Blues steal a point with Calvert-Lewin spot-kick

Harrison is shite so he plays old Young; Coleman is fucked so let's not play a right-back but put the suicidal Godfrey there.

He has not got a clue…

Come on, you Blues – have a go at least!

Why Godfrey when he has a) Coleman, b) Patto, c) Young?

Why persist with McNeil when he looks jaded, tired and just a little disinterested (probably in the main due to Dyche's tactics and instructions and his personal life) Why not try Harrison on his better side. At least he puts more effort in than McNeil at the moment...

For me, Doucoure looks like he needs a rest, so why not play Gomes for 55-60 and then bring on Doucs? (Sam Hoare I read what you said, but put Andre in the 10 slot and tell the players to pass to him to spread the ball)

Three positives though for me;

i) Myko is back (I just hope he has recovered

ii) Beto starts

iii) Only one keeper on the bench! 🤣

The rest of it all is still pretty much same old same old... Let's hope the lads surprise us and Dyche and win the game.

I'll take odds on that if we win, it is because Dyche will claim that he 'changed it up', and not because the lads played well, or the skunks were tripe.!

I wish I'd seen your post first, other than the potty mouth bit, Hehe, I'd have just said "This"!

Sean Dyche, please have a word with yourself.

It will be over in a few hours.
There aren't any Everton games for the next three days.

That line-up. Is Dyche doing Godfrey's mum or something?

Garner must start for me with his delivery but let's see what happens.

Dyche is damned if he does or doesn't at the min, I get the feeling no matter what he cant do anything right. Maybe he has an eye on Saturdays game?

No idea where the goals are coming from but I have been like that for most of the season.

Coyb.

COYBLUES!

Ah well the proof of the pudding is in the eating and all that.

I'll actually give him some credit if that's a back 3/5. I've thought for a while it's the way we need to go. Though my plan was based around getting Mykolenko and Godfrey out of the full back positions at all costs.

With that team, so would I.

“Maybe he has an eye on Saturday's game”?

What about tonight, Rob? Newcastle have a depleted team, surely we can have a go at them although I understood the first parts of your post and agreed with them.

As you say, “Let's see what happens"; we could be happily surprised and a draw would make me happy,

My heart goes out to the faithful thousands who have travelled. They are wonderful. They must be, to a man, woman and child, utterly dismayed to see the line-up.
Now, close your eyes, wish for a miracle and a result to prove us all wrong.

Oh, and 6 numbers on lotto tomorrow.

In reality, if it does go belly up, Dyche can show himself the door.

The bad news. the Barcodes will be up for this one after their weekend comeback and our record there ain't a good one neither.

3-1 to the Barcodes methinks and the misery continues!

The outfield options are Patterson, Keane, Calvert-Lewin, Harrison, Gomes, Coleman, Chermiti, Garner all part of why we're down among the dead men. Such players will never make it as heroic cavalry.

A shocking performance against a depleted Newcastle team, he's lost the plot.

They have Izak, we have Beto. It's another fucking world.

It's hard work watching them.

Let's hope for a free kick or something

This is truly fucking dreadful.

I feel I need one watching this! :-)

I like the endeavour tonight, but instead of playing well in our first two thirds, we're down to just playing okay in our first third?

What has happened to the team...?

No changes, no adventure, no result...

I have a feeling the same is going to happen here, but without the point unfortunately.

I hope I'm wrong as every point is getting crucial now, especially with Forest 3 up, and Burnley leading against Wolves 1-0...

I bought one from the club shop; but when I pressed the button nothing happened.!?

Upon inspection there were no workings inside the watch..?

Everton that! 🤣🤣🤣

The most overrated player on the books. I'd sell him tomorrow while there's still people who buy into the nonsensical myth that he's a class act.

Many of us on here recognised need for Garner and Gomes. They made all the difference but game should have been over before they came on. He has to learn from this and go out to win games.

A very lucky point but thank heavens. At season end, or before if the complete shite continues, he has to go.

Very little threat on the Newcastle goal and a very very fortunate penalty call — those are very rarely given.

But we had just about earnt the point, I guess, with a pretty competitive display, apart from their goal, and quality was still glaringly absent.

Tonight at 60 minutes we actually tried to make something happen for ourselves. We made subs, and they were players who like the ball, we committed forward, we were a bit braver on the ball. The players looked like they really felt they could get something out of the game. And we got a 'lucky break' because we fucking earned it for a change.

That 30+ minute spell was the first time in a long time that I've felt passionate about this side. Easily the highlight of the last few months.

