Season › 2024-25 › News Everton make nightmare start to Goodison's long farewell Lyndon Lloyd 17/08/2024 27comments | Jump to last Everton 0 - 3 Brighton Ashley Young, the most experienced player on the pitch, was sent off following another brain-dead and costly decision Everton kicked off the new season in the worst possible way, going down to 10 men and suffering a harrowing 3-0 defeat to Brighton in a fashion that has become all too familiar to the Grand Old Lady in recent years. Yankuba Minteh, one that got away over the summer, created one goal for Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra added confidently-taken strikes to complete a convincing victory for the Seagulls while Ashley Young was sent off to compound the selection crisis at right-back. The Blues had a goal chalked off for offside and a penalty award overturned in controversial circumstances but in the final reckoning it was an increasingly miserable performance and a result that doused the pre-match atmosphere with the cold water of stark reality. With four new signings in through the door this summer, two of them potentially exciting additions to the forward line, optimism was high among Evertonians filing into Goodison Park this afternoon for a positive start to the campaign. Article continues below video content Only Tim Iroegbunam made the starting XI, however — even then, only because of injury to James Garner — while Iliman Ndiaye, Jesper Lindstrøm and Jake O'Brien watched on from the bench as a customarily bright start from the Blues evaporated, their hopes of retrieving something from 2-0 down ultimately killed off by another brain-dead decision from the most experienced player on the pitch. With Iroegbunam looking assured in the middle alongside Idrissa Gueye, Jack Harrison looking purposeful and hungry on the right and the front two of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucouré harrying the visiting defence into errors, the signs were good early on that Everton could get the new campaign off to a positive start. Harrison tested Jason Steele early, cutting onto his left foot and whipping a left-foot shot that the Brighton goalkeeper did well to palm away from goal, and the on-loan winger thought he'd got the hosts off to a flyer from the resulting corner. Unfortunately, Harrison was flagged offside after turning Michael Keane's header past Steele and there was a belated flag from the referee' assistant a few minutes later after referee Simon Hooperr waved away appeals from the visitors for a foul by James Tarkowski on Mitoma and Doucouré was played in behind the defence where he set up Dwight McNeil. McNeil could only fire across goal and onto the far post before offside was given, though, and, back down the other end, Joao Pedro almost caught Jordan Pickford napping at the other end, his strong effort cannoning off the upright from the edge of the box. Harrison missed the target with another left-footed shot, Tarkowski planted a set-piece header onto the roof of the net before Brighton finally began to sound the warning bells of what was to come after a quarter of an hour had elapsed. Keane's sloppy pass allowed the Seagulls to swiftly counter-attack and Tarkowski did well to cut out Minteh's attempted cross, Keane himself then blocked a drive from Mitoma before a cheap turnover by Brighton gifted Iroegbunam the chance to open his account on his debut but he couldn't get the curl on the ball necessary to find the inside of the far post. With 25 minutes gone, in a fashion eerily familiar to Everton's beleagured fans, Brighton scored against the run of play. Minteh easily powered past Vitalii Mykolenko and drove the ball across goal where Mitoma arrived ahead of Tarkowski to convert at the back stick. Goodison erupted baying for a penalty just before half-time when Minteh clattered through Mykolenko in the act of clearing the ball off his toe but while, correctly, nothing was given, the winger took a blow to the head off the Ukrainian's elbow that saw Fabian Hürzeler take the decision to withdraw him as a precaution. The final score and Everton's pathetic collapse in the second half suggest otherwise but Sean Dyche will, no doubt, point to the 47th minute as being a potential turning-point in the contest. Iroegbunam, arguably the only bright spot on an otherwise awful afternoon, pounced on another defensive error and Harrison fed Calvert-Lewin near the penalty spot. When the striker appeared to be felled by Lewis Dunk and Hooper pointed to the spot, Everton's route back into the game opened up. That was until the referee was advised by VAR Darren England to check the back-up pitch-side monitor and he duly over-turned his decision... despite new Premier League directives to raise the bar to only very clearly obvious errors by the officials. Nine minutes later, it was game over. Idrissa