How does it go?

"We don't care..."

Why do we bother care about sour grape statements?!

The media around the world is full of ex-players, ex-managers, ex-referees and ex-idon'tknowfuckingwhats making a living talking crap about the game.

There are a very few exceptions who offer genuine insight and even understanding of the nuances of the game. There are that many broadcasters overseas now who pad out their schedules with these analysis shows with these pundits on a rota, you realise very quickly that the shows are produced on a minimal budget, and as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. One of the worst pundits I ever dealt with was in Singapore. He used to get roasted every week by Steve McMahon basically telling him he knew fuck all about the professional game. Hence now he's "Global Adviser" at Blackburn. You really couldn't make it up.

How many times do I have to say it, why you no listen...

RS, you get exactly what it says on the tin.

And... it seems Zlatan Ibrahimovic has "urged Steven Gerrard to get out of Liverpool while he still can and join a big club".

Cue the meltdown on RAWK in 3... 2... 1...

Trouble is if you're not a blue you won't find any neutrals arguing with Nicol.

Very nice start to the season but it's as good as it gets - this is open top bus territory present day EFC.

Finishing in CL places or ACTUALLY winning a trophy goes against the tsunami of sermons on every EFC forum since THAT 4th year.

If Moyes really is ambitious and has the courage to gamble his 3.5 million quid cushion of course he should leave.

It's through the manager that a club becomes big. Liverpool should know that as Bill Shankly joined them when they were a dilapidated second division club.

Obviously, we don't care what they say, but it is difficult to ignore them as so many ex-reds are currently spouting off on so many platforms.

Owen and Fowler (BBC last W/E) have now joined the growing band of red-noses passing judgement on all things football for the media.

Can there be any club in the world that has supplied so many talking heads to TV and Radio as our beloved neighbours?

For a club that hasn't won the league for over 20 years, they are remarkably well represented in the modern day media.

We may not listen to their ramblings, but it does have an effect on neutrals, god forbid they ever dominate on the pitch anytime soon as every TV show will probably come live from across the Park.

Also don't forget these same pundits who are always saying Moyes is too good for Everton, were also saying that Houllier, Benitez , Hodgson and Rodgers were the Messiahs who would return the RS to their former glories,

As long as the Blues do their talking on the pitch, I'll be more than happy.

Barry, that is such a ridiculous statement. If Moyes is ambitious he should risk or gamble his salary to take a new job? First thing is, if he left for the likes of Chelsea or United he would get more money than he currently does. The second thing is, if he was sacked at one of those jobs he would be compensated for all the years of his contract, and would be able to find a new job with no problem. Not exactly a risk or gamble.

What I could see him thinking is how the likes of Spurs, Chelsea, the shite all sack their managers on a yearly basis. Why would he want to go work for one of them knowing how those clubs operate? So, how wold it be ambitious of him to leave here, where he is currently outperforming those clubs, and get more money at a club that continuously sacks their managers and he has no control over player transfers? Maybe he actually likes his fucking job and thinks he can continue to move this club forward, ever thought of that one buddy?

Steve Nicol is as thick as mince.

I remember reading in Shoot magazine when I was a kid that the other Liverpool lads referred to him as 'Plank' because he was so stupid. Typical TV pundit material really.

I think the real issue here is why do ex-Liverpool players automatically get pundit work even if they're thick and shite?

The answer is that they're recognisable, both here and overseas, because Liverpool have shedloads of fans that don't know much about football but can at least recognise their own players.

These 'consumers' don't need intelligent in-depth analysis, they just need a face they can recognise. We, as Evertonians, are generally above this bollocks. Don't let it get you down. Some kids are clever and some kids are popular, I'd rather be the former, and at Everton, that's what we are.

Best thing to do if you find that you are getting wound up when a redshit pundit is giving it the large, look at the Premiership table and laugh at their two wins all season against Norwich and Reading. Jobs a goodun!

Joe,

as a venerable sage once commented when asked about the attitude of our beloved neighbours.

Fuck Them :)

Didn't see the Steve Nicol performance; can't say I feel that I missed anything; but I did see Robbie Fowler on Saturday.

What a monosyllabic turd he is. Why doesn't he stay at home and count his houses?

