Premier League — Matchweek 26

Jesus, I was not expecting that. I don't know whether to be happy or sad.

Luton 1 up!

Luton 1-up at Mordor!

I don't mind if The Hatters get some points off the Red Shite tbh.

Jesus, I was not expecting that. I don't know whether to be happy or sad.

Typical, Paul. They never fail to let us down.

Fielding cheapened team to make a point to the league about their fixture list.

Weakened not cheapened. Predictive text. Meh

Surprised Klopp has risked going with a weakened team as I thought he'd want to go out as a league title winner.

Most reds who rang into Radio Merseyside's Monday night phone-in were hoping for as full strength as possible tonight as most in Norway prioritise winning the league over a cup competition.

This Luton potential result makes Dyche's cowardice at home to Palace look absolutely criminal.

Klopp's bench Jay has a few unfamiliar names to me; I think that ours looked stronger on Saturday.

5 Konaté, 13 Adrián, 21Tsimikas, 26 Robertson, 42 Clark, 49 Gordon, 53 McConnell, 76 Danns, 98 Nyoni.

Looked at BBC text commentary. Soon after the goal, we get not, Luton are currently out of the relegation zone, but:

"Everton are back in the relegation zone and three points from safety as it stands."

Nice.

Luton are showing the benefits of having a go.

Agreed Colin. There's no way they would play 2 DMs at home with Ashley Young on the right wing.

Colin, what does "having a go" mean??

Maybe Victor was right all along...

It got better, Will, they've got us down as beating them 1-0, at 19.55.

"Ryan Gravenberch is agitated and is fortunate to escape a booking."

While playing for Liverpool? At Anfield? Surely not!

I suspect Colin means playing more than one attacker. Not filling the team with DMs. Getting players forward in numbers. Not sitting back and trying to nick one from a set piece.

All the things Dyche doesn't do basically.

Luton go into every game with nothing to lose. If they go down it won't matter.

Can't say the same for us.

Phil, yes!

Can't get the staff now people aren't buying the licence.

Ian, more than one attacker.. eh? Confused :-)

It looks like Luton have an extra man.

Woodrow and Morris. Two up front at Anfield. We play one up front at home to Crystal Palace. Dyche is a coward.

I don't care what it means to the table right now – I still want the redshite to lose!

Fuck them!

Typo, Will. Having a go means; effort, heart, tactics, courage, willpower, desire etc…..

Wasn't citing the typo, Colin.

I guess my sarcasm game is off point tonight.

I wonder if Rob Edwards would take a step down in his managerial career to manage a fallen giant in the Championship, apparently this fallen giant will have a state-of-the-art immersion bath in the changing room.

But then again, according to the media beauts and some of ToffeeWeb experts, we already have the right man at the helm at the minute.

Will #10 - I thought the same.

But the Liverpool bias did not take long to come back - at 20:02

"That's better! A lovely ball over the top finds Luis Diaz on the stretch but it's just wide."

It's almost as if the BBC are desperate for Liverpool to win.

Yes, Colin, my grandson plays on his Xbox and I say "Can I have a go?" He does nothing but laugh.

I'll be glad when he's old enough to start school.

Gary, naturally.

Just bear in mind, if the shite lose tonight and miss out on winning the league because of it while helping Luton to avoid the drop at our expense the kopites'll get over it a lot quicker than we will.

They'll be able to have a go at winning the Premier League again next season while we'll be in the Championship.

Well over me head, Will. I’ll try to be more alert next time. Luton are going to win his, aren’t they?

Dickhead Yu will be on shortly, will he?

Colin, if our luck dictates, then likely so. Of course we need a win by... by... b... no, I just can't say it.

Jamie, I'm no expert but I certainly think so.

Did I just hear some moans and groans of discontent from Freddy Fjord and the other pond life in Klopp's Kop?

Well, I typed a tad too soon clearly. The saint has scored.

Actually, a draw is probably my preferred result.

Even more shite. Like fucking buses.

Devil has awoken.

Well, that was quick.

Get a few more please

Devil on acid.

What’s the BBC saying now, Will?

Victor’s mate spoke too early?

A good old battering of the hatters might take the wind out of their sails.

