Another rock-solid Everton performance seals 3 more points

Feeling pretty reticent about today's game to be brutally honest with myself although my head and heart tell me we are quite capable of 3 points today. However ,with my gut feeling I will be happy with anything we can take away from this game. We do need the 3 points though off the back of yesterday's results.

Shit weather, very grey gloomy day, bring me some blue sky sunshine, Blues!

Hoping Garner is fully over his illness and him and Gueye can put up a good show against Chelsea.

I said on the pregame thread I think fatigue - the amount of it and our response to its inevitability - will be the key factor in this game.

It's tough playing on 3 days rest. Hopefully Dyche's training keeps those legs serviceable today.

Or is this an Americanism gone wrong in translation? I dunno.

And yes, he's on the bench, hence "behind" Young, coming in if Young gets a yellow, so we're secure at RB in my opinion.

Lost in translation :)

St. Patty's or St. Paddy's??

🤔

Paddo

But I'm the fish out of water here. If you tell me Patto, Patto it is.

But I get the heebee-geebies saying it. Paddo just seems right. To this silly fella anyhow.

Chelsea won't need to play well. Just play it in behind Young. It will really be that simple.

Just to be salt in the salve :/)

Also it's St. Paddy's day, because Patrick (i.e. St. Patrick) is the anglicised version of the Irish Pádraig.

Hence St. Pád(raig)dy's day

I hope that helps a little.

COYB 0-0 to 1-0 or better please

Definitely chances for us to be more effective from set plays. Whereas Chelsea seem hell bent on having pointless possession.

I don't remember Cucurella being this much of a dick? He's been shocking since the first minute.

I didn't comment on the Newcastle game as Optus were up to their usual 7 seconds play followed by 10 seconds freeze frame strangely except for the goals but then like this game, despite his work rate, Calvert-Lewin seems a bit of a powder-puff striker. I thought he could have launched a dive at one ball rather than just run behind it and the ball back to their keeper I thought he could have slid in but Dave Hickson he ain't, putting his head in where it hurts.

More work and a lot more inspiration wanted in midfield.

Need more space in midfield. Calvert-Lewin not leading the line effectively enough to create space.

Hopefully Everton have a strong error-free first 15 minutes of the second half and then Dyche needs Beto on for a more physical presence to lead the line and create the necessary space. Even better would be an early score in the second half.

This time Jackson causing unseemly agro as they can't handle being beaten by the steaming Blue roller!

Marvellous!

Tarkowski and Doucoure again immense. Only downer is the last minute lunges in the box we got away with a few today but they could have easily been penalties if timed wrong.

I don't think I'll get back to sleep yet. I tried several streams, was Goodison quiet today? The crowd wasn't shown or heard virtually all game... odd?

I have a suspicion that the TV folk are using canned fan noise over the supporters to drown out the Premier League corruption chants.

Could I just clarify: does Gana's and Branthwaite's yellow cards mean they miss the Burnley game?

No reason why Patterson shouldn't play next week at Turf Moor.

Brilliant from the back line again, Palmer's screamer from outside the box early on the closest they came. Made up for Dobbin, seeing how excited he was to score was icing on the cake.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend Blues.

Three wins in a row three clean sheets. Daily Mail will be tearing their hair trying to sour our mood.

I didn't understand the VAR looking for offside with the first goal as it obviously wasn't just watching normal play, or is that how you manage a few decisions for the favoured few. The Referee, in the second half, also seemed bent on giving Chelsea everything but ignored the same against us. Branthwaite was booked for next to nothing, he slid in and the Chelsea man tripped over his legs, Branthwaite booked Gallagher just gets spoken to for something worse. And Cuccerella had his arms around Tarkowski's waist at every corner.

Beto really needs to up his work rate especially competing in the air even if it is just to make life hard for the defender but I thought Dyche should have had Harrison or Doucoure subbed 10 minutes earlier.

