Opinion & Articles

Moshiri's Big Gamble

Lyndon Lloyd

His prior association with Liverpool and diminished reputation mean the appointment of Rafael Benitez is fraught with difficulty and he will have very little margin for error with many Everton fans. It's either a hugely courageous or tone-deaf decision by Farhad Moshiri that could be mad enough to work or go the same way as his last four managerial appointments

From Hollywood to the Gates of Hell

Martin O'Connor

With the departure of the disaster that was Carlo Ancelotti, we had the chance to appoint an ambitious manager who could excite the supporter base and have a real plan, strategy, vision, and the ambition to lead us into the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and the future. Instead, the board have dragged us to the gates of hell. They have made a Faustian pact with Benitez, selling our soul to a man who will play awful football, take us nowhere, and be gone in about 18 months — or hopefully a lot sooner.

Rinse and Repeat

Darren Arnold

There's an argument to be made that Everton haven't made any progress since the day Sam Allardyce was sacked three years ago. Is Rafael Benitez, with his reputation for defensive football, just another "holding" appointment until we can find the right man or could his more colder, more authoritarian style be just what the squad needs?

Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?

Darren Hind

What is the truth about EVerton's core of ex-players on the coaching staff? And is one of them — Duncan Ferguson — good enough to take the reigns as the new manager?

Recruitment, Recruitment, Recruitment — The Answer to Our Problems

Paul The Esk

Five meddling years into his tenure as majority shareholder and financial backer, Farhad Moshiri should take note of words once said by Theodore Roosevelt.

Moshiri' Everton Less a Museum Than a Hall of Mirrors

Lyndon Lloyd

Things may be under control behind the scenes with Marcel Brands assessing a list of managerial candidates but the impression from the outside is of a club wracked by indecision and internal conflict. Either way, in the vacuum of communication, frustration is mounting, with the Rafael Benitez speculation adding fuel to the fire of discontent

NES: Seal of Mediocrity or Hero-in-Waiting?

Lyndon Lloyd

With his seemingly imminent appointment as Everton manager, Blues fans are having trouble seeing past Wolves' sorry 2020-21 season under Nuno Espirito Santo. Worrying metrics thrown up in this past campaign are definitely pause for thought but observations from students of the game reveal a more complex, astute and driven man than his reserved demeanour suggests.

Christophe Galtier — A Gallic Gamble Worth Taking?

Lyndon Lloyd

Untried in the Premier League but with demonstrable success under his belt with Saint-Étienne and Lille, the 54-year-old with the piercing eyes has been described as France's hottest managerial property. In a field devoid of exciting candidates, might he be the outsider option to ignite Everton's revival?

It' a Rich Man' World

Clive Rogers

Real Footballers' Wives — Dolly Sagar

Becky Tallentire

The next installment of Real Footballers' Wives features Dolly Sagar, wife of Everton's longest-serving player, goalkeeper Ted Sagar who spent 24 years with the club.

Reform in Football – Strategic Thinking Required

Paul The Esk

With Tracey Crouch taking fan submissions, time to think strategically. Independent regulation will enable a better future for football

Who is next for the Goodison Hotseat?

Mike Cheshire

Carlo, We Hardly Knew You

Lyndon Lloyd

Carlo Ancelotti appeared for all the world as though he had found home with Everton but, less than 18 months into a 4½-year contract, he is gone. Whether he's not the honourable elder statesman he paints himself out to be in his book, or is simply the embodiment of pragmatism, his departure might not be the worst thing for Everton.

Shopping for Dresses

Martin O'Connor

"Hollywood managers" and endless instability. It's now time for Marcel Brands to fulfil the brief he was hired for

Summer Targets 2021

Sam Hoare

Sam Hoare provides a comprehensive analysis of the players who might be considered to fill the gaping holes in Everton's squad for next season

Summer Spending?

Paul The Esk

With talk of £100m being available for summer transfers, a look at our projected cash position and how the close-season business might be achieved

Being Everton – A Personal Perspective & This Season

Danny O’Neill

Danny, one of our most prolific posters, provides some personal background along with his 10-point analysis of the season.

Farewell to these Departing Players?

Phil Roberts

A chance to vent what steam and anger we still have left and get rid of the disappointment of the last couple of months by saying au revoir to a number of players who either will be or could be leaving Everton this summer.

Progress Stalled Again — 2020-21 Season Review

Lyndon Lloyd

A season hugely affected by the pandemic petered out with Everton winning just three of their last 12 matches and ending the campaign on the flattest of notes with a dispiriting defeat on the final day

An Ignominious End to a Failed Campaign

Lyndon Lloyd

This was less Black Watch and more the death watch as the last breaths were extinguished from European-qualification hopes that had been on life support for a few weeks and effectively died a week ago with that horrible defeat to Sheffield United

The Art of Treading Water

Martin O'Connor

If Carlo is (as most people still seem to think), a world-class manager, then we really should, after 18 months of his leadership, be serving up better football, look more of a coherent team, and be finishing better than midtable. He has us doing what we have become so successful at: treading Premier League water and going absolutely nowhere.

Cannon fodder for the ebullient Champions

Michael Kenrick

Everton went into the final match of the 2020-21 season with European football supposedly still within their grasp but ended up providing limp cannon fodder for the ebullient Champions amidst a rampant farewell to Sergio Agüero.

Pat Nevin: The Accidental Footballer — A Memoir

Rob Sawyer

Reviewed by Rob Sawyer

That Goodison Roar

Paul Traill

"It was a wonderful experience to return to Goodison Park with Evertonians. It's amazing what noise 6,500 can make and I can't wait to hear that Goodison roar from 40,000 Evertonians in around 86 days' time."

It's not home without Everton fans

Lyndon Lloyd

Confidence and belief are vital ingredients in football. So, too, are home supporters and nowhere does that seem to be more true than at Goodison Park

Blues hold on for an unconvincing win in front of the fans

Michael Kenrick

In front of 6,500 fans, Everton finally ground out a win at Goodison Park, thanks to a fine header from Richarlison off a fine Sigurdsson corner.

Reform in Football, Part III — Alternative Structures to Protect Fan Interests

Paul The Esk

Some ideas for the future of fan involvement. The time is right for change but we shouldn't rush into something nor accept the first thing offered by clubs, the Premier League, the FA or the Government.

