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New Year musings

By Jim Lloyd :  01/01/2011 :  Comments (36) :
Sadly enough, I'm writing this just after the bells have struck twelve to welcome in the dawn of a New Year. Think I must be misanthropic but here we go.

It's in response to a post that appeared to be awarding most of the criticism for our current situation to various players in our team: Yakubu and Saha are taking the piss; Howard doesn't concentrate enough, and Arteta should be fucked off as well.

It seems to me, that we are blaming the workers when the boss has lost his way.

Is it a coincidence that we have gone through about ten strikers, of which at least three have been at one time the highest scorers in the Premiership?

I look at our tactics and despair. Apart from the odd occasion when we turn over a top team (a very odd occasion and an excuse for almost ecstatic revelry) we play ineffective football. We do not use the talents that our players have, to the best advantage of the club.

How many top class forwards (and some not quite so top class) have we seen wither and die when they come to Goodison? They can't all be so bad as to warrant such criticism from us.

Look behind individual performances for a minute. Apart from a few performances, I go to the match and look at our displays in a sort of "Oh well, we were great once" attitude. I usually get down early at half-time to get the Bovrils in because there is little to get me exited enough to stay in my seat.

I'm not a Moyes hater but he is the one who dictates the strategy and the tactics. Week after week, I go home and think "Ah well, what\'s for tea?"

I've seen teams with a quarter of our support come here and give us a match and, to be honest, play better footy than us.

I sat at the Cup Final and was embarrassed. We gave Chelsea the FA Cup. That's not to say that Chelsea weren't a really good side; they were... but within ten minutes I could see, like so many others, that we were getting murdered down our right side. Did Moyes change anything? No he didn't and, bar for some wayward shooting and inspired refereeing... we could have ended up being battered into embarrassment of our club.

So, we shouldn't be too quick to blame the players. There is a malaise running right through our club and it starts with Kenwright and the invisible Board of Directors.

Does anyone honestly believe that he has been "looking 24/7" for someone to buy this club?? Gregg wanted to buy him out with a consortium but "Blue Bill" suddenly got an offer of investment from the fictitious "Fortress Sports Fund." Remember that? "The cheque is in the post!"

While Kenwright is Chairman of this club, we will just tread water. David Moyes is (in my opinion) a decent man and he began to turn the club round. But I think he's not quite got what it takes to make us into an exciting, attacking team.

Unfortunately (hope I'm wrong!) it's going to be a bloody long time before I will be going to the match in a state of high expectation and thinking "We're going to slaughter you lot!" I'm going the match as I used to go to church... with a sense of duty.

At least when I went to church, I was encouraged to believe in miracles. Now... I wish for one but don't believe it'll happen.

One of our contributors was pointing at the red jessies and laughing at their petition to get rid of Hodgson. Fair enough but at least they will take some action. I'd just love it if there was a petition amongst us to tell Kenwright his time is up.

Reader Comments (36)

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Chris Jones
1 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:09:25
He just doesn't see it, or is too stubborn to admit it, pitiful words from Moyes summing up why he should walk now:

Moyes said: ?I don't think we got what we deserved. I thought we played quite well at times, especially in the first half ? I thought we played as well as we have done for a long time. But we conceded a goal, and we kept trying to score but we couldn?t get one.

?I think when we went 2-0 down it was tough as it was going to be hard enough coming back from one down.

?But I can?t fault the boys I thought their effort was terrific and they did everything they could to try and win the game. We tried to make changes to see if we could find another solution but it just didn?t happen today.?
Richard Harris
3 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:39:44
It's the loyal fans who don't get what they deserve ? and we deserve far better than Kenwright and Moyes....
Jay Harris
4 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:25:25
I think Moyes is right.

We did play relatively well today but the usual problems are there to see.

We concede soft goals and cannot keep clean sheets.

Our build-up play is slower than a donkey in the Grand National.

We do not have the players to finish chances and I'm not just talking about the forwards. I'm talking Pienaar, Arteta, Distin Jagielka etc etc.

We don't have any goals in the team, never mind the forwards.

So we have pretty play with no bite and no finish.

