Another poor Everton defeat in third pre-season friendly

Lets hope we see a better show today.

He must have a knock.

Not great to start the season with half-a-dozen or so injured players out of our 'threadbare' squad.

Talking of which... O'Brien makes it 25 who I believe are all over 21, and this is the Premier League max. That's excluding Alli. So there will need to be some exits (Keane, Holgate, Maupay, Calvert-Lewin?) if we are to have any more incoming…

Really glad to see Iroegbunam and Ndiaye start.

Centre back pairing is the best that we have. Made up.

MK: live forum?

He missed out on the Cup Semi-Final verses manure.

Would love him here, just the type of central Midfielder we need!

http://evertonfc.com/live

Although it may present a challenge to some: you need to be an Official Member or Season-Ticket Holder, you need to be registered online, and you need to be logged in.

Now you wouldn't have thought, in this day and age of Artificial Intelligence etc, that that would pose a problem…

And Paul, just for you: Live Forum

Plenty of seats available!

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Have you registered?

Then try logging in with Username and Password.

And less of the giveaways....

Totally. He was through. 1-0 Everton! 😉

Somewhere else!

Nah he's just a Billy big bollocks, always struts around thinking he's Beckenbauer but in reality he's a Championship clogger.

At the other end, Ndiaye fed a nice enough ball to Calvert-Lewin but his shit was not strong enough to beat the Coventry keeper.

Ashley Young has stunk the gaff out. Too slow to defend the crosses from the tricky Japanese winger, can't pass the ball 10 yards to a team mate, and when in the 6-yard box, hit a hopeless pass out of play.

Hope to God he's not in the starting eleven versus Brighton.

At least we know what to expect!

I think Young will be in that starting eleven. Mykolenko looks like he may need more time?

I hope Seamus is okay because that doesn't help the chances of Ashley riding the pine for that match either.

They have been playing Campbell at left-back in preseason and he doesn't look ready. Am I missing someone?

We all know these games are about preparing for a new season but why do all those other teams look so much better? And why some of our 'stars' (Dwight and Dom mostly) look so out of it, it's embarrassing?

Only the new guys are doing something, hope they don't start to play like the old ones.

Garner has tried I have say.

He's not going to a bigger club than Everton, I'm quite certain of that.

If someone does come in for him like a Newcastle then he's a bench warmer.

Then again, Newcastle aren't a bigger club than Everton.

They also seem able to get from their defending third to their attacking third with fast one or two touch football with plenty of players in space to receive the ball.

If you feel you are at your PSR limit of Holgate insults, I can trade you straight up for Ashley Young comments, allowing each of us to reset and stay under the PSR limit for insults.

I think that's how it works.

I like the guy but one one-on-one with the goalie he's about 1 in 10, not his strong point.

Awful arrogant air about him and he's also shite.

We'll be heavily reliant on Tarkowski and Branthwaite to perform like they did last season.

I don't think he's playing tonight?!

I'm telling myself that it is a reserve back 4 and it will all improve!

Strolling around like this won't win games. Coventry look miles ahead in fitness and preparation for their season.

But I quite like the look of Iroegbunam.

Dycheball is not the way forward. Headless chickens ahead of skill.

56th year, same old shite. No, I take that back...we've sunk even lower than that.

On the positive, Tim Iroegbunam MotM. Great couple of saves from Virginia.

Meanwhile... Calvert-Lewin worth £30M? Not even 30p.

You can see why Dyche thinks we need Gnonto: pace, the whole team lacks pace too.

Hopefully the lad Lindstrøm can add punch… well, he's gonna need to really, isn't he.

Virginia somehow keeps it at 3-0.

It's a pre-season friendly, and they're clearly not playing at full tilt. Grow up, for fuck's sake.

They don't look up to Championship level yet.

Not sure if this was a typo or just an accurate summary of our fellow:

"Then, Garner fed a nice enough ball to Calvert-Lewin but his shit was not strong enough to beat the Coventry keeper.

Only Joao Virginia comes out with any credit.

And now the sound has gone on the stream after buffering all night. Amateur hour.

It's going to be a long season. Buying level 2 players on the never never will end in tears.

Surely you must feel like smashing your laptop to pieces?

We'll finish next season in the top half. Watch.

Friendly or not, it's embarrassing! 😡😡

Nothing changed, we know you're not a Dyche fan.

Probably only 5 of that team will be starting in our first game?

So Dyche took him off for a headless chicken.

Fuck off, Dyche. Clueless.

I'll sleep on this one on the way home.

Enjoy your bile. It must be such a novel mood for you.

Dyche is going to get players fit, try players in positions to see if he likes them, experiment, etc.

It's not a pretty scoreline, but it means literally nothing. Look for individual performances, not scorelines and tactics.

Pre-season. Try not to go apoplectic.

Full-backs non-existent attacking and not great defending. Wingers poor and unable to beat their full-back. Calvert-Lewin with a few bad misses, Doucoure and Beto looked like they had never played football before. Tim was good and Jimmy not bad.

I know it's pre-season but the lack of creativity and a cutting edge is concerning. That said, we looked sluggish and nowhere near match sharp. Dixon again impressed.

If you're pissed at Dyche, or wondering where any points will come from after this game, maybe try a few things?

Read a book.

Go for a walk.

Pick up a new hobby.

Try knitting.

Take on that project that hasn't been done but needs to be started.

Hug your wife.

But the performance was terrible. No patterns of play, no quick movement, no overlapping fullbacks.

Just passing backwards and then long balls. We start the season in 3 weeks.

Don't care about the score, but it would be nice to see us trying different patterns of attacking play...

As usual, we'll have to put a lot of hope into the new signings. I like the look of the young midfielder from Villa though.

Coventry and Salford were probably preparing for big challenges ahead and they did it properly. Defeat should never, ever be acceptable.

