The Mail Bag
Biggest game of the season
Comments (13)
For sure, as Desailly would say on MOTD if Alan Shearer's phone is switched off, Everton's biggest game of the season is tomorrow against Bolton...
Why? Well, in previous seasons, we'd have a good run, lose one, then go on to lose the next four. So this is the biggest measure of how far we've come yet.
Happy Christmas all, COYB!
Nick Flack, Posted 25/12/2007 at 19:26:26
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Lars Eidissen
2 Posted 26/12/2007 at 06:22:31
2 Posted 26/12/2007 at 06:22:31
I agree, today?s game is MASSIVE. Mind you, I always say that, but today I will be over the moon with three points. I think it?s a make a break for our league season. If we are serious about challenging the big four, and at very least get another top 6 finish, three points is a must tomorrow (and we must also kick on the remaining Chrimbo/New Year games with a few points).
Anything but a win tomorrow, and I can see our league season fizzle out in a midtable finish as I suspect we won?t be able to raise our game for Arsenal then either, so it could easily become a few games on the trot without a win.
Very excited about this one, three points today would go a long way to make up for the point lost at Old Trafford. COYB!
Anything but a win tomorrow, and I can see our league season fizzle out in a midtable finish as I suspect we won?t be able to raise our game for Arsenal then either, so it could easily become a few games on the trot without a win.
Very excited about this one, three points today would go a long way to make up for the point lost at Old Trafford. COYB!
Gavin Ramejkis
3 Posted 26/12/2007 at 10:52:53
3 Posted 26/12/2007 at 10:52:53
Bad taste pun but let’s get San Francisco tiger on them today and ’kin maul them off the park
Nick Flack
4 Posted 26/12/2007 at 11:32:31
4 Posted 26/12/2007 at 11:32:31
Daniel, it was just a bit of mickey taking about desailly... Why is he ever on MOTD?
Starts every sentence with "For sure"...
Hence the "Alan Shearer’s not answering his phone, shit, let’s get that big french fella on" statement...
Massive game, particularly regarding who we play next. 1 point from 9 wouldn’t be enough to keep our charge going, long way left, but I genuinely see this game as the biggest test of how far we’ve come, and how our mental strength is.
Don’t think it will be easy, their strikers are on fire at the moment, and it will be a battle, but we should have enough to contain them, and perhaps score a few.
I reckon, ball on the deck, patient game, we nick 3 on the counter.
Happy Christmas.
Starts every sentence with "For sure"...
Hence the "Alan Shearer’s not answering his phone, shit, let’s get that big french fella on" statement...
Massive game, particularly regarding who we play next. 1 point from 9 wouldn’t be enough to keep our charge going, long way left, but I genuinely see this game as the biggest test of how far we’ve come, and how our mental strength is.
Don’t think it will be easy, their strikers are on fire at the moment, and it will be a battle, but we should have enough to contain them, and perhaps score a few.
I reckon, ball on the deck, patient game, we nick 3 on the counter.
Happy Christmas.
Mike Kennedy
5 Posted 26/12/2007 at 11:43:23
5 Posted 26/12/2007 at 11:43:23
I dread boxing day games and that goes back to 1977 losing 6-2 to Man U. That year it was a turning point but it is unlikely to a make or break game today.
I can?t remember many boxing day wins since the 80s so it would be great to have some festive cheer for a change
I can?t remember many boxing day wins since the 80s so it would be great to have some festive cheer for a change
Art Greeth
6 Posted 26/12/2007 at 11:47:37
6 Posted 26/12/2007 at 11:47:37
I hear what you’re saying Nick, but it’s always (IMHO) a load of bollox when people start claiming that ’this is the biggest game of the season...’ - ’this game will determine/define our season’.
And what if we lose today to Bolton, then remain unbeaten until the end of January...? That would mean we maintain a healthy league position, reach the Carling Cup final and are still in the FA Cup. Pure speculation on my part, but said just to make a point: one game alone will never determine an entire season.
And what if we lose today to Bolton, then remain unbeaten until the end of January...? That would mean we maintain a healthy league position, reach the Carling Cup final and are still in the FA Cup. Pure speculation on my part, but said just to make a point: one game alone will never determine an entire season.
