The Mail Bag

The tide is turning...

Comments (32)

I know we don't usually talk about that shower on here, but after watching the Wigan - Liverpool game last night, I had to sit and think what might have been.

The score was only one-nil but could and should have been more. At one point, I watched four Liverpool defenders running after one Wigan player, like when you see under-10 teams play. It was brilliant. The amount of dross in their team is mad, Insua shite, Rodriguez looked shite, Lucas shite, Krygiakos shite, Babel shite, Kuyt shite, Carragher, well, well past his best.

It made me question how we never managed to take even a point of them this season. At Goodison, our bad run was just coming to an end but we got hit by two sucker punches. It's the return at Anfield that grates me so much, the fuckers where their for the taking and we missed a great opportunity. If only that Tim Cahill header...

It was also mentioned last night that they had around 80 million pounds worth of 'talent' on the bench. Jesus, what could DM do with that sort of money?

As I said earlier, I know we don't usually talk about that lot but I think if we can keep this squad and mananger together, along with a couple of new faces, we can seriously think about becoming the dominant force on Merseyside.

Is this just me wishfull thinking or does anyone agree?
Francis Porter, RAF Down South     Posted 09/03/2010 at 13:55:43

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Ciarán McGlone
1   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:04:36

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It depends on whether Benitez goes or not... If he stays — Great!

If he goes they have a chance of picking up a decent manager and being proper contenders for the league...

However, the rub is that we may be 2 or 3 quality players from pissing about in the top four ourselves. United and Chelsea are not the huge task they once were over a season...

Hopefully Benitez stays.
Dave Wilson
2   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:15:48

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The trouble is, being the dominant force on merseyside aint what it used to be.

I’d like to think we were setting our sights a little higher than finishing above them next season
Dave Roberts
3   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:30:24

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Having ’£80m worth of talent on the bench’ does not mean there was £80m worth of talent on the bench. Given FSW’s propensity for buying shite it really means ’players on the bench that cost the dickhead £80m’!
Francis Porter
4   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:37:19

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Dave Roberts, I completley agree, thats why I put ’talent’ in inverted commas. Rafas dealings in the transfer market are fucking comical, what the fuck is Aquilanni supposed to be doing their?
Dave Roberts
5   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:37:33

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PS

After watching that dire display last night it did make me think generally about overall Premiership displays this season. While this season has also been dire for Everton in some respects, the conclusion I reached was that not many sides have produced performances as good as the Blues’ best this season.

Now, I know this in itself produces a problem because we need to do it much more consistently if we are to break into and become a recognized top side. For instance we could go to Birmingham at the weekend and be shite again even after that performance on Sunday! Just like we were shite against them after slaughtering Man City a few days earlier.

But it does at least show what we are capable of; that we are heading in the right direction and that perhaps we don’t need to feel that Moyes knows nothing about joined-up football anymore which, I have to admit, has been something I have been guilty of in the past.

Everton at their best are as pleasing on the eye as anybody and more pleasing than most at the moment, even to the point of the grudging respect expressed by Wenger a few weeks ago.
Gary Creaney
6   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:40:48

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Francis Porter it is probably wishful thinking but I share the same wishfulness and I agree.

They had Alonso pulling the strings for them last year and he gave Gerrard and Torres all the freedom and supply they needed. Those 2 players have had injuries to contend with but as a direct result of Alonso’s departure they are shadows of their former selves.

I constantly tell my RS mate that they will fold as a club in the not too distant future. Obviously thats a gross exageration but they are so heavily reliant on the CL income to pay their 80 man squad. I really can’t see them getting 4th this season (or next) and as a result they will lose their "better" players whoever they are.

No more talk about them from me. We are most definitely improving our performances, our style of play and our image in the public eye. Pundits have really taken note of our league form in recent times but our form has been coupled with some excellent performances rather than just a series of 1-0 wins.