Rob, no comments yet, they must still be hugging.

They are dancing in the streets of Oslo now...

Back out of the bottom three.

I don’t care what it means to the table right now - I still want the redshite to lose!
Fcuk them!

If he has a mate it's one more than someone...

We just need Bournemouth to beat Luton now and their one game advantage has gone.

Could be 3 straight defeats for Luton. Maybe the bubble has burst?

Apparently we're back out of the relegation zone. I wonder where Luton are... since they are playing in this game.

Just looking at the RS bench...
L.Diablo
B. Elzebub
Lou Cifer
Ring any bells???

Game over?

Game over

Great team, Luton! Just what the doctor ordered.

I suspect there was something wrong with the Luton formation.

OK, this going too far now, I'll take a draw,

I agree, Brent, it was criminal going two up front at Anfield.

Look at the goal difference and our 10 points back before comparing Rob Edwards to Dyche.

Luton are great aren't they because they have a go, don't they? They have played shite all night and fluked a goal that no one saw coming except for Eric Morecambe and Nick Owen. They are shite. But, guess what, we should be copying them, a team who leak goals like one or two posters leak shite. We should emulate a team who if there is any justice would now be how many points below us?

One of the early comments saying they don't mind Luton getting points off the Shite. That's ridiculous!

3-1 now… so sorry if that disappoints.

Edward @51 are you referencing that great movie Angel Heart ?

Luton will now be 1 win in their last 8 in the league. For all their spirit and pace and attacking courage, they cannot keep themselves from giving the ball away at the back, and it kills them in game after game. And it's why I still believe they will go down.

Allen #61, speaking of going down... Micky Rourke on Lisa Bonet. Mmmmm...

And there they go again. All the apparent gung ho courage means fuck all when your defence leaks goals like a sieve. Despite the love-in on here, Luton capitulate again.

Yes, Paul, it’s not just goals scored but also conceded that counts. Luton conceded 47 as far as I can see.

We should be 2 points above Luton if we had a braver manager.

Luton’s forwards are that potent, that Virgin Van Shite is playing as a centre forward half the time.

We're already 10 points above Luton, Paul.

Not on my table we're not.

If Everton were shipping 2/3/4 goals a game and were behind a team that had been docked 10 points, imagine the stick the manager would get.

Paul H #68 - the points were gained on the field by the manager and team; they were lost off the field because of decisions by others.

The problem with you Rob Halligan is that you don't listen to Ian Edwards who told you that Luton are dead brave and have a go unlike us cowards. You do not realise as that great Evertonian Edwards does that we should be copying Luton and then we might, just might, have a chance of avoiding the drop.

Hang on, Ian Edwards, Rob Edwards? Hmmmmmmmmm

4-1. Yep we should definitely be taking lessons from Luton as the wise sage says.

Another one bites the dust.

Get more – it could rest on goal difference at the end of the season.

Paul @ 59; funny you should say that, it's morning here and I checked the latest scores and tables.

'Never say die, Mighty Luton' and the resurgent Ross have a whole massive 5 pts from 5 games.

Yet poor, stuttering, can't buy a win, Everton have a paltry 4pts from the last 5 games, it's all about perception... you gotta love that insatiable beast, the 24-hour news cycle!

Well I said Luton were brave by having a go. Believe it or not, I'm sticking with it. Fortune favours the brave, sometimes.

I just hope Luton fall apart now and don't win another game this season.

"We would be two points above Luton if we had a braver manager."

Then again, we could be 4-5 points behind them if their manager wasn't so childishly naive…

I'm disappointed!

I don't care who beats the shite so long as they do!
Gobshites, every fucking one of them.

I hope the ref adds on 20 minutes and Luton get 4!

Dear old Liverpool, I knew they'd do what was right.

Can’t see this same RS team beating Chelsea so easily on Sunday in the Mickey Mouse Cup final.

I'm not sure there's anything too clever in predicting a Liverpool win at Anfield over Luton. It's certainly not worth gloating over.

It probably would have happened if they'd sat back, lumped the ball away and played defensive wingers.

I never like Like Liverpool winning, and yes they do a lot. But I'll take tonight's result!

