ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Expectation

I?d be interested to know, based on current form, what your current expectations are for Everton this season, how they compare to your anticipation at the start of the season and what you?d be happy with.

For me a good final position in the Premier League is by far the most important. At the start of the season, with some good signings strengthening our squad that finished 6th last year, I thought we?d again finish sixth behind Spurs and the top four. Currently with Man City, Portsmouth, Blackburn and Villa all starting stronger than us, and the interruption of the African Nations Cup, I can see us finishing anywhere from 5th to 10th.

I reckon we?re too good for West Ham and Newcastle but with Ramos in charge I can see Spurs clawing 9 points back on us. However, I?d probably be disappointed if we finished outside the top 6 ? after all this squad is far better than previous ones that finished 4th and 7th and 6th, and other than Man City and Portsmouth I can?t see that any other sides squad has improved as much as us.

As usual, largely due to our recent history, at the start of the season I expected nothing from the domestic cups this year. However, West Ham in the quarters was an excellent draw and I expect us to make the semis in the Carling Cup, and given the sides remaining in the draw I?d be happy with that and not expect us to advance to the final.

As for the Uefa Cup, based on the likes of Spurs, Middlesborough?s and Bolton?s current excellent form I had great expectations of getting to the quarters at the start of the year. However I think we?re slightly unfortunate that the quality of sides in the draw this year are much improved! I expect us to get at least a point against Zenit and qualify for the knockout stages, but I?ve got a horrible feeling that our low ranking will pair us with Bayern Munich, Villarreal or a strong Champions League loser in the next round ? and I don?t expect us to progress. If the draw goes down that route I wouldn?t be despondent with not making the last sixteen.

So I guess my expectations at the start of the year were just a little higher than they are now, but I?m not unhappy with our progress.
Andy Davies, Liverpool Posted 22/11/2007 at 11:23:57

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Comments

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Kieran Kinsella
1 Posted 22/11/2007 at 14:11:24

Someone pointed out on here the other day that last time Alan Irvine left the club we started to win trophies in. Well the last time England missed the European Championships was ... 1984 which was also the year we won our first trophy under Kendall as boss. Another good omen!

Paul Coleman
2 Posted 22/11/2007 at 14:52:20

Our seeding does not matter for the next round of the Uefa Cup.

If we finish top of the group we will play a 3rd placed team from another group.

If we finish runners up then we will play one of the CL drop outs.

If we finish 3rd then we play a top placed team from another group.

Michael Newton
3 Posted 22/11/2007 at 15:06:23

I am not a greedy fan, but a top 4 place, and winning the League Cup, FA Cup and EUFA Cup will do me

Ian Short
4 Posted 22/11/2007 at 15:07:44

We’ve had some good league finishes recently but this season I’d rather finish 10th and win a cup than finish 6th and not. We’ve won something in almost every decade since footie began and the 2000s are slipping by without a trophy!

Dave Roberts
5 Posted 22/11/2007 at 15:13:28

It looks as though we could win the fair play league! Do you get a trophy for that?

Michael Newton
6 Posted 22/11/2007 at 15:30:08

You get a signed framed photograph of Mark Clattenburg if you win the Fair Play League Dave.
Bring back Uriah Rennie.

patty
7 Posted 22/11/2007 at 16:08:08

I agree with Ian Short....I would rather the lads won some silverware this year and finish about 8th/10th in the league. After all what’s the point of doing well in these competitions if you aren’t going to end up winning something and it would be great to see the lads parading a cup from an open top bus.

Colin Jones
8 Posted 22/11/2007 at 16:53:35

I would like us to qualify for UEFA Cup through the league, but I don’t think we’ll be able to manage it if we make decent progress in 2 of 3 cup competitions. If we didn’t qualify but did well in UEFA especially I wouldn’t be too bothered. I don’t think the squad is strong enough at the moment to maintain league qualifications and good cup performances.
However that could change if Moyes buys in January, or possibly this summer being aided by a raised profile/good European run

Brian Noble
9 Posted 22/11/2007 at 16:52:04

I’m firmly in the ’Win a Cup’ camp.We’ve gone too long with only snippets to celebrate.The FA and Carlsburg trophies both carry a passport to Europe ,don’t they? As far as the League is concerned,I feel we shall do well to finish in our present ninth position what with the African Nations coming up and the absence of a midfield general.

Jimmy Willis
10 Posted 22/11/2007 at 19:24:29

I really believe we can win the UEFA cup.
If Bolton can go to Bavaria and cause Munich problems then Everton can go there and win.
The game coming up against West Ham in the league cup will be a tight affair,I think we will sneak it and in a semi final affair who knows? Of course we could do with the luck of a draw. League wise I think of all the teams above us the only team that will remain there come may will be Pompey because of their mean defence,I can see all the rest falling away and so a battle for fourth with the Anfield crew and Portsmouth is on the cards. I would relish this. I’m liking this season so far,and for the first time I can recall think this squad has a core of players who can genuinely challenge for some pickings. COYB!

James Bodore
11 Posted 22/11/2007 at 21:19:38

I don?t think Portsmouth will be in the mix for a top 6 spot, they were in the top 6 for most of last year before droping like a stone. And don?t forget they lose a heap of players for the African Cup. I also don?t see Villa making it if I?m honest, I don?t know why, but I just see them failing! I think Spurs will have a good spell as every club does under a new manager, but not enough to gain lost ground. So that leaves us, Blackburn and City. City have shown they can roll over and die as they did against Chelski, so we just need to turn them over as well!

Jay Harris
12 Posted 22/11/2007 at 21:28:45

We have to remember every other team has strengthened far more than we have and got them in early so now have settled sides.
The ANC disrupts us as much as anybody else so I see a top 6 place as impossible.
Maybe we can make some progress in a cup but I still think we have a long way to go to get a top 4 competing team that plays decent football.

Gai Roberts
13 Posted 22/11/2007 at 21:51:30

Does any one know if the Quarter final match vs West Ham is screened live on T.V? Have looked but unable to find anywhere

Santosh Benjamin
14 Posted 22/11/2007 at 22:17:17

I started the season with expectations of breaking into the top 4 and have a good UEFA cup run with no hope for the domestic cups.
My present view is:
League:Id love a top 6 finish to be honest...with Blackburn,Pompey and Citeh starting so well,that may be tough..i fully expect Blackburn to stay high up in the league by May..Citeh...may thereabouts too..Pompey...not so sure.We need to qualify for the UEFA cup again...need it on a regular basis for a few years b4 dreaming of CL.
UEFA cup:Qualify for the next round to start..then a round of 16/QF will be good.
Carling Cup:Hope to win it this year..never been this far in ages..not under-estimating the Hammers but we coulda drawn worse.
FA cup:Hope we can have a good run and maybe challenge for this too...
All in all id like to see us with the same manager...a strengthened midfield..and defence by the end of the season..COYB

Brian Waring
15 Posted 23/11/2007 at 10:52:04

Gai,I’m sure I have seen Sky mention they will be covering the games.