RuffRob

spot on - there are very few 'easy' games in the prem league - quite a bit of 'snobbery' thinking we should expecting to win this game or that game. Not a massive difference in quality between ours and Wolves squad - so to me last game was a very tough fixture for us to get anything with a depleted squad, I imagine the non-bias booking has wolves odds on to win. On any day we can beat Spurs at home, but equally they have a good enough squad to turn us over. Another tough game for a depleted squad. This is why I am resounded to let this season just pan out. Benetez has not been here anywhere near long enough to build a 'team', so we are not going to have the stability that a long term manager brings to developing a 'team'. This is what is needed to climb this league table. Optimistic we can pick up the points if we play well.

I not expecting a complete transformation - even when everybody is fit we have a mediocre squad in Premier league terms. On paper its a mid table squad. Benitez's job is to get build that squad to a European challenging team first. He is never going to do any better than mid table if a decent chunk of his starting 11 have been missing most weeks - I would say this has been the case most of the season for him. Like I have said its a fine line in the Prem given the quality of pretty much every team. 2 or 3 key players (including your main goal scorer) a slight improvement and consistency of starting 11 make a massive difference in prem games.

problem is Gbamin has had so little football this past few year - he is no way ready to boss a midfield in a premier league game, so is it a total surprise he looked like a duck out of water - not really. The only way to see if a player is going to cut the mustard it to get him on the pitch in a competitive game and see if he sinks or swims = he sunk. In an ideal world you slowly bring him in for 15-20 mins at the end of a game you have already won or get him involved in a cup game. but not a luxury we have give our injuries. Benitez gave him a half against Wolves and he struggled badly - Delph was a massive improvement. However, Benitez has got to look at these players properly, before discarding them totally. We don't have the funds to be be wasteful in what we have and simply sack them off. Given the lack of football, these game are essentially premiership debuts for him. Plenty of player have taken a bit of time to get into the intensity of the Premier league - which is by far the toughest in the world.

The premier league is of such a good quality, that our squad can ill afford to be with out so many key players through injury - and to be honest in the last half dozen matches I don't really think it matter who the manager is - results will be difficult to come by in Premiership matches. Beyond our first 15 players the squad is poor and we all know this and it is not of Benitez making. The last game it was Mina, Digne, Doucoure and DCL, Gomez and out, added to Siggy. two or three games back a few more can be added to this list. You can also add to that Godfrey and Richarlison not being match fit. I not sure its fair to lambast Benitez until he's had a decent run of games with a near full strength squad and had a decent stab at the transfer market. it not like this squad of players has shone for any other manager. At the end of the transfer window I was resigned to the fact this season was going to be a sticking plaster and the slow start of a rebuild. Given the number of first team players who have be laid up, this is even more the case.

This was always going to be a tough game - At the moment the West ham are as good a team as they have ever been in the Prem and on a good run of form. I didn't see the game, but everything I have read basically said chances wise they was very little between a good West Ham team and a injury hit Everton team. The injuries to our front line and lack of squad depth eventually caught up with us this weekend. For me, not an unexpected result today, as this is actually a good time for teams to play us.

Finger crossed Godfrey is back up to full fitness. This is going to be a pretty tough game.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-everton-moshiri-exclusive-21843777 Benitez is definitely saying the right things, and seems to be backed up with what we are actually seeing. when you see the effort and performances the players are putting in thus far, I am very optimistic we have somebody at the helm that actually is a proper fit for what the club are trying to achieve. I am hopeful we may now have the 'right manager' part of the jigsaw in place, even though it was an initially a very awkward appointment. I think 12 to 18month of austerity, might not be a bad thing as not having the pressure of spending a 'war chest' in your first couple transfer is removed and the team might just develop and grow a bit more organically with the right players more slowly added to the squad.

I am loving seeing construction on the new stadium - especially when all week we have been seeing the takeover talk at Newcastle and the talk of the financial backing they will have. I think Everton more than any club at the moment are in a position to see that these days just having a wealthy owner arrive is not a panacea for instant success on the football pitch. There have been plenty of mistakes over the past 5 years since Moshiri has been the owner. However, I think they are getting the single most important thing right - and that is the new stadium we are getting. I went to Liverpool last week to see a concert at the M&S Bank Arena (for the first time in years) and it reminded me of how beautiful a city Liverpool is - particular around the dock area where the Arena sits. I got really excited at the thought than in a few years time there will be a similar development in Bramley Moore Dock with our new home as the centre piece. I can really see our stadium being the venue for the biggest stars to come and put on their stadium concerts. Having soaked up the atmosphere in the city last week I am pretty confident this is going to be a massive asset for us (and Liverpool in general) in the the longer run. I have been to Ethiad Stadium a few times to watch a concert and it been park up, get in the stadium and then drive off, I think our stadium and the surrounding development is going to be some much better than this. This stadium could be with us for a 100years, we can change managers, players and DoF's etc in a relatively short period, but the stadium is going to be here a long time. It just brilliant seeing the physical work going on now, after what seems a life time of talking about it. think it might turn out to have been worth the wait.

This is going to be a very interesting game - and give where we are as a team much bigger games for us than say against Man U or Chelsea etc. Going on last season and beginning of this, West ham are going to there abouts challenging for 5-8th place along with Spurs, Arsenal, Leicester and maybe Villa. I think our season in the end will be defined by how many points we take off these four or five teams. These are essentially our 6 pointer games this season.

