Aston Villa vs Everton: Preview, Predicted Lineups and Where to Watch

Just to understand what the subs bench could look like: Beto, Aznou, Coleman (perhaps) are the only players who could be called upon by Moyes, and that shows how stretched the squad is. A draw is the best that I am hoping for.

There's also Dibling, who could come off the bench (despite his uninspiring performance against Sunderland).

He looks like he is ready to prove himself. Either good enough or not.

McNeil looks jaded and leggy.

Two wing-backs in Patterson and Aznou, with Garner and Armstrong as the holding defensive midielders.

Grealish, Beto and Dibling up front.

McNeil has been nothing short a passenger and a silhouette of the shadow he almost became!

Grealish will be back on the left for this game, having served his one-game suspension in the FA Cup.

I agree with the McNeil point though, he's too one-footed on the left and either runs into a corner or passes it backwards.

When will it sink in with fans? Moyes is a phoney. If he had talent, where is it? No motivational skills, zero man-management qualities, and badly suffering from a charisma bye-pass.

Any win Everton achieve is down to a piece of fortune, or some individual brilliance -- it has nothing to do with anything Moyes brings to the team.

Aston Villa have done very well this season, and show what a well-run club can achieve.

Good stadium, dreadful fans... and the city centre is a dump.

Very old school but couldn't agree more. Some younger readers probably won't remember this is how the game used to be played.

Could make all the difference to Thierno Barry; let's face it, it's not working with inverted wingers.

Blames players -- not his system... or lack of one; leaves subs till it's too late; and he is at fault for not making sure we had a decent striker last summer.

Same old same old.😓

The clinging on to one-goal leads is madness, it rarely works.

Lack of pace also prevents any player breaking quickly to attack hi self or get up to support the lone ranger up front...who is not very good at holding the ball anyway.

Lack

Of

Pace

or expressed as a 3 letter acronym - EFC.

We were told we needed a new stadium in order to potentially be successful yet Villa have managed relative success under competent owners and superb management within five/six seasons of being relegated.

They haven't had to move stadium to get where they are now?

You're a bundle of pessimism... defeated before we ever play. But most of all first out of the starting blocks to blame Moyes before we ever kick a ball.

Maybe you should wait and see how we perform on Sunday before making such comments. With that post, you are only expressing your prejudices. What would you post if we win which I hope we do?

And Jay, I like it bar Patterson but you know we won't set up 3 at the back. It would suit Aznou though.

A strong reason to play Aznou with Grealish and terrorize their right side.

Usual paradox of Moyes not trusting players without Premier League experience and they don't get that experience unless they play. Here's hoping for a win in spite of Moyes but, if I was in charge of the club, I'd be love-bombing Glasner right now.

It's a toss-up but I'd also be minded to play Dibling on the right, replacing Rohl with Grealish as Number 10 where I think he could do more damage. I might first insert a rocket propelled device up the former's orifice in the hope that might work in snapping him out of his current disinterest.

All this will never happen though. A draw would be a minor miracle. They have a much better team and manager.

Same with Dibbling, he should be introduced later in the game. There's a good player in there but for whatever reason he seems to be finding it hard to adjust to Everton.

Yes, I was impressed with Aznou on Saturday because of his energy when he came on but will he be as impactful starting is anyone's guess. That decision is easy if you don't have the responsibility for the performance.

I remember similar calls to try players for Carabou Cup game and when that backfired it has now become a missed opportunity.

The primary imperative is that we pick a team that can get something out of the game on Sunday, from a team who are currently the form team in the Premier League, to bring back confidence in the team after the recent poor performances.

The primary imperative is that we pick a team that can get something out of the game on Sunday from a team who are currently the form team in the PL to bring back confidence in the team after the recent poor performance.

What is the point of playing them? They've been given enough chances and failed miserably. No!

I can’t see any difference in the two paras??

Am I being fick?

Arteta didn't have great pace when he played on the right for us, but delivered the ball in the box, you don't have to beat a man to cross the ball. You just need that yard.

