COLUMNIST JOE JENNINGS

Proud in Defeat

By Joe Jennings : 13/03/2008 :

Comments (2) :

I have never felt prouder to call myself an Evertonian.

We as a side and as fans were faultless. We have wiped the floor with the supposed 4th best side in Italy, and I for one could not of asked for more.

I genuinely believe this experience will strengthen us as a side. I'm devastated, being a 17-year-old Evertonian is not great at the best of times but I can walk into sixth form tomorrow with sheer pride in the fact my side, our side showed the passion and belief we all wished they would.

Let's use this performance as a springboard for the rest of the season, we must believe we can finish 4th, we must not settle for anything less.

I dont care what anybody says, penalties are a lottery, so let's forget about them. I believe this could be the performance that gets our club back to where we belong. Investment will be needed, as will consistency and sustainability. Tonight was our big chance and we never choked, as the whole nation probably expected us too.

Tonight showed we have learned from our downfalls this season, the likes of the Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool games. We didnt bottle it, we excelled immensely. Those connected with Fiorentina will be feeling very lucky tonight, we know the best side lost.

Liverpool will be worried, forget 5th place, that should be in the bag, we want Champions League, its our destiny and where we belong.

Unified tonight, as fans, we showed we can and will be a force to be reckoned with. Many have told me "We will be great again", I believe them, and when it happens it will have been worth waiting for. United we stand, divided we fall. COYB.

Reader Comments

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Paul Hart
1 Posted 15/03/2008 at 02:07:16

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Well said, Joe. I too am proud to call myself an Evertonian

Rob Jones
2 Posted 15/03/2008 at 12:41:43

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Yup same here mate, as a 15 yr old blue that is certainly the best performance I’ve seen us put in in my life. It was weird though I had a feeling of devastation at the same time as a feeling of immense pride. COYB!!!!!!!!!!

Trudy Boston
3 Posted 15/03/2008 at 17:06:57

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Apart from some sporadic Italian pressure, the game should have been sewn up by the end of the normal ninety minutes, even Extra Time should have seen us increase our two goal advantage even if certain players were clearly showing signs of fatigue.

Its strange as we came so close to a all English quarter final and a meeting with Spurs in the last eight, with the winners of that possibly facing Glasgow Rangers in the Semi-Final.

The Red Shite have their own problems however, with a draw against Arsenal in their respective tournament, with the winners to play it seems Chelsea in the last four.

So it seems doubtful that there will be any relevant celebrations in the red half of merseyside this season, the best they can hope for is to beat us in the race for 4th place and last time I looked they were not doing a very good job of it.

Lets win at Fulham tomorrow even though the statistics are against us and past encounters in West London dictate nothing other than a Fulham victory.

Its time to change all that. We can do it.