No new manager bounce after Watkins goal

COYB!

What I hope may change is some of the patterns of play, allowing a bit more width, getting the full backs forward more frequently. Lets see.

Perhaps Dyche picked the team????

That "rumour" re Tom Canno is on X apparently formerly known as twitter.
On evertonnewsfeed...all one word.
There is a thumbnail picture of Tom applauding, open that and that is it.

Have to say I'm disappointed with the team selected.

Any hope and optimism has gone out the window.

How many wins do we need to stay up? 8??

Disappointing team selection but no surprise really. The attitude and use of the ball will be the big thing.

Uninspiring; let's see what unfolds. Hope the players are all up for it!!

Let's hope he's given them some attacking freedom or it's a total waste of time changing the manager.

I just hope the usual culprits start to play!

Anyway, great news our new signing will be Tom Cannon – the guy we just let go! You couldn't make it up.

It's the team that Dyche would have picked; it's got to play differently or this will turn toxic very quickly.

I'm hoping to see a good game.

I suspect if he sees the same dross from Duocoure, he will bring on Lindstrom and maybe move Ndiaye to the Number 10.

Let's see if he does anything before the 70th minute though.

That's rubbish, Izzy.

I think Mykolenko is having a poor time but the alternative is the 40-year-old Young out of position.

The alternative to Harrison is Lindstrom. Hardly inspiring. This is what we have. It's what we do with it that matters.

Leon Osman said on the BBC that we could well lose the next three games, and he's right. For me, the turnaround needs to start on 1 February at home to Leicester. Any points gained between now and then are a bonus.

(Just kidding, but yeah – if fortune favors the bold, then our league position is no surprise!)

Then I think we have a good month with the Manager having a lot more to look at and choose accordingly.

This team may yet surprise with the "bounce" in the meantime?

There is a case for playing 3 at the back to improve our width but Mykolenko isn't the best going forward and young doesn't have the legs he used to.

A Reaction from the players would be nice, I'd demand it if I was one of the senior players. Let's show Dyche we are decent footballers capable of stringing passes together. Intriguing to see if it goes long as much as usual.

But I must admit the selection has lowered the mood a bit. It's hard to see how the intent can change that much when we still have the same slow paced full backs.

Anyway. Goodison under the lights with a new(ish) manager in place. COYB!

Uninspiring and borderline stupidity to expect different results with the same team that got Dyche the tin tack

We are going to need a big effort and a big slice of luck to get anything out of tonight's game; let's just hope the Villains are off the pace tonight.

Ndiaye is not a winger so push him behind Dom and drop Doucoure, who has stunk the gaff out for a while now.

Do something different to try to change the outcome.

The more things change, eh.

He offers nothing.

All our errors come from him.

All he does is pass it back.

Get him off.

Get rid of him.

More crosses than we've seen in a long time and we've had chances. We've conceded a few chances too, though.

The player limitations just don't go away though. That first head of steam dissipated with a poor infield pass from Mykolenko and two cheap concessions of possession by Harrison – all 3 leading to shots and corners. Then we had Young's brainfart.

Some positives. Hopefully we do see some changes too.

And Mykolenko has shown he can cross a ball now that we have players in there to cross to but Harrison has done little other than hog the right touchline. We have seen Calvert-Lewin have a couple of chances but the ball just wouldn't drop right at the most important moment.

Encouraging.

Not much of a new manager bounce as yet – do Everton players do that? Fingers crossed for us pulling off a win for a change.

It's times like this you want the next match ASAP to see who's in and who's out and how the game plays out…

Absolute rubbish, and an embarrassment to the team and all the fans.

Onana — obvious Red Card. Clear Penalty on Either Mykolenko or Calvert-Lewin. Referee so poor.

Villa are a good side and we didn't get the rub for any luck. Moyes must be going even greyer looking at this lot. The work required in this window is massive.

I love the guy and have been behind him all the way but that was terrible tonight.

Calvert-Lewin should've scored at least twice but TBH we should've had two penalties for the one incident. If that'd happened to one of the big 6/7, you'd never hear the last of it.

Anyway, Rome wasn't built in a day. The big question is whether we're a Rome that's under construction or one that's in terminal decline prior to extinction…

Very worrying performance, it really is shaping up to be the season from hell.

ALL HAIL THE MOYESIAH

Same formation, tactics and personnel.

Effort and commitment yes. Quality, no.

