RuffRob

i actually think we have been playing like we did in the derby for much of the first half or even two third of the season. I think we have only really played poorly for the second half of the games in the 13 game run without a win. When 'not getting a win' was becoming a bit of bigger thing game on game. We are not great when we have to dominate the ball against poorer teams at home, will all are in agreement that need to improve, but there is definately a foundation to work from. Even with a 6-0 drubbing the other week, only the three title chasing teams have conceding fewer goals than us. That's something that shouldn't be ignored. 3 wins in 4 and 1 defeat in 5, has us in the top 4 of the recent form table. A endless relegation battle has not been the real reflection of this Dyche team.

i would agree in not offering any sort of new contract, until we see how thinks are going in the new year and when he's in the last 6 months of the one he is one. I don't see bigger jobs than the Everton job being offered to Dyche, so why commit. Different if you have the next best new up and coming manager at the helm. I see Dyche as a pair of safe hands rather than perhaps more risky hand of some up and coming progressive manager who has not worked in the Premiership before. The club set up is nowhere near the stability needed to take on the risk on this type of manager just yet. There is currently a fine line between pushing for the minor European places and being in a relegation battle. TV money has really evened up the comparative revenue of the none top 6-7 teams. We don't have the financial clout to maintain a pretty much relegation proof squad. We have to be more careful than ever on managerial risks. Baby steps needed at the moment, not shooting for the moon.

I agree with those who are championing have a bit of stability in the management department. At the moment there is very little continuity at this club, so wouldn't change the management team unless we absolutely have to. I think Dyche has done much better than most of the managers we have had in the Moshiri period with much fewer resources and he's had a lot more issues and problems to deal with. Not a high benchmark I must admit, but there has and very much still is over ridding reasons why managers struggle here. I wouldn't doubt any replacement manager coming would find the Everton job easy. I don't think there have been that many bad performances (5-6 maybe), they may not have been asthetically pleasing, but most haven't been stinkers, I still think we actually deserved more wins/draws that we have ended up with to date. I don't think we have been riding our luck in the games in which we have got results, most points won have been deserved. In an alternative universe when point deductions don't exist and you get a little be more of the rub of the green, we could have just as easy have been in a push for a European spot. Just off the top of my head I still don't understand how Fulham, Wolves and Luton stole 9 points off us at home in the first few weeks of the season - Boom, just considering those 3 games and no points deduction - performance wise we could easily be sitting 8th with 50 points. All ifs and buts, but we have not been far off getting the points West Ham and even Newcastle has to there name this season. If we hadn't be artificially 'stuck' in the relegation zone all season, there would be very little talk of swapping Dyche out next season.

Great performances all around. Bottle it and take it in to all our remaining fixtures.

some might say he's a Messiah . what will be interesting is hopefully we see the team play 2 or 3 games without having the pressure of the world on the teams shoulders. Given we had poor results at the start of the season, then the points deductions x 2, I feel there's been a consent weight around the place holding the teams confidence back. They do appear to be bouncing back again for this run in and Dyche does deserve some credit for his part in that. There are potentially a realistic 6-9 more points up for grabs, lets see how these final few games pan out.

well fuck me, i didn't see this one coming. Maybe the win that secures our Premier League survival and finishes off the Shite's title winning hopes. The best I have felt all season, maybe the best I have felt for a few seasons.

like @Palfy said, not point in risking DCL in a game like this when very winnable Brentford, Luton and Sheff Utd game on the horizon. Like we have already said this game has to be considerd a bit of a free hit, and that can include giving Chermiti a run out. We don't really know what to expect from him - and it will be the same for the Liverpool defenders. The chaos and energy of youth can result in the unexpected. Stay solid defensively, and the hope of getting a bit of luck form the occasional chance that might come our way.

Forest need to worry more about the things they say as opposed to others. The really are beginning to look stupid. I would think the more crap they come out with then the less likley they are to see any points returned on appeal. You wonder what sort of arguements that club will try and make. They are losing much of any sympathy they may have been getting from third parties about their points deductions. Even though I don't really like Forest given they are one of the teams that bitched to the PL about our accouts, I was now hoping they didn't go down becasue of points deductions and relegation is decided how it should be - based on football results, but now beginning to thinking fuck em.

yeah, I am on the same page. If somebody comes in, make the place more proffessional and sports business like instead of it being a messy shambles then they deserve to make a few quid of the back of it. That's where I see the real value in buying Everton, not selling bits and bobs of it off - as the sum of its parts are simply not where profit lies.

I miss the bit where you said it was 'pure fantasy' . So we are pretty much in agreement - that nobody is waiting in the wings as 777 alternative. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

Pickford Tarks, Bran, Myko Harrison Gana Garner McNeil Gomes Doucoure DCL To get Gomes in the side I would be tempted to go with back 3/5 for this game. Think we need a soild two behind him. Maybe Onana in middle instead of Garner, and put him as right wingback (or even Young). I just think need something solid out of possession and a slightly different formation to mix things up. Gomes can be other body in the middle but could just open things up on the counter with slightly more intelligent balls. As this game is a bit of free hit as not expecting a result, its a game where you can try something different.

ah yeah. Missed the 'pure fantasy' bit. Just proves I need to put the glassed on!!

But doesn't the 'story' say there isn't any particualr interest for Qatar for Everton FC? Story more saying that Deloitti have been asked to go out and see if they can drum up some interest for potential alternative buyer. I would say kind of proves that there is nobody currently waiting in the winds if Deloitti are have been charged with looking for alternative buyers. There will always be buyers at the right price - but guess that's the sticking point. Nobody is going to be paying what Moshiri wants unless Premeriship saftey is assured this season. At least the worst of PSR should be behind us.

