Battling Everton undone again by their latest jinx team
Everton 0 – 2 Aston Villa
This weekend’s visit of Aston Villa means another massive relegation battle in Everton’s quest to stay in the Premier League with Sean Dyche’s fourth game in charge.
No Calvert-Lewin or Townsend today, with Patterson and Garner still not considered fit enough to play any part as Sean Dyche names the following side with Simms replaced by Maupay in the starting line-up.
Maupay kicked off with Everton playing toward the Park End. Onana stepped into the back of Douglas Luiz, although not even a free-kick but, two minutes later, Onana is shown a very early yellow card after the VAR has a word in Mr Taylor’s shell-like.
Everton pressed upfield but didn’t really create a direct attack but Villa came forward for McGinn to lash his shot over Pickford’s goal.
A great ball forward from McNeil was held up well by Maupay until McNeil overlapped and crossed in well for Iwobi in a great position in front of goal… surely he would score. No. He didn’t connect properly.
A Villa ball over the top beat Coady and was controlled well by Watkins coming in behind him he looked to score one-on-one but Pickford came out well to challenge and the ball came off him for a corner. Villa had a strong spell of pressure from the corner but the Everton defence held firm.
Article continues below video content
Villa smelt blood and continued to work the ball around, Onana catching Bailey for a dangerous free-kick. Lucas Digne curled it over after much deliberation.
Everton finally got forward again, McNeil digging out a cross that went straight to Martinez. He repeated the move with the same result. Everton did well stopping Villa playing out from the back and Mykolenko tried to find McNeil again. He should have had a corner as the defender kicked the ball behind but of course Mr Taylor thought otherwise and this clear and obvious error did not warrant a word from the VAR.
Villa were controlling the ball well enough, content to fart about with it at the back. Everton did force a turnover but McNeil’s ball from deep was wasted. However, there was some really good pressure until Doucourer felt a defender’s shirt and was deemed to have committed a foul.
The crowd were getting more and more annoyed as a throw-in was taken quickly and then called back by Mr Taylor. McNeil then had to fight for and eventually win a free-kick. It was taken quickly to Mykolenko and his cross in forced a corner that was well contested by Doucoure.
A laboured ‘charge’ by Doucoure saw Onana and then Iwbiy unable to fashion as shot, eventually getting a corner that Iwobi delivered very well to Maupay, his header going wide, inches in front of Coady at the far post.
McNeil had another fantastic battle with Cash, incredibly getting in his cross at the end of it but again no-one in a blue shirt could get any traction on the ball for a decent shot at goal.
Coleman brilliantly intercepted brilliantly and Iwobi got the ball over to McNeil but Mykolenko put in a superb cross this time for Onana whose great header was miraculously saved by Martinez.
It was an action-packed game with Everton mounting repeated attacks but Villa’s tight defence rendering space at a considerable premium, while always looking dangerous on the break – a well-known Everton weakness.
McNeil again conjured another excellent cross that the static Douccoure allowed to bounce off him and behind for a goal kick. Some really stupid Everton defending allowed Villa to press the ball and that was fortunately averted until Maupay fired in a low midfield ball straight to Ramsey.
Villa won a free-kick wide left that was cleared by Coleman but it came back in for Gana to clear. A ball over the top caught Onana offside. More great work by McNeil on Cash was maddeningly called a foul.
Another good forward ball from Iwobi found McNeil ad he fed Maupay who wanted an extra touch and Martinez read his undisguised shot with ease.
A hugely competitive game full of very tight play, zealous defending, and seriously poor refereeing ended with McGinn deemed to have dragged down Onana just outside the Villa box. McNeil took it but his feeble shot into the four-man wall was a real let-down.
The match resumed, not quite at the same frenetic pace. Everton seemed to be winning the midfield until an easy turnover allowed Ramsey to charge forward and shoot wide.
Everton tried to build slowly, probing for opening until McNeil almost controlled a good ball over the top that saw some good pressing, met with equally staunch Villa defending Another very deep ball again picked out McNeil.
Bailey body charged Gana and Tayleor really didn’t want to give it, but he had to, McNeil punting it in, Iwobi smacking a rebound wide only for it to hit a prone defender and bounce across goal where Maupay had to score but Ings cleared it right off the line. Madness!
Everton maintained some excellent forward pressure but could not force the killer opportunity. And then of course Villa countered, Digne easily beating Iwobi to cross for Watkins, whose excellent downward header was pawed onto the post in a magnificent save by Pickford, with Coady cleaning up on the line behind him. What a let-off.
Villa pressed again after three changes and Gana made a fair tackle on McGinn getting the ball but McGinn fees something and collapses for a soft penalty that Taylor was desperate to give without waiting for the VAR. Watkins drove it high past Pickford from the spot.