We know they're not great, but they actually had a go. That'll do for me right now.

And give Dom some credit. That took balls.

Hopefully it'll instill confidence in DCL and the team, could be a massive turning point, need all guns blazing on Saturday, as long as Dyche doesn't go back to a 4-4-1-1 defensive formation.

Decent ball, players forward, and a clear drag down. And Young made sure they were going to take a proper look at it. The art of pressuring referees still matters.

I thought it would be given the second I saw it.

Much to moan about being honest but forget that and concentrate on the valuable point.

Good shout by me to get Young off and Patterson on lol.

Young wasn’t that bad but he looked knackered, his brain was still working making the referee listen to his complaint about the penalty which earned us the point.

Same for rest of the season, make tactical changes at the right time and we just might drag our backside out of trouble.

Well done Everton a deserved point.

Don't agree with the whole concept myself, jeopardising the team and outcome for a personal belief. Not at max potential by choice, shouldn't play.

However thirteen games for Everton without a win is a fucking disgrace.
Burnley is simply a must win, forget how many times I've said that these last few seasons !

Come the end of the season two players who I really hope we sell are Onana and Godfrey.

Noting if we get another three points taken off in the next few days this could be a huge point.

Pickford deserved Motm a few fine reflex saves.

I wish DCL would have reacted on Saturday like young did tonight, at least tonight's was given.

Garner made a difference when he came on.

Time to rest Godfrey and Doucoure on Saturday.

Football is about many things, but at the top of the pile, football is about being aggressive. Run hard, work hard and pass and move with energy, otherwise don’t turn up.

Pickford was very good tonight, Brainthwaith had a tough night, but ended up showing us why he has got a great chance of going to the very top, by continuing to play himself into the game.

I had no emotion except pain and shame, but the subs brought a bit of fight, and dare I say a lot more aggression, and the only way to restore confidence, is by playing with more aggression💙

Burnley game just a tad massive! Luton have Arsenal next so big chance to put some more daylight between us and them to absorb whatever points deduction we get.

Still got it in our hands…despite not being able to win in 2024!

I'm not his biggest fan, and in fact don't even think we should have signed him.

But without him barking in the ear of the ref and demanding a review where would we be this evening? He also played well tonight, and again whereas I'm not a big fan of his, credit where it's due.

Ashley Young played with determination. A few players prior to the substitutions can't say the same, and should hang their heads in shame to be honest.

What's he supposed to do, we just cannot play pretty pretty passes from the back. Notice he backed off from this criticism once Pickford made some telling saves.

Great point for the Blues.

I don't care if we can only get penalties as long as they earn points.

I said before the game we needed some luck to get anything and so it proved.
The performance was no different than many games this season and I suppose this is the way it will be in the remaining games with what we have.

They have it in their own hands to stay up so let's hope a few wins get's us there.

Doucoure is slow thinking. Beto and Harrison are not Premiership players. McNeil's form has taken a dramatic dip. Something possibly affected by his partners serious health issues of recent times. His mind seems elsewhere.

Dyche must surely realise after tonight, that Garner, Gueye, Gomes and DCL must start games from now on, in the survival run in. All can at least pass a ball. All have vision. All put a shift in. Those basic attributes have been glaringly absent from the side for so long. In the first half tonight we looked like a mid table League 2 side. The improvement when the changes were made were instantaneous and obvious. Even Dyche can't deny that. Don't tamper now Sean, please play the men in form.

It's a total lottery as to whether it's won by us or them. But there's usually more of them and so they win it more often.

It's a perennial reminder that this seems to be the only way we can play the game, and that sums up just how poor we are.

On to Burnley which should be three points.

An absolute nervous wreck and couldn't watch the penalty so looked at the floor with hands crossed.

Then they put 9 minutes up. Torture.

A good reception at the end. Well done travelling blues and those who watched. It was a very emotional evening.

So glad Dyche didn't look on TW for any tips!

Anyway, decent enough coach journey home so far, with about another 75 minutes to go. Much better than last Saturday.

Pats has not been given the chance he deserves. Godfrey is no RB and Seamus is 70 mins or sub these days. His calamitous OG the other day shows that. We've persisted with Myka, as we really didn't have another option and look at him now - one of the first names on the team sheet. Dyche has totally made a mess of our right side this season and have next to no threat down there. Hopefully he gets it right against his old club. It is 100% a musty win. Draw or, heaven help us, lose, then we might as well through in the towel.