We've underperformed a bit this season but not by much - especially given the small squad and run of injuries. We're one of 5 poor sides.

We need to buy some quality pronto.

Different day.

All we have left is hope.

A couple of chances fell our way but Calvert-Lewin again seemed to get himself in a mess when a good chance came his way but we seemed in the second half to lose any pattern, intent or composure.

Again I cannot see any consistency in the refereeing and some of it looks just plain cowardly when Gana gets carded for playing the ball albeit sliding and players in a headlock or pushed in the back at corners is totally ignored.

A disappointing second half and I hope we see more improvement in the near future but some players just seemed lost particularly Harrison in the first half and Lindstrom in the second and oh for a clinical striker.

Sadly that's the difference and has been the difference ever since we sold Lukaku in 2017.

It's no real surprise that we've struggled to score goals in virtually every season since then.

DCL needs moving on, the relationship has run its course now, the injuries he's had have killed him too, but he never has been clinical enough anyway.

We need to get moving in this window, I'd be looking to get at least three out and at least three in.

We actually got men in the box, we played with more intensity and tried to utilise the wide positions. If we can just stop giving the ball away in stupid positions...

Calvert-Lewin has proven once and for all that he's rubbish and will never be an effective striker while his arse points to the floor.

Let's hope he clears off in the next few days, I'm utterly sick of the sight of him.

The reality now is that we are a poorer side than we were back then. I don't see where the five plus wins we need to stay up are coming from, so we should prepare for the worst. Whatever happens, the fightback begins in August.

Problems all over the pitch. Good effort from the players but I can't fault their effort this season. There is so little quality and zero confidence. Moyes needs to source goals from somewhere.

If we can't greatly improve on that starting 11 in the next two and a bit weeks, it's 2 from 4 for the drop, and we will be in the bottom 2!

Are we really that bad? Yes!

Gueye is dreadful. He was nowhere to be seen when they scored. Mangala adds a bit of steel. Harrison and Doucoure offer nothing.

We need signings in this window and the sooner the better. Not the last chicken in the shop on the 31st.

Young also offers little in an attacking sense. I expect changes for the next game or I expect people will quickly get on his back.

I expected very little after seeing the starting lineup and two keepers on the bench – seriously, what is the point if that??? Underwhelmed…

We need to be moving in a new direction and I'd be disappointed in the new owners if they think hauling more cash at him is the answer.

Remember, Moyes and Dyche already have relegation on their CVs, as do many Everton players.

I'd have sacked him at half-time.

We need Garner, McNeil, Iroegbunam and a couple of new signings for Sunday.

Other than Lindstrom, the substitutions made no sense to me. Maybe Moyes needs more time to figure out his best team?? I would have brought Patterson and Armstrong on for the last 15 instead of Young and Gana and pushed Doucoure back.

What is clear is that we need some influx of quality soon and hopefully somebody who knows how to find the back of the net because we cannot buy a goal at the moment.

Young, Harrison and Doucoure should not start against Spurs.

20 games in, 15 goals scored, 3 games won, barely scraping above the Bottom 3 with a shit load of horrible-looking fixtures on the horizon.

I don't want to put too much blame on Moyes but he should have made some changes, the usual suspects Young, Doucouré, Harrison and Calvert-Lewin were just terrible and the rest not much better.

One of many things I don't like about Moyes is his reluctance to make early substitutions when clearly the game is not going your way but, true to form, he left it far too late.

We desperately need some incoming players that will give the squad a boost because, if not, it's going down to the line once again this season.

Downwards.

He brought on two fresh players with 8 minutes to go… unbelievable.

I thought there would be more aggression and 'in your face' attitude. There was no sign of it.

As a long-term Palace fan, I know a thing about bad strikers! But Calvert-Lewin is really up there with the worst, Everton must have somebody else they can play, a youth player? Even the tea lady ??

The lack of quality is what is killing us from midfield to forwards. Shocking, huff and puff and that's it – something has got to change. McNeil is being badly missed – would we ever have thought that?

If there is any truth that Richarlison would be willing to finish the season on loan to us, we should try to make it happen.

Spurs next up and more of the same awaits…

Up front with Calvert-Lewin is a reminder of how poor we are. He's shot to pieces and offers nothing. He's not alone though and we're dropping deeper into the mud because of our poor recruitment and coaching over the years.

Wolves and Leicester both lost so hopefully Ipswich can make it a perfect treble to ease our pains.