They looked very comfortable all evening and dominated the ball. Very hard to take anything from this. None of our starting back four tonight can surely start v Brighton.

Pains me to say but Seamus, for all his inspiration, just isn't the answer. That's the nice bit — the other 3 just aren't at the races. Lad from Villa looks half decent, the rest huffed and puffed.

This lot plays like the Lampard team or Dyche's from last December to April.

What is the matter with Everton?

Goals win games, and this team once again looks like it will struggle.

Special mention to Graeme Stuart of Evertontv who wins the 'most stupid comment of the night award', after Calvert-Lewin misses his second sitter of the night after 30 minutes:

"It doesn't really matter, it's preseason, in two weeks time, he buries that."

Really?

Dom not arsed, midfield lightweight, defence slow.

Doesn't bode well if we don't get some players back.

For all his noise, Beto plodded around like a donkey and did nothing to pacify his detractors.

I have similar feelings to Kunal, and think we will have a decent season, but there is always the worry that what Ian Edwards says might end up happening, so let's see what happens before the transfer window closes, and hopefully we start getting a few of our better players fit.

We know that Dyche will have barren spells next season but also put sporadic winning runs together, like he did prior to Xmas and the back of last season.

We've lost two players in Onana and Godfrey that were not game changers last season; we've brought in some quality in Lindstrøm, O'Brien and the young lad Iroegbunham who I think will be a real star for us next season.

Hopefully we'll add a few more before the window closes and resolve the Calvert-Lewin situation one way or another.

Plenty of positives as it stands… it's a better squad than last season.

What did we learn from that?

We ended up comfortably safe with 48 points.

It's unlikely to be much different this season. It will be mostly scrappy, we probably won't play a lot of beautiful football and there will be teams below us who look more exciting. So long as we keep getting the points, I won't mind too much.

Hopefully one day, in our new stadium, we can aspire to better things but currently our finances and playing resources require a more pragmatic approach.

Which might explain that well-spotted typo, Kieran. Gave me a good laugh. I think I'll have to leave it there now and just try to dodge the hate bombs!

They looked like they had lots of hard training in their legs and it's possible that had an effect.

Most of them players have never been able to pass a ball well or had a good first touch. That hasn't changed; let's hope their fitness does.

Pickford
Coleman
Tarkowski
Branthwaite
Young
Garner
Gueye
Doucouré
Harrison
McNeil
Calvert-Lewin

I'll put a monkey on it!

I say this with all due respect, you're not a person on TW I'd ever take issue with. Like ever.

I disagree. When I went and saw Everton in Orlando when they came to America, and before that when they came to Miami, I knew damn well what I was getting myself into.

You're not going to see the main players by and large. You're going to see preseason levels of effort, and experimentation by the manager. You're going to get a preseason experience.

And that's fine! But any fan going to this match knows damn good and well it's a preseason game, wins and losses aren't paramount, and you get what you get.

There's a reason stadiums are at 50% capacity prior to the season starting. Back ups, young kids, managers tinkering with all sorts of shit, rightly, so they know what they have when the games actually matter and count.

To suggest any fan was disrespected misses the mark. You know what you're getting into with a preseason friendly. If you pony up your moola for a preseason jaunt, the game itself might fail to impress. Just go and enjoy the day and experience, no?

We are a Premier League club, with supposedly Premier League players given football lessons by clubs far below us. It's been said but there was no structure, pattern of play, or attempt to do anything other than get fit.

Just how were they instructed to play? Because that was a half-hearted approach by everyone concerned. That had to come from the top: direction, instruction and intent. Because there wasn't any.

Yes, I know there is nothing on the game, but how do you choose your best 11? Where are the players fighting for their places? What identity are we forging? When will everyone switch on, game on..?

We are bringing in new players, ins and outs, it's going to take a bit of bedding in, I get that. But the poor underlying individual performances are not the only concern as they knit together, but style, desire and understanding, has to be given by Dyche. Bad day at the office for all concerned, should we be worried? Early days?

Hats off to Coventry, played like a team... oh and their last goal — nutmeg for both Holgate and Keane — would be funny if it wasn't.

I hate loosing and if you're playing knowing there is no tactics and half the team is injured and on hols, then spare the many pounds we have to pay out for a futile exercise.

Get a grip, Dyche and Thelwell.

How many players on the pitch know they're out the door and honestly don't give a flying you know what about how Dyche views them? They're playing to not get hurt to get a move? Surely that's plausible?

Look, no one wants to lose to Coventry 3-0. If that happened in the League Cup, or whatever the hell they call that thing, I'd be fuming beyond words. This is just not that at all.

Additionally, these rag-tag line-ups full of players that haven't played together by and large, won't "click" in the least. There's something very important about chemistry, and you won't find that in the third preseason game.

I understand the frustration, but there's been a few very over-the-top comments with little to no perspective of the landscape of today's game.

Apart from the odd seat, we packed that away section in an otherwise half-empty stadium.

A good number of Blues in the south-east corner. Felt bad for any of them that travelled any distance to attend.

We didn't look arsed. Coventry players wanted it more and chased and harried for 90 minutes.

Iroegbunham looked the best of us. Harrison and McNeil did a lot of running without really achieving anything. Calvert-Lewin went through the motions. Garner tried to dictate play but was either crowded out or went missing.

We never take on a man on the wing, (except the young right-back Dixon after 80-odd minutes). You see why we don't score many, always cutting back and passing inside.

Only Ndaiye looked to go forwards and he is very quick.

I kept looking across at the bench and Dyche was constantly holding his arms out stretched in frustration and looking bemused at Stone.

As I said to our lad on the way out (while he was complaining about his team Chelsea have stunk so far), it's only pre-season.

No offence Michael, just looking for the first rays of the new rising sun through the gloom!

