Carabao Cup

[Cisk]

I dont think any of us can complain with this EFL Cup campaign to date - Marco has gone strong in each fixture to be fare.

Performances could have been better at times but we are still in the hat and at the quarters. From here on in I see us as the underdogs in each fixture if we progress (this sometimes helps us)

Atmosphere would be alot worse if we lost any of these games combined with current league form.

[pete0]

42 minutes ago, MikeO said:

That's why I said, "we have a chance"

Remember the days when we always seemed to draw Arsenal in it? Wenger would put out a third string littered with 16/17 year olds and they'd beat our first XI by four or five every time.

I remember it took our full side pens for us to get past this united:

Foster, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Fabio Da Silva (Evra 63), Welbeck, Gibson, Anderson, Park (Scholes 67), Tevez, Macheda (Berbatov 91) 

[Finn balor]

52 minutes ago, MikeO said:

The same reason why many clubs play weakened teams in the League Cup, like Watford did on Tuesday (one example of hundreds in recent years)

I think under Rodgers in the quarters he will go for it

[MikeO]

19 minutes ago, pete0 said:

I remember it took our full side pens for us to get past this united:

Foster, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Fabio Da Silva (Evra 63), Welbeck, Gibson, Anderson, Park (Scholes 67), Tevez, Macheda (Berbatov 91) 

I remember, didn't take away from the pleasure at the end though!

14 minutes ago, Finn balor said:

I think under Rodgers in the quarters he will go for it

He has to go to the Etihad four days later and then play Liverpool five days after that; if they keep up the form they're in currently the League Cup will be the least of his targets. They'll be odds-on top four contenders.

[Finn balor]

Yeah good points. Fingers crossed then 

[Cornish Steve]

If Leicester do indeed place emphasis on being top four in the league, then surely we should put equal emphasis on not being bottom three in the league. If we’re back in the top half of the table by then, we should play a strong team. If we’re still where we are today, put out youngsters against Leicester. 

The exact scenario about which I’ve been worried may come to pass: succeed in a pointless cup at the cost of relegation. Let’s hope things turn around soon so this possibility goes away. 

[MikeO]

17 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

If Leicester do indeed place emphasis on being top four in the league, then surely we should put equal emphasis on not being bottom three in the league. If we’re back in the top half of the table by then, we should play a strong team. If we’re still where we are today, put out youngsters against Leicester. 

The exact scenario about which I’ve been worried may come to pass: succeed in a pointless cup at the cost of relegation. Let’s hope things turn around soon so this possibility goes away. 

Tiny margins. We are indeed in a nasty place in the league but at the same time we're only three points behind ManU in 7th. I get your logic but to make the decision on whether we're bottom/top half while the league remains is crazy as it is is not a good base to work from I don't think.

[Finn balor]

57 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

If Leicester do indeed place emphasis on being top four in the league, then surely we should put equal emphasis on not being bottom three in the league. If we’re back in the top half of the table by then, we should play a strong team. If we’re still where we are today, put out youngsters against Leicester. 

The exact scenario about which I’ve been worried may come to pass: succeed in a pointless cup at the cost of relegation. Let’s hope things turn around soon so this possibility goes away. 

I players can’t play an extra game every 6 weeks or so there’s something wrong. I don’t get the logic of that. Players can get injured just as easily in training 

[markjazzbassist]

9 minutes ago, Finn balor said:

I players can’t play an extra game every 6 weeks or so there’s something wrong. I don’t get the logic of that. Players can get injured just as easily in training 

amen

[Tonsta]

I think this is the hardest draw we could have, he will play his first team, they are in good form, and he will want to beat us. imo

[Cornish Steve]

2 hours ago, Finn balor said:

I players can’t play an extra game every 6 weeks or so there’s something wrong. I don’t get the logic of that. Players can get injured just as easily in training 

By that argument, Arsenal and Liverpool should have fielded their strongest teams and Leicester should against us. Above, though, you agreed with the opposite tack.

Priority, priority, all is priority.  

[Elston Gunnn]

1 hour ago, Finn balor said:

If players can’t play an extra game every 6 weeks or so there’s something wrong.

This seems indisputably true, but it’s not our situation surrounding the Leicester Cup tie.  We have a brutal December (through Jan. 1): 9 matches over 32 days (average of a match every 3 1/2 days ), including City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, ManU, and Leicester twice.

More specifically, 3 times Everton will have 3 matches over 7 days, which is much more challenging physically than one extra match over 6 weeks.

