RuffRob

I agree, with hindsight Richy should have been dropped a fair few games ago, and King give a run of two or three games. Problem with Richy, on his day he is a great asset and win you a game, just not been doing it of late (or most of this season in all honesty). Difficult one for Ancelotti, he mustn't be seeing enough from King to warrant leaving Richy on the bench and 'upsetting' him - guessing he wants Richy at the club next year. Just hoping Richy would have played himself it to some form - He seems to me he is a player who needs goals to keep him motivated. However, looking back fook all to lose playing King as we lost a lot of these games - and Richy playing poorer by the game! Said on other posts - some players are stretching Ancelotti's loyalty this second half of the season - I think if a decent offer came in, I could see Richy being shown the door, but I don't see it being a transfer window for a decent offer.

Pretty much agree with all this. I think he has given ALL the current (the core 15) players a very fair crack at the whip to prove themselves that they have the right attitude, desire, work ethic. He has stuck by them - some maybe more that other managers might have allowed. A number of players have let themselves down this season. Those for the cull have only themselves to blame. We are still seeing the rotten culture around the place - some over paid players, who are never going to get higher up the footballing ladder or find an equal or better deal elsewhere, and find themselves in a comfort zone, and that attitude spreads. Ancelotti needs to call these players out now we have a summer transfer to shift out and find to replacement -they have made it easy for him to go to the board and say a lot of the current crop will never get us further up the table. Three or four solid proven players for the starting 11, and I would like to see us scouring the championship, and bring some young hungry players to the club. I would rather see some immerging hungry talent on the bench rather than the likes of Bernard, Gomes and Delph. Its been a weird old season (and a half) as well, so if they get three or four more 'Ancelotti' players in, then the heart of this team will be his then. At the moment, he only as his own mark on two or three players. If we can have a squad with at least 6 of 'his' players in, along with a season with some fans in the stadiums and a bit of normality to life - I think then we can properly judge what his appointment brings to the club. Missing Europe may be a blessing, as we have not played great and this squad achieving European qualification would have papered over some big cracks. Big season for Ancelotti and Everton coming up.

I am glad Ancelotti has come out and said he was Embarrassed about the game. What worried me it that the best of our 'quality' offensive players are not that great. James - as good as his highlight have been, he has just not been present or consistent enough throughout the season as a whole. A quality player, but you can't build any sort of system or team around him, because has just not been present enough, and nobody can do what he does when he isn't available. We are crying out for a upgrade to James - with James as back-up/mentor for the next couple of years . Coutinio ? Buendia? Richarlison - he has not improved for me this season - been very inconsistent, seems very selfish and seems all he wants are goals for himself rather than for the team - he's not a creator at all and runs down to many blind alleys. Clear chance for a team mate or speculative shot for Richarlison - you know what he is going for. He is beginning to worry me - I would have like to see him benched half a dozen games ago and King given a run of two or three starts (does anybody really know what King would have been like in a Everton shirt!!) - Gyfi - Had a few very good game - but in the main has been average at best. DCL - the best of our offensive players, he has kicked on the season, but does have limitation. At least he is moving in the right direction as a player. Thank God he as kick on as well!! where would we be without his goals. Iwobi, Gomes and Bernard - 2 goal between the three of then in the Prem for the whole season. Bang average Premiership players. Our attacking backs Coleman and Digne - not a Prem goal between then in two seasons now!! Digne has dropped off since signing a new contract!! I would take a Baines in his prime right now!! Ancellotti is known to be loyal to the players, treats them like professionals - Some are letting him down badly. I think Ancelotti has been guilty of putting to much trust to some of these players in the second half of the season. Some of them need to know they are not cutting the mustard, and benched because of it. I would like to see somebody like Pereira come in - he has been a cracking player for the Baggies, goals and assists a plenty, but he is not shabby off the ball either. To good to be playing in the Championship next season. Defensively we are a decent enough unit now with Godfrey, Allan and Doucoure added to the squad, and given some of the shut outs we have had this season are not to bad in this department - one of the only shining light of the second half of the season is that Pickford seems to have sorted his head out, and is looking a decent keeper once again. One good thing about missing Europe is that there is NO hiding places now for these poor poor performances over the second half of the season.

