Battle between fellow strugglers ends goalless in East London

We played two very poor teams and came away with 1 point. It's simply not good enough. Nothing changes and we need change.

Why does Dyche cover his mouth when he speaks? “Tell Pickford to lump it long and see what lucky scraps we can get”, who in the world wants to lip-read that??

I'm tired of wasting my time and energy on watching this dross. There has to be some light to chase… we have never been so bad.

Up The Toffees.

Got me thinking about how bad its been at Everton since Moshiri came here.

The fact that we've suffered Sam Allardyce, Rafa Benitez and Sean Dyche — not even a masochist would consider such torture.

The Iranian buffoon sacked the second-best manager here without giving him sufficient time (Marco Silva).

Fair enough, he could do nothing to stop Carlo walking once Madrid came calling, I appreciate that but let's be honest: Carlo was never sticking around long at a club that wasn't elite level.

I reiterate, the Friedkin's can't come in soon enough.

I've said it before, Moshiri supplied the money and Kenwright and his clueless cronies spunked the lot up the wall.

I heard at the time (and I'm not saying it's true) that Kenwright didn't get on with Silva.

Moshiri trusted the bullshitter with millions upon millions of pounds, he all but admitted that he knew nothing about running a football club. Kenwright suckered him in and lied through his teeth about the state of the club to him and to us all.

I watched last May a very interesting video interview with Paul Gregg, a long video — it was but a very good watch.

Gregg spoke often of the difficulties he had with Bill Kenwright over the King's Dock stadium move back in the day.

To quote Gregg's words:

"A great Evertonian, a not-so-good chairman."

On the manager front, Jim, and it pains me to say it, but we've not had a decent manager since Moyes.

The old Moshiri fool line...

Not so old and not so much a fool, he got it very badly wrong with his appointments. All on him.

Nor battling relegation year on.

The stadium means nothing when the club and the team has been run into the ground.

It didn't do the likes of Middlesbrough or Sunderland any good having a new spanking shiny home on the docks.

I believe Moshiri was probably duped into funding the stadium, and in that respect, was a buffoon. But I also believe that stadium is our best chance of salvation from the rubbish that has been landed upon our club over the past 35 years.

The only salvation is if the Friedkins come in and are actually serious business people. They can't come in and have the same old status quo mentality, the old jobs-for-boys culture that's run rife through this club for too long.

All of this Big Number 9 shite, the old School of Science jargon that hasn't been lived up to for decades. They need to rip it up and start again and it needs to begin with the Academy and then we need a manager who is willing to display a willingness to think like he's in the 21st Century.

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum — Start living up to it.

I can not say just what total dross it was because I have not seen enough to judge but I am not going to argue with those who are. Watching and supporting Everton is soul-destroying.

Very worrying. I do wonder if these players even score goals in training.

Shaun, it's a well-known fact that, when someone is covering any part of their face when they are talking to you, they are lying to you.

They cover their mouth unconsciously. Almost to stop the lie coming out. You can take this from an ex-manager of people and someone who loves studying people.

Ask someone who doesn't watch much football on TV.

We can only look forward to a brighter future and, the sooner that comes about, the better for everyone.

Fans love football, not the politics and machinations of power; the game is an expression and a passion to enjoy apart from life's mediocrity. It was always the working man's weekend escape, the field of dreams, etc.

And we are suffering this utter crap in an extended effin limbo. This bullshit can't go on much longer... we are on the cusp right now, and it's a close call which way this goes. The fans are the glue holding this together right now, but then they always have been, haven't they?

He'll bumble along to about 30 points with a few games to spare being safe, and then pickup a few wins end of the season, similar to how he finished last season, probably somewhere around the 40-point mark.

If only you could fast-forward the next 7 months!

Pickford
Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko
Garner, Gana, Mangala
Ndiaye, Broja, Chermiti

But Dyche wouldn't dream of it.

Silva and, dare I say it, Martinez we're better long term.

I've read a lot of reader comments on ToffeeWeb and the one thing I hadn't thought was how Dyche might be behaving knowing he won't get another contract. It scares me to think he is now in self-preservation mode rather than thinking about what is right for the team.

Hurry up, Mr Friedkin.

He's a successful manager. And I don't mean that in footballing terms. He celebrates the metrics that show he is having a positive impact. He allows others to take the blame when those successful metrics don't translate into actual positive outcomes.