Everton resumed their attacks with a cross that Doucoure drove wide. Iwobi played a great cross for Maupay who spun backwards and lost the ball right in front of goal! More good work from McNeil but Watkins again got free and Coady needed to stop him. 70 minutes and finally a sub from Dyche.
Everton continued manfully to try and find more roots to goal, Mykolenko cut down right in the corner of the area by Kamara. Immediately Maupay set up Gray who feebly passed it into a defender instead of lashing it into the goal.
Villa mounted a rare attack, Gana being fouled by Konsa stepping across him, deemed a foul by the Everton man. Watkins was allowed to get forward and give Pickford’s gloves a warming.
Doucore was approached by Buendia and caught the Villa man inadvertently with his elbow as he played away, the Everton man said to have fouled and then getting a ridiculous yellow card for his protestations.
Simms, cold off the bench, really should have got his first touch on target but it flew well off target after good work by Doucoure to set him up for the strike right in front of goal. Villa got forward and Luiz wellied one over from distance.
Gray crossed from the right but it screwed off Ramsey and into Martinez’s hands. Villa advanced and Buendia made it look far too easy to beat England’s No 1 at the near post.
Everton had tried everything within their severely limited playbook to score, and failed. Two sucker punches from Villa had found the net. Everton got a corner that Tarkowski could only head over from beyond the far post.
Everton laboured through the last minutes knowing the game and the points were lost. Gray punted in a free-kick straight to Martinez. The high press on Villa playing out yielded nothing. Gray punted another free-kick straight to Martinez. A corner failed to threaten and the game just petered out to a very disappointing end that sees Everton drop back into the Bottom 3.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Onana [Y:2′] (82′ Davies), Gana, Doucoure [Y:76′], Iwobi (70′ Gray), McNeil, Maupay (76′ Simms)
Subs not Used: Begovic, Holgate, Mina, Keane, Godfrey, Vinagre.
Aston Villa: Martinez [Y:77′], Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne (61′ Buendía), McGinn, Luiz, Kamara, Ramsey, Bailey (61′ Moreno), Watkins.
Subs not Used: Sinisalo, Zych, Traoré, Chambers, Young, Durán, Dendocnker.
Reader Comments (115)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()
Peter Warren
2 Posted
25/02/2023 at
14:21:17
? Simms not replaced he started on bench last week. COYB.
Alan J Thompson
3 Posted
25/02/2023 at
14:26:34
The same wealth of strikers and we’ll all have our own opinion of who should be first on the pitch and what effect it might have, and not only on our opponents.
David Hayes
4 Posted
25/02/2023 at
14:31:23
Anyone have any idea why Gray doesn’t start since Gordon went?
Fran Mitchell
5 Posted
25/02/2023 at
14:38:07
If Grey was to have a role, it’d be as a lone frontman using his pace, but hardly his best position. So expect he’ll continue as an impact sub when required, and possibly be sold on in the summer to raise funds.
Really need one of our attacking players to score today, we can’t keep relying on our defenders.
But this will be a tough game, Villa have a good, albeit inconsistent, team and a very good manager. Many attacking players who can make a difference.
So we need to keep it solid.
Can see this being a 1-1 draw.
Neil Lawson
6 Posted
25/02/2023 at
14:39:38
David (4). I think it’s because the manager sees McNeill as a better fit to his system. That is not intended to be smartarse. Many of us may prefer Gray to be onthe pitch, but in current circumstances we have to have faith in Dyche. Another win today and no one would disagree. Let’s just hope he has got it right, but traditionally, Villa are the sort of tem that we struggle against. It is not going to be pretty.
Peter Hodgson
7 Posted
25/02/2023 at
15:50:44
We have got to believe in Dyche. There is no alternative. I am not critical of Dyche by the way. I just hope it works for us and I believe we chose our Manager correctly in the cicumstances.
Ernie Baywood
8 Posted
25/02/2023 at
15:52:56
Same as it ever was. Even if it is a particularly impressive effort today.
If we had a striker then Dwight McNeil would probably look brilliant doing basics.
Alan J Thompson
9 Posted
25/02/2023 at
15:56:36
Onana’s booking was a bit of a farce and the Ref didn’t even give a free kick while he did nothing for other fouls that were far worse even if not worthy of a yellow card either.
Iwobi should have scored in the 7th minute but what is wrong with our lot that they don’t seem to have the slightest idea of how to burst the net. And then McNeil and Maupay on the break, could you pick two worse to be in that position and if we continue to put high crosses into the box then get Simms on to give their defence something more than Onana to think about.
