The Mail Bag
Prolonged Run of Form
Comments (12)
The players and manager continue to make me proud to be an Everton fan. Since that last ditch goal scored by Ashley Young back in early December, we have lost just 2 of the last 23 games (winning 13 if anyone is interested).
In that time, we have played the top 5 in the league 10 times, losing just once, that to a solitary Man Utd penalty in the league. We have played the RS 3 times, Man Utd x 2, Chelsea x 2, Arsenal x 1 and Aston Villa x 2. This underlines that we are making the step up against the teams at the top.
In some matches we have played superbly, in others not so, but one thing that has remained consistent is our results and this prolonged period of good form is outstanding. And this is in the midst of losing some of our best players. When we lost Arteta, I doubted how we would cope, but we have learnt to play without him and build on the run ? a testament to the players and the manager.
I do not think that we can take the foot off the pedal. Let's hope we can keep this mentality going until the end of May, since this run breeds confidence and, if continued, can see us over the winning line in the FA Cup.
Ian Short, Posted 23/04/2009 at 06:14:54
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
We could do with them getting to the Champs league final, then getting stuffed by Arsenal. That would demoralise them! All that matters though is how Everton play on the day!
Stats look good but what is worrying is that we haven’t won away in about 7 games (excluding Wembley and Pens)
I know we haven’t lost but we need to start winning away to get us on the way to winning at Craven Cottage for the first time in the Preimership on the last day of the season to go into the FA on a win
I know we haven’t lost but we need to start winning away to get us on the way to winning at Craven Cottage for the first time in the Preimership on the last day of the season to go into the FA on a win
As a football fan I’m hoping to see Barca v Arsenal in the CL final. That could be a classic.
Easy to think that if Chelsea have other diversions that will play in our favour. Frankly I’m not too fussed. I don’t expect them to beat Barcelona & they won’t win the league, thus what will be will be.
We could easily have won last night. And that’s not only with several squad players in the side, but still without Arteta & Yakubu. That makes our recent record against the top 5 absolutely incredible. I’m tempted to think we have arrived at a point now where we actually go out and expect to win, or at least not lose, regardless of who we’re playing.
On a slight tangent, I’m delighted to see the performances of Jacobsen and Castillo. If Moyes is being fair then both these boys warrant games between now and the season’s end. Osman looked wasted against United & my surprise that he wasn’t taken off then is exceeded only by my shock that he played last night.
Castillo’s performance, and the presence of Rodwell & return of Fellaini, should (I hope) mean Osman will be rested on Saturday. Likewise Hibbo’s recent uncertainty should be rewarded with a further rest based on Lars’ excellent job last night.
The jigsaw isn’t complete yet, but it does seem that we have become a very very good football team, and not just battling bastards who are hard to beat. Moyes is getting plenty of plaudits, but I’m wondering if Steve Round is perhaps starting to exert the influence that was expected of him.
BIG shame we can;t get 4th place, because I’m beginning to think we could have gone rather a long way next season.
Easy to think that if Chelsea have other diversions that will play in our favour. Frankly I’m not too fussed. I don’t expect them to beat Barcelona & they won’t win the league, thus what will be will be.
We could easily have won last night. And that’s not only with several squad players in the side, but still without Arteta & Yakubu. That makes our recent record against the top 5 absolutely incredible. I’m tempted to think we have arrived at a point now where we actually go out and expect to win, or at least not lose, regardless of who we’re playing.
On a slight tangent, I’m delighted to see the performances of Jacobsen and Castillo. If Moyes is being fair then both these boys warrant games between now and the season’s end. Osman looked wasted against United & my surprise that he wasn’t taken off then is exceeded only by my shock that he played last night.
Castillo’s performance, and the presence of Rodwell & return of Fellaini, should (I hope) mean Osman will be rested on Saturday. Likewise Hibbo’s recent uncertainty should be rewarded with a further rest based on Lars’ excellent job last night.
The jigsaw isn’t complete yet, but it does seem that we have become a very very good football team, and not just battling bastards who are hard to beat. Moyes is getting plenty of plaudits, but I’m wondering if Steve Round is perhaps starting to exert the influence that was expected of him.
BIG shame we can;t get 4th place, because I’m beginning to think we could have gone rather a long way next season.
I think that it could benefit us if Chelsea make the Champions League final. I believe that there are statistics to back up the theory that teams can experience a "Champions League Hang-over" the weekend after playing in Europe.