Always grateful for a laugh.

I went tonight and was in with the Coventry fans and those all sat around us were shocked at how bad we were. They summed up how I felt - “Everton couldn't string two passes together”, “didn't dominate one minute of possession” “didn't create any real chances” and the general consensus “Calvert Lewin is utter garbage” - I thought he looked more disinterested than his usual level of lack of interest. Couldn't tell you the last time I saw him chase a ball down. Admittedly they played like it was their cup final they never had but I found it hard to largely disagree with them.

If a few of them played to be in the shop window - I would be amazed if even Marine came in for any of them!

Coventry City aren't exactly blessed with lots of spare cash, nor the financial rewards that comes with Premier League status, but that doesn't prevent them trying to play progressive football.

Give me Mark Robins over Sean Dyche any day of the week. Moyes, Allardyce, Benitez and now Dyche, when the hell will it all end?

If things don't improve, at least in terms of footballing quality, a final season at the Old Lady and the opening season in the new place will see many of us who expect to see a tiny bit of entertainment from an Everton side, regardless of the often cited, mitigating circumstances, walk away without a care.

It's so obvious that those who lead the club, from top to bottom, don't care about the crap they serve up as long as they keep their lucrative positions at an unambitious football club - who have stained the memories of the legends that once graced Goodison Park.

Look at the upcoming league fixture list and honestly tell me which of those games home or away that we are nailed on to win, given the paucity of chances that we'll likely create in those games.

Dixie would struggle under Dyche as would Lineker, Sharp and Ferguson. Dominic has never been good enough to lead the Everton side, he probably knows that himself, but the fact that Everton Football Club is relying on him to score the goals, for yet another season, is frightening and with Bambi Beto as his stand-in, it doesn't bode well for the future.

Still, it was only a pre-season friendly, results don't matter, you get nothing for winning them, do you? But what about performances? They do matter and so far this pre-season they've been scandalous.

I'll be at Deepdale on Saturday, I'm not at all looking forward to the game. I do hope that Everton aren't swapping places with tonight's hosts in May next year.

If Dyche was trying new formations, new roles, or assessing individual capabilities (which should be the case in pre-season stuff), then I would expect a few holes.. but in honesty exactly what did we learn from that, that we didn't already know?

I actually don't care about individual performances too much, but for me it's about how we want to play, where are the gaps, seeing who can step up and who can't.

But being played off the park? That shouldn't happen.

Even for pre-season we were appalling. We didn't care, didn't work and essentially just jogged around covering spaces while Coventry passed the ball around. Coventry, on the other hand, played like it was a big game. I can only assume they're further along in pre-season than we are.

I went with low expectations and was still disappointed. Calvert-Lewin, who I'm usually a fan of, looked like he didn't want to be there at all. Young and Coleman would be weaknesses in a Championship team.

On the other hand, Beto looked like he wants to make things happen this season. Garner is a decent player and Iroegbunam looks good. I especially liked the way he carried the ball forward from midfield.

It is important to remember that this was only pre-season, and we played without Pickford, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko and Gueye — meaning the entire foundation of our team was missing. However, you'd think the professionals on the pitch would show a bit more pride in themselves.

You are a calm head with an objective view - in a sea of recrimination.

I'll bet we get three points on 17 August (2024).

Pickford, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Patterson will certainly make us stronger, Gueye back in midfield and Onana's replacement Iroegbunam will strengthen the midfield, my main concern is hopefully we bring a centre-forward in.

I was very impressed with Iroegbunam, who holds the ball well and carries it forward.

Dixon looks very promising, so on a whole, I would not be too worried about the players, half of them will not get near the starting 11.

A centre-forward coming in will do for me. Forget Kalvin Phillips, I'm happy with our new number 42.

Go all-out for a striker and job done for me.

We were awful.

So, in a week's time then — once we're fit — we can expect to see a lot better from Everton. We can look forward to seeing fast, incisive forward play, movement from our midfielders and forwards (that isn't backwards), shots on goal that don't look like they've been hit by someone with an ingrowing toenail.

In addition, we can expect to see passing sequences of more than one, control of the ball where the second touch isn't a tackle, and an understanding between our players which looks a bit stronger than just having been introduced on the coach.

Can we? Can we? You'll excuse me if I don't hold my breath!

I hate Dycheball. I've a lot of time for him as a person and he's a good fit for our current clown show of a club. But he is a poor football coach with seemingly no intention of trying to play football or keep a bit of possession even against poor teams.

We optimistically believe every new signing will improve our first team and it goes without saying they will hit the ground running and be successful.

I'm not wanting to moan, but another average season playing crap football awaits.

In the meantime, I'm loving the brilliance, dedication, heart and fair play 99% of the Olympians are showing.

The football season can wait.

Coleman and Young should not be starting more than 10 games between them this coming season… and never at the same time. 32 in August. 2-year contract is a no-brainer.

Another freebie: Ricardo Rodriguez. Swiss International, plays left-back and left-sided centre-back. 32 in August. 2-year contract please.

I know there are signing-on fees and wages but it gives us breathing space, given our finances. We need to spend, the little we have, buying a striker and a speedy left-winger.

People say he doesn't get many chances but that's a myth, he bloody well does!! Plenty of them!!…

We need a goal scorer asap and I'm sure Dyche and Co are aware. Calvert-Lewin is always offside and isn't ice cold!!! Get Richarlison back or Broja or Lukaku!

What is Plan B again? I don't think Dyche knows either and they pay him millions.

“That's the aim of the game. We want to try and try and play but not showboat, I don't want any of that.

There's a fine balance to be had with some of the really good football and some of the slick movements that we saw tonight won't always be the case, we've got to try and find different ways of breaking down teams and look forward to that.”

