Can't believe I'm saying this, but a game set up perhaps for Osman to come on later... although Swansea's pressing game and Lee Mason's white eyes seem destined to see him pushed off the ball relentlessly.

The perfect test for Martinez: how to structure a win against very evenly matched opponents he knows only too well... a fascinating prospect for the second half!

Mirallas continues to make me tear my hair out, for a player who has supposedly so many skills and tricks, why can he never deliver a good final ball??

Barkley has been having one of those 'learning curve' games so far, fair enough great effort after a great run but he needs to command the show more often. Pienaar been in and out the match so far. I think we need more consistency from the wingers/wide men.

WOOOOOW... Coleman doing what you would expect Miarallas to do. Fuck offffffffffff — how are we letting this shit Swansea side score here, this is the worst Swansea side since they came up. Come on, Everton, if your serious of getting 4th, you got to be winning these types of games.

Swansea have been there for the taking. Now Pienaar has gone down injured, we badly need January to come here, Barry is a game away from suspension too. Mirallas going off for Naismith, says it all really about how much Mirallas has deteriorated this season.

I think it is time Vellios got some game-time as a sub here, or we will draw AGAIN.

And FFS, Mirallas — learn to look up and pass the ball instead of going for glory.

Leighton who?

If we can get 10 points from 12 over the Christmas period, we will definitely be in contention.

I've noticed, especially in the Liverpool game earlier, and one or two more times since, we would've put a lot more teams to bed if we were a little bit less selfish. Instead on shooting, an easy and simple pass/tap in would've been sufficient.

All that aside... great view from cloud 9! :)
COYB :)

Two world class goals, Coleman was a Brazilian right back today. The interviewer only let Martinez discuss Barkley, and equal praise should have gone to the farmer.

Food for thought: that if he was fit, it probably would have been Baines who took that free kick.

Well done, Blue Boys... week-in & week-out this season, you astound me — we are THE team to watch! Marvelous.

Amazing strike by Coleman. Has to be MotM. Wonderful free kick taken by Barkley.

Keep looking up! Great hard won 3 points.

First half was poor but we stuck at it. Coleman and Barkley were excellent. Top 4 to stay, hopefully. COYB !!!!

ps: What a player Coleman is!

Chelsea vs Arsenal
Chelsea vs Liverpool
Man City vs Liverpool

All to come on, or before, New Year's Day. Everton top by the time we go back to work?

The run of games after Arsenal had 7 winnable matches. 2 down 5 to go :-)

Give our manager the crown jewels for a 10 year contract, spend £30m on 2 class players if we can find them in January, and it's Europe here we come.

And with the games now to come. 2 visits to GP and 1 to Stoke within a couple of weeks. I dread to think where we could be. Dread to think.

In fact...

It should be the goal of the Squad looking at the fixture list.

HOLY SHIT!

Surreal....

Great win today. Hope Arsenal win tomorrow to knock the RS off the top and keep us in the top 4.

Next up: Sunderland.
Only three points taken from the last eighteen available. 17th in the Premier League form table. Three draws and three defeats in their last six games.

Then: Southampton
Supposedly having a good season, with Pochettino apparently working wonders. In reality, they've taken just two points from the last eighteen and are bottom of the Premier League form table. Two draws and four defeats in the past six.

Best defence in the Premier League, and two points off the top of the table. We have a very important transfer window opening in a few days, I trust Martinez has something up his sleeve, especially if we lose Jelavic.

We are not relying on one goalscorer though, and that my friends indicates we are playing as a team should. Lukaku has been very average the past month, so it's bollocks that we will suffer if he has to go back to Chelsea, we clearly need another striker this window to seamlessly take that role on next season.

My only worry is keeping hold of Martinez, but I think the fact he has full control of the playing side is a big plus for him at Everton. He must look at Spurs and think feck going to a club like that.

It's a blue Christmas this year lads - seasons greetings to all blues, wherever you are in the world.

