Welcome Signs of a Bright Blue Future

Some young blood on the pitch - and Baines is back on penalty duty again.

Happy end to a sad season - the only way now is up....

COYB.

Great win. So happy for Unsworth, Royle and the youngsters that got to strut their stuff today.

Have to remember, though, that we played a distinctly average, already relegated team.

Amazing what getting back to simple basics can give a team.

Well done Rhino and Big Joe. Too late to consider "what if..?" this wee managerial shake up had come earlier...

Rather like Tottenham, eh?

Onwards and upwards lads and lasses. I just hope for De Boer or someone not named Moyesy, Sparky.

Nice flowing football with no pressure.

Interesting times ahead for us who support the best team on the planet....

COYB.

I hope you were watching, Roberto.

Any significance in the list players NOT involved today?

Gibson
Oviedo
Kone
Niasse
Besic
Pienaar
Funes Mori

Perhaps reading too much into it...

I hope we bring in a manager who will work closely with Unsworth and won't be afraid to use the young talent knocking at the door. So the new manager has to be Frank de Boer for me. We don't need to go chasing after Koeman and Mourinho when we've got a manager in waiting who wants the job and will make the most out of the young players coming through.

I think big crowds depend on the opposition, if they are a 'name' team or something is at stake the attendances will be high but when, like today, we had little to play for and Norwich were already relegated, I thought the attendance was quite good; at least we won.

That was the difference today, Jack!

Haha, very true. I live with a few geordies who are actually angry at the result today. A vision of what could have been if they'd sacked McClaren sooner.

Still, if Benitez stays they'll bounce straight back up.

Very good performance today, like a dream watching those lads like a throwback to the days when Harvey came through and then Hurst, Wright, Royle, etc. It was so great to see smiles on the faces of the players and the wonderful relationship that they have with Unsy. The future of the club is with those youngsters and I sincerely hope with those like Unsy and Royle who developed them. What a day to be an Evertonian.

Good word for Norwich too, they played well in spells and we could do worse than try to buy Redmond and Brady. They'll be back up but badly need to spend.

I don't know where you sit but you are talking crap. The atmosphere was a typical last game of the season with nothing on it. For the first time in ages the crowd responded to the teams effort. It's never rip roaring on the last day with nothing meaningful to play for.

Under Martinez it was dead due to the shite served up, today was much better on and off the pitch.

Trying to get a rise out of other commenters? Don't know what game you watched but I was encouraged by the atmosphere today. Much more positive, and good to see the crowd really getting behind the team.

Davies and Dowell showed a real quality today. Nice skill, balance and touch from Dowell, and really energy from Davies. Definitely both have more to offer.

Big overhaul this summer, just hope we find someone who can bring in real quality and supplement with local raw talent.

Up the blues :-)

Let's hope the new manager unlocks the attacking potential of McCarthy.

A dreadful season but reasons for hope.

The absentees are mostly either on the way out or crap.

WE ARE BACK: COYB

Dowell is like a modern Martin Peters and that says volumes for him.

Some of our kids look absolutely fantastic.

Today was a real breath of fresh air, for me at any rate. The dark clouds are parting and with the right appointment we will see ascendency.

I've been saying for a while now that under a different system the likes of Rom, Ross and JS will blossom. They aren't clueless, useless or lazy they are just misused and lacking motivation. Keep them as our core and we will be just fine.

Martin Mason 27, I think you've finally lost it.

Come on Colin, where is post 27 in "lost it" territory. I think of it more as a Eulogy to Bill, legend of the boy's pen and the West end.

Doesnt take long does it ? why cant we enjoy what was a very pleasant afternoon without saddling the boys with silly comparisons to past greats ?

Stop with the Barkley "potential" stuff (If only he could be managed properly, instructed how to tackle, blah, blah, blah etc.,etc). We've wasted enough time on him.

Today's more energetic performance (and Leicester's masterclass) expose Barkley for the liability he is. Take the money.

Atmosphere best all season, play good to watch no tippy tappy and the players really tried and ran and worked.

Here's hoping for a good manager to start next season fast off the mark.

What say we allow them to develop without building them up for a fall?

Let the lads breath before making these foolish statements

Whoever we get still needs to ship out and replace Howard, Osman, Pienaar, Hibbert and Gibson. I'd go further and replace Robles, Kone and Niasse. That's a tall order.

I do think the rest of the players will look better playing for a manager who keeps them fit and can give simple instructions.

Good to see us play with a bit of pace and the youngsters looked promising.

I note two things, criticism of what I said and yet nothing to back up the criticism, that is impossible.

This isn't being a keyboard warrior, if I'm incorrect then show it otherwise don't attack.

I was a bit disappointed using the 2 DMs but was pleasantly surprised with how far forward McCarthy got and his goal was an absolute gem. Barry was his usual excellent self and its just a pity he is on his last legs with his age. Maybe get another full season out of him but he will need replacing very soon. Shame we didn't get him years ago. I was also a bit concerned with Dowell on the wing but he was excellent. I thought he made himself available all the time and was very good with his distribution. Tom Davis was another to shine. Comfortable and terrier like, the boy can have a long future in the game.

