For those about to rock
Just a word to say that if you can do so - e.g. if it?s a choice between having a last pint and not - then what about as many of us as possible making an extra effort to be in the ground at 7:15pm for Fiorentina?Only reason is this (and I?m sorry for bringing ?them? up): but I?m convinced that one reason Chelsea have pooed themselves twice now at the pit is because they were intimidated even when they emerged for the kick-around 30 minutes before the start.
Put simply, if the Fiorentina players? first impressions of match night hostilities are formed doing their stretchies listening to ?Teenage Kicks? (serial early attenders will get the gag) amidst a half-empty Goodison, then we?ve already lost a key psychological battle.
Sustainable match-long atmospheres that aren't spontaneously triggered by a bad ref's decision or a goal-line clearance early doors, need to build, in my view, and often it?s impossible to suddenly turn the switch-on at five minutes to kick-off.
Admittedly, it is a bit difficult trying to get some volume going now whilst most of us (me included) just stand gawping at the Alex Young films but I witnessed loads of game Blues (particularly in the Lower Gwladys) prior to the Chelsea semi trying to work-up a bit of intimidation towards Joe Cole and the boys but it was simply impossible due to the lack of numbers in the ground and the drowning-out sounds of ?Spirit of the Blues? (which is well intended but can sometimes have the opposite effect to the desired one).
People go on about the Bayern Munich night - and I?m sure many younger Blues are fed-up of it - but one of the reasons there was such a palpable buzz in the air was that the pay-at-the-gate terraces were chocker from about 6pm (we needed to get there early to ensure you got in) and Matthaus, Augenthaler and most definitely the goalie Pfaff were spooked from the moment they went out to limber-up (yeah, yeah, I remember they went one-up - but you get me drift).
Anyway, it?s now been announced that we?ve got a full-house on our hands so that will help no end.
But I?m reading between the lines regarding what Moyes and Neville have been saying about the need for the crowd to do the bizz for Fiorentina (had your e-mail yet?) and I reckon they want us to ramp it up far more than we did against Chelsea in the Carling.
We did allright that night (despite how the Sky microphones skewed it) but we could have done better.
I?m as guilty as the next Blue for squeezing a last bevvy in at 2.30pm or whatever and I?m not exactly a chant starter when I am in - but I?m easily led.
How about we all lead each other as early as possible, then?
Coz if we treat it like a normal home game and we all do our same old pub or chippy routine (one of the benefits of having a ticket is that we can stroll-up with 5 or 10 minutes to go and be guaranteed a seat) then we?ll have missed a trick.
I?m certain Le Viole will be in there as handy as they can be making their inordinate and disproportionate racket.
So while we need as many of us as possible in there early to counter-act that, we also need to send an implicit ?this is different - we?re up for it - we believe? signal to our lads to pump them up before they return back to the changies for Moyes? last gee-up.
See you at 7.15, then?
Forza Azzurri!
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yup, can do my best supporting from the sunny island of S’pore. The last time I wrote something like that, I got a "talking down" when some of our Blues fans misunderstood what I meant. Nonetheless, let’s really rock the place. Do what we’ve never done before, "suck the ball into the net", line the streets, be there when the Italian boys get off the bus, cheer on during half time, let both the team know that Goodison ain’t going down with a fight. It’s not over till the fat lady sings. But no violence pse, laser pointers, coin and bottle throwing : )
Other teams have overturned a 2-0 deficit before, we can do likewise. Yes, it might not be something we can claim in abundance, but our team needs all the belief they can get, no matter how much they earn. I don’t think it’s a matter of not getting it up, or not willing to play for the shirt, but really, everyone’s human. All can do with strong encouragement. NSNO.
I wish I could be there at all, never mind at 7.15. NIghts like Bayern will always be with those who were there. For those who weren’t let’s have another to remember eh? The psychology of the twefth man cannot be undersetimated!
If you can get there early and make some noise do it. Who knows it may make a difference.
It will be 2.45 am kick here in Bangkok so I’ll be gettin up at 2.15 and tryin not to wake the kids when the third goal goes in!
COYBB!!!
On the Bayern game, does anyone have any youtube forage or the like that i can watch on thee net of that famous night.
on another note do we have many good songs to slag off Kroldrup.
COYB
Theres a bit of footage of Everton v Bayern at the start of this Youtube clip about football in the 80s:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF6OqHo_OWU
However, much of the crowd need something happening on the pitch to maintain noise levels and I hope DM and the boys will not go into their shell like they did last time. I don’t think it will be the same because:
a) We are back to my favoured 4-4-2 with Yak back to join AJ
b) 2-0 means we have to go for it, whereas 1-0 always gets you thinking you can defend solidly and sneak it on the break. Whilst not being gung-ho, I think the size of our task demands a much sharper tension (but defence need to push up much more too)
An early goal would make it so ’game-on’ that the team and crowd could probably do the rest - but if we don’t get that initial breakthrough, we must have more patience (let’s face it, Florentina were last week).
I think Florentina are going to be in for quite a shock if they see us play with the pace and urgency we know we can play with. However, to be honest, it’ll be one of our ultimate achievements to over-turn this deficit, and even though I think the Italians will sit deep, I wouldn’t put it past them to have chances on the break as well. However, I hope DM has studied the video of their weekend defeat and learnt that they are good, but still as fallible as any team.
Last night Inter learnt how being at home with a huge crowd doesn’t automatically mean you can overturn a 2-0 deficit against a well-marshalled side (that’s the last bit of credit I’m giving the RS this season!)
It’ll take some doing but I think it’s within us to have a special night and we have a part to play at Goodison tonight. COYBs
Brain Labone suite....
And I’m out of there at 7.05pm for a 7.15pm Park End arrival.
It’s gonna happen! Yes it is!!
It is also an argument towards unreserved seating
Think we might need patience tonight and not let up the atmosphere for the full 90. As long as we score first I think we’ll do it, and even if that first goal doesn’t come until the 85th minute, we’ve got to keep willing the boys forward.
COYB!
So the Liverpool fans are all really nice well rounded fellars arent they. No history of violence or abuse at all mate!
Nordics are a polite race and would never dream of being hostile and aggressive! Half of your fan base descend from Vikings mate!
And of course the best atmosphere anywhere in the world ever must have included Liverpool mustn?t it mate cos God is a Liverpool fan isn?t He and He?s omnipresent so He?d know wouldn?t He!
YOU BEAUT!
So the Liverpool secret is that they sing to encourage there team? Some secret that! Never knew thats why they did it! I thought they were just practising for a X-factor audition.
Muppet
I was at the game last night and that atmosphere would be hard to beat!
You obviously haven?t been going the match for long if you think that game can?t be beaten.
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1 Posted 12/03/2008 at 04:32:36
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In 2006 when Australia had a do or die second leg WC qualifier game v Uruguay the crowd had a similar effect. The mgt and team built up the expectation in advance, they played emotional videos before the game, Aussie band etc. They even had the Australian kids choir singing along the touchline right beside the opposition warming up. They weren’t happy. Unusually for a Australian crowd the atmosphere was intimidating and I believe that it made a difference to the game. I’m sure it would be the same (better) in Goodison. Refs, even Euro ones, also seem to get intimidated. I’m sure Howard only got booked because the crowd whistled every time he was lining up a goal kick. Pay back time boys.