Tag Archives: Everton F.C.

Everton – The best team we’ve played this season

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Walking away from the Emirates Stadium last night, the talk was whether the draw against Everton was 2 points dropped or a point gained. For me, it was 2 points dropped. To win the league, you need to be winning your home games from winning positions. This was the 2nd time we have let slip a lead at home. Whilst we might currently be 5 points clear, this gap could have been doubled had we held onto leads against Aston Villa and Everton.

At 1-0 up with 6 minutes to go, you would expect Arsenal to be able to hold on. However, the Everton goal, we could do little about. Critics might say Gibbs should have got closer, or that Szczesny should have saved it, but these are harsh. Gibbs’ positioning was correct and it was a rocket of a shot which went past Szczesny before he could react. Criticism of the pair, taking into account their form this season, is harsh. Especially Szczesny, who has won us more games with sensational saves than anyone. He surely has plenty of good faith in the bank.

Anyway, whilst it was 2 points dropped, the Everton side were comfortably the best I have seen us play. Despite us losing to both Aston Villa and Manchester United, Everton were comfortably better than both. Currently 5th in the league, they are just 2 points behind Liverpool, and on yesterday’s showing, they have to be taking into consideration for the race for the Champions League.

If I were a Manchester United or Tottenham fan, I would be very worried. With Everton playing so well, both sides might not even get into the top 5 this season, meaning no European football.

It is no European football that is benefiting Everton this season. There game is about high pressing and plenty of energy in the midfield, with a solid 3 of the impressive Ross Barkley (Surely he and Wilshere should be England’s midfield in Rio?), James McCarthy and Gareth Barry. Everton have played just 17 games this season. This was Arsenal’s 24th. Not playing Thursday and Sunday every week (yes, I know they played midweek this week) is certainly helping Everton. You only have to look at how Swansea have struggled this season to see the effect.

Lack of International football is also a factor, with the likes of Distan, Barry, and Pinner not playing it, and many others being fringe squad players. Olivier Giroud & Aaron Ramsey, for example, have played 27 games for club and country this season, whilst Romelu Lukaku & Gareth Barry have played 17 and 12 respectively. Lack of games is certainly keeping the Everton side fresh.

They are also receiving the massive benefit of 3 on loan players, in Lukaku, Barry and goal scorer Gerard Deulofeu, they have essentially managed to nab themselves £30m+ worth of talent without needing to spend a penny. My views on the loan system are for another blog, however would Everton be where they are were it not for their loan players? Probably not.

What is for certain is that Everton have moved forward under Roberto Martinez. Playing good football and looking very solid. They have lost just 1 game this season, remember. With his style of play, tactics and ability to run a football club, not just the team, a couple of good years at Everton and I could certainly see Martinez being in the frame for the Arsenal job.

We should not be too down hearted on a draw at home to Everton. They are the best side we have played and are very hard to beat. Whilst it is 2 points dropped, they have, and will continue to, take points off other sides at the top of the league.

With Napoli, Manchester City and Chelsea coming up next, we have an important few weeks coming up. It is important that we continue to back the side. The next 3 games will determine our season.

Keenos

 

Easy Against Hull With Real Tests Coming Up

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Well do we finally have a back up striker again in the mould of Nick Bendtner?

I am far from this mans biggest fan, and when I say far just think of how huge the gap between us and Spurs is right now, that’s the kind of chasm of my dislike for this man, but all things considered he did put a shift in last night.
He won headers, and laid balls off and scored his goal. I still don’t want him to stay past January but I’m happy he came into the side and did a semi decent job.

 Overall the game was another good performance from us, we did enough without ever moving out of 2nd gear really. We made some changes to give a few players some rest, Jenkinson came in and didn’t make a mistake, Monreal is a trusted replacement at left back and of course Bendtner in for Giroud.

I’m glad Ozil scored as every time he does it will push him on a bit more, give him a bit more confidence to try some new things for us. There is still a lot to come from him. Pundits always say it’s the sign of champions when you tick along winning these games without really having to push yourselves, this game optimised that saying.

 On the way back from the game last night me and my step-dad were talking about the games now in front of us. Barring the Liverpool, Dortmund and United games this is the hardest period of our season so far. Everton at home, City away and then Chelsea at home. A minimum of 5 points from these games is the very least we should be expecting really. To win at home against Everton and draw against Chelsea and City would mean they don’t gain anything on us. Two wins would be nice but is then there a chance we could lose the 3rd game? If given the choice you had to take 2 wins and a loss who would you choose to have the loss against? I would choose City as its vital to win all your homes games.

