Oztoffee

Look, I'm no doomsayer, but what the fook is going on ? OK we're mid-table (nothing to be worried about eh?) but for fooks sake, we havn't played anyone worthy of a Prem side yet! I could go for mid-table if we'd played anyone in the top half of it yet! (OK so Hull are top half but newly promoted). We got done 3-0 by Portsmouth who've been slaughtered twice by Chelski and we've scored 2 goals at home against 6! The defence are performing at a mere shadow of last season with 12 against already and no clean sheets - it's as well that we are scoring at the other end (although we seem to be helping the opposition out by scoring for them too!) If we are getting bloody average results against bloody average opposition, what hope is there when we come up against better sides? Unless the defence starts performing, I can see this becoming a very long and depressing season. I'm actually in town for the Tottenham game at home in May. I havn't been to Goodison for 45 years and was hoping for a successful season for my homecoming. My one true wish is that Spurs continue to perform at their current rate - I may get to see a win! COYB!

I have to say that this season so far I don't think he's been the player he was last season. He seems very out of touch with the game at times and is a couple of yards too slow when it counts. However, the stats speak for themselves - we've let a bucketful of goals in this season compared to last and it isn't all Lescott's fault! The whole defensive setup looks like a kid's team sometimes - players out of position, lack of cover etc. I know we've had some injuries, but these are professional footballers and it's only an amount of good fortune that sees us with the points we have! Let's face it, the two games we have won have been against opposition we would have slaughtered last season. So far this season the games we have lost would have got us 3 points each last season too! The defence is not working well together this season. Not fair to heap it on Lescott alone, though he does look sadly out of touch lately. Thank God we're still scoring goals!

Are we going about the transfer market the right way? To me it seems that we want it all our own way - whereas in reality we need to go with the best we can do. Don't get me wrong here, we DO need to do the the best for the club, but I wonder where the best part is when we offer say 12mill for a player AFTER he's been on loan to us for a year, when the selling club wants 12mill NOW! If I was selling I know what I"D want! I know that we want to see if he can hack it in the Prem, but the selling club quite rightly want US to take the risk. If we can get the loan/purchase deal, great! If we can't, let's move on. Build a bridge and get over it! We seem too to get bogged down somehow - the Alan Smith deal should have been tied up 2 weeks ago if we REALLY wanted him. What the hell is the problem with these so-called "players who'll sign within 24/48 hours"? The simple fact is that we are not prepared to pay either or both the asking price or the remuneration. If we were, the deals would have been done - simple. If we can't pay, what's the use of pretending that we can? The management are only stringing the supporters along and the team too! Let's get a reality check here. If we're not in the financial situation to be trying to get the sort of players that have been touted, we need to recognise that fact and get on with doing what we can. We're the laughing stock of the Prem right now. What quality players are going to be looking at a Goodison future for themselves when all we do is fart around trying to be one of the big boys with little boy cash?

I may well have missed the news, but I recall that some time ago, some were concerned about the lack of a Wessels replacement. Is Turner ready to step up yet? With all the transfer news about forwards / midfielders, has the need for a reliable backup for Howard been overlooked or has it been sorted by sticking with Turner? He's had good experience at Sheffield and with the Scotland team in Euro 2008, but he's still untried at Prem level. Has he got the goods?

Just as a matter of interest, I had a look at the Blackburn fan site to get a view as to how they are thinking. A quick tally up of opinions gives 2 Blackburn to win, 4 to draw and 6 for a Blues win. They are bemoaning the loss of 3 of their best players from last season but have partly cheered themselves up by the signing of Robinson. The influx of 2 ex-Manure reserves cuts no ice with them. We think we have problems!

I was just browsing around other club fan sites to see what they're thinking and came across an item on the skunks fan site that says Everton have made overtures to gain the signing of Abdoulaye Faye. It seems that Stoke & West Brom are also interested, but Faye wants a move back to the Northwest. Faye didn't travel to Mallorca for the barcodes pre-season because "he was injured" I'm wondering why I havn't seen anything on Toffeetalk about such a move. The entry was dated Sunday 3rd. and apparently the story was covered in The People too. I don't know whether this should be in the rumour section or not, but I think getting a 30 year-old on board would not be a positive move except as a sqad-filler for a season or so. Hey, maybe we ARE getting worried! What say you?