And it seems Doucoure hasn’t done enough at Finch Farm to improve his shooting never mind scoring ability, he does only have two legs, doesn’t he, as something seems to be getting in his way.
Neil Tyrrell
10 Posted
25/02/2023 at
15:59:01
Don’t understand the boos for Digne, he challenged Benitez and we got a decent fee for him.
First half was a good watch, I’m going with a Mykolenko screamer for another 1-0 win.
Jerome Shields
11 Posted
25/02/2023 at
15:59:08
Okay first half. McNeil playing well. Maupay nowhere. Have to be careful in the first part of the next half, because that is when Aston Villa push up, as they usually do.
Joseph Walsh
12 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:44:14
Amongst all their other well documented disasters, the board’s negligence to not sign a striker has relegated us.
Ernie Baywood
13 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:46:20
No surprises, nothing out of the ordinary. We just don’t score goals. It was true under Lampard and it’s true under Dyche. It would be true under any manager in the world.
Michael McFarlane
14 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:53:13
Maupey is totally useless – weak, couldn’t finish his dinner, can’t even stay on his feet.
£100M in from Richarlison and Gordon, none spent.
We all know it so why don’t the board?
At least Dyche has got us organised and putting in a shift, more on the front foot… but without goals, it counts for nothing.
Michael Kenrick
15 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:53:32
Well, that was a real, massive, potentially fatal disappointment.
Neil Tyrrell
16 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:58:34
Shitty day all around with Leeds and West Ham both winning. The mountain just got that much steeper.
Tony Everan
17 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:59:22
It’s been costing us points all season and again today the same.
They’ve bet the ranch on Calvert-Lewin being fit (a) in the summer then (b) in January. Totally incompetent and potentially catastrophic way to run a football club.
Steve Brown
18 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:59:41
We played well until the penalty. Maupay is dogshit, Gana a moron and Coady played that goal like he had his feet tied together.
Thelwell and the board have a lot to answer for, not signing a forward in January was CRIMINAL.
Danny Baily
19 Posted
25/02/2023 at
16:59:50
I think that’s that. We couldn’t afford to put a foot wrong in the remaining ‘winnable’ games, and we have done today.
George Cumiskey
20 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:02:38
Dyche go to take a lot of the blame for me, picking Maupay to start then not taking him off at half time when he was garbage then waiting till it’s too late to make subs, typical Everton Lampard did the same every match.
Joe McMahon
21 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:03:24
This team will not get out of the Championship.
Ian Edwards
22 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:03:46
There is no point playing Maupay on his own or Simms on his own. Neither are good enough to play without support. Play both of them and sacrifice one of the Stooges in midfield. Idrissa Nyarko, Doucoure or Onana.
Robert Tressell
23 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:04:02
Dyche has us playing much better. We obviously lack the forward we need though. Simms must be given a go ahead of Maupay now. It was never going to be plain sailing though so no need to despair. Still plenty to play for
Mick Davies
24 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:05:17
Only one person to blame for the state the club is in
Alan J Thompson
25 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:06:24
We didn’t go behind thanks to Pickford and Tarkowski being awake but I didn’t think that was a penalty as Gana seemed to get a light touch on the ball and the Villa man fell over, again with barely any contact. Then as with penalties, do they do any homework, Pickford moves before it is kicked making it simple for the taker. I also thought that the tackle or whatever it was on McNeil was more worthy than the penalty they were given.
And again, Doucoure, who I didn’t think had much of a game, was booked/carded for a foul on a man who was stood behind him, ridiculous. In fact all three yellow cards were poor decisions.
It’s up to Dyche to sort out but we can’t keep playing Maupay. Yes, he hassles and puts in effort but there’s nothing else there. I wouldn’t suggest we had anyone who you could say was our MotM but I was surprised that Onana was subbed before Doucoure, was it an injury?
Back to the drawing board but do we have any options?
Phillip Warrington
26 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:07:41
Doucoure… I don’t understand the hype, the most uncoordinated player I’ve seen and gives possession away more than he retains it.
Rob Jones
27 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:07:57
We should have won it handsomely.
Frank Crewe
28 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:08:00
Same old same old. We have two thirds of a side. We have a decent defence and midfield but zero attack. If we had just one or two players who knew how to score a few goals we wouldn’t be in this mess. But we don’t so we are. I also doubt twingy Lewin will change that situation much.
Dave Lynch
29 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:10:11
That fucking hurt us…badly.
Must be odds on for the drop now.
Ian Edwards
30 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:13:12
Frank 28. We have a terrible midfield. It doesn’t score, create or assist or protect the Defence.
