Seasons2020-21Everton News
Everton paired with City in last eight of the FA Cup
A tie against the strongest team left in the competition was the Toffees' reward for their heroics in the Fifth Round against Tottenham last night.
Pep Guardiola's men, who have moved convincingly into pole position in the Premier League in recent weeks, overcame Swansea City in their tie on Tuesday evening.
The ties in the last eight will be played the weekend of 20th March. As a result, Everton's trip to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion will need to be rescheduled.
Full Quarter-Final draw:
Everton v Manchester City
Bournemouth vs Southampton
Leicester City vs Manchester United
Chelsea vs Sheffield United
Reader Comments (228)
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3 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:51:59
4 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:52:16
5 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:52:26
6 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:52:32
7 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:52:39
8 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:53:11
9 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:54:20
10 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:54:43
Coincidence I'm sure.
11 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:55:18
12 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:56:19
13 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:56:36
14 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:56:51
16 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:57:18
I've almost forgotten what goes on behind the green door.
Bring it on!
17 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:57:39
18 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:57:42
Fingers crossed for extra time and injuries to De Bruyne, Foden, Silva, Jesus, Sterling, Gundagen, Aguero, Mahrez, Dias and Ederson.
Not much to wish for!!!!
19 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:58:03
20 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:58:24
Could do with Leicester knocking Manure out
21 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:59:07
22 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:59:15
[BRZ]
23 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:59:56
Sure, would have welcomed an easier tie. But the way we are playing now I think 'Why not? Bring it on!'
Check out their fixture list compared to ours between now and then. They're going to be busy boys.
Next Wednesday's league fixture against them will be an interesting pointer.
24 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:59:57
25 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:00:31
26 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:00:31
Bet youve never been mistaken for a ray of sunshine
27 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:00:37
If you want to win the FA Cup you have to beat the best, or close to the best, at some point in the competition so bring 'em on and let's see what happens.
28 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:01:17
The reality is that you're going to have to beat the best at some point. And as we've seen in "easy" quarter finals in the past: Wigan, Middlesborough, you can't assume you'll beat a lesser side.
29 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:02:33
30 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:02:50
31 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:03:08
32 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:03:22
33 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:03:43
Likely we don't progress, but, if we do damn we've got good shot of lifting the trophy!. Reason for hope not fear.
34 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:03:51
"Another year without a trophy...great."
You're right, Pep is going to be in the hot seat this summer
35 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:04:17
City are good but not as good as they have been in the past and we are much better
36 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:04:48
37 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:05:13
38 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:05:36
39 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:05:38
Our eyes will be on one thing and one thing only. Semis here we come.
40 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:05:43
41 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:05:51
42 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:06:33
Inspiration, belief and grit won Everton the game last night.
Same again as last night and let City worry about us.
Theres gonna be some tempo, as we host them next Wednesday and the game that they got postponed, 4 hrs or so, before KO, on 28/12/2020.
Now lets prepare for Fulham.
43 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:07:04
👏👏👏👏👏
44 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:08:31
45 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:08:38
Fannying around with a mindset of hanging on hoping to nick one will see us eviscerated. Nothing to lose as every man and his dog will have City as easy winners.
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
46 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:08:40
Yes we have too many matches !
Could be your year 👍
47 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:09:21
48 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:10:26
4 CB defensive formation.
Coleman and Digne wide midfield.
Allan Doucoure Davies CM
DCL lone striker.
Draw and pens! Olsen the hero.
49 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:11:19
50 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:11:36
51 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:14:52
Thinking back to 1995, our last three ties were against Newcastle, Spurs and United, all three of them were favourites to beat us and riding very high in the Premier League!
Joe Royle, who took over that seson with us in the bottom three, actually advised Blues to put a fiver on EFC for the Cup before even the third round was played. Has Duncan Ferguson got the same feeling this year?
52 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:15:17
53 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:15:28
54 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:16:18
They're very good, but human. They'll know they have a job on.
55 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:16:54
56 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:17:06
57 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:17:26
Watching City dismantle Liverpool on Sunday, I was thinking how much more difficult Everton would have made the game for City, so I wont have long to wait and see!