Plenty of advice on here about who is possibly coming in, but who do you think could Go? Put me down for Hibbert. OK! Yes I know it'll be hard to get decent defenders - but that's on a wish list ha ha! What odds to see Arteta move over the summer? If Moyes got a decent offer for AJ, would he let him go?

If Ruddy and /or Turner have been out at League 1 or 2 clubs on loan what makes you think they are ready to step up to the big-time? That's a hell of a big hill to climb - just ask Derby! Do we need a back-up keeper? Of course we do, that's why we got Wessels on board in the first place! If Howard's injured, would YOU want the team's season to depend on a bloke who played well for Rushden & Diamonds? (No disrespect meant to the lad).

Seen lots on here about replacements for many positions except 'keeper. Have I missed something or have we uncovered a hidden gem from the Academy that we're pushing up to the top grade? Info and/or your thoughts please!

Don't see much in the forum about Hibbert's poor form. Am I the only one who near shits himself when I see his name on the teamsheet? Admittedly he doesn't lose possession that often, but he's continually letting opponents get goalside of him. When he realises what's happened, he makes less than strenuous efforts to redeem the situation. He was OK a couple of seasons back, but I think that other teams have improved in the meantime and he hasn't. I know we are not blessed with class defenders to spare which is probably why he still gets the games. But I think that a good RB is a MUST for next season. What say you?

To be any sort of potent force, money has to be spent on players. Management know that. The trick is to get the best value out of your purchases. Previously, I've criticised Moyes on various aspects but I have to say that he has been pretty canny most of the time. Not particularly for the players he's brought in, but because of the ones he didn't when the pressure was on. Alan Smith, Nugent, McBride, Ashton and others are hardly setting the Premiership alight. They may be OK sort of players, but Moyes wasn't prepared to go into battle for them at the prices being touted. He knew their worth, and it wasn't what was being asked - so we go away and look elsewhere. That takes some courage when times are not looking so good, especially when we havn't had heaps to spend. Best to spend wisely, not quickly!

All this talk of suspension etc really does make me wonder at the effectiveness of the people at the club who draw up player contracts. Let's face it, if it were you or I playing up like VDM we would be shown the door with the message "and don't slam it behind you" ringing in our ears. If a player won't sign a contract that states that he will be "suspended without pay" in the event that he cocks up big-time on drugs or piss - then we shouldn't WANT to sign him - simple as that. There would have to be some arbitration I imagine in the event of it happening. As far as VDM is concerned, he has had many 2nd chances. It wouldn't take too much work to discover the truth about this episode. If he has cocked up again - he has broken his contract & should be treated as such.

I agree, we can't wait for others to do it for us. Let's face it, we had the best chance we'll have this season of getting into Europe, but we blew it when we lost at home to Spurs while trying to save a fookin point! Both our main opposition for the Europe place LOST that day - and the glorious chance had gone through negative thinking!

I agree, that was an excellent post 66. Unfortunately, I also have to agree with almost everything you said. It breaks my heart to see what's happened to the club that was my life & soul till I moved "down under". 24,000 for a Cup game against a Prem side - f**k I went to a cup game against Peterborough at Goodison in 19 burble-burble and I think there was 32,000 there (and that was before Peterborough were in the league). There also seems to be a complete lack of the will to win at the club. OK, I don't pay money to see them play anymore, but I sure feel sorry for the one's that have paid XXX quid for a season ticket hoping that there's a good chance of some entertainment. As I don't pay, many would say that I have no case to put an opinion - but any way, here goes: Moyes has had enough time to gel the players HE has chosen into an effective unit. It is HIS responsibility to ensure that the team does NOT get thrashed 4-1 AT HOME by a pretty average Prem side EVER! HE's the person that is there to motivate the players HE has chosen - if he can't do THAT, he should go. I've always tried to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I'm sorry to relate, my patience has run out. I'm just really sorry for the REAL fans who deserve much better.