The strikers are starving, get no service.

At least you might give them more opportunities to get on the end of stuff by putting it in the box.

Aznou would offera bit of pace on the left, and looked like he wants to make an impact, can he really be any worse on the left than mcneil?

Putting out the same side, and expecting the same players will probably result in the same result!

I was going to include Dibling in that but seeing as he's young, finding his feet and is short of confidence I'm prepared to give him time.

Halfway through January and if you believe the news outlets we are linked with right backs and strikers galore.

Listening to Moyes in the presser he more or less said we are desperate for bodies.

Over to the Friedkins.

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal): The youngest Premier League player ever, a creative midfielder with huge potential.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal): A highly-rated midfielder who's already featured in the first team.
Willian Estevao (Chelsea): A Brazilian winger known for his flair and skill, high market value.
Leny Yoro (Manchester United): A French central defender who moved to United and is already a key player.
Archie Gray (Tottenham): A versatile English talent, often playing midfield or defense.
Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham): Swedish midfielder adding youthful energy to Spurs.
Jorrel Hato (Chelsea): Dutch defender who has quickly established himself at Stamford Bridge.
Lewis Miley (Newcastle United): A dynamic English midfielder breaking through at St James' Park.
Tyler Dibling (Everton): Attacking talent making his mark for the Toffees.
Eli Kroupi (Bournemouth): French forward making waves with his performances.
Other Noteworthy Mentions:
Max Dowman (Arsenal): Another young prospect from Arsenal's academy, becoming their youngest starter in some competitions.
Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool): A promising winger from Liverpool's youth setup.
Chris Rigg (Sunderland/Reported PL Interest): A highly-rated attacking midfielder linked with Premier League moves.

I thought Villa would be shorter odds than that, they are taking our good away form into account. I think neutrals have a better opinion of our team than most of us have.

We are more comfortable playing away, because at home we have to play further up the field and get caught out more easily.

I'm hoping for the best but I think we will be lucky to get anything, we are too chopped about for my liking. They keep coming up with surprise results though, maybe this could be another one.

You are correct about us being more comfortable away from home. This is simply because Moyes can only set up a team to defend.

I wish we had Unai Emery in charge -- a manager at a different level to what we have.

I was in Atlanta for the pre-season game against Man Utd and when Aznou came on there he also looked brilliant, so he's 2 for 2…

The squad is alright, we just need both new full-backs and a striker. This is a chance to at least get 1 of the 3 sorted out.

For anyone born in the 1990s or beyond, David Moyes has given us the best times of our Everton-supporting lives. I've only experienced 1 cup final, 1 top 4 finish, a few European runs, and experienced a couple of European nights at Goodison. All under Moyes….

I've watched all the big games from the 1980s on VHS, and I've watched the 1966 World Cup final. And they were all shit!… 35 passes around the back then it's kicked back to Southall who picks it up, bounces it, hoofs it into orbit. Then it's passed back to him again by our players and he picks it up again.

Football before the backpass rule was dire and everyone who talks about the “Golden Years”' of football is deluded.

The product we have today is 100% better than the 1980s and our team today would run rings around that 1985 team. (No disrespect of course. We were the best team in the entire world at that time and would have won the European Cup only for our murderous neighbors!)

But my point stands. I'm 35 years old and have witnessed 85% doghsit every single week, except for the few times Moyes has brought me joy. So please understand that, for anyone born after 1990, which will soon be the majority of our fanbase, Moyes is the best manager we've seen….

Roberto Martinez's first season was the best football I have ever seen Everton play in my entire 35 years of living. And even that was largely Moyes's team. Just saying like.

In 65 years of watching and following the Blues, those years 1984-87 were the absolute dregs.

I reckon the 85 side would get at least a point against the current side if they played today.

Worst player I've seen in a long time.

You're completely right, Sean, our team today would run rings around that '85 team.

