Two more pre-season friendlies announced

Friday, 15 June, 2018 38comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton have lined up northwest run-outs against Bury and Blackburn Rovers as part of their preparations for the new season.

The Blues will play Bury at Gigg Lane on Wednesday July 18, kick-off at 7:45pm, and then make the trip to Ewood Park to play Rovers on Thursday July 26, also with a 7:45pm kick-off.  



Reader Comments (38)

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Tom Barton
1 Posted 15/06/2018 at 22:24:51
About time we get back to basics. No more pretence holidays in the guise of pre friggin season training. Get fit, get real.
Minik Hansen
2 Posted 15/06/2018 at 22:31:37
There must be something more in late June or early July, it's necessary with a new manager and new players in the team. I reckon there is a tournament, we'll join around that time.
Liam Reilly
3 Posted 16/06/2018 at 00:34:49
Wow!

We're really kicking it here. I reckon the big boys are shaking in their boots.

John Otway
4 Posted 16/06/2018 at 01:09:16
Thanks for your support, Liam.
Nick Swallow
5 Posted 16/06/2018 at 02:50:17
Why would you even post something like that, Liam?
David Ellis
6 Posted 16/06/2018 at 03:28:59
Tom Barton (#1), spot on – back to basics.

However, I wouldn't mind Real Madrid... but in truth glamour pre-season games are just a distraction. Cut down the travel and get fit and cohesive.

Bobby Mallon
7 Posted 16/06/2018 at 04:34:32
Our best pre-season in ages was when we were in that tournament in America when Barkley scored that audacious penalty.
Kieran Kinsella
8 Posted 16/06/2018 at 04:44:56
Bobby,

It wasn't Barkley, it was Stones vs Juventus and he got a ticking off from Gigi. Never understood the rationale behind that but then Gigi is a bit of a cry baby according to Michael Oliver.

Mike Gaynes
9 Posted 16/06/2018 at 05:17:09
Keiran, I was at that game. Don't recall it being Buffon ticking off Stones, because the Juve keeper was Storari, but maybe Gigi was with the team.

But whoever gave Stones the lecture, it was because he wagged his finger at the keeper after the Panenka. The audacity of a then-unknown teenager taunting a veteran keeper would definitely have raised some Italian hackles.

David Barks
10 Posted 16/06/2018 at 05:31:21
I too was at that game and I do remember Buffon getting up close and personal with Stones. I loved that penalty and remember thinking how great it was to finally have a player with that mentality. Sadly, we let him go without putting up a fight, but I couldn’t blame him wanting to go to City.

More importantly, I can not understand why we stopped coming to the US for our preseason given the great competition, training facilities and exposure that it brings. Absolutely criminal.

John Keating
11 Posted 16/06/2018 at 07:28:20
Yes deffo back to basics.

No more overseas trips for "bonding" bullshit. If needs be then down the ale house.

Any preseason or mid season work should be down Formby or Altcar beach up and down the dunes getting fit.

Before we buy any players we need to bring in a complete professional fitness team who all have degrees in dune racing and sandcastle building.

It's the only way and you know it's right

Colin Glassar
12 Posted 16/06/2018 at 08:15:41
Whatever happened to the sand dunes of Ainsdale? A good 10km run followed by a cold shower, a pie and a pint was what made us champions.
Alan Rodgers
13 Posted 16/06/2018 at 08:42:02
Well said Colin @12 but they do great black puddings at Bury
John Keating
14 Posted 16/06/2018 at 08:45:21
As long as they don't go to Crosby beach as they'd get mistaken for the statues.

Actually that does a disservice to the statues who move more than the team.

Colin Glassar
15 Posted 16/06/2018 at 08:56:12
I do love a black pudding, Alan.
Alan McGuffog
16 Posted 16/06/2018 at 08:57:27
Oh the glamour of a summer evening in Bury ! In the 60's didn't we always have a friendly against Shamrock Rovers ?
Jimmy Hogan
17 Posted 16/06/2018 at 09:11:15
Colin #12, you forgot the packet of fags.
Brent Stephens
18 Posted 16/06/2018 at 09:16:20
Away fans tickets for the Bury game already on sale on the Bury website.
Don Alexander
19 Posted 16/06/2018 at 09:40:17
We've had more than a few black puddings thanks Colin.
Derek Taylor
20 Posted 16/06/2018 at 10:35:33
The new regime will have to come up with better than this. Opposition of this class is no real test.We can only hope they have irons in the fire !
Brent Stephens
21 Posted 16/06/2018 at 11:06:08
Playing Bury is sort of playing Inter.
Ralph Basnett
22 Posted 16/06/2018 at 12:54:38
Or maybe the new regime think this is where we should be aiming for the future, because, with the dross we have had for the last two seasons, it's where we are heading!!!!
Colin Malone
23 Posted 16/06/2018 at 13:31:07
Let's hope the name Carvalho won't be joining Everton. I watched him against Spain, he must've covered 10 yards all game. Imo, the Premier League will be too fast for him. Makes Ya Ya Toure look like Seb Coe. Ya Ya is a much better player.
Dan Parker
24 Posted 16/06/2018 at 15:03:07
Good link:

Finished 7th and then won the league. C'mon Marco, get it done!