George Cumiskey
31 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:13:53
Good night Vienna, say so long to the premiership.
Sam Hoare
32 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:15:05
Maupay is poor but not convinced Simms is much better. Coady is poor and Mina (and possibly Keane) is definitely better. Get Coady out of the team.
Will be a battle right up to the final week I think but we were a touch unfortunate today. Hope DCL can get back soon.
Barry Jones
33 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:15:09
McNeil and Doucoure worked hard. Gana is a liability. Coady absolutely left for dead by Buendia. What was Mykolenko thinking when he ducked to give Watkins a free header? Great save by Pickford. Dave Abrahams, I see what you mean about Iwobi not making any tackles.
My false hope has evaporated
Rob Jones
34 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:15:45
We played really well today. It’s actually what hurts. I’d be happier if we’d been shit.
Nottingham Forest away now becomes must win.
Joe McMahon
35 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:16:28
The awful Paul Jwel Derby team have the lowest PL goals sored record, we need to score another 4 just to beat that. Good Times, I don’t think so.
Sam a fit DCL? he’s not Salah or Rashford et al, he’s someone that needs the ball 6 yards from goal, I don’t feel it would save us even if fit.
Steve Brown
36 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:17:15
Dyche has improved the team. However, we need DCL back.
Bill Gall
37 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:19:14
Villa are not a poor side by any means and loosing their last 3 games was not really a true performance of the season and this showed in this game as they have scorer,s not a scorer but scorer,s.
S.Dyche has at least got some organization and fight in the team and whether it is to late we may not find out until later but my own opinion is that it may be close but favorable.
I suppose we will get the usual cries of Sack certain people, but my main gripe over that, is it that person sunning himself on his yacht in Monaco who is the major problem for letting it happen.
Alan McGuffog
38 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:19:44
Surely Man U must have had an injury prone striker in the treatment room that we could have blown £40 million on in January ?
Barry Jones
39 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:20:22
And Anthony Taylor was dreadful
Christy Ring
40 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:26:08
Pete Clarke
41 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:30:19
Maupay is worse than Rondon and Doucouré is shocking. Iwobi and Gana were also crap so there’s 3 of the midfield and your lone striker who offered little but running around.
West Han have just dragged Forest back into the mix so that’s the only positive from today but quite clearly without goals we are fooked.
Calvert-Lewin is no great striker but he’s all we have so time to get some painkillers into him and get him on the pitch.
Jim Bennings
42 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:30:46
I’m sorry if this makes me laugh but are people still relying on this lad?
He’ll play one game (if he doesn’t break down in training) and then go missing for another four weeks.
The negligence in signing quality attacking players going right back to last summer is bordering on a criminal investigation.
Kunal Desai
43 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:33:42
Gana doesn’t make that challenge and give away a pen we win that. Plenty of twist and turns still to come.
Jeff Armstrong
44 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:34:09
Dont know if anyone else has mentioned it, but Tom Cannon scored the winner today, should never have loaned him out, another option off the bench.
Jim Bennings
45 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:34:33
As someone pointed out in a post on this threat, most uncoordinated player I’ve ever seen.
But then again we have three central midfielders that are all the balls worst enemy and two wide players that aren’t even good enough to flatter to deceive, in McNeil and Iwobi.
Jerome Shields
46 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:35:12
As soon as Colman had to make a Professional foul to prevent Aston Villa exploiting the space behind a stationary midfield and a deep defensive line the writely was on the wall. The homework had not been done on Aston Villa and their begining of the second half spurt.Subs too late.Aston Villa had already exploited the fact that their was no threat in the forward line.
Danny Baily
47 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:35:21
Steve 36, a minimum of 5 wins from the remaining fixtures is way too much to expect from this side. It is over, and it has been over for weeks. Time to adjust to it.
John Pickles
48 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:38:35
Another point dropped, we should have easily drawn that 0-0.
Jack Convery
49 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:40:58
I would like to see Godfrey come back in soon in place of Coady.
Buendia was a Villa sub who changed the game, A player better than anything we have in midfield. Makes you think.
Sam Hoare
50 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:41:34
The big doubt is whether hell ever be “fit” again. Certainly such an eventuality cannot be relied upon.
Ian Edwards
51 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:42:11
That was never a pen but let’s face it… the more Gueye plays the more likely we are to go down.
Paul Smith
52 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:46:18
Why are we firing crosses into the box for a diminutive shite striker who cant score whilst our top scorer is on the bench ? So many great crosses from McNeil with no one near them. Madness.
Steve Brown
53 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:48:24
Perhaps take a day off, as you are seeming to enjoy it a little bit too much?
Time to adjust to relegation when we are 5 points off mid table? You can but the rest of us will continue supporting the team.