Rob, I'd love Everton to win the "Mickey Mouse Cup", our last Cup win was 29 years ago don't forget.

I wanted the RS to win, and I was delighted they did.

I couldn't give a fuck about them, as long as we stay up and them doing us a favour is alright with me every day of the week.

I too wanted the Red Shite to win tonight.

John,

You think Forest will get theirs next season, mate and it won't be 15 points, I don't think...I am more worried about us than them fuckers!

Who would you like to see get their comeuppance St Virgil and Jordan Ayew?

I would have gone for Ayew last night, but the gobshite just came on my screen and changed my mind.

Wonder if our manager watched this game, he might have learned how to get from defense to attack and subs can be used anytime not till players are out of breath...

The downside is even more media fawning over Liverpool.

Rob, you may be right, possibly when Man Utd won it.

Joe, fully agree with you. I’ve said many times I’d love us to win the League cup, under whatever name it uses.

Calling it the Mickey Mouse Cup, which was, don’t forget the name given to it by RS fans, for a reason I cannot remember, doesn’t mean I don’t want to win it.

I dislike Luton more than Liverpool but I couldn't bring myself to support them.

I was hoping for an asteroid to hit Anfield.

I do wonder at how some people think that playing a pass to one of your own side then moving into space to take a return or third pass, preferably forward, and also gets more players into supporting attacking positions, or just to pull an opponent out of position is regarded as Kamikaze football, but then doesn't the word have, in translation, something to do with wind?

Still, I could never work out why Kamikaze pilots wore helmets.

“I dislike Luton more than Liverpool.”

I'm curious, Kieran… Why??

For those struggling to work things out - the answer often lies in context. Try looking at the wider circumstances and things will become clearer.

Just part of the uniform, Alan J.

You know, like Karius wearing goalie gloves. Useless, but expected.

I want to win the League Cup. Having never won it, it's something that grates me.

So close in 1977. Should have won it in 1984 when Hansen somehow got away with that blatant handball.

The Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea don't snub it.

Trust that lot to give me kittens last night. I will go to confession, but we needed them to do us a favour.

How on earth can an Evertonian hate Luton more than them.

Reasons, Kieran?

Watching Arsenal destroy The Barcodes and would love Everton to play with such panache. But with our squad it's completely unrealistic. At times they are breathtaking.

Odegaard is a magnificent footballer. He just glides across the ground, rarely loses possession and his ability to find an incisive pass between the lines is sublime.

I’m gutted after reading that post Liam, because I was going home to watch Arsenal, but forgot all about it. Forgetting about a football match I wanted to watch was something I never would have done before this season started, and because I think Odegarrd, and Saka, are two of the best players in the league, I’m gutted I never watched that Arsenal game now!

Liam. I remember seeing Odeegard when he first arrived at Arsenal and thinking Jeez there's another brilliant player we're gonna have to face. A natural talent.

And then you have loads of Arsenal supporters doing one with more than five minutes to go. I guess you just can't please some people!

The football Arsenal play at their best is so good to watch. Some fantastic young players at that club. In Mikel Arteta, they got a good one.

Tony - at least you've not had to listen to SuperAlly on co-commentary. Absolutely!

Not having his best season Odeegard. Saka has been outstanding. Rice is starting to look a tad world class. Gabriel is a wonderful defender.

Anyone see tonight the similarities between the way Arsenalwere playing, especially in the first 30 minutes, and the way a certain Manchester team play?

The student learned well…

Close at the top. Just wait 'til we put a spanner in the rs's works at Goodison.

🫣🫣🫣🫣

I remember reading about Arteta being frustrated with Moyes's tactics when he played for us. Think he's always had a vision of how to play the game. Working with Pep clearly didn't harm him either. He'd have a challenge getting a decent tune out of our lot though.

PF - Bit harsh! I'd be happy with Odegaard at his very worst!

It's a pleasure to watch Man City and Arsenal play. Two different styles but so effective against everyone else.

The ability to attract the best players available and build the strength in depth that both have is a credit to the way their hierarchies run the clubs.

Sometimes, a club like Leicester may go against the grain and win the Premier League but look what eventually happened to them — although they will be back next season.

Looking at that Man City game, they don't look as invincible as they have done in the past, something definitely wrong with their defence.

