Walcott plays up importance of togetherness at Everton

Thing is. It shouldn't take £12m per year to suggest getting to know your colleagues over a plate of vegan shashlick and decaf lattes might improve morale.

Yes, I am an optimist (and sarcastic). COYB

Everyone knows you run the extra mile for your mates, so to see this headline, it shows exactly what has been missing at Everton for years? We have all read about DNA, and what do Evertonians want, and without being able to properly put our fingers on it, hopefully now we have got our solution?

Paul Tran, has been going on about us having “a manager” for years, and this is exactly what a good manager does, he brings everyone together, ably assisted by his number two, who showed everyone how much you can achieve when you actually pull together, so this title is music to my ears, and hopefully the start of a proper Everton revival.

Watching on Saturday, when Delph, was sent off, and Keane, came on for DCL, I thought we were going to three at the back, especially because that's what would have happened under Silva.

But no, it was much simpler than that, and to have three players sprinting forward, to try and get us a 90th minute winner, is all about desire, which is something Everton have lacked for years, especially away from Goodison Pk, and the result, should only help to “pull everyone together” even more!

I have been a bit of a critic myself of Walcott's performances of late and even in the early part of the game against Watford.

Whereas when he first came to us I thought there may still be a decent player, and his early performances produced a few goals, but recently he has proved he still has pace but his finishing has been woeful verging on schoolboy.

It looks like if fit, CA is eager to employ him in the first team, let's just hope that his 90th minute winner at Watford may just kick start (sorry) his scoring again.

Good to know that there is a camaraderie in the camp and off the pitch too, but these guys are on fantastic wages, it's about time the high earners started earning their corn. Most recent good performers have been from those on lower wages, coincidence or what?

Were I do agree is the calmness I can imagine Carlo brings to the club, he isn't under any pressure to prove how good he is, the amount of trophies he has won tells us how good he is. More importantly the players respect him and despite being a calming influence they will know not to cross him or Ferguson. I have to say that the pictures coming out of Finch Farm when Silva was there looked like a happy bunch of players, but seems Walcott is painting a different picture. All to easy for under performing players to blame their ex manager, and trying to suggest that he was part of the disharmony. Sheringham and Cole never spoke for seasons while at Man Utd, but it didnt stop them winning things as they were both professionals, maybe its that professionalism that was missing from the players under Silva.

I know they have all they need at Finch Farm, but maybe they need to install some large mirrors so these players can take a real look why results have been so poor prior to Duncan and Ancelotti taking over.

And Silva was lauded early days for putting his arm around players and getting them all to learn English etc etc. as a big change from Koeman. Can't see Ancelotti being more sociable than Silva,

This article is all stuff and nonsense.

Walcott was a hero for the last minute goal but had been fairly mediocre for most of the match. I expect we will need a better option on the right if we are to push forward next season.

Did anyone tell Prince William that the reason the club is so proactive in this area is because we have the highest number of supporters in the Premiership suffering mental health problems and depression - for obvious reasons.

Also, has anyone considered extending the mental health support programme to our players and support staff - or is that now Ancelotti's job? Maybe Steve Ferns has knowledge in this important area.

Over my working life I have worked under many bosses and from my experience if the boss knows his job from A to Z with a bit of fire in him then it takes a good un to pull the wool over his eyes when you get a boss who wants to be everyones mate then human nature tells us the gobby joker in the pack usually rises to the top and the quiet grafter gets pissed off wondering why should I bother if that scally gets away with everything. I think Carlo is getting them into line as some surprises have emerged from the pack that people thought should be gone a few weeks ago.

On one hand is it just a player sucking up to the new manager after scoring a last minute winner or were they really not used to going to Mecca Bingo under SIlva every Tuesday night?

Silva was so arms over the shoulder with the players he was literally kissing them on the cheek, cant see the Big Don getting down at Bongos bingo and hitting the Karaoke. Strange comments.

