The Mail Bag
Best Season Ever?
Comments (13)
Amazingly the point against Aston Villa means Everton have now earned 62 points, which is their best ever Premier League total. Add to that the extended Uefa Cup run and reaching the Semi-Final's in the League Cup and some would say this could be the best season since winning the FA Cup. So why does it all feel like a bit of a disappointment? Maybe because everything was so near yet so far.
- We nearly made the League Cup final but were outclassed by Chelsea.
- We nearly made a UEFA Cup quarter final but were undone by our penalty curse.
- We nearly finished 4th but didn't have the legs to keep up with Liverpool.
- Yakubu nearly scored broke the 20 goals a season mark but for some reason he's decided to start his holidays early.
- We nearly finished 5th holding onto a Euro place but now it looks as though even that is going to slip through our fingers.
The boys have never recovered from that crushing Uefa Cup penalty defeat and far too many of them have given up early (Yakubu and AJ particulary have to be blamed because when we need goals the most they have both gone missing).
I really hope Moyes can figure out a way of getting a point at the Emirates and then a win against Newcastle. Everton have been great all season and deserve some reward.
For what has been arguably the best Premier League season ever its starting to feel like a real drag.
John Cottee, Posted 28/04/2008 at 08:23:00
Comments
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Chris Taggart
2 Posted 28/04/2008 at 14:54:43
2 Posted 28/04/2008 at 14:54:43
Villa need to win both remaining games with a greater goal difference and hope that we drop 3 or more points from the remaining games that is the only way they can grab 5th. All we need is 4 points from the last 2 games to put this beyond doubt. If you were Martin O?Neil would you prefer to be 3 points ahead of your (nearest rivals) for the 5th spot or 3 behind?
Yes, we have to face Arsenal next up but I?ll take the draw and a win against the Barcodes now. I can't see Wigan or West Ham rolling over for AV to stroll to victory given the prize money at stake. With West Ham looking for a top 10 finish, that game could be as equally tough for AV as it is for us v Arsenal.
Yes, we have to face Arsenal next up but I?ll take the draw and a win against the Barcodes now. I can't see Wigan or West Ham rolling over for AV to stroll to victory given the prize money at stake. With West Ham looking for a top 10 finish, that game could be as equally tough for AV as it is for us v Arsenal.
Andy Hudson
3 Posted 28/04/2008 at 14:53:26
3 Posted 28/04/2008 at 14:53:26
It is starting to drag and not be very enjoyable I?ll admit but you're right to highlight our achievements this season. In any other season we?d be already celebrating having secured a Uefa Cup slot, but this year has been a funny old one with the cup competitions. I think last season 7th got a Uefa Cup spot, this year its only 5th.
I actually think Villa won't win both games, but probably pick up 4 points. That leaves us needing to beat the skunks to secure 5th. They are safe, last game of the season, have nothing to play for, were at home. I wouldn?t give up hope just yet as we should beat them.
I?ll admit that since we were knocked out of the Uefa Cup its been hard to watch, but I?m pleased with our progress this year... even if I am praying for the season to finish now!
I actually think Villa won't win both games, but probably pick up 4 points. That leaves us needing to beat the skunks to secure 5th. They are safe, last game of the season, have nothing to play for, were at home. I wouldn?t give up hope just yet as we should beat them.
I?ll admit that since we were knocked out of the Uefa Cup its been hard to watch, but I?m pleased with our progress this year... even if I am praying for the season to finish now!
Robert Chan
4 Posted 28/04/2008 at 15:47:57
4 Posted 28/04/2008 at 15:47:57
Remaining fixtures for Everton: Arsenal (a) and Newcastle (h); for Aston Villa: Wigan (h) and West Ham (a). I believe Villa have an easier road and will pip Everton by winning both games. Everton may win the last game but will fall short.
Martin Cutler
5 Posted 28/04/2008 at 16:21:26
5 Posted 28/04/2008 at 16:21:26
I?m not so sure that Wigan and West Ham are easy games! However, given the current form of Newcastle, Villa?s last two games are probably a tad easier than Everton?s last two games. But that?s all on paper......on paper we should have beat Fulham, or Man Utd would have beaten Blackburn or Liverpool beaten Brum and so on.
