Royal Blue

Everton beat Bournemouth on Sunday to return to winning ways in the Premier League. In true Evertonian fashion, however, our Royal Blue podcast panel still find things to pick apart in the aftermath. With regular host Phil Kirkbride unavailable, Sam Carroll takes the hosting reigns and is joined by Dave Prentice, Paul Wheelock and Gavin Buckland.As the win over the Cherries is dissected and investigated, the quartet discuss the current state of Everton's atmosphere at Goodison Park with certain sections of social media claiming Blues are too expectant and too quick to turn on their side. Richarlison's form, Ademola Lookman, Nelson Mandela Syndrome and Kevin Brock are also mentioned in a fast-paced and highly contentious offering.Enjoy.And by the way, you can join our Royal Blue Podcast group on Facebook and offer your thoughts on the show - plus any ideas you may have - by following the page HERE.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me

This week’s View from the Gwladys Street fan podcast is brought to you by host Ian Croll and guests, Rob Astell, Connor O’Neill and Matthew Barry. A much needed win has given everyone associated with Everton a massive boost.After a torrid couple of weeks, the 2-0 win over Bournemouth at Goodison Park has definitely stopped the rot. The lads discuss how important the win was, not just for the club and the fans, but for Silva himself. How much pressure has he really been under? The Keane and Zouma partnership seems to be thriving, but what does this mean for Yerry Mina? Is Lucas Digne to be considered the best left-back in the Premier League? And why Jordan Pickford needs to be less erratic. As ever, we finish on the fan questions which have been sent in via the Royal Blue Facebook page.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That felt good.Admittedly, the first 30 minutes were poor, notwithstanding the difficult conditions and frankly dreadful officiating, but what came after that will have lifted the spirits of Everton fans.But, ultimately, the result was all that mattered, and second-half goals from Kurt Zouma and substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin secured a much-needed 2-0 win over Bournemouth at a wet, windy and wild Goodison Park.It also made for a considerably more upbeat Post-Game podcast, which kicks off with the expert opinion of our Everton FC correspondent Phil Kirkbride, and the considered thoughts of our reporter Sam Carroll, who was beginning to feel a bit of a curse.You’ll then hear the conversation between our host Paul Wheelock and our man in the stands, Ian Croll, in which they get to vent their frustration about referee Anthony Taylor’s ‘performance’.And the podcast rounds off with the full audio from Blues boss Marco Silva’s press conference.Enjoy. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/pr

One man, more than most, dominates the latest Royal Blue podcast... Farhad Moshiri.Everton's majority shareholder underlined his ambition for the club when he spoke at Tuesday's General Meeting.And Phil Kirkbride and Dave Prentice, who were both present at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, as well as Gavin Buckland, analyse what Moshiri had to say - from his John Moores-like comments about the season so far, to how the club is going to fund its new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, and the main reason why the Blues have never signed a like-for-like replacement for Romelu Lukaku.Marco Silva has been linked with Lukaku's Belgium international team-mate Michy Batshuayi this week.But is there any truth in the reports? And if there is, is Batshuayi a striker worth pursuing?Marcel Brands will have a major say in Everton's transfer policy this month but will his new position as a full member of the board dilute the skills he has already shown to impressive effect?The panel also discuss Nikola Vlasic's forthright intervi

Hundreds of aspiring footballers pass through Everton's academy system every year - and only a tiny fraction will ever make the first-team at Goodison Park.One man who knows this better than most is Lee Molyneux.Molyneux joined Everton's centre of excellence in 2000 and progressed through the ranks at academy and reserve level before eventually training with David Moyes' first-team squad.An unfortunately-timed injury in the summer of 2007 - coupled with the arrival of Leighton Baines - reduced the Huyton-born left-back's chances under Moyes and he eventually joined Southampton in search of first-team football.Since then, Lee's career has taken in the likes of Accrington Stanley, Tranmere Rovers and Morecambe as well as an 18-month stint out of the game after falling into trouble during a testing period of his career.Lee explains all to Sam Carroll in a special edition of your Royal Blue podcast.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega

