Return of Max Walter

[ShireNiner]

I like Richarlison in FIFA, he has a good bit of strength that helps when holding up play or shoving off defenders when driving into the box.

Same here. He’s a perfect mid level fifa striker. If only he showed up like this irl.

That's a superb job with the Transfermarkt update

thank you, I appreciate it.

[RMJH4]

O' Brien is a big guy. Have met him before. Pickford def came off the worst der!

[Soapy]

Europe is slipping away, loc

[ShireNiner]

O' Brien is a big guy. Have met him before. Pickford def came off the worst der!

Fortunately both are only out one game it looks like. O'Brien is pretty fast for how big he is, a great asset in defense.

Europe is slipping away, loc

Yea, which I'm ok with. I want the rebuild to be a little realistic and with how bad the squad was when I took it over, making Europe right away would hurt us.

[ShireNiner]

PREMIER LEAGUE TOP SIX: Arsenal 61 | Man City 58 | Aston Villa 48 | Chelsea 47 | Liverpool 44 | Man United 44


A weak effort on goal was enough to take down Everton in the rain (ShireNiner PS5 images)

De ja Blue: Everton drop points late for second time this week

By: Bill Connelly | Feburary 11, 2026
Writer, CFB/Soccer

For the Goodison Park faithful, it was a hauntingly familiar script. Four days after a late defensive lapse saw two points vanish at Craven Cottage, Everton repeated the trick in their own backyard. But this time, the late blow didn’t just result in a draw; it delivered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of a struggling Bournemouth and ignited a firestorm regarding the commitment of Max Walter’s squad

The evening began with a defiance that masked the club’s injury crisis. With Jordan Pickford and Jake O’Brien sidelined, Walter turned to Nathan Patterson at right-back—and the Scotsman delivered immediately. In the 4th minute, Patterson’s whipped cross was met by the club’s new catalyst, Chris Führich, who headed home from six yards to spark a frenzy in the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The lead lasted mere minutes. In what has become a recurring nightmare for the Blues, the backline switched off, allowing Bournemouth to respond with an almost identical goal that beat backup keeper Mark Travers at his near post.

Despite the setback, Everton's attacking principles shone through in the first half. Thierno Barry, starting in place of a rested Richarlison, was a constant threat, though his timing was suspect; the striker was flagged offside three times, squandering three significant openings. The breakthrough finally came through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who timed a late run to perfection to meet Iliman Ndiaye’s low cutback, sending Everton into the break with a 2-1 lead.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to the Cherries. Seven minutes after the restart, Everton’s seasonal Achilles' heel—the set piece—was exposed again as Bournemouth drew level from a corner.

As the match descended into a frantic, end-to-end battle, a solitary individual error ultimately decided the night. After Travers produced a heroic diving save, Justin Kluivert showed more hunger than Vitalii Mykolenko, beating the defender to the loose ball. Kluivert’s scuffed effort trickled past the prone Travers to seal a result that felt as much like a psychological collapse as a physical one.

A visibly fuming Max Walter did not mince words in his post-match briefing with Sky Sports. "Certain players are not putting the effort in required," Walter stated bluntly. "Too many individual mistakes are costing us, and everyone knows why."

While Walter refused to name names, the implication was clear to everyone in the stadium. With four first-team regulars—including Vitalii Mykolenko (Spurs) and Idrissa Gueye (Sporting)—already having signed pre-contract agreements to leave in the summer, the question of "head-turning" has become a toxic cloud over Finch Farm.

Speaking on the post-game broadcast, Gary Neville was equally scathing of the situation.

"You’ve got four guys who already have their homes picked out for next season and their contracts agreed elsewhere," Neville said. "Those guys cannot continue playing. There are too many players with their heads turned. Walter needs to forget about the league table for a moment and work with the players who actually want to be here next year."

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Goals - Fuhrich (4), Dewsburg-Hall (17)
Assists - Patterson (4), Ndiaye (17)



Goals - Semenyo (7), Adli (52), Kluivert (82)
Assists - Kluivert (7), Tavernier (52)

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What did you think of this story?

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Bill Connelly is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering post-game news for College Football and Premier League Soccer. He previously worked at ESPN covering College Football, Tennis, and Soccer.