He can organise a defence. I will give him that. He just lost his way a bit without Jarrad.

To hear him talk, you would think he's a management guru. He's just held back by the club's financial limitations. Of course, the club's financial limitations have been a problem – but would he be here without them?

Why do you think his appointment was delayed until the window was practically closed? Of course he knew that the club would be selling Gordon and not reinvesting. This is the job he took. That's the side he's on.

Ndiaye, what a player, you would come to a match just to watch him. Imagine another player of his ability and imagination… wow!

It looks like it's going to be similar finish to last season but a few positions below.

I would play Ndiaye through the middle as an attacking midfielder to link up with Calvert-Lewin who has the ability to hold the ball up when he's got support.

One day, we will be able to sit back and enjoy the football, we have a good starting point: Jordan Pickford, Jarrad Branthwaite and Ndiaye.

James, I think if Tim would have wanted management, he would have done it by now.

I wouldn't want Everton to ruin him.

I couldn't agree more with you.

I thought that, by being deep after the West Ham subs came on, it allowed West Ham more into the game , whilst a more supported proactive attack would have put them more on the back foot and unable to support their attack.

It could be even said that the West Ham manager implemented this and Dyche didn't and unluckily did not win the game.

Dyche tends to think in terms of individual player effort and performance within his system, rather than a overall strategy, which is needed if Everton are to win games from play, rather than opportune play.

I see the problem over the years is the development of parasites throughout the club structure which has lived off the School of Science ethos for years. I honestly believe that it is the School of Science ethos that has kept Everton surviving in top flight and it alone through all the changes in management. Some of them have got more out of it than others, but found themselves stifled by the parasites.

As for the Big Number 9. it maybe dates, but it has been adapted enough through the years to still be what all Evertonians identify Everton with.

My hypothesis is that, with professional management taking over the club, the parasites will be the first to go and the School of Science ethos will be identified as the Everton footballing core to build on by professional management.

Neither Middlesbrough nor Sunderland ever had a football core. I see the situation as being a Clough and Taylor taking over a relegated Nottingham Forest, who had a good footballing core.

Sean Dyche or whoever is in charge after TFG take over, needs to get to 27-30 points in the next 2 months.It's very tough at the moment but believe and belief, every game.

I think a lot of people forget the realities. We have a very small squad, injuries affect us more. Do you really want someone in who likes to attack but then we concede 3 times a game? That's not the way to stay in the Premier League.

We had a few of those kind of managers after Moyes and all of them were slammed in these forums. In my opinion, as long as we have limited resources, this is what we can do and how we will survive.

We survive this season with Dyche and, in the summer, it is time for a change. We also have to realise that a lot of players are out of contract in the summer and are leaving for free. With PSR in mind, it's not going to be easy and not going to be a quick fix.

Shit is solid and consistent (in the absence of a curry and 5 pints).

Dyche agrees. Should have gone to Specsavers (or to hospital for a lobotomy).

West Ham were equally bad in that first half and yet they have some high quality players, which makes me think that Moyes was getting much more out of them than Lopetegui.

Dyche is set in his ways and, in his pursuit of safety, he has us set up accordingly.

We see fleeting glimpses of attacking flair from Ndiaye but it fizzles out like a fire loaded with damp wood. The squad is capable of far more.

Dyche is here for himself. I'm glad he will be gone this time next year. I hate his managerspeak, his horrid way of describing things.

However, some interesting points above about the School of Science and the Number 9.

I remember our side from the eighties being sprinkled with flair, but it had tough lads throughout. I watched a game from '87 recently and was shocked at how bad it was.

Time certainly glosses over the missed passes, the errors and the moments of incompetence. And the culprits were the players we remember with such reverence.

The pressure will pile up on Dyche when we have tough fixtures. We might have tightened-up of late but our points haul has been low.

Hopefully Palace and West Ham will continue to struggle.

It means that the game isn't about entertainment — and, if so, why should we watch it? It is a breach of the Trades Description Act really.

The Premier League was the worst thing that ever happened to the English game.

Yes, he is better at Fulham but so is Emery at Villa compared to what he was like at Arsenal. Horses for courses etc... Silva had to go!

Only if you are not a supporter of one of the sky darlings. And we missed the boat on that one.

American ownership is possibly a means of changing this but it is a long road.

