[Archived] Everton Preview

[Grabbi Graeme]

So it’s time for the short journey to the blue half of scouseland and hoping for a repeat of our last trip there in January.

I will try to avoid the usual stereotype scouse jokes, well maybe one then.

When Sly Stallone recently left an Everton game early , radio 5 live’s Alan Green said ”he’s gone to check that the wheels are still on his limo”

A Brief History of Everton FC

Everton FC were founded in 1878, under the name of St Domingo's FC, a Sunday School Football team for St Domingo's Church in the district of Everton. The team was initially set up as something for the children to do during the winter, when there was no cricket. A year later, in 1879, because there were so many people outside St Domingo's who wanted to join the team, the name was changed to Everton FC, a name it still retains. Everton's first official game was against a team called St Peter's, played at the local Stanley Park on December 20, 1879. Everton won 6-0.

Prior to the League's formation, the team had played in the FA Cup a number of times, failing to win it. However, Everton finally won the competition in 1906, beating Newcastle in the final.

Everton moved to a park on Priory Road in 1882, but two years later moved to Anfield. In 1885 Everton became a professional side and, three years later, became one of the 12 founder members of the English football league; their first league match was against Accrington FC, which Everton won 2-1. By 1891, Everton had won their first title and to date have notched up nine titles.

In 1892, Everton fell out with the landlord of Anfield, John Houlding, and decided to buy their own ground. A man by the name of George Mahon, the leader of the move away from Anfield, already owned a part of Stanley Park near Goodison Road, and built the ground at lightning speed in time for the 1892-93 season. The first league match at Goodison Park was a 2-2 draw against Nottingham.

In the early years, Everton wore a blue and white striped shirt. However, when players started to transfer from different clubs they tended to wear their old clubs kits, ruining the idea of uniformity somewhat. In order for the whole team to wear the same kit, all the shirts were dyed black, and Everton initially got the nickname 'The Black Watch'. However, Everton's nickname soon changed to 'The Blues' as they started to wear their now traditional royal blue kit in the 1901-02 season.

Everton's more famous nickname today is 'The Toffees' or 'Toffee-men'. There are many different suggestion of origins for this moniker, one being to do with a toffee shop near the ground, another being that 'Toffees' was a nickname at the time for the Irish, of whom there were many in Liverpool. Whatever the origin, it is a part of Everton history.

Most UK football teams today run out onto the pitch to a particular tune or anthem, and Everton are no exception, though the choice of music is rather unusual. The tune is originally from a folksong composed by Johnny Todd which was better known as the theme music from the 1960s BBC TV series Z Cars, a gritty and innovative police series set in a fictitious town in Lancashire.

It is believed that one of the cast of Z Cars was an Everton fan who brought along other members of the cast to watch the game. The story goes that the players ran out to the Z Cars theme in their honour, and the tune has stuck ever since, apart from a brief, thoroughly unpopular period in the mid 1990s.

Transfers In January

In

Manual Fernandes Loan

Anderson Da Silva Free

Out

Mark Hughes Northampton Undisclosed

Simon Davies Fulham Unisclosed

David Weir Glasgow Rangers Free

Q&A

I asked my friend Lee who is a long time Everton fan to answer a few questions.

What’s your take on Everton’s season so far?

League position is good and we are in striking distance of the Uefa cup places but we need some consistency in our form, I would of liked a longer run in the F.A cup but your lot put paid to that and it still hurts the way we played that day.

Who’s been your best player this season?

Tim Cahill has been our best player and his presence is missed when he is injured or suspended, Phil Neville, Andy Johnson are also important part of the side.

Has Andy Johnson’s reputation of being a diver cost you getting penalties this season?

I don’t think it’s just Johnson we seem to not be getting many penalties at all, we should have had 2 more against you in the FA Cup which could have changed the game for us, Johnson does have a reputation and when he is genuinely fouled in the area I sometimes wonder if the referee has made his mind up not to give it because it is Johnson.

Has David Moyes taken the club as far as he can?

Some people who I go to the games with do have this opinion and they think someone else is needed to push us up a little more, myself I think Moyes has done a great job and I still think there is more to come from him.

What’s you opinion on Blackburn this season?

