The Mail Bag
The Underdogs...
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I was reading through some articles, saying that we have nothing to play for, or playing just for a league position. Utter nonsense!
Someone said, 10 games, 30 points for grab. Which is absolutely true! I live in a small little country where there're competitions everywhere, so we don't dream here, we face the reality. But, looking at the fixtures, we have every chance of being the underdogs and surprise everyone.
The 9 Games left are... Birmingham (A) - after the 5-1 thrashing of Hull, morale is high, 3 points... why not?
Bolton (H) - Home form is excellent, another 3 points.
Man City (A) - Definitely the toughest compared to other matches. A draw is good.
Wolves (A) - Not easy meat as wolves are fighting to avoid relegation. Still, possible 3 points
West Ham (H) - I'd say, this is the most unpredictable game, Hammers are good but inconsistent, hopefully 3 points
Blackburn (A) - By this time, Blackburn has nothing much to play for. Possible 3 points
Fulham (H) - The second toughest among all. Maybe 1 point
Stoke (A) - Again, nothing to play for. Possible 3 points
Portsmouth (H) - hmmm..do I have to say more? 3 point.
Don't think we need a calculator to sum it up. So let's do it slowly and quietly. Europa, possible.
David Lok David, Posted 11/03/2010 at 05:37:17
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10 games actually, you forgot Aston Villa away?
Oh gosh! I did forget. But do you think it’s necessary?
To add on to my previous comment, and also to answer Lynn’s question, winning at Villa Park is always hard.
And yes, we are Everton, so unpredictable! You see all those superb one touch from our midfield, and you will also see our defence made silly mistakes. We are good at set pieces, but we are are bad at defending it! Ironic at times!
Let’s chase for the 5th spot, anything more will be a bonus.
And yes, we are Everton, so unpredictable! You see all those superb one touch from our midfield, and you will also see our defence made silly mistakes. We are good at set pieces, but we are are bad at defending it! Ironic at times!
Let’s chase for the 5th spot, anything more will be a bonus.
Its the crunch matches that we need to win. Losing to the RS and Spurs left us lagging behind despite the Utd & Chelsea wins. If we are to finish in the European places, I feel we must beat Brum, City and Villa - all away from home (or at least pick up 7 points from those 3 matches). Our good form will mean we’ll beat most of the other teams, with the odd draw or loss (as usual)!!!
3 points on Saturday could really hot things up, and I think we’re all watching the games with a bit more enthusiasm now.
COYB
3 points on Saturday could really hot things up, and I think we’re all watching the games with a bit more enthusiasm now.
COYB
We wont get the results that you predict - we never do what we think we can.
This team can beat Villa away but lose to Bolton home (I hope not - got tickets for me and my boy!)
But we should fear no-one now - see that Man U? That lot that beat AC Milan 4-0 last night? We hammered them!
This team can beat Villa away but lose to Bolton home (I hope not - got tickets for me and my boy!)
But we should fear no-one now - see that Man U? That lot that beat AC Milan 4-0 last night? We hammered them!
The home games are winnable but lets be realisitic.
Birmingham (a) Don’t forget they are above us in the league and have already beat us at Goodison. This could easily be a loss.
Man City (a) Again a side above us in the league. Could be a loss.
Wolves (a) We never seem to have much luck against Wolves but maybe this time it will be different.
Stoke (a) One of the hardest places to go in the Premiership. Not an easy fixture by any account.
Birmingham (a) Don’t forget they are above us in the league and have already beat us at Goodison. This could easily be a loss.
Man City (a) Again a side above us in the league. Could be a loss.
Wolves (a) We never seem to have much luck against Wolves but maybe this time it will be different.
Stoke (a) One of the hardest places to go in the Premiership. Not an easy fixture by any account.
Given our home form I would expect us to win all 4 homes games. Although potential banana skins we should also win away at Blackburn and Wolves.
For me the most tricky are Man City and Villa away followed by Birmingham and Stoke away.
Birmingham is massive because its the next game and we must carry the momentum. But if we want europe then we must beat both Man City & Villa away as they are 6 pointers. I’ll accept losing at Stoke and winning the rest!
For me the most tricky are Man City and Villa away followed by Birmingham and Stoke away.
Birmingham is massive because its the next game and we must carry the momentum. But if we want europe then we must beat both Man City & Villa away as they are 6 pointers. I’ll accept losing at Stoke and winning the rest!
We are absolute shite away from home this season. We beat Chelsea and Man U at home and then get slaughtered away at Lisbon and lose to Tottenham.
We’ve won 3 games away all season and all 3 we were lucky to win. It’s ridiculous to suggest we’ll go unbeaten from now on. There’s a few fans who need a reality check. The Spurs result did it for me. I’m confident we’ll win our remaining home games but our form away from home is dreadful and I can’t see why anyone would predict what you’ve predicted David other than total misplaced optimism.
We’ve won 3 games away all season and all 3 we were lucky to win. It’s ridiculous to suggest we’ll go unbeaten from now on. There’s a few fans who need a reality check. The Spurs result did it for me. I’m confident we’ll win our remaining home games but our form away from home is dreadful and I can’t see why anyone would predict what you’ve predicted David other than total misplaced optimism.
I posted this before gents, there’s 30pts to play for, and mathematically (but not realistically), we could get 4th spot; there’s still a lot to play for...
Oh, come on? Realistically, we have the consistency of swiss cheese and we’ll be lucky to win six of those games going on recent form.
We could easily turn up like we did against Sporting next time out and nobody would bat an eyelid.
If we finish in the top seven, that’d be the achievement. But fifth? Get real - optimistic to the point of being downright foolish.