Jack Convery
25 Posted 16/06/2018 at 17:46:41
Both away ends will be full for these games. The new guys we buy will see we are no run of the mill town club. Wigan, Blackpool and Oldham next. May make our superstars realise which side of the bread their comfy lives are buttered on. Cold showers and peeling wallpaint /splinters on the shower room seats. We really are saving money!!!!!!!
Eugene Kearney
26 Posted 16/06/2018 at 18:59:02
Thanks for that video, Dan. Nice one. I hope we're back up there soon.
It's been a bloody long wait.
Tony Sullivan
27 Posted 16/06/2018 at 21:41:03
How about Probables v Possibles as we used to have in the '50s. Save a lot of travel and expense.

Porblem is we are overwhelmed with possibles!!

Tony Sullivan
28 Posted 16/06/2018 at 21:48:19
That could be followed by a week in Buxton to take in the air with a diet of sherry and eggs. Oh for the good old days!!!
Nick Swallow
29 Posted 17/06/2018 at 11:19:46
I love black pudding me!
Victor Jones
30 Posted 17/06/2018 at 13:38:33
Punters on TW wanting more glamourous preseason friendlies. I ask you all this. Do we learn more by beating Bury 5-0? Or do we learn more by getting stuffed by say Barcelona or Juventus?

I'd go for stuffing Bury and Blackburn.And hopefully building up some momentum heading into our early season fixtures. But if this Everton team don't show improvement. Then nothing is guaranteed against any team.

And of course I want to see Everton someday take on the big boys of European football. When we are ready. But for now. I just want to see Everton win a few football matches. So a few good wins against Bury and Blackburn will do for starters. Slowly. Slowly catchee monkey.

I've seen Everton in previous years play friendlies in Ireland( North and South). And not many players that featured in those matches started the season proper. So I ask you what was the point?

Silva needs to use players that are mainly going to feature against Wolves. Whilst also taking a look at a few fringe players. Otherwise what's the point of playing any friendly. FFS. I saw Everton friendlies when Moyes played players who didn't even make the under 23s set up. We couldn't recognize half the team. What was the point?

And Koeman played McGeady in a friendly. WTF. And dropped Niasse after only watching him for 45 minutes. What was the point of those friendlies. Did our players get fit?

Silva needs to know his best starting 11 before we take on the Wolves. So these games against Bury and Blackburn will be important. And they won't be easy. Those games could just show Silva what players are up for the fight.

Are friendlies nowadays not just a wee friendly kickabout and a PR stunt for the club. With nothing really learnt about players and tactics.

Or should we not go all out hell for leather to stuff these lower league teams. And get momentum going. Start winning football matches. And learn about or players.Get some momentum and tactical nous instilled.

I know what I prefer. Let's get ready to rock and roll in August. Not October. Up The Toffees.

Martin Reppion
31 Posted 17/06/2018 at 20:44:30
Dan #24. Great video.

Back to this thread. I've seen pre-season games against lower league teams. They start their season proper a week before us so are usually a bit sharper and more into their training than we are when we play them. This makes them good tests.

Once we blow off the cobwebs against Bury and the like, we can play the usual oversees mini-tournament and the final big-name warm-up at home.

It would be good if we come out of these games with an idea of who will be in the starting line-up at Wolves. We should also know a bit more of who is surplus to requirements. Most importantly though, we should have seen what our players are doing differently to last season. Commitment, effort, flair.

Those who underperformed and stole their wages (most of them for most of the season) have got to win back the trust and respect of the fans.They can start doing that in those games.

Matthew Williams
32 Posted 18/06/2018 at 13:23:17
About time we got back to basics, no long-distance travel needed and a good chance for our players to look fully fit for a change at the start of the season.

Our first five games are very winnable too, so let's be positive and look to get off to a flyer eh Blue Boys!?

John Boon
33 Posted 18/06/2018 at 21:39:13
Re John Keating (14) .To make matters even worse we would probably lose to the Statues.
Steve Carse
34 Posted 25/06/2018 at 12:43:26
It's fine having games against the likes of Bury but where's the rest? Only 3 friendlies arranged! Together they will give a 23-man squad the grand average of 12 minutes time on the pitch! Not a lot going into a new season is it. Where's the match fitness coming from?
Peter Anthony
35 Posted 25/06/2018 at 12:55:50
I suspect Marco Silva wants to focus work on fitness and tactics with the squad he has with very high intensity training including 11 vs 11 from within the Squad. The desire to impress the new manager should ensure good intensity this pre-season. That said, I would not be surprised if more friendlies are announced soon.
Dennis Stevens
36 Posted 25/06/2018 at 13:12:16
Just one player on the field at a time then, Steve?!
Derek Taylor
38 Posted 25/06/2018 at 13:54:33
I can't help feeling that once again the pre-season planning and approach seems a bit 'half-soaked'!

Of course, there is a game against some African team in addition to Bury and Blackburn (arranged by Walsh for Big Sam, I understand) and I feel sure Brands will persuade a Dutch side to play us but none of this compares with the tests the 'big clubs' will be involved in.

The suggestion here is that the focus is to be on fitness training (back to the sand dunes, then?) but surely there will be no good start if no match fitness is in evidence also!

Steve Carse
39 Posted 25/06/2018 at 17:23:29
Dennis (36), I see what you mean... there again, there were times last season when it at least felt that way.

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