Of my opinion RS just of some spoiled brats backed up by some ingenious adults over some trivial matters under a microscopic vision with 10000x magnification. Grow up RS

What else could explain the hysterical reaction? They have had it all their own way for a long time and now realise that won't always be the case.

Yet another tedious response below.

Link

Wow, as if the media bonfire needed further fuel, they're keeping it going at the RS luvvin Beeb with this one from press conference yesterday.

I know Everton are keeping a dignified silence on all this, but seriously someone should be saying enough is enough pointing out that the RS were not the angels they were portraying themselves to be on Saturday.

The way history is being rewritten here wouldn't disgrace Stalin! If we don't say anything then this spin will become an undeniable truth.

Doesn't hide the fact that Pickford's reckless action isn't compensated for by the good saves he makes. Think he will be moved on in the next 12 months in a quiet way to ensure we get some of our money back.

The BBC Breakfast sport report this morning, presented by the Red Sally Nugent talked about the forthcoming Champions League games and said "and Liverpool face their match without Van Dijk, injured by Everton's Pickford", and showed the familiar picture of the challenge.

Gosh, it's tiresome.

Remarkable scenes all round. Welcome to our world.

Everton FC suffers generally negatively on these types of incidents because they always have to play second fiddle to the neighbours in both the local and national media so that only sites like this can put forward a counter-argument on behalf of Evertonians and you have done this in the most thoughtful way.

I suspect that the media outrage will have an adverse effect on the club in the near future as officials will be hypersensitive in the aftermath of the derby and this may cloud their judgement.

The club will handle this as it has done so often before, but it's a pity that Carlo's team could pay a high price for a couple of unfortunate moments in a very competitive derby.

For what it's worth, my opinion is bring it on. It tells me we've become a threat. And what we need to do as a club now is close ourselves off to these ineffectual and irrelevant hate preachers.

We need to use this to our advantage and create an 'us versus the world' mentality. With that wall around us, we go into every match like it's a fight we cannot lose. Make them hate us more, make them scared of us. Make it so that nobody wants to play little old Everton.

This may be the best thing Lyndon has ever written. Brilliant and thanks.

They had a pre-match show on Star Sports here in India on Sunday, the day after the Saturday derby - Seema Jaiswal was the host, Glenn Hoddle and the other guy, whose name I forget. So, they are in the middle of the discussion and then she suddenly goes "Hold on a moment! We have breaking news" with a very mournful expression and I am like 'Oh God, no, not another terrorist attack in Paris/London or wherever', and she announces "News coming in that Virgil van Dyke will need to undergo surgery on his knee for the injury suffered yesterday resulting from a tackle by. bla.. bla..". And I was like "WTF???"

When did this ever happen to an injured Everton player? I shudder to think of what might have happened to Pickford and EFC if VVD's leg had snapped in 2 like what happened to Gomes. Probably there would have been calls to bring back the death penalty in Britain!

Pickford is a strong guy, he needs the support of Carlo and the fans, whatever we may think about his footballing ability at the moment. Yes, he is in the middle of terrible form, but I somehow feel that he thrives in adversity and this incident, might bizarrely bring back his focus and concentration. It will be an interesting return derby in April by which time, I assume that the crowds will be allowed back in the stadiums.

Quite, just saying it honestly, as it was.

"No one died; life will go on, and while the northwest is roiled by rising Coronavirus cases, fresh lockdowns and the resulting economic hardship, you'd think there were more important things to whine about."

Exactly, a sense of perspective needed.

Suffice to say, I believe that this cover-up is an indication of how worried they (all of them) are about the possibility of Everton and Ancelotti breaking their grip. I would not be intimidated by any of this drivel but would certainly use it to our advantage. Win again on Sunday and let's see:

"Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt?
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse,
Always having dirt to play around in
Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts?
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt,
Always have clean shirts to play around in
In their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking"

Cosmic Blue Grooves All The Way.

Lyndon's piece has been linked to by the Echo in its Everton news section, it might still only be read by Evertonians but you never know others may see it too.

For anyone who wonders what I'm on about, Elaine from Peterborough was on radio 5live on Sunday night and again last night on Talksport. She was almost hysterical on Sunday, like a wailing banshee, a real drama queen. She basically came on to say every time the derby is at Goodison, there is nearly always trouble. She cites a challenge by Mirallas on Suarez on both nights, but obviously doesn't know the reason for the challenge. Last night she cites a challenge by Fellaini on a player, but I can't remember who she said it was. I'm sure we all know the reason for the Mirallas "revenge" tackle, so I won't go into it.

Last night on Talksport, Perry Groves was adamant Pickford fully intended to injure Van Dijk. How does he know, is he a mind reader?. All he kept on saying was that Pickford had both feet at least two feet off the floor, with his eyes only focused on Van Dijk, and making a "lunge" at Van Dijk with every intention of hurting him. Well the image I've seen shows an entirely different picture. (Where's Jay Woods Brz when you need him). I'm not condoning Pickford for his actions (I said last night I felt he was 100% innocent, which was totally a tongue in cheek comment), but in no way did he intend to hurt Van Dijk, but I don't think he is 100% to blame either. It was just an unfortunate collision which resulted in an unfortunate injury for one.

