Calvert-Lewin penalty secures very competitive win for Everton

But, if you can't make it to the Old Lady this afternoon, there's always live streaming online…

However, the online streaming looks even more challenging than usual (I say that based on the anecdotal experience of other posters – I've never had a problem but it's all about being logged in properly at the official website Live Portal).

This time, it comes with a warning:

* Due to Article 48 and broadcasting rights, the free live stream will be available to viewers outside the United Kingdom, Portugal, South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and Equatorial Guinea (PALOP) only.

Somehow, its availability is linked with the new sponsorship by KICK, but I've no idea what Article 48 is or says.

Everton... we never shone so brightly,
Everton… The Spirit of the Blues

Mark, I'll be turning up not necessarily expecting an entertaining game, because that's not what it's all about today as I see it. What I think it is about, and I'll be watching, is who plays, in what positions, using what formations and tactics, with what levels of fitness, with what in-game changes etc (and especially what new goal celebrations, most importantly!). This isn't the new season – it's all about preparation for the new season.

I might not like the look of what chef is doing in the kitchen, but I'm more likely to enjoy the dish once served up.

But pre-season is all about preparation and hopefully Dyche has got us prepared for a much better season than the last two. I'm sure he will, even if I still expect quite a few changes before the transfer window closes shut.

Worrying lack of wingers. I'm guessing Dobbin and Iwobi on the flanks. Be interesting to see if Dom starts today! My guess at the team will be the following:

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Young
Garner Gana
Doucouré
Iwobi Dobbin (wings)
Calvert-Lewin

Bench: Virginia, Keane, Mykolenko, Godfrey, Onana, Alli, Onyango, Maupay, Kouyate (I'm not sure of how many players are allowed on the bench in pre-season friendlies?)

I don't expect a classic today by any means but I'm hoping for Dele Alli to get a runout and Dom to get about 60-75 minutes under his belt so that he's close to ready for Fulham. Onana or Keane could also start, I'm guessing.

As for today's game, I was hoping to see the two summer signings plus a couple more but it looks like we will only be seeing Young. Two or three more signings like Young would be a big help to get us through another worrying season.

Today's Echo pays tribute to the biggest asset the club has got – the supporters. These are the the reporter's words:

Unfortunately the reporter, Joe Thomas, doesn't condemn those running the club apparently from home, if at all.

Whether it still is the case or not who knows, but do not be suprised if he leaves in this transfer window, that's as much as I can say.

I'm not worried about the info on injuries. If they have no chance of making the Fulham game, then why let the opposition know? Keep them guessing.

Yes, we would like to know… but, if they are fit they play,
I just don't see the point in saying Calvert-Lewin, McNeil and Danjuma are or are not going to play until the teamsheets handed in. Just gives the other side time to plan a strategy.

Well, I think there will be movements in and out before the window closes. It would have been better if the signings are ready to play in the easy games, on paper, at the beginning of the season, and I do understand that we are in a difficult situation when it comes to bringing players in.

David (8),

Fair enough, still frustrating though.

Is there any hope of anything positive soon? I hope so. COYB.

McNeil's injury is a blow but an opportunity for another player to come through. I'm looking forward to seeing Young and Danjuma.

As for transfers… sigh. I'm no mathematician (so I'm similar to Moshiri there, then) but money from player sales (even before the mess Dumb and Dumber have put us in now) – I never saw equal amounts from sales going back into purchases.

The sales were always crap and never the true amount stated. Dependant upon ludicrous caveats such as winning leagues and trophies. Or landing on Mars. (Joke!) Whilst we paid massively over the odds for a lesser quality duffer.

And here we are again. I am allowed the privilege to detest those in charge. But the team and the club are my blood and I bloody love them.

Really looking forward to the massive changes Sean Dyche asked for after the Bournemouth game.

(what's that, all three wingers out?)

as you were

sporting manager's final words 'just let them have the ball'

Dyche 'don't let them have the ball'.

Everton live portal...

"SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG

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Article 48 interference I assume.

Regarding the bench when Mcneil, Danjuma and Chermiti are on it things look a bit healthier but we all know we need more.

Forza Everton

Oh well, it will be good to see whether Godfrey can return to his pre-Covid best with us this season.

Oh well, it will be good to see whether Godfrey can return to his pre-Covid best with us this season.

Oh well, it will be good to see whether Godfrey can return to his pre-Covid best with us this season.

Oh well, it will be good to see whether Godfrey can return to his pre-Covid best with us this season.

COYB

If Jarrad does not get any minutes today, that's a sure sign he is on his way.

Give us a mo...

… and there ya go!

If we encounter a rash of injuries, relegation is certainly a possibility. If we stay healthy we'll be comfortably safe.

Season in a nutshell in my opinion.

I expected Branthwaite to start today, maybe they'll get a half each.