Evolution 2021, Part I: The Saleable Asset

Lyndon Lloyd

Moise Kean arrived at Everton as a symbol of a new transfer strategy focused on signing hungry, young talent that could form the bedrock of a new squad. All the signs are now that he has played his last game for the Toffees as they stand to make a tidy profit on a player who, ultimately, wasn't the right fit

2021 — A flamboyant team destroyed by Carlo' meddling

Kevin Prytherch

A forthright, no-holds-barred critique of Carlo Ancelotti's first full season in charge

Season Appears Over for Embarrassing Everton

Lyndon Lloyd

When you look back on it, there was a horrible inevitability about this result; the kind of predictability that makes you faintly embarrassed to have instilled any faith that it might have ended differently

Just when you thought it couldn't possibly get any worse

Michael Kenrick

Everton inexplicably lost their penultimate home match to bottom dwellers Sheffield United in another atrocious display that plumbed the depths of incomprehension.

Profit and Sustainability — The Rules & Everton' Position

Paul The Esk

Following on from Carlo Ancelotti's comments regarding spending, Paul takes a more detailed look at Everton's financial position, what it means for compliance and importantly transfers this summer

Do We Really Want European Football in 2021-22?

Phil Roberts

It means mixing it up with some of the Continent's bigger clubs and a crack at a trophy... but the Europa League and new Conference League schedules can be gruelling

Dismal draw sees more precious points trickle away

Michael Kenrick

With their European hopes very much alive following their narrow victory at West Ham on Sunday, Everton are on the road again as they travel to Aston Villa looking for what would be a club record-equalling 12th away win of the season

Europe Slipping from Everton's Grasp

Lyndon Lloyd

Is there an opposite to ‘The School of Science'? Everton seem to be trying to answer this question with a succession of tedious displays in their waning quest for Europe

It's Still There If They Want It

Lyndon Lloyd

Just when you think you're done with them, they pull you back in, eh? Thanks to one more of those dogged and disciplined performances away from home, Everton are firmly back in the hunt for Europe

Another Ancelotti away masterclass as he takes Moyes to school

Michael Kenrick

Calvert-Lewin secured a very well-taken goal for Everton in a good first half at the London Stadium against West Ham.

The Murray Family — Mint Toffees

Rob Sawyer

Photos from the day the Toffees clinched the 1962-63 League title capture a 10 year-old boy, resplendent in Everton replica kit, sharing the moment with his heroes. The boy was John Murray — mascot to the champions. Rob Sawyer caught up with John and his family to revisit those halcyon days and discuss the family's gilt-edged Bluenose credentials.

Reform in Football, Part II — Governance

Paul The Esk

Governance can be improved across the game through independent regulation, strong licensing and governance plus most importantly a proper structure for fan engagement, decision making and control

Reform in Football, Part I — Background

Paul The Esk

Setting the background for possible responses to the Super League debacle

A Colossal Waste of a Gilt-Edged Opportunity

Lyndon Lloyd

From the players to the manager

Serial incompetence in front of goal sees another shocking home loss

Michael Kenrick

Everton were back at Goodison Park this evening, exposing a maddening panoply of incomprehensible inadequacies as they once again failed painfully to press their claims for European qualification.

One rule for some and another for the rest. End the hypocrisy and penalise England' Shameless Six

Lyndon Lloyd

Docked points, hefty fines and governance changes should be on the cards at home but Uefa hold the greatest power

Doing nothing is not an option, the response to the Super League

Paul The Esk

If football sweeps the Super League and its plotters under the carpet, it will weaken and the six and their plans will return. The choice is stark. Doing nothing is not an option.

John Murray — Everton's First Boy Mascot

Becky Tallentire

In one of the monochrome mementos that I post to Twitter once in a while, Roy Vernon stands in the tunnel at West Ham alongside a young lad with a beaming smile. Some of these youngsters look overwhelmed and some are painfully shy but this one looked like it was the job he was born to do. This is the story of Everton's first ‘boy mascot', John Murray.

Was there football pre-1992 — Part 5

John McFarlane [Senior]

Continuing with the theme that football was indeed alive and kicking before the TV companies hijacked it, Jon MacFarlane capture some of the highlights since he first visited Goodison Park in 1948 as a 10-year-old schoolboy.

Three more years for Marcel Brands?

Martin O'Connor

Director of Football Marcel Brands has signed a new 3-year contract with Everton. But was this new contract deserved?

Back to the 1990s

Robert Tressell

Robert reviews Everton's faltering progress since the day they survived a huge relegation scare in 1994.

Sometimes it Doesn't Matter How You Win

Lyndon Lloyd

In the Premier League era, this fixture has ranked up there among the most miserable on Everton's calendar. So forgive Evertonians for revelling in a first win at Arsenal since 1996, one that provides another platform from which to resume the push for Europe

Farcical goal seals undeserved historic win for Carlo Fantastico

Michael Kenrick

Everton return to action on Friday evening with a brilliant win at Arsenal — their first for 25 years!

Live by the sword, die by the sword but change brings opportunity for a much better future

Paul The Esk

The collapse of the incredibly ill-conceived Super League will be viewed as a great victory for all stakeholders in football but unless there are significant changes to football in terms of ownership, governance, income distribution and fan engagement/participation the “victory” will be hollow and meaningless

A Battle Was Won but the War Against Greed isn”t Over

Lyndon Lloyd

On a night of high drama that saw the proposed Super League topple, euphoric victory for supporter power and the pressure of the "left-behinds" was claimed but without a co-ordinated, unflinching and punitive response from the Premier League and Uefa against the rebel clubs and their naked money-grab, it won't count for much

The Tempest ... or Much Ado About Nothing?

Nicholas Ryan

Things have changed forever this week and will never be the same again. The wolves have thrown off their disguises and are now running amok amongst the poultry!

Pure, selfish greed cannot prevail

Jim Potter

If these selfish businessmen carry on with trying to destroy the fabric football and join this abomination then I would ban those 6 clubs in perpetuity from all of English football. No chance of ever returning. Bridges burnt.

