Everton v Arsenal preview, results of prediction poll and some news.

Match Preview

Everton v Arsenal [Sunday 15th August at 14.00]

Firstly, the match prediction poll has now closed and the results are as follows:
Predictions: Home v @rse [Sunday 15th August at 14.00]
Everton win 31% 79
0:0 3% 7
Score draw 11% 29
@rse win 55% 142
257 votes total

Some preview articles: here, here, here and here.

Transfer news ... or not.

Jurgen Colin's move has collapsed, perhaps he thought we meant 'net' instead of 'gross.'

£20m or not, the much-heralded EGM will go ahead.

£20m or not, I'd like to be a fly on the wall of the Joe Mercer Suite at the EGM on 9th Sept.

I'm made up with this site aren't I?

Don't forget to try out livescore.com this afternoon. They're not paying me, honest.

Recent site polls: results round-up.

Here are the results of some recent polls on this site, these particular polls have now been closed. More polls shall be posted regularly, so in order to have your say, check back here regularly. Thanks to those of you who voted.

You may submit your own poll suggestion, simply send an e-mail stating your question and the possible answers that you would like. If I like it, I'll create a poll and mention your name in the title.

The greatest?
Who is the greatest player never to play for Everton?
Votes
Diego Armando Maradona 41% 49
Edson Arantes do Nascimento [Pelé] 59% 71
120 votes total

Director[s]?
Which director do you want at the helm by the start of the season?
Votes
Gregg, some money but no passion, has to use the AA route find to get to Goodison? 51% 79
Kenwright, loves Everton but is seemingly on the bones of his @rse and mixes sentiment with business? 12% 19
A new start, I want them ALL to 'do one' now. 32% 49
No change, let's carry on as we are. 5% 8
155 votes total

Transfer funds?
How much do you think Everton REALLY have to spend this season? - submitted by Gary Kruger
Votes
1. We need to sell players - in Debt 28% 47
2. £0 15% 25
3. £1 - £3m 21% 34
4. £3 - £5m 9% 15
5. £5m+ 27% 44
165 votes total

Latest football scores : this page merits bookmarking

I don't know about you, but I have, in the past, found it a demanding task to monitor all of the Premiership and Div 1 scores from my desktop.

Well, towards the end of last season, this site [LiveScore.com] was discovered and it is strongly recommended to you.

I'll be adding a link to it, from this site, later in the weekend.

Kenwright raises new funds [£20m]

The end game is in play.

Football is back with the best and you guessed it, MOTD will feature Everton v Arsenal on Sunday night [BBC2].

MOTD IS BACK.

This will hopefully signal the end of blink-and-you-miss-them Everton highlights.

This weekend's schedule is:

Saturday: BBC One (22.30): Gary Lineker presents highlights of the opening Premiership fixtures of the season.

Sunday: BBC Two (22.30): Highlights of Sunday's games: Everton v Arsenal and Chelsea v Man U

The old In Out: no go for Grav. [an etiquette lesson for Birmingham] and Jurgen on his way?

We've rejected Hamburg's [ who've had a long-standing interest] advances for Grav. Our rejection statements, for financial reasons [their bid was too low], were level-headed and professional - Steve Bruce and the Birmingham board should take note.

PSV's Jurgen Colin is seemingly on his way.

It is generally acknowledged that we're still a player or two short though...

You may have heard that a childhood Evertonian is about to join Real Madrid. This is not good news for ManU plc - what a pity. Should the Real move go ahead [and be successful], it could well mean that Real, complete with an established English camp, would be a viable destination, should Rooney leave us within a couple of years.

Oh oh Dumbo - football can sometimes bring out the worst in a man.

Sit back and read how Everton are being attacked by 'Twice a Blue.' A seemingly well-meaning statement, but I detect that the [apparently affectionate] comments are little more than evidence of the bitterness that only an old friend can truly harbour.

Grav - the bald truth, 'Twice a Blue' rides into the Valley and Coridon interest.

'Twice a blue' is moving backwards.

Charlton Athletic made a swoop yesterday when they offered Arsenal's Jeffers [Everton's 'Twice a blue' character] the chance to reactivate his career [again] at the ripe old age of 23 and at a cost of £2.6 million

I know Coridon.

Moyes is still keen to strengthen his squad and despite already enhancing the midfield options by virtue of Cahill, Everton are thought to have made bid to snatch 31 year old Celtic trialist [Lens player] Charles Edouard Coridon

He's valued at c.£1.5 and is now aware of our interest, but Celtic currently look certain to tie him up pronto.