58 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:20:12
59 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:20:32
60 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:23:54
I take it you noticed how good, and positive Seamus was last night. If he can repeat that performance a few more times this season l will be happy. If DCL is fit he will need some service.
61 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:25:13
62 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:25:36
Weve done well against the top sides this season- bring it on!!
63 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:26:53
64 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:29:09
65 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:29:17
Honestly, if we'd drawn Sheffield United, everyone would be tense and terrified that we'd contrive a way to screw it up... this way, we can go into the quarterfinals with no fear.
(Also, I'd like to think that City isn't overly pleased with the draw either)
66 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:32:35
In the thread after last night's game, many were saying how the mindset of the players had seemed to have changed in the last few weeks and that we now had a team of "fighters".
I would add that, after reading the above comments, the mindset of the supporters (at least on ToffeeWeb) is also changing (if not having already changed), to one of greater positivity - and it is wonderful to see.
I honestly believe that if we lose to Man City in the cup this year, the abiding feeling will be - "well City, enjoy it whilst you can, because it will be different next year."
I do believe that the club, your club, our club, my club, is changing and changing for the better.
Look out world!
67 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:34:40
68 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:35:08
69 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:35:16
70 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:37:47
City will not approach the game in the same manner and we will win.
Its far from delusional to think you can win an FA Cup quarter final at Goodison.
71 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:38:04
72 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:39:52
73 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:39:56
74 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:41:11
75 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:41:59
76 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:42:07
77 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:43:09
78 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:44:17
80 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:45:50
81 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:46:11
82 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:46:20
83 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:46:49
84 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:48:05
85 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:49:20
Just hope we give them a game.
86 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:49:37
87 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:50:04
Fancy us against anyone on our day right now. And in this competition, you have to win every game regardless of who is in front of you. It's not like the league where you can drop points but still succeed.
In previous successful or memorable cup runs, we've overcome the odds; in fairness, against the backdrop of the national media, we did last night. Why not next round?
88 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:50:09
This is all working out perfectly.
89 Posted 11/02/2021 at 20:51:17
90 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:02:00
91 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:03:42
92 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:09:07
93 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:14:23
94 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:15:32
95 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:16:36
96 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:19:20
3 of them above us in the league at the time. (Liverpool, Villa and Manchester Utd).
That is what you have to do to get there.
As someone has already mentioned, in 1995 we were the media's underdogs in every match from the 5th round on.
It's cup football. Nobody knows what is going to happen. But I know, I have never gone to, or sat down to watch, a game involving Everton not believing we can win it.
I won't be offering my life savings to Paddy Power on the basis of the result. But I will be believing until the final whistle tells me otherwise.
If you want to write off Everton before kick off. Buy a red shirt and sod off.
97 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:20:12
Pundits of those days gave us no chance against the likes of Denis Law and Knobby Stiles in a star studded United.
We did not shit our pants like some of you posters are doing.
98 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:21:15
99 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:23:12
I hear Damial Amokachi just turned 28, maybe we could draft him in for some FA cup heroics...
100 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:25:51
101 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:28:13
102 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:28:33
103 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:29:54
104 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:31:05
105 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:32:17
106 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:33:54
In case no one has noticed, Everton's profile has jumped in leaped and bounds since Carlo took the reins.
Our performances have improved in leaps and bounds too.
Our expectations have always been at the highest level.
We should therefore not be afraid that we have the opportunity for our performance to match that expectation.
Bring in on you Blue Beauties.
107 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:35:57
108 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:38:08
109 Posted 11/02/2021 at 21:42:14
Theyre a good team. Were not bad. Its two teams over 90 minutes, not an entire season. Far from a foregone conclusion. Lets see what happens.
Its a good opportunity to compare ourselves against the best and every time we do that we improve.
If were not good enough to beat them then we arent good enough to win it and thats fine by me.
110 Posted 11/02/2021 at 22:05:01
111 Posted 11/02/2021 at 22:09:44
112 Posted 11/02/2021 at 22:18:30
113 Posted 11/02/2021 at 22:32:31
Michael Barretts response (29) was about as wimpy and unimmaginative as expected. Come on Mr Negativity surely you can do better.