Jim Bennings
54 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:48:34
2 more wins and 6 draws.
I can’t see any more than that realistically.
Whether that is enough to keep us up who knows but I just can’t see this team having enough in the tank for more than 33 points.
Dave Lynch
55 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:54:31
The problem being if we don’t get at least 4 points from our next 3 matches we’ll be cast adrift.
Anthony Murphy
56 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:55:12
4 more wins for me, but sadly I think well need one of those last game of the season. My prediction is we will face an already relegated Bournemouth and will need a win to survive.
Denis Richardson
57 Posted
25/02/2023 at
17:59:43
Shit result today and next game very tough but enough games to stay up.
John Wignall
58 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:00:42
Lampard and dyche had the same problem no goals in the team plus very poor quality of players to pick from joke of a.club god help us for the rest of the season
Danny Baily
59 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:08:47
Steve, our situation is what it is. I’d love for a few suprise wins to give us hope.
Neville Wellings
60 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:10:29
Previous relegation battles ’94 Wimbledon and ’98 Coventry sort of crept up on us. This battle we’ve known since last season. Why have we not got a striker? Probably as we had previously bought Moise Kean, Niasse (at least he tried) Walcott, Tosun, Rondon and now Maupay odds on we would have bought another dud, so nothing happened. Simms is not the answer he reminded me of Joe Royle’s debut. I was at that match at Blackpool and Royle was useless but then Royle was 16 and Simms is 22. Just about given up on DCL whether the problem is above or below the neck. The only thing that will keep us up is a hell of a lot of luck and that’s in short supply.
Tony Hill
62 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:23:58
The crowd made a difference in the first-half when we got behind them and Villa visibly wilted. But, as so often, momentum on and off the field was not sustained.
I was going to say that the Forest game next week is massive – but every game is massive now.
Ray Jacques
63 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:27:11
The unexplainable failure to recruit a centre forward over the past 12 months will result in relegation.
Today was typical. Its all on the directors and the stooge of a director of football.
What did Lee Harvey Oswald say ” I’m just a patsy”, meaning fall guy.
See Ings scored more today than Maupay in the whole season to date.
Ray Roche
64 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:31:04
Christy@40
The board knew months ago that Gordon wanted to leave, and along with the £60m from Richarlison, we had £105m with which to bring in a forward. We bought Maupay and McNeil. McNeil will come good, but Maupay isnt good enough. There was no serious intention to spend that Gordon money, if there were we would have someone lined up to bring in as soon as Gordon went, that, and Headlock Gate, which may well have turned potential signings away, is the reason we find ourselves a royally stuffed. Kenwright has been a cancer in this club for years, looking after himself regardless of the effects on the club. Theres yer problem guv!
Michael Boardman
65 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:31:14
We need to start planning how to spend the Pickford money oh and the Gordon / Arteta money
Tom Bowers
66 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:32:11
Total negativity from the powers to be in getting in an adequate replacement is killing us even if DCL was fit and playing.
Having no options on offense makes it extremely difficult to score goals and it needs a team to be very solid defensively to get points which we have not been. We can’t even get draws against crap like Villa and Wolves.
Okay, we stole a couple of wins recently but Everton always find a way to bite you in the arse.
Not much chance of getting anything at the Emirates unless the Gunners have a couple sent off early on and even then we would be hard pushed to get anything with this bunch.
Game, set and match ?
Bill Gall
67 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:36:11
Did VAR look at the penalty as from other views Gueye got his foot to the ball first
Jeff Armstrong
68 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:36:21
Dyche needs to mix it up a bit, Garner, Mina, Mills need to come in.
Recall Cannon
Allan Board
69 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:40:40
If you don’t take yer chances -you won’t win a game end of. Long way to go yet,but that result really doesn’t do Everton any favours. 14 games to go and Everton need 16 to 20 points. Forget other teams results, this team has taken only 21 points from 24 games.
Dyche will make the best of it,and make us slightly better-but if DCL isn’t back in this team Wednesday for Arsenal and stays in it till the end of the season we will be fortunate to get another 15 points or so.
It’s not like this useless club didn’t know he’s injury plagued though did they?
Need to stick height up front NOW.
The goals for has been a steady decline since Lukaku left in,what 2017? Every year,tick tock- only Ancelloti recognised this- these present day coaches talk too much shit and can’t see what’s on the end of their nose nowadays.
Maupey is garbage on his own- stick Simms up there with him now and go 442.
Tony Everan
70 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:41:33
Looked like he got a slight bit of the ball on the replay to me , VAR didnt see it ? It was a massive decision. The game turned on that moment.
