Everton vs Bournemouth, FA Cup Preview

Moyes's presser seemed to indicate he is taking the Cup match seriously and almost hinted that Alcaraz was match fit but didn't commit to naming him as a starter, or the team. I pretty much suspect he will start with a similar team to the Leicester one.

I am under no illusions that they will be easy opposition, but the same attitude that has been in the last 3 games, will augur well.

They will be on the rebound after the RS put them in their place last week but they are a decent team so we have to maintain the high standard work rate we showed last week to get by them.

Whenever we start to think of a good cup run we get stung but hopefully being away from the relegation zone will allow them to do well in the Cup, the real Cup not the Mickey Mouse one.

More Moyes sentiment, that we could do without having it rammed down our throats every article. I think we've all moved on and don't have to keep discussing it.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. We've put ourselves in a healthy position in the league, but still have a lot to do.

I will be travelling up tomorrow morning with my son, meeting my brother at Lime Street.

As I've mentioned to a couple of people offline, a real weekend of cultural differences for me this weekend.

Tonight I'm going to the theatre in Royal Windsor to watch a play adaptation of 'Boys from the Blackstuff' with friends who live in a Buckinghamshire village. I'm intrigued, I've not watched it since the original television screening in the 80s.

Early start tomorrow to get the train and before you know it, we'll be on County Road and inbound to Goodison.

I hope the manager takes this seriously and the team likewise to put us one step further to Wembley Way.

I am sure that rubs off on the players and they play with more confidence and less pressure.

He seemed to say he would take the cup game and the derby seriously so expect a strong team for both.

I believe he will give Alcaraz some time on the pitch whether that be tomorrow or Wednesday.

Pickford
O'Brien - Tarkowski - Branthwaite - Myko
Lindstrom - Iroegbunam - Garner - N'diaye
Doucoure
Beto

Give Garner the last half hour off as necessary, dropping Douc deeper for Alcaraz to come on or give Gana a 30 minute workout.

COYB!!!

One has been removed by the looks of it. Or I can't see it anymore.

I'm glad it wasn't just me. I thought for a moment the whole AI / Bot saga had resurfaced!!!

"Using" Toffeeweb somewhat methinks.

I was nearby last night at the Legends event at Blackstock market (which was excellent btw Sheedy, Ratcliffe and Reidy were on fine form) loads of derelict and unused buildings around so parking no problem, thought this would do fine for the test event at least, but no chance, LCC have for some reason wiped out any parking opportunities for everyone with their “zonal marking”

Blackstock have come out today and said it will kill business’s around who have basically set up to capitalise on the new stadium and invested thousands to be in the area.

I understand the need to protect residents on matchdays but this blanket approach is ridiculous as the zones only have about 40% residential areas covered, the rest is either businesses that don’t operate at night or weekends, and would seize the opportunity to become temporary car parks, or derelict wasteland areas which the council could make match day income from with roadside parking.

I thought Michael had changed his name!!

MK have you any info that you'd be willing to share with the TW crowd? Is everything OK between you and Lyndon?

Would be great to keep our momentum going tomorrow. I like Robert’s call for the starting XI tomorrow and subs, but also important to get Harrison some minutes. He hasn’t done much of late, but we’re not far from needing him at some point and got to keep any shred of confidence up.

A win tomorrow keeps spirits high heading into the derby. Not into predictions, but I’m thinking 2-1 should do the trick.

This site has been going since 1994 hasn't it? So, in near 21 years, and MK and LL have never met? My flabber has been well and truly gasted!?

I'm just wondering with LL starting a 'rival' Toffee forum, that maybe there has been a 'separation' unless it is an attempt the keep TW as the more general site, and looking at Evertonia, it seems to be more a reporting based style, with podcast attached.

I'm just guessing, and I'm sure I'll get rebuked soon enough.

To be honest, when I saw the surname, for some weird reason I thought of Bryan Roy the Dutch international, who played for Forest with Collymore I believe. The decent team Forest had, before they got relegated iirc?