We were very lucky to 'Newcastle' Watford in the first half added time.

Agree though, that there does appears to be some newly discovered steel and character in the side. Still chasing a win with 10 men in the 90th Minute is evidence of that.

Team spirit is very big in my other sport of rugby league. When a player makes a mistake, or does a good play, every one of his team-mates will come across and console or congratulate.

Carlo however, will almost certainly have his own ideas on Theo's future!

Making public statement's doesn't appear to be the Carlo way, because he doesn't have too.

If it wasn't for Sky press conference commitments, I doubt very much that he would be giving any interviews at all.

He would communicate through his programme notes.

2-0 down going into added time; what odds on Everton going in level?

I had my doubts when the first one went to VAR for handball- that decision could've went either way, depending upon who's watching the game; thankfully and for once, it went Everton's way.

I'd buy a Happy Clappy on E-bay, if I could be arsed to haul myself from this crusty old sofa.

But more annoyingly is the implication that things are more relaxed and less intense. On Saturday with ten men we looked really fit and having Ricky and Theo flying like the red arrows in the dying embers I was hoping to hear how they had been working harder than the previous regime during the 10 day break and the hard work had paid dividends.

The fact that Theo is putting this down to recognising his own shortcomings is a little puzzling.

We weren't punished by VAR when, possibly, Silva would have been. Could it be that Ancellotti has a higher profile, is more respected by officials and consequently can “get away “ with decisions in the same way that Ferguson or Klopp do/did. Dean, Atkinson, Oliver etc may think a 50/50 might be better off going the World famous managers way than the way of the “ Nice but dim” manager who won't complain. Just a thought.

Fitness. I don't think we have been as fit since Moyes left. Osman blew the whistle on Roberto's lax training methods. And Koeman couldn't see because he was always playing golf. Lucky get. And getting paid millions too.
Ancellotti appears to be addressing the fitness aspect.

Good post!

As you've said this 'loving up' to the father figure happens nearly all the time, but implicit in what you've said is 'let's wait and see'. I'll personally judge him this time next year.

Very (very) true is that if a few more of these VARs had gone our way and one or two of the players had decided to have some professional pride and pride in badge and it's supporters and play instead of hiding then Silva would still be our manager.

I'm with you totally we are still consistantly inconstistant, but now lady luck isn't being so cruel on us. And that's about the greatest difference between Silva & Ancelotti.

There's a certain somebody at west ham, who some think would manage this group of players better than Carlo because they're below his usual standards, who would love our “luck”.

I hope we stay lucky till my dying day. My 9 year old son has never seen our team win anything. How many of us have kids like that?

What a wonderful man he is, and what a club we support

We were the only 3 evertonians in Hereford growing up! We've doubled the number with our children!

It's a contractual obligation to speak to the media. The players, still muddied, sweating and breathless, in the main answer the bland questions put to them with cliched answers.

Very rarely are they insightful or revealing about the inner workings of the club, the manager, the player, but some claim pseudo-psychic powers into interpreting public statements and arriving at some imagined interpretation and profiling of the same.

I'll stick to the numbers. Both Duncan Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti got, and continue to get, a tune out of what were serial and seriously underperforming players under Silva.

Although a very narrow database to draw on, Carlo has 14 points from 7 league games - averaging 2 points a game.

To put that into perspective, in the entire history of the PL era, Roberto Martinez in his record-breaking 1st season when we won the most points in a PL campaign averaged 1.89 points a game.

By further comparison, our average points-per-game ratio in the 28 seasons of the PL is 1.37.

In their whole term as Everton managers, this is the average points return per game of full-time managers dating back to Moyes:

Moyes 1.5 points per game exactly
Martinez 1.44
Koeman 1.47
Allardyce 1.42
Silva (worst of the lot) 1.28
Carlo 2.0 - a full half a point per game better than the next best. Over a full season, that adds up to 19 extra points.

