Year fizzles out with humbling at the hands of Forest

Moving on is towards yet another unacceptable performance led by a manager who is simply unable and unwilling to address the issues facing him. The New Year has to be time for change.

Hopefully we'll still be in the Premier League come the end of the season.

We're just not winning enough games to feel confident that will happen. Desperate stuff. Just awful to watch.

Everton don't have strikers that can score and are dependent on forward playing player getting on to a opportunity to score, which is difficult against Premier League defenders, especially when they are organised in a defensive formation.

Forest were always going to get opportunities to get forward and have space against a deep immobile defence. Mykolenko has always been a ropey defender who can go missing position-wise and Tarkowski can be two-minded in his positioning because of pace.

Doucoure cannot pass the ball and will give it away. Midfield was basically bypassed by both teams and Everton forward support play is not part of their training routine.

It is going to be a frustrating January and Dyche may not survive February. To win a game, you need to score aleast one goal and, in trying to do that, Dyche is going to have to change Dycheball. The next two months are not the time to do it.

Forest beat us at our own game. Defended solidly and scored on the break. The sides were very similar in terms of quality but Forest have a much sharper cutting edge up front. But why should that be?

I don't believe Chris Wood is any better than Broja. None of Forest's support strikers are better than Iliman Ndiaye. But that first goal was never a goal that we would have scored.

The difference was how Forest's front three support each other whereas ours are too far apart to have any meaningful interplay.

Watch the goals again. When the attack starts, Forest's support strikers are in similar positions to our own out wide, but then they very quickly move more central to allow link-up play.

Brilliant interplay was key for both goals. And that is precisely what we don't do because our front three are usually too far apart.

A slight tinkering could make a very big difference to us. I really hope the coaching staff are watching videos of the game asking how Forest did that. and learning from it.

Anyone thinking Forest was an easy winnable game needs to look at the table.

In Wood they have a striker in form who links play well with good pacey forward options that are willing runners and create space.

We have lacked a forward that can link our play, Dom and Beto are not good enough but not helped by the aimless balls towards them.

Broja along with McNeil and Ndiaye can but they need to stay fit and learn to trust each other to build up a partnership.

Our right forward side lacks quality. Harrison and Lindstrom are not good enough. Constantly fail to play a quick simple ball, get closed down and lose possession.

I can see positive signs but, with Doucoure being our key attacking midfielder, we will always be inconsistent. A good athlete but tackles like a rugby player and takes too many risks with his poor passing and decision-making.

Hoof a long diagonal from either Pickford or Tarkowski to an isolated forward and hope for a foul or possibly one of the deep defensive unit gets close to support. Maybe play for a corner and hope for a set-piece goal.

It's so utterly predictable and turgidly boring, he knows no other way. If we go behind, we're done because he struggles to react. He won't change because he can't.

I hope TFG have a plan, we've had more than our fair share of ineffective, inept ownership.

He has to go.

Not so humble from the manager.

New year new faces please.

The coaching staff are falling well short of the task in front of them, for me they can all go..

The playing squad needs a refresh, psr dictates some measured business, but let's not sit on our hands this window, please

The player you are destined to be is the player you decide to be. Your passion and dedication can't be some-time, part-time, half-time or spare-time, it has to be all-time.

When you have a manager starting Doucoure and Harrison in every game, who offer absolutely nothing going forward, and who plays Doucoure for the full game, and brings on another striker after they score their 2nd goal, instead of before.

Patterson should be starting the next game, he showed in 10 minutes how effective a full-back he is with pace going forward. Ndiaye should be at No 10 beside our striker. Starting his cowardly and defensive formation is a disaster.

From back to front: no pace, no race.

Couldn't score in The Grafton… with £20 hanging out out the arse pocket.

Tarkowski had a real-off day, and Doucoure was, well, just Doucoure. We could have Broja, Calvert-Lewin, Beto, Chermiti and the Archangel Gabriel up front and it would make no difference with the lack of forward impetus and the execrable quality of crossing.

I have a season ticket in the Family Enclosure. It's about 20 ft from Dyche. Every game, you can hear what he's saying to the players. You can see everything that goes on.

At times in the first half, he was going mad at the players. One point in particular stood out: he was berating them for not getting in the box for a cross. You could see how frustrated he was getting.

At the same time, I watched their manager, Nuno. He very rarely gave any instructions to the players. He just stood and watched, arms folded. His players knew what they were doing and they did what was expected.