The View from the Gwladys Street podcast returns with stand-in host Paul Wheelock being joined by Evertonians Rob Astell, Max Carlyle and Tom Clarke.The quartet discuss the FA Cup win over Lincoln City and whether the reaction to the goal that halved the deficit, and which made for at times an uncomfortable afternoon, shows there is a mental fragility in the squad.Penny for the thoughts of Tom Davies after he, along with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, was taken off at half-time. But is a player all Blues fans are desperate to do well being played out of position?Another question is whether Marco Silva should find a place in his team for Leighton Baines after the fan favourite returned to the starting line-up at the weekend in such impressive fashion. Could it be time to follow up on Roberto Martinez’s brief experiment?Everton may need reinforcements in midfield sooner than expected if, as the rumours suggest, Paris Saint-Germain make a move for Idrissa Gueye. If that happens, should Silva and Marcel Brands be tempted

So Everton are on the road to Wembley.But there's no doubt they made it harder work than it should've been in beating Lincoln City at Goodison on Saturday.However, does it matter?That's the question Phil Kirkbride, Dave Prentice and Gavin Buckland ask to kick off the first Royal Blue podcast of the week.The panel also assess the 'reward' for knocking out Lincoln and why a trip to the Den could actually be a better tie than it appears on paper.With Everton now well off the pace for a top-six Premier League place, Phil, Dave and Gav discuss Michael Ball's hard-hitting ECHO column in which the former defender makes it clear the FA Cup now should be the club's sole priority.But do the Blues have what it takes to win the cup? Especially if they end the transfer window without signing another striker?This time last year Evertonians were hoping that Cenk Tosun would be the the man to replace the departed Romelu Lukaku.But Tosun's struggles continued after coming off the bench against Lincoln and Phil, Dave and Gav w

Well, those first 14 minutes were good, weren't they? And wasn't it great to see Leighton Baines back, as good as ever?And, on a serious note, the win was all that mattered.But, as the Post-Game podcast makes clear, Everton far from convinced in their 2-1 victory over League Two leaders Lincoln City in Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at a sold-out Goodison Park.The podcast kicks off with the thoughts of Phil Kirkbride, our Everton FC correspondent, and Sam Carroll, the ECHO’s sports breaking news writer, before we hear every word Blues boss Marco Silva had to say in his post-match press conference. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Later today, Everton will be looking to improve on a recent record that has seen them knocked out at the third-round stage of the FA Cup in three of the past four seasons.To offer the Blues some kind of defence, the teams they were knocked out by were fellow Premier League clubs: Leicester, West Ham, and the other one we've conveniently forgot...But surely there is no chance they will suffer a similar fate this afternoon?Unfortunately, Everton do have fairly recent history of being victims of a giant-killing, and as the main guest of this preview podcast explains, Lincoln are very much a club on the up, and who do know how to cause a shock.Mark Whiley is the Lincoln City writer for the Lincolnshire Echo and he gives us the inside track on the League Two leaders, their highly-rated manager Danny Cowley, their biggest threats to the Blues, and their chairman Clive Nates, who may well have mixed emotions, seeing as he's a big Evertonian who grew up idolising the late, great Alan Ball.You’ll then hear the full au