Oh, and Ross, was just mucking about before. All jokes.

Great result today, and if we can keep up these good performances over the next few games there's no reason why we can't be seriously considering a top-4 finish come the end of the season.

Tell you what, though, them dickheads on Sky and BT sport are getting on my fucking tits now with their ridiculous "Moyes should have bought Barkley instead of Fellaini"... Cretins. He wouldn't give the kid a run in the side when he was manager. Don't these morons do their homework. Barklay is becoming the gem he is because of this brilliant young manager we've got another master class from this brilliant young footballer.

God, it's good being a blue! The only worrying thing for me today: the form of Lukaku. I thought he was piss poor and I don't know what game Niall Quinn was watching. Still, it's another win and keeps us riding high!!!!

Laudrup is an arse; RM is Santa Claus

The only sickener was the goal Swansea got. I hope we learn the lesson of not falling asleep.

Long way to go, but we this season could be very special.

"Last season we won 3-0. Therefore our new manager is nowhere near as good as the old manager."

Lukaku looks tired and not up to it.

I hope it goes over quick, but Martinez has to start rotating a lot more in this hectic period or the players will suffer come January.

Man Yoo have done it for years, also could it be that we have a manager who wants to win, not hold on to what we've got.

Don't know if you've noticed, mate, but most teams are currently "lower teams" in relation to us. Speaks millions!

Great result, great goals in what was a game if chess first half but as soon as it became a game of football in the second half there was only one team going to win it. Own goal was nearly a bullet in the foot but we got away with it.

Great spirit and ability in the squad now. We need to smarten up in the final third but I'm sure RM knows that. I also believe this could be a special season.

Best wishes to all blues everywhere.

Don't entirely agree on the Lukaku point. He is still getting into good positions, but the service is either poor or the team mates are being greedy. Against Fulham both Mirallas and Del choose to shoot instead of square. The same from Mirallas today. Bobby has to get into them that the ball has to come otherwise you kill the striker movement. Head up lads.

Up the Blues.

The one player who I am almost done with is Mirallas. Selfish beyond belief. It is a team game and how anyone at this level can be so blind to his team mates is quite astonishing. He needs taking aside for a quiet word or replacing come January.

I'll keep saying it, we are title contenders.

Keep it going Blues!

If you watch the movement of anyone in the centre, when Mirallas gets the ball 30 yards out in the last third, no-one makes any runs, because they know what is going to happen: try and beat the man and shoot...

A stern bollocking is required. Fine if your name is Messi but Lukaku's body language says it all when Mirallas gets the ball.

I think this is the longest any side in the Prem has gone unbeaten so far this season. Long may it continue.

Is it Sunderland next on Boxing Day? I'm sure we put 5 past them once before on Boxing Day. Can lightning strike twice?

Always remember, you don't feel tired when you're winning!

Are you hoping to see new trophies on the wall
Are you smiling at the beautiful football
Do you hope to be at Wembley
when our captain lifts the cup
So good to see the Blue Boys on the up.

So here he is Bobby Martinez
Everton are having fun
could be a bright future now
for all at Everton

I'll get me coat...as they say.

There's nothing for it — I think I'll have to watch that second half again!

This kid has been an absolute steal at £13 mil. And I’ll bet you a pound to a pinch of shite there’s a few managers kicking themselves they never took a chance on him. Then again, I’ll bet you were a lover of the that other big galoot who couldn’t get up the East Lancs quick enough — and hasn’t that worked out well for him so far? He’s currently in hospital in Manchester getting the splinters out of his arse, he’s been on the bench that much...

You’ve got to say the Toffees haven’t half struggled without him, haven’t they. Peter, my old mate, have a look at the table. It might bring a smile to your miserable gob.

Fuck me even Roberto Carlos couldn't do that.

