The desire to atone for last season's collapse against Liverpool in the semi-final and the agony of defeat in the Final to Chelsea in 2009 is partly what is driving David Moyes and his players in their quest for a fourth Wembley appearance in the FA Cup in five years.
Tim Howard says Everton are determined to get to Wembley in the FA Cup to give their fans the feelgood factor. "The way Wembley makes me feel, makes the team feel and makes the fans feel gives you drive to get back there," said Howard.
Although Everton have regularly finished in the top eight under David Moyes, has he achieved enough in his 11 years to warrant all the praise?
The man who was the best one-touch finisher in the country last season now cuts a frustrated figure lacking in confidence.
Everton's game at Arsenal was set for 9 March but will now take place on Tuesday 16 April, Kick-Off @ 7:45pm. However, if Everton progress to the FA Cup semi-finals and are drawn to play at Wembley on Sunday, April 14, then the Arsenal game will be pushed back to Wednesday 17 April.
David Moyes is unlikely to be offered the opportunity to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as the manager of Manchester United due to his lack of experience in European football.
Finishing in the top six of the Premier League and winning the FA Cup would be the perfect way for Moyes to bid farewell to the club he has managed for nearly 11 years.
Marouane Fellaini has a "good chance" of being passed fit for the weekend's game with Reading after missing out on the FA Cup win over Oldham Athletic through injury.
Everton booked their place in the sixth round with a competent display against an Oldham side that pushed their hosts gamely but fell behind to an insurmountable 3-0 deficit in the second half. The lively Mirallas opened the scoring with a deft side-foot finish before Baines scored from the spot and Osman glanced home the third. Smith pulled one back with an unchallenged header soon afterwards but Everton played the game out to progress.
George Waring is an 18-year-old striker at Everton Academy and there are several reasons he could have a similar impact that Wayne Rooney had at Goodison Park.
In the absence of greater protection from referees, David Moyes feels that Marouane Fellaini needs to adopt Lionel Messi's habit of laughing off rough treatment from opposition players.
Shrugging off growing concerns about his side's recent form, David Moyes insists that Everton remain in a good position and is hopeful that progression in the FA Cup this evening can provide the impetus for the Blues to "kick on again."
As hopes of the Champions League dream being realised recede, the FA Cup Fifth Round replay against Oldham Athletic at Goodison assumes paramount importance, with a home tie against Wigan the prize if Everton can get the job done on Tuesday evening. Anichebe is one of a trio of apparent doubts for the Blues and Moyes may make changes to the side that started against Norwich. KO is 7.45pm.
Everton U21s fought back from 2-0 down to deny Sunderland U21s this evening in the northeast. Goals by Conor McAleny and Francisco Junior salvaged a 2-2 draw for the Blues.
Tony Evans, Football Editor at The Times, lays the blame for Everton's perennial inability to crack the top four at the feet of the Board of Directors whose failings over the past 13 years have left the Club struggling to compete financially with their peers:
The 49-year-old is in his eleventh year in charge at Goodison. He was condemned to struggle right from the beginning when Everton were unable to complete two deals [NTL and the Kings Dock] that might have changed the face of football on Merseyside. After that, income has increasingly become a problem. Too many financial decisions have been made with the short-term in mind. Such a policy always catches up with the manager. It is showing in Moyes’s side now. What can Moyes do to change things? No much. He cannot turn the clock back on a decade of boardroom misadventure. The dips in form on the pitch are a mere symptom. The errors were made behind the scenes long ago.
After that, income has increasingly become a problem. Too many financial decisions have been made with the short-term in mind. Such a policy always catches up with the manager. It is showing in Moyes’s side now.
What can Moyes do to change things? No much. He cannot turn the clock back on a decade of boardroom misadventure. The dips in form on the pitch are a mere symptom. The errors were made behind the scenes long ago.
You can read the full article at the Keeping Everton In Our City site.
It can't be denied that Moyes is a fine manager and has done well at Everton. But can he be classed as one of the Blues' great managers? David Anderson reckons the poverty card doesn't excuse the empty trophy cabinet.
David Moyes is desperate for Everton to progress, but it seems he is now at the end of his tether with the situation at Everton. It seems that he can’t achieve much more on Merseyside and he is considering pastures new.
