of duty and poor management.

Two wrongs don't make a right. Vardy is finished at Premier League level. End of.

The record books won't remember good performances without goals being scored and some points on the board. Somehow, Dyche needs to get a shine on this turd and quickly.

I'm getting bored of Everton now; year-in & year out, the same old predictable shit. Kenwright has killed this club, acceptance of once being good for a few years in the '60s and '80s being enough.

Everton supporters need to be rewarded for decades of shit; we need something to look forward for. Years of negative goal difference is hard to fork out hard-earned money for.

Also, I'm not sure Fulham even had a shot at half-time. We were hard done by one of our better players losing concentration or stamina but that will be fixed.

We were always going to improve from the back forward and we are. I'll keep it short in case the negativos have something interesting to rant on about.

I have a horrible feeling that Dyche and the owner or board are on a collision course. Dyche's post-Bournemouth remarks and concerns have not yet been fully resolved. I think that he and the DoF are working hard to try to do something about this but that they are hemmed in by "constraints" and you know who.

It is in no one's interest to see Dyche sacked or walk out of the door at this point in time. No one. We will not go down with Dyche in charge (I saw a few good things today despite the result). He seems to like the challenge – and the money – but everyone has their dignified limits, except for Emlyn Hughes and Tommy Smith.

I suspect that Dyche would like to see another more seasoned striker and another midfielder. We could do worse than look at Leicester – Vardy and Dewsbury-Hall – although they, unlike us, are off to a flying start.

A couple of decent buys in needed places would settle a lot of us down, including the manager and Thelwell.

We should never have lost that game. Yes, we missed some golden chances, but we lost because Keane left his station and left a gaping hole. Does it all the time. We play him all season we go down.

Doucouré never seemed to have full control of the ball with the best clear chance, and also not a convincing shot after his last mis-controlled touch. It's like he doesn't trust a slightly heavier touch once he's past the defender to take him slightly inside the box and then put his laces through it. But takes two tiny touches that are really hard instead and so he's not in a great position to strike through the ball.

Patterson only needed to place it, but it's not his normal position to be in front of the goal volleying at the goal.

The team just need to wipe the slate clean, put it down to early-season rustiness. Hopefully Calvert-Lewin, Chermiti or another striker is in the squad for the next game, and it's goals galore!

It will be a mid-table finish if that many chances are created at every home game.

I was as disappointed as everyone to see Maupay's name on the teamsheet, but he had his most effective game and worked tirelessly. His first-half performance deserved a goal. He was unlucky that his best chance was so close to the goalkeeper. Leno did well, moving forward swiftly, and leaving Maupay with little to aim at.

Of course Maupay is not the answer leading the line. He's been hung out to dry by the club's ineptitude. He isn't a Number 9 and has been made to look awful by being played there. He's too short and too slow. Dyche knows this but has had his hands tied.

The likes of Cannon are not the answer. Throw him in, watch him fail miserably, see his confidence drop and the fans say he's shit. He needs to be built up slowly. If Dyche thought he was ready, then he'd play him.

It's obvious Maupay has worked hard over the summer, he was mobile and a real pest.

Some people need to try watching the game objectively without bias. If that was Maupay's first game for us, most would likely agree that he did a good job and was a little unlucky.

Hopefully this will change next week, and we'll finally bring in a striker ready to hit the ground running. The Udinese 6'-4" brute for me.

This is down to Dyche; set up the team to suit Maupay (which would immediately mean starting Branthwaite and playing through the middle) or stop humiliating him.

We've needed a reliable goalscorer since Richarlison left and it has not been supplied. A shame in a way we had such a winnable game today as in 2-3 weeks time it's very possible we'll have a fit Calvert-Lewin and Chermiti ready to play and another striker bought in.

But we never seem to get business done early and I hope that we don't live to regret haggling over a few million here and there.

On another note, I'd rather Doucouré scored that harder chance vs Bournemouth in the last match than the easier one today!!

Disappointing start. Terrible result. But inexplicably I still feel we'll be okay this season. A crucial few weeks of the transfer window left. Gnonto in and Beto on loan, please.

Spot on. I'd be stunned if Branthwaite were still an Everton player come 1 September. Stunned.

And I concur – that's exactly why he didn't play.

Chris @352,

I watched the game objectively and I did see Maupay run his socks off. He always does. Anyone who gives their all in the shirt I won't be overly critical of, and I do appreciate the effort Maupay gives.

But (you knew the "but" was coming...) the kid just doesn't finish. Strikers need to score. It's really that simple. And objectively Everton are very incomplete, missing the tip of the spear, every single time Maupay is out there. I don't think he should play again. I really don't.

