Blues humbled in all-too-familiar fashion on final day

Begovic named as captain - why? I'd have given the armband to Kenny, because he'll probably be gone in the summer.

Begovic
Holgate Keane Branthwaite
Iwobi Davies Dele Doucoure Kenny
DCL Gray

Suspended for one game, wasn’t violent conduct hence he missed Thursday

I was confused about this once before. I think the 3 game ban is for violent conduct. So just the one this time.

He has one game ban versus 3 for dangerous play Rondon got

Begovic
Holgate Keane Branthwaite
Kenny Doucoure Davies Iwobi
Gray Calvert-Lewin Alli

Hopefully the team is competitive today and play for a 1st win in many years at Arsenal.

Will be interesting to see how we look without Richy. Also how Brainthwaite settles after last time. A good idea to play him a soon as opportune. Davies unlikely to last the game, plenty of changes likely, and why not.

Tosun finally get's named albeit on the bench but will he be kept around for next season ?

Also playing their last games for the club unless something changes in the next 39 days
Jonjoe Kenny
Fabian Delph
Some guy who has been missing all season but we are not allowed to name
Donny van de Beek (loan finished)
Anwar El Ghazi (loan finished)

And Lewis Gibson

I think Lewis Warrington and Lewis Dobbin both have new contracts but ToffeeWeb not updated.

To make matters even worse Liverpool currently on the PL title.

The shape today worries me. Seems to be Franks preferred formation to have 5 at the back. If we’re going to go into next season playing it, we probably need another 4-5 players to do so.

Arsenal currently at 83% possession, which is utterly indicative of the gulf between us. Arteta clearly has his teams comfortable on the ball. Big question really is what’s Franks identity?

As for the penalty, how can it be a clear and obvious error if it takes that long to sort out. Perhaps we need to do something about those sleeves as ours must be different. This VAR certainly needs sorting out as at the moment there seems to be so little consistency. Sort it or drop it!

Anyway, first almost decent move and 2-1, Rope-A-Dope might be working.

Confirmation that both will be at different clubs come the start of next season??

Much prefer a 4-3-3 as it gives lots more attacking options.

I'm sorry if this seems over the top but it really pisses me off that we collapse so predictably. Every single game – every one – should be a matter of dedication and commitment to the last. Without that, we'll continue to flop.

Major changes required, no let-off due to staying up by the skin of our teeth.

What is there to say, they were organized and moved the ball around and we looked like eleven strangers. The third goal nobody marked the man on the edge of the box and there was only the one and then again for the fourth. We rarely do well away to them and we've done it again.

At least we now get to start all over again.

Many of the players are just not up to the level required in the Premier League.

Hopefully quite a few will leave and enable us to get better players in.

All godspeed to Everton FC, let them get things right. Enjoy your summer blues! COYB. Looking forward to August. All the best from Greenland.

Enjoy it.

The season taken as a whole has been absolutely dreadful. If we sit here patting ourselves on the back because we scraped survival and because we can make a lot of noise at Goodison then we will be relegated next time round.

Awful. I know this is miserable, but we (me very much included) spend a lot of time congratulating ourselves for fuck all.

I think that's a really good point well made. As it happens, the way the scores went today, we would have stayed up without beating Palace, but I don't think I could have handled that had it been that way.

Time for Frank to start his hard work now, shift out those that he doesn't rate, try and not lose too many of the more important players and most importantly try and find some decent bargain players with a 'can do' attitude.

It's going to be a busy summer at Goodison Park and, as was noted earlier today, it most certainly could have been a hell of a lot worse.

There's so much work to do with this dreadful squad. Tom Davies must go as should so many others.

Dreadful season.

We came back from the dead on Thursday then had a relapse today and died again.

As your mother said, and she’s not interested in football, “ Aren’t they bothered about the supporters going all that way” thinking of Sonny and Alfie travelling to watch a team DO WHAT?

Disgrace of a selection and it didn’t look like those players were really bothered about the fans either.

Talent will only get you so far, but if Lampard is not stupid, the main way he’s going to really tap into the Everton crowd, is by giving us a team full of energy.

Unless the above is achieved, then nothing will change.

Thank fuck this season is done... a total shambles from start to finish — only the fans can hold their heads high!

I'll take two weeks off and when I read the news about our club next I want see the sackings and replacements started, hopeful Mr Bean will sell the club to someone who knows what he's doing, then the new owner can gut the club and start again.

Top 10 things... the only good things are that:

1) Against all odds, we stayed up.
2) We've got shit contracts expiring.
3) There has to be changes at board level.
4) Maybe we have a management team in place?
5) The fantastic support!! Brings a tear to the eye, a lump in your throat, a pang in your heart at what it means to be part of the chosen few...
6) Man City won the Premier League.
7) We will get younger, quicker and faster.
8) Anthony Gordon became a Premier League footballer.
9) Pickford and Richarlison played their socks off, especially the last 6 weeks.
10) Rebuild, reload, give these beautiful fans the team they deserve; no more dodgy deals with shite agents, no more of Kenwright's fat gob on tele, no more of our dodgy accountant-owner running afoul of FFP.

Have a great summer, Blues!!

Good news is that it’ll be harder for Kenwright to offer new deals to Kenny Davies Delph now. No doubt he will welcome Gbamin back as like a new signing.

I wish Lampard well but in no way envy him- even the king's ransome he is paid to save relegation. THIS season.

Much work to be done this offseason, but we already knew that.

Also really glad to see Burnley relegated. A club that's as dull as dishwater.

But we need to get rid of half of this squad. Nowhere near good enough and if we don’t make massive changes we will go down next season. We got lucky in the end, although I’ll never forget that magical night on Thursday.

I just hope Frank doesn’t let sentimentality about this group of players cloud his judgement. I wouldn’t be unhappy if they all went bar DCL, Richie and Pickford.

The Manager may have different ideas than the supporters and the director of football may not be able to get the type of player he wants but I think aiming for a top 10 finish next season will be a good start.

Today's game illustrated how really poor we are to play in the premiership, especially when we use back up players. Hopefully we may have some good young players coming up to help in rebuilding a good squad. It is going to take time and patience, and some of us at our age may have patience but not time. So all we want is a team that we know is going to represent Everton F.C, with skill and passion in the badge, and not having to hide behind the sofa and end up putting vitriolic comments on ToffeeWeb every week.

Here is to next season and maybe I will get down to the States
pre-season

Tempted to go off on a downer about all the vast amount of surgery that’s needed on this awful squad, but I’d just be preaching to the converted. It’s clear as day.

For now, I’m just thanking every super natural force in the world that we went in to today clear. Watching the Burnley score knowing 1 goal would have ended it all, would have been simply too much.

We are very lucky. If we don’t change, Luck will run out.

No...? No...? Bueller...? Bueller...?

Now, what happens next season heaven knows.
Our best players will probably want to leave if they get better offers, wouldn't you after this season!
Will Moshiri throw more fresh money at the club, even if he's allowed to? I suppose we will have money off any player sales we make, but selling your best players is likely to weaken us still more.
I think the chances are we are in for another almighty struggle again.

Was a pointless game and we should of given the kids a run out. At least we could of said ‘we only played the kids’. Now we just look dumb being being 5-1 with an almost full strength team out.

