Premier League – Matchweek 11

I see Klopp has been charged with a breach of FA rule E3, which covers "comments which are improper, which bring the game into disrepute, which are threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting".

He has until Friday to answer the charge, meaning he can be on the touchline for tomorrow nights game against west ham. No doubt he will get a slap on the wrist from the cowardly corrupt FA, or a one match touchline ban for their game away at Notts Forest. The shite are hardly likely to miss Bingo in that game. He should get a minimum five game touchline ban because he’s got previous, and also a hefty fine. £300K should be sufficient!!

The FA will end up apologising for their misjudgment Rob. By next weekend, nothing will have ever happened and it will never be mentioned again.

I need to put those bitter pills away.

No bitterness, Danny. I just hate the bastards.

The game just slides deeper and deeper into an embarrassment. The abuse that refs take from players on the pitch. The throwing-away of the ball when it's the opposition throw-in. The standing over the ball when the opposition takes a free-kick. Throw-ins taken yards from where the ball went out, as the thrower inches ("yards") up the line.

Rugby would never stand for this. The game is as weak as wee.

I was wondering bout the Arsenal - Man City postponement:

"The Premier League has agreed with UEFA to postpone Arsenal FC's Premier League match with Manchester City FC, originally due to be played on 19 October, to allow for Arsenal FC's re-arranged UEFA Europa League game with PSV Eindhoven.

"Arsenal FC v PSV Eindhoven, originally scheduled to be played on Thursday 15 September [and postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II], will now be played on Thursday 20 October."

Brent, all of that stuff can be -- and should be -- dealt with by a strong ref. Like they have in rugby.

Unfortunately, the televised behavior by the players and managers spreads through the sport. I hadn't reached for a red card in probably 15-20 years. I've shown two in recent weeks for obscene dissent -- in a co-ed over-30 D league. Friday night social soccer, husbands and wives, and I have to do the same game management I did decades ago in semi-pro.

Michael, I guess Europe trumps Blighty.

Will... "Blighty"??

Disclaimer: Old man rant.

What I despise about the slippage in standards is that the game is supposed to be a place where humans can temporarily escape the vagaries of competitive behavior observed generally to a place where rules are supposed to filter out all the small-minded shit that Brent just listed nicely.

What ends up happening is that one observes this chiseling on the rules and then the response is, "Well, fuck if they're going to do it and get away with it..." and there it goes, the whole thing in a vicious vortex spiraling down to Shitsville.

Mike,

it's an old military term of endearment for England/Britain. I think that's where it started.

Thanks, Will. I learn something every day on this site.

Dale,

once you have things like "Entitled to go down" and the rest of it, there's no coming back.

Mike,

The problem with a strong ref, especially at co Ed and junior levels, is that people only respect a physically strong ref. I reffed four years until a year ago and, while I was an okay ref, I never had cause to send anyone off.

But I was linesman several times for a young woman who was easily one of the best refs but coaches and players were getting in her face screaming abuse. I saw her send four or five off over time, justifiably but then the league only gave her young kids games because teams complained she was giving out too many red cards!

Mike, I just thought... about the nearest concept to it your end, is Dixie.

Dale "What ends up happening is that one observes this chiseling on the rules and then the response is, "Well, fuck if they're going to do it and get away with it..." and there it goes, the whole thing in a vicious vortex spiraling down to shitsville."

Dale, yes, and the galling, hypocritical thing is that I, as others, have posted before about nice little Everton being too gentlemanly on the pitch, should get in the ref's face as all other teams do, blah blah. Vicious vortex, as you say, and I'm going down the plughole with everybody else.

Absolutely Brent. What happened to booking players for that type of behaviour? That deterrent was supposed to cut it out but doesn't seem to be getting enforced anymore.

Also, abuse of the officials. It's no excuse, but if they were competent and carried authority, there would be less of an issue. Like you say, in Rugby, they listen to the Ref, but the Ref knows what he's talking about and the players are coached to listen and accept decisions. And, I know not everyone agrees, but if they used the technology correctly, there's little argument to be had. Everyone can see it if it is displayed and explained.

Michael, you've just taken me back to yesteryear and something I always thought cost us a treble. Being asked to play an FA Cup Final 3 days after playing a European Final. Having clinched the league and won in Rotterdam, then being taken to extra time at Wembley, the players were shattered.

Had that been Liverpool or Manchester United, I guarantee the FA Cup Final would have been rearranged for the following week.

Rob. I'm putting the bitter pills away. I've been on them too much the past few days.

Some useless information while we wait for kick off tonight…

"Blighty" was first used in India in the 1800s and meant an English or British visitor.

It's thought to have derived from the Urdu word "vilāyatī" which meant foreign.

The term then gained popularity during trench warfare in World War One, where "Blighty" was used affectionately to refer to Britain.

Rob

We have a game tonight? Bloody hell I thought it was tomorrow I haven’t recovered mentally from the last one yet!

Ta, Rob - I got half way there!

Just some of this year's relegation fodder playing tonight, Kieran. Tomorrow for us.

Rob, I'm impressed with your memory of your time serving for the British Raj!