Mark Robins on the Coventry City web page following the game against Everton FC

Despite my best efforts at distraction, it still hurts to be an Evertonian, although my oldest son and I can attest that emigrating to Australia 20-odd years ago has been reasonably effective at numbing the pain.

The results don't change but there are fewer people over here to torment you on a Monday morning after another poor result.

We are currently 11 hours ahead of the UK and I have also learnt that it's easier to sleep through a bad performance than endure the torture of the 'real-time' match experience.

Pickford, with a 3-man defence of Tarkowski, Branthwaite and O'Brien, with Patterson or Dixon as wingbacks.

Gueye, Iroegbunam, Doucouré as our anchor midfield along with Garner.

Harrison and McNeil attacking the flanks.

That's as far as I can go, Chermiti is our only hope, so if we can bring a centre-forward in, I think we will be alright.

Early start, in fact I got there too early and was sat in the Coventry sun, burning my neck. I was drinking Coke (the Cola type!) to get sugar into me. I met some very nice people and gradually the Evertonians started gathering in numbers outside the ground.

Then along comes Graham Stuart! Really nice touch as he walked past the Evertonians and stopped to take time for photos and selfies with the supporters. At one point, the Coventry stewards pulled him back as he'd missed someone out!

Let's get the negatives out of the way first. I'm never too concerned about results in pre-season, but the performance was dire. Coventry were sharper and we were disjointed. We just didn't look like a team. Sloppy passes and giving the ball away far too easily. And we can't expect Dominic to cut an isolated figure with little support.

For those travelling supporters, probably more than 3,000 of us, it was disappointing to see that.

Now, you should always end on a positive. That isn't the Everton team that will start the season. Pickford, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko and the new lad Jake O'Brien. I watched his interview on the way back. He says he likes to get forward and score. Fine by me!! And Doucoure doing his Doucoure his thing. Plus the new signings. We'll be fine.

Once the season starts, we'll see a different Everton. I think the midfield will be Garner and Idrissa. McNeil will find his form and Jack Harrison looked lively on occasions.

I can't make Preston, but I'll be at Goodison for the Roma match.

Jack #147, Coufal has never impressed me much, but Rodriguez would be a great get if we can pry him out of Italy.

Mike #141, to me, Coleman looked slow. I mean really slow. I saw it late last season and thought it was likely due to nagging injuries or fatigue, but now I really believe he has lost his pace.

Christine #131, I thought it was hilarious. They looked like croquet wickets.

Ndiaye and particularly Iroegbunam looked quality but Calvert-Lewin, McNeil and Doucoure looked yards off the pace and poor quality linking up as if they had never played together.

I will excuse the fact that they say they are fatigued after Gaffer's Days but there is no excuse for conceding 8 goals against supposedly vastly inferior opposition.

New man Iroegbunam is the type of midfield player I love, driving forward into space and trying to create chances.

Harrison once again cannot make a simple pass to a player running forward and stops too many of our attacks.

Coventry were superb and bossed it from start to finish.

I think that was harsh on Harrison, Terry. He was very lively and direct and put some good balls into the box, there was just no one on the end.

I go along with Brian W @143 and think it is absolutely imperative that Everton sign a centre-forward although we also need another midfielder and also a couple of fullbacks.

Key thing is development of Chermiti into something better than DCL.

I know you can never read (allegedly) too much into these pre-seasons, but when we are on the end of a three goal defeat, I must say it does raise a few questions. How many 'chances' has Calvert Lewin had, and fairly easy ones, but failed to even be on target ?

My own view is that he his the only forward, that we have got who is currently good enough to lead the line by himself right now, and this is the reasoning for my thinking.

With regards Chermiti, I have got hoes for the kid, from his appearance against Brentford, last season Robert, but going back to Lewin, and we definitely need better, than what we currently have, imo, if he his going to leave.

I am happy with the transfer dealings up to now, we lost some players at the end of last season through contracts being finished, we released some players and have sold a few in the summer so we still need three or four more players to bring the squad up in strength, a striker if/ when Dominic goes, a right back and another centre midfielder.

The results up to now are not bothering me but still very disappointing, especially if you were watching, I've bought a ticket for the Roma game, I might wait to see the team and subs. before I attempt to go to the game, I don't want to waste my time seeing loads of theU21squad on the day, I've seen most of them already and unless most of them improve I doubt many will reach the first team, Metcalfe I think has a decent chance but Dixon's pace will not be enough to get him there especially if he is going to be a good solid defender but I wish him well.

Anyway, to me it seems like Calvert-Lewin does want out. Some of the chances he's missed in these three games is beyond belief. Also getting caught offside, but one or two of those last night were very dubious, to say the least.

One clear offside, however, was when Ndiaye worked some magic to get into a scoring position and was just about to shoot when Calvert-Lewin took the ball off him.

The stand-out player for me though, was Tim Iroegbunam. He looks really comfortable on the ball, and could be an ideal replacement for Onana. Why on earth did Villa let him go?

So a starting eleven, that will be nowhere near the starting eleven against Brighton, are beaten by Coventry, a team robbed of a deserved cup final place last season. So what!!

The time to start worrying is if the first three league games end with the same result as the first three preseason games.

At least I saw another ground to add to my list.

I laughed when the full backs Campbell & Dixon came on to replace Coleman & Young. Wearing numbers 73 & 75 they are one less and one more than the combined ages of numbers 18 & 23 who they replaced.

Just a word for Coventry, they looked at it and might be a decent shout for automatic promotion after coming close last year. Their number 9 looks a right handful!

Our best hope is that Chermitti develops quickly or that DCL picks up from where he left off last season (he managed 4 goals and an assist in his last 7 games).

Whatever happens it's unlikely to be a goal fest this season but hopefully Tark and JB and Gana return soon and we remain solid at the back.

