Premier League — Matchweek 20

If all games go our way today, then we will be sitting 14th. But it never happens for us does it?

I can see Luton beating Chelsea for one.

Just about to watch the “Old Firm” derby.

It's a weird feeling: cheering on Brendan Rodgers. Given how I'll always consider him as damned due to his association with ‘the shite'. Normally I would opt for Ally McCoist as a pundit, but he was a Rangers player.

I was born and brought up Roman Catholic (hence my choice of Celtic rather than Rangers in matches like this), but in later life – I'm now 50 – I've just become ‘arsey'.

Chelsea gifted a goal to kick things off.

What was Kabore thinking???

Let's hope they gift them a few more…

Wicked finish by Madueke (Who he?) to make it 2-0 for the Chavs.

Luton 0 Chelsea 2 at half time.

Luton are down 2-0 so that's good news.

Chelsea 3-0.

Barkley just scored against Chelsea.

Barkley gets 1 back

Good Luton goal ruled out for offside.

I know I should be happy but I thought the decision was atrocious. The ball was played out to the wing when Adebayo in the middle was offside… but the ball was not played to him, so excatly what advantage was he securing .

By the time the winger put in the cross, Adebayo was well onside when he went on to score with a decent header.

Another fine header off Adebayo hit the face of the bar.

Lovely header from a corner for Ross Barkley.

Luton 1 - 3 Chelsea

And they hit the bar agian with another fine header, this one from Morris.

Luton battering Chelsea, just hit the bar.

2-3

Luton just scored 2 3.

Tremendous onslaught from Luton, Adebayo scores finally. 2-3

Barkley created another fantastic chance for Luton.

How crap is Chelsea!? Over a Billion pound spent, for fuck's sake!

I bet my last mince pie Luton equalise. 🎅

Luton 2 Chelsea 3 FT

Phew.😀

If there was ever a signing we should have made in the summer it was Barkley. Biggest no-brainer in a very long time.

Get him back in January, for fuck's sake!

Haha I was wondering how long it would take for the sooooo naive and chidlike shouts for Barkley to appear.

Sorry Jim but............well I can't think what else to put.

Sorry, Brian, but I agree with Jim.

Barkley is playing fantastic for Luton, not childish remarks at all, he's far more effective and skilful than Harrison or Onana and maybe Garner. His attitude spoils him sometimes, but a free signing on a year's contract would've a no-brainer.

Barkley is like Marmite, a split vote on here, but for me he would have been a great addition, and on a low salary.

He's Luton's best player in every game.

I do think Barkley, under a manager like Sean Dyche, would have been a useful get.

But there's too much baggage, and he caused too much animosity with the way he left.

Arsenal 1 up, but Saka very close to being offside, yet there was barely any VAR check.

Yes, Rob, Arsenal got the benefit of the doubt there, what a surprise.

Barkley could have achieved whatever he wanted. Just a young lad earning loads of money living in his home city.
We've seen it all before, and with better players than Ross.

Did he really improve when he got his move to Chelsea? No.
We've moved on; so has he.

If he'd come back here, no doubt it would have all backfired. Never go back.

Didn’t we see a similar tackle last week where VAR intervened and the goal chalked off???
VAR shite

Allen (26)

Well, they never got a blatant foul just now and Fulham benefited with a goal!

And there is another foul on, Saka exactly the same as an Arsenal push earlier on which the referee penalised and gave a free-kick to Fulham.

The VAR has taken over the game but not for the benefit of the game.

Paul #22.

Paul, I didn't say "childish" I said "childlike". There's a very different meaning between the two.

People tend to only remember the good things. That's how players who leave us become superstars in people's memories.

Barkley may well be playing well now but he didn't in the last couple of seasons for us and he didn't for Chelsea either.

Maybe Luton suits him but Everton towards the end certainly didn't and neither did a big club like Chelsea.

Maybe he's matured and learned how to "learn" but I trust Joe Royle's opinion and words on him.

There's always a yearning on here for ex-players. It's usually very misplaced and Barkley's case is no different IMO.

That Fulham goal was beautifully finished but it started from what looked for all the world like a tackle from behind to steal the ball off the Arsenal player, yet no rewind for the VAR to look at it properly.

