Contributions from our editorial team, featured columnists and readers.
A re-post for Christmas of the chapter from the 2004 book Real Footballers' Wives, featuring Janet Royle, wife of Everton playing legend and former manager Joe.
William Ralph “Dixie†Dean sits unchallenged as the king of Goodison Park. Joining him in the Royal Blue dynasty is the Prince of Centre Halves: Thomas George Jones. Tommy, as his friends knew him, was so famous in his pomp for Everton and Wales that he was known merely by his initials - T.G.
There has been adulation for Lukaku's feats in an Everton jersey but not as much genuine love and affection and the feeling appears to have been mutual from a player who is all business.
At one stage an Academy starlet destined to emulate Wayne Rooney's success but for Everton instead, Ross Barkley finds himself in an awkward situation this summer.
As arguably the most uncomfortable legacy of Roberto Martinez's tenure returns to the club following his loan spell with Hull City, another of the Spaniard's less successful acquisitions prepares to leave Everton after four unproductive years.
Aside from the iconic Toffee Lady, Everton supporters in the 1930s also possessed two unofficial mascots. Harry Williams of Westminster Road, Kirkdale, was one.
Bellerin scored early but Koscielny was dismissed for a ludicrous tackle on Valencia. Undeterred, Alexis made it 2 in bizarre fashion. Lukaku pulled one back from the spot, Ramesy curling in a third near the end.
With a strong squad that's been bolstered by enigmatic youngsters over the season, Everton look primed to take that next step and challenge for higher standing, but what do they need to do in the summer to achieve this?
Evertonians will be hoping that the club are planning some major signings, which means that some of the current squad players will have to leave.
Everton's penultimate game of the 2016-17 season saw a nice Ross Barkley goal defeat Watford at Goodison Park.
Sidelined at Manchester United, it's clear the future for Wayne Rooney is not at Old Trafford. Should his rumoured return to Goodison Park come to fruition, how would his arrival impact the team?
Everton had no answer to a determined Hammers defence that denied them a single shot on target.
A ToffeeWeb denizen takes advantage of remission from cancer to make good on a longtime personal promise — to finally make the trip across The Pond to Goodison Park
After a torrid first half, Jagielka forced the ball in from a corner only for Robles to give up a stupid penalty. But Barkley and then Lukaku made their own emphatic statements to seal Everton's record 8th consecutive Premier League home win.
A significant day for Everton as they registered an eighth successive home win in the league since 1990 and Romelu Lukaku equalled William Dean's record of scoring in nine games in a row in all competitions at Goodison Park.
The latest chapter from Real Footballers' Wives serialised here at ToffeeWeb features Pat Labone, wife of Goodison legend Brian
Leicester's irresistible force met the immovable object that is Everton at Goodison Park in 2017.
Davies scored inside 30 seconds, but Slimani levelled and a soft free-kick was converted by Albrighton inside 10 mins. But Lukaku and then Jagielka put Everton back in front before the break.
Having clung to a 1-0 lead handed to them by Phil Jagielka's first goal since May 2015, Everton were within touching distance of a second win at Old Trafford in a little over three years.
A defeat underpinned by poor tactics and collective underperformance that in many pundits eyes cements Everton as a top-seven side at best this season
Decimated by injuries, Everton fell behind early but Pennington equalized from a corner only to give up another soft goal, with Origi adding a third.
How a former Everton player, George Rooney, played a small but significant part in the career of, arguably, the club's greatest-ever goalkeeper.
As if you didn't need another reason to hate international breaks...
Lyndon had the privilege to chat with Dr David France's wife, Elizabeth, again and solicit an independent insight into the goings on at Toffeeopolis.
Joseph Davies played for Everton during the season that they became founder members of the Football League.
Everton fans like myself have always suspected that the media have always been stringently anti-Everton.
It's fair to say that Ronald Koeman has his feet very much under the table at Everton who have now put themselves in a position to disrupt the top six if any of the four or five teams above them stumble following a sixth straight home win.
ToffeeWeb was among the honourees as one of Dr David France's many initiatives returned after an eight-year hiatus
So, Romelu Lukaku won't in fact be signing any new contract at Everton… not yet, at least.
If there's a measure of the progress made under Ronald Koeman in just a few short months, it's that a 3-0 win over the only team likely to challenge Everton for seventh place could feel so routine.
