Sven doing a Moyes?

Ian Tunny 03/01/2008 28comments  |  Jump to last
After yet another victory by Svens men, I ask the question, Is it possible for Sven to do a Moyes and take a relegation fovourite and struggling team one season to breaking into the top 4 the following season? And are there any other similarities or comparisons? It would be an incredible achievement for Sven and Man City, or any team for that matter outside of the 'big four' to break the trend just like Moyes and Everton a couple of seasons back.

Apart from playing in blue and perhaps living in the shadow of our more successful red neighbours, Everton and Man City have similarities: both have long historys but in recent years have struggled. Like Everton, Man City also have a passionate following accross the world as well as popular celebrity fans such as Ricky Hatton and Oasis.

One of the biggest most obvious differences between the two sides is that Sven has had big investment put into the team this season and has made a number of big money signings with promising futures, so the team he has taken on is not exactly the same struggling team that finished above the relegation zone.

Moyes on the other hand a couple of years back had virtually the same team to work with that had just avoided relagation, only the additions of a couple shrewd signings but perhaps big gambles at the time. A championship midfield player for a couple of million and a journey man striker for less than a million ? only after missing out on the likes of Dikov!

On top of this we lose our icon, our only hope and inspiration in Rooney just before the begining of the season, far worse than what Fernandes did at the start of this season in my opinion. Man City have kept their young talent in the shape of Mica Richards, another big difference and huge benefit for City.

Another bomb shell: our revelation and best player at the time Tommy G leaves half-way through the season for Madrid, replaced by a failed Spaniard Arteta. Nobody believed we could hang on; it didn't look good. I myself an optimist was having doubts. Only my brother having any belief who actualy planned to put a bet on Everton to finish top 6 or top with out the top 4, i think it was 66 to 1 at the start of the season when he mentioned it ? I thought he was mad!

But we had the Moysiah the miracle man and we achieved the impossible, we defied the odds and Sky and all of Europe. How would their Champions play in the compition the next year if they hadn't qualified? Everton had upset the balance, the rules had to be changed!

Although I believe the league is stronger and more competitive then when we broke into the top 4, we musn't forget we finished above the European Champions that year. The situation is looking very similar; with the Premier League getting further away from Liverpool's grasp, Europe may take priority once again. Can Everton also take the initiative or will we too be pre-ocupied in Europe? Man City have only the League and FA Cup to worry about and look to be adding to the squad again very soon during the open window.

So can Man City do the impossible and hang on? Is this good for football? How will this affect Liverpool if they dont qualify for the Champions League? This could have huge repecutions and shake up the league for better or worse and perhaps level the playing field. It makes for an exciting final push, I just hope we have a big say in the outcome and hope we will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

I believe our two clashes with Man City over the next few weeks will be massive! And without key personnel it's going to be tough. Can Moyes pull another gem out the bag again this January?

Reader Comments

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Michael Kenrick
1   Posted 03/01/2008 at 03:55:14

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Rather a lot of hyperbole in there for my liking, Ian. Let’s step back a moment and look at just one thing: The impact of Everton breaking in to the top four in 2004-05.

Huge repercusions? No.
Shake up the League?? Hardly...
Level the playing field??? Yea right!

Finishing fourth means one thing... finishing fourth. It’s better than 5th but not as good as 3rd. And if you then finish 11th the next season, it kind of takes all the gloss off...
Daniel Lim
2   Posted 03/01/2008 at 04:54:32

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I would like Man City or any other team (or could that be Everton again?) to do it this season.

I do not agree with Mike, I believe that will shake up the league and level the playing field a little bit.

Imagine if the RS didn’t win the CL in 2005, they would not have any mean to get in to the competition via back door. They would have lost a lot of revenue the following season, maybe to the tone of 10m? Yes, financially 10m do not hurt them as hard as it would hurt us. But I think if this happen even only once in every 2 seasons, it will definitely have some long term impact.
Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
3   Posted 03/01/2008 at 05:21:54

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"One of the biggest most obvious differences between the two sides is that Sven has had big investment put into the team this season and has made a number of big money signings"

That’s the nub of it for me. I don’t think Sven can "do a Moyes" if he’s had so much money to spend and been able to cash in on his reputation to help attract good players. Moyes didn’t have such luxuries and that makes our 4th-placed finish three years ago all the more remarkable.
David Torley
4   Posted 03/01/2008 at 08:58:52

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He’s hardly ’doing a Moyes’ is he?

He spent more in his first week in charge at Citeh than Moyes has spent in 5 years at Goodison.