I believe that Kenwright should shoulder most of the blame because we don't have options. Top quality strikers like Drogba,Torres, Berbatov etc don't fall off Xmas trees.

Pace like Bale, Lennon, Walcott, Ashley Young does not come cheap. But to find zero net spend for the last 2 years while expecting the squad to finish in the top 6 is total insanity.

To have players like Billy and Heitinga warming the bench or the physio's room because they were bought last minute as panic buys is also insanity.

I want to put on record that I think David Moyes was like a breath of fresh air when he came to our club. He was genuine, principled and brought dignity to our club. Unfortunately, I think life under this ghostlike and clueless board has finally broken him and he is totally lost.

It is time for Kenwright to stand up and sell up without any more 24/7 bullshit. Engage someone like Broughton to find a buyer within 6 months and do the honourable thing.
David Edwards
5 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:40:45
Too many other comments elsewhere to add anything to the debate ? but surely even the most pro-management fans must realise that 2011 must see change ? doesn't need an oracle to see that after the Stoke game (let alone the West Ham debacle!)

Come on, ToffeeWeb users ? the revolution needs to start here!

Trevor Lynes
6 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:33:33
I agree 100% with the article but I do blame at least some of the players but not only the supposed strikers. We do not create many clear cut chances from open play except when Baines is attacking and crossing from the left side. I cannot remember one of our midfielders putting through a killer pass or even having a shot except at free kicks.

Pienaar does try to dribble past opponents and gets himself fouled more than the others but Arteta has become very poor and just makes safe short passes and never takes any responsibility apart from dead-ball situations. The big problem that DM has is that he doesn't have any alternative but to persevere with Arteta and hope that his form improves.

We have no bright young player coming through and forcing himself into contention for a first team start. Obviously the new players who arrived must be no good, otherwise they would be playing!!

It really galls me to say that we are totally inept in front of goal and no-one, apart from Cahill, has any confidence. This is not a new problem and our professional players spend a lot of time training to improve their basic skills which must include shooting and passing accurately.

I yearn for us to hammer a team at Goodison by four goals with one of our strikers hitting a hat trick!!!

Leon Perrin
7 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:27:30
Jim

Tough to admit but I think the horse has bolted. I know loads of lads who've given up on Everton because of the perennial shite, lads who played football who knew what a good footballer looked like.

Of those left, I think admitting they were wrong about Moyes and Kenwright is too much, in the last week some fellas on here were still talking about European qualification.

Some of the stuff defending Moyes is barely credible, until we're sitting in the relegation places nothing will happen.

Steve Higham
8 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:43:53
David Moyes, thank you very much for all you have done for Everton. It is now time you did the decent thing and if you had any self-respect, you would resign.

I cannot take anymore of your tactical ineptitude and negative outlook. Going to the match home and away used to be the highlight of the week; now it has become a living nightmare.

We are now an absolute joke and I just wish all of us supporters would wake up to the fact that it's not just about having no money/being skint/BK. What it is about is a manager who doesn't have the guts to go out and try and win the game but sets up not to conceed and nick a goal if where lucky.

I am not expecting us to win anything but I would like my team to play with some guts and pride ? and actually play some football. Do we know our history? ? it appears not; we seem now to accept mediocrity as the norm.

Tony I'Anson
9 Posted 01/01/2011 at 18:52:24
Before our board will be listened to, we have to get organised as a global fan base with a collective voice (eg 57,000+ members on www.facebook.com/evertonfans/ ). Football is now a global business and fans need to be able to show their displeasure by acting as a collective voice rather than individuals venting their frustration and anger on TW and other sites. Although fans should not stop doing this either.

Anyone agree? Or care to do anything about it?
Robert Daniels
10 Posted 01/01/2011 at 19:12:05
Tony @ 8,

What did you have in mind?

Im game.