This is going to rumble on until the return derby at mordor. I seriously believe, even if fans still aren't allowed back into stadiums, there will be some planned revenge attack by RS fans towards Pickford. I can almost see now, the Everton team bus being attacked on its way up anfield road towards the stadium.

What concerns me more is that there will be a concerted effort to punish us by the media and the referees (look out Sunday when we play Liverpool Rejects XI) and, while Carlo will be aware of this and address it when it does happen, the players will need to be super careful because the knives are out.

An Alamo mentality might help us.

Take a bow, Lyndon, brilliant.

Then again, did one of them claim they were going to sue Real Madrid for £1bn when Ramos dared to tangle with Salah in the CL Final?

Excellent Article Lyndon, could you not submit for publication in the Echo?

Imagine how Ed Balls may have felt!

Geoff, the red Echo has already referenced and reproduced a fair chunk of Lyndon's article.

I often get labelled a Bitter Blue.
I've started responding by saying, "Thanks Kitty".
On further explanation I explain it is short for Self-Pity Kitty.
I'm sure many of them are still curled-up in the foetal position at home, trembling and sobbing, the curtains drawn closed against the cruel world outside, a picture of VVD clutched to their aching hearts.

Bless.

Mind you, we had better be careful.
Elaine and her Peterborough posse could be on the march, clutching stale scones and vol-au-vents to hurl at us Bitters.

(Seriously, expect further nausea inducement down the line when she is guest of honour at VVD's return, a smiling, tear-filled Klopp in the background, Phil Collins' 'If Leaving Me is Easy' a background accompaniment. Buckets at the ready.)

Apart from that, l have long said we should have sued the redshite for 5 years of loss of earnings from missed European football.

FTRS

If you think Elaine will defrost those vol-au-vents for the likes of us before throwing them, think again.

The Middle England RS-Manc axis can get really nasty when it wants to.

A club whose players supported one of their own who directed racist abuse at an opponent.
A club that won the CL and whose supporters then vandalise an Everton monument.
A club that won the PL and whose supporter then set fire to Everton office building and damaged the Dixie Dean statue.
A club whose supporters wave a Steaua Bucaresti banner.

A club that can fuck right off.
Fucking hate them.

If RS were playing the Nazis in Escape to Victory I would be shouting for the Nazis (well hoping for a draw).

But unfortunately there are some weird types who are extreme zealots. Trouble is, LFC itself has failed miserably to lead by example. Their utterances have been unprofessional, inciting extreme behaviour from others, and have in my opinion brought the game into disrepute. Klopp in particular comes over as unbalanced. The relevant authorities need to censure him particularly and LFC generally.

For a club that has had so many issues with the media in relation to the Hillsborough disaster, it is ironic that that very media are fomenting matters in the way we're seeing.

The responses of LFC and the media are enough to put ordinary decent folk off football alltogether. It is an absurd and ugly episode that requires a firm and clear response from the authorities.

The other lot will be delighted to see that our fans are just as preoccupied as they are, it's 1 game in 38... move on.

Thanks, I didn't know that. 👍🏻

I think the club have done exactly the right thing by making no comment, these type of tackles quite often and unfortunately 1 player is likely to miss the rest of the season. Should the officials have sent Pickford off yes absolutely.

Players are not allowed within a foot of him without it looking like he's been shot. He's gone in on Digne in a nasty challenge, done over Mina. Guy has mastered the dark arts

That incident hardened my visceral intense dislike of the RS and everything that has come out this week (good on Carragher calling Souness out btw) has only hardened my view, when at my age I should be mellowing.

I have two close mates who are rabid LFC fans, one who I was at school with, never piles in after derby games as I don't with him; it's a game of football, we don't need the extra shit.

It's different with the other one, he's been frothing at the mouth all week until I reminded him of the Case incident as, funnily enough, he was at the game.

Bring it on, we are top of the league, a threat to them and the media's selected order, and I love it.

Mind you it already has, but hopefully people will be able to read between the lines, and fathom out exactly what is the true crux of the matter.

I get a lot of jokes on What'sApp, and send them on to various friends, (yes some are actually RS) but the recent ones regarding Saturday and the focus on JP and VVD, have been met in one quarter as being 'boring now'.

To which I immediately riposted, that it was Liverpool who will not let this matter rest, not us, each time I check in to SSN, they are still going on about it 4 or 5 days after the event.

Glad to see that nearly all Evertonians, who unfortunately have had to endure similar torture for more years than we deserve, have nevertheless kept a dignified stance on the ugly propaganda emanating from Mordor.

WANTITBOTHWAYS FC, are not going to get an inch out of us Evertonians on this one, no fucking chance.

You put a lot of these national journalists to shame when you write about our club, and some people might say it's a very one sided response, which makes it all the better imo, because that's exactly how the fallout from the Merseyside derby as been reported on nationally has you quite rightly point out👏👏

We needed a public response from somebody who not only knows the facts, but can find the words to expose the absurdity of this media frenzy.

