Everton Banter Archive January 21 2018

21 Jan 2018 20:49:23
In the 80s and earlier back everton was a top 3 club at least now we fallen away mostly through bad management up stairs and not investing and moving forward but what teams do you all think have moved forward and overtaken everton how far behind have we fallen in the past 30 years or so . have a lot of so called smaller clubs now overtaken us if so which clubs do you think they are and just how far have we fallen.

21 Jan 2018 23:21:49
IMHO, the mid-1980s European ban followed by the mid-1990s Agent Johnson era were what killed us. Because of those, we were never in a position to grow as a Premier League club and have been outside the “elite” since then.

21 Jan 2018 19:46:45
Hoping your boy James McCarthy a full and speedy recovery.

Terrible injury.

21 Jan 2018 20:08:47
cheers mate, their guy was class.

21 Jan 2018 20:25:20
Cheers Dags we all feel for Jimmy Mac and hope he has a speedy recovery.

21 Jan 2018 17:59:20
Joao Mario interest confirmed, hmmm another midfielder, maybe Morgan on his way, at least we would all agree to that lol.

21 Jan 2018 17:42:50
Change of direction here.

People often say on these forums about the Everton Style and the Everton way. Maybe that's our problem and we need to move ahead with the times.

Could someone explain in simple words what that actually means.

21 Jan 2018 18:07:38
Interesting mate, when you have been supporting the Club for as long as us it has worked in the past mate, good post.

21 Jan 2018 18:14:50
Were not playing in any particularway, with any consistent method, with any plan or structure, with any balance or any identity. Not SA bashing but it doesn't seem like he knows what's best. This is not the everton way. The everton way includes cohesiveness, a warriors fight and a renowned and intimidating atmosphere at home. Its about being proud of the team, the players and the staff. Its about being able to look at the blue skys through the storm with hope. Its about that feeling that none of us can quite explain. That has gone at the moment.

21 Jan 2018 18:16:41
You know Grumpy. You have watched everton more than most of us.
Big strong no 9 (ferguson, lukaku, sharp not lineker)
Fast, skilful or no nonsense players (kanchelsis, sheedy, arteta, gravesen)
Heart of a lion (cahill, ferguson, ebrell)
Solid performers (Neville, osman, Barry, jagielka)

That is evertons heritage.

21 Jan 2018 18:24:30
and Peter Reid mate but so many ahh.

21 Jan 2018 18:24:51
Two good posts BT and smit.

21 Jan 2018 18:45:28
As a club it's morals, class and respect. That respect is to whoever we play or whoever we do business with. The morals and class is simply exampled in EITC.

If you're talking playing style then it's always evolved. In every successful team though it's been usually tough to beat but with the ball on the deck and using width.

A centre forward who can hold the ball and bring in others and wide men that can cross dribble and score.

We haven't really had the width since the 90s with the Kancelskus and Limpars. PienAar never scored and it was Baines the supplier of the cross and the other wide men have never been out and out wingers. Moyes changed us to this more defensive set up by using wingbacks and wanted players not with flair but grit to help cover them. It worked against poor teams but when you needed tricky intelligent risk takers to unlock the good teams he didn't have any and why we NEVER beat any of them.

Martinez tried to draw us back to a more attack minded team but forgot that if you concede goals then you don't win games. It was no surprise he and Koeman had more success against the good teams than Moyes ever did due to the more expansive football.

This is a brief overview of what I see and you could go deeper into it but the last time I saw an Everton team that I recognise was 96. Last season under Koeman though was brilliant up until May. We looked like we'd score 5 every game. Everything from 96 to then was pretty much forgettable with the exception of a few brief flurries.

21 Jan 2018 19:28:30
It is difficult to define an Everton style. I suppose that we are all influenced by the first side we saw and fell in love with. For me that means Alex Young. The antithesis of Ferguson, Royle and although I am a little too young to have seen him, Dave Hickson. For me that kind of player brings out the worst in the rest of the team. It encourages "hitting the big man" as a sibstitute for guile and skill. I like wingers who can go past their man. I like the ball on the floor, passing and movement. The kind of football that gave rise to the School of Science when the influx of Scots arrived in the 19th century with their interpassing style replacing the kick and rush, dribbling and hacking style that was its precursor.

21 Jan 2018 19:35:41
None of you are wrong yet no one hit the nail on the head.

We the fans are the Everton way.

We support our team through thick and thin, through the good and the bad, that is the Everton way.

We support our team regardless of where we sit in the league, and we sing as loud as though we were league champions, that is the Everton Way.

We always give players and managers a chance, often 3 or 4 that is the Everton way.