People and characters like Baines, Jagielka, Carsley, Cahill, Osman, Arteta replaced by basically snowflakey type players that seem devoid of any braincells let alone fight.

Wasn't Baines there to tell him that Doucoure and Harrison are shit?

The definition of madness, doing the same thing over and over expecting to get a different result. So Moyes picks the same team as Sean Dyche would have.

Good one, Davey.

It might be necessary to sell Branthwaite if we want to strengthen enough in the areas we need and stay within PSR.

I think we would be lucky to get £50M for him now though and his form would need to improve for a number of months before he'd regain any value he's lost this season.

So it's a bad time to sell!!! But we need funds.

The advantage would be to sign enough quality to see us stay up this season and build for the future. If we sign quality with potential resale value, then the likelihood is in a couple of years, when the breach catches up with us, that any points deduction won't see us relegated as the team will be performing well with the capability of getting 50 points in a season.

Or alternatively, players are bought after a successful 12 months with us and we sell for profit meaning no breach of PSR anyway.

Does Moyes talk to him? Probably not, I wouldn't blame him.

Ndiaye's Stats:

Pos PL Goals Assts

Centre-Forward 48 10 12
Attacking Midfield 32 7 2
Left Winger 20 3 1
Second Striker 17 8 3
Right Winger 8 1 1
Left Midfield 7 1 -
Right Midfield 1 - -

Why wouldn't you make an attempt to invigorate the crowd when they're your best chance of knocking Villa off their game?

Why would you wait until 82 minutes before trying something different?

Why would the something different involve an extra central defender?!

Also, has anybody noticed that we need creative, skilful players? We've got one playing out of position at right back, and he's not very good at it.

What a thoroughly miserable, depressing night watching Moyes get wrong exactly what Dyche has been getting wrong all season.

Learn fast, Davie, or get out.

Pickford
Patterson
Tarkowski
Branthwaite
Young (left back yes)

Lindstrom
Armstrong
Mangala
Gana
Ndiaye
Beto

Try something a bit different

Maybe we're just cursed!

Time to use the rest of our squad and give our young lads a chance!

However, it would be churlish indeed to criticize him after one game. He will have learned a lot tonight, mainly what a task he has ahead.

I'd agree with that team except for Beto, his first touch and general timing is dreadful. Calvert-Lewin for all of his misses, is still our only option up front at present.

Even with a fully fit squad, I'd say we are still three signings away from safety. We were asleep for the first half hour tonight, but there were encouraging signs second half.

Ndaiye looks great twisting and turning people and appears to be a class act, probably our best player. But he still rarely delivers the final killer pass and often hangs on to the ball that bit too much, when the layoff would be the better option

It's just bewildering… did nobody on the staff happen to mention that this hasn't worked all season and, if it had been working, you wouldn't fuckin be here, David!!

After 30 plus years, I should not allow this kind of thing to surprise me anymore, but I still do. And will again.

I' m with you Mr Kenrick. Stealing money, and he thinks he's better than us!! Been getting away with it for years.

Phil 111 sums it up... Calvert-Lewin 'for all his misses, he's still our best option''. Lord Help us.

There's an earlier post which made me laugh, admittedly ironically, but laugh I did.

When you have a "best" first eleven where at least five of them are simply not good enough, you can have any fucking manager you care to think of and we wouldn't be a better side by any more than a couple of percent.

So Moyes picks the same team as Sean Dyche would have. Good one, Davey.

So tell us what team would you have picked that would have done better than the one picked?

He'll do a lot better than Douche.

Moyes presently hasn't got much to play with but he's a very cagey manager and you don't score goals by being cagey.

Dominic has got to score with at least one of those chances tonight, and Brainthwaite has got to be better, because he gifted them a great chance in the first half and also started the move for Villa's goal tonight simply because of a lack of concentration.

Central defender gives away a goal and centre-forward misses two gilt-edged chances. Fine margins and when you are down you are often on the receiving end of these fine margins, but the lack of quality isn't being helped by our lack of confidence.

We have got to sign a couple of players urgently.

What were people expecting, formation- or selection-wise? There was never going to be sweeping changes.

We pressed higher up the pitch; the game-winning goal and Villa's best chances came from forced errors. We were trying to play more on the front foot and mistakes were made. It happens.

