comeonblueboys

Anyone know about how to qualify for Europe this season? I've just read on Wikipedia that there's no Intertoto any more, and that the UEFA cup is becoming the Europa League from next season and that teams that would have qualified for the Intertoto will go straight to the qualifying for the Europa League. So that sounds like 6th will be enough for Europe this season – anyone heard that?

For me he's not a good enough footballer to justify a place in a four-man midfield. It's his goals that make him a good player, although I do sometimes wonder whether with a better footballer on the pitch creating more chances for the strikers we'd have scored the goals we're so grateful for him for anyway (it's a big IF, I know that). I don't think he's creative enough to have a place off the striker either. It's too late in his career now but he's strong and aggressive and with discipline maybe he could have become a good holding player who can also get goals. Let's face it, he's not Paul Scholes - he doesn't have that ability and creativity, even though sometimes people compare them because of his late runs into the box and his goals. David Platt used to generally play a disciplined more or less holding role and also used to make those runs and get goals. But like I said I think it's too late for Cahill to develop into a playing a role like that.

What, are we supposed to keep EVERY single player on ours books just in case? Owen got 23 goals as an 18 year old in his first season for Liverpool. Who said he wasn't going to be a superstar? I was already sick of name after he got his first goal the season before.

Couldn't agree more. Look at Paolo Maldini. An absolute legend and represented club and country at both positions.

We're doing OK but it's scary how exposed we are every time Middlesbrough break ... generally the only players defending in those situations are three of the back four. I thought Cahill was looking a lot better at the start but he needs to try and keep it simple a bit more. And his aggression sometimes doesn't help as he gives away a lot of free kicks.

Wouldn't it be better not to have someone with a good all round game? We don't need a box to box player - what we need is someone strong and reliable who will just sit there in front of the defence and be disciplined and play simple balls to other players.

Yak's got 18 in 35 for us in the league. We haven't got another player who could get near that in my opinion (and not many in the prem could, full stop) - Saha could maybe come close if he stayed fit the whole season, but we'd be mad to rely on that given his injury record, Vaughan maybe maybe in years to come might start getting near there, but injuries again are a problem, Anichebe hahaha. There'd be no point selling Yak and replacing him with Vagner Love since we'd have no idea how he would perform in the Prem. I agree much more with Bill's idea about Cahill (if a bid came in for some reason) - OK Yak doesn't do much when he's not scoring, but the same applies to Cahill and I think that's much more of a problem for a midfielder than a striker. I know Cahill comes up with crucial goals, but sometimes watching the games where he gets that crucial goal you wonder whether had there been a better player on the pitch instead of him we might have already scored three.

We were shite but to be honest there's been many many times under Moyes that we've played shite and won games. I think if anyone's waiting for us to start putting out really good footballing performances on a regular basis they'll be waiting a long time.

Is anyone else sick of seeing his smiling mug on the club website every time they visit? Do the club not realise he's probably not the best choice of player to advertise evertontv?

Did anyone else notice just how poor we were keeping possession at the end of the game? I think it was only Saha that actually had the intelligence to try and get the ball to the corners, to the by-line etc., where you can just shield it and hopefully win a free kick or throw in. The rest of the players seemed happy just to kick it as far as possible up the pitch. That uses up about five seconds of time while the ball is in the air, and then the opposition can just send it straight back, whereas actually playing a bit of keep-ball and getting the ball to the by-line can kill whole minutes. Surely they must work on this in training just occasionally?

This link to a youtube video was on the Guardian website today: "4) A tribute to one of the forgotten sides of British football: Everton's majestic title-winners of 1984-85.

Couple more quotes from the Guardian that aren't on the BBC story: "Zabeel Investments has informed Charlton that the decision not to proceed was taken on the basis that its focus moving forward will be on domestic opportunities in Dubai that complement the current Zabeel Investments portfolio." "In addition, Zabeel Investments has confirmed it has no current intention to acquire any English football club for the foreseeable future."

If Arteta is fed up with playing in a team that plays the long team then he must have been from the beginning. We've always resorted to that under Moyes when things aren't going well. It's one of the things that frustrates me with Moyes - even with better players and the progression he's made, our football is still terrible at times.

I actually think Joe Kinnear can do a good job for them, at least for a season or two. Look at what happened to Wimbledon as soon as he left. But the Newcastle fans are so stupid I don't think he'll get the time.

I agree with what he says about Wiley apologising - he should. I just don't agree with Moyes' argument that basically Wiley's mistake is responsible for him being sent to the stands. It wasn't. His own reaction was to blame. I just think the respect towards referees thing is a really good idea, and I don't agree with the idea that if a referee makes a mistake then it's a lack of respect or something. If a referee makes a mistake it should be for the FA to deal with - i.e. suspend the ref, drop him down a division etc. I don't think any managers (and I don't think Moyes is the worst) should be shouting at them and getting sent to the stands - they should be setting the example to the players and just getting on with it. When I was a kid we were always told to respect the referee and we never argued with them or anything. Now if you go and watch kids play football for their Sunday teams half of them are mouthing off to the referee all the time. I know where the learn that from - from the players and managers they idolise.