I think Everton have as good a chance of staying up as City have of winning the Premier League.

I see that twat Maupay is at it again - hard to believe he is still on our books https://www.everton.news/neal-maupay-sends-message-to-32-year-old-brighton-star-after-everton-draw/

never mind Maupay, nothing better than watching Bingo going beserk the twat- love that Ian Dennis keeps calling it the league cup final..

FFS! Virgin VD strikes again.

ah shite VARis great

Paul, it is the League Cup, whatever they call it.

Damn, they scored.

Will, oh no they haven't. :)

Todays win puts Wolves 8th and 17 points ahead of us!!!

Ian... aaah! Nice :-)

Soren, he's a multi millionaire footballer, he certainly won't be a Virgin 😉🤣

As much stick as Calvert-Lewin gets, I wouldn't swap him for either Jackson or Sterling. they are so poor. Cue Jackson winner!!!!

Rob (87) the reason Liverpool fans used to call it the Mickey Mouse Cup, is when in the 70's we got to a League Cup Final against Villa they had never appeared in one. We are actually the first Merseyside team to appear in both a League and FA Cup final.

fuck

I mean, come on! How crap is this Chelsea team!?

They can't even beat a SHITE B team full of youngsters!

Van Dijk or Funes Mori. discuss

Of course... Gawd it's just gross.

Can’t say the shite didn’t deserve that, but FFS, Chelsea should be really ashamed of themselves. A billion pounds spent in what, 18 months, and they can’t beat a bunch of kids.

They'll win all 4...I know it.

Derek when Everton played Villa in the league Cup final, it would have been a Micky Mouse Cup for Liverpool compared to the European one they won that season.

Micky Mouse or not, I don't think Everton will ever win it, not even sodding once.

This morning I posted a tribute to the late, great Stan Bowles. It was pulled within minutes. R.I.P. Stan. You were a joy to watch.

Doesn't matter what cups they win this season, it'll all seem inadequate when they fail to win the League - again.

Pulled by and why, Colin?

Too true, Colin. Stan was one of the great '70s mavericks.

Remember Edward, some of us were told we shouldn't buy Van Dijk because he 'played in a crap league'.

Rob -

Those kids looked awfully good in my opinion.

I take no pleasure in saying this:
Klopp will leave and he can hold his head high. His time over there has been wildly successful, no matter what happens the rest of this season. He's clearly left the club in a phenomenal position, those kids showed today the future is bright over there. Klopp is going to go out on top (figuratively). How many people in life can actually say that? They're so well run it's criminal, and depressing to watch frankly.

It's gross but I for one will always tip my cap where it's warranted, even to the enemy.

I hope we clobber them when we play again. Just to watch them wallow one more time under Klopp.

No idea, Julian. It was on the Branthwaite thread and had gone within minutes. Nothing offensive was on it, apart from calling modern day footballers robotic.

Klopp to cretin face Masters there. What's he said. "Don't give them their 10 points back." "Oh don't worry, I won't".

Paul and Edward, another example of wrong choices: Sheikh Mansour or Moshiri.

Jamie. It's hard saying it, but I unfortunately agree.

A flukey last minute of injury goal? for Liverpool? With their reputation?

Well, well, well, who saw that coming?

I agree Jamie. I am no fan of theirs but they always seem to get the job done, a fact which has haunted me all my life as an Evertonian growing up surrounded by 'them'.

They play with an energy and commitment which most teams can't compete with. I dread the rest of the season because it could be the Jürgen Klopp show. Perish the thought!

Jamie, Joe, completely agree with you both. I can't stand them - that doesn't stop anyone observing and learning from them.

Joe (and edited to others as well) -

Yup. I almost lost my breakfast typing.

But...

Living in America in particular, I'd not trade a single moment supporting Everton, than be one of the Yank bandwagon jumpers saying they support Liverpool. Plastic little fuckers would jump ship in a second if their fortunes changed.

Years on TW have taught me how fortunate one is to love our Club. Good times, bad times. Just read the witty comments, the passion, the commitment Evertonians have. It's priceless and worth all of it.

So fuck 'em. They'll never have the true heart Everton has. Never. They are run like a well oiled machine. But they don't have that intangible "something truly special" and they never will.