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Comments

[ShireNiner]

Mykolenko agreed to a move to Spurs when his contract expires this summer (ShireNiner PS5 images.)

The Everton "Bomb Squad": Walter’s Ruthless Pivot to the Future

By: Callum Ridgeway | February 12, 2026
Everton Correspondent

In soccer, the "bomb squad" refers to a group of senior players deemed surplus to requirements by a club, effectively "bombed out" of the first-team, forced to train separately to maintain fitness while waiting for a transfer or loan move. This is a term that is becoming common with the 'Big' clubs in England; Manchester United and Chelsea have had 'bomb squads' in recent years, but this is usually not a term that relates to Everton.

At a club of Everton’s size, every pound on the wage bill must sweat. You do not pay a player £60,000 a week to run laps around a cone in isolation; they either contribute or they are a drain on a finite resource.

Yet, following the defensive capitulation against Bournemouth and Max Walter’s chilling "changes are coming" warning, the "bomb squad" has arrived at Finch Farm. It is a decision that effectively ends the 2025/26 season for five senior names, signaling that Walter has stopped coaching for the table and started coaching for the future.

Walter’s disdain for standard loans is well-documented. He views developing another club’s asset as tactical charity. "Developing other teams' players is a waste of my time and the fans' time," Walter has famously stated. "If we don't have the option to buy, I don't want to see it."

Consequently, the axe has fallen first on Jack Grealish and Merlin Röhl. With the arrival of Chris Führich and the emergence of Tyrique George, Walter has deemed Grealish’s minutes a luxury the club no longer needs. Similarly, the long-term contracts recently handed to James Garner and Charly Alcaraz have rendered Röhl’s development for Freiburg an unnecessary distraction.

The more controversial element of Walter’s exile involves the three players who have already secured their futures elsewhere. Left-back Vitalii Mykolenko (Spurs), defensive anchor Idrissa Gueye (Sporting), and former captain Michael Keane (Brentford) have all signed pre-contract agreements to leave in July.

While a more pragmatic manager might try to squeeze the last drop of utility out of these veterans, Walter has seen enough. After a string of defensive lapses he attributed to a lack of focus, the American-German has decided that a player with one foot out the door has no place in his team that requires 100% buy-in.

The "Bomb Squad" isn't just about who is out; it’s about who is being forced in. By removing the safety net of experience, Walter is fast-tracking the next generation. Adam Aznou, the pacey left back with limited experience, will now have his chance to earn the starting position for next season.

Tim Iroegbunam has been seen as the future defensive midfielder alongside Garner and will now have plenty of opportunities to secure the spot. Then Ayden Heaven, the January signing from Manchester United, will now get an extended audition at the heart of the defense. The club hopes Heaven will be the third centerback next season, and now Heaven will get his minutes to show more development is not needed, and he is ready now.

This is a high-stakes gamble. By effectively "bombing" five senior players, Walter is acknowledging that results may suffer in the short term. The trip to Old Trafford to face a surging Manchester United will be a baptism of fire for this new-look, youth-heavy side.

But for Max Walter and the Everton board, the risk is calculated. They would rather lose with the players who will be at Hill Dickinson next year than draw with those who are already packing their bags.

What did you think of this story?

Callum Ridgeway is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering Everton. He previously covered Everton for Merseyside Network. He is based in Liverpool, UK. Follow Callum on Twitter @Callumsfake



More from ShireNiner Nation:

• Wrexham are inevitable - But is that a good thing?
• Spurs show signs of turning the corner with Newcastle win
• Juve are starting to find momentum in Italy

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Comments

[Captain Canada]

Just spent the last few days catching up with this, and wow, this is immersive and well-written. Really enjoyed it so far.

[Soapy]

bomb squad

i like the ticker

folks killed me when i tried to use it in my chise

[ShireNiner]

Just spent the last few days catching up with this, and wow, this is immersive and well-written. Really enjoyed it so far.

Thank you, it’s slow going with the games sometimes because I get caught up in college football but I’m trying to give this more attention.

bomb squad

i like the ticker

folks killed me when i tried to use it in my chise

Fuck em, bring it back. I started doing it in my cfb chise and copied it to here. Found a layout I like so I decided to do it for both chises.

[redsox907]

ticker is garbage



but good win i guess