Neil

Probably already mentioned but hopefully this puts to bed the ridiculous notion that anyone can manage Barca.

Us to win by 2 @ 3/1, this winning margin thing is going well the past couple of nights. A Messi goal required for my main bet though.

Wow, this could be humiliating for Barca.

Anyone get on Osman anytime? Twitter advertised 7/2 which were brilliant odds considering the advanced role he's playing.

Given our inability to defend and the fact Oldham are shit I wouldn't be surprised to see another goal.

Ronaldo 2-0.

Hey ITV, if you could bum Oldham and Matt Smith some more that'd be just great.

Yeah that Milan game was a new barometer in toothlessness, if that's a word.

Messi's going to have a rare non-scoring game isn't he? Come on Lionel, abuse them.

Commentators at it again. Going on and on about Oldham's penalty appeal - which may well have been a penalty. Nicely brushed over when Jelavic was wrestled to the ground.

Yup, I'll repeat what I said last time - odds are too good to turn down.

Where on coral Neil? Right at the bottom of all the bets on the game.

Can't believe I'm going to be watching this over El Clasico.

Get to see the sight of Neville in midfield it seems. Let's see how he matches up to League One relegation candidates. No Fellaini.

Coral doing 5/2 on Messi and Ronaldo both to score. Paddy Power 11/4.

Paddy Power comes out with some crackers. Found this hilarious for some reason: "If the cardinals elect the First Black Pope, we will refund all losing bets on the market."

That post from RAWK. Disturbingly thick.

"Most seasons we've tended to finish sixth, seventh or eighth and if you ask the people who know football they would say that´s about as good as Everton can do." "We've probably been playing at our maximum for a long time at Everton - foot hard to the pedal - and I'm hoping we can go a wee bit further this season and maybe do better in the FA Cup." If this is the mentality at the club, we're screwed. Kaka, we were playing good, attacking football earlier this season. Our style of play has without doubt improved gradually over recent years. Then for some reason it's just stopped. It's really hard to fathom what he tells the players at times. We're conceding goals regardless, I haven't got a massive problem with that if we're consistently creating chances but now that's dried up. Snookered.

Sunderland seem to operate in patches. They'll look shite 70% of the season but they'll have a couple of runs where they pick up, say, 3 wins in 6, or 4 wins in 7, which will keep their head above water.

Lad on GrandOldTeam (Everton forum) does match previews that are nearly always bang on the money. But this particularly rings true; reflecting on the Norwich result and where we currently are. Might be Martin Jol-ish but regardless: "However for many the Norwich game is symptomatic of a larger issue. This whole debating over a contract thing stinks to high heaven. We’re Everton not Exeter, he gets paid a great deal to manage a club that can still attract 40,000 fans at home and sells out most of its aways. I'm not going to pretend we're currently in the elite of the English league but we're a damn good club to manage on anyone’s CV. And that Norwich game was a microcosm of Moyes and his biggest blind spot – being too pragmatic and trying to protect leads when we’d have more luck going for the opposition’s throat. Ask yourself how many games have you enjoyed watching Everton this year? Villa and Swansea will be in them, not only did Everton play great attacking football; they also put themselves in a two or three goal lead – offering you a rare opportunity to relax somewhat instead of fearing a moody opposition equaliser from a set piece to deny us two points. Near enough all our wins are tight affairs and there’s no shame in that if you’re getting the three points but a lot of times it spectacularly backfires. It’s par for the course to give a few teams a four or five goal pasting a few times a season, particularly with the players we have but while even the sh*te are good for it, we can never do similar. Why? Our approach to the game." ------------------------- Finding myself agreeing with pretty much everything he has to say. Moyes is becoming a victim of his own success. The ownership issues have been debated ad infinitum but I'm starting to doubt Moyes actually has the capabilities of pushing us on himself, and this season our usually solid defence shits itself the moment the opposition applies an ounce of pressure. Also, the amount of times we've been the better team in games but haven't hammered home our advantage is frightening. But moreover, it's consistent. It's not just the odd one of those "days" where you miss a bucketload of chances or hit the bar 3 times. Those days happen and I can accept that if it's an occasional thing. What I can't accept is the players we have at our disposal leaking points like there's no tomorrow. Some of our results against bottom-half teams: Norwich - draw at home, lost away despite being 1-0 up with minutes to pay Reading - loss, play them next week at home Wigan - draw away So'ton - draw away QPR - draw away, yet to play again Villa - draw at home, nearly lost Newcastle - draw at home, let lead slip twice Fulham - draw at their place depite creating a bucketload of clear chances Off the top of my head (these stats might not be exact but if they're not they're damn close), we've kept just 4 clean sheets all season. We've won and kept a clean sheet on a massive 2 occasions - hasn't happened since September. We've won by more than 1 goal on just 2 occasions - hasn't happened since September. So nearly all our wins have been by the odd goal which tells me something - we're far too worried about what the opposition are going to do, rather than let the opposition worry about our superior players. And that rests with the manager.

Very long shot. But a single on Spurs to win by 1 @ 3/1 makes it a profitable night. Great treble that as well Stu, all coming from behind I believe.

Definitely long shot, pure instinct stuff. The following teams to win by 1: Spurs Lazio Levante Trixie.

pls pls Edit: did the trick.

Happened to catch the goal that put Galatasaray behind while browsing bet365 - the keeper boots the ball but sort of scuffs it, flies off a defender and back over him into his net in truly comical fashion. You'd like to think they'll still win but sounds like the sort of thing that happens with one of my bets.

Someone, somewhere is desperately trying to scramble together 15.57€ for a vital purchase. And then they see this. You've ruined their day, David. Ruined it.