I'd rather walk alone.

This was the fucking Guardian:

LIVERPOOL WIN THE CARABAO CUP!
Full time: Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool It’s all over! Liverpool have won the League Cup for the tenth time. It’s the 51st major trophy in their history, and a story like no other. They finished the game with a mixture of kids, seniors who could barely run and a mighty character called Virgil van Dijk. His last-gasp header clinched the most glorious triumph of the human spirit, one that Liverpool Football Club will dine out on forever.

Fuck me, we're praising the red shite on these hallowed pages, even grudgingly. Fucking pornography. Why do it? I hope binman MK gets rid of the filth.

That, too, is vile pornography Brian.

You ain't walking alone Jamie, as me and thousands of others are walking with you!

Paul T, get paid mate. I hate Liverpool, but throughout my lifetime they are a football club, who have nearly always, possessed so much hunger to succeed, and I think that was very evident watching that game today.

Chelsea are not quite there, and still play more individual than they play like a real team, but Liverpool are a football club that seem to be aligned from top to bottom, and you could see they all possess, those certain qualities that should be ingrained into any footballer, who really wants to succeed.

That’s enough of me giving them any credit, because they just did what Dyche’s team, have done so often this season. They stayed in the game and looked very dangerous from set-pieces!

Paul -

It's just brutally honest objectivity. Surely that should never been binned?

I dunno. If it is binned, fine. Whatever...

"...one that Liverpool Football Club will dine out on forever."

Guess they'll be going for a Disney breakfast with Mickey Mouse.

Joe -

Only in regard to walking with them, would I rather walk alone.

And if we ever meet, we won't be walking! We'll be sitting our asses on a barstool enjoying fantastic company and having ten or so beers...

Not your best couple of days Jamie mate.

Well, glass half full and all, if that's your perspective Pauly mate, there's only one direction to go! Up! Cheers.

Admiring the shite bollocks. Right now we have red shite on 606. South-east accent, boasting that he watched the match on his 75 inch screen. That's fucking classy Liverpool for you.

I hate the RS with a vengeance but even I had to admire the
performance their kids put in.

Dobbin might get a runout for us. Never has the gulf between the two clubs been so enormous

Jamie, I am with you although I avoid all RS matches except vs us. Know your enemy and give them credit where due (eg Rommel).

Re today, my take is the Devil looks after his own…

Shit, what a time to be going back home and stopping with my brother who is a Liverpool supporter!

Makes me think about cancelling my trip in April...

Paul,

I've an Irish accent and watched Everton on a 43-inch screen yesterday. What does that mean?

I hate the shithouse rats with a vengeance but they have the winning mentality which we don't possess. Maybe a hint of it appeared during Carlo's all too brief stay.

It's not about fawning over them, it's a matter of looking at what they, City, Arsenal are doing and emulating it as best we can.

The lazy thinking that says it's all down to 'money' is the root of all our current problems.

We had money and we royally fucked it up, because unlike the above-mentioned teams we had no plan, no strategy and a lack of quality at club management level. And none of them were big enough to admit they didn't know what they were doing.

And that's a far bigger crime than some of us giving praise when it's deserved.

Shane, you're not ringing up 5live to brag about it mate. And 43 is a decent size; who the feck needs 75' And you're an Evertonian. And you're Irish, not a south-east chav.

FFS, you can’t get away from the bastards. I put a recorded film on, The Commitments, and the first thing you see is a RS in a red shite away shirt with Candy on it. 😡😡😡

Paul, I live down here in the South East. I go the gym and one of the instructors is a non league footballer and “Gobshite” whose never been a game in his life and who I give constant “abuse” to. He takes it well.

The other day he had a replacement who wore a Atheltco Madrid top. The next time the “koppite” was in I asked about the madrileno. “He’s actually a MASSIVE” Liverpool fan” came the reply. He’s from up north, Walsall, and NEVER misses a game on the telly!

Plastic cnuts the lot of them.

Fcuk them

Rob, put on the dvd for Fever Pitch and cheer yourself up.
Happiest ending ever!
KAGS

Rob [158],

Any cushions being thrown from the packed-looking away end at full time?