It's a preseason game, the sole purpose of which is to get players fit. The Championship kicks off earlier and Coventry will be ahead of us in the fitness stakes.

When Rob says that DCL wants out, that has to be a worry as fans who watch players week in week out can sense if there is an issue.

Holgate and Keane will not be lining up against Brighton and while they may not be sold, due to the lack of a buyer, they will not play many games in the season ahead.

I am hoping that the season ahead will be a break through one for the boy from Portugal and that he can become a regular.

You and Robert are a lot more interested in looking at players, and then forming an opinion of whether they are good enough and also good value, Sam, so what do either of you make of the forward who allegedly wants to leave Arsenal, who goes by the name of Eddie?

What did any of those pre-season matches achieve? I believe it rhymes with Speke Hall. The pattern we follow is crap pre season, dreadful start to season. The only exception to that was the Ancelotti experiment.

Now Seamus is out. Yup. That was worth it . Not.
Oh and for those who think he is great and doing an oh so wonderful job Thelwell still hasnt found us a goal scorer.
Hmmm. fart jam jar?

A big concern for me is that our entire first-choice back-line is injured. We still have a couple of weeks until the Kick-Off but there's little chance of all 4 being fit, never mind match fit, for Brighton.

Team has done well in the market so far but it's critical we now sign a full-back, preferably two, but a right-back at a minimum. This was a high priority before Coleman's injury, now it's simply not avoidable. We can't put Holgate or Garner there. Buy a round peg for a round hole.

As for the result, embarrassing on paper but get 3 points in 17 days time and no one will even remember, let alone care.

Wonder if he could knit us a centre-forward? Calvert-Lewin and Beto (won't mention Maupay) are looking more woolly by the minute. Strewth.

Maybe we just need Liverpool's scouting network. They have a track record of endless goalscorers, and it's very frustrating.

I like Nketiah. But I don't think he'd suit Dyche's system at all as he's only 5ft 11 and not the strongest. Think he would struggle as an isolated lone striker (as would most players).

He looks a decent finisher but he's 25 now and has never scored more than 5 goals in a season (admittedly due mainly to lack of playing time). Could do well elsewhere but not sure he'd be an obvious fit for us.

I see we are linked to Boulaye Dia again today who has a bit more power to him and could be an option. Though I'm honestly not sure that any of these players are a significant upgrade on Beto, who is a very good fit (in theory) for how Dyche wants to play.

I read we have got some injury problems and neither Pickford nor Branthwaite have played any part and I don't think Gana has either. But my worry for the last couple of seasons has been who is going to score the goals, and last season only Sheffield Utd scored less.

We have added a centre-back a wide player and a midfield player but no striker, Calvert-Lewin is nowhere near the player he was under Ancelotti and I am not convinced Beto will come good. I think Chermiti looks promising but is only young and it would be a big ask to expect him to lead the line for most of next season.

So I ask… who is going to score the goals?

Impressive turnout from the faithful — we knew that would happen.

Team has not improved much in the few days since Salford —We knew that would happen too.

Coventry are a decent side. Their FA Cup performances last season showed that. I think they are a knocking bet to be promoted, but It was still worrying to see how far ahead of us they are in terms of fitness.

That said; I lost no sleep last night. The side which starts the season will be totally different to the one which ambled through last night's game.

This was just the latest demonstration of the lack of depth in our squad. The fringe players may be able to slot in for the odd game as cover, but they will not be good enough to compete, week-in & week-out, in the Premier League.

Disappointed, but confident we will see the required improvement come 17 August.

It's pre season, building fitness, plenty (whole back four) missing, but there are concerns. We need full-backs, cover left, first choice right. Sorry, Patterson isn't the answer, he can't defend.

We can't rely on Coleman or Young, they both had to consider a further year, they are both over the top now, deep squad cover only.

We have no squad depth, you wouldn't want to see Holgate or Keane on first-team sheet.

We have no youngsters pressing for a starting berth, save for the new recruit from Villa (who made an encouraging start).

The regular first-team players (Garner, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin) should be able to stamp a level of control; they can't.

No change up front, you struggle to see Calvert-Lewin or Beto scoring enough goals.

We have plenty to come back in, we really have to add more quality in some obvious places.

We will be very different in a few weeks time: fitter, full strength, organised… but this squad needs greater depth.

Whereas Coventry… Oh hang on!!

Why didn't he do it for the blues? Because of the AllarDyche football we play.

Ndiaye is going to suffer as James Garner doess with this type of football.

You watch other sides, they've got players that can make their own opportunity when service isn't at a high standard.

I suppose we had that type of player when we had Lukaku, Rooney definitely, Louis Saha was another one, even to lesser extent the likes of Tomasz Radzinski could fashion a chance with pace and hard running.

We don't possess with any of those current crop of strikers anyone capable of that.

I still think it's too early to make a judgement one way or another on Chermiti, I'm not basing too much on a few friendly matches, time will tell on that one.

An Avanti West Coast came in, so I jumped on. By the time the doors had locked, I was going in the wrong direction and ended up in Wolverhampton.

So, remedial reaction. I caught a train to Birmingham International and picked up a train to Euston that ironically went via Coventry.

Roma at Goodison should be easier. My sister is still insisting I cancel the Adelphi and stay at hers in Speke.

I don't see Beto, Maupay or Chermiti as capable of leading the line next season, so I agree with Tony A that we need to replace Dominic if he secures his move. Not sure we will though.

Full-backs are the priority for the remainder of the window.

Not just for our finances, but for his own sake. If he's still holding onto bitterness from when he's been booed before, that treatment will pale in comparison to what he's going to be on the end of.

He clearly can't be arsed, and above all, Everton fans prize effort from their players. If they can see him going through the motions during the season, it's going to get very ugly from the crowd.

