Wolves chew up hapless Toffees for late Christmas dinner

……………………Pickford
…….Keane Tarkowski Branthwaite
Patterson ………………………………..Mykolenko
…………………Garner Onana
Harrison ……………Calvert-Lewin…………McNeil

We have to be very disciplined today, everyone knowing their places.

Or will Keane play off Calvert-Lewin in a surprise 4-4-2?

I can't see playing 3 central defenders at the expense of the midfield working today.

Hope the formation works today, at least we have some decent options on the bench in Beto, Danjuma, Dobbin and Gomes should we need them.

……………………Pickford
……. .....Tarkowski Branthwaite
Patterson …………Keane………………..Mykolenko
…………………Garner. Onana
Harrison ……………Calvert-Lewin…………McNeil

Own-goal or penalty coming our way soon!

Fantastic save from Pickford but the Wolves player's reactions quicker and a goal.

Wolves near in again.

Today will be embarrassing – followed by more depressing losses.

Onana is such a frustrating player – full of talent but seems to be happy doing the bare minimum.

I can't see a way back today, but at 1-0 there's always a chance. A point would be a great outcome.

We can't make a forward pass to save our lives and, when we do, you know that Calvert-Lewin will fuck it up. He needs a goal.

Need to change things at the half.

Rumours he's off soon, don't know where. We have options on the bench at least.

Bring on Gomes for Keane, we'd be a lot more offensive.

It's not that he's played badly but Keane has to come off and revert to a back four and add another midfield man and consider putting Beto on for Calvert-Lewin but we have to get more men forward, especially in their box.

Patterson's yellow was weak and this is another display of poor refereeing, are there any decent refs in England?

And finally that idiot on away strips strikes again with an awful grey outfit when for the life of me I don't understand why we can't play in Blue shirts, he does know we are Everton?

Wolves are poor but dropping like flies at every hint of being touched, this has to be under instruction.

Passing is poor, this is just nowhere near good enough... get it together blues!

Calvert-Lewin isolated. Patterson, Harrison, liabilities. Yet we continue with it in the second half. For fuck's sake.

Shockingly bad today but, again, totally the coach's fault. Well, we're back in the thick of the shite now.

Dyche keeps falling back on Keane as 3rd centre-back which is never a good idea. He's a mistake waiting to happen.

Oh well we live and learn. Let's hope Dyche learns from this because you can never defend your way to success.

We've been shit today. Tactically inept, and at least three performers who should be looking for new clubs if Everton had any money.

But the level of abuse from people is fucking unacceptable. Would you speak to people in person the way you do on there?

Only joking, mate, I think we're all upset atm.

This level of effort, this level of execution, this poor of a plan, against a middle-tier opponent, is inexcusable.

By any rights, this should have been a 6-0 game. If Wolves could finish, this would have gone down as a historic defeat.

Surely it must play a part with peripheral vision amongst the players!

I think they have more strength in depth than us (Neto on bench today). Without our 10-point penalty we'd be pretty much level but we really need reinforcements (from somewhere / somehow).

Current reality is they can pretty much enjoy the second half of the season unless the wheels come off spectacularly; we have a very hard slog facing us if we don't get the majority / all of our points back.

And he wasn't the reason that we couldn't complete even the most simple passes in the center of the pitch, or put any pressure on the ball.

This is on everybody – no one person is more accountable than anyone else.

The worst two players on the pitch, Onana and Harrison, were on till the end. Only Myolenko put in a shift!

We were absolutely abysmal from back to front and if that carries on much more then I'd be making absolutely certain that we really push everything we've got with that 10-point deduction appeal, we may need it.

What about bonobos? Well known that they utilise casual sex (ie, not explicitly for procreation) to cement mutually beneficial relationships.

Also depends how you define ‘enjoy'; many animals obviously get ‘excited' or deliberately stimulate themselves. There must be some feedback in their nervous system that turns instinct into habit.

Pity some of the players can't always appear to be giving a toss!

You could say that we might have got a couple of goals with a bit of luck but Wolves could have had six, an awful display.

Surely Dyche is more to blame? I mean, it's the first time that's been true for ages and I'm right behind the bloke, but he clearly screwed up. Tried something which we could all see wasn't working. So obvious. But worst of all, doesn't change it until 3-0 down. That's very poor management.

ps: I remain convinced that Onana is bang average every game.

Obvious in the ground that it was wrong inside the first 10 minutes. Amazingly he sent us out for the second half with more of the same. Dreadful. Two steps back.

He won't even change it when it's obviously not working.

Dyche has to shoulder much of the blame for this abysmal performance. His negative tactics from the outset and then reluctance to change players and formations until it was far too late, exposed his managerial limitations for all to see.

I've previously applauded the fighting spirit he has injected into the squad. It wasn't apparent today. Without it, we were technically and tactically inferior to a decent Wolves side who didn't have to be anything special to walk all over us in the manner that they did. Unopposed.

Both Calvert-Lewin and Beto are finding it very hard playing on their own at the minute and might just have a lot more success if they had a partner instead of cutting a completely isolated figure for most of the contest.

I think quite a few predicted a hard Christmas period because they know our limitations and also know how much playing a few matches in quick succession really stretches a very small squad. This is the reason I would have just got eight men behind the ball and tried to play off two strikers today.

The People's Club are not necessarily safe from the drop at all. The manager had better get to grips with his approach to games, and squad use.

I am not sure what the manager's tactics were supposed to be but it seemed the players never understood them.

It is no use blaming the team selection as every player stunk the place out and should be ashamed of this performance, and go so far as to offer to pay all away supporters their expenses.

Too many games for a limited squad in a short period of time. We were all over the place, what happened to the tight defending and midfielders covering for each other?

I can't speak for the last hour of the game but, reading stuff above, it looked as if we carried on the same way for the whole game.

Not the end of the world, but I was hoping for at least a point from today, but that old Everton curse of the team believing they are better than they actually are, raised its ugly head again.

I do realise we miss Doucoure and possibly more so Gueye. 18 games to go, we need seven wins or so, but sometimes we look really toothless and lack the desire to go forward with purpose.

Bad start to 2023, bad end to it too; let's hope 2024 provides some better days more often.

The whole balance is disrupted. Calvert-Lewin becomes isolated, Onana needs players around him (plus a rocket up his arse) and Keane will play one decent game in four. The lad is a disaster and rarely disappoints on this, plus the other players are affected as they don't trust him.

Build on the centre-back pairing, for fuck's sake, don't mess about with the back four unless there is an injury. Today was back to the bad old days of early season against Aston Villa.

Piss-poor decision with the formation and a complete lack of willingness to change things when it was clear things were not working from about 10 minutes in.

I can't name one player that really deserves praise today.
Calvert-Lewin really needs to be taken to one side and either a few home truths or some love thrown his way (I know what way I would go). Time to use Beto, Dobbin and Chermiti who at least want to be there.

Yes, we should have 26 points and be where we should be in the league – we don't and we aren't… and performances like that are going to keep us looking over our shoulders hoping for a reduction in the points punishment.

Still, like most of us on here, I will be back next week to cheer them on, so COYB!

Okay, Dyche hasn't got much of a squad and he'd done wonders before the last 4 games.

However, today his starting formation and selection was poor. He'd found a winning formula so changing it was a risk that backfired. Adding Keane has destabilised the strong Branthwaite-Tarkowski pairing.