For the first time in many a year the Toffees seemed to be going places. A top-four finish, stacks of cash and key players staying. It was too good to be true...
The Norwich City striker Grant Holt popped up late to score a winner for Norwich in the Premier League tie at Carrow Road yesterday leaving Everton's Champions League hopes hanging in the balance. Could it prove the moment that saw David Moyes leave Merseyside for pastures new?
David Moyes was non-plused by his team's late collapse in a game he acknowledges they should have won at Carrow Road: "We should have won the game. We were 1-0 up and in control and we let them get back into it and then they scored after the three minutes of injury time [that was scheduled to be played]. But we didn't do enough to get that second goal."
Everton suffered yet more last-minute drama against Norwich as Holt capped a late fightback by the Canaries with a stoppage-time winner that probably ends the Blues' Champions League dreams. Leading through Osman's first-half goal and having controlled the game in large part, the visitors allowed Kamara to power home an unchallenged header with six minutes left. And Holt grabbed an agonising winner beyond the final minute of added time to stun the traveling faithful.
Everton's Under-18 side were brought back down to earth at Finch Farm on Saturday after their big Youth Cup win at Arsenal, with the visitors running out 3 - 0 winners.
Steven Pienaar says that he and Leighton Baines are aware of the extra focus that opposition teams are putting on nullifying the threat posed by their link-up play down Everton's left flank and will continue to try to find ways around it.
David Moyes has rejected claims that uncertainty about his future is affecting the team after one win in five Premier League matches: "I think that's rubbish," he said. "We're still realistically playing for a place in the Champions League."
Whilst recent results have not been great for Everton, it would be unwise to count them out of the Champions League race, and they might even add the FA Cup to a fine season in the Premier League.
"I don't think this season is ever over because I think there's always something to play for. Your league position in the Premier League carries such a value to it. But the fact of the matter is we are realistically still playing for a place hopefully in the Champions League and we're still trying to play for a place in a final at Wembley, and that's where we are today."
David Moyes has urged Kevin Mirallas to recapture his impressive early-season form and score more goals to help Everton realise their European ambitions this season.
Darron Gibson is hopeful that the injury problems that have disrupted much of his first full season with Everton are behind him as he eyes a win against Norwich this weekend.
Everton enter a vital seven-day period in their season, one that could have deep implications for their twin quests for Europe and Wembley, starting with a trip to a Norwich City side on a wretched run of form in 2013. Anichebe (groin) and Coleman (thigh) are doubts for the Blues. KO is 3pm.
Neil Adderley interviews journalist, life-long Evertonian and Neville Southall biographer James Corbett for These Football Times.
In case you may have missed it, this fantastic compilation on the life 1970s Everton legend and brilliant winger, Dave Thomas, is a tremendous read, put together for us by Rob Sawyer.
This is an Everton side made in Moyes’s image and from top to bottom it has his ethos coursing through its veins, so a quick exit not only leaves the job of finding a suitable successor to replace the legend that sat in the chair before an impossible task, but the very culture of the club will require tinkering.
“I’m disappointed for our players because they’re looking for me to add one or two new faces,” Moyes had revealed in the hours before the January transfer window closed. “We’ll see if there’s anything we can do to help the lads if we can. I want them to feel we’re doing everything we can here to make it work.”
Neville Southall fears that the price of Everton's failure to back David Moyes's team-building ambitions in the January transfer window will be the manager walking away from Goodison Park when his contract expires this summer.
“If we want to achieve something, draws aren’t going to cut it, we have to find ways to get games won." — Leighton Baines
One of Everton's most promising young internationals, midfielder and England Under-19 captain, John Lundstram, has joined League One side Doncaster Rovers on a month's loan. Lundstram has worked his way up through the Everton Academy and is now a key member of the Everton Under-21 side.
Matthew Kennedy has been talking to the local press after Monday night's success for the Everton youngsters, beating heavily fancied Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup.
Marouane Fellaini believes English referees are 'frightened' of him and has pointed to his un-mistakeable hairstyle as the cause of concern.