Haaland went 8 or so games without a goal, even surrounded by City's wealth of player choices. Arsenal had 49 goal attempts (pre the Spurs game) in 2 games and scored once!

Calvert-Lewin is not at an elite level, but he's been chasing his own headers under Dyche for 2 seasons. His ballooned effort is the only one that I can complain about today. The left shot is weaker foot at a tight angle. The goal-line clearance had the ball drop very slowly behind him. Keep putting these chances in front of him and he will get some goals, but as I mentioned, he isn't Haaland or Isakor Jota.

Also, anyone would think we've been scratching our heads for 24 months wondering how we don't win 3-0 each week. A change of manager wasn't going to magically turn us into a winning side.

The stats show we matched Villa today for possession, passing and defensive work. I'll take that over the "sit back and defend the ball" tactics we've had for the last year.

I watched the highlights again, Calvert-Lewin's first-half effort the defender took the pace off the ball, before the other defender cleared off the line. But he should have buried the one near the end, even though it was bobbing when it came to him.

I'll give Moyes the benefit of the doubt since he's been here for all of 5 minutes, but those claiming to have seen improvement on the pitch today are squinting through some seriously thick rose-coloured glasses.

One of the commonest feelings among Everton supporters was we had a poor squad and needed some new players brought in to improve the team and squad. Today's game showed what a difficult job any Everton manager will have without new players added.

We never got blown away and Pickford never had to provide difficult saves to keep us in the game, plus the new ruling that appears to be given to referees, that fouls are only to be given outside the penalty area, inside the area it is allowable.

Today's game we hope, showed Moyes what changes should be made and not judge him, it will take 4 or 5 more games to make a decision of whether there is progress or not but, as they say, the clock keeps ticking.

Patterson at right back, Armstrong wide right to start with. Moyes said we need to score goals, well pick some players who look like creating them then.

Not Young and Harrison down the right side, Young cannot get forward, he's too old, and Harrison… does it need spelling out?

Unless we get in at least two strikers, I think our 70-year spell at the top level will end this season.

But it was obvious that the 'same players in the same positions' were actually in different positions. They were further forward. Both with and without the ball. Sometimes they were even in the opposition box...

I thought it was a big effort by a group of players who are below the level of their opposition but still capable of more than they've shown this season.

I don't want to put too much stock in a losing effort, but if we are braver then we will score more goals. And we were braver.

I'm still surprised we didn't see Patterson. It felt like that game was made for him, particularly late on when Villa sat deep and we had men in the box.

Moyes did a near perfect impression of Dyche, except even Dyche eventually realised Patterson had to come on for Young to start putting some crosses over.

But Moyes chose O'Brien. Absolutely clueless.

Maybe Moyes will make changes for Sunday but I have no confidence in Moyes making the right ones. We may well be in crisis by next week.

This was the game to make the subtle changes that would make a big difference. Young, Harrison, Doucoure out; Patterson, Lindstrøm, Armstrong in.

When Royle came in for Walker, even when Dyche came in for Lampard, we got an immediate response. Tonight we got nothing, and could have been two down in minutes.

I am horrendously worried tonight.

He's basically turned up for work on his first day and made the same errors that got his predecessor the sack.

That, if I'm being honest, was as bad as anything under Dyche. I was gobsmacked when I saw that side before the game. It's obvious Doucoure has struggled all season, it's obvious Harrison cannot play on the right, yet Moyes put the same square pegs in the same round holes.

In 9 of the last 11 we've failed to score and, if we persist with that formation and personnel, I doubt we'll score another goal, let alone win a game.

Unless he gets a couple of players back and at least 3 in, I honestly think we will perish this season.

These players don't look like it hurts them enough, they don't seem bothered when we concede, no fight, no bottle, no urgency – it's the same lazy lethargic football.

I don't think these players realise how serious this mess is, it doesn't hurt them enough.

It really is unforgivable.

Just who exactly? Who would come to this omnishambles?

Same team that Dyche would have chosen, it did not work, we knew it, Moyes now knows it. We move on and learn.

Give the new Manager time and show some patience!! How were you lot in our first day at work in a new job?

If you don't know that you need to bring Patterson on to put some crosses over, you should not be in the job.

Moyes should have at least changed something to stamp his own idea on the game prior to kick-off.

We haven't got the time or games left to mess around. Get the players in on Thursday and change the game plan, that is the whole idea of recruiting a new manager.

