Former Everton Centre Forward Duncan Ferguson steps into management.....

The Penalty Box Dancer · Monday at 7:45 PM

Everton vs Aston Villa

10th May 2026

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Three games to go until the end of the season and an Everton win could take them above West Ham into 8th. Samardzic was serving his second match of a three match ban, Muhammed Cham was ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot injury and Beto was out for a week with a thigh injury. Roony Bardghji was showing people how right they were about him with some very good displays recently and has become one of Everton’s best this season down that right side. Arda Guler was also getting more game time and with Carlo Ancelotti stating he will be a Real Madrid first team player next season, any chance of a second season loan has been scrapped. Enzo Maresca handed a league debut to 17 year old Striker Paul Ward after scoring 14 goals for the U21’s this season. Guler had Everton’s first chance on 12 minutes and Nick Pope done well to tip it over. On 27 minutes Garner played the ball into Konate, just inside the area with his back to goal and Munoz went into the back of him with force, penalty given! Guler with the spot kick and he sends Pope the wrong way with ease! 1-0! It was a good first half for Everton, Villa had just played RB Leipzig in a Europa League Semi-Final a few days before. Everton played some lovely football and were on top of this match, balls were being crossed into the box but the Villa defence dealt with it well. Ferguson made the first Everton change with around 15 minutes to go, Konate didn’t have the best game so he was replaced by Nico Gonzalez. Moleiro received the ball from Valle and ran into the box but Cash got across and put in a great tackle. A few minutes remained and Everton brought on Mykolenko, Doucoure and Rodriguez for Valle, Garner and Guler. It wasn’t Villa’s day and it was summed up on 91 minutes when Diego Carlos blasted his shot wide in the pouring rain. It was all over and Everton came away with the three points. Villa just didn’t get into the game and Everton will wonder why they didn’t score more.

Duncan, Enzo Maresca made quite a few changes with a few youngsters thrown in there, did that boost your chances?

DF: Sometimes you hear of the next batch of talent coming through so you still have to play at your best. We done our job and what we got stuck in today, the goal came by the way of a penalty and I don’t think we had our shooting boots on either. We had to fight hard to keep the clean sheet and make sure that one goal was enough.

PLAYER RATINGS

LEAGUE TABLE

Arsenal were two wins away from their first league title in 22 years. Liverpool will do all they can to put a stop to that and retain the championship making it 21 league titles. Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are seen as outsiders at this point but anything can happen.

mmmmsnouts · Monday at 10:15 PM

Let me guess, Norwich gave the RS six easy points and about +12 GD on their way down? Just like real life.

The Penalty Box Dancer · Monday at 10:27 PM

Everton vs Bournemouth

16th May 2026

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The last home game of the season and what a season it has been for Everton at the new Bramley Moore Stadium. No fear of relegation and an outside chance of European football remained a possibility for most of the season. A win today against struggling Bournemouth could see them cement 8th place and send Bournemouth to The Championship for the first time in thirteen years. Manager Daniel Farke said he will send his side out to do all he can to secure a vital win. Everton kicked off and within seconds Max Aarons went through Nico Gonzalez, the fans in uproar as he crunched through him. The boos rang around the stadium when the referee brandished a yellow card for Aarons. It really was a reckless challenge. Gonzalez stayed down and needed treatment from the physio. Gonzalez got up to his feet a couple of minutes later and began to run it off. Everton had a couple of chances with Valle going close with his first effort, Petrovic tipping it over the bar and his second shot went over the bar. Ayoze ran onto the ball inside the box and Onana done well to tackle to knock it away but he went down and Darren England pointed to the spot! Onana took the ball! England consulted with VAR and then went over to the monitors for a closer look. He came to his decision and awarded the penalty! Replays show that Onana left his foot in and took Ayoze down but it was very close. Can Pickford rectify the decision? Fullkrug ran up to strike and to his disbelief he hit the post! Everton get deserved justice! Onana had been struggling since the tackle and called to the bench to go off, it seemed to be an ankle injury. Doucoure came on 5 minutes before the half. Bournemouth were fighting for their lives and the performance showed as Onyeka played a great through ball to Cook and he slotted past Pickford to make it 1-0. Matsima won it back for Everton at the back on 44 minutes and played it forward to Gonzalez, can he use his pace to stretch Bournemouth? He waltzed past Aarons and had Konate making his way into the box, he played it back to Garner who took the shot which took a deflection and made it difficult for the keeper who done enough to tip it wide. The second half started and Ferguson was present in the technical area, pumping his fists urging his players to get into them. Bournemouth had a corner on 56 minutes and Traore sent it to the far post, it was too easy for Kelly as he headed into the back of the net with ease. 2-0 and Bournemouth with a fighting chance. James Rodriguez came on for Arda Guler with just under 20 minutes to go. Roony played a good ball into the box for Konate on 80 minutes and he shot wide, he was snatching at chances. With 93 minutes on the clock Everton were doing all they could to get something from this, Maffeo was on for Patterson and he supplied a good cross to Gonzalez to head in at the far post making it 2-1 but surely too late. Bournemouth saw out the last minute and claimed a fantastic victory at Bramley Moore. Their first win in twelve! However the news came in that Brighton got a draw against Nottingham Forest and that sends Bournemouth down to The Championship.

