Brilliant low-block exposition by Dyche's stalwarts

The perfect chance now to finally play Harrison on his favoured left side and Ndiaye on the right, let’s see if Dyche has one ounce of sense and plays Harrison on the left.

Who's Will Ebb?

Everything crossed here...

Unbelievable miss.

Pickford and the massed blockers have been good enough… just.

Brendan, When Arsenal ebb out of the game Everton will ebb forward.That is the only time Everton get forward under Dyche, except when he goes gungho..

Actually the game is going the way of my initial post.Here's hoping.

I doff my cap to him and the players.

Wonder if they'll appear? 🤔

Brilliant defensive display and kept Arsenal at bay.

Delighted with that.

Pickford made some brilliant stops, but we snuffed out Arsenal's threat superbly.

Some of the refereeing looked a bit dodgy especially booking Pickford for kicking the ball away when the Arsenal player had just done the exact same thing.

Now to see how other results go.

Fair play it's a decent point given the circumstances. Can't knock today.

Agreed, the lad is hopeless. Every single pass goes astray.
He runs all day long but offers nothing.

Tell me anyone, can we cut short Harrison's loan and send him back?

….. and Calvert-Lewin failed to score. 😂

Why Doucoure was left on is beyond me, has he got something on Dyche or embarrassing photos with a Donkey?

Pickford was exceptional. Maybe letting Tuchel know he has to stick with the current England Number 1.

Well done, Blues, we need battling performances like this each week, but particularly this month with our fixtures!!!

They would have slaughtered us if we had played attacking football. Mykolenko was superb and I think criticism of Pickford should be a medically certifiable illness.

All of the back 6 were great and special praise for Mangala and Lindstrøm when he came on, we must get Mangala on the books. Branthwaite was monumental.

A great result but please, there's only so much we can be expected to take.

Always necessary to put in a great defensive display which was nowhere to be seen at Old Trafford – pity about that.

Pickford shows his class again and I don't see a better keeper in the Premier League.

Arsenal are just not going to win the title in my book.

Good point, a Dyche masterclass in the dark art of anti-football. Not what I always want to see but it will do for the rest of the season if we can keep grinding out results like today's.

The new owners may see things the same way.

He does not like it up 'em one little bit.

Gutted for the "Blues" who lost their correct score bets.

I'm convinced Dyche only plays him for his defensive contribution, but today I don't recall him heading any of those corners away.

The defence played their part but Gana Gueye and his work rate is immense for the team.

Great quip.

For once I have to praise Calvert-Lewin for effort going back but nothing worthwhile, as usual, from his main role up front. Subs brought on for once at a proper time giving them time to at least warm up properly, all to no avail unfortunately.

Thought Branthwaite, after his early blooper, played brilliantly and was our Man of the Match.

Fingers crossed that we see the Friedkins next weekend at Goodison.

Where would we be without Pickford though? MotM.

I understand the situation we're in, the finances, etc but at times it was embarrassing to watch. We're Everton, yet we play like a team that's just been promoted to the Premier League for the first time. Anyway, on the positive side, it's 4 points from 3 games in December and many were predicting almost Zero points from this tough run.

(Yes, I know that saying "we're Everton" doesn't mean anything in the modern game, but even so…)

I don't think anyone has ever questioned Dyche's ability to get this kind of result. It won't win many fans but he got it spot on today.

All played well except for the 3 players clearly not fit for purpose already mentioned enough times on here. Well done to the other Blues.

Word Perfect. I can't add to it. Saved me rambling. (A well-deserved point.)

Gueye is Incredible. My MotM.

We need to look for a proper all-round keeper next month who bosses his box.

Enough already with the comedy/click-bait comments. It's circa 16 weeks to April Fool's day.

I would like to eat those weasly words right now. He was, as were the players and coach, superb.

All defensive but, given the quality that they give the defence, it seems impossible that we could go down.

They'll lose fans though if they carry on like they are.

That's why I'll be glad to see the back of him.

Santa is certainly coming on cue for us Blues and delivering those presents: new ground, new owners, new manager (hopefully soon) and new players and football in the summer. UTFT.

