Thursday, January 31, 2008

so/so

Bit disappointed with the 0-0 last night, it was just one of those nights. It had "Bad night at the office" written all over it. It was, in fact, surprising that we didn't get mugged at the end.

Everton played well enough without ever really looking like they hada cutting edge. Arteta looked strangely reticent but Spurs are in impressive outfit at the moment so I'd take the point.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Phil Neville makes the right noises AGAIN

Gutted after Wednesday but Neville has summed it up well :

Phile Neville "Not the end"

"I said in the dressing room after the game, this is not the end. This is the beginning. The beginning of playing in games like this where the pressure is really on and making sure we go out there and enjoy it. We’ve still got fourth place to play for and the UEFA Cup, so let’s make it a great end to the season and not wallow in defeat, although this does hurt.”

Neville added: “This can’t be a negative. We have to take all the positives out of this Carling Cup run. We’ve changed the perception of what people think of us, teams are respecting us more now. We must make this the start to a great end of the season. We have Tottenham and Blackburn coming up next week, which are two massive games.

“In my previous two seasons at the club, around this time we have had nothing to play for. Now we have everything to play for. Every game seems like a cup final, and for me in particular that’s what I want, that’s the level I want to be playing in football.

“No-one likes to lose a semi-final. But as we said after the Arsenal and Manchester United games in the league, big games are decided by small percentages"


Make no mistakes about it, it was a good night to be a blue. If nothing else it was worth going just for the noise & singing before the game. I have never experienced anything as loud and intense. Fantastic. Once the game started it was a tense, nervy affair. Everton played well but Chelsea kept us at arms length....we had just turned up the heat when they picked us off on the break. A shame really 'cause if we'd have got that goal the place would have went mental. On another night at least one of the 3 or 4 decent chances we carved out would have went in but really The Pensioners deserved it. All you can say is that it might have been different if they needed a goal out of the game. Hope they win the final, it'll help to have an extra UEFA place going to the league. Great to see Fernandes back, he looked brilliant until he tired. Lescott was beyond awesome too.

Ah well, disappointed but proud was the general consensus...when the final whistle went everyone started singing and applauding the players effort. It just wasn't our turn.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

WEIR & UNSY BACK BLUES

WEIR & UNSY BACK BLUES

Former Everton stars David Weir and David Unsworth have sent good luck messages ahead of the Carling Cup semi-final.

The Toffees take on Chelsea at Goodison Park on Wednesday evening and the two ex-stalwarts are right behind their old colleagues.

"It will be a great occasion with hopefully the right result," said Weir.

"I will be involved in Rangers' match with East Stirling but I will be chasing the Everton result as soon as the final whistle goes.

"I was at Finch Farm recently to see the lads and I was pleased to see that the old Bellefield spirit has been carried to the new place. They are a terrific set of lads and I would love it if they could turn Chelsea over and reach Wembley.

"My sincere best wishes go to you all and I hope the fans get what they deserve...a truly memorable night and a place in the final."

"Unsworth, who was a member of the last Everton team to play in a cup semi-final, the FA Cup in 1995, is also keeping his fingers crossed for a home win by the right score.

'I would love to be there because I just know from first-hand experience what Goodison is going to be like,' he said.

'There is nothing like it when it's rammed full and rocking. I well recall THAT Wimbledon game when the atmosphere was unbelievable...and the place only had three sides!'

'And Evertonians still speak to me about our semi-final win in 95. We knew how much it meant to the fans and I know that the current set of lads do as well.'"


Great to hear from two of my favourite players before tonight...I am dreading and looking forward to the game in equal measure.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Calming the nerves

Martin Samuel has written a few good articles about Everton, here's the latest :

"The title of pound-for-pound champion is a peculiar thing. There is no belt or crown awarded to the holder, no tangible financial benefit. There are no bragging rights, either, considering all the experts in the world could never produce a standard formula for measuring who would come out on top if every boxer on the planet was shrunk or inflated to the same size and weight and then judged purely on ability.

Yet the designation of the pound-for-pound champion is taken seriously enough by The Ring, the respected boxing magazine, for there to be a permanent list in existence. The most recent, published on January 14, had Floyd Mayweather Jr, the welterweight conqueror of Ricky Hatton, at No 1, unsurprisingly considering his record of 39 undefeated contests and six world crowns at five weights.

Joe Calzaghe, Britain’s own super-middleweight, is fifth, his record of 44 unbeaten contests the most impressive of any boxer in the top ten. It could be argued that he deserved to be higher, which is perhaps the beauty of the pound-for-pound rankings. Because they are unquantifiable, all are subject to opinion. Nobody is right, nobody is wrong, but welcome to the debate nonetheless.

