Romey 1878

I was agreeing with you totally. Like I said in the matchday thread, I thought we played some good stuff. For both goals we were passing it around beforehand (more so for the second goal, where the passing had more purpose). We just don't do it over long periods during games.

That's 10 clean sheets for him this season. Some achievement for him and his contribution to keeping us up (again) shouldn't be underestimated. Although, this stat also shows that we shouldn't be in a relegation scrap and it really is simply because of the points deductions that we are down there.

Sometimes, I think our anxiety over our current situation sometimes makes us view games in a skewed way. Like yesterday, we were actually fairly comfortable and the better side for the most part, but because conceding one goal can be so damaging for us I couldn't really enjoy anything about the game.

Everton have picked up six points in their last three Premier League matches (W2 L1), as many as they did in their previous 13 games combined (D6 L7). Since the start of last season, Nottingham Forest have lost more Premier League away games than any other side (24), picking up 12 fewer away points than any other ever-present side in that time (18). Each of Everton’s last three Premier League goals have been scored from outside the box (Calvert-Lewin vs Burnley, Gueye & McNeil today) – before today only three of their last 40 goals had come from outside the area. All 17 of Dwight McNeil’s Premier League goals have been scored with his left-foot – only Stuart Pearce has ever scored more left-footed goals in Premier League history (20). Only the bottom three sides have recorded fewer Premier League clean sheets this season than Nottingham Forest (4). Goalkeeper Matz Sels has just one clean sheet in his 12 appearances so far.

He's been released from hospital and all his tests were clear.

As horrible as it was games like the Chelsea can happen, which is why I didn't subscribe the the opinion that that game showed the manager has lost the players like some had. However, if we'd put in another abject showing like that again today then I would definitely have started to lean more in that direction. If you can't get up after a roasting like that and show what you're about then it's a lost cause. Fortunately, the players did respond and they didn't look like a set of players that have give up on the manager. They fought hard for everything, just like they did against Burnley. I thought there was more quality and cohesion to our play than there was against Burnley though. That was a slog and a half but we had some really good passages of play today where we created openings, and I thought we were the better team on the whole. That's not to say we were brilliant by any stretch of the imagination, we weren't, but it wasn't a smash and grab and we weren't gifted anything. We earned those three points and deserved them. We probably did get away with at least one penalty, but the amount of ones that we've not gotten ourselves this season means I don't give a fuck. That feeling only increases because of how fucking horrible their fans are. I hope they get relegated. Pickford - Add another top class save to his highlight reel. Young - Got away with a few penalty shouts but generally I thought he was fine. Tarkowski - Had a bit of a nightmare when in possession but when it came to clearing the ball with his fat head he was great. Branthwaite - I can only assume him stepping out of the defensive line to meet the attacker is part of the plan but it made me very nervous about the space he left behind him! Apart from that, though, he was fanatastic. Mykolenko - Could have offered more offensively for me but defensively he was very good. Often he was left on his own defending because McNeil was off elsewhere. Harrison - Another one that could do better going forward but even that was better than it had before he was taken out of the side. Really worked hard for the team today as well, which goes a long way. Gana - Absolutely outstanding. Tackling, harrying, hustling, intercepting, taking the ball up the pitch, scoring from outside the area (what the actual fuck?!). MOTM by some distance. Doucoure - I was very underwhelmed with him. His effort and work rate were much better than they have been recently, which is great for us, but on the ball he was very sloppy. McNeil - Until he scored (cracking goal by the way) I thought he was having another poor game tbh, but once he got that goal he came alive and then could have had another one. Gomes - If he hadn't gone off then he'd have been pushing Gana for MOTM for me. I thought he stood out like a sore thumb because he was comfortable with the ball, taking the ball under pressure, and then being able to pass it to a team mate. DCL - He worked his bollocks off for the side. Didn't get many chances in the game but he really should have been hitting the target with the one he had in the second half.

It actually annoys me that he's poo because off the pitch he seems like a really nice fella, and a well-liked member of the squad and I find myself liking him too.

Amazing performance from him today. He covered every bit of the pitch and his runs with the ball to get us up the pitch were invaluable. I must admit, I shouted no as he swung his foot back to shoot . While it wasn't the best hit shot, the placement of it was perfect. Comfortably MOTM.

Really pleased with the update Dyche gave after the game in that he was talking etc. I'm down the other end but it looked a very nasty one and McNeil's reaction had me fearing the worst.

What. A. Save! If they get back on terms then today could have ended up being a huge disappointment. Instead, the pressure has eased a little.

Yeah mate, that's kind of how the passage of time works - things can happen.

You'd think he'd be ashamed that the only reason he's ever been in F1 is because his dad has paid for it.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2024/apr/20/evertons-and-forests-deduction-derby-is-a-deeply-flawed-relegation-six-pointer

Luton are on -28 and we’re on -16. It’s not even close.

Easy...

Only the 4 now, but it's still a huge difference between the two sides in terms of GD.

5 goals back in terms of goal difference. I'm happy with that.

Like I've said before, their pace is what makes the difference for them. It covers a lot of their deficiencies up. If we had even a drop of pace in our team we'd look a hell of a lot better. Still shite, obviously, but we'd carry much more of a threat.

Make that 4.

Crying it in. 3-0 down.

They do, but he's been in position to win before and blown it. And I do think the constant chatter about when he's finally going to get a win has played a part in that.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-stance-selling-minority-stake-29028805

I'd love him to get it as well but I think the pressure of the constant chat of him getting that first win is making him crumble. If he can go on to get that first win I reckon he'll go on to get a few.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/apr/19/chelseas-765m-hotel-deals-raise-questions-over-psr-compliance