114 Posted 11/02/2021 at 22:32:47
115 Posted 11/02/2021 at 22:52:45
I think we'll beat Man City in one of our home encounters. Just unsure of which one.🤔
116 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:05:25
117 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:08:03
We of course will need to be at our best on the day, but another opportunity for Godfrey to tell them all to fuck off !
COYB.
118 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:13:35
119 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:26:31
120 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:27:49
121 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:35:25
Then get beat by Bournemouth in the semis.
122 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:38:20
The game is about 6 weeks away, anything can happen injury wise, Will be less so harmful for City, but if we can have our strongest 11 all available, we will give City a game and can certainly go into the game with a very good chance.
We have just come off the back off beating Leeds on their own patch, getting a great result at Old Trafford, and a win last night with a depleted bench, centre forward going off injured, but we dug in, anything is possible with this set of players, we just need Lady Luck on the injury front, to be kind to us.
123 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:39:05
I often accuse Everton players of being weak minded, not showing bottle, belief etc, the classic 'knife to a gunfight' mentality, and yet there I was a hypocrite exercising the same weak thoughts.
The last 2 games have shown that Carlo is slowly turning that mindset around in the players and that needs to permeate throughout the whole club, including the fans. If we believe we can beat City, then the players will too. Carlo, you have made me a believer, no more knives, we have got AK47s!
124 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:44:08
Fully fit squad for us and Citeh requiring a result against the Gladbach in the second leg I'd say we've got a chance. Keep the faith, gotta believe 👍
125 Posted 11/02/2021 at 23:59:52
126 Posted 12/02/2021 at 00:06:51
127 Posted 12/02/2021 at 00:22:48
It was hardly unexpected... no Bournemouths for us... plenty, me included, called it right after the Spurs game.
128 Posted 12/02/2021 at 00:23:50
129 Posted 12/02/2021 at 00:44:36
130 Posted 12/02/2021 at 01:08:56
Our record against ‘top teams this season is good. Why not?
131 Posted 12/02/2021 at 01:11:37
If that's kind of possible, I believe we can get through them all the way. If not, I believe as well we can do it.
After last night, I really believe we can do anything we want. These players have shown how much they want to succeed.
COYB!!
133 Posted 12/02/2021 at 02:11:27
I'd much rather face City in the 6th Round than in the Semi or Final. On our da,y and with no VAR cock-ups, we can beat anyone, including City.
134 Posted 12/02/2021 at 02:41:45
Let's really go at them!
135 Posted 12/02/2021 at 04:28:46
136 Posted 12/02/2021 at 04:36:38
We have a key player in Richarlison potentially returning to form, Gomes, Davies and Sigurdsson are much improved. Godfrey and Keane looking superb at the back and we seem to have discovered some fight, let's get behind them and have a real go! Something seems to be clicking into place.
Nicholas Pinon – I've been meaning to ask good sir and as you've just posted I'll do it now; what can you tell us about the River Plate player De La Cruz who we have been tenuously linked with, isn't he going to be out of contract soon? What is his preferred position and can you see us being in for him?
137 Posted 12/02/2021 at 05:57:54
No fans allowed!... Everton that.
138 Posted 12/02/2021 at 06:54:31
Bring it on. 100% effort gives City a tough game.
139 Posted 12/02/2021 at 07:21:00
We struggled against the teams that we are supposed to beat, but have held out against those who dominated the play against us. Nothing else we can do, other than cheer the team forward.
140 Posted 12/02/2021 at 07:41:24
141 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:03:18
Have faith chaps- Carlo can find a way!!
142 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:04:01
Beat City. Get the red half of Mancdom in the semis then take revenge over Chelsea in the final. UTFT.
143 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:08:44
No need to be intimidated by Man City though, we have fighters, flair and quality. Add to that the burgeoning desire and team spirit and we can get through.
Winning and knocking out the ‘current best team in the country will then give us complete belief that this is our year to win the FA cup and that no team is going to stand in our way.