And then giving youth a chance pays off, a cracker from Dobbin.

Our MotM, too many and it would be unfair on the others to single out any one player.

I will say that Pocchettino is starting to put together a good side and while Broja has some pace about him they look like they need a Lukaku.

Sean Dyche is the Ginger Santa showering goals and clean sheets this December! COYB!

Still the team collectively are playing well. Very well, if not pretty.

If we can keep this form, and stay fit, hopefully we'll look favourite to stay up.

Young got a knock, Gana Gueye a yellow [subbed at half time].

Sanchez got a knock.

Young and the keeper were injured. Gana appeared to be tactical or exhausted. He's suspended vs Burnley anyway.

Staying up and win the cup!

I don't doubt the vocal support you both gave helped the lads on the pitch to this great victory. Well done, well played and Up The Toffees! Wishing you well for the rest of your trip.

Fuck the Premier League!!

Keane didn't even make the bench today. We won't win with Godfrey in.

Get in Derek. Your boy now has memories that will never leave him.

J L A T T S B T W S

The two Ukrainians were the best players on the pitch today.

The suns come out… oh, hang on, no! – It's night time. Nice warm glow all over.

Earlier reticence was quite unnecessary it seems.

3 home games at the start of the season we lost and should have won = 9 points. Premier League robbed us of 10 points.

13 points + 9 + 10 = 32 puts us 5th, 1 point behind City.

But perhaps that says how good this team is at the moment.

The team looks absolutely clinical now, without needing goals off headers on corners or penalties.

Patterson looks match fit. Hope he gets a good run now.

The Yanks in the hotel in Barbados must have thought we were being attacked when we scored!!

Two excellent finishes today from Doucoure and Dobbin – the latter will benefit hugely from that confidence boost. COYB!

Beat Burnley and that will give nice breathing space. We've now brought Forest and Palace into the mix. Happy days at last, the fans deserve it.

I have a feeling we will get 4 points back, don't know why just do.

Perhaps the injustice has galvanised everyone after the shenanigans of the past three seasons since the Benitez appointment.

The owner and board are still responsible for any points deductions, but I just don't think or care about them anymore. I just focus on Dyche and the players and forget my annoyance with their catastrophic tenure.

This day gets better and better.

Pretty impressive stuff.

Again Dyche's ability to get the most out of what he's got is the reason he was the right appointment.

Long time since I've seen an Everton side as honest as this.

Hard to believe Lampard looked at his squad and thought "I don't fancy this Doucoure fella…"

Paddy's from Padraig now makes crystal clear sense. Fantastic explanation, thank you!

What a game. We played fantastically. My favorite moment was teammates mobbing Dobbin after the goal. This team really has unity. Reminds me of 2016 (?) Leicester. A TEAM.

We've been looking so good I can't fathom being relegated with that 10 point deduction at this point in time.

Rob @57 -

England is, without a shadow of a doubt, America's greatest ally. There's no one country that even comes close in my opinion. If those Yanks thought you were being attacked, they'd of rushed in to give you a hand.
If they thought the hotel in general was being attacked, and not just you fine Englishmen, they'd neutralize the threat. Rest easy. 😉

Mike @55 -

Brilliant.

Finally, for the umpteenth time, how good is Jarrod Branthwaite? Lord what a player.

My second trip to Goodison in 4 days and on my way home to west London.

With a big blue smile on my face.

Pit stop with the family at the St George's Hall Christmas Market, then the train home to talk to the dogs

Happy blues

Rob @ 57, you ought to go away more often mate if that is what happens !

I like this new hobby of winning – I could deffo get used to it!

He kept Mithoma quiet at the end of last season away. He played well in the West Ham away win. The evidence is clear! Believe in him like we believe in Branthwaite. He will deliver as is Mykolenko.

I admit also Sean is proving me wrong, he is absolutely right for us at the moment. He's made us proud again!.