Every single game, Dyche can be seen barking orders at the players, why is this needed? I sometimes wonder if this negatively impacts them, like they are afraid to make mistakes and don't play their natural game. You never see him encouraging them either – just shouting at them and criticising them.

Maybe he was correct in what he was saying about them not following instructions; however, he really should be asking why they are not, and why he has to treat the players like naughty kids every game.

This is why I feel we need a change of approach; the old school head teacher approach is not working.

If that's the case there's only one option.

We have new owners but we need new, classier players who can take the game to the opposition no matter who they are.

We play like a team who know they are second best and many teams take advantage of this.

I am not sure getting a new manager will change things for the better as we have had too many managers over the last decade who achieved little or nothing. However, Dyche has had time to create a better strategy but sticks to his faves who keep letting him down.

Roll on the new beginning !!

What an utter stupid post – he's lost the dressing room?'???

Evidence please? Because if you're basing it on one match (which you must be because they were playing for him v Chelsea, Arsenal & Man City) then you don't deserve to have opinions.

I'll wait…..

What makes it worse, three managers either at or suggested and rejected out of hand on this forum for Everton are all in very comfortable positions in the table. Namely 2nd, 7th and 8th, because they can identify the strengths and weaknesses of their resources, and adapt play to suit the team.

I do remember someone wanting Rooney because he's a blue and “gets the club”.

Imagine the TW meltdown if he was here now!

Added to which Tarkowski was poor, Branthwaite was at fault for the Wood's goal (why did he allow the first header to go uncontested and then move across to Elanga, thereby giving Wood time to pick his spot?) and Mykolenko could neither defend nor attack with any effectiveness.

Where Dyche's knockers have a point is that he played 3 central midfielders (in Gana, Malanga and Doucoure) without any craft. Add to which Harrison is absolutely atrocious then we had a 2 man fight of Ndiaye and Broja who could only fashion half-chances.

Undermined by consistent crap defending then the whole performance was incredibly underwhelming, frustrating and crap.

Whilst a new manager could achieve a little more with these clowns, it wouldn't be much more because effectively they're crap. Aside from Branthwaite and Pickford, who would get a regular game for a non-Bottom 3 team? Not many.

We have a team of cast-offs – and they play like it!

I don't think it's a stupid post at all.

I read Andy Duffs (19) post with genuine interest. A very good friend of mine has a seat similar to Andy's at The Etihad. He told me the Man City fans were startled by Dyche and Calvert-Lewin going at it for almost all of the first half.

So it came as no surprise to me to see Broja's name in the starting XI yesterday. I watched Broja carefully yesterday. All scowls and frustration. I thought he had a nightmare.

I would hasten to add that I don't hold him responsible for his poor performance. He was given no chance at all. Imagine battling back from injury for months dreaming of getting a start and being treated to that sort of "service"?

I think Dyche may have lost some of the dressing room. Certainly the forwards. They (Beto too) are left so far adrift, it seems like they are not part of the unit.

I'm minded of the song "Us and Them":

"Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died.
The general sat and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side"

Glad you could wait. Been busy. His words reportedly. "They done the opposite to what I told them." Based on players body language.

The world has opinions. I would like to give mine about your opinion of me. Not worth it.

We need a couple of higher quality wingers at least. Gibbs-White would have been a cracking signing for behind the striker as well.

The reason I posted was on the back of his comments about the players. He really does have a go at them every game.

Obviously there are different styles of management in business and football. These days management is a lot more people focused, he seems to be very old school. It does come across that some players have had enough.

He talks about all of the "hard work" the staff put in but really, the selection of Harrison (who is Championship level) and Doucoure (who covers ground but gives the ball away regularly) really reflects the coach's misunderstanding of the game.

Our play was ponderous, we were predictable. The ability to pass precisely is beyond all of them.

Lindstrom has all the physicality of a pompom and is a brittle as a popadum. Tarkowski and Branthwaite were getting in each other's way. Gana looks tired out. So much wrong out there.

We have shown again that we can't play football without getting picked off. Thank God the Liverpool visit was postponed. We need someone who can play at No 10. Some passes through the lines and some interplay on the edge of the opposition's box. Can't blame the strikers if they have terrible service.

Dyche has to do better.

Big Ben must have not got what he wanted for Christmas.

My lad and his mates sit in the enclosure by the dugouts. They have said the same as other posts.

I am not saying replace the manager at this time. But for him to come out and make that statement? Well, what are people supposed to think?