A simple reading of the above is to conclude we replaced the worst performing manager in our PL history with the best performing one.

Good things are happening. Hell, if some are to be believed, we're also getting 'luckier'.

Long may it continue.

Whatever Theo or anyone else says.

That is not a quick 'photo-op-for-a-good-news-story' visit.

That is a man very much giving of himself and his time.

Good for him and very good for your mates, other patients and the hospital staff who no doubt Andre chatted with.

BTW, how good is young Mason looking? The lad just keeps improving game after game... real quality in the making, folks.

COYB

With hair like that, he's got to be worth it.

That is brilliant, Carl.

I imagine watching the game with Andre AND being the game and result it was, was as big a pick-me-up than any treatment your mate has received (as wonderful as I'm sure it has been).

Clearly we have played most of the poorest teams in the league under Carlo except for City so it's no surprise we have improved from a manager who was clearly underperforming. That's not to take anything away from Carlo as all games in the PL are difficult but drawing ridiculous conclusions from a handful of games is meaningless.

Hypothetically if VAR rule our first goal out for handball we probably would have lost that game and Carlo's percentage would have dropped to 1.57. Carlo would be back in the same ball park as previous incumbents.

After we play Palace,Arsenal,Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool and we are averaging 2 points a game then we can take those stats with a bit more credibility.

I hope you are right regarding the fitness levels because we looked improved in that department on Saturday.

But I haven't attempted to draw 'conclusions'. Just presented the data and noted good things are happening.

The numbers remain impressive, no matter how much you wish to poo-poo them. Add to the mix 1 away win all season before Carlo arrived. He has already chalked up two away wins on the road. More than 2 seasons since Everton have won after conceding the first goal. Carlo has got that monkey off our back in 7 games and after barely a month in the job.

Throwing in the three PL games under Dunc makes it 19 points from 10, averaging 1.9 points per game. That is above Roberto Martinez's and Everton's PL points record high which averaged 1.87 points per game.

Ten games out of 38 constitute more than 26% of the entire season. Or, to put it another way, 10 of our 25 games to date this season equals 40% of the PL games played.

So whilst an admittedly narrow database, it is not an insignificant one. All the more so that it is being achieved with EXACTLY the same set of players that Silva ultimately failed abysmally to get a tune out of.

Not that you seemingly wish to admit it, what with you seemingly having Marco Silva on speed dial knowing what he is thinking. What was it you said in the match day thread?

You can 'guarantee' that Silva watched Saturday's events ruing (your presumed) poor summer recruitment and failing to land Dacoure as a mitigating circumstance of Everton's poor early season form under the Portuguese.

If you did but notice, but Dacoure ended up on the losing side against 10 men, thanks to our current manager's selections, formations and in-game tactics, using players ALL available but never properly utilised under Marco Silva.

As I said, good things are happening. Some evidently don't wish to admit it.

Great to hear the players socializing from their own initiation! They must do that again before too long, for sure.

Perhaps you missed what I wrote about Carlo on Lyndons thread or maybe that just doesn't fit your narrative of my views. Some evidently have their own blinkers.

Regarding my comments about Silva he will no doubt be blaming this summer for our season especially because he kept throwing it in opportunely in his pressers and then followed it by he won't be making his excuses. Let's be clear I wanted Silva as manager a lot less than Ancelotti and agree he was rightly dismissed but if anyone thinks that these players will be taking us to the Champions League next season because Silva is gone are in for a surprise. Brands needs to deliver for Carlo this summer.

Why are you throwing in Duncan's record with Carlo's? More pointless nonsense to glorify reality.

Still, some performances overall were notable and it was nice to see Mina contributing up front and Holgate getting better every game.

I must confess seeing him at fullback for West Brom wasn't inspiring and his return to Everton in the centre left me thinking he wouldn't be the answer but he has steadily improved.

Delph was disappointing and didn't help matters when he was red carded but Everton's tackling overall is wayward at best.

