Missed chances cost the Blues

A later start than I wanted, as the remaining dog does like to sleep in. I met a couple of fellow Blues who sat next to me on the train when they got on. They had travelled from Milton Keyes and Northampton respectively. It sounded like a complex operation in comparison to my journey from Euston. Respect. 

I eventually got into the city centre in good time. The Northwestern was packed, so I headed straight to Goodison Park. I visited the Heritage Society in St Luke's and picked up a nice marble plaque with a blue Liver Bird on it. The Bird is Blue!! 

No coat, so me and my chips got drenched. I done my good deed and handed a portion to a lad sitting on the street shivering and wet. I went into the ground early for a change. Not many around. I watched the warm-ups and did observe that Brentford's was a lot more energetic than ours. 

For the first half an hour of the match, we played okay, but it quickly descended into a drab match between two poor teams. It had an inevitability about it. 

We had our chances and their keeper made a few decent saves. Pickford was more commanding and actually came out of the 18-yard box on more than one occasion. When Norgaard caught him, I didn't know if it was a red card at the time as it was down the Gwladys Street end. But, I knew he was hurt, and he's not one to stay down.

I didn't watch the highlights as I wouldn't want to put myself through that again, but I've seen photos. The player may have been going for the ball in a 50-50 but, if you go in studs up, catch someone on the knee, there's only going to be one outcome. Where I was sat was right behind the monitor, so I was watching the Ref and knew what was coming. 

I was sat right next to the very noisy Brenford supporters in the Paddock. At half-time, I ventured down for a drink. No queue. Bonus, so I walked straight to the front. Wrong. The steward smiled at me and pointed me to the queue. It didn't take long and it's better organised than other parts of the ground. 

I looked around at some of the memorabilia in the concourse and spotted one about Derek Temple. I was speaking to his son online, who was there yesterday.

Ironically, going down to 10 men seemed to galvanise Brentford. What does Thomas Frank do? He throws on two more strikers. Can you imagine?!! 

If Patterson and Dixon are fit, I don't understand why the manager isn't using them. They would provide more forward momentum on the right side. 

Branthwaite had a few moments, but then so did the rest of the team, but you see the class in him. He's rarely beaten in the air or on the ground. 

Ashley Young deserves credit. One our best performers at 39 years of age. Not for the first time recently. 

Mykolenko seems scared of going past the half-way line. I like him and he's a good defender. As some of us have discussed, I think he would be suited to playing in a back 3, but I doubt the current manager would set up like that. 

Where was the midfield? That was the shout from the increasingly frustrating supporters around me. I could understand it; we had no real shape. 

Ndiaye is probably the only player to come out of that with any credit. He tried, he pressed, but he had nowhere to go in front of him. 

Calvert-Lewin looks like he's running his contract down. I don't know where he will go. If he stays in the Premier League, maybe Newcastle, but he's already apparently had negotiations with them and they didn't like his wage demands. Maybe he'll go abroad. I can't see him as an Everton player next season. 

We are shot shy. The amount of times we got through, we turned backwards or sideways too often. There were a few occasions when McNeil was in. He's got a really good left foot, but instead of shooting, he passed to someone else. Chance gone. 

Those deep corners and free kicks are predictable. Literally into their keeper's hands. Change it, please. 

I didn't hang around afterwards. The journey home was okay. Surrounded by Brentford supporters, but on my table, I met up again with the Everton fans I'd met in the morning. As I always sit in the same coach, they said they're going to look out for me in future.

A few Evertonians travelling to Crewe were near us. One of them was battered. He crashed into his seat and cracked his head on the panelling, legs spread out on the aisle. I was a bit concerned, but I saw his hand move and he eventually woke up. I hope his mates got him home okay. 

On we go. As it stands I don't have a ticket for Man Utd, but if anyone can't make it, or doesn't fancy it, let me know. Either way, I'm up for Wolves. 

I hate being negative, but that was a tough watch. The manager is losing the supporters and it's getting more vocal. 

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