Apparently Calvert-Lewin isn't the only striker to miss chances, would you believe it?

Personally, I was gutted as pre-match I'd been advocating for 3-5-2. I couldn't believe we sent out the usual 11, in the usual formation.

As soon as I saw that set-up, the result was ominous. I still can't believe this shite. Unbelievable…

Same team, same tactics, same result. What did we expect?

Carry on carrying on with the same eleven players starting same like for like subs, two ‘keepers on the bench, very slight attacking moves, same unenforced mistakes creating chances for the opposition with one giving the game away, same late subs, chances missed with the one in the last minute really poor, last twenty minutes was like the Forest game not long ago with the players not wanting the ball passing the ball to each across the field when forward momentum was called for, well screamed out for, on the good side teams below continue to lose so we are still in with a chance if they continue to do so.

No blame on the new manager ———yet——it’s his first game, he did nothing nothing that the dismissed manager hasn’t done loads of times this season.

We need guile and plenty of it but doubt we have the players to provide it along with good passing, movement and wanting the ball instead of treating it like a hot potato.

One last moan——what the fuck is wrong with Branthwaite he hasn’t been the same player since he came back and loads of times tonight he looked, to me, that he didn’t even want the ball mostly giving it back to Pickford or whichever player gave him the ball and giving the ball away very carelessly and one which provided the winning goal for Villa.

“By the way, I can’t ‘magic’ all that to change, I just can’t do

Not a magician, but over the next few weeks he'll have to produce something that gives this club a chance to improve the goalscoring record this season and ultimately our chances of remaining in the top-flight.

Villa were a decent side but not out of this world, but they didn't have to be, in fact too many visiting sides don't have to be much better than ordinary to take something away from Goodison, as Everton are not really threatening up top. Just heard the commentator say that Villa haven't lost at Goodison since 2015, and Sunday's opponents Tottenham also have a fine record at our place in recent years.

We have to accept that we're not very good, and we'll experience more results like this before the end of the season, but it's those games against fellow relegation rivals which will ultimately decide our fate, it'll be touch and go, which we've known for quite some time.

Doucoure, Harrison and Dominic Calert-Lewin have been fairly poor for most of this season, and we can't rely on them to produce anything substantive on current form, trouble is nobody else will buy them from Everton in order for us to strengthen this team.

Tony #117, remember we have four "new" players coming back from injury, and three of them are starting midfielders, including our best attacker. I'm not sure we're going to sign anybody who will make as much of a difference.

Ernie #124, agreed. I thought we were more aggressive in this game than we have been for months.

Bill #121, I don't like that Moyes is here, but that's a perfectly sensible post.

Jim #108, I wouldn't take Myko off the pitch for Sunday. We were hoping some underperforming players would raise their game under the new manager. Myko certainly did, as did Tarks. Both had their best games for several months.

So surely could have advised Moyes to leave out the embarrassingly poor Doucouré, not under any circumstances start with the truly dreadful Harrison and rest Young and play Patterson?

There are other issues but Young, Harrison and Doucoure are dreadful and need dropping. There are other players who can improve these positions.

By the way, Dave, I was thinking of you when watching this: Chelsea/us 14-10-1967. Over thirty minutes of highlights. Some names in that team! Enjoy! (I won't tell you the result, but you probably already know it!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8L0mTjBi5o

The only criticism I've got of Dom tonight is missing the target for that last chance. It wasn't exactly an easy finish and he was past the front post when he connected, but he just had to hit the target from there.

Scuffing it over the bar is unfortunately the standard for a guy with limited technical ability in front of goal. That was his chance.

And on the evidence of a 0-1 defeat - even less defending.

The old regime was given one last chance - and blew it. Though why wait until the 82(?) min to go 3-5-2.

That said; we only have 18 games left - 2 Vs the rs (net 16?) for Moyes & Thelwell to get Injuried players ready to go, offload any they might want to, source any in comings, then shuffle the pack each game in the hope of getting an 11 that works...and that's without any more Injuries.

The Spurs game now generates even more pressure, though to be fair, plenty of pressure on Postacoglou too.

We win and it's Still P20 / 20pts. 1pt per game, which is too close for comfort.

It was stated on here 15+ yrs ago that Moyes did not seem to fulfil Napoleon's main requirement in a general...is he lucky?

Well let's hope he's got a bit luckier...(bank balance not withstanding)... we're going to need it - though that was always the case this season whoever was in charge

It cheered me up after tonight's game.