He was getting plaudits for the three draws and now gets slaughtered because we lost.

My wife's a Claret, we've had years of him and his brand of dross. I just want the Charlatan gone!

For Les to claim that Dyche has lost the dressing room is far from a stupid post. I think it’s quite obvious really.

What are you expecting to hear exactly? Dyche to admit that he’s lost the dressing room before you acknowledge reality, what Manager has ever come out and said that. Let’s turn that one on his head, when have you ever heard any of the players praising Sean Dyche or his methods.

He actually stated though that the players aren’t doing what he told them to do, that’s losing the dressing room isn’t it? His ‘them and me’ attitude does my box in.

When it comes to defending a point away from home then all good, everyone on board, but when it comes to showing attacking intent at home then that’s a completely different story, absolutely clueless.

You’re further comment around a new Manager not being able to get much more out of these players doesn’t really stand up to scrutiny when you consider what the Forest Manager has achieved with essentially the same players that were fighting relegation last year.

That game, result and the league table show exactly what can be achieved with a Manager showing tactical guile with a set of players who were previously struggling at the bottom, simply by playing to strengths. Chris Wood looks a world beater, I was talking to a Newcastle fan yesterday he can’t believe it’s the same bloke.

We are a mid table squad languishing down the bottom because of Dyche failing to play to players strengths. There will never be any progression with this man.

People who are say that our current crop of players wouldn’t get into the Forest team are generally correct now but that’s only because Nuno Espírito Santo is using them effectively and has now made them look like good players, playing tactically as a unit with a sound game plan. Their squad is arguably weaker with Brennan Johnson leaving.

Ours look lost particularly at home where expectations demand more.

My argument there Peter would be that Chris Wood wasn’t a regular scorer or even a half decent player. Forest though by playing to his strengths and playing as a team with a plan has made him look better than he has ever looked.

I posted on the other thread about his inability to praise Jordan after weeks of heroism despite journalists repeatedly teeing him up and he totally batted it away as praise would have no doubt disarmed his "we are the best defence in the top 5 leagues" bollocks which is solely down to his methods.

Yet without knowledge of the City episode, it was clear to me that in gushing over Chris Wood unprompted and uncharacteristic to single out at a player (even when asked about Salah), he was obviously taking a pop at Dominic whom he had simultaneously dropped. I thought on the day praise would be more worthy of Morato or Gibbs White if you were singling out individuals despite Wood being as crucial to the result.

As for Maupay that could be interpreted as a pop at Everton, club, supporters or a pop at Dyche. He will no doubt have to grovel or explain and his response will be enlightening.

His goal on Saturday was the third chance in 15 minutes. Ours have had that many created for them in the last month

Carlo can have Myko and Jack Harrison in return. Doucoure as well.

Calvert Lewin looks as if he has given up on Dyche providing support play and Dyche has given up on Calvert Lewin.Dyche was hoping that Broja not knowing would put a bit more effort in and might get the run of the ball in a shooting position.Alas tactics were the same and Broja got nought.

Against Man City Seamus did a rare thing in a Dyche side. He provided a overlap and got space to cross.It really stuck out for me. Seamus was doing the right thing in spite of Dyche.

You’re being utterly reactive after 1 (admittedly poor) match, performance & result.

There’s just no way Dyche has lost the dressing room as the previous 4 matches & results show: just think about it for a minute: why would they all bust a gut for 4 matches and then think ‘actually screw Dyche, I’m going to play crap’

You are talking absolute nonsense and now have to back it up to save face.

In an honest moment, why don’t you pause and reflect that actually our threadbare and bereft of quality squad are knackered after their recent monumental efforts?

There’s simply no way they’d play so hard for 4 matches. If they wanted Dyche gone then losing to Wolves would have been far more impactful than losing to Forest.

Have a think about that. Albeit you’ve now cornered yourself and have to make a defence of your nonsense

I do hope you haven't merely copied and pasted many of your posts from this link:

Quotes

I can't believe Pele would plagiarize a quote from Svein-Roger like that.

DCL looks like he has lost interest, Gana and Mangala, while each having qualities, offer little differentiation or creativity. You could play one of them, probably Mangala.

If you pick up a guy whose has failed in Italy on the wing in Lindstrom, at least give him a go in the position he flourished in playing in Germany. He can't be worse than Doucoure. I think we have to persevere with Broja up front, he may come good and I'd be minded to give Chermiti a run out wide then he's back, in the very brief glimpses we saw, he looked to have a bit of pace and directness which we sorely lack.