Lyndon cuts straight through the bullshit with this admirable and unerringly accurate response. The RS propaganda machine will not want this piece reaching a wider audience. Too many home truths.

I urge all Evertonians to send this article to every kopite. Scrap that. Every football fan, they know.

Take a bow, Mr Lloyd.

They will be given license to dive and cheat their way through games and get every debatable decision. Expect VAR to break down on any controversial decision against them.

Other side of the coin, we will be marked down for every decision. Until the media stop fawning over “the big 2” nothing will change.

Rank hypocrisy that is driven by fear, these games are feisty and in the past Liverpool have delivered some horror tackles themselves. More than their fair share.

Neither side has the moral high ground. All this knee jerk hyperbole Is a result of the shock of losing their most important player and is far from balanced or impartial.

This relentless vitriol is now inciting hate and threats of violence. It has to stop before a player or their family get hurt, or worse. The media outlets that continue to run with this, like a wolf pack, will be complicit.

The crescendo of pundits of all colours(club) from the so-called top six, shows the cartel does not want to become a "top seven". Indeed would the media fail to include any of those usual suspects should they fail to occupy those places in the final standing?

The Keowns, Murphies, Shearers and Wrights and the nincompoops like Jenas, Crooks and Savage, plus the serial idiots like Jim White, Merson and Parlour are very worried that we could gatecrashtheir cozy little party. Watch out EFC players for the fall-out from the Red anguish.

It does remind me of how in '85 the press, took half a season to recognise that we might just be in the title mix. They couldn't see past their darlings of RS, Man Utd and Spurs.

I suspect Everton FC will be bounced into responding to the hysteria. If we don't, it will be assumed that we have no defence and are culpable of something.

Our silence will be misconstrued and, like others, I do wonder if decisions might be made against us in the coming weeks.

The media reaction to the ‘tackle' has brought out in me a strong urge to get behind Pickford. I'm not suggesting I would defend what he did, it was reckless, but the vitriolic loathing in the media has made me realise how strongly the Sky 6 will attack in response to any perceived threat to their dominance.

I feel like they're scared. And I feel like we are the reason for that. We need to stick together, close ranks and back our boys to the hilt because evidently no-one else is going to.

Take solace then my friend from the old adage, which I believe has biblical derivations : Pearls before swine! :-)

Saturday was a great leveller. Not only did we hold "the best team in Europe" to a draw, but they left the pitch in tatters having been denied a winner by VAR (karma's a bitch, eh RS?) and seen their ever-present centre half limp off for a long spell on the sidelines. As has been said, they've had more than their fair share of luck with long-term injuries so - with sympathy to VVD for his personal misfortune - suck it up and welcome to our world. These things happen.

Let's see if our lads are mentally strong enough to deal with this flack - I want to see them tackling hard on Sunday at Soton - and let's hope this minor setback genuinely has left the RS sleepless and distraught, because their over-reaction to losing a player for a few months could well destroy their season.

They expect adoration for anything remotely positive and respond with hysteria and childlike behaviour when things don't go their way.

A protected Species? It should be the same for every team on the field of play, whether it be Premiership or from the lower tiers, in the case of a Cup Tie.

We have been defensive simply because we have had to be, facing this media onslaught, but Troy Deeney called it right, because these referees are never questioned in public about their actions, and this can't be right.

What's worse, a player injuring an opponent unintentionally, or a player deceiving both his opponent and the ref, because he had a right to go down?

We all know the answer, let's see the powers that be come down hard on cheating, first of all.

I so enjoyed your pouring out of emotion in this article. I am sure most of us on ToffeeWeb will be in total agreement with what you have written.

Not only is it emotional but it is also grounded in factual details that highlight bias in the media and the press in particular.

Personally, I am sheltered from the shit press in UK by living in Australia and I feel for fellow TWebbers in UK at having to put up with the absolute Red Shite Centric idiots in the UK papers. We have a similar set of vibes in the AFL here.

You do a great job in bringing to us all great subject matter. Thank you for this.

I have one message for Klipperty and the other RS dickbrains and that it (succinctly) "Fuck Off"!

One can only conclude that Everton progressing is treated with automatic 'How dare they!' and there is somethings wrong with the Rules and they needed changed or the Ref is at fault and action should be taken against him.

This was the same type of aftermath to the Penalty and Niasse supposed dive, both resulting rule changes.

I noticed the Red Echo in a headline suggested that Ancelotti had raised the prospect of competition from Olsen for Pickford. It would take a big stretch of the imagination to get that out of what they reported.

There seems to be a concerted effort of negative media reports again at Everton.

I think you are right it want we all need to do.Absolutely!

Si, well said!

Have been so annoyed by the bias media coverage that I have been reading & listening to since last Saturday so I've sent the link to the article to BBC, Sky & Talkshite, hope others can do the same, we need to get it out there & let them know how we feel.

What worries me is the hysteria shown by Klopp and his entourage and the media frenzy may well have serious implications for players safety and the safety of ordinary Evertonians. Liverpool 'fans' are being encouraged to show their rage and some may react violently. I know I've had to tell a few to calm down!

