Recently by Tony Scott

On this fine day ten years ago Everton took to the Goodison Park field with players like Thomas Myhre, Peter Degn, Tony Grant and Scot Gemmill and were soundly beaten 2-1 at home by Sheffield Wednesday to leave Everton in a relegation dog fight in 18th place with only 6 games to go.

We've survived without him before and we will do it again.

I was gutted as most Evertonians were today in work as all sick Liverpool fans revelled in the spaniards agony.
News filtered through that Mikel Arteta will not grace the Goodison turf until after September and it's something we just have to get on with.

Taking away your most creative midfield player is a major concern for any Premiership club and lots of examples can be made out of it.
Liverpool without Steven Gerrard are not the same side as the three Merseyside derbies have proved, Arsenal without Cesc Fabregas are in great danger of not reaching the Champions league spot and Chelsea without Michael Essien have not been the same side all season.

Let alone in England but Which team in europe would be able to cope with their top striker and most creative midfielder out for so long in the season.

I know this injury to Mikel has knocked a lot of Evertonians for six but every dark cloud that looms over Goodison Park has a silver lining and the Everton players have always been at their best with the odds have been stacked against them.

In a fortnights time we could be all celebrating a trip to Wembley for the first time in 14 years and every Evertonian will probably forget about Arteta's injury as we all book our hotels and coaches and head for the capital.

So lets have a bit of optimism at our great club because we will overcome this like we always do and how fantastic would it be for Mikel (with his crutches) to lift the FA Cup at Wembley in May with his team-mates and fans applauding.

Does Everton not mean as much to you as it once did?

Cast your minds back to April, after beating Newcastle United on the last day of the season, there was a real optimisim about Everton and a real buzz about the place with hopefully a real crack of breaking into the top four this season.

This summer for the third time of asking the Everton's hierarchy have been left wanting when it comes to pushing the football club foward and left David Moyes having to lower his ambitions.

Are we ready to settle for this every season ?

Even the die-hard Everton fans will agree that a fixture with Middlesboro at home on a Sunday afternoon isnt the greatest of attraction to any football fan, so posesses Sky Sports to give this game a Sunday live billing is anyones guess.

Our last home match with Fulham was screened live and produced our lowest attendance in six years.
Is Sky's mega rich attitude ripping a hole through Everton Football Clubs pockets?

So why are Evertonians deserting the "Old Lady" when we need them?

The Credit Crunch, Huge match ticket prices, No Big-Name signings, Obstructive Views, Poor hospitality are just some of the reasons i can think of but is there another?

Flicking through today's Liverpool Echo I came across an advertisment from Everton, it read;
Everton vs Middlesboro - Adults from £30 and Kids from £15......

My Ideas:

Example : DADS & LAD TICKET OFFER!-1 Adult and 1 childrens ticket for £39 in total.
Or maybe : FREE PINT WITH YOUR MATCH TICKET!
Any Idea's for Mr Elstone?

So why are Evertonians not going the match anymore?

I know every team has it's usual idiots that follow them but lately over the past few troubled weeks at Goodison Park Ive seen far too many.

A man who I have never seen before sat a couple of seats away from me in the Paddock on Sunday.
Howard Webb put the whislte to his lips at 4;00pm and this "so called" Evertonian's mouth was off.

Not one shot on target in the last three merseyside derbies doesnt make great reading for any Evertonian at the moment especially going down to a not so great Liverpool side on saturday lunch-time.

Being out-played by a poor Blackburn Rovers side in the Carling Cup too, our players promised us the world for the Liverpool game but the massive improvements didnt come.
Another display like the one on saturday lunchtime against Standard Liege could spell the end to our Uefa cup campaign before it has even started.

I know some people might say its early days but anything other than a win against a poor Newcastle side on sunday and it could be "Goodnight Vienna" to any ambitions of European football being played at Goodison Park next season.
With a visit to the Emirates stadium after that and then Manchester United at Goodsion, it could be a long and dismal winter especially with the players lacking in so much confidence.

With the FA Cup not starting til January it could mean David Moyes having just Premier league fixtures to totally focus on until then.

Roll back to April last year at Goodsion Park, were we struggled to beat the worst team in Premier League history Derby County.
That was our last clean sheet!

With us hovering about mid-table at the moment, results need to improve and quick.
If they dont, at what time do us Evertonians hit the panic button?

"As the form book goes out the window", "The pride of the city is at stake here", "The bragging rights are up for grabs" ,"This football match divides families", "This is no place for the faint hearted", "Whatever happend to the friendly derby?".

Yes as Derby day looms the same old cliches are guaranteed to be wheel-barrowed out over the next 24 hours.

Love them or hate them, theses type of matches will make your stomach turn, your mouth dry up, your clothes stick to your skin in a sweat and also give you a massive headaches after the game.

But is it all worth it i hear you ask?

* WATCH our pre-season video special with previews from the ECHO's top team, an exclusive interview with Graeme Sharp and bookies tips here

" I've gone past caring now ", one elderly man says to another, on the no:17 bus yesterday afternoon.

" I know, were an absolute joke now " the other gentleman replies.

I dont know what it was but i automatically knew what these men were talking about just by hearing them first five words.

I

Am i the only Evertonian on this planet who would like to see Alan Smith in a blue shirt next season.

From fellow work colleges to best friends of mine, im getting hung out to dry for my opinion on the 27 year old attitributes.

In his Leeds Utd days he was the top of every premierships clubs wish list and sealed a move to Champions Manchester United.

Is it just me but every single day this summer supporting Everton has been a long drawn out affair.

The boardroom unrest, Moyes's unsigned contract, The CEO resigning, The Stadium debate and still no new signings to the smallest squad in the division...Can it get any worse ?

Lately its all doom and gloom and the rest of the premiership are laughing at our expense but i have a massive feeling that things are going to take another twist for the better within the next day or so.