FA Cup 3rd Round: Everton vs Lincoln City

Draw the Red Shite at home please!

FFS, why???!!

The weakest team possible at home, thank you very much. That said, given the weekend we've had, I expect us to get a real twat of a draw.

Revenge clouds judgement. Bring on the shite!

Are people mental or just on some kind of all day bender?

3 derby wins in 38 matches yet people want us to draw them in the 3rd Round?

I've never understood that mentality nor do I get people who say we “need a Cup run”.

We don't need a Cup run unless it involves winning the bloody thing.

We had Cup runs under Martinez but does anyone's remember losing the Semi's fondly?

Cup runs are only good if you are a lower league club happy to get skullbanged 5-0 in the quarters by a big boy.

What's the point in us reaching a Semi when we can't beat a top 6 side home or away?

Just take this competition seriously, Marco! Still annoyed about yet another farce in the League Cup.

The winners of the Southport v Tranmere replay.

I understand looking at it positively but Everton Football Club is better than any at turning positivity into a natural disaster.

I can't get excited about the Cups anymore, sadly, and again, as you point out, the way we threw the League Cup in October still rankles but somehow even that exit to a shite Southampton team felt inevitable in Everton fashion.

We have a team capable of getting to the final but he needs to play his strongest team in every round no matter who we are playing.

If rotation in needed to rest players then do it in the league, not the cup. I want us to win a trophy. A 6th, 7th or 8th place finish in the league will soon be forgotten about.

It's sadly predictable now, the FA Cup.

Each to his own, I suppose. But the constant putting-in of the boot against EFC makes me wonder.

http://www.kopspot.com/posts/virgil-van-dijk-taunts-everton-fans-with-twitter-post-after-derby/

I would echo the sentiment of some on here, I hope Silva treats this trophy with the respect it deserves, as compared to how the League Cup was treated. We could win it if we get the rub of the green with the draws.

Most of all the big boys will be in Round 4 in all likelihood. Time to the end our trophy barren spell.

Sadly (and I mean I'm sad that I know this) Lincoln City actually finished above us by one place way back in 1952-53. That season saw us beaten by them 3-0 at Goodison Park.

We didn't lose to them the following season as we won at home and drew away in our promotion year.

I recall the Lincoln City away game... must be '93. An early dart from work and a mid-week drive. Jason Kearton playing in goal, and another one of those nights and we were quite lucky. Rideout was then doing the business for us up front.

Hopefully this will be our year and we win it.

Great club with an excellent manager and a dedicated away following (the '617 squadron').

Full strength side for this one, they've got giant-killing form.

Probably well before your time but Scunny had a "top" striker back then called Rod Fletcher, whom we bought from Lincoln City. He went on to play for all the other Lincolnshire greats, ie, Grimsby Town, Immingham Town and Louth United!!

Apologies for the diversion, but still too upset to focus on Everton after the derby!

By the way, for our posh or foreign Evertonians – that's your dinner!

For one thing, there is no two-legged semi-final, usually against the likes of Man City or Chelsea.

For another by the time the later rounds come along the top clubs may be tempted to prioritise the Premier League and/or the Champions League.

Finally the ties are played at the weekend allowing the teams with no other priorities more or less a full week for preparation and recovery.

We will do well not to underestimate Lincoln. They are second in their league and much stronger than the likes of Dagenham and Redbridge and Yeovil, teams from the lower reaches of League Two we have easily beaten in recent years.

I have attended a couple of matches in League Two and one in League One during this season's international breaks. Teams near the top of League Two are not mugs. Usually they are well organised and have one or two players with the potential to play at a higher level. As always, a couple of early goals will snuff out their hopes.

I first heard it properly in the 1972 when my dad took me to my first FA Cup game (against Millwall or Spurs I think) and was mesmerised by the fans in the stands stamping their feet in unison on the wooden boards. Absolutely fucking fantastic! I have loved it ever since.

I do not care if it is Lincoln, I want Pickford in goal and our strongest 10 in front of him.

Come on the Wolves.

If Silva rests his main team to give 'the rest' their chance to shine, though...

By January, if we're still in it (sighs) we might have a striker to take us all the way.

What's the point of an FA Cup run? It's fun. It's interesting. We may win (the '95 team must have been one of the poorest top-flight teams to have won that trophy – but they were magnificent in the semis and the final).
Living whilst being afraid of disappointment is not living at all.

ps: The Reds I've spoken to would definitely not fancy Everton away in the FA Cup. They realise we are a different beast this season. Me, I'm happy with Lincoln. Come on Wolves.

On our way to Wembley. End the Anfield misery and trophy drought in one season would do very nicely, thank you!

If and when we get past Lincoln, with our best team, keep putting our best eleven out. It's still our best chance of silverware. And as the rounds progress, the Sky darlings will probably be playing twice a week with Champions and Europa League to deal with.

Go for it and, come May, we might all be celebrating.

