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What a nice team

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Many years ago, I was at Goodison Park for the visit of Ipswich, I think it might have been a cup match. They were a fine side then and flying high. Our side were struggling and contained Rioch and Kidd, both past their best. I was a bad tempered game and we were aggressive and mouthy. We won 2-0.

Afterwards, Mick Mills described the young McMahon as a very mean player in a very mean team. Times have changed, football has changed, and Everton have changed. Last week, Saha was blatantly fouled and a penalty, a red card, and probably 3 points should have ensued; his response was to lie in the net for a while and then trot back down the pitch.

He should have been fucking outraged, chased the referee down, and told him why. It mightn't have changed that decision but it would have made him look more closely at the next one.

There is a difference between cheating and being aggressive and in the opposition's and referee's face. We don't seem to know what it is. We need less mild indignation and more anger.

I would love us to play like Arsenal (how they could do with more edge, though). I don't want us to dive or deliberately hurt players but at the moment we are the nearest thing in the league to Corinthians. Neville against Ronaldo and the Yak against Liverpool showed that it doesn't take a goal to raise the crowd.

No-one fears Everton or dreads visiting Goodison Park. I'd rather we were hated than damned with condescending faint praise.

Andy Crooks, Belfast Posted 19/01/2012 at 09:59:43

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Frank Duffy
929 Posted 19/01/2012 at 15:33:34

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Well said Andy. We never appeal for anything. Like youself love it when a fair hard tackle goes in and getts the crowd going. But these days we just accept whatever happens. No one cares and taht always starts with the attitude of the Manager and coaching staff. O for Dunc to be a qualified coach at Everton. We can but dream,,,,,,,,,

Danny Broderick
930 Posted 19/01/2012 at 15:54:04

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Aggressive and in the referee's face...

I agree with the 1st bit, not sure about the 2nd bit. For me, there's no worse sight in football than players crowding around the referee screaming and whingeing. Man United have done it for years. Off the top of my head Rooney was doing it with the Kompany tackle, and Charlie Adam was instrumental in Rodwell getting his marching orders. I also remember Gerrard suggesting a Red to get Hibbert sent off.
We should be aggressive and appeal for everything, I'm not sure about running after the ref and being in his face though...

Shaun Brennan
935 Posted 19/01/2012 at 16:19:55

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What get's to me is the team is full of pussies. We play a game, opposition player blatently cheating, yet the blues walk of the field and shake hands with the cheaters.

I would have loved us to sign Barton.

Tony Waring
940 Posted 19/01/2012 at 16:27:52

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It's decent referees we - and the game in general - need. There is no consistency and as long as the financial rewards remain the same things won't change in a hurry. Football is no longer a game; it's a big business in which anything goes. Sportsmanship went out of the window years ago. Anyone see Pepe last night against Barca ? He should get a life ban.

Steve Pugh
941 Posted 19/01/2012 at 16:25:12

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Personally I hate all the crowding around the ref and would prefer to see the Rugby system where only the captain can speak to the ref. Anyone else tries it and they get a booking. I now that they tried something similar with the respect refs thing but the refs were, as Shaun would say, pussies.

Equally Saha's lack of an appeal angered me because it showed how little he cared, but then Ossie got called a cheat when he appealed the other week after kicking the ground. I guess we can't win.

Jay Harris
949 Posted 19/01/2012 at 17:01:25

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There is something to be said for dignity but not apathy.

Shankly used to have the nearest Liverpool player to the ref shouting for everything and be right in his ear.

We send a video of all the bad decisions a few months later to the referees panel..

Jeremy Benson
953 Posted 19/01/2012 at 17:21:31

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I'd rather we just stuck the ball in the back of the onion bag in the first place.

This all has the tinge of "sour grapes" to me.

And I have to say, I cant think of anything worse than watching a team of whingers who spend the entire match gobbing off to the ref about every decision they don't agree with. Its pathetic, I see enough of it at non-league level (with being so close) and its a massive turn off. Luckily, the ref's are pretty handy with the cards for that kind of thing at the amateur level.

So, rather than big dunc teaching them atitude, I'd much rather he was teaching them how to beat the keeper.

Tony Cheek
964 Posted 19/01/2012 at 18:02:09

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Yes, I can see your point Andy, other teams would have been in the referees face at once, putting pressure on him. But we do things the Everton way, all blue eyed and smiling. Can you imagine Gerrard if that had been Suarez.

Dick Fearon
059 Posted 19/01/2012 at 22:36:23

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Tony # 964, Gerrard would be going berserk waving imaginary cards at the ref while Suarez would be giving his usual performance of a complete arsehole.

I was amazed when in the game against Stoke in a heated confrontation, Stevie GBH tugged on the refs shirt sleeve and did not get the slightest reprimand.

At the same time perhaps the ref was wary of being on the receiving end of a famous Gerrard pre-emptive strike.

Eddy Bernard
064 Posted 19/01/2012 at 23:12:18

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Danny @930 Totally agree... too many players cheat now and make the refs job impossible.

Refs should book any player who crowds them and send off any one waving imaginery cards, including managers.

Russell Buckley
086 Posted 20/01/2012 at 02:57:46

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Back in the day a mean team could really get stuck in and put the boot in. The modern day version of a mean team is a cheating and complaining one.

I'd be happy as long as our players never shy from a physical contest and actually play good quality football,

Stephen Kenny
094 Posted 20/01/2012 at 07:17:48

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If we were an international drug cartel we'd be headed up by Howard Marks and tickle people who didn't pay up.

Lynn Thorne
096 Posted 20/01/2012 at 07:21:19

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I've been saying this for a long time. Our team is too nice.
It was ok when we were winning and scoring goals - but we do need more bite.
How many times do our players jump up after nasty tackles and not play act. Yet the opposition do the opposite.
The game at Eastlands this season is a case in point.
They were leaving their feet in all over the place, yet we just got on with the game. They rolled over as if shot even if we just looked at them the wrong way.
Result - we had 5 players booked to their 1
The Ref? Howard Webb, who famously stated that if you want a free kick - go down!!!

Derek Thomas
111 Posted 20/01/2012 at 09:25:08

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Some one said ' Nice Guys come second ' If that's true we should squeeze in between the two Manc Clubs...or was it finish last..ooer missus

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