Walcott is past his best and doesn't look comfortable playing deep but he can still finish and showed it when it mattered.

It would be nice to dent Liverpool's record come the derby match but we still have a ways to go to match up to them.

Walcott talks about getting himself more fit, why not before!

Footballs about very small margins and events can go either way, when they go your way at the right time everything is hunky dory.

I think Carlo is a good manager his record is top class, he's right for us at this time but, in the end, he's still reliant on how good his players are.

I put up the numbers of average PL points return by all our full-time managers since Moyes.

I clearly qualified on the matchday thread Carlo's numbers are too narrow a database to draw any deep conclusions from.

I harmlessly, not maliciously, highlighted that in his 7 PL games to date is averaging 2 points a game, a full half a point per game higher than the next best, Moyes.

Again, I harmlessly, not maliciously, demonstrated that over the course of a full season that equates to an additional 19 points a season.

That's it. Continue believing as much as you like I am being deviously Machiavellian in my posts, if it comforts you.

Why did I throw in Duncan's record with Carlo's? Simple. Because I'm concerned with the TEAM, not personalities. I did so to demonstrate how, in their own different ways, that BOTH Duncan and Carlo IMMEDIATELY got a response and results with the VERY SAME PLAYERS you try to imply Silva was burdened and hamstrung with.

Finally, I did read what you wrote about Carlo's subs on another thread. But that wasn't part of what YOU chose to discuss here, is it?

Rather, you offered an extremely whimsical notion about VAR ruling out our first goal and fabricated a resulting consequence whereby we lost the game, thus denting Carlo's numbers that I put up.

Fixating much, Conor?

Fantasy. It didn't happen. What did happen was the extremely unjust dismissal of Fabian Delph, leaving us with 10 men for the final 25 minutes played.

With XI men on the pitch, we looked good to win it. How any poster, as many did, can contemplate the notion that having a player dismissed was beneficial to us...well, words fail me.

As you yourself noted, Carlo used his subs well and reshuffled his 10 men to ensure at least a point. Having three speed merchants up top and alert to the situation is what won us the game.

Exactly as Carlo himself predicted in his Friday presser when he said counter-attacking will be important for us in the Watford game.

Strange why you used other threads to misrepresent me but I drew a clear comparison between Carlo and Marco which you were aware of yet you ignored it to try and win an argument and presenting me as an apologist for Silva.

I didn't think you are being Machaevellian on this thread with regard to your stats, just a little premature in differentiating Carlo from the pack. I hope you are right and he can continue with this very difficult fixture list.

I think your points about the two away wins, the spirit which has been engineered and coming from behind for the first time in two years are much more valid at this time.

However there are "lucky" managers and "unlucky" managers. We now seem to have the former.

I don't believe the "socialising" has made a significant difference I think its the belief that comes from winning and the finger pointing that comes from losing.

Players are no different from supporters in that they are happy when we win and looking for scapegoats when we lose.

I hope we are getting fitter but, until we get better players in midfield, our ball retention will remain awful, and that's exactly how it was at times on Saturday.

The win should do us the power of good, though, and the first thing this team needs to learn is to play better away from home, because certain players always look more comfortable at Goodison for some unknown reason. Maybe it's because they get less time on the ball?

'Jay don't be arguing with yourself and continually attributing it to me.'

Do-what?! I genuinely - but genuinely - haven't the foggiest idea what you are alluding to here, Conor.

I acknowledged and attributed to you what YOU said in various posts. That's it. Or, are you now retracting some of what you said? It appears so.

In your latest post you now categorically say that you 'feel this summer had a negative impact on this season with regards to challenging for our targets' is another discussion altogether to what you wrote in our earlier exchanges.

Anyhows, I'm pleased to see you have come around to my way of thinking by now saying (regardless of whether either of us thinks that the summer recruitment was good, bad or indifferent) that:

'I [Conor] believe you [Jay] are quite right that doesn't excuse Silva who clearly mismanaged the team. The fact we have improved under Dunc and Carlo is understandable and full credit to both...'