In reality, Mayweather would get his clock cleaned by Wladimir Klitschko, a heavyweight champion, because of his 100lb weight, 10.6inch height and 12.6inch reach advantage, but that is only an accident of birth. The Ring’s pound-for-pound table is there to give an idea of who would be best were boxing handicapped, like horse racing. There is no equivalent of this in football, but if there were the Mayweather position could well go to Everton.

Is there a better run, better managed, better value-for-money team in the Barclays Premier League? Is there a group of players giving more bang per buck, a team who could correlate their financial outlay and status with recent success and claim to be offering a superior return? Everton have not won anything of late, but who, beyond the elite four, has?"


Everton, pound for pound champions

And here's one about Moyes :

"Last week David Moyes marked 10 years in management. 'Ten unbroken years,' he said. 'And 28 in football. Since I signed for Celtic at 16 there's not been a day when I've been out of work.'

It is a remarkable record. A modern manager who has never been sacked. After four successful years at Preston and six at Everton, he is now the third longest-serving manager in the Barclays Premier League, although for reasons best known to the men with more money than sense, keeps being ignored when certain jobs become available.

Mike Ashley clearly suffered a short circuit in his brain when he turned to Kevin Keegan this week and Daniel Levy, the cowardly chairman of Tottenham, has proved something of a Euro-snob.

But Sir Alex Ferguson recognises the obvious qualities in someone he once considered for the post of his deputy and said as much recently.

In his Manchester United programme notes he suggested that Everton were the club most likely to break into the top four. And why? Because they have a group of gifted young players who will continue to grow together and one of the finest young managers in the game.

Moyes is far too modest to respond as he enjoys lunch in a Lancashire hotel.

'I'm not someone who seeks recognition,' he said. 'I just let people judge me on my work.'

His work at Goodison has been impressive. He was seventh in his first full season, 17th after that, but then fourth, 11th and sixth. Today his team are fifth and on the same number of points as Liverpool, in the latter stages of the UEFA Cup and in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup. And here's the really amazing bit. After six years he is close to breaking even in the transfer market. No wonder his contemporaries at the League Managers' Association have twice voted him Manager of the Year."

Monday, January 21, 2008

Yipes

Seen the goals from the Wigan game, actually felt sorry for Titus Bramble (I must be getting old)...He is such a weird player...rock solid 99.9% of the time then he just goes bonkers.

If you watch the replays from the low angle you just see the moment when he scuffs his backpass and the crowd all reason what's going to happen. Credit to AJ for not celebrating his mate's mistake.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

YouTube - fonejacker- doovde ready for de HD

YouTube - fonejacker- doovde ready for de HD



I find this dead, dead funny but then again I am in a stupidly good mood after Everton's 2-1 win at Wigan. AJ and Lescott netting before the break and holding on after a Jagielka own-goal. Haven't seen anything of it yet...aparently it was a scrappy game on a rubbish pitch and we were lucky to nick the points but who's complaining.

COYB!!!!!!!!!!!

Wigan Athletic 1 - 2 Everton



Fame at last plus a bit of infamy too

BBC NEWS | In Pictures | Your pics of Europe's Capital of Culture

The BBC used some of my pics for their Liverpool : Capital of Culture gallery. Particularly like the Everton ones.

and in other news a guy also named Stuart Brandwood from Warrington tried to win £50k for admitting going on a prostitute and drug orgy!

Not me! Not me! Not me!

Friday, January 18, 2008

McFadden moves to Birmingham City

EVERTONFC.COM: | FADDY DEAL COMPLETED

Sad to see James McFadden go but it's probably best for everyone. The fees being talked about are around the £5.5 million mark...it's difficult to turn that sort of cash down.

I'll never forget either of these though :







And how crucial a strike was this :



Hope it goes well for him (apart from when he plays us), this could be a great move for him 'cause he'll get the run of games he needs.

ANOTHER dull but informative blog entry!

The centre of the country

Centre points of the UK

Geographic Centre of Great Britain : map of the centre of the UK

Geographic Centre of England : map of the centre of England

Geographic Centre of Scotland : map of the centre of Scotland

Geographic Centre of Wales : map of the centre of Wales

Geographic Centre of Northern Ireland : map of the centre of Northern Ireland

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

We want a match of the day

c'mon BBC, give us our Match of the Day for rugby. We know you'd do it brilliantly!

Stop shovelling money into Jonathon Ross' pockets and get Ruck of the Day going! I know Waterloo aren't going to feature any time soon but surely everyone would gain from having a weekly show covering Guinness, Magners & Heineken games.

