You're not big enough

There is a well known children's story by Eric Carle about the bad tempered ladybird. Well I'm bad tempered. And the ladybird went round telling much bigger creatures "you're not big enough". Well, "Big" Sam Allardyce, you're not big enough for the Everton job.

At the end of Everton's 2-1 defeat at Burnley - their 5th successive away defeat - Everton's 3000 travelling fans vented their anger at Allardyce. The Sunday Times match reporter put it succinctly: an uncomfortable and unlikely marriage is now in serious trouble.

Allardyce inherited a mixed bunch of under confident players, with many green behind the ears and others long in the tooth. But some of that trouble stems from Sam's propensity to pick poorly thought out teams. At Burnley the two centre backs struggled with the pace and physicality of the Burnley forwards. Keane and Williams are big enough but Keane is worryingly slow for a 25 year old. At least he should be able to recuperate over the summer as I can't see him making the World Cup squad, let alone adding to his 4 England caps anytime soon.

Jagielka and Holgate are rather old and rather young respectively and neither are as physically fearsome as Keane and Williams. But both are quick. Jagielka is brave and Holgate won't be pushed around. It beggars belief for Sam to pair Keane with Williams when either of the other two are available. Holgate has been on the bench in recent weeks - he hasn't started a game since Boxing Day after Sam had praised Holgate for being ready rather than having potential when he took over. One wonders if resting him is associated with the backwash from the regrettable and now closed incident with Liverpool's Firmino. Except Sam picked him for several games after that incident.

None of it makes much sense. But there is one silver lining: Williams is now unavailable for a while after being sent off at Turf Moor, so at least Sam can't pick him with Keane next time out.