RuffRob

Great performances all around.

Bottle it and take it in to all our remaining fixtures.

1 hour ago, Cornish Steve said:

Best manager in the league right now!

some might say he's a Messiah .

what will be interesting is hopefully we see the team play 2 or 3 games without having the pressure of the world on the teams shoulders. Given we had poor results at the start of the season, then the points deductions x 2, I feel there's been a consent weight around the place holding the teams confidence back.

They do appear to be bouncing back again for this run in and Dyche does deserve some credit for his part in that.

There are potentially a realistic 6-9 more points up for grabs, lets see how these final few games pan out.

well fuck me, i didn't see this one coming. Maybe the win that secures our Premier League survival and finishes off the Shite's title winning hopes. The best I have felt all season, maybe the best I have felt for a few seasons.

like @Palfy said, not point in risking DCL in a game like this when very winnable Brentford, Luton and Sheff Utd game on  the horizon.

Like we have already said this game has to be considerd a bit of a free hit, and that can include giving Chermiti a run out. We don't really know what to expect from him - and it will be the same for the Liverpool defenders. The chaos and energy of youth can result in the unexpected. 

Stay solid defensively, and the hope of getting a bit of luck form the occasional chance that might come our way.

1 hour ago, Romey 1878 said:

Forest are a weird club.

https://www.teamtalk.com/nottingham-forest/marinakis-considers-legal-action-sky-sports-gary-neville-comments

Forest need to worry more about the things they say as opposed to others. The really are beginning to look stupid. I would think the more crap they come out with then the less likley they are to see any points returned on appeal. You wonder what sort of arguements that club will try and make.

They are losing much of any sympathy they may have been getting from third parties about their points deductions. 

Even though I don't really like Forest given they are one of the teams that bitched to the PL about our accouts, I was now hoping they didn't go down becasue of points deductions and relegation is decided how it should be - based on football results, but now beginning to thinking fuck em. 

3 minutes ago, Palfy said:

I’m more pleased we are on the same page, I’ve always said that I couldn’t believe others were waiting in the wings for 777 to fall flat on their faces and then step in. 
To be honest at this moment in time I don’t care where the buyers come from should others come into replace 777, I just want someone to come in and stabilise us financially and if they want to sell us 2 years down the line for a quick profit too the right people I’m happy with that. 

yeah, I am on the same page. If somebody comes in, make the place more proffessional and sports business like instead of it being a messy shambles then they deserve to make a few quid of the back of it. That's where I see the real value in buying Everton, not selling bits and bobs of it off -  as the sum of its parts are simply not where profit lies. 

22 minutes ago, Palfy said:

My point was nothing to do with a Qatar buyer or any other buyer, my point was all these people who believed that there were others waiting in the wings who had made themselves known to club, just proves what bollocks that was if this story is to be believed that we are having to scout for another buyer because the 777 deal looks dead in the water, due to the simple fact they can’t raise the money. So I can’t see how you’ve come up with your argument to my original post? Unless of course you are responding to someone else’s post

I miss the bit where you said it was 'pure fantasy' . So we are pretty much in agreement - that nobody is waiting in the wings as 777 alternative. Apologies for the misunderstanding. 

                     Pickford

            Tarks,    Bran,   Myko

Harrison      Gana     Garner       McNeil

                Gomes    Doucoure

                             DCL

To get Gomes in the side I would be tempted to go with back 3/5 for this game. Think we need a soild two behind him. Maybe Onana in middle instead of Garner, and put him as right wingback (or even Young).  I just think need something solid out of possession and a slightly different formation to mix things up. Gomes can be other body in the middle but could just open things up on the counter with slightly more intelligent balls. 

As this game is a bit of free hit as not expecting a result, its a game where you can try something different. 

3 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

That is what Palfy was saying.

ah yeah. Missed the 'pure fantasy' bit. Just proves I need to put the glassed on!!  

40 minutes ago, Palfy said:

Well if this story has any resemblance of truth it proves that other buyers waiting in the wings if the 777 deal collapsed was pure fantasy. We are going to struggle to find a buyer unless Moshiri is prepared to put aside the money he has paid and invested into the club to one side, and make us more financially attractive to a buyer.  

