The most miserable coach trip ever

A long trip from the South West to witness the Brentford game at Goodison Park

Dave Williams 16/05/2022 11comments  |  Jump to last
Everton 2 - 3 Brentford
The day started with a much more human 7:00 am alarm call with the late kick-off affording me a decent sleep. We nearly missed the coach due to James asking for an oat milk coffee at the services but we were on our way at 9:00 am and had a very straightforward trip.

I had planned on joining the crowds in Goodison Road but it was absolutely jammed so we made our way to the pub and enjoyed a few beers while sat in blazing sunshine until the rain tried to make an entrance. The news from the other games was just what we wanted to hear and we proceeded into the ground in optimistic mood. I wasn’t too convinced by the team selection, with Gomes a huge surprise. I would have played Allan to snap away at them but Frank sees them all in training, so let’s hope he’s right.

The first 15 minutes were great – we played some neat football and got the early goal. Calvert-Lewin was looking lively, but then disaster struck. Young Branthwaite, who had looked comfortable, seemed to accidentally clip the heels of the Brentford player – my view wasn’t great but it looked accidental – but the ref showed him a red card.

The poor lad looked in tears as he trooped off and why Frank didn’t use a sub to shore up the defence, I will never know. We had a lead to protect and surely Allan or Kenny would have been sensible if Frank didn’t want to risk the youthfulness of Welch?

A three-man back line of Coleman, Holgate and Mykolenko would struggle against most teams… and so it proved with us giving up three pretty poor goals. Our attacking play was limited with our depleted numbers but there were a few decent chances when the ball flashed across the box with no-one committed to attacking it.

The Rondon red card was as nailed on as you will ever see – a desperately poor and reckless tackle which could have ended the career let alone the married life of the guy he tackled. It put paid to what could have been a last few minutes of trying for an equaliser.
The game ended with a silenced crowd and the incredible sight of hoards of people making for the exits with a good 5 minutes still to go. Why go to a game and leave when it has such significance to our future as a club? Okay, these people may have got home a few minutes earlier and I guess I am not the right person to judge on this when faced with a 6-hour drive, so Rant Over.

This now leaves us in a hell of a state – a pile of injuries, Keane ill, two red cards, and players on the bench or not in the squad (Dobbin, El Ghazi) who are clearly not trusted. How is Frank going to put a winning team together for Palace?

I would go for broke and play Alli and tell him to get out there and show the world that he can still play. Hopefully Godfrey will be fit and, if Tom Davies is fit, then he and Allan would add some much missing bite to midfield. The trip home was very good and I was in the house by half-past midnight, very subdued, depressed and knackered.

My ratings:

Pickford – not his fault: 7
Seamus – poor: 4
Holgate – great clearance from Eriksen: 6
Jarrod – 3
Mykolenko – this lad is seriously good: 7
Iwobi – never stopped: 6
Gordon – worked hard with little to show for it: 6
Gomes – good til the red card, then disappeared: 5
Doucouré – poor: 4
Richarlison – played well: 8
Calvert-Lewin – some signs of life but did he pick up a hammy at the end: 6

I am trying to find a ticket for Palace and may end up on the coach and watching in a pub. Does anyone have a ticket or, barring that, does anyone know a pub which will be showing the game?


Share article:

Reader Comments (11)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


David Bromwell
1 Posted 16/05/2022 at 13:39:44
Could not argue with your summary Dave, it was truly awful when the day had promised so much. Young Branthwaite was very unlucky and perhaps showed his inexperience, I also think the Brentford player was clever and opted to play for the foul rather than press for goal.

The day had started so well with the crowd once again in magnificent form, but I also cannot understand why people leave early when the team was clearly in trouble.

We go again on Thursday with what on paper will be a more difficult match. The squad is also not in great shape and we will need some unlikely magic from somewhere. I pray that they can do it.

And please whatever the circumstances can we please keep the flares off the pitch and outside the ground.

Bill Hawker
2 Posted 16/05/2022 at 16:30:01
Accurate assessment. I've seen Gomes taking it on the chin in some quarters but he was rather good until he had to cover more ground. At that point,he was completely anonymous.