Also, how long was the journey home?

Mike, if you mean yesterday, then I'm not sure why you would say that. Maybe out of frustration, but anyway no, nothing was thrown onto pitch as far as I could see.

The journey home took about 5 hours. I got off at the rocket at 10:30pm. A long day, as I was up at 5 am yesterday morning.

Rob, you're right. One of the first people we met up here in the Highland was a bloke on the beach calling his dog in a Scouse accent. It was called Shankly. We got chatting and he said 'You're a Blue aren't you? I could tell by your face when I called my dog's name!' In fairness he's a proper Scouser and a sound bloke.

I wonder how many of Liverpools young players are actually THAT good? It’s amazing how playing alongside good team mates and having the aura of a “great team” can raise youngsters to look better than they are. What I mean by that is for every TAA they e produced a handful of Jordan Ibes, that one striker who went to Sheff Utd, Harry Wilson etc, Similat to Utd of old with Chadwick, Greening, Robins and so on all looking star material until they flogged them and they were surrounded by other mediocre players. It’s a great system if you master it. The actual Beckhams, Owens, Scholes you keep while the rest you sell for inflated prices that enable you to go out and buy good players.

I suppose in a sense it’s what Wimbledon used to do although in their case I assume people looked purely at results then thought “he must good.” So they sold terrible players like Vinnie Jones, Glyn Hodges, Fash the Bash, Scales, Curle etc for millions.

Mark Murphy

I grew up in Herts most people supported Spurs. I remember one time a mouthy Arsenal fan was in the pub, my Everton mate and I were wearing Everton shirts. He started with the old “you’re not a proper fan Everton is miles away I bet you’ve never even seen them play etc” Funnily enough we both whipped out tickets for the following day at Spurs. Plus a few weeks earlier we’d watched at Palace plus half a dozen trips to Goodison over the season. When we whipped out the Spurs tickets all the Spurs fans start giving the Arsenal fan shit “gutted! Wanker” etc So he responded “how many of you ate going to the game?” Crickets. Honestly Spurs fans are worse than the RS in terms of having knowledge and involvement in the club beyond just wearing the shirt anywhere they go.

Marcel Brands had definitely done his homework on Kenwright's Everton when he realised that, if he walked into the club talking a cracker, then he would have a lot of us eating out of the palm of his hand.

Money can make you lazy! We have had some great players behind the scenes at Everton over the last 20 years. Wyeness is another who never seems to be out of the press, talking about a club that he made a right few quid out of by agreeing to sell his silence for money.

Kieran, I know a koppite at my cricket club. Born and bred down here BUT to be fair he follows them home and away. I have respect for him (but still give him pelters non stop when I see him).

As a wool I don’t really care where they’re from but I won’t take the “we” have won x amount of Champions league shite from anyone who has got no other reason for supporting them other than Istan fucking bull on the telly!

I go the games I can, I can’t afford to go all of them and soon when I’m on my pension and I have no “disposable income” I’ll go fewer, but no fcuking tellypudlian will ever take the piss of me!

Every fucking one of them - even little baby ones!!

Mark,

Lol, yeah, in fairness, my best mate in high school was a Southerner born and bred but would travel to Anfield as an RS. Sadly he had a massive heart attack and died aged 30 as he left Craven Cottage after watching Roy Hodgson's RS play badly there.

So they do have some “proper” albeit misguided fans but most of them are plastic wankers.

A lot of them might be plastic, but because it's quite possible they have outgrown our city (I'm convinced going to Anfield has become a massive bucket lister in the last few years), it might just be time for the local boys to take over once again. 🤞

Kieran, Calling Glyn Hodges a terrible player? Clueless!!

Brands was a big culprit, Tony. He didn't know the difference between a talented player and an effective one. He was allergic to buying players with a goal threat.

I remember Silva saying he had to persuade Brands that Richarlison was worth buying – the only player we bought in the Moshiri era who knew where the goal was.

Nobody in the club seemed to notice we weren't buying any players who could score. Just like nobody seemed to notice we were breaching PSR…

Tony,

On that point, a Samoan I know from work went to London for 2 weeks last summer as his kid was having tryouts for Chelsea. While there, the one day they had free, they took the train up to Liverpool saw the Beatles expo and toured frigging Anfield.

