European Champions League Final

If there is sufficient interest from the assembled parties, I can see if I can find the Keys to the Kingdom that is the ToffeeWeb Live Forum.

Don't all shout at once!

Yes please.

Hope City lose, they've bought and ruined the EPL (5 out of the last 6, FFS it's worse than Scotland)

Forza Inter.

Guardiola trying to be smart again dropping Walker, hope it backfires.

Jeff, having lived and suffered through the Liverpool dominated years, roughly 76 to 89 I'm made up its anyone bar them

The shite would have won the league 3 or 4 times if not for city.

Why are we talking abour also rans like them? Not even in next year's UCL

This pregame is almost ss bad as the wannabe black metal guitar army from the Hammers match

Predictions?

2-1 either way after E/T.

Jesus Christ... just fuck off with your Liverpool shite will you please.

This is absolutely not about them. Just for one fucking night can you not think about Liverpool FC? What is the matter with you???

Michael, it's turned a little cooler. If the LF won't start, try half choke.

Will (8) Predictions, I think Inter are being under estimated, they have been hard to score against in this competition, City are the firm favourites and hope they win but wouldn't be surprised if Inter win, possibly after extra time or even penalties, it's just guess work.

Ah so it's Josep, I thought Pep was short for Pepsi!

After the Wham singer or the EUFA sponsors.

I don't think Inter's wingbacks will generate much. City 3-1

Gonna be played at walking pace!

Dave, it is.

Agree with the scoring, probably not so high.

A miss.

The shape Dimarco is making to not giveaway a pen is compromising his defending there, rules ruining the art.

Was watching outside - now rained off.

Fantastic interception by Diaz, danger there...

Would love Citeh to lose after Guardiola tried to be a smart arse (again )by dropping Walker.

Inter Milan shirts all over Clerkenwell this evening. Quite a few of them nipping into the Italian church on Clerkenwell Road. Had a couple of glasses of white in the Italian deli/cafe next door. They are not very confident.

City there for the taking, their bottles gone here.

Inter really disrupting City's game.

Shoulda had that in the net!

Tremendous move. Haaland off his game?

City fans virtually silent, can only hear Inter

Would like to see City take it.

Just a beautiful team to watch.

Inter the better side.
Unlucky by Haaland couldn't have done much more

What would you expect Jeff. Foden coming on for KDB?

Kevin DeBreakdown.

Jeff (21) - Walker's out injured.

Come on Inter, beat the oil barons.

Beetlejuice imminent.

Walker on the bench, dropped. Pep decent coach that he is ( never had no money to work with btw)always comes up with odd decisions in the big games, overthinks it,
hope he loses the big one again.

Why are so many refs bald. They must be disproportionately bald.

Come on Rom, score the winner.

Remember '85 - 'treble, treble, we wanna treble and we want one now'.

Paul, I think they wear bald wigs as a solidarity thing.😉

You leave us baldies out of this. Nice to see magic Marco Materazzi out tonight

The only baldy cob over ref I can think of from the 80sJeff was that Harrow schoolmaster fella. David, something, I think.

David Ellary. He was a twat

Matterazi in the stands there, Lukaku on the bench, Stones a gobshite, Dumfries almost joined us, theres only one team to support here.

Are you a ref James?

Cheers James and he was

I can barely referee my own household, let alone a football match

Worst final ever. Bore fest. City look absolute shit. Completely playing east to west, not taking space, not getting ball forward, no urgency.

Just a shite game. Better second half surely!

Worst final ever JC! Have you seen Everton/Watford '84 mate?

James (42), James, Ellary was a twat and seven eighths!!

Ferry - No!

Dude this final is just crap thus far! Shitty footy, like 2 half chances, City playing awful, it's terrible.

Now, that doesn't mean it won't get better! Second half could be completely different. But that half was "take a nap and tell me the score when I wake" kinda shit!

I don't like Italian clubs in the main, so I hope City win for two reasons, one it'll stop the RS loving media beating them up because 'until you've done it in Europe, you're not a great team' mantra and because it will shut the other lot up from claiming the same. City are a very good side, they've been off the pace tonight, but that's as much to do with Inter's hard work and organisation. As for the guy earlier going on about how the other lot would have won another four titles if it wasn't for City, how many potential European Cups did Everton miss out on due to the behaviour of da bestest fans in da world?

Referee will decide the outcome of this game, unfortunately, a bad call or a daft penalty.

Paul, I remember a bald ref at Goodison v Chelsea (Roger Wilde?), booked the whole of the Chelsea wall for not being 10 yards, yellow, yellow,yellow, yellow, he was a twat too.

Paul Ferry…….I'm surprised at you mate.

Ellary was a twat on and off the pitch. I had a mate at Cambridge who had him as his housemaster at school and he loved seeing the boys get caned.