144 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:12:31
145 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:28:31
And I disagree with a poster, being at Goodison means everything, you need every advantage and this will be crucial along with Carlos cunning plan.
146 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:30:00
147 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:32:33
148 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:45:04
We are just beginning to put things together as a team and squad.
Richy is getting back to his old self, Alan is ready to return and just the type of game to James to star in.
Hopefully we will have everyone fit to start.
With Carlo's tactics and all the positivity around the team at the moment I predict a 3-1 win for us.
COYB
149 Posted 12/02/2021 at 08:56:23
150 Posted 12/02/2021 at 09:06:19
151 Posted 12/02/2021 at 09:28:43
152 Posted 12/02/2021 at 09:33:07
Our away form is better than our home form. Being drawn at home puts more pressure on you but you dont have the fans to get behind you. I would rather have been drawn away.
153 Posted 12/02/2021 at 09:46:43
I havent heard anything at all about BMD but Ill make something up if you like.
Its how it usually works on ToffeeWeb when BMD is mentioned.😁
154 Posted 12/02/2021 at 09:47:38
To beat City, youve got to have a bit of luck, and watching them lately, (theyve just broke the record for the most consecutive top level victories) John Stones, had been absolutely brilliant at making football look easy, so Id say hes the player that needs to be ruffled first?
155 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:02:52
156 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:08:42
COYB!
157 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:15:01
Worst possible situation would be to go in to the league match full blast, like with the Spurs game, and get soundly beaten. That way we'll go into the cup match nervous and it takes us long enough to get started in a game as it is these days.
158 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:17:09
I've supported EFC and been a regular at Goodison Park for 60 years - I've never once thought that a win in an upcoming game was impossible and the only thing that scares me now is the virus (and I've now been jabbed!), certainly not a home Cup quarter Final against Man City.
159 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:17:50
160 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:22:44
Also I love nothing better than playing a team who have just broken the record for the most consecutive wins in the Premier league. We also know that Pep like Carlo likes to rotate lets hope he gives Sterling and Foden a break against us. I know he wasnt happy to the clubs reaction to the late postponement to this game due to City having players contact Covid, and he did vow to beat us when the game would be played, but he also said he would rather Everton had adopted Carlos reaction to the postponement.
So he just might play his strongest side against us and make changes to his side to play Spurs this weekend.
161 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:37:09
Come on Blues, we are on the verge of having a full squad available and if you want to win it, and you have to beat the best to lift the trophy.
162 Posted 12/02/2021 at 10:52:41
163 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:00:31
164 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:01:37
Do us a favour get a grip with your negativity,of course City are going to be favourites but they were red hot favourites against Wigan a few year's back and look what happened. I bet you tought Spurs were going to beat us as well. We are a team that's starting to believe in themselves. Wait till after the game to predict another year without a trophy,but please don't come back on here if City do win and act as if you are the all seeing eye. Have some faith not just blind faith we have to start to believe
165 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:11:49
So please don't denigrate the cup competitions as irrelevant. They might be to the likes of City, RS, ManU, etc etc but they (particularly the FA cup) retain some real magic.
Would I prefer the FA cup or the prem champions? - Prem every time 4th in the prem to FA cup ? No contest FA cup every time.
I do, however, appreciate that top 4 is probably a better business proposition but these are the times we live in.
Sadly
But then I am a fan of football.
166 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:15:04
Martin #162 "I really don't understand the pot hunting mentality. domestic pots are verging on irrelevant...,Pot mentality is so 1980's."
167 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:16:24
168 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:20:02
169 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:26:02
170 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:26:41
171 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:28:02
172 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:36:26
The whole competing in the Champions League is above everything else, even the World Cup now is huge con that has been pulled off by the money men.
173 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:46:43
174 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:47:40
From now the FA cup will only add potentially 3 more games to our schedule, other than those potential 3 games, we only have league games to concentrate on, we are not in any other competition.
I got into following Everton & playing football myself for the success on the pitch & the glory of potentially winning a trophy.