The twat's need outing!
Leon Perrin
11 Posted 01/01/2011 at 19:12:05
Tony @ 8

It's a good shout mate but I think there'll need to be a spontaneous show of disapproval at GP to act as a catalyst. Once it becomes a media story you need to raise this again, geezers like me have to work out how facebook works before signing up... shocking I know.
Stewart Littler
12 Posted 01/01/2011 at 19:29:21
Trevor, we have a bright young player who was benched today because Arteta is undroppable in the eyes of the management team ? so why exactly do we have to persevere with him?
Kunal Desai
13 Posted 01/01/2011 at 19:37:48
David Moyes has lost the plot, he's lost players and has lost the majority of fans. It is only inevitable he is heading in one direction. A change is a must at the end of this season but patience with him is wearing really thin now that something may have to be done before the season ends.
Alan Clarke
14 Posted 01/01/2011 at 19:45:18
Jay Harris, how much did Bale cost? £11 million. How much did Lennon cost? £3 million. How much did Young cost? £9 million.

How much did Bilyaletdinov cost? £9 million. How much did Fellaini cost? £15 million. So those players you've mentioned have been within our buget.

Kenwright has his part to play but the current situation is Moyes's doing. He failed to play the market in the summer. Not many would have argued if he'd sold Jagielka to Arsenal for £14 million and bought Donovan plus a striker. Kenwright does not dictate tactics or style of play. Please don't pin this all on Kenwright, it is collectively both their doing and they should both walk the plank.
Gavin Ramejkis
15 Posted 01/01/2011 at 20:02:35
Alan, Moyes turned his nose up at the chance of Lennon whilst he was at Leeds, Moyes also turned his nose up at Arshavin. I'm fed up of people telling stories on positive buys but ignoring the ones that got away.

You have a point on the tactics and style of play but please don't believe Moyes has anything to do with the fundraising and signing players on the dotted line ? he only provides names to BK who does that.

Jim Lloyd
16 Posted 01/01/2011 at 19:49:48
Leon, #6: You could be right about the horse doing a runner. I just hope it's still in the stable but the door is certainly wide open! One of my mates, his wife and his daughter (all lower Gwladys regulars for donkeys years) gave up their season tickets this season.

Tony, #8: I think that Leon is right, that it is only likely to happen once there is a major reaction at Goodison Park. Like him, I need to get to grips with this facebook malarkey... I've just got past the semaphore stage!

Alan, #12: I didn't intend to give the impression that Moyes doesn't share the blame for some of the transfer dealings (and the inactivity at crucial times as well) or for his responsibility in what we see on the pitch. But it is the Chairman's job to take decisions in the best interests of the club, including choosing or firing a manager, and Bill has already stated that him and David Moyes are great buddies. So if a new manager is to come to Everton, Kenwright first has to decide what to do.

He is unlikely to bring a new manager in because from all accounts, he's broke (well, in football terms) but he has a Billionaire (another friend) sitting on the board, who doesn't appear to want to put any money into the club. So we are stuck with the current situation until and if Kenwright does the honourable thing and goes.

Larry Boner
17 Posted 01/01/2011 at 20:50:02
The most poignant thing for me is there is a petition on the web somewhere, set up by a Liverpool supporter (I use that term in the loosest sense) to get Roy Hodgson the sack from the Liverpool manager's job. Now, I look at the league table tonight and Liverpool are 3 points ahead of Everton with a game in hand...

So what, you may say, but Hodgson has been at Liverpool 6 months, Moyes has been at Everton around 9 years, with no prospect of changing his preferred playing style, still has the same weaknesses in the team we have had for several years, I still believed up till today that Moyes could change and go in a different direction; now, I don't believe he will, Spurs next week will be a watershed for Moyes and Everton.

We cant go on like this, a decrepit stadium with absolutely no plan by the board to improve it, a manager with seemingly no plan to change the tactics, that he must see are not working.

Alan Clarke
18 Posted 01/01/2011 at 21:10:28
Sorry Jim, my criticism was aimed at Jay Harris. Your post sums a lot of my own opinions up.

Gavin, i have to disagree with you saying Moyes has nothing to do with transfer dealings. Moyes made it perfectly clear in the summer that he wasn't willing to sell anyone and his main priority was keeping this squad together even if that meant spending all our money on Arteta's contract. He publicly spoke about rejecting offers for Yakubu, Saha and Pienaar. One of the reasons he gets on so well with Bill is because Bill lets him run everything to do with team affairs. Pretty much every penny Moyes has raised, Kenwright has let him reinvest.