All in all a good game and a good day. It has just been quite therapeutic in exorcising the demons left by that man and his sidekicks. The crowd seemed in good form and most had smiles instead of scowls... always a bonus. Emotion from Unsy when we scored, jumping up and down with arms in the air, like a proper manager in touch with the club. It's only a start but at least we can finally look forward to a new season with some kind of optimism.

Good to see Tim Howard given a good send off with warm generous support. He has taken a lot of stick, some justified a lot not. He has been left high and dry with the awful defensive set up you know who devised and he suffered badly. He has been a good servant to us and I prefer to remember him scoring on that horrible wet and windy night at Goodison and his Wembley penalty saves rather than being let down by idiotic defensive tactics. He goes with my best wishes.

Bainesy showed enough today to say he is not finished and played more like we know he can when backed up by a very capable Kevin Mirallas. Just goes to show what a difference it makes when being managed by someone who actually knows what they are doing. Glad Mirallas shined a bit today too. Thought Lukaku looked happier today too.

I know it was only Norwich today but its a start. Onwards and upwards to next season.

COYB

Play the young lads next season, be brave, try and save a few bob in the process instead of pissing it away, add quality where needed but big time signings with dodgy agents...swerve big time please!

Very impressed by Davies and the other young players.

Martin,

The biggest turn of them all was your shift from the 'Bill boosting' version of that bloke who invites Alan Partridge back to his house to slurp tea out of one of those little balls you shove in the washing machine, only to later stand revealed as a stalker when the lights go on for everyone to see he has pictures of Partridge plastered over every wall and a massive tattoo of the presenting prick's face on his flabby moobs and gut, to someone sneeringly calling Kenwright "the fat controller" and claiming it was absolutely imperative the club be prised out of his sweaty, strangulating grip because he is "not fit to run an EPL club". You said his lack of decisiveness in dealing with the Martinez situation was a disgrace, that he had let the situation drag on for far too long. Now you're back singing his praises for the very thing that (supposedly) caused you to turn fucking Fredo Corleone on your blue brother?

Sod off? Get to fuck I say.

The alternative was an individual with sole responsibility rather than the team which would have been possibly seen as divisive.

To think that the ones that are (maybe) further along like Walsh and Ledson are out on loan and could come back too next season.

Its imperative that the next manager cares for the youth. I take huge pride in seeing our boys be successful and progress to the next level. We mustn't lose that!

Our best youth in the the groups are in different positions and we haven't seen all together. How far are we from seeing Walsh, Dowell, Davies, Ledson, Galloway in the same team and Stones, Lukaku and Barkley?
For the record I don't think comparisons hurt a player. The player will become whoever their talent and drive allows them to be.

Thats why for me I want de Boer.

So, some progression on your part at least.

The futures bright, the futures blue.

You are trying to say that BK deserves credit for picking Unsworth and Royle.

Well , you should be thanking Martinez, because it was he who told Kenwright to put them both in the dug out for the Norwich game, according to Unsworth himself.

No BK has been far from brilliant this last season, it was quite obvious who would be in the dug out for the last game.

Don't torture yourself. It's defo food for thought. I think most wanted Martinez gone after the derby disaster. The way we played today points to the way we'd have played against United: We'd have gone at them straight off the blocks.

I guess Martinez was always going to be given his chance in the semi, warranted or not. It would have been nice to see Rhino and Joe having the final run in of games after the 'defining week' going off how the players performed today.

He wasn't on "The Tim Howard Farewell which is definitely not a lap of honour" celebration today which was a bit of a surprise.

As always with Everton, though, it's a day late and a quid short but here's to the future. A good day.

What about getting Moshiri to buy in on his terms?

? Bollocks lad.

The kids were superb today as was the Howard send off.
Class fans us yano.

This close season could be our most important ever.
Have a happy summer Blues !

Instead, we ended up taking a top 6 squad to flirt with relegation. Our home record is abysmal, truly, and today doesn't change that at all.

There's a lot of people don't come out of this looking good, including Martinez, Kenwright, and a good portion of the players.

I hope there's a lot of changes made in how we are run, managed, and play, but changes must be made in a way that doesn't further risk us continuing a slide down the table into next season, like Villa (poor decisions for years; over reliance on kids) and Newcastle (poor decisions for years; over reliance on mercenary foreigners).

Additional mis-steps and we really could get relegated next year.

The only jarring note for me today was the applause which followed Howard's tribute to Kenwright. Polite, no doubt, but yet again the Chairman has escaped, having caused us great damage. To that extent, Martin Mason is surely correct to pay him the compliment, but "old fox" would not be my description..

Moshiri , as I keep saying has done sweet nothing other than buy shares - yet.

When he puts his hand in his billionaire pockets and spends the large sums of money the club will need to challenge and grow I may then believe BK deserves some credit, but until this happens, for me the jury is out.