But doesn't the 'story' say there isn't any particualr interest for Qatar for Everton FC? Story more saying that Deloitti have been asked to go out and see if they can drum up some interest for potential alternative buyer. I would say kind of proves that there is nobody currently waiting in the winds if Deloitti are have been charged with looking for alternative buyers.

There will always be buyers at the right price - but guess that's the sticking point. Nobody is going to be paying what Moshiri wants unless Premeriship saftey is assured this season. At least the worst of PSR should be behind us. 

I don't expect anything out of this game, as frustratingly we typically don't fair well against the shite- so any points would be a massive bonus. 

As shit as an attitude it is going in to a Derby match, I think we have to play solidly to our defensive strengths, park the bus and frustrate the fuck out of them. I could live with a boring 0-0. 

Having a 6point (and superiour goal difference) lead over Luton is signficantly better than 5 points with only only four games to go.   

So tomorrow I am kind of happy to see the team try and protect a point rather than be a bit more open in trying to get the 3.

3 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

Wouldn't a Luton fan have preferred a draw yesterday anyway?

or even a Everton lose, on the assumption we are unlikley going to get anything from our game in hand agaist Liverpool so it I would then actually be in Luton's own hands to leap frog us when we go to their place. 

51 minutes ago, AlbanyNYToffee said:

Despite getting battered at the Bridge we're in a much better place now than we were 10 days ago. Not quite out of the woods yet. As it stands right now 7 points from 5 games would guarantee us safety (that assumes Luton win their last four games). 

Bournemouth away 1 (0)
Newcastle away 0 (1)
Burnley home 3 (3)
Chelsea away 0 (0)
Forest home 3 (3)
Shite home 0
Brentford home 1
Luton away 1
Sheffield Utd home 3
Arsenal away 0

Projected total points: 37
Current points: 30

Forest - 26 pts: city home, sheffield away, chelsea home, burnley away  

Luton - 25 pts: wolves away, everton home, west ham away, fulham home

Does you projected points total (37) still include the 2 additional points that PL have taken off us?. We are on 30 now, plus your projected draws against Brentford (1) and Luton (1) and win against Sheff Utd (3) only gives us 35 points total. 

If Luton draw against us (1) and win other 3 games (9) it would put them also on 35 points. 

Unless results are favourable for us this weekend, then the Luton game is still massive as it really is a 6 pointer. I feel we will get 0 last day and Luton will get 3 points of Fulham. We need a three point buffer going in to the final round of games.

13 hours ago, Hafnia said:

I'm still not convinced in how we play. Still think we are 50% reliant on other teams below us being poo. 
 

there was spirit today which is good but we are not a very well coached team in possession and it scares me. Another day and we lose that with Pickford and the ref/var

Its purely about the results now - period. We have actually played much better this season and come away with draws or defeats.

Purely results wise we should have confirmed safety today and perhaps been able to use the last 5 games of the season to give fringe players a proper run out with a little less pressure and more freedom to play, (although Patterson is rules out). It would have be great to see Chermiti start some games and see proper if he has raw talent for the prem. 

Dyche could have experimented a bit with players, formations, tactics etc. However, we will never know becasue we are still in a relegation fight.  

More than any other season there have been outside distractions from football being caused internally and externally. None of use really know how this has effected behind the scence on the footballing side of the club (because its been horrendus as a fan), I don't think this season the club would have survived another managerial swap out.  Far far more problems at the club this year than 'how we play'.

I have seen both positive and negative from Dyche and it actually very difficult to judge him properly given the turbulence around the place. Had a good run and had a bad run, and still 5 games to go.  This season has not been black and white. 

There are lots of strong words about Forest's tweet concerning not been given a penelty or three yesterday. Pretty much all commentary is saying that they have really embarressing themselves with the club itself branding an individual an outright cheat. 

As shit as it is when desisions go against you, you can't have clubs coming out every week making all sorts of public formal allegations and essentially threats (even if hollow)

Could Forest be charged with bring the game in to disripute for calling the game official cheats? Does pulling a stunt like this help or hinder their appeals to the points deduction?