City unlocked the 352 in a couple of interweaving ways early, cutting inside from just inside Inter's half and beating the double team outside the D. KDB could not get several of those possessions inside the box. Most else came from outside to Inter's preference.

At about 60 minutes it will get difficult for Inter to keep defensive discipline. I thought City would be up a goal but I still think they avoid the turnover in their half and get a goal.

Paul, the bad one was '86.

The day was one of my best ever Rob and I still watch the game every two years or so, but it wasn't our best display mate. But I loved every minute of it and the night before in the Punch and Judy, Covent Garden, still there.

The most common scoreline in finals, from kids football to elite football is 1-0. The exciting ones are the exception not the rule

Everton v Watford was a fantastic final for obvious reasons, 14 trophyless years wiped out.
Balotelli working out great for BT sport tonight..riveting.

OK here we go. Start playing footy. The whole "don't make a mistake" or "the players are nervous" crap should be out the door now.

Entertain me FFS! 😂

'85 and '86' and fecking '89. And that twat Lampard at Elland Rd.

Inter 1-0 AET James?

Ya, but what about the epic game in 1806? 😜

Actually, I'll take that back Rob, there were some pretty poor performances in 1983=84, especially the '83 bit.

Trafalgar was 1805 JC.

Hahaha Ferry.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was 1-0 to someone, Paul

Fourteen seems a little wait these days Jeff.

Jamie63, you sure know your ‘istory

Jeff - pride myself on my easy 1800s knowledge m'man.

early

Remember when we burnt the white house down Jamie .

Paul -

Good times, good times. Remember when we hid behind trees and picked you fine men off winning independence?

Three crunching tackles in a row. About time let's goooo!

Lovely stuff John Stones but look at those swarming Milanese.

An ex girlfriend of mine once asked me why its called the white house. Just one of many reasons she's an ex.

Big Rom!

and how many other countries and native tribes JC in The War of Eternal Ingratitude . Lu coming on.

I know Paul, I was a kid of 7 when we won the league in 70, by 1984 I was a working adult, it was a lifetime between trophies, how people who are now in their thirties cope with the last trophy in 95, I just do not know.
Come on Rom!!!

ROM! Find the back of the net Romelu!

The Big Man!

Agree Jeff, we're the same vintage mate.

WTF you doing??? Feed Lukaku you idiot!

Just looking at the benches of both teams, sigh. To think we had Stones and Lukaku in the same team, now look at us.

Joe#83, and Barkley, which one will we be linked with this summer?😉

FEED THE YAK .

AND HE WILL SCORE!

Joe is still playing.

Stones has been the best city player so far.

We also had Delefeou that season, so many attacking options, pity Martinez forgot about the other side of the game,... defending,
which is criminal from a Premier league manager.

Jeff -

Best team and season in my small Blue life since 2007. Loved that squad.

Paul, Ross Barkley, christ I forgot he existed.

Ffs Ferry - 84 was glorious!!Why do you want to pour vinegar on our memories?? What do you get from that?

Fuck

You're not stopping that!

Boom

Great finish, fantastic

Ooo... GOAL!

Rodri. Who probably deserves it most. City!

Fantastic shot / finish.

Inter will have to come out and play now. This should be a better watch

City “ fans “ not even celebrating, ridiculous, even the fans are feikch

Nicely placed.

OMG Fat Rom materializes and stops a goal.

Good defence Lukaku

Rom went downhill when he started eating burgers.

Keystone Cops.

If Rom scores the Crowley house will blow up

Yawn, Mark Murphy, read irony lad and the humdrum opinion of one of the worst live finals ever. I was there for everything in that wondrous time so don't talk to me about vinegar. Those, on the other hand, who were bleating we're down we're down in January, including your Horsham pilon rider are indeed vinegar.

I thought James Flynn said that Walker was injured.

Hate that conducting the crowd shit.

Is it me or does this game feel a bit staged. Are Inter involved with Oil ?

With the greatest of respect do one Ferry. Your tiresome.

Paul, needed another hour to recover.

Holy shit what a turn by Foden. Wow

Superb by Foden and the keeper.

That move deserved a goal.

It did Dale.

To me this game feels over as soon as that goal went in, Inter have given up..staged game this.

Stones off? Get he was down but he's been good... weird that for me.

Kyle Walker oggie, come on...

Agree Jamie.

Hahaha. If Walker OGs I'll laugh my ass off.

Pep at it again, Stones best player on the pitch, “ I'm a genius, take him off”. Fucking why??.

Took one in the winky.

Martines, pass to Martinez

He was Jeff.

OMG

Ohhhh Rom! OMG so close!

womp womp

Lukaku sitter, that's criminal

Feck Lu

Ffs Rom

Lukaku misses a doozzie!