Everton finally took the lead through Mirallas after two chances missed by Lukaku, Schneiderlin scoring just 6 minutes later. Lukaku scored his 19th goal in the last 10 mins.
High hopes were dashed at White Hart Lane in what was a sobering reality check really for Everton and the notion that they could yet sneak into the top four.
[Images fixed] Friday, 10 March, 2017 sees the staging of a Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame event after an eight year hiatus. At The Hilton Hotel John Bailey, Pat Van Den Hauwe, Nigel Martyn, Ian Snodin and Kevin Campbell will join the 120-plus previous inductees in the pantheon of Blues greats.
Everton went behind to a well-struck long-range shot from Kane that Robles seemed to have covered. Kane was gifted his second after the break.
Talk to anybody ‘of a certain age' and their eyes will mist over as they recount how he enchanted them. They'll remind you that he was our Golden Vision. Fellow Bluenoses, I bring you Alex Young.
Taken from ‘Real Footballers' Wives — the First Ladies of Everton' 
by Becky Tallentire in 2004, Nancy Young, the wife of Everton legend Alex, recounts her story.
Another home game, another victory. Goodison Park is becoming a fortress again after last season's miserable record on home turf.
It took a while for Everton dominance to yield a brilliant sweeping goal from Idrissa Gana Gueye, followed up by Lukaku's 17th league goal in the second half.
Charlie Leyfield had a long association with Everton as a player and trainer. He also can claim the unique distinction of being trainer to both the England and Wales national teams.
The Prodigal Son's return seems almost pre-ordained to some Evertonians but the club should resolutely look forward as it seeks to realise Farhad Moshiri's vision
Everton are much improved in recent weeks but away from home, some of the hesitancy and one-dimensional tactics that dogged them earlier in the season persist.
In, perhaps, the only documented case of a football club wooing a potential signing via the medium of music, Pat Nevin has referenced an "indie" music cassette being played to him in Colin Harvey's car. Now, at long last, the full story of this fabled car stereo C60 compilation cassette can be told.
Everton had some guilt-edged chances to bring back all three points from the Riverside, with Valdes denying both Lukaku and Lookman to leave them scoreless.
Everton could be closer than ever to leaving Goodison for a new stadium. It's a massive undertaking fraught with risk but at the right location and with the right design, it could be the awakening of English football's sleeping giant.
Everton slapped down Bournemouth's fightback with some scintillating attacking football to eventually run out 6-3 winners at Goodison Park.
Everton got off to the best possible start with a superb strike from Romelu Lukaku in the first minute; he made the second for McCarthy, then scored the third off a gift. But the Cherries came back with two from King before Lukaku scored two more.
Everton's January may have been quieter than hoped on the transfer front but it sets the stage for a summer of significant additions.
Everton battled Stoke, the conditions and themselves at times and had to be content with a point after falling behind to another dreadful early goal
Gerard Deulofeu became fan favourite at Everton but he couldn't produce his magic consistently enough. He is getting a new lease on life at Milan and leaves a vacancy at Everton that Blues fans hope will be filled.
January 22nd is a special day in the history of Everton Football Club and every year Evertonians all over the world should raise a glass to celebrate the date the greatest Evertonian there has ever been was born.
Brilliant late goal from Coleman off a superb ball from Davies gives Everton a very important late victory.
It's hard not to feel optimistic again as a clear path to progress has emerged following a victory at Selhurst Park that showed the continued emergence of a different Everton. An Everton that can marry the silkier, more possession-based approach aspired
On a transcendent afternoon at Goodison Park, Everton served up moment after memorable moment in their humbling of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City
Everton took the lead through a sweet move started by Davies, Lukaku powering home, Mirallas doubling the lead just after the break, victory assured in superb style by Davies, finished off by debutant Lookman.
Sub Deulofeu set it on a plate for Lukaku but that only inspired a shocking brace from Foxes sub Ahmed Musa, ends Everton's FA Cup campaign before it had started.
A first-hand account of the 2016-17 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders that took place in the Philharmonic Hall last night.
Ronald Koeman named a youthful line-up but Calvert-Lewin had to go off early and the Blues struggled until Valencia replaced Lennon and scored off a rebound. Followed by a perfect Baines penalty and a classic Lukaku rocket.