I think he blatantly was, the evidence is there for all to see. West Ham were dreadful and only came into life once we started to tire. The recent goals against is much improved but seeing games out safely remains an issue for me.

Saying that, I actually don't see December being as bad as we predict; on paper, yes, but sometimes we rise to the occasion at home such as Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool at home last season. Here's hoping.

We were not awful under Silva, mate. He finished 8th with us, had limited striking options in his first season. We played home games like you should play home games, and won many of them.

The summer of 2019 killed Silva when we lost Zouma, Gana ,and failed to get Zaha and the signing of Gbamin went wrong.

To say Silva was awful is pathetic.

You are right about the '80s side – they were predominately tough lads. Watching them live, I got the impression of tightness, focus, relentlessness and professional determination.

To some extent, Sharp telling us all to Fuck Off would not be out of place.

They were able to dig out from the terrible games you watched and had flair going forward and were never beaten till the final whistle. Even when beaten, you could feel a hollowness from the opposition fans if you happened to be amongst them.

The fundamentals are still there and Everton at their best play like them.

Walker had some success in making Norwich a decent side. Dyche has never done anything apart from a couple of his sides avoiding relegation despite him being manager.

I will be fair though: he may well be obeying orders from the club.

I doubt there is a fan out there who thinks Dyche should be in charge going into the new stadium, and the majority would like to see him removed long before that but, until the new owners come in, that isn't going to happen.

I watched the highlights of the Brighton v Man City game, in the 2nd half the times that Brighton had 4 or 5 men in City's box and were rewarded for their bravery with a win.

So, if Brighton can do this against City, who admittedly were under strength, then why can't we show the same ambition when playing at home at least.

While talking about Brighton, they had Potter who did a good job before going off to Chelsea, then De Zerbi and now Hurzeler. I don't think any had brilliant CVs yet Brighton seem to get managers who play a similar attractive style without jeopardising their league position.

Looking at our fixtures in December, they are probably the worst set of fixtures we could have, and we will need to get something from them to avoid new owners inheriting a team in the relegation places – hardly enticing for a new manager to come into. But I think we all realize staying with Dyche is not an option.

The problem is, and the reason this has been magnified now, is down to the defeat to Southampton. A game we should have won.

It wasn't so much we lost the game, it was that Southampton won it. If we had only drawn that game, then we would now be 8 points above Southampton and 7 points above Ipswich with home games against both to come.

That would have been a big gap for two such shit teams to close.

We are team of cost-cutter purchases with a few loan players thrown in. Some of our players have a major difficulty passing the ball to a player on their own team.

The aim is to get to the end season outside of the Bottom 3 and I am comfortable that we will manage that. With so many players out of contract at that end of the season, it will be a perfect time for a reset at that stage and if that process results in a change of manager, so be it.

Thanks Dyche for another great weekend of football, it's relentless. We are the laughing stock of English football.

Nottm Forest.

Discuss!

On that metric alone, Mike Walker is the worse manager.

If Friedkin somehow retains him and we spend some money, we'll finally be able to judge Sean Dyche, who's had an inferior hand to any Everton manager in recent memory. Show me another club being forced to rely on the likes of Ashley Young.

It is a very sad state of affairs when your wife says "Are you coming Christmas shopping or going to the match?" and you plead with her to let you go wandering up and down Lord Street, carrying the bags.

In response to your comments with regard to the 'Brighton model'. I listened to a podcast recently featuring the owner and chairman, Tony Bloom, who when asked by the interviewer 'How do Brighton continue to recruit top class players' on a year-by-year basis and then sell to the highest bidder.

He was refreshingly honest and transparent in his response. Research, research and more research, in a heavily invested programme of overseas scouts, and a system based on statistics, linked to his company's expertise in the betting market. Whilst not guaranteeing success, it narrows down the chance of failure. He heads a private betting syndicate as well as being a successful poker player in his private life.

Certainly a character it seems, but interestingly, they perform a similar research analysis on prospective future managers, hence the appointment of the virtually unknown Fabian Hurzeler, whose previous managerial experience was at FC Pipinsried in Germany, ground capacity 2,500 and FC St Pauli, another German club playing in the Bundesliga.

Whilst Brighton were forging ahead buying players like Mitoma, a wonderful winger from Japan, for £3M, we were negotiating with Spurs for Deli Alli, 3 starts in 3 years.