With a good few players out of contract and others maybe moving on it’s going to be a crucial summer for us signing the right players. It’s an opportunity to build a team in Frank’s name, playing with an identity we can be proud of, the great support needed is already there.

Hope springs eternal.

Now the season is over, Question 1 now is: Are Evertonians going to congregate in masses and protest to get rid of this board?

The fans have influenced the club in appointing Lampard and then played a huge part in preserving our Premier League status. Surely now it's long long overdue for the likes of Kennwright et al to be moved on from this club in order to start seeing some tangible progress in the next couple of seasons.

I really hope we don't let up and allow this board to dictate because enough really is enough now.

They have had a free ride for far too long.

Two who definitely are in this group are Brentford and Palace as we saw for ourselves the previous two games.

By all accounts Palace, Brentford, Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Leicester and Wolves all gave it a good go today

It's just a shame that our lot didn't or couldn't make even a half-hearted attempt in front of our magnificent away fans.

I appreciate we managed to get out of trouble on Thursday but was just a last 90 minutes of effort possible?

Pathetic

Danny, keep walking the dogs over the summer and hopefully you will be your positive self come early August. You kept me going when things looked bad in recent weeks.

Our manager enjoyed cuddling the Chairman and the CEO and anyone else near him.

Without Mina, Richarlison, Pickford, Allan, Delph, and Coleman, this shows how thin our squad is.

To lose 5-1 is a disgrace. The thanks the away supporters get for yet more expense and more time on the road is a half-hearted performance that illustrates just how poor our players are. How little they care, and how weak they are. Add to this a lack of talent and we can see why we are in our current position.

Lampard was very relieved that we escaped the drop. His CV remains unsullied. However, he has managed to set his teams up in an unbalanced way, with square pegs in round holes all too often.

His tactics have been equally ill-conceived with his five at the back ensuring midfield dominance to any opposition.mI have no faith in him and his team getting us anywhere near mid-table.

He smiled at Arteta after the whistle. His team had just escaped the drop and been hammered 5-1. He should have been purple with rage and he should offer to reimburse the costs of the travelling thousands.

He seems a lovely guy – he loves Delph, and Seamus is the best man in the world. I am sure Seamus is very nice; perhaps Seamus is the guy who dragged the guys over the line on Thursday?
Get Bielsa - now!

Most managers exchange a handshake at the end most of the time, unless they're playing to the cameras. And they all know and respect each other as well. It's sportsmanship. I'm not sure what being angry at Arteta would have achieved. It's our players that sentiment needs directing at.

I'm sure after the euphoria of Thursday, a few frank words were had in the changing room. That's where it belongs. Like any walk of life, you get praised when you do well, you get a rocket when you don't.

We're over the line. We can reset. That's what this season uncomfortably became being about.

A lot of mediocre players and, dare I say, a manager who has not yet proved (to my eyes at least) that he knows how to find points without the crowd dragging the team over the line.

There will be much change presumably this summer though you'd expect Lampard to still be in charge, he has united the crowd through our relegation battle but is that enough? Interesting summer ahead.

Leeds had nightmare injuries, much worse than us.

I tend to agree with a lot of your comments and see our games similarly to you. And again I agree about Lampard cozying up to Kenwright is not a good look. His recent picking of Gomes, and Kenny at left-back today instead of his more natural right-back position.

Iwobi was excellent on Thursday second half when played in the middle. What did Lampard do today? Put him at right wingback!

Lampard worries me, to be honest… he seems to forget some players' terrible performances and gives them far too many chances to fail again.

The problem is that the Board is controlled by someone who mitigated the effect of sanctions and convinced the Premier League that £170 million of loses where due to Covid. This is the reason he was let stay after the take over, in case of scrutiny by the authorities. His actions will make the letter from Leeds and Burnley a damp squid.

Of course he sold to parties that had potential baggage and he headed the mismanagement that squandered millions. But that is not how the owner will look at it.

He was left to run the club and made sure that loyalists were placed in most of the strategic positions in the club. The manager selection and his team are the only area he does not have control, though loyalists are able to hold their positions as managers come and go. Recently, he has attempted to control fan protests by the setting up the ESSG to advise the Board, initially on fan representation, but which has materlised as a Fan Advisory Board to advise the main Board, with no fan representation.

So the whole lot is a shit show from top to bottom and solutions like "Sack the Board", "Get rid of Kenwright", or get rid of anything else are not going to be that easy and frankly will never happen.

The best analogy is a spider's web, where any attempt at change will be clogged up in immobility. The only chance is that Everton have a young Manager who may get backing to change the squad and be able to develop the football side to get a consistent and competent team. He may also outlive certain protagonists over time. It might be that is better than nothing.

The only other change is that Bramley-Moore Dock will be completed on udget and adequately financed; I have confidence it will be. There is alot of money out there looking for a home and the above incompetent parties will be having nothing to do with it.

The combination of both may result in some change, which may eventually lead to substantial change. Though I now feel that will be in the era of the next owner or offshore entity.

He wants to sell the club. Money for players will have to come from selling our best players, reducing the wage bill at the same time.

Keep
- Begovic
- Pickford
- Coleman (sub/squad)
- Holgate
- Godfrey
- Keane
- Nkounkou
- Mykolenko
- Patterson
- Simms
- Iwobi
- Gordon
- Gray
- Dele Alli
- Richarlison
- Calvert-Lewin

Loan Out:
- Tyrer
- Branthwaite
- Welch
- Dobbin
- Onyango
- Price
- Whitaker

Let Go or Sell:
- Mina (sadly)
- Kenny
- Allan
- Gomes
- Davies
- Delph
- 32 year old Icelander
- Doucouré
- Tosun
- Rondon

Answer is No, if you want to be the best, you go out and compete, you never give up. Lampard said we were going out to give it a go, on behalf of Spurs. Imagine if Spurs had slipped-up!

A joke selection, a joke performance. Pathetic. I think Frank is a sentimental old pussy. I think he needs Jodie to hold his hand.

That scene with Seamus in the dressing room was just embarrassing. He has been sitting on Bill's knee sipping too much Claret.

I'll comment more on Everton's performance today in the morning. But a non-Everton observation if I may? When Arsenal play the way they can, they are pretty impressive. A victim of their own inconsistency, when they fire on all cylinders, they move the ball slickly and quickly, with plenty of constant movement. Very difficult to defend against when you have players of the standard we have. The first 15 minutes, we were chasing shadows.

Sorry, I've always watched the football as I see it.

The DoF only needs to be a miracle worker if you expect us to challenge for the Top 6 next season. Because, short of a miracle, that will take around £200M. It's all academic though because it will not happen.

What our DoF needs to do is to deliver a programme of change over about 3 to 5 years that restores us in the upper echelons of the Premier League and competing for trophies.

There's no short cut. But, if done right, we could have a very good side for the early BMD years when the RS will be rebuilding after Mane, Salah and others. It's worth being patient.

By the way, during the relegation dogfight, another Academy recruit with Everton DNA has taken place.

I underestimated the outs at 8 in my earlier post; however, you might find it difficult to move some of those named on your list, who would buy Gomes for example? All who are out of contract must go!