Better second half from both teams but still a mixed bag. Barkley had one of his less effective games but the free kick was awesome. Mirallas flattered to deceive as usual, but still looked our most threatening player. Lukaku continues to disappoint. Yes I know, we don't pass to him, but then he's not that good at finding space. Wins barely anything in the air and has an awful first touch. I'm beginning to see why Mourinho isn't convinced.

On the upside, Barry and McCarthy provided the usual solid base, Seamus was awesome in attack (though poor in defence) and despite the unfortunate own goal, it looks like we have a minor gem in Oviedo. Apart from a heartstop moment at the end, Distin was also his usual excellent self- even beginning to look a bit more comfortable on the ball too.

Still no mention on sky about our title credentials. It's all about top 4, even though we are 2 points off top, most clean sheets, fewest goals conceded, only 1 defeat, unbeaten in 10. I am only thinking about getting to the top right now, a good January window would only cement my view. No one is gonna run away with it this season, it is set up for a consistent side like ourselves to come from nowhere and win it. Aim for the stars and we might reach the moon.

This kid has been an absolute steal at £13 mil. And I’ll bet you a pound to a pinch of shite there’s a few managers kicking themselves they never took a chance on him. Then again, I’ll bet you were a lover of the that other big galoot who couldn’t get up the East Lancs quick enough — and hasn’t that worked out well for him so far? He’s currently in hospital in Manchester getting the splinters out of his arse, he’s been on the bench that much...

You’ve got to say the Toffees haven’t half struggled without him, haven’t they. Peter, my old mate, have a look at the table. It might bring a smile to your miserable gob.

On Paddy Power, we're now 25/1 for the league.
Happy days.

Two stunning goals and some good all round performances.

Keep it up boys!

Get the points on the board to keep the momentum going.

I thought Swansea raised their game today, probably the ex-manager factor, but once again the spirit shone through epitomised by the outstanding Coleman. Even after their fluke equaliser, he drove forward in the teeming rain, helping to create a 2nd goal and with his attitude infecting the side, we got what we deserved. A mention for Oviedo too, the biggest compliment we can pay him is to wonder if he loses his place when the country's best left back returns! I'm glad I don't have to make the decision but I trust the great Roberto to get it right.

McCarthy has protected our back four, allowing our full backs the freedom to attack. That is why we are winning games with so many attacking options while still having the best defence in the league. McCarthy is key to that as well as pushing forward when it is really necessary to take risks and go for the win. Like today.

Should be above the scum by next week. Can't wait. COYB

I don't exactly think he is pulling up trees right now but I'd be tempted to play him up front where his selfishness might be an asset and where he can hardly be less effective than Lukaku right now, who possibly needs a break.

The only reason we wont make the top 4 this season will be our lack of squad depth compared to the competition. Let's hope Martinez's "let's go for it" positivity is infectious enough to make Bill back him in January!

Not enough depth on the bench for the middle or up front Naismith has only ever been average, Jelavic can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo, Osman variable, Deulofeu out for 6-8 weeks, Kone probably out the season.

If we can get a decent midfielder and forward (difficult in January), then we'll have a great chance.

BOOM !!!!!!!!!!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8qWLvfiqbyA/UrckE7eF-NI/AAAAAAAABH4/iY9ojhD_wCc/s0/22-12-2013-GifNumber-15.gif

We were top, they were bottom.

They went 1-0 up (soon after the start I think) but we stuffed them 4-1.

That day was just about the best EFC performance I have seen.

We were like a machine.

Bracewell, Reid, Trevor Stevens, Andy Gray - all were brilliant.

I was in the Gwladys Street End that day and remember some of the passing between Bracewell, Reidy and Stevens.

Let's hope for the same again.

You would'nt think the same player has made telling contributions against Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal recently.

Judging by some of the remarks you'd be forgiven for thinking he is surplus to requirements in same way Baines is now casually dismissed as transfer fodder.

Agree that we badly need 2 or 3 decent new players in Jan. they obviously have to be good enough, the question is can we find them?