So much is being said and the derby match has once again brought out the worst in some people. RS and their fans were still smarting from the Villa thrashing and thought beating Everton would be the perfect cure for bouncing back. They almost did it against ten men Everton but VAR proved otherwise. One can understand them being pissed. Tough but get over it !!
They probably resent Everton still being top of the table.

Whilst it won't be forgotten for a while we should move on to the next game which will be equally as tough.

That said, I find myself leaning to Brian Harrison @ 38 that we ourselves are helping to feed into the media frenzy by continuing to create new threads on the subject.

For me, last Saturday's events have put into sharp focus two things:

1) The poverty of football punditry.

2) The poverty of football journalism.

I could add a third and say it also highlights (as if further evidence was needed) the disproportionate representation of one particular club in both 'professions'.

It doesn't need to be like this.

Only yesterday, four days after the event, did we finally see some excellent pundity on the Pickford incident from former England goalkeeper Robert Green.

Robert Green on Pickford Incident

(Note: this link works for UK based viewers. Overseas viewers can access it if they have a VPN).

Now all media outlets have access to the same images as Green uses for his analysis. But until yesterday, none had played it back and offered the very sound analysis as Green presents.

Why not?

It clearly shows Jordan's thought process in the nano-seconds available to him in a high speed play. That he was not wreckless or malicious in his intent. That he actually gets good contact on the ball.

It was a football incident which happens every weekend. Two committed players going for the same ball. In the majority of cases, both come out of it fine. On Saturday, VVD didn't.

That's football. That's life. Ask Blues about it.

Green's analysis is the standard of punditry all media outlets should strive for and demand from all their 'rent-a-gobs'.

However, I won't hold my breath. The media wants to generate controversy as click bait for a hungry audience not concerned with the nuances. The ranting and outraged are preferred to the balanced and studious.

Then you have the narrative and headlines the media is running with. It is very interesting to note this morning that yesterday's headline on Sky Sports for the Green analysis has changed today.

Yesterday, it was 'Green: Pickford Was Out of Control'.

Today, it is simply: 'Analysis: 'Pickford's collision with Van Dijk'.

Green said nothing of the sort that 'Pickford was out of control'. The headline was a complete misportrayal of his studied analysis. But it helped perpetuate the indignant narrative all media have run with since the game.

Yesterday a number of tabloid 'Red Tops' (oh, the irony...) run a story on their back pages that both Pickford and Richy (and their families) have received death threats and many abusive messages. That was a direct consequence of the media frenzy the journos and pundits themselves created.

Also yesterday in a presser you had both the Liverpool manager and Wijnaldum further stoking the fires, unchallenged.

Where was the journo to stand up and ask either of them:

'Do you condemn the behaviour of Liverpool supporters making death threats and posting abusive messages to both Pickford and Richarlison?

'And if you do condemn that behaviour, do you not think it is irresponsible of you to continue to stoke the fires, rather than douse the flames, accept what has happened and move on?'

But they won't. They will all be too afraid of losing their press credentials and continued access to the sage of Liverpool FC.

Carlo will be asked about the incidents of last Saturday in this week's presser, I'm sure.

I for one am looking forward to his laconic replies and how he responds.

I can't help think this is a lose-lose for Everton - either the Reds will win without him (and think how unbearable they'd be after that); or else they won't, and guess who'll continue to be blamed for that for ever more?

I posted this on another thread yesterday but I reckon its real place is here.

One whom Fortune's smiles have delighted overmuch, will reel under the shock of change.

Horace, Epistles I, x.30-33.

The truth really lays things quite bare, hey?

The reaction from them is so sensationalist, so dramatic, and so out of touch with reality in what REALLY occurred, it's frankly shocking and unbelievable.

Or is it?

When they won the Champion's League, that was not enough for them, they had to deface St Rupert's Tower with graffiti. Not once but twice! I don't think anyone has mentioned this on this thread, but if they have and I have missed it, I apologise.

Have to admit I got a very small bit of respect for Carragher after his comments to Souness

The media's response is really what got me and I know it shouldn't but the way all kinds of issues are dealt with by TV and the press these days irks me! Liverpool fans are going to be partisan and, perhaps, irrationally so just like some of us can be so while I gave them a reminder of what their players have got up to in derbies over the years, I just wanted to vent about the media as well!

I think we all feel the same anger specifically at the media, all I was saying is are we feeding the debate by having so many posts all discussing the same subject. I am sure that Carlo being the ultimate professional he is, will try and defuse the situation, when undoubtedly he will be asked questions about the derby match. I hope he says it was unfortunate that VVD has picked up a bad injury and wishes the lad a speedy recovery, mind knowing the media they will want to create tension between the clubs so will no doubt ask Carlo does he think Pickford should have had a red card.

The challenge by Pickford was a poor one but is there any sensible suggestion that it was his intention to injure? What was he supposed to do? Stand back and allow VVD a ‘tap in?' Serious injury to any pro footballer is always regrettable but this hysteria is beyond belief.