We have/ had a fan base that is envied by many teams here in the UK and in Europe, that is the Everton way.

We set standards not aim to meet them that is the Everton way.

If we are playing bad we sing louder, that is the Everton way.

The point I am making is that it is us the fans who are the Everton way not the players who are here for a few years, not our playing style, not our manager, not our owners.

Calling for managers to be sacked or players to be dropped, or silent at home games that is not the Everton way.

The club has not been great for many a year now for some reason over the last 3 or 4 seasons it is us the fans who have changed.

WE are no longer the Everton way.

21 Jan 2018 19:41:57
One thing we have always had from the 80s is the grit, determination and doggedness if not the class.

21 Jan 2018 19:50:05
Very Very good post those were the days, no patience nowadays eh mate,

21 Jan 2018 20:03:08
No you're totally wrong Grumpy and are looking through drunken glasses.

This now is as it always is.

Riots, protests, even vandalism against our own ground since we've been a club.

Going to a half filled ground until we were almost relegated is the norm for any club.

I remember the abuse Kendall got before turning it around in the 80s. It wasn't much different but the violence at that time was.

So no, we aren't Everton. But we are drawn to something that is better than us or the illusion of it and I'll always support the club because of it. If we are Everton then we've always been a bunch of arse holes!

21 Jan 2018 20:05:18
Playing for the badge. Hard work and determination and fearing nobody.

21 Jan 2018 20:15:12
With both of you there Smit and GB good days.

21 Jan 2018 20:56:33
lets go back eh mate the 60 s onwards oh.

21 Jan 2018 20:58:56
Blue John WTF?

21 Jan 2018 22:02:54
BJU Not that it has anything to do with you I am actually tea-total. When someone has to resort to personal insults then for me the debate is over.

I have more dignity than to reply with insults so let's just go our separate ways.

21 Jan 2018 22:59:15
Hardly an insult Grumpy. Had worse in a school play ground. How about rose tinted glasses then!?

To be fair you've insulted every Everton fan under the age of 30 by saying they aren't Everton. I'd come down off your lofty position and apologise.

I'm saying Everton fans have never been different whether young or old. They have all loved the club the same as you and me including 10 and 14 year old who sing at every game till their lung give out. And they've never questioned the old muckers Evertonian qualities like you and me.

However, the big difference? Places like this and social media. That's the difference. If it was around in the 70s and 80s we'd all be on here still moaning at every point.

21 Jan 2018 23:23:21
BJU absolute belter of analysis, although I was a child in the 80s so did not get the glory, my days began with the early 90s and that was misery, we had grit and determination, we had fight, we had identity.
We were the dogs of war, the peoples club, what are we today? The club who uses Jim White and talksport to address the fans.

The Everton of days gone by is no more and the soul was sold to the devil when are Knight in Russian armour rode in, we now have to deal with no passion, no identity and no spirit! We have wingers, we have a target man yet we don't utilise these because arrogance got in the way when a manager was needed!

Have we ever had a Director of Football before? No we haven't and this is part of the problem, a manager is judged by results, but if he doesn't buy the players how can he be responsible? Moshiri may be the majority shareholder but is it really him who owns them other than by name?
Our identity has gone on and off the pitch, changes need to be made on both fronts.

21 Jan 2018 17:20:40
Just watching the Southampton game, how the hell are they in the bottom three 21 points, giving Spurs a good go 1-1 at the mo.

21 Jan 2018 18:03:07
Watched the game myself, each player looked fitter and they all moved for each other. We obviously need some sort of settled side and then the understanding will start to happen.

21 Jan 2018 16:46:20
Would love to know from our management team why we have been unable to put 90 minutes of half decent football together for the last 2 seasons.

Under Koeman we would half 45 mins of decent football and 45 of Sunday league. We just never seem to actually address the problems.

If it is attitude then show the players not prepared to fight the door,

if it ability the same door can be used,

For me we keep trying and have been trying the same things pretty much for 18months 2 years and it hasn't worked!

I thought Sam (not my first choice but needs must) would come in and shake things up and too a degree he has but it's the same players been picked and they either do ok for 45 or play like a rabbit in headlights.

I do think one massive problem we have is we have over 30 players registered but don't actually have any competition for places apart from number 10, no real pressure on The two CB the two Dm flatter to deceive game after game with zero composure.

Klassen for me needs game time and a chance to show his worth

Sandro the same you don't become crap overnight (a loan to Newcastle might help if we can't give him minutes)

And for the love of god please play Luke Garbutt or another Lb that actually has a left foot!

First post thought I would get it all out!

