There was no stopping City's second-half steamroller

Keane
Calvert-Lewin
Danjuma
Neves Virgínia
Godfrey
Coleman
Ramalho Chermiti
Hunt
Dobbin

No Metcalfe? Only one keeper!! Again a left-sided player, in Mackenzie Hunt, but no right-side players again? Other than Coleman.

Interesting line-up. The Beeb have Gomes playing as one of the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 (Really a modified 4-4-1-1 maybe?)

COYB! WSNBM!

Ederson
Walker Stones Akanji Aké
Nunes Rodri
Bernardo Silva Foden Grealish
Álvarez

Substitutes:
Phillips
Kovacic
Ortega
Gómez
Gvardiol
Bobb
Susoho
Lewis
Hamilton

Mind you, let's hope Gomes has a blinder! In the good sense!

He looks much more assured in the 8-10 slot and he is definitely not a 6-8... As proven by his last four years at the Club.

His first year showed promise before 'that' Son tackle(..?) Which was OK, because he cried and said sorry!

I just hope City are tired from their high-temperature exertions and find the cold and wet uncomfortable tonight. Heat to cold, even after a few days can disrupt how the body works.

No worries Mike, in the Dyche interview

Come on Blues your doing well let’s get those extra goals that Michael has seen coming.

Pick ourselves up and go again. Tough few games coming up against an in-form Wolves and Villa but we need to get more points back on the board.

There's no comparison with this time last year. We create chances, we stay in games.

We were very good today. Unlucky with the penalty which killed the game and well deserved our half-time lead. Pissed off at the result but we look a really decent side. Just missing some quality in attacking midfield and on the flanks.

Full credit to those playing for a club owned by a buffoon billionaire but when you're up against a financially bent club owned by mega-billionaires who merely wag a finger to get our Parliament and Premier League to acquiesce to their skulduggery it's hardly surprising is it?

Have a happy new year blues, I took a long trip from Greenland to Las Palmas for a Christmas holiday! Here’s for a great 2024 for Everton. COYB NSNO UTFT. Over and out.

We fought and never gave up.

Reasons to be looking up as the New Year approaches.
Keep our bottle and keep the standards up and we shall move further upwards as the weeks tick by I feel.

UTFT.

Second was plain stupid. He was not even thinking of protecting his goal. Calvert-Lewin failed to convert the chance he was brought on for.

Pickford is either brilliant or a complete fucktard sometimes.

Strange one taking off Harrison and Gomes, we didn't show much going forward after that outside of Calvert-Lewin's miss. He's turning into a really good replacement for Maupay.

Onward to Wolves.

I thought Beto was as good as we have any right to expect and Gomes, while not MotM was decent in a very fast game which is not his style.

Onana is basically very languid without the skill or timing to get away with it - but he should get no blame for the penalty. McNeil, Harrison and Garner fought an excellent and intelligent battle and mostly won their duels and the two fullback were our best players up against the best that. City had.

So all good except for Onana, who had some good moments, and Calvert-Lewin, who had none.

But we go again.

As for Onana? Penalty aside (which wasn't his fault, it was very dodgy), he again offered little. As he did on Saturday. His head's gone at the moment. If we had other options, I'd want him benched.

City and Spurs are 2 of the 4 hardest games in the league right now I'd say and we were pretty unlucky not to come away with 2 or even 3 or 4 points. Keep playing like we have recently and we should be absolutely fine (especially if we get any of our points back).

Dyche should have left him on and taken McNeil off who was poor tonight.

Yes, the penalty was a joke –what is he meant to do with a shot at him from 2 yards?

Saying that, Onana was poor tonight and Harrison and Garner put him to shame with their work rate.

Gomes wasn't up to much but at least he tried, Onana just strolls around like he's some sort of prima donna and it wouldn't bother me at all if anyone comes in with a decent offer for him in January.

For me, the home form is worrying. What's that now… 6 home losses? Absolutely dreadful stat.

Let's all hope the new year gets us back on track.

We lost which is annoying, but they are better player for player in every department, speed, balance, skill, control.

We are way better than at any point in the last 3 years. We have energy, fitness and some creativity. It’s no shame to lose like that, just disappointing.

Anyway back to the game, not a lot you can do when City can spend as much as they like and get away with it, where we had to sell Richarlison and Gordon and still get stung with 10 points.

I guarantee had Keane blasted a shot close range and it struck the City player, no penalty would have been given, due to the closeness, had it been given, var would have jumped straight in, that is what we are up against.

All we can do is move on to the Wolves game.

Onwards and upwards Evertonians.

This team is fitter, better organised, mentally stronger and more together than we've been for ages.

We might not get a European spot but neither will we be sweating on results in April.

That fat weasel Tyldesley bemoaning city's fixture list, my word what a ghastly little shite he is.

I thought we lost our way when Gomes went off, he was not letting their playmakers settle on the ball at all.

Calvert-Lewin is playing like he knows he's being sold in the window.

Our performances against Man City and Spurs definitely deserved better

Fuming.

I have some sympathy for Dyche. Gomes played well but has hardly played this year so was probably knackered - and had been booked.

At least he went 3 at the back and had a go with the players available.

Can't fault the set-up and tactics, we rightly played to our strengths and on another day it may have worked, but in the end they upped their game.

Move on to Wolves etc. We are so so much better now, even after a few set-backs, we should have enough to climb away to mid-table.

Although the penalty was harsh, I actually thought the ref let a few tasty challenges go and tried to let the game flow, I think Man City knew they'd been in a game.

100% better than the ‘folding' Everton of previous years, a good battling performance but we just don't have the quality for 90 minutes.

City are an absolute joy to watch. I sat near the halfway line rather than behind the goal, and it was very refreshing to see a team basically playing with five attackers spread right out across the pitch, and it was also refreshing to see Everton, trying to play on the front foot as much as they possibly could.

Gomes, was rusty, Onana, doesn’t try to get involved enough, so it was left to James Garner to carry the fight, and although I thought he had a very good game, the middle of the park belonged to Rodri, and the way he kept City ticking along all night, is probably what wore us down in the end?

The team is definitely getting better, but with no sale of the club expected before the transfer window closes, then it’s imperative that certain players don’t get injured. I also thought that we coped with City better, once we changed to a back five, and although Lewin should have scored, I also think VAR might have intervened if he had.

I agree. Doucoure has an athleticism that no one else can match, thus is invaluable- for 75 mins at least. Hope he's back for Wolves.

Is this really the law of the game, it was blasted from 2 m away, his arm wasn't in an unnatural position and pretty close to his body given the context of the play, I can't come to terms with this being right.

As has been said, if this shot was against City at the Etihad, the ref would say play on. I'll wager we'll see a similar decision against a sly six club later in the season and it gets waved away like it's nothing.

I thought the lads put in a good shift, very difficult over the 90 minutes against so much quality and a billion pound squad. However, we weren't that far away from getting a result.

I wish we brought in referees who needed a visa Barry.

Does anyone really think that these refs are not subject to psychological pressure, when the game has billions flowing through it? Piss off the wrong people, and you can forget about a comfortable post-career circuit of the studios. Keep the right people happy, however, and things could go very well.

