Start Scoring

The team needs to start taking their chances.

Killa says: "We have got to put our chances away without a doubt. I missed a glorious chance late on to win us the game. We missed chances in the first half and numerous opportunities in the second half as well. We have got enough firepower to get a win and if we score the goals it will be okay for us. The way we played down there, we felt we should have won the game. But we can't go into this game thinking the same really. We need to get back to basics I suppose. And hopefully we have got enough about us to get a win.

Probably a lot of people were looking at the strikers earlier in the season and saying they weren't scoring enough. But we weren't giving them anything to feed off. The likes of Tim who normally gets into the box and gets chances wasn't getting the supply-line and that was one thing we were complaining about and trying to sort out - the fact we weren't making enough chances for our front men. We have been working on things a lot in training and if you do work hard I suppose you do get the rewards for it. But everybody has stuck together.

We probably deserved a few results when you think about the way it has gone for us this season. But I think over the initial part of the Christmas period we didn't play well and we perhaps should have lost at Sunderland. But we managed to turn that around and get a win and from then on we have been playing with a bit more confidence. We have been trying things and it had just not happened for us but hopefully we have seen a bit of the light now." (18/01/06)

Vital

David Moyes has praised Killa's performance in the last two games and is hoping his good form continues.

Moyesy says "I felt against Sunderland that was the start for him. He knew going back up to his old club he had to lift himself and I thought his performance there was much improved. Then, against Charlton, he continued that. He is important for us. He is a vital part of the team. He must not forget what he is good at, which is picking the ball up and running at people.(06/01/06)

Cut Out The Mistakes

Zinedine has called on his team mates to stop making stupid mistakes, as Everton strive to get back to winning ways.

Killa says: "It’s been like this for a few weeks and we’ve got to try and change things. A derby game at Goodison is one you don’t want to lose but we’ve defended badly for three goals and it's cost us. We’ve conceded 13 goals in the last four games and that’s not good enough for the standards that we set ourselves. We’ve got to get it right again.

We know that individual mistakes have been made but it’s down to the whole team because one mistake can lead to two, which can lead to three, and we’ve got to put it right together. We started very sloppily and then we managed to settle it down for ten or fifteen minutes before scoring just before half-time. We had our tails up and we didn’t want the half to end. A lot of positives were said at half time because we felt that we could at least take a point from the game or even win it but we shot ourselves in the foot again. Just as we did at Villa, we conceded within two minutes and it killed the game. We went with that system and although ultimately it hasn’t worked for us on the night we probably created more chances than we have lately with 4-4-2." (30/12/05)

Killa States The Obvious

Now it is Kevin Kilbane's turn to state the obvious, and tell us the fans what he have known for months now. Believe it or not, we need to start winning. Not picking on Killa in particular, he has been as bad as the rest, but for Christ sake, less talk, and just get on and do it, it was not a problem last season. Ahhh, I feel better for that.

Killa says: "There have been too many disappointments and we can't let it continue. We need to change it, we need to get results. If this (run) gets any worse, the gap could be seven or eight points and then two wins won't be good enough. Then you would have to start thinking about getting on a great run of five, six or seven games unbeaten to get yourself back out of it.

We can't let that happen. We have got to start to think about kicking on now. You can probably start getting sucked into believing the hype. You can get sucked into believing that we are better than relegation candidates. But all of a sudden it comes upon you very quickly. I believe we are better than that but we have got to battle hard, especially when teams come to Goodison. When we go away from home, we have got to win the dogfight.

We have got to learn to win ugly. We have got to show that team spirit to the new lads who have come in. They haven't had much joy since they have been here and they don't know about success with us on a regular basis." (18/10/05)

Form Confession

Killa Admits He's Been shite this season. Well not in so many words, but we understand what you are saying Kevin.

Killa says: "I have not been too pleased with my form this season in all honesty. I don't feel I am at my best but you have got to put it right on the training ground, work hard and hopefully it will turn for myself as well. We have got big games coming up and if we can get the right results in those games it will help my own form as well." (01/10/05)

Killa Captain

Captaining Everton in the friendlie's against, Man City and Udinese has made Kev very proud.

Killa says: "A lot has been made about the spirit in the side and we are all very close. There are so many experienced players who could wear the armband. Duncan hasn’t started all the pre-season games and he is the longest serving player and Lee Carsley has not started many of the games either because of his injury and I am sure they would both be captains. It is an honour for me but it certainly doesn’t mean I am the vice captain or anything like that. We are lucky to have a lot of experienced players in our side and I think that is possibly one of the reasons why we have done so well in the last year. There are a lot of people in the side who could be captains and that is bound to work in our favour.

We are pleased David Weir has been named club captain. But when he has not played in pre-season I have been given the armband and that has made me feel proud. I was a captain in some of my youth teams and I have had the honour of captaining Ireland once as well as the Under 21s a few times. But I have never captained a senior club side before. The lads gave me a lot of stick when I got the armband in Thailand and there was some the other night as well. But it is good fun. There is a good spirit in the camp.” (07/08/05)

Thai Trip Helped Us

Killa Kilbane believes Everton's experience in Thailand last week, will hopefully help the team this season. With the extremely hot and humid temperatures the Blues encountered over in the Far East, Zinedine believes this will help the Blues when they travel to the hotter parts of Europe, in their quest for European domination.

Zinedine says: "You certainly want to come into pre-season tour games to sharpen your fitness levels up. But you have got to learn something when you play every team. We felt playing against the Thai team in the first match that the lads struggled to cope with the heat and humidity. But we have got to learn to cope with difficult conditions. We can't be going at teams in the way we do in the Premier League because you get picked off in the heat. It's especially important for us to learn to adapt now that we have the chance to play in Europe this season. If we can progress into the competition, we could be encountering very hot conditions in places like Turkey and Spain. The experience we had in Thailand last week should help us cope. We have to learn to adjust." (27/07/05)

Me, a Left Back

With Sandro gone, Nace injured, Moyesy is stuck with no left back cover at all. Step forward Zinedine Kilbane, who may be thrust into the role as a temporary replacement, for the forthcoming Champions League match, and the start of the Premiership.

Moyesy says: "Left-back is a problem at the moment. But Kevin can play there and we do have one or two other options." (14/07/05)

Big Times Ahead

Zinedine Kilbane, has put pen to paper on an extension to his current deal, keeping him at the club till the Summer of 2008. Killa had no hesitation after seeing other squad members commit to the club, and he senses exciting times ahead.

Zinedine says: "It definitely helps that the core of the squad is still together. I am really pleased Leon, Gary, David and Duncan have signed to stay here. These are the players who are the key to the squad and to future progression because when new players come in they find it easier to acclimatise when they are coming into a settled club.

Everybody knows we have got a good spirit within the squad and we have brought in some quality, which is always going to help us. Hopefully one or two more will be coming in and that will be good for the start of the season. There are big times ahead and I am sure everybody will be coming back keen to get going again."

I am really pleased my contract has all been sorted out. I can look forward now to the next few years with Everton. I am happy I know where my future is going to lie. It is a special club, anybody who plays here doesn’t want to leave and I am no different. I have really enjoyed my time here and I don’t think I have relished a new season more than the one we have coming up. It is an exciting time and I am glad I can be a part of it." (29/06/05)

Killa Last Season          Everton Squad Numbers 05/06