Premier League — Matchweek 18

Let's hope Man Utd smash the Geordies.

Boxing Day has always been one of the most traditional days on the sporting calendar but I'm not sure it has been anywhere near as well-received today, with there being no top-flight football this afternoon.

The pubs looked very quiet today, and so did the bookies, but I suppose anyone who wants to have a bet can now just access one of those online betting websites!

I'm sure it'll be back to normal tomorrow when the football resumes, but so far the Christmas holiday has felt a lot different this year.

Man Utd 1-up at the moment.

Yes, Tony, Boxing Day was a lot livelier years ago. I know I'm old now and we are better off in some ways in life but plenty of good things have also gone out of the window.

I used to love Boxing Day, Tony, and then Bolton away on New Year's Day.

Cracking goal that one.

When I was a kid, my favourite day was always Bonfire Night, but when it came to the football, it was always the first home game of the season -- preferably the midweek night match!

The 3rd Round of the FA Cup day was always sacred, four quarter finals on the same day was always special, and so was the game on Boxing Day.

We are definitely better off in a lot of ways, Ray, but a part of me also feels that we have also lost a lot along the way.

Maybe it's an age thing, but I suppose I'm still the type of person who would rather see the crescent than the whole of the moon!

Boxing Day was different and better the more so when you think back.

I remember me and two other lads, one being Mick with sticky fingers, going to Lime Street one Boxing Day morning to get the train to Birmingham where Everton were playing.

But there was no train going to Birmingham... so, being clever kids, we got one to Manchester and then we would get one to Birmingham from there.

But there wasn't a train going to Birmingham from Manchester either so we went to Old Trafford to see Man Utd and the Busby Babes demolish Charlton Athletic 5-2 at the same time Everton were getting fucked 6-2 by Birmingham City.

After the game, we went to a cinema in Manchester — The News Theatre( ?) which had a restaurant downstairs with a man playing a piano —- dead posh.

Anyway, we weren't brassic but didn't have much, but ordered what we could afford — a bowl of tomato soup and a some chips each. When we finished the meal, I told Sticky Fingers to go and ask the pianist to play a song; the pianist told him to ‘Do one'

But on the way back to our table Sticky stopped at all the empty tables and told us with a grin: "There's money on all those tables — or there was!" he'd half inched all the tips, so we did what the pianist had told Sticky what to do and we all ‘did one' very smartish and shared the dough!

The next day, we went to Goodison and watched the Blues work it up Birmingham 5-1.

Man Utd win but only Man Utd or Liverpool could get away with a blatant penalty, even with VAR, and the goal they scored could easily have been disallowed for other teams.

Barcodes must be kicking themselves for not getting a point from this game.

Proper lower league footy played all its games on Boxing Day.

It's not football, Tony, it's the Premier League.

Marine twatted the hated Southport 4-2 at what will always be Rossett Park.

As well as Everton, I will be rooting for Wolves to turn their miserable season around, buck the odds and trend, and do one on our neighbours.

What I have seen of Wolves, they have been totally crap, but a tad unlucky mostly, and haven't deserved to lose almost every game, let's hope that continues later today!

Sadly, no chance DK mate. I'm actually quite liking the humiliation of Wolves.

But, hey, 10-57pm, and this cricket. Finally, after what 15 years? Mind you 68 runs to get seems scary.

Get in!

5468 days, 18 tests,15 years.

And we beat them down under.

That was some fourth innings.

We will win at their tall tin shed next season in front of the Norwegians.

Today we will win 2-1.

Cricket, second only to footy.

Cricket?

Morris Dancers with a Bat and Ball more like, supposedly grown men, with enlarged googlies and middle wickets, running round like headless chickens, making a show of themselves in a drinking contest, is that the sport you are on about? :-)

Oh, Time for Tea!

Yep, Derek, a fantastic sport. Nothing better than the first day of a test, other than one of our games. It's better than curling or chucking logs in skirts or fucking rugby.

You clearly need some education, given your bizarre description. Me and Rob will be happy to help.

So, what's your second sport, Derek?

Paul G, Golf! Playing (still) and watching, but prefer playing!

Rain doesn't stop our game?

We face it -- men with brollies! :-)

Spare ticket? Happy to meet at the ground and pay face value - Drew 07785666078

Good shout, DK.

I knew that Paul, I watched my stepson playing yesterday mate, and it’s why I wrote top-flight football, in my post@2!

