Everton vs Chelsea

I don't care if they got screwed fitness-wise… they both already have questions over their fitness – Mina especially – so decent clubs recruiting will be, or should be, savvy to this.

They play for Everton. Everton are their employers. They play if fit. After that, they can well fuck off. Non-negotiable

I don't anticipate anything other than a difficult game, but one we must somehow pull on resources hitherto rarely witnessed and get the three points at all costs. We can't just rely on other results going our way !

Given the train situation, at least I don't have to sit amongst the travelling London away supporters tomorrow. West Ham I can handle and they are a good bunch. Tottenham tend to argue amongst themselves. Arsenal, well they are just boring. But Chelsea. They even test my reasonable tolerance levels.

Maybe even play Branthwaite to repeat his Stamford Bridge heroics. It's sad that a 1 - 1 draw remains one of my highlights of this season.

Marching down the Goodison Road. Come on Everton.

Link

I hope I'm wrong and he arrives with exactly what we need – goals!Anything less and the fight is lost.

A bigger problem to address in the midfield selections. Against a slick passing Leicester, playing Delph and Allan was a mistake, so I suppose the manager will go with Doucouré, Allan and Iwobi.

The manager has had numerous opportunities to start Branthwaite and passed on them so l expect to see Mina and Keane in the middle of the back four.

We need something from the game and I expect that we will achieve same.

I don't think it's laziness or deliberate. He lacks the internal grit and drive that, for example Richarlison has – Richarlison might leave but will be fighting for himself and the club all the way to the end

Calvert-Lewin will be doing his eyeliner.

Mina must be on borrowed time really because as much as I like him and yes he is our best defender, there's only so long you can keep putting up with such a lack of games.

DCL is neither here nor there, average performance levels,and not much else to it.

We would need Buck Naked, Miles Long and Flex Blake the way they strike and stroke their balls home from all angles to get out of this shit storm.

At the moment all we have is John Bobbit and that bloke from The 40-Year-Old Virgin!

ps: I had no idea who those men were, Wikipedia told me.

On the bright side, I've got some lovely salmon for my dinner.

I think I'll open another bottle of wine…

Somehow, we have to find the killer instinct that has been missing all season. I'd go with the front three of Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Gordon.

Let’s get three points, and keep it in our own hands.

Up the Toffees.

Mark, it’s what Sky is all about - money, however they can get it. They don’t give two hoots for the game as long as they make money.

But no sleep tonight – I will be with you all in spirit, shouting the lads on. And Christine, I only live about 599 miles from you, so I will listen out for your screams when we win! COYB

I'm assuming one of you is up in the Bay of Islands and the other down in Dunedin or somewhere? Love New Zealand.

I'm sure somebody not too far away from me would have heard my cry of “Noooooooo” last night as Burnley's second goal went in. Minor damage to my iPhone again due to my frustration.

Don't really know how we are going to survive this with our bunch of misfits. Maybe Frank will get a favour from Chelsea for helping deliver a sackful of trophies. Maybe Tuchel thinks there are 3 easier points elsewhere to secure the 4th spot but expecting us to beat them in full strength is fanciful at best.

I would say we now need 3 wins and 1 draw at minimum from the remaining games. That does not sound too hard until you shake your head and realize this team of ours no longer has Dave Watson, Peter Reid and Kevin Campbell type players in it.

I think most of us have actually accepted that we're down but that does not mean there is no hope. Hope is all we have in our hearts but ‘hopeless' is what we have in our team unfortunately and it may need an unlikely hero to give us at least one more week to cling on.

Hope is eternal though and I'll happily eat humble pie if we get something from today's game.
Kenwright Out Now!

I hope your dream comes true…

I could go on all day, but I need to get myself to Gatwick for the flight. Goodison bound.

I am self-declared mad bordering on insane, but wouldn't change it.

Let's bring the points home.

Mind you, it reminds me of the definition of Purgatory... "a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven."
It seems you don't have to die to go to purgatory after all.

But today is a must-win, no matter how it is achieved. If we lose today, it begins to look tougher. Win and then we will all be a lot more optimistic tomorrow.

UTFT!