15 points from 15 games, that will do nicely;, we are on track for staying up.

Grade One brainless moaning as usual at the start of the thread.

I was thinking of the folk who want him gone, dropped, or neutered.

Giving you a hug long-distance.

More than just today. He's been excellent for 3 seasons. And he will keep getting better for a long time yet.

That's 6 clean sheets in his last 9 games.

Keep an eye on Broja. If he can stay clear of injuries for a couple of seasons with that physique and pace…

Clean sheet intact. Job done.

It's probably not the game to have a pop at pessimists who didn't expect much. Our record v Arsenal is our worst record against any club.

Even when we've had great sides, we usually lose to them, so pessimism for this one was entirely rational. But the good thing about football is you get the odd pleasant surprise.

Apparently one assistant ref was an absolute disgrace and the ref (Pawson?) characteristically easily swayed by the home crowd. The remaining official was apparently praiseworthy.

A hard-earned and useful point but Doucoure is not a foot-on-the-ball play orchestrator, is he?

A promising 17-year-old playing for the U18s was mentioned as potentially not far off first team footy. Anyone know who that would be?

Answer that myself – Harrison Armstrong. I'm embarrassed to say I hadn't realised how young he is.

Over to you now, the new owners, I think you have made a good buy and that we have already turned the corner.

But it's a point in the bag against a decent team. Well done!

But what was Dyche doing against Man Utd?

However, we can not set out to do the same against all the top clubs. One goal against and we are totally screwed, unless we consider that a 0 -1 is acceptable rather than a heavier beating?

The current issue appears to be whether survival this season on the back of turgid dross is our ambition or whether we try to kick on now with a new manager. I know what my choice would be.

I just wish we could have defended like this earlier in the season.

You weren't exactly wrong. Pickford was certainly inconsistent for his first few seasons and the stats support this. But he's been much improved for the last 3 years or so. He actually started this season poorly but has stepped up over the last month or so.

A very solid point. One of the reasons Dyche was an excellent appointment for us is that he has a habit of grinding out points, even in tough games. Not sure that will be the limit of our aspirations in seasons to come but it may be enough for him to see out his contract.

Interesting to see TFG's decision on him.

I love Broja but Chelsea's price is probably more than we can pay?

Gueye's swansong for Everton is great to see though and hopefully more to come? What a buy he was for the cost.

Second half perfomance was immense from everyone, Dyche included.

When that's the tactics he employs against every team, top or bottom, all credit to the defence and Arsenal's poor performance in the last third. 🤔

When Oh when are the Pickford haters just going to shut the fuck up? I've been saying it for 2½ seasons now, he is a fantastic keeper and we are so fortunate to have him. Certainly up there as the best in the league.

The Pickford haters are the ones who booed Iwobi who is pulling up trees this season for Fulham, he has the highest decisive balls played in the final third this season in the Premier League, not bad for a team mid-table. Some people can't pick out a good player in a dysfunctional club, drives me crazy.

Doucoure will hopefully be sold in the window, I hope so, he is on top money but we need better if we are looking forwards. Come on, Saudi teams – give us an offer!

I wonder if the new ownership announcement the other day put a rocket up a few who have been feeling too cosy?

Pleased for Mykolenko today too who on his day can be a really solid defensive left-back. Just watched the Ipswich highlights, what I wouldn't give for Delap, he holds it up like Calvert-Lewin, runs at defences like Cunha, and can finish too, still really young too.

Have a day off mate. I don't think we should renew his contract if we have some money to invest into the squad but the hard truth is this squad lacks real quality, a team of journeymen apart from Pickford and Branthwaite. Dyche will get as much as anyone from them.

Let's just get to May and stay in the Premier League.

That's why we're on 15 points from 15 games and why we'll be on 38 points from 38 games.

We'll be shit against shit teams, decent against decent teams; today was one of those decent performances.

Give Dyche a bit of credit when it's due, he will and has kept us in the Premier League for potentially 3 seasons… name me another manager who could do the same with that squad?

I think you mean April 85 but we scored after about 30 minutes and Southall played a blinder, especially the save from Olive's header.