Look at Clive T tonight, singing outside City's balcony all night, it was pathetic. And totally self interested. He knows what side his bread is buttered if he wants to keep commentating. No nasty comments about the big clubs or the Premier Leaague. Did you hear him about the points deduction: "It's not new you know". It's always happened apparently.

Patterson, Mylolenko, Branthwaite, Garner, Harrison, Tarkowski pulled their tripe out. McNeil worked hard and provided the goal. Beto tried his best but fails to get hold of the ball too often.

The screaming demented dervish made some good saves but had an off night, Dominic might have done better with his one chance. We were playing a very good team and they proved to be the better team which they will do against most teams, so let's get at Wolves on Saturday.

For the penalty, I thought Onana was protecting his face instinctively, which I always thought was ok - not under the current daft interpretation of the Laws!

Much to take heart from, big game at the weekend with a team more our level. Onwards and upwards.

if the ball didnt strike Onana's arm it would have smashed into his face. What sort of interpretation of the rules makes that the preferable option ?

The penalty was a joke (a sick one) Onana was sliding in to the shooter, who shot form 2 yards or less. How could it not hit him. Unless the rules have changed. A free kick/penalty was given for Deliberate handball. There was no way that Onana (I think it was him) deliberately put his hand out to stop the ball as it rolled up his arm as he was trying to balance. Tony's just said it. The decision was a nonsense.

The third goal? Well I think that was Pickford farting about and losing control with his foot. Still. He pulled off saves that kept us in the game for a long period.

I'm proud of the lads really (yet again!) I think City are a great footballing side, But we made it really hard for them.

As Barry's said, Our nuimber one aim is to get away and keep away from the relegation places, and, if we get no (or very few injuries) we've got a good chance of doing so. What happens re takeovers, investments of anything outside of the football we play, we've no influence over.

We just keep supporting our team and we should do the job.

The game is fucked, with the misuse of the VAR and referees being the main decision-maker on the parkare gone.

Everton worked hard had no luck again and got punished.

But plenty of hope to take to Wolves.
UTFTs!

Hopefully that won't be literally the case at the end of the season. I think I've seen enough in the past few months, including this match, to think the worst won't happen.

But we do need the new owners to be approved. Otherwise, that could derail things and we may need to sell a player or two to finish the new stadium. If so, I hope we get fair value and don't get preyed upon.

To anyone who did watch on telly, or was at the match and is more astute than me, did Guardiola make any specific tactical change at half-time? After the break, City were a different team, much more organised, I couldn't quite make out how that came about.

The incident shortly after Foden's goal, when Grealish flicked the ball and it drifted past the far post, was curious. Everyone seemed to assume the ball had gone out of play for a goal kick, and stopped. In fact the ball didn't go out, Grealish actually went after it and brought it into play from the goal line, but the referee decided to award a goal kick.

It was a tough night, we played about as well as we can. But, as we have seen so often, a dodgy decision by the referee and/or a daft mistake by one of our players, changes the course of the game.

I'll reflect in the morning when I eventually get there, but no shame in defeat there from what I watched.

A dubious penalty and a Calvert-Lewin sitter away from a point.

I can't comment on Jordan as I'd turned to talk to the person next to me. But did save us several times with some great saves.

Our major problem is the millstone around our neck with the 10-point deduction that has given the teams below and around us an extra incentive.

Man City were too good for us, I noticed we had them pinned in and around their area and about 12 to 15 passes later the ball was in the center circle and we were rushing to get back.

Yes, it was the penalty that changed the game, but it was the referee that gave it and only the VAR could have changed it but that would have not happened as the ruling was correct.

According to Dyche, in his comments after the game, the managers have been had discussing trying to get the rule changed with other complaints but so far have not succeeded.

Tonight it was a better team that we played and Everton have to be congratulated for the effort they put into the game through the 90+ minutes.

He said "Could you imagine if that happened in the last minute of a World Cup Final, and following the rules they gave a penalty, there would be a riot!"

A tackle was waived away in the Chelsea box, Palace hit them on the counter and with better forwards would have scored.

Play resumed with a goal kick, another play under way then suddenly the VAR intervened and awarded a penalty for the initial tackle.

Had Palace scored, there was ample time for a restart before the VAR intervened. Can you imagine the chaos suddenly chalking off a Palace goal and rolling the clock back five minutes for a penalty? Utter shambles.

The reffing has become the center point of the game. Inconsistently applied overly harsh rules. Even the RS lost a legitimate goal at Spurs due to a communication breakdown and missed the chance of an identical penalty to the one we conceded — correctly by the ridiculous rules tonight.

All this fuss about FFP and us being penalized for supposedly cheating. Yet the game has no integrity because of the arbitration of games. The Premier League, UEFA and so on should address that before it becomes their next costly lawsuit

I thought the midfield got completely outclassed by an elite opposition, not helped by not being able to string two passes together. Mind you, people underestimate how hard City work. It's more than just quality that they have.

Error by Pickford amounted to taking a poor first touch at a stage of the game when he was gambling on not just simply clearing the ball. He was far from the only one to take a bad touch tonight.

Sometimes the opposition is just better. In that second half, City showed that they are just much, much better than us.

Penalty was harsh. Obviously. Looked like he wasn't going to give it and then decided to under pressure. If he hadn't given it, I doubt that decision would have been overturned.

Who was closing Foden down on the edge of the box for their first?

The 2nd only gets given against teams like us and never against the Top 6.

The third was a goalie mistake but, let's face it, Pickford kept us in this game with 3 or 4 good saves during the game.

Plus points are we never folded and gave them a game. Another half-decent performance from Patterson.

We are causing teams problems and look to win games on the front foot.

Harrison played well, pity we never got the ball out to him more.

Garner is becoming the main centre mid at the club.

Mykolenko my MotM.

We can go to Wolves and give them a game. These are the games we need to pick up points in. Spurs away and Man City at home are almost free hits as we don't expect to get anything.

Foden and Walker are great honest players but I have no time for shits like Grealish and Alvarez.

COYB.

That penalty decision was a joke. What's Onana meant to do, get the ball smashed into his face from about a yard, and get sparked out, or put his arm up to protect his face?

That had to be the quickest VAR decision ever, or the shithouse referee simply played the shout and gave the penalty. He pointed for a corner, so what changed his mind?

Oh I know, all the Man City players screaming for a penalty. It's amazing when you consider that a few seasons ago at Goodison, that Rodri almost caught the ball in his own penalty area and no penalty given, not even reviewed by VAR, yet Onana in protecting his face is penalised.

I just hope that Guardiola remembers that, as ultimately that decision gave his team the league title.

We all know that Man City are head and shoulders above any team in this league, and will now probably go on some crazy winning streak and end up winning the title.

I really thought beforehand that with our recent winning streak and an excellent, but ultimately fruitless performance at Spurs, we could get something from the game, and for 50 minutes it looked on.

Alas, it was not meant to be, but, as many were saying earlier on, it was seen as a free hit so nothing lost!

To my view at the match on the penalty, the ref quite clearly gave a corner. City players then mobbed him and he gave a penalty. So he effectively over-ruled himself. Has he therefore decided that he'd made a clear and obvious error?