Apart from winning the penalty Ashley Young had a very good match. He is one of our few genuine footballers. Gomes and Garner gave us more control in the opposition half in the final half hour but experience tells us Gomes is more effective in twenty or thirty minute bursts than as a starter.

Some fans around me were annoyed Beto was withdrawn. Some on here seem annoyed he was picked at all. He deserves credit for his work ethic but he is well below the standard required at this level.

Chermiti committed a stupid foul in less than a minute of appearing. From what I have seen of him in the first team that seems to be his strong point. He is not a realistic option at present.

The big question now is whether or not the players can overcome the Goodison malaise on Saturday.

DCL>>>Beto

Gomes does not have it in him for a full 90 but is a great option off the bench

Ashley Young is the only winner we have

My captain needs to start every remaining game

I was surprised at both Godfrey and Young being selected and my first thought was if this manager ever learns anything. I had rather thought that Gana would come in and Harrison needed dropping but couldn't see why Young for Garner even if I'd thought Garner had not been playing that well recently.

The first goal seemed to me to be a catalogue of errors, starting with Pickford's hoofball instead of playing it out but then the midfield had disappeared upfield in anticipation and then Tarkowski again didn't seem to know where he or the rest of the defence was but to allow Isak to do what he did was criminal.

Then the sight of a Ramadan break, what time is sunset in April? A worthy idea to get to know what being hungry is like but can't water stations be put along the sideline, not that it took that long anyway.

Our game seemed to be more of hope rather than control or management and their disallowed second looked too easy, movement against the dustbins but for the first of two VAR decisions saved us and again made me think we should go back to the old offside rule of having two players between the forward and the goal and not online with.

Then come the hour mark come the substitutions and I was surprised at Beto and Onana being taken off and I had to wonder at the later Coleman for Godfrey, not sure what the thinking was behind them.

Then mainly due to Young protesting it seemed, VAR looked at his being dragged to the floor and I don't think anything would have happened had he not protested.

But all in all, a lucky but much needed point.

On the flip side, Tarkowski was very lucky not to put through his owń goal, lucky not to get booked twice, bad day at the office!

Pickford made a few good saves too so, all-in-all, pretty much honours even!

Bit the second half showed some spirit, especially after the subs. Maybe this is our turning point like when P. Neville flattened Ronaldo back in 2008?

We were lucky eventually as Newcastle gave us the penalty and a point on the night was more than we deserved or expected. Back to Goodison on Saturday, and hopefully the team will be set up to play football. If they start and play like they did for 60 minutes last night the atmosphere will quickly become toxic.

Finally some of the players were very poor last night and I hope we don't see them on Saturday. But for me the biggest culprit for that 60 minute ' shit show ' was the Manager and his staff. He just got away with it last night, the penalty saved him, but we will expect something much better on Saturday.

I was wrapping Xmas presents last time we won and have now cut the grass, eaten Easter eggs and the clocks have gone forward without winning another!!!

Cup final on Saturday, anything less than 3 points and I think the arse will well and truly fall out of them, points deduction or not. Win and we then have some home games that could be won (lpool excepted).

Looking at last 3 games of the season we need to be in a position where a win v Sheff Utd makes us safe.

Credit to all those who travelled, they came over loud and clear.

Peter, the supporters were amazing last night and never gave in, even when the clock was ticking down.

I can only image how bad the first hour was given the number of changes made.

Our problems, which are many in number, have not gone away but we deserved to get the rub of the green for once.

Burnley on Saturday is a must win game as simply have to break the win less sequence!

I said at 2.30 in the morning and I will say it again now, well done to all who made the trip, you are a credit to the Club.

Our fate is very much in our own hands and will depend entirely upon our results against teams around us.

There was some fight and spirit shown in the second half though the overall performance levels are down currently on what they were earlier this season. Whether that is fatigue, lack of belief or nerves is difficult to say.

Hopefully the goal for DCL might unlock him as we really need one or two players to find form in front of goal for this crucial run of games.

We basically had 5 in midfield Newcastle had 3 and we still couldn't get any kind of control of it until the substitutions.

Yes we finally got a bit of justice with the penalty but let's not forget we've scored 31 goals all season, only 15 of those from open play & Dyche has now beaten Walkers record.

Are we forgetting there's another points deduction heading our way? We'll be on 22 points by the weekend.

Burnley are unbeaten in their last 4, Saturday will not be easy viewing.

p

I think for the first hour your eyes will have agreed with what you have been reading, but thankfully this changed when the subs came on and then you could see that everyone looked to be fighting for the shirt.