Just remember that players like Arteta and Jagielka are playing flat to the mat right now as this is their season just starting out, dammit even the Yak looked hungrier against Hull. The same applies for any of our long term absentees.

I’m convinced that 2 good signings in the summer added to the very talented squad we have would be enough to bring greater levels of consistency to the table and a more meaningful challenge to the upper echelons of the Premier League.
Dave Roberts
7   Posted 09/03/2010 at 10:51:25

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PPS

Sorry to be a pest with multipal posts but I have just remembered something else. I listened to Andy Gray and that ’orrible Sky presenter whose name I can’t drag up from my memory for the moment talking at length about Everton after I watched the highlights on Sunday night. Both of them were waxing lyrical about Everton at the moment and Andy Gray said he was more optimistic about Everton at the moment than at any time...(wait for it)... SINCE HE WAS AN EVERTON PLAYER!

Bloody hell he’s remembered....we must be doing something right!!!!!
Larry Boner
8   Posted 09/03/2010 at 11:05:31

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I watched the Wigan v RS game from start to finish, it was unbelievable how poor Liverpool were against a team that had not won for weeks, won only 6 games all season and totally without confidence. The attitude of the Liverpool players was disgusting, questioning every decision, usually with a mouthful to the ref or assistant ref.

What pisses me off this season more than anything is we, Everton have, bailed them out by presenting them with 6 points, as we normally do. If we had only but drawn the two derby games we would be one point behind them from 1 game less and they would be in freefall.

The funniest thing last night was them throwing long balls up to the Greek near the end, surely a style of play Barcelona will copy!!? I would like Moyes to tell his players to attack home and away til the end of the season and lets see how good we really are, we are certainly better than the Anfield Road mob.

Francis Porter
9   Posted 09/03/2010 at 11:23:05

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Good point Larry, in particular Gerrard. Who, it has been alleged ’flicked the V’s’ at the ref without punishment. I cant even begin to put into words how much I despise that ’above the law’ prick.
Iain Love
10   Posted 09/03/2010 at 11:22:18

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If only we’d started better, if only we’d got draws against them... if only, If only. The simple fact is we are where we will probably finish the season: 8th. I truly hope and would love us to finish 7th and them 8th, and then for them to fall from grace and be skint as we have been for so long.

I still can’t believe we lost twice to them. Cunts.

Nick Entwistle
11   Posted 09/03/2010 at 11:44:57

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If Liverpool fail in a top 4 bid, sitting back and watching the club fall to bits this summer will be more entertaining than the world cup.
Conor Waters
12   Posted 09/03/2010 at 12:03:18

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I’m sure if the RS dont finish in the top four, the premier league big wigs will hold an urgent meeting, sweeping in the new playoff system with immediate effect. They’ll finish 8th and some how worm their way into the CL next year....

Iain, i share your pain mate. It is so infuriating and sickening that we the total of zilch points from our two encounters this season. And considering that without a doubt, man for man, for the first time in a long time, we actually have a better squad. But as much as it hurts, lets all focus on our own progress and hopefully a strong finish to another unpredictable season.
Chris Butler
13   Posted 09/03/2010 at 12:24:30

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Its been a mad season anybody can beat anyone no teams supporters except Birmingham really will be happy about their teams performance this season. every team has had their high and lows except Portsmouth. We could go to Birmingham and get tonked 3 0 and i wouldn’r be surprised.
Iain Love
14   Posted 09/03/2010 at 13:11:47

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Chris i doubt that maybe 1-0, they are what we where
Danny Burke
15   Posted 09/03/2010 at 13:18:38

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Take Torres and Gerrard (maybe Reina) and put them in a blue shirt and we are the PL and champions league contenders and they are mid/lower table at best.

That said i dont want that horrible git anywhere near our club even if we did have the money to buy him.
Mike Green
16   Posted 09/03/2010 at 13:24:43

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3 of the teams LFC have lost to this season are Villa, Spurs and Fulham.

