Friday, February 27, 2009

d'Villa

If you'd have asked me a few weeks ago about Aston Villa I'd have been full of praise for them. I could see a lot of parallels with the blues. Fine old club with a great pedigree & tradition. Good committed fans who don't shout from the rooftops bigging themselves up. Just get on with the business of supporting their club.

Seems a bit poor the way the surrendered on the UEFA Cup last night playing a reserve team in the away leg when the tie was very much in the balance. Essentially they are declaring their cup innings this season in order to try and finish 4th in the league. Is that what modern footy has come to?

Spurs I can understand, they have a cup final at the weekend and the relegation scrap is still tapping them on the shoulder. Villa had a shot at glory there and they are letting it go for a potential champions league payday next season.

The Villa fans need to have a think what they want as well. 300 in Moscow, sending a third of their FA Cup tickets back for the game at Goodison the other week. No point dreaming of greater things to come when there's potentially great times happening now.

I really like Villa, just a bit disappointed in how they've embraced their new found success. Perhaps this is a symptom of the attitude fans get when they know they've got a sugar daddy aiming for the heights. Look at City, they've been in the doldrums for years, they finally get into Europe (albeit by the pitiful route of the UEFA Fair Play table) and hardly anyone turns up at Eastlands.

Evertonians painted Kharkiv blue, the beer soaked fun and games at places like Brann, Alkmar and most notably Nuremburg are legends already. The nights at Goodison were brilliant. We'd been waiting years for the European party so when it finally arrived why on earth would we get snooty about it and wait for better things to come.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

David Mitchell on Twitter and Tory Wikipedia editing

Noticed David Mitchell mentioned the Conservatives changing Wikipedia in his column this week :

David Mitchell Twitter ye not, I adore Wikipedia

People who allow themselves to be made credulous by stylish typesetting and a serif font are screwed. And if Wikipedia, while being very informative in most cases, teaches a few lessons about questioning sources, then that's all to the good.

Not that that's any excuse for defacing it. Particularly not for those members of the Conservative party who falsified Titian's dates of birth and death just to stop anyone realising that David Cameron's political point-scoring on the subject was actually an own goal.

In a small way, that action is genuinely disgraceful. The Conservatives were happy to misinform the world in order to back up their boss's quip - to damage a charity that gives knowledge free to billions, for trivial political gain.

It's the act of someone who'd forge a disabled parking badge, a tiny unit of pure, sociopathic evil. Even politicians should be ashamed that they're harbouring anyone like that.

Martin O'Leonidis says : 300! THIS IS VILLA!!!!

CSKA Moscow V Aston Villa : Martin O'Neill : "We’ve about 300 travelling fans who have spent very good money in coming to support us"


300! This is Villa!!! (courtesy of Photoshop superstars Mel & Ceci)

Think O'Neill is chiding the Villa supporters there whilst still acknowledging the effort made by the happy few. I seem to remember Everton taking a couple of thousand to some backwater at the arse-end of Ukraine for the Metalist game.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Stuey's song of the day Malibu by Hole

Boro go through in the cup, not sure what to make of that. Deflated Artetaless Everton v fanless boro (15,000 really is poor).

Anyway been a while since we had one of these :



Also :

We will remember them

Monday, February 23, 2009

The worst news

If you'd have asked any Evertonian to pick their nightmare scenario before yesterday's game I'd suspect must of them would have come up with an injury to Mikel Arteta. Put simply he's been sensational recently...awesome, inspirational, sublime you pick the superlative.

To see his knee go like that and instantly see the pain and anguish on his face was pretty harrowing for Evertonians. Arteta isn't just a great player, he's a true talisman for player and fan alike. Today our worst fears were confirmed. Knee ligaments with at least a 6 month layoff.

Forget about what this does to Everton's season (and it could well stop it dead in it;s tracks) my main thoughts centre around Mikel himself. Hope he's okay. It's so tragic to see a player at the absolute height of his power (he was sinply imperious against Villa) getting injured like that. The way he was playing a Spain call-up must have been just a matter of time.

Get well soon Mikel. Will be saying prayers to Saint Sebastian for you.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

One Andy Burnham, there's only one Andy Burnham

This is a good article about Everton supporting government minister Andy Burnham

One Andy Burnham, there's only one Andy Burnham

Three things are important in my life, apart from family. Everton FC, the Labour Party and the Catholic church - in that order. The reason I say that is, it all comes back to cultural identity.