David,

Sorry if I touched a nerve. I just remember Hodges getting the big money Newcastle move as one of, as Shoot! magazine put it, “the fantastic four.” I think he played less than 10 games for them.

Depending on how hard I'm working, I honestly bump into people like that every single week, Kieran. I spoke to a family who had just come out of an Anfield tour yesterday, and I asked them would they be staying in the city to watch Liverpool, because they were in the final today.

They said they didn't know about the final, and asked me would it be hard driving out of the city, because of the traffic, and I had to explain to them that they might be better off driving home early, just in case they lived anywhere near Wembley. They told me they lived in Milton Keynes.

Tony (144),

Yes they've always had that will to win, never give up, last season though and a couple of other seasons under Klopp they haven't appeared to be fully fit, are the inhalers back this season? They never stopped running yesterday!

I wonder what Seamus must think when he sees 18-year-old kids getting Cup Winners medals for playing half a game? He'll most probably end up with fuck-all at the end of his career.

Also, Lewis Dobbin watching these young kids getting their opportunity in a major final while he sits on our Bench watching two left feet Beto or 38-year-old has-been Ashley Young getting on before him,

The same with Nathan Patterson… Something's got to change.

Simmsy scores for a third match on the run. Nice finish.

Ellis Simms playing well and scoring.

Oh yeh, we let him go…

He's got that knack of knowing how to find the onion bag Paul.

I know his all round game isn't amazing, but Everton have a habit of ditching the natural finishers, in favour of the workhorse centre forwards.

Good to see him doing well albeit at another club.

In other news, West Ham are well up for it.

West ham 1-0.

Gooooool Bowen. Hammers 1-0!

He did it again. 2-0

2-0.

WHU 2 up after 7 minutes lol

Bowen 2 goals in the first 5 min

Ahhhh breathing space is good maaaan

The "MOYES OUT" boys are nowhere to be seen... but wait - Maupay LOL

2-1

Maupay!

The little shit. Couldn’t do that here. What a fuck. Despise him now.

Irony, that Maupay did fuck all for us, but can't stop scoring now.

Maupay tweeted Dunk with the message - My Captain - after he equalised against us on Saturday!

A kick in the teeth for Coleman and EFC. I hope we at least get our money back for him.

Two things, Bobby.

1) Ellis Simms, like Tom Cannon, was sold in order to try and save our sorry backsides on PSR.

2) Maidstone play in the National League South. Your mum could put boots on and score goals in that division. It's not as though Ellis has done anything of note in the Championship.

Do you honestly think Ellis Simms would be pulling up trees for us in the Premier League, or is he simply a convenient reason to attack the club (who have been run abysmally)?

Simms hat-trick

Rob, like many Everton strikers over many years, Maupay wasn't suited to the isolated lone striker role.

Why have a go at Maupay? We should be having a go at the people at the club who could not get the best out of him.

Oh, and another forward we could not get the best out of just scored three.

Maupay was part of this club and obviously failed to convert decent chances. That is on him. Maybe we caused some lack of confidence but many of his misses were truly dreadful.

Ellis Simms hat-trick!!! 🥱

When did Maidstone United join the Premier League?

Wow! Simms hattrick against mighty Maidstone at home. Bring him back I say.

Ellis Simms is playing at home against a sixth-tier team. He's doing nothing in the championship.

As for Maupay, I didn't know about that comment. As soon as we get some money, I hope he winds the wrong person up and they smash his face in.

Soren, Simms has done little at all up to now in this season.

Paul, my comment was sarcastic my friend 😉.

Now then, Ellis Simms up against the likes of Van Dyjk, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Gabriel, Van de Ven, Lewis Dunk, in fact any Premier League centre back…

Or Ellis Simms up against whoever is the Maidstone centre-backs, or in fact any centre-backs that play in whatever league Maidstone are in, and I know which group of centre-backs will be having the easier time.

Who upset Nolan in the tunnel?

Maupay, that figures.

Too bad we struggle on the right. West Ham's left side looks absolutely porous.

Bowen hat-trick.

Nice work from Kudus there.