Lars Edissen
7 Posted 26/12/2007 at 12:40:01
7 Posted 26/12/2007 at 12:40:01
Art,
I think today?s game is pretty much irrelevant with regards to the cup competitions. But as far as the league season goes, I think you are underestimating the game.
Under Moyes, our lads have always enjoyed a good run. And struggled with losing runs. I think a result today could have an effect on the two upcoming games of the typical "could go either way" kind (Arsenal home and Boro away). 6-7th place this season will go at around 60 points, and there is a chance 70 will be enough for CL qualification. This makes particularly the "open" games very important. I expect us to beat Derby, Wigan and Sunderland and we will most likely not win at Emirates or Anfield. It?s absolutely vital that we get 6 points or more from our next three games.
I think today?s game is pretty much irrelevant with regards to the cup competitions. But as far as the league season goes, I think you are underestimating the game.
Under Moyes, our lads have always enjoyed a good run. And struggled with losing runs. I think a result today could have an effect on the two upcoming games of the typical "could go either way" kind (Arsenal home and Boro away). 6-7th place this season will go at around 60 points, and there is a chance 70 will be enough for CL qualification. This makes particularly the "open" games very important. I expect us to beat Derby, Wigan and Sunderland and we will most likely not win at Emirates or Anfield. It?s absolutely vital that we get 6 points or more from our next three games.
Vinod Kumar
8 Posted 26/12/2007 at 13:10:13
8 Posted 26/12/2007 at 13:10:13
This is definately not the biggest gameof the season nor would the outcome of this match determine our strength. But this match would prove to be decisive in the long run. Getting 15 to 18 victories by the end of the season would ensure we enter a fight for euro qualification with the other ’pretenders’. We have already bagged 9. If we could get 10 before the New Year, then possibly we can ease a bit and get the remaining 8 victories from a possible 18.
Of course, it’s never easy, but mentally the players know that the workload has been cut out for them and they would be striving to achieve that target. In previous seasons, I might say that 18 victories and a point haul of 60 could get you to europe (18 x 3 = 54 + a few draws). But looking at the tough fight we are facing against Man City, Villa, Blackburn, Portsmouth, West Ham, Newcastle and evenTottenham, I feel that we should go for a point haul of 70 to 75. Victories are priceless, the more we get now, the easier it would be for us towards the end. And who knows, some of our competitors might lose form and we might even end up withCL qualification. The players would also feel less pressurized and wouldn’t panic on ’big’ games, there wouldn’t be a late surge for ’last bust of fire’ and many evertonians wouldn’t be having the same sad feeling as how they felt on the last game in 2003, the quicker we consolidate our position in the league the better for everyone, the squad, the gaffer, the fans.etc...And the it would be good if we could start this mission for victories on Bolton at Goodison!!!
Of course, it’s never easy, but mentally the players know that the workload has been cut out for them and they would be striving to achieve that target. In previous seasons, I might say that 18 victories and a point haul of 60 could get you to europe (18 x 3 = 54 + a few draws). But looking at the tough fight we are facing against Man City, Villa, Blackburn, Portsmouth, West Ham, Newcastle and evenTottenham, I feel that we should go for a point haul of 70 to 75. Victories are priceless, the more we get now, the easier it would be for us towards the end. And who knows, some of our competitors might lose form and we might even end up withCL qualification. The players would also feel less pressurized and wouldn’t panic on ’big’ games, there wouldn’t be a late surge for ’last bust of fire’ and many evertonians wouldn’t be having the same sad feeling as how they felt on the last game in 2003, the quicker we consolidate our position in the league the better for everyone, the squad, the gaffer, the fans.etc...And the it would be good if we could start this mission for victories on Bolton at Goodison!!!
Brendan McLaughlin
9 Posted 26/12/2007 at 10:32:17
9 Posted 26/12/2007 at 10:32:17
3 Points today is important but its not massive nor is it the biggest game of the season. Lars if we don’t win today our season won’t fizzle out because it there is one thing this team has in abundance its "bouncebackability". Why are we even having this discussion - of course we’ll win today.
Hope you all had a good Christmas. I did - I got flights & tickets for the Man City game. See you soon.
