Matt Jones

The semi-final stages of the UEFA Champions League are typically tight, tense affairs. Especially the first-leg of the ties, where neither team wants to give an inch; after coming so far, it’s understandable that the modus operandi for managers at this stage is “must not lose” opposed to “must win.” So as we geared up […]

In soccer, taking the reigns at a club after the departure of an enormously significant figure is always a perilously difficult task. For managers, the man who follows “the man” is often handed a poisoned chalice; unable to live up to the magnitude of his predecessor and incapable of galvanizing the team in a comparable manner. Unfortunately for David Moyes, he […]

Home advantage counts for a lot. When preparing this feature, great sides traveling to tough venues is always one of the things I look for; it typically makes for an excellent contest. Games where the fans will galvanize their team, makes things difficult for the opposition and provide a brilliant leveler. At this stage of […]

The last time I wrote one of these columns, Everton’s season looked all but done. A 4-1 defeat in the FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal seemed to have put an end to the Toffees’ challenging for anything of note in the final knockings of the campaign. I was expecting a strong finish, but at best […]

So often within a long, arduous league campaign a title can hinge on the result of one game. Sure if you want to be crowned champions there is a demand to be consistent over the entirety of the season. Sure you’ll pick up some vital results along the way. But silverware at the end of […]

Just four teams remain in the UEFA Champions League, and after a quartet of exceptional quarter-final ties, this tournament seems intent on getting better and better. At this juncture, each of the four sides left in the competition know they're a mere three games away from winning the biggest prize of them all. And after getting […]

Everton's Goodison Park hosted an “Evening of Spanish Football” last week that saw three iconic figures in the Spanish game share their opinions with an audience of hundreds. On stage, Sky Sports’ Spanish soccer expert Guillem Balague, Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro and editor of Spanish newspaper AS, Alfredo Relaño, offered typically insightful and highly […]

Editor’s note: This marks the first of a new series, entitled 'The Full 90 Minutes,' at World Soccer Talk where we bring you classic matches from years gone by. The concept of the series is that we’ll hand pick the best matches. We won’t include any spoilers, and we’ll present the entire match in its […]

Back in June 2013, Roberto Martinez was unveiled to the media as Everton’s new manager. To his left, the Toffees’ wide-eyed chairman Bill Kenwright waxed lyrical over the acquisition of the Catalan, rattling off the credentials that convinced him the former Wigan boss was the right man to take Everton forward. Understandably beaming and in […]

Qualification for the Champions League has become so vital for the biggest clubs in Europe. The glitz and glamor of the continent’s premier club competition is envied by supporters around the world, but it is the prestige and the financial windfall that’s become so important in the fast-moving, modern game. For teams that are regulars […]

The first-legs of four stellar quarterfinal ties were played out this week, as the eight remaining teams in the Champions League looked to keep their European dreams alive. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to pick a potential winner from the remaining sides, and some wide open first legs did little to reveal an obvious champion. But […]

Everyone loves an underdog story, don’t they? After all, a team or an individual triumphing against the odds is one of the great things about sport. But in soccer, the cutthroat, finance-geared nature of the modern game has diluted these instances where we get to see these unexpected stories. This season though, we could yet […]

In many respects, scrapping down at the bottom of the league is what the game is all about. Only one team can win the title. Only three or four can make it into the Champions League. The rest? Well, it’s a constant look over your shoulder, just hoping to get to a points total that […]

After a rip-roaring round of 16, the line-up for the Champions League quarterfinals was confirmed this morning. Given the quality of the teams remaining in the competition, we always knew we were going to be in store for some more sensational ties in the last eight. But with the draw finalized, supporters can start gearing […]

The quarterfinal line-up for the Champions League is complete after the second legs of the final four last-16 ties were played out this week. And if you cast your eyes over the teams that remain, this season’s tournament is shaping up to be the most hotly contested in years. We’ve got a cacophony of different […]