The blackout rule has been in place since the 1960s and prevents matches from being televised in the UK between 2:45pm and 5:15pm.

In todays Echo.

He's a bit rusty and the final balls in could have been a lot better. But still we look a different outfit with DCL. Highlights the importance of the back up / challenger signing.

Onana a touch of class that half, I hope we don't sell him, he's improving.

Sp Lisb look good and carve us too easy. Could be 2 up.
We should have had one prior to penalty.
Our tackling to stop their play is good.
Iwobi has had majority of wing play.
Delivery and speed has let him down.
Garner looking class.
onana has been ok but not involved enough.
Godfrey better in centre than at full back.
DcL makes a huge difference and with game time will only get better.
He takes the ball in his stride whichever way he faces. His control and pass to Duke to shoot got us the pen.
COYB
Overall satisfactory with

Midfield looks fit but we're poor on the ball when going forwards.

Patterson looks lively going forwards and is doing well defensively. Young looks okay and i'd start him before Mykolenko. Goddfrey has been bullied by Gyokores.

Sporting look poor to be honest but Gyokores looks a talent.

Saving DCL to play an hour against Fulham?

Crowd 28.3k

They control game. Again get into our box on right. Corner.
In it comes we clear but its a corner
4 mins they come back at us as no player up front.
Corner

There has to be three or four incoming, surely? Especially when Gray goes. The squad looks paper thin.

Onana head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. Branthwaite must be starting and apart from a little spell at the end and the firs ten minutes we shut Sporting out and looked comfortable.

Maupay dropped deep to pass a few times forgetting that once again he's meant to be a striker. Zero threat and likes to wrestle more than play football.

I thought it was pretty tasty for a pre-season game, Onana could be a star, if he can perform consistently week in week out. Patterson is not a full-back, I don't know what he is, but he ain't a defender. Iwobi went missing in the second-half, although he could have been doing a job off the ball for the team.

I hope Tarks is okay by next week, we can't be starting the campaign without him in the defence, we still conceded too many opportunities in and around the box, and that trait for panic defending still exists. My player of the game, was Garner, he goes about his business quietly but effectively.

Enjoy, the next seven days of relative peace and quiet, before we have another nervous season ahead of us, unless we can find some quality in the attacking third.

Good to see DCL confidently scoring the pen. He looked good in his time on the pitch. It is what we have been hoping for from Onana. He was excellent. Hope it was good for him too because it is what we want from him and will stand him in good stead for the new season.

The only bad thing about the whole match was Tarks getting injured towards the end. Hope it is nothing serious, fingers and toes crossed. I'm looking a bit brighter about the new season after that one. COYB.

Would you really drop Doucouré? Honestly?

We don't have many goal scorers on the pitch but Doucs is one of them and his goals very vital last season

C'mon mate, are you really suggesting that he's a contender to make way??

Everyone slags off Maupay being picked for the squad, who else is there?

Its not like anyone else has set the world on fire up top at Everton lately and Maupay is keeping them out the team, far from it, DCL wouldn't have got many goals these last 2 seasons if fit, as we do not create chances for forwards, our midfield is creatively dire.

We desperately need a midfield playmaker.

2023 no exception.

Everybody in the league knows we need a reliable striker the situation with Chermiti is a perfect example. He has missed all of the preseason games. The crucial opportunity for him to blend in with his team mates has been missed for a £!.7M amount ???

We have paid Gbamin millions for a handful of games, £5M to a player under suspicion from the police due to his own actions who played no games for that money and millions to other players and managers for not performing.

How difficult is it to negotiate with this player, example he says he wants 60K pw how many goals do you think you will score, he states 15? fine we will pay you 50K pw and increase that to 60k pw for the whole season when you score 15 goals or if we qualify for Europe that figure increases to 70k pw. Then we have a tiger who actually earns more if he scores more and the team plays better.

Have a look at our first 6 games we should be able to get 8 points, less than 3 and we are in trouble.

Onana showed a couple of times today when he bursts forward he's dangerous, he just needs to do it more; take the shackles off him and make him the advancing midfield player.

I feel for Garner, I would've liked to see how he and Onana could play in front of either Doucouré or Gana. Versatility can be a bad thing for a young player trying to establish themselves.

We don't really have the players for 4-4-2 at the moment.
4-3-3 or 4-5-1 seems like the obvious choice. We are missing that one player who knits it all together, it could be Garner if given his chance in the middle.

Only really Danjuma and McNeil missing from the first XI. I'd say we need another wide man, striker and creator.

As for Maupay? He did okay at Brighton but they'd create about 30 along-the-ground decent goalscoring openings per game. He'd miss nine, get one and, on paper, seem okay. But as a target man chasing crosses and maybe getting one clear shot per game, he is always going to struggle.

