Qualifying for Europe

[Elston Gunnn]

Not that we were likely to pass Liverpool anyway, but they scored on a header off a corner at the end of stoppage time — by their GK, no less — to take 3 points rather than 1.  Keeps them well in the running for CL instead of EL, and saves their season.

[Formby]

12 minutes ago, Elston Gunnn said:

Not that we were likely to pass Liverpool anyway, but they scored on a header off a corner at the end of stoppage time — by their GK, no less — to take 3 points rather than 1.  Keeps them well in the running for CL instead of EL, and saves their season.

Helps us, too, I think. If Chelsea beat Leicester, then Leicester have to beat Spurs to get CL - as Liverpool will more than likely win out.

So, a draw at City (provided we win the home games) may be enough.

Going to be very close.

[London Blue]

For fucks sake.

[c1982]

Close thread - what a joke!

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

Endex now, had we not had that great star to the season we would be looking   nearer to relegation now rather than Europe

[Gwlad]

And here we go again hoping for Europe at the end of next season. Our once great club.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Gwlad all over

[Romey 1878]

I feel sorry for anyone that has been thinking this was still on. It was gone a while ago, even if not mathematically.

[Btay]

3 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

I feel sorry for anyone that has been thinking this was still on. It was gone a while ago, even if not mathematically.

I was hanging onto hope for my own selfish desire of us playing twice a week. Even though I knew we were going to be dross against Sheffield I still got up at 3:30am and watched it. 

Real love hate relationship here

[FairWooney]

We'll be lucky to finish above Leeds in 10th at the moment!

God knows how we've managed to be in a position where Arsenal look likely to finish above us after the season they've had.

 

 

[StevO]

5 minutes ago, FairWooney said:

We'll be lucky to finish above Leeds in 10th at the moment!

God knows how we've managed to be in a position where Arsenal look likely to finish above us after the season they've had.

 

 

This! If we finish behind Arsenal it’s a joke. 

[MikeO]

If anyone had said at the beginning of the season we'd take four points off Spurs, four off Livepool, six off Arsenal, three off Chelsea, four off Leicester and get a point at Old Trafford but lose at home to all three relegated teams you'd have been sectioned. Actually scrub that people would think it quite plausible, we're Everton after all.

[Bailey]

1 hour ago, MikeO said:

If anyone had said at the beginning of the season we'd take four points off Spurs, four off Livepool, six off Arsenal, three off Chelsea, four off Leicester and get a point at Old Trafford but lose at home to all three relegated teams you'd have been sectioned. Actually scrub that people would think it quite plausible, we're Everton after all.

I feel like we should all be making a few quid of the bookies!

I have just read an article on us and I think it said we have lost to the team at the bottom of the league for the last 4 seasons in a row (at home). We should all be rolling in it!

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

With Leeds winning tonight even if we managed to pull off a major shock and win at home to Wolves we will still likely finish 10th

[Newty82]

On 17/05/2021 at 12:36, MikeO said:

If anyone had said at the beginning of the season we'd take four points off Spurs, four off Livepool, six off Arsenal, three off Chelsea, four off Leicester and get a point at Old Trafford but lose at home to all three relegated teams you'd have been sectioned. Actually scrub that people would think it quite plausible, we're Everton after all.

I don't know of those facts make it feel better or worse.

All these years we've been saying we need to beat those so called 'Top 6' teams. We do better against them than any year for....how long?

Yet the players didn't get the memo about the bottom end clubs?

Pfft. Beating the top end is overrated.

[Btay]

12 minutes ago, Newty82 said:

I don't know of those facts make it feel better or worse.

All these years we've been saying we need to beat those so called 'Top 6' teams. We do better against them than any year for....how long?

Yet the players didn't get the memo about the bottom end clubs?

Pfft. Beating the top end is overrated.

I think it shows what we can do under Carlo though - it shows he knows how to win the big games. I really feel the players have let us down against the “smaller” teams. Typical Everton that - massive mentality shift is required.

[c1982]

On 17/05/2021 at 12:36, MikeO said:

If anyone had said at the beginning of the season we'd take four points off Spurs, four off Livepool, six off Arsenal, three off Chelsea, four off Leicester and get a point at Old Trafford but lose at home to all three relegated teams you'd have been sectioned. Actually scrub that people would think it quite plausible, we're Everton after all.