Hope you all had a good Christmas. I did - I got flights & tickets for the Man City game. See you soon.
Art Greeth
10 Posted 26/12/2007 at 16:52:52
10 Posted 26/12/2007 at 16:52:52
Sorry Lars, but I don?t follow your logic or thinking at all. Why should today?s game be any more MASSIVE or important than any of the other remaining 19 games??? If we had lost today and go on to win all the remaining games, it would be completely insignificant. All very hypothetical by me, but why should your original hypotheses be any more true than the one I offer here?
Maybe you think a loss would have been a dent on the team?s confidence ? I don?t know. I can only speculate, because you don?t justify your original statement that ?Anything but a win tomorrow, and I can see our league season fizzle out in a mid-table finish?. I don?t subscribe to such pessimism.
Nor do I understand why you charge me with underestimating today?s game with Bolton. I don?t do that at all. I?m a firm believer in respecting the opposition, but not fearing them. Now assuming you believe today?s game was MASSIVE because of the possible dent a loss could have had on our confidence, then the opening of your second post is also wrong. Whilst on one level you are correct in saying that today?s league game is ?pretty much irrelevant with regards to the cup competitions? ? obviously we cannot qualify for the Carling Cup final, progress beyond the third round of the FA Cup or qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Cup with the victory against Bolton ? but on the other hand, a second league defeat in four days could have dented our confidence and indeed impacted negatively on subsequent games, not only in the league but also the cup competitions.
As it is, we won. We have 33 points from 19 games ? that?s exactly half the league season and the three points gained today contribute to attaining as high a league position as possible. But that this Bolton game was somehow defining and that ?It?s absolutely vital that we get 6 points or more from our next three games?? Sorry Lars ? for the reasons stated in my first paragraph, that?s bollox.
Maybe you think a loss would have been a dent on the team?s confidence ? I don?t know. I can only speculate, because you don?t justify your original statement that ?Anything but a win tomorrow, and I can see our league season fizzle out in a mid-table finish?. I don?t subscribe to such pessimism.
Nor do I understand why you charge me with underestimating today?s game with Bolton. I don?t do that at all. I?m a firm believer in respecting the opposition, but not fearing them. Now assuming you believe today?s game was MASSIVE because of the possible dent a loss could have had on our confidence, then the opening of your second post is also wrong. Whilst on one level you are correct in saying that today?s league game is ?pretty much irrelevant with regards to the cup competitions? ? obviously we cannot qualify for the Carling Cup final, progress beyond the third round of the FA Cup or qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Cup with the victory against Bolton ? but on the other hand, a second league defeat in four days could have dented our confidence and indeed impacted negatively on subsequent games, not only in the league but also the cup competitions.
As it is, we won. We have 33 points from 19 games ? that?s exactly half the league season and the three points gained today contribute to attaining as high a league position as possible. But that this Bolton game was somehow defining and that ?It?s absolutely vital that we get 6 points or more from our next three games?? Sorry Lars ? for the reasons stated in my first paragraph, that?s bollox.
Erik Dols
11 Posted 26/12/2007 at 19:26:35
11 Posted 26/12/2007 at 19:26:35
Biggest game of the season or not, we won! Yay!
Nick Flack
12 Posted 26/12/2007 at 20:27:00
12 Posted 26/12/2007 at 20:27:00
My point was about showing our mental strength by not feeling sorry for ourselves about the last game, bouncing back and beating a tough side. It?s been lacking in seasons gone, thankfully, we had it in abundance today.
The biggest game of the season is always the next game anyway.
Therefore, the biggest game of the season is against Arsenal at the weekend.
COYB!
The biggest game of the season is always the next game anyway.
Therefore, the biggest game of the season is against Arsenal at the weekend.
COYB!
Brendan McLaughlin
13 Posted 26/12/2007 at 21:58:47
13 Posted 26/12/2007 at 21:58:47
FFS Nick. Not another "biggest game of the season". I can only take about 38 of these a year ( cup competitions excluded)
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1 Posted 26/12/2007 at 00:36:14
’’For sure, as Desailly would say on MOTD if Alan Shearer’s phone is switched off, Everton’s biggest game of the season is tomorrow against Bolton... ’’