2018-19 Fixtures: Everton begin against Wolves

I think with a few signings, Wolves will be looking to challenge us/Leicester for 7 and above.

Do not underestimate them.

An away win at Wolves will be a great start. The following few fixtures gives us a good chance of building momentum

COYB

Slightly easier start than last season, eh?

Apart from that, the fixture list is not too bad compared to last season and should give us a reasonable chance to integrate new signings/youngsters into the new system.

Unlike last year, we should accumulate enough points to keep clear of any relegation worries throughout the season. Unless things go disastrously wrong from the outset – like giving Schneiderlin too many opportunities to impress.

Another minor bug-bear is once again we are away on Boxing Day and we start and end our season away from home, but I suppose with the tourist attraction across the park it's inevitable that the fixture compilers take into consideration how best to fill hotel rooms etc.

I remember Norwich gave us a good run (2-2) a few years ago (Martinez's first game in charge).

I'm guessing the FA Cup third round is 5th Jan, fourth round is 26th Jan and fifth round is 16th feb. All other weeks have games scheduled until the first international break in 2019 which is the end of March.

It's about time we stopped fretting about when we are playing the ‘Big Six' , get in their faces , be confident and attack them , play to win. I am look forward to those games and I am expecting us to compete toe to toe.

We haven't got a European fixture list or even many players with World Cup injury or fatigue. It is a great opportunity to get right at the top six , attack and get points.

Can we finally win a Merseyside derby?

Can we improve on three years of quite disgraceful away form?

As for wolves, they'll have a whole new team first game and so we might be catching them cold, unless we've got a whole new side ourselves.

Can't wait.

But much better than last year's start which did affect our confidence badly

The Shoite:

Home first game of the season

Home for Boxing Day

Home Last Game of the season.

Wankers!!!!!

I seriously wouldn't bother about one team, Burnley. I think they will struggle big time this season what with the Europa league starting even earlier than us last season and also having an extra qualifying round to play. Should they manage to get into the group stages, they will have played an incredible 12 games more than us before we play them on boxing day.

That away fixture list at the start of the season is an absolute piss take, Arsenal, Leicester, Man U, Chelsea, The Shite and City.

The only one missing of last seasons final top 6 is Spurs on the bounce

I'm expecting us to be in the bottom six by the end of October.

If we start strong we could be in the top 4 all the way up to Christmas and who knows after that.

Wolves will be totally pumped for their PL return and that will be a very tough game indeed.

Other than that it looks like a decent first few fixtures and chance to hoped build some confidence.

But Wolves away to start the season against a newly promoted side will be incredibly difficult.

Man City away, Spurs at home, Burnley away.

Happy fucking Holidays!

Club needs to play better football, build a relationship with its fanbase, push in cups and hopefully attract better players to develop the squad, that I'm afraid is success unless we hit some magic Leicester formula, which I don't see in the current squad... oh to be proven wrong!

At least we don't have any away games to the 'big 6' in at the start so we can get some points on the board and build some confidence and momentum.

(Sad to see Fulham away is all the way back in April next year, live about 20 mins away from Craven Cottage.)

11/12 season home to QPR - Lost 0-1
15/16 season away to Watford - Drew 2-2

Keep in mind your average will also include promoted clubs playing the sky 4-6. So I'd say people are right to view Wolves away with a bit of trepidation. They may 'on paper' have a worse side than us but they will be super pumped up, with a screaming packed stadium behind them and they were by a country mile the best team in the championship last season. We on the other hand were shite and I'm still not sure how we finished in the top half.

I can't imagine any Wolves fans being unhappy when they saw who their opening game of the season was. Am sure they are bricking it thinking how to shackle the likes of Niasse and dealing with the lightening pace of Rooney, Klaassen and Schneiderlin...

To answer your question we finished in the top half, despite being shit, because the teams below us were worse. I'm sure Wolves fans will be delighted to not have got a top team, but would be much happier with a team that finished below us (obviously?). Having fear facing Wolves is utterly ridiculous.

Everyone plays each other twice, this idea of it being 'the first game' is superstitious nonsense.

A good start generates momentum and a feel good factor. God knows we need some of that - we all saw what the opposite did last season.

When Leicester won the league it was Boxing Day before they went away to the 'Big 6'.

So I'm happy with the draw. I'll worry about the run in when we get there - it will only matter if we've got something to play for... and if we've got something to play for I'll be happy.

Arsenal away will be on Sunday 23rd September as they have a Europa league game on the Thursday before.

Opening fixtures that could give us great momentum and confidence and that can be worth more than any extra so called superstar.

I can see happy Blues come September.

I watched Wolves a couple of times last season (on TV) and they seemed like a quality outfit. Pace, skill and more importantly playing as a team and scoring loads of goals. I can see them easily staying up if this coming season is anything like the last. There were some truly woeful teams in the prem last season (only reason we managed to finish as high as we did).

As our recent record shows, we haven't managed a win against a promoted side the two times its happened in the last 10 years. Also the 'play everyone twice' mantra may technically be true but there is a lot to be said for building momentum and especially confidence in the opening games of the season. Start out badly and its much harder to get yourself back.

Was curious and had some time so I looked at the last 15 seasons. Our opening day record is W4 D4 L7. Of these 15 we've had incredibly 11 home games as season starters. Of the 4 away, we've lost 2 drawn 2.

Doesn't make great reading and past isn't a predictor of the future. However, encouragingly (and somewhat surprisingly) we haven't lost an opening game for 6 seasons! Beat Stoke at home last season, Manu at home in 2012 and drew the opener 4 years in a row 2013-2017.

What does all that mean for the game against Wolves – bugger all I guess. I'll have my fingers and toes crossed for a game with a few goals and three points for the Blues. (Predicting a draw however.)