Dobbin looked good, Danjuma looks lively, you have to try him ahead of the ineffective Maupay, and Chermiti likewise has to be given a shot ahead of Maupay. If Dyche starts Maupay next week, I'll be angry and disappointed, because I like Sean Dyche and don't want to see him fail. If he persists with Maupay we will be headless without any goal-scoring threat.

And that, in my opinion, is the objective truth.

We were hard done by one of our better players losing concentration or stamina but that will be fixed.

Do not forget that which we were most hard done by!

A completely legitimate goal being disallowed for a phantom foul.

1-1 and a draw at worse. Convert any of the multiple chances we did have and we win very, very comfortably.

I agree. There actually were a lot of positives from today's game. The problem lies where it always has the last two seasons: scoring friggin goals!

And when a perfectly good goal gets chalked off the board for no reason whatsoever, it really hurts a team struggling to find goals.

Our next two games are as important as our last two last season. We have a very fragile group of players that will readily accept defeat without being cut to the heart.

I think that was a monumental loss today. Down to Dyche now, his team selection and management was uninspiring.

If Patterson has to track his runner that far over whilst aware that both his central defenders are out of position, then he has definitely got to do more to stop the cross.

Garner never worked hard enough to get back in a defensive position but that goal was also conceded because we lost our defensive shape, and shouldn't be blamed on any one player, imo, Mike G.

Kenwright isn't well again. Well, neither are Everton.

He might be given his chance sooner than we think in place of Keane (despite Keane's performance today); Keane might get injured to provide the chance; Dyche might at some point use a back three and slot Branthwaite into that. Dyche might be letting Keane down slowly.

I don't know, but sooner rather than later I see Branthwaite being in that defence on a regular basis.

Dyche clearly has a game play and the team works in a unit. We let them have possesion and force them into errors and counter. There were way more chances we created under Dyche than before. The same old remains. Not clinical in front of goals.

I can see, if we retain this work-rate and organisation, we won't be relegated. But we did need some composure in front of goals. Not just a striker.

And since you're seeing that too I will take back my taunting. Very un-English of me to do that. I know it will be frustrating for us this season in particular because it is an inflection point. It always keeps looking like it could be better than it is in the moment.

I see much structural improvement although Tony's point about our defensive shape at the end is fair. That wasn't stamina as much as mental lapse imo. There is enough functional that we will build up steady even if our start gets stunted by business again.

We could still get some aggravation from the transfer episode but overall it is in the right direction. Small shit I know but not having even that was truly soul-numbing. We will get there, bitching and all. Kidding, kinda, okay, kidding.

Silva made 3 substitutes before 53 mins – Dyche didn't (can't, wouldn't or couldn't is for another debate).

Maupay though? I don't know in footballing terms what 'shaped hole' he is – square, round or one that begins with A, but whatever it is – we haven't got one he fits.

Sometimes it's just never going to work and both parties need to admit it and move on... but no doubt, as usual, we're well over-paying him, so there's no incentive for him.

"Everton 0-1 Fulham: Sean Dyche says side "have to score a goal".

His first effort, he was quick at the defence and had to shoot as no one supported him. His shot grazed the post from an angle.
Others had easier chances, especially Patterson.

Maupay was not as bad today as some say. Now to my defence, I was not wearing me glasses whilst watching. 😀

What substitutions would you have made to improve our chances of winning?

We had no goals on the bench so it's irrelevant as to which substitutions they made.

I rate Keane as much as Tom Davies, which is below zero, but yeah today I didn't think he warranted much criticism to be fair.

Jamie,

I wasn't in the ground and obviously light is faster than sound plus Peacock often lags but I thought the ref (wrongly) blew the whistle before the goal?

Works a treat for me.

The only post on here with a true objective about the game the players and manager...

Convert those chances and we'll be okay. I see the club has made a statement on the abuse Maupay has received on social media.

Newcastle top. Villa bottom. Everton 16th behind several teams that haven't even played yet.

It's game one of 38. Why did we stop not producing the league table until at least 3 games had been played?

Unless in extremis, I don't tend to take much notice of the league table until December most seasons.

We've lost a winnable home game. There aren't many of those in a season anymore, and it makes it much harder to plot a path to the 10 or so wins we need to be safe.

There were, as many have said some plus points: young Garner looks to be a very good player in the making, although playing out wide is clearly not his best position.

Ashley Young looked solid, particularly in the first half, and given that we had no natural wide players yesterday, I was surprised he wasn't played as a winger. The team as a whole generally looked fitter and created enough chances to win two games.

But, and it's a very big 'but', our passing and shooting, ie, basic skill levels for a footballer, are so very poor and for me that makes us difficult to watch. In addition for every corner, our routine is the same, it's not effective and boring to watch.

In the past couple of weeks, I, like many, have watched a number of the women's World Cup games. In the very basics, many of those girls have far better skills than some of our players; until we can balance the squad with some more skilful players, sadly we can expect more of the same: all hard work, effort, and very few goals.