He is quoted on the Lens' website: "I have had offers to go to other clubs since I arrived in Glasgow ... But it is here that I want to be ... To play in the ... Champions League is important ..."

Everton KB Hamburg's bid for Gravesen.

"They are not even close to bidding enough money" said Moyes.

£3m would be enough...

23 year old Michael Carrick's move to @rse collapsed yesterday. So he may yet be a domino in the Grav. game.

Tickets for Sunday's game against @rse are still on general sale at the Park Stand Box Office - a sign of the times. You may enter your prediction for that match in the poll on the right hand side of this page, if you haven't already done so.

Prematurely bald maverick to be a Burger King?

Hamburg have made an offer for Grav, with an oiro £2m being cited by many as the most likely figure. If we can get somebody else, with a steadier head, in for similar wonga, then why not? We can only trust that the board would not allow such a sale, without having a replacement nailed-on. Imagine starting v Arsenal, with a midfield promising less threat than that which ended the last campaign?

Get your shirt signed and don't forget to take your camera.

Players in-store.

Please note that times for player appearances are given as an approximate estimate only and they may arrive before or after the suggested time.

Today [Tue] James McFadden will start series in which there will be several appearances by Everton players at the club’s two shops.

At around 13.00, the Scotland star will be on hand to sign the new home shirt in the Everton Superstore on Ranelagh Street in town. Three hours earlier, at 10.00, the Goodison shop will be paid a visit by Brian Labone, who is helping to support the launch too.

Now, wait for it, Wayne Rooney will be appearing in the Goodison shop around 13.00

Nigel Martyn will be at the City Centre store on Thursday, again around 13.00 then, around 15.00, David Moyes will be in the Goodison shop.

To finish the week off, Joseph Yobo will be at the Goodison shop on Friday lunchtime.

According to the official site, from last Friday to Sunday, we sold over 8,000 items of replica kit – which is an all time club record over that period of time.

JJB confirmed that sales had been good throughout the country, both on the home kit and associated products.

Everton merchandise can be ordered via any JJB store in the UK and they may be contacted on 01942 210120

Please note that times for player appearances are given as an approximate estimate only and they may arrive before or after the suggested time.

Important breaking football news

West Bromwich Albion striker Lee Hughes has been sentenced to six
years in jail for causing death by dangerous driving.

www.bbc.co.uk

Quiet on the football front, West Ham player set to join Arsenal, Moyes praises two.

Not a great deal of news today.

And no news is sometimes not good news. Now is very much 'the quiet before the storm' of next weekend.

Two matters that have caught the eye are that West Ham's Carrick is likely to join Arsenal [not us] for £3.5m+ and that Moyes has heaped public praise upon Martyn and Kilbane.

“They’re honest and hard-working and they've got nothing to prove to me” said Moyes and so say all of us - undeniable.

Don't forget - reviews of our matches are invited and they may be included within a post-match post.

I would like you to submit match reviews for review and possible [at least partial] inclusion on this site. Just keep them relatively light on profanity and less than 500 words please.

The other RS, an on notice warning, The Don, Texan e-mails and an Oz link ...

Bank that likes to say no? Officials have shown the yellow card to Everton

Ins?

EX-DONS CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS A TOFFEES TARGET

Wenger may go for dangled Carrick

G'day sport. Moore Ozzie interest.

Outs?
Rooney recovering, but is likely to miss two qualifiers.

Copa de Tejas leaves lasting memory

Some Copa de Texas-related e-mails

Real Sociedad

Inspired by our two Jordan's tits lookalikes, Martyn is following the same path and has shaved his head, oh dear.

It was a lovely day, with a high 20's temperature and lots of good football. A 2:2 draw felt fair.

Yesterday saw Gregg attend his first match in 15 months. The 'Death's doors...' and 'Once a Blue...' banners from the Crewe game were on show again. Gregg's presence brought a group of 27 Nr bearded anthropologists to Goodison, who excitedly talked in the Spellow afterwards about photographing the archetypal 'Lesser Spotted Specimen' in various positions of repose. One even claimed to have spoken to him, the exact words being something like, "Fuck off out of my way you peasant scum-tw@" and another managed to scrape some shit off one of his shoes. A strange bulge in his trousers was felt, by the group of gathered, learned beards, to signify 'an unfeasibly big stash.'

Reviews:
Official site,
Beeb and
ITV.