Inexplicable to not make changes at half-time or even earlier. It was glaringly obvious it wasn't working and they were running the show!

Hope we have some cash for the transfer window... and we get Dele and Doucouré back asap.

Half-time arrived and his managership hit a low with a failure to make much-needed changes.

Dyche didn't make any changes until it was 3-0 and then it was a like-for-like at right back and one of the changes he should have made at half-time: Gomes for Keane.

We are now back in a relegation battle and Dyche looks absolutely clueless. Worrying.

Thankfully the fixtures slow down now. At least the teams below us all lost as well.

We all knew injuries and suspensions would hamper us and missing the energy of Doucoure and Gueye left us with a limited centre-midfield today which was evident from the start of the game today and we were wide open throughout the game.

Impossible to pick the MotM for Everton but there were a few who could put themselves down for The Rotten Tomatoes Award.

It looked like a lot were competing for who could make the biggest cock-up of the game but it was a hard watch from my armchair… think of all those brilliant fans who were actually at the game?

A lot easier for me: I was miserable in comfort; they had to endure the weather, watch that rubbish and face a long sad journey home.

It never rains but it fuckin' pours for us Evertonians!

They couldn't put two passes together, not a single shot on goal, not one single player did their job, not one. I've seen managers sacked because of performances like that.

It's not even as if Wolves played well, they could have been 5 or 6 up and we would have deserved it. I cannot even single out one player for blame – they were all useless. They gave up, way before the first one went in.

Yes, Dyche at fault with formation and tactics but every player failed to do their job. Because of that, it was disgraceful and shameful. Just bloody awful.

Apparently we are 1 point better off than this time last season. That's not including the 10 points deducted, of course. We'd be sitting pretty if it wasn't for that.

Everything looked stale today. And the cupboard is bare. We can't even shop in Tesco in January. We've become perennial bottom-feeders.

Branthwaite, if he has ambition, will be off next month. We need the money to keep the lights on and pay our star players. Onana could go too but we probably wouldn't notice.

I listened to fans who thought today was more important than next Thursday night, and although I understand their reasoning, it still leaves me in utter despair.

Different periods of today's game genuinely reminded me of the many different periods of the last 25 years, and I simply can't wait for this horrible era to end.

With a small, somewhat limited squad, there's always gonna be ups and downs and bad defeats are sickening but some of the overreaction and vitriol says more about the poster than anyone else.

You can be pig-sick without becoming embarrassing and some of the posts are just that.

Hopefully today is one of those as a game too far where our squad is stretched and missed key players.

Let's get back to one game a week, which we're more likely to cope with given the small squad we have.

Worst performance of Dyche's tenure? It was a contender; we offered nothing. Wolves didn't have to play well to win, a walk in the park today.

Get a grip and get back to what wins us games. If some players are tired, choose others. Pig-sick after watching that.

The FA Cup is a potential confidence-boosting competition, we know more than most the Dogs of War of 95 revelled in this famous old tournament.

If we get sunk by Palace, then confidence will be low going to the Villa home game.

Winning breeds confidence and I'm convinced, if we'd beaten Fulham on penalties, we don't start that Spurs game in the slack sloppy manner that we did, and I doubt we'd have come close to losing that fixture in North London.

Screw the new year celebrations.

Shit won't change.

3-0 isn't a defeat – it's a drubbing.

Courage isn't having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have strength. — Napoleon Bonaparte

Now is the test – is this real revolution or are we suckers yet again?

A good portion of that side went on to lift the cup in 1984.

After 15 minutes, me mum could've seen it wasn't working – and Dyche did nothing. Totally inexplicable.

Dyche's favouritism towards Keane is shocking. Hwang just ran round Keane for the 2nd goal whereas Branthwaite would normally have been in that position and no doubt would have dealt with him.

Dyche has been good for us but this was crap. It's not tricky to see his original 4-4-1-1 works best for the players and that Keane is a liability. I was sat thinking Mourinho or Ancelotti or Arteta would have changed things immediately it was apparent that five at the back wasn't working

Tactics were all wrong.

Michael Keane was a disaster waiting to happen.

But the schedule is about to ease off, and though the fixtures won't get easier, we'll get injured players back, and the performances will improve.

We were all hailing the team when they won four straight. I don't see a good reason to throw them under the bus because of what was admittedly a poor performance by everybody involved, players and management.

Losing is a habit and we, the supporters, the players and especially the manager need to stop accepting second place in a two-team fight as somehow being okay.

There were too many on the pitch there today that didn't look like they hated losing to me.

I saw it coming but Sean couldn't see it. Five at the back, flat back line, weak midfield, isolated striker (out of form), late pointless substitutes… what could possibly go wrong?

The cushion we had has now gone, through negative ideas, some bad luck, poor finishing and Pickford's mistakes. The season won't get any easier and no one is going to do us any favours.

We haven't played that many more games than Wolves. And if they are tired, don't we have a bench of 9 players?

On a similar theme, Dyche's sides don't seem to be able to recover from going a goal behind. Whilst it's good that he has won nearly as many as he has lost this season, there's something to be said for grinding out a few draws now and again.

"If you can't win a game, don't lose it" — is what we need instilled into our team.

From your lineup from 1983 I saw the name Rimmer. I have been following Everton for over 50 years so think I know of most players who have played for Everton.

However, Rimmer. Never heard of him... He can't have made much impression on me!

They were just too good all over the park, superior to us in the technical side of the game and boy did it show.

Calvert-Lewin doesn't get any great service but, fuck me, he is well off it at the moment – he would probably miss an empty net.

Gomes's showing at Spurs proving once again he just isn't good enough – good midfielders (no matter what their role is) always find space, can protect the ball, and most of the time find a team mate with a pass… Gomes??

I agree with those who say Dyche should have made changes at halftime but, to be honest, it was what it is – we are well short of quality and goal scorers.

It will be a dogfight once again in my opinion, and these players need to stop listening to all these pundits who say we will be okay.

It could be that the 10-point deduction will remain.

Happy New Year, ToffeeWebbers and Blues everywhere – let's hope 2024 is good to us on the field and off it.

We can't rotate because there are not enough fringe players of the right quality to come in and do the job to a decent level. We shouldn't panic too much, however, the window is going to be a testing time for the manager and the fans.

Get back to basics, doing the stuff that earned us 26 points and we'll be okay; start feeling sorry for ourselves and we're back in Lampard territory, where we're relying on the Goodison supporters to rally round again!

I think that's Stuart Rimmer, a lightweight forward who came through the ranks with Rob Wakenshaw. I think he had a lower league career.

Stuart Rimmer! He only made 3 appearances for Everton before joining Chester City in 1985.

Rimmer came through the ranks at Everton but found competition for places incredibly hard. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in a 3–1 win at Swansea City on 1 May 1982, three days before helping the "Toffees" beat Leeds United. His reputation was developed further by being included in the England Youth side for a summer tournament in 1982 in Norway, where he featured in three matches.

He was to make just one more appearance for Everton, in a 3–0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 27 December 1983 but, with his first-team chances not increasing, he asked for his name to be circulated to other clubs. This prompted a loan move to Chester City, who were struggling at the foot of Football League Division Four when he joined them in January 1985 under new manager Mick Speight.