Sean Dyche has provided injury updates on James Tarkowski, Arnaut Danjuma and Dwight McNeil following Everton's 1-0 pre-season friendly win over Sporting CP at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The Blues boss said he was hopeful defender Tarkowski, who was forced off late on against the Portuguese giants, sustained "just a knock" and the Club was "being ultra careful" ahead of next weekend's Premier League opener against Fulham.

Danjuma – who joined the Blues on loan this summer from Villarreal – missed the match against Sporting but Dyche confirmed the forward had picked up a minor knock and is "hopeful he will be back on grass next week".

Fellow winger McNeil went off late on against Stoke City last weekend, with Dyche admitting the ex-Burnley man was "facing a little period out so we'll have to see how that settles down". Source: Everton OS

Tarkowski he hopes is just a knock and they're being ultra-cautious, while Danjuma should be "back on grass" next week, which either means full training… or smoking as much gear as he can get hold of to stop him breaking down at the thought of a full season at Everton.

Decades of Bullshit Bill's press releases, and some of our fans lap it up still.

I don't know where you're getting this shit from, but Branthwaite does definitely not want to leave.

And your source is...?

What is it you know that makes you believe he'll be leaving?

I've heard more than once that he wants to leave with Man Utd interested and he said himself that he was more than happy to stay away at PSV for another spell; I don't think its shit.

He's not exactly been given a chance to make the left-sided central defensive position his own either, has he? He didn't start today with Godfrey picked ahead of him in what was Dyche's strongest available 11.

He's going.

My source, Brent? Nobody… just reading between the lines… probably wrong.

Rob obviously has better intel.

Sell him for £25M and it goes straight in the profit column, buy Maguire or someone else for same price and that fee is amortised over the period of the contract.

Not what I would like to see, but I feel it is inevitable it will happen; nothing to do with what a player may or may not want.

In my view, we do not have the midfield to play two strikers. If you are suggesting Calvert-Lewin and Maupay as a 1970s type Little and Large duo, then I predict we will score more goals and see some hugely entertaining (for the neutral) 7-3 defeats.

It will never happen, rightly, under Dyche.

Maupay was a panic, utterly ludicrous buy and will never fit into a team with any aspiration. That's why he's ours.

I get where your coming from about Patterson being unconvincing, but no way on earth was Kenny better. I just don't see that. Patterson's run of games before his injury last season showed lots of promise.

A few positives to cling to today. Garner getting better, Onana getting forward more, Branthwaite looking super solid. But we still rarely look like scoring. We create so little of note.

I have shown Jim Lloyd what I know, there could be another logical reason to it, but if my reasoning is correct, he will be on the move this window.

Sporting are a very decent team who beat both Sociedad and Villarreal 3-0 in their last friendlies.

Clearly we lack dynamism, especially without McNeil and Danjuma but we've been hard to score against (partly thanks to some good goalkeeping).

Not sure we'll see lots of goals this season but if we can keep grinding out results (like we have in preseason) we should be okay.

I think Tarkowski would be even better on his natural right side with Branthwaite to his left, but it's not really been tried, maybe because Branthwaite was late coming back from international duty.

Or he's being sold…

I still think he is a saleable asset to Kenwright and Dyche – whether he wants to stay or not.

If we continue with Gana, Onana, and Doucouré in the middle, we are going to struggle. There isn't enough about them.

He has an air of class and calm about him. Dare I say Bobby Moore -esque? I'd say we lose nothing by playing him ahead of Keane and Godfrey. Neither give you security, confidence or trust so what do you lose putting the lad in?

He's played Champions League last season, the lad's not wet behind the ears. If this lad's not showing enough going on a successful loan, playing every week, scoring goals, and playing in the Champions League, then what does he have to do?

What does any young player have to do? He can't do much more!! Play him!!

Shane – yes, I had to play that twice. I hope Lewis has a sense of humour!

More concerning is that Dyche has apparently (according to Toffee TV Patreon post so not actually heard him say it yet) that no new signings are imminent. That needs to change this week. Reality is we need bodies through the door as we are two injuries away from a crisis again.

Establish himself and give him an improved contract, he's only 21, and all he wants is first-team football. Also, why would we sell him and have to buy a new centre-back?

And please, no-one mention Maguire!

With so much dross to get out the door, I suppose it's to be expected.

No one should be expecting perfection, but he needs to be backed. Will fans forgive a few mistakes whilst he is growing into the team? Will the manager!?

There are no certainties in football, especially with young players, but Jarrad looks like he could well develop into a Top-6 (or better) defender.

If he wants to stay, then fair play… but it won't matter what he wants if enough money is on the table – and I think if Dyche was offered Maguire in place of him, he would be saying "Get it done!"

Personally, I do not believe for a second that Maguire would want to come to Everton. If Man Utd really want Branthwaite, they will get him, simply because money talks and we are a club that needs it right now.

Shame, but I think it is fair to say that is the true reality.