Brent, it just goes to show we are all animals at some level. And it is so much easier when it's a primal limbic Everton impulse.

Will

Phew 24 hours to pass a late emotional fitness test

Kieran, I meant the Premier League games on telly tonight.

When I heard the talk of 'blighty' I first thought of the phrase 'gammy leg'. I'm declaring gammy leg and taking off to watch the Blighton-Forest match.

Oh and I read that Klopp said "...I am not sure anybody wants to be best friends with us”. Yeah, nothing gets past you maaaaaan.

I just tried to find the link to the U21s but ended up watching the Conor Coady interview.

What a professional and someone confident on the camera. In just about every question, he kept coming back to Everton and the club, not himself.

He may have been a boyhood Red, but has been cleansed and totally understands the supporters and the club as many of his family are blues. "To them it's their life" as he referred to his Uncle John. Peter Reid and Dave Watson were Reds, so he'll do for me.

And with England. Yes he wants to go and play in the World Cup (who wouldn't?), but once again he refers back to having to play for Everton first and foremost.

Honesty and humility. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it.

Randomly made me think of the term the British gave to Ypres. Or should I say Ipres if we use the correct Dutch / Flemish name as opposed to the Francophile version.

Wipers. I think there was even a newspapers called that at the time.

I visit regularly. Always find something different. One standout was a monument and memorial for the Liverpool Scottish.

Now you're talking Chris.

Sharpe's Eagle.

Over the hills and far away!

Great info, Chris, thanks. Didn't know about the films. I'll find it.

Somebody here -- maybe it was you -- touted me onto an old folk song from the wars called Only Remembered. Was that John Tams?

Great series, Mike. Or should I say season for translation purposes?!! You'll be hooked once you start.

Brereton Diaz notches again tonight for Blackburn.

Yes Mike, that was John Tams.

Another good song he did was ‘Hearts of Coal’

He’s worth al listen

Two draws tonight so null and void.

Go and bring the points home blue boys.

Palace win Danny.

They won't be an easy feat on Saturday.
Viera has made them a highly competitive side.

I stupidly jumped the gun, Jim. Saw that on the news this morning. Still too early to judge the league table.

They weren't easy in May. They haven't been for years in fairness.

I had a very sensible message off a very sensible Evertonian last night and I'm shamelessly going to steal his lines.

We're not Palace. We're not Wolves. We're not Southampton. We're not Leicester. We're not Brighton or whoever else everyone thinks we should emulate to be the latest so-called best-managed club. We are certainly not Newcastle or the latest media frenzy. We never have been.

We are Everton and on our way to Bramley-Moore Dock and future success to add to what we have already achieved in football.

Tonight is one match in our long and proud history. It won't define the future. Just go and perform and go and get the points, Blue Boys.

Unfortunately I'll be watching from afar. I'm never really far away. Never have been. Never will be.

But I'll be back.

I noticed that when Frank got some space between him and Slippy the talk of who would be first to the sack vanished.

If Silva doesn't get it done, I suspect that talk will return... so Hi Ho Silva!

Fulham are dominating but no score yet. We don't really care do we?

Fulham 1-0 Villa. Suck it Steven

Watching Fulham reign shots in on goal tonight.

The game of football is easy really if you just lose the fear you have, or rather we have.

At Everton it seems the game is always about "how can we stop the opposite team" rather than win.

Red card for Douglas Luiz for throwing the head in on Mitrovic.

Never understand why players do that, and expect to get away with it, with the number of cameras around nowadays.

We'll take that, 2-0 should do it.

Wonder where Stevie G will work next?

And in what profession?

At least there are a couple of scores going our way:

Fulham 2 Aston Villa 0
Leicester City 2 Leeds Utd 0

Give Slippy G a 10-year Anfield Manager job.

Mike, there was a loud whisper upon his appointment that he would struggle without Michael Beale and struggle he has. Villa fans are crying up a pool every game.

And it's a Neeskens to the crotch. A Kebanofied ass kicking 3-0

Slippy could be gone tonight. 3-0.

Nice to see Marco Silva doing well.

I always liked him and, without the injuries to our midfield, he could have still been our manager today.

I hope he does well in his career.

Will the head of lettuce with a wig outlast Gerrard as well?

Oh wait, I just saw the punchline:

Villa fans singing "You'll Never Work Again!"

Sublime!

Lee, someplace, who knows where, Steve Ferns feels a warm glow.

I hope Gerrard stays at Villa, at least we're around them with him there.

Once gone, they could do a Newcastle and climb the Premier League, leaving us behind them and reducing our gene pool.

I hope Marco has put the nail in his coffin!!

I'd take Marco back in a heartbeat – never given a fair chance here.

Will, I'm guessing that means Steve was a big Marco fan?

I can't really recall who was For and Against his dismissal...we've had so many!!

Maybe Gerrard should have stayed at Rangers a bit longer. The Premier League is ruthless with an average squad, as Frank is finding.

I'm on my own here (I know). But I want them both to succeed, as they both could have gone straight into the cushy easy world of being a pundit. They both have taken a stressful route instead.

Lee, yes, and then some!