Callum McManaman is desperate Everton beat Oldham to land Wigan an FA Cup quarter-final against his old club at Goodison Park next month.
“He has been at Everton for many years and is very popular with the fans, chairman and players and I am sure he will sign, I cannot see why he wouldn't because of those reasons.”
Everton's FA Cup fifth round replay against Oldham Athletic has been moved to Tuesday 26 February after being selected for live television broadcast. The visit of the League One Latics will be shown live on ITV1 and will kick off at 7:45pm.
James McFadden, once dubbed "The Scottish Rooney" by David Moyes, has returned to Scotland and his original club, Motherwell, after an unsuccessful spell at Sunderland.
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Everton should be through to the FA Cup quarter-finals without the need for a replay against Oldham Athletic. The cup romantics will not like that, but watching the last-gasp equaliser, scored by Matt Smith from a corner, the problem I had was not that the Oldham goalkeeper, Dean Bouzanis, flew through the air trying to handle the ball and clearly put his opposite number, Tim Howard, off — it was the conduct and intentions of Oldham’s Lee Croft.
Everton Under-18s scored a tremendous victory in the 5th Round of the FA Youth Cup, away at Arsenal. After falling behind early on, goals from Matthew Pennington, Chris Long, Conor Grant and Harry Charsley give the Blues victory at Underhill. Through to the sixth round of the FA Youth Cup, a home tie against either Norwich or Birmingham City awaits.
Phil Jagielka insists David Moyes's decision to put contract talks on hold will not prove distracting for Everton's squad as their season reaches its crucial point.
Royston Drenthe has admitted Everton manager David Moyes saved him from ending up in the gutter. Despite the fact that Moyes sent the ex-Real Madrid star packing, Drenthe is grateful for the Scot’s hard words.
David Moyes thought his team panicked a bit in the last five minutes at Oldham but took no responsibility for extending the game and adding confusion to his defence with the needless substitution of Duffy for Jelavic with just 2 miutes left.
In the draw for the 6th Round of the FA Cup, Oldham or Everton will play at home to Wigan Athletic. Everton still have to beat the Latics in the 5th Round replay at Goodison Park a week on Wednesday in order to progress in this year's competition. Both Manchester clubs were drawn at home again, but at least one of them – United – could face a top club if Chelsea beat Middlesbrough in their delayed 5th Round tie.
Everton Under-21s scored a good 2 - 0 win over Middlesbrough at Southport's Merseyrail Community Stadium, (formerly Haig Avenue). The young Blues were the better side throughout and triumphed thanks to goals from John Lundstram and the returning Ross Barkley.
A dramatic, last-ditch goal, deep into stoppage time by Oldham sealed a fairytale ending to this fifth round tie and forced a replay at Goodison Park. Anichebe's emphatic strike had canceled out Obita's opener after the home side had stunned Everton on the break and Jagielka looked to have won it with a composed header off Mirallas's pin-point corner. Jelavic had a chance to bury the League One side but swept the ball over the bar before Oldham rallied late and got their reward from a corner, 6' 6" Smith putting a towering header into the net with virtually the last touch of the game.
Everton's Under-21 side will play their first game at their new 'home' ground in Southport tomorrow, with the visit of their Middlesbrough counterparts. Kick-off: 2pm.
The relentless quest for silverware continues on Saturday with Everton visiting Boundary Park in the 5th Round of the FA Cup, the highest league ground in England, to take on Oldham Athletic, the conquerors of Liverpool in the last round. The inevitable fear of a banana skin lying in wait is balanced by the knowledge that Everton should have enough to bring home the bacon. But this is the FA Cup, anything can happen. KO 6pm, live on ITV1 (UK).
Jagielka is confident Oldham are wasting their time if they believe Everton will fall into the same trap as Liverpool did against Oldham in the 4th Round of the FA Cup. “I have been around this squad long enough to know that I would put my mortgage on us not getting knocked over because nobody wanted to turn up,” says the centre-back.
Despite promising to resolve the massive uncertainty surrounding his new contract at Everton in January or after the transfer window closes, David Moyes now says he wants to see how the team does in this campaign before he decides his future with the club. So any decision seems unlikely to be made until the end of the season, with his current contract set to expire in June.