We actually played well yesterday (all things considered) so if we can take that momentum into the last two games and with the Newcastle game being at home.... I can see us getting the 4 points we need to guarantee the Uefa Cup slot.
By the way.... just before Neville scored I see the ref missed a handball which should have resulted in a PK..... although given our luck with both getting and scoring from PK?s it was just as well Neville blasted one in the general vicinity of the goal!
We actually played well yesterday (all things considered) so if we can take that momentum into the last two games and with the Newcastle game being at home.... I can see us getting the 4 points we need to guarantee the Uefa Cup slot.
By the way.... just before Neville scored I see the ref missed a handball which should have resulted in a PK..... although given our luck with both getting and scoring from PK?s it was just as well Neville blasted one in the general vicinity of the goal!
Mike Williams
6 Posted 28/04/2008 at 16:43:39
6 Posted 28/04/2008 at 16:43:39
Any team with pretensions of finishing in the Europe placings should be capable of drawing with a top 4 team away and winning at home againmst a mid-table team. It shouldn’t have come down to this, but for me this is the real test of Everton’s progress this season. Let’s hope that they are "the real deal!"
Adam Carey
7 Posted 28/04/2008 at 16:59:29
7 Posted 28/04/2008 at 16:59:29
I too fear that we, at best, have 3 points left in us and that requires a real effort against Newcastle. Hopefully Wigan can pull out a result for their relegation fears but you’ve got to expect West Ham will be in holiday mode come the last day of the season.
I do think it’s a little unfair to rip into AJ and the Yak though. What are they supposed to do with long ball after long ball? Our midfield has clearly run out of gas so is being bypassed. In my eyes, we’ve got to play a physical game against the Arse and shut up shop as much as poss, before playing a passing game against the barcodes. Manny has one more home game to really prove his worth, and we’ve got to let him try by not hoofing it over him!
I do think it’s a little unfair to rip into AJ and the Yak though. What are they supposed to do with long ball after long ball? Our midfield has clearly run out of gas so is being bypassed. In my eyes, we’ve got to play a physical game against the Arse and shut up shop as much as poss, before playing a passing game against the barcodes. Manny has one more home game to really prove his worth, and we’ve got to let him try by not hoofing it over him!
Adam Carey
8 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:07:20
8 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:07:20
Shit, just checked the table and Wigan are safe!!!!
Barry Cass
9 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:20:06
9 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:20:06
John : Yakubu started his holidays early ??
He played quite well yesterday but once again didn’t have any chances created for him ! The only real attempts he had were ones he made for himself. Also the run for Neville’s goal was quality.
Fuck it lets get Marcus Bent back and have him and AJ running around like pricks with 6 goals between them !!
Unbelievable !!
He played quite well yesterday but once again didn’t have any chances created for him ! The only real attempts he had were ones he made for himself. Also the run for Neville’s goal was quality.
Fuck it lets get Marcus Bent back and have him and AJ running around like pricks with 6 goals between them !!
Unbelievable !!
Martin Cutler
10 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:20:58
10 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:20:58
Mathematically Wigan can go down still and they do have to play Villa and Man Utd!
If Brum win both their games and Fulham lose.............if if if, sounds familiar doesn?t it?
If Brum win both their games and Fulham lose.............if if if, sounds familiar doesn?t it?
Bill Mothershed
11 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:23:32
11 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:23:32
Well, one thing that cannot be denied after this glorious season is that David Moyes is our best manager since... well... Walter Smith!
Mark Pendleton
12 Posted 28/04/2008 at 18:30:00
12 Posted 28/04/2008 at 18:30:00
I bemoan the fact that sadly many fans are looking at the last half dozen games and making their assessment of the season. I agree with Barry Cass on the Yak by the way.
This has been a great season overall and the club and team continue to progress at a good rate. Hell, it’s only a couple of seasons since two consecutive top half finishes would be seen as major progress!!
Key to me yesterday was that we’ve played 13 games more than Villa and yes, it is showing. A sign of our European and Carling Cup success. Let’s build on this in the summer and hopefully make that extra step or two next season.
This has been a great season overall and the club and team continue to progress at a good rate. Hell, it’s only a couple of seasons since two consecutive top half finishes would be seen as major progress!!