Surely the correct procedure is to stick with the original referee decision for a corner and the non-penalty decision to be reviewed by VAR? They can only then overrule if it is a clear and obvious error.

Once again, rules seem to be made up as they wish or go along and leaves a stench of possible corruption.

Guardiola said he did make a change at halftime: he overloaded his midfield with his full backs coming inside, with the intention of sucking Everton midfield into centre of pitch and therefore creating space for his wingers to attack our full backs.

He knew his midfielders could move the ball so quickly to get past our midfield. Rodri and Foden crucial to them. They had to speed up play.

I felt Onana was very profligate with his passing and lack of accuracy, which was easily intercepted too often. Thought as I feared before the game that 'shithouse refereeing and lack of clinical finishing' could be our nemesis and proved to be the case.

All-in-all, if we keep playing like that (first half) we should win more games than we lose. That point deduction is like the Sword of Damocles, but still feel we can emerge as proud victors in most of the remaining fixtures.

Today, Pickford is the villain. Last game Gomes was world class.

The fact you can flip those descriptions for 99 percent of their games is overlooked by some.

Premier League clubs can be bought as overseas investments, it's about time the Premier League were bought out. The whole top to bottom of this organisation needs cleansing. Every single official from the VAR to the linesman to the referee in this league need to be made redundant. I'd openly welcome the likes of UAE to an outright ownership of our league.

A creation of two leagues would be better for all, one a European Super League and the remainder owned outright by UAE. Officiating would get cleaned up in no time.

Yet again we have been shafted by inept officiating in consecutive games.

Enough is now enough.

Time to look forward and concentrate on winning the majority of the rest of our games.

I thought we sat back too much which seemed to mean Garner and Onana went missing too often and McNeil's lack of pace was shown up and after we scored we seemed to stop getting men forward to help out the lone striker.

Maybe we can take a lesson from the way City spread the defence by having men wide on both sides of the pitch, I don't think Grealish spent much time not standing on the touchline.

As for City's goals, the first was a great strike but when you are sat back defending your lead as Everton did then somebody should have been nearer to Foden to make taking that shot more difficult, getting between him and the goal.

The penalty was just a farce. It may have hit Onana's arm but the ball was never deflected or stopped and went on to hit him in the face. The ref was positioned nearer but allowed himself to be over-ruled by a distant linesman. Totally ridiculous.

And the third just has to go down to Pickford's stupidity on possibly one of the few occasions he didn't put his foot through it.

We should have done better.

As for the penalty, it is true Brooks was not going to give it. I'm 99% sure it was the assistant who told him it was handball, which in some circumstances I can understand but with proximity to ball and his natural position I don't like.

What then would've been interesting to see would be if the VAR would've intervened and I'd bet they would have. As others have said, it's how referees are told to call it when they see the arm looking like it's up high. I don't like this call, as a referee, but I understand why it was given.

On to Wolves. We really need and miss Doucoure.

I watched the game and not the road far too much. Arrived safely, and I have to say the drive flew by watching the game!

From what I saw, we didn't play poorly and I can't fault any player. No complaints, just came up short on the day.

I thought it was 100% a penalty. It's harsh, but if your arm is up above your head – and it was for Onana – it's a penalty nowadays.

Harrison was great. I also thought Patterson played very well.

Onwards. Need to find 3 points against Wolves for sure.

So beaten by the team that has won 5 trophies this year including the World Club Championship.

To be honest, I didn't expect anything from this game but I am still fed up.

Like Laurie, I am fed up because we lost but we have to take the view that City are the finished product and we are still a work in progress. Dyche is working wonders with the squad and his philosophy has transformed the team in his short time here.

Yes, the result was bad last night but it's clear to see that the future is looking much brighter.

Excellent first-half display, I thought Beto did really well, and a very well taken goal by an ever improving Jack Harrison.

City really put the foot on the accelerator second half, how good are Rodri and Foden? Unbelievable first goal.

Never a penalty, it was Turning Point 1.

Yet another golden chance missed by Calvert-Lewin: Turning Point 2.

I wish Onana was as good as he thinks he is. We have won four out of six league games in December and competed so well in the other two. Doucouré is as important to us as Rodri is to City.

Wolves will be tough but we will compete, Beto to start for me, at some point we need to go to 4-4-2.

We are leaving 2023 behind in a much better place!

1. City are very good.
2. Referees are getting worse
3. It was never ever a penalty.
4. Everton miss Doucoure badly.
5. 4-4-2 a must now.
6. Calvert-Lewin needs a goal.

The change certainly worked - at times, I was thinking Pep had brought on 2 subs at halftime without taking anyone off!

The refs are currently changing or being forced to change the narrative every few weeks and it just comes across as very condescending, when watching the game.

I genuinely thought our goal was going to be chalked off the way the City players and especially Rodri got right in the refs face but, instead of brandishing the yellow card to a couple of City players, he seemed to slowly take his time whilst obviously waiting for confirmation in the VAR room that there had been no foul?

This took at least 30 seconds, whereas the decision to change from a corner to a penalty, took around 2 seconds, again after four or five City players “vehemently” (I heard that on the highlights I watched last night) claimed for a penalty.

How Gomes got booked but Rodri never did also showed a worrying lack of consistency, but I suppose this side of the game has been like this, with the refs seemingly scared of upsetting the best teams.

I love watching football live from inside the stadium and although Michael's match report might be able to pick up some things a lot better from the close proximity of the television screen, I genuinely thought Grealish was a bit snide in the tackle which got him a booking, because he had just been given a little shove from Patterson, after being getting wound up by Tarkowski for the previous 5 minutes.

Maybe the shove looked worse on TV because, if that was in the box, the City player would have had a right to go down, and might have even got himself a penalty. This is why I'm losing interest in watching a lot of top-level football nowadays.

I actually prefer watching Morecombe playing in League 2 because, although the standard isn't as high, the much higher honesty levels definitely make up for this.

He needs a goal and quick.

1. The ball did go out when Grealish claimed it hadn't.
2. The ref changed his mind for the penalty because his linesman indicated it. (First time in years I've seen a linesman make a fucking decision!)

Overall, a valiant effort but lack of real quality where it matters. We miss Doucoure and we need to keep Tarkowski and Branthwaite together.

I'm worried that the rumour that we're going to sell one first teamer in January will mean cashing in on Branners! That would hurt me more than the 10-point deduction did. UTFT

Pickford needs to stop shouting at everything and everyone and do his own job properly. Sick of his pathetic antics.

We really do need a result at Wolves, but they are playing well and scoring for fun.

The more I see the penalty, the angrier I get. On the other hand, Pickford had one of those games where he gets incredibly over-excited – he was shouting at our defence over nothing even more than usual. On days like this, he reminds me of a puppy, running around chasing bits of paper and barking at everyone. He clearly has problems.

Well I got my wish: sadly, it was Spurs and Man City that were the beneficiaries of the spawny win and dodgy pen; so the wait goes on.

It's hard not to be 'woe is me' or paranoid, but for fuck's sake, our luck has got to turn someday.

As for yesterday, I thought we played really well against a team that's on another planet, but mistakes and below-par performances from some of the team undid us.

It's difficult to be critical of Pickford but he should be saving Foden's goal, regardless of how well it was struck, and their 3rd is a result of a ball-playing keeper being too clever.