Terry, fully agree re Patterson, just like Mykolenko he deserves a run of games.

I think Patterson will do exactly the same. I've always liked the lad. He just needs to grab this chance.

I couldn't fault Dyche's substitutions, even though Young was injured, but Patterson should get a run now.

Buzzing, and up yours, Premier League.

Three more of our stolen points back. Keep going!

Better yet, come and visit me. It's a bit colder and rainier here than Barbados, but wins are more important than weather!

PS... does anybody know if Dobbin is left-footed? I didn't think he was, but that finish was an absolute cracker.

Thing is with Branthwaite, who have we got to confidently replace him? I often think we made a mistake not holding on to Conor Coady. I know FFP etc, and wages off the books but there were much higher earners than him to get shut of, who wouldn't be missed.

Terry [70] I agree, Patts, take note Jamie - else Swan will have words, Patts needs a run of games. The first four games, we couldn't score which invitied pressure on us, plus he had Garner playing on the RW. Now we have the luxury of either Harrison (who worked his socks threadbare today) or Young in front of him.

The evidence Terry, was the West Ham game, when with Harrison, he had an excellent game.

He is by no means the finished article, and his judgement just once or twice is 'odd'; but, he can only improve, I can't see him regressing now.

His passing, that assist to Beto and his cross today, alongside his willingness to push up makes him a valuable asset to have.

My Rangers mate John Holmes, "Hi John" if you're lurking again, said Patterson was rapid. However, since his leg break he seems to have lost a little pace, but Mudryk is genuinely World-class pace, and Patts still managed him, despite being burned off twice (I think?)

Patts is the future, and we still have Seamus as backup.

Mike, Dobbin is right-footed, scored a very good goal for the U21s last week too, with his right. Cut in and banged it into the corner from 20 yards.

Else put Seamus at RH CB and push Tarkowski to the LH CB? What do I know?

In Swan Dyche we Trust! WE ARE EVERTON!!! Just replace Gerard Butler with a Blue-Cloaked Swan Dyche (all ripped to poop too!) Hehe!!!

I'd love to see how Swan could get us playing if we ever get a transfer kitty again...?

Thanks for the factoid on Dobbin, that's what I had thought. Makes his goal look even more spectacular, doesn't it?

Now two for Richi today, Good for him finally coming good.

Simon #79, I expect to see Myko at LCB and either Seamus or Godfrey at left back. For all his faults, Young is a warrior, and if he came off in the first half, he's hurt bad. And at 38 a hammy doesn't heal fast.

Shootin’ and scorin’ and singing his song,

Rockin Dobbin tweet tweedle-Lee-dee

EPL 10 vs EVC 9/12 (6/9 at home, after not being able to buy a win at GP!)

Note taken, I feel oddly cleansed, and right in the soul.

Patto.

Doesn't stop me hoping for more though and feeling hard done by compared to the slap on the wrist the Super League Six got.

Also some excellent arguments in our favour that Burnham and legal minds have posted could mean a better outcome. 🤞

Only decent thing to come out of Leicester.

He was free, he does a job, he is a model pro. What's not to like?

Every players performances will vary, especially in an unsettled, barely fit team like we aere at the start of the season.

I'd prefer Seamus at CB, and Myko at FB. But... let's see what Swan does?

"Everton are on an incredible run. You see the atmosphere around Goodison and you see the commitment of the team, you wouldn't think they had just been docked ten points... when they get their opportunities, boy, do they go forward with pace, and Doucoure in particular gets into the penalty box and again scored the first goal today... so listen, a two-nil victory for me, for Everton, at Goodison against Chelsea, is really not a surprise."

Absolutely magnificent results. Forget the performances, right now points is all that matter.

I've watched us win the titles and cups from 1963. Everyone is special without doubt.

I know it sounds daft but after today's game I think I've never felt more emotional or proud of being a Blue.

Don't know why and can't explain it but, after young Dobbin found the net, I felt so proud.

