tzp7zy

I'd have taken top 8 at the start of the season but our expectations have been heightened since then.

I'd still be happy with 6th as a great season and ecstatic with anything higher.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/24464349

 

Another flattering BBC article on Ross.

I think we all know how good Ross can become and I'm sure every Evertonian hopes that he can achieve his potential and be even better than he already is.

I just wish that the media would stop going overboard about him being the next England saviour. There is a lot of pressure on him and he needs to be allowed to improve and fulfil his potential to the best of his ability, hopefully at Everton.

We know how the media can turn, build them up to knock them down, so come on, give the kid a bit of breathing space and not put too much pressure on his shoulders already.

 

My overall match day memories of a Moyes side will be:- hardworking, regimented, defensive, one dimensional, poor subs, disciplined, with the last 10 minutes of 1 goal leads spent with a resting heart rate of 120 bpm watching us sat back inviting pressure.

 

As you will see not all traits are negative - some enabled him to save us from relagation, but others prevented us from doing better than we did.

 

Martinez may turn out to be too cavalier but at this moment I am throughly enjoying us going at teams right up to the final whistle.

 

Barry wasn't played out of position - he started out as a centre half and then moved to left back, then left midfield and then centre mid. He has played left back for England. Just a good talented player. I just thought taking a defensive player out of midfiled and putting a loose cannon in there was a great gamble and it paid off. I do think that Moyes at that stage would have gone conservative as many other fans said who were watching it around me. RM is unpredictable and I love it.

I've lost count of the number of Man U fans complaining to me about Moyes defensive substitutions trying to protect a lead. They expect to be going on and killing teams off. Made me smile

 

'RM is unpredictable and I love it' - come on admit it, nobody else would have thought of putting Gerard on for Bainesy - it just shows a really refreshing mindset and approach to trying to win games. Maybe a result of some of the frustrations of the Palace game, but proves he is prepared to gamble in an effort to win games.

To be applauded.

I suspect that its more to do with our new Communications Director, Alan Myers, having his finger on the media pulse a bit better than previous incumbents.

Notice how Roberto is getting air time on TV and things like Everton in the Community getting plenty of media coverage, including from the PM.

It's all part of having a coherent comms strategy that seems to be being implemented successfully.

Which after all, is about time and very welcome cos we have been pretty good at giving it both barrels in our own feet from time to time.

thats because the kopites are all over the media. Still true about Southampton though, but we still deserve recognition at the same time.

In fairness, we'd probably complain that the media were being patronising if they so gushing about Everton. It's clear though that Southampton are a smaller club than Everton in just about every measure so it really is a great achievement for them.

 

See You dont have to agree, im not spitting out my dummy over it.... you useless tit.

It's easier to criticise than have an opinion of your own

 

I thought McCarthy did OK but could have been more influential if he hadn't got himself booked first half.

 

Would have to be one of the centre halves or GK for keeping us in it first half.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/11/05/leon-osman-is-finished-at-everton-lets-hope-he-retires-rather-than-join-another-club-4173818/?

Another supposed 'pundit' who likes the sound of their own voice but knows nothing about football

when they plural player names...the lampard's, the gerrard's, the rooney's...anyone who does that is a twat

 

roy hodson and stan collymore are the first culprits that spring to mind

Who's Roy Hodson? Are you an ex footballer?

Do you mean loighten up? I couldn't make it out!

I heard we're paying 30 quid a week and all the toffee mints he can eat.

All happy now?

He can sign a pre-contract in January can't he? If I was him I'd give it a few months under Martinez and if it wasn't working out, pick up a nice fat signing on fee somewhere else.

No doubt if that's the case we'll be desperately trying to get a fee from anyone in January.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/billy-reid-admits-still-gutted-2249820

Billy Reid obviously can't count - he doesn't think Everton are a top 6 club???

 

Lucky though. But yes, credit for the late deals.

Fair play, Roberto said we'd be stronger at the end if the window and we are and overall 10m quid up. Can't argue with that too much. I think Lukaku will get lots of game time as well

1,2

1,2,3

1,2,3,4

5 nil

:jump for joy:

Agree, a player at his peak for 2-3 season is worth far more than 12 million (United offer) for us.

How do you work that out?

How many places at £1m per place in the EPL will Bainsey get us?

Even with him and Felli we aren't going to get into Champs League next year so you can't anticipate that we'll be earning big money on the back of just him over the next couple of seasons?

Unfortunately, I don't think Vic is going to do it. He reminds me of Shola Ameobi or Carlton Cole in that they really should be good enough but always seem to come up just short at this level.

I'd love for him to prove me wrong this season.

Yes but would we loan one of our players to a West Brom, Swansea?

But West Brom and Swansea are our rivals this season. Add Southampton to that list as well.

Playing in the turkish league isn't really going to enhance his chances of getting in the national team.

His chances are slim full stop, regardless of who he's playing for.

I think once Bale goes it will kick off then. Madrid will look to offload a couple of players and it will start to cycle round from there.

 

I do love how are US fans try to encourage a re-signing every window, but imo it's just another over 30 player, not needed.

 

You got me wrong on 2 fronts

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/martinez-hoping-add-blues-squad-5775444?

 

 

Please don't be Barry. Please don't be Barry. Please don't be Barry.

 

I understand some of the negativity around Barry but would getting him on loan be such a bad thing? Look at some of the positives:-

 

- we need a defensive minded player especially given the frailties we've seen in defence this pre/season (and Roberto's previous record)

- Gibson has niggly injuries and is struggling to put a long run of games together

- we may expect that somebody will come in on deadline day and offer 25m+ for Felli, we might need that money in January!

- a younger and better version of Phil Neville. Lots of people didn't like Phil and he wasn't up to the mark last season but he brought a lot of prescence to our side and was a good leader

 

I'm betting most of you chaps are too young to remember Paul Power when we got him from Man City

 

 

Under Martinez it looks they would be used.

 

Not in front of Vic, Kone, Deulofeu, Oviedo, Naismith

I don't understand why we would want/need him back. Yeah free, cheap etc but ultimately he's 32 in march, he looked more off the pace in his second stint. IMO he would be taking the bench space of mcelany/Vellios/hope who we need to be looking to bring along.

 

Giving some young players a place on the bench and not using them doesn't improve them as much as working with a top professional like Donovan every day of the week would.

On BBC Sport at 1327 - "Manchester City are waiting to see if there will be any rivals offers for midfielderGareth Barry before they allow the 32-year-old midfielder to move to Everton on loan."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/23791523

Fact is Man U can offer £1 or £100m, its their prerogative and I wouldn't be upset by it.

 

Another fact is that it's our prerogative to decline the offer if it doesn't match our valuation.

 

I'd be more interested to know who leaked the story to the press as the bids were made last week and by coming out now could be an attempt to unsettle the players.