I never got into Everton for interest of how much money the club could make, I couldnt give a rats ass about that, I am a football fan & only interested in the football.
It is sad that since Sky rebranded the league & over time, a generation of fans have grown up preferring to finish 4th because of how lucrative it will be for the team to qualify for the champions league, than the euphoria of seeing your team lift a trophy.
Dont get me wrong, I would love to see us qualify for the champions league as much as the next blue, but never at the expense of competing for trophies.
175 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:53:00
Martin, go onto a commerce website mate, your logic makes a lot of sense financially, but not to humble football fans, who just want to see their team win some cups!
176 Posted 12/02/2021 at 11:56:41
I think there is actually logic to both sides of the argument. Personally this season Id prefer a trophy given the 26 year drought.
However in the long term regularly qualifying for the CL probably brings you more trophies. The TV rights, the sponsorship opportunities, the ability to attract top players comes with it and puts the club in a stronger position.
Doing both would be nice though
177 Posted 12/02/2021 at 12:02:49
Andrew. I would say that you have to weigh up the the importance and effect of each competition, both on the club as a whole, and the finances, would have.
Winning the FA Cup would be amazing in the short term, but qualifying for the CL has a much bigger chance of growing the club's success.
It would increase our profile Europewide and make us a more attractive club to play for.
If we were to reach the knockout stages then the financial gain would also be big plus!
178 Posted 12/02/2021 at 12:33:38
179 Posted 12/02/2021 at 12:50:27
180 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:00:53
[BRZ]
181 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:02:37
Yes, football finances are now as important as they ever have been. Yes, to compete at the very top end you need loadsa money. But THE key ambition of any sports club or individual sports person is to WIN. Win competitions. Win leagues. Win cups. Win medals.
Getting on the honours board matters. It raises the profile of the club (and individual sports person), which in turn can improve its finances, which in turn enables the club to attract and finance the purchase of better players, which in turn...you get the rest.
I've always been bewildered by comments saying that they DON'T want European football (in any given recent season) because the squad couldn't handle the fixture workload.
You simply cannot cherry pick these things. You have to grab what you can from the tree when the opportunity arises.
So for me it is a case of not prioritising one over the other, but simply observing the tired old cliche 'take one game at a time and see where it takes us.'
I'm quite sure that with 17 PL games to play and possibly 3 games to land the FA Cup Carlo and his team have not prioritised one over the other, but are simply working towards both goals: a top 4 finish and an FA Cup victory.
We may fall short of both. But for the first time in many a year there is a buzz about the club that we really could be on the cusp of something here.
182 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:05:19
The thought of Arsenal players going a decade without a trophy but ending season after season dancing on the pitch liked they'd won the treble because they'd just nicked 4th place is not what it should be about.
183 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:15:25
Yes, another important consideration - profile and pulling power - Carlo ditto.
184 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:22:34
I am of the same mindset as you: a top-four finish is good for the club financially, but doesn't guarantee success in a European tournament. As many have stated, the idea of attempting to win both the FA Cup and accomplish a top-four finish is something the club should strive to achieve but, if it's a choice of either/or I'll take an FA Cup Final win every time.
185 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:25:55
I agree. Not only that but, the more progress is made in one or more competitions, the more able Everton are for further competitions they may get in to.
186 Posted 12/02/2021 at 13:47:44
No particular reason, just confuse them for the cup game and keep the pros fresh for the derby.
If we win, great, if we lose, meh. All about the cup now.
187 Posted 12/02/2021 at 14:11:28
All I say about my position is that, if there was a choice and if we had to concentrate our resources on one or the other, then the one that gets top 4 finish in the Premier League would get top priority, even if it meant fielding the U23 side in the FA Cup. I think historically clubs have always followed this philosophy?
As I say, it's probably a choice that we won't have this season. It's just a wonderful situation now in that we can talk of one or the other with hope for both in the not-too-distant future.
I would love us to beat Man City because they are the best.
188 Posted 12/02/2021 at 14:39:22
We have been here before... many many times!
189 Posted 12/02/2021 at 14:57:01
Totally agree.