I can't recall as deep a discussion and praise of a manager's tactics in my time on TW.

Maybe he'll be back, he was a good poster in some ways.

Will @54, all is good with Steve, I think you'll find him on Twitter.

I agree, he will surely be feeling vindicated. Who'd have thought that we'd ever end up with Allardyce or Benitez?

Joe, it's a hard road for sure... with almost inevitably, the same eventual ending. Harder and harder without the big budgets too.

They have more balls than those that leap straight onto the "Expert" sofa.

I heard the Villa fans singing “Steven Gerrard get out of our club”.

Looks like his time is definitely up now that the Villa fans have turned against him.

Silva was here at the wrong time, as so many prove to be. He had bad luck but he was another who lost the players. The Everton toxin did for him.

Andy, thanks. I don't do that area of social media, so was unaware.

Your other point; dire part of our history.

Gerrard going will give Villa a bounce.

We really need to start picking up points, or swinging the axe ourselves.

Tony, that could lead us straight back to the something in the fabric angle. And there certainly has been.

Michael and Lee, did you guys actually enjoy giving up a goal a game on corner kicks?

That's only a slight exaggeration. Under Silva we gave up a goal on a set piece every other game, worst in the league (as his Watford and Hull clubs had been previously). 24 of them in a year and a half. That's managerial malpractice.

Marco got a fair chance. He couldn't teach defensive fundamentals or let go of his zonal marking obsession. He couldn't motivate. He couldn't beat the weakest teams. He lost the players and lost the fans. And if he'd stayed, we'd have been relegated.

After he was sacked, he remained unemployed for a year and a half. Who knows, maybe he spent that time reading books on basic defending. And brought the knowledge to Fulham. Good for him.

So slippy G slips out the door I suppose Liverpool will sign him on as ball boy

Crease Head gone for being one point behind us at this stage. It's dangerous out there.

Unusual to see a night sacking. Might have been rescheduled for TV.

Whatever Slippy was scheduled for, Frank has a few more months, I hope!

Crease Head. Haven't heard that one and I only wish I could have used it more.

That was one of Farley's better impressions too. Ah well, them's the breaks huh?

Jesse Marsch could be the next managerial casualty, as it appears the Leeds fans are starting to turn against him, particularly at Leicester tonight.

Keep strong, Everton, and don't press the panic button and sack Frank. We can definitely do without another manager being sacked and going back to square one! I still have faith in Frank Lampard and believe he will turn this club into a major force.

Have to disagree with the "hard choice" of footballers who go into management rather than punditry.

The guys, whatever happens, are multi-millionaires and will do pretty well financially even if they are sacked.

It seems that Ronaldo may be let go on a free… that would be until you hear what is wages would be.

Stevie's last words before getting the axe:

"I'm a man, I accept it, I can feel their frustration... I'm a fighter, I've never ever quit anything, so we'll see what happens."

Right after the interview, he did.

David #72, one of us TW Yanks believes Marsch should be the USA manager at the World Cup. I've been trying to talk him out of it.

Creasehead was screwed when Michael Beale left to manage QPR. He was the tactical brains on the team.

Steve, yeah, and Beale instantly became a hot property. He's got QPR on top of the Championship, and he turned down the Wolves job yesterday to stay there.

Aston Villa's Mings played like Beckenbauer against us and now he's all over the show — a liability.

World beater at Rangers, a struggler in the Premier League.

It highlights the cavernous gulf in competitiveness.

This is an example of how last season's Dogfight (Royle era springs to mind whenever I hear that word) kinda worked in our favour. Meaning, Frank was able to build some kind of bond with a lot of our supporters and it gave him time. The one thing managers always need, and money.

Whereas Villa just sort of drifted after the new bounce under Gerrard. They saw the season out and, under no real pressure and precisely zero connection was made between the manager, players and fans. Just like we've done many times recently.

We need to stick with Frank, even though the last few games have been disappointing. Even a blind man could see the improvements we've made defensively under Lampard and we're certainly better off than we were under Benitez or Allardyce.

Things weren't always rosy under Moyes but we stuck with him and he took us into Europe quite a few times. One transfer window was never going to fix all our problems.

Brendan @ 73,

It was a comparison in relative terms. Of course this morning, Gerrard has zero traditional worries as most experience them. It's a rewarding life for sure, for the very few that make it.

He's now in a position of having a damaged or stalled reputation in football terms, whether that proves temporary or not. He wanted to keep working and this is one of the risks manifest. Same for Lampard.

Compared with those that sit and spout on a sofa, only a minority really adding to the scene, it shows a drive, ambition and purpose in the game. The money is a lesser angle by this stage for most. Of course there are those with the few-dollars-more attitude (Allardyce's England days small bung for example).

All this said, I'm far from weeping for old Crease. Just an observation.

Let's take a moment to remember Stevie G's managerial career.

Okay, done.

Ribery retires, one of the true greats of our generation.

The two clubs who beat us during our first few games have since sacked their manager for poor form, and Notts Forest who were minutes away from repeating the trick have had a good think about their chap. Shows how bad we were.

Frank really needs a result tomorrow, especially after his evil twin got the bullet this week.