This has loads of old 60s/70s MOTDs.

https://www.youtube.com/@YeOldeFootballChannel/videos

Harrison looks absolutely devoid of all confidence, he could have been dragged off at half time everything he touched turned to shit.

Villa on paper have a better team than us with probably only Branthwaite in for mings but on recent form Branthwaite is a lucky lad keeping his shirt.

I didn't think villa deserved the win. A snide shit bag of a team with a shit bag of a manager which in todays football is sadly par for the course. A weak ref who whistled for anyone hitting the deck except for the clear push on Lindstrom in the box.

Only plus points, Moyes has seen first hand how shite Harrison, Lindstrom and Doucoure are. The hard bit is replacing them as the squad is threadbare. We need Garner and McNeil back asap.

Moyes has to get Ndiaye closer to the opposition 18 yard box. He is one of the few that have the hunger to win a game.

As bad as Beto is he deserves a chance ahead of DCL. The lad will run through brick walls.

Roll on Sunday for one of those early kick offs. It doesn't get any easier supporting the blues.

I could tell you what you are but my only concern is the team.

You should try it and suggest what needs to be done.

If you think that playing 3 central defenders is the way to get us out of trouble so be it but I will disagree.

Patterson needed to come on for Young to get down the wing knit play together better and get some quality crosses over. That is what Patterson does. O'Brien is a central defender and won't be getting down the wing much at all. No team needs 3 central defenders. It is ridiculous.

So bad was Moshiri and Kenwright's "management" of the club they owned and directed that we are still parlous on account of PSR bollocks when it comes to signing anyone.

In addition, Everton for years under those two divvies have been identified the world-over by rapacious agents and their nowhere near good enough players as the financial/contractual heaven they all dreamt about in their mediocrity. We're still in the possession of a notable few of them.

So, signings to improve us this month?

Dream on.

There's players to come back from injuries but they might not be match fit for a few weeks but they will offer the team more creativity and threat when they do get back, unknown whether there's going to be any players bought

Team for Spurs:

3-4-3 or 3-4-1-2

Pickford

O'Brien Tarks Branthwaite
Patterson Mangala Lindstrom Myko
Sherif Ndiaye Beto

We're currently on a losing run of matches where the team has offered little to no goal threat albeit marginally better this evening but still nowhere near enough threat so drastic measures to change our fortunes and the script.

Be brave Moyes and you might win some sceptics over, stay in Dour Davie mode and things will go south and sour in no time.

Right wing, centre forward and left back a weak link, as is Doucoure who struggles to even play a 1 yard pass.

If Moyes has learned anything from today, Harrison and Doucoure will not be starting Sunday, Mykolenko needs to get his finger out as well.

Overall I thought we pressed better got further upfield, but the build up play was way too slow.

Baring anyone coming in, I would look to play Tarks, O,Brien and Branthwaite as a back three
Play two wing backs to get further up the pitch, switch Doucoure for Harrison Armstrong and this might surprise a few, I would start with Beto and Martin Sharif as a two forward line.

He has Rob, hasn't he. Perhaps my biggest disappoint up to now in a disappointing season. It could be that he was suffering in a pretty bleak time, although he was poor again tonight. And perhaps dropping him will rock his confidence. One thing for sure; he will not be in Tommy's first squad. Another; Jordan will be and will start.

It’s not all doom and gloom yet, but it could turn that way very quickly.

It’s so uncertain, will we get three players in before February?

It feels like maybe this won’t happen, and if it doesn’t, we’re screwed.

Can’t see Moyes finishing this season, he’ll be dismissed too late, March/April time, and it’ll be up to Baines to save us.

This is all Dyche’s fault.

However, I remain confused as to why you so adamantly wanted Patterson when O'Brien filled the same role -- allowing Young to get down the wing, from whence he accomplished nothing. Maybe the right move would have been to push Patterson up there. But if you're expecting quality crosses from Patterson, maybe to Dom's head... it's a dream. I don't recall ever seeing one from him.

Dave #145, oops. O'Brien floated a lovely ball to Myko at the back post right on 90 minutes, and I thought it was his perfect ball to Mangala's chest for the deflected shot a minute later, but on consulting the replay I realized that was Tarks. Sorry.

Andrea #154, apparently we will get three and perhaps four players in before February. Their names are McNeil, Garner, Iroegbunam and Chermiti.