PLAYER RATINGS

LEAGUE TABLE

Three teams in the title race as we go into the final day of the season. All teams need to win if they are to have a chance and the pressure will be on Mikel Arteta as he looks to finally win his first league title. Manchester United were in with their best chance in years but faced a very tough away match against Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool are travelling to Brentford and Arsenal can win the league in front of their own fans if they beat Newcastle or results go their way.

The Penalty Box Dancer · 2025-03-06T10:17:01+0000

Chelsea vs Everton

24th May 2026

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A very cool day for May but it was dry and Chelsea had the chance to secure a top four finish if they can overcome Everton. Everton could still finish 8th with a win but it means West Ham will have to lose. Karim Konate picked up a minor injury and he didn’t travel with the squad but fan favourite Beto was back and he made the starting eleven. Gonzalez kept his place in the side and Arda Guler was set to play his last game for Everton after a decent loan spell. Vitaliy Mykolenko was moving on to pastures new next season as he signed a contract with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia so he might feature for the last time for Everton today. The title race was to be decided today so we will be keeping up to date throughout the afternoon. Beto took the pass from Garner on 18 minutes and he played it wide to Roony who stayed onside as he moved forward, he cut inside on his left foot and dribbled past Chilwell, he laid it off for Valle and his shot was blocked. Chelsea turned on the style and a few minutes later Madueke passed inside to Enzo who skipped into the box and shot across Pickford making it 1-0. Guler received the pass from Garner and played a ball for Beto to run on to, he beat Disasi and beared down on goal but as he lined up the shot Disasi got back to get a foot in, great challenge. After 37 minutes, Brentford were leading Liverpool 1-0 and Arsenal were 1-0 up against Newcastle, as it stands the title is going to London! Into the second half and Everton were out for the equaliser, Guler played a fine ball round the back for Gonzalez but Hedl got across goal to push it away. With 30 minutes to go, Samardzic was back from his suspension and came off the bench replacing Doucoure. Chelsea pulled the Everton defence out of position and it allowed Raheem Sterling to get beyond the back line and put it on a plate for Madueke to smash home from close range on 65 minutes. Ferguson made three changes with 20 minutes to go, Okoronkwo came on for Beto, Moleiro came on for Gonzalez and Rodriguez replaced Guler. With ten minutes to go, Arsenal were 3-1 up against Newcastle and it was party time in North London. In West London it was a dominant display from Chelsea but as it stood they were on for a 5th place finish and Europa League football. Everton moved the ball forward nicely in stoppage time, Rodriguez to Moleiro and he spotted the run into the box from Okoronkwo but Hedl was quick off his line to save the shot. Chelsea were at their best and finished the season on a positive beating Everton 2-0 with ease. It was a difficult afternoon for Everton and surely Duncan Ferguson can go away in the summer with an understanding of what is required for next season. It wasn’t the best performance to finish the season and Ferguson would demand more even if there’s nothing to play for. Everton finished in 10th with Crystal Palace winning and claiming 9th. It’s a top half finish and the first since 2020/21 season. Duncan Ferguson has made gradual progress with this Everton side and many people did not think he had what it took to do well in the job but season after season Everton are getting better.

Duncan, not the result you wanted but Chelsea are a tough side to beat at home, where do you think it went wrong today?

DF: Like you say, they are a class outfit and they played well, they created more in front of goal and their players were in the mood today. We struggled with that level of quality and it shows that we still have work to do.

Does this result tell you where the gaps are and what you need for next season?