My opinion is we will slip up at City, but I would expect us to do well and win at home against Everton and Chelsea. Its an exciting period and I cant wait for it. The end of the month brings West Ham and Newcastle, again I would expect us to beat West Ham but Newcastle have the ability to upset us, they have done before and could do again. If by the end of December we are still top with some points in the gap to second then we must start to believe, still not sure I want to hear that fatal song though, “We’re gonna win the league and now your gonna believe us”

 Show your support Sunday, I’ve offered my services to red action to help with the flag to drag it around the North Bank and onto the East Stand. If it moves over you help us by grabbing the ends tight.

 Up The Arsenal

Premier League Grounds and Me

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This Saturday my visit to the Cardiff City Stadium means that I will only be missing 1 ground that I haven’t ever been to of teams currently in the Premier League, I thought I could just revisit some of the memories I’ve had at some of these grounds in different competitions as  was quite surprised when I realised I was only missing one.

I’m sure there are fans out there that have been to all of them twice over, but I don’t earn a huge amount of money and don’t have an away scheme membership so to build your away games up is difficult and means starting at the bottom. I’m pretty proud of the many different grounds I’ve been to over the seasons.

I remember me and my brother doing the games which didn’t require a lot of credits when we just starting out, Wigan, Newcastle, Sunderland, West Brom etc. We did these until we had enough credits to get to some decent games, the London ones and teams like Villa and Everton. Eventually we got to the level where we could always be sure to get a ticket for whichever game we wanted to go, United, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool.

White Hart Lane

My record at those big clubs is not good, I don’t think I have ever seen us win against United at Old Trafford, or against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. My mate was having a stag in Brighton on the weekend of the 5-3! My record at Shite Hart Lane isn’t to bad, see us win 3-1 with the AADDDEEEBBAYYYOORR goal and a lovely strike from Cesc. Seen us win 4-1 in the Carling Cup but also the 5-1 loss, but around my time of going regular to see us at WHL they have been coming back and starting to beat us and get points from us more and more so its been difficult there in recent seasons with 2 losses on my last two visits.
Had some nice times up north, was at the 4-4 Newcastle game, Ozil’s first game this season at Sunderland was a good win, remember some good wins against Liverpool one of them with Podolski’s first goal I believe, a lovely goal from a counter attacking move, also when we managed to get a point up there with a lovely own goal from Reina. Stayed up there that weekend I think and had a great night out! Had a good night out in Newcastle as well after the 4-4 game, its hard not to have a good time out in Newcastle to be fair.


www.footballgroundguide.com

Villa Park is always nice because its usually around Xmas time we go there, last time I went we won with a goal from Jack Wilshere, a header would you believe! Remember him sprinting over to the away fan section kissing the badge! Lovely moment. Also Everton is one of those ground I love going to, has a proper old stadium feel and I love being in the away section there. I was there for the game we won 6-1. It was a 5.30pm KO and we had got the train up there early that morning, been on the lemonades all day and so by the time came around we were all quite worse for wear, I managed to see one goal before being turfed out by the stewards! Walked up to an Everton pub and watched the rest of it in there. Was approached by this guy at the bar who turned up to be a Liverpool fan and enjoyed the result as much as me. Think a few of the Everton fans ever recognised me from being just thrown out of the ground! Remember going up there with my brother as well, one of my first away games and I drove on a Monday night. Got there with minutes to spare and Eduardo scored and used a hand in the build up which was hilarious as all game Everton fans had been shouting for hand ball. Needless to say its all we did for the rest of the game! “HANDBALL”

Some of the early games we did when building up the credits was on the travel club coaches, Derby away, Sunderland away. Managed to see us lose at Wigan after being 2-0 up, another one we went to when we were starting out, my step dad drove us up. Been to Wolves which was another early train job, was absolutely smashed because of the amount of beer we had drunk, my mate sate in his seat with his head in his hands for the first half! Been to Southampton for possibly one of our worst performances I’ve ever seen, was last season I think, so so poor.
Reading I nearly missed, was getting my car MOT’d the same day and was going to drive round and meet my mates there as they had the tickets, the MOT overran and I was late, managed to get in for kick off and saw us win with a goal from Hleb amongst others I think. The London ones are my favourite, its nice to be able to get the tube to an away game, Fulham, West Ham and QPR when they were up are always decent away games. Was lucky enough to catch Sagna’s shirt against West Ham one year at the end of the game when he came over to the crowd, sent it into the club and they got it signed for me and sent it back! West Brom when we made 4th place on the last day was good, went for a curry in this pub just up the road after the game in their beer garden. Its now pretty legendary for me and my step dad and we cant wait to go back! It was lovely.

I’ll just add at the bottom to these memories, that my memory is shit! And so I wouldn’t surprised if some of you read this and find some errors here and there, please let me know if you do!

I haven’t even started on the cup games, the European games and finals we have been to over the years, might leave that for another time!

Until then, Up the Arsenal and enjoy the game tomorrow!

Matt