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Mark Pakulak
1 Posted 01/10/2013 at 03:49:41
Excellent recap of the match Paul! Totally agree with all your assessments on the players. Watching from here in the States, it was like watching two completely different matches. The first was an old-fashioned butt kicking, and then the second was a real nail biter down to the last whistle. Three points and being the only unbeaten team is what matters, so bring on Man City........... our next victim! Go Blues!
Gareth Fieldstead
2 Posted 01/10/2013 at 04:07:46
Isn't Gibson fit Paul? Great summary. Being greedy I thought a fourth would have really turned it into a hammering. Not so long ago footballers, commentators, pundits etc would talk about a cushion of a two goal lead, now if it's Everton we need 4 to avoid heart attacks! Great start to the season and the bench looks so strong. A load of options if required. Hopefully Peanuts is fit on Saturday and they keep the run going.
Dick Fearon
3 Posted 01/10/2013 at 03:52:40
Well done Paul and Ken, a good game that made my 2.30 am alarm call well worth it but we could and should have scored more. Newcastle came to life in the second half, was that because we took our collective foot of the gas. I wonder?

Roberto's timing and use of subs were a bit too Moyes-like. Both of them see something in Osman that baffles me.

In the second half, Newcastle were easily dominating in the midfield and with a smidgen of luck could have won. At the 60-minute stage, Leon loses his edge and that's when he should be subbed. Alternatively, that is when he could be used as a super sub.

Jamie Sweet
4 Posted 01/10/2013 at 04:34:58
Mark Pakulak - I fear that you are getting a slightly false impression of what it's like being an Everton fan. It wasn't always this much fun you know!

I think to strike a balance, you should watch some footage of the Walter Smith era whilst sticking pins in your eyes so you get an idea of what we've been through.

Unbeaten in the league since you started following the mighty blues.though fella, so please don't stop watching. You are obviously a lucky charm!

Eric Myles
5 Posted 01/10/2013 at 06:20:21
My abiding memory of our last home game against Newcastle a couple of seasons ago was defending a 3-1 lead for the last 30 minutes camped in our own half.

So how refreshing to see us go out and try to add to the score sheet after half time, although still an anxious end to the game, especially with all the mistakes we made.

Danny Broderick
6 Posted 01/10/2013 at 08:24:55
Hopefully Gibson can fill in for Barry on Saturday...
Alan Humphreys
7 Posted 01/10/2013 at 12:52:59
Off topic but Eric (734) my abiding memory of the 2-2 draw against them was coming back to my Ford Focus to find the window smashed in and stereo gone (hope the knob who did it got what he deserved in life).

Thinking forward to Saturday, if Gibson is fit he'll slip nicely into the Barry Role, as Barry did himself to the Gibson role.

Finally, we have a real squad to choose from, one that has genuine starters and competition for places rather than those sitting on the bench, never a hope of getting a game.

Raymond Fox
8 Posted 01/10/2013 at 14:03:29
Thanks Paul, your right, they always give us the willies somehow, and my hearts not the best.

Just to go off topic, we've gone from 20/1 at the start of the season, to 7/1 now, to finish in the top 4, some change that!
I was joking with Kevin Tully pre season that we had no chance of a top 4 finish, its still a tall order but its looking like its a possibility!

Kevin Tully
9 Posted 01/10/2013 at 14:34:41
Ray - the bookies have ran for cover!!

We were 22/1 for top 4 before the Chelsea game, then 12/1 last night, now as you say they've lopped us down to 7/1.

A top 6 finish has come in to 9/4 from 6/1.

Sam Higgins
10 Posted 01/10/2013 at 14:42:46
Yes, I do giggle when our younger supporters see Everton 2013 as the way its always been.

Afraid not - imagine this, if you will, lining up against the red shite.

Steve Simonsen;
Mirch Ward, Carl Tiler, Marc Hottiger, Earl Barrett;
Claus Thomsen, Nicolas Alexandersson, Danny Williamson, John Oster;
Ibrahim Bakayoko, Michael Branch.

I'm just glad internet streams were not available back in the day, it was painful enough watching teletext reload every 2 minutes.

Sam Higgins
11 Posted 01/10/2013 at 15:00:09
Carl Tiler and Mitch Ward.
Oh God.
It was a double swoop, both players for about 75p.
Shudder, shudder.

Raymond Fox
12 Posted 01/10/2013 at 15:19:39
Yeah Kev, and muggins here hasn't had a bet on anything.
We've both been singing the praise of RM from the start of the season at that!
Couldn't really see us having a start like this though.
Harold Matthews
13 Posted 01/10/2013 at 15:24:41
You've definitely over-rated Howard, Jags and Naismith.
James Hughes
14 Posted 01/10/2013 at 16:52:33
Sam 893 Hell of a team there mate, I don't recall Barrett, is that 'cos he never got a game or has my memory gone? (The latter you obviously can't answer)

Branch's nickname was jigsaw because he went to pieces in the box, maybe we should pass that moniker onto Jelavic.