But onward and upwards.

Pickford does not seem to have been taking his medication recently.

I completely agree with you; despite some good saves, he still costs us as many points as he saves with his regular mistakes and never dominating his box.

Calvert-Lewin had a short purple patch and I'd love him to have another, just so we could get rid of him.

I'd love to get our money back on Onana and Beto too because our big money signings don't look as good as other teams' low-cost signings. This has been Everton's problem for years and why we're in the mess we're in.

Obviously Guardiola got into them at half-time and in the 2nd half their pace increased as did their intensity.

I was a little surprised Foden's shot went in from that distance but, sitting in Upper Bullens, it was difficult to see. I did hear Dyche after the game say Pickford was unsighted as the shot went through Beto's legs.

The goal lifted City and, after that, we were having difficulty getting any possession.

Having seen the still pictures of the penalty, it looked very harsh. But we still had a chance to equalise but Calvert-Lewin put his shot the wrong side of the post, and City then added a 3rd from Pickford's mistake.

I think we could have been a bit braver at times and seemed reluctant to throw too many men forward. I realize you have to be careful playing against a talented team, but sometimes fortune favours the brave.

I thought our back 4 were very good the whole game. Harrison as always worked hard and took his goal nicely. Beto worked very hard as the lone striker and, without Doucoure, we struggled to give him any help. Gomes did okay and probably 60-odd minutes was about right to sub him.

Again, you can't fault this team for work rate but, like against Spurs, we just lack that bit of quality that's needed at times.

I know I am not his biggest fan but Onana has to do more than he currently is doing. He very rarely goes forward with the ball, let's players run off him without tracking back, and for a guy of his size was easily outmuscled by much smaller players.

I know many on here rate him but by now he should have picked up what playing in the Premier League is all about and he hasn't. There are large sections of the game when you forget he is there and, for a central midfield player, you just can't go missing.

But I couldn't post without praising the only City player who cost nothing: Phil Foden. This lad has everything: he scores goals, a great passer of the ball, great first touch, can go past people at will, and is very hard to shake off the ball. I looked at him and Grealish, who cost £100M, and Grealish for me is nowhere near Foden's class.

So onto Wolves after 2 very tough games, and yes they are in a good run of form but, for me, if we apply ourselves, this is a winable game.

Not many long balls, just short sharp passing and City's players' ability to find space, pass and move… simple, really.

Pickford kept us in the game in the first half with Man City's first shot on goal and a fantastic double save late in the first half. He also pulled off a great save from a free kick in the 2nd. He has enough credit in the bank to be allowed the odd mistake.

It didn't cost us the game but it sealed the victory for them.

I agree with you regarding Foden – he was the stand-out player on the night.

Beto worked very hard but he is not quite there yet. I think he will improve with more game time. I hope to see him given time with Doucoure playing in that advanced roll.

Harrison had a good game I thought. I saw him go past there fullback on the outside at one point - I would like to see more of that.

Garner is turning out to be a very solid midfielder but we need a ball winner to play alongside him Gana. He was sorely missed in that game.

I watched Money Ball again the other week and one line from Brad Pitt jumped out at me - “if he is such a good hitter why doesn’t he hit good”?

Ah well, I watched the extended highlights of Brentford v Wolves. The Brentford centre back gifted Wolves two goals - the second not long after Brentford had got back into the game at 2-1. I think Wolves will find us a much tougher proposition.

Regarding the standard of officiating, this is best in games like the one against Palace, where the refs are seemingly under less pressure in the absence of one of the moneyed clubs.

That bodes well for our next outing.

You are absolutely right, Pickford did make some great saves to keep us in the match but, as I said in my post, I couldn't see very clearly how he had been beaten from Foden's shot.

I also said Dyche said it went through Beto's legs so that's why.

I don't think even Pickford would deny it was his howler for the 3rd City goal. Pickford has very rarely let us down.

Onana Handball Decision

Rodri Handball vs Everton

For a lot of them the defender can't do anything about it. The shot is hit at them with speed and their momentum puts that body part (which they have no control over) in the way...

Subconscious bias by referees also comes into play.

I think if we would have been given that penalty, then the City players would have got the VAR involved to a greater degree, and then it's anyone's guess what would have happened after this.

Like when Everton got a penalty against Spurs, but then it was overturned because the VAR said Lloris had got a hand to the ball, then my guess is a similar conclusion would have possibly been reached if Everton had got a similar decision last night.

We will never know, is the obvious answer, but because I have little faith in the honesty of the officials, then that's how I feel nowadays, unfortunately.

I thought City definitely played even higher up the pitch, and also a lot quicker during the second period.

You could have just put a Link

City could make changes in almost every position; we had no one on the bench who could have come on and filled the midfield slot, not even Ashley Young who could of at least slotted in midfield.

We gave City a damn good go; unlucky with the penalty, last goal avoidable, other than that, running on half empty, but they never gave up. It took a world class save by their goalie to stop Harrison putting us 2 nil up.

I think Tarkowski had enough of Pickford ranting and came very close to giving him a slap but decided on a push instead. Credit to Pickford, he kept his mouth shut on Tarkowski, then that tackle Tarkowski did near the end, hard but firm, crunching tackle that one.

I agree with others: Pickford at fault for two of the goals, but made some cracking saves that kept us in it, a mixed evening for Pickford.

What you have to remember as well, City can buy and spend as much as they like, have players like De Brueyne and Haaland out and still have more than enough in reserve, whereas we have to sell the likes of Richarlison and Gordon and still get slapped with a points deduction.

I do not hear the Premier League approaching City, advising them to sell the likes of Foden or Rodri, that's the bigger picture to look at. Forget the result, look at what we were up against! When you are down to the bare bones in midfield, that was a very decent performance again last night, the players are giving everything.

Apologies. I thought you were still out watching the cricket.

We are being made examples of probably due to some past run-ins between the league and club.

City have spent billions and pay their squad players 3 times that of our star players but are allowed to continue. We are on a knife edge from going under and the Premier League are putting the boot in.

Should we be one of the first clubs to join the proposed European Super League as a protest against the way we are being treated? I am sick of the Premier League. It's not a sporting contest anymore, it's a money contest.

“Referees are referees probably because they were never good enough to play the game.”

Love that! It's similar to what I say to gobby rugby players who sneer at football. "Rugby players are just people who have to catch a ball with their hands cos they don't have the skill to control it with their feet."

LOL……I always say anyone can play rugby, providing they can hold an egg-shaped ball and run like Linford Christie!!

They might not have the skills as a footballer. But they're ten times a man.

It should not drag on to when the season is over and what they decide could alter who stays in the Premier League.

Hopefully we will be in a position where what they decide does not matter.

Since I was a small boy, it has always fascinated me how we all see a slightly different game from each other. My first games were viewed squashed between my dad and either my grandad or brother in the Upper Bullens. After the match, we would meet my dad's pals on the corner of Gwladys Street, they used to stand in the Bullens Road Paddock, and they might as well have been at a different match.

That's when the arguments would start. I used to take it all in and loved it. I watch my grandson do the same thing now, and I occasionally give him a wink.

