Fans Comment
Paul Traill

Things Will Change
19 October 2005

Although the performances haven’t been much good from the Blues this season (to say the least!), I personally can’t help but feel very sorry for that bunch of Everton players.  Almost as sorry as they seem to be feeling for themselves.  I guess, when your down the bottom, things go against you but I can’t remember a run of luck which has gone quite this badly in my time watching Everton.

You could say that Everton had plenty of luck last season so it’s balanced itself out but I don’t think that’s necessarily true — apart from perhaps with injuries.  There were plenty of games last season when we didn’t get much luck.  I think that most of the games we did win were deserved.  I remember Spurs at home, Man Utd away, Villa at home, Chelsea both home and away and Charlton away just off the top of my head when things could have gone even better for us and we were a bit unlucky.  To counter that we had some luck against Birmingham at home and away, Bolton at home, West Brom and Norwich at home.  I think it levelled itself out really.  Whereas this season has just taken the piss.

I hate 'ifs' and 'buts'... but, if we had have beaten Villarreal like we should've, then I honestly don’t think we’d be in this mess now.  Far from it.  In fact, if Uefa hadn’t broken the rules and not let Liverpool back in, I don’t think they’d have felt compelled to kick us out the way they did (a conspiracy theory, I know — but one I believe!).  Before this, we got lucky against Bolton... and that’s been it.  There’s been little if anything between most of the teams we’ve played since Villarreal (Bucharest and Arsenal away excepted).  On other days, we’d have gotten a goal and won. For example:

• Man Utd: very close game until Yobo gifts them a goal. Van der Saar was by far the busier keepe and we hit the bar.  We lose 2-0.
• Portsmouth: Dunc’s header is cleared off the line and then he bangs one in at the other end.  We lose 1-0.
• Wigan: we hit the bar and have a perfectly good goal disallowed.  We lose 1-0.
• Man City: absolutely nothing in the game whatsoever.  If anything, we look like nicking it and then Danny Mills (who hadn’t scored in three years) rockets one home.  As if!  At the other end, Weir somehow doesn’t score and then they go and do it. 2-0.
• Spurs: Yobo gives it away and they go and score. We lose 2-0.

It seems that every time we give the ball away we get punished.  I watched Charlton vs Fulham on Monday and both teams made several mistakes but nobody ever capitalised.  Nothing is going our way!

Again, I hate harping on about injuries but put it this way.  Let’s see how Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea would cope if they’d have had the injuries we’ve had:

• Krøldrup - Their cultured centre-back is yet to figure ‘cos of injury – Ferdinand, Senderos, Carvaliho.
• Naysmith – One of their left backs is yet to figure ‘cos of injury – Silvestre, Bridge, Clichy.
• Arteta – Their most creative midfielder gets KO’d in a European fixture – Cole, Giggs, Pires.
• Beattie – Their main goalscorer is practically yet to figure – Henry, Van Nistelrooj, Drogba.
• Li Tie – A back-up player is too scared to play – Fletcher, Flamini, Geremi.
• Van der Meyde – Fine, we knew he was crocked but imagine them without their best left winger – Ronaldo, Duff, Kleb.
• Carsley – Their holding player has been out all season – Keane, Makelele, Silva.
• Cahill – Their engine desperately needs a break – Scholes, Lampard, Fabregas.
• Hibbert – Their right-back gets a knock - Neville, Fererra, Lauren.
• Pistone – Their best left-back is crocked for the season – Del Horno, Heinze, Cole.
• Vaughan – Their young hot shot is out for a few months – Rossi, Cole, Quincy Obou.

Yes I know some of these injuries have in fact occurred — but not to the extent of ours. Fergie and Wenger have both moaned.  Moyes has not said a word.  With players back and with that bit of luck, our luck will change.

Let’s get behind them.  Let’s encourage them.  We’ll get a bit of luck; start believing again and things will change. Maybe even this weekend.

It’s football. You never really know.

Paul Traill

Paul, I have just read your article and felt I had to comment. You make it sound like we are the unluckiest team on the planet with some aspects of your argument. Look at the games we have lost this season that you comment on. We didn't deserve anything from any of them because we played so badly. It's not even to be considered that we didn't have the "rub of the green". We showed nothing, we didn't compete and we lied down and were steamrollered by every one of the teams on your list.

In addition to this, you ask how the top teams would compete without their "best left back..." you give that accolade to Pistone! Come on? Do you seriously miss the guy playing, because I don't. Then you go on to mention how we have been missing our "main goalscorer" in Beattie. Paul, if you consider him to be our main goalscorer then we are doomed. The fact is we don't have a main goalscorer. Erase that.. we don't have a goalscorer — full stop.

As a lot of people have commented on here, the time for excuses has long gone. Yes, I would like to see Krøldrup and Van der Meyde in the line up; they can't possibly do any worse than those wearing the shirt at the moment. However, two new players (both coming back from extended injury lay-offs) won't change our situation overnight.

We need to call on everyone to play to their strengths, whatever they may be. We need everyone to over achieve, play out of their skin. Do you think this squad is up to that challenge? I'm not so sure, but I wouldn't bet money on it.

To people like me and you Paul, Nil Satis Nisi Optimum means something. I bet half of that team don't even know what the crest translates to. I hate to be a doom merchant, and being sceptical all the time, but these lads just do not live up to what I expect in Everton players. I've said before that I don't expect to win leagues and cups right now, effort and commitment should never need to be requested though - it should be there from the off in every game. There are no excuses for a lack of that.

If the reason we play so badly is down to the players' ability, then they shouldn't be on the payroll. If this is the case then the fault of that lies with the manager. If it's the manager's inept ability to change tactics or game plan, then he should be shown the door. It's time for action now, not words. How many games will the "our season starts here" war cry stay valid for? I'm losing patience.
Phil Burkert, Liverpool (20/10/05)

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