Fans Comment
Neil Vaughan

European Tour...You're havin' a Laff
16/9/05

I've endured some terrible times in my 41 yrs supporting the blues... Liverpool (5-1), Port Vale, Bradford, Tranmere, Middlesboro, Shrewsbury ... we can all name the games but somehow I've always managed to bounce back, to retain a little hope. But last night was the first time I have EVER been EMBARRASSED to be an Evertonian... I felt like cryin'. This time it was witnessed by the whole of Europe and it hurts like hell!! I wouldn't even mind if they (Bucharest) were a good side but they are not.

How many more times is this club, players, management, Board of Directors going to build us up only to swiftly 'kick us in the nuts'? This summer was the biggest opportunity we will EVER have to give ourselves a chance of competing with the 'top three' but as is always the case with Everton FC... WE BLEW IT BIG TIME!!

We all knew what needed to be done but it just never happened... If Moyes is at his lowest ebb then he wants to spend an hour in my shoes. Failure to deliver the quality of player(s) needed to compete in Europe has led to possibly the worst display from an Everton side I have witnessed for a very long time. They have no creativty, they have no urgency, they do not score goals but most of all, THEY HAVE NO HEART — and that is unforgivable. The team spirt and willingness to work hard for each other which was so evident last season (and brought most of our positive results) is clearly no longer there. Without it this team is nothing.

We do not have a leader on the field, the only player who appears to open his mouth on the pitch is Phil Neville. Every decent team needs an inspiration, a player who, when things are'nt going well, will take the game by the scruff of the neck and dictate the battle, urging his troops to fight harder, demanding every last ounce of sweat and effort for the cause... WHERE IS OURS ?? We concede a goal and fall to bits!!

Last week, Moyes stood his corner about his formation and tactics... Well, David, if last night is anything to go by, get ready for a bad season to end all bad seasons. The game is all about scoring goals; we DO NOT even look like scoring one from open play and haven't done so for as long time. (Let's not forget we are the only club in history to finish in the top four with a negative goal difference).

The stats don't lie... 14 defeats from the last 20 games. Included in those 20 games some of the worst performances we have seen for many a long year (Spurs, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Bucharest); something has got to be done and done now. This is as bad as anything Smith ever served up and I believe he is our worst manager of all time. Moyes has to stand up and be counted, he has to admit his mistakes... McFadden, Bent, Hibbert, Wright are just not good enough to wear our beloved shirt.

The team have no shape or pattern of play and frequently give the ball away even when not under pressure. We have a full back (Hibbert) who can't pass and is without doubt the worst crosser of the ball I have ever seen. It's gotten so bad that even he no longer wants to get into the opposition half for fear that his ability on the ball (or lack of!) will let him down. We have two alledged wide men (Davies & Kilbane) who never get wide and a forward (Bent) who may run around all day, but just doesn't score goals. We have another one (McFadden) who just doesn't do ANYTHING!! We now just resort to punting the ball aimlessly upfront in the hope that Ferguson might possibly do something... for god's sake even the goalie does it!! I for one would like to know what they actually do in training.

I love this club; next to my family it is the most important thing in my heart... but enough is enough. I can honestly say that if they offered me a refund on my season ticket right now I'd take it... that's how bad I feel. I am, sick of being duped. Unfortunately, I have already bought my tickets for the return leg vs Bucharest... but what's the point of going ?? We've just about scored 4 goals in 7 games — who honestly believes that we can score 4 goals in one game? No chance.

Everton FC as a top club are well and truly finished, they proved that last night. I take no pleasure in saying it but it's the truth. Nothing Moyes can do can change that; it's just the way it is. Even if he was to leave, who is there to replace him? A team is only as good as its players and we have some bad ones that should have been let go and replaced with BETTER ones long before a ball was kicked in the 2005-06 season. It should've happened but IT DIDN'T !!

This is NOT a kneejerk reaction, it's a reaction to what I have seen (home & away) since January of last season. Moyes & Kenwright, you have failed to deliver and left us to be humiliated (AGAIN!!)

European Tour...You're havin a laff

Neil  Vaughan

Great piece by Neil Vaughan. It's exactly how I feel about our woeful European "Adventure".

Also this is the best fans site on the web, great work guys

John Audsley

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