I was thinking about it today, Dale, and would consider playing Doucouré on the right with Harrison, on the left, and maybe trying McNeil more central, although I'm sure these three players could rotate if needs be!

Dale #207,

It was good work by Kudus, but the marking in the 6-yard box was atrocious. 4-1 now.

Tony, how to rotate up front without losing defensive shape is the mystery to solve. I think I might be convinced of your idea. Harrison is the one to free up if we can figure it out.

Meanwhile it's a colony collapse at London stadium.

And Rob, Bowen is short and not that fast. No excuse for him to get a free header in the 6-yard box.

West ham still look vulnerable in defence. If we get at them, we should win.

This is setting up nicely for us. Short week for Hammers, they've had more shots than I think I've seen under Moyes and may look to attack. A last 30 minutes coast could also help. I like it.

At the end of week 26 we are 15th. The commentators said “a bad week for Brentford, they've seen Everton gain 4 points”. Lovely.

I think Bowen had been off form, one of the reasons WHU had gone through a very lean spell. Last night, he found space for three goals.

>I only watched bits and pieces last night and the highlights this morning – did he have a good game?

Yes, I know the hat-trick is enough but he is a very good player, so I would give him special attention on Saturday to keep him quiet.

I'd play 4-4-2, Dale. I'd concede the other half of the pitch by dropping eleven men towards the halfway line and I'd let our opponents have the ball until they came into the side of the pitch that we have condensed.

Doucoure's prodigious work rate would get him a spot out wide, although he might be suited playing in one of the central positions for exactly the same reason but I'd probably go with more disciplined players in this part of the pitch.

Beto has shown no signs of creating an effective partnership with Calvert-Lewin so I'd try the kid from Portugal or maybe Lewis Dobbin who might be able to do a lot more work from the front and might come in very useful stealing the ball back from the blindside.

Dead easy this football, sitting on an iPad in my living room, but I'm convinced it could be a very effective system with the players we currently have. Who knows?

Chavs 1 down, awful defending, great finish.

agh

They truly are the "Devils Team"
The older I get, the more I despise them.

Cup draw made before tonight's games, so plenty of either / ors, with only one definite game, but hopefully it means the end for those skunk gobshites, who have been drawn away at Man City.

I'm waiting for the Saints to beat the devils tonight, Rob, and then we will be able to beat them ourselves on St Patrick's Day.

Terry # 176. I agree with your sentiments.

Klopp plays with young blood and gets results while we still keep turning out folk well past their sell-by date. Having watched the Brighton game, I just do not understand how Gana starts before Onana. Or Godfrey starts before Patterson (when Seamus is injured). Neither of these two know what to do with the ball at their feet.

How either of them get in the first team beats me, along with Ashley Young. Although, to be fair to Young, he was a good player in his day, it is just that it was 10 years ago.

Do we not have any young players that can step up to the mark? Patterson and Dobbin don't get a look-in and what about Onyango? I never hear of him now. We are desperately in need of a playmaker and some young blood with some energy.

The difference between Klopp and Dyche is that Klopp is prepared to try something new whereas Dyche cannot see the longer term picture.

Jason Koumas will be happy. Saints need to do something here. I don't want us playing them, what will it be, penultimate game of the season.

There'll be lots of Leeds lads hanging around King's Cross if this goes to a replay and pens as the last train is 11.33 - there you go 2-2

One of the biggest disappointment of the Moshiri era was that the constant chopping and changing of managers, it definitely had a major detrimental effect on a lot of very good young players Everton had on their books when he first purchased the club.

I remember watching Arsenal's kids absolutely wiping the floor with the Moyes team that came 4th in the league, one night in North London, in a League Cup game, but I don't think many of those very talented kids made the grade, Now these young Liverpool players have had a taste of it, then it will be interesting to see what happens to them once other players get fit, and they are taken out of the squad.

Once Everton are sold, then it's absolutely imperative that the club starts getting built from the top to the bottom again, and an academy system that has probably stopped the club from going to the wall, more than once, needs to be restructured to start producing results once again.

We are on our 8th manager in 11 years.

That will have impacted development of young players and also the team.

The managerial revolving door has affected the club. But it isn't all the managers' fault.

Mismanagement at the top.