Relegation Battle!

[Romey 1878]

We will get beat tonight.

 

I get the coach at 4 to leave for Stoke I'm honestly absolutely dreading it.

 

 

 

I hope your doing the same as me and getting a few beers down you before you go in because I have a horrible feeling its going to be another painful experience

 

Going to watch Everton these days is like waiting outside the headmasters office knowing you are going to get the cane, you know whats coming but you have to go in

 

I don't envy you two. I'll be watching on my computer and even that is filling me with dread.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Romey 1878

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

 

 

 

I don't envy you too. I'll be watching on my computer and even that is filling me with dread.

 

 

Ha ha they sell Stella on draught in the cricket club by the ground so if I drink enough of it I can convince myself that we played fast free flowing attacking football and the weather wasn't actually that bad

[pete0]

OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) tweeted at 1:36 pm on Wed, Mar 04, 2015:

17 - Everton have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League than any other top flight club this season. Remorse

(

)

We need to be stronger, teams don't fear us. With a proper preseason and hopefully a good start I'm optimistic that we will do well next season.

[Romey 1878]

OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) tweeted at 1:36 pm on Wed, Mar 04, 2015:

17 - Everton have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League than any other top flight club this season. Remorse

(

)

We need to be stronger, teams don't fear us. With a proper preseason and hopefully a good start I'm optimistic that we will do well next season.

 

Seeing that makes me feel sick.

[MikeO]

We will get beat tonight.

 

I get the coach at 4 to leave for Stoke I'm honestly absolutely dreading it.

 

 

I hope your doing the same as me and getting a few beers down you before you go in because I have a horrible feeling its going to be another painful experience

 

Going to watch Everton these days is like waiting outside the headmasters office knowing you are going to get the cane, you know whats coming but you have to go in

 

We'll have a "Kevin Brock" moment tonight and you guys will be able to tell your grandkids that you were there. Trust me .

 

I envy you.

[Paddock]

 

I hope your doing the same as me and getting a few beers down you before you go in because I have a horrible feeling its going to be another painful experience

 

Going to watch Everton these days is like waiting outside the headmasters office knowing you are going to get the cane, you know whats coming but you have to go in

I've had 4 Stella now and I'm on a mini bus on the 57 heading up there.

 

See you there Dunc.

 

COYFBB!!!!!

[Paddock]

 

 

 

I don't envy you two. I'll be watching on my computer and even that is filling me with dread.

My 8 year old is still in training, he atill has lots to learn. He's been like a jack in the box all week over this game stating "Dad we're gonna smash them" and singing Everton songs all week.

 

If it wasn't for that I'd be at home now drinking red wine chilling out.

[veedublin]

If we get relegated, yeah, it will suck being in the US, as we won't get the TV coverage, or the streaming, etc...

 

But I can only imagine how it might be among the Reds. Yeah, you'll still be able to go to the games, but Liverpool could be an inhospitable place for Toffees.

 

It's too dire to even think about.

 

So, I suggest we don't even go there.

[NYBlue]

We are a complete shambles. I'm lost for words.

[Romey 1878]

We are not in a relegation battle at all. These players are not battling. Our manager is not battling.

[MC11]

We are not in a relegation battle at all. These players are not battling. Our manager is not battling.

Spot on

[Lowensda]

We are not in a relegation battle at all. These players are not battling. Our manager is not battling.

I just sighed in agreement.

[MC11]

We need a manager who will go long and let the players feed off scraps we are not good enough to carve open chances. We need to play all the tricks in the book now. Martinez just won't do it. He'll fucking take us down mark my words.

[Mirallas]

6 victories in 28 league games this season. I'm just going to leave that thought here.

[Elston Gunnn]

Fortunately our bottom 3 competition all lost tonight. Everton's next big game is this Saturday, rescheduled QPR home to Spurs. Pathetic. Foster gave Villa 2 points last night.

 

Need 36 points, but as others have pointed out, we may not get there.