So selfish Lukaku.

What a shit final..again

Big set piece here...

Is it me or does Pep adore all the attention?

Greatest ever season by an English club ever.

Game over, again..a race has now become a parade, just like the Premier league.

Finally over the hump. Jeez man League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Ederson, Jesus Christ

Alright then. City!

Ederson wins European Cup.

Not as good as Brighton v Everton.

They're the best team in Europe so for that they deserve to win it.

Fuck off, City, oil bought that and all your other corrupt trophies, oil, oil, oil – no skill in throwing billions at a squad until you eventually get it right, no skill at all. Frauds.

In a nutshell, James, like us in 1985-86. Did Rodri say 'shit' then?

Could have been our oil Jeff, apparently.

Underwhelming, even Grealish is not particularly arsed.

Oh well - the next "Game" is the transfer window. Goodnight All.

I like Grearlish as much as I dislike his hanger on Micah,

Harsh Jeff, emotional is the word mate.

I'd definitely have a different perspective there PF, but it didn't happen, and these cunts annoy me no end.

Okay, so wrong thread, but that's over with now. Martin Mason and I are Blues. We go the game. We cheer on the team during the game.

We have different opinions on the style, manager and board. But we've followed the Blues for over 50 years each. And the Blues come first.

Anyone who wants to take opposite views are totally entitled to do so. But don't get snide. That just makes you look like a cunt.

UTFT!

You're blue through and through Jeff and like me you remember how shite city were not in the 90's but the 80's.

Congrats to City. The best team around, won.

They enjoyed winning the FA Cup last week more.

I've met Mark and Martin on the away game trail and found them both good guys. True blues.

Good night Mark but before you hit zzzzz check what 'snide' means and check yours, from me, who saw my first game at Goodison in 1967 aged 2, 56 years

You certainly brought the quality of this thread down.

Have a nice summer.

Brent #158, agreed

Paul, I think we've both seen the game at its best in the '70s and '80s, likewise people like Dave Abrahams and John Mcfarlane and many others on here in the decades before.

Even if we got taken over by Saudi oil and became successful again, it wouldn't be the same; the game now is tainted and our success in the eighties was pure.

Some of us don't use four-letter-words to other blues, Brent. But that was his groundless choice.

Totally agree, Jeff.

Paul, I didn't follow the preceeding thread (tuned in late at final whistle) so wasn't aware of what the issue might be.

Just confirming the true blue credentials of those two. And your true blue credentials are in no doubt either, Paul.

Inter didn't half defend well and in the end Ederson won it for City.

I thought Stones was excellent. Haaland barely got a kick. Inter had him completely worked out.

And you, Brent, are a Blue for the ages. Hope your wife is a little better.

Stones was their best player, Robert.

Paul #166, thanks for that, mate.

I didn't watch it. I'm not bothered though I'm pleased for their genuine pre-money fans.

I don't mind Man City. They've certainly denied Liverpool a few titles in recent years. In 1999, they were playing Northampton, Colchester, Walsall and Lincoln. To think their owners may have been turned away from Goodison by good-times Bill…

I preferred footy when I was a kid when the likes of Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town could rule in Europe through managerial skill – not a cheque book hoovering up all the best talent.

I'm sure Pep is a great manager. Good luck to him. However, I would love to see an experiment where he was given a big club who have had hard times, like Sunderland or Sheffield Wednesday, to see if managerial skill alone can get you to the top the way Bobby Robson or Brian Clough did. I think he'd struggle these days.

Well done, Man City. Fully deserved.

And for those who can't find it within themselves to be happy for them, be less bitter. 😉

Didn't watch or listen to it.

A team comprising endless money beat a team with nowhere that money, that money being supplied as it is by a country where human rights are ignored in favour of torture and corruption.

I wanna thank our Michael (#10) though on creating an entire thread about teams and a competition that have no relevance at all to Everton before going on to lambast anyone who mentions THEM - them also having no relevance to us.

Some people say irony is dead in America but well done to those who so gloriously show it isn't!

Well done City, fully deserved, you've spent 10 years spending countless billions to get to tonight, how does it feel?

Empty?

Bought?

Unbecoming ?

Bizzare that people think you deserve it?

Yes all of those things.

Don, I don't think that MK lives in the land of the free any more.

I don't understand why you are so sour. Big game, no relevance directly to us, I agree, but an opportunity for some free and easy banter, a large part of which was in fact about us.

Have a nice summer Don!