Well done Lyndon. We should all ensure that the article is afforded its rightful place in the debate. COYB.

God I've never agreed with any sentence more in my life.

It's permeating sports, never mind it's completely taken over "mainstream" news. There's zero objectivity. Only clickbait for money, and agenda-driven, partisan reporting. So sad.

Silence is golden i'm aware of that, but some of the absolute shite and unadulterated hatred coming our way, from anyone but Liverpudlians, (this is quite normal, isn't it?) really is bizarre.

Imagine Ancelotti saying, I was gutted with the decision really, because I told Pickford to go and give away a penalty, and get himself sent off, it's not my fault the referee never saw it that way.

We understandably assume that these pundits are acting as Liverpool shills, but let's also remember that sports journos and pundits are, first and foremost, always besotted with superstar players. Justifiably or not (and in my opinion, not), VVD was ranked last year as the second best footballer on the planet, coming ridiculously close to outpolling Messi for the Ballon d'Or.

Could it be that all this frenzy is more connected to his superstar status? Wouldn't we be seeing the same media madness in Spanish for a similar injury to Messi? Or in German for Lewandowski?

I may be off base here, but while I don't doubt the pro-Liverpool slant of the UK footy media, I have a hard time believing that that alone accounts for all this insanity. Seems to me the shirt-rending grief and rage is exaggerated by VVD's perceived status in the game.

We don't have one ex player that represents us with any profile. Too frequently Sky or BT have 3 or 4, us nothing. We are an uninteresting club that has injured a star player of an elite club.

Liverpool had every reason to dominate again this season, and with injuries to the keeper and Matip, and a lack of foresight in replacing Lovren its being ruined. Diddums.

I think it's probably a combination of the two.

It's definite rs slant bull. But the fact VVD is a "superstar", it heightens the response.

And I personally think VVD is a stupid good footballer, and football as a whole lost a damn good player. But that shit happens, and to vilify Pickford for the unfortunate outcome is just plain "blinders on, here's my narrative" garbage, ignoring what actually occurred: a hard tackle that any keeper is trained to do while coming out for a ball an protecting his box, that resulted in injury. It was not intentional, there was no intent to injure, and the hysteria is just insane.

They've seriously just lost their fucking minds, and they can't see straight.

Personally, I'm not against the hysteria infact I am welcoming it - I think it's hilarious - even better not Wijnaldum come out with an outburst a few days later!

It's better to call out the conduct of the hostile media and pundits assertions for what it is.A blatant attempt to project false unfairness and manipulate perception.The authorities have given the correct response and honest pundits have called out the hipocrites.

Another reason is that Everton appears to.be the target of such attacks and not for the first time.If Related media don't then it will go unaddressed and the lies would continue and may have adverse effects on Everton.

However, I'm simply over it all. It's time we stopped feeding the beast, c'mon folks for those who have been around long enough this is just the same old story repeating itself through more modern mediums, there are ways to keep it from consuming your every waking minute.

Let them lose focus and let us concentrate on who will replace Richarlison and will Pickford be dropped for his appalling lack of form.

Everton, to their credit have kept their counsel and seem focused on the next game. If we want some sort of comeuppance then whilst they ‘simper in the wind' how about we win at Southampton and hammer home our early advantage. Put the pressure firmly on the red half.

This is the crux, we have through a significant amount of breaks that have gone our way, the chance to capitalize on the next 6 weeks as we play once a week and others have a congested fixture list and weakened sides.

Let's focus on us and making a massive impact this season rather than being drawn into a circus. Really do we care about them?

I was the lucky recipient of a text including photo from a friend who is a liverpool fan. The picture showed a freeze frame of Richarlison's tackle and the words 'The School of Science'. I obviously took the bait but was less eloquent and didn't have the same facts to hand that you had.

With this in mind, can you produce your articles quicker or I will have to bight my tongue in future.

What surprised me was the speed that many fans who don't follow those loveable reds jumped on the band wagon.

You have summed up our experiences at their hands so well and professionally not once resorting to the poor insomniacs insane rantings of injustice.

Lets just hope Ajax are capable of rubbing salt in the wounds tonight.

I actually heard about it this morning from Kopites - They deffo don't like it up them.

You only have to read the responses on this thread (and I've read them all) to gauge how well it captures the feelings of Evertonians Everywhere

Thank you Lyndon.

They also tried this pantomime albeit with less media hype against Ramos after the CL final when Salah got injured. Embarrassing then and even more so now.
Ta very much for letting the country finally understand on a large scale what utter gobshites you really are. Cant even celebrate winning the league for the first time in 30 years without trying to trash the city centre.

Hope the bastards implode. The rest of football will take great delight in watching it happen. Vile football club, vile owners and absolute gobshite fans.

He has refused to read it.

Sums up our feelings perfectly.

I've been fuming since the game because of the reactions of their gobshite manager, their gobshite players and their gobshite fans.

I've been getting into Twitter arguments with them and pointing out many of the things you've raise in this article but now I'm going to stop and take a step back.

Why? Because I've realised that the hysterical and pathetic overreaction is just them. It's what they are and it's how they behave. It's just typical Kopite behaviour.