Gueye's weak lateral pass trying to find Iroegbunam was easily picked off and with every Blue shirt in the vacinity backing off, Welbeck took the invitation to drive into the box and despatch a tidy finish wide of Pickford and into the net. Dyche finally removed Doucouré in favour of Ndiaye six minutes later but a mistake by Iroegbunam almost let Hürzeler's men in for a third but Pickford was quickly off his line to deny Mitoma. It merely delayed the inevitable, however. Shortly afterwards, Young made the fateful decision to try and chest a high ball down in his own half and was easily dispossessed by Mitoma and then, as the Japanese accelerated away, the veteran dragged him back by the arm and was shown a straight red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity. Calvert-Lewin was withdrawn and replaced by Beto, Mason Holgate was needlessly introduced accompanied by boos for Harrison with five minutes left of the regulation 90, and Adingra completed Everton's misery with Brighton's third following another crisp, incisive move that carved through the home side's midfield. A tortuous nine minutes of stoppage time was announced to groans from the smattering of Blues fans who remained and the Seagulls looked to have rubbed more salt into the wounds when Yasin Ayari put the ball in the net with his first touch off the bench but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review. This was Everton's third successive losing start to a new season. More concerning was the fact that it appears as though almost nothing has changed, with the team's early promise giving way to predictable defeat once they had failed to make the breakthrough their early dominance promised. It immediately puts Dyche under pressure, while there will be more calls for defensive reinforcements before the transfer deadline given Young's suspension and the lack of fitness blighting Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson. Matchday updates and reaction Reader Comments (27) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Mark Andrews 1 Posted 17/08/2024 at 18:49:59 My word, that was an inept performance. We're just treading water. The longer Moshiri dithers, the worse it will get.Dyche doesn't help things though. Does he expect different outcomes by playing Keane and a geriatric squad player? Why buy pace and creativity and leave it on the bench? Why haven't we addressed the age old problem of no cutting edge?It's going to be a long, hard season. Andy Wheeler 2 Posted 17/08/2024 at 18:56:06 Please can we get a right back…..that is all. Andy Duff 3 Posted 17/08/2024 at 18:57:48 This game changed when the referee broke the rules. The penalty was awarded. He was called to the screen. The screen didn't work. Therefore the original decision should have stood. That penalty is scored the game is totally different. I really hope Everton call this out and demand an explanation Colin Glassar 4 Posted 17/08/2024 at 18:58:24 I followed the game on the live forum and it sounded like we started brightly but as soon as they scored I felt it was game over.Until Moshiri pisses off and someone mildly competent takes over this is what we have; Dyche and his no-hopers. I dont know who will be our next owner, Textor, Friedkin, Kim Jong Un etc…but what I do know is Dyche will not be leading this team out at BMD.Andy, Joao Cancelo is available to buy or loan. Ralph Basnett 5 Posted 17/08/2024 at 18:58:50 Maybe as we have not offered Dithering Dyche a new contract he is trying to get sacked for a payout.Thats all I can think of for any manager who starts both Keane and Young in the back four and dozy Doucoure.Play them and you get what you deserve! Pat Kelly 6 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:01:40 It's Everton's long farewell Kieran Kinsella 7 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:06:49 We were dire in preseason until we introduced the new guys who all scored and then we won a couple and drew. So why return to the lineup that failed in Ireland, Salford and Coventry. Surely a passing eg more open team like Brighton are easier for Lindstrom and Ndiaye to face then a more physical team or indeed a good team eg City, Arsenal etc. so where they more Thelwell signings like Vinaigrette that the manager doesnt fancy? Mick O'Malley 8 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:25:52 Spot on Ralph, Dyche is fucking clueless, that was absolutely embarrassing today, I hate that he is our manager and have said so since he walked through the door, I absolutely despise him and can't wait til he is fucked off, Michael Keane ffs and that better be the the last time we see Ashley Young who has stunk the gafff out since he arrived, I'm sick of watching alehouse football under this gobshite Rob Halligan 9 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:29:08 Brighton were fucking shite. How we lost that game god knows? 