What chance would Steven, Reid, Bracewell and Sheedy have against our current midfield, Sharp and Gray or Heath, wouldn't hold a candle to Barry and Beto up front???

20 years younger and they'd piss on them.

Just because he's the best you've seen doesn't make him good enough to bring back titles to the club. Which is what we want from any Everton manager.

I've only seen us win the FA Cup in 1995, yet I know that, as an Evertoinian, we should be wanting the title. Yes, it's a long way off, but we are not Crystal Palace, we are not Brentford, Bournemouth or Wolves... We are Everton!!!

Half the problem with the club is the attitude. Oh, Moyes got us 4th -- what more do you want? Oh, we got to a final, that should be seen as successful... No!!!

I'm not one of these who is slagging Moyes off; I believe he's doing a decent job over a short period, considering what a poor squad he inherited. However, I believe his ceiling would be us getting back in Europe, however long that takes him.

I believe he should steady us, build a strong team, have a few young players who can go to be top class, similar to what he did in his first stint. Then Everton should already be looking for the ideal man to take us on to the level Moyes has never proved he's capable of.

As you say, Sean, mate, many of the generation who knew what it was like to see titles and trophies won't be around forever.

I hope we are not just left with fans who are happy to finish in the top half and have a day out at Wembley every 20 years!!

"I believe he should steady us, build a strong team, have a few young players who can go to be top class similar to what he did first stint, then Everton should already be looking for the ideal man to take us on to the level Moyes has never proved he's capable of."

Martinez maybe?
Or Silva?
Or Koeman?
Or Allardyce?
Or Ancelotti?
Or Lampard?
Or Dyche?

They all elevated us to a level above Moyes didn't they?

It sounds entitled to say we should be in the finals or we have more right to be in them because we are Everton and not Bournemouth. They have just as much chance and right to be there as we do, in my opinion…

Man Utd fans now believe they should be up the league and signing all the best players... why? Because of the success during the 1990s and 2000s? That doesn't entitle them to anything…

Man Utd are the newer version of us and, in 20-30 years, they may well be fighting relegation for many a season and lingering mid-table. Because nobody is entitled to anything.

We face a worthy opponent every single week who wants to succeed just as much as we do. I simply just enjoy the game for what it is and support Everton through thick and thin.

Success is a bonus, not a given right.

The only one of them that did well was Martinez, with the team he inherited from Moyes and then turned it into his own, and was sacked for it.

Can anyone name a team in the Premier League who plays football as slow as we do?

Firstly Moyes left the first time, it's not like we got rid of Moyes to appoint Martinez, is it?

My point is, Moyes will make progress with the team, make us better, sign good players, move us up the table... but will he be the man who can take us that extra step to winning things?

I don't think he is. But I definitely don't want him sacked.
As I say, his ceiling is probably getting us into Europe in my opinion; if he does that, he's done a good job. Will he be able to take us further than that? I just don't see it.

Frank was taking us down!!

We do understand that playing attacking football also has drawbacks right? And that offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships?

Only one team has ever won the Premier League with 3 at the back (Chelsea) and I don't think anyone has ever won the World Cup with such tactics.

Is that our ambition?

Remaining in the Premier League constitutes success in today's game as it is a business. I know it's hard to take but it's true lads.

I honestly hope Moyes does put together a side that can shake up the big boys like he did first time round, it's twice as hard now with all the money involved.

The calls for him to go are mad in my opinion.

7th is the new 1st. Bill and Dave Mk 1 informed us of that.
A lot of our younger fans bought into that.

Only Ancelotti has had higher in the Premier League points per game with 1.53 as Everton manager.

The highest is 2.28 being Pep, with many a household name under 2 in Wegner, Hiddink, Ancelotti.

Especially if Moyes plays Grealish on the left wing again, he should be playing in the No 10 role!

I mentioned goals scored, not points.

Your last paragraph... "Roberto Martinez's first season was the best football I have ever seen Everton play in my entire 35 years of living. And even that was largely Moyes's team. Just saying like."

This tells you everything -- right?