Kenwright really led us into the Dark Ages during his tenure, and proudly boasted 'he was the best man' for the job.

Hopefully, The Friedkin Group will bring us into the 21st Century, recruiting the 'best in the market', both on and off the field, and put an end to the nepotism that has plagued the club for the last 20 years.

About the recent 'Brighton model' which seems to be reasonably effective. A friend of mine who supports Brighton suggests their current model is also held together because as a club they know their place and are happy with being a roughly 6th/7th placed to mid-table team.

They have no local direct rivals to be compared with, and supporters are not fazed by the "buy to sell and raise cash" model, knowing that, on the whole, the players bought in are invariably as good as the ones being replaced.

He did also say they have also bought badly but they get moved on quickly without focusing on it and bringing it to wider attention.

They don't expect to win the title and a decent showing in cups and watching good offensive football is the best they can expect.

Dyche football is currently offensive — but in the wrong way!

Not sure if many of our supporters would accept the Brighton model.

I remember watching us in those few brilliant years and often I just knew that, in terms of our fitness alone, we would overcome teams in the last 20 minutes.

It was a blend of toughness, fitness and clinical finishing. Ratcliffe was so quick. And in that "fallow "year between the Championships, Lineker could make up a few yards on any defender who had pushed up to the half-way line in order to play offside.

I think Dyche can organise a team and he was as tough as any himself but his tactical nous seems lacking and even if he was allowed to spend £100M, I don't know if he would change the style. We would just have better players doing the same thing.

In fact, West Ham are a case in point. Mostly very decent players but they were awful in that first half.

It also served fans of Bayer Leverkusen well last season, winning the title with scintillating football after routinely selling their best players in order to reinvest.

Personally, I do not believe it is Brighton's model that limits them - it is their size as a club. We are a much bigger club - and so by adopting the same sort of model, can achieve much more than them. Seems logical?

Going a step further, I'd have thought that a failure to adopt Brighton's model (very similar to that used by Liverpool, Leverkusen and others) will just perpetuate our disadvantage. Surely that should be more welcome to fans than selling, as every club does, a few of our best players now and again.

I understand Weir was offered a position, but decided to stay at Brighton. I don't blame him, they're a better-run club with less expectations and pressure.

Might change when we have competent people running things. I wouldn't go near Everton until that happens.

Davie Weir came to have a look at the job he was being offered at Everton, told his club Brighton what he doing. Then he came, saw what it would be like at Everton and, being a sensible man, he did one.

Not long after, a coach and scout at Everton was told he was being given a promoted job. Happy, he asked what the wage rise would be – only to be told it was a promotion in name only.

He is now working with Davie Weir at Brighton!

Yes, I always had that confidence regarding the 80s team.

Dyche seems to think that he has been single-minded in his approach and sticks to his formula. But some fine-tuning is needed and, in that game, he did not seem to have the ability to get an overall view of what is going on. Just concentrating on his formula.

If results continue in the same vein and Howe and Ange get the bullet, would you take either of them?

Either Howe or Ange all day long, yes, yes, yes, yes!

So it's no money and go. Or money and stay?

The first team has got to come first imo, and this means that we have got to start at the very bottom and also the very top, and find a way to get them both to meet in the middle.

Looking at other clubs, I get the feeling that they run their academy as a completely separate entity, and this is what I'd be looking to do if I was in charge of our club.

One thing that seemed like a good idea was Finch Farm and having the whole club using the same training facilities but, having been there not so long ago. I'm not entirely sure this is actually true.

I'd split the club up and have separate training grounds, and I'd concentrate on getting the best manager around for the first team, and then I'd go and headhunt the best teachers of young footballers in Europe, and then go about transforming how the kids are taught.

I could write a lot more because I feel this would be a very long-term project, whereas the first team needs fixing a lot quicker.

Talk of the stadium, the academy, the sponsors, the “knowing” signings and just about everything else has been shown to be just that – talk or, more truthfully, bullshit.

At least we got a point though. Hallelujah!

The reason I cited Brighton as a club who get things right is it isn't an accident that you recruit managers who play attractive football as well as winning football. They are continually looking at prospective players and managers that fit their system.

Their owner ,Tony Bloom, is also an owner and breeder of horses and, just like with his football club, he is successful in that field as well, owning the top 2-mile Champion chaser, Energume.