The Ecuadorian's introduction may have been decisive but there were encouraging performances from Ross Barkley and Tom Davies as the Blues equalled their best league win under Ronald Koeman.
The Blues had to come back twice with Barkley grabbing tieing the game to gain a point against a lowly Hull City at the KCOM stadium tonight
Everton took the lead after the break, a punt from Robles converted by Mirallas, and Lukaku finished it off brilliantly in stoppage time.
Evertonians are rightly growing restless at the slow pace of change under Ronald Koeman and the absence of genuine football being played under his stewardship but there is little option for fans but to draw on their dwindling reserves of patience and hope things come good in 2017.
The fight was there but the quality was desperately lacking as Liverpool plundered a stoppage-time goal at Goodison Park
Ronald Koeman makes one changes to the side that started against Arsenal, bringing Ramiro Funes Mori in to replace the suspended Phil Jagielka.
A very nervy start, a silly free-kick given away, and Everton were punished by Sanchez. Coleman equalized off a Baines cross before half-time. The a late header from Williams off a Barkley corner sealed a fine win.
A mess from back to front, Everton extended their miserable run to 10 games with a solitary win and continue their slide towards the bottom half of the table
Lukaku puts Everton ahead with a neat opening goal but a brilliant Okaka finish beats Stekelenburg, followed by two quick goals off set pieces.
Yannick Bolasie's ACL hammer blow has sharpened focus on the three remaining wingers whom Koeman has been rotating for weeks searching for reliability
Reckless Stekelenburg abandoned his goalline allowing Ibrahimovic to lob in a bizarre opening goal. Baines Equalized from the spot in the final minute.
Everton were blown away from the kick-off with Southampton swarming at them, stealing the ball twice and scoring inside the first minute.
The upcoming transfer windows may provide opportunity to resolve some deep-seated issues but in the meanwhile it's incumbent upon the manager to try something different.
Jagielka gives away yet another penalty and this time Stekelenburg cannot save him. Coleman equalizes very late on.
Relatively few Cornishmen have represented Everton but several have left their mark on Merseyside. However, the most remarkable life story is that of Jack Cock: international footballer, team manager, war hero and star of stage and screen.
Freelance broadcaster and former Director of Communications at Everton, Alan Myers, says that Ronald Koeman has used is recent proclamations to send a message, in my opinion, to his players, the fans and probably more importantly to Farhad Moshiri that he is serious about being successful.
The manager's "cold fish" demeanour may be something Evertonians will have to accept as a necessary part of the club's attempts to take the next big step forward.
Can Ronald Koeman get the most out of his mercurial £30m buy?
Farhad speaks! The conduit may have again been Jim White but the 13-minute chat was candid, revealing and should be hugely encouraging for Everton supporters.
In a painful illustration of the Blues' short-comings, Ronald Koeman's side were dismantled by an irresistible Chelsea side.
Ronald Koeman's side were left badly burnt as Chelsea lit up Stamford Bridge like a bonfire with a scalding display of consummate football.
Excellent work by Bolasie gave Lukaku his usual goal against the Hammers. Barkley made it two off Lukaku's pinpoint cross.
Despite dominating their hosts, Everton suffered a bitter defeat at Burnley and another check to the early-season optimism under Ronald Koeman.
Burnley went ahead off a soft goal after it looked like Everton were taking control of the game. Bolasie stole the ball off Lukaku to equalize with a great shot but the visitors could not get the second, yet Burnley did in the final minute.
For a few tantalising minutes of this game, a stunning victory beckoned Everton following Romelu Lukaku's excellent break-away goal. Unfortunately, Ronald Koeman's side hadn't caught City on an off day they were punished for one of the rare occasions where they afforded David Silva too much room and left substitute Nolito unmarked to plunder the equaliser.
Honours even after immense City pressure, Everton took the lead despite two penalties, brilliantly saved by Stekelenburg, but Nolito stole a point for the home side.
Is too much being made of Ronald Koeman's apparent aversion to using young players so far or is he merely focusing on beefing up in the short term what was a struggling, unfit squad with robust, experienced players?
Thanks to an act of generosity in a time of adversity, a corner of Malawi, 5,000 miles from Goodison Park, will be forever Everton.
There can be few venues as majestic and grandiose for a gathering of Evertonians than Liverpool Cathedral, the splendid setting for a very special dinner hosted by Dr David France and his lovely wife Elizabeth to mark the launch of his new book, Everton Crazy
The ingredients for a stirring return to winning ways against Palace were certainly there — a packed house under the lights at Goodison Park — but a lack of guile and a shortage of quick, incisive passing moves left the Blues looking a little one-dimensional
Interspersed with some wonderful comic gags, Everton Crazy charts the twists and turns of Dr David France's life, with the ups and downs of the club he fell in love with serving as an ever-present anchor, focus and obsession.
Barkley starts but Everton were too relaxed at the back and allowed Stanislas to fire in what would be the winning goal.
A shocking performance at Bournemouth caps a chastening week where supporter expectations will have been realigned and sights will have been lowered.
Everton's early exit from the League Cup was as familiar as it was frustrating but the manager will hopefully have learned a lot about his squad as he continues to settle into the Goodison hot-seat.
The struggles under Roberto Martinez last season brought back painful memories of the 1990s and the very early 2000s. With a new manager in Ronald Koeman, a new de facto owner in Farhad Moshiri, and talk of a new stadium, can Evertonians now look ahead to a new chapter and think again about what the Toffees can become?
Everton brushed off an awful decision by Lee Mason to allow Middlesbrough to take the lead after 20 minutes, turned the match on its head and and had it effectively won by half-time.
A controversial goal for Negredo, heading the ball out of Stekelenburg's hands, but Gareth Barry equalizes!!! More goals from Coleman & Lukaku before the break.
What a difference four months make when it comes to analysing the contrast between the Everton that trooped off the field at the Stadium of Light just six Premier League games ago having been soundly beaten and the one that romped in the second half this evening to a handsome 3-0 victory.
The Church of St Luke The Evangelist — better known as St Luke's — is where the EFC Heritage Society (EFCHS), founded in 2008, has been welcoming home and away supporters for the past two seasons.
David France's celebration of the men who have made significant contributions to the development, welfare and success of Everton Football Club and returns with four new inductees who will be selected by you, the fans, and then officially added to the pantheon of Blues greats at the next Hall of Fame Dinner in March 2017.
(Mobile link fixed) The best business of this transfer window, whether done by ourselves or others, was all completed early on. Let's stay unbeaten and stick with what we've got.
By leaving so much important business so late, yesterday's deadline was, in the context of high expectations, hugely disappointing for many Evertonians but there is still enough talent in Koeman's squad to propel the Blues to the next transfer window
Everton now reportedly possess the capital that can help them recruit a high calibre of player but, for a club still striving to bridge the gap to the genuine juggernauts of the of the English game, it's imperative the path from the Academy to the first-team is clear.
The life of Jimmy “Nat†Cunliffe whose achievements, like those of many players at Goodison in the 1930s, were overshadowed by the Everton giant that is W.R. Dean. Yet his life in sport was a remarkable one.
Everton could, and probably should, have won by a wider margin than 1-0 but it was their more formidable rearguard that helped them secure three valuable points in a match that might easily have got away from them under the previous regime.
After a fine first half ended goalless, Everton went ahead off a fortuitous penalty that was converted via the post and Given's head.
Football is a game that is defined by moments; key points where a match, a career or a season can take a different turn due to a piece of luck, a dodgy refereeing decision or an instance of individual brilliance. For Everton, two moments that would greatly impact upon the club's future fortunes occurred in the space of mere minutes in that almost fateful game against Wimbledon in May 1994.
How refreshing to see an Everton manager not only have options on the bench but to also have the courage to use them regardless of the stage of the match.
Everton were stunned by an early goal for West Brom off a corner, but came back superbly to win a very tough battle with goals from Mirallas and Barry.
As explosive and dazzling as he can be enigmatic and defeasible, Yannick Bolasie will be nothing if not unpredictable. His price tag may have been high but by taking the step up to Everton, the French-born winger has the ideal stage on which to shine.
While important, the enormous psychological boost of avoiding defeat could prove to be more important in the long run — an injury-hide side shorn of their top goalscorer and running at 70% capacity managed to hold off one of the teams likely to be challenging in the top four this season through a combination of discipline, tenacity and sheer hard work, a far cry from a few months ago when Goodison was enveloped in despair.
Barkley ggot Everton off to a great start with a goal in the first 5 minutes but Spurs came back strongly as the Blues tired.
2016-17 marks the beginning of the Ronald Koeman era, one that is off to a slow start but which hints at having plenty in store as the Dutchman beds in alongside new Director of Football, Steve Walsh.
Here We Go: Everton in the 80s: The Players' Stories', a book comprising interviews with a dozen players from the era, who together recall not just Everton's silver-streak years, but the full span of the decade — from Mike Lyons at the start through the likes of Kevin Ratcliffe and Derek Mountfield to Pat Nevin at the finish.
Fewer Evertonians will shed a tear as John Stones leaves for the “greener pastures†of the Eithad Stadium than would have a year ago. It will still gnaw at the gut, however, that fans won't get to see if Stones could blossom into the Everton defensive legend many believe he could have become.
Ronald Koeman has shown a precedent for assisting players of Mirallas's ilk and can add the functional base to the winger's skill set that was lacking under his predecessor. But, for a player who has so many natural gifts, the time has come for him to seize control of his own destiny at Goodison Park.
It is at Goodison Park where the work of Glasgow-born architect Archibald Leitch's industrial-style design is best preserved.
The new Premier League season still feels a long way off but in others it's alarmingly close given how little transfer action there has been at Finch Farm. It's hard not to get impatient but the sea changes occurring at Everton at the moment need time to play out.
There is confusion about what we want Everton to be. We had wanted to return to the days where we would dominate teams, playing them off the park. And yet we seemed to lack the bite, the intensity, the pride of pulling on the Royal Blue jersey.
A good day out and a game that left this fan quite optimistic that an upturn in fortunes is a possibility with this new manager. The walk back to our watering hole was pleasant today as most seemed happy and thought we could progress. I sincerely hope so.
Five weeks in to the Moshiri/Koeman era and there seem to be very few blues who aren't happy with the start we have made. Even the more cynical fan has been impressed.
"With half time beckoning I felt that I could join a few of the fellas for a half time drink and went down just after Coleman scored. I wasn't expecting to miss another goal of course and though delighted Everton have scored, you find yourself a bit cheesed off to have missed the goal."
Next time you are on the way to the match, pause for thought and think about your first journey and game at the Grand Old Lady, it will bring back some great memories. Goodison Park — a bastion of English football, what a place!
The CIES Football Observatory has developed a powerful approach to estimate on a scientific basis the transfer value of professional footballers. It says it has produced an algorithm that has been based from analysis of close to 2,000 previous transfers over the past seven years, with such factors as player and club performances, international status, experience, book value, contract terms, age and position helping to provide an accurate and realistic value.
Whilst the game was a real challenge and the result was one we would have taken prior to kick off, the mood was very positive after the game as we sunk a few beers in the city centre. We have to accept that the season is going to be a learning curve as we adapt from one style to the next and get the players fitness up to scratch.
Overall a good day out and we've now made the best start we have had in the Premier League years. I hope all this means something and we win something.
I don't want to think of the future anymore. I am tired of false dawns
Were Everton mis-matched physically with Tottenham during the clash at White Hart Lane?
Wayne Rooney would improve any squad in in the English Premier League and his return would provide a massive boost to the fans and players.
What a game and what a night. Now that's the rot stopped. Let's do it again next Monday and turn this season around.
The defeat would feel much worse had we not have started the season so brightly. Let's be a little pragmatic also — on another day, it could have been different.
Tom Hughes, a long-time advocate of redeveloping Goodison Park since the collapse of the Kings Dock proposal, presents what he feels remains a compelling case for rebuilding on the current site in Walton, particularly as a preferable option to Stonebridge Cross.
Alex Young — a personal reflection on the ‘Golden Vision'
Everton finally came up with a response to weeks of under-performance with a spirited performance under the lights to hand Arsene Wenger his first Premier League defeat for four months.
On 74 mins, we all realised our goose was well and truly cooked when Josh Murphy cut inside unchallenged and from some distance fired a beaut into the top corner of the Park End net. This was the cue for a mass exodus as great numbers of the faithful had well and truly had enough. We were brought back down to earth after Big Ron's first defeat.
Nobody would argue that great players necessarily make great managers — the list of managerial casualties who used to be great players is too long for that. But at Everton…
So three wins on the bounce in the Premier League and with the gap between us and Manchester United now down to just five points we find ourselves very much looking up rather than down. Things feel really positive. Let's just keep it going.
The manager, having fielded today's team, is in a very good position to say to the owners and directors of football "We need big investment and some astute buying." I hope he gets it.
As the moments that lit up his early appearances in Royal Blue become increasingly rare, is the Everton prodigy struggling under the weight of expectation or can he fulfill that rich promise?
All told a good day out where we saw our 5th home win on the bounce. Rom got his 20th goal to join Kane on top of the pile.
The Sky 4 have monopolized the FA Cup semis so 7th place will gets us into the qualifying rounds of the Europa Poisoned Chalice Cup.
Recent results and the manager's latest comments regarding Romelu Lukaku have damaged Ronald Koeman's standing with many Evertonians just a few months into his tenure.
A great result and it's great to have that positive feeling back. Actually, when did we last have it? So what have we learnt so far about Ronald Koeman? Well I like that he isn't one to wait. Koeman's willingness to change what he doesn't like and react to situations is very refreshing, and without his bullishness, we would not have won this game.
Four points from two games and just a glimpse of how we might evolve under this management. I liked the way the game was approached in that you can have possession football but not exclusively, it can be wrapped in direct no-nonsense stuff depending upon circumstance, a win being the ultimate goal.
It's every football fan's dream. The ‘Solid Three-Nil Win'. No tension, no worry, just simply watching the team you love knock the ball round with ease and going to sleep at night comfortable in the knowledge that, man for man, you were the better side.
Taking stock of the Blues' start and their promising future with the foundations in place under the new manager.
Without agreeing a new contract with a set release clause, Everton have the ability to only accept an offer suitable for the club.
I wish we could just abandon this fixture such is our pitiful record. I expect defeat every time now and just can't wait for that patronising head nod "unlucky mate" wince from my Liverpool FC supporting colleagues tomorrow. Happy bloody Christmas.
An unforgettable dinner in the splendor of the Anglican Cathedral to celebrate Everton and Dr David France's book, Everton Crazy.
There is plenty wrong at Everton at the moment but can Ronald Koeman fix it?
"How could we play like that second half?" was going around my head. But, as a long standing attendee of Goodison derbies, it certainly isn't my first. These are games like no other but I just wish we could have a few where we are the ones scraping the win, regardless of how the teams play.
Before kick-off, I was lucky enough to be asked along to Carling In Off The Bar – a show which aired on YouTube by Sky Sports presented by Adam Smith and Laura Woods. The show airs every Friday night game and is set in a pub in the city of the home team, this being MacKenzie's Whisky Bar on Rodney Street in Liverpool. I brought Ste along for the entertainment and free Carling.
A 4-0 win that looks on paper a bit of a tanning but it was anything but. Hull gave a good account of themselves for a good 70 minutes but a sending off and a late, late goal-fest did for them
There's something special about an English game of football in cold, wet and windy conditions, and walking on to Goodison Park from the pub, you really felt that buzz amongst the pre-game bustle
Had we capitalised on one of the fairly early chances, we might have had something of a goal fest but it never felt likely. If you're reading this having not seen any of the game, this may seem pretty entertaining but it really wasn't. We departed quickly at full time, leaving before the lap of appreciation and beating the traffic home.
Koeman is ambivalent to the prospect of Barkley leaving and it could also explain why, during the final home game of the season, the song for Lukaku was far more loudly sung than the song for Barkley, despite the latter scoring the winner. It is clear which one is harder to replace.
The 4-0 scoreline certainly put some gloss on the scoresheet, and though we have to be satisfied with a comfortable victory and safe passage into the Third Round, we can certainly make more of our opportunities in and around the penalty area.
With Ronald Koeman now six months into his Everton tenure and having had enough time to fully assess his squad, things should start taking shape in terms of his vision for the team and the players he wants to fulfil it
A good trip out and I got what I expected to get, a hard fought match where for long spells football took a back seat. It always seems to be that way against Stoke.
Not the best game you will ever see I didn't meet a fan who doesn't take a win first and if the icing can be added then fine but, for a fans' peace of mind i'ts always the win. I always want to win with silky joined up stuff but if I had to choose between the two... well?
As victories go, this one was sorely needed. It wasn't pretty, especially in a dour first half, and neither was it completely convincing but Ronald Koeman's side rediscovered some important aspects of their makeup and their play on their travels that could once again form the foundations of a charge for the European places.
