Another horrible performance from Everton. Norwich hadn’t scored for a long time and even though Christmas finished a couple of weeks ago, Everton gave the Canaries two gifts. An own goal and lax marking and boom, Norwich was up 2-0 before the first 20 minutes were up.
Richarlison scored to make it 2-1, but for oh the 900th time it seems, Everton had trouble rallying after going behind early.
So what’s the answer, for many it’s let sack the manager. OK, so Rafa Benitez gets sacked. It’s the middle of January, who comes in? Who knows, there are the usual cries for Duncan Ferguson and perhaps his fire and devotion to the club might make a difference. Or maybe Wayne Rooney and Ferguson?
OK, it could work. But, there’s the money thing. How much money will Everton have to pay to Benitez for breaking his contract and how many ex-managers are the club still paying after their termination. Then, something will have to be paid to Derby for pinching their manager.
So Everton go forward with a new manager and the club finishes 14 or 15 in the league. Deep down, every Evertonian knows that is not acceptable.
The problem doesn’t lie with the manager, although the manager is culpable for a number of problems.
The issues lies with the board, Chairman Bill Kenwright and owner Farhad Moshiri, who seems to be under the influence of people who don’t have Everton’s best interests at heart. People whose only goal is to make money.
Everton has spent £500 million but much of it has been wasted. Two of the best Everton purchases came under Benitez (Demarai Gray and Androus Townsend.) However, players who cost far more have been disappointing and inconsistent.
Central midfield remains something of a wasteland. The list of players in the middle of the park who have disappointed is long. Gylfi Sigurdsson has never put two good seasons back to back, Andre Gomes is probably only just shaking off the effects of a horrible injury, Tom Davies hasn’t lived up to his early promise, Fabian Delph and Jean-Phillipe Gbammin have been injured most of the time.
And don’t think managers and coaches don’t make a difference. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was just another youngster hoping to make it until he was asked to play in between the posts as often as he could. We’ve seen the result.
Then lately there’s been the Lucas Digne affair, he’s a good, but not great fullback. So he’s a club for the Rafa-out-gang to beat the manager with.
The thing is in this day and age, people want instant fulfillment and expected Moshiri’s money to supply it. So far, a combination of poor buys and poor management have failed to provide it.
We have questions and we want Bill Kenwright and the board to answer them, answer them properly and without PR Spin.
If you’re interested, we have a group that wants to get some proper answers from Kenwright and the board. If you’re interested you can either DM on Twitter (@Toffeepaul) or find me on Facebook PaulCoybConatzer and we’ll go from there