I watched an interview with Tony Bloom and he said they had already identified De Zerbi as the next possible manager when Potter was still in charge, not that they were disappointed in Potter but for months top Premier League teams were making it known they would be making a move soon.

Now that's what you call forward planning, whereas at Everton, we sack a manager and then think who can we get – how backward thinking is that?

I would only have 2 candidates for the Everton manager's job, they would be Frank and Potter. Both like to play attacking football and we haven't had that for a long while.

But, given where we are, either would take a great deal of persuading to come here. I would also give them 4-year contracts so they could make sure all the academy teams played the same way.

They are all high-performance orientated, building physical resilience and pushing players.

Everton have a great life when they manage to get onto the physio couch and get high wages for doing.

I must get an update on Mina.

Their forward thinking is light years ahead of ours which is why we're watching Dinosaurball from the likes of Dyche and Allardyce, and they're not!

Look back at your posts around March 2019 – 'disgraceful' was used by you in criticising Silva.

He lost 5 or 6 games in a row and we capitulated 2-5 to our neighbours. Silva looked ill with the pressure.

Granted he was very unlucky with injuries and he has since shown decent ability as a manager but, when he was with us, he looked a broken man.

For two reasons, this will also mean that we won't spend any money in January. Firstly, it would be a waste recruiting a player who may not suit an incoming manager; but also, we must still be sailing close to the PSR wind.

Did anyone see the interview with Matt O'Reilly after the Brighton - Man City game? He said that at half time, Hurzeler changed the midfield from two 6s and a 10 to one 6 and two 8s in order to get runners onto the Man City centre backs.

Seriously, can anyone imagine that Dyche even understands that — let alone would ever have spotted it and done it?

Silva likes his defenders to push up, which enables the rest of the team to go and press, but because of the personnel he was left with by Brands, he couldn't play the way he wanted to. He never dealt with this, possibly because he was still very inexperienced himself.

All opinions, but if he had to go in the end, I think it's incredible that Brands was invited into the boardroom. This more than anything highlights the basketcase of a football club that we had become.

The worst Everton manager of all was Walter Smith along with his obnoxious enforcer Archie Knox. The list of people who have done catastrophic damage over the years is long,

I find it hard to judge our manager under Moshiri, except Allardyce, because the club has been run so badly, but Silva had to go.

He's doing better at a better-run club with lower expectations.

He's doing the same with his string of horses and Brighton FC. We should aim for the same under Friedkin.

It seems like you also put a lot of thought into your betting plans, you also have a few bets on Everton staying in the Premier League at different times of the season.

I don't want to know what sort of bets you have had on Everton this season but I would be interested in what you think our chances are of avoiding relegation this season?

Lots have people have backed us to go down and I am, in effect, acting as their bookie. It's like a savings or investment account, but with better returns.

The only time I was ever worried was that night at Leicester when we were one down and they got a penalty. I had a good drink after Pickford saved it! Whenever we have a poor result or performance, I have look and go in again.

Thanks, I hope you ‘lay’ Everton to get relegated this season and win a good few pounds!

I did have a little bit on after our bad start!

Money and greed tends to bring out the worst in people.

Smith was given the job with a promise of lots of transfer money, he persuaded John Collins to sign on the back of that promise and then had the rug pulled from under him… I wonder who would do such a thing?

He bought some good players into the club but was not given the funds as promised to take the club up a level.

As far as Dyche keeping us up... if we keep losing and playing the way we are, that will be in the lap of the gods, I'm afraid.

Yes, if tailed off badly and defensively we weren't great in the latter stages but I'd take that now as opposed to the turgid shite we're currently being served.

I know we had the likes of Arteta, Cahill, Barry, Carsley and Lukaku but I'm certain a more attacking manager could get a better tune out of the existing squad than Dyche.

The last 3 games were supposedly "winnable games", result … 2 points! How long can this continue before it becomes critical?

He hasn't always had to rely on Ashley Young though, has he?

Patterson and Coleman have been fit at times but Young has kept them out of the side because Young is his mate, no other reason.

He'd play Young in goal if Pickford got injured and still leave 2 keepers on the bench.

Absolutely nailed it, while the Academy is vital, the 1st team is the 1st team and that's that, it's who we pay our season ticket money to see.

Somebody must be running the club, I refuse to believe that he can't be sacked because there's nobody to sack him.

We have a hell of a run of games coming up as well that could see us out of reach of relative safety by the middle of January.

