nogs

I thought we were very good v Burnley with Sidibe out wide, Bernard providing the extra man in midfield and Delph allowing Sigurdsson to play a bit more. Granted they play nothing like the way any Liverpool side play, but we showed we looked decent in possession with that line up. As to why you'd play those two numpties in midfield together and try to pass the ball - well I just wouldn't have played them. Against Liverpools first XI, sure - sit back in a low block and try to hit them on the break. But surely against the kids we should have had footballers out there who are good enough to break the press and get at a very inexperienced defence? I actually wonder if the number of changes Klopp made caught us by surprised, we were set up to play on the counter, then thought we should go another way. I'm not sure I got the formation at all either, with Sidibe, Walcott and Coleman all on the right. It just all looked a mess.

We'd have been better of with Mo Besic in midfield yesterday. Or his current team mate at Sheff Utd Lundstram - why did we let him go?? Fit as anything, athletic, mobile, can pass, tackle and pops up with goals - everything Schneiderlin can't do!

Or, his head has been turned and he wants out.

Then I'd politely ask what the fuck our last four managers have been on! Schneiderlin has been in and out the side countless times, which tells its own story. Same as Tosun, Keane, Walcott - inability to pin down a place, because they basically aren't good enough. Sigurdsson gets played because everyone knows he has a match winning goal or set piece in him. But he has been awful this season, truly awful. Look, my thought last night were largely the same as v City - we couldn't handle the high press, we were left chasing shadows by a team that was very comfortable in possession moving the ball quickly and purposefully. What's really galling is last night we got taught a lesson by a reserve side, which can never be good enough. We never got our foot on the ball in the middle of the park, whether it was system or personnel I don't know, but surely if we'd done that there'd have been more of a chance to get at such an inexperienced side? We should have been bossing that game, second half we didn't touch them.

We need a vision for how to build a successful football team. If that involves bruising a few overpaid egos, so be it. There really is no reason for the likes of Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Tosun etc getting a kick for us any more, no matter what wages they are on. They're not delivering, they shouldn't play, regardless of who's in charge.

I've generally ignored everything you have to say since many years ago you accused me of being a 'Red Shite' fan. I'll continue doing the same.

No I'm not. I'm pointing out that everything was wrong about yesterday's capitulation and no one should be excused criticism, including the manager.

Stop being a smart arse. It isn't about knowing better its about having an opinion on the game.

Simple answer is - anyone! I'm sick to the back teeth of giving the likes of Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin chance after chance after chance to take the piss out of what it means to be an Everton player. And I wouldn't necessarily say its skills we're looking at short term, it's desire, energy, fitness, willingness to learn from a highly decorated coach and run yourself into the ground for 90 minutes that we need right now. That's what Liverpool's kids showed today. So yeah, Adeniran, Banigime, Evans, Denny... or we seem to be blessed with several highly thought of CBs in the U23s, why not stick one of them alongside Mina and play Holgate at CM until we can recruit better? Thing is, there's a lot of criticism of Man Utd and Arsenal for under achieving at the minute, and that has come about because a complete lack of strategic direction in terms of signings they've made over a number of years, a failure to rebuild teams. But at least they have recognised where some of the issues are and are blooding kids in the meantime. We have recruited worse than any team in the PL over the last five years, we've brought players in with absolutely no thought about how they fit together as a successful unit, we've overpaid for them and we have gone backwards as a result. Yet here we are still starting Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin in fucking midfield. When you sit back and think about it, it's hard to get your head round how, four managers later, that can still be happening.

Just observations. We don't need to be playing Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin in midfield and I posted that I was annoyed with the long ball tactic during the first half.

I think he made mistakes today. Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin in the middle is a disaster waiting to happen. I keep saying it but I'll say it again - when do we ever win when Schneiderlin starts? I also thought the way we went long so often first half was a mistake. Yes we forged chances we should have taken, but we also gave away possession easily and allowed an inexperienced opposition to grow in confidence with the ball. We saw their defence was vulnerable first half, we should have been able to dominate the ball high up the pitch and pass through them. But yes, he is stuck with some utter dross. When will this cycle of signing sub par footballers end? Two things do worry me about what today could mean for us under Ancellotti though. One, I just don't think we'd have got that performance under Ferguson. Is Ancellotti able to light a fire under the plsyers and get the passion and commitment you need sometimes? Two, Liverpool put out a side that was clearly much fitter and sharper than ours. Ancellotti has said himself he doesn't like to work players too hard, which is fine with professionals at the top of their game. But I think we're desperate for a hard task master who will demand players either shape up or ship them out.

I've argued with many in here who don't see the value in bringing youth players through. Well we've just been knocked out the FA Cup by an U23 side who are clearly being coached to play in exactly the same way as the senior side, with one clear objective - they are absolutely ready to step in if and when needed. We've just won the last couple of PL2 titles, which means our U23s are in theory better than that lot. So what would have happened if we'd played Unsworth's side tonight? Why the fuck are we persisting with the likes of Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Walcott, even Digne now, when they cannot keep up with a bunch of kids that our kids have beaten?? We can hate Liverpool all we want. But if you want success as a football club, that's how you do it. We're just set up for mediocrity, top to bottom..

The big lesson from this is how comfortable and composed their kids are in possession, and how fit they are to press relentlessly. By comparison we are so, so slow and not a single one of our players is good enough to receive the ball under pressure and use it. It will take years to turn this shit around.

I don't think I've ever seen us play as badly as we have in the second half. We've played like a lower league side getting spanked by PL high fliers. Total, total shit.

This is what happens when you spend 5 years spunking money on second and third rate footballers with clever agents instead of investing seriously in scouting, the youth system and proper development throughout the club. Forget we're playing against their reserves - we're fielding players that should never, ever have worn the Everton shirt, and yet we're paying them more than 100k a week to not give a fuck. The whole ethos of how this club is run has to change or we'll continue to be a mediocre joke.

This is embarrassing now. I hate to say it but their fucking reserves are a better side than us.

I take it back. Thought Walcott was dangerous for half an hour but his complete lack of ability on the ball is disgraceful.

We simply have to get someone else in midfield this January. Sigurdsson is finished here

Like against City we're being caught out by their press. Doesn't matter that it's their reserve team, they're fitter than us.

We've been poor in front of goal but worse in possession. Their defence is shite, if we just got our foot on the ball and played with a bit of composure we'd carve them open. No excuses for not winning this.

Walcott has been our best player

Ancellotti needs to change this in midfield. Sigurdsson is lost.

We're going long far too often. We should be bossing possession against such an inexperienced side.

Got to be in with a chance with that Liverpool line up. Then again we're starting Schneiderlin...

I don't see what the debate is. He's not good enough. Too slow. Doesn't read the game well. Too easily out fought. Has a mistake in him. No leadership skills. Not a good enough footballer to pass out from the back. I'm 100% confident Ancellotti will bring in better and move him on.