I watched Stuart Rimmer a few times in the early eighties as my mate was playing in the youth team with him. Rimmer got three appearances for us then got released and went to Chester where he became their record goalscorer.

Calvert-Lewin and Harrison look poor these days and I think it's time for Dyche to wield the axe.

Harrison has only looked decent spasmodically and the midfield of Garner and Onana just cannot create.

Gueye and Doucouré may improve things whenever that may be and, despite a good performance by Gomes after injury, it seems he is still not good enough to start.

Oddly enough, without the points deduction, Everton would be up there with the likes of Wolves but the gap between the teams today was embarrassing.

Now we have to go to Palace in the FA Cup and it may be the best time to play the benchwarmers and concentrate on Premier League survival once again.

Appropriate discussion today given we were utterly rimmed.

In almost any season, that is solidly midtable. It probably will be this season, even allowing for the points deduction. Name me another manager who would get more out of this squad, with what effectively amounts to a transfer ban hanging over it???

We're going to have bad days like this. But in 20 games this season, the only comparable performance was the 4-0 stuffing away at Aston Villa. I can live with a 1:9 ratio of stinkers if it means we're managed away from the relegation zone.

Which I have every confidence in Sean Dyche to do.

Dyche got this one horribly wrong and left it until we were out of the match to change things. I expect him to hold his hands up and shoulder the blame for this one.

Too many of our players were low on energy after playing so many games in a short space of time. In hindsight, he could have freshened things up. We were second to every ball and our passing was woeful.

Crappy end to the year, let's hope we start the New Year how things were before the Christmas fixtures.

Got to add that Wolves were very good and fully deserved to thrash us, they have pace all over the pitch and we were no match for them.

We're midtable without the points deduction. Real evidence he's improved us. To call him 'clueless' is a truly pathetic overreaction. It's so easy to comment like that when we lose.

We didn't deserve to lose to Spurs; Fulham scored an og only; Man City needed a dodgy penalty and a Pickford howler (plus, they're Man City). Today is the first really crap game since Villa.

Show some spine, Edwards et al.

As for today, bad day. It happens, but we've done enough recently to assume we'll get back on track soon.

Will hopefully watch the extended highlights later.

I couldn't put my words and feelings any better than that. Thank you for saving my time.

I wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year ahead.

We're only worrying about this because of the 10 points robbed off us. Reminder: we've more away points this season than the last two combined.

Just so frustrating to see teams down there with us show so much fight and determination even in defeat when we seem to accept things.

Palace winning, Forest presently ahead against Man Utd…
What a bloody day!

I have called out Dyche for his very bad day at the office today. My comments were warranted and I stand by them. I wasn't in charge today so not sure why your criticism for a pisspoor defeat is saved for me. Sit down.

When Keane starts:

P15 W2, D5, L8
- 11 points from 45
-Conceded 31 (2.06 a game)
- 2 clean sheets
Win ratio: 13%

When Keane doesn't start:

P23 W14 D3 L6
- 45 points from 69
- Conceded: 25 (0.92 a game)
- 10 clean sheets
Win ratio: 60%

Young
Godfrey
Keane
Gueye
Chermiti
Gomes
Beto
Calvert-Lewin

I'm judging manager and players on the results so far, which would have us midtable, without the obvious, which was nothing to do with them.

We were awful today, that's on Dyche.

Bad day; on to the next one.

I am looking forward to the story of this game, Dyche!

Absolute non-starter.

Zero pulling power to top it off.

Bill, I'd like to see more of Chermiti, Beto and the other 2023 signings as well as Godfrey. It's Keane and Calvert-Lewin that offer bog all.

Try Chemiti, he is young he will run all day.

The last week has been a case of three games too far. Players like Onana, McNeil and Branthwaite look as though they are carrying injuries. Others like Garner and Harrison look fatigued. We badly miss Doucouré and Gana plus the steadying influence of Ashley Young.

At 2-0 down, there were some fans around me pleading for Dyche to ‘change it'. They were not specific about what the change should be. The brutal truth is there were no viable options on the bench to retrieve a losing position.

With fewer games next month, there will be a welcome opportunity for players to recover and re-energise before the final months of the season.

In times like these, I always hang on to the thought that things are never quite as good as they seem when we are winning and never quite as bad as they seem when we are losing.

I get that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has missed almost 2 years of football with injury but how many goals has he scored since his return?

He's not scoring or converting anywhere near enough chances, and contrary to what people say, he is getting opportunities in most games but he's missing the target or not working the goalkeeper enough.

Beto seems willing and will work hard but we can't play the same type of football when he's in the side, his strength isn't back to goal, isn't about winning headers from high crosses, but I don't think we have the type of players that will play to his strengths and that's a concern.

How long do we persist with strikers who are firing blanks too often?

Do we now give Beto three games on the spin to see what he can do?

Surely we can work on different patterns of play and try to get the ball on the ground to him?

I've always been of the belief that we need a better striker, I don't know but I sat and watched Lukaku scoring all types of goals in an Everton shirt for 4 years... Before that I saw the likes of Louis Saha who when fit had everything and people like Yakubu who, for a year, could find the net with consumate ease.

I just look at our options now and it feels like it's not coming natural to the lads up top – even when the chances do arrive.

It's not been a good couple of weeks…

Luton seem to fighting and playing well.

We really need some points back from the appeal and Doucouré to be back asap, it's no coincidence we've struggled without him.

He cost £1.5m.

If you want a goal a game, you're paying a hundred times that, between wages and transfer fee. Haaland would struggle to hit twenty in this team.

As for the personal nature of some of the "criticism", with some of the "fashion model" bollocks some people aim at him, stop it. It's ridiculous.

He's not playing well at the moment. But no striker in the world would be prolific in this side.

You're a better man than me if you can tell the difference of when Onana is carrying an injury or when he is fit – he always looks the bleedin' same to me.

He made me laugh, at him, when he lost his rag with his team mates and indicated they were not moving enough for him… Jesus, you can't get more ironic than that!

He's not scoring goals.

We know how much he cost and all that, but he's the player leading our forward line and forget about support for a minute, he's missing chances in most games, not glorious ones always but still very presentable chances.

At some point, we have to start asking the questions.

At the end of the day, you need to find a way to get a striker scoring goals, we haven't done that this season with either Calvert-Lewin or Beto really.

Beto is not a prolific goalscorer. I think he confuses profligate with prolific.

Chermiti isn't ready for the Premier League. No doubt he's part of Thelwell's 3-year plan.

So we've spunked whatever cash we had and borrowed against future income for nothing.

For years, I've wondered why we never pick up gems at a low price. Last possibly was Coleman donkey's years ago. You mention £1.5 million for Calvert-Lewin; Leicester got Vardy for around £900k.

I'm sick to death of Everton never having strikers with instinct and goals. Lukaku was a one-off and many still slagged him off.

Under Moshiri, we kept buying players who don't score. Nobody at the club seemed to notice.

We need to strike lucky with a youngster or one from the lower leagues. If Beto cost £26M, how much would a prolific scorer cost?

I never saw enough of the game today to judge whether he did that well enough, but he's undoubtedly suffered the most by the absence of Doucoure.

Reliable goalscorers at Goodison, considering our 'heritage', have been few and far between, and that's why we have struggled so much for as far back as you can look.

