This merits a longer response than I'm going to give you just now, but not all of those players you mentioned have long term futures at Everton. Gueye was only kept because PSG didn't offer a sensible amount, Sigurdsson is another on absolutely crazy wages and there's a reasonable chance he'll be dropped again on Saturday. Mina hasn't totally convinced yet. Keane has been dreadful since November. Bernard, Richarlison and Digne have all impressed to varying degrees. Gomes and Zouma are on loan. Coleman appears to be past his best. Pickford is not consistent but is a very good keeper on his day. Again though, Silva might be able to ask for players (He did in January, apparently), but the DoF is the one who decides who comes and goes. There's a core of half a dozen or so good players, a handful of promising youngsters and a lot of players who are well past their best and/or massively overpaid
Presumably his future loyalties will be dependant on the result? A 3-0 win for us and you’ve lost him for good ?
I like to think I've already won this battle The bigger war is ensuring he isn't influenced by any of the reds at school
I watched the Everton City game and have read a few reports after, just cos the score was 0-2 the media say Everton done well, I thought they looked very poor going forward offering very little and could of easy been down 4 at half time. Sane had a very frustrating night but credit to the young Everton RB Kenny who had a good game, I can see him keeping his place for Saturday as Coleman has been largely criticized in recent weeks. But he will be in for a completely different game up against big Ken, With Sema's league 1 ability causing the young lad to be turned inside out for an afternoon as big ken dummies himself. Zouma was the only player to really understand the zonal marking out of the back four. Hopefully Slither sticks with Walcott as he is one of Everton mercenaries taking a wage undeservingly, if he gives Lookman the nod I might have to hide behind my couch when he gets the ball. I really hope we get a result and smash these lot just to watch MOTD and see how they defend Slither, and there's no chance he would get the sack after as the Everton board won't want to show the world want clueless ****s they are. I hope we have Del Boy out wide and play Gray up top with Deeney but unfortunately I think we will see Del Boy out of position again.
I see Everton are getting graced with the thing that annoys me most about the current game. That the fact they lost ‘only’ 2-0 is somehow a good result. No defeat is ever a good result. Yes, losing 20-0 would be worse but it doesn’t make losing by less ‘good’. It’s right up there with admiring opposition players or style of play when you get beaten for me. ‘We may have lost 6-0 but what a treat to see Aguero in full flight....’ NO.
Who is saying this? No Everton fans I know are saying it's good that we only lost 2-0. Two years ago in Pep's first season we smashed them 4-0 at Goodison. It might not be realistic to win by that margin every time we play them, but to me losing is never good (although on this occasion that loss did serve the greater good). To me the only redeeming thing about Wednesday night was the fact that there was a little bit more cohesion and fight about the side. That came at the cost of our attacking play - we barely threatened City at all, but that sort of performance will probably translate into better results against teams not at City's level if we could maintain it (hugely unlikely).
My first Watford game was a 3-0 win against Oxford. I often look back and wonder if it had been a defeat who I would be supporting now. Unlikely Oxford. That season they were worse than us!
Of course the footballing Gods will conspire to give Everton a 1-0 win. Richarlison foul by Cathcart 89th minute. Sigurdsson scores. Silva suddenly a great coach again.
An issue that was a problem around here when I was at school in the 80s. Thank God for ManUtd in the 90s!
I'm on track. I've stopped off on the Hempstead Road for a Q&A with the 'John Milton Society (W Watford branch)'. I've been promised a cosy vivarium for the night and as much gold as I can eat.
Just seen a quick interview on SSN with Holebas, and he's sticking the knife in a bit. He said that as a coach with the training he was good and couldn't say anything bad about it, but as a character he was wrong to do what he did. A lot of the players know this and Holebas is going to use it as extra motivation for the match. Jim White (SSN presenter) has also said "The simple facts are Silva acted totally unprofessionally, as a journalist you’ll know what went on in the background which is why Watford took the decision to keep this complaint going."
That last bit is very interesting Jim White is a personal friend of Moshiri (as ridiculous as that seems). I've always felt that the biggest wrongdoing in everything that went on was from Silva, the choice of words he uses there is telling. Essentially putting the blame for everything on Silva himself. I doubt that's 100% true, but my gut says he shoulders a large amount of it.