I think you have done ok , you were struggling before Christmas but a good run has seen you into the top half of the table and I think you are one of our rivals for a Uefa cup spot.

Which Blackburn players will cause you problems on Saturday?

You have some players in good form at the moment, Pedersen seems to be on fire for you also McCarthy, Bentley and Tugay are players who can cause problems although I’m hoping our defence wont be as generous as they were last time you were at Goodison.

Prediction

It is revenge time and I’m going for a 2-0 win for the Blues

[AggyBlue]

It is revenge time and I’m going for a 2-0 win for the Blues

I think we'll miss young Derbs again, so I'll limit our tally to two.

Toffees 1 : 2 Rovers

[joey_big_nose]

Looking forward to Rovers putting out an extraordinarily attacking team in this game.

-----------McCarthy----Roberts

Pedersen---Dunn----Tugay----Bentley

--Berner----Nelsen----Zurab--Emerton

-------------------Freidel

Subs: Brown, Samba, Mokoena, Gallagher, Nonda

THe big doubts would be whether Tugay can pull through his international game and if Emerton will be dropped in favor of Zurab as RB for a more solid back four. Also of course Samba could start.

I think we will play some good stuff and maybe get a draw, 2-2. Dunn to get on the score sheet.

[ewoodblue]

Well,they'll be out for revenge after the cup mauling we gave them, I hope we are up for the backlash.

I don't think there's anyway we'll get it that easy again.I'll settle for a last minute winner again.

At least Rocky hasn't signed for them

How did Tim Howard ever compare himself to Friedel, he couldn't lace his boots.

[Manc Rover]

I think we will beat the 'bitter blues' 2-0 (Benny and Dunny). Horrible stadium but the lower bullens away end has given me 100% record. It all started in the 93/94 season when Jason Wilcox scored an absolute screamer and Newell got the other two (I think). More of the same please, and hoping for more than 400 fans this time around.

[frosty]

0-0 bore

[1864roverite]

On paper you would think that Everton would be beating us especially after the FA Cup diatribe when we absolutley did em 4-1.

AJ the diver may be out but then again, after pulling out of an England game expect him to fully fit ready with diving kit on Saturday.

I forsee a boring match witha draw as the probable outcome.

1-1

[cn_barlow]

if he's fit to start i would play dunn and the axe in centre mid...Dunny would offer a bit more protection than Tugay for the back four.

If we can get a win here it would set us up really nicely for the final run in

i'll go for 2-0

McCarthy

Roberts

[allrovertheworld]

Player for player i think we are stronger all over the park, even without savage i think we'll turn them over, if we can spring out of the blocks like when we beat them in the cup al the better.

Comfortable 0-3 victory Gamst, Benni and Nelsen (why not eh).

[joey_big_nose]

Player for player i think we are stronger all over the park, even without savage i think we'll turn them over, if we can spring out of the blocks like when we beat them in the cup al the better.

Not sure about that, they have real quality. Yobo, Arteta, Cahill and Johnson are all players who can cause damage, their physical style won't suit our midfield either. Not a foramlity by any stretch of the imagination despite our doing of them earlier this season.

And just to puncture you balloon entirely, we huffed and puffed all game and probably deserved to lose against a Sheffield Untied side that has considerably less talent than the Toffees.

[allrovertheworld]

Not sure about that, they have real quality. Yobo, Arteta, Cahill and Johnson are all players who can cause damage, their physical style won't suit our midfield either. Not a foramlity by any stretch of the imagination despite our doing of them earlier this season.

And just to puncture you balloon entirely, we huffed and puffed all game and probably deserved to lose against a Sheffield Untied side that has considerably less talent than the Toffees.

Sure they can cause damage but out of them 4 i would only have Johnson (and he may not play anyway) in our first 11.

That would be awesome

And just to inflate my balloon again, with a huff and a puff if I may, we have some attacking players who are in great form.

[daren]

It's all about the way they play though. They went to t'Pool to frustrate them, and were remarkably effective (despite an impotent display by Liverpools forward line), and they will not do that against Rovers. They will feel that they can and should win this at home, as well as being bitter about the FA Cup

This will stretch them, and I reckon we've got enough to take them on. No more Laurel and Hardy defending, please! (Why I oughtta...) We should get to see Berner too, and hopefully Nelsen will start getting back towards his best.