I too think we should prioritise the Bournemouth game tomorrow.
They are are good team yes, but even under Dyche, we should have beaten them at home, and would have done if Moyes was manager, as his in-game management is much better.

Also, when we played them away while still under Dyche, they only won to a very, very well struck volley (half-volley?) after a collective defensive lapse!

Personally, I think with us being at home, and the Old Lady rocking (possibly the last home FA Cup tie to be played there) with a new sense of confidence and belief in the players; not to mention Bournemouth's injury list, will be enough to beat the Cherries this time.

What's the old saying, "Third time's a charm!"

Well c'mon get onboard the Cup train and worry, if that is the right word, about the Derby later...

COYB OTRTW

I don't live in Liverpool, I'm in Oxford, but we suffer terribly down here from Oxfordshire CC constantly closing off roads, trying to introduce bus gates etc - they hate car drivers!

I read the blurb about the no parking zones around BMD and, guess what, there is the usual crap about "air quality" and "promoting active travel"!

I'm sure fans will be delighted to walk, cycle, scoot or stand out in the rain / wind / dark waiting for buses for half the season when it's Autumn or Winter!! Bloody ludicrous decision, which will adversely affect many of the regular match going fans and will also seriously harm the ability of BMD to attract and stage other events, and punters to go to them.

With all that space around it, it should be like an NFL stadium with a gigantic parking facility ALONGSIDE other ways of getting there. But oh no, not with our net zero obsessed, eco-socialist powers that be!

Yep, Bryan Roy was one of my favourite non-Toffee players back in the 90's as was Collymore, before he became a heretic.
They were the inspiration for there UEFA cup qualification weren't they? Clough's last good season, and Frank Clark trying to hold it all together.

Alan McG, I wasn't being obtuse, I didn't know that fact! hehe

So is it the pretender running the site and the real king is in Rupert's Tower?

I'm confused than ever now Alan, as I've been saying a lot recently...

BTW did you know Alan, that today is the halfway point of TFG's 100 day Analysis-study, as it is 50 days today that TFG took over!

Hopefully, we'll find out who our new full time CEO will be soon.

Also, we should find out by default if Thelwell will be retained. If he has been given his notice, I'd expect him to go after April 30th or thereabouts.

Else he might be retained to provide reports and plans for the academy etc for his replacement.

I think the whole DoF situation won't be resolved till June.

F.ing disgrace, if you ask me,

but nobody did.

I honestly think we suit playing the Cherries, and we'll have a better chance of winning with Moyes' approach, than Dyche's return to safety first tactics after the 2-3 defeat at home.

I just hope the players can forget about the hoodoo-voodoo the Cherries seem to have had over us.

I think it isn't the Cherries having the hoodoo, more that since Lampard (and Benitez) we haven't had a competent manager until now. nb I said competent...

You've got me thinking now?

It says "Olympic College" on it but you can black that out with a Sharpie.

Please could I ask if you are from Kolkata, West Bengal? If that is not too intrusive, and if you are "Obsessed with the art of story-telling in the world of sports."

Good wishes

However, in this digitally linked world, I guess you don't have to meet people anymore? In the physical I mean.

I find it sad tbch.

I agree re our midfield, but things look like they are on the up, with Idrissa Gueye and Doucs (for now) with A.N. Other. Perm one of Garner, Iroegbunam or now Alacaraz if he cuts the mustard on the 'grass'...

Puts tin hat on, I actually think Mangala's injury could be a blessing in disguise.

DO’N complaining about repetitive posts is quite ironic.

I recently learned that Sheedy was his favourite player 😜

Yes, I was always under the illusion that MK lived in the states, until he informed me otherwise.

Alan [39]

Go and wash your mouth out with a bottle of Batham's (or three! hehe!) I genuinely expect us to turnover the Cherries at home, as the media do love a story of the 'contender rising' as it were. For me, with Moyes now in charge, he has demonstrated that he can get a very catchy tune out of our players; and as I said above, we should have beaten this lot once, and with a little bit more adventure, we could have got something at their place.