3-0 certainly is not a true reflection of the game, but no doubt many of the negative fuckers on here will say otherwise. Lads I go with who sit in the park end say it was a definite penalty on Mykolenko in the first half. Then the penalty awarded only to be overturned by a blank VAR screen when instead the referee went on the word of the VAR official. Of course, there were one or two ridiculous decisions by Dyche, bringing on Holgate for a start, but by then the game was over and for me it was more damage limitation, only for Brighton to go and score their third. Ashley Young needs fucking off. He is, and always be a liability, and should be nowhere near the first team. I could go on, but why bother with all the negative fuckers on here. Oh, and by the way, so glad to see Amadou Onana score for Villa and also get MOTM in their 2-1 victory at West Ham. We will without doubt definitely miss him. Lyndon Lloyd 10 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:37:24 Andy (3), I don't think this is adequate for the Premier League and I think he was wrong to overturn his own decision (only against Everton do refs seem to do this) but Hooper watched the incident on a back-up monitor on the floor.You can see it here in a black case opened up: Brent Stephens 11 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:39:54 Rob, that non-penalty decision on Myko I thought was a disgrace. Myko jumped vertically, the defender clattered into him coming in hard sideways while Myko was in the air. Disgraceful decision. Until of course I watch the highlights and I might have to change my opinion!And, yes, the game was gone by the time Holgate came on, no way we were coming back from that. So I suspect he was being given game time in advance of a possible start next week.Andy Duff #3 - spot on. Neil Lawson 12 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:49:04 Groundhog day. The difference being that Dyche learns sweet diddley squat every time each day concludes. Brent Stephens 13 Posted 17/08/2024 at 19:49:20 Just watched the highlights and the DCL "penalty" looked no penalty to me, as the VAR judged. Habib Erkan Jr 14 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:13:40 If the two managers switched sides tomorrow and played again on Saturday Everton would be victorious. Hurzelers game plan was efficient and played to his sides strengths. Dyche set us up for the 1970s and next week Keen will be making the same diagonal passes to Harrison that hang in the air forever and allow the defenders to reset. John Charles 15 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:18:43 From my seat in the park end the Myko penalty wasnt a penalty. It is very hard not to be a negative fucker about a manager who has us playing negative fucking football. That said I thought Tim had a good first half and Harrison did ok. Jonathan Tasker 16 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:29:34 First visit to Goodison since 1992 Me and brother saw it early onEverton huffed and puffed but Brighton had far better players and looked clinicalEverton create hardly anything and already its apparent we will struggle unless we find a striker Tim made a good debut Robert Tressell 17 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:30:20 Very disappointing start - with the Onana goal for Villa further rubbing salt into the wound.Hopefully we can find the money for a new RB in the next fortnight. Otherwise an inevitably difficult season will be even harder.Good promising debut from Iroegbunam. Shame we couldn't take one of the few good early chances. Might have been a very different result. Allan Board 18 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:33:38 Oh dear. Here we go again. This way of playing- or Dycheball- is nearly tolerable when you are winning. However, it is the most unacceptable pile of shite when half decent teams just make you look completely impotent and 3rd rate. Surely not more future embarrassment this season? Why Keane,Holgate and Young are allowed to represent EFC by Dyche is a scandal. They're all finished. I will make judgement after 10 games not 1 though. Why do our players always look shattered though? There is never any zip in Everton teams!!! Paul Birmingham 19 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:44:25 1st gane of the season and at home curse, struck again.Jekyl & Hyde in terms of the 1st and 2nd halfs. The last big stink out was Chelsea away last April.I hope Roman Dixon now gets a x chance at RB. What happened to Ashley Young is on the cards, in most games.Now to take the medicine, be honest and show a massive improvenent at Spurs.UTFTs! Paul Ferry 20 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:48:05 Dyche: "a very strong home performance".I think I'm quite realistic about Dyche (I