The Mail Bag
Derby Day Optimism
Comments (7)
I was in a local bar on friday nght where they were playing LiverpoolFCTV (I didn't even know they had one). Anyway, they happened to be showing the merseyside derby from what i believe was the 00/01 season.
I began watching and found myself bearting the players as if it was happening live infront of me. I sat there with a mate of mine and we both shouted obscenities at evrey player that was present in the Everton team.
As we approach the forthcoming derby I really do think contrary to what some fans think, that Everton have come a long way. On display that day were players like Mark Pembridge, Alex Nyarko, Abel Xavier, Paul Gerrard and Idan Tal to name but a few. Our team was a bag of shite. Looking at the shite's team you could see that they weren't much better with Christian Ziege, Emile Heskey and the turncoat Nick Barmby.
It's seven years since that derby and we fortunately only have one player left in our current Everton side who was in the starting XI that day. That person being the mad dog Tommy Gravesen. The days of Paul Gascoigne have long gone and Everton are definitely improving.
On Saturday we will have a much younger team on display than we did back then and a team that is full of potential. Gone are the days when merely fight relegation. Let's embrace the fact that we now have two players on the pitch playing for England at the same time and the fact that we are now plying our trade in Europe.
As for this Saturday. Hopefully we can get a better result than we did seven years ago. Am confident that without the hapless Paul Gerrard and the atrocious Idan Tal on the pitch we can give the the shite a good hammering!
Luke Brook, Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:37:38
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2 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:48:24
That is what it is all about at the end of the day were you finish in the league. I think we have got a well better squad of players now, young players and good international players and more respected within the game.
3 Posted 16/10/2007 at 11:36:19
4 Posted 16/10/2007 at 11:32:06
We have improved tenfold since them days, I think your being a bit over the top. A team with Xavier, Gemmill, Nyarko, Unsworth & campbell in to todays bunch??
Harsh at best mate
5 Posted 16/10/2007 at 16:07:44
Come on you blues .. sock it to them.
6 Posted 17/10/2007 at 19:03:00
Interesting quote from a man who hardly ever mentions everton even though we made his career.
7 Posted 18/10/2007 at 15:27:27
We made Lineker.
He’d be nothing without us.
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1 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:22:29
So Howard is better than Gerrard. Yes.
Defensively, Xavier, Gough, Weir and Ball v Hibbert, Stubbs / Yobo, Lescott and Baines. I thnk the defence back then was far more stable. Old man Gough was an inspriation and I?d love to have another Davie Weir in his prime. Ball was an England international then wasn?t he? The 00/01 team was better there I think.
Midfield: Watson, Nyarko, Gemmil, Unsworth v Arteta , Neville, Carsley, Osman. Well this really shows how bad we were back then. But are our current central pair of Neville and Carsley that much better and at least Nyarko was capable of some creativity and passing (e.g. v Tottenham). 1-1 I think.
Ferguson and Campbell both in thier late 20s and in their prime are better than what we have to offer now. What I wouldn?t give for either of them from back then to be in the current side and on the end of Arteta?s crosses. Much Better than any combination of Yak, Chebe and McFadden.
2-1 to 00/01 side methinks. Don?t get me wrong, we have greatly improved the squad since those dark days, just look at the midfield. However, out tactics will be the same as then and unfortunately, we?ve got no battering ram to tumble the kopites defence and the manager does not know another way.