The Super League and its impact on Everton

Paul The Esk

For Everton, the timing of The Super League is about as bad as it gets. For football in general, it is a deeply worrying time, but we have to believe that acceptable solutions and/or a complete rethink are the way forward. It's a watershed moment

Disgusting but inevitable, the Super League money grab shows too much is never enough

Lyndon Lloyd

Will Fifa, Uefa, the Premier League and governing bodies of the Continent's other big leagues stand behind their threats? Will they even be able to in the face of legal protections boasted by the Dirty Dozen? Modern football faces its biggest crisis

Everton find their fight but shoot themselves in the foot

Lyndon Lloyd

It was cruel on the Blues because this was almost everything that many of their recent home displays weren't. They were were energetic, purposeful and stylish at times but crucial errors at the back cost them dear

Everton blow more points with goals gifted to Kane

Michael Kenrick

Everton are without top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a second successive game as they face a crucial Premier League clash with Tottenham on Friday night

Guileless and Goalless

Lyndon Lloyd

Brighton will feel they should have won based on the pattern of play. For Everton, just desperately disappointing overall and worryingly threadbare in terms of personnel, the European dream is fading

Injury-decimated Blues see out goalless bore-draw

Michael Kenrick

Everton gave us yet another lack-lustre performance at Brighton, this time with the excuse of many players out injured, but points continue to slip away...

My favourite European away games: #1

Rob Halligan

Rob reveals the pinnacle of his European sojourns with his favourite #1 continental jaunt while following the Blues in those all-too-rare Uefa Cup moments.

My favourite European away games: #2

Rob Halligan

Rob continues the countdown of his favourite away-day memories of continental jaunts following Everton in the Europa League: #2, BSC Young Boys in Bern, Switzerland.

Everton squander more points in the agonizing slog for European football

Michael Kenrick

After an utterly dreadful first half of incredible missed chances, Rodriguez gave Everton the win they needed... until Palace sub Batshuayi equalized.

Succession Planning

Robert Tressell

The upcoming close season transfer window looks likely to be another hugely important time for Everton but it remains to be seen whether or not it makes us really genuinely competitive beyond next season

Tom Fern — Everton's Evergreen Goalkeeper

Rob Sawyer

The least celebrated of the nine Football League titles won by Everton was that in 1914/15 which was a disservice to the likes of Tom Fern who amassed over 200 outings for the Toffees despite the five-year interruption caused by the war

My favourite European away games, #3

Rob Halligan

After much consideration, I've decided to go ahead and give a detailed description of my favourite European away games

My Top Three Favourite European Away Games

Rob Halligan

I've decided to list, and give feedback on my favourite top three away games in Europe.

Memories of the Old Lady

Alasdair Jones

Alasdair Jones provides a unique personal perspective on his impressions and memories of Goodison Park.

Magic

Tony McDonald

There have been many heroes in Royal Blue and it doesn't need me to give a list as we all have our favourites. For me, it will always be Duncan McKenzie.

Everton have improved under Ancelotti but there's still a long way to go

Gary McCarty

Is major success finally on the horizon for the club?

How Will Brexit Impact the Transfer Market Moving Forward?

Darryl Rigby

The pandemic has a significant effect on the transfer market and where English clubs are concerned, Brexit threatens to have its own impact on clubs dealings

How Everton can upset Man City in FA Cup

Gary McCarty

Everton have the unenvious task of facing Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend but here are a few things that may work in our favour this time

Question Time

Martin O'Connor

As we move into the final quarter of the season, Carlo Ancelotti has been in charge for 14½ months. So where are we under the leadership of Carlo “Magnifico”?

Sloppy moments cost Everton dearly as they lose at home yet again

Michael Kenrick

Everton lost to Burnley at Goodison Park in another one of these games against lower opposition that should have been a home banker. But there are no such games in this crazy Covid season — at least not for Everton

A Tough Ask and an Unsurprising Outcome

Lyndon Lloyd

This was always going to be a tall order and, ultimately, it felt like a stretch too far for the players. In that context, the result wasn't the end of the world; it's the run of four games coming up that will be more important

Everton can't lay a glove on a Chelsea side in full control

Michael Kenrick

Without James Rodriguez out for a third successive game with a calf injury, and Doucouré rumoured to be out for the season, Everton had nothing meaningful to offer against a dominant Chelsea side.

Razor-Thin Margins But Ancelotti's Men Forge On

Lyndon Lloyd

In terms of statistics, almost nothing separated these two sides at opposite ends of the table but once again Everton ground out a win with maximum efficiency thanks to a Richarlison winner and a key Jordan Pickford save

Blues grind out another low-key away win

Michael Kenrick

Everton ground out another low-key away win at West Brom thanks to a great header by Richarlison for his 4th goal in 4 games after Sigurdsson came on.

Not that pretty but ultimately effective

Lyndon Lloyd

From an entertainment perspective, this game won't live long in the memory at all but if the result does indeed end up being the catalyst that turns around the Blues' home form and helps propel them into Europe, Evertonians may look back on it as a vital game in the season.

Five Years of Farhad

Paul The Esk

As Everton have found out under Farhad Moshiri, just being better resourced financially does not necessarily lead to better outcomes. Are fans right to be frustrated that we've not made the progress we ought to have after five years under his stewardship?

Blues finally win at home thanks to Richarlison

Michael Kenrick

Everton return to Premier League action tonight when they take on Southampton at Goodison Park, with Calvert-Lewin back in the starting line-up.

Things Are Happening. Enjoy This Storied Everton Era

Ell Bretland

The Toffees are on a good track. This could just be the start and you'll have a story to tell

Mentality Shift: Derby Milestone Can Define Everton's Season in the Right Way

Lyndon Lloyd

As momentous as it was, the triumph over Liverpool can't be the be-all and end-all of the Blues' season. Rather it should be used as the catalyst for a decisive change in the players' belief against lesser sides, particularly at home

What Might Still Happen Going Forward...

Alasdair Jones

A look at the hurdles still facing Everton's plans for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock

Resurgence of Richarlison and Rodriguez Gives Everton Hope of Stellar End to the Season

Matt Jones

Providing attacking variety, steel and silk to the team, the South American pair helped put an end to one of the most painful chapters of results in Everton's history on Saturday. And they look ready to go and make a few more vivid memories.

It's Finally Over!