BK should be as excited as the rest of us, no doubt he is, and be prepared to dig deep into the coffers, because we have a very serious chance of top 4 this season, especially with some reinforcements.

Got to mention Barry is still quality we've got to get him tied up for a couple of seasons him and McCarthy make a good partnership and do a great job protecting our defence, good base to build on.

Yes, because Lukaku is playing poorly right now and in among the bad decisions, Mirallas still looks more likely to score.

I think Barkley, more than anyone, appreciates being at a club who love him and playing for a manager who has enough confidence in him to give him plenty of playing time and encouragement to learn his trade.

If not, then Fellaini also serves as a very good warning that the grass is not always greener.

Why would Ross want to go and sit on the Utd bench watching Shrek in his position, and judging by his thinly disguised tweet, he does not like the way Moyes treated him. Also, we are sitting 6 points above them and playing the type of football that suits him. This is also an insult to the manager who wouldn't be that stupid to sell a young man of his potential and the club are not in dire straits, as Man Utd are with crippling debts. I just wish dickheads would stop picking on Everton with stories of Barkley, Coleman to Arsenal, Baines etc. Why don't they speculate on Suarez to Man U or Aguero to Chelsea? Total wankers

Hard to criticized any one player even Lukaku who worked hard without much to show for it.
Was in perfect position to score if Miralles hadn't been selfish.

Going into Xmas. Everton are in a great position to cement their position in the top four maybe at the expense of Redshite who may find it hard to take maximum points against City and Chelski.

The wee Spanish genius.

But, in saying that, another 3 points and we didn't hit top gear.

ps: A disgrace that Coleman didn't get Man of the Match award.

Some wet nellies on here moaning about how the nasty men keep saying really nice things about Ross Barkley just so the bullies will notice and come and sneak him away! Please get a grip.

Mirallas makes some poor decisions at times but it is ridiculous to suggest we would automatically be better off if he was dropped. He made one chance himself by working hard to press Flores.

Lukaku is still working hard and occupying defenders even when he is not actually receiving the ball. Trust the manager to know whether he is happy to soldier on or ready for a spell coming off the bench.

McCarthy had a decent game but giving him credit for an assist for Seamus's goal is technically correct but over-egging the actual contribution. His run that led to the free-kick, however, was exceptional but I think he could do that more often in games than he has been. Still more to come from the young man and that is very exciting.

We won't be considered as genuine title contenders until we have actually opened up a gap between us and the richer clubs. That isn't bias as much as it is common sense. We have a chance of winning the league but, as the playing field isn't exactly level, it is still less of one than the likes of Chelski and Citeh.

The manager himself said today all we are doing is concentrating on winning games and accumulating points and that April will be the time to really consider what we can achieve this season.

The best thing for me is that even when we have some bad luck, play badly or giveaway a lead we just seem to turn up a gear and try to play our way out of it. In some ways, today was even more impressive than if we'd comfortably turned them over 3-0.

Only shame is that we didn't hang on for a couple more minutes against our neighbours for a richly deserved win... we'd be looking down on them (and the rest of the Premier League) right now. Still, it's a marathon not a sprint and we don't want to hit the front too early! ;-)

There is a new kid on the block and he's kicking butts.

Baines, Barkley and Mirallas playing behind Lukaku would frighten the life out of most defences, and we could give Pienaar a rest as well.

None of these things are insulting or disrespectful (except for OFM who overlooked the lad last season and in the summer), unless you are determined to be insulted and/or disrespected. People are simply sitting up and taking notice of a burgeoning young player,and doing what they are paid to do which is to make comments about such things.

Would people really be happier with "Nothing much to talk about in that game, let's talk about something else."?

I am finding the constant griping very tedious.

All I want for Xmas, and the New Year, is for that Prestonian gobshyte Lawrenson to continue to predict our demise each and every game. Keep it up, Lawro, you're doing yourself proud... yer nob.

These things matter, whether it be in terms of attracting players or getting borderline refereeing decisions in your favour. I'm glad most people here don't take your acquiescent approach.