Confidence is key, because we don't have many confident, nonchalant footballers, so it's imperative we do beat Burnley, because it's the only way that confidence is going to grow on the pitch and in the stands.

At the end of the game, I thought it may have been a case of those 3 subs showing Dyche how wrong he was to drop them.
I hope I'm wrong and he still has the team but I'm worried…

Important to start strong and fast on Saturday and, for once, to take our chances.

They showed a lot more spirit in the last and fight in the last half hour.

All the noise has affected us fans massively, so to think it isn't having an effect on the players seems short-sighted in my view. I've worked for a number of companies that have been subject to takeovers and the uncertainty it creates definitely becomes a talking point, as well as one of motivation among staff so why should a footballer be any different, or be somehow immune to everything that's going on?

I'd lay money it's been a nightmare for them as much as us, probably more so in fact. And yes, people will say they get paid a fortune, so it shouldn't matter, but that's simply not how human beings work.

How much you're paid doesn't make a difference when it comes to job security, or motivation – it's the day-to-day that matters, and having worked hard to accrue what was it, 31 points when we were deducted? Or was it 26, I don't recall exactly, but either way a deduction for them must have been a huge kick in the teeth. Add to that the threat of a further deduction any day, and you have a recipe for discontent.

Burnley, Forest, Brentford, Luton and Sheffield Utd – 15 points to play for and these games will decide our fate. If we can beat Burnley, Luton and Sheffield Utd, even with a points deduction (I reckon we'll get 4 more deducted) we could stay up on 31 points (it's been done once before).

That total would leave Luton et al with an awful lot to do in their remaining games. Luton in particular have to play Arsenal tonight, then Man City away and West Ham among their remaining games so they have a lot to do to catch us.

My captain should be starting but other than that, none of these muppets deserve to be in the team based on performances.

We don't have good enough players who know how to play. Let's get behind them.

I would add that, for the first time in over 2 years, Everton's players were just starting to relax and even began to look like they were finally enjoying playing football once again, but it didn't last very long imo, once they gave us that very cynical points deduction.

But, unfortunately, I am pretty sure he'll revert back to his old self against Burnley!

Players who have lost faith in their manager don't fight like these players have fought into the final minutes of games this season, including yesterday.

I think Dyche's will is what's driving them. No way he has lost the room. No way.

I believe he has motivated the players and organized them better than previous managers and he has maintained a dignified stance in the face of decisions against us and boardroom shenanigans but there has to be a better way and I am hoping for some improvement in the remaining games.

Don't get me wrong, they gave me heart flutters, but they came through.

I have to agree with your comment re Pickford as, without his saves, we could have been 3 down at halftime. For some reason, Newcastle seemed to take their foot off when that "second" was disallowed.

The game should have been out of sight and we would have been beaten again if Dummet didn't wrestle Ashley Young to the ground. We haven't won since 2023, we can't hold on to a lead and have conceded more late goals than any other season.

I don't think last night is a good example of fighting for the manager, far from it. Newcastle had half the reserves out, don't forget that it was pretty much our full squad to pick from.

I appreciate all the off-pitch problems will and probably have affected the players out of Dyche's control. But, at the same time, as an employer, if you are seeing players not being given a chance, favourites played on bad performances, lack of youth or younger talent not even getting minutes, a 38-year-old playing in front of you, playing football which is not getting the best out of you, falling out with the club captain, slapping one of the squad and failing to change anything, week-in & week-out, with now the worst record since Mike Walker.

I think it's fair to say he has probably lost the dressing room.

They can do it, but I'm not sure what inspires the change of game and pace. I note that Gomes came on as a substitute — is he the answer?

Only did things change when he shocked a lot by making them 3 subs on the hour.

If he doesn't start the Burnley game with the team that finished the game last night, he wants shooting.

If one positive came from that last night, it was Calvert-Lewin getting that monkey off his back, penalty or no penalty.

Let's hope he gets a bit of decent service now and goes on a run.

We know that five of our remaining games are against teams in and around us – Burnley, Forest, Brentford, Luton, and Sheffield Utd – and any losses in those games are going to hurt us badly.

If we win against Burnley at the weekend, then I'd see Chelsea away as a complete free hit. We should field an aggressive attacking side and aim to go there and win, as losing points to Chelsea - or Liverpool when we play them - is far more palatable right now to losing points to our immediate relegation rivals.

