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The Mail Bag

Carlisle are coming

Being born in Carlisle, and having lived in Cumbria all my 51 years, I started following Everton in 1966 after the greatest cup final in history. Alan Ball's signing in August 1966 was the icing on the cake, but I always went to Carlisle matches as there was no way I could afford to get to Goodison.

Everton remained my true love, and I was as pissed off as anyone in 1974-75 when, in Carlisle's only season in Division One, I saw them do the double over us and prevent us winning the Championship.

They, like us, have tremendous away support, and they have sold out their 6,000 tickets for Saturday's game, and apparently bought copious amounts in the Everton ends. I was at Nuremburg watching Everton a couple of seasons ago, and this is their version of that away day.

We need to stand tall as Evertonians tomorrow, and not let Goodison be the graveyard it can be until we (hopefully) go ahead, as they will make enough noise on their own.

A final point, it looks like Jimmy Vaughan will be our only striker tomorrow, and he's had about 20 minutes play this season. I hope Donovan can play some part, although I keep waiting for Blue Bill to announce it was Jason Donovan or the Scottish protest singer we bought.

Carlisle's defence, especially Harte and Murphy, are absolutely pedestrian, and we must have someone of pace attacking them. Pericard is good up front for them, but looks like he is running in treacle, so the message to Moyesie is go 4-4-2 and run these League One lads ragged!

See you in the Park End tomorrow.
COYB
Keith Harrison, Cumbria Posted 01/01/2010 at 17:09:32

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Karl Masters
1 Posted 01/01/2010 at 22:43:24

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I still remember Carlisle winning 3-2 at Goodison after we led 2-0 in 1974-75. We really did throw the league away that season... 6 games to go and 2 points for a win we were 2 points ahead with a game in hand. We only won 2 of those last 6 and even got stuffed 3-0 at bottom-placed Carlisle.

We eventually finished 4th only 3 points behind Derby who were Champions. We dropped those 3 points in the last 2 games — a hideous 3-2 defeat at home to SheffIeld Utd when we had again led 2-0, and a 1-1 draw at Chelsea that condemned them to relegation. How differently we may have viewed the 70s if we had been Champions then.

Stewart Littler
2 Posted 02/01/2010 at 01:07:36

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Keith, you kind of contradict yourself — firstly, saying Vaughan will be our only striker tomorrow, then by saying play 4-4-2.

Donovan only arrives in England tomorrow so we won’t see him; by my reckoning, as long as Cahill is fit, it will be the same as Monday only Neville for the Yak. Don’t think Vaughan will start as he’ll be fucked after half an hour.

Pete Gunby
3 Posted 02/01/2010 at 02:01:13

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Please keep Neville on the bench where he belongs. Let him shout out encouragement from the sideline in preparation for his upcoming coaching career.

Gavin Ramejkis
4 Posted 02/01/2010 at 07:49:22

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I remember those two Carlisle games and being in tears at the 3-0 after what had been a great season and sure we were going to take the title. I know a lot of Carlisle fans via my cousin and one personally, they are all mad as a bag of frogs, my personal friend couldn’t get hold of a ticket for love nor money so desperately wants a replay. I hope we can sort this game out today and go for it but god knows who we can play up front if we go 4-4-2.

Simon Dixon
5 Posted 02/01/2010 at 08:55:55

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Keith, I too live and breath in Carlisle. Carlisle are the only team to have a 100% record against Everton. I'm hoping for a draw today and then beat Carlisle at Brunton Park.

Bob McEvoy
6 Posted 02/01/2010 at 09:00:01

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Still recall that drive back down the M6 with my brother after the 3-0 tonking when we thought it would be a shoo-in. Even after 35 years we owe them! COYB

Lee Smith
7 Posted 02/01/2010 at 09:48:56

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Simon, Carlisle’s 100% record against us is in the league only (we have only been in the same division once), but we have knocked them out of the FA Cup the two times we have met them in it, in 1930 and 1968.

By the way I’m not some weird statto geek, I just googled it :)

Karl Masters
8 Posted 02/01/2010 at 11:06:54

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We did gain a small modicum of revenge the following season by knocking them out of the League Cup 2-0.

This really only made the two defeats a few months earlier even more frustrating. After knocking out Arsenal in the following round, we then went and lost to Second Division Notts Co.

T’was ever thus!!!

I just don’t want another Oldham.

John Hall
9 Posted 02/01/2010 at 12:22:56

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What do you all think of us playing a complete reserve side? 11 changes to the side that beat Burnley.

How would you feel if this happened? Betrayed? All hope lost for this season? Or a chance to give the youngsters a run-out and save our first team’s health to prepare for the nightmare games ahead?

Personally, I think it would be shooting ourselves in the foot — I’m sure that Wolves fans will never forgive McCarthy for doing the same. What do you all think? Or am I just courting controversy? If I am, sorry!

Derek Turnbull
10 Posted 02/01/2010 at 13:31:10

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Sounds like half the fans coming down from Carlisle will be Evertonians!

Mike Allison
11 Posted 02/01/2010 at 14:08:06

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John, I think we should always play a full strength team in the FA Cup, allowing a change or two to bring a fresher, hungrier player in (in fact I don’t think Moyes does that enough). It's an important competition, one I’d love to win again, and probably our best hope every year of winning a trophy and qualifying for Europe.

However, this is different to the McCarthy situation; I think he did the right thing and took 6/9 pts that week where a tiring and morale crushing hiding for his players at Old Trafford might have cost them against Burnley.

The other point is that we simply don’t have the players to rest any. Our current ’first XI’ is already 6-10 players down in any given match.

Stan Sheppard
12 Posted 02/01/2010 at 14:49:10

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Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Neill, Baines, Pienaar, Neville, Cahill, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov, Vaughan.

Subs: Nash, Coleman, Duffy, Forshaw, Agard, Baxter, Mustafi.

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