Who could really blame the lad? Jarrad needs to be starting games for us from the off next week, and that salary (if indeed true) needs looking at as soon as possible if we do not want to drive another young talent out of the door.

Is this true? Noooo! Of course not; it's complete bullshit.

But it's probably as accurate as most of the made-up crap from no reliable source about Branthwaite!

Some people just want to be in the know and don't mind making stuff up along the way. It's best to just ignore them.

As for why we haven't bought anyone so far, it's quite an easy answer. It's really difficult to buy quickly when there's a lack of buying power.

Garner played virtually every game, Branthwaite 45 minutes. Dyche, I expect, will have noted things like that, he's not played much pre-season, and said in May he would be happy to stay at PSV.

From the back, Pickford again is proving why he is England's Number 1 for those who follow England. For me, he is Everton's Number 1.

Patterson impressed me and Tarkowski is an absolute rock. Our captain in making. Branwthaite will and can learn a lot off him.

Idrissa does his thing and defies the years.

Onana looked good. Still young and will get better. Keep hold of him. Almost scored bar the shave of a post.

Iwobi was creative and Garner always looked comfortable and seeking the forward pass.

Good to see Dominic looking lean and keen. And confident.

We will be fine this season.

When Saturday comes. I can't wait.

Great turn out for a pre-season, but credit to the Sporting fans too.

Gana does a lot of the dirty work, while Doucoure has plenty of energy but loses the ball too often, Onana had a good effort which hit the post, still lumbering about the pitch and going missing, made three energetic runs which came to nothing.

Falling over, he put his centre straight into the ‘keepers hands and ran the ball out of play, got booked for one of his misplaced on the-floor tackles, got left on his arse with another one.

He got caught inside his own area with a stupid dribble that nearly gave a goal away, made a meal of staying down after two tackles. I thought he had injured himself when he ran the ball out of play but he was okay.

I hope some of the top clubs see his potential, that loads see on here, and come in with huge bid and see his potential come to fruition. I will be very surprised myself.

You heard it here first.

I thought Onana had a strong second half. He was unfortunate with his shot against the post and his driving runs could make a difference to our attacking play this season.

1-0 to the Everton already has a familiar feel to it. Sixteen clean sheets will see us safe from relegation.

So as you saw it, Onana was involved a lot, but you just don't rate him?

Never did, never will.

Same as Richarlison.

We will struggle without his creativity, that's for sure. With Gray going too, that leaves just Iwobi and the untested (and currently injured) Danjuma.

Too late to sign anyone in time for them to start on Saturday, so we go with what we saw today, and hope Fulham are as shit as us.

Onana looks like the amazing slightly raw talent he is. We are lucky to have him, Pickford, Garner, Tarkowski, McNeil, and Calvert-Lewin (fitness permitting). 4 out of 6 of them last season's boys. Yes, plenty of shit to moan about, but there's reason to think we're not dead yet.

I thought the young guns Branthwaite, Patterson, Garner, Onana all did very well. Not impressed at all with Godfrey today, Tarkowski immense, Pickford his usual solid self. Young had a good game, Gana a bit quiet, Iwoba lively but still not one to go for a 50/50 – maybe wise in pre-season.

For me, though, I thought Maupay had a good game, was involved and tiggerish but made the wrong decision a few times, but overall an improvement. Calvert-Lewin got a good 45 minutes under his belt.

We do need to be a bit more careful in front of goal and clear our lines as give them a few opportunites, we may have won but we could have lost. It was one of those games where a draw was probably a fair result but Sporting are no pushovers.

You'd think a director of football would know about fashion before he signed someone.

May be the same source — I'm crap with names but maybe Peter or Keith? Who knows the family and posted here a few weeks ago Branthwaite wants to stay.

I wonder if Brian's source is from the club trying to offload him in Rooney style?

No, Onana never gets involved enough, goes missing far too often.

I could have mentioned the many times he goes missing, it's too early to say I don't rate him, it's only been 12 months, when he's played well I've given him credit, think it was the Arsenal game, can't think of any other, as for the Brazilian we made a profit on him, not as much as many on here were telling us we would get.

Gary (161),

“Onana looks like the amazing slightly raw talent he is.”

Well, that's fair enough if that's what you see. It looks like he's still in the freezer to me. When he thaws out, maybe I'll see what you see.

I agree. How often have we lost league cup games or indeed preseason games against 2nd or 3rd tier teams. Also considering we just avoided relegation and weakened our squad since then getting results and clean sheets against these is decent.

It should raise confidence a bit among the players and fans. We don't have the squad we want but we do seem to be getting the best out of them which wasn't the case a year ago.

Honest question, have you ever changed your mind about a player you thought at first was not good enough, but eventually won you over.

Btw Onana was outstanding in the home defeat by Wolves after Christmas, only one to be clapped off the pitch. (Ask your lad.)