I guess December always presents a crowded fixture list.  The addition of a Cup quarterfinal just makes it all the more challenging for the same 10-11 outfield players to start all those 9 matches.  Even absent further injuries, I think we’d expect somewhat more than minimal rotation.

By which, to be clear, I do not mean/want/predict wholesale changes from match to match.  And if by some minor miracle we take points away to Leicester and Liverpool in early Dec, then, ok, don’t change a thing for Chelsea 3 days later.  Then figure it out from there.

 

 

[markjazzbassist]

Chelsea Arsenal manu and Leicester are not powerhouses we could get points there.  City and shite put out the u23 and just give them the 3 points, not worth it.  It will be derby day everyone will be up for it but I just dread them now.

[Romey 1878]

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/1476080/date-confirmed-for-evertons-carabao-cup-quarter-final

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

Fair enough it’s all about opinions and all that but I really don’t get the mentality of anyone who would rather we finish 7th than win a domestic cup and in so doing continue our long, long barren run without a trophy 

Personally I’m desperate for us to win every game we play. I even get pissed off when we lose a preseason friendly . If you are not in it to win it what’s the fucking point?

[Palfy]

2 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

Fair enough it’s all about opinions and all that but I really don’t get the mentality of anyone who would rather we finish 7th than win a domestic cup and in so doing continue our long, long barren run without a trophy 

Personally I’m desperate for us to win every game we play. I even get pissed off when we lose a preseason friendly . If you are not in it to win it what’s the fucking point?

Exactly, I don’t want to be a good loser. 

[Elston Gunnn]

3 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

I really don’t get the mentality of anyone who would rather we finish 7th than win a domestic cup....

Given this very specific choice, it strikes me as indisputable that winning the League Cup is, yes, clearly preferable, as it breaks our dismaying trophy drought and automatically qualifies us for the Europa League.  A cup trophy is by now a pressing psychological and club-cultural need, and a place in (even 2d-tier) European football essential to entice better players to come to Everton.

Now, I can imagine at least 2 counterarguments (which means the right choice might not be indisputable to all).

1. One who thinks Europa League participation harms the team’s performance in the EPL might say, stay away from Europa League, and finishing 7th means we might avoid that horror show.  Top 4 or bust.

2. One who thinks putting out a strong team to try to win each Cup tie will simply tire out our best players might say, don’t make it even harder to climb up the table.  This line of thinking says the League Cup is itself a foolish distraction, and we should never set out a strong squad.  If we lose early in the League Cup competition, good riddance.  Top 4 or bust.

[pete0]

4 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

Fair enough it’s all about opinions and all that but I really don’t get the mentality of anyone who would rather we finish 7th than win a domestic cup and in so doing continue our long, long barren run without a trophy 

Personally I’m desperate for us to win every game we play. I even get pissed off when we lose a preseason friendly . If you are not in it to win it what’s the fucking point?

If I was a footballer I'd rather join a team who is the 7th best than a bottom half one that won a token cup. 

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

2 minutes ago, pete0 said:

If I was a footballer I'd rather join a team who is the 7th best than a bottom half one that won a token cup. 

They aren’t mutually exclusive though so that’s a bollocks argument 

Look at the history of your own club , it was this competition that was the catalyst for the most successful Everton side in the clubs history 

[pete0]

3 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

They aren’t mutually exclusive though so that’s a bollocks argument 

Look at the history of your own club , it was this competition that was the catalyst for the most successful Everton side in the clubs history 

Your question wasn't would rather finish seventh and no mickey mouse cup or seventh and with the cup. Before you can it a bollocks argument be clearer next time. As most of us assume focusing on the cup will cost a couple of league points and finish lower. One league place is worth more than the price money for the cup. Finishing higher in the league will attract players more than winning a cup that must teams don't even want to play in. 

We've never won it. So I assume if we don't win it again that will be another catalyst? 

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

4 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Your question wasn't would rather finish seventh and no mickey mouse cup or seventh and with the cup. Before you can it a bollocks argument be clearer next time. As most of us assume focusing on the cup will cost a couple of league points and finish lower. One league place is worth more than the price money for the cup. Finishing higher in the league will attract players more than winning a cup that must teams don't even want to play in. 

We've never won it. So I assume if we don't win it again that will be another catalyst? 

