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**Lukas Hornicek-** couldn’t be held responsible for any of the three goals in honesty **- 5**
**Amar Dedic -** I’m not blaming the lad for the defeat in its entirety but …. before his absolutely atrocious piece of brain dead defending in the lead up to the first goal we were in control. It was pivotal to how the game went and let Everton take the impetus in a game we’d been comfortable in **\- 3.**
**Lewis Hall -** one of our better performers but that’s a very low bar and at this rate the kid will be pondering that contract he signed in the summer. He grafted all night but his team mates in front of him were piss poor**\- 5**
**Dan Burn -** must be wondering what is happening to his club in the strength of tonight with so many individual below par performances and errors. Not sure where the entire backline were for the second goal and he’s part of that. Hopefully there’s a part two with Pickford this coming Monday at SJP **\- 5.**
**Fabian Schar -** much the same as above really. I felt conceding that first goal set the entire tone for the game**.** His hopeful shot in the first half was probably our best attempt bar Burn’s consolation **- 5.**
**Nico Gonzales -** there is unquestionably a player inside this lad and I felt at nils apiece he was key to controlling the game. But it all falls apart by HT and he can’t be satisfied with his display in the second 45 **- 4.**
**Jacob Murphy -** Poor. Created nothing. Keeps grafting and doesn’t hide but he’s a championship quality player and should have left before now. That he’s still being selected isn’t his fault but it is saying something about how this club has been run **\- 3.**
**Jacob Ramsey -** He still isn’t stamping his print on games. And he hasn’t under two managers. People tell me he’s a good player. Maybe in fits and starts but he’s miles off the level we need and tonight was a massive illustration of that **- 4.**
**Joe Willock -** See Jacob Murphy **- 3.**
**Will Osula** \- we are a better team with him on the pitch not that says much about tonight’s performance. I couldn’t say he was feeding on scraps because he didn’t really get much of them in the opening half **- 4.**
**Harvey Barnes -** Unless he was withdrawn because of injury I am baffled by his being substituted. Not that he was brilliant but he was by a margin our most intelligent player in attacking positions (such as they were) **- 5.**
Subs:
**Yoan Wissa -** when I think of the players I’ve seen wearing the No 9 shirt for Newcastle United I could weep when I reflect on a second half display as utterly pointless as this tonight. That was frankly one of the worst attacking performances I have witnessed in more than 50 years of watching this shower. Owner of one of the night’s two comical shots on goal. Atrocious**\- 1**
**Joelinton -** the old war horse still cares. He still wants to play for the shirt but I wonder if he knows what he’s being asked to do because he looks lost in this set u**p - 4.**
**Anthony Elanga -** the hope we had at the start of the season that the lad would come good is fading with every ridiculous performance he puts in. Achieved nothing. Owner of the other of two comical shots attempted on goal tonight. Shots is being kind. Garbage **\- 2.**
**Bazoumana Toure -** marks aren’t fair really given his inexperience and being thrown into that mess - **N/A.**
**Sean Steur -** See above. An absolutely baffling decision to bring him on to do exactly the same as Gonzales. Got him some minutes on the park whatever good tonight would do him **- N/A.**
**Final Thoughts** - _that game was lost as soon as we conceded the first goal. We are toothless in attacking positions and capable of massive mistakes that lead to goals. I’m no closer to understanding vertical football means. It looks a lot like lashing it pointlessly up the pitch. George Reilly … where are your boots?_
**Michael Martin @TFMICK.bsky.social**