I dont post vey often as there are a lot of negative posts which to me is not what being an Evertonian is about.
Regrettably Ive had to give up my season ticket (health) but when we do get back to some sense of normality (whatever that is) I will really miss it.
Ive sat/stood through 57 years of joy and pain, but never wavered in my loyalty.
Probably wont post again for sometime to come.
Just get behind the team and be positive, theres too many other problems going on around us.
Stay safe everybody.
190 Posted 12/02/2021 at 14:59:24
I remember the joy as a young lad of being in the Upper Gwladys at Goodison to see us dispatch Arsenal in the Third Round, that great Kenny Samsom own-goal and the second which I don't think was over the line!
I remember listening to the radio and 'kicking every ball' as a kid as we beat both Liverpool and Southampton in two tight games and the joy of victory.
I used to take my tiny pocket Aiwa Transistor Radio into school every lunchtime to listen to the FA Cup Draw being made and really hoping it was going to be the year when we finally won something! A big huddle of kids around the radio as the draw was being made and me relaying each tie to the others verbally because the signal was pretty shit and the volume on the radio poor too!
Probably my best school mate (he had come over from Manchester) was a big Man City fan so that made defeat all the more painful, both games were around the time of my birthday so added pain. We battered them at Goodison and McDonagh certainly didn't cover himself in glory, should have won it at home, another painful missed golden opportunity.
191 Posted 12/02/2021 at 15:00:20
Elaborating on your points, the financial benefits of a top four finish are meaningless until that money results in some tangible benefit. Case in point; Kevin Keegan. He is viewed as ultimately a failure at Newcastle because while he got Champions League football, he won nothing, and they wasted all the money they earned, as they did again with Bobby Robson who also got Champions League football.
Their trophy cabinet has been bare for 50 years and that is what fans focus on. There isn't a cabinet for receipts from Champions League games.
192 Posted 12/02/2021 at 15:06:39
I respect your view but I would suggest that your statement of "I think that clubs historically have always followed this philosophy", should be amended to, "I think that for some time now, clubs have followed this philosophy."
It's my opinion that the decision to increase the number of qualifiers for the 'misnamed' Champions League, and the money available, was instrumental in causing clubs to field weakened teams and the subsequent short-changing of fans. I know that my outlook on football may be dated but that's the way I've 'always' been historically.
193 Posted 12/02/2021 at 15:09:10
Then again, no fucking Everton supporters would probably get to see it, that would be just typical!
195 Posted 12/02/2021 at 15:20:10
196 Posted 12/02/2021 at 15:26:39
So just for this season, let's go all out to win the cup and make top four a greater priority next season!!
197 Posted 12/02/2021 at 15:32:58
Then we hammered them.
Then according to everyone who knew anything at all about footy, including my mum god bless her, said we had no chance against Man Utd.
Then we won the Cup! Oh fuck me!
199 Posted 12/02/2021 at 16:13:21
200 Posted 12/02/2021 at 16:21:45
202 Posted 12/02/2021 at 16:24:16
A cup all day all day I tell you.
Maybe we could have both in this the strangest (shittest) of seasons but if I could choose one, it would be Seamus lifting the famous old pot for the 6th time in our illustrious history.
Up the Toffees.
205 Posted 12/02/2021 at 16:54:39
So I'm not the only one who noticed the ceasefire? I have a sense it will end about two minutes into the Fulham game. The officers will be back in the trenches blowing their whistles driving us to return to our pro-Carlo/anti-Carlo, Pro-Tom/Critics of tom, Pro-BK/BK is the antiChrist, usual tactical positions but it has been nice to have a bit of a lull in the hostilities. Funny how a single humdinger of a game can raise all our spirits.
206 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:00:21
207 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:00:40
208 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:04:17
209 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:05:27
210 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:09:07
211 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:13:20
It was a statue of the greatest game ever played (imo) and it made me happy and proud, that it was remembered so fondly in our football mad city, mate!
216 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:28:38
218 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:36:40
219 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:39:34
They beat Ipswich in semi-final and then lost to Spurs in the Final after a replay when Ricki Villa scored that goal.