No protests from players or manager?

Hahaha! Hilarious second goal for Fulham. Real pinball stuff. And armball from an Arsenal defender but I don't suppose that mattered.

[Opps... Am I supposed to be routing for an Arsenal win here?]

As far as I can see, there's only Man City who can stop Liverpool celebrating winning the Premier League this season.

I can't see Villa sustaining a miracle and Arsenal, as per usual, start bottling it when the going gets a bit tough.

we need Man City to start hitting some big form in the second half of the season.

Arsenal falling apart. Fulham are playing with lots of energy and determination.

A lot of teams looking jaded after a crazy December schedule.

Teams with bigger squads have a huge advantage. Back to a 1-game-a-week schedule will suit us going forward.

Always the case. Clubs being touted as Champions in October.

The season ends in May.

I still think City will win it. I still believe Everton will be fine.

Great Spirit and H N Y 2024, here's to a good one.

21 again, and hopefully a good year for Everton.
Cheers!
UTFTs!

I know he's no longer at Everton, but Tom Cannon got his first goals for Leicester today. I'd have liked him to stay but he'll be back in the Premier League next season.

Joe,

Looking at Tom Cannon's player stats poses some difficult questions:

1) He was a sub for Everton's first 3 games of the season, getting one late cameo [less of a question… more for context] before his transfer.

2) Why was he not even in the Leicester City squad for the next 11 games covering 2 months (September & October) in the Championship? Injured? Or not good enough?

3) Then why 10 games on the bench over the next 2 months (November and December), four shortish run-outs, averaging 12 minutes per game? Still not good enough for the Championship? Or carrying an injury?

4) And just today, his first time in the starting line-up, vs Huddersfield town, and he bangs in 2 goals.

I'm just not convinced he would have been able to do even that much for us, had he stayed.

Mind you… 2 goals in a game. When did our star striker last do that? (At Fulham, 4 years ago.)

Re 2) above, he was injured. Leicester confirmed that they signed him even though he was carrying a back injury.

Thanks Lyndon and Michael. And yes also possibly me being a bit desperate as we always seem to need goalscorers.

We really don't give our youngsters a chance. Do we not supposedly have one of the best academies in the country?

Why are we so eager to get rid of those players who've been brought up in the Everton way? Cannon being a case in point.

I'd love to see a rule introduced that every team should include at least half of its players who've come up internally. This would massively improve English football.

Shite v Skunks. Is there a worse fecking fixture anywhere than this one? I despise both teams with a passion; I might even despise the fans more – I once had a dream/nightmare that featured a few weeble wobbly topless Geordies with saggy jeans, plumbers crack, and gaps where teeth once lived.

I don't want either of the twats to win or draw, I want them both to lose badly, shamefully, ignominiously, in ways that damage them both physically and mentally.

I suppose an absolutely appalling boring yawn-fest 0-0 is the best outcome. But that means that neither of the shithouses loses. We'd enjoy watching the shite lose by six but then we remember who got the six.

Floodlight failure? Game abandoned? Putting things on hold for a while? Those thick gormless Geordies trudging back to their shitty city for nothing. John Lennon flooded by gobshite Scandinavians with armfuls of carrier bags stuffed with souvenirs in tears because their Anfield dream is in tatters.

It's always about the fans, Paul. To be fair, most football fans have their nasties. From my personal experience, it was Chelsea in the late '70s.

First game of the season at the Bridge – we won 1-0. Cops had to hold back their fans from attacking us. Walked for miles after that game - 200 arrests on the tube with a couple of stabbings!

Mind you, Inter City Firm weren't much nicer.

Gana commits that foul, he gets booked. Liverpool player Gomes and it just gets waived away. So many little decisions that go unnoticed, but can change games.

This fucking Sky commentator is the most annoying of the lot. Screams at every half chance in a ridiculous voice!

Looked like a dive that, surprised we didn’t see more replays ?

That was funny!

Salad 😅😅😅😅

I was at that game Mo. 1978. Andy King got the goal. We had to walk past Chelsea to get to our end ("if you're fucking hard enough to come down here Scouse, you're fucking hard enough to walk past them", one of the Met's finest public servants told us). We went down on the ordinary, copious amounts of gin I think it was were handed round.