My dad's not Catholic but my mum is. He was worried about meeting her family for the first time as religion was so important in Liverpool then. But Everton had been away at Blackburn that day and when he arrived to meet the Murray family they twigged he had been at the match and they had too, so it was all, "Come in, Roy ..."

It's very hard to spend time away from the family. Partly what rooted me was that my mum and dad were always there. I just hope the dysfunctional side of the job doesn't put my children off what I do. Whatever they do it doesn't matter, as long as they fulfil themselves as people. Although I know the family would find it easier if they came home and said they were going to vote Tory rather than that they had decided to support Liverpool ...

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Signs the credit crunch and the recession are beginning to bite

I can only assume that my Villa supporting mates are feeling the pinch at the moment and so can't afford to put any credit on their phones.

They definitely had some at the start of December, oh yes...they were making calls and texts freely back then but now, with all the economic gloom they are tightening the belt and keeping quiet. I salute their prudence.

Everton are just superb at the moment, you really can't fault them. We march onto the last 16 of the cup against West Ham or Boro. A home draw could be key but whatever happens between now and May this team has once again done itself proud.

Arteta especially was nothing short of imperious on Sunday. I've said it before and I'll say it again : It's a privilege to have him in our side. He's not the only one either. Again with key players out we rose to the occasion superbly. It's a great time to be a bluenose. Nice to see Victor Anichebe coming back into the fold too...testament to the character and team spirit that even when there is a spat things are settled and everyone get's back to the job at hand.

Everton 3 - 1 Aston Villa



Friday, February 13, 2009

Ooooh David Moyes

Brilliant piece on the BBC website outlining what us bluenoses have known all along

Moyes has proved himself

Moyes is under-stated, dour at times admittedly, but he has produced an Everton team full of passion, character and team spirit. The days of Goodison Park's flirtation with relegation have gone.

The Scot rules pretty much all he surveys at Everton. He is not to be trifled with, just ask Victor Anichebe when you next see him, and his players are seen rather than heard.

He has manouevred his budget skilfully, using particular guile when dipping into the Championship to pay £4m for Phil Jagielka from Sheffield United, £5m to buy Joleon Lescott from Wolves and - in one of the game's great bargains of recent times - £2m to take Tim Cahill from Millwall.

He has been outrageously written off as an international player by some on the basis of a misplaced pass for England against Spain, arguably the world's best international team on Wednesday, but ask Moyes for his rating of Jagielka and he will put it at pretty much priceless.

Indeed, it is interesting that much of Everton's recent resurgence has been based on an all-English back four of Lescott, Jagielka, Tony Hibbert and Leighton Baines.

Moyes has proved himself an able builder of teams, willing to give young English talent a chance and dip into the lower divisions to find talent. He is also happy (well relatively happy) to work within a restricted budget and yet still comes up with results.

Dan Gosling's goal re-enacted by tic tacs

Got to laugh at this :



Great marketing

These are fun too :













Article ref : 118DG3210

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Tories change wikipedia to fit with Cameron's jibe at Gordon Brown

Another under-reported Tory gaff

The Tories have admitted a member of staff altered a Wikipedia entry on the artist Titian after a row between Gordon Brown and David Cameron.

During exchanges at prime minister's questions, the Tory leader mocked Mr Brown for talking of Titian at 90, when he said in fact he had died age 86.

Shortly afterwards a Wikipedia user registered at Tory HQ moved Titian's birth date forward by four years.

The party admitted an "over-eager" member of staff had been responsible.

Wikipedia is an online encyclopaedia founded in 2001 and based on wikis - open source software which lets anyone alter an entry.

The issue of Titian was raised during prime minister's questions when David Cameron referred to comments made by Mr Brown last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Mr Brown had said: "I'm reminded of the story of Titian, who's the great painter who reached the age of 90, finished the last of his nearly 100 brilliant paintings, and he said at the end of it, 'I'm finally beginning to learn how to paint,' and that is where we are."

He was speaking in the context of people learning how to deal with the current economic crisis.

'Incorrect entry'

In the House of Commons Mr Cameron said, to laughter from Conservative MPs: "You told us the other day you were like Titian aged 90. The fact is Titian died at 86."

Shortly afterwards several people emailed the BBC taking issue with this claim, saying there was no certainty about the age at which Titian died. BBC 2's Daily Politics also reported that his Wikipedia entry suggested he had lived to 91.