I didn’t ask any questions

As for focusing on the cup costing us league points , again look what happened in 84/85 

If we were in Europe I could possibly see your point but we aren’t . Its a total of 7 games if you go all the way , if the players can’t handle that then they shouldn’t be playing for us

No idea what you are on about with your last question 

[pete0]

9 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

I didn’t ask any questions

As for focusing on the cup costing us league points , again look what happened in 84/85 

If we were in Europe I could possibly see your point but we aren’t . Its a total of 7 games if you go all the way , if the players can’t handle that then they shouldn’t be playing for us

No idea what you are on about with your last question 

You said it's not mutually exclusive. Yet I'm your initial post just said about fans wanting 7th over a cup. 

You said this cup was a catalyst to our success but we've never won it. 

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

3 minutes ago, pete0 said:

You said it's not mutually exclusive. Yet I'm your initial post just said about fans wanting 7th over a cup. 

You said this cup was a catalyst to our success but we've never won it. 

You been out to the pub to watch the rugby or are you just struggling with the language ? 

 

 

[pete0]

55 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

You been out to the pub to watch the rugby or are you just struggling with the language ? 

 

 

Doesn't take sherlock to figure out the autocorrect should have been in not I'm. 

But bravo only addressing a spelling error and nothing in the post. Go check the Internet rules on that one. 

[Palfy]

If it was put to a vote I would expect more people to want us to win the cup than finish 7th. 
Obviously I can’t prove it but for me there would be more kudos in winning the cup than finishing 7th.  

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

1 hour ago, pete0 said:

Doesn't take sherlock to figure out the autocorrect should have been in not I'm. 

But bravo only addressing a spelling error and nothing in the post. Go check the Internet rules on that one. 

I wasn’t referring to the typo I was referring to you not being able to grasp the concept of what I’m saying 

So to try and address your points , if there are any
Firstly I said I can’t understand the mentality of anyone who would rather finish 7th than win a trophy. That is not a question in any form it’s a simple factual statement because I really don’t understand it

Yes I said they are not mutually exclusive and again that is a simple fact . You yourself have said you would rather finish in the top half than win a cup so I have no idea what your point is?

Lastly yes I did say that the competition was the catalyst for that mid 80’s side success, that’s because it was

Ask most people who witnessed it and they will say it was Heaths goal at Oxford 

Ask the players themselves , Sharpe mentions it in his autobiography, and they will really you that going toe to toe with The Shite in the final over two games made them realise that they were a top side themselves and could match anyone. That gave them the confidence to finish the season strongly and climb the table and even go on to win the FA Cup, the rest is history 

And guess what both were in this competition ! 

[pete0]

27 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

I wasn’t referring to the typo I was referring to you not being able to grasp the concept of what I’m saying 

So to try and address your points , if there are any
Firstly I said I can’t understand the mentality of anyone who would rather finish 7th than win a trophy. That is not a question in any form it’s a simple factual statement because I really don’t understand it

Yes I said they are not mutually exclusive and again that is a simple fact . You yourself have said you would rather finish in the top half than win a cup so I have no idea what your point is?

Lastly yes I did say that the competition was the catalyst for that mid 80’s side success, that’s because it was

Ask most people who witnessed it and they will say it was Heaths goal at Oxford 

Ask the players themselves , Sharpe mentions it in his autobiography, and they will really you that going toe to toe with The Shite in the final over two games made them realise that they were a top side themselves and could match anyone. That gave them the confidence to finish the season strongly and climb the table and even go on to win the FA Cup, the rest is history 

And guess what both were in this competition ! 

Sure it was. 

As already mentioned I don't rate this comp anymore than a preseason. Would you rather win a preseason tournament or get three points in a league match? Easy answer. 

Yea, but we never won it. Di your logic that winning it will be a catalyst again is flawed because we never won last time. 

 

[Sibdane]

2 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Sure it was. 

As already mentioned I don't rate this comp anymore than a preseason. Would you rather win a preseason tournament or get three points in a league match? Easy answer. 

Yea, but we never won it. Di your logic that winning it will be a catalyst again is flawed because we never won last time. 

 

This is such a dumb statement/question. A preseason tournament doesn't get you Europe.

[pete0]

2 minutes ago, Sibdane said:

This is such a dumb statement. A preseason tournament doesn't get you Europe.

It shouldn't do. But as already said 7th gets you Europe and I'd much rather go through that way as 7th gives you more money and prestige than winning a reserves competition. 

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

3 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Sure it was. 

As already mentioned I don't rate this comp anymore than a preseason. Would you rather win a preseason tournament or get three points in a league match? Easy answer. 

Yea, but we never won it. Di your logic that winning it will be a catalyst again is flawed because we never won last time. 

 

I think maybe you have been down the ale house!

I did say at the outset it’s all about opinions so I will leave it at that