accept that for the time being he will be the manager but I wish that this was not the case), but I can understand why after this game some people are reacting passionately and strongly against Dyche.But that comment - "a very strong home performance" (plus his shitty dig at the fans) - is bizarre. Does he have a sense of reality? It will be so good when we get rid of him with appropriate thanks and best wishes because it will mean that we are in a comfortable enough position to ditch him. Mind your, half-a-dozen more like today and we will be in and around the basement area where he thrives. There is a chance for SD now to review today and do some thinking that might put us in a better position for a very tough game next week. But, I forgot, silly me, it was "a very strong home performance". Ian McAvoy 21 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:48:29 One of the most toothless displays I have seen in years. It was crap. Either the manager and his tactics are crap, the players are crap, or Brighton are at a much higher level than this club. Cleanout from top to bottom in prep for the new chapter the new stadium. Performances like that make me say sod this. PS. Get rid of DCL before the window closes. Even if we get nothing for him. Hes a liability at this level. Brent Stephens 22 Posted 17/08/2024 at 20:54:37 Paul #19 "I hope Roman Dixon now gets a x chance at RB."Paul, I like the way Dixon gets forward, with pace (and he got himself on the scoresheet last night, albeit with a lucky goal; and provided an assist). But I would imagine his brief for the first team would be clearly "don't venture over the halfway line", nullifying his strongest suit; his defending is average for the U21s. Ashley Roberts 23 Posted 17/08/2024 at 21:05:21 I said the other day it was a complete failure of the club not to purchase or loan a right back before the start of the season. I also predicted Ashley Young would get sent off playing Mitoma, who is probably one of the best wingers in the premiership. But lets be honest Ashley Young should never have been in that untenable position in the first place.At 39 while his brain might still be willing his legs gave out years ago and so are we bloody surprised. Hell no!! While it was a travesty we have not brought in a new RB, it was an even bigger fuck up to put Ashley Young to mark Mitoma and that blame lies purely at the door of Dyche and no one else. I agree with many of the posters who have indicated Keane should be no where near the first team as well. He was also finished at least 3 years ago and I do not care about his so called experience as when you are past it you are past it and there definitely is no way back for Young or Keane and neither should be considered for the first team again. We need Branthwaite back quickly and a new RB before transfer deadline day as Patterson has no future as Dyche does not rate him before the start of this season is going to get really ugly. Geoff Williams 24 Posted 17/08/2024 at 21:08:14 The best thing that could come out of any takeover would be Dyche getting the sack. He hasn't a positive thought in his head. Tactics: 1. Pickford boots the ball long 2. Centre backs kick long diagonal balls. 3. Play two of the slowest wingers in the league and who are incapable of beating a man or crossing the ball with their right foot. 4. Play a striker with little or no support and expect him to run around pressuring the opposition defence. 5. Leaving substitutions until too late to make a difference. Jason Hewly 25 Posted 17/08/2024 at 21:10:01 I don't believe the ref was looking at an emergency feed on a laptop. Talksport said there was no VAR feed available. I doubt Var have two feeds because the accountants who run everything wouldn't sanction the extra expense.On top of all that, Michael fucking Keane? Was he not figured out 5 years ago?At least Moyes is available. Benjamin Dyke 26 Posted 17/08/2024 at 21:12:43 All the preseason optimism has been washed away after 25 minutes or so. Thought we played positively and well most of the first half Paul Birmingham 27 Posted 17/08/2024 at 21:13:15 Hi Brent, I think he has the guts to play and do a good job for Everton, but the whole team has to play as a unit. I've watched the u21s with interest the last few seasons, actually looking at an old programme today, when Liam Walsh wasrunning the show. Amazing that most of our former young players do well in the lower leagues.The 1st half, more than a few tines Brighton had the freedom.of the park, and so the 2nd half, Everton lost hope and belief, far too early. It was almost surrender That was worrying, no leadership on the park, so it seemed.But I agree Brent, it will be auto foot lock at 45 yards from his goal line. Spurs is gonna ve a test of character for Everton.UTFTs! Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb