Ukraine leg holds no fear for Jagielka

And I am beginning to wonder whether RM delusions are catching, with this 'We can beat anyone on our day' kind of statement.

Last season, I would have agreed, but this season, enough said.

We need a very big lead to take to Ukraine, especially if Taliban Tim is in goal.

Hoping for the best anyway. As fans, we are due a fantastic result. Let us hope we get one!

Having the whole tie won on Thursday is different to winning on Thursday.

"MARRIED BISHOP IN MODEL SENSATION!!"

'Mr Eric Bishop, a local Airfix model enthusiast, yesterday won 4th prize at the Woolton fete for his Flying Fortress'

By all means, do all your tedious media interviews, but actions speak much louder than words. Just get the job done on the pitch and give us something positive to cheer from this dreadful season.

We could very realistically draw at home and win the tie in Ukraine. Stop finding ways to pick where there aren't any.

I'm really starting to worry about the comments I see on these threads. We need to get behind the team, not criticise them at every turn. Otherwise we'll become the next Newcastle.

Personally I hope we win the first leg, even though it prolongs the agony of RM still at the helm. Good luck to anyone going to the game, get behind the team, think positive, and enjoy another emphatic win.

As has already been said, do the business on the field. Not just on Thursday, more importantly at the weekend.....

How many criticising every utterance issued by the club and its employees would be equally outraged if they imposed a blanket media ban and ’shut the feck up’ as some have demanded?

Clubs, managers and players have a contractual obligation to speak to the media. Whilst I seek out and like to read statements and stories related to and emanating from Everton, I don’t give too much weight or try to over speculate or contrive deep conspracy theories to such utterances.

Any one looking for stirring Churchillian or Abe Lincoln like rhetoric from almost anyone and everyone working in professional footballer are more likely to see a telling, incisive forward pass from Everton’s static midfield first.

That said, Joe Royle coined a nice phrase now and then:

"Cry havoc! Let slip the dogs of war!"

Or... am I confusing him with Shakespeare’s Julius Cesar..?

Undoubtedly their best 2 attacking players, so it would be a big plus if they missed either/both games...

"Cry ’God for Harry, England, and Saint George!’

"Cry ’Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war" is definitely from Julius Cesar (Act 3, Scene 1, line 273), part of Mark Anthony’s promise to the corpse of Julius Cesar after being assassinated.

I studied and performed in the play at school and even today, more than 40 years on, I can still quote whole chunks of it.

In Europe there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of relegation blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger.
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour’d rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;