It was Kensington High Street and we had to deal with both Chelsea and Millwall. The bizzies made us walk back to Euston and a Spurs special pulled in as we got to the station. There were Newcastle lads on the ordinary heading back to Lime Street, changing at Crewe I suppose. I think that they had been playing Millwall that day. There were a lot of us with bruises and scars and marks on that train, but I managed to get away without a scratch.

Brian # 47……….what did this sky commentator say at the beginning, something like one of the premier league’s most favourite fixtures. Why, just because there was a couple of consecutive 4-3 home wins for the shite about 30 years ago? Who gives a fuck!

Red shite seem to like VAR all of a sudden.

Why isn’t Trippier playing, is he still traumatised from his last visit to Merseyside?

Rob#52.
Obviously a closet gobshite!

About time they changed this offside rule, a man sitting in an armchair with multiple screens and ways to draw lines that say one players big toe was ahead should not be offside. There should be a clear site of the players torso ahead of the defender to be called offside

He's not even on the bench. He must be having a rest because he's tired.

fucking head on Salad. What does he look like.

I think Taylor the ref will be running out of yellow cards soon, what is happening Liverpool on the wrong side of the Ref, I bet Klippety Klop will have a word with him

Is that now two of the red bastards booked for dissent?

Someone forgot to send Antony Taylor the Big Club memo this week!

Tbf the snide Joelinton should have been booked for that pull back, refs society (Dean)on commentary said Taylor got it right cos he played on, bollocks, how many of them do we see a retro booking? Every one.

Micheal @ 40 , Tom Cannon was indeed injured when Leicester signed him. He had a stress fracture in his back which was discovered during his medical. Wish we could have kept him but he was sold for peanuts.

That 16 year old Runcorn/Warrington wool in the darts looks like he's 40, fucking ale gut on him, looks Weeble Geordie.

1-1

Paul, you beat me to it lol. He looks like one of those shirtless skunks fans!

Tastey equaliser

That will shut the fuckers up.

VVD cocks up again.

Saint Virgil does not hold his line and plays him on, should get an assist for that - shite, the mutant weebles are getting their fake replicas off

Yes Brent, he’s never been the same since…..
🤣🤣

Got to admit this ref has been spot on all game in waving away Salah's claims for free kcks throwing himself to the floor.

Why wasn’t Nunez booked for kicking the ball away?

Is that salad or Krusty the clown look-alike?

Now, Jota is a danger!

Bingo struggling with the rain in his eyes? Diaz his best player this half, drags him off, odd.

Dean changing his mind now on Joelinton’s first half yellow,.. referees, inconsistent? Never!

Thanks, Allen @62,

I've just been looking back to the thread where we sold him and it's not something we seem to have captured on here at the time (or subsequently).

Seems strange that the transfer would have gone through with that being found… perhaps both clubs were keen since Chermiti had just been signed to bump him down the pecking order, and Everton maybe agreed to discount the fee by a few million?

This commentator needs a stick of dynamite ramming up his arse!

ah shite

Thankyou Rob, thankyou!

Of course the goal stands. Hateful red arses.

Bingo throwing a wobbler at the library. 3-2.

Dive.

Have to laugh. What a joke

How the fuck can that be a penalty? Clear dive by the red shite.

Went down in stages

Never been such an obvious dive. CHEAT. How can Joke VAR not overturn. Oh yeah I think we know.

It fits the narrative to give them a penalty that's why.

Companies having orgasms again that Liverpool and Manchester City are fighting it out for the title.

guess you have to wear red to get a penalty

OMG! Never a pen in a million years! Jota should have been booked if anything!

Joke of a pen, cheating at its worst,minimum contact, carried on then dived over, terrible, how did VAR allow that.

How many times has Gordon lost the ball?

is there a reason why salad cannot cut his hair, does he think that he looks good

First pen was a dive too, pundit said ‘ he felt a bit of contact and was entitled to go down’. Second penalty was a blatant dive, goalie brushed his foot and Jota flung himself to the floor 5 metres later. Another sad exhibition.