I want our owners to get Iraola in at the end of this season, I think he would breathe new life into the side and make us a more attractive club as regards signing talent -- and just like under Martinez -- the football would be decent!

Sean reckons Martinez's first season was largely Moyes team...

I beg to differ: Barry, McCarthy and Lukaku were the difference.

I'm aware those players weren't Moyes's. 8 out of 11 players makes it largely a Moyes team.

I've got a sneaking feeling that a manager who Arsenal got rid of is going to pip little Micky to the Premier League title. Villa have got to win a lot of games if they are going to catch Arsenal.

But the saddest thing for me is that Everton would have been right in the mix for the Champions League places if TFG would have been pro-active and ready to back the manager who has had a decimated squad since Boxing Day.

Keep steadying that fucking ship… zzzzzzzzzzz!

Google Colin Harvey soft lad, or Dave Thomas, or Kevin Sheedy, or Gary Lineker or Trevor Steven or Alex Young (are you able to go back that far), Kevin Ratcliffe, Paul Bracewell, Neville Southall (the greatest keeper in the world) and so on and so on.

Utter warped ignorance written for fuck knows why. Bring it up with your therapist lad.

Sean,

largely or not Moyes hasn't got it in him to coach a team to play football like Martinez - Moyes would have ruined Lukaku !

Do we know that TFG haven't backed Moyes? Are there players he wanted in this window that we've lost out on because TFG wouldn't pay up?

Moyes doesn't say.

Do we know that the budgetary limits imposed on Moyes are because of TFG unwillingness to spend, or because of a PSR/SCR ceiling on what we are allowed to spend?

Again, Moyes doesn't say.

Yes, the situation is boring and frustrating, but whether that's due to TFG failing to back the manager is I believe highly speculative.

We have signed nobody, even if we sign a few tomorrow then it’s probably too late to go and have a go at trying to get into European football’s biggest competition, but I suppose it’s all about steadying the ship, because for a lot of Evertonians, that’s progress.

Actions speak louder than words, TSF, are very quiet in the transfer market and even quieter, when it comes to speaking to us, leaving me to think - that I just wish we had less speculation and more ambition, but then again, how do I know TSF, aren’t ambitious when it comes to Everton?

I don't have any spies at the Friedkin dinner table in Houston, but I think they looked at our still-threadbare squad, which required the re-signings of Keane and Gana just to stay steady in the water, and decided that league and financial stability were sufficient goals for their first season in charge. I don't think they walked in to their new acquisition 13 months ago remotely planning to jump from a relegation panic to CL contention in just over one calendar year.

And I think they hired a business-oriented CEO and a notoriously conservative manager with that viewpoint in mind.

In other words, I believe their ambitions for this season and this skeletal playing staff are extremely limited -- and likely are already being met. Their long-term view is of course an entirely different question. and we have been provided with no clues about that at all.

But I'm 5000 miles away. You're a lot closer and historically have the most intimate, accurate sources and connections of anyone on TW. If you don't know, who am I to suggest.

Good point for Liverpool that today eh?

He didn't exactly set the league alight in his first stint with us did he? I see no reason to believe he will do any better this time around

We are miles off it.

When your age I'd constantly seen live the fabulous football played by Everton under Howie. It was brilliant.

As a teenager I'd seen live the team Catterick put together of brilliant footballers. It was fabulous.

I've seen Usain Bolt, and he is brilliant.

I've seen film of Jessie Owens, and he was fabulous.

Having seen all this and more I'm at a total loss to understand why you so acclaim our club's "achievements" since the year you were born, when Kenwright first embedded himself in the club's anatomy.

Just what's to acclaim in comparison to the Catterick/Kendall mk.1 eras, all achieved before Kenwright embedded himself?

Maybe at the beginning of the season they had no European ambitions but at the beginning of this month and even now we were/are in a position where a couple of decent signings could put us in European, even champions league, contention.

Surely our management team and owners aren't that unresponsive or ignorant to see that and change their plans accordingly. Even Moyes himself talked about Europe this month.