Unfortunately, as much as we would all like Richarlison next season, he will be off. EFC has to do something about the debt and he will want to play for trophies in the Champions League.

But, let's not forget that, just 3 weeks ago, we were 5 points adrift of safety and looking dead and buried and yet we've ended up 4 points clear of 3rd bottom.

There's going to need to be a massive rebuke but it's going to take time and we as fans will need to have plenty of patience.

I think that you are a bit caustic in your description of players and manager, I believe that the players proved their commitment to the cause on Thursday, and if, in the long run they're not good enough, it's not their fault.

Frank Lampard is still settling into his job, and you're saying "Get Bielsa now". I'm sure that Lampard is aware of the positions that need strengthening. I am prepared to give him time to do so. Meanwhile, I will bask in the memory of last Thursday.

Lampard has earned the right to begin next season as the manager at Goodison Park and the fans should support him as much as they can, because the realistic alternatives to Frank are the likes of Dyche et al and not the likes of Pochettino et al.

If as seems likely, Everton lose the three or four quality players that they possess during the summer, anybody believing that the club can make a run for Europe are deluding themselves as the main aim once again next season will be to get to 40 points as early in the season as is possible.

Frank or any other manager of Everton will be tested to the limit next season, but fans having totally unrealistic ambitions won't help whoever is the boss. I want Everton FC to do well, I want us to be winners, but I've resigned myself to the notion that next season could be just as fraught as this one. At least we start in the Premier League, when it could so easily have been in the Championship.

I might be accused of being defeatist, but I believe the current financial situation and the strength (or more like the lack of strength) of the squad tells its own story and we'll need the fans behind the players all through next season, and not just when the chips are down.

This season has been exhausting but we survived. Hopefully better days are ahead.

Have a good summer, all.

I reckon Moshiri is already more than half-way through selling the club, and the big condition precedent has just been satisfied. It's not like it was ever his money he was spending, and now that Big Daddy has other fish to fry (like staying alive), I think reality is about to hit again, so brace for another smack to the face with a dead fish.

Of course, we won't find out about it til it's all done and dusted. I just hope it's not to the shysters that bought Burnley.

Agree entirely that longer-term planning is the way forward, but we've still got to act on that midfield this summer. Maybe raise enough to go find another “Bissouma” somehow (cost £15M to Brighton), hope Chelsea and/or Carlo fancy giving us a couple of decent kids on loan (Gallagher would be nice), and see if we can replace experience of Delph and Allan with someone on the cheap (Gana swansong maybe).

Controversial like, but I'd take Barkley back at this stage if they'd let him go for a nominal fee.

Unearthing the next Cahill, Arteta and Pienaar would be nice…..but that kind of astuteness died when the Ginger One left. Again, got to hope the DoF has another Neves in that little black book at least.

I think Frank was showing today just how difficult it was to pick a competitive team. I'm sure he is already rolling up his sleeves and looking for new players who will be good and who will want to play for Everton.

Herculean effort Thursday, short rest in a nothing game with a ton of changes to the lineup, including some player's first game back from injury, and nothing to play for. There's no free pass in life but, in an honest moment, this might come as close as you can get, for me at any rate.

Next season I see three leagues within one Premier League:

Top flight: Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Man Utd

Second Tier: West Ham, Leicester, Brentford, Wolves, Brighton, Palace, Aston Villa, Newcastle

Third Tier: Everton, Southampton, Leeds, Fulham, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest (I think they'll win; otherwise, Huddersfield).

We have to rebuild, and it will be gradual due to finances. The question is: Can Frank take us from that bottom tier to the Second Tier next season? If he does that and improves the play, I'll be okay with that.

It's going to take 2-3 seasons to return to Top 7 footy.

Patience will be a virtue now more than ever. The very last thing we need is yet more disruption with a manager and a lack of continuity with staff and players.

Our players were playing with the attitude that they've just won the Premier League in the previous game and had the Champions League Final to play next Saturday: "The fans will understand if we take our foot off the gas a bit".

They've already sunk back into the attitude that got the club into the mess it has been this season. Those travelling fans deserved so much better.

If there was an opportunity to do something more at right-back, we defo should. (Another young Scottish kid for 25% of Patterson fee?)

I do fear we will have to cash in on one of Calvert-Lewin, Pickford, or Richarlison in the summer, but we should only let any of them go if it's a monster bid and enough to really revamp for next season.

For recruitment, we need a Moneyball approach, players aged 20-25 who are likely to appreciate in value. Don't know who, I'm not a DoF, but Moyes managed it okay.

For recruitment, we need a moneyball approach, players aged 20-25 who are likely to appreciate in value.

From your mouth / keyboard to God's ears. Absolutely. That is the way forward, of that I have no doubt whatsoever.

I was as delighted as anyone to see Frank get those good results and he has to share the credit with the team for getting the wins needed. It does seem though that he has succeeded despite himself.

His set-ups have been largely awful. His attempts to change things were usually too late, and always like-for-like.

He displays a lack of tactical know-how. Shocking when you consider what a good player he was in midfield and the coaches he has played under.

His time as Chelsea manager saw him forced through a transfer ban, to play the likes of James and Timori. I remember watching his team try to play out from the back and give away silly goals.

He has been in crisis-management mode since he arrived. He clearly knew little about what had been going on here over the last few years, and mentioned regularly in his early pressers, how he looked on us from "afar". He had been gazing, like so many other plebs, at the Sky Six.

My prediction is that he will get a few new faces in but his pre-season will not bring us the promised land that we all crave.

Without the spectre of relegation looming, I fear we will be subjected to poor players trying to play like Man City. We will be picked off and swatted by the clever teams, and the powerful teams.

His success here has been when he has been forced to go more direct. That is why I liked Bielsa at Leeds. It did unravel with key injuries and a small squad but boy did they give it a real go.

Brentford have shown that there is room to mix it up. They have a clever coach, hungry players, and Ericksen. If we can find a Connor Gallagher, then we might do okay.

We had to get rid of Benitez and we had no time to spare. This is why we have Mr Lampard. Our crowd kept us up – not Frank.

Of course you don't remember his aggression in getting the last free off Zaha which led to our 3rd goal.

Also, I believe that Seamus Coleman is one of the reasons we survived; certainly people who know more than you or me kept picking him. Before the Palace game, I hoped that our players would show the courage to not hide. To be prepared to make mistakes and come back for more. Not to do a Schneiderlin or Gomes.

Seamus actually is a very nice man. Tough, determined and strong-willed. Not a tough-talking toy soldier like some pundits.

"Get Bielsa-now!" — Now that is embarrassing.

The deadwood needs pruning with immediate effect. Frank Lampard's next moves will be crucial. If our financial situation is as dire as has been suggested, then there must be a price tag hanging over every player in the squad.

The only players likely to attract really big money are obviously Pickford, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin. Sad as it may seem, if we were offered somewhere in the region of £200 million for that trio, it might go some way to strengthening in desperately needed areas.

Ideally, I would like to keep all three (even though I've been critical of Pickford in particular many times on here) as I believe you need to hang on to your best players in order to improve. Realistically, none of the three by any stretch of the imagination could be considered 'Superstars'.