Wishing you a safe flight and a very enjoyable day at The Grand Old Lady. I will be the invisible spirit beside you – eating my meat pie. Tell me, Danny, that we are going to win – please!!!

Massive, humongous game today that we must win! My Burnley friends are already writing us off and giving it the Big Un, let's hope we silence them!

COYB

Usually I'm quite optimistic but I've just not seen the evidence that these players/coaches can get crucial results when needed. Really hope they prove me wrong.

A win today would be a real tonic and it's certainly achievable as Brentford showed when beating them 4-1 a month ago. But they don't have the distraction of the Champions League now and in their last 3 away matches they tonked Southampton, beat Real Madrid and drew at Old Trafford.

A draw would not be a disaster and would put us within 4 points of Leeds with a game in hand, better goal difference and an easier run-in.

I just want this season to be over now. In past years, I'd wished that we had a bit more at stake in the final month but I'd give anything for some mid-table mediocrity right now!!

Iwobi has received much criticism but recently he has improved in many fans' eyes. But what is he bringing to the table? He is very good in the combinations and the simple passing in the middle of the pitch. He is furthermore credited for his work rate in particular after chasing the ball in three 30-m sprints against I think Man Utd.

These chases can be morale boosters but, in reality, it was just like a headless chicken. Because, of course, the opponent is just passing the ball. Any pressing must be a coordinated effort and not just one player running around. For me, Iwobi is really poor in the pressing game because his timing is awful.

Iwobi currently play as Number 10 (his preferred position). He offers basically no goal threat. He does not score goals and gets very very few assists. While his passing is good in the middle of the pitch, he seems to get nervous every time he needs to make a decisive pass. He has no instinct. He will never anticipate a situation. He will never score a tap-in because he does not have the goal instinct.

So for m,e credit for Iwobi's recent improvement and hard work… but he is still not good enough. Defensively, he is working hard but not smart. Offensively, he has far too little end-product and he completely lacks killer instinct.

I would much rather see Dele Alli in that position. He has shown glimpses of his ability recently. He has got that killer instinct that we need.

Gray is a little bit same story as Iwobi. No instinct and poor decisions. He started out really well for us and we thought he was the bargain of the century. But, apart from the first 2 months with us, I actually think he has been poor. Poor decisions and no end product. In fact, in the beginning, he scored a few but actually his career stats show even fewer goals and assists than Iwobi. I would bench him and play a striker. Calvert-Lewin if he is ready; otherwise, Rondon, to allow Richarlison on the left.

So Calvert-Lewin and Dele Alli instead of Iwobi and Gray.

What do we do? Go along with it? Or fight?

Never give up and never give in, it's time to call on the spirits of Everton FC, we fight to the death.

We will stay up and ram it down the throats of all those who want us gone.

COYBlues! You can do it!

One day, in the dictionary, under 'hope', will be Everton FC!!

Just win!! No ifs, no more excuses! Do what you are paid for!

Safe journey all!! 🙏

The 2 sitters Dom missed against Leeds at Elland Road you refer to cost us 2 points. Like Tom Davies passing to Mina in an offside position instead of shooting at Old Trafford, another 2 points lost. Both games being early in the season but those points would be handy now.

Rondon, Calvert-Lewin, Alli, or Doucouré come in for me. And if that means moving Iwobi wide, so be it.

It will come down to the crowd, the referee and the players' desire.

I know many have said we've had relegation written all over us since that home defeat to Watford, I too sounded the alarm bells pretty early on, but I thought we would have enough about us to avoid being in the bottom three at this stage, so to all of us who attend Goodison today, let's make some noise and urge the players on for what may prove to be a last hurrah for Goodison Park in terms of it hosting a Top 6 club in the top flight.

Like most Evertonians, I still hope beyond hope that we kick off in August as a Premier League club but, as many have said, it will take an amazing change in our results in order to stand a chance of avoiding the drop.

That is including a point today.

So relax.

Well said, and those three factors are very important, the crowd, the referee and the players' desire. If the players can't get any inspiration from the team coach as it comes towards Goodison Park today and they see crowds of younger supporters urging them on with their banners, flags, flares and vocal support, then they never will.

I wish I was young enough to join these brilliant fans and they will be there to welcome the Everton coach – not to harass and throw bottles at the visitors' coach!!

