Droobie

Just remember lads.......
 
 
Hibbert scores ...................We riot!

Looks like he's left room for a new CB (5), a back up keeper (12) and another young striker (19)

The season kicks off next weekend, so let's get the prediction game going! Hopefully, I've learned a little from doing this last season and through the World Cup, and I've listened to your feedback on a couple of potential new rules. Here's what I suggest this time around.
 
Each week, you need to predict just two things: the final score and the first Everton goalscorer. Please use the same format each week:
 
Home-team x-x Away team
Goal-scorer
 
For example, you might predict
 
Leicester 1-1 Everton
Lukaku
 
Here's how points will be awarded:
 
a) 1 point for the correct outcome (win, lose, or draw)
1 point for the correct goal difference
c) 1 point for the correct number of goals scored by Everton
d) 1 point for the correct number of goals scored by the opposition
e) 1 point for your prediction being better than the average prediction
f) 2 points for predicting the first Everton goal-scorer
g) 1 point if your predicted goal-scorer scores other than the first goal
h) 3 bonus points if you get everything right
 
Here are some clarifications on these rules:
 
- You receive 2 points if your goalscorer gets the first goal and 1 point if he gets one of the other goals. You do not get 3 points if he scores both.
- If Everton fail to score, no one gets any points for predicted goalscorer and no bonus points are awarded.
- You can choose "own goal" as your goalscorer, in which case it doesn't matter who from the opposing team scores that own goal.
- For the technically minded, the definition of "better than the average prediction" is quite simple: (ABS[yourEvertonscore - actualEvertonscore] + ABS[youropponentscore - actualopponentscore]) < (ABS[averageEvertonscore - actualEvertonscore] + ABS[averageopponentscore - actualopponentscore])
 
Here are some examples. Let's say it's Everton playing at home to QPR. The final result is 2-0, with Lukaku scoring first and Naismith scoring second.
 
If you predicted 1-0 (Lukaku), you score a+d+f = 4 points (and maybe a point for being better than average)
If you predicted 2-1 (Naismith), you score a+c+g = 3 points (and maybe a point for being better than average)
If you predicted 3-1 (Barkley), you score a+b = 2 points (and maybe a point for being better than average)
If you predicted 2-0 (Naismith), you score a+b+c+d+e+g = 6 points
If you predicted 2-0 (Lukaku), you score a+b+c+d+e+f+h = 10 points
 
Note: all predictions must be posted here before kickoff: no exceptions.
 
Hopefully this is a clear description of how the prediction game will work, but please feel free to ask any questions. Now let's get started with predictions for the opening game against Leicester.

Matt I find this quite contradictory that this may be deemed a more lighter hearted matter than the n word. I take great offense that you should mock gingers as I had to give up my child for this same reason.

Tonka - Funny... here in Australia we call those people "Bl**dy asian lady/aunty/old uncle" ... my wife is fond of the term (She is also asian btw).

He comes free as he carries Suarez's bags, Sterlings dummy and Sturridge's medical bag

best weekend of my life. my son was born (watched the game with me), and everton win 3-0. such a great effort by the lads, baines my MOTM, wonderful passing and movement of the ball up the field, he can be our english Lahm for sure! McCarthy and Barry were spot on and straight up outplayed Arteta and Flamini. Sorry to see Osman go, but happy with Barkley!

I'd rather Guinness than Chang
 

*cough* Thailand

I'd rather Guinness than Chang
 

If Pienaar could stay on his feet... Goes down easily (not that he's dirty, just that he gets knocked around). If he had a bit more strength to ride challenges and get past the defender a bit more...

I found a highlight from the game...
 

I found a highlight from the game...
 

I found a highlight from the game...
 

C'mon folks, get the excuses out of the way. We were fucked to a standstill by a team that were far better on the night. Saw the Arsenal game too, and on last night's performance we would have given a good account of ourselves against them....the shite were just far too good and I daresay would have beaten anyone.
As an aside, it shows how well off the top clubs are when they have a bench that is as strong as the side that starts. We havn't got that luxury and last night was always going to be difficult....shows the gap that we have to overcome to be top four continuously (not just for a week here and there).
Good sign though, we were still at it at the end, going forward and trying to score.
 
COYB

I found a highlight from the game...
 

I found a highlight from the game...
 

Well that went well.