First 4 games = 13 goals. Last 11, okay let's forget Man Utd – Last 10 = 4 goals. The issue is now at the other end of the pitch. At least today it was not a profligate striker – we just didn't create any chances.

Bad news was Ipswich winning - but otherwise the promoted clubs are doing no better than the ones that went down last season and Wolves are in meltdown. We should be okay.

But someone answer me this: If we have had PSR issues, then why, all of a sudden, can we spend money in January?

Or is it we had PSR limits and then, in August, Moshiri did not want to spend because he was not going to get his money back and we had PSR space but just chose not to use it?

Roll on the Friedkins and what a way to greet them by lighting up the new stadium for the first time.

But as I said pre-match, these aren't the games that Dyche is being judged on. He doesn't have the resources to compete in these games so it's justifiable to hope for a 0-0. It's playing for a 0-0 in winnable games that will end his tenure.

Did you blame him for the thumping at Old Trafford? Mmm… I think you did.

How the fuck will we ever know how good we can be if we have a go at teams, when we never try?

Don't you remember the Southampton game and the West Ham game and the 10-man Brentford game when we had the chance to have a real go at them… but no — we just played the same old tactics: sit back and hope for a breakaway?

I would suggest it might have backfired.

Had we won that game, in which we, by the way, never went for a 0-0, we would be in an entirely different place.

I said we play exactly the same way against the bottom teams, when we should have a go.

Hopefully this clean sheet on top ofc the Wolves game will provide added confidence for the Chelsea game.

Many positives to take from this game.

We had the best chance of the game, wasted by Doucouré.

Give your head a wobble.

Did you actually watch the match? You won, I give up.

Don't get me wrong – a point I am extremely happy with but the lack of ambition from our manager is sickening.

I watched the game with my two lads and the only time I got out of my seat was to scream at the totally inept Doucouré waste the best chance of the game.

The ref. at the Villa - Forest game was awful and should be struck off. I hope he doesn't get another Premier League game.

The VAR was poor as well. Some things will never change.

I can accept the dour defensive shite away but, at home, Goodison responds to us being on the front foot and trying to win the game.

Good point away today but we are awful to watch in my opinion.

All that really matters is that we stay in the Premier League this season and, with our new stadium and owners, we can begin to put the nightmare of the last decade behind us.

The sooner Dyche is given the 'Spanish Archer', the better, we can't go on playing back-foot football forever, it's fucking embarrassing.

But, objectively, to keep Arsenal to nil – I think that was 12/1 with the bookies – is a minor miracle.

To think a front foot performance could have yielded more is, in my opinion, absolutely fucking stupid, thick, deluded, unrealistic, bollocks.

Of course, as a polite person, I would not describe it as such. Just to say, you are entitled to your opinion, which I think is absurd.

UTFT. Well done to the Ginger Messiah.

But I'm too polite to say it. I rest my case. 🤣😂

Don't you realise that this is the way we will stay up? It's not pretty but it's practical.

And frankly, I don't care if I'm entertained this season, I just want to stay up and go into the new stadium as a Premier League club – it's so much more important than playing well and getting beat.

Great point today and yes, may we put shit teams to the sword at Goodison, like Wolves.

I know he had a brief good spell with Burnley before going down and bouncing back but, if it means getting a couple of good players in January as a result of not having to pay him off, I think we will see the season out – and may, just may, surprise some folk.

As I say, don't read this wrong because I am not pro-Dyche… but we might never know.

I'm not his biggest advocate but credit where credit's due for today. Hopefully our new overlords won't pay too much attention to ToffeeWeb.

If that was the only time you got out of your seat, you obviously weren't among the throngs of travelling Blues roaring on their feet throughout the last 15 minutes, bringing the lads home through sheer volume and mass will.

They were magnificent.

Not trying to be controversial but who was the last Everton manager to play on the front foot even against the "lesser" teams?

I remember even Carlo saying "I am not a magician."

Lampard perhaps… but I never really figured out what Frank was trying to do.

Hear, hear!!

We haven't scored in five of our last six. That's bad. But we've kept a clean sheet in four of our last five. That's good. The teams that can't defend are the ones that tend to get relegated come season's end.