Both Tarks and Jarrod have been well below par this season compared to last. Is O'Brien really not cutting it in training to at least be given a try? If so, really poor recruitment. I've said elsewhere on here, this is the worst Everton squad I've seen in 55 years watching them. The manager may also be culpable but a genius would struggle to get a tune out of these ageing misfits.

Totally agree with both comments. Our lack of goals is starting to impact our defending as it’s so vital we don’t concede.

We are desperate for some quality additions. Really have to hope TFG make a few statement signings for us that give the team and fans a lift.

Noticed Leicester won today - they are far from dead & buried and same can be said of Wolves.

It’s understandable so many of us are getting jittery because there aren’t many teams in the EPL worse than us. How many times can you circle the drain before you get flushed down is the worry.

We need goals, balance and creativity very quickly

Les didnt say Dyche has lost the dressing room as a matter of fact.. He said "The way I read it". He was given an opinion and many, many fans agree with him.

I like to see posts like Andy's (19) He is giving us an eye witness account of what happening yards away from where he sits. Even people in other parts of the ground will be unaware of this - Read and be educated. I know I will

I have no doubt that players like Harrison, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Doucourie would run through a brick wall for Dyche. Another manager would have binned all of them at some stage this season. They are as loyal to him as he is to them. I also believe that Gana, Seamus and Young are too professional to give any thing less that 100%, but to lose a dressing room, you don't have to lose ALL of the players. You only have to lose 2/3/4 to substantially weaken the desire to win.
We have square pegs being hammered into round holes. We have forwards being used as work horses with little chance of a sniff of a goal. Are you REALLY suggesting these players are happy ?.

Dyche may not have lost all the players. In fact, I'm not sure he has even lost all the crowd, but he has clearly lost enough for the divisions to be clearly visible to us...and to our opponents. Listen to the hostility in the crowd, look at the confusion and lack of cohesion on the pitch. A manager is paid to unite the camp but Dyche (not or the first time) has just thrown his players under a bus. Could he have chosen a worse time ?
If you don't see a fragmented camp, perhaps you should consider the possibility that you are looking at the wrong camp.

I don't want Dyche gone (yet). I want him to stay and see the job through, but even if he was right. He should not have blamed the players in public. They will remember. He's just made what already was a very difficult job, a whole lot harder.

Thanks for your reasoned response

I actually see it a different way: the club is a shambles and administratively has been for a few years. This summer we have 9 players out of contract - it should never have got to that.

When players are out of contract they can take 2 different stances (1) I’m going to play my hardest/best to earn a new contract. I’m going to put in a shift that makes the club’s mind up automatically. I think (for example) Young and Coleman have done this and do this. (2) in going to try to play well but above all I’m not going to get injured and lose my chance of moving to another club or scupper any future pay day. In my humble opinion DCL is doing this.

I’ve always been a DCL fan. I recognise that he’s worked hard to get back from injury and I even defended him on his fashion shoot (it wasn’t his choice when the shoot came out). However, I believe DCL is holding back and I think that’s what’s annoying Dyche (remember, minimum requirement is maximum effort).

Dyche even mentioned after the Wolves game that DCL did well to go in where he could be hurt. I understood that to mean that DCL has previously stopped giving that extra % required to make a difference.

Hence my take on it - and yes we’re all welcome to our opinions - is that rather than Dyche has lost the dressing room, it’s possible that some players are playing with a different attitude due to their uncertainty this summer.

I just don’t see how the players could give everything for 4 matches then suddenly Dyche has lost the dressing room.

It’s a reasonable query then to ask, why have players that will be out of contract played well for 4 matches and vs Forest didn’t - and that’s why I disagree: I just think it was a crap day at the office. Players were goosed and Dyche should have mixed it up. That’s on him. I’m just saying that I’m more open to the idea that the contract situation may be having a bearing rather than him losing the dressing room

The issue is that we have won 8 games in the calendar year. 5 of those wins came in a 35 day period in April and May. Based on that, I don’t think Les is being reactive after 1 poor performance or result.

Whether that is the manager’s performance, poor individual form /motivation or contract uncertainty (probably all three have played a part), that is not sustainable.

The Americans will do what is necessary to protect their investment. Personally, I hope the manager gets us to the end of the season but I am not confident to be honest.

I'm happy we can start the new year not in the relegation zone and I'm confident we will sign an attack minded midfielder to improve our creativity.