It is going back about twenty years or more, but I remember an interview with or about Alex Ferguson. It was along the lines of ‘ when we win possession, he demands that there is a goal attempt that comes from it’. Anything less and he would deliver a bollocking.

ie, no faffing about, win possession and attack with pace and power, the rest of the team knows the drill and adjusts to it, players are bought, or nurtured to do it.

Goals come when defences are stressed and can’t react in time to pace or quick balls into the box. We need more of it.

Blaming referees and talking about enough games left were avoiding the need to play for points. The whole relegation dogfight will be in flux till the end of the season. Everton have to realise they are in a dogfight.

Looking at the fixtures, today is a free hit. Chelsea are not what they were so expect Everton to have their moments.

Leicester away. Leicester have nothing to play for and will be massively distracted by Europe.

Watford away and they will already have been relegated.

Brentford and Palace at home. Where Everton are strong.

Arsenal away. You don't want to be needing points there.

So, even though Everton are 8/11 to go down, I still don't think they will…

Forget ‘keep it tight' and play to win… just like Brentford did against them. No fucking round at the back, fast attacks, and long balls down the sides needed.

Pickford
Coleman Keane Mina Mykolenko
Doucouré Allan Iwobi
Gordon Rondon Richarlison

The saddest thing for me is This is the last game were Everton have their own fate in their own hands!!

This is the cup final for me after the Burnley result yesterday.

This is it, Guys – lose today and we really are in trouble.

Pickford,
Coleman, Keane, Mina, Mykolenko
Gordon, Allan, Delph, Richarlison
Alli
Rondon

Time for us to go on our run.

Up the Blues.!!!

Looking forward to an exciting afternoon of entertainment. No dodgy ref decisions against us, and no sendings off for us, and an Everton win.

“Hope’ is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all …”

Sunday morning here in New Brighton - - 8.00 am – arrived home late yesterday from Italy - - Salerno - - all around it’s grey - - in the front top room - - the City still sleeps - - still and silent - - a seagull flies across the meridian as if lifting the curtains for the coming day - - there are stretches of gold coming through - - Naples yellow - - in front of the house a tremendous tree - - filling the window frame - - green with morning rain dripping from the tips of the leaves - - Masterpiece by Mother Nature - - we have Paradise in our grasp - - we cannot let it slip through our fingers - - we have to hold it, grasp it, protect it - - Love It
“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
We have been gifted a Life as Evertonians - - like many on here I have spent best part of my 73 years' watching The Blues - - they have given me a lot - - filled my heart and my soul - - I measure a great deal of my life against Everton happenings - - 60 years' this week we beat Cardiff 8-3 - - I missed it - - - - my sister Joan had the audacity to get married that day in St.Alphonus Church Great Mersey Street - - without even asking my permission - - I was mad and I had to wear a suit and a tie - - Eeeeaaargghhh Joan died a few years' ago but is in my memory and my heart - - part of me - - who I am - - just like Everton - - no matter what we are intertwined - - Blues - - no false footy photosnatch fenanikens here - - Blues - - through and through - - and through everything - - together - - I am just now letting my mind and indeed my heart flow - - float - - for a moment - - just floating on The Astral for a moment - - close my eyes for a moment - - thinking about The Golden Vision - - The Holy Trinity - - Howard - - those days of dancing around The Dark House and races around the block in our undies - - “Many a tear has to fall - - Oh, but it's all, it's all in the game, child - - It's all in the wonderful game”

Take me back, take me back, take me back
Take me way, way, way, way, way, way, way
Back when I, when I understood, when I understood, yeah
Oh, ah, take me way back, when, when, when, when, when, when
When, when, when, when, when, when, when
I was walking down the
Walking down the street and
It didn't matter
Cause everything felt, everything felt, everything felt
Everything felt, everything felt, everything felt, everything felt
Everything felt, everything felt, everything felt so right, ha
And so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good, ah
Everything felt, so right, and so good
Everything felt, so right, and so good, so good
In the eternal now, in the eternal moment
In the eternal now, in the eternal moment
In the eternal now
Everything felt so good, so good, so good, so good, so good
And so right, so right, so right, just
So good, so right, so right, in the eternal
In the eternal moment, in the eternal moment
In the eternal moment, in the eternal moment
When you lived, when you lived
When you lived, in the light
When you lived in the grace
In the grace, in grace
When you lived in the light
In the light, in the grace
And the blessing.