Of course it is both unfair and ridiculous.

Guys who have spent most of their managerial careers in work and earning millions. There's a reason for that and being "bad managers" isn't it.

This seems unthinkable but, based on what we have seen so far, it sends a chill down my spine.

But, should we be able to grind out a couple of good wins amongst those tough December fixtures, then it might provide some belief to carry forward to the end of the season.

I'm thinking that it's going to be the players, not the tactical genius of Dyche, that will get us through.

I never go into a game thinking we can't get anything and Goodison should rock for the last time when the big boys turn up, but it's scary and we don't do ourselves any favours do we? 0-1, 0-0, 1-0, 0-0 etc just isn't going to keep us safe.

The financial woes have crippled this club's ability to compete on a consistent level for a long time and certainly in acquiring quality strikers like Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal.

We fans have to grin and bear it for the present in the hope the money will flow in 2025 to change the situation.

Dyche is under pressure, he's under the pressure of keeping Everton in the Premier League against the background of an over-expectant fanbase and a squad of bang-average players, half of whom will be gone next year.

Consequently, like everyone else with their back to the wall, he's reverted to type and got us playing the dullest and most negative football imaginable because that's what's worked for him in the past. In fact, he's doubled down on it.

Grim? For sure.

Will it work? Probably.

We're 3 points clear of relegation with a quarter of the season gone, the manager is probably thinking 'par for the course'.

It's not pretty, but I don't recall anyone on here expecting it to be before the season started. The damage was done well before Dyche arrived on the scene with instructions to clear up some of the mess.

Ndiaye is not going to put a cross in. He wants to beat the first player and look for a pass. Somewhat same with Lindstrøm although he is less capable.

So both of them will end up either losing it or passing backwards. We are so defensively minded a lot of the time, it feels like we're playing 6 at the back with only a handful forward, all isolated.

Then you get these weird situations where Gana or Mykolenko end up with the ball in front of goal and they're the last people that should be taking shots.

I swear I heard Dyche say "he's improving his defending" about one of our attacking players the other day – not "he's creating a lot more chances" or similar.

We currently have:

1) Ndiaye and Lindstrom playing on the wings when they are a Number 10 and second striker respectively.

2) McNeil at Number 10, despite the fact he surrenders possession, is all left foot, slower than me, and has the turning circle of a supertanker.

3) Harrison playing wide right when he cannot beat a man or cross with his right foot.

4) Two left-backs in the full-back positions, both of whom seem to think they need to present their passport when they cross the halfway line.

I think a radical idea would be for Dyche to pick them in their preferred positions as much as possible.

The academy does need a revamp; I've been calling it for years. Maybe it's happening as we speak. It just takes time, but yes, first team comes first.

I'm not sure about Potter but wouldn't mind Frank if and when we change. But, it's going to come down to what new owners decide. We could end up with a curveball that we aren't expecting.

I'm not too concerned about Ndiaye putting crosses in. I enjoy watching him. If he prefers to cut in and run at and beat defenders, go for goal or slip a pass in, that's fine with me. I hope to see more of Dixon. He deserves a chance.

The only No 10 (or No 9 for that matter) that Dyche knows much about and even then I have my doubts, are the 2 buses that go up and down Prescott Road.

He has had a bad start to the season which has improved bar the Southampton hiccup. Most of the teams Everton have played have the lower-table defensive mentality, though Everton allow them to have possession and only ebb into the game when the opposition ebbs out.

Playing the upper-table teams, this style of play will work better for Everton since the midfield will be less compacted, the opposition defence will not be so deep, and there will be space to run onto the ball.

There are signs that Lindstrøm and Ndiaye could benefit from this. Calvert-Lewin is fulfilling the role that Dyche wants him to play and Beto is on form as a sub but needs to be brought on earlier and supported.

Branthwaite will be match fit and Keane has been successfully tried as a forward and always is a defensive option. I am concerned with Young up against the speed of skilled forwards and Tarkowski carrying an injury. Though I expect Keane to be tried in his role.

But I do expect results on the run-up to Xmas being better than expected and I am more concerned about a new independent commission. I hope things will be tempered by the new owners coming clean on that front.

A lot of sense in that post, even though, like a lot of fans, I hate watching how we are playing now, results are the main ingredient of Dyche's plans, though he is being questioned on these plans. Stay up and plan from there.