Chermeti and Tim to come back from injury and they improve the first 11 straight away.

I agree we need to use our substitutions more to try and prevent injury and keep players fresh. Without a fully fit squad I understand it is more risky but half a season remaining and I'm happy to play without a striker to see out games.

Cunha is lucky it’s only a two game ban, because for what he did certainly deserved a much longer ban.

Rob, agree with that about Cunha should have been longer

The previous 2 seasons we created lots of half chances that we didn't take, this season we aren't even creating half chances.
Goals from set pieces are more and more important yet against Forrest we had at least 3 corners totally wasted.

I questioned the players effort before the run of draws and questioned it again after Forrest.

To me Dyche has done a remarkable job in the circumstances but even that only has a certain lifespan. Hopefully we are safe come the end of the season and we thank him for his services and move on.

There is always a team that sinks like a stone in the 2nd half of the season and a relegation placed team makes a fight of it. I don't see anyone else in the scrap other than us and the 3 promoted teams.

The Dyche system is built around Doucoure, if he plays well we generally do well, problem is Doucoure has been terrible for most of the season and has little competition for his place with Tim, McNeil and Garner being injured.

Not everyone's cup of tea but without McNeil we have very little creativity or goal threat.

I also have sympathy with Beto, whenever he comes on he tries much harder than anyone else on the pitch. He should have got more game time as continually playing a half arsed DCL can't be good for team morale. Even against Forrest he had a good header saved, tracked back to tackle someone and sprinted up top to be ready. His body language is 10 times better than DCL. Now that Broja has started in front of him I bet the lad wants away asap.

Jan: 0 wins
0 goals

Feb: 0 wins
2 goals

March: 0 wins
2 goals

April: 4 wins
7 goals

May: 1 win
3 goals

August: 0 wins
2 goals

September: 1win
5 goals

October: 1 win
3 goals

November: 0 wins
0 goals

December: 1 win
5 goals

Apart from a freak outlier of a month back in April, the stuff we’ve been served up has been appallingly abject, enthusiasm-sapping shite.

Can we survive a further five months with fingers crossed, forlornly hoping for another freak few weeks of fleeting form that might just be sufficient to see our arse hairs merely singed, rather than go up like a Molotov cocktail has scored a direct hit on our gooch?

Are we actually more than hoping and instead foolishly counting on it? Given the way the rest of the year has gone, where does the confidence come from that things will suddenly click for a short period and we can string together a few wins?

Watching Man U last night, was akin to watching Everton this season, not a clue going forward and little resistance at the back. Of course when they played us they scored four times and kept that gap between themselves and the lower teams.

The Dyche system requires his centre forward putting himself about and also getting hold of the ball, long enough to let other players get up the pitch to try and get closer to him, so I personally would have kept him in the team because he had actually carried out that role very well in our previous game, imo.

Doucoure’s very poor pass that started the move for Forest’s second the other day, shows how ineffective our system has become with him in the number ten role, because instead of being the furthest midfielder forward, he was the furthest midfield player back, (courtesy of Ian Edwards!)

I noticed Seamus straight away.Dyche from what I can make out plays inverted wingers.Young and more Myolenko coming inside.There is no overlapping.Seamus seen the space and moved into it and Patterson I agree would have the same.I think Dyche 's idea is is maintain a 1-4-4 formation which becomes a 4-5 on attack with defence in mind. He has said that the Everton attack is a 'team of scorers ',as opposed to be dependent on 'strikers who are not scoring'.

The problem with this is attacking is depending on breaking ball and a forward player getting the right connection.IMO playing in front of a Premier League defence this is wishful.thinking, since the defenders are selected to prevent this.It is their bread and butter.If Everton are set up against a defensive formation like Forest it is even more difficult.

I agree that if Seamus and Patterson played and they overlapped into space more goals would result.But the problem is that Dyche does not select the players to provide back up and prefers the defensive line deep, which leaves gaping spaces for counter attacks.But Dyche seems to omit the fact that loss of possession, not marking up at set peices, error prone and poor players give rise to this situation anyway.The right tactics would be to the attacking play allowing overlaps.But there is still a deficit in coaching regarding crosses, tactical running and getting in position.It looks as if the Manager is not interested in forward tactics.

Even when we have been better than them we still end up losing and it was the defeats to them, two in a couple of days, that signalled the beginning of the end of the Lampard reign.

A Happy 2025 to all!