21 Jan 2018 17:13:56
Thought Big Sam employed a Psychologist? Should sack him/ her they're doing an awful job!

21 Jan 2018 17:23:45
Good post Yorkie.

21 Jan 2018 17:24:27
probably Mystic Meg mate.

21 Jan 2018 17:24:28
Problem with Klassen and Sandro Yorkie is not that they become crap, maybe they just can not adjust to the prem, they won’t be the first and certainly won’t be the last.

21 Jan 2018 17:31:51
excellent post Yorkie mate.

21 Jan 2018 18:00:01
There was nothing wrong with last season. From December it was the best football I'd seen at Goodison for 30 years.

The problem Koeman had this season was Walsh didn't get him the three players he asked for in every press conference. Two strikers and a left back.

Add to that a massive influx of players and you have an unbalanced team that's not used to each other and low on confidence.

I wonder that if we had kept Koeman like we did last season would we now see a more cohesive team?

There hasn't been an improvement and can easily point to the fact we are much, much worse. It's all ifs and buts though.

As for the players we've bought. It's hard to say that they are bad as they haven't played enough to judge them. It's crazy that there are people who think Sam should get to the end of the season but want some players out now that we signed in the summer.

21 Jan 2018 18:01:13
I guarantee that once Baines comes back or A. N. Other that knows what they are doing in that position you will see more of Lookman/ Bolasie on the left and Walcott plus Kenny/ Coeman on the right.

21 Jan 2018 18:01:13
I guarantee that once Baines comes back or A. N. Other that knows what they are doing in that position you will see more of Lookman/ Bolasie on the left and Walcott plus Kenny/ Coeman on the right.

21 Jan 2018 18:30:10
Guarantee that much you posted twice Ducks haha.

21 Jan 2018 19:31:02
Did you only watch the home games Blue? We were shocking away from home last season.

21 Jan 2018 15:41:50
Just watched MOTD, if you look at their first clear cut chance Martina runs across to cover the right CB position, then sprints back to the LB position to try and block the shot and maybe puts the fella off enough. I'm not saying he should be anywhere near the team but where the hell were the centre halves and the defensive mids?

21 Jan 2018 15:57:18
still think Holgate was at fault.

21 Jan 2018 17:09:33
Think Holgate might need dropping for a little while, as he must be affected by the ongoing FA investigation into the Firmino row. If he was indeed racially abused, or if he is to be charged for the push that launched Firmino into the stands, then to have this still hanging over him without a resolution is surely a distraction, an emotional drain and a pressure he could do without in either case.

21 Jan 2018 17:25:27
Aren't they investigating him for alleged homophobic comments on his Twitter account. The firminho thing is done.

21 Jan 2018 18:06:35
no Smit666 they are aware of it but are not looking into it I mean why would they next thing every rival fan would be scrolling through tweets trying to get players banned already a Everton fan has gone through Robertson's and found some homophobic ones he did years ago Jesus how do these guys find the time to troll people.

21 Jan 2018 18:13:42
Not sure, Smit. Rio Ferdinand talked about it yesterday on TV and seemed to suggest that the FA was still to make a decision, but the twitter comments thing is just another addition to Holgates stresses now that you mention it.

21 Jan 2018 15:31:46
Once Everton has touched you, nothing will be the same Marco. Unlucky Watford should of took the compensation.

21 Jan 2018 15:38:38
Yep. Instead of getting good money for him, they now have to pay good money for sacking him.

21 Jan 2018 15:53:16
Yeah once Evertons touched you, you will lead a miserable suffering life.

21 Jan 2018 16:26:46
Amen to that Oll,

21 Jan 2018 13:51:07
Conspiracy theory, yes we made an approach to Watford but was refused. Their results have been awful since, even though we appointed Sam? Maybe we have still continued our interest in Silva for next season. If Moshiri wants him maybe he will get him. I can’t see us rocking the boat now and sacking the two Sams and Shakespear.
It would probably be less than £8m though but would Moshiri sanction nearly £50m for transfers from Sam or was this Walsh who signed them for Silva to come in. ?
Watford have not only lost out on £8m compensation but will need to pay off Silva and his staff. Expensive for them.

21 Jan 2018 14:02:41
Good post mate, absolute drivvle as per normal from the rags.

21 Jan 2018 13:33:26
Grumpy's Sunday Moans.

Ever since Sam has come on board he has had probably 90% of these forums regularly whinging that they want him out, win, lose or draw it's the same.

Whilst I respect your views, I can't help but feel they are making you all blinkered to what is going on, Ask yourselves why is it that 3 successive managers (all with good credentials) are somehow failing to manage this squad?

RK for all his faults did not suddenly become a bad manager overnight, he took an average squad to Europe and then became a bad manager, that doesn't make any sense to me as there has to be another factor that suddenly made him poor.