173…. If I was a City fan reading that… I'd say F and bollocks… I don't give a shit what your questions are. And I'd expect them, rightly so.. to say something on the lines of “ Oh.. you've spent your millions.. to get what… nearly relegated twice in two years?” I've no problem them winning tonight

Hi Jeff, [161] I'm afraid that I am programmed to make my way to Goodison Park whenever Everton are playing. I think that if I had a semblance of intelligence, I would turn away from football as it is today, but old habits die hard, and the standards both on and off the field could be classed as corrupt. Referees are ordered to turn a contact sport into a non-contact sport, leading to players writhing on the ground in agony, following what we used to praise as a good solid tackle. As I remarked at the start of this post I'm too far gone to walk away from the " Beautiful Game" ?

175, yes but I'm bitter.
City, spent, bought, spent and then bought again no comparison to what we have done.
They have bought and ruined the EPL and are doing the very same in Europe.
The race has now become a parade.

Jeff Armstrong.., I'm sort but you invested all sorts of conspiracies.. innuendo..,any much more than a football match deserved. But I'd love to know your opinions on Dallas ‘63 as you have a burning passion for issues you don't believe in but convince yourself of deeper issues! The day of despair ( for you) is nearly over.. and sorry to say.., when you wake up tomorrow.. the back ( and front) pages will tell you your living nightmare about this really happened. As Neil Young sang.. “Don't Be Denied “. Regards. Chris

When are referees going to get the balls and stop the wrestling from corners, and start giving penalties. watching that game I thought if they were Everton players we would have had at least 3 yellows and a red, The whole game is getting so corrupt that rules are for amateurs, especially officials. the game is now they shall not pass either fair or foul will do. How can you teach kids, when hooliganism is the expected norm.

Jeff,

I lived within listening distance of Maine Road in the '90s when their long-suffering fans only saw enjoyment at that stadium during the Oasis gig so I don't begrudge their fans.

But yes, football is becoming increasingly boring due to lack of competition in England, France, and Germany. Italy has been saved because Juventus can't seem to keep themselves out of trouble. But no doubt they'll be back on top soon.

Paul (#174),

I suppose I might come across as sour but there's more than a few who speak of the way football is run in the same way I do, namely that it's fundamentally corrupt.

And my comment to Michael K was intended as a compliment. A sense of irony is evidence of a sound mind to me.

If you look deep into the way finances and greed have taken over football, it would give us all very good reason to walk away. I know a few who walked away once ticket prices started doubling in the early '80s.

We were as guilty as anybody for splashing out in the '60s and '70s and what we have done in the last few years is beyond a joke. It's not a joke to say that all of this money being thrown about and yet there's people dying of starvation. What a horrible twisted world we live in!

But hey, we're all hooked on this sport and we will continue to watch the super-rich throw money around like confetti, corrupt ownership take control of their new toys, super-rich football players picking up more in one week than most of us pick up in one year, and at the same time displaying all the behaviour of cheats and cowards.

Good luck to Mn City. It doesn't seem that long sgo they were in free fall in the lower leagues. They got lucky with a stadium, the takeover and Guardiola. It can be great to watch but most of the time it's boring so I'll stick to my suffering of being a blue and hope something magical happens and we win a trophy soon.

Pete

Very good post mate

Under Sir John's stewardship, we spent wisely – he provided guarantees but didn't use his own wealth, rightly believing the club should be sustainable, and still deliver on the pitch. For him, it was all about the working-class masses that packed Goodison. He employed a few, and many more of their wives. "Mersey Millionaires" was a lazy Fleet Street stereotype. He was ruthless, and we were better for it.

I had the pleasure of meeting him in the late 80s when I worked at Goodison. Just a silver service waiter, who every other Saturday got on the 0530 train to get back. He still found the time to talk to me, by then wheelchair bound. Although his health was on the wane, it was clear to this then-starstruck teenager he was sharp as a button. Ruthless but with an empathy for the common man I've yet to ever see again.

He was a Titan. Our current and hopefully soon-not-to-be Chairman is a Tit. Not worthy of the title.

Chelsea and Maan City were able to lay the foundations with massive spending before the Premier League brought in financial regulations. They have frozen the current status quo.

There will never be a level playing field until those rules are changed. I am surprised no clubs have challenged their legality in court as they are anti-competition.

Steve Brown! In a nutshell mate.

Sickening fact: Julian Alvarez (Man City), who has just won the World Cup and a record-equalling treble, cost less (or the same) as Maupay.

Our “scouting team”, like our academy, needs to be torn down, ripped apart, demolished as it's not fit for purpose.

We are all too far gone to walk away, John Senior.

Not a great match and a pretty cagey affair. Great save by City's keeper from Lukaku. Or should the striker have put more of an angle on it?

Either way, I'm pleased for them and they deserve it. Best team in Europe and the planet right now.

I have friends who have been lifelong Man City fans. From the Kippax to the Eithad. Gillingham at Wembley to dramatically escaping from the 3rd tier of English football. To Istanbul last night. It's been a long, often painful journey for them. But their supporters have been rewarded.