Tony Hill
71 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:42:45
The problem for Forest is that they’ve already had a second wind and it blew out very quickly. They also share a wretched goal difference with Bournemouth.
We have to hold our nerve. We did make chances today so it wasn’t all bad.
I continue to think that Dyche has what is needed – just.
I agree, meanwhile, with Steve @53, we must stop writing ourselves off; that will be music to our enemies’ ears.
Tony Everan
72 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:43:50
“VAR did check the incident – and agreed with on-field referee Anthony Taylors decision. It was felt that Gueye went to ground and took the man first before the ball.
Chris Kavanagh was on VAR duty at Stockley Park.”
Mark Ryan
73 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:44:00
We, the fans, are beginning to sound like a stuck record
” why didn’t they sign a striker?”
We should have signed a striker !
It’s the boards fault we didn’t sign a striker !
If we had a striker blah blah fucking blah !!
Why the fuck is every other post stating the bleeding obvious
We all know we needed a new striker.
We need to all accept that we didn’t get one.
Let’s leave that one firmly at the boards doorstep and move on
Dyche has to find the answer.
Demari up front ?
Simms and Demari ?
Dyche knows he is up shit creek without a paddle. He alone needs to resolve the striker conundrum but we need to just leave the blame with the board and find a fix from within the group we have.
Let’s desist from repeatedly writing
” we should have bought a striker”
We all know that
Michael Boardman
74 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:44:37
Villa at home and we’re looking at a VAR decision?
Eddie Dunn
75 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:45:20
VAR checks all goal or pen decisions and from one angle it looked like Gana got to it but from behind the goal he clearly missed the ball. A daft attempt in any case. He had another irritating game. He has no strength, can’t pass and makes Davies look dynamic.
The big mistake was not to start Simm…McNel getting hs crosses in to little ole Maupay. Just silly. The only way Maupay should be played in in a two with a big man…not Doucoure, who is merely an athlete and can’t play football.
Ray Jacques
76 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:46:37
Mark, 73, stop talking shite.
There isn’t an answer, because we didn’t sign a striker!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Armstrong
77 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:47:06
Pete Neilson
78 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:47:08
If Iwobi plays he has to be central, why does this have to be learnt all over again? McNeil our best player IMO. Maupay what is he good for? Doucoure, besides being pound for pound one of our worst signings of the Moshiri era, simply panics when he gets in the area.
Jonathan Oppenheimer
79 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:48:33
Were certainly not out of it, but its getting more and more difficult to have hope. I think the big question going forward is whether Dyche decides to make any big changes. One could easily make the argument for replacing any of Gueye, Coady, Doucoure, Iwobi, Coleman or Maupay. If Garner and Patterson are healthy, do they play? I think they have to. I think the sooner we play Godfrey or Mina in place of Coady the better. I want Gray on the field if only because hes our best chance from open play. We can all argue about the quality of Davies, but at this point Id rather go down with him playing than Gueye. And the miracle needed will likely be if DCL gets fit for Forest and stays healthy.
Dyche gives me hope. Other than that, I think we need to hope theres a God and hes a Blue and wants my first trip to Goodison next year to be for a Premier League match.
Jeff Armstrong
80 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:49:10
Kavannah the melt on VAR, says it all.
Colin Glassar
81 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:49:53
Dyche has his favourites who will start every game, on or out of form so I cant understand why some see him as some sort of genius.
You cant make a silk purse out of a pigs ear.
Alec Gaston
82 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:53:41
We will be relegated if we persist with Coady
Tony Hill
83 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:54:27
By the way, full credit to McNeil who gave it everything. I wish he’d had a right foot when put in by Iwobi but he otherwise did very well and gave Cash all kinds of trouble in the first-half before he got a bit shut down in the second.
Alan McGuffog
84 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:57:49
Rudiger goes down like hes been shot. Man sent off and he’s back on his feet.
The beautiful game ? My feckin arse
Jeff Armstrong
85 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:58:20
Coady needs replacing by Mina
Doucoure by Garner
Iwobi by Gray
Maupey by DCL (when fit)
Dave Abrahams
86 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:59:23
Good on the fans who think, like me, we are far from finished in the fight to stay up, the most disappointing part of todays game was that Colmans effort and endeavour wasnt reproduced by some of the other players and the lack of confidence in other players is disheartening.
Seamus my MOTM again today with McNeill, Tarkowsky not far behind and a mention for Pickford with that terrific save until Burnley got that decision for the penalty which turned the game their way. When your down the decisions of the referees seem to keep you down and Lady Luck looks the other way.
Joe McMahon
87 Posted
25/02/2023 at
18:59:50
I’m not sure how much of the first team would be in demand by PL teams if relegated. Pickford?