I wouldn't get wound up. You see good pundits are great to listen too. In that I include Gray, Redknapp, Neville, Mark Saggers on Talksport to name a few. No marks have to make controversial comments to get noticed. I have heard enough shite talked by the Red shite recently Fuck em.

David Barks, you're probably right.

Doubtless Moyes is going to win everything here, the previous 10 years have just been a warm up. Just because he hasn't signed a contract doesn't mean he's keeping his options open.

Yep, that's what it must mean....... our ambition is his ambition.

Oh yeah, nailed on.

Barry #516 "If Moyes really is ambitious and has the courage to gamble his 3.5 million quid cushion of course he should leave.". So if he's not ambitious he should stay??

Why does Liverpool produce so many pundits? Because they aren't good enough to coach. Simples.

If you can be arsed ; let the prat know here

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/live/_/id/989572/chat-live-with-espn's-steve-nicol?cc=5739

Well said, Pugh.

Plus they're owned by American owners and ESPN is an American network...

- Moyes ain't going anywhere. He's doing the smart thing and holding out for some more dosh for the team... Once he fills his team out (whether thats through selling Felli, making the CL, investment) then he'll have a complete team with no holes in it and really have a go. Our bench up until a few matches ago looked like a One Direction concert.

Matt, was that "pundit" you were referring to Shebby Singh?? That guy was a shocker and clearly didn't have a clue. I cringed every time he opened his mouth!

Another bullshit rant spun about Holtby in today's match vs. The Netherlands... liverpool was the only interested party in the youngster?? Such laziness...

By the way, Ibra's 4th today was for me the goal of the year! Simply unreal

I was only thinking about this the other day.

Liverpool and the press have a kind of commensalism. The appearance of a 'Red' face on a screen can sell advertising time, whilst column inches with 'Kop' in them sell papers. There are millions of their 'supporters' around the world who are 'a market'. Goodness knows I come in to contact with enough of them at work; I am a teacher (when they find out I am an Evertonian I am assailed with comments like 'Everton's rubbish' - even when we are above them in the table - my stock response is 'So, how were your team formed ?' - they never know, and only kid has been bothered to find out about it).

But I digress, or do I ? It is those sort of supporters who are the bread and butter to the RS and the media. So, how did the media realise this ? Is it through market research ?

Was it a matter of studying sales figures for the Sun after there was a boycott of that 'organ' on Merseyside ? Who knows. But what matters is that wherever 'they 'are concerned there is positive press and positive spin...and where we are concerned success is followed by vultures swooping for our best players (Fellaini 'off to Chelsea', Baines 'off to Utd', ...) or our manager being lined up for a bigger and better job. These stories (both blue and red) are the product of a pro-Anfield editorial slant, because they make gobshites feel better.

But it doesn't matter? As I have written on this site before the press are flattering to deceive. LFC are a spent force. They are only a well marketed brand, and they have been in slow and steady decline for over 20 years (with the occasional blip) and they are heading for trouble... and it is that that sticks in the craws of their former players (many of them now pundits) who are deeply envious of what is going on across Stanley Park.

Steve Pugh: Spot on!

That Ibrahamovic certainly knows his stuff.

The four goals were pretty good as well :)

Totally totally agree with you Tim. I'm a Southerner having supported the Blues since my Scouse father wrapped a scarf round my neck when I was a baby. So you can probably understand I am usually in a minority down here. Over the years I have met dozens of RS "fans".

I am bored of basically giving these "fans" history lessons about their own club. Ok the Anfield one is often forgotten but they don't even know about Paisley, Heysel and have never even been to the city!!!

I once recall an excited Liverpool "fan" confidently claiming their odious team would thrash some other side because of a certain player being in the side and he would be the scorer (I forget who it was but it might have been Torres) My response was something along the lines of "well that would be impressive dickhead because he's out injured for a month". I have witnessed similar things with Man Utd "fans" who don't know who is out injured and obviously don't study the team sheets closely.

It's a bit like me claiming Mirallas will smash up Reading at the weekend...damn it!!!

I believe in conspiracies. Last time we looked like getting a CL spot, out of nowhere Real Madrid bought our best player (Tommy G) in January. Still really doesn't make sense, except as a way to try to stop us.