Lyndon Lloyd

This time it was different. It's finally bloody over. 21 years and five months since Everton last won at Anfield, the most depressing sequence of results in the club's 143-year history was shattered as Carlo Ancelotti's team beat Liverpool 2-0

Everton finally beat Liverpool at Anfield

Michael Kenrick

After years of unmitigated disappointment and depression in derby games, Everton finally win one, at Anfield, against the fading Champions, much to the credit and delight of manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Gylfi - Icelandic Genius

Robert  Tressell

Gylfi Sigurdsson is a genius. Okay, not quite... but if he is to leave Everton in the next 18 months, what do the club go for in terms of a replacement?

''Unique And Special'': Kevin Campbell On Netting Everton's Last Winner At Liverpool

Ell Bretland

Kevin Campbell scored the only goal in September 1999 and Everton haven't won at Anfield since. In an article originally published by The Sportsman, the prolific striker describes what has become a famous goal on Merseyside and how eager he is to hand off the record of being the last Everton player to score the winner across Stanley Park.

How Can Everton win the derby?

Matthew Parry

I'm slightly more optimistic about this clash than I have been in recent years as this season has been so unorthodox, but I still expect it'll take a mighty performance to take three points here.

A Depressing Gulf in Class

Lyndon Lloyd

Guardiola's side are pretty irresistible when they're at their best but even in second or third gear they were too much for the Toffees who have a long way to go in terms of quality and sheer footballing ability before they can even hope to match them.

City's unrelenting quality and workrate win out

Michael Kenrick

Everton started without Allan and Dominic Calvert-Lewin and played reasonably well but were no match for the quality and workrate of the Champions elect

Everton's Double Dichotomy

Jay Wood

Jay Wood analyses the seeming contradictions of Everton's record against the Sky 6 and the rest of the Premier League, and their perplexing home form contrasted with their impressive results away from home in this topsy turvy season.

Just Dire

Lyndon Lloyd

The sense after the cup win over Tottenham was that, perhaps, Carlo Ancelotti's gradual shift in the mentality of this squad had finally reached a tipping point where the psychological block of “Everton, that” might finally be consigned to history. But, no — collectively, this group of players remains prone to shooting itself in the foot. Champions League? For now, you're definitely having a laugh.

Lifeless Everton seemed totally uninterested

Michael Kenrick

A dreadful performance by Everton completely lacking in desire or intensity saw them lose a league game at home to Fulham for the first time ever

Everton v Spurs — A Passing of the Baton?

Thomas Cairns

The 5-4 win over Tottenham was the latest in a series of games in which Everton sides of the past might well have capitulated at the first sign of adversity. Was this victory a milestone signifying that we can now emulate Spurs and mount our own Top 4 challenge?

Everton dig deep to vanquish Spurs in nine-goal Goodison thriller

Lyndon Lloyd

A sumptuous goal by Bernard settled this sprawling odyssey of a cup tie in extra-time with Everton triumphing over Tottenham by a score of 5-4

Everton finally prevail in classic FA Cup ding-dong goalfest

Michael Kenrick

Everton and Tottenham went head-to-head in a real ding-dong FA Cup tie at Goodison Park on Wednesday evening in the FA Cup Fifth Round, 4-4 going into Extra Time.

Ancelotti Teaching Everton a New Language

Dave Downie

Everton's comeback at Old Trafford was illustrative of a change in mindset that is underway under Carlo Ancelotti

Tom Davies: Our Serviceable Number Six

Gabriel Ricci

Tom Davies, an honest look at our serviceable 22-year-old Premier League player as he is performing today... along with a quick glimpse into what might hopefully be his Everton future.

'Music Was My Heartbeat'

Becky Tallentire

The latest installment of Real Footballers' Wives features Ann West, wife of one of Everton's most popular ever players, goalkeeping star Gordon West.

When a Draw Feels Like a Win

Lyndon Lloyd

Sometimes, it's all about taking your chances. It's also about tempo, belief and courage, qualities that are going to be vital if Carlo Ancelotti's team is to achieve its European dream this season

A Momentous Few Weeks (On and Off the Pitch)

Paul The Esk

The short, medium and long term future of Everton Football Club will be much clearer on and off the pitch in the coming weeks.

Blues steal a dramatic draw with the last kick

Michael Kenrick

Everton take their excellent record away from home to Old Trafford where they have only won twice in the Premier League era when they face title-chasing Manchester United.

Life on the road continues to suit erratic Everton

Lyndon Lloyd

Everton held on through the second half to ensure they beat Leeds at Elland Road for only the second time in 40 years as goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were enough to earn the points

Everton hold on for a great win at Elland Road

Michael Kenrick

Everton held on through a second-half onslaught from Leeds after going into what should have been a commanding 2-goal lead in the first half.

January Days

Martin O'Connor

With thoughts already firmly looking forward to the Summer transfer window, what is to be made of the January Days just past and the Blues' transfer business?

Telling you what we all know after going through the last 7 days

Phil Roberts

"I would contend that our optimism this season was not founded on solid ground."

Evolution of a Top-4 Side

Robert Tressell

A good manager can give you a big club feel. That's one for Ancelotti. But, you have to back that up with the style of your recruitment and the way you play the game.

Insipid Blues never really got going against belligerent Barcodes

Michael Kenrick

Everton are back at Goodison Park to face Newcastle United in today's lunchtime game as they look to get back to winning ways by atoning for what was one of the season's most disappointing results in the reverse fixture in early November.

James strikes a beauty but Everton otherwise disappoint

Lyndon Lloyd

This was a potentially massive game for Everton, one in which a win would have been another “statement” result but the Blues often lacked fluidity and cohesion going forward

Defensive gameplan surrenders two vital points

Michael  Kenrick

A game plan that required Everton to hold onto an early lead from the brilliant Rodriguez was destined never to work against a strong Leicester side.

A Grand Day Out - 25th January 1975

Stephen Ashton

"For me, Plymouth away was definitely the highlight of an ultimately disappointing season."

James the Maestro Sets the Tone for Handsome Everton Win

Lyndon Lloyd

The Colombian looked right at home on a frigid Merseyside night against lower-division opposition, putting in an excellent display as the Toffees beat Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup Fourth Round

James Rodriguez inspires a fine Everton win

Michael Kenrick

Dominic Calvert-Lewin opened the scoriing with a fine goal against Sheffield Wednesday, two excellent corners from James Rodriguez making the winning goals.