If any of this is incorrect, sorry... but it is all from memory. But I cannot draw on any comparisons good or bad.
220 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:42:01
221 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:51:00
I tend to lean with Kieran, Graham and Rob in preferring the Cup to the CL at this point. In the cold light of reality, we are not yet equipped to compete successfully in the CL -- we don't have the midfield quality or depth in attack -- and I don't want to make it in just to go out at the group stage. I want to hit the CL like a bomb going off, and we're a good 4-5 players away from that.
The Cup, however, is something we can cherish forever. I've only seen us win one, '95, and I still remember every detail of the day, including what I ate for breakfast in that ManU pub.
222 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:56:38
223 Posted 12/02/2021 at 17:59:32
I've only watched us win it once too. The first football game I ever watched -- just through happenstance was the 1985 European cup final -- Heysel stadium... I don't remember many games after that until the 1986 cup final which I thought we had in the bag once Lineker scored...
226 Posted 12/02/2021 at 18:22:44
229 Posted 12/02/2021 at 18:42:53
231 Posted 12/02/2021 at 18:53:41
No wonder some players have struggled with confidence i.e Tom Davies, but look at him now, and it's the same with Dom etc. Carlo had given these players self-believe and we as fans need to be doing the same.
So let's get behind the whole team and proclaim that we are going to beat Man City and, if not, we are going to die trying. :) COYB
232 Posted 12/02/2021 at 19:03:04
We deserved the win at Goodison, and we were doing alright at Man City, until he replaced Deulofeu with Kone and left Lennon on the bench, which was a balmy decision that totally exposed John Stones.
233 Posted 12/02/2021 at 19:03:23
In the first game at Goodison, 0-0 — Mike Summerbee dropped his shorts to the Gwladys Street!! 60,000 crowd.
Replay at Maine Road: 0-0, Harry Dowd with an incredible save from Alex Young's great header! 63,000 there – tickets were like gold dust
Of course we got to Wembley without conceding a goal.
Happy days indeed!
234 Posted 12/02/2021 at 19:27:19
235 Posted 12/02/2021 at 19:41:56
My uncles, Phil and Tommy, told me that the mounted police were handing tickets out to those who had travelled ticketless to Bedford. The attendances were 63,034 at Maine Road and 60,349 at Goodison, the attendance at Molineux was 27,948 (apologies for being pedantic).
236 Posted 12/02/2021 at 19:52:06
You're dead right – sorry, must be old age creeping in!! – seemed just like yesterday.
We went to Man City one Sunday to buy our tickets the queue was halfway around Manchester!
237 Posted 12/02/2021 at 19:58:27
238 Posted 12/02/2021 at 20:05:28
I seem to remember going to Manchester on my motorbike, one Sunday, to get a ticket.
239 Posted 12/02/2021 at 20:12:07
240 Posted 12/02/2021 at 20:22:37
241 Posted 12/02/2021 at 20:35:53
The only time I remember a price rise was for Brian Labone's testimonial, they put the ground price up one shilling, don't know about the stands.
242 Posted 12/02/2021 at 21:29:01
Take each game one at a time.
There will be ups and downs!
But we are Evertonians👍
Upwards and onwards.
57 years later through thick and thin Everton 👍👍👍
243 Posted 12/02/2021 at 22:29:32
244 Posted 12/02/2021 at 23:02:27
What a pity Oxford utd back in 86 did not have the same attitude as some on here.
I get City are a class side, it will be tough, no doubt about it, but if we turn up, city will face a sleeping dragon that has been poked, and awoken and hopefully hungry.
245 Posted 12/02/2021 at 23:08:56
That"ll do me before bo bo"s
👍
246 Posted 13/02/2021 at 14:02:00
Motivational? Inspirational? Leaders? Fighters? Believers? You ain't.
Bring it on !
247 Posted 14/02/2021 at 02:22:00
Man City have been on a fantastic run. But runs come to an end!
If we can get our best 11 on the pitch with a strong bench, there is no reason not to believe the lads can do it. No more knives to a gunfight!
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1 Posted 11/02/2021 at 19:51:22