Now I know you may say that it will be in the contract somewhere that Moshiri has to invest whatever in order to gain full control , so let's see what he does.

My thoughts are Moshiri knows very well he could make a load of money in a relatively short space of time if he gets it right and ultimately from reading a little about the man - he is a businessman first and foremost , a good thing but maybe a bad thing also.

Unlike not listening to #MartinezOut for the last year and a bit - I really hope the board listen to this: YOU CAN WIN THINGS WITH KIDS (Hansen is a dickhead, we all know that already). We need a manager who is going to give these lads a real chance of making it into the first team and who can help them develop. The squad does not need filling with mercenaries; it needs players who can come in and help these kids too....just 3-4 top class talents, to supplement these kids and what is there already.

I don't care who the name is; Jose, Frank, Ronald, or whatever; the interview should be the same fundamental question: "how will you develop our youngsters and put the local heart back in the club?".

the future is bright, the future is blue! COYB 👏

The previous manager just was unable to admit his mistakes and refusing to acknowledge the obvious. Today the players showed the relief in having that style of football removed and you could actually see the joy in the play. Funny how they weren't intimidated by the Goodison crowd today.

Made up for Unsworth & Royle they deserve the accolades tonight for getting it right.

A fairly typical response from you - fact !
I think if you read our corresponding posts you will see I did point to the FACT that BK was told by Martinez to put Unsworth in charge for today.

Just some time ago you were hanging BK out to dry - make your mind up and stop trying to belittle people while you are at it.

Just thinking that (despite today's win) Martinez has left the next manager with a few headaches. We need a new goalkeeper, the defence still needs to be strengthened and trained, the left side (midfield and wing) needs to be worked on and we need a midfield general, a player that we have not had for years. And we need alternatives up front. Lukaku (should he stay) needs to change his attitude and become a team player and just watch how many goals he would score should he ever learn to control a football.

As mentioned numerous times, we also need to clear out the walking wounded and the dead wood and then replace them. Not an easy job for a new manager. Compare all that to what Moyes left for Martinez. An almost ready to go squad of players, barring only a few.

Martinez has left a mess but the youngsters could really help the cause, they really could. And a war chest will of course help.

So that was a good win today. Shame that Martinez was not shown the door after the Liverpool game, we might now be looking forward to an FA Cup final, who knows?

Hard work ahead folks but this could be an exciting new era Experience and youth...chemistry, chemistry, chemistry. Let's hope that Kenwright does not fuck anything up. Keep Moyes away.

Onwards and upwards and all that nonsense. Forever Everton.

However, I thing he has contributed nothing to our club. He has , craftily, created the blubbing Blue Bill boys pen character and it has served him well. I see nothing admirable about him and have no respect for him.

Anyway, good show today.Onward and upward.

Show us yer medals !

Tumbleweed, a lonely mission bell and dust gathering.

Jonjo Kenny showed what he can do, aggressive in his tackling and created a goal, some more to come in as well, so the club is well provided in the future, just give the time to progress and they should save the club millions in transfer fees, all in all a very satisfactory day.

I heard that when "YOUR BILL" heard you was ready to turn your back on him, Martinez, was sacked instantly.

Keep going though Martin, just lay off "the cheese"

I believe we will get a new stadium or better still a revitalised Goodison.

What a change in two days:

Baines scores from the spot and is "in charge" of free kicks.
McCarthy scores from outside the box.
Mirallas starts a game and surprise surprise scores.
Square pegs in square holes all over the pitch.
Three "Everton" teenagers start the game - phew!

There is a lot of "blueness" about all this.

Perhaps Andy Crook's Corinthian dream is still alive.

I CAN SEE THE LIGHT!!!

Great to see Baines on penalties again. Why the hell couldn't he have taken the one at Wembley? On the other hand, if he'd scored then Martinez would still be here.

Other reflections......Robles is not good enough & a new keeper is a must. Mori has too many mistakes in him for my liking & depending on whether Stones stays or goes, I think a new CB is also a priority.

We also need a general...someone who can carry the ball & keep possession like Arteta who we've never replaced. Whilst I'd like us to keep Barkley, he's not that man. Hasn't got the brain.

It a way of letting everyone know "who's who in the zoo".

I for one would see no bright future for my club if this turn coat was welcomed back by his dear friend Kenwright.

Please God it's Morishi who has the final say as far as a new manager coming in.
We as supporters under no circumstance must allow Kenwrights heart to rule his head and convince Morishi to bring back Moyes.

What I liked? Howard launching it up the field and not passing it to Stones!! We had more shape and pattern than we have had for months. I thought the kids did great, well played.

It was like a cloud had been lifted from the club with that prat gone (sympathy for him...none). First time in two years I looked forward to the match.

I feel more optimistic now. Just nice to enjoy the match again, to feel like our club is our club again. And we kept a clean sheet!!! We would not have got this result under sideways bob.

Well done Everton ;) COYB!! Enthsiasm is back.