Everton and The RS - remaining fixtures

[ToffeeDan]

I really think I have to take issue with the bollox that the media have come up to convince everyone that, in particular, Everton have the harder run-in. Ignoring the "The [Poor language removed] are better" argument - which we quite like to hear anyway since it simultaneously puts the greater onus on them to succeed whilst relieving pressure on us - I have also heard the "Everton run-in is much harder" bullshit.

So, to eliminate this argument we should simply examine the run-ins of the two teams and compare them. First and foremost the 2 teams are, presently, almost neck and neck in this chase - The [Poor language removed] are 3 points behind with a 4 goal advantage and a game in hand, Wednesday, at home to West Ham.

The two sides have the following records:

Everton 28-16-5-7-46-24-53
[Poor language removed] 27-13-11-3-46-20-50

Now, given that the 2 sides have similar points totals (even allowing for the result of the Derby at Goodison) you cannot overlook the closeness of the battle, right now.

So, moving on to those games:

You can clearly see some similarities in these run-ins - I have highlighted the matches where both Everton and The [Poor language removed] have yet to meet the same opponents on the same terms (i.e. Home or Away)

Everton H - West Ham, Derby, Chelsea, Villa, Newcastle
Everton A - Sunderland, Fulham, [Poor language removed], Brum, Arsenal

[Poor language removed] H - West Ham, Newcastle, Reading, Everton, Blackburn ,Man City
[Poor language removed] A - Man Utd, Arsenal, Fulham, Birmingham, Spurs

and leaving aside the Derby match itself these are the opponents which either side has to still play - together with the result the other side achieved in these games:

Everton H - Derby (6-0), Chelsea (1-1) , Villa (2-2),
Everton A - Sunderland (2-0)

[Poor language removed] H - Reading (1-0) Blackburn (1-1) , Man City (1-0)
[Poor language removed] A - Man Utd (1-2), Spurs (3-1)

Now I suggest that something close to these results would not be a huge surprise to Everton or RS fans if they were to occur - which leaves us with the following number of points:

Everton 32-18-7-7-57-27-61
[Poor language removed] 32-16-12-4-53-24-60

So, I contend that the media's fatuous argument about Everton having the harder run-in is simply not true - half of our games are identical to those the RS have to play and the other half (comparative scores above) look winnable for both sides, with perhaps the exception of The [Poor language removed]'s visit to Man Utd.

TD

 

[SuitsBlue]

so, by comparison, both sides need to match each others results in corresponding fixtures so far this season?

of the ten games remaining, both sides face five of the same opponents plus each other.


i am hoping very much that the blackburn away game doesnt have the telling tale.

 

[toffeestillidie]

I really think I have to take issue with the bollox that the media have come up to convince everyone that, in particular, Everton have the harder run-in. Ignoring the "The [Poor language removed] are better" argument - which we quite like to hear anyway since it simultaneously puts the greater onus on them to succeed whilst relieving pressure on us - I have also heard the "Everton run-in is much harder" bullshit.

So, to eliminate this argument we should simply examine the run-ins of the two teams and compare them. First and foremost the 2 teams are, presently, almost neck and neck in this chase - The [Poor language removed] are 3 points behind with a 4 goal advantage and a game in hand, Wednesday, at home to West Ham.

The two sides have the following records:

Everton 28-16-5-7-46-24-53
[Poor language removed] 27-13-11-3-46-20-50

Now, given that the 2 sides have similar points totals (even allowing for the result of the Derby at Goodison) you cannot overlook the closeness of the battle, right now.

So, moving on to those games:

You can clearly see some similarities in these run-ins - I have highlighted the matches where both Everton and The [Poor language removed] have yet to meet the same opponents on the same terms (i.e. Home or Away)

Everton H - West Ham, Derby, Chelsea, Villa, Newcastle
Everton A - Sunderland, Fulham, [Poor language removed], Brum, Arsenal

[Poor language removed] H - West Ham, Newcastle, Reading, Everton, Blackburn ,Man City
[Poor language removed] A - Man Utd, Arsenal, Fulham, Birmingham, Spurs

and leaving aside the Derby match itself these are the opponents which either side has to still play - together with the result the other side achieved in these games:

Everton H - Derby (6-0), Chelsea (1-1) , Villa (2-2),
Everton A - Sunderland (2-0)

[Poor language removed] H - Reading (1-0) Blackburn (1-1) , Man City (1-0)
[Poor language removed] A - Man Utd (1-2), Spurs (3-1)

Now I suggest that something close to these results would not be a huge surprise to Everton or RS fans if they were to occur - which leaves us with the following number of points:

Everton 32-18-7-7-57-27-61
[Poor language removed] 32-16-12-4-53-24-60

So, I contend that the media's fatuous argument about Everton having the harder run-in is simply not true - half of our games are identical to those the RS have to play and the other half (comparative scores above) look winnable for both sides, with perhaps the exception of The [Poor language removed]'s visit to Man Utd.

TD

thorough research mate, i see you've done your homework quite well, i've been wondering about this myself but have been too lazy to look it up. its a solid argument but i don't really see the [Poor language removed] losing to reading again, but as you've shown we clearly have the easier run left. i also don't necessarily see them beating both city and tottenham, and despite our recent form against them i feel we can take all 3 at villa with a little bit of luck.

 

[The Dude]

Having nearly melted the BBC's end of season score predictor this weekend, I honestly believe that whoever wins the derby wins 4th spot, and if the derby is a draw, I reckon we will be separated on goal difference at seasons end.

So we need to bang a few in against someone: Derby, Newcastle or Fulham should be easiest

 

[Jags..class]

The rs will get 4th, they are starting to win games now and looks like the players are now playing together, and they have three homes games coming up.

how come the rs are not playing inter this week?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

To be fair to the media they may be looking at the final four games. We play Chelsea, Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle. Liverpool play Fulham, Brum, Man City and Spurs.