Tarkowski, Branthwaithe and especially Mykolenko were immense.

Anyway let's celebrate tonight and enjoy a fantastic week.

One game at a time. Let's get everyone rested and ready for another massive push and 3 points against Burnley.
This time next week let's hope we can be above Forest and Palace.

Even after all the shit we've had to put up with over the years, truthfully, would anyone change being an Evertonian? No chance!

Most of Goodison seemed to agree when he came off.

A cracking afternoon, that was a very tough game but we came through it with another gritty win.

Dyche and the players deserve so much credit.

Dom's goal return is disappointing at the moment, but other players are scoring so we can cut him a bit of slack. His outfield play generally is fine, and Dyche seems to have done a good job with him.

"You can stick yer points deduction up yer arse."

Etc etc..............😁

“Since Sean Dyche's first game as Everton manager in February, Abdoulaye Doucouré has more non-penalty goals in the Premier League than any other midfielder (11).”

Great post.

I've been really disappointed at what you refer to as, the invective hurled at Young. Especially given our recent form. I believe it has been done in the misguided belief that if he was hammered enough, Dyche would somehow buckle and select Patterson instead. It was never going to happen.

it's not really that hard to see why Dyche dropped Patterson in the first place. He was in possession of the shirt for the opening four games. He simply did not see danger early enough, his poor positioning was ruthlessly exposed and we didn't win any of those games.

Patterson is up against two embattled old warriors for the position. Their bodies are starting to let them down. His chance was always going to come around again. We badly need him to grab it with both hands.

I've seen enough of Patterson to believe he can learn from earlier experience and become a top class right back. But he has to realise his potential.

The only way he can make this slot his own is to keep playing consistently well. Supporters battering away at their own player/s will not keep him in the team. He has to do that by himself

If young Patterson minor had gone to the same Public School as me, he would have definitely been known as “Patters”. No question!

Patterson is having to learn the role just like Seamus did. He is clearly getting there but we should be encouraging all of our players regardless – it is insane to think that giving players or the manager stick will help us – it won't!!

Young does his best and is doing okay – especially bearing in mind he is 38, for heaven's sake!!!

Straight from the horses mouth in his EFC PM Interview it is as follows;

Myko, Patto, Dobbo, Ben Gibson -sorry, Godfry, Keano... I'll post the link after, and any more name updates.

Colin Glasser, I doff my cap, it isn't, or wasn't Patts, IT IS Patto...

Two very eminently sensible posts.

Not since Ancelotti have we had someone in control of the team on the pitch, directing how they play and ensuring each man in a blue shirt knows what is expected of him.

We're getting back to the level of about Year 4 or 5 of Moyes's tenure. How sad that is. In all that time, we've plateaued then regressed to where we were at the end of Lampard's stint, where 11 strangers would get together on a pitch and wonder what they were doing.

So full credit to Dyche for getting us looking like a team again. On the face of it, this should be an easy thing to achieve, but our recent history with managers illustrates how easy it is to mess things up.

I deliberately mentioned Moyes earlier because I think we're limited to how far we can progress with Dyche at the helm, but we're nowhere near that limit at the moment so we should all get behind him and give him our full support while he steers us through the shit show we've got going off the pitch right now.

EVERTON 2-0 CHELSEA | Sean Dyche's reaction

nb: Note all the Official™ Swan® name checks as above @ [99]

Goals change games and Dyche's team are making it so difficult for the opposition to score. The awareness and anticipation of Mykolenko and Branthwaite is outstanding.

We're obviously going to get undone by a bit of brilliance and/ or bad luck at some stage and then we're into a different test of whether we can rescue a game, but for now it's all credit to the manager and the players for a magnificent period of performances.

Interesting he said in his postgame that Myko's been carrying a knock. You'd never know it!

I’ll bet he really approves of Dwight McNeill wearing proper black football boots (I certainly do).