DU has fantastic qualifications with his exceptional success with the under 23's, and you would of thought that he would of been a natural successor to RK yet he failed in a spectacular way and set new records with us that no manager would be proud of, the amount of goals we conceded during his tenure. Again ask yourselves is it possible that one of the best under 23's manager became so poor overnight? Even managers with no premier experience have better success than he did.

Now on to the scapegoat, Fat Sam, He has a reputation of being able to get teams out of a relegation scrap, In fact every single team he has managed has been in a stronger position, with a more stable play style, when he left than they had prior to his appointment. He had a great start with us but it now seems to be on a decline, so has he suddenly become a bad manager overnight?

I know you Sam haters will no doubt come out with every reason under the sun as to why Sam has to go, but this post is not about him, he just happens to be our current manager who is experiencing the same team problems as the 2 previous managers.

So what is happening at our club? we have either been exceptionally unlucky and all 3 managers have suddenly turned into bad managers or it is something a lot deeper. Some people are putting our problems with SW, now this may hold some water as he is the person in charge of finding new players but in my opinion he is not entirely to blame, his dealings with players ends when they are signed. When we sign a player I am sure you will find they are actually good players (with the exception of Niasse whom I am happy we have at the moment) , so why have they suddenly become useless?

The fact we were and still are missing players who are naturals for the position we want them to play has nothing to do with how inept our players are playing at the moment, these are professional footballers and should be able to adapt their playing style to suit any formation, and most positions that they are asked to do. Now this is the problem our players for whatever reason seem unable to do, they are also struggling to play with any consistency in the position they are naturals for. It is generally accepted that Niasse is not good enough for the premiership yet our squad is making him look like a real good player.

So let us say that all 3 managers suddenly did not turn bad, it only leaves the players themselves. I do not know what has happened with them but I do know that all of the problems started with the influx of players we had in the summer. yea yea we got too many number 10's but remember they also are playing bad. The players we have know that they are good, they know of and buy into our ambition, yet can't hold a ball when they have it. All professional footballers have massive ego's and think they know what's best, for some reason we have a team that seem to undermine the manager and do what they think is best.

my theory

Every now and again teams such as Everton get a world class superstar joining them and we now have Mr Rooney. Love him or loath him his name and face are known throughout the world, he is a superstar. Now sadly for us Wayne is no longer the player he once was, but that is not to stop other players looking up to him and trying to learn traits he used to have. Wayne rarely stays where he is supposed to even Ferguson has moaned about that aspect of him, now we see other players doing the same, we play out of formation, a Wayne trait, Players try to keep hold of the ball instead of passing, Wayne can keep hold of a ball and slow down play when required. Wayne is an accurate passer of the ball our players are not as savvy as he is and do not really know when to pass or who to. Waynes cavalier attitude is rubbing off on our players and as such they are now in the mindset to ignore the managers advice.

Well that's my theory.

21 Jan 2018 13:41:03
Blimey mate see my post above, your ears must be burning good post mate.

21 Jan 2018 13:55:57
Thanks mate, great minds think alike.

21 Jan 2018 14:10:43
Would make sense if Rooney had been there for the last four years, but he hasn't. The facts are simple really, we just haven't found a manager yet who can combine good attacking football with a solid defence. Sam can't do it, RK couldn't do it And RM couldn't do it. The search goes on.

21 Jan 2018 14:13:04
Interesting theory, Grumpy and you may be on to something. I remember when we signed eto'o and were made up to get such a big name at first, but he was apparently very disruptive in the dressing room and we soon couldn't wait to get rid, then improved when he left.

21 Jan 2018 14:38:01
You're right OnlyHaveEyes, I don't for one moment think it is intentional, If that's not the reason it's a heck of a coincidence.

21 Jan 2018 14:41:25
Ha. Conspiracy theory. I'm not sure I buy it though mate.
The fact is Grumpy we do not know if the new players are good enough, because no manager has given them a consistent run in the team. Unsworth and big Sam are happy to draw or lose with the same 18 week in week out.
Take Lookman, he comes on and makes a big difference in a massive game and then the next week he's not even in the squad.
Davies comes on and runs his legs off, yes he loses the ball but he gave us some impetus and forward passing. Where is he the next game? Not even in the squad.
How can big Sam expect these players to perform for him if, when they do they get ditched. He is killing their confidence for his own gain.
Add to that Schneiderlin who gets picked every week but has no interest in doing anything but going sideways or backwards. Why is he picked?