Even during our good run last season we were drawing too many games and it was obvious we needed more pace and a striker. Moyes did nothing about it even though he had options to. He is a stubborn twat.

I hold Kenwright responsible for Kirkby, Kings Dock, FSF/NTL, burst pipes, bullshit in the press and not accepting offers for the club BUT the current squad is Moyes' doing. The actual shite being served up on the pitch at the moment is not Kenwright, it's Moyes and he should be first to walk.
Jim Lloyd
19 Posted 01/01/2011 at 22:23:04
Well said, Alan! Moyes has got to accept responsibility for the mediocre rubbish we are being served up. It's proved to me that can't make that step from "well organised" to a vibrant team.

I agree with all you've said about David Moyes as a manager. We are watching sterile, boring football and the players know we are. If we look at their body language, it screams to me that we're half-beaten before we start. It's a bloody mess and you are bang on about last season. Once Donovan went, we lost the plot.

Gavin Ramejkis
20 Posted 01/01/2011 at 22:50:29
Alan, it's only recently that Moyes has had the proceeds of sales, where did the Andy Johnson and James McFadden money go? It certainly wasn't on replacements. Moyes doesn't sign the players ? the board do.
Ian Smitham
21 Posted 01/01/2011 at 23:10:10
Gavin, I assume that the proceeds of the sale of assets is well recorded in the accounts of the Company.

Anything less would, I assume, be fraud and I am assuming that no-one, even on here, would suggest otherwise.

I also assume that any benefits that BB/BB (take your choice) takes from the Company are also well recorded and auditted.

Saw an article by someone the other day re the club finances, if we (we?) are so short of cash, what is a factual assessment of where the club is?

Factual.
Dick Fearon
22 Posted 01/01/2011 at 23:10:56
We each have our own take on what is wrong but one thing we all agree on is that this season has been a miserable failure.

What saddens me most is Moyes's statement that he will keep on doing what he has done to date. Lord help us.

Marcus Kendall
23 Posted 01/01/2011 at 23:49:21
Dick, he says that as that's all he knows as a manager.

I fully expect Fellaini to be pushed forward for the games Cahill will miss which shows how limited a tactician Moyes is.
Martyn Carney
24 Posted 02/01/2011 at 00:02:15
Gents, at this moment in time I am not the biggest Moyes supporter. You'll all agree, he has done the job he was brought in to do (keep us up!) and in the meanwhile we have moved forward.

Right now, we are moving in the wrong direction but the one question is... Who would you replace Moyes with? Can you honestly say there is someone available who will take us to were Moyes hasn't or can't??

Look at the managers who are available: Allardyce, O'Neill, Brian Laws!! The boys need to pick themselves up quick and don't need us calling for Moyes's head.

Marcus Kendall
25 Posted 02/01/2011 at 00:09:35
Martyn, the managerial world stretches further than those you mention. Enlighten yourself, plenty of talented managers out there who'd love the chance to manage a club like Everton

My personal choice would be Gus Poyet

Others I'd be more than happy so see at Everton are O'Driscoll and Lambert. And thats just these shores, sure there are top coaches from abroad who'd welcome the chance to manage in the Premiership (even though its the most overrated league in the world)
Dave Lynch
26 Posted 02/01/2011 at 00:00:53
One thing worrying me is this:

If the unthinkable happens and we do go down, I fear it will be a long time before we get over it. Personally, the shame will be too much to take.

Don't ever think we are too big a club to take the drop as Newcastle, Leeds and Citeh will testify to the contrary.

The football we are playing is relegation material and needs to be remedied very quickly. However, I don't think sacking Moyes at this stage is an option.

Let him see the season out; changing managers now would be a big mistake and would make our predicament worse.

But, whatever happens, sack him and get a fresh face in for the new season.
Marcus Kendall
27 Posted 02/01/2011 at 00:15:50
Dave, I don't see us relegated, it might be dicey for a while but there's a lot of crap in this league.