The Champions League will always be Chelsea’s priority so there will be no resting players or bringing them off early with one eye on the FA Cup if they do make it to the CL Final.
A gruelling game going into extra time with them completely screwing up a penalty shoot out would be ideal!
Having said this, after our performance at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, I think we have showed we have nothing to fear from Chelsea, and will be full of confidence come May 30th no matter what their schedule is prior to the game.
The Champions League will always be Chelsea’s priority so there will be no resting players or bringing them off early with one eye on the FA Cup if they do make it to the CL Final.
A gruelling game going into extra time with them completely screwing up a penalty shoot out would be ideal!
Having said this, after our performance at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, I think we have showed we have nothing to fear from Chelsea, and will be full of confidence come May 30th no matter what their schedule is prior to the game.
Hopefully both RS & Manure will stumble to a couple of draws so as to give Chelsea a bit of false hope for the title & then they?ll win the CL after extra time & overdo it a bit on the celebration front - that should leave them nicely prepared for the Cup final!
TBH, iI?m hoping that, if they win CL, the Cup will seem somewhat of an irrelevance to them.
TBH, iI?m hoping that, if they win CL, the Cup will seem somewhat of an irrelevance to them.
Great article, needed to be said Ian. We are so close to overtaking one of the CL teams through our quality, togetherness and team spirit. I’m really hoping that for all the strength of the teams above us they have got a hard job keeping their teams together. United have problems with discipline and big egos and their manager and experienced players are approaching the end of their careers. Arsenal have players who need to step up to the demands of the premiership. Nice football doesn’t work at a wet and windy Blackburn on a bumpy pitch. Chelsea will need a new manager and have problems with their playing staff, player power and international class sulking. Ashley Cole looks shagged out, but then he would be wouldn’t he? As for Liverpool a team of psychiatrists are on hand for the manager around the clock and the club like United have issues in the boardroom. They are a two man team with a dodgy keeper. Next year we can do it. COYB.
Our results have been nothing short of superb in the second half of the season...but to suggest we are close to a champions league team....’through our quality’...denotes a clouded subjectivism and or ignores the football we’ve been playing.
Subjectivism ? Ciaran, this ain’t just about personal impressions. Getting to the Champions League is all about results, and what Ian’s piece reminds is that objectively, we have been performing at Champions League level for nearly six months now. If you were to wipe out the first couple of months of the season, we would probably be in the top 4 - despite having to cope with injuries to key players.
I completely agree Nick... However the poster I was refering to, specifically used the word ?quality?... and I?ve seen others use it recently... whenever our last 8 or 9 games (1 half against villa aside) have been anything but quality..therefore In my opinion, this adjective is a little misplaced...
There?s a hell of a lot to be happy about... but lets not let that cloud our vision of the things that still need a hell of a lot of work... we are getting there.
There?s a hell of a lot to be happy about... but lets not let that cloud our vision of the things that still need a hell of a lot of work... we are getting there.
Sorry Ciaran but if I had excluded the word quality I feel many Evertonians would rightly complain. My point was in the game against Chelea we played in Jo three times, Cahill once and Pienaar once on the floor against the most expensively assembled team of all time. Your objection is churlish. Our defending is certainly quality too, Not all concepts of quality in football rest on us playing it about like Arsenal. Against Blackburn we tried manfully to play it about and were kicked off the park, ditto Portsmouth.
No-one would object that our defending is quality...but our offensive play is certainly not. It is dogged, resolute - sometimes briliant and sometimes incompentent. There is no consistency on the better end of the scale to label it ’quality’.
You’re example of playing ’Jo in three times, Cahill once and Pienaar in once’ - simply goes to show where your argument is flawed...They fluffed all six.
That’s not being churlish - that’s being objective.
You’re example of playing ’Jo in three times, Cahill once and Pienaar in once’ - simply goes to show where your argument is flawed...They fluffed all six.
That’s not being churlish - that’s being objective.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 23/04/2009 at 05:40:08
Report abuse
From our point of view the lads would've taken a lot of confidence from holding Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (again) in a game the Londoners had to win.
From a Chelsea point of view, I fear we've now taken away their focus from the league. Ideally I wanted them pushing for the title right up until the final league game, but with Hiddink admitting the cups are now his priority he'll be able to keep his top players fresh for the final. Will Moyes be able to do the same for the likes of Cahill whilst giving Vaughan and Saha much needed match practise? I hope so.