Does your post contain an error, for "SSN" should it have read "ToffeeWeb"?

I don’t know who this pundit was on SSN. May have been a journalist or something, but I never caught his name, and can’t even say I recognised him, but as Fred says @ #74, he obviously doesn’t know, or remember who we’ve played.

No team fears Everton. We can blame Dyche for most of this stat. but what he has to play with is awful.

We don't have a Salah, Shearer or Aguerro up front and so Dyche tries to compensate by being over cautious and using only one real forward player who sadly has a thankless task.

The rest scurry around like headless chickens and using the likes of Lindstrom, Harrison and Doucoure doesn't help matters but others are culprits too.

There is no substitute for speed and mobility which Everton lack in certain areas.

Thank God 2024 is coming to an end. Surely the new owners will jump start this club.

Although Frank Lampard was often referred to as the "Fan's choice" on ToffeeWeb al least during his early tenure.

We ARE better than what we've shown this season, and the football couldn't be worse.

Moyes always used attacking full-backs here, and would make better use of what we have.

Worry about what is happening to our club. The constant lowering of standards, the acceptance of less than mediocrity.

Nil Satis still means something to me. Maybe I accept its relativity nowadays, but it still means something.

This guy is a stain on our existence. It shouldn't be a hard decision.

Oh, and it's 2025 in this part of the world. Happy new year to all blues, and even those who call me a miserable Dyche hater - we all want the same thing after all.

"we've never had influence at board room level.
Supporters generally don't."

I would say every manager sacked under Moshiri was a result of fan pressure and the imminent sacking of Dyche will be exactly the same.

Wasn't it Jimmy Hill years ago who said "fans get managers sacked" ?

More shite spouted on TW!

Dyche has been very close to this situation a few times this season and hasnt helped his cause by blaming the players for the performance agaibnst Forest.

IMO a manager with a win ratio of less than 30%should be let go.

Moyes would at least get us safe this year whereas Dyche seems to have run out of steam.

I posted on another thread that maybe he was being honest when he said what he said about the players against Forest?

Maybe they didn't do as was planned at FF.

And if Dyche has lost the dressing room did he only lose it after the Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City games because people were "generally" happy with those results apart from those who forecast we'd get no points at all in December (and that included the Wolves game).

The mood literally changed on one of our results and the fact that other results went somewhat against us.

I know it's been pretty dismal all season so far but you only have to look where we're lacking to see some of the problem/s.

We need two modern day athletic fullbacks IMO, and two pacey wingers.

We also need another attacking midfielder.

There's half a team we need already.

Then we'd need a manager who could set us up to go out and play where the desire to win overcomes the fear of losing.

That's a tall order for any manager with the situation we're in.

Dyche is limited, that's easy to see, but he does have a lot against him.

His remit was/is to keep us in the premier league, no more no less.

We all know and accept that there's a real danger in us not succeeding in that target this season.

Having said that making a knee jerk and bad decision (IMO) like bringing Moyes back could be disastrous in itself.

"If fans get managers sacked, does that also mean fans have a say in who’s appointed as manager? "

No. Weird logic

The month started off on a bad note, with the defeat to Man Utd in the first game, ending in defeat by Forest in the last game of the month. The four games in-between resulted in six points being won, when many predicted a pointless month, and only one goal conceded.

The three consecutive draws, all against current top six teams, would have been daunting enough for most teams, let alone us. The concentration levels would have been stretched to almost breaking point for our defence, but they coped superbly against all three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City, and maybe Forest was a “Bridge too Far”, although it shouldn’t have been. However, I certainly don’t think Dyche has lost the dressing room, otherwise we would probably have lost those three drawn games. I do, however, think his days will be numbered soon, as I can’t see TFG putting up with many more performances, and defeats, like Sunday.

Would be one win in 11 and possibly in the drop zone with Villa up next.

You are clearly not referring your Jimmy Hill almanac. It only works one way FFS.

Can you check the Jimmy Hill manual for this please?

Junior Doctors got a whopping pay rise because they had a damn good moan and went on strike but had no voice in the appointment of the next Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

I don't have this manual you refer to but it might be there or similar.

Pure coincidence Martinez, Koeman, Silva, Allardyce, Benitez and Lampard were getting pelters from fans before being sacked.

Yeh, that sounds plausible

Sorry mate but Barry's right.