Kept having a go at them at 4-0 down, don't think I seen us have a go at them at 0-0 under Moyes.
 
I've said before I would sooner get battered having a go at playing football and attacking than playing the shite Moyes had us doing and losing 1-0.

If, by Christmas, ManU are already out of the Champions League and in about 8th place in the league, and if Everton are in 3rd or 4th place, why would Baines want to leave? That's the best way to keep him at Everton: demonstrate success.

In the first half there was plenty of positives to take, despite us ending up going in at half time 2-1 behind. We looked very confident on the ball, we moved the ball about quickly and with purpose, we were dangerous on the break. We weren't overawed at all and gave as good as we got. That was until late in the half when we faded quite worryingly. Then we looked very susceptible to the break ourselves. It wasn't helped that our passing went to shit from that point as well. Another worrying factor was just how bad we looked defensively. City honestly looked like they could score whenever they went forward. Half time came at a good time for us because we were well and truly on the ropes. I thought we'd get ourselves sorted during the break.
 
It didn't transpire that way. There was absolutely nothing from us in the second half. A complete no show. The passing and defending actually got worse. Players who had had decent first halves played like shite. We lacked energy all over the pitch.
 
The ref was shit and punished us badly but I think the (much) better side won and got what they deserved result-wise.
 
Hopefully we just put this one out of our minds and return to what we know we're capable of against Hull in a couple of weeks.
 
 
Howard - Maybe could have done better for the goals (I really think he should have stopped the penalty with a stronger hand) but he also made a couple of saves near the end to stop it being a rout.
 
 
Coleman - What a nightmare of a performance. He looked like he'd never defended in his life. He was daydreaming for their equaliser and generally got murdered all game. He gave away a soft penalty which shouldn't have been but his positioning for it was terrible. I have no idea what he was doing. And apart from a run or two towards the end of the game he offered nothing going forward as well.
 
Jagielka - His lack of pace was exposed badly. He looked like he was running in quicksand up against Aguero at times.
 
Distin - The only one of our defenders to come out of this with any sort of credit. Once again he was rock solid and kept the opportunities for City down.
 
Baines - Barely figured in the game at all.
 
 
Mirallas - So, so, poor. You suspect he wasn't anywhere near being fit for this one. He offered absolutely nothing. Unless you count being totally off the pace and giving the ball away.
 
Osman - Won the ball back a couple of times and that's all I can remember him doing. He really should not be anywhere near being a regular starter.
 
McCarthy - I thought he was the only one of our midfielders and forward thinking players to turn up for the whole game. He was neat and tidy, he used the ball well, he won the ball back, he ran forward with the ball, he made himself available to receive the ball at all times and he put himself about. A very strong performance from him and he was my MOTM.
 
Naismith - Whatever your views on his ability (or lack of) there is no doubt that he was our best player in the first half. His first touch wasn't the best but he was bright on the ball, he found space for himself, he worked his arse off for the team. He did everything that you would ask of him. Second half was a different story, however. He was garbage. I mean, really bad. His first touch was atrocious, not just bad. His passing was shite as well. His anticipation of anything that might happen around him was awful. He lacked concentration. And this all lead to him getting frustrated and his nasty side came out a bit.
 
 
Barkley - Easily his worst game this season. Yes, City did pressure him at every opportunity but he's got to adjust accordingly and he didn't. He just carried on playing like he'd have loads of time on the ball and was easily dispossessed time after time.
 
 
Lukaku - He scored but other than that he had a bad game. He didn't hold the ball up well at all and his passing wasn't very good either. His confidence dropped more and more every time he lost out and as any sort of service to him dried up he'd try even harder whenever he did see the ball, and invariably would just lose out again.

We can complain about the ref all we want (and he was terrible believe me) but the bottom line is that City had their way with us. Their passing in the midfield and even in the final third was pretty sublime and I feel that we are lucky to get away only losing by 2 goals. Our midfield could not keep hold of the ball, which starved Lukaku from any service. Our passes were poor which gave City plenty of opportunities in our third.

Why not sub the players that are playing badly and keep the good ones on the pitch?Revolutionary I know but!

It does feel a bit like having to choose from what's left as opposed to having something special made, but lost interest for the time being. Now the season is underway I'd rather concentrate on the football.

The way we're playing... and the way MU are playing at the moment... WHY would Baines want to leave us?!