Cornish Steve

25 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

https://theathletic.com/5133674/2023/12/14/how-dyche-has-improved-everton/?source=user_shared_article

Unfortunately, it's behind a paywall.

A real team performance led by a fearless captain (my MoTM).

When will the press stop referring to "Burnley's former manager"? He's Everton's manager now. Next up: Celtic's former manager's current team followed by Bayern's former manager's current team. I'm looking forward to the home match next year against Dortmund's former manager's current team, whoever they are.

Just think on this for a moment: 26 points and we're not even halfway through the season. Without the points nonsense, we'd be pushing 60 points or more for the season.

12 minutes ago, dunlopp9987 said:

This is atrocious songwriting. Rhyming "way" with "away"???

We must do better, as a collective.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
On what fun it is to see us
Scoring goals all day.

1 hour ago, lacedupshoes said:

There is no way we are going down, the promoted sides really are dreadful this year. Burnley even spent quite a bit of money as well on this squad, but I don’t know whether Everton should have interest in any one of them when they inevitably go down.

Get Trafford. He's going to be some keeper.

3 hours ago, badaids said:

Chilling defensive line up. Burnley will be buoyed by that.

Another clean sheet. It's as much about organization as it is about specific players. Having said that, Tarkowski is immense.

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Just glad he's safe. @Cornish Stevemust be relieved 

Thank you - and to those who've passed along their best wishes in messages.

1. The only Premier League team with at least 5 wins in the last 6 games.
2. 100% record over the last 4 games, each being a clean sheet.
3. More away wins so far this season than in the whole of the prior two seasons combined.
4. Playing today with several first-team members missing.

I’ve been traveling again this week and will update the table once I’m home. 

Burnley 0-3 Everton

Doucoure

4 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

I think what this also shows is that we maybe shouldn't be so quick to judge a player (I obviously include myself in that) because we don't know everything that's going on. None of us knew he was carrying an injury the whole time he'd been with us, an injury that will have limited him quite a lot really. So when we were all wanting more from him we didn't have the full picture.

When he wasn't playing at the start of the season there was a reason behind it and it wasn't that Dyche just didn't fancy him, so maybe we shouldn't be so quick to say Dyche has favourites either. It clearly wasn't the case on that occasion so as much as I want Patterson in the team there could be method behind it.

Totally agree. We’re all too quick to judge. 

4 hours ago, Palfy said:

Oh dear

I haven’t seen the fake or even the highlights yet. Did he do the slide?

Having now watched the entire game, a few things stand out:

1) Our constant hustling makes a huge difference. I don't know how many times we won the ball back that way, often deflecting a pass that ended up in our possession. This has suddenly become a team characteristic.

2) Fitness is clearly another important and related factor. It's no coincidence that we scored three times after 80 minutes; Newcastle just couldn't keep up with our undiminished energy.

3) McNeil and Harrison work really well together and are going to become an increasingly important factor as the season progresses. Both were like Energizer bunnies who never give up.

4) Our crosses are becoming ever more dangerous, especially McNeil but also Harrison and Young.

5) Yes, Seamus was captain for the day, but Tarkowski plays and acts like a real captain. His block in the second half was amazing: so decisive and all-in, right in the centre of the penalty box.

6) Pickford is enjoying himself, and it's giving him that extra edge. He makes excellent use of space and isn't afraid to wander outside the box.

7) The one thing that concerned me a little were the number of passes back to Pickford, a couple of which seemed under-hit. Also, it seems to me that a Newcastle player could have been hidden from sight and could have taken advantage. I may be making an issue of nothing, though.

Overall, this was an excellent win. We don't need out-and-out top players to win when our discipline and tactical nous are top-notch and we play as a team of players who appear to understand one another well.

1 hour ago, patto said:

So do you go with Beto or DCL tomorrow I feel Dom needs to go on the Mykolenko diet the centre backs just seem to brush him aside. 
maybe Beto needs to start and see how he does first half even though he’s not as Good as Dom. 
I just feel Dom has struggled in the last few games he might do better off the bench. 

It has to be DC-L, no question - unless, of course, there's a fitness or potential injury issue. We'll need him fully fit during the holiday period.

4 hours ago, MikeO said:

I was in hospital for the day yesterday, and lying back on a treatment table the doc said to me, "I like your shoes, they didn't come from the High Street did they?"

Love a good shoe

 

Did you sign out as Lord O?

4 hours ago, StatesideToffee14 said:

The Newcastle match was on Peacock here in the states. 

Yes, I found it this afternoon. When I checked yesterday, the West Ham game was there but not ours. I had to search specifically for 'Everton', and then it showed up.

15 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

Maybe because it was on Amazon Prime?

Then I should check Prime - let me go and take a look. If it's there, I'll be back in two hours!

PS - not on Prime. Maybe it's available in the UK only.

3 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-seek-assurances-sky-over-28260147

Incidentally, I could find no broadcast of Thursday's game against Newcastle, which is very odd (I save all broadcasts and was hoping to watch it last night). Almost every PL game is available either on Youtube TV or Peacock, but not Thursday's game. Is this because of the shenanigans surrounding Sky?

Everton 1-2 Chelsea
DC-L

Our win on Thursday exceeded even our most optimistic predictions. In fact, only four predicted a win at all, and the most popular choice for first goalscorer was 'none'. Well done to Formby and Wiggytop for winning this round. Bill has a knack of knowing which predictions to avoid since his lead 'per prediction' has increased still further! Boston Toffee leads for the season.

3 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

 

On the highlights reel, did you see his reaction at the end of the game?

8 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

Whatta ya want to talk about? 
 The fact that he will get us to a certain level which is fine and good and that if we want to aim for top 6 we need a different manager - or did we do that the other week? 
 

Happy to go over old ground if you want  - which you do clearly?  Shall we discuss his tendency to stick with certain players etc or shall we just enjoy the last couple of results? 

How about the last dozen?

5 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

For those interested in this sort of thing.

 

This also points out what a complete and utter disaster it was appointing Benitez as manager. If the line was extended back a year, I suspect we'd see that Ancelotti was steadily improving the team - but not at the same pace as Dyche.

Here in the US, the NFL is defined as entertainment, not sport. This is very important because it means that they can change rules, make biased decisions, and even rig games in the name of entertainment - little different from WWE wrestling (or the wrestling we used to watch on World of Sport in the 60s and 70s, which was clearly rigged). "Look on the back of your ticket", a friend explained to me this week. "It says 'entertainment'". Our concern with apparent bias in favour of wealthy teams in the Prem would carry no sway in the US. Of course VAR would be used to achieve a desired outcome. If that's what generates the most money and entertains the most people and pulls in the most advertisers, then that's the way it should be.

Which gets to the reason for writing this: If someone took the Premier League to court for bias - for allowing ridiculous marketing deals from family of the owners of City while penalizing Everton after changing the rules on how stadium interest payments are accounted for, or for allowing Newcastle to trade players at a discount with other teams in the owner's farm while requiring Everton to run every deal past their auditors and even then penalizing them ten points - how would the judge rule? Is it allowed because the Premier League is entertainment and the free market means it's all about the league's manipulators making the most money? Or is it defined as sport where fair play and rules matter and corporations making big money is a secondary consideration?

Maybe others from the US can clarify rulings and decisions from the past about the NFL being entertainment and therefore being allowed to stack the dice as ever they wish. And does anyone know what the Prem's legal defence would be if charged with bias? Is the Premier League sport or entertainment? Are Everton fans no different from WWE wrestling watchers?