We'd all like to think that we could sell a player & get a better one, but that seldom works out in practice, mainly because you've got to get some other team to pick up your discards while you pick up better players! Logically, it won't happen, because the market runs out of cheaper, better players too quickly. Let's face it, Davies is a squad player as he was at Spurs. Every club has them - HAS to have them. The difference is that the big 3's squad players are better than most other teams TOP players. He's a better option than Lie Tie & Kilbane were for instance & if we sell Davies for another just to get rid of him we may find ourselves out of the pan into the fire!

Aye, these are better days alright. A year or so who would ever dream we would be in a position of getting 7 points out of the last 9 & scoring 5 goals while keeping a clean sheet? Reminds me of the real old days - yeah OK so I"M old too! Anybody remember these -- "We'll fight, fight, fight with all our might , for the boys in the Royal Blue jerseys" - those were the days! "We're going to win the League - ee,aye addio, we're going to win the league" I've been out of the loop so long - whatever became of West, Parker, Brown. Gabriel, Harris, Fell, Vernon. Young etc I read about Brian Labone's recent death - are the others still around do you know?

That was my point in a round about way Pat. You are right, he had to go & DM was, I believe playing a good game in not trying to play him too much.

Reading the thread on Rooney a little while ago, brought me to the realisation that DM is a canny Scot! He kept Rooney on the bench while he was in the England squad & resisted as long as he could, the clamour to get him on the field to bolster what was at the time a saggy team. Why? I reckon he knew that we couldn't hang on to Rooney who was aching to get somewhere where could show his talents off. DM also knew that the longer he played Rooney, the more Rooney would get booked / sent off & that if potential buyers saw what DM had seen in training (disruptive influence) his transfer value would reduce quickly & that he could be a liability. So......... keep him off the field & keep his value to the club high! What do others think? Moyes SMART or LUCKY?

Good on yer mate! A bit of positive thought, at last. Too many folks on here are so negative.

I wonder if anyone realises that the offside rule was changed to it's current "2 men behind the ball" from the previous "1 man behind the ball" purely to prevent Dixie Dean's scoring prowess?

Shit! What happened? To continue............. "it's because I love you so much". she replied. Seeing an opening Eddie said "Would you like to come up to my room?" "Oh yes Mr Charlton" she gasped. Once in the room she began to undress & panted "Oh Mr Charlton, I really DO love it doggy style", placed herself on all fours & braced herself. After a minute or so of no action, she turned to Eddie & said, "Mr Charlton, is there anything wrong?" Eddie stood thoughtfully for a moment and said, " I can't decide whether to go for the pink or the brown!"

Years ago when Eddie Charlton was the best snooker player in the world, he went on a tour of Australia. Every club he went to there was a beautiful young woman avidly watching his every move. After a week or so Eddie approached her and asked why she was following him around the country.

Ah! I remember 18 - but not very well! I've gone 3 times around that block & a bit more. Remember watching Alex Young & Roy Vernon though. I was there the day Gordon West came out & hung a handbag on the back of the net! (If you don't know why - ask yer dad!)

Winning is all well & good but you have to realise that this is not a football club we're discussing - it's a business that just happens to BE a football club. Make no mistake - it's a business. This means it has all the constraints of any other business - ie you need to make money before you spend it. Which is why the board have made getting the club back into the black a priority. I know we all like to win trophies, but at the present time I'll bet a quid to a million that the club budgets financially just to stay in the Prem. Anything above that is a financial bonus. I know we need better players, but I'll bet another quid to a million that when DM asked for more money for players he got " you made 4th last year with a team that should have finished 15th.... that's what we pay you for, so go & do it again!" Yes, we need young hungry players, but they need something to want to play for and we can't offer the Man U. & L'pool success history, so DM has had to do what he's done by force of his personality. Unfortunately he's made a few blunders with player choices, but then we couldn't get anyone better for the transfer fees & wages that we could offer anyway. Find 'em young & give 'em a chance - we'll have to stick with the old guard for a while yet, but DM really needs to take chances with the younger guys in the club & stop being so loyal to those that have had their day.

That item really gives new meaning to the term "gutter press"