Surely Dyche's "tactics" fit better to away games than at home, sit back and wait for a set-piece or a break.

And he can no longer wheel out the old line about the past, he's been here long enough to be 100% responsible.

The reason why is that we are a piss poor team and are seen so by the rest of the Premier League clubs.

We are used to playing without the ball and come undone more often when we lose possession when on the attack.
Sitting deep and playing on the break is our best bet.

Every season, without exception, you can guarantee that you'll never win all the games you think you're going to win, and you never lose all the games you think you're going to lose.

Look at us last season, out of home fixtures against Fulham, Wolves, Luton and Liverpool the only one we won was the only one where we were the underdogs!

Look at the last point we won under Frank Lampard, away at Man City when EVERYONE expected a heavy defeat.

That's football for you.

We've been like this for large parts of the Premier League era.

We need better players - especially in attack (and I include the full backs in this)

Above was a quote from a West Ham fan!

It’s been a while since we had a proper Arteta type player in the middle, dictating games and picking passes. Ie a proper footballer. Ndiaye is a good acquisition but need more like him throughout the side. There’s so little quality in the squad to get excited about, too many bog standard players whose main task is to graft and defend.

Am looking forward to the next set up already and the summer, when we’ll say thanks but goodbye to a number of the players. I just can’t get excited watching the likes of Doucoure and Harrison. Also think Mr times caught up with Gueye.

On another topic, what is up with Dyche and subs? Doesn’t seem like any lessons been learnt from Bournemouth. The games no longer XI v XI, we need to use more subs and earlier. We were lucky to get a draw in the end. The multiple fresh legs West Ham brought on made a difference and they should have won it in the end. First sub of Beto for DCL after 75 mins is ridiculous. Then Harrison only on at 86? I know our bench is weak but surely some of the players are better coming on if our onfield players are knackered.

Does anyone have any update on the ownership status? I thought 30 November was some sort of deadline or target but that was a couple of months ago.

When players come back from injury Dyche might mix them with the present ingredients stir them up and produce tastier results!

He, like all his predecessors has faults but he hasn't done any worse than people like Ancellotti, Koeman and Silva (all highly touted). Sometimes you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

It's the club and it's hierarchy that's been the problem for many years and only now is something being done to correct that properly (we hope).

There are still no guarantees that new money, new players and a new manager will immediately make a difference but at least there is cause for a little more optimism.

We have always given a new manager some slack before eventually we give him some stick and Dyche unfortunately is getting his after dismal performances all season so far.

Most of the players he has are poor but his plan has never changed which is a real problem.

No goals in the normal 90 minutes of the last three games is awful and shows right there the problem area.

I welcome the international break.

I see there's a rumour that Real Madrid are also interested in Branthwaite. My question is: Is he as good as most think he is?

We have only seen him for a season, is that long enough to judge properly?

We have 3 goalkeepers with Premier League experience: Pickford, Bergovic and Virginia. Full-backs: Patterson, Dixon, Young, Coleman and Mykolenko. Centre-backs: Tarkowski, Branthwaite, O'Brien and Keane. Midfielders: Gana, Garner, Mangala, Iroegbunam, again all with Premier League experience.

Then we have McNeil, Lindstrøm, Harrison, Ndiaye, Beto, Calvert-Lewin, Chermiti and Broja as forwards.

Does anybody really think a half-decent manager wouldn't get in the top half of the table with this squad?

The list includes five guys we have barely or never seen play. There is no real pace on that list except Jarrad, no proven goalscoring and no playmaker. Only four have ever been known to even crack a really good shot (McNeil, Ndiaye, Branthwaite and Keane). Only two can regularly beat a defender off the dribble.

And most of all, there are three... just three... who would be guaranteed to get into any other bottom-half PL side every week. Jarrad, Ndiaye and Pickford. That's it. Five or six others would be in contention at some clubs, depending on their needs that day.

This is the slowest roster in the Premier League, and one of the least skilled. So no, I don't think any manager would do much better with it.

We need players.

I get the limited resources, I get the lack of investment (in the last 3 seasons to balance the books), I get the pressure of staying in the Premier League, but even though I believe the squad has improved the performances and results certainly have not.

Lee#96 "out of home fixtures against Fulham, Wolves, Luton and Liverpool the only one we won was the only one where we were the underdogs!" That's not something Dyche should be proud of!