Obviously Lukaku, Yakubu et al made a huge difference to the sides they were part of, but is it time that we stopped looking for the Sharp, Dean, Royle types and got up to speed with the modern game, and look for pace and power to lead our line?

A back 5 needs quality from both fullbacks and we already know both of our fullbacks aren't very good at attacking.

I also didn't understand why he set us up to play so open, for where we are in the league, playing away from home, you have to sit deep and pack the midfield.

The bonus is that all the teams around us lost. We have a rough run of games coming up where Dyche needs to get back to basics and make it hard for the opposition.

We need Doucoure back and to bring in a centre-midfielder in January.

I thought Mykolenko was the only player who could claim to have played well.

Bad day at the office for Dyche today.

How about 2 strikers up front! Confuse the opposition. They wouldn't be expecting that. Imagine that, 2 strikers supporting each other. Chasing their defence down. Imagine that!!

Our set-up was bringing the opposition on to us and frankly it could have been 5 or 6 goals against us! The honeymoon is well and truly over! We are in a hole again and everyone must work harder!

Happy New Year and healthy 2024 to everyone.

Stay positive all.

But then again, performances against Man Utd, Arsenal, Luton, Fulham and today, I'm still not 100% convinced…

But I'm hoping sometime very soon he realises (like I thought he was doing) that Michael Keane must be the last resort.

I was wondering the same…

We play in Royal Blue – why change our colours for any other team unless they play at home in blue??

I know it is not the reason for defeat but, Jesus, that kit is awful.

The Blue we play in isn't Royal Blue...we haven't played in Royal Blue for a long long time.

Take a look at some old YouTube videos and tell me the shirt colour they were wearing is the same as now.

Question is: Why isn't it?

I'm a positive guy before and during the game (until it's out of reach, like at 3-0 today) and I seethe at the negativity on the Live Forum if we're not winning after 15 minutes… but we all have the right to call out a poor performance and that was as poor as I've seen.

For what it's worth, I think Dyche has got us on the right track but we are still far from a good team and we lack quality where it matters. I'm not Gueye's biggest fan but I'd have him anytime ahead of Onana and Gomes – we're missing him and Doucoure big time. Not Dyche's fault.

But it is on Dyche that, at half-time today, he didn't change that up and remove Michael Keane from the pitch. I'm also with several others in that I don't think Harrison is an asset. I'm Pickford's biggest fan but he's in one of his crazy phases lately.

But the overriding thing that drives me crazy with us over the last several seasons is that our defensive headers and clearances almost without exception go straight to the opposition.

I'll be at Palace on Thursday cheering them on – hopefully I will still have my spine in the Prince George later! UTFT

I think it's quite smart to be honest and looked good when we wore it at Palace in the 3-2 win but I agree, why the hell did we wear it today?

Does blue clash with gold?

Same at Spurs last week mind you, salmon and navy? Ermm, okay…

I personally can live with that and move on, but what I won't tolerate is being second to every ball… all game. That is unacceptable.

Good footballers make things look easy. Today, most of our players made things look difficult. Even easy things like passing to a teammate was beyond most of them.

I'm no Ashley Young fan but I can see why the manager picks him ahead of Patterson when they are both fit. Jesus wept, that kid is so poor. The problem is, he will only ever improve by playing games… so I guess we persevere?

As for Michael Keane — there are simply no words.

Problem is, it's a mid-table squad, so we're going to get variance in performances and results. The disappointment for me today was that we just weren't at it at any point in the game.

We need the solidity before we get the bells and whistles.

But the point stands – why are we wearing any colour other than Blue against Wolves? (I can understand v Palace.)

Now that was the last frightening good Everton kit, it was so good that none of the traditionalists even kicked up a stink about the blue and black classy continental hooped socks instead of the rather mundane boring all-white.

I guess you can't keep churning out crackers every year.

I mentioned you because you called Dyche clueless and overreacted. Pretty simple really. I said 'et al' because there were others.

Yes, you've made your views on Dyche clear. Except when we won 4 on the spin and conceded zero goals.

Like I've said twice already, I agree Dyche was at fault today, but in my opinion the reaction of some is OTT. And you always give the impression of someone who is just waiting for form to justify their opinion.

Congratulations on the excellent and mature riffing on my surname, by the way. I had no idea you were a wit as well as a misery guts.

Me and the missus just watched Only Connect.

She commented that she thinks Victoria Coren and David Mitchell have “lots of fun at home”.

I don't think she meant what I was thinking tbh…
Lucky David Mitchell.

The game was dire, on our behalf today. Dyche is still picking his 'best' 11 (and favourites) as it were, despite the obvious lack of energy from some.

However, he must surely realise that McNeil has looked off the pace since the Burnley game. I'm not blaming McNeil as he has been playing from back to front and has been used as our focal point for attack in every game this December. The lad needs a proper rest. Remember he has come straight back in from injury and is never subbed!

Then we have people slagging off Jack Harrison, who obviously don't understand (remember) the role he has been playing since he came into the team straight from an injury. Against Man City, people were saying he was one of our best players; today, he looked very jaded. Again, who can blame him when you look at the work he does?

Calvert-Lewin must be sick up to the back teeth of having to be asked to play a roaming lone striker role. If it were me, I'd have been to see the manager by now. Why will Dyche not spell him, by playing him with Beto?

Neither really suit the lone striker role, but why can't Calvert-Lewin be the ball-winner and Beto play off him? Is Dyche so concerned about being called a 4-4-2 merchant that he is cutting his nose off to spite his face?

Wouldn't playing both of them, complimenting each other, be better than having them both competing for a position neither particularly want to play?

Also, when you're light in midfield as we are, it can help get the ball upfield quicker, and stick better, with two strikers or forwards upfront, à la Chris Woods and Jay Rodriguez, like he had at Burnley?

I'm in full agreement about never going back to a back 5 again; and we don't have the personnel for a back 3, unless Gana is fit, or Godfrey is converted to a Gana-type role.

Dyche knows the strengths of the team, and despite Keane's decent game against Burnley, he hasn't shown enough since (or any time before) that he is consistent enough to play in a five – or a four for that matter. What did Godfrey actually do wrong in that Burnley game?

Why break up the Tarkowski and Branthwaite partnership? Why push up Mykolenko and Patterson when they play better in a flat four? This one is on Dyche again.

Why couldn't Danjuma or Dobbin spell McNeil or Harrison today? Surely Chermiti could have been called on for 20-30 minutes if Beto or Calvert-Lewin tired, or revert to bringing on Danjuma if either forward got crocked? Even maybe push Keane into an emergency striker role, as has been done since Dyche has been here (once so far, if I recall correctly?)

Onana seems to have not fully recovered from his calf injury, or he is just not 'fancying' it for whatever reason. It is noticeable that, since Fulham, and that penalty, he seems to have gone into his shell somewhat? Try Gomes for 60 minutes and then put Amadou on maybe?

Jimmy Garner looks knackered, even though he works like a Trojan every game, and his form has dipped too (the number of mistakes he is making is increasing), but... who can spell him? Maybe Metcalfe, or A N Other, for half a game?

Dyche needs to manage this as you just can't keep going to the well because, just like today, sometimes you just come up empty.

It's funny that the Beeb have rated our usual back four as our top four players today, whereas Pickford was bottom, and Keane 11th from 15.

It just shows where we're weak currently: injury and fatigue have seen to that.

All that being said, I dreaded December and those 8 games. However, a return of 4W and 4L is probably what we might have taken. The only things that disappointed me were the defeat to a poor Fulham side, and the Spurs game, where fatigue and circumstance did for us.

I would have loved 5W (Carabao Cup Win) 1D and 2L but it's not to be. Small margins indeed.

I think Dyche has shown us his good and stubborn (inflexible) side this month. Let's hope we see more of the 'Super Sean' and less of the 'Dour Dyche' in 2024...

Happy New Year to all of you.

Lucky it wasnt 6 or 7, but are the squad mentally and physically drained? Who knows… but for me, they never turned up.

But a week ago, Everton got robbed at Spurs and were very unlucky v Man City.

Today's back-line set-up, imo, gave Wolves free reign across the midfield. They controlled the game throughout.

But every team has an off-day and, year on year, this Everton squad is in a far better place.

Crystal Palace will be very tough but Everton have already beaten them and hopefully having Doucouré back will provide the cutting edge in offensive play which has been missing the last few weeks.

I think also without Gana, no other players have the intensity and appetite for doing the dirty work and breaking up play, and as for his poor shooting, his work rate and feeding short passes is a big miss.

But no complaints: the best team won. Hopefully Everton will turn up at Palace.

UTFTs!

It's what the players do in it that matters. To win in grey or to lose in pristine royal blue: you choose.

As long as we don't play in red, I don't really care.

Dyche's formation today totally cost us, and he only changed it at 2-0? Definitely down to Dyche.

Remember, we've been woeful the last few years so he has improved us.

On the striker issue, I would give Dobbin a few run-outs up front with Calvert-Lewin in a 4-4-2. He has pace and a finish in him, as well as some guile. Something we lack up front, and he'd give Calvert-Lewin or Beto a foil.

Looking at the bigger picture, I'm fairly happy with where we are at the moment, albeit not overly happy with our league position. The reality is we're a better team now than we've been in a few years, and we're very much missing Doucoure and Gana. We'll improve again when they're fit and I still have faith we'll stay in the Premier League.

In hindsight, Man City at home and Spurs away were perfect games to have when we were running on empty, as they are games which you would not normally expect us to win, so no harm done really. This is the only game really in December that we have fallen down on.

Our run of wins in early December were made with unbelievable fitness numbers and our concerted ability to press high up the pitch. Doucouré and Gana both contributed hugely to this tactic which encouraged McNeil and Harrison to win the ball back high up the pitch.

However, this approach is physically draining and it's almost impossible to do it on 3 or 4 days rest. Most of our players are covering 10-12 km per game with a mixture of sprinting and hard running. Doucouré and Gana could cope with that workload but no one else can – certainly not Gomes and Onana who has looked tired in our last 3 defeats. Garner does have a good engine but even he looks tired.

I can only guess what Dyche's thinking was today. By playing the line-up today, we never really pressed and won the ball back high up the pitch. Wolves were very good at playing out from the back and not getting caught. Then their attacking players made it look as if our guys were running in sand.

Apart from the cup game on Thursday, January is a relatively light month, even lighter if we can't press on Thursday. Dyche is usually very careful about bringing back injured players too soon so I don't expect to see them back this week. Even if Gueye did get fit, he might be off to the Afcon.

However, many Premier League teams will be missing key players. Hee Wang Son, the best player for Wolves will be playing in The Asia Cup. So it will be interesting to see how other teams do with key players missing.

We will be fortunate if Dyche signs up for more of the same; a small squad, no money, the threat of further sanctions, a need to cut the wage bill still further, a need to sell our best players and potential new owners with a questionable track record.

Who do you suggest would be the ideal candidate for such a job offer?

Wishes for 2024: Back Four only (no Micheal Keane) and let's bury the People's Club logo.

Final thought for 2023: every player we bought this year
was money down the drain (or will be when we pay for them).

We will stay up but please give us a Cup run.

Dyche has done a great job; what's the problem in offering him a new deal? Do you want Lampard or Benitez back?

Tony 177,

The reason Dobbin, Danjuma or Gomes don't get a lot of game time is that they are useless off the ball.

Without Doucoure, we could maybe try Beto in that role with Calvert-Lewin up top?

We need to bring in a couple of free transfers in January. In hindsight, it was wrong not offering a deal to Townsend.

Ancelotti managed 10th place, with a better squad, and a massive net spend. Benitez nearly destroyed us, and the less said about Lampard, the better. There's no saviour to replace Dyche. We've got no money to spend on transfers, and no money to pay compensation to Dyche and his staff.

Dyche has accrued 47 points in 38 games. With a threadbare squad, and with everything we've done under the scrutiny of an organisation who are determined to ruin us to drag attention away from the need for a regulator.

All we are say...ing

Is give Sean a chance!"

Dyche has done a very good job with this squad. Today's performance is probably the worst under his management. Dyche won't be happy but we need him. Calling for his replacement is ludicrous.

I said in August staying up is success. Add the deduction of 10 points and that makes our position even more remarkable.

The league is priority. The FA Cup is a distraction and extra games could mean injuries to key players. Also a gap between league games gives players a rest ready for the league.

All excellent points. I think the overwhelming majority of Evertonians understand the thankless task handed to Calvert-Lewin. There is however a handful who post repeatedly battering away at him.

One guy on the Live Forum posted a dozen times in the first hour and didn't mention any other player. This despite the absolute shit show from every other player.

Another guy (who is very prominent and persistent in this thread) didn't even see the game. He came on 10 minutes to go, said "I've been out, how is DCL doing?" That was all he was interested in.

I actually thought Calvert-Lewin was hated on these pages, but I have come to realise it's the same handful of people who can't wait to attack him.

It's their prerogative, but I saw ten others who are meant to be either defending or supplying the ammunition, play at least as badly.

I respect fair criticism. You can reason with that. I also accept most clubs have players that minority groups will take their anger out on, but when people who don't even watch the game come on to stick the boot. I can't help wondering what is driving them.

● 4 games in a short space of time with some players running on empty.
● Changing the formation and tactics
● Playing Michael Keane
● Having such a small squad

I am very happy with Sean Dyche but wish he would get over his obligation to Michael Keane and sell the lad.

Burnley, Luton and Forest are showing some fire in their bellies lately so we need to get back to winning ways soon.

We haven't gone from brilliant to pathetic. It's all quite fine margins and the reality is we have a very small squad now struggling with injuries – and we finally came unstuck after a series of valliant performances.

Dyche is still doing an exceptional job in the circumstances and should keep us out of relegation despite the 10-point deduction. Stick with the team and the manager, people – rather than shit your pants because we hit an inevitable bump in the road.

And Ha! The hysterical types get the “shit yer pants” comment from Robert. I missed the Live Forum, sounds like it was a good move.

This will probably work for the Premier League anyway because they must know that, if our points deduction remains, then Man City will lose titles and be relegated.

Sensible post among the hysteria.

We very rarely string passes together. It's not what we have been about all season. We have a complete disregard for using the ball. Our chances either present through teams over committing against us or by us catching teams playing out from the back. There have been exceptions (such as the third Newcastle goal) but they are just that... exceptions.

Sometimes it's going to work. Other times teams who move the ball well and create space through movement will make us look very poor. Credit to Wolves – they made us look shite.

A few wins didn't make us great. A few losses don't make us dreadful. We're sitting right at the 'poor but probably good enough to stay up' level.

I'm not too excited, but also not too fearful. Which is progress in itself. Even if that progress has a lot to do with the standard of the bottom few teams. Might be a problem next season though when some of those teams depart. I still don't think we have any kind of medium-term answer to our problems.

Complete disregard for using the ball? Behave.

8 wins.
2 draws.
10 losses.
26 points without the deduction, sitting 12th in the table.

With two straight nightmare near-relegation years, show of hands: who would have taken that at season's start?

We're fine. Keep the faith. We won't be relegated even with the disproportionate, heavy-handed penalty. And even that will be reduced in the future.

Looking forward to 2024.

Happy New Year to all the Blues.

I would, however, seriously advise you against going toe to toe with Dr Sharp on intelligence and sharpness.

There are the usual, "but who would you replace him with?" – although criticism of Dyche doesn't necessarily mean sack him – but Forest, Wolves, Palace, Spurs and Villa don't seem to have had a problem and maybe Man Utd won't; not all "glamour" clubs.

Others have called Dyche a "miracle worker" and he has done well overall but today he changed the way of his miracle and it didn't work. This doesn't mean sack him but I would like to think that it may mean Dyche sitting down with his staff and players to discuss where and why it went wrong and which format, with appropriate small changes dependent on opposition, is preferable, and without falling out or selling those players who hold a firm opinion.

Having said that, I would make the League the priority and use the FA Cup game to try some changes. Calvert-Lewin is a good target man while Beto looks better at running channels so I might look at trying that and maybe see if Danjuma can use his pace more to provide crosses with only the occasional cut in for a shot. Then play Gomes, Onana and either McNeil or Garner in midfield with an emphasis on attack.

Substitutions would then depend on how the game is going but maybe Godfrey as a defensive midfielder or Dobbin for one of the front players.

As I started, we all have the right of reply but please be polite with it. Happy New Year to All.

Yesterday was a defeat in a tough slog of games in a tough week where Everon had sweet fuck all luck on the pitch but the squad is in far better shape than 12 months ago.

The form and spirit this season has been good and, thinking back to Fulham, Wolves and Luton home league games and the Man Utd game, Everton could have been in the Top 8 on merit.

A bit of luck will drop in Everton's favour soon, hopefully both on and off the pitch.

Wishing all TWrs and Evertonians the very best of health & happiness for 2024!

UTFTs!

Our fullbacks then run to the opposition player but by then it's too late, they're in nowhere land. Tarkowski and Branthwaite have been outstanding this season.

I think the players got carried away with their winning run and forgot how hard you have to work.

Happy New Year.

From what I've read (not just on here), the general view is that we were jaded and tired, which I suppose is inevitable with such a threadbare squad. That's not down to individual players.

I don't need to preach on here, it's down to the team. I don't mind criticism for a player having a stinker, but sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture as to what is happening on the football pitch.

Anyway, we've got Palace in the cup next week. Remember Stoke for those old enough. From the ashes of despair, it kick-started us. We won a trophy and finished 7th when we were staring over the cliff edge just before that.

A few defeats don't make our season. We need to focus on our own results, but looking at other results yesterday, most went our way yesterday.

We will be fine. Especially when we get some of those points back even though I don't think we will need them.

Happy Blue Year.

"I think the players got carried away with their winning run and forgot how hard you have to work."

Those are my thoughts, mate. As I have said many times, I do still believe we have the right Manager, but his refusal to see change is needed before or at half-time in some games, added to his reluctance to make full use of his subs, "grinds my gears" – to quote Peter Griffin.

Happy New Year to all ToffeeWebbers wherever you may be, and hope and pray this coming year and remaining fixtures augur well.

The headline on Sky is “Wonderful Wolves too good for Everton”. On the day, they were. They play 5 at the back wonderfully well. They have pace to burn and probably could not believe their luck when they saw the Everton line-up attempting to match their system.

Memo to Mr Dyche: Michael Keane will get you the sack, he is very good at achieving that. Please stick to 4-4-1-1. It works for this group of Everton players.

The Palace game on Thursday should involve our normal defence: Garner and Onana, but then leave Harrison, McNeil and Calvert-Lewin on the bench… they need a break. Use Beto, Gomes, Danjuma and Dobbin. Do not risk Doucoure in any circumstances; we need him back for the Villa game.

Yesterday was a bad day at the office for our management team. We should have realised our mistakes and reverted to our normal system at half-time. There are times when you have to admit your mistakes. To blame it on a loss of “focus” was daft.

Remember how bad Bournemouth were when we beat them on 7 October and look at them now. Same players, same management team who learnt their mistakes; 10 games later, they are in 12th place and completely rejuvenated.

I always said throughout my working life, you learn something new every day. Our management team are very experienced but they still perhaps have a fair amount to learn about achieving success with this group of players. Let us hope they do and quickly!

Finally could our interim chief executive please let us know ASAP what on earth is happening with the appeal?

Poor performance but, if that Dwight McNeil strike that smacks the angle goes in, we're back in the game and it changes the dynamics. Football is a game of small margins.

Anyway, we move on. Still a lot to play for.

Short term, I believe in Calvert-Lewin and expect a run of goals from him that will drive us on another mini run and easing of nerves.

Happy New Year to all and UTFT!

Going a bit literal here but you are casting a spell on me that I just can't fathom… Not just once:

Why will Dyche not spell him, by playing him with Beto?

Not twice even:

Why couldn't Danjuma or Dobbin spell McNeil or Harrison today?

But three times:

Jimmy Garner … who can spell him? Maybe Metcalfe, or A N Other, for half a game?

By that stage, I thought my mind was going and I'd better just check the Collins Dictionary. Buried deep in a long page of otherwise highly recongnisable English in common usage, was this bizarre definition in "American English":

Informal: to serve or work in place of (another), esp. so as to give a period of rest to; relieve

Strangely, no examples given. I think I can safely say (despite spending many years in that former colony) I have never seen nor heard this construction before and I'm curious how or where you may have picked it up?

I remember this usage of 'spell' going back many years. As a student working on building sites in the early 1970s "taking a spell' was to take a break from strenuous physical exercise while a workmate took over from you.

Maybe it transferred to Liverpool from via the then Atlantic trade, sailors and the docks and it has slipped from usage since then?

Stick to 4-4-1-1, we're good at it.

Don't play Michael Keane!

Working on the docks, the dockers working in an eight-man team, they would split into two four-men teams, each team having a two-hour blow working in tandem, known as “Working the welt”.

Many an argument and fight occurred when some dockers never came back from their two-hour blow but stayed in the pub.

What was not acceptable however, yesterday, was the performance against a Wolves team who could well be pushing for Europe this season. During the game, and then on the train home afterwards, it was the same topic of conversation, why didn't Dyche revert back to four at the back when it was only 1-0?

Onana was also having a stinker and should have been pulled at half-time, whilst at the same time pulling off Keane and moving Branthwaite back in alongside Tarkowski and Mykolenko dropping back. The longed for change was finally taken at the 63rd minute, but by then it was too late as it was game over with the score being 3-0.

So what was a very pleasing two-thirds of December, with four wins from four games, turned into a disappointing final third, with three defeats in eight days. And whoever decided on the scheduling for December needs their heads testing.