No Tourist Trip for us Blues today - - our normal Pilgrimage to Goodison via our own Hostelries - - for me like a May Day Procession to The Dark House - - passing all those memories of the Old Processions - - God Bless Father Winder - - my sister Colette in her Holy Communion Dress with some lace curtains wrapped around her head - - me in a white shirt and short kekes with my Holy Communion Medal on ( I was 45 at the time - - God Help Us)- - today I will walk those same streets - - Scotty - - The Mother of Liverpool - - all our Ma Joads - - arms folded across their flowery pinnies - - still looking after us - - looking down on us - - Blessing Us - - “How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past?” - - Thanks Ma - - this is who we are - - no telly headlines grabbin’ bandwagonnners - - history - - lived experience - - real - - Ma was right - - as always - - “We Are The People” - - Rave On Ma Joad and all our Ma’s who made us what we are” - - along to Smith Street where as a rag-arsed kid I would play day and night and save my pocket money for the game on Saturday - - Whittle Street - - the Magic 33 Bus to Cardinal Godfrey - - The Dockers/Coughers Bus with the magical number 33 - - amazingly I live in New Brighton and the steps down to the beach are numbered and the steps at the bottom of our Road are number 33 - - magical - - mystical - - Holy - - coincidence - - no such thing - - History - - we have it - - others invent it - - Wessie Road - - first in - - Saturday morning baths - -with your cozzie on under your kekes - - a 4 of chips after in paper wet with vinegar - - and I shall search my soul - - I shall search my very soul - - and - - Listen to the Lion - - my heart and spirits sour lifting me like the boy in Ivan’s Childhood above The Earth - - looking down on my Ma/Anne - - “go on son - - enjoy the match - - hope you win” - -

“Life is sad
Life is a bust
All ya can do is do what you must
You do what you must do and ya do it well”

Into The Dark House - - nods and greetings - - handshakes and hugs - - men women and children - -sons and daughters - - grandkids - - Blue Hearts - - no falseness looking for the camera here - - no half and half flags - - real people - - Real Love - - God Bless Everyone of Them - - me and dave will walk in - - honesty and truth and real life hit us in the face - -blow our hair - -whisper to our hearts - - lift our souls - - carry our spirits - - my ribbons around my neck whisper to each one - - unspoken words flow into the air - - Words of Love - - Blue Remembered Words - - I am going to grasp my mouth organ and give a toot to all those who for whatever reason cannot get to the game today - - there you go(for Laurie)

And the sky was blue
And you didn't have no worries, you didn't have no care
You were walking in a green field
In a meadow, through the buttercups, in the summertime
And you looked way out over, way out
Way out over the city and the water
And it feels so good, and it feels so good
And you keep on walking
And the music on the radio, and the music on the radio
Has so much soul, has so much soul
And you listen, in the night time
While we're still and quiet
And you look out on the water
And the big ships, and the big boats
Came on sailing by, by, by, by
And you felt so good, and I felt so good
I felt I want to blow my harmonica

Up to the bar - - Sandra - - “golden” she says:

“I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail
Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail
Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn
Come in, she said
I'll give ya shelter from the storm
Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns
Come in, she said
I'll give ya shelter from the storm”

It is a big day - - no need to be thinking about anyone else - - who is gonna do what - - we are our own masters: - - “We Are Artists Lovers and Poets - - We are the singers of our own songs” - - it’s down to us - - as it should be - - who else to rely on except your friends - - companions - - brothers/sisters - - here is to All Blues -To Everton - - no matter what:

“O sweet To-morrow! –
After to-day
There will away
This sense of sorrow.
Then let us borrow
Hope, for a gleaming
Soon will be streaming,
Dimmed by no gray –
No gray!
While the winds wing us
Sighs from The Gone,
Nearer to dawn
Minute-beats bring us;
When there will sing us
Larks of a glory
Waiting our story”
Blue Boys - - A Day To be Together - - To Be For Everton - - We Are the People”

With A firm handshake with Blue Cosmic Grooves sent right out of the window here in New Brighton to float right across The Astral and drop “posso waves” right into your head - - and by tonight we will understand “the onesss” - - Into The Mystic - - your friend - - George

6 games to save our skin. Play without fear, play with guile.