Penalty decision never in doubt for the shite.

FFS, this commentator is going to have one seismic orgasm later on when he gets home and thinks of Salad!

I've just farted, I believe they are having a VAR check to see if Salah was affected by it in the penalty box.

I still believe the only way to minimize dodgy decisions such as what we're witnessing during this game, is to use foreign referees. Otherwise all none-sly 6 clubs will suffer more!

No, that was me sneezing Jim.

Best comment Ian.Wright, he would rather go down to get a penalty than put the ball in an empty net, , seen it all now

Hilarious Jim. Aren't all the Scandinavian refs red shite Soren?

Cannon at 1:59 and 4:42.
Link

Sure wish we could have kept him.

No Idea, Paul. Not been in Scandinavia for ages. I think you mean Norwegians!?

apart from watching Everton, This is the first time I have watched that lot as I thought Newcastle would give them a good game, just a shame that Skye with their man on VAR helped them out. Wonder witch panto mine Klopp appeared in as he he is still acting the clown. And then Matchday live give us a diet of slippy G.

What a comedy act Owen and McMannaman trying to justify the penalty.

And Carragher on Sly trying to justify the reason why penalty wasn't given to NU just before RS 3rd goal!!

Corruption

After those atrocious penalty decisions tonight, the second one being SCANDALOUS, what is the point of VAR? What is the point of even competing?

No point, its rigged

The game is well and truly fooked.

Everton haven't had a penalty this season, denied two blatant ones at Spurs, then the Citeh scam, and tonight the RS scam. Seen sone if the game on a foreign channel.

I cancelled Sky 3 months ago, and I'll never go back.

It's pathetic now that the match officials are shit houses, and bigger shit houses at Stockley Park.

It seems by people's comments, on TW, tonight, that Sky, were going overboard to support the RS.

So two freebies v the Skunks, to make up for the Arsenal game?

Richarlison penalty against Spurs overturned by the VAR. This was far more a penalty than Jota's tonight, yet ours was overturned by the VAR while they barely looked at Jota's. It's a fucking joke……

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/M3b-4Nzm3wpigExxONs6yJuoJtY=/1400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22993430/1351860870.jpg

Offside has become ridiculous.

Offside was originally invented to prevent opponents from camping near the opposition goal, because if they were allowed to, football will be boring because everyone will be punting balls randomly to the front in the hopes someone will score from that.

But now, offsides have been reduced to millimetres. Sure, it follows the rules of football, but really, do you need the VAR to assess that someone has half their shoulder or their thumb offside and rule out the goal? (I'm not exaggerating, it has come to that!)

Penalties. Now penalty winning is way too easy: as long as you somewhat touch the opponent in the box it is now a penalty. The opponent can “trip” over you touching his leg and it's a penalty. This somewhat destroys the game because now people will dive even more under slight contact in the hopes the VAR will rule in their favour.

Bent referees are using it to mismanage games.

Clear goals, and penalties are being ignored but dodgy decisions about handball are being given.

Time for foreign referees to be brought in to the game to provide a neutral approach.

Sad to see a massive club like Newcastle Utd having its arse handed to it week after week.

Not Premier League, but I see Birmingham have sacked Rooney after losing 13 of his 15 games in charge.

I don't know why clubs think former great players make great managers. If history has taught us anything, it is that the norm is great players don't make great managers. Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and now Wayne Rooney all failed as managers.

Just look at the successful managers certainly in this country:

Alex Ferguson, decent centre-forward but not great;
Arsene Wegner, don't think he played at the top level;
Bill Shankly, decent half-back but not great;
Brian Clough, again good centre-forward but not great;
Don Revie, again average not great.

And so the list goes on…

It was a ridiculous appointment to start off with Brian.

Birmingham were 6th when they decided to sack John Eustace, just because they wanted a big name manager. They are now 6 points off relegation.

I often think the people who should be sacked are the very people who make the failed managerial appointments in the first place.

If they knew what they were appointing, that's damning. If they didn't know what they were appointing, that's also damning.

Folks, is this the same regime that were in place when Zola was appointed in similar circumstances?

Rooney will be a better manager for the experience in the long run.

For those looking for the VAR reviews.

