True. But it was still principally a story about a female, well p.ssed in an overseas tattoo parlour. Which I'll wager isn't the detail most on here would remember!
I said in an earlier post that l do not mind if l lose my stake. To win 4-3 would have been fine with me.
I know that! Most honourable! But you still don't quite get it. Did you, at 0-2, prefer it to remain that way or for Brighton to get another to cash in? Because, if the latter, you were, from the 65th to 77th minutes at least, 'rooting for Brighton'. And what then? Did you want it to stay that way (so effectively neutral) or for us to get one and you to lose your bet? You've already said you'd have been happy for us to have got four which would have required getting one first! This isn't pedantry. Just forensic. And nothing to do with questioning your support. I am simply trying to put myself in your position as to what my emotions might have been given that, for us in the crowd, it's an emotional game. Not that I would put myself in that position of course! So 1-3 is better than 0-3 for me all day long.
Chelsea still have a transfer ban, lost their best player and still battered Utd for 45 mins before going under. I said that to make a point. Tomorrow it puts us in a similar mindset. We haven't lost our best players, but we have lost something ever since the Wolves Cup game. Togetherness. I haven't really seen that for a long time. We play like 11 total strangers with a captain who cba half the time. From what I witnessed on Saturday, which is the worst it's been, I do not believe that is a problem Javi can coach back into the squad. Is it the formation? We certainly think so. Do the players feel the same but not spoken up? Or did the ask Deeney who then got distracted by some sweets. I am just throwing this out there really. I cannot defend last week and no matter how Foster sugar coated it online, something isn't working. Had we won the F,A Cup, I really truly doubt any of last seasons tail end collapse woukd of been papered over. It's not a hang over. If we get spanked today with a dud performance, then surely they aren't playing for the shirt anymore. That is my biggest concern. All teams go through bad runs, but this is draining to watch. God knows how the players feel after a game.
A well-known forum tactician said that we could never play this formation, so I think there’s little sense in even allowing yourself to dream.
I have to agree. People can bang on that we haven’t got the best defenders, but it’s pretty much the same players as last year. The difference being, last year we worked hard as a unit and defended as a team (apart from towards the end). After the semi a lot of good things were being said about the players, and it seems we have lost that work ethic from around that point - maybe certain players think they are better than they are, and no longer need to put a shift in. When a new manager comes in, he gives the place a lift, something we had when Gracia was appointed. If we play poorly today, then it’s difficult to escape the view that we are on the decline.
I am trying to feel optimistic about this one bit the forum is bringing me down a bit ! I honestly think all the talk of ‘club in crisis’ ( this was actually mentioned in the guardian football weekly podcast this week ) and the players not playing for the shirt is premature . It could well be right but let’s give it a few games at least. Under Javi so far there have been times we thought the team were in a slump and then they have surprised us .I realise that there were sone below par performances at the end of last season but I’m not sure it is all connected and I’m hoping we’ll see a positive reaction today . An improved display is what I’m looking for even if we lose , I’m hoping to see more the Watford of last season . COYH!
Have we ever won at Goodison? I’d be amazed if we get anything today. If come 5pm today the table reads played Two lost two, I for one won’t be panicking. However, I do agree with the vast majority, Javi has to change our formation and starting eleven. Our performance last weekend looked stale and needs something to drastically freshen things up
I've just bought my first *Watford top since 1991 (actually my parents bought me that one), I hope this gesture encourages the lads to produce a wonderful performance and helps us smite the toffos. Everton 1 - 2 Watford. *Not an official Watford top, bought a plainish yellow 1960s retro one, so civilians won't think I like football.
No inflatable snakes today then? Aww shame that was fun. Btw if you haven't seen it, BBC bloke Phil McNutty has written an intresting peice on our so called rivalry. It's on the BBC Football Website.
Nope.. drawn 2 lost 12 won 0. I think i'm right in saying they are the only current prem club we have never beaten away (though some we have only ever beaten in cup matches)
Didn't we have to go some to not win there last year or the year before? Like we were 2 up and let it slip or something.
Fully expecting to lose this - but I would have even if we had beaten Brighton. Some places you never expect to win and Goodison is one of them. Difficulty is that a defeat would tell us little about the rest of the season unless we take a hammering. In my dreams we win and repair some of last week's damage.
Incorrect. We didn't take a point from a 1-0 defeat. That system doesn't come in until next season, and in any case it will only apply to the Big Six
Given that Everton have spent a shed-load of money and seemed to have stabilized somewhat under Sssilva, plus our overall record at their place, a defeat up there would hardly be a surprise. Nor would it of itself be the end of the World. However, the manner of defeat would be important, following what was commonly perceived in the Brighton match (and the last few matches of last season, but I'm dismissing those as too far back in the past). It would be possible to select the Brighton statistics to show Watford were not a million miles behind - they created more chances than Brighton, for instance; and Albion scored 3 from something like 4 chances. I find it difficult to believe professional players deliberately go out to play lazily very often. But I think there are plenty of them who forget that thinking hard about what you are doing is part of making an effort. The agonising thing for me last week was Watford showing such a lack of imagination. Their passing was sloppy, their creativity and adaptability very low. Yes, the defence also looked alarmingly over-the-hill, plus disorganised, as well. If this persists and Watford don't roll their sleeves up, both physically and mentally, against Everton they could get hammered and we have a problem. Actually a number of problems. If they give it a go and still get beaten, honourably, as it were, I could accept that.