It's all about opinions and we will have to agree to disagree. I have seen many many Everton managers, starting with Ian Buchan, and Dyche plays the worst football of any Everton manager I have seen.

Even the hapless Mike Walker's team played better football, poorly I admit, but they did try to play a game we all understand.

You might not be accustomed to the phrase 'Ale-house team'; well, that's exactly how many Evertonians I speak to at the game describe our football under Dyche. Hence my claim any half-decent manager with this group would do better than Dyche is doing.

It's hurting me when I think of the style of football currently being produced that is going to close the door on Goodison Park because it's a stadium that has witnessed some great teams and countless great Everton players and it deserves to go out in a much grander style.

You sort of wave off, with the disclaimer "when all are fit", the fact that this list has never been anywhere close to fit. Chermiti, Broja, Branthwaite, Patterson, Coleman, Iroegbunam and Garner have missed all or most of the season, and Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Doucouré and McNeil are all known walking wounded. That's half the field players right there.

I'm not saying you're wrong about Dyche's style. It's the ugliest I've seen, although I only go back as far as Moyes. I'm just saying that only the rosiest virtual reality glasses could possibly see this roster finishing 10th or higher, no matter who's managing.

Last season Crystal Palace finished top 10. Of their squad only Guehi, Eze, Olise and possibly Wharton would start. The majority of the rest of them wouldn't make our bench.

The season previous Brentford finished top 10 they may do again having finished 11th last season. Only Mbuemo would be guaranteed to start. Many believe Wissa is better than Calvert Lewin but Dyche would never have a striker like him and no doubt he would struggle under this manager.

What I do find interesting is that supporters of Dyche often criticise our attacking options and lack of pace to berate our squad with. Here's the thing Mike...we signed 2 attacking players in Harrison and Beto because they are archetypal Dyche players, no doubt at his request to suit his system.

Burnley never played with pace. Gudmundsson (Harrison clone) and McNeill wide midfield with two big men up top.

The last player he used with pace was Alex Iwobi and many are now pining for. Well here's the kicker Alex Iwobi has played for 3 Everton managers in the last 3 seasons since he became a regular

7 goal involements in 20 games under Lampard

3 goal involements in 18 games under Dyche

11 goal involements in 43 games under Silva (38 starts)

In terms of minutes played roughly 1 in 3 when not playing for Dyche, 1 in 6 when playing for Dyche.

I agree about Jack Harrison because it's obvious Dyche loves hard-working wide midfield players. Nothing wrong with this, they cover their fullbacks who play very narrow and are supposed to cover our central defenders.

But because our fullbacks don't really get forward, it does leave us rigid when we try and play offensively.

You only go as far back as Moyes, you must be a young man then.

And Brian 102 is 100% right when he says a better coach would guarantee a top half of the table finish with this squad.

This fella sets his teams up not to lose, and the fayre on show is absolutely soul destroying. I've mentioned this before as well, he's going to ruin Ndiaye playing him wide. He's a playmaker.

The point is that football is unpredictable and many have us down for next to no points in December but my 30 years plus of following our once great club tells me we'll pick up at least one unexpected win against the fashionable clubs.

Unless Sean Dyche has completely lost the dressing room?

Dyche seems happy with Calvert Lewin and against West Ham he did put in a controlled and effective performance, but not one that was going to see him score.Which Dyche seems to think in terms of being a bonus.Beto is a pure attacker and can upset defenders, but hasn't Calvert Lewin ability to contribute to maintaining Everton's shape.Calvert Lewins qualities are what Dyche values.I think Beto was brought in as back up on a bit now pay later.

If Calvert Lewin been sold would Beto have lead the attack?I think another forward would have been bought.Brojan was brought in as insurance against a January sale. Beto could find himself sold in January.

As for O Brien he is not needed only

To cover a injury crisis and may be loaned out.

Dyche is like Big Sam he only plays seasoned Professional.No Youth. Nadiye, Linstrom Managla is Dyche being creative, but they are under strick instructions to play containment in midfield, as Linstrom alluded to in his article.Harrison I agree about also.Overlapping Fullbacks are not Dyches things .Though Mykolenko did get forward when the opposition ebbed out, but into a more inside position off the wing against West Ham.Which I had difficulty comprehending.

I am hope that these three will get more space and support against the more footballing sides at the upper half of the table.