At 1234 GMT, shortly after PMQs ended, the page was changed by someone registered as being at the Conservative Party's HQ in London.

The artist's date of death was altered from 27 August 1576 to 27 August 1572.

A Conservative spokesman said: "This was an over-eager member of staff putting right an incorrect entry on Wikipedia."

At 1229 GMT, another user - registered as being in Sutton, Surrey - altered Titian's date of birth from c.1485 to c.1490.

This, when combined with the intervention by the Conservative HQ user's intervention, would have made his lifespan 81 or 82 years.

The page has since been changed a number of times and there has been a heated debate taking place citing different authorities' views on Titian's most likely birth and death dates.


Perhaps it's some sort of disgrace and someone should carry the can and resign for some reason?

Monday, February 09, 2009

Give us a "J"

Everton 3 - 0 Bolton Wamderers

Well then...after the heroics of Wednesday night a game against Bolton Wanderers was definitely a potential banana skin. Not a chance, Everton were just calm and efficient and better than them. Jo coming on instantly gave us that extra dimension we'd been missing. They just couldn't get nears us and the main surprise was that it took us that long to take the lead. Big Chris in front of us reckoned Jo dived but the Bolton player just stuck his foot out into his path, why should he swerve his run to avoid the contact.

Whatever you tihnk of the first goal the second was outstanding. Awesome first touch and a superb finish.

We got a bit nervous after that but realistically they never got anywhere near us. Makulule(?) gave us a few problems with his physicality but that's a bout it.

In the dying seconds we got another penalty and the Gwladys Street were all demanding that it go to Tony Hibbert who's recent resurgence has been one of the highlights. Tony's never scored a goal and I think he quite fancied breaking his duck but Neville gave the ball to Jo to round off a superb debut with a second goal.

It was just the sort of calm, professional win we hardly ever see. Bolton looked poor and could end up in trouble but you fell they're more equipped to scrap out the 6 pointers than the likes of Portsmouth and Boro.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Gooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllll

Somehow this just makes it even better :



Better than this anyway :



Absolutely criminal that, all my life ITV have been cack at showing footy....surely this is the nail in the coffin.

It's emerged that they caused Dan Gosling's mum to miss her son's magic moment

Dan Gosling's mother missed Everton goal due to ITV advertising blunder

Coverage of the fourth-round replay was interrupted in the 118th minute when the broadcaster cut to an advertising break.

When the live match footage returned, Everton players were celebrating a goal by Gosling, who had broken the 0-0 stalemate. Hundreds of fans complained to the channel.

Hilary Gosling said she was among the viewers left frustrated by the incident.

"We just didn't know what was going on," she told the Mirror. "The TV pictures of the match were suddenly replaced by an advert."

"When the pictures came back, all the Everton players were on the ground. I said, 'I think that's Dan at the bottom of the pile'.

"Then the commentator said Dan had scored and we all went mad. We were jumping up and down and I was crying with excitement. There were tears and laughter, we were overjoyed.

"The first time I saw the goal was when they showed the replay. I'm so proud of him I just can't put it into words."

Sean Houlahan, Gosling's step-father, told the newspaper: "When the picture went off we were all accusing each other of touching the remote control. It happened so quickly we wondered what the devil was happening. The ball had just gone to the right wing with Everton on the attack when it flashed on to the advert.

"The next pictures we got were of all the Everton players piled on top of each other.

"We were screaming because we knew Everton had scored but we didn't know it was Dan – it was torture."

Sunday, February 01, 2009

BBC SPORT | Football | Premier League | Live text - Premier League

BBC SPORT | Football | Premier League | Live text - Premier League: "1720: Mike Riley had absolutely no hesitation in bringing out the red there, but I'm sorry, it wasn't a red. No way. Lampard has a rueful smile on his face as he trudges off reulctantly.

1718: RED CARD
Massive controversy. Frank Lampard goes for a 50-50 in the centre circle with Xabi Alonso. He gets the ball and clips Alonso on the follow-through, but Mike Riley decides that's a dangerous challenge.

1716: Steven Gerrard escapes punishment despite appearing to go over the ball as he connects with Jon Mikel Obi in a 50-50 challenge. He gets a talking to instead. Lucky boy."

Plus ca change

Harry Redknapp post match interview decision tree

Before this disappears off Toffeeweb I thought I'd link it. Done by a Spurs fan I think. Absolutely brilliant.

Harry Redknapp post match interview decision tree

"Single player out for harsh criticism" superb