I don't worry about them now as a lot of their best players are injured.

I tell you what though Alan, once Moyes has done his whole 'steady the ship' gig, I think that TFG should seriously consider Iraola as our next coach.

As for the derby, I think we will get something out of that game, at a minimum one point, and I'm quietly hoping to turn them over for the full three!

Jeff [40]

I wholeheartedly agree, as you say Lyndon is like the older brother applying a cool sensible head, and very assured, whereas Michael comes across as the more impetuous and mischievous younger brother! Hehe

I Love them both, and Long Live ToffeeWeb (And Evertonia!) Hehe

As you well know I am not a Moyes acolyte in any way, shape, or form. But that doesn’t stop me wanting my team to win every week, regardless of who is manager.

Therefore, if people want to continue praising Moyes, is it wrong for others to express a different view?

I really feel that we will win tomorrow though Bournemouth look to have had a better window than us. I think that our new lad might get an half-hour or so and I would love him to score and not get too excited when he walks onto the pitch (he has a rather rash side to his game at times).

I think that it would have been appropriate and polite for this Anjishnu Roy fella to have introduced himself or be introduced to us if as it seems he is to have some sort of quasi-'official' position on these pages. If Lyndon migrates, it will be a disaster for this site in tech terms but far more in terms of what he brings with his mind and writing.

Poor planning despite plenty of planning time (4years)

Im sure if it was LFC then the council would have been talking to them throughout,

“You want to get rid of Anfield Rd which has been a through Road there for over 150 years? No problem, just build your stand over it and we’ll put a few signs up saying it no longer exists , anything else you need? Any old sisters saying they won’t leave Wylva or Skerries,?leave it to us . After all ,your brown envelopes are always the biggest ! That Kenwright fellah is a tight bar steward

I would stick with the same goalkeeper and backline, I might also be tempted to start Alcaraz and give Guaye or Doucoure a rest, but have on standby as impact sub if needed.

Martin Sherif and Roman Dixon are not in the u21 squad tonight so chances are both will be in the squad tomorrow.

So my starting 11 would be

Pickford

O,Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko

Lindstrom, Garner, Alcaraz, Ndiaye

Beto, Doucoure( with a view of swapping for Iroegbunam in the second half

Iroegbunam, Gauye, should offer cover from the bench, along with Sharif, Dixon, Patterson and Young.

Let’s learn from our last encounter at Goodison, when we pasted them, then took our best player off, and left tired players on the pitch and paid the price.

Go brave tomorrow name a strong team and I fancy us to win.

Fingers crossed if it goes to penalties, I hope not, but if so hoping Virginia is not the one trying to save them and we have Pickford in goal.

Four years or so to figure this out! Imagine Brisbane style water taxis going to and from the dock from say Otterspool and Southport calling in at Crosby, of course.

If you see it differently that’s fine. I just didn’t see any reason to take one of our best contributors to task for his comments on the preview.

The OP was extremely light on the praise... Danny was very heavy on the criticism.

I don't think Danny would want any special treatment...well any more than he deserves.

Some people are just glass half empty.

Can we please have a word from MK or LL on who this Roy fella is and why he is writing this preview (I have noticed that Michael has written a fair few recently) that would seem to give him some sort of "quasi-official" role.

I wish people would focus more on the positives. Take today. President Trump announced an end to paper straws. Everyone knows they are useless and plastic ones are better. Common Sense. But what's all over the news? Negative coverage of USAID being culled and sanctions on the ICC.

Some people are just never happy and should go to sleep with a smile on their face thinking that they will never have to drink a pina colada though papier mache ever again. Spoiled my last holiday in Florida Keys tbh.

In many ways it's exactly the same as the parking at BMD debate. Let's be positive in every circumstance.