Thoughts on the 2021 Annual General Meeting

Paul The Esk

Paul argues that last night's AGM wasn't an objective analysis of how the club is performing and the presentations didn't offer much in terms of future strategy

Harold Hardman — An Everton and Manchester United Hero

Rob Sawyer

An enterprising winger in the early years of the 20th Century and a key part of Everton's first FA Cup-winning team, Harold Hardman helped steer Man Utd to greatness nearly 50 years later

Wind of Change

Santosh Benjamin

As I think of the song by The Scorpions, I cannot help but feel a real sense of joy from deep within that comes from knowing that we are headed in the right direction

Ancelotti employs a very different attacking masterplan

Lyndon Lloyd

Shorn of Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison from the starting XI and with Ancelotti opting to leave Tosun on the bench, this called for a more fluid and considered type of performance and the Blues came through with an unexpected victory

Staying the Course: Three Signings Everton Should Make

Gary McCarty

Things are still looking good at Goodison Park but, fighting for a Champions League spot, everyone at Everton is surely aware of the opportunity that faces them.

Have Faith Like Carlo Fantastico

Gabriel Ricci

Carlo Ancelotti is a man of faith and Everton were once again able to snag three surprising away points against Nuno Santo's technically gifted Wolverhampton side, through belief and team-spirit.

Strikerless masterclass as The Don schools Nuno Espirito Santo

Michael Kenrick

Everton returned to Premier League action this evening with a very important win for a weakened team at Molineux over one of their rivals for European qualification in the form of Wolves.

The significance of Everton's Annual General Meeting and why it can”t be an opportunity lost….

Paul The Esk

The significance of Everton's Annual General Meeting and why it can't be an opportunity lost.

Quality rescues Everton from complacency

Lyndon Lloyd

The 70 minutes that preceded extra-time in this tie were pretty grim but James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucouré combined to send the Blues through against Rotherham

Everton scrape through in extra time

Michael Kenrick

Everton's FA Cup campaign begin in laboured fashion this weekend with a home tie against Championship side Rotherham United at Goodison Park which dragged on into extra time before the Blues finally won it.

Brands' value to date and the scale of the challenges facing him

Paul The Esk

A look at the challenge Marcel Brands faced when he arrived at Everton, what he's done to resolve it and the big issues ahead in the summer

Another New Year' Day Hangover

Lyndon Lloyd

Having won four straight and with the chance to pull within one point of the top of the table, Everton go and lose at home to a David Moyes team for the first time. It's absolutely maddening and it also didn't help that it was New Year's Day — the Blues have now lost their last five matches played on the first of the year

Call a Doctor; Surgery is Required!

Dylan Joseph

Surgery can be painful and it can be intrusive but very often it is essential. I believe that, for Everton to get to the top, it is more imperative than ever.

It's Time to Talk about Marcel Brands

Martin O'Connor

As the Winter transfer window opens, one thing which now has become very urgent, and which Everton need to sort out very quickly, is the position of Director of Football, Marcel Brands, who is in the last 6 months of his contract.

Moyes wins battle of the master defenders

Michael Kenrick

With both sides set on defending to the end, it took something of a freak goal for David Moyes to sneak his first win as a visiting manager.

January Reinforcements

Sam Hoare

Sam Hoare provides musings on his chosen Mastermind subject: “Unsubstantiated Transfer Speculation”.

Cash flow, Moshiri' capital injections & the potential placement of new shares

Paul The Esk

What factors influence cash flow, how do clubs deal with negative cash flow and what is the situation at Everton under Farhad Moshiri, particularly in view of the mooted issue of new shares?

George Sharples Remembered

Rob Sawyer

George Sharples, who passed away on 14 December 2020, aged 77, had been one of nine surviving players to have played a part in Everton's title-winning season of 1962-63

Depleted but not to be denied

Lyndon Lloyd

There were plenty of “Everton, that” omens about this game just waiting to trip to the Toffees up but they negotiated them all and won their fourth successive League game

Blues do enough to secure the win

Michael Kenrick

Everton look to recover from the disappointment of Wednesday's cup defeat to Manchester United by advancing their claims for European qualification with victory at Sheffield United.

Cup dreams crash headlong into brutal reality

Lyndon Lloyd

While the result was depressing, it wasn't entirely unexpected and merely underscored the work that is still required to get this squad strong enough to compete for honours.

Everton defence finally crumbles in abysmal cup exit

Michael Kenrick

It's a big night at Goodison Park as Everton take on Manchester United in the last quarter-final of the Carabao Cup.

Efficiency and Resilience

Lyndon Lloyd

The performance may have betrayed some fatigue and a lack of depth of quality in midfield but Carlo Ancelotti will be toasting a third victory on the spin as his defence dug in to shut Arsenal out in the second half

Everton scrape a narrow win over tricky Arsenal

Michael Kenrick

Everton were back at Goodison Park to complete a narrow win over struggling Arsenal, taking them back up to 2nd in the Premier League table.

Another tactical success has Everton looking up once again

Lyndon Lloyd

Two games against teams sitting in the top four with aspirations of moving back to the top of the table, two wins, and six valuable points — the complexion of Everton's season has changed again

Tremendous solidity underlies fine Everton win

Michael Kenrick

Everton took the lead against Leicester thanks to an excellent opportunist strike from Richarlison.

“Nothing Really Daunted Us”

Becky Tallentire

This chapter from Becky Tallentire's 2004 book featuring the stories of the women behind some of Everton's greatest ever players features Carole Dobson, wife of 1970s favourite Martin

Fans inspire solid Blues defence of Sigurdsson's penalty

Michael Kenrick

Carlo Ancelotti faces his old team as manager of the Blues at Goodison Park with 2,000 fans allowed to attend for the first time since the start of the coronavirus lockdown in March

Blues gut it out to claim important Chelsea scalp

Lyndon Lloyd

Gylfi Sigurdsson and Ben Godfrey shone in an all-round impressive team performance that saw Chelsea's much-vaunted attack shut down at Goodison Park

Record losses, partly attributed to Covid, Moshiri' funding plans & stadium finance update

Paul The Esk

An assessment of Everton's accounts for 2019-20

Money? No Issue

Dylan Joseph

With the news that Mr Moshiri is due to increase his investment to circa £400m, can we say that financial wealth is no longer a problem at Everton?