I have one that, currently, I have to own up to and that is McNeil. I was despondent when we signed him, had watched him at Burnley when we were linked with him some time before we signed him and thought he was one-paced, let games pass him by and had no idea in front of goal.

Given he got 7 last year in an unproductive team, worked really hard and showed no little skill on the ball and at set pieces, I am happy if he keeps proving me wrong! I was right about his pace though.

What about you?

Get a grip, why would Dyche want Maguire, a has-been on £200k, for Branthwaite?

He's a class act already, raw for what he will become. He has everything – pace, strength, tackling, skill, flamboyance… and most of all character.

Time will make you look foolish. The kind of foolish that used to say Stones wasn't good enough too.

There have been quite a few players I thought were not rated by other fans who I defended so it works both ways.

But to answer your question, there was one player who I thought was okay but not as outstanding as some saw him, then in the semi-final of the FA Cup versus Luton Town, he covered every blade of grass, worked relentlessly for the whole game and always backed up his teammates.

Brilliant, I saw Paul Bracewell in a new light.

I'll be fuckin' amazed if Onana can do that!!

We were just on time, after 10 minutes queuing to get through the turnstiles. I was surprised, but very pleased, at such a strong turnout for a pre-season friendly in the pouring rain. Well done, Toffees. 👏

We just got through when Z-Cars started so I think Keith was impressed by my fleet-footed pace as I scrambled excitedly up from the turnstiles to row LL in time for the players coming out.

The lads need our support for sure I think. I think we look solid but lack creativity and cutting edge. It's extremely obvious isn't it. I am sure the recruitment drive is going full tilt, but with financial hands tied it seems so it's hard to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

So much of the team is good I think. Its just short in the firepower area again isn't he.

I like Calvert-Lewin, but robust he is not. That Gyökeres looks a much more robust player. I really hope that Calvert-Lewin does not break down again this season but I won't hold my breath obviously.

The young lad who scored 3 last year for Sporting Lisbon in his breakthrough season, seems one for the future. We need ones for now don't we.

My lad, Keith, is not as bitten by the Everton bug as me yet. We live in Worcestershire, not a footballing hotbed. I fear I may have infected him today though, he was covering his face in trepidation when Sporting were pushing for an equaliser late on. Poor bugger. I should be prosecuted for child cruelty, lol!

Recently I'd agree about McNeil, although I thought he was really good at Burnley when he first broke into the team, then when Dyche started to drop him in his last season and then we signed him I did have reservations, he definitely had a slow start to his Everton career but I thought he was fantastic (ironically) from when Dyche arrived, and overall was my player of the season.

Going back a bit I was underwhelmed by Fellaini for 6 months but then he started to grow on me until I eventually grew my hair in his style even at 55, 😉 going even further back I wasn't keen on Rod Belfitt and I was right.

Good on your mate. Get the lad in early.

Patterson was good, Tarkowski solid, Young eased himself in, Godfrey pretty awful, Branthwaite handled Gyökores much better and looks ready to start the season in the team for me, Onana was class.

Calvert-Lewin makes a huge difference but I thought Maupay actually did okay when he came on, in fairness to him. Still never looks like scoring but he help it up pretty well and had a couple of nice touches.

Final thought though: the new kit is absolutely horrendous. Cheap, shiny and an exceptionally childish collar. Who designs this crap? Lazy effort. Collars don't belong on football kits… shocking.

We should be fine this season, I'm reasonably relaxed.

It took you to the end of his first full season to realise Paul Bracewell was a good player?

For fuck's sake, you're a tough audience.

All those traits you see in Onana, quite a list. I don't see them but I don't say you are making ridiculous comments, you are stating an opinion, same me.

As for John Stones, I always thought he was a very good player. I knew he was bound for a more successful club than The Blues, so it's wrong to associate me with those comments about John Stones.

If you can't see what I see you're as blind as those who did not see what Stones was either. That's not an opinion, that's not an accusation, that's an analogy.

I remember the Wolves game in particular because Costa was booked on 88 minutes at 1-1, then deliberately hand balled at 92 minutes but was not shown a second yellow, which would have meant them holding on for a point.

Instead, the crowd got on to Everton to try to win the game (me included), Tarkowski panicked and gave the ball away to Traore who crossed for Wolves to win in injury time, Lopatague's first win.

Anyway I think that was when Onana got clapped off, as the rest of the team where told they weren't fit to wear the shirt!

Michael Keane – fair enough overall, but he's had some great defensive games and scored some important goals but you've never given any credit for those games... never... cos you formed an opinion about him early doors.

Richarlison – most Evertonians would have him back in a heartbeat, saved us along with others, season before last.

Onana, doesn't matter what he does from here on in, he's not your cup of tea.

Bracewell – 35 years ago! 'nuff said.

I really respect your views, Dave, but sometimes players become better than from where they started at Everton and they do actually become better as their careers progress; it's no slight on you to admit you might be wrong sometimes and you could give praise to show you might have been wrong to begin with.