I don't expect anything out of this game, as frustratingly we typically don't fair well against the shite- so any points would be a massive bonus. As shit as an attitude it is going in to a Derby match, I think we have to play solidly to our defensive strengths, park the bus and frustrate the fuck out of them. I could live with a boring 0-0. Having a 6point (and superiour goal difference) lead over Luton is signficantly better than 5 points with only only four games to go. So tomorrow I am kind of happy to see the team try and protect a point rather than be a bit more open in trying to get the 3.

or even a Everton lose, on the assumption we are unlikley going to get anything from our game in hand agaist Liverpool so it I would then actually be in Luton's own hands to leap frog us when we go to their place.

Does you projected points total (37) still include the 2 additional points that PL have taken off us?. We are on 30 now, plus your projected draws against Brentford (1) and Luton (1) and win against Sheff Utd (3) only gives us 35 points total. If Luton draw against us (1) and win other 3 games (9) it would put them also on 35 points. Unless results are favourable for us this weekend, then the Luton game is still massive as it really is a 6 pointer. I feel we will get 0 last day and Luton will get 3 points of Fulham. We need a three point buffer going in to the final round of games.

Its purely about the results now - period. We have actually played much better this season and come away with draws or defeats. Purely results wise we should have confirmed safety today and perhaps been able to use the last 5 games of the season to give fringe players a proper run out with a little less pressure and more freedom to play, (although Patterson is rules out). It would have be great to see Chermiti start some games and see proper if he has raw talent for the prem. Dyche could have experimented a bit with players, formations, tactics etc. However, we will never know becasue we are still in a relegation fight. More than any other season there have been outside distractions from football being caused internally and externally. None of use really know how this has effected behind the scence on the footballing side of the club (because its been horrendus as a fan), I don't think this season the club would have survived another managerial swap out. Far far more problems at the club this year than 'how we play'. I have seen both positive and negative from Dyche and it actually very difficult to judge him properly given the turbulence around the place. Had a good run and had a bad run, and still 5 games to go. This season has not been black and white.

There are lots of strong words about Forest's tweet concerning not been given a penelty or three yesterday. Pretty much all commentary is saying that they have really embarressing themselves with the club itself branding an individual an outright cheat. As shit as it is when desisions go against you, you can't have clubs coming out every week making all sorts of public formal allegations and essentially threats (even if hollow) Could Forest be charged with bring the game in to disripute for calling the game official cheats? Does pulling a stunt like this help or hinder their appeals to the points deduction? Irony is how Forest where lauded for being such a helpful and co-operative club - for which they received a generouse 33% reduction in their points deduction. They have not been particulay helpful since that decision.

Agree totally, I was desperately hoping for a reaction to the Chelsea game - another lackluster performance today and I would really have been fearing the worst - i.e maybe Dyche had lost the dressing room and players losing heart. However, the players did react positivley. Gana totallty put Onana to shame today. I know they are not the same type of players, but all players can give 100% when they get on that pitch and lead by example - Onana frustrates on that front, and will be happy enough to see him move on in the summer especially if any sort of reasonable profit can be made.

There was a massive amonit of pressue on that game. That win in just a massive win all around. Great to see McNeil getting a goal, lets hope that given him that drive to have a few more pops at goal. I can enjoy the rest of the weekend. This result and Luton's yesterday make the Liverpool game a bit of a free hit now for both players and fans to try and actually enjoy the game .

some posts age better than other.

With Arsenal last game I really hope we are safe by this date and not relying on getting 1 or 2 points back.

This is the game in which all the players need to stand up and be counted - it is a proper 6 pointer. I can forgive the performance away to Chelsea if we get a reaction from the players and we get a deserved win against Forest. Beating Forest on Sunday is far more important than putting in a performance at Stamford Bridge. If the embarressing manner of Mondays defeat give the team the kick up that is needed for this run in, then it may not turn out to the be as bad a result as it initially looks. The fans will well and truly get behind the team if they show the fight that is expect.

could have wrote that myself. This season 'horribilus' just has to now play itself out in the terrible state we are in both on and off the pitch from both our own doing and outside influences on the club. A whole season dogged by PSR and a somewhat questionable takeover. Given the crap going on around the place - changing manager etc would be nothing more that a coin flip at best, why waste the money or have another mangerial change chalk up against the club. May as well be seen as a club who now give the manager every chance to turn shit around. Also why pay a manager off and simply let them off the hook. It fuck all to do with playing style now, all about grinding out results to get over the finsh line.

A sad as it is, I agreed. Spurs are a football business and not a mental health charity. I am sure Dele would love to stay on at Everton if we have indeed been well supporting him this year in particular, but unlike any other club this summer, its actually going to cost us to sign him. It sounds like his head is in the right place, addictions under control and has new appitite for the game. Given his level was argubley the best attacking midfeilder in the world 5 years ago, he could still be a very good player. A very good Dele (rather than world class) is definately worth £10M - considering talk of Harrison being £20M. However, it's not just his mental health now, he has also been out with significant physical injury. I imagine it would be down to the wages we would have to pay on a new contract - Think we would have to be talking 50% pay cut, to help offset. I would have said time to keep away from players like this, but with him already being at the club the settling in to the club and area has already been done. A conversation for the end of the season when we are hopefully still a PL club and under new ownership who have a more focused plan.