And:

'I think your [Jay's] points about the two away wins, the spirit which has been engineered and coming from behind for the first time in two years are much more valid...'

That was my key point, if you did but look Conor, before coming in swinging and dissing the raw numbers I put up.

That good things are happening (under BOTH Duncan and Carlo) with EXACTLY the same squad of players that Silva failed to get a tune out of.

And condolences to you, your friends and their families for the tragic recent events.

Going back to the OP, we haven't had togetherness on the field for years. I put that down to a lack of real leadership. Our previous 3 managers, (not including Fat Sam) have all been 'Head Coaches' and now we have a real manager, with some old school ideas. I remember reading about the Leicester title winning year and Ranieri used to take them out as a team on numerous occasions.

If you want to rake up stuff like that, I can point to your argument with me when I was last on that Lukaku was the biggest waste of money because he couldn't trap a ball... or last season, when you were declaring Michael Keane as the best player at the club. You also have continually defended Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson when they downed tools.

As Evertonians, hope is our best friend. And I will gladly eat humble pie over Ancelotti if he brings us silverware.

I emigrated to Canada in 1963 at a time when we were Number One. During the past 57 years, Everton has always remained my top priority, other than my family. I have two sons John "Everton" and Andrew "Goodison". I also have a daughter but my Scottish wife refused to allow me to call my daughter "Gwladys". That was fine because I was never really sure how to spell it.

I will be bringing my eldest son and my son-in-law over to Goodison for the derby game in March. I was able to convert my son-in-law to become a fanatical Evertonian. That was 20 years ago. He is of Italian heritage so it was a significant challenge beating out the likes of Juventus, Milan, etc. However, I was successful, although he wouldn't have been allowed to marry my daughter unless he had become a True Blue.

To Everton as a team: Walcott talks of unity, togetherness and grit. "Please Please Me", as the Beatles said. On 16 March 2020, We must beat that much-despised bunch of red despicables. Spoil their season.

If so, I promise to make you more than famous throughout Canada than any team in history. I would even streak across Goodison, other than that would turn off even the most loyal of fans. Particularly my wife, who will be watching on TV.

A win would so make my day and I will never ever ask for anything else again. Well... until we play them again.

The Blues kiboshed Liverpool's pursuit of Man City last season and although they have had the title sewn up for some time already, it would be nice for Everton to be the one blot on their season... if there is only one.

Let's hope the Blues give him some happy days before he leaves us.

Deary Lord, 'hold it against you for wanting to give Siva a chance?'

My, you do have a persecution complex.

Attributing to me traits I don't think and don't engage in.

As with every manager, including Sam Allardyce, once they are appointed they get my full support. And I very much supported Silva and said as much when good things happened. Why? Simply because if the manager does well, Everton is doing well. And that's what interests me.

And it gets more bizarre! Lukaku?! He left 3 seasons ago! I have ZERO recall of 'arguing' with you over the player.

Seemingly, you believe there is 'history' between us. Trust me Conor, on my side, there is NONE. I genuinely don't recall your name or your postings before you started addressing me directly following Carlo Ancelotti's appointment.

Sorry if that dents your (simultaneously) inflated and fragile ego.

Back to Romelu.

I was consistent in my defence of Lukaku against all-comers, so put away the vanity card and stop thinking you were the only one I disagreed with on the player.

In Stones, Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku I consistently stated they were of the right age and the right profile upon which to build a team. The type of players we should look to recruiting and retaining, not moving on.

I stand by that opinion and the reasons why I defended Lukaku. A player sorely missed at Everton, never adequately replaced.

Not content with imagining a 'grudge match' between us, you compound it further with the following LIES!