I'll be honest I can see Dave's point. I don't think Onana is as bad as Dave says but I think his athleticism and physique deceive one into thinking he's another Viera type whereas as yet he hasn't really shown a lot.

Just my opinion which I won't put 'humble' in front of, lol; otherwise, there'd be no fun in debating.

But we're all Evertonians.

There were signs today that he is looking to take on more creative responsibility within the team, and I think that he's capable of making major contributions as an attacking player, which I wasn't initially convinced that he had the skill-set for.

One little side-note for the talent-spotters on here; Afonso Moreira – who wore 90 for Sporting Lisbon and played as a left winger in the second half. My first sight of him but I wouldn't be surprised to see him have a very good career indeed and maybe even end up playing at the very top. Reminded me of Bernardo Silva.

Let's just hope for a barnstorming win next week so all the differences are forgotten.

Once Dyche bought Doucouré back in from Lampard's frozen aisle, he was a revelation. The crucial massive away win at Brighton was engineered by his blistering goals early on in the game to make the upset a reality.

The belief that win imbued in the team and fanbase was massive. Not as massive as the unexpected 3 points were though.

Then last game of the season, a turgid match, Premier League survival hanging by a thread. Who stepped up with a thunderbolt to save the club from relegation? The reborn Doucouré again.

In terms of footballing ability, I think Onana has the edge out of the two. I hope he comes of age this season performance-wise, with the impact on games his talent affords him.

With weakness in the striking department, we certainly need midfield and defence to step up. With McNeil likely out for the first two or three games, we need the rest of the team to step up. Garner certainly has quality of delivery, it needs midfield runners to get in where it hurts and give more thrust to our play. UTFT.

I mostly agree with your match assessment bar Iwobi who I thought was awful. He constantly gave the ball away and his centres were either under or overhit.

Garner's an outstanding prospect and some of his forward passes were outstanding. He can certainly see and make a pass. His free kicks were poor, though, and he needs to work on those.

I'd have liked Branthwaite to have been on from the start and was surprised Godfrey was selected ahead of him.

All-in-all, a good workout with a lot of plusses bar the late injury to Tarkowski.

I can't read the Daily Mail, so don't take notice of anything it has to say.

Garner is a genuine prospect. On the Onana debate, I would like to give him time. I get his current flaws that others call out, and he is not the finished article. But he is young.

Worried about Tarkowski. Without him, we are down to Keane, a misfiring Godfrey, an unpredictable Holgate and maybe throwing Mykolenko in the mix?

We've done this before with young prospects, who suddenly fall from grace very quickly.

However, coping in our defence compared to a more settled team or club are two different things.

Gueye is the consummate firefighter and ball-stealer and was right at the top of the lists in the league last season for tackles and interceptions etc.

Onana looks to be the best young talent in the team. He can do a bit of everything and is hard to stop when in full flow.

Doucoure runs for days and looks like the only option likely to score.

Garner looks neat and precise and a battler. Dyche clearly likes him. Could he play the No 6 to let Onana, Gueye or Doucouré roam? Not sure his positioning is strong enough yet having not played that role much.

The difficulty is that none of them is really a No 6. All like to roam around but Onana may have the best talents for the role.

Another possibility is bringing Iwobi back into one of those central roles (so that we can get another goalscorer into the wide attacker role). I know some people were slagging Iwobi off for yesterday but, even from the highlights, I noticed that he put in a good cross for the volley Doucoure really should have scored from, exchanged nice passes on the edge of the box with Onana who then hit the post, and put in a nice ball that Maupay headed wide from 7 yards out. He might easily have 3 assists and continues to be one of our only players who creates chances regularly.

My advice to all. Have no expectations other than survival is success. It's reality to the squad we have. Getting on the players' backs or the manager's will harm the club. If ever we all need to stick together as one, it's now.

Although a friendly, I was fairly pleased with what I saw: we have the basis of a steady, solid team. We look tight and organised at the back. I think Gueye and Onana stood out as the best players.

It's pretty obvious we're lacking creativity, width and someone to play those killer passes. I'm hoping that might be Danjuma but that remains to be seen.

What's clear is that no-one else is coming in before next weekend and it concerns me that we've focused all our time and energy getting Chermitti over the line, and he's not a player who's going to make an instant impact. (I see Kudos to Brighton is a goer, he's exactly the kind of player we need.)

We're a couple of injuries away (Calvert-Lewin, Tarkowsky, McNeil) away from disaster though and it really highlights our threadbare squad. We have no-one who can impact from the bench.

Garner – I'm still not convinced, Iwobi frustrates, Gomes is not the answer, Dobbin looked lost yesterday and we still haven't found a suitable role for Maupay who I actually thought played well despite always coming deep and playing with his back to goal.