We want a Match of the Day for rugby

Facebook group"

MotD for rugby petition

Match of the Day for Rugby campaign T-shirt

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Fernandes joins Everton on loan

Manuel Fernandes joins Everton on loan

Glad we've tied that up....he has got bags of potential. If he reproduces the form he showed last time it should be good.

Everton 1-0 Man City

Everton 1-0 Man City

Whatever way you look at it that's a great result. I know City haven't been taking it on the road this season (They went until after christmas before they dropped a single point at home!) but that is a vitally important win for us. I didn't make it to the game so can't really add much but I am so chuffed Lescott got the goal after his funny aberration midweek.



My optimism about the semi-final second leg is diminishing rapidly...They now have Anelka who, as far as I can tell, isn't cup-tied.

Went to town on Friday to see the opening ceremony of Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations. Brilliant event...everyone seemed to love it. The crowd was immense have heard figures between 25,000 - 50,000. I think it was a lot more than they were expecting.

Capital of Culture opening

Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008

Friday, January 11, 2008

PEOPLE WHO HATE PEOPLE

Much as I love the folk on FiveLive Breakfast and Drive (Nicky Campbell, Shelagh Fogarty, Peter Allen and Jane Garvey have been synonymous with my daily commute for as long as I can remember) this made me chuckle :

PEOPLE WHO HATE PEOPLE

It also has a link to a Holy Grail of mine...The fantastic Mitchell & Webb Train Crash Radio Interview Sketch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To balance it here is the Breakfast blog entry for tonight's Capital of Culture events :

5live breakfast blog

City prepares for culture party

Liverpool prepares for Capital of culture party

Liverpool 08 : Grand opening

Here we go...

Liverpool is preparing to twist and shout about its Capital of Culture title with acrobats, pupils and a former Beatle at the official opening.

The People's Opening event will take place in front and on top of St George's Hall in the city centre.

It will kick start a year-long programme of more than 350 events, which are set to attract an extra two million visitors to the city.

The ceremony starts at 2008 GMT and is expected to attract 30,000 people.

More than 600 performers will take to the stage during the event.

The show's centrepiece will be a rooftop performance by Ringo Starr who will be premiering a new song.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

semi dissappointed

Lescott makes a rare mistake

Well you've got to look at that as an opportunity lost. 1-1 against 10 men in the away leg and we sat back and tried to play out the draw. Can't blame Lescott too much, pretty sure it must have been a foul by Wright-Phillips. Now we need to grab a goal at Goodison...This is possibly a better situation that having to nervously sit back and defend from the off. We are still in the game (a lot of blues would have taken 1-2 before the game started). The 2nd leg will be a tremendous occasion...really looking forward to it. COYB!

Chelsea 1 - 2 Everton, Carling Cup Semi-Final 1st leg

Looks like Manny Fernandes is coming back to Goodison after ditching us at the last minute to not play Champions League football with Valencia (3 appearances). A loan will suit everyone...he's got to establish himself at Goodison and prove he's worth a permanent move because ultimately Steven Pienaar has taken his place pretty well. If nothing else he'll fill in whilst Pienaar is away and Osman is getting back to fitness. He can't command anything like the £12m transfer fee Valencia paid for him now.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Phil Neville keen to revive Goodison glory days

Phil makes all the right noises yet again

Phil Neville keen to revive Goodison glory days

"He has 10 medals, from the surprisingly small, delicate one that denotes you have won the FA Cup to the more conventional hunk of gold given to those who have taken the Champions League. However, should Phil Neville lead Everton to the Carling Cup, he admits it will mean as much as any of them."

"It would be one of my greatest achievements," he remarked while preparing for the first leg of tonight's semi-final against Chelsea. "I am captain, I am older and the next medal is always the best. To take this club to Wembley would be sensational. The fans are dying for silverware."

Winning silverware is something that outside the 'big four' has gone out of fashion. There are those who would prefer a Champions League or a Uefa Cup finish to a League Cup or even an FA Cup. They talk about the importance of revenue when football is essentially all about glory.

When Neville left Old Trafford for Goodison Park three years ago, Everton had qualified for the Champions League. Their 'campaign' lasted for a single round which they lost to Villareal. The image of the then Everton captain, Dave Watson, sleeping with the FA Cup in 1995 will not go away.

"Three months after we had qualified for the Champions League everyone had forgotten about it," Neville said. "People still talk about the Howard Kendall days and those players still walk around as legends. That's what happens at clubs like this. If we win this year, it would be remembered forever.

"Technically, we are a better team than the one which made the Champions League in 2005. That team were mentally tougher than we are but, technically, we play better now.