Floating car park will pick you up at pier head, drop you off at bramley, with a complimentary meat pie and pint on the way.

The LCC is corrupt and has been corrupt for years, and yet the sheep keep on voting them in,government intervention doesn’t seem to have changed anything, which is worrying.

Fecking brilliant!

To his credit Simon will enjoy that as much as you or I.

John, it has the characteristic features I always see in AI output. Wandering off the theme/topic, unnecessary "factual" information, neutral tone, formulaic wording, and so on.

Perhaps we could explain this to the three screaming septuagenarians (it/them/thing) who seemed to take particular delight in the self-proclaimed "exposure" that Mr. McMiIllan's bot-work was not bot-work. Come on Anjishnu, post that this is not bot-work to get them all excited.

Something odd is going on here: LL, the forum, this Roy fella with his fecking double-spaced paragraphs, and possibly two bot-generated OP's.

Or have I misunderstood?

Ah Liam, Liam ........

'The most worthless of mankind are not afraid to condemn in others the same disorders which they allow in themselves; and can readily discover some nice difference in age, character, or station, to justify the partial distinction.'

Before the fall, chaos doth reign

So can we count on you to initiate the Bacchanalia here?

(Dbl spaced para)

UTFT's indeed!

If that's a stupid position, it is one that is increasingly shared all over the country mate!

Anyway, living in Oxford I don't normally get to more than a couple of home games a year, so I'll let the first half season or so play out and see if the council backtracks / what clever solutions drivers come up with to get closer...

I'm more concerned right now with the apparent demise of ToffeeWeb - akin to losing a limb if this site goes...

Didn't net zero develop from the position reached by scientists in various countries (some in your own now home town) not politicians, that the best way to try to tackle global warming was to cut carbon emissions to a globally applied and manageable amount small enough to be absorbed in nature? This with other CO2 reduction/removal steps would, hopefully, leave none of it in the atmosphere.

https://evertonia.com/forum/everything-everton/post.php?post_id=17

I won't continue the debate here now or we'll be up all night :)

Neil, maybe I should have worded it differently. I have just become tired of a lot of the threads being dragged into a now tired debate. Opening statements like the one the author makes, don't help.

It's been totally different at the matches and in the pubs surrounding. Plenty of debate and differences of opinion, but all in good spirit. No animosity.

Anyway, I too am enjoying my weekends again after witnessing months and months of dreadful football that made Goodison into a place where you could hear a pin drop.

It's great to see the players look like they are enjoying their football again and the supporters getting back to normal.

I too am looking forward to tomorrow. One hell of an early start. Dog to be walked and leaving for Euston early doors. No train strikes tomorrow, but engineering works between Stafford and Crewe, so nothing direct into Lime Street and an extra hour each way on the journey.

I echo the sentiment about the preview. It's a bit lighter than what we've been used to. I guess if Roy (it's easier), is going to take on this as a new addition to the Eds (presumably), he'll need time to settle in and add a bit more meat to the bones.

Wherever you all are tomorrow, watching or listening, send your George McKane positive vibes in the direction of Goodison Park.

No worries, will bring on my next trip over.

This is why he has not ended the Russian-Ukraine war on Day 1 as he promised; he is focusing on the big stuff. Next up is an order that only US dog breeds will be allowed to shit on the sidewalk.

That being said, Rotheram’s no parking zones and cattle market enclosures at Sandhills are mental. We’ll all be swimming the match.

I did think it was strange that a comment piece was on the home page. Mind you the whole site has been a bit weird since deadline day.

Does anyone know what's going on?

I am surprised the editors have not used the external contributors, as it must take a huge amount of time, research and effort to write their OPs and match reports. Their OPs and articles will be hard to match though as they are Everton obsessed like the rest of us.

If they are going in another direction then we can’t blame them. It must be a thankless task - just look at how the certain posters piled into MK because he is not ecstatic that David Moyes is back in charge. He must read that nonsense and not think “why do I bother?.”