Unfortunately we'd be likely to get peanuts for the rest, so it would seem that – given our predicament – sacrificing our main assets is the only means of consolidating our Premier League status and building for the future. Surely everyone from the boardroom to the terraces, after these horrendous last weeks of fear misery and hysteria, can see that stark fact staring us in the face.

I wish Frank the best. Although clearly he is still 'serving his managerial apprenticeship'. I can think of few managers who have moulded 'has-beens' and 'also-rans' into Champions. The late great Howard Kendall, Brian Clough and more recently. to a lesser extent, Claudio Ranieri come to mind.

Lampard may astound us and do similar at Goodison, only time will tell. But the pressure on him to succeed with limited resources is an extremely daunting challenge indeed. I hope he rises to it.

Arsenal scored three of their goals from corners. Doesn't matter who is playing, there has to be a plan in defending. Everton have been conceding goals from corners and crosses all season.

Frank and his coaches have done nothing to sort this out, 3½ months seems a long time to me to get a defence to concentrate on marking their men. In each of Everton's victories under Lampard, every team has had good chances to change those results and Pickford was the main reason we won most of them. The four defeats at home were mainly because of slack marking and poor defensive errors.

I said in a post a couple of weeks ago that, if Frank keeps us up, he deserves the chance to see what he can do next season. I'm not so so sure of him now; he seems very naive in his selections and substitutions.

Although he got it right on Thursday at half-time, he cocked it up big time at the start of the game with his choice of Gomes – now that was really naive.

He'll have to improve massively and quickly or we'll be biting our nails again next season.

So what great job Frank Lampard and his coaching staff did, they only eclipsed Benitez's points haul by 1 single point. Yet, Benitez was unceremoniously shown the door and to close it on the way out.

So what's going to happen next season, when all teams in the Premier League besides Leeds made life difficult for Everton, including Norwich and Burnley away and Watford at home? Surely the same squad of players are not going to do better next season when they played so badly throughout this season.

Everton can't just go from 5th from bottom this season and be 4th from top next season, no matter what Frank Lampard is able to conjure up at team talks.

"Back to reality"

Your first line:

"Pickford, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin. Sad as it may seem, if we were offered somewhere in the region of £200 million for that trio..."

And further down.

£200M really?

As for Seamus, I wondered earlier in this very thread whether Seamus is the reason we ground out those results and not Frank. Perhaps Coleman will be promoted to first-team coach next season.

It's not all bad though as IMO Vitaliy Mykolenko will be good for us, a clever move landing him.

It will remain to be seen who we can offload, and the unlikely possibility of any Club wanting them, but wasteful acquisitions and silly contracts make that an almost impossibility. Then we have to address how much we have to spend, because on todays showing, none staked a claim for retention. Hope Richie and Pickford stay, wouldn't shed too many tears if a Calvert Lewin (decent) Offer came in.

Winning is what matters but it you can't win, do not lose. We don't have enough players who understand that principle, who hate to lose or concede goals.

Every game we need a team of players that's give 100% all game. They should come off at half time needing a rest and some recovery time because they have given their all and are spent.

That doesn't happen nearly enough. Instead they pass on responsibility, blame others and carry on in the same manner.

Yes they are relieved to remain Premier league players but several players smirks, childish actions and comments tell me they don’t really care about the club, the team or in trying to be the very best that they can be.

Professional salaries, ametuer attitudes.

We're at a crossroads. We've just dodged relegation. There's quite a few players out of contract who will leave, and there's more on the books that frankly need to leave. We have no money presently and have to get well within FFP parameters moving forward.

Kevin Thelwell's success or failure is directly tied to the fate of the Club. He has a monumentally difficult task in front of him.

He has had a positive effect on some players, revitalised Iwobi, Cole skilfully mentoring Mykolenko, Holgate has been much better under Frank. Also the small matter of him keeping us up.

On the downside there are some odd selections, formations and substitutions. Square pegs in round holes, but even that is mitigated as it’s often that is symptomatic of our injury depleted and poorly balanced squad. ie many problems that predate him.

So I think there are very good arguments that if he can sign who he realistically wants in the summer (4 or 5 first team starters) he could gradually turn the club around. It’s not going to happen in one window but Frank is young enough and motivated enough to be a progressive coach for us. We need stability and incremental progress, and I think Frank has earned his chance. Also, remember, alternatives don’t come risk free.

As well as the new DoF influence?

The important thing being they work hand in glove to a strategy and plan.

Crystal Palace, Brentford, Brighton, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, West Ham. Proof that there is a lot of top level, hungry, ambitious and hard working talented players available for under £10M.

Look at Celtic and Rangers, look at Atalanta, Real Betis, Valencia, Nottm Forest and Sheffield Utd – teams that pick up talented players for a few million.

I have preferences on players that I would keep over others but, in general, everyone is for sale for a good price and I wouldn't be sorry to see any of them sold if it meant getting better players in with the right mentality and attitude.

We are a compromised, wobbling Premier League club that requires thorough, calm and studious recomposing over time, in just about all aspects. Unless we look like we did under Benitez by Christmas, with the same outlook, then the subject of who "Should" be the manager needs to be parked.

More of the same will beget more of the same.

I will add - this includes NOT selling the better players unless/until we absolutely have to... or unless they want to leave.

We have nothing here to suggest we can magically rebuild by bringing in and improving lesser players, to somehow be a better team.

It's the cold reality, Stu... and we need to get real. 80% or more of what's happened since 2016 is a farcical lesson in what not to do. A long process lays ahead.

People seem to forget, Frank has picked up a squad full of injuries, with players signed by 5 different managers, destroyed confidence due to Rafa Benitez, devoid of 3 of the players with the highest assists last season in Gylfi, James and Digne, even the loan player we picked up in DVB has spent most of his time on the treatment table.

All in all I think he’s done a great job, if anything he’s united Everton and got the message across to everyone if what is means to be an Evertonian once again. We can’t just keep changing managers all the time because we draw 0-0 with Watford or get beat 5-1 on the last game of the season. I think some people need to get real.

Frank has a short but decent history of making younger players better. I want him to go out and sign hungry young players next season and go out and have a real go at teams next year. First on my list would be Joao Pedro from Watford. 20 years old, now experienced enough to make the step up, dare I say it Richarlison style.

However there should be no reason we have to get rid of our best players now. That is unless they say I want to leave. Did anyone notice DCL grabbing the badge on Thursday? Did anyone notice how at home Richarlison looks and feels? They might, just might stick around. I do think unless we get 70 for Richy and 50 for DCL they aren’t going anywhere. They are worth is and are too valuable as assets to go for anything less.

Frank will already have his targets. I see the Chelsea lad on loan at Huddersfield is already being mentioned, Brennan Johnson, Conor Gallagher. All good players. I would love to see us go for Erickson who has proved he can still do it, Bissouma and or Ward Prowse. However Pedro for me from Watford is the one. Get him in.

We have to all get being Frank now. Sure today was poor but it was a nothing game and who cares. Let’s see what happens in the summer. COYB!

Arsenal preparation is High performance, whilst Everton is Rest and Recovery and appropriate training in that context.