The increased quality in "the rest" outside of the Sky 4 will, IMO, hit them a lot harder than it’ll hit us.

LFC have been dragged into it this season and it’ll be v v v interesting to see how they cope if they dont make 4th. If Benitez stays I can only see more of the same for them, replacing him on the back of no Chs League revenue will cripple them financially - a proper lose / lose situation by the looks of it.

I’m just hoping one of Arsenal, Man United or Chelsea get dragged in too now as it seems anyone, one their day, can get a result against any of them.

As for us - keep calm, keep building, keep solvent (!), keep Moyes and most of the boys we’ve got at the moment and it could all be very interesting.

COYB!
Tom Bowers
17   Posted 09/03/2010 at 13:52:54

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Yes, I know it hurts not getting anything from the derby matches especially when they were there for the taking. Unfortunately we have had some very poor games against some very poor teams — Hull, Burnley, and Bolton and Brum in the cup. Our consistency level has been very uneven to say the least.

We have to believe, however, that the return of Jags, Arteta and also Heitinga to midfield will get some more postive results the rest of the way although the points dropped during the poor performaces have cost us dearly.

Andy Morden
18   Posted 09/03/2010 at 14:34:50

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They are still above us in the league and it may be premature to write them off. Smilarly, we’ve proved how BADLY we can play this season. Dave WIlson touches upon a very good point - local pride aside, (hypothetically speaking) what does finishing above the shite next season, but only in 5th place acheive really? I had a similar debate with a Villa fan recently who was loudly bellowing about being the ’best team in the Midlands’. Means fuck all really. It isn’t like Stoke, West Brom, Wolves, Birmingham City, Derby, Notts Forest, etc all have trophy cabinets overflowing with recent spoils, eh? So yes, whilst the shite’s woes are funny, I’d prefer to focus upon our next match and see how we can finish this season...
Rich Roberts
19   Posted 09/03/2010 at 14:45:37

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Conspiracy theory #1 - why is it that every time there is an opportunity for a club (City, Spurs or Villa) to put a clear gap between them & the RS, they bottle it. THere is no way the RS should still be in the a 4th place shout if those three had pulled their fingers out.
Is there something we should be told?
Brendan O'Doherty
20   Posted 09/03/2010 at 15:08:06

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I don’t know how any of you could bring yourselves to watch that lot last night. I watched an extended highlights re-run of our game on Saturday instead.

Stevie GBH must be killing himself now that he didn’t go to Chelsea in the summer of 2005. Ha-ha.

Top team on Merseyside? The answer was provided in the recent derby when they feared us so much they kicked us off the park.
David Hallwood
21   Posted 09/03/2010 at 15:23:31

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And to think we were linked with Riera &Rodriguez , what’s that phrase? Ah Yes Dodged a bullet. But I don’t want to be the dominant force on Merseyside, I’m a bit more selfish than that, but certainly for the first time in 25 years if you were going to pick an Everpool team, it would have more blues thareds. Plus don’t forget there’s 30pts to play for, so we could overhaul them and a couple of other teams yet
David Hallwood
22   Posted 09/03/2010 at 15:41:26

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I know that this should be a different thread, but it’s linked to the tide is turning. Supposing we don’t lose anyone in the summer, we buy 2/3 players, we cut out starting games like the players have just woken up, how about an outside bet for the league? or is it the Chardonnay kicking in
Brendan O'Doherty
23   Posted 09/03/2010 at 16:22:42

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David, could be just the Chardonnay,but 1891,1915,1939,1963,1987.......2011.
Charles King
24   Posted 09/03/2010 at 15:49:19

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Completely agree its all about Benitez. I believe there will always be a buyer for liverpool so money worrys won’t do for them.
The rotund spaniard is the epitome of the modern coach stubbornly influencing his team with woeful transfer dealings and suffocating tactics to vainly justify his wages.
Remarkably their champions league victory in Istanbul which has cemented this idiots reputation with the media could yet be seen as the watershed in their fortunes.
The present media thread of liverpool supporters not calling for the managers head is working beautifully, no supporters are more unthinking than the RS when brownie points are to be had from the TV or Press. It is common knowledge among the heathens that Benitez is hopeless, but dare they say it and spoil the myth, no chance.
Benitez is king of the oafs and season by season he gets worse, long may he reign.
Keith Glazzard
25   Posted 09/03/2010 at 17:46:38

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I had one ear on the Radio5 commentary second half last night (such a pity Alan Green wasn’t doing it) and stayed for the phone-in.

