Dear Brother, that would be nice, but one game at a time, eh? Methinks you're perhaps getting a bit ahead of things... And talking to Mancs?!? I thought I told you about that!

Well, since that wonderful cup final victory over the Mancs in 1995, I think we have only managed to beat them once... in 14 long and often pain-filled years. So a repeat of that would indeed be nice. But there are at least TWO massive games to be won before we can even contemplate such flights of fancy... and we could meet them in the semi-final (albeit at Wembley)... or our opponents could be any of five other teams...

Place your bets, please... !!!!

But do you seriously believe that victory in the secondary domestic competition will allow us to break the so-called big four stranglehold for good? How does that work then? And how's it been working for Portsmouth or Spurs?... whose iconoclastic victories in the domestic cup competitions last season led to pretty much... er... nothing.

What's required is consistency... and it seems that each season we are bedeviled with a bad spell that does in our hopes of ever really building on the progress that has been made. We need to start putting in full seasons of winning form, built on confident, trouble free pre-seasons... which seems now just as much of a dream as your imminent cup final.

While people crow about how well we are doing when we continue to drop vital league points to the likes of Liverpool and Man Utd, there is no chance in hell that we are going to be breaking up the stranglehold of the so-called big four. It requires a mindset that means going out confident of wining every game. We have that against most but do you honestly think we believe it when go out against Man Utd? I don't see it yet, I'm afraid.

As Kenrick #1 was obviously hypothetically talking about what could happen in the FA Cup Final then I would say to Kenrick #2 that it?s hardly Kenrick #1 getting ahead of himself!

It is as likely an outcome as any other right now. I also believe that a game between us and Utd would be the most entertaining.

Assuming we beat WHU or ?Boro then the SF draw is everything... I would prefer Arsenal (no matter who we get it ain?t gonna be easy!) but Chelsea and especially Utd would be the tougher games to play. And as I?m happy to just be in the final then I don?t really care who we play there but Utd would be the better game for neutrals and for us when we win it .... smile.

As amazing and brilliant for all concerned as winning the final would be I do agree with Kenrick #2 that we need to do more than that to "break the stranglehold of the top four"; however, in terms of consistency we?ve already had our bad spell for this season so let's hope, let's all be positive going forward and assume the incredible, exciting, fantastic, brilliant run we?re currently on will go through to the end of the season (and beyond) culminating in winning the final.

What a game that would be. Hypothetically speaking of course!!!!

COYB!!!!

If only our game is as elegant as Martin?s reply. But then again WTF. We just want to keep winning, right?

Michael

Agree with the "steady as she goes" philosophy. As for taking the field against the current English, European & World champions and feeling supremely confident, hmm, that might take a bit of time.

I?d settle for not being intimidated and I actually think, even against United, that?s close. We held our own there last season all but for a last minute silly by Pienaar. This season we were rather depleted, and to lose 1-0 to an iffy penalty is no disgrace.

I love the idea of breaking down the barriers. I, like you, have on occasions questioned Moyes?s ability to inspire our boys not simply to "get stuck in & fight for each other", but to actually take the game to the opposition, show some arrogance and prove that we?re ready. But to be fair I have seen signs of that also in the past few months.

To come out of 7 games against the top 5 with only 1 (very soft) defeat away to ManU, and to have not conceded more than 1 to anybody is, IMHO, damn good stuff and especially given the parlous state of our squad & injuries.

I think David?s point about doing ManU in front of a worldwide audience has merit. Portsmouth beat Cardiff (who, like West Brom, comprehensively outplayed them). Spurs only beat Chelsea in the micky mouse cup. Like it or not, ManU games attract the biggest numbers and locking horns with them in a cup final will do more for our brand Everton than simply beating a Cardiff (with all due respect to them & Dave Jones).

Anyways, whilst I prefer not to tempt fate but to keep my counsel and just see what happens when it matters, I wouldn?t deny David his chance to dream.

D Kenrick, I can only assume you are one sandwich short of a picnic.

People forget that back in ?95 Manchester had Cantona, Kanchelskis, Keane and other big names missing, as well as an injury to inspirational captain Steve Bruce early in the game. Add to this the heartbreak of losing the Title at Upton Park the week before and the side were hardly in the right frame of mind on the day, even with the antics of the said Cantona in South London still fresh in the mind.

Forward fourteen years and the Manchester United of 2009 is even stronger and better equipped than the side we beat in 1995, Rideout et al. The odds of Everton playing United in this year's final are slim although nonetheless plausible but suppose for arguments sake that the two teams did meet, I would not fancy our chances one bit. Too much has been made of late of how great Everton have been doing, we only stayed in the cup at Anfield due to Liverpool?s ineffiency to kill us off, and nobody seems to bring up the mess that the season was back in the Autumn, when Everton could not win an egg and spoon race let alone an FA Cup final victory.