I have been and witnessed semi-finals, yes, in both domestic Cup competitions, and the hurt of losing them to our closest bitter rivals is one I don't look back on fondly that we “had a Cup run”.

Does anyone feel content looking back on the 2012 run to the semis that we lost to Liverpool?

Does anyone remember Martinez's last season as anything other than an absolute nightmare which ended in his eventual sacking despite reaching the semis of both League and FA Cup?

For me, I'd rather be eliminated in the 4th round unless I finally see this team with the cajones to not do something ridiculous in a huge game (Pickford on Sunday, Distin in 2012 with that back pass).

I think you'd be in the minority of fans if you say you'd rather get knocked out early than get to a final or even a semi. I want Everton to win as many games as possible, to play as much as possible so that I can watch or follow on text because I get a buzz before each and every game.

I went to the FA Cup semi-final against Man Utd a few years back and loved the day out even though I left defeated.

If anything, Pickford's cajones were too big on Sunday, he thought he could catch it whereas he should have tipped it out.

We're not lacking in confidence anymore and nor should you be. Get over it and try to start enjoying supporting again because this is the best we've been in a good few years.

Isn't that where our mentality is small time though?

How can any Everton fan confess to loving every minute of a Wembley Semi-Final last-minute loss to Manchester United? Can you imagine a diehard Kopite saying that?

Okay, I'm going to put this one out there.... What would most fans prefer?

1) A 6th place finish, a position in the much-derided Europa League (which fans hate being in) and a run to the FA Cup Semi-Final with a likely loss to a top 6 team with more disappointment?

2) A 7th place finish and a win in the Merseyside derby in March, finally ending that disgraceful record against Liverpool, but at the expense of an early round FA Cup exit?

I don't think I'm as obsessed with the Red Shite as you.

Nah, it's just called being a staunch Evertonian.

We have been 6th under Moyes and 5th under Bobby — where did it get us?

No sooner than we get in the Europa League, the vast majority of fans want us out of it and start making excuses for poor form.

I'd rather finish 7th and win a derby.

Our trophy drought has to end at some point... why not in 2019?

This obsession with our neighbours is beginning to get out of hand – and I know it is a two-way street as their fans have an ever increasing presence on Everton-related twitter feeds and message boards.

I predict heavy weather for February 19th and 23rd and a lost cat will be found on the 1st March only to be runover by a red van on the 2nd. Predictions are for fools; enjoy each day as it arrives and count your blessings for what you have and not be overly concerned by what you have lost – and certainly don't worry about what you might lose, but try and envisage what you might gain.

As somebody famous once said 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.'

All last week, you went on (and on... and on...) about going to Anfield and playing with no fear to put an end to, and start turning around, our truly dreadful derby record.

Yesterday, you declared you would be happy for us to not win another game this side of Christmas, if the pay-off was Napoli eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League.

Now, a sequence of posts hoping for an early elimination from the FA Cup to avoid the inevitable heartbreak you envisage in the later rounds.

The most sensible four words you've posted (possibly ever...) followed your declaration about 'them', Napoli and us not winning again this side of Christmas: 'That may sound stupid'.

It was, it is, and a whole sequence of posts you penned in the last 24 hours have been equally stupid. Either you are on a serious wind-up, or you dwell in a very dark place as far as Everton is concerned.

You've made some ridiculous statements in the past 24 hours. Your follow-up posts to justify them are proving equally embarrassing and absurd.

Nuremberg, Kharkiv, Lille to name a few places. I assume you haven't been traveling away in Europe with our excellent supporters. If so, you'd be happy to get back out on the road again.

In addition, our squad is stronger in quality and depth than back in the Martinez and Moyes eras.

A so-called staunch Evertonian who said he'd be happy for us to lose all our games before Xmas.

Yeh, staunch Evertonian. Will you boo when we next score at Goodison Park?

A long run in the FA Cup will test the mettle of our new players and enable us to assess just how good they are. A win against the RS would obviously make the season memorable but it will mean little if it is not part of a strong second half of the season with the team showing ongoing improvement.

By the way, the last time we won the second league derby of the season was in March 1988 when Wayne Clarke scored the only goal.

Jim, have you thought that we might, just might beat one of these so called top six teams in the FA Cup semi-final?

And I hope we do finish 6th (or maybe 7th will qualify for Europe as it seems to most seasons), and get into the Europa League.

Me and me mates have had a great time travelling all over Europe; we have been to countries you would never dream of going too normally. Blimey, sometimes we even let John Raftery tag along with us!! Only joking, John!

If Everton and Tranmere don't play on the same day, would you go watch the Tranmere - Spurs game in the hopes of seeing a giant-killing?

If I lived there, I think I might.

Personally, I would choose 1 every time. It will mean we have performed better than 2 and will get us into a competition which might be our most realistic route into the Champions League in the short term, an outcome that would transform the club in a fundamental way.

Beating Liverpool will not do that.