I'm not criticising my pal, he's a very good mate. But I was taken aback by his refusal. Mind you, he might counter that I have occasionally been jaundiced in my views!

So looking back at it Everton are above this sort of behavior so to put it in a song. Silence Is Golden.

The two nasty challenges from us I can think of are Gary Stevens on Beglin and Funes Mori on Origi.

There's as you stated and we've mentioned on various TW articles about the tackles and Shenanigans of the RS in the last 50 years of Derbies.

Well I hope Ajax can reverse the current score and beat them tonight.

Onwards Evertonians, to victory at Soton.

My LFC friends, all pretty moderate I think, have gone mental this week, to my great amusement.

I'll be saending them this article..excellent read.

In reflecting about when (in my 53yrs) EFC have been in any way successful, mid-80s, mid-90s, the one common theme I see is a real hard element within the team. VDH, Stevens, Ratters, Reidy, Sharpy most prominent, then Parkinson, Watson, Horne... without that grit and willingness to scrap, you can't win...and we plainly haven't. We've for so long been so nice, so willing to turn the other cheek and just take it. Nice little Everton, not a threat to anyone, least of all the big boys.

I seriously hope what emerges from where we are now is a consistent willingness to physically compete and "win the right to play"... anyone who's ever won consistently has done this.

The current world gloom and vacuum of any news other than Covid and the flippin US election means there's been far more interest in this particular game than is necessary...these things do just happen...it's FOOTBALL..

Without much effort at all, I reeled off a dirty dozen plus bench of RS who, for various reasons, wouldn't look out of place in a police line-up and hardly showed a "good example" to anyone resembling a decent, honest, fair human being, try these...

Grobelaar, Neal, Smith, Ruddock, Dix, Whelan, Molby, Case, Gerrard, Kuyt, Djiouf, Suarez, Souness, McMahon (ok he was ours originally), Yeats, Hughes... a few get a good mention above!

It's just too much media... and very few independent observers without vested interest.

"calm down, calm down"

I do, though, like a little reminder every now and then of how fortunate I was to be chosen. I couldn't deal with my club (and community) resounding this way. I'm sure there are some normal reds fans who are ashamed of the public outcry.

I particularly wish Wijnaldum would be forced to read it - and account for it - after his embarrassing comments.

VVD walked off unassisted. At that point, the only 'story' was no penalty/no card. At 89 mins the headline writers were poised to pen an 'honours even' piece, adding the mandatory early bath sub-header at 90 mins. Just 3 minutes later of course, 'the story' turned to the VAR-assisted chalked-off injury time 'winner'. The (ahem) big picture story finally appeared much later with the confirmation of VVD's lay off.

So how did an everyday footballing incident escalate to such a media storm and ultimately threats on players' lives?

Responsibility for fanning the flames is shared between BT mouthpieces, mainstream media, social media, Klopp, Wijnaldum, VVD's 'final piece of the title-winning jigsaw' status, the powerful, the rich, Tony Hibbert, the repeated use of the slow-mo loop, the selective freeze-frame, the absence of other news (really?).

But the flame itself is the longstanding toxic cocktail of delusion, entitlement and superiority that makes up their collective resting heart rate. A stolen result and vital cog missing due to the enemy? Throw in this sense of football injustice, stand back and enjoy the display.

Lyndon, I salute your clarity of thought and evidence-based journalism and, on balance, I'm sure we're all thankful that you did decide to post this piece as opposed to hoping its absence may see the matter fade away!

I'm also of the opinion that EFC official should keep shtum and not get involved about another team's beef about the match officials. Stay classy Blues!

Every fan base there is always the odd dickheads. But with them its always steps too far. Sort of the "spoilt brat" attitudes. But in the media and pundits eyes. They never do anything wrong. Van Dijk goes right in on James and DCL before he was injured himself. With yes man Mcmanaman claiming to "leave his mark" but then again one of many many ex Liverpool players punditry. Media don't try and hide it. Especially Sky sports and BT.

Don't get me started on that rag. The Liverpool Echo.

So as you say Laurie, who is lunging at who?

Green's look at the precise moment Henderson connected with the ball demonstrates that JP's view was almost entirely blocked by the not insubstantial frame of Mina. He has to essentially guess where the ball is going. Because of this he went one handed (and overstretched) for a shot he could've comfortably saved with two hands, maybe even held.

As a keeper you go one handed when the ball is too far to go with two, but of course you go with half the surface area. Also, because Henderson scuffs his shot, the ball bounces just before it gets to JP, kicks up slightly and spoons off his wrist. If Henderson had hit it more cleanly it could have been an easier save.

Right I'm gonna stop the forensic keeper analysis now, but I would recommend who is calling out that ‘goal' as an example of another JP clanger to look at what he could see at the point of contact. Rob Green's comments are bang on.

Link

I'm not a JP apologist, IMO he fucked up with the VVD ‘challenge,' but I think it's helpful for us, as viewers, to remember that we're seeing the game from the camera's view and not from that of the players

By the way, who else can't wait for one of their players to mistime a tackle !
In my opinion Klopp is such a pretentious person that plays to the media at every opportunity he gets.