Pickford Holgate, Keane, Godfrey Iwobi Allan Doucoure Digne James DCL Richarlison Definitely need to be brave in this game, as not only do we need to win, for European football we have to win by a fair number of goals as well. We need to be that team who have a late flurry on the run in.

tells a tale of our squad really, need a goal and Gomez and Iwobi are who come of the bench.

think if anybody comes on, Bernard might 'do' something.

lack of urgency or quality.

it must be so frustrating to play with Richy sometimes. If just looked for that final pass when he is in and around the penalty area. He just has one thing on his mind, time and time again he does some good work, but spoil it by taking the wrong option of going it alone.

I thought the city game would have fallen in to our hands until I read all clubs will be allowed fans to the final home game of the season. They will not put a inferior team out for the fans, or put in an half arsed performance, I fear our goal difference could take another hit in this game. Plenty of time between our game and the CL final as well, so they don't need to rest players. We have simply have to beat Villa, Shef Utd and Wolves. Three cup finals, that would most likely nick us 7th and the last Europa place. The way we have played this season, there has been nothing to show me that we likely to take 9 points. I will be pissed off if we miss out on Europe, but if we are in the mix come the last game of the season, I would say that's probably around what I was hoping for at the beginning of this season. Over the season, no way have we shown anything like the quality of a top 4 team. We don't actually deserve anything more than it really.

good this games comes so quick after last weeks defeat- a chance to quickly put that performance to rights. hopefully the bollocking they got is still ringing in their ears. Olli Watkins was a constant thorn in our side in the last game, so he did us a massive favour in diving against man u. The possibility of Allan, Doucoure and James playing together since the first week in December- maybe!!!! Shame these player haven't really had the opportunity to build up the rapport I was hoping to see in the second half of the season, but still four games to go - finger crossed we are left buzzing by the three of the being on the pitch - they did OK for the first 4-5 games!!!

you can see the way this game is going now. get back to flat back 4 now. 4-5-1

i am fooking willing Richy a goal. he is up for this one. he 's a different player when he has a goal behind him, and we need him on form for the run in.

season defining game today its a massive game for West Ham as well. Loads to play for at the really business end. Has to be played like a cup final.

https://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1078035402?-11192:825:latest_news#out and today it is Bale's turn to be link with coming here!!

It will be a funny old transfer market this season given the finances in world football - sounds like some big teams are going to be working hard to off load some big name players. It is not going to be a great year to offload any players who have not been performing for any sort of decent fees. My guess the market might be flooded with 'free transfers' (or vastly reduced transfer fees) of players that clubs might just want off their wage bill. If this does happen, then who is going to decent money for players who have not been setting the world on fire. I am a big Buendia fan, and would have liked him to have come here at the beginning of this season. But he is going to be one player who is going to be a premium price this summer. If there is a bit of a fire sale going on in world football - is this the summer to be spending big on the summers hottest players? will there be lots of James type deals available I wonder.

This was the most disappoint game of the season for me - It was basically shooting practice for Villa. 1:2 flattered us. A game that is essentially a cup final for us if we want to finish above Spur and Liverpool this season. Richy is bang out of form (decision making and touch) - Ancelloti is loyal to his players but think Richy needs a rocket up his arse and a stint on the bench - Give King a couple of starts, can't be any worse that how Richy is playing at the moment. He is just not stepping up when he is needed. Bring Richy off the bench, might be the injection we need in some games. Not sure how Holgate gets in the team ahead of MIna or Keane, he was poor today - first goal was criminal, after already once been given a warning from Watkins' press. With injuries at least this season Ancellotti has had the change to see pretty much what all his player have to offer him - some are lacking if we truly have aspirations of regular European football. Player can't complain they have not been given chances in the team this season. Iwobi having to play instead of James was a obviously massive blow a few minutes before the kick off - one of our worse performers on for one of our best . Nobody stepped up their game to help compensate this. I was one calling for Iwobi to be given time, but his final ball is just so so poor I do now shudder when his name is in the starting line up. You add him to Richy being out of form and we where pretty blunt going forward - easy game foe Villa's defenders. We are desperate for some quality attacking winger types. Our purchases in this department have be so woeful in the recent past!! One shining light is that Pickford seem to be back to his best form. Actually saving us goals rather than costing us goals. He is now ahead by a country mile in the motm voting!!. This is good, as there is still a lot of work to be done in the transfer market for first 11 players, so not having to buy a new 1st choice keeper is going to be useful. If missing out on Europe actually means more players are going to need replacing, then maybe it would be a blessing in disguise. The squad currently does not have the quality to play European football. It is going to be a big season next year, 3 or 4 more Ancelotti signing and 18month in the job, crowds back (hopefully) and bit more normality to life. At the beginning of the season I asked what are our realistic expectation on the team, and most said around 8th would be a fair ask. So looks like we are going to be around what was expected. I think one of the main problems we have had is between them Allan, Doucoure and James have just not been on the pitch enough together. All three have had injury issues meaning more often that not only one or two of them have been on the pitch at the same time. It would be interesting to know how many games we have had with just one playing, two playing and all three playing. We have looked good with all three on the pitch. From that I have seen, I think if all three had player together more then we could quite easily be 9-12points better off than where we currently are. We have played really well against the top 6 teams, but really poor against 'weaker' teams - I am hoping the latter, is a easier fix with the addition of a couple of decent attacking players!! I am hoping in two or three years time we look back at this as very much a foundation season. In the past we have been so guilty of throwing money at a new manager and expecting with the click of the fingers to 'buy' more instant success. It does actually take 3 or 4 seasons to build a team.