Villa under Houllier (the worst manager in the league by far)
Wigan
Wolves
West Ham
Birmingham

I see all those finishing below us.
Martyn Carney
28 Posted 02/01/2011 at 00:13:56
Marcus, point taken... but to me, none of the above names you mention ? how do I say it? ?excite me; and, if it doesn't excite me, how would the likes of Arteta and Co say when Sean O'Driscoll walked into training on a Monday morning?

You mention top coaches from abroad, how many top players do we sign from abroad? I feel it would be a tough ask trying to get a foreigner in.

To me, Moyes is very lucky... as there's no-one to replace him.

Marcus Kendall
29 Posted 02/01/2011 at 00:27:00
Well, Moyes is hardly a big name and Arteta was inspired by him at first.

Also, as I said, my personal preference would be Poyet, who would inspire Arteta as well as the others.

We do sign top players from abroad (Heitinga and Bilyaletdinov within the last 12 months or so); sure, they arn't top bracket but they had reputations still.
Alan Clarke
30 Posted 02/01/2011 at 06:56:40
Gavin, we sold McFadden and Johnson for a combined total of £15 million. Who did we then sign that summer?

Answer: Fellaini, surprisingly for £15 million.

The Sky money each year goes on paying wages to the likes of Moyes, Arteta, Yakubu and Heitinga. It's ironic isn't it that our worst signings are our highest earners.
Tony I'Anson
31 Posted 02/01/2011 at 09:03:06
Leon (9) JIm (14) the Spurs game before kick-off will be interesting in terms of fans' reactions to the last 2 away matches. I wonder if the chants will be for the DM or the Board to go?

Leon, just sign up to Facebook for free and say you "Like" the Everton fans page. It's dead easy.
Gavin Ramejkis
32 Posted 02/01/2011 at 11:21:07
Alan, we bought Fellaini for ?15M, you know that Mickey Mouse dollar they use abroad; as far as I know, we are still paying, so how does £15M pounds sterling equal ?15M?????
Jay Harris
33 Posted 02/01/2011 at 18:06:57
Gavin can I just add that we were also supposed to be on the brink of buying Fernandes for £12 million.

What happened to that money?

Guess that was ringfenced too.
Jay Harris
34 Posted 02/01/2011 at 18:15:26
Alan Clarke (#13) ? my point was that players like Lennon, Young and Bale would cost far more than we can afford today, not what they originally cost.

Also, Bily and Heitinga were panic buys to beef up the squad before the season started.

We are currently looking at loan players which IMO is a disgrace for a club of our standing.
Trevor Lynes
35 Posted 02/01/2011 at 22:48:13
Hi Stewart # 11.... The bright young player you mention is NOT a playmaker and the only other one we have (for the time being) is Pienaar.

I actually do not see quite as much brightness in the player you mention as is being hyped... he should really be the finished product by now.

Jim Lloyd
36 Posted 02/01/2011 at 22:55:10
Tony (#30), You're dead right about the Spurs game... it could be pivotal. I'll go there with an open mind and support the team. I think though, that I'm going to be calling for Kenwright's head if what I fear will happen, happens. I fear that we are going to get well and truely malleted. Although having said that, we'll probably beat them!!

Anyway, if you see someone being frog marched out of the Upper Bullens, it'll be me being dragged out by BB's thought police. I'll be shouting for the fucker to give our club a chance and bugger off back to tinsel town! Ok, so he's a fan, aren't we all. But within our ranks, you can still get a possessive little toerag who thinks that the club is his alone.

By the way, I read your bit about facebook and I'll have a go at it this very week.

Michael Kenrick
37 Posted 03/01/2011 at 01:39:40
Ian (#20) ? You ask a wonderfully simple question; the answer, however, seems increasingly complex.

I would say the answer should be in the company's Annual Report and Record of Accounts but I suspect the black arts are employed therein to obfuscate rather than reveal.

However, I believe we are overdue another episode of said saga, which used to be unveiled sometime in the November/December timeframe at (or just before) the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Everton Football Club Co Ltd.

Of course, we don't have those anymore... But one number in there has been increasing substantially throughout the Kenwright years ? other than the debt of course.

Any guesses as to what it is?

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