That is correct, the @The Penalty Box Dancer does have a real job but he likes to keep us updated with the very latest Big Dunc sports news as well
It's been a roller coaster Groucho, I'd recommend starting from page 1 on your dinner break and come and dive into possibly the greatest story never told.
A new season, the last one at Goodison Park. The fans were fired up as Z Cars pumped out once again and the team was led out by captain James Tarkowski. Jordan Pickford was back in goal after getting injured in this year's Euro 2024 final win with England and a debut was handed to Pablo Maffeo at Right Back. A familiar face returned, this time in front of a crowd and the fans got to see James Rodriguez line up in the flesh. Beto led the line for The Toffees first game of the season and a strong bench was named. Cole Palmer and Karim Konate were both substitutes and Dominic Calvert-Lewin whose future is in doubt. Roony Bardghji suffered injury against Juventus and was sidelined for around a month. It's a chance for Everton to get off to a good start and there's no better way than against Forest at home. The crowd was silenced on 3 minutes when Elanga showed Maffeo what the Premier League was like and ran around him to slot against Pickford at his near post. Everton got a corner on 7 minutes taken by James Rodriguez, he aimed for Onana but he was beaten by Gibbs-White, Cham took it down on the edge of the area and got it wide to Rodriguez who put in a great cross fior Beto to head in the equaliser! Branthwaite was enjoying coming forward with the ball and was playing well as a playmaker, McNeil took a shot that was tipped wide by the keeper on 22 minutes. Onana played it forward to Cham on the edge of the D, he put it through for Beto but he unselfishly squared it for McNeil and he didn't disappoint with his driven finish, 2-1 to Everton! Everton were going up a gear and Rodriguez took the corner from the left side, what a ball in to find the head of Beto who nodded it down past the keeper, 3-1! Great delivery! The game was far from over and Forest caught Everton out on 40 minutes, Gibbs-White had the better of Mykolenko and found Awoniyi inside the six yard box and finished from close range. First half stoppage time ensued and Everton had a free-kick from 25 yards out, Rodriguez fancied it and went for the top left corner, the keeper getting across to tip it over. The game felt tense at 3-2 and one goal either way would change it. Maffeo was enjoying his freedom getting forward down the right and he put in a great ball for Beto but he put it over from inside the box. Everton made a double change with 23 minutes to go, Rodriguez got a standing ovation when he went off and was replaced by Lewis Dobbin. Cham also got a standing ovation when he was replaced by Cole Palmer. Everton were caught out once again, this time by a corner, Danilo found Sangare unmarked and he headed past Pickford rooted to the spot, 3-3. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on for McNeil and had a chance to make it 4-3 when he blazed over from Palmer's pass. He should have scored. The match went into stoppage time ands tired legs out there made some awful passes. Neither side could take the win and Forest will be happy to take a point on opening day.
DF: Being 3-1 up and drawing 3-3 is disappointing and poor on our behalf. I was pleased with how the first half went and we showed some real quality with the chances we created especially from set-pieces and we have to use that to our advantage. Forest deserved something because they fought very hard to get it, the fault lies with us and we have to defend our leads better.
PLAYER RATINGS
Southampton vs Everton
17th August 2024
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Southampton were back in the Premier League but last week's 4-0 defeat to Man Utd won't fill them with confidence as a new-look Everton come to town. Muhammed Cham dropped to the bench as he was recovering from a cold which made way for Cole Palmer to start behind Beto. James Rodriguez had an early chance from a free-kick within shooting range and his effort was on target, it was caught by Bazunu but he took the ball over the byline gifting Everton an early corner but nothing came of it. Southampton enjoyed a good spell of attacking football and Edozie's shot on goal forced Pickford into turning it behind. Everton with a free kick about 30 yards out, Rodriguez played it into the box and Doucoure beat the line slotting past the keeper to make it 1-0! VAR will take a look but Doucoure is onside! Everton in front! Great ball in from James Rodriguez, his 3rd assist of the season. A few minutes later Rodriguez put in another great ball crossing for Beto who headed just wide. Rodriguez will be an asset to Everton this season with delivery like this. Three minutes before half-time and another Everton free-kick, deep inside the Southampton half, Rodriguez sent it into the area, it was headed down by Tarkowski and Onana took a shot which was saved but he got another go at it and put it into the gaping net, 2-0! Edozie came forward for Southampton down the left but the Everton defence backed off, he squared it for Che Adams and his first time shot from the edge of the box drilled low and hard beat Pickford. Everton make the change with 30 minutes to go, Mykolenko went off for Zubeldia and Branthwaite moved to left back. Everton made a double change a few minutes later, James Rodriguez was replaced by Lewis Dobbin and Beto went off for Calvert-Lewin. Doucore passed to Onana and he played it forward to Palmer, Palmer saw the run of Calvert-Lewin who took the ball past Perraud and cooly slotted into the back of the net! Everton 3-1! 12 minutes to go, Tarkowski with a pass to Onana about 30 yards out and in space, he lined up the shot, surely not? He caught the keeper off his line and it hit the underside of the bar and went in, a thunderous strike! What a goal! You don't see many Everton goals like that! Everton looked to slow it down and keep the ball as much as they could and they recorded an emphatic away win at St. Mary's today! The set pieces paid off and Everton are off to a good start!
