Everton Banter Archive December 02 2015

02 Dec 2015 22:20:16
Gutted we did not get stoke in the semi; oh well we will have to beat them in the final now!

{Ed025's Note - we have to meet city at some time if we want to win it zulu..its not impossible mate..

02 Dec 2015 22:25:14
If you want to win cups you have to beat the best.

{Ed025's Note - your right dentie..

02 Dec 2015 22:33:16
Tough draw especially over 2 legs.

02 Dec 2015 22:36:10
Whoever we drew - and now we know its ManCIty - it's important that we concentrate on our Premier League matches until then. Let's hope that when we play the two-legged semi-final that we are in good form, confident, and well prepared, but also free of injuries and suspensions. Let's also see how our players - especially the fringe ones in our squad if and when they are called on to play - perform in the forthcoming Premier League matches.

03 Dec 2015 00:47:19
I've never understood why its still over 2 legs. Don't we play enough games? Isn't that why endless FA cup replays were abolished? I'd be much more confident in a one game knock out scenario.

03 Dec 2015 06:23:48
The fact we play Sunday and then Tuesday is a bit silly. Why is our game not the Wednesday game? Looking forward to it and I would rather rest players on the Sunday and go all out for the win against city. But please Bobby I am begging you don't pick the side based on sentiment I.e Osman on the left go with the best strongest side and this year could potentially end 20 years of waiting.

02 Dec 2015 21:59:24
Four Derbys in a season then?

{Ed025's Note - not now mate..

02 Dec 2015 22:08:35
3 Derbys in a year then!

{Ed025's Note - unlucky mushy..

02 Dec 2015 23:18:35
Could still be 4 - if we both get to the League Cup final AND are drawn against each other in the FA Cup. You never know ;-)

02 Dec 2015 21:30:23
Watched big Nev last night on Sporting Heroes, what a man. Loved his attitude to the game. "I'll give it a go if it doesn't work out I will go back to hod carrying". Brilliant. Didn't realise he'd spent 17 years at the club, man should have a statue outside the stadium. because we will never get one as good as that again.

02 Dec 2015 22:53:20
My favourite ever Everton player. I'm fortunate enough to have a chin wag with him quite often and he is such a nice guy with an unwavering passion for our club.

02 Dec 2015 14:57:22
Ed how many jobs has Gary Neville now got, must be on more wages than he was at Utd now.

02 Dec 2015 13:06:38
Hey Guys,

Just a few points to make.

1. Swan you said in a post yesterday ''When was the last time a TH mistake had no bearing on the result? ''

Well, you yourself blamed him for the second goal vs Sunderland, and we went on to win 6-2! Pretty short memory considering it was only a cpl of games ago and considering you can, at other times, remember every single 'mistake' he has made for the last 4 seasons!

2. I didn't see the game last night so can't say if Ossie played well or not. However, all this bashing is pretty unfair considering that it was his goal in the previous round that kept us in the competition in the first place! And yet people still say he has nothing to offer the team! So that goal was completely useless then, was it!? Again some short memories on here!

3. Who really cares whether Mirallas is happy or not? If he wants to go then let him! He has never had a really great season. Yes, he is a good player but is far too inconsistent and too selfish. His best season was a cpl of yrs ago when he got 9 goals and 7 assists. Deulofeu has 7 assists already this season and he didn't even play in half of the games! If he wants to say play me or I'm off then bye bye, No one is bigger than this club. Some people on here speak about him as though he was Messi ffs, and use his lack of playing time as another reason to bash RM, it's kind of sad really. The team is playing well without him and have scored more goals from open play than any other in the Premier League so who cares!

All this criticism of players, the manager is just embarrassing, esp great servants like Tim and Ossie! Is this the Everton way? Is this how we treat our players towards the end of their careers!?

All RM's critics are going to look really silly when we start achieving things, and I believe we will. This is the best squad and best football we have seen in the last 25yrs! And yet some people last season had the nerve to suggest replacing RM with Peter Reid. Wtf?

Oh and btw as you're all revelling in the silky skills of Deulofeu rem who brought him here, and rem that if RM goes that is one sure way of seeing Deulofeu leave also!

02 Dec 2015 14:56:08
Well played, you've got me on the Sunderland game, yet he still messed up twice. This is the issue I have, players who have been here a while get special treatment, Osman and Howard seen immune to criticism from some just because they've lasted a bit longer (though undeservedly as we've had better players in their positions for a long time) than some of the others. Osman did score vs Norwich and yet still stunk the place out, he gets a goal and it makes him untouchable by some for a few weeks. Osmans goal didn't keep us in the cup, we won a penalty shootout, the same people (not you in particular, just people with the same thoughts on Kev) who are not to bothered if Kev goes are usually the same loving Osman and Howard. The people who were sad Vic, Neville and Fellaini went and regularly criticise McCarthy, Lukaku and Barry (not you aflm, I'm noticing a trend across a lot of Everton sites and Tw@ter about this) .

Whilst I do agree Evertonians go too far with stick, especially when the player himself hears/sees it I think it is justified (not personal abuse, just criticism) on Osman and Howard for the following reasons.