I just checked the Jimmy Hill almanac. Doesnt mention Junior Doctors or the secretary of health and social care. HOWEVER !!! Right there on page 54 JH writes - and I quote

" Football fans have never had a say in the hiring of managers, but they have the absolute control over the firing of them"

There we have it. Case closed

I agree, there was fan unrest, but an owner will not sack a manager because of it. The only sacking which Moshiri would have made due to fan unrest etc, in my opinion, was Benitez. He got murdered by the away fans at Brentford and Norwich, culminating in being sacked two days later after the Norwich debacle. I think, however, Kenwright may have had some say in that.

Have you still got the hotline number to Moshiri?

He effectively said that the players did not follow what he had asked them to do.

Players no longer listening to the manager? If that really is the case the Uber can’t be far away.

At Bournemouth, lets see Everton react positively and take all 3 points.
They are beatable, Everton believe, then they can win.
I'd like to see the corners and free kicks mixed up with some near post, corners with pace.
Everton have become too predictable at the moment from dead balls

Ipswich last night, is a warning sign of the battles ahead, but Everton hopefully can get a couple of new players in this window, and provide fresh ideas and hope, on and off the pitch.

UTFTs and H N Y 2025 to everyone!😀💙🤍🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍀

But Saturday's match, is huge..

UTFTs!

Hilarious.

Mind you, it is true that whenever fans sing 'You're getting sacked in the morning', the unfortunate manager always gets sacked.

.

"I agree, there was fan unrest, but an owner will not sack a manager because of it"

I fundamentally disagree not just because of the grief owners get from fans on the warpath, see Moshiris refusal to attend games, but the monstrous cost of hiring and firing managers.

Ask yourself if you think he would have sacked any of them if the crowd were chanting the incumbents name?

Doubtful to say the least.

I don’t know if we’d have won the European cup that year but we should’ve beaten that lot.

On Olympiacos,

Mirallas was good for us, wish we had him in this current team , he would be our stand out.

Goals, assists, selfishness, .. we were spoilt when he was here as we had many other decent players, ohhh for a Kevin Mirallas these days.

The classy response would be to keep those comments behind closed doors, surely?

I think TFG are waiting for the PSR verdict. That's the point when they're going to act, be that transfers and/or managers.

He has run out of excuses.

He has run out of excuses.

We deserve much much better. Let's hope for a happier new year.

The difference now is the results, the total lack of progression, and the outright boredom with his methods.

I obviously never liked his approach but everyone can understand if its a short term means to an end. But there's no end to this - what you see is what you get. It's going to be like this until he's gone and, personally, I didn't think we can continue to slowly regress. We're running out of room.

There is much speculation about how a good coach can improve players. Well in my opinion he, as well Patterson, would really benefit from good coaching.

He can head a ball (using his neck muscles).
He can shoot - remember his disallowed goal for offside when he brought a long ball down from over his shoulder and hit it past the keeper first time.
He is strong as an ox and lets opposing centre halves know they are in a game.
Apparently he can tackle - when was the last time we saw our centre forward win the ball back in his own half!
He gives 100% for the team.

I really hope he isn’t the one to go in this window. It would be a terrible shame. This lad will make the grade. I hope it is with us.

I must admit, I’m hugely disappointed in the lethargy shown by TFG so far.

Getting the negatives out of the way. I think that the 23/24 Financial Results will show increasing losses and reference to another Commission. Dyche may be looking a payout. I always think that is what he is saying when covering his mouth not to be lip read.It can't have anything to do with the gaI do with the game..I also think that alot of staff at Everton know that their cusy jobs are not on the line and they will be resisting and trying to tuf it out as they always have done..

But last there is a different narrative.New Owners who will run Everton professionally for the first time in over 30 years.. At last a new Stadium built and ready to go to lauch Everton on a commercial footing..Finances sorted out quicker than I thought possible. A agreement with the Premier League going forward.(I can't see the new owners not having one.The new Owners will have come clean on their due diligence findings. ) That the remnants of the School of Science at last will be able to shake off the parasites that have lived off it surviving in the Premier League as a result.

So Happy Year to all Evertonians.Wishing Good Luck, Health and Happiness.

More concerning is what's happening on the pitch.

This cannot be allowed to go on and we need someone new who can get us 8 wins.

A more positive manager with two or three good signings in January to strengthen the team and who knows we could do a Newcastle.

My gripe with Dyche is he never picks the strongest available team and his tactics in the main do not work.
We lose possession far too much, because there are always 2 or 3 players in the team who keep giving the ball away cheaply. And as a result we keep giving the opposition too many chances. On a good day the chances don't go in because they are missed, Pickford saves us or the woodwork does. On a bad day they go in.