Then if you are correct, Moyes has only been brought in to steady the ship and they have no plans to match his European ambitions?

But the bit that annoys me most is our lovely not so new owners seem to show a complete lack of respect for fans by letting our season peter out without trying to kick start something.

I don't get it, it doesn't make economic sense to me but then I'm not the billionaire.

Would three more Barry-priced players do the job? Maybe four? That's well over £100 million. Even if that kind of investment would be permitted under PSR -- which we don't know -- the UEFA Conference League champion, for example, wins just £27M total (including £7M for the final), and that doesn't buy even one skinny Thierno.

Pure guesswork here, but I'm thinking TFG look at it as a huge gamble that's not worth the risk until they have a chance to build up the club to play that many more games. And again we don't know what PSR/SCR limits currently stand in the way of major signings.

'Struck a chord did I?.. job done then'. Nah. Not really. I need to respect someone's opinion for that. Noticed how your little decrepit wagon is circled by many posters but then all of them must be reeling as you 'struck a chord'.

You see, Sean lad, let me help you here (this might help you for the future), in order to have 'struck a chord' (oh, by the way, delighted by your admission that you are a tepid WUM) the people whose cord you struck would have to - somewhere deep inside - have always thought without saying it out loud that we were shite in say 1984-87.

Can you follow that obvious logic?

Meanwhile, can you directly answer my question that your deep thoughtful and well-thought-out point that footy was not televised 'back then' is a pile of shite?

In doing so, you might respond also to this question: where Sheedy, Steven, and Bracewell in your word 'shite'?

Go on lad, grow some, answer these questions.

Seriously, it is utterly impossible for someone - you - with your characteristic inarticulate ignorance to successfully wind up anyone far smarter than you. Don't confuse a horror-stricken reply at such appalling ignorance to in your words 'striking a chord'.

4th not setting the league alight? It's the Holy Grail for most teams, imcluding the Sky 6, they can't function without being in Europe.

Staying in the EPL is success. Bollocks. It may be business success but it isn't sporting success.

Somewhere along the lines people have been brainwashed to think a cup final and 4th in a piss poor season constitutes success.

The most points we ever got in a season wasn't under Moyes, it was under Martinez which was a way more entertaining year than Moyes could dream of.

But we should accept 4th this season - that would constitute relative success. It's doable, the prize money in the league, plus investment in the champions league, then the europa league as we get knocked out etc. Then the ticket sales, the merch (it's more than just the conference league isn't it?)

But here's the point - it'd be fun. Isn't that the point of football? Entertainment? (BTW I know it's a business, but do they have to be mutually exclusive?)

Just get past today and hopefully put a decent team out for Leeds next week.

The lack of transfer activity after the penalty fiasco last week concerns me. I don't get it.

What on earth are you talking about ?

You "explain" (ahem) TFG's frugal approach with this - "I think they hired a business-orientated CEO and a notoriously conservative manager With that view point in mind"

So which of these gormless fuckers do you hold accountable for paying 70m for Dibling and Barry ?

I'm all for supporting the younger players and will continue to do so. I believe much of the criticism directed at these two lads can be attributed to the ridiculous fee's paid for them.

Which in turn begs the question; Which gormless fucker at TFG decided it was a good idea to give these two Greaty market shoppers 130m quid ?

'Greaty' is Great Homer Street Market where I bought my only pair of flares before going all drainpipe.

But hope he impresses today. Either starting or the bench, I think he will be more effective away from home. Pressure off from the crowd and a bit more space when the counter is on. His chance to shine.

We're meant to be managed by a "business orientated CEO and a conservative manager"

Not some smack head who just won the postcode lottery

How the fuck do you know?

Top post Darren, 91.

He sounds exactly like the right person to take us to the top if our owners are ambitious.

Whatever happened to trying to be the best and winning trophies? This is not purely aimed at anyone in particular, just a sad indictment of how football is now, sadly, a cash cow for many

It was mentioned TFG did not have any plans for Europe this season.