Hate to ruin a great post but we beat West Brom at home

[MikeO]

3 minutes ago, c1982 said:

Hate to ruin a great post but we beat West Brom at home

Facts are an ephemaral concept, I prefer to deal in perceptions.

[Gwlad]

5 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Facts are an ephemaral concept, I prefer to deal in perceptions.

Everton expectations for fans, an ephemeral concept.

[Hoof_It_Nev]

We're 4th in the away table and 16th in the home table. There must be a reason. Maybe we rely on the crowd more than other teams? I can't really think of a genuine reason. 

[Zoo 2.0]

15 minutes ago, Hoof_It_Nev said:

We're 4th in the away table and 16th in the home table. There must be a reason. Maybe we rely on the crowd more than other teams? I can't really think of a genuine reason. 

I think it's a mentality thing, basically we went on a bad run at home which is harder to shake off with no crowd getting behind the team. If we had a poor away record then it could have been the same, but we've managed to do exactly the opposite so are mentally better prepared for those games. 

Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't need the crowd to get you up for a game - you should be playing at your best if nothing else for your own personal pride. Without going off on a tangent, we have too many players who are OK with losing or drawing whereas you look to the likes of City and see winners - of course they have world class players with other outstanding attributes but for me, you can play in League Two and still be as mentally determined as a Kevin De Bruyne or a Sergio Aguero, it all comes from within.

[markjazzbassist]

1 hour ago, Hoof_It_Nev said:

We're 4th in the away table and 16th in the home table. There must be a reason. Maybe we rely on the crowd more than other teams? I can't really think of a genuine reason. 

i think it's the mental block we've had for years.  home games are "must win" something to play for, so we bottle it.  away games there is nothing on the line so we play with freedom and win.

[MikeO]

32 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

i think it's the mental block we've had for years.  home games are "must win" something to play for, so we bottle it.  away games there is nothing on the line so we play with freedom and win.

Not sure what team you've been watching MJB, quick check of the last ten seasons we've won more at home than away every time with the cumulative total of 98 home wins and 48 away wins.

[markjazzbassist]

17 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Not sure what team you've been watching MJB, quick check of the last ten seasons we've won more at home than away every time with the cumulative total of 98 home wins and 48 away wins.

i'm talking about this season like the rest of the people in this thread.  the mental block i spoke of "for years" is bottling it in big games or "must win" games.  which i then likened to the home matches THIS campaign.

[MikeO]

1 minute ago, markjazzbassist said:

i'm talking about this season like the rest of the people in this thread.  the mental block i spoke of "for years" is bottling it in big games or "must win" games.  which i then likened to the home matches THIS campaign.

Fair enough if that's what you meant but it's not actually what you said. If you're talking specifically about this season why start the reply with, "i think it's the mental block we've had for years." That immediately says you're not just talking about this season surely? 

[Bailey]

I don't think there is anything significant in the home and away form. We play crap football wherever we go, the biggest difference being that in the away games the impetus is on the home team and we have that little bit more space we need to create a chance from nowhere. I think there have also been a few games where we have scored an early goal and it has been huge for us as something to hold on to.

It isn't as though you watch the Arsenal or Villa away games and think we performed like a good side and then threw the towel in at home Villa or Sheffield.

[Elston Gunnn]

2 hours ago, Hoof_It_Nev said:

We're 4th in the away table and 16th in the home table. There must be a reason. Maybe we rely on the crowd more than other teams? I can't really think of a genuine reason. 

The common, harsh, perhaps simplistic Americanism would be that our players choked, repeatedly, when faced with obvious opportunities to move up the table.  I suppose the Britishism would be that they bottled it.

[Romey 1878]

We could barely buy an away win under Silva, so it's not even like you have to go very far back to see that that statement is so very wrong.

[Palfy]

5 hours ago, Hoof_It_Nev said:

We're 4th in the away table and 16th in the home table. There must be a reason. Maybe we rely on the crowd more than other teams? I can't really think of a genuine reason. 

Or maybe it’s a man thing and we enjoy playing away from home  

[Hoof_It_Nev]

Maybe some pesky kopite has poisoned our dressing room all season. 

[c1982]

We could be ruing not getting that 1 point vs Sheff Utd to factor out our shitty goal difference. West Ham will get 6th and I expect Leicester to beat Spurs. Can we pull something out the bag against Man City?! Unlikely but who knows?! Europa Conference is still a possibility - whether people want it is another question. I personally do.