I personally think big Sam has lost most of the players which explains the drop off in desire. Tosun and Walcott will be exempt because they were bought under his watch.
And finally. Any manager worth his salt would have a half dozen Lbs identified, whether they be a replacement for Baines or a stop gap, after all that is what Sam is good at, coming in at Xmas and buying players that improve the squad and keep teams up.

21 Jan 2018 15:09:45
the problem there then is the players smit, RM lost them, RK lost them, didn’t perform for DU (see Snids and Mirrales incident) now SA has lost them. So if your right in my eyes we have a group of players that sulk and don’t play for the manager the minute they don’t like something.
You just answered your self why Davies is not getting a game, giving the ball away? Let him play because he pushes forward, it’s ok if he gives the ball away, don’t sound right to me, lad might need to be taken out the limelight for his own protection. Lookman made a difference but he certainly didn’t light up the field. Again still young. Remember these kids are 19/ 20 and you want to just throw them out there, clubs have a duty of care to protect them, we don’t see what goes on off that pitch, so maybe you need to take them blinkers and blue shaded glasses off to look at the bigger picture.
See you don’t mention Vlasic like you normally do? Maybe that’s because he again didn’t exactly light up the pitch, looks like a kid with great potential and as every manager says you need to be careful how you handle potential. Don’t believe SA is killing there confidence, but believe there is more goes on at a club than what we see. I recently spoke to someone who works in finch farm and they said it’s great there under SA and everyone loves him, they also commented on RK and he did not get the same glowing review.
Not going to argue against you on everything mate, totally agree with snids, man too slow and just don’t move around the pitch and plays no passes that help at all, why is he picked? Baffles me too.

21 Jan 2018 15:28:12
Get a room you two. Agree with everything Smit says. It does seem like he's lost the dressing room already. Davies should start most games because he's the only midfielder who drives forward. Lookman should start certain games and come on for others, always in the squad though. If we're not careful Sam will alienate all the young talent, the future, and they will become disillusioned and move on.

21 Jan 2018 16:00:08
Davies wants the ball which in my eyes is more than anyone else in our midfield. Gana is good but doesn't want the ball he wants to win it, which is whatcha does and what we bought him for. Schneids well, need I say more.
I'd have Davies play in every game this season Schneiderlin has played in and I would bet we would have played better. Taken out of the limelight? The lad can't get a game, there is no limelight.
Vlasic. Yeah play him, but, for God's sake play him in his position, he's young so don't stick him on the wing, he isn't a winger.

I bet it is great at finch farm with S. A. there, well for 18 of them anyway.

21 Jan 2018 16:08:54
Not a conspiracy theory Smit mate just my theory.
If we include RM there have been about 60 different players coming and going as well as being in the squad who have played for us. RM had a decent first season with us then lost it on the second, RK had a good first season and lost his mojo so fast in the second season that something must of happened. Because both managers had good first seasons it must rule out that we have bad players. The players we have bought in were good players at their previous clubs, now they are not. This is not down to all 3 managers within one season, it can't be. There is something very wrong within the club that we do not know about. All I did was offer a theory of what that could be as I don't see many new one's out there.

21 Jan 2018 16:34:06
Got to agree smit, I would prefer Davies in over Snids all day. I’m just trying to point out mate that there is more to a clubs, teams, managers and players week than just 90 minutes, this is what we don’t see. Wasn’t Vlasic used down the wing against us?

21 Jan 2018 17:12:20
He was bestyrne and that is why he is perceived to be a winger but follow his career and he is a central attacking midfielder.

Grumpy. How about this for a theory?
Martinez did well in his 1stvseason because the team still has the discipline and defensive nature of Moyes sprinkled with a bit of Martinezs attacking flair. Season 2 and 3 and the players have lost Moyes discipline and defensive training.
Season 1 for Koeman and he brings in a less attacking style and installs some defensive traits but, the team still have the Martinez attacking training in them. Season 2 they forget how to attack and defend due to the turnover of players. Big Sam comes in and installs some defensive discipline but, the team don't have the attacking traits to call on so we are poor going forward.

The answer. Start a fresh with a manager who has a style and strategy that suits Everton.

21 Jan 2018 17:33:56
Would be better in the summer then smit, when it’s better suited to chase managers. Still think we have got this DoF set up all wrong as well as the wrong person in the job, but that’s just my view. Whilst that’s messed up I can not see any manager settling the team.

21 Jan 2018 17:52:19
Totally agree bestyrne Walsh has to up his game or go.
Big Sam is coming to the end of January without a LB and whether that's Walsh or him. It can't be right. I would presume that because of the striker issue that it's Walsh and not Sam.

21 Jan 2018 18:09:14
Not worth getting in a LB who is no good mate. None are available now, in the summer we will rebuild.