The Royal Blue podcast team have got FA Cup fever ahead of the third round - but has Marco Silva?Today's panel discuss the world's oldest club competition and where it sits on the Everton manager's list of priorities.Host Phil Kirkbride is joined by Head of Sport Dave Prentice and reporter Sam Carroll to discuss Silva's team selection for the game with League Two leaders Lincoln City and how he will approach the competition.Is there any excuse not to have a good go at the FA Cup? What is the message from the top of the club about the competition? And how could an FA Cup run helped build momentum for remainder of the season and heading into the summer?The panel also chew the fat over some potential January exits as well as discussing Everton's concerning run of form and how Silva can turn it around.Sit back, relax and enjoy. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first View from the Gwladys Street fan podcast of 2019 is certainly an interesting one. This week’s show is hosted by Ian Croll who is joined by Rob Astell, Graham Callaghan and Connor O’Neill.The lads look back on the Leicester City defeat and analyze what was a dire performance. There is also a discussion and overall refection on what has been a torrid few weeks for the Blues and how Marco Silva can put it right. Are fresh faces needed in January and if so, who should Marcel Brands target?One win in eight is a dreadful run of form but with third round of the cup up next, this surely gives Silva and his men a chance to secure a morale boosting victory. We finish off with the fan questions submitted via the Royal Blue Facebook page.There’s that and plenty more…. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It may be a New Year, but there was no reversal in Everton’s fortunes this afternoon.The Blues went down to a 1-0 defeat to Leicester City to extend their winless run at Goodison Park to four matchesIt also meant they have now lost five of their last eight, both home and away, a run that includes the draws with Newcastle United and Watford, and that Boxing Day win at Burnley, which sadly is looking like an aberration in what is a worrying slide.It is a slide that is discussed in detail by Tom Clarke, who gives us the view from the stands, and who also talks the feeling among the fan base about manager Marco Silva, who probably for the first time in his short reign, is facing some tough questions.And it is with the Everton manager that we start this podcast as we hear every word he had to say after the match. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will the real Everton please stand up?From a 6-2 hammering at home by Tottenham, to a 5-1 beating of Burnley at Turf Moor, and now to this... a lacklustre and disappointing 1-0 defeat at Brighton.Little wonder, then, that the final Post-Game podcast of what's been a forgettable 2018 is not an upbeat one.It's a podcast that starts with the definitive verdict of our Everton FC correspondent Phil Kirkbride, and continues with the thoughts of Sam Carroll, who was also on reporting duty for the ECHO at the Amex.Host Paul Wheelock then speaks to big Blue and View from the Gwladys Street podcast regular Rob Astell.Before the show rounds off with the full audio from Marco Silva's press conference. He's not happy.And he's not the only one. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We debate the ECHO's big Marcel Brands interview in the latest Royal Blue podcast.Everton's director of football offered brilliant insight into his thinking ahead of the January transfer window, how he has revamped the club's scouting department and why he's appointed a "pitbull" as his new chief European scout.And today's panel give their take on a two-part interview that has got Evertonians talking.Host Phil Kirkbride is joined by head of sport Dave Prentice, Chris Beesley and Sam Carroll with Brands' vision the main talking point.But the lads also reflect on Boxing Day's 5-1 win over Burnley, Prenno is armed with a remarkable stat, Chris offers an impassioned defence of Jordan Pickford and Sam eulogises about Lucas Digne.All this and more is crammed into the podcast with the lads also offering their customary predictions ahead of the long trip to Brighton.Sit back, relax and enjoy.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad

As responses go, that was just about perfect.Everton came in for stick - and rightly so - after they were embarrassed in front of their own supporters by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.But to the credit of Marco Silva and his players, they hit back in style on Boxing Day with a 5-1 win at struggling Burnley.It's a win that is pored over in our Post-Game podcast, which features the definitive verdict from our Everton FC writers Phil Kirkbride and Adam Jones.Host Paul Wheelock also speaks to our View from the Gwladys Street host Ian Croll to get the view from the stands, before you get to hear every single word Blues boss Silva had to say in his press conference, including the reasons why certain players were not involved. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the morning after the night before and Adam Jones, our Everton FC reporter, and Sam Carroll, who was on reporting duty at Goodison Park on Sunday, join host Paul Wheelock for the latest Royal Blue podcast.Sadly, the Blues’ 6-2 loss to Tottenham Hotspur dominates the agenda, and Sam, in particular, having witnessed the humiliation first hand, has a lot to get off his chest.Adam, who had the foresight to book the day off, reckons the hiding to Spurs underlines the importance of Idrissa Gueye to Everton.But were the midfield helped by Marco Silva’s tactics? Paul doesn’t think so, which in turn leads to Adam suggesting that the Blues boss was a victim of his own ambition and well-read Sam to bringing a bit of Greek mythology to proceedings.The facts don’t lie, however, and Everton currently have one point fewer than they did at this stage of last season. So have we all been going over the top with talk of progress being made under Silva?The lads debate that question before flatmates Adam and Sam have it out