Link

Results are everything, and Rooney hasn't been able to get enough positive ones at any club he's managed. A strange appointment, and an all too predictable outcome.

I eagerly await the post canvassing for Rooney to be "brought home." 😱

On the list of top players failing as coaches, I think those that succeeded – Zidane, Cruyff, Ancellotti, Beckenbauer – blossom in the company of top players; birds of a feathe,r so to speak.

Top players must be aghast at lesser lights failing in the fundamentals of ball control and passing and very likely haven't the words to cope. I remember after the 1970 World Cup at Walton Hall Park emulating Pele & Co trying to bend the ball. Some cracked it; others never could, we didn't try and help we – just marked them down as shit.

Perhaps that's the vibe top players give off when managing ordinary players.

Brian,

Roy Keane did okay at Sunderland but you make a good point. This is also a warning to Everton fans who wanted the old boys Ferguson, Unsworth and Rooney managing Everton.

John Eustace was doing fine at Birmingham.

Brian #119,

Chairman Bill's fake accounts most likely died with him.

The VAR was brought in to make sure the Sly 6 stay at the top but their results show a different story – you can't count on the opposition just lying down… those out of the Sky 6, that is.

We are so far the only club not to be awarded a penalty this season – see how long that lasts. 🙄

The VAR is just to aid the corrupt refs and the corrupt Premier League – it's not based on fair assessment.

Barry @120,

Jack Charlton made a similar point when discussing why he had enjoyed a successful coaching and managing career – but Bobby hadn't.

Not surprised Rooney is gone considering what he wanted to do to good players at half-time.

Mike (124),

I've just been reading Two Brothers by Jonathan Wilson and he covers the point you make. Also fascinating reading of Bobby's disinterest in tactics as per Matt Busby. Meanwhile, Jack studied the game, learning from Don Revie.

Very interesting to read about “the battle of Goodison”. I looked it up and found this piece.

‘The battle of Goodison’ at 50: 1964, Everton and Leeds lose their manners and tempers

A night to remember by the sound of it.

Pete,

A horrible afternoon and whilst the behaviour of the crowd was nothing like the mayhem of the '70s and '80s, there was a horrible atmosphere.

I am certain that all of us who witnessed that display harbour a very real dislike of the "Damned United" to this day. Sixty years on, I'm always pleased to see them lose.

Pete @126,

I was at the match and there was no love lost between the two sides and Leeds were quickly earning the title of dirty Leeds. Certainly Morrisey and Charlton hated one another and Giles was also a nasty piece of work, oh he could play but too often reverted to the dark arts.

Also Bobby Collins was back playing against Dennis Stevens who Catterick replaced him with, and Bobby never shirked a tackle in his life despite only being 5ft-4in.

Sad that Rooney doesn't yet have that managerial touch but many top players don't make good coaches.

However, sometimes it takes years of experience before success comes – just ask Lampard and Gerrard.

It certainly can help if you can get to a club with money, like Klopp, but even then it can be a struggle.

Alan, Brian, thanks for sharing your recollections.

On Bobby Collins, I read Don Revie said he was the most important player he ever signed. So tough that even Jack Charlton tried to avoid him in five-a-side training.

Apparently Revie and Catterick agreed on £24k for Collins plus Billy Bremner included as part of the deal but only to join us at the end of the season. Seems like getting stiffed on transfers is nothing new.

Pete (126),

A day to remember actually with both teams ready to have a go from the start with hardly anyone surprised that it turned out like this, there had been bad blood in recent games between the two teams including three cup games,

Ken Stokes, a top referee at the time, lost control of the game from the start with Sandy Brown sent off for punching Giles, a snide of a player, in retaliation for a bad foul.

Then Stokes took the players off the pitch to calm down, guess who was first off the pitch? The referee, when he should have been the last off after the players.

A disgraceful foul by Bell on Derek Temple followed and Bell stayed on the field, I think he might have scored the only goal of the game. Everton had a reserve striker, Barry Rees, playing full-back in that game, Barry later died in a car crash at a very young age.