I have NEVER claimed that 'Michael Keane was the best player at the club'. On the contrary, in his 1st season I commented many a time that it looked as if we had been sold a pup. That he quickly went from a 7-8 out of 10 performer in his early games, to a 3-4 out of 10 rating.

What I did praise him for in his 2nd season was how markedly improved he was - and he did play damn well. My respect and compliments increased when we discovered how serious a foot injury he suffered in his poor 1st season and how he continued to play through the pain, doing further damage to his health and reputation as a result.

As well as highlighting his shortcomings then, I also praised his qualities - AS I PERCEIVE THEM, Conor. Tough Titty if you don't concur.

As for me 'continually defending Schneids and Siggy', again - out-and-out lies.

When Schneiderlin first arrived and was getting praise, I took a contrary view. I highlighted the times he was out of position or too easily beaten, exposing our backline which even led to goals. That with time became the popular view which venomously took hold last season and carried into this.

Comically, I started taking a contrary view about Schneiderlin. I recall joking with Andy Crooks I confuse myself about the player and my 'bipolar view' about him.

Still not the greatest option in midfield, but I genuinely believed he was not the worst performing midfielder either last season or this. And that reflected more on the paucity of how the bulk of our players were performing, because any mildly competent midfield should displace him in our team easily.

As for Sigurdson, as did many others, I expressed bewilderment at our pursuit of him given the earlier recruitment of Davy Klaassen and Rooney and definitely thought we should have walked away and never paid the price we did.

But - as with the managers - once signed, I support a player. I always hope new players play well as that means it's good for the team. Like most players the Koeman-Unsworth-Allardyce season, no player really covered themselves with glory.

He was excellent last season with his goal return and assists. He has been poor this season. I have consistently said as much, my opinion reflecting how he has performed in any given game. NOT on some preconceived notion as some are prone to do.

ME unreal, Conor? No mirrors in your house, I'm guessing.

I certainly think the Europa League place is up for grabs, as Sheffield Utd, who have out-performed even their own fans' wildest dreams, are, like Wolves, only 3 points ahead of us.

Although not playing brilliantly, the team is picking up points and only Liverpool and Man City have fared better over the last 10 games. Surprising how much confidence they will have got from those 10 games – even more so when you think of the setbacks they have had even since Carlo Ancelotti took over. Losing to Liverpool's youngsters in the FA Cup and throwing away 2 points to Newcastle.

Quite often, the test of a side is how quickly they get over a bad result, and we have done that since Carlo and Duncan have been in charge, so long may that continue.

What a refreshing post!

At a time when a noisy minority are dismissing our youngsters with side-splitting rehashed put-downs, like "He couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo", just one post from a top fan like you restores my faith in Evertonia.

Enjoy the game when you get over here.

I said something similar in the Watford post-match thread.

The Blades and the Wolves are said to be having good seasons, and yet we are just 3 and 2 points adrift of them respectively. A Europa League place very much remains up for grabs, IMO. And welcome, as far as I'm concerned.

The fact, as Joe says @ 78, that Wolves started their competitive season in July may also work in our favour as we go into the final third of the season.

The number of games won in the league by the teams around us also makes interesting reading.

The teams with 9 wins include ourselves (5 of those in the last 10 games since Silva's dismissal), the Blades, United, Burnley and Southampton.

Wolves are the draw specialists - a league high 11 - but only 8 wins. Same as Newcastle.

The mighty Arsenal has a paltry 6 wins from 25 games.

Keep up the higher ratio of wins that we have achieved under Dunc and now Carlo, and we can still overhaul a number of teams currently above us.

He appears to be saying he is putting in extra work to last 90 minutes, rather than 60, and to get up to the pace of the game. He is also admitting he wasn't part of the team in spirit and that he likes Ancelotti, because he doesn't have to work as intensely as before at Finch Farm, which I find it hard to believe ever happened a Finch Farm before this.

So what was he doing before this? Seems like he is saying he was going through the motions and lifting his wages.