So, after this season, are we any closer to understanding what Koeman's vision might be? He went public with his displeasure at the lack of fitness of the squad generally. Credit to him for doing this. Post-Christmas we were much improved in this respect. What does he want from a fitter squad though?
It was an end of season game that initially had something on it for Arsenal but other scores scotched that and those of a Blue persuasion were far more interested in our future than the past and games as frustrating as this one
With Old Father Time increasingly against the veteran midfielder, does Barry need to be used more sparingly or in a slightly different role?
Most conversations were of disbelief at what had transpired at the ‘Old Lady' -- we scored 6 and that was great. Let 3 in not so great. Lukaku has moved to top of the scoring charts and I would not mind betting a record or two may have been broken or added after that.
An extraordinary afternoon at Goodison Park. Though Romelu Lukaku rightly gets all the plaudits for his exceptional efforts in front of goal, it was nice to see Ross Barkley have the final say on the game. Ross had an excellent game, this characterising his form since the turn of the year and you have to expect that an England recall must be on the cards if he can keep up this form.
The Odyssey of Harolds' Wreath — The Toffeeweb (Offside Forum) tribute to Harold Matthews
In order to effectively mount a challenge in all competitions next season and achieve the ultimate aims of silverware and Champions League football, we should expect a significant turnover of players this summer
Koeman's Everton remain unconvincing going forward as the Dutchman's struggles to find a reliable combination continue
It's somewhat fitting that a year characterised by frustration should end with another infuriating Everton performance and two more dropped points against one of the poorest sides in the Premier League.
It's strange watching Everton at the moment and I think it stems from a change of manager and a few decent results early doors giving fans a hope that may just not be there at the moment.
I was satisfied with the collective as there is no doubt we are heading the right way but patience will be needed by all whilst the manager and his staff work through the assembly of a team capable of being in the mix season upon season.
On opportunities alone you would say we deserved the win though it did come with quite a slice of luck.
A flattering 3-0 victory finalises a good Christmas period. Though our draw at Hull City was disappointing, the seven points haul out of the available nine is not to be sniffed at.
Ken's view on the 3-0 win that kicked off 2017 on a positive note.
A very Football Manager type piece that many on here despise but I'm fairly confident many, like myself, quite enjoy. Naturally it will be filled with wild speculation and based on almost nothing except the invented tat found online and in the least acceptable of newspapers.
A look back at games played on this date in years gone by
In response to the typical New Year coverage and summary, and the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Everton Shareholders, it seems important to write something that summarizes some of the strategic issues the Club is encountering, both on and off the pitch.
All told, a great day out. Coming off the ground, I somehow felt we are turning a corner and from conversations held, so are some others.
A trip to Boro is never the most salubrious but when you get the complete English winter in one day it is even less appealing. Rain, sleet, snow, strong wind and freezing cold makes you wonder if the trip up was the best decision.
Overall, a terrible game but not the worst result. It's a shame to lose ground on the top six, but the reality is seventh is the best we can achieve this term in my opinion.
Financial Fair Play (FFP). I have researched, read and read again. I still can't work it out. From my (limited) understanding of FFP, a club has to make a profit, in order to buy. If there is no profit, a club must "sell to buy".
Everton 1 - 1 Manchester City
4 November 1967
This Transfer Deadline Day has left me feeling utterly deflated. More so than usual years because we were promised so much. New owners. New DoF. Alleged new wealth. New ways of working. Yet nothing has changed!
They have proven over the last three years if nothing else they simply don't have the mental strength or team spirit to step up and put in performances that we can be proud of.
Koeman has big problems on his hands. His team lacks any fluidity, cutting edge or genuine battling spirit and he has a striker whom he proclaims to be among the best in Europe toiling away with barely any support in a role to which he just isn't accustomed.
Over the years there's just been too many times that I've dared to dream going to Anfield only to leave dissappointed, that now I go with no real expectation at all.
I must admit, the final whistle was music to my ears. I heard it said many times that we can learn from this and I am sure we can but hell there is not much time till Tuesday and the small matter of an away trip to Old Trafford plus hot on the heels of that a home game against the reigning Premier League Champions.
A look at prospective signing Morgan Schneiderlin who has been hotly tipped to join Everton this month
We need numbers and we need quality and we need them soon. We just never do things the easy way, but maybe there will be some Everton rabbits pulled from hats before too long. I hope so, because we're a hopeful bunch, us Evertonians.