Moyes = a football club manager
Sven = playing Football Manager
Dave Trudgeon
5   Posted 03/01/2008 at 09:06:45

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Sven spends £40-50M and he?s a hero for getting city fourth? He will probably spend another £10-20M in jan!!! Why is it disgusting when Chelsea do it but "good for football" when City do it?

I?ve watched City this season, they haven?t been all that good, they have one skilful player in Elano (who should have been sent off last night for a knee high challenge) and two very good centre halves, thats it!

It is begining to annoy me that people in the press are constantly praising them when its Everton who should be praised! When I'm at home watching Soccer Saturday we NEVER get mentioned unless we?ve scored or conceded! On Tuesday iIwatched it for 25 mins and Watford got mentioned twice, Bristol got mentioned twice and we didn?t get mentioned at all until we scored.
Erik Dols
6   Posted 03/01/2008 at 09:12:01

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Daniel, I think missing out on the CL will cost the RS far more than 10m. If you count ticket sales and all, I guess it could easily be up to 30-40m. And that’ll hurt them, could delay their new stadium by another year.
John Lloyd
7   Posted 03/01/2008 at 09:15:19

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I agree with Dave T on this matter, I dont think you can compare it to when we finished 4th at all, coupled with the fact that its only January & they may not finish in top 4 at all or top 6 fore that matter!!! On the flipside they could also finish 2nd or better but in my opinion that is unlikley.

The only two points that City’s resurgence proves is that England got rid of Sven too soon (as proven by Mclarens shiteness!!) & also that Sven is a (proven) quality club manager who can pick a player, which is hardly gonna shock many football people.
Daniel Lim
8   Posted 03/01/2008 at 09:38:57

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Erik,
that’s exactly my point, although I was being too conservative with the number.
If one team outside of the Media 4, be it Everton, Blackburn or Villa, etc, managed to do it every season, or even once every 2, imagine the financial damage the "ousted" team would suffer. That will be good for the game.
Rob Fountain
9   Posted 03/01/2008 at 09:40:26

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A bit off topic, but covered in the original post:

Rooney vs Fernandes is not comparable in any way - apart from us wanting them both to stay.

The main difference, and the main reason it still rankles, is that Rooney was lifelong blue (apparently), Fernandes just a loan signing. Rooney was spotted, coached, and brought through our system ? all the while ?promising? he was gonna be around for some time.

Whilst I do not condone Fernandes's last-minute about turn, he owed us much less then Rooney. I for one would also welcome him back. I mean, a 21-year-old kid, comes in on loan, almost joins, then makes a bad decision (perhaps ill advised by his money men) and has a crap year. We all make mistakes, and if he comes back I?ll give him a second chance to become an everton legend.
Micky Norman
10   Posted 03/01/2008 at 10:40:34

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There is no comparison here. City were given a brand new stadium not so long ago and are owned by an Asian billionaire who daren?t go back to his own country for fear of being locked up for all sorts of heinous stuff. Moyes has done things his way because of the situation which has been forced on him. It?s his own cake made from basic ingredients where as SGE just goes to to Harrods for his.
Dan Mckie
11   Posted 03/01/2008 at 10:58:13

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Sven has spent loads of cash as usual and the only player you hear anything of is Elano (and sometimes Petrov), the players that are doing the best for him were already there! I think they will soon fall away!
Brendan McLaughlin
12   Posted 03/01/2008 at 10:28:32

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I’d be more concerned about the impact ManCity finishing 4th would have on us as opposed to Liverpool. At the moment we are vying with Man. City, Aston Villa & possibly Spurs to be the best of the rest. So I want to see all of those other teams crash & burn.

Let’s turn the "Top 4" into a "Top 5" first & then start hauling back the so-called big boys. I mean 1-1 at Anfield last night we don’t have far to go to catch that load of bollocks across the park.
Toby Bruce
13   Posted 03/01/2008 at 10:50:43

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Finishing 4th could be a poisoned chalice as it may mean some extra qualifying games for the side above the norm now. Also I dont agree if you finish 4th you are a ?Champion? - its oxymoronic that idea.
RS won the Euro cup on penalties and were never Champions of the Prem - ever - ever !!