You are only have to read Neil Cremin @ 29 challenge in Danny for an innocuous comment on Moyes. His Moyesiah adulation is becoming concerning - he’ll soon be demanding all fans dye their pubes ginger before they are allowed in the ground.

Nothing against the guy, but I come for Evertonian perspective, not someone churning out vanilla articles from Mumbai.

Obviously seems like there's been some detail with a content provider in India that provides, according to their website, "platform specific high quality narratives that appeal to the sports fan".

Good luck with that, but it's not really for me. I might hang around and see how long the comment sections and hopefully some fan submitted articles keep going.

Let’s batter these tomorrow. Has to start Pats right back and move O’Brien to centre and give Tarks a rest. Maybe play Keano as well…? Maybe not, on second thought.

Phil, a November/December/January/February afternoon/night with the wind storming in off the Mersey with nothing in the way for a fair amount of the walk?

The elderly, disabled, and sick mate?

Recall, 1983, it's early, early days, but there's a sense of emergence.. but from a straight jacket of killing football, from the previous manager.

Play the killer passes through from all angles and finish well, like last week.
UTFTs!

I know your not a fan of the appointment

I was luke warm

I just felt you over reacted to a new contributor and saw something that wasn’t there in my option and introduced a topic we would all like to avoid.

For me I am really enjoying being an Everton fan again at the moment rather than constantly looking at the bottom of the table each weekend or future fixtures to see where we are going to get points.

On a general note for all those who vehemently oppose Moyes I would make two comments. Would you have stuck with Dyche and if not who would you have appointed (available and willing to take the job)

Secondly I suggest you all enjoy the moment for now and park the opposition because if you all of you are right about his appointment you will get plenty of opportunity in the future so say I told you so.

I however hope you are all wrong.

My final contribution to the Moyes debate.

" ... for all those who vehemently oppose Moyes ... "

Who can on here be counted on the fingers of one hand, possibly two.

And you also get in your "in the future. I told you so" for good measure.

I would have taken tough old Maurizio Sarri in a heartbeat, far ahead of Moyes. In my view he met every qualification, including availability and Prem experience.

If he were willing to leave Italy, I would have likewise considered Max Allegri.

And although I would guess his ambitions go well beyond Everton and he would likely have been uninterested, I would have queried Edin Terzic as well.

I fancy Terzic Mike (in the future).

I forgot to mention Jeff's comment. Of course I idolised Kevin Sheedy as a teenager. Haven't we all got favourite players of our generations?

I see conversations on here about Bobby Collins, Alex Young, the Holy Trinity and Tony Kaye; the one taken from us. Later, Latchford and Dave Thomas who I had to be educated on recently!!

Who was yours?

Onto today. We can do this.

Nothing comes close after 2000.

Safe and on time travels Danny boy.

2-1

COYB

"As of this past week, beginning 3rd February 2025, ToffeeWeb is in new hands and both mine and Michael Kenrick’s involvement with the site came to an end."

There will be a forum for the game today, it says.

I've submitted a General Forum article that hopefully the new landlords will be kind enough to publish but I repeat the message here below as well. I apologise to you all for the confusion the change has caused. This was always going to be the hard part...

-------------

Dear ToffeeWeb community,

After 24 years running this website together under the ToffeeWeb.com banner, Michael and I will be stepping away. TW will continue to be the news resource and community like it always has been, just with a different voice.

If you were a visitor or member of ToffeeWeb — no matter for how long or how frequently — I sincerely thank you. So many of you have been like family and your support means the world. I'm so proud of the platform we built here, the community that grew up around it and nothing has given me greater pleasure than to provide something that so many have found so useful.

Of course, this being the Internet, I've not really gone anywhere. You can still find me on the socials at Twitter/X at @EFCLyndon or Bluesky at @efclyndon.bsky.social

And, of course, Up The Toffees! 💙

I for one welcome our new Overlord(s) Step forward and do the 'Intro' Pilgrim(s)

(In the manner of 'The Intro and the Outro' by The Bonzo Dog Do-Dah Band perhaps?)