Irony is how Forest where lauded for being such a helpful and co-operative club - for which they received a generouse 33% reduction in their points deduction. They have not been particulay helpful since that decision. 

14 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

As horrible as it was games like the Chelsea can happen, which is why I didn't subscribe the the opinion that that game showed the manager has lost the players like some had. However, if we'd put in another abject showing like that again today then I would definitely have started to lean more in that direction. If you can't get up after a roasting like that and show what you're about then it's a lost cause.

Fortunately, the players did respond and they didn't look like a set of players that have give up on the manager. They fought hard for everything, just like they did against Burnley.

I thought there was more quality and cohesion to our play than there was against Burnley though. That was a slog and a half but we had some really good passages of play today where we created openings, and I thought we were the better team on the whole.

 

Agree totally, I was desperately hoping for a reaction to the Chelsea game - another lackluster performance today and I would really have been fearing the worst - i.e maybe Dyche had lost the dressing room and players losing heart. However, the players did react positivley.

Gana totallty put Onana to shame today. I know they are not the same type of players, but all players can give 100% when they get on that pitch and lead by example - Onana frustrates on that front, and will be happy enough to see him move on in the summer especially if any sort of reasonable profit can be made.

There was a massive amonit of pressue on that game. That win in just a massive win all around. 

Great to see McNeil getting a goal, lets hope that given him that drive to have a few more pops at goal.

I can enjoy the rest of the weekend. 

This result and Luton's yesterday make the Liverpool game a bit of a free hit now for both players and fans to try and actually enjoy the game .

11 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

 

With Arsenal last game I really hope  we are safe by this date and not relying on getting 1 or 2 points back.

52 minutes ago, Matt said:

Not dressing anything up. Unless he's actively coaching them to finish and pass well in training but bottle it when it counts, then I'll take it all back. But there's only so much you can do with those factors (and more) that are part of the overall problem before you look clueless. Honestly don't know anyone who would get this group performing as individuals and a team with the cloud hanging over the club and the years of bad mentalities in and around the club.

I've defended him in the past because the players were creating chances. But even the chances have dried up and I've not noticed much change in tactics (partly because he hasnt got a squad to change around) so it can only be in the players heads to improve things. 

But all that aside, if we could afford to sack him he would've been gone already and I would be pissed off that yet another manager with yet another style hasn't been given time rather than be annoyed at losing him. I think thats always been my stance, i can defend circumstances but I get angry with the situation and keep insisting on 1 manager just for that 1 element of stability.

Whichever new owner we get will have him out the door on day one (he might already know this and maybe that's affecting him too, though he doesn't seem the type to me). But who turns this groups head around? Genuinely don't know and maybe a fire sale is going to be beneficial, so long as we have a manager in place.

That's not me accepting the poorness of our play, that's me recognising we're in a shit place and if I thought changing the manager would improve things, I'd be supportive of it. But I don't believe it will beneficial.

could have wrote that myself.

This season 'horribilus' just has to now play itself out in the terrible state we are in both on and off the pitch from both our own doing and outside influences on the club. A whole season dogged by PSR and a somewhat questionable takeover.

Given the crap going on around the place - changing manager etc would be nothing more that a coin flip at best, why waste the money or have another mangerial change chalk up against the club. May as well be seen as a club who now give the manager every chance to turn shit around. Also why pay a manager off and simply let them off the hook. It fuck all to do with playing style now, all about grinding out results to get over the finsh line. 

4 minutes ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

He wasn't good enough and they're a club in and around the Champions League places. Football is a business and they do business well, much better than us sadly. 

His off field issues were not known until his interview with Gary Neville. Spurs were right to move him on, 100%.

A sad as it is, I agreed. Spurs are a football business and not a mental health charity. 

I am sure Dele would love to stay on at Everton if we have indeed been well supporting him this year in particular, but unlike any other club this summer, its actually going to cost us to sign him.