What a gutting way to have a win snatched away from you. I really thought we had done it but it wasn't to be.
The goings-on on transfer deadline day have dampened a lot of the rampant optimism surrounding Farhad Moshiri. In search of some reassurance that everything is going to be alright.
A big disappointment to us all and on the way out the talk was of the board getting in our transfer targets quickly.
We were poor today. We could have done with an easier fixture to kick off our campaign, such as Plymouth Argyle at home let's say, but we got the home draw against a team we're above in the league so it's difficult to whinge too much really.
Alex Nyarko — “The New Patrick Vieira†— was heading to Merseyside but delivered more complications to Goodison Park that many Evertonians to this day cannot understand why it didn't quite work out.
The transfer window has certainly focused attention on our current status and divided opinion as to whether we are generating sufficient head of steam to begin to pose a threat to the Sky-favoured elite, or just blowing hot air.
How the Blues have fared on this date in recent years
A game that will take some forgetting but all we can do is hope that Big Ron and his staff can work wonders with what we have now and try to strengthen window by window. On today's showing we are a few players short even for the short term.
The future is bright off the pitch but as yet the team on the field hasn't caught up. Is Ronald Koeman the right man to lead the Blues forward in the new Farhad Moshiri era?
Has the Everton manager's job proved to be a bigger job than Ronald Koeman expected and will he ever have a passion for the club? Beyond that, can the Toffees ever become an elite brand to attract the world's best coaches?
t full-time we had to be pleased with a point given it looked so bleak earlier in the game. Hopefully that is the spark we need to re-ignite our faltering campaign.
You somehow fancied goals in this one and it turned out to be one for the hipsters... with a goalkeeper captain, a goal within the opening 30 seconds, plenty of young players on show, six goals, little scraps in the game, goals from centre backs, a terrible referee and even an after-the-full-time-whistle chip into the net from Kevin Mirallas...the game had everything!
An occasionally witty and moderately well-written assessment of Everton FC
an get the ground looking great but yet can't fix the escalators on the top balcony. Most people seemed happy enough with the result but a few moans about the style of play. I reckon we can play any style the manager wants so long as we show improvement and gain the confidence to play with a fluidity that will not only be better on the eye but more importantly bring more wins. In football confidence is a very big thing.
Ken reports from Goodison where the unbeaten home run since the start of the year continued
Overall a workman like regulation game that we did what we had to to take the points.
The team remained unchanged from the bore draw at Middlesbrough prior to the enforced break. The fun quiz in the pub prior to the game was to guess how many ex-Everton players would feature in the Sunderland line-up, the answer of which turned out to be the two most recently departed — Darron Gibson and Bryan Oviedo. Joleon Lescott suffered the boos from the substitutes bench for probably one last time.
Though nervy at times we were resolute in the second half and did well to stand firm from a series of corners. We were however dangerous on the counter attack and this is how we sealed the game when two of our most impressive performers on the day combined to hammer the death nail for West Ham United.
A good day out and I was delighted to see Barkley at last start to look like the player many forecast he would become and I can but hope he comes good for the rest of the season. Coming off the ground it was Lukaku and Barkley who were on most people's lips. I must give a mention for Oviedo as he seems to be improving with the game time he is getting. I hope Ron sticks with him awhile; he can get better still, I reckon.
Memories of the first time seeing Alex Young
We were just awesome. Can anyone tell me when we last played this well?
Final whistle and the rendition of ‘If yer know yer ‘Istory' was deafening. In that second half the bear pit was back at Goodison
In case anyone thinks that this article is in anyway pessimistic, it's not. I've never been more optimistic about a new season for many a year.
We could have added extra gloss to the scoreline though anything more may have been harsh on Burnley who competed well in a feisty game which was played in good spirit. I was certainly entertained.
A fan savours his first trip across The Pond from the United States to watch Everton at Goodison Park for the first time.
A few weeks ago I was on the iPad, working my way through various topics on ToffeeWeb, my wife meanwhile was watching one of her favourite films on the box, namely Shutter Island.
Football, like life, is better in the modern age
Joe outlines the factors that have allowed Everton's academy staff a luxury that many others would not have, the promise of progression and first-team football, which in turn creates a desire and optimism within the youth ranks.
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