Speaking of Burnley, Kompany will be alerting PL teams, but I think he’ll stay another season.
Barry Rathbone
88 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:03:57
Since control of the Moshiri/Usmanov axis kicked in the decisions at this club have been monumentally bad far beyond the uncompetitive M.O. of the previous regime. Top dollar for crap players, knee jerk manager changes and the madness of building a new stadium without sorting the team first.
This calamitous club deserves to be relegated
Anthony Murphy
89 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:05:26
Dyche cant play without a big target man. Not blaming him – hes picking up a mess and doing a decent job. In fact, if it happens, staying up will be down to him. But, his approach is based on a traditional target man and without one, we have no plan B. Hell need a complete rethink and will need to drop his usual target man approach or we will go down. Crossing the ball to Maupay isnt going to work. Hes a 10 goal a season striker normally so lets play to his strengths
Shane Corcoran
90 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:09:20
So do you reckon Dyche has ten favourites or who are these players that wont be dropped?
Andy Crooks
91 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:11:05
Playing ok with spirit and losing a bit unluckily is the road to relegation because it is morale sapping. I think Leeds, Bournemouth and Southampton are about as poor as we are. We will be very lucky to get out of this.
Big positive today is that Kenwright and his toady Sharp were not there.
Andy Finigan
92 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:12:10
I think we were a wee bit unlucky today and looked the side who maybe wanted it more and its again down to fractions.
I don’t know what hold Villa have on us but every ball in there box, rickershays and blocks all went there way.
Because of our effort and determination I don’t feel to dismayed and feel things will improve especially our luck.
Michael McFarlane
93 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:13:21
Maupey offers nothing, stop playing him
Play Gray – he can create and finish (the rest can’t)
Replace Coady with Mina (much better defender); Myko with Godfrey (more pace and aggression); Doucs with Garner (far less clumsy and has vision)
Dyche needs to make changes and create some competition… lest the current inert set will get worse with complacency
It’s all there to fight for – I predict we’ll stay up by the skin of our teeth again
Jeff Armstrong
94 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:19:11
Dyche should make a few changes v Arsenal, its a free hit, but it might give him options for the Forest game, Mina, Godfrey, Garner,Gray, Simms to start
Recall Cannon for a bench option.
Mal van Schaick
95 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:20:41
Dyche is another talking the talk, but we need to walk the walk. I cant seeing us getting anything from the Arsenal game, and we need all the points from the Forest game next weekend.
Paul Smith
96 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:25:48
Good post Michael at 93. Gray is our quickest player and top scorer, he should be playing. Doucoure is gash, as is Maupay. Dyche doesnt have the time for trial and error, he needs to get the team right from now on. A draw at Arsenal but we a cracking result.,
Tony Hill
97 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:29:30
I think the damage was done when we all got carried away with Moshiri’s cash and Koeman, Walsh and Bill pissed it up the wall. There have been other errors, some serious ones, but that disastrous early episode was when the disease really took hold.
We had the money but we never had the astute people to make proper use of it. Indeed, we had the opposite: self-serving poseurs who thought they’d won the lottery (as indeed they had) and could do as they chose. One of those disastrous people is still defiantly in place, accompanied by his dim, corporate minion and looking to make himself the martyr.
Not Moshiri/Usmanov to blame, save that they failed to exclude from the outset the man who believes that He Is Everton. And they recruited the indolent, arrogant fucker Koeman – but most of us thought that was a good idea.
Anyway, let’s try to keep our gaze on the future.
Paul Armstrong
98 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:32:35
Michael #93 A crumb of positivity!
Ray Robinson
99 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:36:47
Cant disagree with Michael and Jeff re freshening up the team but please lets stop talking about recalling loan players. The automatic right to recall a player is not allowed outside a transfer window. So forget Cannon.
Raymond Fox
100 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:37:54
Its hard to fancy us to beat anyone, how can you win if you cant score.
Its still tight at the bottom but its getting difficult to fancy us to escape this mess.
Jeff Armstrong
101 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:40:36
Ah thanks Ray 99, I should have known that.
Barry Rathbone
102 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:41:52
As you admit you don’t know the answer to your baseline question so how can you come to such a dogmatic conclusion?
I understand lashing out mentality rules on these boards but it is NOT fact it is pure conjecture. The only real facts are since the Mosh and Uzzy era kicked in we’ve turned to mush and more likely on the road to the championship than ever before.
Tony Hill
103 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:44:37
There is a very notable midfield goal deficit, as well as our striker deficiency, and this has been rather overlooked.
Rob Dolby
104 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:45:46
McNeill with a great run, good first touch should have just thrown his right leg at the ball instead the chance had gone.