For fuck's sake, surely even you must get irritated by Evertopn FC being spoken of as a feeder club, who 'punch above their weight'? If not, then we have no point of contact. As Bob Dylan said, you go your way; I go mine.

Give him proper service, into his stride, going forward. Great team spirit, no 'fancy dans'.

We and our players are being talked about because of the quality of football we are producing, and the team and the manager are getting a lot of deserved praise and credit.

Why get upset about the rags speculating on who may be interested in who? They do that to sell copies and it doesn't influence the people who actually make the decisions (the chairman, the manager, the players themselves).

You are getting upset over perceived slights (tone) rather than actual quotes and choosing to dwell on this rather than simply ignoring the nonsense and enjoying the good stuff. You may be in the majority, but that is only because 'misery enjoys company'.

And don't you dare apply some cod-psychology about 'misery enjoying misery' to me.

When they talk about Spurs or Newcastle they constantly gush over their victories and talk about those clubs as if they have always been at the forefront of the English game, when in truth for the majority of the last 50 years they have achieved very little in comparison to Everton.

This notion has been exacerbated in the Premier League era and shows no signs of dissipating in the near future. The media have an image of Everton FC as a club and they do their utmost to promote their view of it.

If you compare the coverage of our neighbours since the start of the Premier League to the coverage that we have received in that period - if you didn't know any better you would think that we were a club comparable to Tranmere Rovers and that they were as big as Real Madrid.

Whether these constant remarks are implied or actual is not the point as it is the constant flow of it that creates a perception in the public's mind.

However, ask any genuine football supporter who regularly attends or is knowledgeable about the game and many if not most of them will have a healthy respect for Everton FC.

If by some miracle Everton FC were to become Premier League Champions in 2014 - the media's peddling of Everton as small fish in a big pond would undoubtedly continue as it has for the past 20 years. So the best way to stick two fingers up to the self-righteous, self-serving idiots is for Evertonians to get right behind this present side and see how far we can go.

Happy Christmas and may the revolution continue.

Like you I hanker for OUR club to once again be counted as among the biggest in the country (and Europe and the world) but to choose to be slighted by what are actually compliments is pointless and rather self-pitying.

I choose to accentuate the positive even if you think that makes me a traitor of some sort.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all ToffeeWebbers!

That is exactly my point Patrick.

I am not interested in what the idiots lap up and believe and I don't know why anyone else is. I only have respect for those who have the sense and ability to look at the facts and make up their own mind.

The biggest danger of Ross leaving is having an agent who wants to collect on a big pay day and screw everything else. He needs to consider the fate of players joing supposedly 'big' clubs. Pienaar disappeared down the plughole at Spurs till we rescued him. Arteta has won nothing more at Arsenal than he would have done here. Rodwell has probably had his career destroyed by City. Fellaini is quite likely to be destroyed by Utd. We are putting Barry back on the World Cup radar, yet he was buried at City. Same with Lukaku and we may even get Delboy on the WC radar ahead of time.

Then think beyond players we have or have had who have joined 'big' clubs and have seen their career go into reverse double quick. The risk might be worth it for a player if we had absolutely no chance of CL but it seems to me we have a pretty good chance. Plus we have the best team spirit of any of the top teams.

Along with all the other internationals, we have 4 recent English internationals, 3 of whom will probably be at the WC. So Everton can be, usually is, good for your career.That's the message we need to get across.

So, knowing OFM's track record, he'd wait until a winger or DM is unavailable and slot Ross in, he'd be unfamiliar and out of match practice and wouldn't be enjoying or excelling, so would be benched again. He'd probably get some League Cup games but for certain, his future would suffer whereas he's already been capped at Everton.

God, I hope Ross reads these posts...

The total disregard for what Everton FC want and more importantly, what Ross Barkley wants betrays the London, ex-red media bias we have to endure and we never hear any other top 6-7 club mentioned with such contempt. If that doesn't annoy you then you haven't got Everton in your soul. I'd say what a miss it was for Barkley.