Bobby Collins a great player for the Blues, up there with the best, sold too soon by Harry Catterick but I think Bobby had a hand in wanting to go. Everton's loss and Leeds's gain, although Dennis Stevens turned out to be a good replacement for Bobby. Both had great heart and fighting spirit, good servants to Everton although it must be said Bobby had more skill than Dennis.

By the way, Don Revie won at any cost but he was a great manager for Leeds, just clock his record there in league and cups and Brian Clough was another great manager, winning two Championships with two unfashionable clubs, Derby and Forest.

Brent @115, totally. I've long stopped blaming managers. It's board room interference.

As for officials I can be quoted enough on my frustration on that issue.

Rooney seems to fall into that category of great player, not cut out for management.

Not an extensive list, but a few that spring to mind, Bryan Robson, Ruud Guillit, Gerrard, Lampard and now Rooney.

Very few can be Cruyff or Guardiola.

Having been critical of the old boys club, would it be a bad shout to invite him to Finch Farm to coach the youth teams? It's very different to coaching a senior team and might suit him better. And he lives relatively local as I understand.

Mike 123
Good comment, you are 100 % right!

Tom, 129,

Klopp has already had success with Dortmund before joining them!

I'm afraid Rooney and Klopp aren't comparable at all.

I'm going to feel dirty for saying this, but Norbert Klopp (his middle name) has worked his way up.

An average player who mostly played in Bundesliga 2 with Mainz and then managed them to earn his spurs before being taken on by Dortmund to challenge Bayern, who wanted him.

I'll leave it there as I don't feel comfortable talking about after that.

His next move will be interesting. Bayern or the German national squad?

Thanks Dave (131) for obvious reasons a game (or battle) that's stuck in your mind. Great recall and summary.

It was a bit before my time, first game 1976 League Cup 3-0 against Coventry. Very interesting reading your, Alan's and Brian's comments.

Danny #135,

I have a hard time imagining him as national team coach at this point. Some guys just love the daily grind and grit of club management, where you're managing 60 games a year instead of a dozen, and there's no such thing as a friendly.

If Germany are still playing at their current shit level before the 2026 World Cup, I presume national panic will dictate his appointment then, but for now he hasn't a reason in the world to give up what he's doing.

Dave A (131),

I was at that Leeds match too, and a confirmation of what the whole country knew about Leeds Utd. Filthy, underhanded, unprincipled, they invented gamesmanship as a tactic. Shame, as they had some really good players.

A couple of other thoughts. There was previous between the teams, as you say. Much of it went back to the 2 cup matches the previous season, when they were still in the old Division 2, and rumours were already rife about their behaviour. The first match, at Leeds was on a really foggy day, and travelling over the Pennines, pre-motorway, was dicey, especially coming home in the dark.

It was a dirty game, filthy, and we had the players to give it out too. Kay in particular, if my memory serves, was knocked flat and needed smelling salts, just in front of us. Who was it? He demanded. Reaney, he was told, and then kicked him all over the pitch for the rest of the match. Gabriel and others dished it out. We scored with a twice taken penalty, Vernon scoring after Scott missed the first penalty. We'd never seen referees being mobbed over decisions before Leeds did it.

The replay at Goodison was similar, but we beat them with Jimmy Gabriel scoring, played as centre forward. I went with my dad to that one, and he took me in the Main stand. A great night. But a hard physical game. And nobody was backing down.

Ken Stokes also had previous, sending Vernon off for a tackle on Ian Storey Moore when he played for Notts Forest I think. It was a nonsense decision by a nonsense referee. Big fat man.

After the game, a big crowd collected outside the players entrance, demanding Stokes. Me and my mate, Steve, amongst them. I'm not sure what we'd have done with him if they'd handed him over, but rumour had it he'd been smuggled out already in a kit hamper. They set the police horses to disperse the crowd, and me and Steve, and others dodged down a jigger behind the Wilmslow.

Chris (138),

Yes, I was at those two cup games, I think Leeds also beat us at Goodison in another cup game around that time, maybe the season after we beat them.

In the game at Leeds, I don't know why Alex Scott took the penalty with Vernon on the field but the goalie, Sprake saved it but was adjudged to have moved too soon? Then Roy placed the ball into the corner of the net, no bother, with the second penalty.

