Raconteur

So... Carrick leaving Man U is NWOAP?

Certainly can't argue with that! Maybe he's got a soft spot for basket cases and thinks he can fix them? I'm one of those who won't have a word said against his time at the Toon, and the timing of the takeover is a sad sliding doors moment, but his time here is done and I'd like him to prove everyone wrong by turning it around at Everton. I don't think he'll see the season out, but there's every chance his methods take root by New Year and they get better results in the second half of the season.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking will happen too. Expecting Manquillo - Lascelles - Fernandez - Lewis across the back

Rafa, as we know, is a control freak. Yes, he was given a massive wedge, but he was also given complete freedom to bootstrap a mid-table team into the top tier of Asian football. Remember the training facility with 21 pitches and all the bells and whistles? Then the Chinese FA changed the rules about foreigners and salaries. Then (evidenced in hindsight) the Evergrande financial collapse. Then COVID. His time in China has come to be described as a mercenary failure, but I find that ignores a lot of things out of his control (similar to his Everton experience, but that's a story still being written).

I’m wondering how much that is impacting on the Everton dressing room. These players have sat beside an alleged sex offender in the change rooms, some probably had the Sigurdssons over for barbecues. They probably get every single rumour about him too. That’s got to be a heavy burden for the dressing room.

I remember ASM putting in a God-like performance against Burnley at home last year. More of the same please.

Correct - he got relegated with Villa. The fourth choice centre half of a team relegated five years ago, still starting for the Toon

We’ve actually put together sterling runs of form in the second half of the last four seasons - twice with Rafa and twice with Cabbage Heed. That said, I don’t really put a lot of stock in that as a guide for this (very different) season.

Title update incoming…?

I’d rather go all out to win it and play in Europe next season.

Loves to get caught in possession or otherwise give the ball away. Noticed especially against Arsenal, but gave it away several times again tonight. When we can’t get and keep the ball, we can’t play someone who is always turning it over.

With all the calls for Clark to be replaced by Fernandez, it seems most have forgotten the club captain will be coming straight back in. If Fernandez starts against Burnley, it will likely be in place of Schar…

My thoughts too - I was more worried by Manquillo being sucked inside and leaving two free. After recovering from his flap, Dubravka had to run all the way around Manquillo to get back into position, making it look even worse..

I very much am. Just that your initial post wouldn’t translate very well in the relegation thread.

Doesn’t that also apply to us as well though?

Could have done without that

True, but no one has voted 0 and sworn blind that there is absolutely no chance of being relegated.

Considering the way I was called out last time, I thought I’d preemptively state that I’ve moved my vote from 1 to 2. In my mind, it’s shifted from “we’re staying up” to “we’ll probably stay up”. Fail to win against Burnley and it will go to 3.

Between his brain fart red and Fernandez looking pretty solid, I’m hoping that’s it for Clark. Just unbelievably dumb.

Is… is Joelinton the answer to the centre midfield conundrum?

With Ritchie suspended, isn't Lewis the only option we have? Unless we're going to shoehorn Fraser or Almiron into a left wingback role? Knowing Ritchie would be out when he got booked, one corner of Eddie's mind will have focused on Lewis immediately in preparation for this match. It might be only two days, but Lewis will have received a lot of attention

I'm loving the stream of quotes that include "no disrespect, but..." Fucking Steve Bruce

Yep, not the team I’d pick, but likely the one we’ll see

Yep - they're obscenely rich and have had two of the best managers in the world. Something rotten in the state of Goodison Park

Considering our lowest ever finish in the PL era is first in the second tier (three times), it would be pretty sad if we broke that record as the richest club in the world! But we won't be relegated, so that record will be safe for a long time to come.