DF: Amadou's goal was the pick of the bunch today, I've never seen him strike a ball like that before! Glad it paid off and he got an excellent goal. We were good from attacking plays and set pieces were delivered well into key areas. There were times when Southampton were close but Pickford done his job at that end and made some top saves.
PLAYER RATINGS
Everton vs Manchester United
24th August 2024
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Man Utd were off to a god start winning 2 out of 2 and Everton were also looking to make a good start to the season with 4 points in their opening 2 games. The future of Dominic Calvert-Lewin was uncertain, with one year left on his deal and the opportunity to cash in on the Centre Forward, however there was little interest due to his league form last season. Calvert-Lewin started the game on the left with McNeil on the bench recovering from a tight hamstring. Everton got the crowd on side early on, Mykolenko found space down the left inside the first minute and Doucoure's shot from outside the box was an early tester for Onana. Bruno Fernandes took the corner on 7 minutes and Bijol got to the ball before Doucoure and headed in to give Man Utd the lead. Bruno Fernandes looked back to his best and he scored a fantastic free-kick on 40 minutes getting it over the wall and beating an outstretched Pickford, 2-0. There was much space for Everton to exploit down the left and Mykolenko had space to get in the cross which found Beto who nodded down and into the net on 48 minutes! 2-1! Everton made a double change, Rodriguez was replaced by McNeil and Palmer went off for Cham. Pickford made some great saves late in the second half to keep the scoreline at 2-1 but time was running out for Everton. Mykolenko had the ball on the left as the match went into stoppage time and sent it into the area, Martinez headed away under no pressure and it fell to McNeil, the Gwladys Street urged him to shoot and he wrapped his left foot around it and curled it into the bottom corner, 2-2! Everton with a fantastic comeback! Everton with a solid second half performance and they deserved to get a point in the end.
DF: This result shows how far we have come in a short space of time. It's still early in our journey but we gave United a game today and showed we have something about us and that we are capable of pulling off a result. We stuck in and exploited their weakness, we got two goals from it and they had no reply. After Beto scored I could sense a shift in change and we had to get out decision making spot on.
Stoke City vs Everton
League Cup Second Round
27th August 2024
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An away trip for Everton to newly promoted Stoke City in the second round of the League Cup. Some players were rested with Zubelida and Godfrey partnering at the back and Nathan Patterson getting a start at Right Back. Gueye and Garner were in midfield and Calvert-Lewin got an opportunity on the left with Dobbin on the other side. Konate was chosen up top with Palmer behind. There wasn't many in attendance tonight at the Britannia Stadium, 3000 Everton fans and 9000 Stoke fans. Cole Palmer had a great effort hit the top of the bar on 4 minutes with the keeper beat to get the match going. Stenzel came down the right and got the cross into the box before Mykolenko could stop him, Moraes got his foot to it and put it past Pickford on 18 minutes to give Stoke the lead. Ten minutes later Palmer took the ball near the edge of the box and played a delicate chip over the defence for Mykolenko to bring down and knock in to make it 1-1! Great play from Palmer to make the goal! Palmer drove forward again with the ball on 38 minutes, passing to his left to find Calvert-lewin who took it into the area and squared it for Konate to score his first Everton goal! 2-1! On the stroke of half time Moraes left Zubeldia standing still and put the ball past Pickford with ease, Zubelida just left him and Ferguson was livid with his man marking. 30 minutes of normal time to go, Mykolenko played it forward to Calvert-Lewin, with a pass inside it deceived Palmer but ran through to Gueye, Patterson came forward and took the ball into the box to get a shot away on his right foot and across the keeper it went and into the net! Everton regain the lead! Not for long though as Moraes was through one on one a minute later and made it 3-3! A hattrick for Moraes! McNeil and Cham came on for Calvert-Lewin and Palmer. Everton come down the left again, they've found iot successful so far, McNeil played it into the feet of Cham with his back to goal and Stenzel came in from behind taking him off his feet, it was an accidental challenge but the referee awarded the penalty! Zubeldia stepped up for Everton on 90 minutes with the chance to win the game in this spectacular match and he sent the keeper the wrong way with a calm finish into the bottom left corner! Six minutes were added on but Stoke couldn't get close to goal and it's Everton whoi advance to the third round!