Another tough game played by tough men although Alex Scott took seconds when Bobby Collins gave him a load of verbals.

As you say, Chris, Leeds took gamesmanship to a new level inspired by Revie and there was no real need to play like that because they were a very good team without all that foul play but they insisted on getting their retaliation in first!

They met more than their match a few times apart from Everton, Dave McKay with Derby and Chelsea in those two cup finals and a few games with Man Utd and yet they were clapped off the pitch at Anfield in a 0-0 draw which clinched the title for Leeds.

Happy New Year Dave (A),

I was watching this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8L0mTjBi5o - last night and it make me think of you. I don't often get the chance to see such a large chunk of a game from these times.

You probably know the result but I won't spoil it for you or anyone.

Rooney took Birmingham from 5th place to 20th in just 12 weeks. That's amazing.

Be fair MG, wasn't it sixth? I wish WR only the very best of luck, but this has to be one of the worst managerial decisions in recent memory, ditching a manager who guided the club into the play-offs for one of the top footy brains in the world who doesn't seem able to manage for a toffee.

It would be so ironic if they went back to John Eustace, which I bet is what the majority of Brummy fans want. Isn't this the board where Tom Brady has a seat? Clearly Brady has given them delusions of grandeur. They need to take a deep breath and plump for someone with a pedigree who is not a celebrity.

Would Cooper go there?

I would have thought that Lee Carsley would be a sensible choice, and he used to play at St. Andrews.

Paul, without having any specific inside knowledge, I understand that Lee Carsley is comfortable coaching at U21 level, which he is doing with England.

If was a betting man (I'm not), I can see him following a similar path to Southgate through the England ranks.

I could be wrong, but just a hunch.

Good point, Danny, I hadn't thought of that. I'm actually surprised that our Lee has not been snapped up already, so maybe that given some substance to your point.

Carsley makes me think of the Dyche mentality – calm in a storm – and might not have been the worst pick to follow poor Frank. He's a little on the dour side – Southgate-like – and it would be a safe but probably not inspirational progress for him, and it would drive the Ingerlauwnd lads mad.

West Ham vs Brighton tonight.

I don't like West Ham, and that – combined with the lack of affection I have for “Captain KITAPO”, all that comes to mind is: “C'mon Brighton!”

Dave (139).

I think Vernon had missed a few games in the run up the the Cup and Scott had scored a couple of penalties in his absence. I suppose as the incumbent, he was given first go, but I doubt Roy needed much incentive to take over again, and as normal, he scored.

Another one of Leeds' innovations was having Charlton, who was tall by the standards of the day, standing on the goal line in front of West at corners. I don't recall it beforehand.

I always remember a bloke in the Street End, saying, as he came up again to stand on the line, “Here's me head, me arse is coming”.

It was funny at the time, but I suppose you had to be there.

5Live reporting that both Frank and Stevie-me-me-me-me-me-me-me are in the running for the Brum job!

Exactly not what is needed there at this time. But Frank, I can imagine that happening if the star-struck I'm a celebrity get me out of here Brum board do not get their feet back on the ground.

Chris (145), fair enough regarding Alex Scott taking over the penalty responsibilities in that game,

Whenever Jackie Charlton came up for those corners and free kicks, Gordon West would make a point of it to the referee: “Keep your eye on The Giraffe, ref.” Not sure they took much notice to be honest!

Jeez thes 2 darts lads are not exactly oil paintings or Michelangelo's David.

That sixteen-year-old Warrington wool has got to be 35-40. He looks like he's been in an alehouse for 25 years. Lovely circle of blubber ringing the top of his kecks.

Paul, have a look at the Warrington lad when he was just 18 months old and still in nappies - throwing "arrers". You need to scroll down a bit.

https://talksport.com/sport/1693152/luke-littler-age-world-championships-baby-footage/

Dear God Brent. Is he of woman-born?

Well, things aint going his way. Gotta love the Ingerlaund lads at Ally Pally - "stand up if you love the darts"

Never been one for watching the "arrers" on TV but this lad Littler is phenomenal. 2 sets to 1 up.

I sort of lost the plot when Sid Waddell called Jocky Wilson 'an athlete'.

