ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

A Point from Safety

After just 22 games, we are a point from safety ? doesn't this show how far we have come under Moyes? It's never entered anyone's mind the relegation fight or even being safe now. Pre-Moyes, we would have these points at the end of a season if were lucky.

What makes our improvement all the more impressive is the way that 6 or 7 other Premier League clubs have been taken over and have been splashing cash like wild fire!!! Some of these teams may have not been taken over, but have still spent a hell of a lot more than we have....

If Liverpool (even tho I think we're better than them), Man City, Tottenham, Portsmouth, West Ham, even Chelsea and Villa have improved, and we're still on their tails (even above most of them), that only has to magnify the job Moyes has done. If these take-overs hadn't happened, then our team would easily be a guaranteed top 4/5 spot minimum each season.

The only other team to perform to a high level and bring through youth (although never English!!) is Arsenal. Team spirit is priceless. That's what we have and always will have with Moyes at the helm.

NSNO
Charlie Percival, North West Posted 12/01/2008 at 23:09:07

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Rob Jones
1 Posted 13/01/2008 at 04:19:55

Well said mate this is possibly the most exciting season I?ve ever witnessed (although 04/05 comes close) and I?d like to add another high spending club to your list who are way below us, Spurs! Their fall from the table coupled with Liverpool not really improving that much while we are at the fastest rate in a long time means that I finally believe we can challenge for 4th regularly, as long as we get more backup especially in defense because Messi vs Hibbo just doesn?t look too good in my eyes.

Alex Baker
2 Posted 13/01/2008 at 09:16:38

Man Utd do have some promising talent too, Charlie, but all of the games we have left this season (other than mabye Arsenal away) I would be very disappointed if we didn?t get at least a point. If we can beat 3 of Tottenham, Villa, Portsmouth and Newcastle at home, we will be right up there.

James Elworthy
3 Posted 13/01/2008 at 10:26:28

I would say 39 pts is already safe as the bottom 3 clubs would only get a maximum of 35/36 on their current form.

Louis Huglin
4 Posted 13/01/2008 at 10:42:57

We have moved so far under David Moyes, and this hits the nail on the head; until I read this article I had not even considered the fact that safety had pretty much already been achieved this season. And we’ve still got four months to go! I am sure that many fans would be in the same position as me, not even thinking about relegation and safety, because Moyes has ushered in an era of looking up, not down. This is the most exciting season I can remember, better than when we came fourth; I cannot wait ’til I go up to Goodison to see the 2nd leg of what is only the second cup semi final Everton have been in during my lifetime! By the end of the season I can expect at least Uefa Cup qualification. I can hope for 2 major trophies and CL football next season - a little unrealistic perhaps but the proof that those are attainable is proof of how far Davey Moyes has taken this club forward. Long may it continue.

Peter Hall
5 Posted 13/01/2008 at 12:40:27

Good point Charlie but given that you are praising our success in continuing to compete with these takeover clubs, I think you ought to include the board, like it or not, as they have had to manage the finances while still letting Moyes improve the squad.

By the way, am I the only one that’s noticed how we’ve imrpoved steadily since a certain Mr. Gregg has moved on?

Colin Potter
6 Posted 13/01/2008 at 12:51:18

Peter, if it hadn?t of been for this Board of ours, the City of Culture celebrations would have been taking place in OUR stadium on the Kings Dock. Instead, we can look forward to total innocuousness at Kirkby!

Andy Callaghan
7 Posted 13/01/2008 at 13:06:29

Oh God.. tell me this isn’t going to turn into another bloody Kirkby debate!

Great post, Charlie. Spot on. A few seasons ago we’d have been happy with safety, and now it’s a great time to be an Evertonian.

Adam Carey
8 Posted 13/01/2008 at 13:37:03

Whilst I can agree with your point about how far we have come since David Moyes took the helm, can we please move away from this "safe from relegation" talk.
We should be looking at the possible points total expectation and where that leaves us in relation to European qualification. We don’t look down anymore, only above to see who we are chasing down!