Change at the top, investment, a new stadium, a vision and a strategy. It shows you what can happen.

My son pointed me to a documentary about Heysel yesterday. I wish he hadn't, as I will now have to watch it, which will trigger me and my thoughts of what could and should have been. They may call us bitter, they claim abuse when called victims. But they gloss over that tragic event and ignore it. If they don't talk about it, it never happened. Airbrushed from their history.

Apologies. What they done to English football that night, which impacted Everton more than any other club, won't leave me. Denied us of our opportunity. And that team could have gone all the way.

Back on topic. Congratulations to Manchester City. A model for what can be achieved if managed correctly from the top down. Who'd have thought it in 1999?

John (176), I couldn't disagree with anything in that post.

We are watching an entirely different game than the one we watched all those years ago, played with different rules that are changed every season with even some referees not knowing what they are or turning a blind eye to them one week then applying them the next week.

I love football, always will, and yes, Man City are a very good team and good luck to them, but will always be tainted with the ugly money they have used.

They face 115 charges of breaking the rules but the media make much more of the one charge we face, the media is as bad as the false football we watch today.

Well said, Danny, you've saved me a post. I echo everything you've written, and I mean everything!

On the one hand, I'm glad for City as they are clearly the best team in the world and deserve to win the Champions League.

On the other hand, whilst appreciating the superb technicality of their football, I often find their football soulless. Watching Silva, Grealish and Foden beating players down the wing and then playing the ball backwards into midfield sort of leaves me cold.

Yes, they retain possession but at the cost of individuality. Only De Bruyne seems to retain the permission (?) to try something different. Guardiola has maximised the collective at the expense of spontaneity. It's the way football is going – being reduced to a chess game.

After 62 years following the Blues, I'm too hooked to lose interest and I would like Everton to adopt some of the abilities of City – namely better ball retention – but the game cannot be allowed to lose its jeopardy.

I hope City win nothing next season!

Interesting point, Ray.

They play a patient game and wait for the moment.

Sideways, backwards. Things that frustrate a lot of Everton supporters.

The difference is that, when they change the gears, they go forward with intent. Game management of the highest order. But they have the players to do it. We have been trying to do similar but don't have options.

On a separate note, is it me or did that goal last night resemble Doucoure's even more spectacular one against Bournemouth?

Just watched the highlights and absolutely delighted.

Anything pushing our gruesome neighbours further into the background is fine by me.

On a less bitter note, what I like about Man City is all their players have mastery of the ball, the passes leading to the goal were inventive and laser accurate and the finish a work of art. They really are a Barca Mk 2.

Not interested in the background finances – you can't go backwards in life, it is up to the rest to find their own way. And, yes, generally speaking, modern football is a heap of shite for a lot of us older deadbeats but the younger generations love it.

The message is get a sheikh or remain destined for the lower leagues.

Well done, City

I'll be honest, watching City this season, and I've actively sought to watch every game of theirs I could, has saved me!

When I take my seat every other week in the top balcony and suffer what we've all had to suffer, this season especially, I go home feeling depressed, angry, and upset. If we've played on a Saturday my weekend's generally ruined. I avoid getting involved in footy related discussions, especially with any of the gobshites from across the park.

Then, when able to watch, I've sat and watched City, in the comfort of my own home, and actually really enjoyed (remember that feeling?) watching a football match.

When I've watched KDB make a slide rule 30 yard pass to put the boy/beast through on goal I can't help but admire and enjoy the skill.

When they score and the camera goes to the crowd and I see working class people like me jumping around in sheer joy I have a wry smile on my face.

I'm happy for them. I know how that feels because I was lucky enough to see us through the 70's and 80's.

KDB and his team mates aren't guilty of anything, as far as I know so when that whistles blows and I watch some of the stunning football the play I really enjoy it.

That's why we watch football isn't it ? That's what we want to see isn't it?

Football gives us a chance (well it fucking used to with Everton) to escape every day life, to live our dreams through our heroes, to feel a real comradeship (Danny you'll know exactly what I mean) with those around us. It can be shit (and has been for us for a long time) but sometimes it can be wonderful.

You need to be able to separate the noise of underhandedness, park the cynicism and righteousness and enjoy (especially when watching City) poetry in motion at times.

Life aint fair. Never was, never will be. We all partake in some small way or other in exploitation of somebody else. Look hard enough and you'll find that's true. We don't mean to but it happens when we use or buy lots of things.

But with regard to not being able to be happy for City and their supporters?

Try! Try to be happy for the lad in the stands who's living his dream. Enjoy that slide rule pass because we'd love one of ours to make it.

Try to take some enjoyment out of life, for a fleeting time, for fuck's sake because all too soon we'll all be dead!

There'll be an asterisk next to these achievements soon enough.

Besides, West Ham's triumph midweek was a far more compelling story.

I was pleased that Man City won, even though it was probably their worst performance for many months, but that's always likely to happen when you have competed for so much in one season.

I am also pleased for the City fans who have watched them prior to dropping to the third tier of English football, and no doubt could never have imagined what change would come about thanks to their takeover by Abu Dhabi nationals.

Whether we agree with how nation states are now taking over our game, the quality that this City team have is a joy to watch… well, maybe not when they are playing us.

Obviously their failure to win a Champions League was beginning to be a curse around their necks but that now has been put to bed.

I have to admit I thought when Usmanov & Moshiri took over we might be able to look forward to competing for a Champions League place and could we even dream of getting back to winning trophies.

But, for many reasons, it didn't happen and now we are in a no better place than when they took over. I suppose the only benefit is they did manage to build a new stadium.

Brian @194,

Kevin De Bruyne is probably the player I like watching the most right now if I take my Everton cap off.

I used to like watching Paul Scholes, even though he was shocking at tackling.

In terms of Kevins, you know there is only one and you know who it is.

I do mate, and I have a signed photo of him with best wishes just to me !! ;-)) (Sorry).

Danny 197

I think you really need to park the bus with your obsession with Kevin Kilbane, as I guess it couldn't be the 1 good game in 5 Kevin Sheedy, haha. I will put my tin hat on before reading your reply.

Brian, too late he's on his way to yours right now. Let the Mrs answer the door!!

Please explain in less than 200 words, the difference in money
coming from drilling more oil to fund your football club, or taking dirty Russian Mafia money in an attempt to get you to the same position?

Answers, on a postcard or a sealed down envelope.

Sorry for the misunderstandings, Don.

Brian 200,

I hope he hasn't got the dogs with him otherwise I could be featuring on the news tonight. Do you think I could placate him with a drop of the hard stuff?

Brian. I think that would work a treat mate!

Ray...watching Foden and the like beat men out wide and then play the ball backwards is soulless.

How do you view a side that, with three or four accurate passes, can get the ball back to the keeper from a corner at the other end? 🤔

Everyone talks about City's De Bruyne, but for me Rodri is irreplaceable.

Lukaku looked about 5 stone overweight. I see where Carson got his 2nd Champions League medal from the bench again.

Brian (194),

One of the most truest and sensible posts I've read for a long long time.

Brian (194),

Yes, I think a good proportion of fans like watching Man City... I do. What pleased me more than City's ability to entertain was when they were outplayed by Brentford at City's ground early in the season and the 1-2 score line didn't reflect how superior Brentford were that day.

A little well-run club and financially not on the same planet as the champions and they beat them again at the end of the season, admittedly when Man City already had the league in the bag.

I'd get more pleasure if Everton could do what Brentford or Brighton have done with their clubs, built them up from the lower leagues spending little but finding gems and getting the clubs financially sound by selling them on.

Then finding cheaper replacements but more importantly keeping their fans happy by playing attractive attacking football. Then again, they have a lot more sensible people running their clubs than we have had for a very long time.

Chris#207.
Thanks mate, appreciated.

City were very lucky to win that. Milan were by far the better team throughout but didn't have the firepower to take the game. City were out fought and out thought.

Pepe didn't have a clue how to compete against a well drilled fit Milan who never gave City a second to settle. If Lukaku had his brains in gear he would have scored with a simple header instead of heading the ball like a sack of putty. Another simple finish went begging then Edison's fantastic save gave City the trophy, but they were lucky. Even Grealish admitted he played crap as did most of the team.

What really upset me was seeing Mr pineapple Phillips winning another medal. If ever their was a man who didn't deserve a medal then it's him.

You have picked out Phillips winning another medal, though you
seem to missed the third goalkeeper Carson, once of Liverpool.
He has more medals than most PL players and never played a game.

John 211, very true. I would love to know just how many footballers have won medals with literally no contribution what so ever to that team. Would make an interesting talking point.

Brian #194, I couldn't agree more, my friend. I would never call myself a City supporter, I abhor what their national ownership model has done to the game, and I won't mind a bit if they're punished for financial misdeeds. But damn, they are gorgeous to watch.

It's not just the slide-rule passing and the immaculate control. It's the combination of rhythmic performance and relentless work rate. They all know their role and perform it as almost a graceful dance, yet they are all also working hard and putting in a tough tackle when necessary.

Most of all, I respect Pep's willingness to change up a great side and make it even greater. Dismissing quick-strike guys like Sterling in favor of greater possession, and transforming Stones into a creative midfielder while going three at the back, showed innovation and guts. Pep has just the right mix of strategic nous, raw passion and gentlemanly mien.

Yeah, it's just human nature to envy City and think "that could have been us" but I won't let that dim my appreciation for their football. They just do it right.

And besides, I love they way they now dominate the ManUre, the club I despise even more than the RS.

We should be grateful that Man City won last night, as we are now due ٠.5M from Man City, due to the add on's which were part of the John Stones deal when we sold him to Man City.

Happy days!!

Rob, that's funny. Seems like you've been waiting to pounce for years!

As good as they are, the fact is Man City hae been able to assemble a number of high-class players, in most cases the best or as near to it as one can get, regardless of money. The have ridden roughshod through the Premier League's rules and breached the normal regulations all other teams have had to abide by.

It shows that, with a bottomless pit and a total disregard for rules, you can assemble a brilliant team. Inter Milan showed teams how to thwart them with their high press game. It so nearly worked too but such is the quality of Man City, all it did was delay the inevitable.

The plaudits go to City for a fantastic achievement, the treble, they are awesome to watch. But the praise should come with a caveat: if they had stuck to the rules the rest of us have to follow, then would they have been as good? Would they have the same squad?

Football with flawed players is exciting and frustrating to watch, but for me, the unexpected beats the perfection of the sanitized superb. Are they too good?

Christine,

I don't want to present a defence of Man City but, of all the stuff Uefa threw at them, how much of it stuck? And how much were they able to shake off, getting a pass from the Court of Arbitration for Sport as most of the stuff was more than 5 years old and time-barred? Pretty much the whole lot, although they were still fined €10M (for obstruction?).

Yes, the Premier League has come with a new ridiculously old raft of charges, the timeframe for these must immediately raise doubts as to their veracity. I mean, charges from as recent as 2018(!!), going back 9 years to 2009!!! And they are just figuring this out now?! What gross incompetence is this from the Premier League?

The latest tranche of 115 charges followed a 4-year investigation, and all are of course denied by Man City. So, er, that famous adage: innocent until proven guilty?

Thought not.

Michael

With the investigation into Man City going back 14 years to 2009, it reminds me of another case.

In 1984 UEFA semi-final, it was obvious Anderlecht bribed the ref v Forest. Nothing was done about it until 14 years later for whatever reason Anderlecht publicly admitted to bribing the referee. They were banned from Europe for just one season. No posthumous alteration to the records to give Forest runners-up medals.

So in my mind spending too much money to try and buy success is a lesser crime than actually ensuring you get a result by bribing a referee. So it will be interesting to see what kind of punishment City and or Everton get if found guilty.

Kieran,

I think I was across the pond by the time that one went down, so thanks for enlightening me. I knew nothing about that but I think it is absolutely shocking.

How could you only get a 1-year ban for bribing a referee? No doubt Blatter was in there somewhere!

And of course there was the atrocious case of Pierluigi Collina and Duncan Ferguson's disallowed goal against Fiorentina, while Moyes and Kenwright stood by meekly without any protest as he made sure we failed to qualify for the Champions League proper.

Perhaps the cadre of posters we have on here who keep telling us how shit modern footy has become really do have a point!

Dave @208,

Emulating Brentford et al is impossible for us because of who we are. The name "Everton" means something beyond the norm no matter how shite we are.

Man City could play Brentford 100 times and not lose. The Brentford win was a result of City not taking them seriously – something we rarely benefit from. As a result, every game is a big game and every defeat the end of the world. Such circumstances are not conducive to "building" a team from youngsters and inexperienced unknowns.

Whether we like it or not, the club history makes us a scalp to be valued and for years now the club has needed a hair transplant.

Barry (221), well Brentford played City twice in the season just ended and they lost both games. They definitely took the first game seriously because it was half way through the season and City were behind Arsenal on points in the league.

Maybe the club is having that hair transplant now along with a heart transplant which is more important to be honest because the club hasn't had a heart for a long time except the big one supplied by the fans.

Most probably Brentford and Brighton fans couldn't see where they are now a few years ago not to mention Man City fans when they were in the Third Division.

As good as City are now, they didn't look like the best team in the world last night as they struggled to find the goals that would win the game while Inter created better chances to win the game and only a couple of world class saves got the victory.

Sorry, Barry, but the name Everton means jack shit to anyone under 40.

Does anyone still think Nottingham Forest are a big club because they won back-to-back European Trophies donkey's years ago? No.

Sampdoria? Hamburg? No. It's the same for us.

It's this sort of delusion which has seen the club pretending to be top tier with stupid signings like Dele Alli and James Rodriguez, instead of actually building a decent side.

Ferryacross the Weaver@159, 1967 at 2 YO? Wow, What a Blue you are. I was a Blue then too but I've been again since.

