Miseryside

First an admission. I stole the title of this piece from the Mail today! Well done boys, nice one. London 9 Miseryside 3 - it kind of sums Sunday up doesn’t it?

Everton were woeful against Arsenal. Koeman had to go. I’d heard that the club wanted to limp to the international break and make a decision about the Dutchman’s future then, but they had to act after Sunday. The Toffees were awful.

Koeman was convinced he could fix it. He couldn’t. He divided the club every which way. He’s old school in his approach - ‘my way or the highway’. He was high-handed, dismissive and arrogant. I don’t think he ever understood Everton and what makes it such a special club.

I’ve always believed it’s one of those clubs where you’ve got to have had a ‘touch of the ball’ as I call it - if you’re going to manage there - ala Kendall, Harvey, Royle. I wish Peter Reid had been given a chance as well. He’d have been terrific for them. Having said that, David Moyes got it. He arrived calling Everton ‘the people’s club’, much to the annoyance of those across Stanley Park! The longer he was there the more he understood it.

Koeman, like his predecessor, Roberto Martinez, made it too much about himself.

I watched those players Sunday and saw nothing to suggest they wanted to play for him. He lost them. It was time to go.

This. as I’m constantly reminded, was a season I genuinely thought was going to be rewarding for Everton. I had them down for a top 4 finish. Mind you, I had Leicester down for relegation the year they won the title! Still, you can’t get them all right!

I did add that I thought Everton could finish above Liverpool so I’ve got something to cling onto there. The Reds leave the weekend in 9th. I’ll repeat that. 9th. It’s extra-ordinary.

Jurgen Klopp came into the season telling anyone that would listen how happy he was with his squad. Reds fans believed that this was finally going to be their year - that the title was possible. Now Klopp is saying he’s not sure his team will Male the top 4. What? He can’t be serious. That’s a minimum requirement - with a trophy. He’s GOT to deliver a trophy this season. Anything less is a failure.

But right now they look miles away. They’ve won just one of their last six. They’ve conceded 16 goals from nine games - making this their worst start in the goals against column since 1964. I saw Klopp quoting our beINSPORTS stat quite widely, so he’s aware of it.

I know the best way to stir up a day of ‘trolling’ is to pass any kind of negative comment on Liverpool - or West Ham (wait for it, I’ll get round to them) but the facts tell their own story right now. What’s happening at Anfield just isn’t good enough. Tell me, where are they better than when Brendan Rodgers was in charge? How has Klopp improved them? He hasn’t has he? They’re worse - and they’re certainly further away from the title than they were. I’m not lauding Rodgers, but after a spend the best part of £180m Liverpool’s loyal following deserve better. There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors going on at Anfield and surely somebody other than me is going to start asking questions if it doesn’t get better? I’ll repeat it again - Liverpool are 9th.

West Ham fans constantly told me that they’d be going ‘in a different direction’ after Big Sam. You know my feelings, despite having a huge amount of time for Slaven Bilic, I was never convinced. How wrong I was! They actually are going in a different direction, but not the one they’d predicted. The Champions League looks an awful way off right now.

I don’t blame Bilic for one minute. He’s done everything he could bearing in mind the cards he’s been dealt from the Boardroom and the Chief Exec’s office. The over-clever owners at West Ham can’t stop meddling. They are the problem. Bilic will likely get sacked way before the end of the season if things don’t improve and I’ll remind Hammers fans that every club Big Sam has left has eventually been relegated.

It doesn’t look too good at Stoke either. What’s going on there? Again, I’m a huge fan of Mark Hughes - and his coaching staff - but players and staff alike all look a bit fed up with each other now. Sparky has been here before of course, and got Stoke moving, but I’m beginning to think it’s maybe time for Stoke, and Hughes, to  get themselves a new challenge. Wait a minute, didn’t Hughes play for Everton? Just a thought on a shocking weekend for Miseryside. No. Hughes won’t get it - I really hope Sean Dyche does.

Dyche deserves a crack at a bigger club than Burnley. He inspires men. He improves players. He’s done an unbelievable job at Burnley and should be trusted to take the next step now. He’s British as well and what’s wrong with that? After a succession of foreign failures - with more to come - let’s give our boys a chance again.