Charlie Percival
9 Posted 13/01/2008 at 13:45:27

Adam, hence the purpose of this post.

?How far we have come ?

Preuk Sutheerawatthana
10 Posted 13/01/2008 at 14:10:17

Look at the current table, we?re behind the title chalenger by 12 points and are above the relegation zone by 22 points. So, it proves itself how far we have come.

Moyes has already done his Chapter 1 "Escape from relegation zone", and now he?s opening the Chapter 2, "Adding Silverware", for us.

Keith Glazzard
11 Posted 13/01/2008 at 14:27:49

?Know your history? seems to have become another club motto in the last few years. Any supporter of any club who doesn?t know - or conveniently forgets - should be reminded from time to time. Chelsea? A joke without the roubles. MU Fuck the Cup - Second Division Champions 1976 . Liverpool, just fill in your own personal favourite ..... I could go on.

So let?s not be like them. Let?s remember the hard times as well as the great, and every time we get past the 40-point mark in the future let us smile, possibly have a little drink and count our blessings. Hopefully some time before Christmas.

Lewis Barclay
12 Posted 13/01/2008 at 15:11:17

Agreed Moyes has done a very good job and although we may not have got any silverware yet I think we?re on our way to a few great seasons.

So looking forward postively: If we qualify for the CL next year, would we suffer the same fate as we did a few years back?

We?ve definately got a stronger squad, no question, but can we sustain regular top 4 finishes over the next few seasons, this soon?
I for one think that a last 8 in the Uefa Cup and 5th/ 6th in the Prem, plus at least a final in the Carling Cup would be excellent ?steady? progress this season and would allow us to continue to progress realistically next season, where we could mount a real top 4 challenge and aim for a good CL campaign the following season.

Jim Hourigan
13 Posted 13/01/2008 at 16:52:11

I suppose as somebody over the age of forty I can?t get that excited about this 40 point issue. I remember far too many years when we challenged and won trophies to get too excited about this. Yes its great to look at the top and not the bottom but we ARE A CLUB WITH A REAL HISTORY and settling for top 6 is not what we should celebrate.

Progress from the dire rubbish of Smith? ? without doubt.
Progress to winning things? Fill in your own answer!!!

Ram Gurung
14 Posted 13/01/2008 at 17:52:15

IF we had drawn with both Man Utd and Arsenal; instead of losing to them, we’d have been SAFE by now... AND just 8 points off the title race... just a thought...

Ottar Gadid
15 Posted 13/01/2008 at 18:21:50

Just have to say that we are closer to ManU and Arsenal than to Spurs, who were considered great CL material...

Aidan Wade
16 Posted 13/01/2008 at 18:35:56

Its worth bearing in mind that while other clubs have splurged this season, Everton are one of them having spent 20 million. It had to be done, and the money has been put to great use, but it’s poignant to note that many other PL clubs could not afford to have spent as much, are they doomed to spend a decade struggling?

I think we’re witnessing a key point in history of English top flight football, with the birth of a wealthy middle class who compete for 3rd through 8th. Everton have great fortune to be in the right place at the right time with the right manager.

Keith Glazzard
17 Posted 13/01/2008 at 20:32:23

Ottar is quite right - if anyone bothered to keep those start of the season predictions in every paper they could now look back to see Tottingham up there, and ourselves, well, invisible. That’s the press for you - London based? Surely not.

Aidan might be right about spending power in general (Rooney bought and sold, for example), but shite clubs like the RS and Newky (the broon that makes you sick) spend ten times more, for what?

Until corruption becomes official FA policy, our players can still do it for us. And they’re doing great just now.

Adam Carey
18 Posted 14/01/2008 at 11:32:56

Charlie, I appreciate your point but just detest this "we’re safe" mentality. Good post though.