Plus Chelsea are all over the place in terms of style and cohesiveness at present, and a well-organised and decisive press could reap huge rewards – as it has done for other visitors to the Bridge this season.

I have to say they were most surprised and disappointed that the game finished in a draw.

I could only see another defeat last night, but the lads dug in during the second half and, with great saves from Pickford, we could've won the game.

With a nervy 6-point game at home on Saturday, I believe the faithful will get us over the line. Being positive, I think we'll win it... just!

2-1 Blues.

We had virtually our first team out and they a 2nd / 3rd string. Which shows two things:

1) Their squad strength (in depth).
2) How Everton's quality has been allowed to decay since Kenwright took over (which includes the Moshiri years).

If we beat Burnley, then I believe we will lose the 4 points under PSR.

When the summer window opens, it is vital that we do not accept cash-only deals. Especially those that include £10M here or £5M there for the buying club to win the inter-galactic missile trophy and the league by 40 points.

Player(s) exchanges must be the deals. Or player and cash,
ie, Selling Branthwaite for say £90M.

That money goes straight to paying off PSR. Then we have to get an expired contract player or a loan for our £90M.

It's the only way to improve the squad and get around The Big 6 financial unfair play shitstem.

The point was earned in the end because they kept on throwing people forward but always looked to be vulnerable once they lost possession.

How Newcastle failed to get a second when faced with an open goal is beyond me but Everton rode their luck and deservedly got the penalty.

It was such an obvious penalty which begs the question why did the on-field officials not call it originally and why the hell is VAR so useless they had to refer it back to the referee? Go figure!

Isak took his goal well but how was Branthwaite easily put on his backside in the build up.

Every game will be a similar battle as Everton struggle but surely to God they can get precious points against Forest, Burnley, Sheffield and Luton because they won't have much chance against Liverpool and others.

We may be deducted points, so we have to gain all we can on the pitch. Does anyone know whether a blue-smoked team welcome is planned for Saturday?

I think the malaise was emotionally driven and may have passed with the Bournemouth debacle. Dyche is a ‘do your job' kind of fellow and likely has little sympathy for those worn down by relegation battles he has thrived on. With an extended period of injuries, his preferences and communication skills would be tested. Hopefully he understands these players better and has found some way to get performances like yesterday from them.

The overall play was decent; it was the play around the box that stalled. We were much better getting the ball out of our half without getting stretched in support. Onana was key in that action.

The more consistently we get the ball to the wing and hold it, the better chance Beto or Calvert-Lewin have to time their run. Garner hit the inside of the post, Calvert-Lewin could have had a penalty if he had a stronger reputation, and Tarkowski should have put away that header in the 6th minute. That result was not stolen.

I'm sure some remember his departure and will never want him back. Me personally, I look at what he is doing now and he is running that Luton team.

In better circumstances, I would look at a promising talent from other leagues but we simply do not have the money to do that at the moment. That's why commonsense says Barkley is a low risk to cover our midfield.

Like I said yesterday, if Dyche departed, I would look to give Lee Carsley a shot. He seems level-headed and doing a decent job for the England U21s. Okay, it's a different level but he would be my choice if things go tits up. For now, Dyche is still running the show.

The only point, I would suggest, is that while Barkley is running the Luton show, and I've not watched them, he would face the same problem as Onana does in that the rest of the midfield don't show for the ball.

Whether that leads to hoofball or the other way around is hard to say. But then I suppose that is why you have a manager.

Credit to Pickford – I was one calling for him to be rested and he showed how he has matured as an individual.

Small steps but a decent half hour to build on and a goal for Dom.

You're right, Tom. Jarrad isn't a very good defender yet. Isak didn't just put him on his backside. Isak made Jarrad throw a tackle, which Jarrad does too often, and Jarrad was left in our area on his backside. Very poor.

Thanks for a name, Brian, but to be fair, I haven't seen Carsley at all. I was more hoping he'd take the Ireland gig.

Barkley would be a nice "feel good" story and he might be able to do a job. But he shouldn't be looked at for any sort of answers we need for next season. He also left on not very good terms. It's hard to forgive and forget when I root against Luton every week.

Credit to Dom and Pickford for standing up tall. Calvert-Lewin's Everton career is over if he lets someone else take that penalty. He made it because he struck it hard. Pickford into the lion's den and shows why he's England's Number 1.

We have got to hope and pray that is true because we badly need something which gives us some 3-pointers because, if not, I fear the outcome once the Premier League have finished with us.

Christ, it's worse than what I thought!!!

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