Bakayoko I have a soft spot for, as whenever I played league manager, on playstation, someone always came in and paid millions for him allowing me to rebuild.

Allow me to add Brett Angell to the subs bench please.

Michael Kenrick
15 Posted 01/10/2013 at 17:37:12
You don't remember Earl Barrett!!?!
Graham Mockford
16 Posted 01/10/2013 at 17:58:12
James

I think it was Stuart Barlow who first earned the sobriquet 'Jigsaw'.

As for Earl Barrett, we never saw the best of him at Everton. Bought by Joe Royle who had managed him previously at Oldham, he suffered a re-occurring knee injury which he played with for most of the time with us.

In his prime at Villa and Oldham he was a decent full back, strong and combative. Good enough in fact to earn three England caps.

James Hughes
17 Posted 01/10/2013 at 17:57:33
Hi Michael. no I don't, not at all, not even a shadow of a memory. I just looked him up on Google.

When he played for us coincided with both my children being born and being a Chef meant long weekends working at that time. I even had tickets for the 1995 FA Cup Final and couldn't get time off. Sold them to a southern Manc — he had a great time with us!!!

Paul Travers
18 Posted 01/10/2013 at 18:20:12
Earl Barrett, the opposition would drop off 20 yards when he had it because they knew he couldn't pass the ball! Good athlete mind... pity it was football he was getting paid for.
Jimmy Sørheim
19 Posted 02/10/2013 at 00:09:04
For me Mirallas has been a big let down so far this season.
He is nowhere near the form he showed last season.

Osman finally came back to life in this game, he had his best game so far this season.

Lukaku is our king, noone gets close to what he gives us.

I hope that at least Kone can find some form during the season, as Jelavic is a total mess.
I would pinpoint one negative thing, we seem to have less match fitness throughout the squad then when Moyes was here.

So it will take a bit longer for players such as Gibson, Kone, Pienaar and Mirallas to hit peak.

I can see a big difference in the lack of top fitness in this squad compared to Moyes era.

However, it is the results that matter, and if we can come away from Ethiad with at least a point I will be very happy.

I fear we will be crushed at Ethiad, citing the lack of 100% fit first team players.
The defence still shows rustyness despite being six games into the season.

I think we looked tired in the second half, and I think we will get punished against City, but I hope Lukaku can save us at east a point.

Too many soft goals conceded this far, I just think the whole squad needs at least 2-3 games before we can say they are properly top fit to handle a long season with very tough games.

As Barry is not able to play I fear Gibson will take his place, but as we all saw he is so far from match fit as can be.

As they say, now comes the acid test against Manchester City.

David Ellis
20 Posted 02/10/2013 at 05:34:30
Same (893)
Danny Williamson (Elvis) was a decent player - but injury did for him (he was injury prone before we bought him so quite what we were thinking I don't know - one of the reasons I am pleased when we swerve from players who don't pass the medical).

Earl the "Pearl" Barrett. Very quick. Could tackle like Tony Hibbert but could only dream of being able to pass and control the ball half as well as Tony. The fact that he had 3 England caps in the early 90s gives the lie to the foreigners in the Premier League being the cause of lack of decent English players. The cause is much deeper than that.

But you are right - a shocking team - no wonder we struggled to win a game back then,

Tony Marsh
21 Posted 02/10/2013 at 16:21:03
I don't get all this "Osman had his best game of the season" nonsense here and on other threads. It wouldn't be hard for Osman to improve on what he has shown so far this season but, the last time I looked, a football match lasted 90 minutes. Let me break down Osman's performance on Monday night:

Started off seeing plenty of the ball and made a few neat and tidy passes but none of them really damaging. Around the 30-mins mark, Osman was involved in some neat and tidy build-up play, none of it damaging; he got caught out and left his defender exposed at times as he got drawn more central. On the whole, a decent (but nothing special) 45 minutes.

Second half... erm, Ozzie, where are you, mate? Leon was absolutely goosed by 50 minutes and never did a thing apart from go too far forward and leave gaps. Around the 60-65-minute mark, you know Osman is totally shot when he keeps falling over or getting brushed easily off the ball. By 70 minutes, he totally faded and you would think he had gone home. Watch the replay and tell me I am wrong.

In my book, if a player stays on the pitch for the full 90 mins, he must perform for the full 90 mins to have had a good game. PLEASE stop defending Osman as he is a liability and has been for years. He went walkies on Monday night and he can no way last for a full shift – any more now than he could do in that disastrous FA Cup Final in 2009. Osman hasn't got any better or stronger with age, believe me.

Iain Johnston
22 Posted 02/10/2013 at 19:59:50
Graham 931. He was sent off on his debut at Newcastle. He never liked pushing forward. I remember we'd all (was it your brother Pete?) scream at him from the Glwadys! but, yeah, I thought he'd be useful too. Can't believe barndoor Barlow is my age now!
Ray Atteveld! thought he was Swayze!

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