It would have been worth Baines staying on the playing roster just to Digne sharp. Anybody else notice how Digne form has dropped pretty much since Baines is no longer breathing over his shoulder. Goes to show a lot of players do need some sort of competition for there starting place. An out of form Digne gets on the team sheet every time if he is fit. Definitely need another left back, to get competition as well as cover for injuries!!

Some stats banded around about Townsend and his goal scoring or lack off over his career. However, Benitez just seems to get the best out of him. Getting the best out of players it key attribute to being a good manager (and better than most of your peers) https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andros-townsend/leistungsdatentrainer/spieler/61842/plus/0/trainer_id/1522 Benitez encourages Townsend to get a little more forward than other managers have done with him. Again, slightly dispelling the myth that Benitez is a negative coach.

and we have to remember he was a transfer deadline day freebie. My guess was he was probably best available at the time and for the money or lack off. I am hopeful fully fit he can do a job for us until we have a bit more cash to play with or a young gun or two make the leap to the first team proper. Anyway, think we have weathered the immediate storm of both DCL and Richy being out (at the same time) as well as Rondon not being fit and up to speed. With a bit of luck in two weeks time all three will be injury free and fit.

Apparently Ronaldo gave Townsend his shirt after the match. So also very much respected by other players.

Putting Rondon on the pitch as a the striker (rather than Keane!!!) is Benitez call - so you really need to be questioning Benitez not Rondon. But Benitez is getting results, so maybe he knows what he is doing player selection and team set up wise, even when a player in not yet firing on all cylinders and make shift sides have to be put on the pitch.

is this incite on your extensive Rondon knowledge or just what you have seen this last few weeks when he's not be fit, but has been willing do get on the pitch when not in the best shape? ( it not long ago we had a player who wasn't prepared to do that!!!) So no point in giving a fair crack at the whip then? and just put him in the Delph box straight away is it? I will give every player, whether I was for or against his original transfer, a chance to show what he can do for the club.

I agree, so unfair to be giving him belters before he has had the opportunity to get fit and settle in. I am pretty sure none of us studied the finer points of Rondon's game in that much detail before he arrived at Everton. I would like to see him when he's settled in and fit before making any sort of judgement on him in the role of back up striker. To stronger preconceived opinions can have a habit of biting you in the arse!!

I don't think you could have put an equally as unfit Ellis (possibly) or 18 year old Dobbin in to a game like this today. I believe Benitez went with putting Rondon on for his experience and positioning and occupying of centre backs as a presence rather being the player that would spear head any sort of counter attack or relay on razor sharp finishing. Others in the team will have been responsible for the speed of effective counter attacking. A inexperienced youngster striker may not be as disciplined as Rondon in executing Benitez tactics and game plan. Which I am guessing why Rondon got the nod. In the end we where only a few centimetres or one too many passes off famous victory - so hard to say Benitez should have gone with somebody else given the end result. It is quite mouth watering thinking of a fit DCL spearheading this team.

As well as what he has brought to the pitch in his own contribution, I think the likes of Gordon are learning heaps for him, most likely Iwobi and Grey as well. Today was probably Gordons best showing in a Everton shirt, more maturity to his play. Townsend just has the right vibe about him, and is turning out to be the great role model. I like the fella, and really pleased he's having such a great start to is Everton career. .

All things considered (transfer budget and injuries) marks out of 10 for Benitez's Everton's start to the season?

I am so glad we got Rafa over Nuno. When it was looking like a two horse I was in the Nuno camp out of the two mainly due to the Rafa/Liverpool connection. So glad those who employed him had the courage to see beyond that and take Benitez for the professional that he is. Enjoyed his press conference again today. He talks good sense, and not to full of crap. I am sure his good honest effort, hard work and professionalism is rubbing of on the players at his disposal. Maybe a key ingredient that had been previously at this club for some time missing. I think we will be in a much better place come May 22.

My lad has not long turned 18, passed his driving test - so getting plenty of nights outs and but also likes getting out and about in the day in this new wheels - I made him buy a £100 electronic breathalyser from Halfords - he can test himself as many times as he likes the morning after until he knows he is safe and under the limit. Its not rocket science or prohibitively expensive to get a decent electronic breathalyser so no real excuse these days. I bet Gbamin's and every other footballers house is full of ever other electronic gizmo you can think off.

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2274151/doucoure-reveals-key-to-productive-form and he gives much of the credit in his even better form this season to Benitez. all you can ask of a managers is to get the best out of the players he has available to him, and up to now Benitez seems to be doing that with those who are willing to listen and learn. Still early days, but signs are definitely positive in Benitez's appointment. Maybe initially an unpopular choice, but may well in the long run turn out to be the right choice. I get the feeling a 'team' spirit is beginning to develop.

and who would you have stuck up front for the last three or four games? you have not really offered much of an argument for alternative solutions.

As much as I love Ramsey in a Welsh shirt, I don't really want Everton to gamble the very little money we seem to have on him. He is at the wrong end of his career, and would be wanting big wages and he has been to prone to injury which will not improve with age. Just don't think he is the right player for us just now.

Its feasible he's just not yet fit enough for the Premier league (given the length of time he has been away from training) and also feasible that his best days are long behind him (given his age and time away from the bigger leagues). But less than a month in to his Everton career its a bit early to be down on him off as being a waste of time and effort or a poor signing!! I pretty sure Benitez intention wasn't for him to leading the line through most of September. If in another months time, there looks to be no improvement I can then maybe understand the questions being asked, but bit early yet given the circumstances.