Wins are the currency, and Dyche has certainly brought them.

As many have already said on here, we're finally resembling a team again, after a very long and dark time.

Next up, the resurrection of this still fine old institution that is Everton Football Club. Up the Toffees..and Onwards!

Well done Sean...very well done the players!

Thought today would be hard to repeat after the crackling win against vs Newcastle. Our boys out worked them and took their chances.

I truly hope their lovely fans are rewarded with a huge points deduction. £989m on those players, I hope it disintegrates to dust.

Just what fans want to see...he's living our dream!

Gana, Youngy, Tarky, Jarrad, Jordan, Jimmy (- Garner), Doucs (Dukes?), Seamus, Dwight, Arnie (Danjuma?)

That's all I can glean so far.

To extrapolate we gave the following team;

Jordan

Seamus, Youngy, Patto

Tarky, Jarrad, Keano, and Ben Gibson, sorry, Godfrey

Myko

Haz, Jimmy (-Garner) Gana, Doucs, Dwight, Arnie

Dom (Didn;t he say Beto after the NUFC game?) Someone please confirm.

If I've missed any, please add below, or ask Santa Kenrick to edit this post please.

I’m not convinced the appeal will prove successful but I was never convinced we’d get docked points!

Feels like such a long time since we had a team with identity that we could be proud of. Let’s hope it continues but there’s still a long way to go.

Understated, succinct and to the point.

Chapeau Sir, chapeau!

@ [99] I can't believe I forgot Dobbo...

"The authenticity of his reaction [Dobbin]. No dances and all that nonsense, not for me that..."

The look of disgust when he hates on "dances and all that nonsense" is absolute, utter gold.

This man is honest, straight forward as can be, and I for one am proud of the way our team is represented with him at the helm.

Someone said above they'd be happy if Dyche led the team out at BMD.

Um... yes. You think he's earned that? You betcha he has. If this man keeps us up with a 10 point deduction he's a miracle worker. He'll probably walk across the River Mersey on his way into BMD when the time comes.

I then looked at the BBC report and saw that Dobbin was player of the match with figures of 7.99. Presumably out of 10. So I thought he must have had a fantastic performance only to find that he was only on for about 12 minutes!

Just shows you can't count on figures😀

Those possession stats are getting so low but so effective, the next thing you know we'll be staying in the dressing room all game and still winning!

How about four days, five goals, six points, seventh heaven?!

I was never really convinced when his name kept cropping up during the managerial merry-go-round of the last few years but he was the obvious choice last time.

Cometh the hour...cometh the Sean.

Great feeling being at Goodison today even if the first half was a poor game to watch and we fought and fought for this victory and deserved it in the end.

With the threadbare and small squad at his disposal Sean Dyche has done fuckin’ wonders to put Everton were they were only for others off the field to put them back again, Dyche is still fighting the odds but getting us up the league again.

Dobbin had deserved more minutes on the field this season imo, especially at the end of more games, not the one minute v Man. Unt, and five minutes today, he’s got the pace to trouble tiring teams, made up for him and his goal today.

Fuck this ‘ we’ll get four points back’ let’s see what the corrupt bastards offer us, losing three points is far too much!

I was so happy coming out of Goodison again tonight and didn’t think I would be having a rant like that especially over things we have no control over but let’s thank our blessings : This squad and the manager looking after them, not forgetting us the fans special people!

Even those including me who thought our team would have enough to escape trouble notwithstanding the points deduction have been surprised by just how quickly we have climbed out of the relegation places. It would appear the points deduction has simply galvanised the team to improve on what had been a run of decent results before the independent commission did its worst.

The unity of purpose, the chemistry between players and fans, the siege mentality and the leadership of a very effective manager have served to create a club currently greater than the sum of its parts. That is some achievement given how rickety some of those parts, including especially the financial position, appear to be.