As the dust settles, here are my 2 pennies worth. We played quite well overall, we are solid defensively, compact in midfield, and I don't feel I need to point out what I am sure everyone else has about our attack.

Garner, who otherwise had a good game, was at fault for the goal and incredibly allowed Reid to steal in again minutes later!! Leno was absolutely superb throughout.

The anger towards Maupay annoys me, it's mainly idiots who are displacing their anger they rightly feel towards the board for gross negligence in not signing a striker. Feel sorry for him, I thought he was as much of a handful as a 5ft-9in striker can possibly be in such a system. I really hope fans show some solidarity towards him next week, it would go a long way.

Based on that performance, my confidence in our defence overall and the hope that we sign Beto orEkitikè plus another winger and I think we will do okay this season.

Imagine that performance with Calvert-Lewin or Beto up front and an electric wing option on the bench. Different outcome for sure.

Branthwaite to be slowly introduced in the coming weeks too please. COYB.

For all the stick Maupay gets, he never has an Everton teammate near him when he does manage to collect the ball. It's one reason he gets caught in possession while he's looking for support.

But it applies to all parts of the team, while Fulham – not a good team on yesterday's performance – seemed to be able to pass and move at ease, knew each other's game.

This lack of movement should be looked at – it's so obvious.

Maupay put a shift in and worked hard.

Their keeper was just out quickly every time and saved everything thrown at him.

The Fulham supporters were repetitively chanting his name all the way back to Euston.

As well as some derogatory chants about Chelsea!

Apparently Brentford aren't too popular either.

And they have forgotten who QPR are.

Interesting getting different views!

Ok he’s only young but I remember Cesc Fabregas debut against us when he was 17 and he did just that, or Billy Kenny in the derby, which I think was the first one in the Premier League era.

IMO he just saunters through games and while he was Ok yesterday, I was expecting him to drive us forward. I think he’s got a long way to go before he’s the finished article and I love him to prove me wrong.

Ok he’s only young but I remember Cesc Fabregas debut against us when he was 17 and he did just that, or Billy Kenny in the derby, which I think was the first one in the Premier League era.

IMO he just saunters through games and while he was Ok yesterday, I was expecting him to drive us forward. I think he’s got a long way to go before he’s the finished article and I love him to prove me wrong.

Bad board, bad managers and bad scouting have brought in a plethora of poor players particularly up front. Apart from, Andy Johnson, Tim Cahill, Lukaku and Richarleson what we have seen in the last 20 years has been abyssmal to say the least.

We all knew the situation hadn't been rectified before the new season started but we all hoped that we were good enough for at least one goal.

Just how many times last season did we see this type of game and although they did create and miss several good chances you somehow knew it was going to be Deja Vu all over again.

Maupay will never be a prolific scorer and wasn't at Brighton but his good chance early was superceded by an even better chance a few minutes later which Doucoure scorned.

That should have put Everton in front and as luck woud have it they paid the penalty late on.

Everton are relying on the Maupay/ Doucoure offense but it will stutter.

I don't think DCL will make a big difference when fully fit (if ever) but I thought Everton looked best early when Iwobe was raiding down the left but missed the support of McNeil.

When you play quite well against an average outfit like Fulham it is galling that you lose and not even score against them.

If Maupay's effort in the first thirty seconds had gone in, I reckon he would have scored at least another one.
Doesn't change my opinion, that long term he's not good enough for us, but as I said yesterday strikers thrive on confidence and had that gone in he would have been on cloud nine with the relief of scoring in front of a home crowd.
Doucure terrible miss and not passing for a certain goal and Patterson's shambolic effort were much worse than Maupay.
Dobbins might get a start ahead of Maupay but Cannon won't in my opinion - not with Dyche in charge and the system he wants to play.

I'd give Cannon a go.

And a personal view, its not 'free speech' to hurl abuse at a footballer and his family on social media. It's cowardly 'hard-man' nonsense that says more about them than Maupay.

There are simply no easy games, we are one game in and already I am beginning to see traits that are not acceptable. Dyche and the team must be given a chance.

Maupay wasn't bought to be a lone striker, their goalie had a good game, he kept them in the game.

Maupay gets all the flak, but who else of ours looks like scoring? I thought Onana would be more of a goal threat than he's shown so far.

We'll be okay when the team is strengthed, another couple of decent players will see us mid-table, our general play was good till we got to the penalty area.

Okay, we have to start scoring, that's obvious, but as usual, our two biggest threats are on the sidelines.

Garner was excellent in the centre of midfield with Gueye at the end of last season so play him there and keep Iwobi on the right with Danjuma on the left.

Maupay has no confidence in front of goal. Tom Cannon has, so play Cannon and he just might have got a couple of goals yesterday.

