Everton were dealt a humiliating defeat at the hands of their Red neighbours. Liverpool‘s youngsters sent Ancelotti‘s men crashing out of the FA Cup. And this is one the Everton fans will not be forgetting any time soon...
We sat down with @EvertonBlueArmy to take their thoughts on what was another miserable day at Anfield for the Everton fans.
What did you make of today’s game?
EvertonBlueArmy: The game was a disaster, especially in the second half. It was one of the worst Merseyside Derby performances I think I’ve seen against one of the weakest teams Liverpool have ever played in a Merseyside Derby. Disgraceful. Pathetic.
How bad will the Everton fans take today?
EvertonBlueArmy: Very badly. Many players are now on their last chances or even past the fans caring about them. They exposed how little they care today with the effort they put in. The fans have a right to be outraged.
What do you put today down to? Does it just come down to the mental block of Anfield or is there more to it?
EvertonBlueArmy: There’s a huge mental block in every Merseyside Derby, but quite a few of these players have been getting away with murder for months and even years. The Merseyside Derby has become an almost expected loss now, but the issues run deeper in this squad.
Ancelotti has made a successful start as manager, did he just get it wrong today?
EvertonBlueArmy: I don’t know. Ancelotti is basically blameless to me. This has happened year on year, just that this time the opposition were so weak. Ancelotti has the pedigree to prove he knows what he’s doing. I trust him. The players are a bigger issue.
Should today change the club’s plans in the January transfer window?
EvertonBlueArmy: If the club weren’t planning on selling a fair few of them starting, they probably should be thinking about it now. Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Walcott - even Coleman - are all players I’d bin. Need an overhaul, but we may have to just ride it out and wait until the summer for that.
Where do the team go from here? What would you consider a successful season from this position?
EvertonBlueArmy: A successful season would be top ten AT THE VERY LEAST. We should be aiming for Europe, really. The league is so tight, so we can fly up the table with some good results. Big issues, though. It runs really deep. A lot to think about from the people at the top of the club - whether they can be trusted to actually make the decisions is another thing.