South Coast Blues

In a weird sort of way, watching Beto's 'goal' might actually do your heart some good. It was probably one of the genuine moments of quality in the game. If Haaland had brought down the ball and put it away as Beto did, they wouldn't have been able to stop salivating about it on Match of the Day. Maybe 2 inches denied him a superbly taken chance.

I felt much worse last weekend after the Fulham game. This weekend, I at least saw some “potential” for improvement from the players. I thought Gana and Mangala looked a good pairing and again Ndiaye offers hope. He was clattered early on and that obviously slowed him down but he remained a threat.

Not much else though until Beto's cameo and we probably got the result our lack of ambition deserved. One gripe I have in our defence was why was Beto's “goal” even looked at by VAR given that both the linesman and the ref thought it was okay and it patently wasn't a clear and obvious error, backed up by the amount of time they took to find a reason to cancel out what would have been a wonderful goal.

That said, whilst I'm not a massive Beto fan, I really do think that, if Calvert-Lewin is nailed on to leave us at the end of his contract, then he shouldn't be in the team.

It's not Everton's job to showcase his “talents” and he's not invested in our future. Drop him. It wasn't his fault we lost but we need commitment all over the pitch.

Dyche? I've had enough. That Toffee TV rant someone linked to said it all. We go out to every game frightened of the opposition. It's cowardice and it's driven by Dyche.

I also lost my way after the game, Danny, and walked through the main town centre, which was a lot more attractive than the area round the Yates's – maybe next year, if this fixture happens, I may treat myself to a nice lunch rather than a liquid one..

I'm in two minds re West Ham. It's our 25th wedding anniversary on Sunday so technically I'll get away with Saturday but I really don't know if I want another weekend “ruined” by Dyche's negativity. I'll still wake up on our big day upset if we lose but at least I won't “stink of ale” (her words...) and have a hangover…

I admire your non-stop positivity, Danny, and I know there are many more out there who go the game come what may, but my obsession is beginning to look like a big black dog!

Rather than end there though, I really hope Dyche has an epiphany and shakes it up. The inclusion of Branthwaite would be a start and three in midfield with three up top: Ndiaye, Beto and Lindstrom.

So sorry that you travelling Blues had such a long journey for such a poor result.

See you at West Ham where we will be congregating beforehand at The Wetherspoons Half Moon just down the road from Mile End tube station.

Being honest, if I was a young fan again, I'm not sure I would be travelling to watch the way we are playing these days!

Dyche might eventually keep us up but there is absolutely no enjoyment in watching us now. Dyche has to start listening to those who are criticising him.

The critics are increasing with every passing match, even when we get a rare victory or draw, with a poll on another website showing over 92% want him gone. Only 500 or so votes but it shows the mood.

Dyche is definitely treading on thin ice now. Watching Toffee TV last night and Ped and Baz were blowing their tops with just how poor Dyche is.

He has no tactical nous, his substitutions are like for like, he is too loyal to players he has managed or played alongside in the past.

In fact, you can almost read Dyche like a book, with his team selections, his line-ups, the timing of his substitutions, and who's replacing whom.

Overall it paints a pretty bad picture, but it's like a drug, we're addicted to going games, home and away. You give up your season ticket or away credits at your own risk, as there's no chance of getting them back.

No… just no. I told him to transfer it to me or we can share it, but don't give it up.

As Dave says, our away supporters are amazing. As I always say it's very easy to follow a team that is successful but it's a different kettle of fish to follow a team that is down towards the bottom of the league table. But reading comments from the lads who go to the away games, then even most of those have now had enough of Dyche.

I don't think he has ever understood Evertonians from Day 1, we just want to see our side try and play football and have a go at the opposition. No demands to win the league or a cup, as we know that takes time.

Maybe that's been one of our problems: we haven't set the bar high enough. Dyche never seems to tire of telling us that this club has been like this way before he arrived, and yes he is correct, but he was brought in to try and change that. But his idea of football and the fans ideas are miles apart.

We don't want to see every attack starting with a 40-yard punt from Pickford or Tarkowski. When we go forward, we want to see players being allowed to get into the opponents box and not just have 1 or 2 players at most in the opposition box.

We would like to see full-backs overlap now and again. But none of this will happen under Dyche, he is more concerned with preventing the opposition from scoring than us playing front-foot football.

I fear that, with Friedkin not getting the go-ahead till some time in December, and that coinciding with probably our toughest group of matches in the season being in December, we will be in the Bottom 3 – or even worse, rock bottom – before our new owners take control.

I currently have two toxic relationships causing me headaches, literally and figuratively: Everton and the drink. Each one leads me to the other. These days I get more from my pint of Guinness than I do from “that shower on the pitch”!

Actually, scratch that – it's not the players on the pitch that are the problem. It's the coward setting them up to play with fear against teams “even we” should be going for and at least scraping a win if not blowing away!

Short term fixes: obviously bring back Branthwaite – I don't care who for, he's our best defender (player).

Go three in midfield, preferably Gana, Mangala and Garner with Ndiaye, Beto and Lindstrom attacking.

Give Patterson a go and instruct him to overlap.

This squad is good enough for mid-table and some surprising wins if they're not sent out in fear of the opposition.

Nice one and let's hope for something better next week. We can at least hope.

Anyhows, I digress…

Another good day out spoiled by a game of football! I have two toxic relationships going on at the moment – the drink and Everton. Each driving the other. I drink and it makes me think Everton are still magic. I watch Everton and they drive me to drink. It's a vicious circle.

A lot of the points I was going to make in my first two attempts to post have been covered (Branthwaite's exclusion, McNeil's inclusion, Calvert-Lewin's inertia and, in a more positive note, Gana and Mangala bonding), so I won't add to those.

If Calvert-Lewin is deffo off sooner or later this season, then he shouldn't be near the squad, let alone team. He's not invested in our future so why should he be committed? I don't think he is.

I'm not Beto's biggest fan by a long way but he caused enough mayhem in his last two cameos to at least earn him a run in the team.

But none of the tweaks and changes will matter if Dyche continues to send out the team in fear of the opposition. We could've, should've won this game with a little more bottle but we lost with a whimper.

I've had it with Dyche. I felt depressed last week after the Fulham game and, whilst not as bad this week, after a slightly better showing, I still feel demoralised that our team has become the Premier League's whipping boys.

I was all for giving Dyche until the end of the season but not anymore. If we can't go at the worst teams in the Premier League, then we probably don't deserve to be in it. I'm terrified of kicking off at BMD as a relegated team.

Martin, I saw your request for West Ham, mate. If I hear of any, I'll get you one but I'm not going. It's our silver wedding this weekend and neither Everton nor the hangover is going to spoil it.

I hope we win and I hope you have a great day out, but I'm having a week off.

I don't think that I'm ready yet to go and watch them live again, I watched them on Saturday and it was really painful but at least the pain only lasted from whistle to whistle — not for an 18-hour day.

I've got all my bits for the bike now and need to finish it anyway.

Stay good and see you at the next one. Great to catch up as always. Hopefully get to meet Martin soon too. Top guy.

We'll beat them! 🤪

So here we are in a relegation scrap again… Depressing!