Seven league games in a month will test the best of teams, and also the pockets of the many fans who travel home and away, and with Christmas as well to consider, it was just a ridiculous schedule. And yet as we move into January, there is a maximum of two league games, plus a free weekend for the ridiculous winter break.

I know there is the FA Cup, so for a few premier league teams, they will play a maximum of three games in January, compared to seven, or eight in our case, in December. Utter madness!!

Finally, for any future opposition fans who may wander onto this site. Try getting your facts right before coming out with the “Cheating Bastards you know what you are “, chant. I didn't know an overspend on a payment towards a new stadium was cheating!!

We had a couple of pints in the town centre before catching our train home, and there were one or two in the pub we were in chanting this. Trust me, it was very difficult to keep quiet and put them right.

I was name-checked in a way I considered inappropriate so I returned serve. I'll hold my own in any exchange of badinage with doctors, consultants or anyone. Just because someone knows their way around the alimentary canal isn't something that unduly concerns me.

We lost three-nil and Mr Dyche had a very bad day at the office. It doesn't need a catheter to work that one out.

According to the BBC, the Wolves manager wanted yesterday's game to be rescheduled due to the workload of his players; the Premier League said no.

Funny how our neighbours – aided and abetted by the TV companies – will only have played three games in 10 days, with the only travelling being to that far away place, Turf Moor.

Corrupt… perhaps not completely, but helping certain clubs, very much so.

The squeaking hinge gets the oil Barry? I think Liverpool have been looked after very favorably over the Christmas period since Klopp got here and immediately started moaning about it?

Don’t mention those half twelve kick offs after an international break though, but now that it’s been severely noted then I do expect things to change.

I was hoping that Dyche and Thelwell would change the narrative but we seem to have wasted our limited budget of around £40 million on even more limited players in Beto and Chermiti. We aren't in a position to pay for players that are punts and not ready to play.

I've been banging on for years about our lack of pace and technical ability, the only thing that they seem to revere is height!

3 of those results could have gone a different way but yesterday was as bad as we've been.

Hopefully it can be chalked off to a small squad, who gave a lot over the busy Xmas period, struggling to maintain the same levels.

Fingers crossed we can raise ourselves for the cup and then it's only 2 games in the next 4 weeks or so for the squad to recover.

There are some on this site who seem utterly oblivious to the shit we are in. If our coach and his team give 100%, that will do. Wherever it leads us, it will have to do.

Maybe Doucouré will be back for the next Premier League game, which isn't for a fortnight. But, even if he isn't, we should still play 4-4-1-1 and at least try to attack. Better to burn out than fade away, as the Kurgan said.

One more thing. Coleman, Doucoure, Young and Gueye are all out through injury. They are also all well over 30. Playing a high-energy pressing game with so many 30+ players in your side will always be risky, especially with a small squad to begin with.

Even the priest felt sorry for us and he's a bloody Tranmere supporter!

We are missing Doucouré, simple as that.

Every team has had the same amount of games equally, so cannot blame fatigue. I watched Luton and Forest games, didn't notice tiredness with their squad even though Luton lost their game.

We have a small squad with the bare minimum of quality to finish lower mid-table when fully fit. Until we see the benefits of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock kick in, that's where we are.

Happy new year everyone – I'm heading for the ale now!
UTFT

Spot on with that post, mate, I also watched the Luton game and at 3-0 down, they went tearing into Chelsea and could have easily equalised or even gone on to win the game.

They along with some of the other lower-down teams seem to have a never-say-die attitude which we are sadly lacking. Tiredness is just a poor excuse for a wretched performance by both the team and management.

Hopefully both will have learned from this.

Happy New Year to all.

Bereft of ideas, with tired bodies affecting tired minds, playing in a system that also offered very little

I think the overwhelming majority of Evertonians see Calvert-Lewin for what he is. A very limited player who can't contol a ball or score goals at a level needed to be No 9 at a Premier League club.

The few on here who big him up after every failed shot or header are dwindling by the week. Ten goals and three assists in the three years up to now says it all, but we can't blame him for that shit show — no one turned up on Saturday.

Not for the first time, we were shown how any team that has Keane in it will end up being fucked!

What a super-confident guy you are. A very special post, that. A collector's item.

No excuses, we need to do better in every game. Forget where we should be or the asterisk; reality is, we're in the shit and have to get out of it.

Careful there, mate. Your confirmation bias is showing.

Despite playing for what was widely regarded as a dour negative team, Calvert-Lewin scored 36 goals in the two seasons prior to the injury-ravaged period you so carefully choose to point to.

Time and time again, throughout that period, managers (who are better judges than you) were so desperate to keep their jobs. They risked his career by sending him out badly injured in order to save their own. But you know that. Every Evertonian knows that.

You are one of the "few" I spoke about. I have never seen you post about any other player. That's fair enough. Entirely up to you. But you chose to address me this time

I'm a big Seamus fan… but, during his absence, I got upset when a similar group repeatedly rounded on Ashley Young – before, during and after every match. I pointed out that Patterson had played in all four of our opening games and we had shipped goals.

Well, Young hasn't played in our last three games and, while everyone else is getting a suspension, the red-card-waiting-to-happen won't be getting one. It would appear he wasn't the devil incarnate after all.

Does that make me right? Of course not, but it does expose an inevitability associated with undiluted confirmation bias.

Young's relentless critics won't like it, but they have had an emphatic answer. Calvert-Lewin's relentless critics (you) will get theirs.

I've heard the lot now! 😱

"The overwhelming majority of Evertonians" will continue to speak, via their leader, Geoff Lambert. If Geoff thinks Calvert-Lewin is shite, then, by fuck, he is.

Happy New Year, Brian. Get it off to a good start, mate.🙏

Firstly, may I wish your good self, and of course Mr Lloyd, many thanks for continuing with your excellent endeavours on maintaining and operating 'ToffeeWeb', especially after a near 28-year spell now! (😜 Hehe!)

Moving on to your query somewhere up the thread regards my use of the word 'spell'.

Quite simply, during my childhood, school years and early adulthood, 'spell' was a general part of the (local, Central/West Lancs) vernacular. Also, whilst younger and working round a large portion of the country, 'spell' was widely used, and it inferred for a indeterminate period of time.

For example: "The manager thought that the loan spell his striker went on last season really benefitted him." or "The teacher thought that a spell in detention would curb some of the pupil's more outlandish behaviour." or "The fans thought that a spell on the side-lines would show the player that he isn't undroppable!"

I used to use it quite a lot, but when I watched a couple of 'interesting' videos talking about how Language can be used to 'enspell' people, I purposefully tried to stop using the word.

However, I think that with the season being what it is, ie, Christmas (and the footy season I suppose?), and also thinking that Dyche might do with a spell at a coaching session or seminar, it came back to mind.

Going back to language, it's interesting when you ask how a word is constructed via its 'Alpha ABet', you ask how do you 'spell' it! Just like casting magic. (In the case of Abet, the A was discarded and the term Alphabet came about)

Or the Alpha (The first), to Abet (from Old French 'abeter' (“to entice”))

See here

Such is the way, that even the 'great orators' are said to 'ensnare' their audiences with their craft with words (or oratory). Think of the likes of Abe Lincoln, Hitler, and Churchill! (Quite a mix!). Even nowadays, when you describe theatre audiences, they can be described as being entranced, or a like a captive audience to the performance, or 'caught up' in a performance or show.