And there we were thinking the hangovers were supposed to come after Christmas.No, ever since that heartbreaking derby defeat, back at the start of what is shaping to be a horrible month, results and performances have been deteriorating for Everton.Then came today, and a truly embarrassing 6-2 home loss to an admittedly superb Tottenham Hotspur side that stretched the Blues' winless Premier League run to five matches.Whether Marco Silva's men can bounce over the course of the next 10 days, which sees them to travel to Burnley, Brighton and then host Leicester City, remains to be seen.But this Post-Game podcast focuses on a 23rd straight game without victory against one of the big six.It starts with a pull-no-punches verdict from our Everton FC correspondent Phil Kirkbride.You then hear from Sam Carroll, who was alongside Phil in the pressbox this afternoon, and who equally does not hold back.Host Paul Wheelock then picks up the phone to Blues fan Max Carlyle, who like many, left before the final whistle.Befor

Tottenham are riding a crest of wave after they drew at Barcelona to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League, beat Burnley at the death to continue their best ever start to a Premier League season, and then won 2-0 at North London neighbours Arsenal in midweek to make it through to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.They also have a great recent record against Everton. They’ve not tasted defeat to the Blues since December 2012 when those late, late goals from Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar earned David Moyes’ side an unlikely victory.But could Sunday's Goodison Park clash be a game too far for Spurs? And can Marco Silva's men take advantage of what truly is a defensive crisis for Mauricio Pochettino?Paul Wheelock speaks to Alasdair Gold, who covers Tottenham for the Football.London website, to get answers to those questions.The Spurs expert also talks his admiration for Everton and Silva, why Richarlison could have been a target for Pochettino, and why a player the Blues looked like they'd dodged

There's only one place for the Royal Blue podcast to start today - and that's at Bramley-Moore Dock.Everton this week announced they are proposing to build a new stadium on the waterfront with a capacity of 52,000, with the potential for that to rise by an extra 10,000.It is THE talking point of the week among Evertonians and we waste no time in debating the news and tackling the issue of ambition.But in a week brimming with news, the club also released their annual accounts which revealed that Farhad Moshiri has pumped in another £100m in the form of a loan.The accounts also confirmed Everton had to pay £14.4m in pay-offs to sack Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce - and their staff - as well as Steve Walsh.We close the pod by previewing Sunday's clash with Spurs and ask if the speculation over Mauricio Pochettino's future will work in the Blues' favour.Sit back, relax and enjoy For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our View from the Gwladys Street podcast is back and with regular host Ian Croll laid low by illness, stand-in Paul Wheelock is joined by guests Rob Astell and Connor Bennett.The trio talk the Manchester City defeat and the major talking points from it, from Everton’s best centre-back system to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ademola Lookman, and to the importance of Idrissa Gueye and the two of the players – one unexpected – who could replace the Senegalese if he misses out on Everton’s festive schedule.It’s a schedule that kicks off with the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison Park on Sunday and the lads wonder whether yet another Blues hoodoo can be banished and lift spirits after what has been a testing couple of weeks. Not for the first time this season, the P words, patience and perspective, are uttered.As we were going on air, the club announced it is proposing a capacity of 52,000 for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock – and Rob and Connor give their instant reaction.And for the authoritative take on wh