Don’t panic!

Everton 0 - 1 Wolves

Up at 5:30 with breakfast, lunch and dinner all prepared the night before. The dogs popped out for a quick one and I was on the road by 6:20. Such is our support we had a 77-seater double-decker coach from Devon with maybe half a dozen spare seats – not bad to see a team which so many seem way to keen to criticise and write-off!

We we’re having a good journey with no sign of Bank Holiday weekend traffic but just outside Liverpool, we pulled onto the hard shoulder. One of our group was unwell and the efficiency of the club committee members was impressive as our stricken friend was cared for whilst we awaited an ambulance. One arrived within 15 minutes or so and off they went. Thankfully it was nothing serious and he made it back to the coach for the return journey!

Down to the Harlech Castle which was empty of the usual ToffeeWeb crowd but Neil Copeland arrived soon after and we were then honoured by the presence of John McFarlane – 85 years old and still going to the match – what a guy!!

The team was announced and it was pretty much what I would have gone for though clearly weak up top as Danjuma has impressed me out wide but not in the middle. At least young Branthwaite was playing.

The game was quite similar to Fulham – we were on top, playing much better football than last season and creating far more chances. It was hugely improved from the Villa game with Doucouré popping up all over the place and the two lads up front working very hard. Garner and Onana were a bit in-and-out but both showing that they have a lot of ability. We will see the best of them once we have two proper wingers in the team and a target man up front.

I couldn’t tell from my position whether the offside goal was or wasn’t offside –  the huge pillar right in front of me spoiled my view but it was typical of how things go against you at times like this.

You could see their goal coming, to be honest, as Pickford suddenly became involved with an incredibly stupid mix-up with I think Tarkowski, when he thought the defender would get to the ball rather than him, where in truth it was his ball to deal with. Southall would have cleared the ball, defender and attacker all at one go but Jordan is no Southall.

He then should have cleared another one whereas he pirouetted in his 6-yard box and thankfully the ball was cleared but why did he not take command of the cross which led to their goal?

Their keeper put on a masterclass of how to command the goal area and, whilst he looked a few inches taller than Jordan, surely if Jordan extends his arms he can beat most forwards to a high ball? Gordon West was nicknamed Dracula because of his dislike of crosses but he learned to punch them away and most forwards let him get on with it as there was always a chance with Gordon that he’d punch the forward instead “by mistake”!!!

Their goalie plucked every cross, corner and free-kick out of the air. Why did Dyche not get the message out to stop slinging high balls close to the keeper? Surely some outswingers with Tarkowski or Branthwaite standing in front of the keeper to stop him coming out would have been a better idea?

Did this not occur to the more seasoned players that maybe the tactics had to change? Everyone near me and indeed on the bus home could see this – why couldn’t the professionals?

I am not too downhearted as yet with our start. There are four other teams with zero or one point and, Villa apart, we have played better and created more than last season. Chermiti looks promising and, if Beto signs, then we have two physical options up front.

We have badly missed McNeil and Harrison will add raw pace as well as graft. It should all look better shortly. In the house, by 11 pm – just in time for the Dubois fight – it didn’t look a low blow to me and the lad did well.

Ratings:

Pickford – 5: one fantastic save but did his best to gift them a goal, he will never be a favourite of mine.

Patterson – 5: a mix of good and not-so-good, he reminds me of the young Coleman. Only one way to learn and that’s by playing.

Young – 5: looks an ageing player to me and I’d play Mykolenko who is much better defending.

Tarkowski – 6: did okay.

Branthwaite – 8: so cool, confident, excellent on the ball and has got real pace too. We must keep him as he could be worth £100M in a year or two. Man of the Match by a mile.

Garner – 6: I really like this lad and he reminds me of Paul Bracewell. Watch him go once he is played in central midfield with two wingers and a centre-forward!

Onana – 6: he was in the game a bit more and kept his position more too. Better!!

Gana – 5: giving possession up too often and nowhere near the player he was, he needs replacing once the wingers are fit.

Doucouré – 7: worked hard, popped up all over the place, winning possession, and never stopped.

Dobbin – 7:- another who never stopped working. Was kicked around a fair bit but picked himself up and went back for more. He has something but needs to put on half a stone of muscle. If he copies what Keegan did after he signed for “them”, he can make it but it means very hard work in the gym!!

Danjuma – 6: worked hard with flashes of skill but he is a wide man, not a central striker.

Chermiti – 7: looks a player to me. A few nice touches, demanding the ball to go to his chest rather than in the air or a heading duel which indicates confidence in his ability to hold the ball up. Michael Kenrick critisied him for a pointless clattering of a defender but I thought that was just what he needed to do. He’s young, a handsome chap and their defenders knew they weren’t in for an easy ride once he did that. It was right out of the Andy Gray - Graeme Sharp book of how to start a game – let the centre-backs know that you will dish plenty out and some of them will be that bit more wary. That’ll do for me!

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