Artetasgirl

Class goal and performance again yesterday

I assume you were at the game, it was good that Arteta didn't celebrate his goal wasn't it? Seriously though, how did Arteta's own goal go down? It seems the Goodison crowd have turned against him since his shenanigans in the return fixture earlier in the season. If Everton finish above Arsenal due to a result in a game where he scored an OG in then him leaving for supposedly sunnier climes looks a bit weak doesn't it? Haha, yeah, I went. Well, we didn't really realise it was an OG at the time, but afterward I think that for a lot of Evertonians is it made it all the sweeter that it was him who scored it. There was always a small minority who have disliked him since he left as they felt he was leaving us when we most needed him but there is a lot more to that story than those people seem to realise. He still always received a warm reception from the majority though. Anyway, yes, he annoyed a lot of fans with his behaviour in the Cup game and basically, the minority turned to the majority. I don't think he was expecting that reaction and it appeared to really get to him, which I think showed in the Barkley/Baines situation late on. They are former team-mates who trained and played with him for some time. He brought it on himself though. Personally, I still think no real difference on him and I still support him but if I was him, I'd move back to Spain this summer. On Roberto, I've been to a few events where he has spoken at length about all different things. He basically said for him, there has to be certain things that draw him to a club before he'll join, he has to feel a connection and that circumstances are right. he won't take just any job. He basically admitted he never felt the connection with other clubs (direct quote "some that you will have seen talked about") prior to moving to us. He's waiting for the Barca job. I'm pretty certain of that.

We've had Kone and Gibson out since August. We've also had Oviedo out since January. Traore got injured in a warm up of his second game and won't be back til May.Alcaraz was out from pre season until December.Pienaar, Barkley, Lukaku, Jagielka, Baines, Deulofeu, Coleman and Distin have all missed a period. Some have been months others around 4-6 weeks. The area we have been lucky is that McCarthy and Barry have both, so far *touch wood*, have been fit all season basically. They have a massive influence on how we play. I was on the fence on him before we got Martinez, I didn't really have a clue who I wanted. He bowled me over in his first press conference and since then that feeling has only got stronger. He is overwhelmingly positive about everything. He has given us belief and confidence, and the players it too. He is tactically brilliant a majority of the time and his substitutions are almost always spot on. Sometimes I think "what is he doing?" But time and time again he is proving me wrong. Moyes in the past sometimes focussed too much on stopping the opposition. With Martinez he focusses on Everton strengths and how our players can hurt the opposition. Having been in his presence, he is so engaging and you can't help but be a bit in awe when he is talking, it's mad!

Well done Joe, made up for him. Fairytale stuff!

Rodwell could have been a great player (still might be) but he always lacked that little bite, little bit of tenacity and extra hunger. They used to say up here "he's all Birkdale and no Kirkdale" - basically he is too nice. It was though he never really believed or wanted it enough. Barkley has the lot. He can do anything. He has the desire too.

You'll definitely have opportunities. Centre backs and goalkeeper are still a bit uncomfortable with the new style and are still adapting (though they are getting better). Don't fall into the trap of concentrating just on Baines providing the width from full back though. Coleman has come on absolute miles over the last year, he is basically another Baines on the right! Anyway, should be good. Think a lot will depend on which Lukaku and Mirallas turn up...

Providing no injuries, I suspect we will line up... -----------------------Howard----------------- ---Coleman--Jagielka----Distin---Baines---- ---------------Barry-------McCarthy------------ ------Mirallas------Barkley------Pienaar------ ----------------------Lukaku---------------------- Osman could play though as Pienaar is just coming back from injury. That XI leaves a bench from this lot: Robles, Osman, Heitinga, Jelavic, Oviedo, Kone, Deulofeu, Naismith, and Stones. Will be a tough game, and interesting, as always. Looking forward to coming back to VP, one of the best away days in the Premier League by far.

Badge Development! One year of it then we get another badge... Link

Might as well be on that abomination.

Prince Ruperts Tower. Basically an old roundhouse lock up in Everton. Symbolic local landmark if you will...