21 Jan 2018 11:48:31
Lookman needs to play, he is someobody who can get behind the defense cause problems and offer a goal threat. "He loses the ball too much" we lose the ball anyway or do nothing with it. A bit of enthusiasm that he can bring may lift the crowd and energise the players a bit. Crazy crazy stuff.

21 Jan 2018 12:19:56
Although I'm not a Big Sam hater at all I do agree Blue-tit. Lookman should be playing more this season imho.

21 Jan 2018 12:28:19
Normal circumstances I would agree with you. But (yes I know we go on about him but nevertheless) while we have Martina at LB, it forces the Manager and Coaching staff to try and find a combination on the left that works and Lookman et al are to lightweight. We desperately need a LB (left sided midfielder) . I also maintain that when Rooney played on the left deep seated midfield role we played an awful lot better. I would put him back there with Gueye. Then have Siggy, Walcott and Bolasie, Tosun up front.

21 Jan 2018 12:55:49
Theres no threat on the left though so their rightback can bomb on and cause even more problems for martina. We have possession with no threat no purpos3, we lose it with spaces at the back and get steamrolled exactly like we did under Martinez in that respect.

21 Jan 2018 13:03:59
Spot on Ducks, it ruined Siggy putting him there, and ruined Vlasic yesterday. Don't understand how management can't see that?

21 Jan 2018 13:17:20
Woburn, so okay we won't play a left winger then mate :)

21 Jan 2018 13:18:48
Plus i'm not saying start him all the time, just invole him more.

21 Jan 2018 14:13:56
BT were not playing a left winger now. Anyone can see there spending all there time covering the left back.

21 Jan 2018 14:44:25
Two defensive midfielders sat in front of the back four making sideways passes creates nothing going forward, fair play to West Brom who came and played 4-4-2 and caused us problems all game!
It’s time to change tactics and our fortunes!

21 Jan 2018 11:47:14
What a load of tripe Everton to blame for Watfords poor results, yeh right I ask you.

21 Jan 2018 12:13:16
We unsettled him apparently, what it does give us is a free run in the summer with only one compo package to pay, if indeed he is still wanted.

21 Jan 2018 14:05:47
So if we take him in the summer and then after a season Arsenal comes in for him would he be unsettled again?

We dodged a bullet.

21 Jan 2018 11:04:27
So Silva has now got his marching orders, just a thought all the Big Sam haters on here that were screaming for Silva instead of Big Sam blah blah as our manager would you swap him with Big Sam now, i think not, no better than Sam at all, funny old world isn't it.

21 Jan 2018 11:19:36
I thought not a while ago, but as Sam has proved clueless as to what to do with half decent players I've changed my mind. i'm certain Silva would have done a lot better ( organising a creative midfield, with the opportunity of shots on goal ) especially as he'd have had the money Sam has had at his disposal which Silva didn't at Watford. What were watching at Everton at present under Sam is nothing short of dreadful. Awful defending, clueless slow defensive and uncreative midfield and an attack wondering when the next chance will come along. Sorry, but whatever he may have done in his first 4 games has been sucked out of the team now, never seen such a nervy, low on confidence team at Goodison and we were playing WBA! Unbelievable!

21 Jan 2018 11:26:07
Sam has spent millions compared to him and we are no better than them. At least his team played football.

21 Jan 2018 11:27:13
I would swap him.
His persistence in playing Schneiderlin and his tinkering have knocked me off the fence.
His team selections baffle me and his substitutions border on madness.
He is proving his doubters right, he can't coach a team to attack.
I said before, the WBA and Leicester games would be the ones that would seal his fate in the summer.
Shame really because in his pre match interviews he has really endeared himself to the supporters and was winning the doubters hearts.

21 Jan 2018 11:29:28
Game of opinions mate 90 odd per cent of that team has been inherited from Koeman, going to take time.

21 Jan 2018 11:36:14
The only reason he's been sacked is because Everton approached Watford after they were told that they were not interested in letting him go. You don't just become a bad side over night and start losing week in week out by chance. BTW the football Everton is serving up at the moment it's hard to criticise any manager you were bang average yesterday and lucky to walk away with a point.

21 Jan 2018 11:40:58
Hes only had Cenk for a week or so and Theo last week blimey give the guy time!

21 Jan 2018 11:53:17
True GB. He's had Schneiderlin for weeks now and still plays him. Baffling.

21 Jan 2018 12:02:43
Sam has been found out sooner than any manager we hired in the past 5 years! Knee jerk rushed and terrible appointment. My personal view hasn’t changed since the day he arrived. If I had to choose out of Silva or Sam (which won’t happen anyway) I’d chose Silva every day of the week. I’d still take Unsworth over Sam, at least we showed passion and a willingness to play football win or lose! #rollonthesummer.

