This is what I don't really understand.
During the final third of last season Everton were on the whole very good, and only the top 2 had a better record than us. We had some excellent results against the top 6 in that run. Naturally we had some good performers during that period but Bernard and Gana were arguably the stand out ones. But you have spent literally the whole summer arguing that we should be replacing him.
Throughout pre season, Bernard has been awful in games, looking miles off the pace and totally out of synch with both himself and the other players. I don't see how he could have actually played worse in the final pre-season game against Bremen. Fortunately he improved against Palace (without being any great shakes might I add) and Saturday showed signs of the form that excited most of us fans at the end of last season. But now you're saying he is the only one showing up but in reality he has only hit anything like last seasons form in the one game.
The main reason you get a lot of stick on this forum mate is your tendency to rely so much on stats in your arguments. The fact Bernard scored at the weekend and the stats show him to be our most effective player, is now being turned against you. That we are only 2 games into the season only adds to the irony. Most of us fans judge players performance by our eyes, not figures. The figures show Everton have had 10 clean sheets in 13 games, and a major part of that is the hard work that both Bernard and Richarlison (somebody else you have been critical of recently) in supporting their full backs. Stats don't see that side of the game but our eyes do.