Let's hope we can do the same against Chelsea and Man City.

If the seat you "got out of" was at The Emirates, then fair play to you, well done for travelling all that way with your lads and I respect your opinion.

If it was in your living room, I think you should consider winding your fucking neck in.

I also would prefer having Beto starting in games like this, he makes his own chances. Calvert-Lewin just doesn't look arsed to me.

My “team” was the '63 lads. For others, it's the '70s.
Others are the '80s. Regardless, we just have to hope we get professional businessmen in to run us and appoint the correct people.

We have a long long long way to travel to get back where we belong. Let's just get through this season, get rid of every player out of contract, though I'd keep Virginia, and start afresh next season.

Great point, however earned, today!

Pickford was outstanding today: I have always had concerns about him dominating the box, but – fair play – he looked well up for this game, and his mental focus seems very sharp.

I am beginning to think the home game against Chelsea might not be quite the daunting prospect it first appeared to be a couple of weeks ago.

They've got to be the favoured two going forward in the middle.

Branthwaite was lucky another glaring error was not punished. Physically he looks below his best at present.

Mykolenko once again performed well nullifying the threat posed by Saka.

Our three central midfielders worked themselves almost to a standstill to see off Ødegaard and Rice and their replacements.

Plainly we lack quality going foward. Ndiaye can dribble and is industrious tracking back. There is little evidence however he is more than a £17M player in terms of an end product measured by shots, passes or crosses. But he's the best of our wide attackers.

Calvert-Lewin is still by some distance our best centre forward. Broja was unconvincing today. He will hopefully benefit from his half-hour on the pitch but it is too early to suggest he is anything like ready for a place in the starting eleven.

Today we were up against an expensively assembled squad with quality players in every position and on the bench. Well done, Sean Dyche and his band of loanees and end-of-contract journeymen, for grinding out a draw.

Doucoure in particular must be world class at Finch Farm because how he's keeping his place is beyond me, the man hasn't got a clue how to pass a ball how to trap a ball or how to strike a ball – and please don't say the Bournemouth game because that was one he got lucky with.

Mandala and Gueye carried him and Harrison today even Ndiaye showed them how to kill a ball in an instant, something Bambi could never do.

Once a new gaffer comes in, he'll see right through the likes of them two and the innefective McNeil and, given time, get a DoF who can spot a player because Thelwell sure the hell can't.

Harrison, Beto, Lindstrøm — all poor poor players. And let's not forget his pursuit of Che Adams and Gnonto – my god, how would anyone think them two would improve us is beyond me.

Good post.

The journeymen brought the jetsetters down to earth at (I was almost going to type Highbury!)... The Emirates.

A couple of points from the next two difficult games and this would be a very pleasing return from a run of games that was always going to be testing for us.

You should be writing a regular column on here.

You have the "gift"

Michael/Lyndon...sign him up!

Please do not reply, this message comes from an unmonitored email. Rate our performance here

8/10

Maybe that's how the show with the cat worked out... but it's not real life.

Reasoned, balanced opinion. Yes, out of place on here, but just what we need.

They don’t have Sean Dyche as manager right?

But some go there and get beat 5/6 -0

Sometimes us,

today we didn’t.

Apart from the last, they are teams who go toe to toe with everyone these days.

I bet you were on the Live Forum giving us shit!

“a good, honest,well earned point”

Perfectly put by someone who was there today….thank you,

Watched the full 90 on my dodgy stick ,ok,not the full match day experience. but more than a lot who comment on here without watching the full game or even 20 minutes .

I remember Marco Silva trying to have a good go at some of the better teams, and I can also remember Martinez sometimes trying to do likewise, but those performances have been few and far between over the last 30 years since Joe Royle's Dogs of War didn't give a fuck for anyone.

With this manager, we will continue to just sit back and hope to nick a point. How we have fallen

As a someone who is lucky enough to be able to attend every game I am more than privileged to share my thoughts in the comments section. More than that might be seen as overstaying my welcome if you know what I mean!

For the record I’m not anti Dyche. I think he worked wonders at Burnley, did what we needed here and don’t advocate sacking him but I do reserve the right to criticize if I think we could have done better in various games.