21 Jan 2018 12:05:42
that is a strange one Smit mate, last year Morgan was excellent.

21 Jan 2018 12:11:21
Burying your head in the sand and not aknowledging what your watching is beyond me. Its staring you in the face, from what he says about need to be boring again, to need to not concede goals, to playing players who haven had one good game this Season, to serving up 2/ 3 defensive mids at home against lower opposition who supposedly should have less confidence than we have, playing 2 wingers yesterday who are both right sided?! talk about trying to cover the left side! Bolasie not fit so Lookman should have played as a leftie. Really its not Rocket science, to defend him by saying give him time, seriously the man is clueless and nothing he says or does tells you anything else. Wake up, Sam is a very bad error on this great Clubs part! Ohh by the way yes i'm furious!

21 Jan 2018 12:17:13
Couple of points DPP. If we'd stuck with Unsworth we would be getting relegated.
We offered 10 million for Silva, it would cost less to pay Sam off now.
I'm not saying I want that to happen because I don't think Silva is long-term answer for us but I would have him over Big Sam.
Problem is, Silva was Moshiris man and we have seen in the past that if Moshiri wants someone he goes and gets them.

21 Jan 2018 12:19:40
Guernsey I don't get your point mate I'd look over it if SA had us flying but we are by far absolutely rubbish and we have better players than Watford I remember you text give SA a longer contract after 4 games I'll tell you our form is relegation form at the moment but I applaude that your a SA fan but I think most of us would swap him for silva in a heartbeat.

21 Jan 2018 12:22:37
I'm still baffled that Sam still have his supporters we are terrible my view is keep him til the summer forget about this season and start over in the summer.

21 Jan 2018 12:26:41
Schneiderlin was good when he came in, one of my favourite players. This year his form and attitude has been terrible. Why does Sam keep playing him? Rooney had his best game for us in his position plus Baningime, Vlasic and Klassen you would hope could all Do a job there better than Schneiderlin has.

21 Jan 2018 12:47:15
Big Sam may have started well but things have gone awry of late. The players don't seem to have the desire, fight or confidence to take games by the scruff of the neck. We play two defensive mids in games against the teams in the bottom half of the table both home and away which is unforgivable for me. We continue to give games to those who are out of form, we play a poor right back at left back and teams destroy us by taking advantage of our weak link. I agree with whoever said yesterday that it's like playing with 9 men when Martina and Schneiderlin are both on the pitch.
We are not going to let Sam go before the end of the season so people need to suck it up. Is he the right man for the job? I don't think so and I still think he is a stop gap until the summer. I just hope Silva finds a job in the meantime as he is not the answer either.
Den82, I know you reds want to jump on anything anti-Everton but even you can't believe that a team has sacked a manager due to a protracted approach from us some months before? Ridiculous excuse. We know our club is in a bit of a mess right now but things will change at some point so don't worry yourself. The result wasn't the greatest, even the most fanatical blue would agree. But at least our players never ran to the Gladdy holding hands celebrating a draw against the same team eh like you lot did not so long ago.

21 Jan 2018 13:27:56
Sorry but I will make my point again. We are Everton, we are used to seeing our teams play football. That is not what we are seeing now.
And before you all say so you want RM back then. I will say this, I loved some of the football we played under RM, his biggest failing was his lack of defensive nous, and the fact he never saw any negatives in losing matches.
We were going to pay Watford 10m for Silva, so pay Sam off and get him in. We would still be saving money.
I want my football team back!

21 Jan 2018 15:09:38
Agree to disagree on that one smit mate. DU was more like WLWL (but playing football) rather than LLLL and look like a Sunday league team with a massive hangover. Again my personal opinion but if anyone wasn’t given enough time it were Rhino, instead we panicked and hired Sam of all people, still can’t belive it. Rhino was in the middle of the whole transition and let’s not forget he won his last game in charge very comfortably. Past is the past I know and he may not get his chance again but for me we 100% don't have the right manager managing our club at the moment.

21 Jan 2018 17:14:05
In short to the original question.
YES I would swap big Sam for Silva in a heart beat.
Progressive, hungry, young manager?
Or shifty? Egocentric dinosaur? Hmm? Yes

21 Jan 2018 17:20:10
Yeah. Will disagree with your 1st point but 100% agree with your last point.

21 Jan 2018 10:29:30
Wow now Marco Silva has been sacked, bet they are regretting not taking the money.

{Ed002's Note - No, they are regretting the disruption Everton caused.}

21 Jan 2018 11:11:03
I'm not sure what Watford expect from their managers, they do seem to be pretty ruthless in getting rid.