High performance consists of hard training to build up resilence against injury and to perform at a high levels across various competitions. It is constantly worked at through out the season, whilst Rest and Recovery is as it says not hard or constant consistent training. At Everton Medical Services have a big input, at Arsenal they where all sacked in the tenure prior to Artetas. Replaced by high performance services responsible to the High performance Manager.

Everton are ones of the only Club to follow this regime, bar Man U, who are Everton 5 years back. Many of the promoted team are based on High Performance preparation now. Benitez did try to change to High performance, with inevitable resistence. It was him that introduced High Performance to Liverpool.

So in todays game Everton seemed to be run off the field, by a High Performance prepared Arsenal against a Rest and Recovery prepared Everton or as Frank said they where' tired ' the poor dears, after one halves exertions.

The problem I have with all this is that over 20 years Everton never where under going the proper preparation to performance to challenge for a top 5 place or mutiple competition. They may have slipped through occasionally, but it never amounted to much.

To remain in the Top 5 a team has to be able to compete week in week out at a high level and play in multiple competitions. If they are not able to compete at a high level and in multiple competition they are replaced by teams that can.

The one problem I have with Frank is his strength is mainly, is a long future with Everton. But his seeming acceptance of Rest and Recovery, which is old hat, in interviews and presser does not bode well for Evertons performance levels in a largely High Performance prepared Premiership.

By the way Rest and Recovery and High Performance are recognised methods and notbmade up by me. I can gives you sources if you require.

Amidst the euphoria of escape it may have gone unnoticed that points gained have been streaky, desperate affairs amidst shameful losses. When fan energy reverts to normal, as it surely will, we'll be back to square one if the squad remains full of sick notes and ageing mentalists who can't control a ball.

Be brave Franky or you'll go the same way as others who failed to grab the bull by the horns

I also hope that the club will do all in their power to keep Richy, DCL and JP and build the squad around them.

It’s surprising but I feel really happy after losing 5-1. Could it be the sight of the kopites hanging one by one despite the best efforts of the media and officials.

The squads not good enough the manager too naive and we will have little money for the rebuild we require.

some good points, and I agree. It's awful hard though without the inhalers :)

"Thank God this season is over."

Looking forward to a couple of months of worrying about things other than my football club. Hopefully this is a busy time for the club in ensuring we don't go through this again.

See you all in August.

Best fake news of all!!

Graeme @143 -

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of Frank and Everton's managerial landscape, really glad someone said it. Good post!

I'm still to be convinced Lampard is the right guy but he'll be there next season so we'll see what the summer brings. As everyone knows a load of players will be leaving anyway as their contracts run out so there should be a decent wage bill to play with to get 'frees' in. I can't see us having any decent transfer kitty but we managed to get Townsend, Gray and Bergovic for £1.7m so it's possible to get half decent players for little transfer fee.

We don't actually need that many players to have a decent side. Just need the right players in the right positions with the right attitude. 4-5 that are ready to go straight into the first team.

Am hoping Patterson makes a full recovery as he will be like a new signing!

Just worth noting as well when people criticise Lampard that when he took over we were 16th with 19 points after 20 games. Since then we have finished 16th picked up 20 points from 18 games. Not a great record granted but an improvement. In that period Gerard, who seems beyond criticism in the media, had Aston Villa from 11th with 26 points from 21 games to 14th and only took 19 points in the 17 games in that period, and he has had two transfer windows.

The club has been seen as their personal pinnacle by way too many expensively signed nearly-men (in every sense of that term) keen only to screw us for the max in the best contract they ever dreamt of, duly delivered (and then sometimes improved) by our self-styled genius in the boardroom.

He still has his hopeless hands on our tiller, still surrounded by his chosen ones in the boardroom, none of whom have credentials of any significance at all to a trophy winning club.

And yet some of us still look elsewhere for where the fucking big hole in our ship is, causing us to sink ever lower season after desperate season.

It'd help if we didn't have the Monaco-based version of Captain Pugwash in overall charge though - he's been useless when it comes to football appointments and preserving, never mind increasing, his personal wealth.

But everyone he employs adores him - and that makes HIM feel good.

Jeez!

The thought of the moon-faced buffoon sitting in the director’s box again next season fills me with horror and anger.

Thanks to the Legions of Evertonians whom have made this happen, by giving every thing you have for the club, through out this season, from hell.

Let’s take stock and rebuild the club... Architecture, Morality and Culture, as Everton has been flirting with danger and regularly stepping in the quick sands of the Forbidden elements of football in the EPL, on and off the Park, for far too long.

Today was no surprise, in terms of the performance and result, it’s been like this for decades, a serial losing and turn up for the sake of turning up, mentality. No care, no pride in EFC, and as professional players.

A magnificent and almost ancient past, cant make up for years of mediocrity.

Let’s back Frank to the hilt and harness the Evertonian effect for the best, next season.

It’s gonna be very tough, bar some miracles in terms of money to spend and, hopefully the squad for next season, will be clear, very soon.

But good to see Isaac Price, get a game at last., and hopefully other U23s, will follow him.

He will learn, and get better, and for me this is an absolute new build project for the squad next season.

Onwards and upwards, Evertonians, there will be many bumps in the road next season, but let’s take stock on the reality of surviving in this League, this season.

True Grit, by the Evertonian supporters.

The spirit of the Palace game, 19/05/2022, can’t ever be forgotten.

UTFT!

We were way too open in his first ten games or so - or shall I say the players are incapable of playing that way. Since then, we’ve gone back to basics a bit and our form has been half decent. Wins over Man U, Newcastle, Leicester, Chelsea and Palace confirm that, even if our away form is cause for concern.

Lampard has kept us up - that was his first job. His second job is to improve us now - and this is where our Director of Football model comes into question again. After the disasters of Walsh and Brands, I must admit to being dismayed when the first action in our strategic review was to appoint a third Director of Football. The more things change, the more they stay the same it seems. But this is where Thelwell has to earn his money - if he doesn’t, he will be out the door and so will Lampard.

We simply have to improve our player trading. For too long now, we have paid out top dollar and sold cheap. The result is that we are in danger of breaching FFP and we are now skint. I can’t think of too many players we sold under our DOFs that we got good money for - maybe Lukaku, Gueye and Lookman. The rest have all been loaned out, sold for bargain fees or given away on frees.

I don’t mind selling Pickford for £60-70 million, if we then buy Pope (for someone equivalent) for £30 million and then reinvest £40 million wisely in the squad. Same for Richarlison - if we get £70 million for him, and buy Connor Gallagher and a decent winger for the same money, we’d be stronger overall. Same with DCL.

What we need to avoid is giving big contracts to washed up reserves from Man U, Barça etc. that we can’t get rid of if it doesn’t work out. We also need some characters. Our away form shows we are too timid. We need some bastards with the bollocks to play away from home.

This is probably the biggest cross roads I can remember for us in the Premier League era…

With the FFP, we need to follow Southapton's model. Hope Frank get us a few loan with purchase rights deal next year.

Everton fans hired an open top bus to welcome home their heroes, lined the streets, and then partied hard into the early hours to celebrate their stunning 5-1 loss to Arsenal.