Why was that not a penalty for Brighton? After all, Emerson's arm was in an unnatural position and the ball hit it.

Though of course, it wasn't for one of the so-called Big 6 sceptic teams… that's why it wasn't given.

Dave,

Your mention of Dave McKay brings back only one memory of him, that tackle on Jimmy Husband. I suspect over the years the villainy of its memory has been distorted in its enormity by time.

But standing only a few feet away in the Goodison Road terrace by the dugout, I'm afraid to say the red mist descended on me and my abuse would make a docker blush. I still colour up on thinking about it.

(As an aside, after living in so many countries, my accent has somewhat had to disappear to make myself understood to locals; however, once riled or drunk, it returns to the place I was born, with a vengeance! Anybody else found that?)

I remember my Dad pointing to a part of the pitch and saying 'That's where poor Jimmy Husband got murdered.'

I said, 'Who's Jimmy Husband?'

'Good player,' he replied.

Christine (154),

I think it was a bad foul by McKay but Jimmy's injury from the tackle didn't keep him out of the game for long.

Dave McKay was a marvellous footballer, an inspiration to every team and their players he played for including a good Scottish international team.

I remember him playing in one of Alex Young's first games at Goodison, Everton got a corner and McKay in a melee following it headed the ball back to his goalie over the heads of several players, cool as you like.

Regarding accents, I always laugh to myself thinking about a mate who joined a Scottish regiment, he did his three months training came home and playing dice in the Four Squares said “I'll roll the dice for half a croon.” He never lived that down!

How did Brighton not win that game?

I remember watching Spurs v Liverpool at White Heart Lane must have been 1964-1966. Tommy Smith flattened McKay, then stood over him mouthing off and pointing at him.

When we left the ground, a local newspaper had the picture of Smith standing over a prostate McKay, with headline. 'The King is dead, long live the King'.

Christine, I've lived in Canada since 1979 and the answer is yes. Noticed the same phenomenon in other family members and expats too.

Neil (161),

42 years in Toronto and mine has become an indistinct “English” accent in a bid to be heard, however a couple of beers with anyone from Merseyside then out comes the accent. Even better, a couple of Islays brings out my original, Scottish accent.

Slainte mhath!

Stephen, there's a new Irish pub in the Beaches that shows footy. I'm gonna check it out Thursday if you feel like it.

Christine @155, sure have found that.

I've worked, travelled around Europe, USA, India, South-East Asia, New Zealand during the past 50 years and settled in Australia in 1986. Some still say "Hmm Hmm - do I detect an accent?" but when I get angry it's as clear as daylight scouser.

My wife is a Geordie and has travelled a lot with me over the years. When she gets angry, my god, the Geordie accent is just as it was when I first met her in Tynemouth in 1969. But she hated "Geordie Shore" chuckle!

If we don't receive a further punishment from the Premier League, I believe we will stay in the Premier League this season. We should receive some of the 10 points back as the whole thing is corrupt.

Happy New Year! I wish all Toffee Webbers well for 2024 and look forward to the completion of the new stadium. It's already looking fab.

Thanks to Chris Williams for the video link:

Everton Stadium: Another Year Of Progress In 2023!

Christine #155

"As an aside, after living in so many countries, my accent has somewhat had to disappear to make myself understood to locals; however, once riled or drunk, it returns to the place I was born, with a vengeance! Anybody else found that?"

Yes, we can notice your scouse accent in your writings at times!

I see that Mario Zagallo the brilliant player and manager of Brazil has died at the age of 92. Zagallo played in both the 1958 and 1962 finals for Brazil. He then went on to manage the greatest side I have seen in my lifetime the 1970 World Cup winning Brazil team. He was also the assistant manager to Carlos Parreiras 1994 World Cup winning Brazilian side and he became the manager again of Brazil and got to the World Cup final again in 1998 were they were beaten by the hosts France. Mario Zagallo was the first person ever to win the World Cup as a player and a manager, what a legacy he leaves behind.

Hi Neil (163),

I've not been on the site and missed your note. Next time.

Are you aware of TorontoToffees (on Facebook), they watch the game at Dizzy's (not a jazz venue, unfortunately) on Roncesvalles.