I was on about life in general because the pubs in town didn’t look busy, on a day that has traditionally always been one of busiest days of the year.

With top-flight football returning today, I expect everywhere to be a lot busier and looking at the highlights of the United v Newcastle game this morning, I don’t think the EPL, has done anything to ease the concerns of the people who maybe think that the game is corrupt, at the highest level in English football.

I’m aware that for football to continue being so popular, now that it’s reached saturation levels, with regards being shown on television, that there needs to be controversy, but surely they could spread the controversy around in equal measures, instead of consistently favouring certain teams?

Tony (18) I watched that game, Adam did well but still needs to do a lot more.

Forest look well drilled for this. That cross should have put them ahead.

Agree Dave, especially when they switched systems and he was ply further forward

Made up utd beat the skunk 🦨 Muppets,can't stand them, and there deluded fans

Just noticed the RS have a someone on their bench called 'Lucky'. Couldn't make it up.

Also 2 goalkeepers (must be the latest trend)...

Gobshites!

Man City just don't give up.

I suppose they've got a couple of decent players too. But this Premier League seems really tough, such a hard slog to score a goal.

Pathetic the way a Forest player would fall down every time a City cross came into their area. Why don't them PGMOL fuckers punish such cynical cheating?

Half watching the Chelsea v Villa game, you can see why people from all over the world tune in to watch the Premier League.

Fast, athletic, aggressive, skilful and strong... I just wish the referee would let the game flow a bit more!

Villa look like a well oiled machine, quality squad and a very tactical astute manager.

We're a few transfer windows and a manager away from this.

Also I may add I hate the set up on the new ToffeeWeb.

It never seizes to amaze me when you go to a bogey ground with a positive attitude!

Moyes is becoming a major fucking problem!

Tony (25) I doubt if Everton attract many fans from all over the world to our games apart from the many Bluenoses who get up at all,hours to watch us, it makes irritable and angry watching them with their consistent schoolboy mistakes.

I don't even get that angry anymore, Dave, which actually concerns me.

We are so rigid. Not only do our full-backs rarely run forward, they hardly ever pass the ball forward to the wide player in front of them.

People also talk about our lack of pace, which is a very valid point, but nothing or nobody should move faster than the ball. I just wish I didn't have to sit through most Everton games constantly muttering under my breath: "Play the ball fucking quicker!"

I'm more Tony than Dave and I don't like it. I don't get angry either. I hope that this will return. Don't get me wrong, I can get well fuelled up on footy stuff, but I tend to shrug and sigh now when we fuck something up.

I suppose the closest to angry I get are Coco and Jellybean up front. But even here it tends to be yet another head in hands moment and sheer horror at who recruited Barry over the summer when we needed a 'striker' not this gangly thing we ended up with.

Sadly, our strikers are a laughing stock in my part of the world, a fucking Wolves fan was even mocking them. I just wish either Coco or Jellybean or both in a world where strange monsters stalk the land would do something to make us proud, so that I can give something back.

I suppose I'm more anxious about this mysterious dark energy in the universe stuff than I am about whether Patterson plays or McNeil's shite crosses.

We are just a little ball suspended in the air, a bit like one of McNeil's crosses.

Shame we can't get a #9 who can score when one we let go has just scored his 8th goal this season for Leeds.

Shame we can't get a #9 that can score.

One we let go has just scored his 8th this season for Leeds Utd.

What's going on here? We traded Calvert-Lewin for Beto and Barry and now he has scored again (6 on the bounce) for Leeds Utd.

Okay he was in a slump but, if you are going to get rid, make sure the replacements are superior. The scouting at Everton must be second rate. In recent seasons, quite a few players have left and shone at other clubs: Onana, Digne and Iwobi come to mind.

I'm probably like a scratched record, but I said at the time, we'll regret letting Calvert-Lewin go.

Where would we be in the table with a proper striker?

I'm sure I stand to be corrected on this but to recap:

We chose not to give Calvert-Lewin a new contract. And we bought Bootsie and Snudge. Is that about right?

Luckily we've a team of crack football brains managing our comings and goings. Onwards to mediocrity! Sorry, we're already there

Christy & Tom, he's now fully fit, something we never had for a long time, but he's also playing in an attacking formation.

Farke has changed to a 3-5-2, and it's bringing goals and points. Calvert-Lewin isn't isolated chasing lost causes "Everton style" which has been the Everton way for years.

Another reason year after year we are so starved of seeing goals.

Alan, I thought we offered him a contract, which he turned down.