We could easily turn up like we did against Sporting next time out and nobody would bat an eyelid.
If we finish in the top seven, that’d be the achievement. But fifth? Get real - optimistic to the point of being downright foolish.
"In all my years supporting Everton, the team have had one steadfast, consistent and immutable propensity - they will regularly let me down"
C Bagley Balloon (1921-2007)
C Bagley Balloon (1921-2007)
Ha...lets be realistic he says and then has us dropping just 4 points for the rest of the season!!
I hope you’re right but don’t try to pass off blue optimism as realism. You don’t have to be an Everton fan to see how inconsinstent we have been this season!
Don’t accuse others of nonsense unless you’re going to at least post a grounded argument.
I hope you’re right but don’t try to pass off blue optimism as realism. You don’t have to be an Everton fan to see how inconsinstent we have been this season!
Don’t accuse others of nonsense unless you’re going to at least post a grounded argument.
Guys, me being foolishly optimistic is an under statement. Honestly, i am fucking optimistic. I am an Evertonian for 25 years. May i just ask, when you watch your team live, or sitting on your comfy couch watching the match, what is on your mind? You say to yourself... "nah, we are going to get bash?" or "C’MON YOU BLUES!!! Someone commented, negative mentality leads to our inconsistency. I think some of you belongs to this group. Realistically, can we compete with the big 4? On paper... No. Hard to beat teams above us? C’mon! Can’t we just be more positive? Don’t get me wrong. My heart sinks whenever we lose. BUT, i will sleep over it and wake up the next morning... And say C’MON YOU BLUES!!!!! Birmingham 0 Everton 1. 3 points.
David (10) and David (14) got it right. Naturally it hurts (especially now with a genuinely talented team) when the Everton loses or, worse, loses playing poorly. But, "Pick yourself up, dust yourself, start all over again" is a better approach. Let’s get each 3 points, each opponent is trying to keep from us and see where we lands. We certainly have the talent to get it done. They just have to keep grinding 3 points at a time. The question is do we have the collective will to keep grinding game after game? That’s the test.
David (14) wrote, "negative mentality leads to our inconsistency. I think some of you belongs to this group". Now I don’t know or care if some here are negative. I enjoy reading all the comments here for their own sake. But it occurs to me that the some of you who do fit David’s description, if you ever start to follow baseball in America,become Boston Red Sox fans. You’d fit in instantly and perfectly. If you need a negative needle found in a giant positive haystack, call a Red Sox fan. They’ll find it in an instant.
COYB!
David (14) wrote, "negative mentality leads to our inconsistency. I think some of you belongs to this group". Now I don’t know or care if some here are negative. I enjoy reading all the comments here for their own sake. But it occurs to me that the some of you who do fit David’s description, if you ever start to follow baseball in America,become Boston Red Sox fans. You’d fit in instantly and perfectly. If you need a negative needle found in a giant positive haystack, call a Red Sox fan. They’ll find it in an instant.
COYB!
What nobody has mentioned yet is that whatever we do now ,it’s not in our hands and all we can do is pickup as many points as possible . I do think ALL the away games could go either way . 8th probably.
The game against Man Utd created so much euphoria to be followed by the slump versus Sporting and the first half against Spurs.
Im a great optimist in most things but football is so unpredictable for most teams (EFC included)that inconsistency has become the norm.
Dont count your chickens !!!!
Im a great optimist in most things but football is so unpredictable for most teams (EFC included)that inconsistency has become the norm.
Dont count your chickens !!!!
We’ve been on a great run of form since Christmas, but to predict anything over 20 points from the last 10 games is very optimistic. I only think you could be accused of being negative if you were predicting less than 12. Realistically for me 12-20 points and I think at best that will get us 6th worst 9th. Just realized that I’m being a dickhead, sorry
The problem is the teams above us, I’ll discount Brum because I’m confident we’ll end above them.
Villa, 4pts ahead,2 games in hand and a +12 better GD
The shite, 7pts ahead, played a game more, and +12 GD
Man city, 8pts ahead, game in hand and a +13 GD
Spurs, 8pts ahead, same games and a +19 GD.
As Iain mentioned, it’s out of our hands.
Villa, 4pts ahead,2 games in hand and a +12 better GD
The shite, 7pts ahead, played a game more, and +12 GD
Man city, 8pts ahead, game in hand and a +13 GD
Spurs, 8pts ahead, same games and a +19 GD.
As Iain mentioned, it’s out of our hands.
Never easy to mkae any predictions when Everton are involved.
I think 4th is fantasy but I’d like to think we could get 6th which (I think) is Europa. I know there are some who aren’t arsed about the Europa and indeed, actively don’t want it. Personally I think it’s very important we’re in and it will be a step backwards if we’re not playing in Europe next season.
We needed a result at Spurs to get our momentum going for a glimmer hope for 4th.
I think goal difference is a good indicator of where a team deserves to be and this season the stats speak for themself.
I am optimistic of finishing above brum and mabey undeservadly above one of the teams with a far superior goal difference but mostly im optimistic of a full strenth Everton ripping teams apart from the first whistle of next season,
COYB
I am optimistic of finishing above brum and mabey undeservadly above one of the teams with a far superior goal difference but mostly im optimistic of a full strenth Everton ripping teams apart from the first whistle of next season,
COYB
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1 Posted 11/03/2010 at 01:52:23
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We are Everton and are so unpredictable!
After we lose I feel low and wonder where our next point is coming from.
After we win, especially like we did on Sunday, I can’t see us losing!
But as you know, we never do anything the easy way. Let’s take each game as it comes (I know!)
Knowing us - if we do make Europe, it will be by the skin of our teeth