johnh

There's a lot of pessimism and apprehension on here that I don't understand. I think we will get a draw.

There's another large picture of Gerrard in the Telegraph Sport today.

Sterling dives better than Barkley.

According to the Telegraph Sport today, Martinez is to 'show off his diamonds'. He has revealed that Robles, Atsu, Pienaar, Kone, Oviedo, McAleny, Alcaraz, Browning and Garbutt will start along with two unnamed youngsters.

Had an 'interesting' 24 hours. Yesterday I went to pick some stuff up at the Chemist. The shop is in a parade on a rather narrow road. When cars are parked down both sides (which they usually are) there is only just room for a car to get through. As I was leaving, driving down the narrow gap, a car came round the corner into the road I was on and came down the road as if I wasn't there and collided with the front of my car. He then reversed so that I could pull over. I got out to inspect the damage and then went to talk to the guy just in time to see him walking into a shop. When he came out he turned out to be about 90 and hadn't a clue what was going on. One of the shopkeepers came out and said 'that's Mr ****** he can't see and shouldn't be driving. Then this morning I had to go early to Royal Berks Hospital in Reading. When I had my colonoscopy they said I would have to have a CT scan and they would write to me. I received a letter sayi ng I had to go this morning. Royal Berks is a very big hospital and parking is a nightmare as it is in the City centre. So I drive the my golf club which is a couple of miles outside Reading, then get a taxi from there. When I got to the South Block where my appointment was, it was all fenced off due to some workings, so I had to walk down to Central Block and ask for directions. I then had to walk about 3 miles (exaggeration but you know what I mean) to get to Outpatients 2. I finally found it and they keyed my details into the computer and said 'it has been changed to Outpatients 1. I had another three mile walk and finally got to the right place. I waited about an hour, then was called in to see the specialist. He had my notes and said 'I see you have had your colonoscopy and we think you should now have a CT scan, I will arrange it, it will take about 2 months.' I am now home and think I will spend the rest of the day in bed.

I think Gerrard has relatives working at Telegraph Sport. Today, there is a full front page photo of him, which is the second this week, plus another large photo and double page spread about him inside.

Basel one up after 25 minutes.

In 1950 and last year, Arsenal won the cup without ever having to travel outside London. I see they have got a home draw again in the third round.

The reason our crosses are so poor is that we don't have anyone who can head the ball (Jagielka - set pieces excepted)

We all support EVERTON, that should be enough.

Didn't see the game but had a look at the stats on BBC website. Can't believe that Martinez made a substitution in the 88th minute. When you are losing 1-0 you need to give your subs time to have an effect. Maybe he was doing it to make sure it didn't get worse than 1-0.

The problem is, Martinez won't be around for long. Someone will make him an offer he can't refuse. Most likely in Europe.

Guardiola is probably the founder of 'tiki-taka' football. But recently he was quoted as saying 'passing football has got to have an end product which is scoring goals. Passing for passings sake is a waste of time'. Currently, I think Martinez is in the passing for passings sake phase. Lets hope he moves on.

Poor result at home to third from bottom. According to BBC stats we had five shots on target. Hull had one and scored from it (as they had missed with all other attempts maybe Tim thought it was going wide). In the last two games we haven't created enough chances or taken them when we have.

I have only seen Ross on the TV games so maybe not fair to make a judgement - but I will. He has fantastic balance, pace and strength. He hits a good long pass accurately. His problem, it appears to me, is that he doesn't know WHEN to pass it. Sometimes he passes too early and (more often) too late. Also, he is not a brilliant header of the ball. The passing problem will be solved through experience, the heading wont but not that important.

I have posted this before. We have exactly the same problem as England, we spend so much time passing the ball around at the back that the opposition have all the time they need to get their defence sorted out. Against Spurs, whenever we got the ball forward, everyone was marked. I felt sorry for Lukaku, very little support. In the second-half he chased a through ball into the penalty area to the left of the posts and through sheer strength beat the defender to the ball and got a cross in. There wasn't a single Everton player in the penalty area, nor even close. Sometimes it seems they are all under orders 1. Not to get too far forward 2. Not to shoot. Maybe Mirallas got a bollocking for shooting from outside the box.

WE HAVE GOT TO BE MORE DIRECT. There was one incident where the ball was put out to Coleman with no defender within 20 yards of him, just to the right of the Spurs penalty area. He miscontrolled it, passed it back to Barry who passed it back to Jagielka who was 20 yards inside our half. No wonder we don't get many shots on goal.

Their first goal was down to Howard, he should have held on to it or put it out, not back into play. We have nothing down the right, Coleman hasn't taken their full back on once in the first half. If we are going to score we need to have a shot not pass it about all day long.

In the 'southern' edition of the Telegraph, the match report of the Tottenham game ran to a full page. Everton received a 'comment' in a 2 inches x 2 inches box. Hope it was the other way round in the northern editions?

How did McGeady miss? If he'd put his laces through it he couldn't miss but he side-footed it!

Test cricket is a step too far for Stokes. He goes after the bowling like a blacksmith and usually gives his wicket away early. His bowling (4 overs no wicket for 36) doesn't compensate. Why did Bopara only get 4 overs? He only went for 15 runs, the best of any England bowler. I agree with the comment about Cook. He plays one-dayers like a five day test match and his captaincy isn't good enough to justify his place in the team.

I thought about being a boxer but then found out that getting punched on the nose really smarted and made your eyes water, so I didn't bother.

When I switched on the Liverpool v Palace game it was 1- 1. I saw the last two Palace goals, made my day. Also saw Sterling dive for a penalty but the referee ignored it, also made my day..

Wife texted me to say she was in casualty. I switched the TV on and watched all 50 minutes of it but didn't see her. She still hasn't come home and I'm starving.

The trouble is that the liberal elite who run the BBC aren't particularly football people.