It was very poignant to see my brother on the big screen last night as one of the supporters we have lost during 2023. It was a nice tribute to many people, our club has its faults but it does some things extremely well.

Rodri's was 100% a penalty.

Unfortunately, despite some protest in previous posts, Onana's was 100% a penalty as well.

The real issue is the inconsistency in decisions and most importantly the VAR. I've said a thousand or so times, the VAR implementation in the Premier League has been really shit. Your pictures point out just how terrible it's been.

Walking down the dark path a little further, you do begin to wonder why these "bigger" teams seem to get more favorable decisions time and time again?

Last week with our perfectly good goal called back against Spurs is another prime example. An AR (Assistant Referee, Yank term) is 12 yards from the play, judges correctly the Gomes challenge to not be a foul, and then the entire thing is called back?

The faint stench of corruption is on the wind perhaps?

I would love it if someone could track the VAR decisions – favorable or unfavorable – by club and see where those numbers pan out?

Unfortunately, the stupid rule says it's a penalty, that rule needs reviewing for a change in the rulings.

I actually find Rugby very confusing and complex with so many rules for a seemingly simple game. At least their officials know the game, are transparent and their version of the VAR mostly works.

Same here, Peter. Yesterday until his blooper, Jordan Pickford was up there for his several saves. Fast forward to this morning and I'm being told he was poor and at fault for all 3 goals. As you say, funny how we can all watch the same match and see it different.

It is a nice touch by the club. My son arranged for my Uncle's name to appear a few seasons ago. He had a dog called Blue who roamed the streets of Speke from morning until night. He knew that estate better than most humans.

Re Stones, we were quite dominant at that phase of the game and Stones's injury seemed to kill off the play and indeed the crowd as well.

He was later replaced shortly afterwards so it was a genuine injury, typical Everton that moment!

I don't know if you are aware, but many years ago, a penalty may have been awarded if the referee thought it was “Hand to ball”, ie, the player deliberately moved his hand towards the ball, but not awarded if it was “Ball to hand”, ie, the ball unintentionally hit a players hand.

That yesterday was definitely a case of Ball to hand. Onana had no idea where the ball was heading, his sole intention was to block the shot, and he barely had time to think where his arm was.

It'll be interesting to see how Newcastle finesse the system.

Any disputes goes to the screen with commentary from ref and the VAR heard and various angles and slow motion, showing the incident on the big screen instead of a freeze frame and line drawn.

Players knock hell out of each other, then shake hands at full time.

If you get chance, Danny, you should try and watch some rugby league games on Sky in the upcoming season, run so much better than football.

I know Jim L will not agree with me but Wigan Warriors have strengthened and will be the team to beat in the new season.

Interestingly, when travelling to the States, I watch American Football. This might make sense, but as I got to sort of understand it, I could see parallels with Rugby League even though they are totally different games.

Advance a certain distance in four downs or turn over possession. I think Rugby League is similar with the number of tackles. But I'm no expert on either.

Football is confusing me right now. A game I've played and followed since I can remember!!

Trying to be optimistic, despite the last couple of defeats, shows that since that day:

Burnley have taken 7 points from 7 matches giving the Clarets 11 points.

Sheffield United have taken 4 putting them on 9 points,

Forest have also taken 4 points to take their total to 17 points.

Luton have been the most galvanised in recent weeks taking 9 points from six matches, putting them on 15 points.

Everton have taken 12 points from seven games giving us a total of 16.

Although it hasn't been a great festive period for the club so far, we should all be mindful of the position we started from due to that points deduction, and not be too down-hearted going into the second half of the season.

Once Everton's new stadium is opened, I would not be surprised if they held the magic weekend there, where every Super League team plays there over a weekend – 3 or 4 games Saturday, the remainder Sunday. Get to watch all games in a day for a cheaper price than one Premier League game.

Call me suspicious, but another pet hate. Subjective adding of time by the officials with no explanation or transparency. And the amount of times I am convinced they allow play to carry on beyond that to see if a goal can be scored.

I'm getting old and becoming more of a conspiracy theorist!

I do think Everton will utilise the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for a lot more than we've been able to do so with Goodison. I can only think of the Bellew fight. Rugby, Concerts… dare I say NFL with our potential US owners on the horizon?

I have a feeling that it may come back and bite Chelsea on the bum. Whilst it may make sense to do what they did from a P&S point of view, what they have now is half a squad of players on huge wages that they are effectively stuck with for 7 or 8 years, most of whom will be pushing 30 by the time their contracts end.

Take Wesley Fofana, signed for £75M on a 7-year contract which expires in 2029 on a minimum of £200,000 per week, injured for much of this season. Who the hell are they going to sell him to? And if they can find someone prepared to pick up his wages, will they ever recover his written-down value?

Could well do, Steve, pretty sure Chelsea will find another way though. A better idea would be for teams to only be able to loan out a maximum of three players, instead of 8, that could stop the top clubs from stockpiling on players.

Another over-sight by the officials when we played Spurs and Onana had his shirt pulled by Kulusevski on at least two occasions in the area!!! They make it difficult for us don't they!!

I couldn't believe the VAR looked at that and gave nothing.

Some of us said that the VAR would just give these referees another layer to hide behind when it was first implemented, and I think the people who had this view have been proved right.

How many people would have been arguing that Danjuma's shot had crossed the line on Saturday, if the game never had goal-line technology? This technology proved the ball hadn't crossed the line because it's black or white, whereas most of the decisions that are given by VAR are still completely subjective, and this even seems to be the case, with some of the offside decisions, imo.

The only thing that has happened with the VAR is that it has made football a lot more controversial than it has ever been before. This will eventually kill the game if it's not rectified, because one day people will surely get fed up listening to Dermot Gallagher, and realise that it's just not worth it anymore.

Speaking for myself, I watch football for many reasons, but the controversy is slowly killing my love for the game. I'm sure I'm not alone.

Every week they do a round-up of VAR and non-VAR decisions and explain why they were correct or wrong.

When I say non-VAR decisions I mean they consider whether VAR should have been reviewed and give reasons why or why not.

And I think I've seen a season review as well.

Before VAR there was a website named "You Need Specs" which reviewed penalties and incidents involving goals but I don't know if that still exists.

Link

Probably best we do not share this link and the information contained in it with any RS fans!

Skip forward a few years to the way it is currently used in the Premier League... what a disaster. Week after week, there are game-defining mistakes and inconsistencies, so they need to go back to the drawing board and simplify the way it is used.

“Ball to hand”… how many times did we, as kids, say that?

I'm beginning to think that the only fair way to get around this handball fiasco is to make every handball a penalty, regardless of intent, or where on the arm from, say, the elbow down that the ball touches the arm. This would deprive the referee of any opportunity to show favour. There are several rule changes that the governing buffoons have brought in to the detriment of the game but the VAR in its present form takes the biscuit.

And why do they bring in new rules that are forgotten after the first week?

Only the Captain can approach the referee. One player booked and sent off and then….?

Two players sent off, one retrospectively for simulation and then…?

Moving the ball back for refusing to retreat 10 yards?

Leaving the pitch at the nearest point when being subbed?

Time wasting by keepers? Some get booked, most get a referee tapping his watch.

The game is becoming a joke, all the above appear to be at the referee's discretion and we know where that can end up!