Joe Royle will be watching Saturday's FA Cup tie with obvious interest – not at Boundary Park but in London as a pundit for Al Jazeera. "No matter who scores, I won't know what to do," he said.
In this conversation with Ian Doyle of the Daily Post, David Moyes acknowledges that progressing in the FA Cup at the weekend is all about making sure his players have been prepared for it correctly. Ian Doyle says Moyes is confident his players won’t get caught cold at Oldham Athletic – and remains convinced Everton can qualify for the Champions League – but it's not clear that's actually what the Everton manger said...
Leighton Baines has been talking to the local press ahead of this weekend's big FA Cup tie against Oldham.
Jose Baxter doesn't play for Everton any more — but that doesn't mean he has cut the club out of his life. The 21-year-old Oldham maestro still visits Goodison Park as often as he can...
Everton's game against Tottenham Hotspur set for at White Hart Lane in April has been switched for live television coverage by ESPN. It will now take place on Sunday 7 April, with kick off at 2:05pm.
Ross Barkley has returned to Everton after his loan spell with Leeds United came to an end this week.
Mark Carney, currently governor of the Bank of Canada, is set to become the controller of Britain's vast wealth when he takes up the position of Governor of the Bank of England in July... but that won't be of much help to the club he supports, as Everton continue to suffer a mysterious lack of investment despite the Chairman's now infamous 24/7 search for investment.
Shane Duffy's frustration at not having played a Premier League game for over a full calendar year will not weaken his loyalty to manager David Moyes and his methods.
The bottom line is that Everton have played well in almost every game this season, and their football has been of a terrific standard. Throughout the side there have been terrific performances, and the side has a great balance to it. Their only negative so far this season has been that they have dropped silly points in games they should’ve won.
Everton's FA Youth Cup 5th Round tie against Arsenal will take place on Monday, 18 February — but not at The Emirates. The game takes place at Barnet's Underhill ground and kicks off at 7pm.
The dynamism of the last 12 months was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the default EFC powder-puff display at Old Trafford that we have come to expect – garnished with the usual condescending ‘praise’ from Taggart.
Everton's U21s beat Fulham 1-0 this evening thanks to a first-half strike by Conor McAleny. With John Stones playing for the first time in defence, the Blues were the superior side before the break despite losing Francisco Junior to injury. Fulham pressed harder after the break, though, and hit the woodwork twice but could not find the equaliser to deny Alan Stubbs's men.
Another Everton Academy player has been loaned out to get first team experience. Sweden Under-19 international defender Johan Hammar has joined non-league Stockport County on a one-month loan.
William Blything, 41, has been fined £2,500 and was made subject to a three-year football banning order preventing him from entering any sporting arena. Blything was also ordered to pay £600 in court costs as well as £120 to the victim in compensation.
It was clear from the opening five minutes at Old Trafford that Sir Alex Ferguson had paid huge respect to the threats of the Everton team, and in particular, the presence of Fellaini. Jones would literally have gone to the toilet with the Belgian had his manager told him to.
David Moyes has explained that tiredness in his small squad is becoming a factor limiting Everton to half a season as so many of them have to play every game, week-in, week-out.
David Moyes says Premier League chiefs should bend over backwards by rearranging fixtures to help big clubs fly the flag in the Champions League.
Marouane Fellaini has been urged to stay with Everton by team-mate Kevin Mirallas, despite ongoing speculation linking him with Chelsea.
A disappointing performance from Everton combined with wins for their top-four rivals gave the Blues something of a reality-check in their pursuit of Champions League football. Poor defending allowed Giggs to roll the ball in off the post for the first goal after 13 minutes and the game was effectively sealed just before the break when Van Persie danced past Howard and slotted home. The second half was largely a non-event, though a late flurry briefly offered hope for Moyes's side, who lost for the first time in 2013.
The Daily Mail take another opportunity to reprise the old story about David Moyes remembering the time one of the most enviable jobs in football slipped through his fingers. That post was No 2 to the most successful manager in British football history, Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson. But when opportunity knocked for Moyes, it got no further than sharing a pot of tea and a chat. Ferguson appointed Steve McClaren in 1999 instead of his fellow Glaswegian.