I'm going to say 1-3 to the Rovers, with Cahill scoring for them and Benni, Roberts and Bentley for us.

[Presty On Tour]

1-0 rovers, dunn

[Jordan]

1-1.

Tough game and would be happy with a point.

Nice interesting preview by the way.

[Neil Weaver]

Few seasons ago, we won 4-1 at Villa in the Cup, went back a month later and lost 3-0 in the league. Season after, went to Brum and won 4-0 (in the league), went back a month later and lost 4-0. So we're in for a tonking on Saturday. Ever the optimist me.

[AussieinUk]

Tight game, 3-2 to Rovers.

McCarthy, Roberts and Bentley - Timmy and AJ for them..

Is Berner going to slot straight in at LB?

[daveoftherovers]

If they don't deploy a flat back 10 we have a chance against this lot, can't believe they will be as naive as they were last time out (Although it was very funny looking at Moyes face when Benni came on)

Whatever happens, got to be a "Small club" chant & a reference to Rafa hasn't there? (It's the law)

[b12_simon]

Few seasons ago, we won 4-1 at Villa in the Cup, went back a month later and lost 3-0 in the league. Season after, went to Brum and won 4-0 (in the league), went back a month later and lost 4-0. So we're in for a tonking on Saturday. Ever the optimist me.

I was at both BCFC games. Our League win was actually quite a tight game (til Dugarry got himself sent off). The Cup game was so one-sided I suspected the manager had decided to concentrate on the League.

I predict a much tighter game than the Cup, but a 1-0 for us - another MGP free kick.

Simon

[CAPT KAYOS]

Whatever happens, got to be a "Small club" chant & a reference to Rafa hasn't there? (It's the law)

'Small club not in Europe , you're just a small club not in Europe, small club not in Europe'

or 'Small club in Liverpool, you're just a small club in Liverpool'

then reply ...

'Small town in Europe , we're just a small town in Europe'

[gazsimm]

'Small club not in Europe , you're just a small club not in Europe, small club not in Europe'

or 'Small club in Liverpool, you're just a small club in Liverpool'

then reply ...

'Small town in Europe , we're just a small town in Europe'

can i have a pint want your on please

[daveoftherovers]

'Small club not in Europe , you're just a small club not in Europe, small club not in Europe'

Is my current favorite.

[AggyBlue]

'Small club not in Europe , you're just a small club not in Europe, small club not in Europe'

Is my current favorite.

I think 'Small club in Liverpool' would wind 'em up more

[Hypo-Luxa]

If we can keep our attacking options out on the wings I think we'll have a good chance. They've shown that hoofing the ball won't work against 'em (against Liverpool, th'hypocrites) and even though Hibbert and Lescott will be hard to beat for the likes of Gamst and maybe even Bentley, I think the combinatioon of Yobo-Stubbs and Neville/Carsley plugging up the middle will snuff out a lot of what Tugay and Dunn will bring. Their attacking mid-field scares me a bit with Arteta and Cahill. AJ has the work-rate of Savage plus the finishing of Benni so he scares me as well. If he's not in the squad that team is a completely different beast. Give me Beattie-Anichebe any day and I'll fancy our back line's chances. However, we canNOT fall asleep on the set pieces. Cahill's a friggin salmon and if our Admiral and Zurab/Henchoz lets him free he'll get free shots at Friedel all day.

I cannot fathom how we stuffed them so comprehensively in the Cup (It must've been the ball!) but I expect another performance akin to our first meeting of the season, although it'll be reversed. They'll go up in the first half and we'll eke out a goal in the last ten and escape with a point...

Liked the preview. Liked hearing how Liverpool originated from Everton. Who's under whose shadow?

[Ozz]

I cannot fathom how we stuffed them so comprehensively in the Cup (It must've been the ball!)

Everton MINUS Cahill PLUS Van Der Meyde=CRAP.

[CAPT KAYOS]

I cannot fathom how we stuffed them so comprehensively in the Cup (It must've been the ball!)

I can - we went for the jugular from the off and their defence couldn't cope - it was only our backing off in the 2nd half and the cheating antics of Arteta that got them back into the game as well as their inability to shoot.

Do the same again and we should be able to beat em - if we don't I can see us getting beat