I honestly thought the ref was going to disallow our goal the other night, Kevin. Rodri, (definitely) and a couple of other City players (I think) flew right at the ref, complaining about something I hadn't seen, (maybe because of a post blocking my full view) and instead of the ref giving him a yellow card. (Wasn't this the new rule last month?)

He definitely took his time and seemed to hang around the City penalty area, rather than walking back towards the halfway line. I was genuinely thinking he was going to disallow the goal, but then it came on the big screen, and it was obvious Rodri had fucked up in the wind.

Posting at the same time Ray, although I could imagine if every handball became a penalty, the players might stop shooting at the goal!

The rule makers are loving the spotlight and bureaucracy they are bringing to the game. The more controversial the decision, the more talking heads on satellite TV around the world can spout rubbish about it which brings in subscriptions and advertising revenue.

Ref watch, all the old refs getting a comfy chair in Stockley Park or a spotlight position on Sky Sports trying to explain why a decision is right or wrong… then back-tracking in the very next sentence.

These people, if not refereein,g would be attracted to tin-pot power jobs like being a traffic warden and yet they control the game of football.

There needs to be a way to make the job more appealing to ex-players. The game itself is pretty simple, it's the rule changes, interpretation and inconsistently that infuriates the fans.

Unless it's ridiculously obvious the other 14 clubs always get the shit sandwich whilst the other 6 get the softest of decisions. The introduction of the VAR has just reinforced that position.

We need something from the Wolves game though and we're already stretched. Our second stringers – Gomes, Patterson, Danjuma, Dobbin, Beto etc – may increasingly get more chances as the season progresses. We will now find out whether they can step up to the plate.

No doubt that Dyche has improved us, but we need to get some more points tucked away to avoid another nerve-wracking second half of the season.

What's to stop, say Michael Oliver when reffing us, saying his watch never bleeped, and therefore the goal is not awarded, or do the assistants and fourth officials also have a bleeping watch?

Seriously though you have now got me thinking that Danjuma's shot went in, and rather than give us the goal, they have chosen to use the freeze frame shot that was taken one hundredth of a second earlier. I can't be alone because my predictive text has written most of this post!

Michael Oliver definitely appears to have it in for Everton though, but maybe I've just been inflicted with the same uncontrollable paranoia as your good self, Rob.

We used to have to have all the ball inside the quadrant when taking corners, now just as long as some part of the ball is touching the outside line, it's okay.

Handball offences were only given when the referee deemed you moved your hand towards the ball to gain an advantage.

Players now can obstruct a forward getting to the ball before it goes out of play, yet I can't remember when the obstruction foul was given.

With corners, players are pulling shirts and wrestling with their opponents, but most offences go unpunished. So the question to Howard Webb is what constitutes a foul in the box?

Danny in his post earlier said about Rugby, well this is probably the big difference with football. Years ago, a player would never show he had been hurt in the tackle, and I didn't ever see a player rolling round to try and con the ref, which is now a regular occurrence.

Yes cheating has become a major part of the game, now I don't see that in rugby. Usually there are some very big guys playing rugby who smash into each other yet I never see a rugby player rolling round banging his fist on the floor.

Also maybe because rugby started in a public school that they think the fans who watch can be shown any contentious issues that occur on the big screen and listen to the officials discussing what the outcome should be. Yet football fans aren't shown anything on the big screen or hear what the officials are discussing.

Providing refs with access to the same technology was meant to counter this, but clearly it hasn't worked as rules are always open to interpretation, referees are still human and are still prone to error. In fact, it's made things a little bit worse.

I would say keep the VAR for offsides and goalline decisions and scrap the rest of it. However, it won't stop the game being controversial and the rules being open to interpretation. We'll be back to where we were pre-VAR. But at least the game will flow better and we can go back to blaming the ref. Pundits will love it, as they can sit safely in the TV studio and tell us exactly what the ref has got wrong again!

Re VAR and the rest of it, I don't think the dice are loaded against Everton anymore than they are loaded against anyone outside the big clubs. But that's not new. For every Sheikh Mansour there is an Alisher Usamov. ToffeeWeb posters like to conveniently forget the facts when a good conspiracy theory will do.

Let's not forget, football is an entertainment business... all the controversy about the VAR is good for business.

When is the ball out of play? Who knows these days, we have seen some bad decisions this season.

When is a two-footed tackle not a red card?

Even offside decisions are often a joke (his toe was ahead of the line), some really good goals wiped out.

We should go back to the original rules: if any player is in an
offside position, it should be ruled out.

A lot of these refs are very arrogant though, but I'm not sure this would be the case if we could begin to hear them having to explain how they have come to make certain decisions on a regular basis.

You gave handball last week ref, but have decided it wasn't handball today? It doesn't make sense ref, can you explain what's different about today, rather than last week?

Bring in a sinbin for cheating, give the watching spectator more transparency, and maybe the players and the public might even begin to respect these referees.

The award of the penalty was annoying, although, and I think some have already said this on TW, we would probably have been aggrieved if we hadn't been awarded one given the same circumstances.

Given the trajectory of Ake's shot, I feel it would have sailed over the bar if Onana had not got in the way.

Onwards to Wolves who can rightly lay claim to have been severely affected by VAR decisions this season.

The problem is its application, last week it was used to rule out a corner in a game I was watching. I literally have no clue when it can and can't be used and it needs simplifying and clarifying for brain-dead football fans like myself.

Stones got injured because the linesman never put up his flag, even though he knew that Beto was offside, and when Calvert-Lewin should have made it 2-2, about five City players, flew over to the linesman screaming at him that he should have put his flag up.

It doesn't matter, I thought, because if the shot goes in, the VAR is going to review it anyway, and this is one just one of the grey areas that you will never be able to get transparent and consistent decisions if you think about things logically.

It's certainly not the same game I played all those years ago.

Like you, I do have some sympathy with refs: when they see a player rolling round making out he is seriously injured, it must have an impact on their decision.

I also think most refs are now totally confused, as they see colleagues some weeks penalising certain things and other refs completely ignoring them. We were told that VAR was introduced for clear and obvious mistakes, but now virtually every goal is scrutinised.

Surely the answer is to let the referee and linesman do their jobs and if they decide it's a goal then it has to be something really obvious for the VAR to overturn it. Everybody accepts the goal line technology is working, and UEFA are trialling an automated way of assessing offside, so with these aids get back to the officials making the decisions.

The Spurs game highlighted the problem perfectly, both ref and linesmen decreed the challenge by Gomes was fair, but with Michael Oliver being supposedly our best ref and he tells a virtually inexperienced ref to have a look at the screen, its very hard for that young ref to then stick with his original decision.

I like the idea of unintentional handball being rewarded with a direct free-kick rather than a penalty kick, perhaps use the entirety of the D of the penalty area as a natural place to take the kick from, where the attacker can choose any part of the D from which to take the kick.

I also note that the first female referee had a very quiet match in her first appearance in the Premier League, could the reason be that she didn't or doesn't carry the baggage that many of her male counterparts seem to, ie, she didn't arrive on the pitch with some pre-determined agenda due to previous experiences with certain players or clubs?