Goodison Park, a Greyhound Stadium and Walton Hall Park

Rob Sawyer

This December marks a centenary of one of the most significant football matches played at Goodison Park — but it did not involve Everton FC.

Allan Could Prove to Be A Player Ancelotti Builds His Team Around

Gary McCarty

A lot of plaudits so far this season have gone to James Rodriguez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. but arguably Everton's most important player has been Allan

Passion Play — Can Carlo Provide the Spark to Ignite Languid Blues?

Lyndon Lloyd

Coming close to a year to day since Chelsea's last visit to Goodison Park, this weekend's clash with Frank Lampard's team offers an interesting contrast between the personalities in charge of Everton and, perhaps, the performance from the team

A Fair Assessment of Marcel Brands

Dylan Joseph

A look at the performance and role of Everton's Director of Football as he enters the last 6 months of his 3-year contract

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum, the governance and cultural changes required for it to become a reality at Everton

Paul The Esk

"Corporate culture eats strategy for breakfast". A look at the governance and cultural changes required at Everton for NSNO to ever become a reality once more:

The Three Best Results of 2020

Gary McCarty

Here is a look back at what have been Everton's best three results over the last 12 months.

Round pegs, square holes and a general lack of desire

Lyndon Lloyd

Carlo Ancelotti's selection decisions continue to mystify but are his players also taking too much of a cue from the manager's laid-back air?

Boring Winter Snoozefest as Blues spurn important win

Michael Kenrick

Everton travel up the road to Burnley this lunchtime looking to rebound from the defeat to Leeds last time out and keep pace with the pack of clubs above them in the Premier League table.

How to go from nowhere to Champions League in no time at all

Robert  Tressell

Does the RB Leipzig model provide the template for Everton to finally break into the top four and regularly secure qualification for Europe's elite competition?

Can My 9-Month Old American Daughter Love Everton?

Brian Gabriel Canever

An American Toffee since 2009, Brian's love for Everton has only intensified since the birth of his daughter, Alba, earlier this year. Already saving for his first trip over with her to see both the men's and women's teams, he dreams that one day she could wear the club's colours in a professional capacity

How will Everton fare in December?

Gary McCarty

Everton are aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League table this season, and the fixtures in December are going to be key.

Muddled and Unconvincing

Lyndon Lloyd

Individually, Leeds aren't any great shakes but they're superbly coached. Everton are a team of individuals with questionable fitness, playing on this occasion in a dubious lineup who lacked conviction and that clinical edge

The improved Everton star who is ready to perform at the highest level

Gary McCarty

There is always a player that surprises fans and pundits in the Premier League as the season progresses. In this campaign, it's been Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Everton hang on as they almost let Fulham back in

Michael Kenrick

Everton stormed into an early lead to get their Premier League campaign back on the rails following three straight defeats that wrecked their 100% start to the season.

“Tosh” — The Tommy Johnson Story

Rob Sawyer

Tommy Johnson's most memorable goalscoring feat may have come as a Manchester City player at Goodison Park but he would go on to help Everton back into the top flight in 1931 and lift both the title and FA Cup in successive years

Richarlison: Growing into One of the League' Best Wingers

Gary McCarty

Few can argue that Richarlison doesn't have the right environment around him to become world class. Throughout his managerial career, Ancelotti has coached and developed some of football's biggest stars, and there's no reason that he can't do the same with the Brazilian

Beneath the Blue Veneer

Martin O'Connor

Beneath the blue veneer of the first eleven, nothing much exists, as with Ancelotti: once you strip away the veneer of his past successes, nothing much exists anymore.

Spirit Crushed

Lyndon Lloyd

Everton go into the latest international break without a win in four games and having to pick the pieces up following three straight defeats, with very little to draw from any of them by way of optimism

Has anyone else seen enough?

Paul Traill

The level of play-acting involved in today's game has been building for many a year. I think I've about had it with watching these con artists run around in soulless empty stadiums, while the powers-that-be don't seem remotely interested in curbing this behaviour

A spineless surrender to Ole's under-fire Reds

Michael Kenrick

Everton were back at Goodison Park after successive fixtures on the road to host Manchester United and their under-fire manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the early Saturday kick-off. But, despite leading through a nice Bernard goal, the absence of Richarlison was a crucial factor in the end.

It's Jam Today, Not Tomorrow

Dylan Joseph

If you wish to be successful, you need to be the sort of club where, when a top player becomes available, you are the club he wants to join.

Dire Blues can't escape the ghosts of Everton past

Lyndon Lloyd

This was Marco Silva's Everton and the worst of “Project Restart” reborn… from the team that began this round of matches sitting on top of the table.

Review: A Grand Old Team To Report

Lyndon Lloyd

As a slice of Everton history, David Prentice's new book is a fascinating and frequently humourous skip down memory lane; an insider's insight into the way football used to be recounted with the enthusiasm and love of a devoted Blue.

A simple but fair redistribution of football revenues

Paul The Esk

A look at a possible solution to the massive imbalances that exist in the professional football game in England and a simple solution

Saints defeat and selection problems throw up early-season issues for Ancelotti

Lyndon Lloyd

Injuries, suspensions and, perhaps, an emerging dilemma over how best to accommodate James Rodriguez are some of the things that will be on the manager's mind as he prepares for Newcastle

Everton given bracing reality check as Saints burst early-season bubble

Lyndon Lloyd

Richarlison's unnecessary sending off against Liverpool last week felt like it was going to be costly and, in combination with the loss to injury of Seamus Coleman and fitness concerns over James Rodriguez, that proved to be the case as the Toffees put in their worst performance since the final day of last season

Ponderous green-shirted dross of old too easily defeated

Michael Kenrick

An Everton side well below par, wearing a hideous green and grey kit, rocked up at Saint Mary's seemingly determined to surrender all the good work so far this season

Can Dominic Calvert-Lewin Become Everton' Harry Kane?

Gary McCarty

The striker is fortunate to be working with both Ancelotti and Ferguson who, between them, will positively refine elements of his game. Should the 23-year-old surpass the 20-goal mark this season, then he'll have undoubtedly put himself in the frame for a Euro 2020 call-up, as well as being in with a shout of winning the sought-after Golden Boot.