Leeds and Burnley (and everyone else) think we are down already. We won today, and all of a sudden they start looking over their shoulders and start getting worried. That's all it takes.

6 games. All winnable.

It ain't over till it's over.

We can do this blues

UTFT

It is our away form that needs to improve with the games against Leicester and Watford providing some opportunity. 2 draws may be enough but I think 39points will keep us up meaning a win in one of those 2 or less likely is a third draw at the Emirates.

3 draws on the spin away from home would be a huge uplift in form though. 1 win and 2 defeats would be more realistic but I think would still be enough based on my home results scenario

It is in our own hands and we need to keep it there. Forget about Burnley and Leeds and concentrate solely on our games. Win then and we stay up and every game is winnable,

UTFT

Even though only scored six goals in last ten league games, the rate is going up! Six in the last six games, more than the pitiful zero total in the previous four games.
Average of one goal a game, it's a start, and can be improved upon.

Even if we don't win today, there are still enough wins to be had. And don't rule Southampton out of the equation yet, they have only three games left.

This could be a season where 40 points isn't enough. And I wouldn't be surprised if there will be a lot riding on Brentford v Leeds on May 22.
UTFT.

You, Jamie and a few others will need to pray a bit harder today to make up for the godless one like myself.

UTFT and 2-1 win to us

Like all Blues I will be there screaming and clapping and doing whatever I can to help the team win, the atmosphere has been excellent and will be again today, but will it be enough, I really hope so. When I look at the Burnley and Leeds squad compared to ours, how the hell have we sleepwalked into this position.

You obviously know a footballer when you see one !!

Been kidding us from the day he signed.

That's what is taking us down but not much different from five or six others without mentioning names.

Most of the squad overpaid and over rated.

We live in hope, "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen" sadly it doesn't happen very often when one is in the trench with no ammo.

Game starts at 11:00 pm for me. Three hours to go and waiting with eager anticipation for what may amount to the most important game in my lifetime. We were last promoted shortly after my birth!

COYB

I fucking despair sometimes I really do.

Typical kopite behaviour from so-called Evertonians.

I'm in Orlando today for #5's soccer tournament. Forced to watch the first opening minutes on my phone, race back to the hotel after the game is done (we're playing only 30 minutes from being rained out last night) to watch on the tv. The Boy's kick off is at 8 a.m.

At some point during that time I'll be chucking some prayers upstairs to the Big Man, reminding Him I'll be attending Mass later and I need him to do me a solid. 😜

Seriously though, this game is huge. If we win, I actually like our chances of survival. If we lose, I'm still not giving up and will hold to hope as Leeds' schedule coming down the stretch is utter hell.

UTFT

BTW... Leeds will pick up 6pts at least as Brentford and Brighton will be in flip flop mode.
We need this today.

I'm not far off the city centre now. I can only think positive I have to. Along day, but they will make it worth it.

Dave, I've touched the Rosary Beads a few times this week.

I still don't think this is it though. A few more twists are to be had yet.

I don't give a fuck how we win - just win and if there is any luck going please let it be us that gets it for a change, we need everything to work today, let us all hope it does.
To all Evertonians going today, be the loudest you have ever been and get on the refs and linemen's back on every 50-50.
This game is so important in terms of morale, win it and we have a chance, lose and I believe we are gone.
COYB.

George, the sky is always BLUE until the devils come out!

Agree there is likely to be more twists to come and today is not the be and end all but boy, could we do with a win.

Anyway, enjoy the game and safe journey home. On my way in a few minutes too, only travelling from Nantwich though so not bad at all.

UTFT

Minds of children

Not going today, just in case it was me that was jinxing them, but more realistically have been getting more and more despondent as we the fans seem to put more effort in going to support them, than they do where it matters.

COYB 💙💙

Nothing to add except that the bellends outside the Chelsea hotel will have probably just motivated the chavs a bit more to do us over.