Sensible post mate, but I think I could give you a couple of facts about Michael Oliver, when he suddenly began to referee a lot of Everton games towards the end of the 2021-22 season mate, whilst also mentioning a decision that ultimately helped Man City win the league.

Agree Brian. I've seen Oliver give some of the most appalling penalties against Everton (two in three/four years at City, come to mind) and although he could spot the foul that ended up costing Everton a goal, he never saw the shirt pull? We all keep saying the same thing, let's hear these referees explain themselves.

It makes me laugh how many times I see a lino look to the ref before indicating which way to give the throw-in – and don't get me started on foul throws-in the Premier League!!

If it was the linesman who indicated it, then surely the ref could have just asked to go over to the screen without the help of his mates in the studio, because I'm certain it won't be long before a phone call stops a weekend of Premier League football in this country – in a similar way that a phone call once stopped the Grand National getting run – unless they just decide to carry on without their mates in the studio when they eventually get the call!

ps: It wasn't me – honest.

As I understand it, the "clear and obvious error" mantra only relates to the circumstances in which the VAR will automatically overrule the referee.

It doesn't mean the VAR won't look at incidents that aren't clear and obvious errors but, in these circumstances, it will be down to the referee to decide if he wants to revisit his decision.

You win some and you lose some, but before you get that frustrated and bored with the whole system that you might eventually want to turn your back on it, then hopefully something changes.

Isn't that what Brian is saying, Brendan, when he says that he doubts an inexperienced referee would stick with his original decision when he has got a much more experienced official guiding him?

Do not be surprised within the next few weeks, more penalties are awarded for the same thing. It will not take long for crafty players to catch on, and bring it down to a fine art of drawing a handball.

Shirt pulling and holding players is another annoying subject. I'm not sure on this one: if the rule is set in stone, then the VAR should be able to review once the corner is in play. Any holding or shirt pulling can be intercepted by a separate VAR whose sole purpose is to watch corner kicks, and he can get straight on to the ref's ear-piece if this has happened. Other than that, a 10-minute sin-binning.

I actually blame the egos of the EPL referees. Too many of them love to hog the limelight, favourable or not. Their attitude is still back in the Sunday League... "throw-ins and offsides lads, I'll do the rest ".

Assistant referees? My arse.

Handball penalty calls used to be given if there was clear intent. Now they are given willy-nilly whether the player has absolutely no time to react and of course teams like City, Man Utd and Liverpool will always get the majority of those.

So yesterday, why did the VAR not give a decision on the Welbeck dragback which was obvious to all and then refer it back to the referee? What a palaver.

The first West Ham goal was also a palaver and should have been disallowed if the VAR was competent. Surely they should have had a better view of it from a different angle.

The technology and people assigned to officiating it should be disbanded.

We have got to put our chances away if we are going to get anything from the upcoming six games.

Those inconsistencies have not only been exposed but doubled at those making the VAR calls are the same ones who get it wrong when they officiate on the pitch. Exactly what the hell did one expect when they allowed the very same people to make calls on another referee?

They have compounded the problem to the point where no-one sees value in the concept. The varied interpretation of laws, the constant changing and reinterpretation of others has made it not only a mockery, but a lottery.

1. Clarify the offside rule, only a clear air gap between defender and forward constitues offside.

2. Handball is only handball if it's intentional or prevents the ball from entering the net.

3. Holding players with hands or arms in the penalty area is a foul. A penalty should be awarded.

4. Football is a contact sport. Contact between bodies is expected, it is not foul play and unless there is an intent to foul as judged by the referee, not the VAR, no foul is awarded for contact.

5. Indirect free kicks should be reinstated.

6. Should the referee or officials miss any incident affecting play or player's behavior, the VAR should inform the referee who makes an on-field decision.

7. The VAR should utilize non-active referees and players and not current match referees.

Will it fix the problems? No, but it will make the game more realistic and stop the cheating.

Remember, that due to that 10-point deduction, Everton's home record – such as it is – has been nullified and every point we've won at Goodison has been taken off us. Therefore, it's only our current away total that is counting towards our league placing.

We're all concerned about our plight, but there's realistic concern and being downright alarmist, and that's how I view your post.

Twelve points earned from the last seven games suggests, if replicated in the next fourteen matches, will see us achieve safety, fairly comfortably, even with the 10-point deduction.

One week we get the perennially incompetent Oliver, Taylor or Tierney refereeing the match, the next week we get them presiding over the referee as the VAR.

Thoroughly depressing.

Premier League – Corrupt as Fuck!!

Yet again Michael Oliver will be the VAR for tomorrow's match – that's a lot of influence to be given to one official in recent games involving Everton.

Without the deduction - we would be 10th. That is the quality of the team we have.

We are now 19 games through the season – half way. We are 5 points better in those games compared to last season – that's after deduction of the 10 points.

Even if we only match the points in the remaining fixtures that we achieved last season, we still finish on 41 points – or 51 if we got our 10 points back.

And Geoff #183, we only took 7 points from the next 6 games last season – 4 draws and we beat Palace. More than 23 after 25 games, even less to worry about.

Conclusion – I'm not worried (at the moment, but we are Everton) so you should not be either.

True understanding of the rules must be adhered to in all games, not what an individual official believes is the correct one.

A prime example was demonstrated this week when a Tottenham player pulled the shirt of an opponent, the referee never gave anything but, on advice from the VAR, he was told to look at it and gave a penalty. The same player had pulled an Everton player by the shirt to the ground in a previous game with neither the referee nor the VAR saying anything.

The other major point is the offside, when the rules were made there were no computer or electronic devices that could draw various lines across a pitch and determine that the goalscorer had a bigger nose than the defender therefore was offside.

No one is saying that the VAR is not an improvement to the game, but with all new products there are sometimes problems and usually they are addressed as quickly as possible.

The VAR is a new product that mistakes are being made but ignored. The problem with the negative side of the VAR is the effect on various teams' league positions and finances that can be affected by improper calls.

We can't get rid of the VAR, but surely the flaws should be taken care of' sooner not later.

Refs are no longer able to make decisions or common sense on their own.

You only have to look at the Carabao Cup games, without a VAR, how many of those games from the first round, right up to the quarter finals did we see, that hardly a game was spoken about over bad decisions, refs were allowed to ref the games without interference and, to be honest, on a whole the games were great to watch without the VAR.

The VAR is now brought in for both semi-finals and the final, and I guarantee it will be a talking point for one of the semi-final teams. Why not play the whole competition without the VAR, instead of bringing it in for the semi-finals?

Those cup games have shown that if, the refs are allowed to ref the game, they will get more decisions right than the VAR.

I didn't know indirect free kicks had been removed, as surely things like an offside, obstruction or a back pass and the goalie picks the ball up, is an indirect free kick?

I agree with what you say, however, we are only 1 point better off than at the halfway stage of last season.

Following the defeat in the 19th fixture, by bottom club Southampton at Goodison, we had 15 points, we now, after the deduction of 10 points, we sit on 16 points.

But your main points do still stand.

Last year, Everton's official statistician Gavin Buckland spoke on the ECHO's Royal Blue podcast about referees being affected by crowds/hype and consequences in matches involving big teams. The numbers he crunched to support his theory were illuminating.