In today’s game we again saw our players giving everything to the cause. While they all made a contribution Doucouré was indefatigable. Although his style is not for the purist he has proven to be an effective finisher, a scorer of really important goals. He never stops running as he demonstrated late in the game when chasing back into his own area to make yet another block on the byline.

The players who come in for the suspended and the injured will be keen not to let the side down. Burnley will be their opportunity to show their worth.

(We’re working together like a Sean Dyche team).

Some frustrated talents will see what we are building and make it easy for Thelwell. The spirit of that interview lays down a marker. It is time to plan the future. We have the core group to take us forward.

There ain't many people who can convey a serious message with humourus undertones...even fewer that can do that and manage a Premier League team.

Good to beat them today, as always, and Everton, finished them off in all aspects, on the park. Great team spirit.

I hope Jackson, gets a fine and ban, for his go at Patterson, and Chelsea, a pathetic collection, of shit houses.

UTFTs!

"Fuck the Premier League"...comes a close second though!

Go figure...

Most people were happy with him, but you still get some delusional people, who don’t seem to realize the absolute mess he inherited, and others who have already put him into a certain bracket, even though our football has definitely been a lot better than what we had been witnessing these last few very dark seasons.

“I thought today was all about sheer-hard work, and having loads of bottle, and it’s a very long time since I felt like this about an Everton team”

We might have rode our luck at times, and lacked a little bit of the intensity we showed against Newcastle, but it made me very happy watching 15 players fighting and giving every last drop for the shirt, and with confidence really growing, then the only thing that is going to beat us is that our current squad is lacking in numbers.

Surely the old legal maxim that justice delayed is justice denied applies and the appeal must be heard shortly7

Talking points

Please comment there about the managers fine words please.

Good wishes all

The most likely time-frame would be around March '24 (it has been bandied around on the internet) so as to give time for the Appeal to be read, and to allow a reply by the EPL. Not to mention the time it would take to appoint the appeals board. To the satisfaction of the EPL that is.

We've won three on the trot...everything else is just noise

Believèeeeeeeeeeeeee!

UTFT!

I noted Dyche's ‘we’re on 14 points, there is still a lot of work to do”.

I seem to remember him saying some time ago that he doesn't always look at the table. Clearly, as we are only on 13 points 😀

Unless I'm missing some sarcasm in his comment...

Thanks and please ignore my curt reply #136...it's an inspiring, opening paragraph and thanks for posting the fuller version.

Surely the lost prize money would be considered an "add back".

Well there's no accounting for the PLs "discretion" (im trying to be diplomatic)

Kenrick was right about the harshness of Palmer’s yellow.

Credit to Dwight for not going down after Gallagher tried to rugby tackle him on the way to the goal.

Duke is the second ball champ.

Dobbin as at Derby doesn’t score a tonne but he scores some beauties.

Lastly we just beat a team who spent more in two windows then we have since Mosh took over including stadocosts. Yet we are “cheaters”

I'm not getting carried away, BUT nonetheless, we're going to finish 7th from bottom and win the EFL Cup. And the committee can shove their 10 points where the sun don't shine!

It was pure comedy.

Seems daft.
I'm hoping in May we are in 6th place, 9 points behind the champions elect.

Everthing else is just noise? Look at the table Brendan, and then add ten points to Everton, and you will see that we would be in a much more comfortable position (maybe even thinking of challenging for Europe) if we hadn’t been deducted those ten points mate.

I was being sarcastic towards the people who have punished Everton with what I feel is a very disproportionate punishment, but I was also thanking them for helping to galvanize a club, and a fan base that had been split in half for years.

Since Kenwright departed, my love for Everton football club has returned, (sad, but very true) so now we just need to get rid of the others, and my belief will continue to grow🤞

Kieran, I must have sounded like a lunatic screaming at Michael Oliver to fuck off for booking Palmer, but I saw a player fall and then immediately get to his feet, to try and stay on the ball, and I thought it was a pathetic decision, a token decision, although I was about 100 yards away, from the incident!