Now we are in 4th and there's a concerted media campaign linking our best player to a move in January or our manager to other clubs.

Like I said, I don't believe in coincidences.

Joe Green #657...'Still doesn't make sense' . It does to me, always has done, Real kept putting him in as the holding Midfielder aka the Carsley Role and he stunk. if anyone had an identical twin, especially as viewed fron say 50yds away in the main stand, it was those 2.

They bought the WRONG ONE.

Derek #663 you'll also remember how our form dived in that 2nd half of the season. We finished 4th thanks to a great 7-match unbeaten run in the first half of the season, and the inability of our rivals to claw us back in the 2nd half despite our tail off.

Tommy was doing the biz for us going forward, the fact that Real took him for whatever reason ( again imo the wrong one ) did in fact upset the balance of our team, we lost out, even though we finished 4th for the reasons you state.

I don't think though that there was a conspiracy to do us down.

The result ( this time ) of Conspiracy Vs Cock-up is, tada....Cock-up

I firmly believe that Moyes is on the edge of something great @Everton… Look how well we have been playing since last January, the style of football we are now playing (ok, not every week, I agree) but we are playing some real attractive football at the moment.

If we lose the big fella in the close season coming, Would that be a bad thing… yes I think it would be.

Could we keep hold of him for another year if we qualify for CL…Yes I think we could

Would we strengthen our team further.. I am not sure, but I would hope so

Do you see stability throughout the team, A solid foundation, some youth, some more older & some too old (unfortunately).

For me the future looks pretty good, if we can get rid of some of the dead wood in the team, or move them to the bench and give the young lads the opportunity to play some football

(Barkley, Duffy) ie. Replacing Neville & Distin – I really do think we could become a regular European team again, if not CL then most certainly EL…

Nicol is just another bitter twat, like the rest of the talking heads: Redknapp, Thomson etc... and now them two fucking cabbages, Owen and cod's head Fowler. I hope they keep putting Everton down — it must be gut-wrenching for them to see us above them. They know nothing, like most of their ignorant fans.

I remember being on the kop in the 70s at a derby when we were shit and they were in their pomp. And this bellend all game kept shouting, "You're shit, Darracot, you dirty bastard, Darracot..." — you get the message. I never said nothing until the 90th minute when I tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Hey mate, that's David Jones... Darracot isn't playing."

The thing was not one of them knew the difference either. I'll take what they say with the proverbial pinch of salt. Full set of cunts the lot of 'em.

Reading these comments has been very entertaining!

But... back to reality: Only Everton matters. And this is definitely one of the better starts to a season.

Please guys... let´s just enjoy it. Could be we are in for one of the historic years, and we wouldn´t want to let a RS-commentator comment distract us, would we?

Let them get on with life in the basement.

Matt Traynor #664 100% correct. If memory serves we had 6 successive 1-0 wins in the 1st half of the season & got the points in the bag. I may be wrong but I think our form in the second half of that season was almost relegation form. The dilema in January is whether to stick or twist. Do we gamble on keeping 4th by splashing out a few million to strengthen or do we cash in & settle for the usual 6th or 7th? For me it's a no-brainer but I can't speak for our beloved chairman.

I was inclined to agree that we ignore these pundits who are, indeed, in the main thick.

But there is a problem here. Because these comments set the popular view, the opinion of others, incuding other players, and other lazy journalists and pundits will feed off them.

They lower everyone's expectations of Everton, including sponsors or, say, firms that might take out corporate seats at our matches; ie it can damage our already flimsy financial base. It re-enforces the kenwright image of plucky Everton punching above our weight. It sets a glass ceiling which means that eventually players start to look elsewhere as they think we will never have much success.

Nicol, a former RS, is entitled to his opinion, like all of us, and even some Evertonians are not too keen on DM staying at Everton. We have to accept that most RS fans and ex-players are in denial because The Blues have been riding high, much higher than RS, hence the proliferation of sour grapes from people like Nicol and Gerrard.

The gap would be even wider except for Ratboy who is starting to repay the £40 million they paid for him but is still getting away with murder by stamping on opponents with poor officials turning a blind eye... Does Nicol care to comment on that?