Anyway back to the point here: Let City have 4th. I want a shiny trophy please. Any of the 3 on offer will do: juicy Uefa please, or the never won League Cup or even the FA cup. THAT gives you a bounce in your step and the pleasure of a semi-final angst and final to savour with all the nostalgia that will stick with you for a life-time. Finishing 4th is an accounts trap - maybe.
Ste Horrocks
14   Posted 03/01/2008 at 11:17:26

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Toby - agree with you totally. Give me one of the cups ahead of 4th place anyday. What do you get for 4th? - the chance to qualify for the CL and potential dosh - but no trophy for the cabinet. Some of my best blue memories are cup related (Spurs semi 95, Luton 85, Bayern Munich etc). The cup finals (& semis) stick with you forever - you dont see "4th place finish" listed amongst the club honours.
Mark Hill
15   Posted 03/01/2008 at 11:44:15

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One thing i would like to point out is that we didn’t lose our icon, Rooney, he was never that, he may have been the great white hype....Ferguson, he was the icon.....The links between Sven and Moyes and the way they have been able to go about there business is entirely different. Everton where in a complete mess and had been for years, possibly nearly going bust, Man City were in debt but were not in the position that Everton were.
Dave Lawley
16   Posted 03/01/2008 at 11:31:51

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Fuck it lets win a trophy and then finish 3rd, that will freak em out.
Luke Brooks
17   Posted 03/01/2008 at 12:31:29

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Agree with Dave Lawley. I reckon we’ll win a cup and finish above the RS this year. If we do that there’s a good chance they’ll sack the fat spanish waiter, the US backers will walk away, and (hopefully) the stadium proposals will fall through. I’m one blue that no longer feels inferior to them, we are their equals right now and whilst we’re moving in the right direction they’re heading for a crash landing.

COYB!
Joe McParland
18   Posted 03/01/2008 at 12:56:40

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There could be one big problem if we did finish in 4th above the RS. If they were to fluke the Champions League again (not like they haven?t fluked it before) then 4th would not get into Champs League under Uefa rules. So we?d better finish 3rd just to make sure.
Clyde McPhatter
19   Posted 03/01/2008 at 15:57:25

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Boy do we get ahead of ourselves all the time or what? How about we win on Saturday (no tie match so no replay) then we get at least an away goal at Chelsea on Tuesday. Then we have City twice in a month. Let?s concentrate on beating them twice. The RS will take care of themselves. Can you imaine what these boards would look like if we played lone striker at home against Wigan with a full squad to choose from? The fat bastard must want to get fired because why else would he go with that squad last night?
EJ Smythe
20   Posted 03/01/2008 at 16:11:37

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I can see it now. we qualify for CL, and Liverpool loses to wigan, sunderland and derby.

"Thank you Agent Rafa"
Ste Kenny
21   Posted 03/01/2008 at 16:59:14

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If any of the so called best of the rest finish above the shite will that be the last we hear of this "big four" bollocks
John Garrett
22   Posted 03/01/2008 at 17:33:36

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Why is everybody still referring to the "big four"? Surely its either the big three or the big six!
Dave Trudgeon
23   Posted 03/01/2008 at 17:36:22

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I want Liverpool to finish 5th and get to the final of the FA Cup and Champions League!
Before you get me shot let me explain!
If they do that and lose both finals or even the final of the FA Cup and the semi?s of the Champs League then it will mean Hicks and Gillette will keep the fat spanish twat for another year, meaning it gives US another year to get better than them.
He?s the worst manager they?ve had since Souness and god i love him for that!
I also think he lit a fire under Kenwright's arse by calling us a small club, which in turn caused Kenwright to spend big (for him) in the summer!
I?d rather Benitez is in charge than Mourihno cos with money he would make them geniune title contenders.
Ian Tunny
24   Posted 03/01/2008 at 17:43:25

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HaHa come on Michael dont be so miserable what happend to merry christmas and a happy new year? surely everyone likes a bit of colour added to the tale at this festive time. If sky do it an Hollywood do it then i thought i would add a little bit of spice;)
Barry Kingham
25   Posted 03/01/2008 at 18:56:15

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I think all this is largely irrelevant because I have a strong feeling that we’ll beat City next week to go above them (and stay that way till the end of the season). We have a great run of games coming up and all of our nearest rivals in the table have to play us at Goodison (bar Liverpool). The future’s bright folks.
Michael Kenrick
26   Posted 03/01/2008 at 20:53:16

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Ian, Just consider yourself lucky it saw the light of day. My, how standards have dropped in this place....
Daniel Lim
27   Posted 04/01/2008 at 10:45:22

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I wouldn’t want Beneathus to get sacked. I hope he will stay on for a long long while.
Barry Lightfoot
28   Posted 04/01/2008 at 17:37:05

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Michael I think your wrong if Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions league next year it would have a massive impact on their spending don?t forget how much debt they are already in. The only reason it made no difference when we finished 4th was because the smarmy bastards won it and then whined that it wasn?t fair so they where back in.

They are a gnats whisker away from being the next Leeds.


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