"... 'play everyone twice' mantra may technically be true..."

Playing everyone twice is an absolute fact, whereas it is impossible to calculate or quantify the gravity and effect of momentum and confidence. If a team wins 4 easy games on the trot do they have more confidence and momentum than if they had won 2 tough games?

What if you win 4 easy games then lose a hard game no-one expected you to win – does this then mean you have a percentage of momentum and confidence or is it all still there? It borders on superstitious nonsense in my eyes.

Remember the transfer window will be shut by then.

Last season we had horrendous little bunches of playing 3 or 4 teams likely to finish above us back to back. We don't have that this year. Hopefully we'll play those teams in the first half of the season when they're returning from midweek European games in some far flung place.

Hopefully those home games during the run in will have something (positive) riding on them. If they do then;
a) I'd rather play them at home
b) I'd rather have our fate in our own hands
c) Hopefully some of those teams have blown out after a load of European games in the first half of the season (following a summer punctuated by the World Cup)

All in all not too bad...

With no Europa League qualifying, a good pre-season, and these fixtures to bed in a new squad and formation, don't be surprised if we finished top 6-7.

As much as a detest the guy, look what Martinez did in his first season playing attacking football. We could even finish higher. We need to add a top top striker, left-back, left-footed pacey winger, center back and a big strong passer in the middle. Then trim the squad to a maximum of 24. Quality over quantity.

We may not be bothered to quantify it but we all know some things have a tendency to happen:

- Playing a team straight after they've played in Europe in midweek has an effect
- Relegation threatened teams can 'up their game' (fighting for their Premier League status)
- Teams and players do have runs of form (bad and good) that sit outside their average form outside of a season.

- Teams with smaller squads will be more affected by injuries in the busiest parts of the season.

There are absolutely good and bad times to play teams. It's the luck of the draw. When would you have rather played against Everton last season?

I happen to think we've had a bit of good luck. This club needs a massive turnaround from the end of last season. If we start badly then the sense of "here we go again" will be strong. Win a few and we might get back to those feelgood days of early Martinez.

Now it's up to us to make the most of it.

- Teams that play in Europe generally have bigger teams and can cope just as well afterwards (it would be interesting whether there's any stats to show whether it actually has an effect or not - it might just be perceived).

- If the team that has played in Europe is on a good run of form (i.e. has 'momentum' / 'confidence'), does this not negate that they're playing more regularly?

- I don't dispute that players and teams have good runs of form (this is just a reflection of reality), I just cast doubt whether this is down to some type of mystical 'momentum' or a result of confidence. I would suggest teams that have regular 'good form' are simply better teams and/or better management etc.

- If a team has a flurry of difficult games, it means there will be a less difficult run elsewhere in the season

- Promoted teams 'upping their game' is again just meaningless term - how is this even measured?

- Promoted teams are irrefutably easier teams to play on the whole

There is probably small elements of 'confidence' at work after a poor run of form, but I doubt it's gravity compared to the hundreds of other factors.

Sorry but you're arguing for arguings sake. Everyone knows that football is a confidence game. Getting wins and points on the board early doors makes it a lot more likely you're going to have a decent season so when you play certain teams does matter – especially at the start.

By your logic, you wouldn't be bothered if our first 5 games were away to the top 5 and we get to mid-September bottom with zero points and a Goal Difference of –15. But hey, it would be ok right as we have to play every team twice anyway? Never-mind that players' confidence would be shattered and moral rock bottom.

We have a much easier opening few games this season than last which is a very good thing given we have a totally new management set up and the players will have to adapt fast – 8 weeks till kick-off with the small matter of a World Cup in between.

Steamrollered all comers in the Championship and with much momentum, I fancy them for a top half finish at least. They have some super players that can destroy any team on their day.

I suppose our latest managers inside track on all things Portugal might be of assistance in what will be a baptism of fire for Silva's Blues on day one against the old golds.

Yet another comment said as if its fact - is there any evidence or stats to show this is the case? I'd genuinely be intrigued to see. It sounds like it could be true, but equally like it could be bullshit. A team that wins the league is likely to have a good beginning, middle and end to the season. Man Utd, though, quite regularly and famously had shit starts and came in the top 3.

And first 5 games being tough is less than ideal but it would absolutely balance itself out, yes.

Life's too short.

Of course it does. Guess some people haven't really read or understood it properly. The word "more" that Denis uses qualifies why his statement is "more" than reasonable, unless you're a pedant!

Certainly makes it more likely you'll have a decent season than if you lose the first half dozen games and have no points on the board.

I know what you meant Denis, mind you I'm not a pedant.

The psychology of winning, or being on a winning streak, and where you are in relation to your rivals plays a huge part, as does confidence which is gained through good performances, winning games, and getting points on the board.

Sorted.

Yes, we can expect Wolves to be pumped but why not Everton too?

Usually one of the promoted sides starts off better than expected so Everton need to be prepared.

Wolves manager will bemoan two mistakes and two goals for Everton.

I didn't say promoted teams. I said relegation-threatened teams. Of course they find an extra few percent when their careers are on the line. It's human nature. When there's more at stake you work harder.

I'm sure this would be measurable if either of us could be bothered. There are absolutely good and bad times to play teams. Us beating Wimbledon from 2 goals down wasn't a normal performance.

For me the real test will start in mid-September... 59 years and counting, folks... sigh.

This season we should do the opposite. We should get a great start and gain momentum for the rest of the season.

Of course it all depends on the unknown Silva, who I still have serious doubts about. Fingers crossed he produces the goods, though, if reports about him wanting this Carvalho are true, well, let's see.