Kevin Mirallas reveals how a revolutionary treatment he underwent in Germany, based on calf's blood and cockerel's crest injections, seems to have cured his hamstring problems and saved his Everton career!
Everton U18s were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Fulham in the Academy Elite Group earlier today.
"He’s expecting to score, and he made it clear he can’t wait to play against me at the weekend" says Everton defender before Old Trafford trip
"I think Steven has been excellent ever since we got him back from Tottenham. You see a bit more of a mature player now, and it’s benefiting the team. He takes ownership and is trying to help the team get better. He has done a really good job for us."
Moyes’s men make the short journey to face Premier League leaders Manchester United tomorrow afternoon aiming to keep pace in the race for a top-four finish. And they could be aided by Ferguson’s pursuit of Champions League glory with the United manager pondering wholesale changes ahead of his side’s visit to Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Everton travel to Old Trafford hoping to build on last season's 4 - 4 draw — decisive in United eyes in losing them the Title — and the opening-day triumph at Goodison that have garnered them new-found respect from the deposed Champions. Coleman is ruled out but Neville could return at right back. KO is 4pm on Sunday.
David Moyes does not anticipate the heavy bruising that Marouane Fellaini sustained in last weekend's draw with Aston Villa to keep him out of Sunday's clash with Manchester United. The Belgian was an un-used substitute for his country in midweek but is expected to start for the Blues at Old Trafford.
"They have a genuine chance of being in the top four, but Everton are there on merit. They are a difficult opponent. They have only lost three games, so they are obviously hard to beat. And that's in the mould of David Moyes."
David Prentice asks some probing questions about the battle for 4th place:
Is it simply a case of one side trying to motivate themselves by chasing a distant target, and another trying to ease growing pressure?
Is one side starting to lose momentum while the other is gaining it?
Or is it simply more to do with expectation levels?
“The United players and the club now regard Everton as one of their toughest games of the season,” declared the former Man Utd striker, Frank Stapleton. “And in my mind they have gone up another notch from last term and look a different side altogether.”
Leon Osman is a one-club man (well, apart from being sent on loans to Derby and Carlisle as a youngster), who has made more than 270 appearances for Everton. He first represented England at Under-16 level in 1997 but then had to wait 15 years before his call up to the senior ranks last November when he played in the 4-2 defeat to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Sweden. But it was only ever England. Now 31, the Wigan-born creative force lives life as he plays the game: with a smile. This is Leon Osman - Everton and England...
Phil Neville is philosophical about continuing his Everton career beyond the end of the current season, when his contract is set to end.
The Premier League's 20 clubs have voted by a slender majority to bring in new spending controls designed to curb the financial excesses that have gripped the domestic game in recent years. 13 chairmen voted in favour of the new measures, the most significant of which include limits on wage bills and a ceiling on losses that each club can make over three seasons, with six not in favour and one abstention.
Barnsley could approach Everton about taking new signing John Stones on loan for part of the remainder of the season. The Tykes' boss admitted it was a wrench to let go of a player he regards as the best young fullback in the country and he may explore the possibility of loaning the 18 year-old back.
Everton's youngsters twice came from behind, rescuing their FA Youth Cup 4th Round tie at Port Vale in the 89th minute in the process, before going on to win the game 3-2 after extra time.
The Winslow Hotel, opposite the main stand in Goodison Road, shut its doors shortly before Christmas due to what were described as “logistical and financial difficulties”. A sign outside urges anyone interested in buying the pub to contact the owners.
Though he was credited with two fine saves and could do nothing to prevent a stunning overhead equaliser in the first half, hesitation in coming off his line by Tim Howard allowed Honduras to score the winner in the USA's World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday evening.
Four years ago this Monday Dan Gosling scored an extra time winner to defeat Liverpool in the FA Cup Fourth Round in a season that culminated in an FA Cup final. Since then contract wrangles, injury and disciplinary problems have all blighted his once fledgling career.
Shane Duffy lead from the back as captain and scored the second goal in a 3 - 0 win for the Republic of Ireland U21s against their Dutch counterparts.