Delighted Bill Kenwright commented: ''We knew after the celebrations on Thursday night that the fans had finally accepted our vision for this great little club. In some ways, today was even better as there were six wonderful goals instead of five and Liverpool didn't win the Premier League.

"With the fans now firmly behind us, we just know we can achieve the same next year, no mean feat for a club of this size. The players can now go away and have a well-deserved break after turning up for at least 10 games this season.''

Did you just walk out Thursday once the final whistle went ?

I didn't celebrate, Chris, no. I felt relieved and slightly grateful that the players turned up for half a game, just as they have for the odd occasion for the entire season.

Actually I think it was the fans who got the team over the line and the support shown before and during the final few games was second to none and shamed the players into making an effort.

But, for me personally, celebrating a complete failure of a season after the final whistle wasn't something I was prepared to do. If it was just a case that the players weren't good enough but had tried hard all season long, then I would have been willing to celebrate. You can't ask for more than somebody's best, after all. The lack of effort is unforgivable.

I also wonder if our DoF has that much work cut out to find newer, better players or if he has to renegotiate contracts. Would we keep say, Delph and Allan on basic weekly wage of say 10K with that much again for every full game played and would it be worth it. It does seem that the loan market has to be used but that, I think, only allows for two incoming players.

Unfortunately, of any transfer fees received it would appear at least half would have to go to reducing operating costs and debt in line with P&S regulations and as that Arsenal game showed, it should not be our better players leaving but it was interesting, without knowing what if any truth there is in it, that part of the claimed COVID induced financial losses was the inability to transfer players out at that time.

And as much as I hate to say it as some years ago on Team Talk I berated another for saying the same, perhaps mid-table mediocrity might be seen, at best, as a stepping stone.

It was the deadest of dead rubbers.

What happens from now on is the big deal, the Ins, the Outs and sadly FFP shite too.
But whatever happens - we have to make sure we don't get a repeat

He could have just accepted that a lot of the players were simply not good enough, (and laid the blame elsewhere) just like a lot of the fans have known for years. He alluded to this, when he questioned if the players have got enough bottle, something most Evertonians have also been saying for years. (This incredibly didn’t stop quite a few people criticizing him)

Look at the run Benitez was on, Lampard came into a football club, when the players had no confidence and were actually on their knees, and also became the sixth manager in five seasons for many of these players.

Until the club is sold, we are stuck with Bill Kenwright, and Bill can’t go on saving us from oblivion forever.

I've heard lots about giving youngsters a chance over the past few months but apart from Gordon, who incidentally finds it hard to hit the net, but at least has something to offer. I don't see any other youngster on our books who looks capable of making a valid impact next season.

Therefore we will need to recruit the best part of half a team to even get us in the middle of the table. To finance this we will need to sell, it will be a massive balancing act to say the least. Failure to land the right type of players will end in yet another relegation scrap, that much is painfully obvious.

Essentially the whole sorry mess will take more than just one close season to sort out. We can only hope that common sense will prevail and the whole process of rebuilding begins from Board level down. For sure it's going to take more than one close season I just hope that by August we will be able to see some tangible progress.

We were a shambles under Benitez, still have been at times since then, but the manager has done very well to steady things. He got the team into some sort of shape, and wrung something out of a number of players who had been under-performing.

He has also, wisely, tapped into the emotions of the fans in a way that the previous incumbent could never begin to understand.

Lampard and his team have done well, completing their first objective of keeping us up. Many changes will be needed before next season, and beyond, Lampard has done more than enough to be given the opportunity to be part of that process.

The manager needs to wait until he has the right players until he can change that. Do not play 3 at the back with this squad Frank. Arsenal deliberately targeted our channels, particularly the right hand side. On that count, that's where he's been naive in my opinion.

It's hard to pick anything from a 5 - 1 defeat, but here goes. From what I witnessed, Iwobi looked knackered. Calvert-Lewin cut a lone, isolated figure so couldn't really have an impact despite his effort. Alli disappointed but there is ability there for sure. I thought Kenny and the defenders done as good as can be expected in a match where you are continuously under the cosh (Defender's Union coming out in me).

Although I thought Branthwaite showed his inexperience a few times. Be patient with him and don't expect too much too soon. I am by no means comparing and they are different positions, but if you want a perfect example of how to manage a young player with potential despite the clamour for him to play constantly, look at how Guardiola managed Foden's development. And that was with the English national media bearing down on him.

But that requires consistency of management structure and a plan. A strategy, be that spending or development or both. A lot of our young players haven't had that. In that respect, Anthony Gordon deserves a lot of respect for how he's come through this season, now under his 3rd manager in little over 12 months.

Keane done well (again circumstances), but I'd say Holgate was our best player. A mention for Tom Davies; considering he's been out for a prolonged period, he was tenacious and committed.

And yes, the support was fantastic. Despite everything and the result, they mostly enjoyed their day in the sun. And I don't know if they designed it deliberately, but that away corner is one hell of a sun trap. Some may like the sun. I was willing the clouds on as were many around me.

Once again, it struck me how many young faces there were belting out spirit of the blues, seemingly endlessly, even as defeat looked inevitable. For most of them, that was released way before they were born. As was Goodison Guys/Gang (which is it?) - it was for me. But they were singing in gusto despite having nothing to play for. Absolute pride. They will have their time.

Over the line. Now time for reset.

I wouldn't even call that a bad day at the office. A hangover performance after Thursday. We were the runner, that having gotten over the line and finished the race, simply sat down and breathed.

But it was a reminder of how weak our squad is. Even at full strength, we'd probably have shipped goals to an energetic Arsenal side. Our defence needs a major overhaul.

I don't think Branthwaite is anywhere near ready for PL football. He's very young for a centre-back, and needs at least a full season of Championship football to help his development. Holgate has improved over the season but I still have serious doubts about him long term. Mina is made of glass. Keane is a great stopper of shots but probably Burnley was about his level. Godfrey is probably our only central defender worthy of a place in a top half PL squad, because of his pace if nothing else.

Kenny should go now, probably dropping a division. Seamus is a great club captain, but should only be playing the odd game at this stage. Mykolenko has improved over the past couple of months but, again, I'm not sure he's a top half PL defender yet. Time should improve him. Patterson is a kid - nobody knows how he'll turn out.

So, before he even looks at midfield and attack - where we may well lose some of our best players - I think Frank needs to completely re-think our defence. If we start next season with anything like the squad of defenders currently at Everton, we're doomed to another relegation battle.

JJK and Tom Davies have both been at the club far too long and offer nothing. Overseas and not local players need to be given a run in the team and patience from the fans. I remember some Arsenal fans whinging about Dennis Bergkamp as it was a few games before he started scoring, yes Dennis Bergkamp!

Your hidden message is to where the real problems lie at this club that we all love.

They have brought a generation of supporters to the point where we feed off scraps.

We need change. What happened to the 27 Year campaign?

There's been lots of negative comments about the after-match scenes on Thursday, all written with a sneer or by lizards or Mr Spock – emotions are irrational.

Thursday was an outpouring of relief mixed with no little joy that the seemingly inevitable had been avoided. It wasn't a celebration like we'd won a trophy on penalties – it was different.

