Everton on Sunday, some stupid decisions and the badge

The badge fiasco it appears is coming to an end. Or is it? I think the half picture that is doing the rounds today with a gold lion and no drop shadow is a little nicer, I'm not sure how it's going to work digitally. I still don't know what is wrong with the badge we have, but I'm a simple man. 

And I don't think it really matters. It also doesn't bother me if the Club want to go that way. If something is important enough, as supporters, we can make our voice heard. The most important thing is silverware and everything else is secondary. 

And silverware comes from winning football matches, not worrying about the badge. So lets go back to worrying about the football and this weekend, it's Everton and it's a big match. This is also possibly the last time we'll ever play at Goodison Park, so wouldn't it be nice to go out with three points. 

And you know what, Everton has a nice taste. They're a big Club and they are in a good run of form. They might look like the Everton we all know and love, sitting just above the relegation zone, but actually, Sean Dyche has them playing just like he had Burnley playing. And cards on the table, that is nothing to be sniffed at.

I write that with all sincerity. Sean Dyche did well at Burnley and Everton have been unlucky the last few seasons. Unlucky in the sense that they've made some stupid decisions. Employing Frank Lampard was just like that stupid decision we made to employ Steven Gerrard and they could have done so much better with Ancelotti and Silva, but employing Benetiz was a dark day for them and if you think about all this, it sort of echoes us in many respects.

Everton will be tough on Sunday, but fingers crossed we have enough. I'll be back then.

Match facts from the BBC

Head-to-head

• Aston Villa have won five consecutive Premier League games against Everton. They have only had longer winning streaks in the division versus Coventry City (seven) and Birmingham City (six).
• Villa are unbeaten in all nine Premier League meetings since returning to the top flight in 2019.
• The two teams have met twice already this season. Villa triumphed 4-0 at home in the Premier League in August, while Everton won 2-1 at Villa Park in the League Cup in September.

Everton

• Everton have lost their opening Premier League game in each of the previous six calendar years since a 3-0 home victory against Southampton in 2017.
• The Toffees' tally of eight league wins already matches their total for last season.
• Everton have suffered three consecutive top-flight defeats, letting in eight goals, following a run of four successive league wins without conceding.
• They could lose four league matches in a row for the first time since March 2022 under Frank Lampard.
• Sean Dyche's side have lost all five Premier League fixtures this season against the teams currently in the top five of the table.
• Everton's total of 12 Premier League home defeats in 2023 is their highest in a calendar year.
• They are the only team not to have been awarded a Premier League penalty this season.
• Seamus Coleman needs to make one more appearance to become Everton's outright record holder in the Premier League. He is currently level with Tim Howard on 354 games.
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin has failed to score in his last nine Premier League appearances, despite 19 attempts on goal.
• Since Dyche's first game in charge of Everton in February 2023, James Tarkowski has blocked more shots than any other player (62), made the second-most clearances (174) and third-most headed clearances (98).

Aston Villa

• Aston Villa begin a matchround in the top two of the Premier League table after the turn of the year for the first time since January 1999. They went on to finish sixth that season.
• Villa amassed 85 points in 2023, second only to Manchester City's 93. The Villans set a club record of 26 top-flight wins in a calendar year.
• Their current record of 13 wins, three draws and four defeats is their best after 20 matches of a top-flight season since recording exactly the same results in 1899-1900 en route to the title.
• Villa have the best Premier League home record this season but based solely on away fixtures they would be seventh, with 14 points from 30.
• They are vying to win their opening league game in consecutive calendar years for the first time since 2008.
• Villa can score multiple goals in five successive Premier League away matches for the second time, after a run of six from April to September 2008 (including a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park).
• Douglas Luiz's late penalty winner against Burnley was the seventh league goal this season that Villa have scored in the 89th minute or later, the joint most of any side along with Liverpool. Three have been scored by Douglas Luiz, the joint most by a player, along with Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo.
• Unai Emery is averaging 2.02 points per game in the Premier League with Aston Villa: 91 points from 45 games. He is the only manager in Premier League history to manage 40-plus games with a club and have an average of two or more points but not to have won the title with that side.