It seems this guy Anjishnu Roy is a sports reporter based in Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India. Another, of the same name, died about 5 years ago. So, who knows?

I've messaged my Indian mate, based in Bengalaru (Bangalore) to ask if he knows anything about the guy?

Well, a shaky start by the new ed. Big boots to fill.

I wonder if there will be an exodus? It will feel like moving house.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I’m signed up to Evertonia and will monitor both.

Paul let’s have all of them belted out so we can hear you!!!

Same here mate.

Thank you for all you and Michael have done in providing a great place to go to discuss and debate our beloved Blues. I don't know how to access podcasts, so havent listened to the ones you have done. I hope the site wont change to much as its like talking with friends every time I click on T/W even though we may disagree with one another from time to time. But its just passionate Blues saying how they see things, and with football its full of different opinions. I will ask my Son to install Evertonia for me so I can pop in and see how you are doing.

Where is Michael?

I echo your sentiments and have already thanked Lyndon personally.

Things won't be the same.

From having a site run by fervent and invested Evertonians who write from the heart and, certainly on Michaels part, get as carried away as the posters, we've got a site now owned by a firm who's writers just won't have the same feeling for Everton or the site.

The guy who's written the first couple of items writes for others and not just on football let alone just on Everton.

They say all good things must come to an end and so it is.

I'd again like to thank Lyndon and Michael for all they've done over the years and wish them the very best going forward.

Nobody could have done it better.

Good luck wished in whatever each of you do, going forward!

We are like a family, not always agreeing on everything, which is understandable, but all for the same cause and ultimately have each other's backs. I have met many friends through T W that I probably wouldn't have if it wasn't for it's existence.

Thanks Lyndon and Michael for all the unstinting work and reports and articles that you have compiled over the years, I for one am indebted to you both. Long may T W continue in whatever form, but without it's two longstanding figureheads.

UPTFT COYB 💙👏🤔

wishing you all the best and new/ old website now bookmarked #

COYB and UTFT

Hard to believe ToffeeWeb won't be my first web entry every morning but judging by the first few articles out of our friends at Sportz Interactive it won't be.

Too those who I've battled with, agreed the shit out of, or just plain gasbagged with... I hope I see you on the other side... wherever that may be.

Hard to believe that this is, as they say, it.

Onward Evertonians. UTFT.

Ernie

Maybe the final straw was MK's anti-Moyes rant which unfortunately didn't come across as professional or neutral. We're here for the passionate opinions but as he's an editor of the site that surely stepped across the line.

Never mind, all good things must come to an end. We move on.

Thanks for all the fish and so long!

See you on the other side!

Good wishes to one and all... 💙👍

Shocked, and kind of disappointed, loved LL's articles and despite personally having decades old polar opposite views on Moyes with MK, I felt the 2 of them just worked well running the site. The 'Good cop/Bad cop' mentioned earlier, made me smile.

I have to say, this 'coming out in the wash' on this thread and not a separate thread is bizarre and I'm afraid to say, rather Moshiri-esk!

Moving on.

BTW - didn’t the club’s official fan membership scheme used to be called Evertonia? Pretty sure it was. If so, I’m surprised the website name doesn’t infringe club copyright.

The end of ToffeeWeb as we've known it, is not exactly going to change my life. Things move on, they always do.

ToffeeWeb no longer run by Lyndon and MK?

Who's taking over?

Where is MK in all of this? What are his plans, if any?

This is terribly sad news in my opinion.

Dreadful.

I echo Kim's comments. I've made the move, see you there.

Not Evertons day today. Cack 1st half. and gifted them 2 soft goals.

On to the Derby, now.
UTFTs!

The Tarks challenge on Semenya was poor and it was all downhill from there.

Would sooner they bottle this one than the Derby match so let's hope Moyes can get their heads up for it.