[MC11]

6 victories in 28 league games this season. I'm just going to leave that thought here.

It's horrendous

Edited March 4, 2015 by MC11

[flaminfox]

disgrace

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

 

 

We'll have a "Kevin Brock" moment tonight and you guys will be able to tell your grandkids that you were there. Trust me .

 

I envy you.

 

 

How prophetic of you! I just wish it hadn't been one of our players making the back pass

 

I know some of you said that we shouldn't start worrying about relegation until April but if QPR win their game in hand this weekend then we will only be 3 points above the relegation zone and we have still got to play QPR and Villa away.

At the moment we look like we have less fight in us than a Hare Krishna monk so I for one not only think we are in relegation battle but think its one we look like losing

[Romey 1878]

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/everton/story/2332155/roberto-martinez-says-everton-will-give-their-lives-for-points?

 

Sorry, it looks anything but that way.

[Matt]

I've maintained for a long time that I would wait until the end of Feb before getting worried, because runs of form / lack of form tend to break, January transfer window to freshen things up, break in luck, change of approach, can all happen and turn things around.

 

However, Captain Positivity is blinded by his own self belief and arrogance. I've said it a few times that he is a positive version of Moyes with a tan; no plan B, refuses to change, sticks to his favourites, deluded substitutions, often boring football and even when its exciting the reward isn't there.

 

Its past Febuary now, and I am starting to get scared. Really scared. The comforts I had before have all but been destroyed by the managers ignorance of the situation and inability to do anything about it. I try to stay optimistic regarding Everton because of the team I grew up watching, the Walter Smiths and Joe Walkers days. But even there, they put in a shift and we were just that bad because the team was poor.

 

I didn't see the Stoke game, luckily by the sounds of things, but its utterly unsurprising. Last season I knew that if we conceded, we would equalize. This season, the pace at which we play, the endless aim for "highest possession stats with fuck all return" is just mind numbing and so easy to defend against that those certain goals are never going to com. I hate possession football.

 

Roberto, if you're reading this... The key to success is evolution, not sticking to a tactic thats 10 years old and been sussed by everyone. Learn to adapt, learn to discipline, or you will end up making all of us pay the price.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Matt

[Hafnia]

I've maintained for a long time that I would wait until the end of Feb before getting worried, because runs of form / lack of form tend to break, January transfer window to freshen things up, break in luck, change of approach, can all happen and turn things around.

 

However, Captain Positivity is blinded by his own self belief and arrogance. I've said it a few times that he is a positive version of Moyes with a tan; no plan B, refuses to change, sticks to his favourites, deluded substitutions, often boring football and even when its exciting the reward isn't there.

 

Its past Febuary now, and I am starting to get scared. Really scared. The comforts I had before have all but been destroyed by the managers ignorance of the situation and inability to do anything about it. I try to stay optimistic regarding Everton because of the team I grew up watching, the Walter Smiths and Joe Walkers days. But even there, they put in a shift and we were just that bad because the team was poor.

 

I didn't see the Stoke game, luckily by the sounds of things, but its utterly unsurprising. Last season I knew that if we conceded, we would equalize. This season, the pace at which we play, the endless aim for "highest possession stats with fuck all return" is just mind numbing and so easy to defend against that those certain goals are never going to com. I hate possession football.

 

Roberto, if you're reading this... The key to success is evolution, not sticking to a tactic thats 10 years old and been sussed by everyone. Learn to adapt, learn to discipline, or you will end up making all of us pay the price.

 

Completely agree. Its like he is trying the same magic trick that everyone knows how is done....

[Elston Gunnn]

This post may wind up sounding confrontational, or naive -- I don't yet know, not having written most of it yet -- but my intention is to solicit straightforward responses to some questions.