Apparently we need to pay £2 million for the remainder of his contract... Whats your view on him? I'm on the fence. He certainly wasn't my first choice, but I'd much rather have him than a lot of the other dross we were linked to. I think he appears to be a nice guy, intelligent, and with a good work ethic. Remains to be seen whether he can step up but I guess you can never know unless you take the plunge. People arguably thought the same when Moyes was appointed and that was in a way more precarious situation. The one thing that concerns me is the defensive statistics, but he will have better players to work with and a few of the backroom team are ex defenders. We'll see. The best I can say is, it doesn't excite me but it doesn't disappoint..

Apparently we need to pay £2 million for the remainder of his contract...

It is actually pretty funny when it's not happening to you. There's picture knocking around online of the "brainstorm" around the design. It basically looks at elements of the old badge and what they should do to it. It basically goes something like: "Club motto ---> Noble ---->Traditional -----> Heritage -----> ............ old fashioned, remove it." Edit: found it That's literally saying they're removing heritage and tradition. Excellent work. And they removed the latin for "language" issues! Mental. Everton Football Club everybody (well the people at the top anyway)

I still pop in every now and again The new badge is an absolute disgrace. I don't mind a modernisation but that, that is just vomit inducing.That's all I'll really say on it as I think you all get the gist. Oh, and yes, you are right. Nike/Kitbag apparently informed Everton that our badge (due to being stitched and 'busy') was expensive to reproduce. They prefer badges to be on a crest as it is cheaper and saves time during production. For the biggest sporting brand in the world, it is poor form. I was concerned at the time of the deal about Nike, after knowing you lot at Villa were, in the main, unimpressed. Then again, why are we surprised when they just template their kits to save money. As out of fashion as it is, I much preferred EFC being with Le Coq Sportif

We got around £10m for Rodwell straight up. The only money of that we have spent is £5m upfront on Mirallas and £1.2m on Oviedo... We do a lot of our deals on staggered payments. For example, we signed Fellaini for £15m, correct, but the deal was actually £3m a year over a 5 year period. This will be a straight up fee of £2-3m plus some in the summer and some next year, etc...

Left over Rodwell money + staggered payments. We were heavily in for M'Vila first and was coming along nicely til Rubin stepped in and blew us out the water.

@lucyevertonf1 is me.

Had to be Lampard with the goals. He loves scoring at Goodison.

It'll likely be a case of "after the Lord Mayor's show" for Everton, as per usual. Even more so with it being against you lot! Mirallas will likely play some part, Naismith may play a bigger part than Monday as well. Jelavić and Distin were both injured in Monday's game so we'll see how they are.

Technically he is good, he is big, good in the air, good passing, holds the ball well and moves well. His main problems are he sometimes goes to sleep and he is too nice (doesn't stamp his authority/rarely one to put in a real crunching tackle/been known to hide a bit). They can be brought out of him through time and he can be a top player. Always thought he'd be our captain one day from the first time I saw him play, when he was 14. Guess it just wasn't to be. Hopefully Moyes sees the money, he wouldn't have agreed to it otherwise imo.

Heard a midfielder was going on Friday, thought Fellaini at first but then told it was Rodwell and to City of all places. I'm sad really. I feel he's be unfairly treated by our fans due to unrealistic expectations. He's been unlucky with injuries but his talent and potential is great. I'll be gutted if he flourishes there like he very well could. £15m rising to £20m supposedly which can't really be sniffed at. Doesn't mean it doesn't make me sad any less.

He wasn't the same for a while after his trip to the Asian Cup and his issues with plantar fasciitis but he'd started to show signs of the old Cahill whilst linking up with Jelavic at the end of last season. He still had a few years left in him but he's not a sure starter any more with Fellaini, Gibson, Rodwell and Osman in there. Add Barkley and Naismith to the mix, I think the time just feels 'right' for all parties. Safe to say I'm now looking for trips to NY/NJ...

Knew it was coming but gutted doesn't cover it. Absolute legend for EFC, he'll be missed greatly. :cry:

Terrible news. Get well soon Stan from all at Everton FC x