Did he book the player so VAR could check if there had been a little foul, was in my paranoid thoughts, but this is how certain referees genuinely make me feel.

Would we have won the last 3 games if we hadn't had the 10 point deduction?

I appreciate we were improving before the deduction but has it galvanised the team into action so on some respects a blessing in disguise?

Likewise, has our points deduction also helped those other teams at the bottom to re-think the way they approach games?

Maybe this is why we were so disproportionately punished?

But when you read Kieran@152 explain how much Chelsea have spent recently, you do get the feeling that they will be happy to reign in their punishment of Everton, especially if we start pulling away from the relegation places. Well I do, anyway!

Mykolenko was excellent yesterday. Another player who has significantly improved under Dyche.

The Duke, not a pass master, but he works hard for the team without the ball, has good first touch and is pretty hot finisher. The back five, three clean sheets in a row, enough said. The boys out wide are real worker bees and Garner, Gana and Onana are competitive in the central area. With DCL and Beto up top we have always a focal point.

Let's take it one game at a time and see where we get to at the end of the season.

At a minimum we are a top 10 team.

I liked Dyche's reaction when mentioned where we would be without the deduction. We all lnow it was unprecednted and harsh, so it will interesting to see what treatment Chelsea get. Below is what they have spent since Buehly took over.

Window Money spent Money received
Summer 2022 £278.4m £49m
January 2023 £323.3m £12m
Summer 2023 £434.5m £237.3m
Total £1.036bn £298.3m

We're defensively solid, though the sudden tapping up of Branthwaite by Sky and the BBC makes me nervous, because there's no natural replacement, and I REALLY don't want to see Michael Keane back in by default.

The midfield are solid, but we could do with a right-footed equivalent of Dwight McNeil. I like Harrison, but Leeds will want a swedge for him, and I don't think he's worth the money they'll try to gouge from us. Gana probably has another year, so we need to start grooming a replacement for him. Likewise, we probably have another year of Onana before he's taken for big money.

We should consider giving Okoronkwo some minutes, because DCL, though a high-level operator, still needs injury cover.

Dyche is doing fantastic work. But a couple of injuries could really hurt us, and the squad needs fattening up.

"I want a bit of that!" They'll all be thinking this morning. Good vibrations all around. COYBs.

A good post but surely Onana won't leave us — he's one of us, according to an Everton fan who lives far away.

Although I still think Calvert-Lewin is not top drawer, his all round game helps us to get possession in the opposition half and buys time to be joined in the attack.

Great finish by Lewis Dobbin – he will be buzzing in training this week. I would give him a run in Harrison's position. Harrison works hard but lacks quality; for me, his final ball is poor and HE loses possession too often.

“He'll probably walk across the River Mersey on his way into the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock when the time comes.”

That would mean he would have to come from Birkenhead (Dave A will explain).

Joking aside – I posted when Dyche was appointed manager that I was disappointed because he was “vanilla”. Nothing vanilla about his team and the way they are playing – I love it.

There is so much fight in them. I haven't felt this proud of us for a long, long time. Bravo Sean Dyche.

If we make the points deduction immaterial by our performances, then the Premier League will be more likely to entertain a reduction. But if the 10 points are a deciding factor on whether we are relegated or not, then the punishment will stand.

Their argument is that overspending helped us avoid relegation, therefore they will definitely not reduce the deduction if it helps us avoid relegation again.

This is why Andy Burnham calls this an abuse of process – there is no agreed or objective framework for deciding on the penalty. It is decided by what suits the Premier League's agenda at a moment in time.

I think you should give Onana bit more slack. He has improved a lot in the last couple of months – he was good when he came on yesterday.

Both Gueye and Onana are important squad members right now. I like them both.

I agree that I'd like to see Dobbin given some game time but I've got to say that I think Harrison is key to our pressing game, he's rapid and appears to never get tired.