By the way, Theo, you were pretty crap against Watford and should have been subbed. Delph saved your bacon and you put in a good run, scoring from a wonderful assist from Kean.

The biggest asset was your pace; glad you are working to keep it at last. Glad your social life has taken off.

Even those who have been living on the dark side of the moon can always take a quick look at the Premier League table...

Make sure you give your crack a good wash. I think we will give it a damned good go in March and will get that long awaited win.

I get criticised as bitter and twisted when I tell people I have only ever supported two teams... Everton and whoever is playing Liverpool.

The thought of any 80-year-old streaking across the hallowed turf brings back the old joke about the pensioner running around the old folks' home naked seen by two onlookers. One said, 'What is Doris wearing?' The other replied, 'I don't know, but it needs ironing.'

Lucky he decided to go to the gym, so he could get on the end of the assist.

Less pasta with yer mates and practice your first touch, it's like you are kicking a balloon... 🎈

My condolences to your friends.

Your story of Gomes is simply awesome. TY for sharing, and again, best to your friends and their families.

John Boon @ 71 -

It's got to be a win now. Your trip will be an amazing one, and we won't let them win it on that day. No way. Enjoy.

We duly did this on Saturday before the game. My son brought his mate from school. There were 11 people there in total, 9 adults and 2 kids. The team bus wasn't parked in its usual position at the front of the hotel where all the Premier League teams stay though. It was parked at the back of the car park with a rope set up between the hotel and the bus. Nonetheless, we waited by the ropes, it never entered my head that the players wouldn't stop for 30 seconds, at least for the 2 9 year old boys.

The players emerged and my boy was excited at seeing his heroes. Carlo Ancelotti was at the front, he came over so that my boy could have a picture. Every single player then walked past at a hundred miles an hour, not making eye contact and ignoring us as they scampered onto the bus...except Theo Walcott, who posed for a photo with my boy.

These players are gobshites. They don't give a damn about the fan base. I hate these players, some of them have been stealing a living these last few years. To pretty much all walk past 2 9 year old boys who were looking at them starry eyed and just scamper straight on the bus was disgusting. My boy was in tears going home. Thankfully, Theo Walcott had posed for a photo. When Theo got the winner, my lad was made up to have got a picture with the player who had got the winning goal for us. Theo had the decency to pose for a picture for 30 seconds, when none of the others did. This is the reality guys. They come out with sound bites in the press, and I have to say that Theo Walcott seemed a truly decent fella. I know from previous times that Baines and Coleman have been decent guys also. But the players, on this occasion, couldn't wait to get past us and onto the bus, completely ignoring the 2 boys waiting to see them. I am absolutely disgusted.

Well done to the manager and Theo Walcott who did stop and give the two young boys a few precious moments, to the young lads, which they will remember for a long time, they will also remember the ignorance of the rest of the squad.

You would have been entitled to have had a little go at the players who walked past a few fans when it would have cost them next to nothing to spend a couple of minutes talking and getting their photo's taken with fans, especially the young boys, who help to pay their wages.You have every right to feel the way you do.

Manners cost nothing, but mean a lot.

What a day you will have if we beat them bastards, as you would call them. Whatever happens on the day, I truly hope that you enjoy your time back in your old sparring days, very best wishes.

I joined Twitter yesterday, first of all, to thank Theo and Carlo for being decent guys, and secondly to make the club aware that pretty much the whole squad blanked two 9-year-old boys. You know how they couldn't get off the pitch quick enough after the derby? Well, that is how they boarded the team bus on Saturday.

To put it in perspective, I shouted over to Rhino, as he was crossing the road (outside the Hot Wok at the junction of Walton Lane and Spellow Lane and I was near the statue of Dixie) and asked him would he have a pic taken with my daughter. He crossed back over the road to us, we didn't even have to move, plus you could see he was in a rush which made me appreciate it all the more.