Also, can anyone tell me why the player who fouled Richy in the box for our penalty to put us up 2-1 wasn't given a second yellow card for that? In my opinion, he should have been off.

Danny O’Neill
3 Posted 16/05/2022 at 17:17:29
Dave,

As a child I travelled from Germany to watch this club of ours.

I held a season ticket in those glorious 80s years.

I have watched or listened to Everton's results from some of the world's most hostile regions.

This season I've had a few long and disappointed and trips back on the train to London and then the hour it takes me to get out of the centre of the capital and home. The worst was actually the trip back from Norwich.

I feel your pain. But I feel privilege every time I go to watch Everton. I wish they felt it the way I do. They best had do on Thursday.

Michael Lynch
4 Posted 16/05/2022 at 17:26:30
Hats off to you Danny, but I didn't feel privileged travelling back to London myself. I felt sick as a fucking dog, like I did all the way through the match, bar the first 15 minutes.

I can honestly say that this season has put years on me, and I've never looked forward to a summer break from Goodison more. I know I'll be back next season, whichever division we're in, but I'm well and truly done with football and with Everton for now.

Tony Abrahams
5 Posted 16/05/2022 at 17:33:24
Incredible support Dave, and I genuinely wish I had a ticket to give you for Thursday night, mate.

I will ask around, or try and let you do a double click if things get really desperate Dave, because you wanting to travel on a coach and not get home until around 3 or 4am, without a ticket at your age, has given me inspiration and just shows how much you love our club.

There are a few thousand like you Dave, and the fans are the only reason our team has still got more than a fighting chance imo, so I’m going to try my best to help Dave, but the tickets are going to be very hard to get, so I can’t promise you anything unfortunately.

Danny O’Neill
6 Posted 16/05/2022 at 17:35:06
Never Michael. I'll be back on Thursday and you'll be there with me. I'll be back on Sunday and you will be there with me. I'll be back like you wherever we are next season. I'm not going anywhere as long as I breathe.

Let's do this Everton. Last day of the season. Don't do this to me 3 times in my life.

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts
7 Posted 16/05/2022 at 20:52:10
Dave, there must have been worse. Or did you not travel up in the 90s?
Dave Williams
8 Posted 16/05/2022 at 21:02:54
Tony- what a great post and many thanks for that. My daughter has just managed to get me a ticket which will save Jane from having me sectioned for travelling to sit in the pub! I am nevertheless really appreciative of your efforts to help. If you are around and free before the game let me know and I will buy you a beer- no problem if you can’t mate.

Phil- I was driving up for games in the nineties in the car with my family and those were indeed dark days but the worst team ever must surely have been 72-3 when you and I had seats in the main stand.

Dave Abrahams
9 Posted 17/05/2022 at 09:31:12
Dave, great post and a great supporter.

I think I'm a good supporter but then I read posts from fans like yourself, and a few posts previously from your good self, and I realise I'm near the back of the queue when it comes to really fantastic Bluenoses.

When it comes to the fans who travel from far and wide to support our club, a club who have won nothing for nearly 30 years, and yet you all get up at very early hours to come show your support, then travel back with long and often miserable journeys after watching poor performances.

Anyone can support a successful team but fans like yourself have continued to show your dedication to a very poorly run club which has produced one FA Cup win in 27 years and you were going to travel on a long journey to sit in a pub in Liverpool and support your team.

Your wife thinks you need certifying. I've seen people get knighthoods for a lot less!!

ps: I'm so very pleased you got a ticket. I hope you have a very happy trip home on Thursday night and Friday morning.

George McKane
10 Posted 17/05/2022 at 10:14:35
Dave,

If you are up on Thursday and need any picking up, let me know, I am working at Yellow House in the city centre and can pick you up and get you to The Dark House. If you need an overnight stay, I have a spare sofa you are welcome to. Let me know, no pressure.

Dave Williams
11 Posted 18/05/2022 at 09:32:53
George- that’s a fantastic gesture and I am really grateful to you. As it happens the coach caters for this in that it drops us all at Stanley Park and travels back through the night to get us home around 3-4am.

I will however try to get to TDH for a beer with you before the game provided the coach is on time.

Thanks again mate and I look forward to reading your pre match ode!


Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads


© ToffeeWeb