I love that scouse thing...even when they are agreeing with you...you think they want to throw you off the top balcony.

I can't complain however. When I was in last in Liverpool I was told with my accent that you could tell someone "you loved them" and it would come across as a threat.

"Possession Martinez" not for me...Silva may be one we let go too early.

Not sure where that post came from other than the the last time in Liverpool I enjoyed it so much. Apologies.

Personally I’d keep him for the foreseeable

I see it "in the round"

Not many of us get everything right...but if we get enough?

Reality EFC. 4 points, still half the month to go

+ We always win a Christmas game

COYB

I'm putting a tenner on the "Grumpy Old Man" category. Does "Crooks" have one or two "o's"?

Tosser category?

I currently hate watching Everton away from Goodison, so I mostly choose not to. I know that it's very different being at the ground, surrounded by thousands of fellow supporters, all of them getting behind the team and being happy if the team comes away with a point or three, sometimes, regardless of the overall performance.

I also realise that Everton staying up this season, is particularly important, because it's the final one at Goodison, and we need to be in the top-flight in order for the new owners to have some breathing space to assess and decide what they want to do with the club.

How we played today should perhaps have been employed in our last away fixture at Old Trafford, and we may have gotten something from that match. How we played today, is probably how we'll play in our next two fixtures too. Should we employ similar tactics at home to Forest or the other sides who have more pace and ability than we currently have?

How or when do we begin to edge our way out of what seems to be this necessary but settled style? We won't be getting too many better players in the next twelve months, we may not even get a better manager than Dyche to achieve what is deemed necessary, but my word it's the very essence of functional football.

Whilst gaining a point a game achieves the overall objective, how long should we refrain from asking for a little better?

The new stadium won't automatically alter our footballing abilities, and there's nothing to say that we won't be taking the pragmatic route for quite a few seasons to come. Some will accept that as a price worth paying, I'm not at all certain whether I'd agree with them, as at some point we'll have to begin building a team that can play a little more expansively than it currently does.

Keep it real.

Thinking or indeed expecting us to lose...doesn't mean someone is happy if we do.

I'll say what I see week in week out.

With all due respect I don't need you to tell me to keep it real.

Some just don't know what supporting is all about.

You have the likes of Bournemouth and Palace and other supporters who know they'll win fuck all year after year yet they get behind their team, their club week in week out and then you have some, who probably never even go near Goodison, who relish being negative and just decrying anything positive.

I thought you would argue if the donkey had the right jockey and was fed organic carrots & went 442...it would win.

It's ToffeeWeb... it's only opinion. I hope Everton can always win but I'm not always confidant.

People post a lot of shit but they do not want Everton to lose any game nor do they relish when they are correct when we lose.

Doesn't make them less blue.

All told, a great defensive display. A couple of dodgy passes by JB nearly let them in, but nothing was getting past Englands number one today. Ok, our offensive movements were minimal, but let’s be honest, not many teams will go to the Emirates and attack them. Not many teams will go and keep a clean sheet either.

DCL ran his nuts off, but yet again as a lone striker, got nowhere. Mangala and Gueye provided great cover in front of the back four, restricting Arsenal to only about four or five shots on target, three of which were brilliantly kept out by JP. Thought Broja looked decent again, getting a good thirty minutes or so run out. Pity he can’t play next week. Couple of good runs by Ndiaye in the second half ultimately led to nothing, but at least he is prepared to take his man on, unlike Jack Harrison, who will not be missed if he returns to Leeds next summer.

So another long day comes to an end, but a good day all round, with a result not many on here expected or predicted,…………4-0……..😁😁😁😁

I really hope in the years ahead we can build a squad capable of competing on something approaching equal terms with the best clubs. We are way off that at the moment; in fact in a much worse position than we were eight or nine years ago. Making the best of the limited talent available is why I think Sean Dyche is the manager best suited to guiding us through these tough times.

If your son was a car thief and you worried he’d get caught does it make you a bad parent if you tell him so? And a good one if you say “carry on lad” then he comes home with a stolen car and you celebrate his success? You can be supportive in terms of wanting the best without blindly accepting everything that transpires without second guessing it.