I would also have gone with Branthwaite over Keane.

And if Calvert-Lewin is near to full fitness, Villa is not the game to play him; yesterday was.

Throw in yesterday's disgraceful corrupt refereeing and it is all déjà vu. We need the manager to be on top form to break this horrific stranglehold that has gripped the cub for more than 2 years.

And as soon as the transfer window opened, we should have brought in the best experienced striker who was willing to come to us, so while we were trying to bring in others, we had someone who could have done a temporary job of holding the line for us and help fill out the squad.

Reality is the club are to blame for leaving us in this position for 2 years. The manager is to blame for consistently playing him expecting a different result and the player is to blame because he can't score from 2 yards out.

Why is Iwobi stalling on signing a new contract for the last 12 months?

He didn't miss any sitters, their goalie was in good form, thems the breaks. Yesterday was just unlucky. Let's face it, Fulham scored a pretty good goal, I don't roast anyone for that.

It's easy to say 'he should have scored' like some of the 'experts' on TV also do, but in reality, they're half chances – or not even that.

Those responsible should be banned, but it comes as no surprise that the actions of a handful are being used as yet another stick with which to beat the fanbase by Chairman Bill's agit prop organisation. Now, there's someone who really deserves more than a bit of stick.

We can only hope for better luck next week against a Villa side who are reeling from a heavy shambolic defeat. However, of all the 19 teams to choose from, who wouldn't pick Everton as their next opponent in such circumstances? For defenders it's like an afternoon off. But here's hoping that we can still get 15 points from the first 9 games to keep us out of relegation/points deduction trouble come October.

On the other hand, the two easiest chances were Doucouré, who should have squared the ball to Garner for a tap-in, and Patterson hitting the crossbar when he should have buried it.

We desperately need a target man and a right winger, as Garner is being played totally out of position, he's a central midfielder. Play Onana as defensive midfielder instead of Gueye, and Garner the playmaker.

"North Korea comes to mind when the media try to stop free speech."

Where were you during Covid? North Korea had nothing to do with the stopping of free speech, during or since.

Doucouré's and Patterson's chances yesterday were inept they don't escape blame, but let's not make excuses for Maupay please. The lad is shite.

If yesterday was a one-off then sure these things happen but the lad has missed sitters throughout his career. Yesterday they were sitters and a semi-competent striker scores at least two of them.

Once again, I don't agree with the threats but he's paid to score goals and the reality is he's utter dross.

He is playing out of position, though, and it's not his fault that Doucoure didn't pass to him for a tap-in.

I got the impression that Dyche had told Onana and Gana to stay deep for obvious reasons. Without McNeil, Iwobi was our main creative threat. It's a waste, as Garner could cause problems.

Who mentioned "Covid", and I'm struggling with your question "Where was I during covid?" Oh and by the way, my name is Garry, not Gerry.

Have you been hitting the bottle, mate?

Garner would have been onside as he was behind the man with the ball, Doucoure.

On the Maupay matter, I think it was Mike Gaynes who wrote when we signed Maupay that we will be surprised at his ability to miss sitters; correct me if I'm wrong, Mike.

Don't get upset because Eric hit the wrong key, just call him Ernie.

I keep making the mistake of calling Kieran Keiran as I was sure that the rule was i before e except after k.

"Why is Iwobi stalling on signing a new contract for the last 12 months"?

Err, because he plays for our shit show of a club.

Because, despite him being our most creative player for two seasons, we don't appreciate him and bitch about him at every opportunity.

Because he can earn a fortune off a free transfer elsewhere when his contract is up.

If we can get £10M now, I'd take it.

Otherwise he'll run down his contract and leave in the summer. The damage was done when we gave him his contract in the first place.

I was reading that it cost £7M to compensate Barratt-Baxendale, Ingles and Sharp, and it would be even more to dispense with Kenwright!

He should be made to pay back the money he has filched out of the Club he purportedly claims to love.

Slimy Greedy Maggot!

😂😂😂

Or, instead of leaving the seat empty, do the decent thing and have a ballot for non-season-ticket holders on the club's membership and season ticket waiting list to be drawn out for the seat, or donate it to EitC charity, and let them arrange for a fan suffering through the cost of living crisis to have a chance of attending a game.

He would then gain an ounce of respect from me in doing the right thing.

What on earth are they doing monitoring the sewer that is social media? Do they really think online communications can be policed?

It's like standing in the gents and reading the graffiti, and then releasing a statement saying how appalled you are.

It's that idiot chairman again, making the fans look bad. Virtue signalling bellend.

And it should be noted that the person making the vile comments can be anyone, like a trouble causing red. And there are quite a few of them on Twitter.

I know he was whingeing about returning but is injured, in Niasse style lockerless limbo or officially AWOL?