Having found ourselves in position to go for Europe (not CL,we are a long way from that) its back to the "lets not get ahead of ourselves" mentality.

Regarding TFG they are a far better option than 777 would have been heaven knows where we would have been had they got control. But I do question why anybody would spend in excess oof £700m and not visit their aquisition. Friedkin and his Son played in the Dunhill golf tournament in Scotland last year, would it really have ruined his schedule to fly down meet the players and see the new stadium..

Seems the USA owners are all into multiclub ownership, so if we do well next season we could qualify for a European place, but that could also cost us if Roma qualify for the same competition. As Palace found up with them having an American owner who also owned anothe rclub, Palace had to drop out of that competition. Talking of Palace I see Glasner has said he has been abandoned by the owners of Palace. I have a great deal of sympathy for him, but he also told the owners back in October that he would be leaving at the end of his contract in the summer, maybe although honourable it wasn't the smartest thing to have done.

If it hasn't dawned on you yet...we are shit and I fear today's game will confirm just how shit we are. Villa under Gerrard were relegation fodder, one decent manager later and some very astute deals in the transfer market and hey fucking presto.

There was plenty in the press about other right wingers prior to the signing of Dibling, who signed on the 25th August or end of the window.

Do you honestly think he was first choice, that the other wingers mentioned weren't targets, that Moyes said he had missed out on targets & that a right winger wasnt one of them (a key position requirement), and that he just waited it out all summer for Dibling & then didnt play him.

If you believe that Paul good luck to you. I don't.

You can say the same for Barry. I highly doubt he was first choice. He fancied Delap and were in for Woltemade. But again were nowhere near getting them.

Identifying players has been a problem at Everton, but convincing the better ones to come has been the real achilies heel for decades. Buying a 4th, 5th, 6th choice is always going to cause issues.

4 more Dewsbury-Hall types would be better. Same outlay.

100% correct.

TFG can overcome the Uefa multi-club ownership rule. Man City and Man Utd have done it and both clubs and their European owned clubs competed in Europe at the same time.

They just need to ensure the paperwork is squared away. Palace was an admin error. Not thinking they'd win the FA Cup, they failed to submit earlier.

We beat EVERY other team in the Division at least once. And some twice, including our lovable neighbours.

Until our generation dies out, that will be the measure of our standards.

I really hope Villa win the Title. It will give hope, and the proof that a good managerial appointment can at least make it possible.

"This side will dominate European football for the next 5 years"

Brian Clough commenting on the 85 side.

This is the same as for pretty much every football fan of pretty much every team, apart from Liverpool, Utd and (to a much lesser extent) Arsenal. Even Chelsea and City won nothing for decades until they got lucky with rich owners and no regulations to hold them back. It is a VERY different world we now live in and (arguably) much harder to win things now, unless you are already one of the "elite" money-ball teams.

Here's the thing - we are not very good with all our creative players missing and no manager, no matter who they are or what their supposed style is, would be able to change that right now. We need a lot of good signings that actually work for us over the next few windows and then we might be in a position to challenge for Europe and trophies, like Villa (who have taken years to get where they are and had a relegation in that period with their new owners).

Do I think Moyes and our new owners, will get us there? - into Europe, probably yes, if he is given the time. Beyond that - I doubt it for Moyes. He will be gone at the end of his contract (i.e. Summer '27), by which time I fully expect we will be a much more attractive prospect for both managers and players and he will have done his job.

Can we win something in the meantime? Possibly, if we get some luck (how many times do we draw EPL teams in early rounds of both cups?) and take the cups seriously (Carabao exit was down to Moyes, in my view).

All the talk was about how many we would put past them.

I suspect many supporters would happily accept winning a trophy, something to be remembered for years, as opposed to merely finishing fourth.

Top 4 might well be where the money is, but I would still love to see Everton parading a trophy around Wembley

I suspect many supporters would happily accept winning a trophy, something to be remembered for years, as opposed to merely finishing fourth.