"The mood has changed towards Everton. I noticed when I came here that the glass was always half empty. Because of the lack of success over the previous 10 years, there was negativity and now people look forward to games."


This struck me as interesting on the official site (Phil Neville : One more) :

Phil Neville wants to complete his domestic medal collection.

The League Cup is the only trophy to elude the Blues skipper and he wants to win the competition with Everton.

David Moyes’ men take on Chelsea in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening and Neville admits the prospect of leading Everton out at Wembley would be the proudest moment of his career.

He told evertonTV: "This is the only winners medal I have not got. I have two losers medals and normally I give my medals to my father.

"But those two losing medals I have kept in a drawer at home. I look at them occasionally to remind myself of what it is like to lose a major final, and it is something I do not want to happen again.

"To be the Everton captain that leads the side out at Wembley would probably be the best thing that has happened in my career.”


Interesting how he keeps the losers medals in spur him on to get the one medal that he hasn't been able to give to his dad yet.

Phil Neville scores for Everton against Newcastle

Everton have lost our fight to play Pienaar, can't really complain about that rules are rules I suppose. We are very short on creativity in midfield now...A decent solid Everton-like performance would be great tonight. It's going to be tough, we are 4th favourites. A final would be fantastic. COYB!

Monday, January 07, 2008

Give them enough rope...

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Clarkson stung after bank prank: "TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has lost money after publishing his bank details in his newspaper column.

The Top Gear host revealed his account numbers after rubbishing the furore over the loss of 25 million people's personal details on two computer discs.

He wanted to prove the story was a fuss about nothing.

But Clarkson admitted he was 'wrong' after he discovered a reader had used the details to create a £500 direct debit to the charity Diabetes UK."

Ha ha ha ha, What a pompous, supercilious oaf that man is. It's frightening how many people seem to worship him and his smug cronies on Top Gear.

Carling Cup Semi-final team selection issues.

Tricky one this....does the rule state that it's 14 days before THE first game or THEIR first game. We really could do with him. It's a shame South Africa are being so tough about it all, but then again I suppose they don't want a late injury to disrupt their plans.

MOYES EXPECTS PIENAAR TO PLAY?: "Everton had been negotiating with the South African Football Association in order to secure Pienaar's services for the first leg of the Carling Cup semi final on Tuesday.

But recent reports in South Africa said the international management were expecting Pienaar to join the squad on Sunday.

And now Moyes is highlighting the 14-day rule to lay claim to the midfielder, who is on loan from Borussia Dortmund.

Fifa regulations say a country can claim their player 14 days before international action.

The African Cup of Nations begins on January 20, but South Africa aren't in action until January 23 - which is 15 days after the game at Stamford Bridge."


Also we have this from new signing Dan Gosling

Former Brixham United youth team player Dan Gosling joined the Barclaycard Premiership elite yesterday when Plymouth Argyle agreed to sell him to Everton for £1.5million.: "'I've never met Mr Moyes, because all the negotiations have been done over the telephone,' said Gosling in an exclusive interview with the Herald Express last night.

'However, he's got it wrong if he thinks I'll settle for anything other than making the first team squad at Goodison Park.

'I shall do my best to knock on the first team door straight away.'

Gosling, discovered by local talent scout John James playing for Brixham United under-12s in the Pioneer Youth League, has made 24 first team appearances for Argyle since making his Coca Cola Championship debut at 16.

'It's going to be a lot harder for me at Premiership level, but I know I will relish the challenge of trying to break into the Everton first team,' he said.

'I don't know what position they have in mind for me having played at full-back and in midfield for Argyle. I haven't really discussed that side of it, but I'm comfortable playing anywhere and will play anywhere.'

Gosling says he definitely won't feel out of place rubbing shoulders with Premiership talent having played with a number of the country's up-and-coming stars for England"

Can't beat a bit of confidence. Hope he lives up to his hype.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Take a bow Chasetown and Oldham

Exclusive: Chasetown teamtalk from FA Cup draw with Port Vale

Chalie Blakemore

In the aftermath of our ignaminious FA Cup exit I thought I'd point you towards Chasetown FC who were the lowest ranked side in history to reach the 3rd round. Their manager Charlie Blakemore is like Winston Churchill. These are amateurs taking on professionals....and they won. You get a lot of smug inverted snobbery from rugby fans about the corinthian nature of their sport and the cynical nature of "diveball" or "poofball" or whatever they want to call it...but whilst the Guinness Premiership aristocrats are busy ringfencing and looking after number 1 football is still, for all it's faults, a meritocracy. This is 3rd round day....Our ground was packed to the rafters. my club got dumped out by a team in the doldrums of the league two division below us. Raise a glass.