DF: You learn from results like this but we look back on the whole season and the one that sticks in our minds is the cup final. It’s not just about the players on the pitch but the ones who come off the bench. The aim is to keep improving, which we are doing and finishing 10th and getting to a cup final is a great achievement, it’s just a shame we didn’t finish the job.

Watching your Everton side this season has been entertaining, there has been goals and some really nice football on display, it shows how far this club has come in the last few seasons.

DF: Exactly that and there’s a style of football we want to play here. We’ve got some top players through the door and forget how young they still are. We want to coach players and develop them. I’d rather work with our younger players and get them ready for the first team than go out and spend a load of cash.

What is the message to the team and what are the plans for next season?

DF: Well done to everyone for their hard work and next season we come back stronger and fitter. We want to keep playing football in an entertaining fashion and we want the right players in to fit that style. If we have it in the academy and they are ready for the next step, we’ll look at that in pre-season and see who is ready. Playing for Everton should be rewarding and we want to keep building this football club. We’ve come a long way in three years and the plan is to keep building, step by step. It’s a competitive league and other teams will be trying to improve as well, we just have to want it that little bit more.

PLAYER RATINGS

FINAL LEAGUE TABLE 2025/26

Arsenal beat Newcastle United 3-1 on the final day to bring the league title back to Arsenal for the first time in 22 years. Mikel Arteta and his side went on an eleven match unbeaten run in the league to clinch the title with fierce competition from Liverpool, Man Utd and Man City. Victor Osimhen scored 16 league goals and was the Striker Arsenal had been missing for years. Arsenal were dominant in Europe also and defeated Benfica 4-1 in the Champions League Final, a first European Cup for Arsenal. At the other end of the table it was a good finish for Middlesbrough and Leicester City who stayed up in their first season back but Wolves and Bournemouth went down with Norwich City after a poor campaign. The Newcastle United hierarchy gave Graeme Carrick the second half the season to prove himself after taking over from Jose Mourinho but could only secure a 13th place finish. The board acted quickly at the end of the season and brought in Sergio Conceicao who left his role at FC Porto to take the hot seat. Everton improved on a 13th place finish in 2024/25 to finish 2025/26 in 10th. A strong season for The Toffees who look to be getting better each season.

END OF SEASON REVIEW

Everton strengthened in the summer bringing in Lazar Samardzic and Nico Gonzalez. Chrislain Matsima proved to be a rock at the back and linked up well with Jarrad Branthwaite. James Rodriguez proved to be an asset getting six goals and five assists but Arda Guler showed his quality later in the season to stake his place in the side. The season started well and Everton were in and around the top six proving to be a surprise package for European football. They did slip off to around 8th and 9th but remained in the top ten for almost all of the season. A fantastic League Cup run saw them get to Wembley for the first time in ten years but were beaten 1-0 by Leeds United. The F.A Cup ended in the fifth round when they were beaten 3-2 at the Britannia Stadium. Jordan Pickford proved to be at his best once again and picked up the highest rating of 7.08 for the season. Beto scored the most goals once again netting fourteen goals and Roony excelled with ten assists. Everton’s quick transitional football proved to be effective and they were competitive against the top teams, a lot of goals coming from the wide players like Gonzalez, Moleiro and Roony and also the playmaking efforts of Samardzic, Garner and Rodriguez propelled Everton into a forward thinking team, hitting teams effectively on the counter and playing good football in the final third. The flair and fast flowing attacking style got supporters into Bramley Moore and the atmosphere was lifted due to the football on display. The feel good factor was back around Everton and supporters felt they could take on anyone and get a result. There is more to come from Karim Konate who showed his quality at times but was often feeling frustrated and allowed his temperament to get the better of him. Roony is going to a world class footballer and Everton will have a fight to keep him this summer. It could be the end of James Rodriguez who has hinted at retiring from playing football and Jordan Pickford is coming to the last year of his contract. Beto was loving his football and couldn’t be any prouder to be wearing the Royal Blue. With 37 goals in his last two seasons, he was certainly a fan favourite and a player with the winning mentality to drive Everton to glory. It’s another huge summer for Everton as they look to replace older squad players and bring some quality depth to the club. Ferguson was going into his fourth season as manager and with the fan base fully on his side, they are certainly in a great place to build on this season’s small success story.

END OF SEASON AWARDS

Yarrgh · 2025-03-06T10:57:20+0000

Another transition season.

We need to win a league title quick smart. C'mon Ferguson, pull your finger out and put out some winning cones in training.