EvilG

The team played very well, for me it was the best performance Manuel has made in a blue jersey this season. More of the same infront of the home crowd next week and I'm confident we will rap up the point we need for Uefa Cup football. Our defence has been rock solid all season just one more clean sheet from Howard and company and we can start planning for another season with added revenue.

"Our result against Derby County was 1-0 at home (shite) Villas 6-0 against them was away" Our away result agains't derby was 2-0 as i have already pointed out to you licker. You said our results didn't compare to Villa's, but as I explained there not likely to if you use there home results agaisn't our away results and vice versa. Its not the best idea if you're looking for comparisons. "If they hadn't beaten these teams they wouldn't deserve to be in the top ten let alone challanging us for 5th spot." . "I can remember getting beat at Reading" I Is this the same Reading who stuffed the shite and who have run hot and cold all season by chance? and only a couple of weeks ago getting beat by Fulham, so i take it you dont think we deserve to be in the top ten either" Please don't assume to know what I think. Or use sarcasm rather than make a valid point.

Our results against the same opposition ..................... Bolton. 2-1 Brum.. 1-1 Derby. 1-0. And every one a tough struggle, and we played some shite. No comparison. what games where you watching Licker? the results where bolton 2-0 brum 3-1 derby2-0 Theres only no coparison when you compare their home games to our away games

I'm confident of the win, yes Aston Villa look like they're in a good vain of form at present. Scoring for fun, but when you look at who their opposition have been ,Bolton ,Derby ,Birmingham a little bit of perspective is required. Its too early to start thinking doom and gloom just yet or that Villa might somehow turn over Everton at home. Villa have had some good results of late but against the aforementioned teams its hardly a surprise. If they hadn't beaten these teams they wouldn't deserve to be in the top ten let alone challanging us for 5th spot. This looks like being the most important game of the season for both teams, these are the kind of important games we want at the end of a season. Its better than having nothing to play for like the vast majority of teams at this time of year. Come on Moyes boys make it a thrilling encounter this could be our defining moment.

Our record agains't Chelsea has been good in general over the last two or three seasons. I think this will give the team confidence. We are a good match for them physically, Yobo, Lescott or Jags are adequately built to cope with Drogba. Chelsea aren't as affective agains't us as they are agains't other teams. I imagine it to be a dead lock with few goals.

Lovely to see Joleon has his scoring head on again, I'm hoping he makes double figures before the season is ended. I also want to see Yak break the 20 goal mark because that too would be an incredible acheivement for both players. We were very lucky that Pompey didnt take advantadge and dropped points themselves. Jack you expressed "europian football is once again sliping from our grasp." I think this is overly pessimistic. Im confident we will finish at minimum 5th, and if we dont there are so many variables including intertoto, rules involving cardif and their eligability, not to mention possibilty of a fair play place becoming available. Weve just about every base possible covered. http://www.premierleague.com/page/FairPlay...,,12306,00.html I wont allow myself to be dissapointed about a season in which we had set a new bench mark for EPL points accumulated, consecutive wins in Europe, uefa coefficiant points tally, number of cleans sheets, number of home wins the list goes on. If these arent indicators of the improvements made by our team what is?

(We need to show up ready to work hard and outplay them for 90 minutes, because they're going to be desperate for these three points. We have to want it just as much as they do. Plus, there's that little matter of us not having won at Craven Cottage since the sixties, and it's long past time for us to get that monkey off our backs. ) agree completely with you jd from dc they're fighting for survival and will fight for everything. We have to stay focussed play our own game and try not to let it get too scrappy. And if you remember jd the last time we broke our winning in the capital hoodoo we finished fourth in the league.

(Firstly theres our European record of played 9 won 7 drew 1 lost 1 which has doubled our uefa coefficient in one season.) I made an error but as nobody picked up on it i'll correct myself, We played ten games in europe and won eight. One thing I didn't realise is Fiorentina had already been involved in a penalty shoot out this season in the 1st round. MikeO thanks for the info about the fair league table, it actually look very healthy from an everton perspective.