It?s been almost fifteen years since we actually won anything at all, which whichever way you look at it, regardless of manager, is not good enough.

Don?t expect things to change this year.

Jeez Terry, I can’t argue with the facts you present, but talk about pissing on everyone’s fire.

When hope is lost nothing remains. Cheer up ffs.

The fact that Man Utd had loads of players out in 1995 is irrelevant, you beat what’s put in front of you. As for - "Forward fourteen years and the Manchester United of 2009 is even stronger and better equipped than the side we beat in 1995" - So are we!

They are a very strong side and we have yet to get past WHU or Boro, but if we can’t dream about beating them and lifting the cup, then why do we even bother?

COYB!!

I want to avoid Man U full stop.

I think we have a good chance against Arsenal and Chelsea, who I believe have a better chance than us to beat Man U.

And yes I know it's getting ahead of ourselves, but why not speculate?

Terry May

I was going to be facetious and suggest you cheer up as it may not happen, but I suspect it’s already happened. Dear me.

"Too much has been made of late of how great Everton have been doing, we only stayed in the cup at Anfield due to LiverpoolÕs ineffiency to kill us off, and nobody seems to bring up the mess that the season was back in the Autumn, when Everton could not win an egg and spoon race let alone an F.A cup final victory."

Hmm. How much do you think should have been made of a team ravaged by injuries, no forwards, playing teenagers, and lost only twice in 20 games?

In the cup at Anfield we were without forwards & our best midfielder. You may recall that precisely the reverse happened in the replay.

You may also recall that we recently sent an injury ravaged team to Old Trafford and lost by 1 goal to a very soft penalty.

More to the point, what the fuck has our poor form early in the season got to do with anything now, particularly the FA cup?

And in response to your last curmudgeonly prediction, things have already changed this season. If you don’t see any upside in what’s going on at Goodison at present then you’re living in a parallel universe.

No offence old boy, but you have to be the most miserable Evertonian I’ve ever seen. Assuming you are actually an Evertonian of course.

As previously mentioned, IF we beat them in the final that would NOT break the top 4 for good. If we consistently came in the top 4 season after season and got to finals on a regular basis, that would put us in the top 4 for that time.

If we got to the final against them ([that could happen) I couldn?t see us demolishing them! a final though is special and anything could happen (except us demolishing them). As a football fan, they are playing some fantastic football. Watching them against Fulham the other night they looked awesome.

As an Evertonian, I would love to face anyone else in the final as that would give us a far greater chance of winning the thing. To beat them in the final we would have to have a great day at the office and a fair bit of luck.

The best way of showing the world about Everton is breaking into the top four, not beating a top four team in a cup. That means absolutely fuck all!!!! The last team we want in the final (assuming we get there) is Man Utd.

In a previous thread, two replies stated that it would be "daunting" to meet one of the sky 4. Bullshit!!!

If there is one team they will want to avoid it is an Everton team and supporters who are really "up for it." To meet them at Wembley ie. neutral ground, suits us better. Arsenal are not what they were and are certainly beatable away from the Emirates. Chelsea Also beatable away from home. Man Utd. Bring 'em on!!!

Why do I say this? Only by beating the best can one claim to be the best. Are we ready? Who knows? We will never know until we get the chance to do it.

Do not become like rs who want to avoid every battle because they are scared of loosing. On the contrary. Accept and look forward to the battle with an excitement, resilience and determination. These things that make us Evertonians and stand proud knowing that what ever happens we shall give our best effort with pride and dignity.

So BRING´EM ON AND LET´S BE ´AVIN YER.

Don’t forget, 7 Jan 09. Derby 1 Manu 0. It was only slightly more than 1 month ago. We are talking about finals in May. Anything can happen between now and then. Manu looked invincible now; does not mean forever. We can manage and beat whoever cross us.

I do recall we were supposed to have no chance against Manure in 1995 but not only did we beat them we were the better team on the day!

Remember...it’s a funny ’ould’ game.

However, we have to get there first. Let’s not get the open-topped bus ready too early!

We have to be performing consistently well in the league if we are to break up the domination of the "sky 4", but we also want to be consistently getting to cup finals & winning a few too, hopefully!

Slightly off topic: we?ve only ever played Arsenal 3 times in the FA cup ? amazing considering the top flight history of both clubs; it?s long over due.

We get by the next round and I think the Gunners are in our future... just a feeling.

Nice prediction!