Howard

Costing us points simple as that, people say "not his fault he keeps getting picked", well then, he should pretend to be injured or ask not to play because it is his fault he is making mistakes.

Osman

Taking up a nice wage for nothing when we have about 10 players who can play where he does. People say keep him around as a player, why? What is the point? He is taking up a much better players (Gibson, Mirallas, Naismith and Besic) place in the team. He gets given the armband for some reason when he's not a leader, did Liverpool keep Gerrard on? Or Carragher just to "have them around"? No. Sell him, or he should retire.

02 Dec 2015 15:46:35
I think people are underestimating what Ossie (and Hibbo) surely bring to things behind the scene, in training, in the dressing room etc.

Should he play regularly? Does behind the scenes input warrant a weekly salary? Well, I suppose that's debatable. However, no amount of complaining or criticism is going to see the club tear up his contract, so as long as he is here he will always get my support. I feel he deserves that after all the yrs of loyal service. And don't forget we would not have reached the penalty shootout if not for that goal.

The same with Tim. Is he past his best? Yes. But he is our No.1 and will be at least till the end of the season and I think we should get behind him until then!

As for the people on social media who criticise McCarthy, Barry, Lukaku well I bet they are feeling a little silly this season. Lukaku is starting to show what he can do once he receives good service and an early ball. Barry may have been off pace last season but so were almost the whole team, but this season he is totally running the show in almost every game and McCarthy is an animal and wins so much ball for us and puts an enormous amount of pressure on the other team, yet people complain just because he doesn't score more often. Everyone can have an opinion but I feel he is vital to how we play and wouldn't swap him for any player who fulfils a similar role in the Prem!

As for Kev I like him. I'm just saying that if he is not happy about not playing then tough. The team is doing alright without him. We don't see what goes on in training, perhaps he is not training hard, perhaps he is sulking and throwing a bit of a strop, who knows! I trust RM to make the right call. It's just a shame that many people do not. A lot of them would seemingly rather back a decent if slightly inconsistent player over our manager and I find that a little sad!

02 Dec 2015 16:31:37
Agreed aflm, something I would add, while there is no doubt Hibbo and Osman are personalities in the dressing roon, do we need to keep them as players to do that? .

Spot on about Mirallas, I think fans like to see him as our Hazard or Silva, problem is, our Hazard or our Silva is spanish, and his names Doofy Loofy. he's shown Mirallas what actually trying each game can achieve. An on form Mirallas and Deulofeu on the wings is as scary as any in the league, the issue is, Mirallas is not consistent enough. In an ideal world would I like them both to play? Of course but it isn't going to happen. Something has gone on behind the scenes, I don't know if it was the penalty miss vs West Brom or something else but Bobby and Kev had clearly had a fall out.

02 Dec 2015 16:54:49
Great servant as Osman has been and even last season still offered something to the team, his legs have now well and truly gone. Was basically playing with ten men last night and A) I don't like to see a great servant like him playing when it's obvious to most that his days in top flight football are over B) we have to be ruthless, do you really think we will get to where the fans clearly think we should be by playing players because they have been great servants. Alex ferguson best talent was knowing when a player wasn't good enough anymore and moving them on. Osman,Hibbert and Howard should no longer get in out strongest 16 via Howard until we get a new keeper in.
Agree about the moaning fans and the fact they winge about things as soon as we have 1 slip up but also can't stand the attitude of playing players like osman over better younger players.

02 Dec 2015 17:35:44
I have criticised Howard and Barkley several times over the past 2 seasons and feel justified in doing so. It is an Everton supporters forum for opinions and discussions.

Tim Howard is a liability for us and has been for awhile now (3-4years) . If Robles is performing during training like he has in the league cup games then he deserves a start.

Barkley is over hyped at the minute because he is young and English. He is still learning so hopefully he does come good. I don't believe he will be as good as Ballack or Gascoigne but I will be very happy if I'm proved wrong (as long as he's still with us) .

Leon Osman is finished and has been for a few seasons. He's too old, too slow and too weak. We have much better players than him in the squad. If he brings a good morale and camaraderie to the changing room then make him a coach, not a starter for Everton.

02 Dec 2015 18:24:32
Joe Mc I agree.

02 Dec 2015 02:17:34
Not totally convinced that joel is the answer in the long term, plus he did not have a lot to do tonight, but he seems miles ahead of the sadley out of touch Howard, if Martiez does not pick him against C/PLACE, he is one stubourn bas. d .

02 Dec 2015 10:14:37
Oh! Give it a rest plz! You Martinez are looking more ridiculous with every passing week!

02 Dec 2015 11:13:23
* Martinez bashers.

02 Dec 2015 14:51:22
It is criticism not bashing aflm78. Against Bournemouth we scored 2 goals in the first half and then sat back, last night we scored 2 goals in the first half and then sat back. Under Moyes we could do that because he had our defence acting as a cohesive unit, RM does not appear to have that ability. Tim has lost his consistency but our only alternative is Robles and RM does not seem to have the confidence in him for League games (or loyalty is blinding logic) and that destroys confidence. Should we reach the final in this competition I predict RM will pick Howard.