You could almost feel sorry for the distraught kopites as they tried to make sense of it all. Then I heard something quite remarkable - he said something like - ’Look what is happening across the park. Their manager doesn’t spend loads of money ... etc’. Anyway, slightly backhanded, but a huge compliment from someone who obviously knew his football.

For the times they are a changing? Let’s get a European place first, and hope for a fully fit squad in August. That way, when the race starts, we won’t still be in the changing room.
Steve Guy
26   Posted 09/03/2010 at 18:18:03

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Never watch the RS. Watched the recording of our game v Hull Instead and marvelled anew at Mikky. Love him to bits and feel privileged to have watched such a player in a Blue shirt. That lot are increasingly becoming a parody of the side they once were. Schaudenfreude (not spelt right) is one thing but personally I would much rather see us WIN a trophy or three.
Steve Guy
27   Posted 09/03/2010 at 18:18:03

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Never watch the RS. Watched the recording of our game v Hull Instead and marvelled anew at Mikky. Love him to bits and feel privileged to have watched such a player in a Blue shirt. That lot are increasingly becoming a parody of the side they once were. Schaudenfreude (not spelt right) is one thing but personally I would much rather see us WIN a trophy or three.
Steve Guy
28   Posted 09/03/2010 at 18:18:03

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Never watch the RS. Watched the recording of our game v Hull Instead and marvelled anew at Mikky. Love him to bits and feel privileged to have watched such a player in a Blue shirt. That lot are increasingly becoming a parody of the side they once were. Schaudenfreude (not spelt right) is one thing but personally I would much rather see us WIN a trophy or three.
Gary Sedgwick
29   Posted 10/03/2010 at 22:34:48

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I can’t remember which paper’s website it was on but this cracked me up re 2004-05 season when LFC were allowed to compete in the CL as defending champions:

"If LFC win the Europa League this season and finish fourth will they insist on playing in the Europa League as defending champions?"

Classic!
Larry Boner
30   Posted 11/03/2010 at 04:59:27

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I see Mr Gerrard has been cleared by the FA of v signing the ref and telling him to fuck off in the Wigan game. Apparently he was just telling the ref he had been fouled twice, the ref said he seen it, but did not feel he should take any action as clearly Gerrard was very upset!! Because the ref said he had seen it, the FA can take no action.

I remember McFadden being sent off by Poll for apparently calling him a fucking cheat. Rule 12 states - A player is sent off and shown the red card if he uses offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures. Amazing really that I watched basically the whole Liverpool team behave in this manner in the Wigan game, constantly berating the linesmen and referee, but no action taken.

I also witnessed in the Liverpool v Wolves game a few weeks ago the whole Liverpool team, the subs and all of the bench chasing the referee and linesman when they had sent off the wrong player, all of them waving imaginary cards, Reina running the length of the pitch to confront the ref, what action was taken by the FA — nothing.

Steve Pugh
31   Posted 11/03/2010 at 06:18:51

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Whatever happened to the respect for referees campaign?
Zack Yusof
32   Posted 11/03/2010 at 22:33:45

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One thing’s for certain - Rafa has to stay at Anfield for the forseeable future. He’s definitely the best Liverpool manager Everton have had in a long, long time. Long may he continue!!!

As for Gerrard, we all know that it’s one rule for him and another for everyone else. When will the FA and the ref’s stop hero-worshipping the diving, cheating prick?

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