I see it the other way. I think he is weighing up his options and will not sign for just any club simply to get away from this one. He's in a strong position. Almost guaranteed to start if he stays. This season offers him the perfect shop window, a great chance to show everyone what a fully fit DCL can do.

For the first time in a few years He goes into the season healthy. He has a manager who (unlike others) will not risk his career by asking him to play injured.

No club is going to pay full market value for a player they can get for nothing in 10 months. so unless we accept a really low offer. I expect him to still be here.

Despite serious injury, loss of form ( himself and his team mates ) plus the handicap of getting less chances than any of the other top forwards. He got stronger and found his form in the latter part of last season.

Even in a team that doesnt create. I fully expect him expect him to score 15+ goals this coming season

Relegation costs at least £100-150M, complete melt down of the club. 13th would be £15M more.

Based on Calvert-Lewin starting over Beto, it looks like he will start the season as Number 9 unless a good bid comes in. Talking £25-30M. Anything under £20M isn't worth accepting.

Obviously leaves Beto knowing he's not really wanted. Behind the striker who wants out isn't a great place to be and with Chermiti looking more likely to eat into his minutes.

I also think Beto may come good in his second season.

And then there's Chermiti. Only 20 but showing promise.

As said, if he stays fit, he's guaranteed to start. I'd rather have him for a season than not.

Coventry will be a more than decent team this season. We will be much better than this when the season starts.

When the season starts, it will be a very different Everton that lines up.

Calm the horses as they say. I said I couldn't make Preston, but I might try. Definitely at the Roma match. And then Brighton when the real business starts.

In fact, our best chance of a striker who scores more than 12 goals next season is Calvert-Lewin.

If we buy young potential, again the goal return (and overall play) might be found wanting — but over a period of seasons the player might develop into someone better than Calvert-Lewin.

Someone like Fofana at Chelsea is a good example. He isn't there yet, but he could become really good.

I expect him to go for around £20M plus add ons. We need to get someone in asap.

Our first-choice keeper still on holiday, an entire defence out injured, and several new signings still to turn up never mind try to fit in.

Still, fitting in might be easier if we continue with our "kick it down their end and try and get it back" football.

Having a player that wants away can be toxic and the way he has failed to contribute in the preseason games means we would be better served giving others an opportunity.

Robert @206 — I agree on Fofana, and I'd take him. I guess that we won't as they'll consider him to be too similar to Chermiti.

Looks like Abrahams is wanting to stay in Italy. He's a good goal scorer and might solve the here and now, but his injury record and resale value make it a poor long-term buy.

Looking at the stats, Abraham's goalscoring for the past 4 seasons is remarkably similar to Calvert-Lewin. Note he's also playing in a weaker league and for a top 4 to 6 club in that league. He's not completely isolated in a team desperately struggling to survive.

I put the stats on another thread recently to illustrate.

He's had a bad knee injury, which like dcl, he's struggled to get over - and why roma want to get rid id guess. He's still had 50 goals and assists in 113 Roma games, which ain't bad when you take away subbing off.

Neither is top notch and why probably they're being discussed. Seems to be a lot being linked with Ac milan, so it looks that's the start of the dominoes once they choose.

I'd prefer younger, more potential and less injury prone. Looking at the valuable strikers we've missed out - Boniface, Gykores, Zirkzee, Brobbey, Haaland - go Everton...

Ah here, you're actually playing with my head on purpose now :)

You have me doubting myself to the degree that I'm sitting up at night questioning myself whether I can be such a poor judge of a footballer. Hope to God you're right and I am.

I am usually optimistic, but seeing the same performance and ‘gameplan' as we saw in prior seasons is tough to watch.

It doesn't really matter if we sign a striker to replace Calvert-Lewin or not, we don't play the game in that half of the field so it doesn't matter who is there.

It's been a horrible dump for years now and gets worse by the day.

Either we get him to commit to a new contract; if not, we have to sell him and add to the money and buy a striker, because Beto is way behind Dom, and we'll be in deep trouble scoring goals this season.

You left off one other thing one could do, one.

It's not like there are a load of teams trying to sign him, We will be lucky to get £20M for him maybe a bottom-half Premier League team or a Championship team looking for a bargain.

And to think, last year, there was some on here saying he was worth £70M.

If you think Everton have been poor this pre-season, our ratings would still be higher than the Adelphi.

If you have not already booked, avoid it,;if so, see if you can get a refund, the rooms are outdated and shocking.

You have been pre-warned mate.

However, he would be a back-up striker for that sort of club (as he should be for us really) rather than first choice. Given the spending restrictions that have affected the market, it's more likely a club like this would pick him up at a discount in January, or free next summer.

The likeliest destinations this summer are, for me, West Ham and Newcastle. The fee would be around the £30M mark I expect.

But he apparently wants a minimum £130k per week — is any club going to pay him this? He simply is not worth it.

Fortunately my son will be home to look after the hounds or I might have to have smuggled them into Goodison.

Speke it is then, to be hen-pecked by my sister and cousins.

Regarding Roma, after everything you have been through, I think Speke would be the best option by far. Look forward to seeing you at the Harlech.

As for Calvert-Lewin, let's see how he performs when the real business starts. Ditto for the others too.

I don't think I've got much choice. My sisters and cousins can be very persuasive to say the least.

Don't argue with scouse women was a lesson I learned early in life!!

I had the same warnings some years ago from friends when I was visiting Liverpool but the place was fine; dated, yes, but clean and central and cheap, all I wanted for a couple of days.

Staff were friendly too and the place was mad busy 'cos there was a tattoo convention going on.

It is 30 years ago I went for a trade dinner and the story going around was one of the guys complained about his room so they moved him. He realised he had left something in his old room so they gave him a key to go back and opening the door he found a couple involved in horizontal aerobics.