 

I begin by granting that RM has lost the plot, and that his actors sure appear to have lost faith in his direction. I grant, too, that I am in a less perilous psychological state than many of you, as I have followed Everton intermittently and from afar for a mere 20 years, but more importantly have been an Everton absolute-nutter for only about 7-8 years, as my TV access to EPL and especially Everton matches is fairly recent. Not having grown up an Everton fanatic, never having been to Goodson, not living alongside Liverpool nutters, my devastation at relegation will feel real, but probably won't be really, really real, as will be the case with many of you. Your joy and pain, respectively, far surpass mine.

 

So I'll depend here on your being "thinking Evertonians" rather than murderous Evertonians. "Toffee Talk: For the Fratricidal Evertonian."

 

1. Assuming we're almost all right now fearful, even firmly convinced, we'll not get to 40, does anyone -- anyone -- think it will actually take 40 to stay up? Anyone?

2. If "yes," you're excused; no comfort here. But if "no," ok, how many to stay up?

3. I have posted previously that we need 36. Is that crazy, stupid, dumber than dirt? Because we need more? Less? [.........]

4. But say your response to #2 above is 37, 38, 39. Ok, do you think 3 of the current bottom 5 -- Sunderland, Villa, QPR, Burnley, Leicester -- will achieve 39? 38? 37? Which 3?

[Bill]

We really are poor at the moment, the euro games have taken our eye off the league form which is awful.

 

From the last twelve League games we have only won 0ne, and failed to score in eight of them, at the moment we have the poorest form in the Premier League.

[veedublin]

What if?

 

This is the thread, so what if it happens?

 

I'm guessing it's never happened in your lifetimes. (You'd need to be 62 years old, or probably more like 65 to actually remember it, and how many on here are that, um, old? I'm 50, so I can ask that.)

 

So, what would happen?

 

We play Championship League. Do we lose a bunch of players? Can't pay their salaries? Martinez fired undoubtedly? New manager search? (I know we'd lose all the new Television revenue.) And how could you live among Liverpool fans?

 

If it happens, you gotta believe they're good enough to return the following year, but the whole prospect is just a fate too evil to comprehend.

 

(Disclaimer: I do think the current bottom three in week 28 -- Burnley, Leicester, QPR -- will probably be the bottom three in week 38... I think Everton will win a few from here on out to squeak through.)

[Sherpa]

This post may wind up sounding confrontational, or naive -- I don't yet know, not having written most of it yet -- but my intention is to solicit straightforward responses to some questions.

 

I begin by granting that RM has lost the plot, and that his actors sure appear to have lost faith in his direction. I grant, too, that I am in a less perilous psychological state than many of you, as I have followed Everton intermittently and from afar for a mere 20 years, but more importantly have been an Everton absolute-nutter for only about 7-8 years, as my TV access to EPL and especially Everton matches is fairly recent. Not having grown up an Everton fanatic, never having been to Goodson, not living alongside Liverpool nutters, my devastation at relegation will feel real, but probably won't be really, really real, as will be the case with many of you. Your joy and pain, respectively, far surpass mine.

 

So I'll depend here on your being "thinking Evertonians" rather than murderous Evertonians. "Toffee Talk: For the Fratricidal Evertonian."

 

1. Assuming we're almost all right now fearful, even firmly convinced, we'll not get to 40, does anyone -- anyone -- think it will actually take 40 to stay up? Anyone?

2. If "yes," you're excused; no comfort here. But if "no," ok, how many to stay up?

3. I have posted previously that we need 36. Is that crazy, stupid, dumber than dirt? Because we need more? Less? [.........]

4. But say your response to #2 above is 37, 38, 39. Ok, do you think 3 of the current bottom 5 -- Sunderland, Villa, QPR, Burnley, Leicester -- will achieve 39? 38? 37? Which 3?

I honestly believe we will achieve at least 40 points but not without a few more scares and panic attacks.

I have supported the Blues for over 40yrs and in that time have witnessed some dire teams, but even though I have seen us nearly relegated twice I have never seen a team so lacking in fight !!