Red Myopia and An Embarrassing National Outcry

Lyndon Lloyd

The levels of pearl-clutching and near hysteria that has dominated the aftermath of Saturday's controversial Merseyside derby really have been something to behold

Keane' Emergence from his Comfort Zone One of Ancelotti' Early Everton Triumphs

Matt Jones

It didn't always look as though Michael Keane would become one of the first names on the Everton team sheet but the England international is emerging as a consistent and dependable presence in Carlo Ancelotti's defence.

The Development of Ellis Simms

Phill Thompson

Everybody has heard of Ellis Simms... not everybody has seen him but everybody will have an opinion; he's potentially next in line to become an Everton Academy graduate playing in the Premier League. So I thought I'd look back at his development. As ever, most of the facts are accurate, but opinions of course are just my opinions.

The Loosening of the Devil's Red Pact

Lyndon Lloyd

Despite being well below the best of what they've shown this season and never seeming to get out of second gear, Everton managed to grab a draw against what Klopp described as his side's best away performance of his tenure, even it needed an intervention from VAR in the final reckoning.

VAR saves off-colour Blues after Richarlison madness

Michael Kenrick

Exactly 10 years to the day since their last Merseyside derby victory, Premier League leaders Everton face local rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park with a full-strength side looking to extend their 100% start to the season.

Big Picture proposals put the emphasis on Everton' international development

Paul The Esk

Despite the initiative being rightly canned, the issue of international broadcast rights will be back. It is almost certain that the largest clubs will want to see an element of selling exclusive rights off their own platforms in this next round and those with the greatest numbers of overseas supporters are going to be the initial winners.

Short-sighted and hubristic, the Cabal's grand plan would kill the goose that lays the golden egg

Lyndon Lloyd

The "Project Big Picture" proposals cooked up by two of the big six and their Trojan Horse in the EFL, Rick Parry, would slowly and ironically erode what has made the Premier League the exciting competition it so often is today

The Battle of Edgware Road

Stephen Vincent

Recounting the events of 12 October 1985, which were no minor skirmish!

'Project Big Picture' exposing the self serving interests of MUFC and Liverpool

Paul The Esk

The proposals have exposed the these two clubs' seek to secure their current economic advantage and protect their future revenues.

The Finnis Family — An Enduring Everton Love Affair

Rob Sawyer

Harold Finnis is one of 90 players, to date, to make a solitary first team appearance for the Blues in peacetime football.

Window Dressing

Martin O'Connor

As the long Covid-impacted transfer window has closed (with a few days of the domestic EFL window still open), how have the Blues performed?

Everton' Midfield Revamp: What Counts as Success for the Toffees?

Gary McCarty

The recent additions of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan, and James Rodriguez have sparked something of a competitive revival at Goodison Park.

Shrewd moves and decisive action: Everton can view summer window as a big success

Lyndon Lloyd

Everton have emerged from the close season with an impressively upgraded squad and go into the international break sitting on top of the pile having far exceeded expectations and infused long-suffering Toffees with overdue optimism

“Football Is Simple”: Ancelotti Can Be Everton' Anchor to Calm in a Chaotic Premier League

Matt Jones

Although the circumstances are undesirable, Carlo Ancelotti feels like a man who will come into his own in them and Everton's high-class performances indicate he's doing just that.

The 2020 Summer transfer window from a financial perspective

Paul The Esk

Analysing the business done across the Premier League and a nod to the turn-around in the overall levels of the squad at EFC with such relatively small increase in costs

Lean, Mean and Young

Jay Wood

With the transfer window now officially closed (other than signings of free agents or players from the Football League), let's take a look at the first-team squad...

Everton press on with another goal glut

Lyndon Lloyd

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James will have grabbed the headlines but this was another game that featured strong performances in almost every part of the team

Brilliant James is the star of Everton's 4th win

Michael Kenrick

Everton took on a very lively Brighton side at Goodison Park but Calvert-Lewin set them on their way with a fine far-post header for his 9th goal

Opposition View: We Are Brighton

We Are Brighton

Speaking with Scott from We Are Brighton to see get their fans' take on their start to the season and this weekend's clash at Goodison.

A second Calvert-Lewin hat-trick seals Blues win

Michael  Kenrick

Everton's Carabao Cup journey continued with their most difficult assignment in the competition thus far in 2020-21 as West Ham United come to Goodison Park.

The James Rodriguez Effect

Matthew Parry

The Colombian superstar is already proving skeptical pundits wrong by settling straight into the Premier League and, in concert with Carlo Ancelotti and Everton's other new signings, transforming the club's prospects this season

Jordan Pickford: The Diamond Getting Rougher

Matthew Parry

As each game passes, it seems the debate over whether Jordan Pickford is good enough to play between the sticks for Everton only gathers momentum. Since Pickford's arrival from Sunderland in 2017, he has not been able to offer that consistently. What, then, has gone wrong for what was once an exciting young prospect?

Eddie Wainwright — A Bright Light in Dark Days

Rob Sawyer

The immediate post-war era for Everton was one of austerity which made it hard for local youngsters to through the ranks to develop to near their full potential. Eddie Wainwright was, perhaps the sole exception.

Everton Show Grit to Maintain Winning Start to 2020-21

Lyndon Lloyd

The decision for the penalty that ultimately proved to be the difference in terms of the scoreline has dominated the post-match discussion among pundits but there is no question that the better team won on the day

Football Shorts — Part V: The Reality of Reducing Income and Fixed Costs

Paul The Esk

A look at the impact of virtually no crowds in the Premier League this season, the impact Covid-19 is having on broadcasting revenues and the volume of transfer business

Dazzling Richarlison sets the required tone

Michael Kenrick

Everton saw another slew of goals in their latest Carabao Cup venture to Fleetwood Town on a wet Wednesday evening, two brilliant ones from Richarlison in a scintillating first half.

Graft to Goals: Calvert-Lewin' Changing Tastes Offer Everton a Fresh Edge

Matt Jones

Saturday against West Brom it felt like another significant step forward for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who fired in his first hat-trick for the club which felt like a rubber stamp on this section of his development at Everton.

Photographing a Rhino

Martin O'Connor

Are the recent changes at Everton's Academy involving David Unsworth and Leighton Baines the right ones to foster a more productive farm system for the Blues' first-team?

A Knight of the Round Table at Inside-Left?

Jamie Yates

Did you know that Everton once employed a player with the Christian name of a mythical legend?