Just a few seconds out of his time made my daughter's day (until she saw the pic, as I must've moved my hand as it was blurry, but that's beside the point).

The train had quite a few kids on it, (I love it that both Everton and Liverpool always have loads of kids in the away end) and I was asking the Everton bouncer/commissionaire/ gobshite, could he take a few of the kids into the carriage to see their hero's?

“Not possible, the players are resting” was his pathetic reply, and even when I told him that this would be better than any Christmas present, they would get the following week, and the players wouldn't have to get out of their fucking seats, he just looked at me like I had two heads.

Hopefully things are going to change though Danny, but my guess is, that a lot of players will not be aware that they are in a privileged position, until they go to the bank, unlike André Gomes though, because that was a magnificent gesture, him spending so much time with Carl's mate Ashley and his family, which must have been very uplifting, even for a man in Ashley's very sad predicament, God-bless xx.

When Everton trained at Bellefield the players would go to a little cafe on East Prescot Road. They would all be in there. Roy Vernon would be smoking away like mad.

He looked like HMS Ajax laying smoke.

Not trying to disrupt any plans you may have already made but would be good to meet up with another 'familiar name' from TW.

Maybe with Dave and Tony Abrahams we could arrange an impromptu 'get together' as I'm sure they too would like to meet you too. Anyway, food for present and future thought!

Martin @84, lol!

Hi John, I would be delighted to meet up with and you and your family on 'Derby Day', but if your plans will allow it, I would be prepared to meet you on the day before the game, Sunday Match 15th at the Central Hotel.

For my 80th birthday [July 15th 2018], the first 'ToffeeWeb' get-together was held at the Central Hotel [Pub] at 12:00am, the reason I chose that venue was because it was immediately opposite Central Station which serves Liverpool and Wirral lines and proved to be an ideal location, being on a non-match day.

Although the World Cup Final was on TV. We relied on updates from the bar staff, some of us were there long after the game finished, contrary to medical advice I consumed one or two bottles of Guinness too many. I bailed out at 9:00pm, I'm not suggesting that a meeting if it took place, would be anything like that, but I'm 100% sure that it would be just as enjoyable if there is sufficient interest from fellow 'Webbers', if not you would be stuck with me.

I have submitted this post hoping that it may create a bit of interest, and apologies if it causes you any problems.

Hope TW staff do not mind me using the Site to make. CYOB arrangements. For me and my two family Blues this means such a lot.

Is it any wonder I don't have a current or recent player as a hero?

I can't remember my last hero who was a player, since the great '80s teams, I mean.

Probably Duncan. After that, Arteta possibly?

Isn't it a 12:30 kick off? You'll have to make it a swift one!

Had the pleasure of meeting him once. To say he had a dislike for our neighbours from across the park is putting it mildly.

"You having a drink? Who are you ,by the way?"

"Right. You wear the number 8?"

"Okay, I know I've had a couple but I've had this mad idea. No! Don't laugh! We could start going to the gym! Get fit. I know. I know. You don't have to tell me. We might even score a few goals!"

"What d'you mean? I'm boozed?"

I see comments around how we're not playing very well, etc. but that only makes me ask again, what did one expect after 7 games with the same squad? Near as I can tell from reading his book, Carlo has never used a magic wand as part of his strategy.

Also, everything is still Brands fault, eh Conor? 😂

With regards to the Ancelotti debate I'm not criticising him and have actually been more complimentary than critical but would just like to see a little parity. If everyone was being unfair to Carlo I would be on the other side of the fence, that's just my nature. If we lost our next seven I won't be putting up stats showing Carlo is the worst manager in our history.

With regards to Brands I'm still of the belief I was accurate. Delph and Iwobi weren't great signings, the loss of the spine has derailed our season and Kean and Gbamin will prove astute long term. The improvements generated by Carlo have mostly been to Walsh players so I'm surprised your bringing Marcel into the debate as it only lessens your case.