Best thing that could have happened. Should've been torched years ago. Nothing other than a cockroach farm.

They're okay for the manager to try out new and young homegrown players; otherwise, forget it.

Everything was reasonably good, including the food, but the rooms were not exactly hotel quality that you would normally see... it looked like they just shoved everything into the room and left!

Never again though!

Fortunately I have no sense of smell, but daughter said it had a musty smell in the room and a bit of a smell of the Kop before all seating, asked to change rooms but other room was the same, got there late so had no option to cancel and look elsewhere.

I may have just been unlucky with the two rooms, but I will never stay at the Adelphi again.

So grown men used get the jewels out and urinate on the terracing. At least it temporarily created some space!!

Many years ago, the wife entered a competition for a week's free stay at Pontins in Blackpool (why, I haven't a clue).

Unfortunately, we won. We arrived on the Sunday. Let's just say that, by the Tuesday, we were on our way home. Absolute shit tip. Why people pay money to stop at them camps amazes me.

He will want a 4- or 5-year contract and, with every Premier League team looking at their PSR positions, he will not be an attractive buy considering his injury record and his pre-season finishing.

I think he will eventually realise Everton's offer is the best he is going to get and he will re-sign after the transfer period closes. I suspect he has been offered slightly better monies than he currently earns in a team where he will be first choice if fit.

He would be unwise to ignore that; a bad injury at the start of the season and that offer will evaporate — as will any other options.

£130k per week equates to just over £6M per year, obscene isn't it, so any club will be paying in wages what they would pay alone for a transfer fee, anything between £20M - £30M.

As you say though, his recent injuries may put off any suitors, but it seems like he has finally got over them. Calvert-Lewin has plenty of good qualities about him, is excellent in the air, got good ball control, both on the ground and even in the air, and does lead the front line well.

I agree his finishing is not the best, but used as a proper target man, he can create plenty of chances for teammates. How many times do we see him chasing his own flick-ons, when he could have a teammate doing this for him?

Used properly, Calvert-Lewin can be a very good player.

He's ours, he's always been committed whilst playing for us and has scored some important + iconic goals for us. How about we support him eh?

Coventry's midfield were the opposite of ours; fast, decisive, technically gifted, and brave.

I still maintain with decent supply Dom will score goals.

He doesn't get that supply and hasn't for quite some time.

And if Beto is the answer I dread to think what the question is.

I'm also a fan of Calvert-Lewin but, if he doesn't want to be here, then you can support him all you want but he's going.

As two clubs* have allegedly claimed that his wage demands are too much, then he will no doubt stay and walk away towards a big signing-on fee next year.

* Skunks and Hammers

Coventry where much better and braver than us. But are the players not good enough, or is it the manager's negative tactics holding us back?

Of course there will be a queue of clubs prepared to pay DCL 6m a year if/when he becomes a free agent and he will still be cheaper than most other forwards who cost a transfer fee.

From a club point of view, we want to sell him, if he is not going to sign, because If we don't, we will end up with nothing. The closer he gets to his contract expiring. The less we will get for him.

Of course he can sign new contract with us, or simply pick up the 5m he will earn between now and the expiry date running down his current contract.

The player has numerous choices and every one of them is fantastic

We need solid backing from people who are aware of the situation the club is in to put it back into a professional organization that would help bring in players as a stable operation.

I don't believe the manager's tactics were negative. Last season, we made plenty of chances. The problem was our lousy forwards failed to put enough of them away.

We have to get a better, more consistent striker than Calvert-Lewin.

He's probably the most cross-reliant striker in the Premier League. But sometimes a striker has to make a goal or two for themselves. Bend one in from an angle. Force their way past a defender. Can't always be about an inch-perfect cross onto his head.

Calvert-Lewin is excellent at winning 50-50s and holding the ball up but is not a clinical or natural goalscorer. We haven't had one of those since Lukaku.

When chances come in the Premier League, you need players to convert them and that has been our Achilles Heel over recent years.

I'm pretty sure Dyche doesn't say "Now, when midfielder A gets the ball, I want midfielders B and C to stop in their tracks and not give midfielder A an outlet so he has to turn with a sideways or backwards pass."

I can't quite put my finger on why we're bad in the creative side of things but every team that visited Goodison last season had a more mobile and quicker midfield than us.

He has spent so long concentrating on survival at both Burnley and Everton that actually getting his team to score goals is a luxury beyond the ambition of such a modest tactician. He could well be Big Sam's apprentice!

On the other hand he is, most probably, all we need at present — a manager who can deliver a Premier League team into the stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in just 13 months from now. Let's just hope Moshiri will have divested himself of Everton by then!

Add players from our recent history to Dyche's usual 4-4-1-1 (ish) formation and I think we'd be very good. Hard-working, but very good quality players like Baines, McCarthy, Richarlison, Gordon and Sigurdsson would all fit right in.

I'd be confident of finishing top 8 this coming season if we had those players in their prime in the squad. Add prime Coleman and Lukaku and we'd be an outside bet for the Top 4.

It doesn't matter who they play, every other midfield outplays us, link up with the forward line and find the gaps between the lines. Coventry made sub after sub on Tuesday but the outcome and the way they played was exactly the same. I feel sorry for Calvert-Lewin sometimes (granted he is definitely not the best finisher) as we don't have the ball for long periods and it's only a half chance here and there that's snatched at. If we played joined-up football, had a midfield that supported him up and around the final third I'm sure we would see more goals from him

Hopefully we can evolve with new faces and over the course of the next few weeks.

If Dom can time his runs better, he might see the ball a bit more and maybe get more chances.

You can have a go at players not giving him the ball or not putting him through, but until Dom gives players half a chance by staying onside, we might just fix the issue.

I'm at Preston Saturday and predict he will be flagged offside a good few times.