Yesterday was a shambles but, in all likelihood, would have been completely different if Thursday hadn't happened and we had needed a result. I was at the 0-7 and was disgusted, even though we had qualified for the Champions League – that team could've and should've done better in that last match. Yesterday's team probably got the result it deserved.

On saying that, no hiding now for Frank and the board - they must turn this ship around. Happy summer Blues - UTFT!

''Anyone else read 171 and thought we had a Koppite troll taking the piss? There's been lots of negative comments about the after match scenes on Thursday, all written with a sneer or by lizards or Mr Spock - emotions are irrational.''

Or possibly by people that have a differing opinion to you, which of course is perfectly allowed on a forum. Most people can hold a reasonable intelligent conversation to discuss their differences of opinion without the need to resort to childish name calling, have a pleasant day.

Yes, I am an optimistic fool and I'm constantly reminded of it by those closest to me.

Another team that is dominated by Medical Services is AC Milan. It is a long time since they dominated Europe. After that period they adopted Medical Services approach with a rest and recovery regime.

The thinking was they sign cheaply older injury prone players and Medical Services could turn the tide of nature. They have been also rans for seasons ever since. As a matter of fact I have Italian friends south of Milan and they now eat up any news on Everton with their fellow fans , discussing the failings and comparisons with AC as only Italians can do. There was even a documentary made exploring the virtue of the AC Milan method.

So the two results and a loss pattern that kept Everton midtable, following a Rest and Recovery pattern, , has now slipped further as more injury prone players have been taken in on the advice of Medical Services.

Medical Services is in great demand at Everton keeping them all in their jobs with Recovery. Naturally there are some lazy players who prefer the couch rather than the training ground. Hence a increase in soft tissue injuries. That in itself perpetuating injuries and poor rehabitation, often with recovery setbacks. On top of that is the slow turnaround recovery on injured players.

Mina is injury prone for a reason. He avoids hard training , resting at every opportunity. His rehabitation is alway poor with setbacks. Has alot of hamstring setbacks which shows a lack of strength and resilience training. He really gets on with the Medical Services staff and was a great mate of Douchie, the sacked Head of Medical Services.

Also, and feel free to correct me as I don't really follow Arsenal or Spurs, but didn't both have a chance of finishing 4th?

It may have been a dead rubber for us but, for the integrity of the league, if one team still has something to play for, surely the other team is obliged to field the strongest team possible.

I understand that many have ran themselves into the ground during the last 6 weeks or so, but yesterday just showed how woeful this squad is without certain key players, notably Richarlison who has carried this club for months.

After escaping relegation nobody was to bothered over the result but what worries me is Frank firmly entrenched into this back 5 strategy. Because if he is he will quickly realize that the fans may put up with this defensive system to get out of being relegated, but if he starts next season with this system, he will see a very different reaction to this system. Yesterday exposed the lack of quality in this squad, I have heard some posters suggesting some weeks back that Branthwaite should have been used, I know he is young but for me he is miles off being a Premier league CB. Same goes for Davies, I know he is a local lad but having played over 100 times he just hasn't progressed. Kenny likewise another local lad who just hasn't enough quality.

So Frank and Thelwell have got a busy 10 weeks before we start the new season, as if we start next season with this team and playing 5 at the back, I fear all we will have done is postponed relegation for a year. Sorry to be so pessimistic but if we think we can start next season with the same squad and the same system and hope for a different outcome we are kidding ourselves. I hope Frank and his coaches will go away and come back and play a more aggressive approach as we did 2nd half against Palace, Frank you have united the whole club please don't jeopardise that by lacking the courage to play a more open and attacking style next season.

To achieve that it’s going to be all down to recruitment. Frank will ultimately succeed or fail because the players he signs. Starting this summer.

I can’t wait for Robert and or Sam start a thread on our potential summer targets. Successful recruitment over the next ten weeks is of monumental importance. With contracts ending and possibly some players being sold for big money, this summer transfer business is going to shape the club for better or worse for the next few seasons.

I don't know, but he's played the best trick since Kevin Spacey convinced everyone about Keyser Söze… with the obvious difference being that one of them was only a movie.

I am still hoping that it is out of a mistaken belief it somehow fits available players best, not because it’s what he wants to play it as a default. According to some basic research he apparently favours a 4-3-3.

Think it’s really important you know your preferred system, and get the players to fit it, ideally with backup/competition in each area. Klopp has done this very well at Mordor, and he’s not the only one. Sure, there will be an occasional switch up, but that’s an exception not a rule.

I hope too that Frank decides quickly it’s a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 and gets the right players for it. The former needs 3 goal scoring front men with pace, and 3 very strong midfielders. The latter would suit our ‘less prolific’ wingers, but needs a fabulous midfield 2 behind it. The last time we cracked that was McCarthy and Barry, albeit Gaye brought us close at times too.

Watching the next 10 weeks is going to be interesting. There’s a lot of work to do, and you are 100% right that the patience and support won’t last past the first 25% of the season if the last 3.5 months are repeated.

I hope now he can believe how bad the squad is and peddle them around the lower leagues where they belong.

He was on a loser from day one but the knives were brought out and some wanting yet another manager, the question is: who in their right mind besides Neil Warnock would covet the Everton job.

In the last great Everton team, I hate saying this, but Kendall brought in some gold nuggets from Liverpool (Sheedy, Harper, to name but two) and two crocks in Reid and Gray who led the team with bags of experience.

In desperation, we could ask each player to write down their wife's, girlfriend's, or boyfriend's name and mobile number and bring in John Terry as defensive coach.

Don't expect big-name signings as our card is marked as far as FFP is concerned and we will have to pick some bargain-basement lower-league prospects, like Vardy and Kane, after selling the family silver.

My return apologies by taking your comments at face value. You are certainly not one of the usual suspects who still believe that Kenwright saved us.

I posted earlier that he has to go immediately. Let's hope that Moshiri will quickly find a prospective buyer for the club.

We have had 10+ abysmal refereeing and VAR decisions that have cost us games, two Premier League rivals who are threatening to sue us, and opposition fans relishing the fact that we might get relegated.

Yesterday was a chance for a few players to get a last game in as Everton players (Kenny, Van de Beek), give some youngsters a try-out (Branthwaite, Price) and allow players with little game time lately to play (Davies, Begovic and Alli). It probably made sense to stick with a back 5 lately as we have with games against Top 6 opposition, but he switched it as soon as we went 2 goals down.

There is the big squad revamp due this summer to restructure a squad assembled by 5 previous managers in 6 years. Should be interesting!

No excuses – we were second-best. Some of the goals conceded against Arsenal showed the lack of concentration and general giving their all to deal with their responsibilities as team players.

I think the phrase "There's no such thing as a friendly" is the right mentality to have. We have too many players looking for Easy Street and finding a comfortable home for life.

I accept some players are not and may never be top-level players. But having a squad with a couple having the attitude and commitment of Davies and Gordon is preferable to buying and keeping a Gomes, Kean or Tosun.

Our youth team isn't full of world beaters but there's a couple of players who can put in more of a shift and set a higher bar for attitude and effort.

In the boyhood, youth, and early adult years of my life, my world revolved around Everton FC but things that occurred later forced me to recognise the fact that, although football plays a part in my life, that's exactly what it is – a part.