My comment had nothing to do with Onana's performance yesterday, whether it was good, bad or indifferent.

Just a bit of banter between me and an American fan, who I think will respond himself when he gets up!

The last 10 minutes of the Forest game was a prime example of when neither of the above were on the pitch.

This side is reminding me of the latter part of a Moyes side. Never say die and difficult to beat.

When we bought him from Wigan, he was injured, had to recover and get up to speed.

Lescott was played at left-back while Baines was recovering, a position that he hated. Moyes played Baines in the midfield to get him up to speed with game time and then he reverted to his natural position.

I remember Coleman playing at right midfield when he first joined too, maybe again to get him up to speed in the Premier League.

He’s one of our own… until he isn’t.

We are on a roll just now, but its small margins as always between winning and losing.
We now have decent cover for most if not all positions and have a serious chance against 95% of the teams, the other 5% we will have to see.

How long does it take to review an appeal?
It should not drag on till the end of the season, thats not on.
We will stay up whatever they decide but its only fair its decided quickly.

Also, in a very competitive category, I'd say that Mykolenko might just be the most improved player in the entire league.

They have received a lot of donations from Everton supporters and have praised Everton fans.

The sooner the rest of those outside of the elite top six band together the better.

If those 14 clubs supporters followed suit, then we might just have a chance of getting something done.

Anyway on to our upcoming games, Branthwaite will be missing for the Burnley game, after picking up a yellow card, we have young and Doucoure both a booking away from a suspension.

Now my way of thinking is if they both pick up a yellow card on Saturday, that could actually work in our favour, they would both miss the Fulham cup game, but we could rotate for that game by starting with Patterson, and having Gueye, Garner and Onana in our midfield.

We would then have Decoure clear to play in the remainder of the December league fixtures, get them out of the way this Saturday, rather than waiting for one of them to get a yellow card sooner rather than later.

Now with all the above thinking I am not sure if a booking on Saturday would mean the player missing the cup game, or if the ban would only apply for the next league game, if anyone knows feel free to update me as although I think it applies for the next match, I could be wrong.

Ignore above just found out it applies to league games only, what a shame.

Regarding VAR, the latest survey taken by the Scottish Football Supporters Association has voted overwhelmingly against VAR saying it is ruining their football experience on a regular basis. 86 per cent against !!

95 per cent feel the VAR delays are too long.
66 per cent would rather tolerate wrong decisions rather than VAR interventions
85 per cent feel refereeing performances have worsened since the introduction of VAR
70 per cent think officials are relying on VAR to make decisions for them.
80 per cent want linesmen to flag immediately for obvious offsides
74 per cent want handball rules to revert back to only deliberate handball

I don't know if there has been a similar survey in England, however, I suspect it would be not far off similar to be honest.

If a VAR review takes more than a couple of seconds then it can't be a clear and obvious error

I know how I'd vote if asked. It's taken all the spontaneous emotion out of an emotional sport.

Back to the win over Chelsea - the team appears to have turned a corner and it's looking really promising.

What’s worse is when people start comparing how one team gets a decision one week, and another team doesn’t get the same decision the next. Two wrongs don’t make it right, but it seems that people are prepared to accept two wrongs just as long as it goes in their favour, rather than demanding a more transparent form of refereeing, between the officials and the VAR studio.

Tony Bellew what a fucking legend

Tony, make them audible, answerable and accountable. Then there is no hiding place for the decision making.

But they are shit scared of that because it would expose their incompetence and indecisiveness. I'm convinced those at Stockley Park spend more time chatting around the coffee machine than watching the match. I know I keep repeating myself, but at least in Rugby, as far as I know, the video assistants are in the stadium.

Graham: go and have a word with yourself. Watching I'm a Celebrity? Get subject to it but pay little attention. Lighthearted, and I do confess to watching Bellew. He must have been twice the size of that lad that won. Great to see his reaction to being told of the result.