Agree with comments saying the players don't look as fresh as they might do at the minute, but there's not much that can be done about that. I was a bit disappointed not to see any young attackers on the bench yesterday. It would be nice to see someone from the youth set up looking to break through.

Its easy to massage the ego and suggest to a good yound talent that his career will benefit from moving to one of the sky darlings. This seems now to be received wisdom, which is perpetuated by dullard pundits and the media at large. At very least this puts doubt in the minds of players and is a big worry for me.....file under 'getting their heads turned, I detest the thought of our club being used as a stepping stone.

Your argument against players moving is sound, but since when has logic really been enough? Only Rooney in recent times has gone on and really developed, and I firmly believe he would have done likewise had he stayed with us. Im of the opinion that only a regular champions league spot with a consistent challenge for these places will keep the vultures from our door. We know how hard this is. Im not suggesting Ross will go in the summer but if we don't stay close enough to the top table, he like other young guns will eventually move on.

I just saw red and to my shame launched an expletive laden tirade at him, I'm just so sick of the media whores who keep saying this crap about our players, why can't they just focus on the fact that we are playing well and doing great things on the pitch, that we are looking like we back challenging like we always used to instead of trying to fulfill their own shady agendas by attempting to unsettle our players and force moves.

Savage has seriously gone down in my estimation and so has that tool Redknapp, I am just so fed up of it all......

I just saw red and to my shame launched an expletive laden tirade at him, I'm just so sick of the media whores who keep saying this crap about our players, why can't they just focus on the fact that we are playing well and doing great things on the pitch, that we are looking like we back challenging like we always used to instead of trying to fulfill their own shady agendas by attempting to unsettle our players and force moves.

Savage has seriously gone down in my estimation and so has that tool Redknapp, I am just so fed up of it all......

He is an absolute idiot. I do not listen to 606 anymore when he is on... anything he has to say is worthless.

Great win yesterday — 2 great gaols scored by 2 great players... great team... great Manager.

Blue Christmas to everyone, said Tiny Tim (Cahill)

Rodwell
Sinclair
I'll even throw Phil Jones and Chris Smalling into the list. How many times do we have to see top class potential go unfulfilled?!

Tossers!

Anyone pondering the opinions of Savage (on ANY subject) should simply consider the following.

Every single day of his life, Savage can choose to go to a barbers and say 'short back and sides'

But every single day of his life, he..doesn't.

That's all you need to know really - that the brain that comes up with his football opinion, is the same brain that each day tells him "Robbie, when you leave the house today, make sure you look just like a backward rustic Welsh farm-girl from the 1940s."

In the drawer marked "tired old cliches", they'll pull out "sleeping giant" and pick a comfy seat on the bandwagon.

Pricks.

All he meant was that OFM must have known how good Ross was. He was implying that he shouldn't have wasted £26 mill (up front) with another £1m in staggered payments and £80k a week on that massive headed Belgian freakshow when he could have tried to get this gem that was playing in our reserves, and had barely signed his first pro contract (£20k a week?).

He wasn't suggesting we get these starlets ready for "bigger" clubs to come in and help themselves when they feel the time is right. I just hope he gets that contract signed with an astronomical release clause in it (aka "the Bill Kenwright pension plan" clause).

We are a pleasure to watch, it is actually breathtaking to see our lads getting pressed along the back four and, despite my shouts to clear it, they put together some intricate triangles and before you know it Barkley is bursting a lung driving at their back four. Time and time again this happens and it is real quality.

We are ready for the Champions League opponents already, let's all just cross everything to protect us from injuries. That is our only worry right now.

Great to be a blue... SIN MIEDO, MOTHER FUCKERS!!

Maybe Ross is just stating that he believes (along with his team mates) that we are ready to be contenders and that thanks to RM, they now have self confidence and believe that they are the real deal!!