So on those games we do have the harder run-in, but from now until those final four games we have a decent period, with only Liverpool of the six games what I'd regard as a tricky one. Fulham, West Ham, Brum, Derby and Sunderland are all games we should look to win.

With Liverpool playing Arsenal, Man Utd, us and Blackburn in a four game period (when our corresponding fixtures are West Ham and Derby at home and Brum and them away) that could be the period where we pull clear of them.

I said in the 'how many points' thread that up until the Man City game we've been averaging around 2.5 points against the bottom 10 sides and just under 1 against the top 10. If we maintained that average alone we'd finish with 70 points. The fact that we've dumped Man City and Pompey with such a swagger shows we don't need to fear the top 10 sides now either.

Happy days.

 

[Jags..class]

To be fair to the media they may be looking at the final four games. We play Chelsea, Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle. Liverpool play Fulham, Brum, Man City and Spurs.

So on those games we do have the harder run-in, but from now until those final four games we have a decent period, with only Liverpool of the six games what I'd regard as a tricky one. Fulham, West Ham, Brum, Derby and Sunderland are all games we should look to win.

With Liverpool playing Arsenal, Man Utd, us and Blackburn in a four game period (when our corresponding fixtures are West Ham and Derby at home and Brum and them away) that could be the period where we pull clear of them.

I said in the 'how many points' thread that up until the Man City game we've been averaging around 2.5 points against the bottom 10 sides and just under 1 against the top 10. If we maintained that average alone we'd finish with 70 points. The fact that we've dumped Man City and Pompey with such a swagger shows we don't need to fear the top 10 sides now either.

Happy days.

We have 3 hard games at the end of the season and maybe Newcastle if they are fighting for their lives, but we can't have Newcastle doing a double over us.

The rs have easy games coming up, west ham and then Newcastle, 2 home games before we play our next premiership game which they could be 3 points ahead then us, where we will be playing catch up all season.
A rs friend of mine was saying Rafael will try and destroy us like man u did to arsenal in the f.a cup and shake us up, they wish lol.

 

[Sim]

A rs friend of mine was saying Rafael will try and destroy us like man u did to arsenal in the f.a cup and shake us up, they wish lol.

Both teams will be going out to win this one big, it reallly will be a viscious derby I think, it could also end in tears for the team that looses as I have a feeling it will be similar to the match you refered to and there will be a lot of goals.

 

[matteusjack]

The rs will get 4th, they are starting to win games now and looks like the players are now playing together, and they have three homes games coming up.

how come the rs are not playing inter this week?[/QUOTE]

ac are at home in thier second leg first,so the [Poor language removed] play next week

 

[matteusjack]

We have 3 hard games at the end of the season and maybe Newcastle if they are fighting for their lives, but we can't have Newcastle doing a double over us.

The rs have easy games coming up, west ham and then Newcastle, 2 home games before we play our next premiership game which they could be 3 points ahead then us, where we will be playing catch up all season.
A rs friend of mine was saying Rafael will try and destroy us like man u did to arsenal in the f.a cup and shake us up, they wish lol.

wonder what the odds are on keegan getting his first win at anfield

 

[Jags..class]

wonder what the odds are on keegan getting his first win at anfield

pretty high.

recken newcastle will be going down.

 

[evilwebby]

Everyone says they derby will be crucial. I agree, but I think it's even more important for Liverpool than for us. Look at where it comes in their fixture list:

13:30 Man Utd vs Liverpool
16:00 Liverpool vs Everton
12:45 Arsenal vs Liverpool

Sandwiched in between an away trip to Old Tafford, and then an away trip to the Emirates.


Now look where it falls for us:

17:15 Everton vs West Ham
16:00 Liverpool vs Everton
15:00 Everton vs Derby


The pressure is ALL on Liverpool.

 

[TX Bill]

To be fair to the media they may be looking at the final four games. We play Chelsea, Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle. Liverpool play Fulham, Brum, Man City and Spurs.

So on those games we do have the harder run-in, but from now until those final four games we have a decent period, with only Liverpool of the six games what I'd regard as a tricky one. Fulham, West Ham, Brum, Derby and Sunderland are all games we should look to win.

With Liverpool playing Arsenal, Man Utd, us and Blackburn in a four game period (when our corresponding fixtures are West Ham and Derby at home and Brum and them away) that could be the period where we pull clear of them.

I said in the 'how many points' thread that up until the Man City game we've been averaging around 2.5 points against the bottom 10 sides and just under 1 against the top 10. If we maintained that average alone we'd finish with 70 points. The fact that we've dumped Man City and Pompey with such a swagger shows we don't need to fear the top 10 sides now either.

Happy days.

I said at the start of the season that those four matches would make some sort of difference in our season.

 

[toffeestillidie]

Everyone says they derby will be crucial. I agree, but I think it's even more important for Liverpool than for us. Look at where it comes in their fixture list:

13:30 Man Utd vs Liverpool
16:00 Liverpool vs Everton
12:45 Arsenal vs Liverpool

Sandwiched in between an away trip to Old Tafford, and then an away trip to the Emirates.


Now look where it falls for us:

17:15 Everton vs West Ham
16:00 Liverpool vs Everton
15:00 Everton vs Derby


The pressure is ALL on Liverpool.

i'm worried though if they somehow pull a win at Old Trafford they'll be in such high spirits that it'll be very tough to beat them. on our side, a win at home over west ham won't exactly intimidate. i don't think i'll be able to get to sleep before derby day.

 

[Sabbo]

Whatever happens, it's going to be close, and AJ's disallowed goal (and the subsequent 2 points, not to mention goal difference) might be crucial.