Great article Lyndon.

Not that professional sport will be played before live spectators any time soon, but why, Anthony?

Benching Jordan now would be the very worst thing for the club, the team, the player, that Carlo could do.

VVD and Liverpool are being cast as 'the victims' in this farce.

In truth, it is Pickford and Everton who are being sullied unjustly more.

Use this as a springboard to continue our good form.

And most certainly do not go dropping the best goalkeeper at the club. That weakens us and appeases our fellow title challengers.

The good thing is that Carlo has been instrumental in getting a lot more out of his players this season ( Jordan excepted) but Keane and DCL are different players.

The Pickford call early on and the last minute VAR were absolutely correct but the RS fans, management and certain pundits will carry this on until there is some similar incidents to rant on about.

I've just seen that they play Sheff Utd next who are in dire need of points, lets hope they get stuck in!

I would love to see a chapter 2 on why. Why do pundits and the media (both Liverpool alumni and those with no connection) treat them so favourably and when did this start? I appreciate the business need to play to the gallery given their global fanbase, and I also get how the existence of social media exacerbates the situation, but why are the media so keen to curry favour? The same favourable treatment does not apply to the same extent elsewhere. Sure Man U generate a lot of media coverage, and have their own army of armchair, fair-weather fans, but they aren't given a free pass in the same way. So why is that?

It confirms that Liverpool FC, their players and many of their supporters are utterly blinded by a self regard that is beyond decency. Grown men foaming at the mouth over a sporting accident. They, and the semi articulate pundits who encourage them, are devoid of integrity and are removed from reality in a manner that is, frankly, obscene.

Many would agree with your view, but this shouldn't have been the thread to air those views, because this article was about much much more than a single incident from Saturday's game.

What if the new guy actually turns out to be worse?

But Chris #172, Si is right. Carlo sees his keepers in training, including the new guy. He picks Picks. Every time. And until we lose a game this season, I'd say Carlo's credibility is pretty solid.

So which is it? Pickford doesn't have his VVD & Henderson moments...but this also means he doesn't make those 3 or 4 saves he did make which had 'goal' all over them.

Ancelotti is playing the overall percentage game...until Pickford gets injured or totally loses it in a West / Keflavik manner... he's in ahead of the Olsens, Mimms or Rankins...just maybe - but, none the less, In.

And also I think Ancelotti has a duty to publicly back Pickford by keeping him in this weekend.

Liverpool are threatened by us. Clearly the media are threatened by us. Good. They'll be ready for us next Derby and I have a feeling we'll be just as ready for them.

The club is playing a blinder by saying nothing. It shows we have the class they'll never have. No point in negotiating with arseholes.

Like 1985 all over again. We're top of the league, the reds are whinging and battling with the Tories in the 'Who can be the biggest c**ts' competition.
Only difference is I'm not 21!

To Southampton on Sunday. Carlo's unbeaten, fear-creating, don't take no shit Everton march on.

This thread is about the extreme response of LFC and the bias of the media.

I think it's important to keep focus on that, since this is a significant issue for football.

We didn't take it and they didn't like that one bit. The extreme response reflects their fear for the future and we should take exactly the same approach in future matches.

It is way beyond reasonable and the sooner they take their Nivea and piss off to the European 5 team Superleague the better and the journo's pundits and braindead fans follow them.

Great piece of TRUE Journalism Lyndon.

Anyone minded to set up a petition?

pic.twitter.com/3qN3JHUE8i

— Andrew (@ZEAndrewHD) October 18, 2020

Perry Groves? Whee on Earth did they dig him up from? He was sort of the Arsenal equivalent to Stuart Barlow.

Can we get headline news status and worldwide coverage for the - do you think?

The way this has been going, I believe the defence of our player, followed by the reference to VD's earlier tackle on James, became necessary.

There's no chance at all Hugh as I think you know! Personally, I'm also glad that Carlo has come to Pickfords defence. I would have liked him to have added “ a mistimed tackle by VD on James. These things happen in football as we all know. I'm sure It wasn't premeditated by VD”.
When we all know it was.

You must be like us Evertonians, desperate to get back in the ground, and although I'm glad you absolutely destroyed Liverpool, I'm gutted that you Villa fans were not in the stadium to witness such a fantastic performance.

Hopefully better days are ahead for our two teams Al, the oldest fixture in top flight football, even if the EPL turned Everton's request down, when they asked to play Villa first, when we was the first club to reach 100 seasons in the top flight. Best of luck to The Villa!

I'm hoping Carlo is making more of James' injury, to reinforce that injuries can occur accidentally and that he may at least be on the bench. 🤞

About Jimmy Case it reads - Case by name, hard case by nature. Case was the epitome of a tough tackler in the 1970s for Liverpool.

The local lad is detested by Everton fans for a tackle on Geoff Nulty in the 1980 Merseyside derby. Case prematurely ended Nulty's footballing career with the tackle, stimulating abhorrence from the Goodison faithful. In his autobiography, Case alludes to the tackle, dismissing it as a mere clash of knees, in which his knee was stronger. Nulty, devastated by the demise of his injury ridden career, employed solicitors who issued a writ to Case.

