Some fans may be a touch disappointed to see other teams activley working on their transfer targets, but only really Fulham have actually made new additions, and Sunderland have released 8. Everything else centres around Chelsea bringing in Scolari and who may arrive or leave the bridge according to the tabloids.

 Everton meanwhile have finally got the wheels in motion for their long awaited new stadium plans, murmours have been on and off for years, an unpopular suggestion of ground sharing with their red neighbours was a non starter.

Now the local council have approved plans for a £400m scheme which includes a 50,000 seater stadium and Tesco superstore in kirkby, Merseyside. Due to the size of the plan though, this will mean nothing if permission is not granted by the North West government, which is why the idea is now sat.
The pros and for those in favour will be the increased revenue within the community and the jobs created, Everton fans will then be treated to a brand new home ground. Hoever, those against the idea highlight the increased traffic, especially on match days.

 So North West Government, you decide……..

The debates continue to spiral about the effect money is having on our leagues, i myself think it is just a sign of the times. The economy has shot up accross the board, not just in football. Take yourself back to the days of the first £100,00 player, or the 1st £1,000,00 player, money is always going to have an effect. At the end of the day, someone has to win, and someone has to lose, whether there be billions involved or not. Chelsea and Liverpool have overtspent, and neither picked up the league, Man Utd and Arsenal both spend wisely and finished in the top 3, United have relied on a buzzing youth policy to get part of the way. Money doesn’t always buy you the success.

Currently, the league suggests Everton are the next best thing to the top 4. Tottenham, Man City and Newcastle continue to spend big, but haven’t hit anywhere near the heights they would expect. Villa appear our biggest rivals now. Moyes, one of the best young British around, better than Hughes in my opinion, im glad to see he wasn’t linked with Citeh or Chelsea jobs, he has done a fantastic job, not on a massive budget either. Yakubu is the new record buy £11mil, not a massive fee in comparison to elsewhere. His goals proved their worth though (we’ll ignore the FA Cup) Semi of the League cup, last 32 of the UEFA and 5th place again.

So where next for Everton. The squad is threadbare and is what ultimatley let the side down as we wimpered over the finishing line. A solid back line, that generally avoided injuries, Lescott, (how he failed to make the Team of the Year god only knows!) and now Jagielka have broken to the England Squad, and as we know every successful team has a solid base, we are no exception. Howard-Neville-Yobo-Jags-Lescott

Lee Carsley says on Everton’s official website,

“My contract ran out at Everton and I was offered a new deal there but I felt it was time to move on, I wanted a new challenge and I didn’t necessarily want to go to another Premier League club and struggle with them. Being realistic, we finished fifth in the league with Everton so I wasn’t going to go to any of the teams above them and I couldn’t see the point of going to any of the teams below them. So I feel I’ve done the next best thing and joined a club that’s building for the future and trying to get where Everton are. I’ve left a club that’s going to be playing in the UEFA Cup again next season so it’s not something I’ve done lightly, everyone knows how I feel about Everton. It was a fantastic club and I had a great time there. We finished fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh so I’ve been a part of cementing that club in the top six. I’ve now come for a fresh challenge. I’ve had a good career so far but I’ve not won anything and my main thing now is to win the Championship, get back into the Premier League and stabilise the club, I’ll be putting everything into the next couple of years to make sure we get back in the Premier League. I think a club of this size deserves to be playing in the best league. I spoke to Faddy (former Everton man James McFadden) towards the end of last season and he said he was enjoying his time here.”

Davis Moyes spoke to the official club website about the transfer,

“Lee feels he now needs to be closer to his family and everyone at the club fully appreciates that.We’d like to thank him he’s been a fantastic player on and off the field and he goes with my best wishes and we wish him all the best in the future.”

The departure of Lee Carsley also means another separture of the original Everton side which David moyes took control of from Walter Smith back in 2002.

Everton sealed their place in Europe with a 3-1 win against Newcastle United on the back of a few dodgy games such as a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa and a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. Overall Everton finished 5th which gives the team an automatic place in the group stages of the UEFA Cup.

After the game David Moyes told the official team website,

“The performance was excellent. The first half was as good as we’ve played. It was exciting, it was good entertainemnt and we passed it well. We pushed reallly hard to try and finish fourth, we fell short so it was important to finish fifth. It makes me smile that we have got more European nights to come.”

But players have made it no secret that they want to finish 4th again next season Tim Howard told the official club website,

“We have quality so we were right there. We sputtered towrds the end which kind of solidified fifth and knocked us out of the race for fourth. If we can do that next year, and we have more depth we could be alright we could challenge.”

Hopefully we will finish 4th and i’m sure every Everton fan will agree with me.