Key to me yesterday was that we’ve played 13 games more than Villa and yes, it is showing. A sign of our European and Carling Cup success. Let’s build on this in the summer and hopefully make that extra step or two next season.
Chris James
13 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:55:35
13 Posted 28/04/2008 at 17:55:35
The disappointment is as inevitable as the lapse in form. As John suggests it really has been a case of the ?nearly? season on so many fronts but that in itself surely shows that we have made a real step forward.
Being genuinely diasppointed at being edged out by Chelsea in the semis of a cup, gutted after unjustly losing in the Uefa Cup on penalties after battering a leading Serie A side and furious that we have to pick up 4 points from the last 2 games to secure 5th and a second successive Uefa Cup run may represent a fair reaction to the level which Everton deserve to occupy in our slightly bias fan minds.
However, we have to be aware that the level at which the side have actually been performing in recent years (and by recent we mean the last 15-20 and certainly since the inception of the Premier League) is a helluva long way below that.
Even the most ardent half-empty fan (and I can sympathise with them in recent weeks) can?t argue that the team and the squad have improved both in talent and experience.
The team that finished 4th 3 seasons back were heroes to a man, but they were never of the quality to push on in the CL, even if we?d not had the bent ref, they were lucky to get that slot and battled to it with a negative goal difference.
This year we?ve got the 6th best goal difference in the league, have won more than everyone bar the top 4 and are genuinely 5th on merit. Indeed barring the confidence collapse and injury problems post Fiorentina we?d be challenging for 4th on merit too, would deserve our CL place and wouldn?t look out of place next year.
We?ve played some nice football times, bossed games against the lower sides and certainly not been mugs for the top 4 (although our record is poor, no-one has embarrased us - we out-played Arsenal for 45 minutes, could easily have taken 2 points off Utd and were robbed in the Batternburg derby).
Sure there?s been a bump and a little bit of perspective restored, but we?re still in with the best shout of the final Uefa Cup place and will end the season with our best points tally, an end to yo-yo league form and some genuine optimism for next year.
Being genuinely diasppointed at being edged out by Chelsea in the semis of a cup, gutted after unjustly losing in the Uefa Cup on penalties after battering a leading Serie A side and furious that we have to pick up 4 points from the last 2 games to secure 5th and a second successive Uefa Cup run may represent a fair reaction to the level which Everton deserve to occupy in our slightly bias fan minds.
However, we have to be aware that the level at which the side have actually been performing in recent years (and by recent we mean the last 15-20 and certainly since the inception of the Premier League) is a helluva long way below that.
Even the most ardent half-empty fan (and I can sympathise with them in recent weeks) can?t argue that the team and the squad have improved both in talent and experience.
The team that finished 4th 3 seasons back were heroes to a man, but they were never of the quality to push on in the CL, even if we?d not had the bent ref, they were lucky to get that slot and battled to it with a negative goal difference.
This year we?ve got the 6th best goal difference in the league, have won more than everyone bar the top 4 and are genuinely 5th on merit. Indeed barring the confidence collapse and injury problems post Fiorentina we?d be challenging for 4th on merit too, would deserve our CL place and wouldn?t look out of place next year.
We?ve played some nice football times, bossed games against the lower sides and certainly not been mugs for the top 4 (although our record is poor, no-one has embarrased us - we out-played Arsenal for 45 minutes, could easily have taken 2 points off Utd and were robbed in the Batternburg derby).
Sure there?s been a bump and a little bit of perspective restored, but we?re still in with the best shout of the final Uefa Cup place and will end the season with our best points tally, an end to yo-yo league form and some genuine optimism for next year.
With another 1 or 2 big purchases (Central midfield playmaker and holding player of real world class please), another 2 fringe youth/loanees to flesh out the squad (right back, and striker) and hopefully the return to fitness of Arteta, Cahill and Vaughan I see no reason why the progress can?t continue and we?d have to start the 08-09 with an expectation of silverware and/or a CL place.
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1 Posted 28/04/2008 at 14:48:05
Every year the league gets harder and tighter at the top and bottom. The reason being is that most of the top ten clubs are moving forward and making it harder for all involved. Everton are in there at the top of it leading the rear behind the Sky 4.
Its a different climate but we?re keeping up and ploughing on. We can build on it.