I took it that Redknapp was implying; why did Moyes spend £27M on Fellaini when he knew about Barkley? Some of us could give an answer there.........

Good workmanlike performance yesterday. We do need to pass the ball to Lukaku. He's making the runs, he's getting into positions, he isn't being fed. We don't want him getting frustrated, unless Martinez finds us another striker in January!

I find it laughable to think that people believe that these pundits (who are paid to say something remotely interesting to the masses) are somehow directing transfer policy or that our players are actually that thick that they need an agent to point out what they could gain if they chose to move to a richer club.

As nothing much has changed since Rooney was sold in terms of the overall resources of our club then, as Ronnie Goodlass said on the radio yesterday, we are reliant on the Chairman finding some way to make it as attractive for players to stay with us as it is to go to the likes of the Manchester clubs.

The one area we have strengthened is that we have a genuinely progressive and positive manager, and we can rest assured that he will constantly be telling the players he needs why their best interests can be best served by staying with us.

The Premier League may be big business, but it has spawned a billion pound "support sector" as well that feeds off it. If clubs did everything quietly and the first you saw of it was a picture of the new signing with the scarf on the following day's back page, these people wouldn't earn the fantastic living they do. Hence it's in their interests to feed the frenzy.

Whilst we have the "business model" we have, we'll always be at risk. All we can do is hope the oft-mentioned Rodwell and Pienaar episodes serve to make these already vastly wealthy players consider professional happiness over more moolah.

Paranoia on ToffeeWeb ! Never....

Anyone who takes the remotest interest in the shite they spout should have a word with themselves.

They are always telling the punter what the opposing manager/player did/got wrong and a lot of it's so obvious a blind man on a galloping horse could spot it.

If they are that knowledgable about the game why aren't they managing themselves ?

Answer. Because they are fucking clueless.

This blatant attempt to point out to the big boys that we are a threat that needs neutralizing led to footage of RM's press conference where he disrespectfully (or is that cleverly, to divert unwelcome attention?) said it was too early to judge and he was just concentrating on the here and now.

Undeterred, the bounders really let the cat out of the bag by using graphics to show only Citeh have outpointed us in the last 6 games, and we have a group of fixtures coming up that we have historically done well in.

To really add insult to injury they then mentioned the story in the press about Barcelona perhaps being interested in our manager at some unspecified juncture in the future, and had the effrontery to show our manager's goodnatured response to that particular speculation.

Because of this blatantly biased reporting, which obviously underscores the media fabrication that we are somehow 'overacheiving', my literally Blue blood (which probably has the Everton crest - the old one , not the current one - imprinted on each corpuscle) is now boiling and I am preparing to send letters to my MP, the PCC and the Premier League, to complain at such an overt attempt to undermine our club and wreck our season by selling our players to the 'elite' for some 'magic' beans, and having Roberto Martinez turn into the manager of Barcelona at the stroke of midnight!

Oh, no he won't!
Oh, yes he will!
Oh, no he won't!

Where's that evil Jamie Redknapp?
He's behind everyone who isn't us!

While bigging up the Champions elect Liverpool or Media darlings Spurs.
Stick to pouncing about on the beach in your M+S suits Jamie, lah.

However, anyone who thinks we can simply ignore the media or it doesn't matter what these people say is quite simply wrong. Even if we think we actually pay very little attention to what they say.

We should all be wary when the media play us as the small time club or that we're not good enough to hold onto our players or win things. That kind of talk does eventually get at most people, including players, agents, referees, tv bosses who schedule matches etc.

The fact that the media seem to be dominated by ex-RS is also doing us no favours. They get to air their side of the story to a worldwide audience on a daily basis and push their clubs' brand at the expense of ours.

If you're someone who thinks you're above being influenced by the media, and happy to let other clubs manipulate it for their own ends then so be it. Personally, I think we need to be a bit more savvy than that. We need to compete off the field as hard as we compete on it.