Andy Hunter in the Guardian:

In total, it is a tour of approximately 1,350 miles using Everton's Finch Farm training base as the starting point to each friendly. And that is just how Dyche wants it.

Everton's well-documented financial problems and ongoing uncertainty over the club's ownership could be presented as reasons for being the only Premier League side not to venture as far as mainland Europe.

The truth is more prosaic. Everton's manager believes there is more value in maximising training time, limiting travel time and replicating the challenges of domestic football during pre-season than sampling the delights of California or Tokyo, however lucrative or appealing to the club's wider fanbase that may be (there are almost 50 Everton supporters' groups in the US, so the audience is out there). And Dyche gets the final say. This summer, as well as last, when pre-season included trips to Tranmere, Wigan, Bolton and Stoke, Everton's small, interim board has more pressing concerns than global expansion, with a club to sell and a stunning new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock to complete.

Everton's homely itinerary has given Dyche time to enhance his taskmaster reputation this summer, if that were possible. After daily double-training sessions at the Dublin camp there have been double, sometimes triple-training sessions at Finch Farm. His infamous “Gaffer's Day” — when the players' mental resilience is pushed to extremes with two hours of non-stop running drills while Dyche stands on the sidelines laughing — came with a twist last week. Having kept the squad on edge over when “Gaffer's Day” would take place, he finally broke the news it was happening last Tuesday. An added bonus this year — but only for the Everton manager — was that the squad then had to do it all over again on the Thursday.

Everton trained on the morning of their friendlies against Sligo and Salford, offering a mitigating factor for their laboured displays. Dyche's priority at this juncture is “getting the sharpness in them” and building fitness levels towards the first game of the new season against Brighton on 17 August. But while pre-season results are secondary, and six first-team regulars were missing at Coventry, the Everton manager was perturbed by what he witnessed on Tuesday.

“Beyond the result, which is important by the way, we are trying to get players through these games,” he explained.

“We are trying to get minutes, we are trying not to break them because of the other injuries we have got. The only thing I am really disappointed in is you want players to come in and really lay down a marker. I don't think we had too much of that. Forget about the result, you are still looking for that spark from players, and habits, and I thought the habits were miles off in the first half and most of the game, to be fair.”

Despite the gruelling nature of a Dyche pre-season there have been few complaints from his players about the workload, either at Everton or Burnley. Most recognise the long-term benefits. Standards have improved under him. So too did Everton's injury record last season. His team were more durable and resilient, mentally and physically, as they withstood the unprecedented blows of two separate points deductions to secure Premier League safety with three matches to spare. There is something to be said for keeping things real, however unfashionable that seems.

It's not all Dom's fault. Twice against Coventry he was offside because whoever had the ball took an extra touch and didn't play the pass in a timely manner.

Sometimes there's no time to look up and measure. Just touch it and play it through.

They were back in the 1960s! But yes, if you're used to staying in cookie-cutter chains like Hilton etc it's maybe a shock.

I've stayed in worse, I spent 4 months backpacking around India in my 30s so have a high tolerance I guess. Oh, and a hotel in Vientiane that was full of bedbugs.

If we could have off loaded DCL for £20 million and got this guy in, it would've represented great business, but who wants DCL?

Pass for me.

Fearfully I don't think you're joking when suggesting Bereton Diaz as a replacement for Calvert-Lewin.

Calvert-Lewin may be lacking in certain areas but is criminally underrated by Everton fans.

Maupay Mk 2.

As things stand, only two strikers have moved this window (within our budget) who could credibly have replaced Calvert-Lewin. These are:

Strand Larsen (loan to Wolves): good season in Spain where he got 13 in 37 games for Celta Vigo.

Dallinga (£15M Toulouse to Bologna): scored 14 in 33 for Toulouse before his move to Serie A.

Both are very unlikely to score more than 10-ish in the Premier League. This is because not many strikers do. In fact, the only out-and-out strikers to score more than 15 goals in the Premier League last season were Watkins, Solanke, Mateta, Haaland and Isak.

For perspective, this means some very big money signings delivered pretty mediocre results:

£50M Cunha (12 goals)
£80M Nunez (11 goals)
£70M Hojlund (10 goals)

As Lukaku proved, you pay big money for good strikers, and you waste your money if you shop at the bargain basement.

Man Utd paid £75M for Lukaku. Chelsea paid just on £95M for him... He was ran out of town by both clubs. The fans despised him and his bitching.

The archetypal flat-track bully. Okay in an Italian league which is much easier than it once was and fine in the international qualifiers for Belgium, but seldom has a single player missed so many chances in major tournaments. Some of his misses have defied belief.

I don't get this constant harping back to him. We got the best seasons of his career and then made a handsome profit on him. For some years now, Lukaku has been a pale shadow of the fella who played at Goodison. When you look at the teams he has played for, his medal haul is really quite embarrassing.

For once, we sold at the right time.

The mistake/s was paying nearly £200M for Vlasic, Tosun, Walcott, Klaassen, Kean, Iwobi, King, Maupay, Chermiti and Beto to provide us with goals. Calvert-Lewin cost £1.5M and has scored more for the club than the lot of them put together.

Richarlison was the only decent forward we signed and, although he clearly loved our club, even he couldn't get away quick enough.

Unfortunately, we were never much more than a pit stop during James Rodriguez's farewell tour.

It's funny how two people see something completely different

I was sat in the Upper Bullens looking forward to seeing Brereton Diaz

I thought he was average, and looked like he overrated himself, contemptuous towards his teammates, and a bit of a twat…

I thought he led the line well, demanded a lot more from his already relegated in January teammates, always looked to beat the offside trap, and held the ball up very well.

I'm not saying he is the new messiah, but he is worth £7M, compared to say Maupay at £15M… now he is a proper twat.