David Moyes told evertonfc.com: “He (Arteta) has got an injury and he has been playing with it, so we are grateful for that. “I think it has restricted him a bit and he feels it is dragging his performances down a little bit.
“Leon Osman has got a hip injury,” continued Moyes. “We have been short of midfield players, it’s been a problem area for us and we have used people in there out of position.
“Jack Rodwell has been in the squad and Dan Gosling has been injured for a month or so, so those two young boys would certainly be in and around the squad. And if required I’d have no problem playing them.”

It will be the 57th meeting between the clubs at St. Andrews, our record is:

P56 W22 D16 L18 F80 A78

This is the first meeting between the two managers.

We have won the last two meetings at St Andrew’s 1-0, thanks to goals by Thomas Gravesen in November 2004 and Simon Davies 12 months later. We recorded a 3-1 victory at Goodison earlier in the season, with goals by Yakubu, Carsley and Vaughan.

Birmingham have won just three out of the last 46 meetings between the two clubs going back to 1959, with the last being 3-0 at St Andrews in February 2004.

If we win on Saturday it will be our 7th league ‘double’ of the season, the most since the 1984/85 season and our 30th victory of the season in all competitions, the most in a single campaign since 1985/86.

We are still the only side without a penalty award in the Premier League this season – Manchester City were also without a spot-kick until they were awarded their first of the campaign at St Andrew’s two weeks ago. The last time we went a full season without being awarded a league penalty was 1970-71.

Everton have conceded 14 away goals in the league this season, clean sheets in the last two matches will set a new club record for the fewest conceded in a campaign, with the previous best being 15 in 1969/70.

If we win on Saturday it will be our 9th away win in the league - the best since the 1986/87 season and our 16th away win for the season, only one behind the record set in 1984/85.

As a result, Paul Jewell’s team arrived at Goodison with only pride and their places in the Rams’ squad for next term to play for.

So whilst Everton were far from their free-flowing best, the visitors added to the tension by posing a greater threat than anticipated.

It is a huge credit to David Moyes’ side that they overcame a tense first period to stamp their authority on proceedings and secure the win that not only extends their lead over the chasing pack in the hunt for fifth place, but also maintains the pressure on Liverpool with the fourth Champions League spot still in the balance.

Moyes had to mastermind this victory without the services of the injured quartet of Tim Cahill, James Vaughan, Steven Pienaar or Tony Hibbert. He was, however, able to welcome back into the fold Andrew Johnson and the fleet-footed hitman proved to be one of Everton’s best performers on a day when other key players were not in top form.

But it was Osman who proved the hero. How apt, considering the role in his development played by Derby - his loan spell at Pride Park in 2003 convincing Moyes the midfielder had a long-term role to play at Goodison.

It was a winning goal befitting a more enthralling match. But the key on this day was the result, not the performance. And after taking one point from the nine available ahead of this meeting, returning to winning ways was hugely satisfying.

Former Blue Alan Stubbs has backed Everton to battle to the death for a fourth place finish. His new club, Derby County, visit Goodison on Sunday and he is in no doubt how important the contest is for his former teammates. He said: “It’s a big game on Sunday, particularly after the disappointment of losing at Anfield last week. Everyone will be looking for them to get back on track right away. “There is no doubt there has been a bit of a blip and injuries have played a part but I know there is no way the lads in that dressing room, or the manager, will let the season fizzle out or down tools. It just won’t happen. “It was a big ask for Everton to finish fourth this season but, until it is a mathematical impossibility, the players will keep going, I’m sure of that. “They have come too far this season to throw it away. They have made huge strides.” Stubbs, who has been talking exclusively to the Official Matchday Programme for Sunday’s game, left Everton in January to link-up with Paul Jewell at this weekend’s opponents Derby County. He remains philosophical about the move. He told Sunday’s edition of efc: “It was going to come to an end for me sooner or later. This season that has happened. Three very adaptable players have taken on my position. “In that department we’re very strong now. That’s great. I’ve been privileged to be a fan and a player. Now I’m back to being a fan.”

Eunan O’Kane gave the crowd something to get excited about after just six minutes, sending an audacious half-volley just over the bar from the edge of the box. As the visitors began to get a firmer grip on proceedings, a decent effort from distance by Jermaine Pennant forced a good save from Jamie Jones. But it was the Blues who were able to claim the best chance of the opening third. When a deep cross from the right by O’Kane picked out Jack Rodwell unmarked at the back post it seemed inevitable the midfielder would convert. But his shot flashed wide of the target, much to the player’s frustration.The second period continued in a similar manner - with the visitors enjoying longer spells in possession but Everton threatening with swift attacks. But it was Liverpool who took the lead shortly after the hour mark, Brouwer guiding the ball in at the near post after a low centre from Stephen Darby.

The contest was Everton’s last at their Widnes home of this reserve campaign.