Top 4 might well be where the money is, but I would still love to see Everton parading a trophy around Wembley

Played Osman wide right as defensive cover for Tony Hibbert against Malouda and the best attacking left back of the day in Ashley Cole.

With some of our key players still missing it will need some great displays from the rest to get the points.

There is talent still to come to fruition but it needs managing better than Moyes has done so far.

EFC have not got the players to build from the back and get out of the press and create though.

Aimless passing across the 18 yard line is spoiling modern day football for me watching Everton

From the whipping boy Osman?

For those of us lucky enough to have enjoyed the successes of the sixties under Harry Catterick, and of the eighties with Kendall, we may have a different view of the footie we watched then as compared to now. From my perspective, the most crucial difference was that I was excited and really passionate about my club in those eras. Yes, there have been highlights with Moyes and some great days. However, despite the terrible pitches and passes back to the goalie, the team were always playing forward. Please have a look at the highlights of the Sunderland game ( 4-1) in 85 and tell me that isn't more entertaining and exciting than sideways and backwards possession stuff usually ending with loss of possession or a hoof up ( or both). We will all have our own opinions and we must debate and respect those of others. However, those of you who are 35 and under and have been faithful blues throughout, have been offered very poor fayre. Some highs. Some prospects of brighter days. Generally, though, pretty disappointing footie. We oldies ( over 36) can always reminisce about the times we were constantly on the edge of, and out of our seats. We can also recall the miserable periods where it was pretty dire. Thank you Gordon Lee, Mike Walker etc. We have had a rollercoaster with some terrific highs. You youngsters are stuck on the waltzers and merry go rounds.

No idea of the reasoning behind the tactical set up on our right side that day.

A blisteringly hot day as well.No idea why our manager came up with that one.

A very good technical footballer Leon,never in a 100 years is he a track back cover for a full back against two top class left sided players

It was probably under 20.000 stay at home fans, judging by our average attendance when we won the league 18 months later, and times were very, very hard for the people of Liverpool.

People take offence at away fans singing feed the scousers, nowadays, but I honestly used to take a lot more offence at people saying be careful what you wish for, (and then after we became irrelevant, listening to people say, but we never went down) just like now, I absolutely detest people talking about steadying the fucking ship.

In another twenty years Sean, people might look back and say the football was shite, (2020/26) and use the same reasoning that you use now to describe how Guardiola, has kidded the life out of everyone, but the city fans who have lived through ten years of absolute joy, will tell you football was never better than it was during that period.

Football is about enjoyment - I currently get very little enjoyment.

Football is about winning - I haven’t seen Everton win for years.

Football is about ambition - NOT FUCKING STEADYING THE SHIP.

Take a bow son

The fullback who replaced Hibbert, never had the same problem in the second half but, Fellaini also changed positions with little Timmy Cahill, at half time, and Cahill, was never scared of working hard and sacrificing himself for the good of his team.

I remember Ashley Cole, getting very angry with Cahill, near the corner flag, fuming because he was no longer getting the same amount of time and space, and if Cahill, had scored instead of heading a good chance over the bar midway through the second half, who knows, we might have even held on?

Chelsea, we’re definitely one of the best teams in Europe, at the time and probably would have been playing in a champions league final, that same week, if Iniesta, hadn’t scored with the last kick of the ball at Stamford Bridge, in the quarter final (I think) but we lost the spine of our team that day, and probably never had a big enough squad, to go and beat a team as good as Chelsea?

You echo the sentiments of Neville Southall who has stated that he cannot understand the attitude of footballers who start the season not at least wanting or trying to win trophies.

We knew we were up against it given the squads available to both clubs.

I agree with that,Chelsea as you say were a top class team with the two I mentioned plus the likes of Essien,Lampard,Anelka,Drogba etc ( I wont mention the centre half khasi who I have no respect for).

A worse occasion in the semi final against them,for me, was the bigger disappointment.