{Ed002's Note - They would likely not have done so without the problems resulting from the interference of Everton.}

21 Jan 2018 11:39:46
We enquired, they refused. A manager like Silva should be able to get his head down and continue. Watford were exceeding expectations 1st half of the season so a drop off over Xmas was always going to happen.
They are 10th in the league and I would say that is where most people would expect them to be.

{Ed002's Note - It was Everton persisting that was the issue.}

21 Jan 2018 11:42:15
Agreed ed but Watford have a history of having an itchy trigger finger. Think they went through 4 managers in one season, couple years ago.

It also goes to show Silva inexperience at premier league level. Think he has managed a whole season cumulatively with hull and Watford.

{Ed002's Note - Right.}

21 Jan 2018 11:55:30
Didn't Watford sack a manager the other season for finishing 10th? Can't remember his name.
Watford should be happy to be around the 8-10th.

21 Jan 2018 12:08:09
agree Smit sour grapes for me not as though these managers are penniless.

21 Jan 2018 12:09:54
Apologies. It was Flores, finished 13th after being promoted and made the semis of the FA cup and they sacked him lol.

21 Jan 2018 10:06:44
Surely after yesterdays performance proves we need to buy, and a special mention to James McCarthy, speedy recovery.

21 Jan 2018 08:54:11
I just went the Doctors and he said I have S. A. D. which means Seasonal Adjustment Disorder. I thought it meant I could not adjust to the amount of reduced light in Winter. causing a sort of depression. Then I realised it is caused by being Blue. What happens is every season you have hopes and aspirations that EFC will come good. things will improve! But then as the season progresses, all your hopes and aspirations fly out the window and you have to adjust to the reality! Yes that is what SAD is. Seasonal Adjustment Disorder! Keep the faith and show them all you really are MAD! not SAD.

21 Jan 2018 05:22:41
{Ed's Note - we have posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 21st January 2018

21 Jan 2018 02:35:52
I know it's hard to tell. But we are actually getting better. Yes another scrappy draw. But we actually attacked. There's so much more creativity happening now than there was at the start of the season. Walcott already fits in. Tosun shouldn't be that long before he finds the back of the net. Siggs again played better in the number 10 role excellent bit of skill in the first half. He did what Tottenham's Son did to us, gutted nothing came of it.
Coleman back soon and straight in left and swap Kenny to the right side. Seems crazy I know but Kenny is young enough to adapt and learn another position. Holgate amd Keane Middle. Back 4 sorted.

21 Jan 2018 04:35:56
There are one or two signs Mowfee, although I'm sure many of the doomsday merchants on here wouldn't agree. Especially if, as you I think mistakenly said, you'd put Seamus on the left 😂😂.

21 Jan 2018 06:26:05
Yesterday was a poor game
Off football to watch no positives at all we looked clueless. Plus are back for is possibly the worst in the league so many mistakes its like sunday league no one in the team has ball controll and confedence part from rooney we are going backwards rather than forwards.

21 Jan 2018 06:55:17
did you watch the game it's like we had 11 strangers on the pitch we had no movement they all stood like statues and I haven't checked but I wouldn't be surprised if we played more backward passes than forwards and it's not being a doomsday merchant it's called being honest.

21 Jan 2018 07:54:06
I love it when people assert that things are improving because this or that should be happening soon. Improvements occur when things actually happen.

21 Jan 2018 09:30:35
We did not improve yesterday and have not all season, I am watching a rerun now and Walcott plays in a perfect cross and there is 1 player in the box Tosun! That is dire and we will never score goals with that sort of attack, prior to West Broms goal they had a chance, Rondon holds it up and 3 players move forward and advance around him, this is West Brom, second from bottom, away from home, playing 2 strikers, having midfielders advance beyond the striker holding up the play, that's a team improving not what we witness from our so called team!
We have good players, good ingredients but we have a Masturbator rather than a Master Baker kneading them together.
We need massive changes at our football club or this season will be the beginning of the end of our top flight place.

21 Jan 2018 13:35:23
I thought Martina was our best defender yesterday and I would’ve scored him 4/ 10. That’s how bad the other 3 were. Kenny and Williams hoofed the ball everytime they had it and Holgate had a shocking game all over. All of our youngsters (Kenny, Holgate, Davies, Baningime, DCL, Lookman, Vlasic, etc) have shown glimpses of being decent but that’s it. In my opinion none of them are at a standard to be playing every week in EPL. Unfortunately the senior players are all struggling for form as well so we’ll probably see far too much of the youngsters playing until tje end of the season. I just hope it doesn’t affect their development in the wrong way.