It sounds like his head is in the right place, addictions under control and has new appitite for the game. Given his level was argubley the best attacking midfeilder in the world 5 years ago, he could still be a very good player. A very good Dele (rather than world class) is definately worth £10M - considering talk of Harrison being £20M. However, it's not just his mental health now, he has also been out with significant physical injury. I imagine it would be down to the wages we would have to pay on a new contract - Think we would have to be talking 50% pay cut, to help offset. I would have said time to keep away from players like this, but with him already being at the club the settling in to the club and area has already been done. 

A conversation for the end of the season when we are hopefully still a PL club and under new ownership who have a more focused plan.

Sod law will be that he can sign and play for free for any club in the World when his contract expires - except for Everton, as there will be something in the contact that if we offer him a new contract -Spurs get a decent wedge from us, be it the £10m for 20 games or possibly even more for a contract extension clause .

When he does sign for somebody else on a reduced wage he will then obviosely go on to be the player he once was.

I would definately like to see a Dele at or close to his best playing in an Everton shirt. 

11 hours ago, Matt said:

If we weren't a cash cow, or rather a potential cash cow, there's no way an investment firm would be looking to buy us, let alone put up with all the shit around the acquisition. These groups, and 777 by its own admission, buy clubs to strip them to the bone and rebuild from scratch, assuming they can continue to load debt onto the club a la Glazers.

Seeing them asking for extensions to gather the cash because they don't have a positive cash flow isn’t fear mongering, but it sure as hell is scary. The issues at their other projects, like not paying players, isn't fear mongering, but again is extremely concerning. The shiny "crown jewel" quote is nothing more than propaganda that any sane person representing an interested party would say and it may well be true, until the next opportunity presents itself.

It's not a matter of fear mongering, it is a matter of seeing the warning signs and being wary. They will be hard pressed to not improve us but the cost to the club is going to be high and I don't mean monetarily.

"777 Partners have been sued by multiple organizations for unpaid debts and contract breaches with lawsuits describing their financial practices as a "house of cards"[28][29][30] and a "sprawling fraudulent enterprise".[31][32]"

Just fills ya with hope, dunnit 

 

If they can turn us from a financial fuck up to a potential cash cow of a club - all credit to them. Aren't we looking for somebody to unlock our 'potential'. Then they will have done a significantly better job than anybody else in the past +20years. 

The main thing that has been wrong with Everton is its been poorly run at the top ownership level -  so why wouldn't they favour sorting our how the club is run and managed in the first instance rather than selling tangible assets for what would most likley have to be sold cheaper than what they have just raised the funds to purchased - the sum of its parts are not worth as much as Everton as a whole . 777 are doing the exact opposite of selling asset at Genoa - they are buy and looking to improving them there. I would be looking at what they are doing in Genoe (the current biggest football club in their portfolio) to mabye get the best idea of what they might do with us, rather than speculation on what the doom mongers are writing about. To me there are easier less risky ways to turn a quick buck than buying a football club. I really don't think thats what this buy out is all about. 

I am aware of the warning signs and all the negative stuff thats out there about them, but I want to be causiuosely optomistic about 777 Partners as it looks highly likley that they will be the new owners. I don't want to focus on negatives before they have even stepped foot in the building - been nothing but negatives about this club for far to long. 

I am not nieve, and I realise it's all about making money. The best way to make money - and big money in football is to make the club and everything around it better and grow the Everton brand. 

I think 777 Partners see us very much as a sleeping giant and believe they can awake that giant and bring us in to the modern footballing arena to the benefit to both shareholder and fans alike. isn't that what we all want as fans from a owner?

I don't have a problem with that - smart, current and innovative people running the show is what this club need more than anything and I think this is what 777 Partners beleive they can bring to the show to get best value out of purchasing Everton. If 777 Partners are pulling together the best part of a billion to aquire us, then we will be getting the upmost attention and efforts from their very best people. This mob are going to be about running us effectively rather than chucking money at problems.

We have had autocratic leadership at this club for to long, individuals who think they know best in running a football club making all key desision, and doing it badly - time to go for a more democratic and stratigic leadership.

This cup has the potential to be just as much half full as it is to be half empty.