Like every football fan, I revel in the highs of the game, and gnash my teeth in the lows. I was tempted to write 'despair', but my desperate days are behind me.

I still attend games and will attempt to do so until the Grim Reaper calls time, I can understand the feelings of every Everton supporter, I share their 'highs and lows' – but obviously not to the same degree.

After the improvements seen in Holgate's attitude and performances since the new coaching staff took over, I wouldn't be surprised to see a centre-back pairing of Holgate and Godfrey next season.

We're already being sanctioned by the Prem League; that's why we only spent £1:8m in the close season and the Digne money in the January window. So, no need to unduly worry about threatened legal action.

Going forward the plus is that some expensive, non productive contracts, end next month so reducing the wages to income ratio to more sustainable levels.

I'm not completely sold on Lampard; some of his selections (Gomes on Thursday!!) and setups are bizarre but he must be given a chance to take the club forward. Part of the reason we are where we are is the constant churn of managers.

Finally, the RS must be really pissed off having to abort too early celebrations of 0-2 scorelines!

I wish that I could "stop" Everton as I stopped smoking... but, once it has you, it's worse than heroin addiction.

Yesterday's result may be a blessing as it shines a light on our weaknesses and lack of quality.

Our manager is a work in progress, he deserves to be at the helm come August but, like others, I have been more than surprised with some of his selections during the past 18 games; if we are struggling 10 games into the new season, he will come under pressure.

It's time for Bill and Co to move on.

One final point, I hope Seamus if afforded the same treatment as that given to Noble in his final 2 years at West Ham. It was shameful, given his age, that he had to play so much since last August. Hopefully, he will start no more than 10 to 15 games in total next year. With a much-reduced workload, he can still contribute in his final year, both on and off the pitch.

Okay, you inherited these players but it's been horrible to watch, most can't pass a ball or keep possession. Against Brentford and Crystal Palace, substitutions should've been made sooner.

The coaching structure, from the academy right through to the first team, needs to change now.

IMHO, there are too many cooks in the dugout. I've seen you giving out instructions… next minute, Paul Clement is up from the dugout, on his own, giving out instructions. Give Joe Edwards his due, he is always conferring with yourself when on the touchline.

In my opinion, Paul Clement is not good enough to be at Everton Football Club.

Like yourself, I took pleasure from some of yesterday's results and the manner in which they were attained, especially that of Manchester City.

Our illegitimate cousins from across the park will not have taken it kindly, that both Everton and Man City had obtained victories in extraordinary circumstances, in the space of three days.

Regarding the Everton result, it wasn't unexpected but I had hoped for a better performance; on reflection, it was unfair to think that the worst Everton team in recent years (in the opinion of some) could beat a side battling for a 4th place.

The plus side to me is that it was the last game of the season, and hopefully efforts have already been made for the coming season.

Furthermore, Kieran Maguire published a report yesterday that showed our wages last season – 8th or 9th in the league – were £50M pa more than the clubs in the next 6 or 7 slots – including West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves, Palace – all clubs that have comfortably out-performed us this season.

Our figure will have come down somewhat since Rodriguez left but, even losing some big wages this summer - Tosun, Sigurdsson and others - we might still only be half-way to where we need to be. And some of these players need replacing.

Don't forget that, if we lose Calvert-Lewin for £60M, say, and buy several replacements for the same amount, we're storing up problems for the next few seasons because their fees will be amortized over the period of their contracts - i.e. our accounts would show that we're "losing" £15M pa for the next 4 years. That's a lot more than the amortization we're suffering on Calvert-Lewin (or Richarlison).

Given all the above, I fear we will see little "expensive" activity this summer - mostly loans, one or two players out of contract, and others plucked from the Championship or other similarly "cheap" overseas leagues.

I’m just glad the season is over, but don’t feel confident about next season at all.

Some clubs have squads of athletes and others go for pure footballers, we seem to have neither as most of our squad seemingly can’t run, pass, tackle or shoot! If we sell Pickford and have Begovic as our main keeper for next season I predict more of the same as Begovic is weak and pretty poor in my opinion.

We’ve got our work cut out to assemble a squad that can at least reach mid table and I imagine we will likely lose our 2 or 3 best players. At least we get a break from it all.

Best wishes to all, hope you have a great summer.

Fair comment but I'm sure I remember Blackpool being pulled up about playing what was considered a weak team the last time they were in the Premier League. I can't remember if they were fined or whether Holloway was fined for arguing.

I hope we get it right with recruitment, I can't see us having much to spend.

Hello Sean,

Well said.

I was the same, just relief, we should not be partying because we exist down at the bottom and just about survived.

"Nil Satis, Nisi Optimum"

I wonder what that really means to many who support the club, because of it I couldn't party.

It was incredible support. As was yesterday in the Emirates sun.

We all know what it means and we all want it. I keep saying it, but imagine when we win something. The Richter scale is going to cause alarm amongst the world's scientists.

Then we can celebrate.

I recall Everton the 1979-80 season, it was dire and I think Everton scrapped 35 points to stay up in the old Division 1, when the bottom 2 teams got relegated.

Last Thursday was the most joyous event in decades in terms of Everton, better than Bayern, in the sense that the bigger long-term future of the club was at stake.

But the lesson of this season must be taken on board and the scale of the challenges that Everton face on and off the park, are massive.

Are they challenges that can be faced and resolved effectively? In one season, no; in my view, three seasons, but this is a huge expectation. Time will judge.

I don't know, but regardless Evertonians must continue to stand firm by the club, and carry on the most partisan support in the Premier League. Untouchable!

But the coaching culture and mentality must instil a winning mentality for every game, home and away, in season and pre-season.

So a fine day yesterday, in that other results happened, in context, and I hope, next Saturday, I can get the other half of my double bet up, please Real Madrid.

All enjoy the pre-season and we live in hope eternal for all matters Everton.

UTFT!

Absolutely no need to apologise but much respect for the gesture. We have all suffered this season and I guess my post was insensitive as we all react differently to different situations, and I did know that the celebrations were more out of relief than anything.

I just hate people viewing us as a small club with no ambition and I just felt we were playing into their hands, and I include the Everton hierachy in that.

Anyway, let's hope we get the recruitment right this summer and make some much-needed progress next season.

We hate each, with the only difference being that Evertonians are just more open about the fact, and every Evertonian knows that Thursday night’s celebration was about absolute relief, plus they also think they own the rights to having the best supporters, which was also disproved the other night!

They haven't been in a relegation battle for decades so they don't know what they are talking about (shock/horror). Personally, I planned, assuming we won, to politely applaud the players as they went round the pitch at the end and go home – but certainly not to be seen celebrating anything after this season of torture.

As it turned out, I was still there 45 mins after the final whistle, having sung till I was hoarse – and I haven't done that at the match since the 1980s. This was the boring old Top Balcony too – another shock/horror!

I have been lucky enough to witness Championship, FA Cup and European trophy victories and I really hope the young fans get to see something of that soon. But the feeling of those victories is nothing like the feeling on Thursday night. The relief is hard to describe and totally different.

They will never understand this, so sod 'em all.