Finally, why do none of our players break through the lines? Why wasn't Maupay spinning off the shoulder of their big slow centre-back? Iwobi was static on the wing.

We need more pace, more directness, more drive. We need to be braver and gamble more, but obviously it's the way Sean Dyche has set them up to be safe, compact and patient, and I guess we just have to trust him.

1) Long queues and a 20-minute wait at the gates as the turnstiles were broken.

2) A proper free-for-all as we were then told just to go through (not 1 of my 5 tickets were even looked at).

3) Similar waiting time for half-time refreshments despite being there from 3:30.

4) The young gentleman who eventually served me picking a scab from his neck, inspecting it, and then informing the queue that there were no pies at all!

Welcome to Goodison.

As for the game, it's quite clear that Iwobi can't play on the left and Garner is wasted on the right. As for Onana, words fail me. Potential is one thing but end product? I'm not sure we can carry potential in our current state. It's going to be a long enough season without waiting for him to ‘realise his potential.'

One final highlight for me was early in the 2nd half when Maupay made a fantastic tackle on Gana as we threatened a counter attack. Maybe the reason he has struggled so much up front is because really he is a defensive midfielder?

No personal gripe, but I hate it when people say others have said things that they haven't. I remember it happened to me during one Covid debate and a few “very sensible people”, started believing that I'd said things that I hadn't quite said.

I made a mental note, just like I did when Dave said he thought Bracewell was okay, but not as “outstanding” as some saw him. By the way, don't get him started on Howard Kendall the manager (he loved him as a player) or this thread will reach about 1,500 posts!!

I still think clubs will come in for Onana, and it wouldn't surprise me if Dyche, ends up agreeing with Dave. I don't think we should be selling any of our better younger players, but we will see…

While we haven't lost any of our pre-season games, the lack of goals is still prevalent in this squad.

I know we are short of money but, with only scoring 34 goals last season, I thought all our effort and what money we had would have been used to buy a decent striker. But we have only brought in Ashley Young on a free and Dunjama on a loan.

Our leading goal scorer from last season, McNeil, is likely missing for a couple of games and our 2nd top scorer, Gray, is on his way to Fulham. We have 4 midfield players who very rarely score and Iwobi as one of the attackers has a very poor goal-scoring record.

I know Dyche has said he is looking for more attacking options, so I can only assume that it's the lack of funds that has stopped him adding those attackers already.

I think with Calvert-Lewin coming back from injury is great news; however, other than when he played under Ancelotti, he isn't anywhere near prolific.

I would hope Dyche keeps hold of Cannon as he is the only other forward on our books who could possibly fill in for Calvert-Lewin if he gets another injury.

Ominously, Dyche has not had Tom Cannon involved in any of the pre-season games since the training camp runout against Stade Nyonnaise last month.

There was some brief talk of him being out injured, then he was spotted at a Preston game when Everton were in action (very odd, imho) – which would perhaps make more sense if the other rumblings turn out to be true — that he is set to return to Deepdale on loan for the season.

A daft move if we are again left short of strikers, but the runes would indicate that he is not in Sean Dyche's plans for the coming season. Perhaps Rob, Jeff or Gary could jump in with something more definitive?

Interestingly, Brian, although not quite prolific, Calvert-Lewin benefited that season when Lucas Digne was playing. When he wasn't, Dominic struggled.

Get the two on the pitch together, which didn't happen a lot last season, and I can see benefit from McNeil's delivery to supply Dominic.

I am not sure if Cannon is still injured, and I agree I found it puzzling why he would turn up at a Preston friendly when Everton were playing that night.

I guess we will never know what discussions Dyche and Cannon have had, and if he isn't injured, why he hasn't had more game time.

Obviously Dyche didn't fancy Simms so he was sold, and we have sent a few youngsters out on loan already and it looks like Cannon will be loaned again to Preston.

I am beginning to wonder about the culture to young players at Everton: Branthwaite given a choice would have stayed at PSV if all rumours are correct, and Price decided to leave. Maybe we just aren't producing the quality of youngster that's needed or maybe there isn't a pathway to the first team for them and therefore they prefer to go elsewhere?

I think that's worrying for a club with little money — if it can't produce its own in sufficient numbers, how do we survive?

Chermiti is coming in who is a more similar profile to Calvert-Lewin than Cannon who is off to Preston for a loan which will be great for his development.

I think the player development culture is improving at Everton although we haven't really committed to it as a club.

I'm not surprised Branthwaite quite fancied the idea of staying in Eindhoven, playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies in a team that plays exciting football.

I wouldn't read anything into the departures of Price or Simms because neither are anywhere near Premier League players at the moment, especially Price.

As for Cannon, it looks like (I hope) a safe assumption that we'll have Danjuma, Calvert-Lewin, Chermiti and AN Other possibly when the window closes. That leaves Cannon very unlikely to get minutes, let alone games, just at the point he really needs them. So that is probably a case of player development in action.