PLAYER RATINGS
Wolves vs Everton
31st August 2024
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Wolves were yet to get a win after losing all three of their opening games whilst Everton were looking like a side capable of goals but also leaky at the back. Cunha came forward for Wolves in the first 2 minutes and Branthwaite done well to track him blocking his shot out for a corner. Everton defended well and looked to counter, Beto took the ball, he had McNeil to his left and Palmer ahead of him running forward, he went wide to Mykolenko which broke down the attack, McNeil was almost away. Sa's clearance was picked back up by Maffeo who passed forward to Rodriguez, he chipped it forward towards Beto but Dawson and Kilman came together, Beto broke free of them and was through against Sa, he slotted to his left and put Everton 1-0 up on 13 minutes! Cunha held the ball up on 24 minutes, he passed short to Sarabia and he played a lobbed pass to Gomes who headed into the box, Cunha was away from Tarkowski, Pickford came out and the shot took a deflection off the keeper and went in. Palmer took the ball in the middle and played it left to Mykolenko, he flicked it on for McNeil to run down the left, he got the cross in and Beto swung his left foot at it and got it horribly wrong putting it wide. Palmer went off on the stroke of half-time with a knock to his lower leg, Cham came on for him. Wolves weren't done and Monchu got the free-kick up over the wall and into the net to give his side the lead. Mykolenko was tiring and came off with half an hour to go, Patterson went on to the left. James Rodriguez finds Cham with a great forward pass, he got into the area and put it into the six yard box for Beto to get the second! Everton came forward for the third, Patterson crossed in from the left but it came off Beto's chest and into the hands of the keeper. Everton made another change with less than 10 to go, McNeil went off for Calvert-Lewin. Everton got a corner with less than five minutes to go, Patterson went over to take from the left, he swung it in and Doucoure got up to blast in the header inside the six yard box! Everton with a late lead! Everton were not done there, Maffeo got it forward for Rodriguez and he played in Beto who only had the keeper to beat and Sa made the save tipping it wide for a corner. Rodriguez fouled to slow the game down, Wolves went for a quick free-kick played into Neto int he box and Pickford done well to push his effort wide. A couple of additional minutes were remaining and Everton were fighting to keep the lead. Beto took it down the left and managed to get Everton a late corner with his attempted cross taking a deflection. Everton have been brilliant in this second half showing true determination. Patterson had been outstanding since coming on and that's it! Everton get the hard fought away victory! Everton are off to a fantastic start to the season!
PLAYER RATINGS
LEAGUE TABLE
We go into the first International break of the season as England take on Albania and Slovenia in the European League. In the Premier League it's Liverpool and Manchester City setting the pace as the two look to go head to head once again. Last season's runners up Arsenal have suffered a poor start losing to Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea in their opening games. Everton look to put the past behind them as they have started on the front foot taking the game to their opponents playing with an attacking style that has seen the reincarnation of James Rodriguez. Beto has settled in scoring five goals in four games for The Toffees and is starting to look like the real deal in attack.
DF: It's good for them to get games and regular appearances. Igor is still important to the first team but he wants more playing time than he's currently getting and what a chance he has in the Champions League. Youssef is also important to us but he wanted a year out in Portugal and he'll get the playing time out there. I'm keen to see how both of these loan spells go and we have the option to bring them back if we need to.