During the 2019-20 season when stadiums were full until coronavirus restrictions were enforced from March onwards, just two penalties were awarded for teams playing against Manchester City and Liverpool. In 2020-21, when matches were largely played behind closed doors, this figure skyrocketed to 18 but when the crowds returned in 2021-22, it plummeted again to just one.

Dejan Kulusevski penalty decisions stink – enough is enough now for Everton

However, there is little difference between most teams on any given day and the recent results of many teams have proven that. Man Utd, Arsenal, West Ham, Spurs and the Barcodes will attest to that.

Trying to get a good run going is more difficult than ever in the Premier League.

Dyche is doing a good job with what he has but he has weaknesses at the back which have cost us of late.

In American Football, one of the tie-breakers for admission to the play-offs is "Strength of Schedule".

So comparing 19 games to 19 games ignores this. If last season we were home to Spurs and drew but this season we were away at Spurs – then 19 games v 19 games is not a true comparison.

My comparison is the results from the same 19 fixtures last season as we have played this season:

West Ham (a), Newcastle (h), Chelsea (h), we lost and this season we won: +9 points.

Brentford (a), Palace (a), Forest (a), and Burnley [Leicester] (a) we won but drew last season: +8 points.

Brighton (h) we drew but lost last season: +1 point.

Arsenal (h) we lost but won last season: -3 points.

All other results were the same as last season. Total: +15 points.

Unfortunately Everton are cannon fodder for the VAR cronies.
So only taking opportunities such as putting clear chances away, minimising individual errors, and winning against those teams around us can keep us safe.

For me, we are heading in the right direction, but must not lose at Wolves.

Agree with Kevin, that the VAR is set up to protect the brand. And the brand is their favoured Top 6 clubs – the Super League Six. Unless these refs are living in caves, they know who these teams are and what is expected of them when officiating.

If Everton score against one of the pirate clubs, the VAR will look for a reason not to give the goal. And vice versa. Same with penalties. The worst one I ever saw was the Dele Alli one at Goodison. They weren't having a bar of it.

The numbers speak for themselves. It's legalised corruption, and they know it. And they're so arrogant they don't care.

I've said before that I now watch a bit of League Two football and, although the standard isn't as high, the game is a lot more honest; even though the refs are still poor, at least the game flows.

Maybe the television companies think that they might be able to lose a little bit of air because playing the games inside empty stadiums during Covid showed them that they don't need a crowd.

I'm not sure, but football does seem to have reached a tipping point for many old school football fans. I might be wrong.

There have been so many historic refereeing blunders that the VAR would have changed for better or worse. As Tony says, the time it takes to come to the decision is what is ruining the game.

It's also right and proper to consider what the younger supporters think about the game and how it's officiated. With the advent of iPhones etc, technology looms large in younger people's lives, far more than it does with some of us older fans.

Many of the young supporters are well used to video games and particularly those such as FIFA 2023. As an ageing population of football fans begin to stop attending, due to other commitments, ill-health and perhaps less disposable income, younger fans are required to fill their seats on a more regular basis.

Will the VAR and other technological innovations attract or repel new fans? I would guess and it's only a guess that the game may seem more attractive to younger people with technology in full view, whilst us older folk will continue to rile against it, because it's not the game we grew up following.

Tottenham Hotspur began the season coming to terms with arguably the heaviest punishment ever handed out to an English club. As punishment for financial irregularities committed under the club's previous owners during the 1980s, they were fined £600,000 and were docked 12 league points as well as being banned from the 1994-95 FA Cup.

Manager Ossie Ardiles reacted defiantly by adopting an impressive new attacking formation, while chairman Alan Sugar challenged his club's sanctions in court. The fine was later increased to £1.5 million, but the points deduction and FA Cup ban were eventually revoked.

(Swindon Town, who had won promotion under Ardiles to the top flight in the 1990 play-offs, were initially relegated to the Third Division for illegal payments to players, before being allowed to stay in the Second Division.)

Take this a step forward and use animated players for all off-side and penalty decisions with all players being blue or red. Lock the VARs in a room and don't let them know what game they are reviewing. If they think ref has made an error, refer to pitch-side monitor.

With regards to your last paragraph: “The game might be more attractive to younger people with technology in full view.”

Well, it might be in full view, but I think if the referees on the field and in the studio explained their decisions to the fans watching at the game or on TV, it would be more attractive to young and old alike. I doubt if younger supporters of football think the VAR should stay as it is now.

Will they get on planes, trains, and automobiles to attend in the future, or will they just rely on television, which is why I said the TV companies might believe they will be able to lose some air.

Everything kills itself itself in the end, and it's usually the greed of the beast, which kills off most things a lot quicker. We will see.

Let that sink in.

I should have clarified, my apologies. I meant indirect free kicks for obstruction which has been recorded to "impeding the progress".

Problem is it's virtually never given in the box... actually there was a good article on the same in the Irish Examiner some years ago with their perspective:

Whatever happened to indirect free-kicks in the box for obstruction?

Not saying I'm correct but if a team mostly concedes possession... the other teams are more likely to be in your penalty area and more likely to win penalties.

If you mostly concede possession... you're less likely to be in the opposition box and less likely to win penalties.

Our opponents tend to have most of the ball in their own third, fannying around at the back. Possession stats only tell a small part of the story.

Although it never seems like that when I watch Everton... maybe I'm not objective enough.

There's a jolly good chance that you're right and I'm writing shite, hoping one of our resident statto's can verify.

I honestly thought you were the fecking statto!

You could have 20 absolutely clean league goals the entire season. That's what makes the whole system open to subjectivity, abuse or unconscious bias at best.

It's a broken model.

I am not a stato, just did a quick internet search to see if my suspicions were justified from what I have actually witnessed – and they were: 5 to 0 penalties!!????

Add that to a myriad other things… well, some of us start thinking that not all might be what it should with those in charge – rightly, or wrongly!

Oh, and the unprecedented points deduction. I could wax lyrical about a number of other things, but I am sure they have been covered already!

Could not agree more... you're no statto!

No shame in that.

The game is broken down into "phases" and a phase begins or ends with a throw-in, goal kick, corner etc.

So there's a limit as to how far back you can go.

Phases are subjective though… 🤷‍♂️

Subjective...throw in's, corners, goal and free kicks etc.

I can see an annoyingly objective pattern

I can only recall us getting a penalty against the Sly 6 once over the past 5 or 6 seasons, and that was over the park, when it was almost an empty stadium, due to covid restrictions.

I think the closest we came to one was v Spurs a few years back, when Richarlison rounded the goalie, but the ref blew for a penalty before Richarlison could get his shot off, then it got overturned and Spurs got a dropped ball awarded.

I might have missed out one but I cannot recall us getting one v the Sly 6 over the last few seasons.

That would chime with the points I was making @210.

Jesus, we've had some stinking decisions go against us this season.

I hope you see this as I want to say thank you for that link.

I about fell out of my chair when it showed Liverpool as the most aggrieved by the VAR's calls in the Premier League!

🤔

Yes, it does make for suspicious reading doesn't it.

Brendan McLaughlin @217.

Thanks for your helpful observation!!!

No worries.

If only everyone on ToffeeWeb was as receptive as you!

VAR