They were all over the place,not at the races,a disjointed display from them gave us the opportunity to go for the second goal.

He sat them in,tried to hold on to the 1-0.

That finished him for me as an Everton manager

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The only stat that's important is goals scored & goals conceded. The rest is bullshit, coaching philosophies, inverted wingers, false no 9's, standing on the touch line for ten minutes with the I Pad showing how you want a sub to play like it's a WWII Battle of Britain dogfight.

Today will all be about damage limitation. The team will have zero desire to win. The players won't even try as the management and coaching staff aren't expecting anything anyway. It's simply another write off game which Moyes factors into his seasonal points haul percentage.

... and whilst most of us are bemoaning Moyes and his negativity - I've never been his biggest fan, remember we could have had Emery or Iraola but the brains trust running our club decided otherwise.

Let's see what happens when Spurs pull the plug on Frank this week. Do we want a manager with 20 year old ideas or a progressive manager who will experiment and try different things?

You're quite correct...its always a cycle of bitter defeat followed by unexpected wins

No excuse, but I had just stepped on one of those tiny little pieces of glass that can get in your foot!

The little sequence of passes across the back drive me fecking mad and more often than not end up with a pass backwards to the keeper.

One thing players did not do four decades ago was look backwards and sideways rather than forwards.

Ah Brian (107), thanks for making me feel so proud of my club.

Dave (111) did you go Felixstowe - Zeebrugge?

Neil (127): 'The highlights of the Sunderland game ( 4-1) in 85'. The best performance I have ever seen from an Everton team (and I include Bayern a few weeks later in that). The most complete performance. The most exciting free-flowing footy. Tricky's best ever game for us?

What a week that was: 6 April: Sunderland 4-1; 10 April: 0-0 Bayern first leg, we away fans were brilliant; and 13 April back the day before for the semi-final win v Luton.

You can only dream Sean K, and as Neil suggested, watch that Sunderland game, the Bayern game, and a match that saw us I thought at our supreme best: 9 November 1985: Everton 6 Arsenal 1. That's right, Sean lad: Everton 6 Arsenal 1.

Need to go back to rehab mate.

Who had a bad game? Nobody! is the stern reply, everybody hit their KPIs and beyond... (as they should for that sort of money).

Pickford made a great save, as did their keeper, but no doubt it will be all about how poor Villa were. Both sides hit the woodwork.

McNeil got a daft yellow for a shirt pull, yet a Villa player does the same in the box???

The linesman... (the lineswoman) did okay -- when will she referee a Premier League game?

One week, or so it seems, they needn't even have a flag, this week it should be stuck up his arse.

VAR was... allegedly... brought in to stop 2 or 3 howlers a season, now we're seeing half a dozen a week.

How long before its true purpose is revealed... and the screen will show The ACME Paints VAR says... Offside... by the thinness of a coat of our excellent paint

And/or during a VAR break an add will come up on your screen especially targeted to you by the algorithm... which may or may not get embarrassing -- depending on your search history! 😀

It's been supposedly 'tweaked' 3 or 4 times now and it's getting worse.

Our returning Senegalese heroes can recuperate on the bench as there's no need to rush them back in -- well, not this week.

He put me in mind of Jack Lemon's Professor Fate in the Great Race... which Heath Ledger based his Joker on) gesturing... but not clapping, engagjng with the crowd and Villa players, who were 3 deep on him sometimes.

You missed out that Garner should have got a second yellow -- and he should have, for his brainfart push on Rogers.

I was saying to my Villa mate at the game yesterday, that neither their players nor their fans -- who moan even more than us, to be honest -- gave out any sense that they believed they could win the PremierLeague title.

I said if we were in their position our fans would drag the boys over the line! Arrogant shite by me, of course, but I do want to see us throw in a realistic title challenge once before I pop my clogs.

Look at you, 41 years on, still the same, going away, and you would sing them over the line. What a blue. Thanks. We're gonna stick around us lads and lasses of 1984-1987 until we do compete up there again and then we can exit stage left.