I wouldn't mind Dyche's negative football if I thought it was working but it isn't so he must go.

If Seamus is fit for Bournemouth I would play both him and Patterson at full back and right midfield. A simple move that would make the right side stronger defensively and better going forward.

Mangala and Gueye must be kept together so when McNeil is fit Doucoure needs to be left out so either Ndiaye or McNeil can play the No.10 role.

Will Dyche do this? I doubt it very much.
We can and should be doing much better so Dyche has to go.

Maybe we can go in for Tom Fellows now? Him and Ferguson of Brighton please and Trippier on loan. Surely time for a Robert Tressell transfer article ? ;)

It's nothing new either. This type of meek home performance has been a regular feature of the last 35 years. We've only had a few seasons of genuinely good football in that period and even then we were well off the pace for titles, trophies etc. We've hardly had any top class players in that period either - largely as a result of a complete failure by the club to capitalise on the riches offered by the Premier League.

Players come and go, managers come and go. Investment remains much lower than that of the traditional rich 6. Therefore players are of a lower standard than that of the traditional rich 6.

Since Moshiri pulled the plug at the end of the 2020/21 season we've been operating as though we were relegated. Hence we've had 3 consecutive seasons of relegation fights - and sadly we're in another. I suspect we would have been much better off without the early season injury crisis - but who knows?

I know people will disagree - and that's fair enough - but I also think that we're broadly performing in line with the calibre of players at Everton. Sadly, Gibbs-White, Elanga and Sosa would all have made a difference for us had they been playing in blue - and sadder still we wanted to sign all of them but didn't have the money. What a difference a player like Gibbs-White would make.

Dyche has his pros and cons. Many hate him (and have from the start), and many appreciate what he's done in the extremely difficult circumstances.

Replacement managers will have their pros and cons. At the end of last season it looked like Glasner at Palace was ace - not so much now. Currently it looks like Nuno Santos is ace - but very few on here wanted him when he was available and he was poor at Spurs.

The big issue now is how much we invest in the playing squad. It looks like PSR will hamper any significant moves in January and we've already filled up our loan spots. So it will be another tricky window.

Could we get a new manager bounce from likelier candidates such as Moyes or Potter? Possibly, yes. But the spirit on our impressive run of draws didn't suggest any unrest in the camp. Ultimately, we're just not very good.

Fingers crossed that the Friedkins come up with a way of making us better. Enjoy 2025.

I predicted that he and Rooney would be gone by Xmas. Nearly right with Wayne. Unless the unexpected occurs at Bournemouth then Mr D will be following Wayne out of the door. Unlikely that Sean will leave " by mutual consent " but it will certainly be in the best interests of the club.

Oh, and the reason he speaks behind his hand is that all he is saying is " rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb " ( other words are available).

"I predicted that he and Rooney would be gone by Xmas. "

Wrong on both calls then

You give good reasons for the changes, but as you say Dyche will not change. His way of playing isn't getting results and some players seem to have given up, going through the motion, and others have lost confidence.

Paul Tran thinks the New Owners are waiting till the Premier League PSR decision, though I think they have a fair idea of the outcone.But it could be the trigger they use.

Dyche is not getting the performance out of the players and his tactic's maybe the reason why. I think that part of the reason for this is that Forest got the counter tactics right and other Clubs will follow suit, as Dyche is predictable.Not a good thing in the Premier League.

I actually think Januarys fixtures are more concerning. We are up against teams that I think tend to score and attack at pace.

Dare I say that we will get 0 points if Dyche remains in charge?

Simply put, Dyche just doesn’t have the answers. His whole approach relies on three teams being worse than us. Maybe not this year, but sooner or later we would come a cropper. It’s what happened to Burnley after all.

I can’t help wondering what sort of shape we would have been in had Bielsa been given his way.

It is really down to existing player motivation and use of the existing squad.Bringing in a impact players is not going to work.Who would be the nterim Manager and will the New Owners want to risk relegation? Who is the Assistant Manager at Everton or has Dyche cleared the decks?

I was not surprised at the better results against Cheksea, Man City and Arsenal since they do not have a deep defensive line.Playing against Cheksea Man U and Forest who did was the problem.Against Man U Dyche actually went gunho , aka Chelsea earlier in the season and Bournemouth.

The real killer is not being able to score and once being close to a draw , having no ambition to try..