Or, to express it another way, I'd very happily trade a defeat to Liverpool for following up with 5 wins on the bounce. In fact, I'd want to play and lose to them six times in a season, if that were possible, because we'd then be in the Champions League.

“How can any Everton fan confess to loving every minute of a Wembley Semi-Final last-minute loss to Manchester United?”

I didn't say that, though, did I? I said I enjoyed the day out. I enjoyed going to Wembley, wearing my Everton shirt and supporting the team I love in a big match.

You'd rather we get knocked out early in case we lose later on? You'd rather RS lose than we win. Now THAT is small time thinking!!

Step out of the shadows, Jim, come back to us.

That's what our 3Ms in charge are aiming for. Just a matter of when — not if.

What do ya know! Option-3 on the Mac keyboard.

Learn something new every day.

For now we can play a full strength team in the FA Cup or make a few changes especially against inferior opposition. It doesn't weaken the team when you have a Baines, lookman or zouma coming on. When you have a Martina coming on youd worry.

I doubt it will happen but they are saying Man City could face a European ban and 5th place would get the extra champions league place. We've got to get another goalscorer in the team and finish the season to maximise this potential. Remember when we played Villireal and we bought in Pip... hardly enough to carry us to glory. So fingers crossed for a long cup run and some kind ties. Though we should fear nothing

And if you know yer history then it makes sense. History is important.

As for Lincoln. The Imps will come with all guns blazing. On and off the pitch.

But I would expect a victory to project us to the next round. And on and on and on.

Now, the FA Cup has all the serious rounds at a time when the big clubs have other priorities. They often play Champions League games, serious Champions League playoff games, days after the later rounds. Therefore, we have a better chance of progressing in this tournament that they take their eye off.

The problem is usually that Arsenal have exited Europe early and survived in the FA Cup and the league is all but cemented and they concentrate on the FA Cup to “save their season”.

The top four I all expect to progress in Europe. Spurs will not turn their nose up at the Europa League. And Arsenal (and Chelsea of course) will go far in the Europa League.

Which means we will be the best side who are giving this competition our full attention.

So lads, cheer on all the English sides into the later rounds, hope they take their eye off this competition, and with a bit of luck, Seamus will be hoisting it aloft in May.

There must have been in the region of 15,000 blues in the ground and the atmosphere was unbelievable. Would the reds have swapped places with us? Too right — they hated it. Would I have exchanged the league title for a derby win? Not a chance in hell despite the fact English teams were banned from Europe then so we didn't get a crack at the European Cup.

Jim, I think you are losing it, I am afraid. No way on this earth would I swap winning the derby for a trophy.

Not nice to read everyday; sounds like you're stuck in the past.

Rob (66), Only when you are in business class, pal! What a great journey home that was from Split! I fully agree though. Life as an Evertonian is hard work. Without the European trips, life in the past 15 years would have been much poorer.

It was a Sunday afternoon, and in the morning my Sunday league team played a Liverpool county FA cup semi-final second replay. We lost 4-3 in extra time. From there a few of us, blues and reds, went to Goodison. It may have been the first time I've never really celebrated a derby winner as was absolutely gutted from our game in the morning. So God only knows how the RS from our team felt that afternoon?

My young lady, Laura and I were married on 16 March 1963, and celebrated our silver wedding anniversary on Saturday 19 March 1988, in the executive suite at Goodison Park.

A workmate had contacted Everton (without my knowledge), who arranged for Wayne Clarke to present Laura with a bouquet of flowers. Unfortunately, because it was derby day the following day, Colin Harvey had decided to take the team to a retreat., Laura received the flowers and a card signed by all the players, but my present arrived via Wayne Clarke's goal at the Park End.

I think a lot of this comes from the perceived lack of importance cup competitions have had for the club for the last 15 years. Other than maybe one or two seasons of Moyes's reign and Martinez's tenure, a cup was a side attraction.

I would love a cup and, as our delightful neighbours reminded us on Sunday, it's 23 years since any silverware has been seen being lifted aloft by our captain.

I just re-watched the goal on YouTube. The notes say we ended Liverpool's chance of setting a record 30-match unbeaten run that day – a fact of which I have no memory at all; must be getting old.

I thought that was our year until Paul Power equalized for Man City in the quarters. Sickener. We went out in the replay. Hope to god they are not about to throw it away at Watford as we speak. Please lord no.

Yes, as Will says the RS had been unbeaten for 29 matches equalling the record set by Leeds. Our win and the goal by Wayne Clarke prevented them breaking the record. It was well celebrated by his brother Allan who was a member of that Leeds team.

I also felt sick after the Man City game and, like you, I was convinced we were going all the way. I think we beat Wigan 3-0 and Wrexham 5-2 in the earlier rounds.

Was I sad we lost the final to Chelsea? Yes I was. But I'm glad I got to see that semi-final so glad we went to the wire despite the final heartbreak.

In those days, 3 of the 4 FA Cup semi-finalists were all in the semis of the Champions League if I re-call. (Chelsea and Arsenal were the other semi.)