There is a reason why clubs like Liverpool are still thought of as being a 'big' club and generate huge revenues to spend despite having won comparatively little over a long period of time and often finishing below us in the league. They have astute people running the club who understand about image and publicity. This helps keep up the facade of them being a big club, and generates revenues, belief etc which all goes to actually improve results.

The media may not always belittle us or put out negative stories, but it does seem that we're almost always needing to be the elephant in the room before someone takes notice.

Barkley is a good case in point. I hope he is level headed and wants to play for the club for the rest of his career, but the fact that people are publicly linking him away already is bound to sow the seeds of doubt as to whether he can achieve better things elsewhere....and who's to say the next Barkley to come through the academy is more easily swayed or less loyal?

The worst is the loathsome Alan Green who, in between stuffing his face full of free corporate pies, manages to be both arrogant, irritating and condescending He also has the annoying tendency to call our keeper, "Tim Hard".

Savage is a product of our times unfortunately. A vain, self-obsessed knob-end who loves the sound of his own voice and would probably be on the front cover of any first edition of "Twat!" magazine.

Both of the above are kopites which is no surprise as it seems to be something of a closed shop. While I'm on the subject, I can't stand the sound of John "couldn't manage an empty room" Barnes or Jimmy "Shithouse" Case (to paraphrase the Eric Morecambe line "all the right words just not necessarily in the right order"). How does a neanderthal like Case get paid to do something for which he is clearly incompetent?

Anyway, rant over (I could go on for hours about other gobshites like Gillespie, Owen, Fowler, Quinn, Murphy, Souness, Hansen, Lawrensen et al but that would be unpleasant).

Just so I don't get "moderated" on the grounds of irrelevance, I'll state that former Everton FC legend, Peter Reid is about the best of them.

I'll also add that Everton's team development is starting to look great. It feels a bit like 1983-84 when I had that feeling we were on the brink of something really special.

1 st half was dreadfull. They didn't seem to know what to do going forwards, like they hadn't played together before. Defence was good, though. Lucky Swansea wasn't more threatening.

One thing that pisses me off here I Norway is papers is on about Liverpool and Suarez all the time. The fact that Everton is most tight at the back end is never mentioned, the fact we only lost one game.. well. Everton is like a shadow in the papers here. You know it's around, but can't really see it. So I mean the publicity guys should know what a good product EFC is, and sell it. Make sure journalists all over know what team is currently in 4th place, and why. It should not be that hard to sell such a quality product, should it?

Happy Christmas to all of you from a fan in Norway

"One thing that pisses me off here I Norway is papers is on about Liverpool and Suarez all the time. - See more at: http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/13-14/comment/reports/26350.html#contribute"

To be fair, Norway is Liverpool's core fan base.

...whenever I have the misfortune to meet a Liverpool fan over here, I always welcome them to England and tell them to drive on the left hand side of the road.

A Merry Christmas to you :)

Thomas, did you forget that we were also banned from European footy from 1985-1990? When we were champions 2 out of the first 3 banned years?

I do think that fitness permitting, Barkley will go on to be one of, if not the best English footballer of his generation, just as Rooney was his. I'm not quite sure who will end up being judged the better....although I do think that years of being shoved out on the wing has hampered Rooney's talent.

I think under Roberto we're showing real signs of taking the next step to getting Champions League football and maybe having the correct attitude to win trophies. Given that he's clearly a man who has faith in developing the young talent at the club, I think we have the potential for a golden generation to come through and it looks like he's happy to add a few loanees temporarily to fill any quality gaps.

Watching the Swansea game was interesting. They had more of the ball than us, and looked a very good side, despite not actually have many players who'd have walked into our team.

Made me think that they've effectively been playing Roberto's system for years, and made me wonder if we might see similar improvements in our own play over the next couple of seasons because individually we have a better standard of footballer.

But, it looks to me that there's a conspiracy not to pass to Lukaku. As a result our fullbacks and defenders are doing the scoring. When will this madness end?