Language is a much more powerful thing when studied and used in such ways. (Or even when used for the proper purpose!)

I believe that the truly excellent coaches of 'public speaking', teach their pupils how to engage with their audience's deeper emotions and feelings to stop them (the audience) from using logic and analysis during a speech, in order to get the audience to react using their 'frontal lobe' (their inner chimp as Dr Peter's calls it!), and not the deeper more logic driven thought processes; or at least to try and bypass them.

That in itself, is called the art of fast-talking, or what excellent salesmen are excellent at! Hehe

I hope that helps a little Michael, and I'm glad my post put you in a spell, even though I was trying to apply logic, waayyy back at [159].

Good wishes and all the best, Michael.

If I may summarise for you: stop admiring the scenery, stop making excuses and just start shovelling, and be quick about it too!

Well said, mon ami! And a Happy New Year to you too!

All the best to you, mate. See you in '24!

It really is just the modern day 'Gladiatorial Games' or 'Hippodrome' (Circus) experience of the past, obviously without the bloodshed and loss of life (though occasionally, we will still get the temporary loss of use of a limb now and then!) used to satisfy the 'great unwashed masses' – The Mob!

Football is just the 'bread and games' for the 21st Century masses...

Just my opinion of course, and I'd hate to speak for anybody else on here! Hehe. 😉

Good wishes, and tongue firmly in cheek!

Dyche isn't whining at all and knows what we will need to do. So just know that, while you oh so quickly adjust to the 3-match losing streak, he really does not give one half of a fuck and will get it done. Stack those rhetorical chips now.

I think you could be just the man to cast your spell on Pickford and get him to calm down.

Stuart Sharp is not a medical doctor.

I believe that Jordan Pickford has his own Sports Psychologist to help his behaviour. I think he was hired around 2019, after a couple of incidents away from football, and of course, he was advised by Ancelotti to try and calm himself a little. At least as far I was aware of from the Public Domain.

Also, it is interesting that Dyche has appointed a Sports Psychologist to aid the club's Sports Science guys. He had him at Burnley, a gentleman called Simon Clarkson (sp?)

The Athletic did a really interesting Podcast just after the Burnley game, it gives you that sense of hope and excitement we had just prior to the Fulham game and beyond, and a little insight into how Dyche and Thelwell have worked since they came together; here it is:

How Dyche got Everton out of trouble

I just think Pickford gets too wrapped in the moment, or is a very emotive player, which is what probably gives him his edge, though anything powerful and emotive is always going to be double-edged – if it gets too much, it becomes detrimental to performance. (Or reasoning! Like on Fan Forum sites for example! 😜)

We've got to remember for all his foibles, Pickford is a top keeper and has saved the team, and the club on numerous occasions. He could probably do without my input, to be honest...

Andy [243]

Thank you very much, 'tis genuinely appreciated, mon ami. 🙂🙇‍♂️

I actually appreciate the time for anyone to post on here; it doesn't matter whether I agree with it or not, as I say, every day is a school day. 🙂

Good wishes to all, and I hope you're all looking forward to 2024.

For anyone who is having 'troubled times', I wish for nothing but health, happiness and Blue New Year to you all.

May all your dreams come true bar one..!

I'm on one of those play now, pay later deals, and amortised over a 7-year period!!

That Michael, is one shrewd operator, though Lyndon did warn him about bringing me in!?

A nicer pair of guys you won't come across. 😆

I think you have been watching a different game. We don't take care of the ball. We create chances by breaking or by pressing. It's efficient... but it's limited.

Or are we sticking to idea that the players tried really hard before and then just didn't bother this time. Really? That might be a little simplistic? We try we win. We don't try we don't win. That's good news because it shouldn't be hard to sign some grafters. They don't tend to cost much.

But they were not my words, Andy, so you might want to redirect it to the author. Try post 184.

But I do agree with you. Happy New Year.

May 2024 not only be a year of joy for you, but also one of enlightenment.

It would be very lovely to think you will join the overwhelming majority and discover we have 20-odd players besides Dominic Calvert-Lewin and you are perfectly at liberty to criticise or talk about any of them too.

Happy New Year

You're broadly correct about Calvert-Lewin.

Look at some of the chances he's missed and consider how Ollie Watkins, his erstwhile rival as an England sub, would have done. He's good in the air, he can do tap-ins but he can't strike the ball, he can't dribble etc.

But Darren has a point about the broader squad. Calvert-Lewin, like the rest, is decent… not great. You could replace any one of our starters with a better player. Not sure why Calvert-Lewin is singled out. He's not like someone like Tom Davies – devoid of any attributes.

Talk about Jordan Pickford getting over-involved! Talk about conspiracy theories.

Right, I'm not that bothered about the Palace game. Priority needs to be the league. Having said that, Palace are probably there for the taking. Give that Chermiti bloke a start. Just for a change. And Dobbin, see what happens.

COYB!

I like that post about Dyche not giving one because we've lost a few games on the trot. He won't.

Onwards and upwards!

I think most Evertonians agree that Dyche's team setup for the Wolves game was a disaster.

We had a weak midfield because Doucoure and Gueye were injured so Dyche's answer was to weaken the midfield further and play 3 central defenders. It was nonsensical to me and just helped Wolves to run through our midfield and expose our defence even more than it would have done if Dyche had stuck with the 4-5-1 system.

Some people have defended Dyche saying his hands were tied because of the small squad. Obviously the squad we have does limit the options but for Dyche to opt for 5-4-1 was an awful attempt to get something from the game.

I've said before that playing 3 central defenders is pointless – it just takes a player away from another area of the team and does not help the defence, as Saturdays 3 - 0 scoreline shows. The fact that Doucoure and Gueye were unavailable should have made Dyche realise that the midfield needed strengthening, not weakening.

I would have brought in Coleman and played him wide right in front of Patterson (or Patterson wide right in front of Seamus) allowing Harrison to play in midfield in Doucoure's position. A very simple change to the team that would have kept the 4-5-1 system in place which has done so well for us.

There were other options too. Giving Dobbin a start in his best No 10 position I would have preferred to changing the system to 5-4-1. Even playing the underperforming Danjuma or slow Gomes in the No 10 and keeping the 4-5-1 system was better than hoisting the white flag.

Playing 3 central defenders is just a primitive move and it has failed miserably time and time again. We got away with it against Burnley because we were playing Burnley but I could understand it more because we didn't have Mykolenko or Branthwaite available. But on Saturday we had other options, and we were playing a much better team than Burnley, and they made us pay. And of course, against Burnley, Doucoure provided more aggression in midfield.

And to keep bringing Keane in when we are already in a difficult position just compounds things and is unfair on him. Dyche has always championed the virtues of 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 and keeping the continuity going so I am completely baffled as to why he would want to switch to a completely different system. It does feel like any excuse to get Keane in the team.

The value of Doucoure to the team is clear and maybe some Blues will now realise Gueye, even with his passing limitations, is also important to the team and he had been playing very well before his injury.

There are a lot of areas of the team that could do with strengthening but the most important to me are a midfield general that can push us on for the second half of the season, a goal poacher with some pace and a left-back. So, Mr Thelwell, work some miracles!