Alan,

You're probably just dangling the old fly in the stream, but I'll bite anyway -- as long as you promise to release afterwards!

We chose not to give Calvert-Lewin a new contract. And we bought Bootsie and Snudge. Is that about right?

Bootsie??? He was such a shortarse that Sgt Snudge looked a giant among men... but I digress.

As far as we know, the facts are that Dominic Calvert-Lewin was offered a new contract with Everton a long time before his existing contract expired in June 2025. He didn't sign that contract, and it was apparently on the table a long time.

After 9 years of incredible support from EFC, and untold millions in wages, he walked away a free agent. Seems he wanted more money than Everton were offering, or he thought he could get a lucrative gig and Champions League footy with Newcastle. But no dice... and he ended up at Leeds Utd, fresh outta the Championship.

Beto was already at the club, he joined in August 2023 and eventually fooled us all with a purple patch where he scored 5 goals in as many games during February 2025.

Barry was signed on 8 July 2025, so he may have been scouted some time earlier, but yes, he's been a bit of a flop.

Michael #40,

He was offered a new contract a long time earlier, when we were in relegation trouble constantly, playing dire football with him totally isolated upfront under Dyche's style of football, and an owner who was trying to sell the club, and the board not going to Goodison, the club was in crisis?

Michael, would you sign a new contract under them conditions?

Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison scoring again today eh, just like old times. lol.

Scratch that, lol.

Thank Goodness Micheal Kenrick has showed up.

I thought we would have to get the sniffer dogs out to find him when I was told Calvert-Lewin had scored Yet again.

Well Itchy's safe and well Anybody seen Scratchy?

Michael

I guess I'm just frustrated that, where once we had Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, we now have... sorry about Bootsie and Snudge -- I had been trying to fashion something around Wilson, Keppel and Beto...

Bit before my time, Alan,

But Wilson, Keppel and Betty are a bit more entertaining than our lot.

Whatever any one of us might think about Calvert-Lewin, it seems churlish to me not to say a nice word or two about his current run. I'm made up for him.

I suppose a question for MK might be something like this: Who would you rather have starting up front mate? Calvert-Lewin, Coco, or Jellybean? An answer that it is all hypothetical is not acceptable and will be judged ducking and weaving!

In a long while with us, Calvert-Lewin always, in my opinion, gave his best, scored some memorable, important, and 'great' goals, and his all-round play -- holding the ball, for example, and knock-downs -- was very good.

I will not judge him ultimately by the amount of time he spent in the sick room. How much of that was his fault, for goodness sake? It is a regular rant and rave on here to question our medics when someone is thinking about the number of injuries we pick up that seems to have become a trend for so long.

Calvert-Lewin cost us £1.5M, for fuck's sake! Now he has done very nicely thank you very much in his 9 years with us. But he has repaid that £1.5M to us over and over again, including a goal that saved us from the drop with the drastic financial consequences that would have followed and some said at the time might have bankrupted us.

Let that winner against Palace on 19 May 2020 be Calvert-Lewin's legacy.

Paul,

That goal against Palace alone earned this club 4-5 times anything the club ever paid him. That along with 70 other goals he scored ensured that he owes us nothing -- except maybe a couple of fingers to his detractors. Who is to say we would ever have come back if he hadn't scored it?

We'll never know how good he could have been if Everton managers hadn't panicked and played him knowing he was injured. Or if Carlo hadn't sacrificed his career on the altar of the big boot after quitting on the job -- "I'm not a magician".

If Leeds had have done the same thing with Calvert-Lewin as a string of Carlo's successors had done with him, they would have gotten the same results. They're not. They are trying to support rather than isolate.

It's been fun highlighting the "judgement" of his detractors and his abusers, but he's gone now. So I'm done discussing him.

Time for this club to stop this accursed ploy of isolating a striker and thinking it's a good idea, It's also time for the footballing Einsteins on here to stop blaming the worst served strikers in Europe for the lack of goals.

That goal against Palace alone earned this club 4-5 times anything the club ever paid him.

Much more, Darren, mate.

Calvert-Lewin owes us nowt.

The way we've "fed" our strikers for decades makes us a graveyard for any striker of ability and the correct attitude, and I expect every agent on the planet has known this for yonks, hence we find ourselves bent over a barrel when it comes to signing anyone of note.

Leeds, Leeds for Gawd's sake, have fashioned a way to feed him like we never did and look what happens.

I wonder who was to blame for our woeful purchasing history?

Sigh.