Was there ever a more cruel way to exit a competition than penalty shoot out? I can't think of one. Having said that I'm not about to mull over the negatives when there are so many positives to look at. Firstly theres our European record of played 9 won 7 drew 1 lost 1 which has doubled our uefa coefficient in one season. Secondly last night result for Villa has all but guaranteed we'll be playing European football again next season. Its important now to continue improving our ranking in Europe and the only way to do so is qualify for next season and win yet more European games. The Champions League is what we should be aiming towards but realistically going into such a competition as a rank outsider gives you an insurmountable chalange. This campaign has been a success and its taken us to where we need to be higher up the uefa ranking.

Were not out of it yet and I believe with the right atmosphere the team can pull out a performance fully deserving of the occaision. If we are to exit lets do it on a high. Come on you blue boys. Also looking forward to next seasons qualification, I see England are still top of the fair play league. However I don't know wether the place would go to league position or fair play league winners. If anyone knows how these things work I'd be grateful if you could share that info.

Undoubtedly our biggest test in Europe this season. A great indication of how we'll fare if we do secure a champions league place. Fiorentina would have unquestionably played in the champions league this term had they not began their season with a fifteen point deduction. We will need all our players to be at the very top of their game for this one. Luckily as some have already pointed out, we are full of confidence at this time. I'm not expecting a huge amount only to still be in the tie after the first leg.

{the announcers on the game i'm watching have been heaping the complements onto us first going on about how hard it is for teams to play at Goodison, then how great our defense is then about how great pienaar has been this year, and THEN about how good osman is while also being highly underrated looks like we're finally getting some positive recognition } Nice post american blue.. You're right we are being recognized once again. In Roy Hodgens post match interview he was quoted saying "Fulham have played all the big teams apart from Everton" My heart lept with joy to hear a premier league manger making such a statement. There hasn't been any 'champions league your having a laugh' sung by opposing fans this campaign. Perhaps their saving those chants for the shite.

I think home advantadge will seperate us from a well organised pompey. Stevie P to score, he's a little dynamo and one of my favourite players so far this season. I'd play him ahead of Manny any day of the week.

Man City haven't played for 2 weeks, the press are saying this is an advantadge to City. I think it may be an advantadge to us, they may not be as sharp as they perhaps should be. If we're back in fourth place tonight that will be a pleasing enough result for me.

As a forethought England are currently leading the fair play league in Europe, which could result in an extra uefa spot becomming available. The last time it happened Man C where the benefactors, crazy huh. Fingers crossed an extra place does become available and fingers crossed we're in seventh heaven tonight.

I suspect Moyes to make some changes with such an important game on Monday. I wouldn't at all surprised if Graverson is in the starting line up. Moyes has the luxury of a full squad to chose from. My other prediction is that Everton will make it a magnificent seven consecutive wins in Europe. Come on blues boys time to etch your names into the history books

Pleased to get three points, pleased we kept clean sheet. Disappointed by the performance but reminded of that tired cliche "good teams win matches even when they're playing poorly." Delighted weve kept fourth spot after taking just five points from three games. Heres hoping the big three win their games giving Everton a nice little points cushion over their rivals.

Disappointing result, shocking refereeing. The one and only positive is the AJ berating on here has ceased. We should stand by our players and give them credit for the position we're in. Fourth place last I looked.

Looking forward to a exciting well contested battle between two sides with similar ambitions. Hopefully our boys will be raring to go after a bit of a break.

{http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/artic...?a=97125&c=} [Have a look at the man of the match poll!!!! guessing blues have been on there!] Lets think, the much maligned Titus Bramble perhaps. Scouse humour at its best.

Three points is essential , villa playing the shite and man city v west ham. We must take full advantadge.

I keep reading that Everton will sell Faddy to raise funds for a £10 mil swoop of Downing. If this the case I'm all for it Downing is a terrific player and england regular. I don't dislike Faddy he's scored some of the finest goals I've ever seen. However Downing is a real gem and would be a smashing addition to the team. There are other teams trying to secure his signature, most notably Spurs.

Superb result and super strike by Lescott, EPL's most prolific defender.

Everton with their home advantadge will be too hot for the latics, even with the midfield down to its bare threads. 3-1 to Moyes boys

A few have mentioned the ref's inexperience to officiate the game. In my view all the match officials showed gross ineptitude by allowing Arsenal to wear white shorts at Goodison. I know this sounds very minor in light of the poor decisions made during the game and the result. However silly it seems I was offended and I hope it never happens again.