Although I have to say..............M-People really were CACK.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Everton 0-1 Oldham

Balls! Thoroughly pissed off with that. Not a hint of sour grapes or bigger fish to fry...I love the cup. Congrats to Oldham....but Argh! One of THOSE afternoons but I suppose that's the cup for you : Some years you grab the glory, some years the rest of the country has a laugh at your expense. "Meet those two imposters just the same"

Everton 0-1 Oldham: "League One Oldham stunned Premier League high-fliers Everton with a deserved FA Cup third-round win.

Gary McDonald's spectacular 25-yard strike seconds before half-time capped a superb display of resilience and effort from John Sheridan's side.

James Vaughan and James McFadden wasted early chances to put Everton ahead.

Oldham held Everton at bay with relative ease after the break, although substitute Yakubu hit the post with only seconds remaining."

one of THOSE afternoons

Anyway...off to have a beer. At least 'loo won...with a Stuey Bonus too.

Liverpool: European Capital of Culture - Telegraph

To my chagrin and shame I find myself reading the online edition of The Telegraph ak The Torygraph more and more often...if I can manage to to get past the editorials and politics it 's pretty good (although I am a loyal Times reader). Anyway :

Liverpool: European Capital of Culture - Telegraph:

"We support it to our fingertips, defend it against sneers of outsiders who go on and on about the scallies, burglars, thugs, drug dealers, whingers and footballers' wives who make the headlines and always crowd out any good news about our native city. Never mind all that, we say. It's going to be wonderful. Just watch us."

Friday, January 04, 2008

Thursday, January 03, 2008

AJ is A-Star

A-Star is the brainchild of Fitz Hall, Andy Johnson, Ken Bonsu and Ronnie Wilson, and was set up with the aim of encouraging young people to express themselves in a positive manner and to make it possible to be around role models who do not glamorize crime, guns or drugs. With the death rate among teenagers increasing Fitz and Ken wanted to do something.

So the name A-Star was chosen (A-Star=every child is a star) which fits in with the government initiative “Every child matters”

With those core beliefs in mind and heart. The guys set up a unique company that hopes to offer real opportunities for young people with a wide ranging choice of activities to participate in and hopefully gain employment in a chosen field.

A-Star

The mystery of the "A" goal celebration is solved! Top stuff, hats off to all involved.

AJ doing his A-Star scoring celebration

James 'Henrik' Vaughan scoring in the 90th minute against Birmingham

ex-Everton star Marcus Bent against Blackburn

Titus Bramble celebrating scoring against liverpool

Pienaar hopes to delay departure

Hope Pienaar can get permission to play in the semi...we are missing key players with Osman out and Arteta suspended (Thank you Mr Fabregas).

BBC SPORT | Football | African | Pienaar hopes to delay departure

Steven Pienaar hopes to be given special permission to delay his departure for the African Nations Cup.

The Everton midfielder wants to play against Chelsea in the Carling Cup before linking up with his South African team-mates.

The 25-year-old is one of a host of Premier League stars who will leave their clubs behind to go to Ghana.

The tournament kicks on 20 January but Pienaar wants to delay his departure until the last possible moment.

The South African squad come together on 5 January but, with the Carling Cup semi-final clash occurring three days later, Pienaar hopes a compromise can be reached.

He told Everton's website: "I'm supposed to be going on 5 January but we are trying our best so that I can stay for a bit longer.

"I hope we can agree on it because I am in-between at the minute and there is nothing I can do.

"I am like any other player and I want to be involved in the big games. The semi-final with Chelsea is so important and I want to be a part of the team that goes to Stamford Bridge.

"You always want to play for your country but you also always want to play for your club."

Bafana Bafana do not start their campaign until 23 January against Angola, raising hopes that a deal can be struck.

"I'm stuck in the middle but I hope the association gives me a day free because they know how important this game is for me," he added.

"It will be sad going away for so long especially when the team is doing so well. The spirit here is tremendous."

Steven Pienaar

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Clipper Round The World Yacht Race

Race Viewer | Multimedia | Clipper Round The World Yacht Race

This is ace....live tracking of Liverpool08's progress in the clipper race!

Clipper Race

Everton did brilliantly to put the Arsenal disappointment behind them...it was, just like the Utd game, a big blow but both times recently we've reacted well and put in a solid, businesslike performance to put things right. 6 points was the minimum we needed over Christmas so job done.

Great tribute to Phil O'Donnell from James McFadden too

Middlesbrough 0-2 Everton

McFaddjavascript:void(0)<br />Publish Posten's tribute