My understanding of the situation was Moshiri approached Gino Pozzo after the Everton v Watford 3-2 match last year. Gino gave a firm "hands off" answer, but Everton made it clear to Silva and his representatives that they had made an approach for him. It was then that Silva made it clear he was very interested and wanted the job, even though he was only 8 weeks into his new job with Watford. With the green light given from Silva, this encouraged Everton to act like a pain in the backside, thinking money will get him, as this is how Moshiri gets his way it seems. Watford were not having any of it though, and even issued a Cease and Desist notice. After that, everyone knew what was going on. Silva lost the confidence of his players as they all knew he didn't want to be there. It was inevitable results would take a downturn, as once the trust between coach and player is broken it's only ever going to end badly. I blame Everton for having the insensitivity of chasing a coach who had only just signed for a new club. I think that was just very bad of them to do this in the first place. If someone signs for a club, you've got to give them at least a season before making an approach. I don't think anyone would have had an issue had Everton made their approach after the season had ended. You cannot have the arrogance and disregard for another club to treat them in the way that Everton did to Watford. You cannot do this and expect to get away with it without consequences. Whatever the FA throw at Everton is justified. Whatever reception Silva and Everton get tomorrow is deserved, and if we win and Silva gets the sack, it will be one of the most satisfying football events for many a year.
We've had this debate before. I half agree, but I don't necessarily blame Everton for pursuing it if Silva and/or his agent were encouraging it The fact Silva was happy to jump ship so early was/is a huge black mark against him and I still don't really trust him because of it
Don't worry, it's official we will win. I know the Toffees put in a spirited performance in midweek against Manchester City but this is a tough game for them. Watford are inconsistent, but they are also a dangerous attacking team. Lawro's prediction: 2-0
You wouldn't blame Everton, as you support them. However, there is a certain code of conduct that most would follow. Most clubs would think it's not the right thing to do, to approach a club so early in a season with regards to taking their coach who had only been in the job for 8 weeks. Most clubs have the scrutiny to know this is an "out of order" thing to do. Moshiri had the view, I want him, I'll give them a few quid and won't give a toss over the mess I'll leave them in as a result of my actions. I believe they went behind the club's back and made it clear to Silva's representatives that an approach had been made. Both Silva and Everton acted unprofessionally, unethically and after the FA investigation maybe even illegally. Silva and Everton are a good fit, as their morals match. As a club, before all this happened, I really liked Everton. Silva and the owner will eventually move on and Everton as a club will go back to being decent again I suspect, but for now there is far too much bad blood for there to be anything other than other than no respect between clubs. The one thing I was really surprised about was that Watford sold Richarlison to Everton. However, Scott Duxbury confirmed this week that the actual figure was £45m, rather than the £40m that has been mainly quoted. It's a lot of money and I supposed business is business. That's credit to Watford for putting personal grievances to one side for the sake of a transfer.
Do you agree with Jim White, that Deeney's comments would have given Everton a pre-match advantage? https://twitter.com/i/status/1093834756733763585 Personally, I think it makes no difference at all. All the Watford players are really fired up for this game. They want to put Silva in his place, so Deeney saying he wants to "kick the sh1t out of them" is something he always says. Didn't say something like this about the Woking defender a few weeks ago? Deeney always winds up opponents and it doesn't seem to ever give them extra motivation.
Nope, don't agree I don't think anyone cares - for obvious reasons this match matters a lot more to you guys than it does to us
Everton only 2/1 for this. Paired with both Merson and Lawro backing us. I'd take a draw if you offered it to me now.
Just as a matter of interest who has tapped up Slither this season cos it's fair to say recent results have taken exactly the same nose dive lol
Whilst I agree with most of this, and agree that Everton and Silva acted poorly, I don't think the fact that Silva was only a few weeks into a contract comes into it. No harm in Everton asking the club for permission to speak the day after he signed in my opinion. After all, Watford may have been happy to sanction it. But they weren't so the breach came - after Everton were told in no uncertain terms to "do one" - in continuing to pursue him and then going direct to him. And obviously, for his part, once Everton did make direct contact, Silva should have respected the club's stance both in private and public. Because he didn't, I would honestly have no sympathy whatsoever if we managed to beat them and he lost his job as a result. But I'm with others who are resigned to the fact we're going to lose tomorrow. Such a shame seeing all the comments from TB9 about the current state of his club - genuinely. Owners come and go and hopefully these crooks go sooner rather than later because - these few seasons aside - I have a lot of time for Everton. Nice club, cracking ground and decent fans (on the whole!).
I've read and reread my betting slip ten times now and still cannot see where the risk is. Please advise.
You have sympathy for them?? They have a billionaire owner who is throwing money at them. They may have ******s in charge but sooner or later they will make some decent signings and leave us far, far behind in their wake.