Almost a month to the day since his last competitive goal, Nikica Jelavic scored for Croatia in their comprehensive 4-0 friendly win over South Korea at Fulham's Craven Cottage. Meanwhile, Phil Jagielka and Leon Osman were un-used substitutes for England but Leighton Baines played the second 45 minutes for the Three Lions in their 2-1 win over Brazil and Kevin Mirallas the first 45 for Belgium against Slovakia.
Wayne Rooney 'interviews' his old Everton teammates Leighton Baines and Leon Osman as the England squad were travelling from Birmingham to London by train ahead of their friendly against Brazil.
A group of fiends that included Marouane Fellaini was asked to leave the Carre nightclub at Willebroek, near Antwerp, at 5:30am on Monday.
England Manager has warned Ashley Cole that Leighton Baines is poised to pounce on his left-back role.
Sam Stapleton describes a typical deadline day for an agent, including the successful transfer of client John Stones from Barnsley to Everton.
Phil Jagielka says Everton must be wary of a vengeful Manchester United on Sunday – but can take inspiration from last year’s 4-4 thriller.
Phil Neville explains how the gruelling Christmas & New Year fixture list has sapped the intensity of Everton's play, and led to some below-par performances, with the team contesting 10 League and Cup fixtures in 43 days – while using the fewest number of players in the Premier League this season.
What do Andy van der Meyde and Royston Drenthe have in common? Apparently a weakness for the night life, clubbing, short skirts, Bicardi and, er, 'coke'... Nice to know how their hard-earned cash went to support at least a portion of the local economy...
Darron Gibson might be ready to end his self-imposed exile from the Republic of Ireland's national team when he has fully recovered from this recent injury problems.
Marouane Fellaini is a doubt for Belgium's game with Slovakia after the Mail report that he sat out of training today because of the lingering effects of the hip injury he sustained against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Phil Jagielka said he sympathised with John Heitinga’s frustration, after the Dutch defender produced his worst display for the club since signing from Atletico Madrid in summer 2009.
Phil Jagielka is calling for England to repeat their heroics against Spain when Brazil head to Wembley for Wednesday's glamour friendly.
Moyes’ decision to sub the Belgian forward – starting only his second game after a lengthy lay-off with a hamstring problem – attracted some booing.
He shrugged: “I think they’re not happy with my decisions, I think that’s what it is. I think they were the same at Bolton as well, disappointed with the decisions.”
Jake Bidwell has extended his loan spell at Brentford for another month. Bidwell's current deal, a youth loan, will run until March 5 with a view to extending it further.
It is the unerring fighting spirit that has made the tight-knit squad avoid defeats against quality oppositions in the league. Along with Manchester clubs and Stoke City, they remain the only team in the league to have lost just one single game at home.
David Moyes was critical of Everton's defending in their 3-3 draw with Aston Villa but praised a vibrant attacking display.
The Netherlands international was given a torrid time in the 3-3 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday and, after being booed by his own support, took to Twitter to repent.
Everton Under-18s recorded a solid 2 - 1 win away to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday thanks to a brace from Chris Long, who has had training from Duncan Ferguson on finishing.
Everton snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat when Fellaini completed a dramatic fightback with two second-half goals but the Blues would rue dreadful defending and two vital points dropped. After Benteke was gifted a goal inside two minutes, Anichebe scored a superb individual goal but Agbonlahor's free header restored Villa's lead. Benteke headed a third in off the post with an hour gone but Everton's resolve held and after firing low past Guzan with 20 minutes left, Fellaini headed home a roof-raising injury-time equaliser.
David Moyes has voiced his concern that the Goodison Park pitch could hamper Everton in their search for success this season.
Everton will complete three games in the space of seven days hoping to make it three wins on the bounce when crisis-hit Aston Villa come to Goodison Park this weekend. Though disappointed in the transfer window, Moyes is buoyed by the fitness of Gibson and Mirallas and has just Coleman and Hibbert as definite non-starters. KO is 3pm.
David Moyes has admitted his disappointment at not being able to add to his first-team squad in the January transfer window but insists that it shouldn't detract from how well his squad has been playing this season.
Fringe player Magaye Gueye has completed a deadline-day move back to France on loan with Stade Brest until the end of the season.
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