this season Pickford looking more like a keeper who will win you a few points rather than losing them. Welcome back !! This season really is going to go down to the wire. Is it just me or where we actually due that little bit of luck tonight?

You are probably right, nothing much will happen - but it should. Just to bring these self claimed clubs down a peg or two. Most are grovelling like mad now!!

As this is was all about guaranteeing themselves ever lasting European football and the revenue it brings, simply take it away from them for a year or so would be an apt punishment. I am still bitter about our 80's European ban (that was our time and we had it taken from us!!) - although I realise we can't compare the people dying to clubs wanting to brake away. However, CL would be shooting themselves in the foot if the competition lost all these teams (we can't argue that they have a massive global following) for 12 months or more. viewing figure down, revenues lost etc. If this did happen then it could help these clubs argue the point - the competition needs us in it. Also who ever won or did well in the CL in a 'ban' season - would always have that footnote against their success and also be denied great European nights against the so called giants of Europe. I think a points deduction has to be the only thing that would satisfy most people. At the moment the PL gives a 9 point points deduction for administration - so that has to be the benchmark for any punishment. My preference would be for the deduction to apply to the start of next season rather than this season. Maybe applied to next two seasons for those found to be ringleaders, as I think these owners do deserve a bit more of a slap!! A UEFA punishment to these clubs is that the coefficient that might allow then to qualify in for CL if they finish outside the normal qualifying places if stripped from them for the first 3-5years for the revamp competition. or even go as far as dumping this coefficient as that pretty much only benefits these 12 clubs anyhow - and should never be anyhow. UEFA have bent over to try and listen to these bigger clubs and revamp the CL, and they chucked it back in their faces and tried to shaft then good style.

This could all actually end up as a positive watershed moment in the European game. These owners, which is now looking very much like within England to be the American owners wanting a US like sporting model for European football - and fook our football tradition. Looking like main culprits are Man U, Liverpool and most likely the Arsenal owners. Send them packing all. These owners have been well and truly shown what everybody thinks of the American sporting model - shove it up your arse.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/12281501/chelsea-and-manchester-city-to-leave-european-super-league what one owner has been saying to his board is shocking - talk about bring the game in to disrepute!! This has all got to come out. Glazers would be my bet.

there will be some aftermath, some of these clubs have shot themselves in the foot. They all effectively tried to hold the game to ransom for nothing but greed.

there's are some serious tails between legs at the moment!!! I was almost worth these arrogant clubs doing this, just so they now feel the utter shame they have brought on to the clubs the claim to love. The world knows who and what you all are!!

I was just thinking the same thing - One year European ban for all 12. Enquire made and 3 year ban for the orchestrating clubs. That will fuck up their coefficients for CL automatic entry when the new rules kick in (that where made to better suit these clubs!!).

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/20/chelsea-and-manchester-city-have-super-league-doubts-says-executive I imagine this is pretty true - a few clubs will have inevitably signed up purely out of fear of missing the boat.