Calvert-Lewin treble ensures Everton pass Baggies test

Lyndon Lloyd

Dominic Calvert-Lewin may have flown under the radar a bit despite scoring the winning goal against Tottenham but he grabbed the lion's share of the limelight with his first hat-trick to bury a spirited West Brom

Calvert-Lewin hat-trick beats a brace of red cards!

Michael Kenrick

Everton eventually built on their impressive start to the new season when newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion were well beaten at Goodison Park in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.

Don't Be Fooled... This Season Could Be Very Tough

Matthew Parry

The win at Tottenham was one very small step on a deceptively lengthy road and the high-calibre signings only tape over the cracks until they prove they can improve our dynamic on a weekly basis

Second string see off Salford City

Michael Kenrick

Everton continue their busy start to the new season with the first step of what they hope will be a long journey in the Carabao Cup as they host Salford City

Toffee Soccer — Everton and North America

Lyndon Lloyd

Lyndon Lloyd chats with David France ahead of the release of his new book

Transformed Everton Deliver a Statement of Intent

Lyndon Lloyd

A trio of unwanted statistics tumbled in North London with a victory founded on a completely revamped midfield and an eye-opening team performance.

Bill Kenwright — Everton Legend

Kevin Prytherch

Since 1999, Bill Kenwright has overseen the second most consistent period in Everton's history. The record of consecutive 8th-place finishes or better between 2006 and 2014 has only ever been bettered once.

Vastly improved Blues hold on for great opening-day win

Michael Kenrick

Everton open the season at Tottenham where three new players make their debuts after signing last week.

The Man Who Created Merseyside Football

David Kennedy

In his new book, David Kennedy recounts the sporting legacy of John Houlding, the former Lord Mayor of Liverpool who was responsible for the rise of two of English football's biggest and most successful football clubs — Everton and Liverpool.

Summer 'Evolution' Primes Everton for Better Things

Lyndon Lloyd

After last season, Evertonians have been understandably cautious in their optimism and outlook for the new campaign but with a significantly strengthened midfield and Ancelotti at the helm, there is hope that 2020-21 will be a season of marked progress

Will James Rodriguez & Co Be Successes At Everton?

Richard Coleman

Could this be the dawn of an era of genuine quality recruitment under Ancelotti or simply a continuation of the trend of expensive acquisitions who fail to gel and live up to expectations?

Opposition View: Spurs For Life

Ryan Curtis

Everton kick off the new season at Tottenham, another club managed by a high-profile boss looking for a much better campaign than the one that just ended. We got the thoughts of Spurs For Life on Sunday and the season as a whole

Ancelotti Sprinkles Some Colombian Stardust with a Point to Prove

Lyndon Lloyd

As signings go, James Rodriguez is arguably the most high-profile and glamorous acquisition Everton have ever made. He arrives on the back of a frustrating season at Real Madrid looking to revitalise his career under the man who has now managed him at three different clubs

Brazilian dynamo Allan promises to be Ancelotti's midfield linchpin

Lyndon Lloyd

Allan Marques was unveiled as part of an anticipated £70m worth of incoming midfield talent today, with James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucouré expected to follow shortly — a trio of moves that promises to radically overhaul the Blues' massively under-performing mid-section

Who Is Steering the Ship?

Martin O'Connor

Have Everton scrapped Marcel Brands's plan to rebuild the squad with younger players in favour of a return to Steve Walsh's modus operandi, with Carlo Ancelotti and Farhad Moshiri having taken the helm?

You Can”t Always Get What You Want…

Dylan Joseph

You don't need the billions, you just need a good culture amongst the club and the players and standards that are adhered to. We can get what we need, we just need to reset our club ethos and standards and don't allow anyone who doesn't meet them to wear the Royal Blue

How do we fund squad improvements this summer?

Paul The Esk

An over-sized, over-priced, mostly under-achieving squad, financial constraints, and the impact of the Covid-19 crisis pose significant challenges to Everton this summer. Where is the money coming from for new signings?

Brands's Challenges Make for Slow-Motion Summer

Lyndon Lloyd

Where recruitment is concerned, the buck stops with Marcel Brands but, ultimately, his efforts will continue to be hindered by a number of factors, some of them beyond his control

Rebranding?

Paul The Esk

What should Everton's brand and brand values be?

Marcel Brands and the Missing Transfer Doctrine

Jacques Sandtonian

Marcel Brands has just learned the first rule of Everton transfer business: We are the scouting arm of Tottenham Hotspur.

Can Richarlison and DCL Get the Goals That Fire Everton Into the Top Six Conversation?

Gary McCarty

If Everton are to achieve any hopes of a top ten….eight….six finish, clearly there is a need to bring in a more prolific goal-grabber.

“Van Den Hauwe — One Last Throw Of The Dice”

Pete Jones

Without the benefit of the visual image, the unique medium of radio means that live football commentary comes to life in an entirely different way than television. Pete Jones recalls some of his most memorable moments experienced that way

The First Six Months: Unacceptable

Darren Hind

Everton's midfield was an obvious cause for concern last season, particularly down the home stretch but was the main problem the players or a failure of management on the part of Carlo Ancelotti?

Another Season Wasted Amid Continuing Instability at Goodison

Lyndon Lloyd

Marco Silva became the latest casualty of Everton's managerial merry-go-round, Carlo Ancelotti arrived before historic disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic ensured that fans just wanted 2019-20 to be over as quickly as possible

The Financing and Accounting of Transfers and How We Operate in this Window

Paul The Esk

A detailed look at the financial implications behind the transfer options open to us, how it's financed and what it means for Everton

Our Future Is Alternative

Robert Bresnan

We're all expecting 2020-21 to be full of crippling mediocrity and the obligatory bad defeat to the gobshites but what about a different future in which things are rather rosy by the end of next season?

Away Day Blues: Tottenham Hotspur

Patrick McFarlane

Since Everton gained promotion to the top flight, way back in 1954, Everton's visits - to the original White Hart Lane, Wembley or the newly lavishly upgraded White Hart Lane - haven't produced many victories for the Toffees.

The Project – Next Chapter

Paul  Tran

With Farhad Moshiri backing his new manager with an overhaul of Everton's midfield, The Project is back on the rails and there are fewer excuses to stop it hurtling forwards. It's time for manager and players to deliver; time for us to be less cautiously optimistic!