Uh oh…

Michael, fair and valid points, but the fact is they were "allowed" to put in the foundations of where they are today then. Just because a pseudo statute of limitations over 5 years was in play, doesn't mean to say it was ok. Now unless the Premier league have a death wish, going after City for no reason other than pique that they managed to rub their noses in it, one would have to assume given the amount of actual charges, that they have continually stuck two fingers up at the EPL and UEFA and believe they could get the very best lawyers money can buy to delay / dismiss the charges. Of course they will be found guilty of some of it, can you honestly see it all wiped clean? (even as I wrote that I thought, yes I could) but the thing is the art of the devious accountants continually thwart the intention of the rules.
Man City have the money and arrogance to do it off the field, they now have the resources on the pitch as a result. The chances of another club being able to do it like City are slim, but at the same time if City have all charges dropped then surely the rules are worthless?

Yes, Martin, you're 71, what's your point?

Brian W @ 194, cracking post. If anything could sell that match to me that was it.
I didn't watch the match, though, because I actually fucking hate football. All those Champions league games on ITV for years, just disrupting the soaps. I really don't care who wins any game in Europe or anywhere.
I do love Everton, the city, the history, the supporters, ToffeeWeb, all Blues. And I hate Liverpool, love Morecambe and Marine. The relegation fight made me ill because it threatened the existence of Everton.
I love Robert and Sam's posts because they talk about players who we might get to help Everton.
I really don't get the beautiful game shite. If Everton kicked fuck out of everyone and won every game 1-0 that would be grand. If we played like Corinthians and survived, that would be alright too.
That match last night was totally irrelevant
Nothing to do with money ruining the game or any such nonsense. Just about communal joy or dismay.

Andy#228.
I hear you mate!

See you next season Andy.

Brians Harrison and Williams, you would love the dogs.

The girl is a beauty. Very obedient for a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

The boy is a beast who could play centre back. He's more Pat Van den Hauwe in terms of attitude.

Time to reflect and count the clock down to next season. It's already started.

Change first and soon.

If Barry wasn't so apathetic he would have definitely said heart transplant instead of hair transplant Dave!

Brian W, lovely post that mate. Honest and straight from the heart, and although I'm not that fond of certain City fans, I was absolutely delighted for each and every one of them on Saturday night.

I would just take beating Liverpool in the FA Cup final, so to see City doing the treble whilst also beating their neighbours in a cup final along the way is definitely an absolute fairytale for City fans, and I can't help casting my mind back to 1999, when United were kings, and City had just dropped into the third tier of English football.

Two teams have dropped into the third tier and won both the league and the FA cup, whilst Kenwright was saving Everton. What is the man still doing at our club?

Tony #231.

Tony, thanks mate.

I remember playing in a trial game for Forest against Swansea, Kieran, and Alan Hill, who was the head of youth development, bringing young players to the club from all over the country, seemed very impressed with my performance.

Forest had just played the first leg and were two-nil up against Anderlecht, and he was telling me if they got to the final, he was going to invite me and my parents to Nottingham to watch the game.

I was always a very serious kid when it came to football, and after giving me this news, Hill kept telling me, that I could and should smile at receiving such an offer.

All that was going on in my head was me thinking, "Swansea were absolutely shite, we have just beat them five-nil, how can he be making any judgement on me as a footballer, when the opposition were that poor?"

I was looking forward to going to the final though, and couldn't believe it when Forest lost the second leg three-nil. I never knew they had been cheated until now, but I was glad in a way… because I'm glad Rotterdam was the first European final I ever went to. 💙🙏

Tony,

I figured it was around the time you'd be first getting involved at Forest.

You and Michael may not be surprised to know that Uefa knew of the bribed referee as early as 1992 but kept it secret and initially when it was revealed they argued that there was some kind of a 10-year statute of limitations on punishments.

Uefa had Forest-Anderlecht referee bribe evidence 'for four years'

Tony (233),

You never told me Swansea were shite, just that you scored a goal and John Toshack had come down with the Swansea team.

You were a very serious kid though and I still smile when I look at one of your football photos when you are being presented with a winning medal and a scowl on your face because the man presenting the medal was a Chief of Police!!

That's absolutely scandalous that Kieran, and in all the years I was involved with Forest, this is the first time I've ever heard about this mate.

Everyone likes to think the game is clean, but with the money involved in football now, the likelihood is that it's definitely got to still be going on somewhere?

Robert @223,

I actually agree with most of what you say but the fact is most influencers at other clubs - managers, coaches, owners etc are over 40 years old.

The younger snotty little oiks who think the game was invented with the Premier League and play footy on computers mean fuck all in the judgement of how big a scalp we are.

They need a good kick in the bollocks for being so uneducated and thinking otherwise.