As for the situation with Onana being discussed on the thread, his is a bit of an enigma right now. Doucouré and Gueye are more effective because of their energy and application, albeit both are very limited footballers and find it difficult to control possession even against very weak sides.

Onana and Garner are better footballers, definitely (I really like Garner). Whatever we all make of Onana, it's pretty clear that other clubs and the Belgian international side rate him highly and consider him a Champions League type of player. That might be his problem at Everton: we don't play a Champions League brand of football that he's geared up to.

I expect prime Busquets would have looked lost in our midfield last season. Probably best to assess his development at the end of the coming season, rather than off the back of the mess of the season just gone.

You are correct: I don't rate Michael Keane. How many fans do?

But you are absolutely wrong that I have never given him any praise – check up if you can – that also applies to Iwobi, another I don't rate. I'm in good company over him, by the way. When he's played well, I've said so. It's not so much he is a poor player, it's because he is a bluff merchant pulling out of tackles he has every chance of winning.

At least, Jeff, you don't say I make ridiculous comments because I don't agree with your assessments of players.

And for what it's worth I totally agree with you about Iwobi, I'm not Keane's biggest fan either but he's had some decent games in his time here, again apologies for saying you've never praised him when you obviously have.

As for the ridiculous comment (not by me), I think that was OTT as I know you're a knowledgeable poster and debate is something you enjoy without any personal remarks going back and forth.

Sadly, the club have done nothing to rectify this situation as all the centre-backs at the club for many years have been naturally right-footed.

As a result, none from Keane, Mina, Holgate, Godfrey and Coady have been totally successful. Only Tarkowski has been highly thought of; he too is right-footed. So young Branthwaite could be the answer, unless of course we are silly enough to sell him.

No apologies necessary, Jeff, I think we just had a sensible debate about our team.

1) A better performance, and we look defensively solid apart from when teams counter us.

2) The midfield lacks goals and creativity.

3) Iwobi and Garner are not the answers on the wing.

4) If Calvert-Lewin picks up an injury, we are immediately going to struggle.
5) Patterson is a great athlete, but he needs a lot of development.
7) Sign Pedro Gonclaves.

We need a centre-forward, creative midfielder, centre back and winger. But, not need to panic as Bill is at the wheel to steer us through the coming months.

"We look tight and organised at the back. "

Really? We should have been out of it after 10 minutes.
It reminded me of the Bournemouth cup game. We were all over the place yesterday, that's what worried me.

Not the lack of fire power, but the defence side of the team, which is a Dyche strength, was non-existent. We play like that against Fulham and we won't get away with it.

Sure, he is prone to the odd mistake, isn't very quick, and has other minor flaws to his game, but he's dominant in the air (at both ends of the pitch), is comfortably our best passing defender (especially long passing) and, with a complimentary partner, I still think he has a great deal to offer.

He's become a popular whipping boy on these pages, but he's a good footballer who can still be a good defender at Premier League level for at least another 4 or 5 years. He could do with being a bit more aggressive and physical, and hopefully Dyche is a good manager to instil that attitude back into him.

Fans are quick to forget his Crystal Palace contribution. If fans stay off his back, he's easily good enough to have as cover and competition.

Godfrey may still become a good centre-back (only if he finds those no-fear tackles we saw when he first came), but Keane is likely first choice to step in if either Tarkowski or Branthwaite hit issues. Not ideal, but we have far more pressing needs.

He's just not quick enough and turns too slow. A good pro who's given us decent service, not a moaner or complainer, always tries his best and pops up with important goals.
I'd much rather sell Holgate.

Branthwaite must get his chance though. What does it say to the other young lads going on loan if he doesn't? It says:
"Go on loan, be a success, have teams begging to sign you, and you still don't get your chance!!"

If other loan players see him getting his chance, then surely that's extra motivation for them on their loans to think, "If I do well, I'll get my chance."

No-brainer for me!

I will never forget his goal against Palace, which was arguably the best goal I've ever seen scored by a central defender (Jagielka's at Anfield? Keane's had a lot more skill, class and composure for me) but I like central defenders to be aggressive, calm and commanding, and these aren't things I've ever really seen in Michael's game?

Let's hope we bring in a few bodies to give us a proper squad. I'm afraid after watching the pre-season games: where we are going to score goals???

I don't think West Ham have signed anyone.

They signed a young lad from Cliftonville, probably paid a pittance, but it was something.

What I posted is moot now as it looks like we've got Chermiti coming in. Here's hoping for a few more.

Chermiti deal looks like it's done

Young is free.

They are not the big bucks headline-grabbing deals of the past wasteful years but these shrewd deals could mean we have the money to spend on the areas we need most, like a wide player, striker and creative midfield player.

We all know most of the transfer business happens towards the end of the window… so sit tight, lad, and hold your breath,