And that is the most frustrating thing about us at present, last year Roberto could do no wrong and was riding on the crest of a wave of adulation. This year every that can go wrong has done....( Murphy's law)... But it is in those moments you see the true character of someone and I have to say so far I am not impressed.!!

Whatever the outcome we need a change as if we don't it will be a repeat next season.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Sherpa

[MikeO]

I honestly believe we will achieve at least 40 points but not without a few more scares and panic attacks.

I have supported the Blues for over 40yrs and in that time have witnessed some dire teams, but even though I have seen us nearly relegated twice I have never seen a team so lacking in fight !!

And that is the most frustrating thing about us at present, last year Roberto could do no wrong and was riding on the crest of a wave of adulation. This year every that can go wrong has done....( Murphy's law)... But it is in those moments you see the true character of someone and I have to say so far I am not impressed.!!

Whatever the outcome we need a change as if we don't it will be a repeat next season.

 

I think hindsight and the romanticism of our heroic escapes is playing tricks with your memory.

 

We've been far worse than we are today; devoid of fight and without talent or leadership. It's a worrying time for sure but we have the tools to get out of it.

[Sherpa]

 

I think hindsight and the romanticism of our heroic escapes is playing tricks with your memory.

 

We've been far worse than we are today; devoid of fight and without talent or leadership. It's a worrying time for sure but we have the tools to get out of it.

No romanticism about those escapes they were the absolute low point for me as an Evertonian.

My point is if we showed even a modicum of fight or passion we wouldn't be in this position, and that is the travesty for me.

[Btay]

Admittedly I have supported Roberto immensely, ive been one of those ones calling for patients and being as positive as possible but now I dont know how to feel about this. Its beyond frustrating because although he is doing his best to not show it, i believe we have a manager of real quality in there somewhere, one who should tick the box of any manager you want. I want to say it comes down to lack of experience, Roberto's first season in Europe - learning how to really man manage and when to tinker when not to, but its really beyond that. Lack of experience in the team as the likes of Stones, Besic, Barkley, Lukaku and McCarthy all young adults still learning their game (could to a lesser extent include Garbs/Atsu despite their lesser roles ) but its been the more experienced heads costing us points and repeatedly under performing that has been concerned - Barkley has struggled, but the pace we play football at takes him out of the game. I fear perhaps to many think if we get relegated they will just move onto new clubs and not have to worry, and some of the older ones are on pretty contracts that they too dont mind so winding down their career even if we go down.

[chicagoblue]

Is Barry really suspended for 3? I think that may be a real boon. We have to go with two in the middle, McCarthy or Besic and Gibson. Without Barry available Roberto will have to leave one of his CMs on the bench, so no more 3 DMs. We have to play with two natural wide men, one on each wing. Naismith and Barkley can only play behind Lukaku. I'm not sure either should play (or at least start). It should be Kone and Lukaku up top (at least in some games). It has to be Joel back in goal, the back 4 need him. I don't know what happened to them over the last year but they've been devastated and seem to have lost confidence in Tim. I'm willing to bet that 90% of this board agrees with at least 3/5 of my suggestions. If a self selected set of enthusiasts can see this and yet the multimillionaire manager fails to see it then the door it is for him and the drop it should be for us.

 

But, our most likely salvation isn't that route, but the utterly atrocious teams below us. QPR, Burnley and Leicester are even worse than us.

 

It won't be glorious, entertaining or even respectable but I'd wager we'll be in the Premier League come August.

[MikeO]

No romanticism about those escapes they were the absolute low point for me as an Evertonian.

My point is if we showed even a modicum of fight or passion we wouldn't be in this position, and that is the travesty for me.

 

The win v Wimbledon was a low point?

 

I just watched it on ceefax and bounced off the ceiling like a lunatic; was as good a day as any cup win/title. Don't see how it can be a low point.

 

I've seen far less fight and passion over the years than today; in fact I've seen total surrender before a ball was kicked (Stoke came close to that sadly).