Mauphay had 3 half decent chances and blew them all.
Doucoure runs into the box then falls over the ball waiting for movement in front of him
Tarkowski had all day to pass it back to Pickford but ended up turning and putting the ball out. Nobody marks buendia and his first touch sets up a cast iron pen. Buendia with a similar half chance to our players but turns Coady inside out and calmly knocks it past Pickford for the 2nd.
We just haven’t got the quality. Dyche has to realise iwobi can only play in the centre and that Gray is our best attacker.
Special mention for the ref. He had a terrible game. I could list loads of his mistakes but can’t be arsed.
Massive week coming up.
Jeff Armstrong
105 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:49:24
Rob it wasnt a cast iron pen Gana gets the ball.
Michael McFarlane
106 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:52:12
Cannon should never have gone out on loan… the lad’s an instinctive striker who knows where the net is. I thought he did better in his recent brief cameo roles than either Maupay or Simms
I never thought I’d utter these words… even Rondon might have made a difference today, given what was McNeil’s best display by far (far from perfect but much better)
What’s up with Doucs… I like his endeavour but he’s the footballing equivalent of Manuel from Fawlty Towers at the moment
Jerome Shields
107 Posted
25/02/2023 at
19:54:49
I know there is a lack of goal threat, but Aston Villa had too much space to play into in front of the Everton defence.When Aston Villa have played Everton they have exploited this everytime they play Everton, particularly in the second half.They did the same today.
Raymond Fox
109 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:02:20
When you look at the size of the goals you would think they could bang one in occasionally.
Hope springs eternal, if I was religious I think I would light a candle or two, I still might try it.
Stuart Sharp
110 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:04:35
I like Dyche and he gives me a bit of hope, but I said before, during and after the game that starting Maupay as our lone striker was baffling. McNeil, in my view our best player for the 2nd game running, put in loads of crosses… not all great ones, but put a half decent striker in and we probably win. We were the better team for much of it. McNeil was playing with confidence, taking one touch then crossing. Would personally play Gray instead of Iwobi on the other flank, but maybe the work rate is the deal breaker. Anyway, gutted.
Kieran Kinsella
111 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:06:38
We can carry on as we are and hope for 5 perfect 1-0 wins. It could happen but it will be a nail biter.
Id prefer Sean to figure out a way of including Gray without disrupting his game plan. Not East to do but hes our best goal threat.
Beyond that weve the Hail Mary of the injured players DCL, Townsend and Garner making a creative impact.
I couldnt watch the game today but while the score is disappointing its not hugely surprising. We are where we are for a reason. After 3 wins in 19, getting 3 in 4 was always unlikely. We just have to dust ourselves off keep the faith and move into the next one.
Ian Bennett
112 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:07:10
Taking off Iwobi and keeping on gana was baffling for me. I like Gana, but it was a poor game again from him.
John Catto
113 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:10:51
I have been a follower on toffee Web for some years but generally don’t make comment.
What worries me when you look at the remaining fixtures is I see a return of 10/12 points, which is not enough.
There are some really difficult fixtures left.
The change of Manager should of been before Christmas.
Hoping for a miracle but we don’t score enough.
Jim Bennings
114 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:10:59
Bring Godfrey in for Mykolenko, bring Mina in for Coady and if Patterson is fit bring him in for Coleman and give the old legs a break.
Maybe even try something if Patterson isn’t fit, put Godfrey right back, McNeil left back (think he’s better defensively than attacking) and Demarai Gray on the left wing.
I just think we need to try some alternative things as it’s not totally working in key areas.
Sacrifice a midfielder and pair Simms with Maupay.
Just try something to give us a goal or two.
Kieran Kinsella
115 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:16:04
Your concern is entirely rational and logical. But you know how football is. Often times the teams that avoid relegation are the ones who get surprise wins. Remember Leicester under Pearson won the last four? WBA similar under Robson. Ive seen Norwich more that once look safe and sleep walk into relegation at the 11th hour. So with only two teams below us every game looks hard and Im sure they will be. But football turns up surprises sometimes
Ian Edwards
116 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:26:20
1 Play two up front: Simms and Maupay if DCL not fit.
2. Mina for Coady
3. Remove Idrissa Nyarko for the 2nd striker
4. Vinagre for Mykolenko
5. Gray for Iwobi
John Catto
117 Posted
25/02/2023 at
20:28:31
Kieran Kinsella
Fingers crossed your right. I think Dyche is the best shot we have.
How to get rid of these ads and support TW
© ToffeeWeb
Jerome Shields
1 Posted
25/02/2023 at
14:10:31
As expected.