The former Liverpool midfielder states he still has no regrets over the tackle and thrived off the stick from the Everton fans subjected towards him after the tackle.

They actually revel in it !! You couldn't write it but they actually do.

In his last year with the Reds, after reaching the semi-final of the European Cup, the Reds faced Romanian champions Dinamo Bucharest. The first leg at Anfield will never be remembered for the result as a Sammy Lee goal secured a 1-0 win. Instead, controversy transpired when Souness appeared to punch Dinamo's Lica Movila in an off the ball incident, consequently breaking the Romanian's jaw.

Nonetheless Souness oozed composure and class as he put in a man of the match performance in the second leg in Bucharest, in front of a raucous reception scolding the Scot following the incident.

"Appeared to". More likely definitely did punch the Dinamo player, I mean how else could he have got a broken jaw? I assume souness wasn't even sent off for the incident, as he played in the second leg.

Still one of the best articles I have read for a long time.

Just noted on Lawros Picks on BBC Sport website, that he predicts a 2 nil loss for EFC and the BBC have a video shot of the Devil Destroying St VVD, which when you play it, takes us to last Sundays MOTD2 and the only Red Smurph - one D. Murphy, talking about it - YET AGAIN !!!

Thank you.

Funny how, even after all these years of differing fortunes, you can't erase our class or their vulgarity. I think they know it, which is why they get so angry.

Don't you know your Old Testament?

Bold Virgil, imperious, smote the foe in blue,
James and Lewin laid low in the first few
Moments; he ventured North, said the prize is mine.
Like the Red Sea, the blue defences parted.
The Dutchman waded in to the storm tossed waves.
There, confronted by the red haired Minotaur,
Renowned for his daring and fabulous saves,
Flying from his nets, arms and legs wide apart,
A monstrous hydra, leaping high, did roar:
‘The royal blue Jordan river shall not be crossed.'
The Van lay broken. The Dyke was breached.
Thereafter flowed an inundation of lies.
For Virgil would not sail for all the season,
Left with neither ligament nor cartilage.
His men curse their enemies without reason.
His care rests with Dido from Carthage.

I recently read two books on Greek mythology by Stephen Fry, Mythos, and Heroes. The first starts with the beginning of everything, and the second deals with Heracles et al. I'm hoping he writes a third book, covering the Trojan War, which would then lead on to the Aeneid, and that poem, or at least its original form! I've previously read The Iliad and The Odyssey, but this is new. Good stuff, thanks for posting it!

Who cares ? We have a game today

I sit there and watch it, and they replay/replay/replay the slightest touch, or incident as though it's a huge deal - thus making it into a huge deal. The media and technology available are what's killing the game.

Football has become so non-contact, and so sanitised that everything is under the microscope - it must be crap to play in. Stressful for players and managers due to the level of investigation into every breath players take during games now.

Watching old games during lockdown, the game was so much more watchable 10 years ago. Even 5 years ago. Now it's stressful, and nothing is certain until it's been dissected down to the millimetre - the moment they introduced all the technology, football as we all know it, died a death.

Remove all the tech, and get the game back. Just because we have the technology, doesn't mean we should use it the way it's being implemented.

Get a grip Murphy, the shite is getting worse by the day

HI Tony [239] these so-called pundits must have good agents, because not many were what I would describe as exceptional players. Any supporter could sit in a studio and tell the world what a player 'should have done', how many times have you heard, "He should have been 'finger tight'' or "He was too tight"? You and I plus our ToffeeWeb colleagues could provide that kind of comment free of charge. I'm off to the spare room to listen to the Radio Merseyside commentary, and no doubt I'll be informed of what "They should have done"

Picfords I'll timed challenge on Virgil van Dyke. Regrettably this caused a fairly serious injury but in itself was hardly a two footed studs up lunge. The media outcry was tantamount to calling For Pickford to be hung drawn and quartered.

Now we look back to Son's challenge on Gomes. What do we get, a great outpouring of sympathy for Son because he was so upset.

Now we have tinkering with the laws to help VAR...just get rid VAR and whoever is giving the Reffs their instructions and interpretations, because they're just as much to blame too.

Why doesn't Carlo and are Club shame that vermon and come out and say why Pickford wasn't in the right frame of mind and who's fault that is?

Guess what, not a single story was run on his comment.

Even now though they are still running the story on the tackle, get over it, Heath, Bracewell and Nulty have faced far worse injuries, Parkinson, Snodin, Oviedo, Coleman, Gomes, Southall, the list is endless.

They have their first long term injury as far back as I can remember and suddenly it is an outrage.

It happens, get over it.

What do the press do, they get a lip reader who says he said something else in Portuguese.

What they do not mention is and I am trying to remember if it was Coleman or Kenny who walked in front of the player as the words were said, blocking the tv cameras.

Suddenly it was Holgate who was made out to be a liar and the press slated him so much, that his form dipped and he was taken out of the first team for a while.